The world of Chinese web novels has been gaining fast traction over the years, but it is still pretty uncharted territory. Wuxia web novels in particular tend to go pretty hard with their concepts of power levels that Cultivation brings along, not like any other web novel from different origins. Out of all the popular Wuxia protagonists, Meng Hao is the favorite but how strong is the Demon-in-progress?
Welcome to Character Analysis! This is a segment that we do where we take a trending or popular character from the geek side of the internet and break them down to their very core. We take an in-depth look at their characteristics which include their strengths and weaknesses because a good character has both.
Wuxia plotlines are notorious for their extreme world-building and elaborate power mechanisms which result in protagonists that are either very spiritually devout or very power corrupted. And in both cases, their powers stem from a single-minded devotion to bettering themselves. In that case, I Shall Seal the Heavens’ Meng Hao is no different.
But despite 150+ chapters of exposition, we don’t have an accurate idea of how powerful Meng Hao truly is. He went from failed teenage scholar aspirant to a near God in his own right, which is an impressive journey. But to gauge more about his abilities and where those stand in the grand power level tiers of this web novel, we have to take a deeper look at things. So, let’s dive right in and see just how strong Meng Hao is.
Meng Hao: The Stolen Scholar
Despite his supposed humble beginning in the web novel as a failed scholar, the real potential of Meng Hao was already unlocked before. When he was born, he had the Nirvana Brand present on him, indicating that he had Daoist magic potential that could bend even the high Heavens and allow reincarnation.
He went through Nirvanic Reincarnation twice before he turned 7 years old, around the time his parents from the Fang Clan left him. He vowed to become an official but after failing the scholar exam three times, he was kidnapped by Xu Qing to be taken to the Reliance Sect.
From The Immortal Rise To The Demon Fall
Sure, we have a background on how he got to be amongst Cultivators but what motivated him was to rise above being a tool. He was originally taken to become nothing more than a servant to the Immortals but after he received his Qi Condensation Manual, he immediately got to work. His past failures fueled his drive and soon he became an Outer Sect disciple.
But his real break came when Meng Hao gained the League of Demon Sealers legacy and ended up becoming the final Ninth Generation Demon Sealer.
But even though he was well on his way to becoming an Immortal, Meng Hao instead went on to walk on the path of the Demon. This was due to the war involving Allheaven, an actual God that ruled the Vast Expanse, which ended up decimating the Mountain and Sea Realm. Disillusioned by the selfishness his superiors showed towards the mortals that were left as casualties, he stepped away from pursuing the same lifestyle and chose to corrupt himself into becoming a Demon.
Meng Hao Transcended Cultivation?
As of recently, Meng Hao has reached the fourth step in the Cultivation ranks and has quickly proven himself to be a formidable opponent. But even before all the events of the web novel, it was clear he held the potential to be greater than anyone.
With his Fang Clan lineage and Nirvana Brand combined, he’s already a rare and revered being. Being a quasi-demon supplemented his level of cultivation techniques, helping him surpass even his mentors. This isn’t even mentioning his abilities as a demon sealer and sword fighter.
His Legacies, however, are amongst his strongest assets. Many involve blood magic, but all have aided him greatly in his fights. And he is one of the only ones to have acquired the Patriarch Blood Demon Legacy which means he can fully utilize the powers of Blood Demon Grand Magic, unlike the Blood Princes before him who were limited.
So, how powerful is Meng Hao? Enough to both reject and take on Allheaven head-on. An impressive feat for a scholar with no future, we think!
