Banyue/Lore
Last updated 2026-07-10
Official Introduction
"How dare you vile creatures tread upon the lands under my protection!"
Banyue
"What?! Citizens are getting totally scammed at that new dessert shop in Failume Heights?!"
"Are there any casualties? Take me there ASAP!!"
"How can we let these thugs run wild like this in broad daylight?!"
Profile
Banyue is a composed and noble individual with a keen sense of justice, doing his best to protect others and help those in need. As a machine originally built to suppress Miasma, he is incredibly powerful in combat, and is usually relentless when fighting Ethereals, though he refuses to strike against civilians or those who he considers to be innocents. As a martial arts teacher, he is notably strict and disciplined, in contrast to his much gentler side when interacting with others outside his school.
Banyue isn't particularly up to speed with technology or colloquialisms, using the default icon for his Inter-Knot profile, and only recently began learning modern slang.[1] He has a fondness for balls of any kind, often rhythmically playing with his prayer beads. He seems to be incapable of swimming, as despite being water proof, he had to be pulled out of a bay via a heavy duty salvage vessel after diving into the waters of Sailume Bay. He also has a fear of mice.[2]
Banyue is often flustered in situations where his anatomy is brought up, being notably uncomfortable when both Grace Howard and Enzo wanted to take a look at his internal mechanisms.[3] This embarrassment also extends to compliments, as he was so embarrassed when being called either cute by Belle or interesting by Wise while watching a documentary together, that he almost immediately ran out of the building.[4]
History
Banyue was originally created by the old civilization[5] and was later developed by TOPS as "Purge Unit - Type Zero". His purpose was to destroy Miasma, and with his algorithms built to work towards the most efficient method of Miasma disposal at all times, he was ruthless in his work, leading to destroy ethereals and afflicted civilians in equal measure. A failed operation left Banyue broken within the Lemnian Hollow, abandoned by TOPS. Despite this, he was found by a "sage"[6] from Marcel Group,[7] who rewrote the programming within his Core to function like a Logic Core. He was later retrieved from the Hollow by Ning Shu, who brought him back to Failume Heights.[8]
During this time that he began to develop a sense of self, eventually becoming a fully sapient being.[9] He spent a great deal of time with the residents of a mining area near the Lemnian Hollow, becoming friends with many people there, but ten years ago, the Lemnian Hollow swallowed the area. Banyue's original programming in regards to Miasma affected him during this time: his logic algorithms determined that there were only a handful with a chance of survival at the time, so he chose the optimal solution and did not try to save anyone else.[8] Due to this, the survivors of the town, most of whom relocated to Sailume Bay, never forgave Banyue and considered him to be the same cold, ruthless killing machine he had been before his Core was rewritten.[10] He had however saved Ye Shiyuan and Ye Shunguang after being tasked to do so by their parents.[8]
Banyue harbored immense regret for the choices he made, and to this day, despite fulfilling the criteria needed to be considered an Intelligent Construct, has never underwent the Forbidden Fruit Test, and thus is not officially recognized as a person.[6]
Banyue continued to lead a rootless life in Failume Heights thereafter, keeping an eye on Shiyuan and Shunguang before Yunkui Summit opened their doors to orphans.[10] He became friends with Yixuan, who on a whim advised him to start a martial arts school,[11] which he proceeded to do, though the school was never named; years later, Ning Qian joined it as a student.[8] When Yixuan and her disciples were called away from Suibian Temple in the wake of Isolde's death and the apparent defeat of the Exaltists, she sent a letter to Banyue asking him to help her newest disciples, Belle and Wise, who were left to take care of the Temple in the meantime.[12] He introduced himself to them, and immediately began to help in investigating the mysterious town that had appeared in the Lemnian Hollow after the Miasma began receding.[13] He cooperated with Zhao of the Krampus Compliance Authority, even going so far as to allow her to look in to his operation logs if the information within could help their investigation,[13] and came to blows with both Komano Manato's Drowned Ideal and the Wandering Hunter that had appeared in the town, though he refused to directly fight the former.[14]
