Jingliu

Biodata

Background

Jingliu’s homeland, Cangcheng, was destroyed by the living planet World-Devouring Rahu, which Shuhu had driven. She later fought Shuhu on the Luofu alongside Teng Xiao, Dan Feng, Bai Luoming and the Cloud Knights 158 166 168.

After Baiheng disappeared into a space-time opening, Jingliu and the others initially believed that she and Shuhu had perished together. Dan Feng and Yingxing later attempted to resurrect Baiheng using a forbidden technique, creating a monstrous dragon that Jingliu slew. Jingliu subsequently became Mara-Struck but retained her clarity of mind; Jing Yuan arranged for her to recuperate at his residence 169 174.

Appearance

Jingliu has red eyes and often wears black silk over them. Her gaze can be intimidating even when her eyes are covered 127 129 141.

• Eyes: Crimson light intensifies in her eyes during episodes of anger or Mara-related distress 143 149.
• Veil: She sometimes removes the black covering, including while waiting in her courtyard 141.

Personality

Jingliu usually presents a calm, cold exterior, but she is protective and affectionate toward those close to her. She regrets striking Bai Luoming too fiercely during their duel and shows unusual patience when correcting his swordwork, in contrast to her strict treatment of Jing Yuan 131 141.

Her attachment to Bai Luoming is also possessive. She restrains him and freezes her courtyard gate when he tries to leave, and reacts jealously to a call from Herta. At one point, she warns him to run because she can barely suppress her Mara-Struck state 133 143.

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

As the Luofu’s Sword Champion, Jingliu combines precise technique with formidable strength. She teaches swordsmanship to Bai Luoming and previously taught Jing Yuan and Yingxing 130 131 145.

• Disarmed Bai Luoming twice during their duel, first breaking his sword and later knocking away his flaming greatsword 130.
• Broke Hoolay’s great saber and defeated him in 41 seconds, despite his fusion with a Heliobus 147.
• Offered to teach military strategy and flying sword manipulation, which she described as controlling multiple swords through qi 133.

Ice techniques

Jingliu can create and control ice weapons and freeze her surroundings 126 133.

• Forms ice swords in her hand and can control dozens of them at once 130 153.
• Sealed her courtyard gate with ice and later froze a path across the water at Scalegorge Waterscape 133 148.
• Her released energy froze nearby seawater during a confrontation with Dan Heng and Blade 150.

Moon On Glacial River

Jingliu unleashes enormous crescent-shaped waves of sword qi. During her duel with Bai Luoming, the attack destroyed the training ground despite his layered Preservation shields; he remained standing afterward 130.

Mara-Struck state

Jingliu’s Mara affliction can threaten her self-control. Seeing Dan Heng and Blade brought conflicting memories to the surface and caused her to lose reason, although Bai Luoming briefly helped her calm down 143 149.

Equipment & Items

• Shard Sword — The weapon Jingliu carries in Star Calendar year 7379, including during the Shuhu Rebellion 155 166.
• Seat of Divine Foresight token — Used to dismiss Sky-Faring Commission employees pursuing a speeding complaint 129.
• Jade Abacus — Used to unlock a shared starskiff 127.

Relationships

• Bai Luoming — Her disciple and romantic interest. She calls him her husband when introducing him to Yanqing; his promise to return and an embrace help calm her during an episode 131 133 148.
• Jing Yuan — Her disciple and the Luofu’s general. He helps delay the Astral Express at her request and later persuades her, Dan Heng and Blade to stand down 88 150.
• Baiheng — A close companion who calls her “Jingliu Liu.” Jingliu recounts the centuries following Baiheng’s disappearance when they reunite 157 174.
• Bailu — Someone Jingliu often looks after and buys snacks for. Bailu encourages Bai Luoming to accept Jingliu as his master 127 131.
• Yanqing — Jing Yuan’s disciple and therefore Jingliu’s martial granddisciple. Jingliu has given him martial-arts pointers and later rescues him from Hoolay with Bai Luoming 83 147.
• Yingxing / Blade — Jingliu taught him swordsmanship. Their later reunion is hostile, and Jingliu blames him for meddling with Abundance 145 149.
• Dan Feng / Dan Heng — Dan Feng was one of her companions. After his forbidden resurrection attempt with Yingxing, Jingliu confronts Dan Heng at Scalegorge Waterscape 149 174.
• Herta — A rival for Bai Luoming’s attention. Jingliu attacks her after Bai Luoming vanishes following the battle with Phantylia 143 153.
• Hoolay — A Borisin with a longstanding grudge against Jingliu, although she initially fails to remember him 147.

Story Role

Bai Luoming’s master

Jingliu appears while Bai Luoming and Bailu are fighting Borisin, cuts down several attackers and asks Bai Luoming to become her disciple. He agrees to duel her instead. After seeing her swordsmanship firsthand, he accepts her renewed offer 126 127 130 131.

Training at her courtyard mixes sword instruction with increasingly intimate advances. Bai Luoming continues visiting to improve his technique, while Jing Yuan notices how much more gently she teaches him than she taught her earlier disciple 133 140 141 143.

The Ambrosial Arbor crisis

When the Ambrosial Arbor revives, Jingliu accompanies Bai Luoming and defeats Hoolay, who is holding the wounded Yanqing. She then leads the group across the frozen waters of Scalegorge Waterscape 147 148.

At the Waterscape, Jingliu threatens Dan Heng and Blade before Jing Yuan persuades the group to set aside its conflict. After the allies destroy Phantylia’s constructed body, Bai Luoming vanishes upon touching the Stellaron; Jingliu attacks the newly arrived Herta, and Feixiao joins their fight 149 150 153.

Encounter in the past

Bai Luoming reappears in Jingliu’s room in Star Calendar year 7379. This earlier Jingliu does not recognize him and attacks him, although she recognizes the sword techniques he uses as her own. She later accepts him as a disciple and takes pride in his strength during the fight against Shuhu 155 157 168.

After Baiheng’s starskiff disappears into a space-time opening, Jingliu rushes to the spot but cannot reach her. Centuries later, Baiheng emerges at Scalegorge Waterscape, and Jingliu explains what happened in the intervening years 169 174.

Notable Quotes

“It’s all right. I’m the strongest, after all!” 147

“We won’t know whether we can win until we try.” 166