Bao Xu was originally a bandit king on Kushu Mountain in Kouzhou. He had an ugly appearance, with a face shaped like the bottom of a wok, fierce bulging eyes and lips like a wolf's. He wielded a broad sword and excelled in martial arts. His only passion in life was to kill and plunder, thus earning him the nickname 'God of Death' (丧门神). He also had a thunderous voice which sent enemies trembling.