Unbeknownst to Banyue, Krampus had been working to find and retrieve the Purge Unit - Type Zero,[13] now Banyue's core;[15] since Banyue never took the Forbidden Fruit Test, he was considered a rogue machine with no humanity: a valuable missing asset at best, a danger to others at worst. After Dialyn arrived in Failume Heights and the situation in Timesworn Hills was resolved, Krampus began looking into Banyue further, with the intent of claiming his core by whatever means were available.[16] At the same time, Ning Qian had been working with Sarah and the Exaltists,[16] as he had believed that Banyue had abandoned his sister Ning Shu to die in the incident ten years ago, unaware that it had been her own choice.[8] He wanted to see Banyue dead, and was willing to die to serve this purpose. The plan the Exaltists had in mind was to use Banyue's guilt to draw him in to the Hollow, and then trap him within the array, a device which would allow them access to The Creator; he would die in the process, which also benefited Krampus independently, as in this scenario, Banyue would run out of power and his Core would be ripe for the taking.[16]
Despite this, Dialyn was hesitant, as at this point she had seen enough of Banyue to be conflicted on whether he was a mindless machine or an actual person.[16] With the help of Phaethon and Shunguang, she helped him escape the array, and through the voices of the dead, revealed the truth about what happened ten years ago, causing Ning Qian to break down and apologize for his actions. Though Banyue accepted his death, and was willing to offer his core to Dialyn, the Judge recognized his personhood and offered him the punishment of living with his guilt and pushing forward in life, rather than dying. He then joined her, Shunguang and Phaethon as they went to confront Sarah and Shiyuan, coming face to face with a Shiyuan mind-controlled by the Creator. During the battle, Banyue shielded Dialyn and Phaethon from harm, but ultimately had to be rescued by Shunguang using the power of the Qingming Sword to defeat her possessed brother.[8]
After escaping the Hollow, Banyue was then offered by Dialyn to join Krampus, which he accepted, though he still maintains his position as the head of his martial arts school.[17] It is implied that after overcoming his sense of guilt and joining Krampus, he took and passed the Forbidden Fruit test, getting thus recognized as construct citizen.[18]
Agent Trust
| Requirements | ||
|---|---|---|
| ||
| Trust Rank |
Rewards | |
 Familiar |
|
— |
 Friendly |
|
5,000 |
 Close |
|
10,000 |
 Trusted |
|
15,000 |
Impressions
- Intelligent Construct problem #1: the metal detector always goes off.
- Intelligent Construct problem #2: maintaining antique parts.
- Intelligent Construct problem #3: how do you measure the weight of a heart?
Agent Intel
Agent Details
Banyue is an Intelligent Construct who runs a martial arts school in Waifei, known to many as "Banyue Shifu." He has lived for a long time, his stone-lion-like presence commanding respect. A martial arts expert of great skill, he shares a long-standing friendship with Yunkui Summit's current High Preceptor, Yixuan.
As a martial master, Banyue is quiet but dependable. His methods and beliefs are rooted in tradition, and he disciplines his students with strict yet thoughtful guidance, teaching them not just how to fight, but how to learn. Known as a true master of the martial arts, in battle, he can assume a special form known as the Visage of Wrath to vanquish all evil.
A long inhabitant of Waifei, Banyue is quiet and even-tempered. He doesn't express emotions easily and has the manner of someone from another era. Knowing he's out of touch with modern trends, he's been secretly trying to learn the latest internet slang... yet his half-baked grasp of it tends to end in funny little misunderstandings.
Banyue also appears to have a strange liking for round things — stone balls, spherical bollards, and the like. If the conversation ever goes silent while you're alone with him, bringing up something spherical usually does the trick.
Agent Intel 1
Trust Rank: Close
Banyue's true identity is that of a killing machine secretly developed years ago by TOPS, specifically designed to suppress Miasma and codenamed "Purge Unit - Type Zero." The algorithm implanted within him drives him to act according to the most logical solution for eliminating Miasma, which often results in indiscriminate annihilation of all moving targets within sight, including both the Miasma and affected civilians.
After a failed operation, Banyue, then still a mere machine, was abandoned by TOPS, but was then discovered by a sage visiting the Lemnian Hollow, who rewrote his Core and constructed new intelligent logic for him, allowing Banyue to gradually develop self-awareness. Later, Banyue was accepted by the residents of the old mining site in Waifei Peninsula, where he integrated into "human" life.
During the catastrophic Miasma outbreak at the old mining site ten years ago, Banyue rushed to rescue the civilians, yet under the influence of his perfectly rational algorithms, he abandoned those he deemed beyond saving. Though he saved the young Ye Shunguang and Ye Shiyuan, this planted a deep-seated guilt within him for "abandoning those in need." As a result, Banyue never took the Forbidden Fruit test, and despite meeting the criteria of an Intelligent Construct, he remains officially unrecognized as one.
After receiving judgment from Dialyn, a Judge of the Krampus Compliance Authority, Banyue resolved to atone for his past regrets by protecting the future. Through Dialyn's recommendation, he has now become a Judge of the Krampus Compliance Authority, embarking on a completely new journey.
Cooperation Notes
|
Belle |
|---|---|
| Banyue Shifu may look calm and composed, but he's actually got a timid side! Last time he visited Suibian Temple, a mouse happened to scurry in, and though he did his best to hide it, it was clear he was unsettled... | |
|
Wise |
| Come to think of it, one time, a kid dropped a marble, and he kept looking at it... I guess Banyue Shifu isn't always the composed martial arts master he seems to be. |
Video Store Promotion
| Promoter | Unlock Requirement |
Daily Bonus |
Promotion Style | Promotion Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Banyue |
Secrets of Ancient Artifact Restoration Secrets of Ancient Artifact Restoration |
Basic Burn Chip x5 |
Mountain Moving Strength Banyue Shifu spoke in his usual low tone, with an ancient slogan... In the end, it didn't attract any customers. At the suggestion of a colleague on the phone, he raised a two-meter-tall ceramic tile stack at the entrance, spread out his four hands, and smashed them to pieces in one go! Soon, a huge crowd of passersby surrounded this place... Now, the great martial artist is about to perform lifting two passersby simultaneously, throwing and catching balls, smashing ceramic tiles, and handing out membership cards to customers! Please don't miss out! |
"I've agreed to promote the shop, but the customers aren't interested, so what should I do... Uh, Dialyn, you mean... this trick would really work?" |
Commissions and Events
Phaethon's Story Episodes
- Memories of Dreams Bygone
- Episode 2: "The Town"
- Episode 3: Slumbering Mystery
- Episode 4: Embrace Darkness
- Episode 5: Rescue Operation
- Episode 6: Grant a New Dream
- Episode 7: The Final Song
- Episode 8: Unexpected Fate
- On the Precipice of the Abyss
- Episode 2: Dark Tides Rising
- Episode 3: Cryptic
- Episode 4: Who Is Spying?
- Episode 5: Fleeting Warmth
- Episode 6: A Series of Changes
- Episode 7: A Storm Brews
- To Be Fuel for the Night
- Episode 1: Before the Storm Settles
- Episode 6: A foreseen Conclusion
- Episode 8: Secrets Beneath the Ice
- Episode 9: "Our" Connection
- Episode 11: The Oath
- Episode 12: Epilogue (Season 2)
- Encore for an Old Dream
- Episode 4: Startled Awake from Old Dreams
Trust Commissions
- Trust Rank Close: Old Parts Rescue Mission
- Trust Rank Friendly: Public Security's Biggest Security Check Victim
- Promoter: Repair Manual
- Trust Rank Trusted: Weight of the Heart
Quality Time Commissions
- Trust Invite: A Breezy Day by the Sea
- Wish Event: Battery Thief
- Trust Invite: Boxing & Martial Arts
- Wish Event: Learning New Vocabulary
- Trust Invite: Love It or Leave It
- Wish Event: Martial Artist
- Trust Invite: Massaging Hands
- Wish Event: Now That's What I Call Skills!
- Wish Event: Sanctuary
Events
Trust Events
Character Mentions
Enemy Intel
Dialogue
Trivia
- Banyue has multiple references to Vajrayāna Buddhism:
- Both his kit and his exclusive W-Engine reference wrath, and a Visage of Wrath in particular: in Buddhism, especially the Vajrayāna tradition, enlightened beings have both a peaceful and a wrathful form, the latter usually used to protect sentient beings and destroy the obstacles to enlightenment.
- His sixth Mindscape Cinema, Descended Vidyaraja, references the Wisdom Kings (Sanskrit: विद्याराज vidyārāja), a type of wrathful deity.
- Banyue has four arms, like the many Dharmic deities.
- His exclusive W-Engine is called Wrathful Vajra: in Dharmic traditions, the vajra (Sanskrit: वज्र "thunderbolt") is a legendary ritual weapon, symbolized by a round, symmetrical metal scepter with two ribbed spherical heads.
Etymology
- Banyue's name consists of the characters 般 bān and 岳 yuè, "high mountain". Although modern Chinese 般 has taken the meaning of "-like" as in "mountain-like", in ancient Chinese it meant "to move, to lift", a meaning that later got shifted to the newer, more specific character 搬 bān. Therefore, Banyue's name means "moving high mountains" in ancient Chinese.
- At least in the EP "I Ask", his name is meant to be a reference to prajna (Sanskrit: प्रज्ञा prajñā; Chinese: 般若 bōrě), since the latter is instead read as bānruò,[7] which is how the two characters would usually be read outside of this specific term: the first character is the same as the bān in Banyue, and the overall pronunciation is very close to Bānyuè too.
- Banyue shares the same Chinese voice actor, Liu Beichen (刘北辰), with:
- Wriothesley and Azhdaha in Genshin Impact
- Owlbert and Tail in Honkai Star Rail
References
- ↑ Quality Time — Wish Event: Learning New Vocabulary
- ↑ Quality Time — Trust Invite: Love It or Leave It
- ↑ Trust Event Commission: Old Parts Rescue Mission
- ↑ Trust Event Commission: Repair Manual
- ↑ Zenless Zone Zero (February 06, 2026). ZTALK | Behind the Scenes of Sān-Z Music Production Vol. 2. YouTube. Retrieved February 06, 2026.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Banyue's Agent Intel: Agent Intel 1
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Zenless Zone Zero (December 14, 2025). Banyue EP - "I Ask" | Zenless Zone Zero. YouTube.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 6: A Series of Changes
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 4: Who Is Spying?
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 3: Cryptic
- ↑ Mindscape Cinema 1: Greed Burns Like Fire
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, Memories of Dreams Bygone, Episode 2: "The Town"
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Phaethon's Story, Memories of Dreams Bygone, Episode 3: Slumbering Mystery
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, Memories of Dreams Bygone, Episode 4: Embrace Darkness
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 2: Dark Tides Rising
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 5: Fleeting Warmth
- ↑ Phaethon's Story, On the Precipice of the Abyss, Episode 7: A Storm Brews
- ↑
Phaethon's Story, Encore for an Old Dream, Episode 1: Pre-Festival Unexpected Commission
Fairy: Affirmative. The Agents Master has worked with — Public Security Officer Qingyi, Banyue, Billy, and others — all fall under the category of Intelligent Constructs, or construct citizens, if you will.
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