Sun Xiangzong

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Sun Xiangzong (孙象宗)
Alias(es)	Sun Qing; Ghost Seven 183 247
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Northern Liang Army; founder of the Eight Great Camps; Governor's Mansion 200
Occupation/Role	Supervisor; Governor; Guardian Envoy of the Eastern Continent 123 183
Status	Deceased; buried on Huangyun Mountain in Huangyun Village 201
First Appearance	Chapter 109

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Martial Saint	98	Had already broken through by the time Sun Li and Sun Buqi recalled his earlier imprisonment and his period of practicing numerous techniques. 98
Above Martial Saint / True Force Realm	123	His cyan internal energy differs fundamentally from ordinary martial artists' transparent internal energy; he later passes the True Force realm method, the Dragon Scripture, to Chen Sanshi. 123 200

Background

Born Sun Qing, he fled after killing both a sect leader and a corrupt court official who had colluded to disregard human lives. Cao Kai, then the Seventeenth Prince, rescued him at great personal cost; Sun Qing subsequently changed his name to Sun Xiangzong and became Cao Kai's personal bodyguard. 247

Sun Xiangzong and Cao Kai later assembled the force that became the Northern Liang Army. Starting with eight hundred men, Sun Xiangzong expanded it through successive formations—including the Heavenly Strategy, Xuanwu, and White Tiger Camps—until the Eight Great Camps were established; by his old age, they had grown into the Northern Liang Army's fourteen camps. 200

For forty years, he held the northern border against invasion and became known as the human world's First Spear Saint. His long service, independent prestige, and control over the Eight Great Camps made him indispensable to the dynasty but also a persistent object of imperial suspicion. 125 201

He married only after the age of sixty and had five children. By the time of his final years, only Sun Li and Sun Buqi remained alive. 134

Appearance

Sun Xiangzong presents himself as an unremarkable, elderly man despite his overwhelming martial prestige. During the elite selection, Chen Sanshi sees him wearing coarse linen and seated quietly among the chief examiners. 123

• Wore coarse, plain clothing; his garments could be patched despite his rank. 123 126
• Was around one hundred years old during his final campaign preparations. 187
• Wore an extraordinary bright-silver thumb ring on his right hand. 126
• His body was visibly deteriorating in later years, with malevolent energy eroding him from within. 187 200

Personality

Sun Xiangzong is composed, politically astute, and deeply committed to protecting the northern frontier. He does not openly contest every encroachment on his authority; instead, he allows opponents to overreach before decisively reasserting control. His handling of Ning Changqun's challenge during the elite selection demonstrates this patience and strategic confidence. 125 126

As a master, he is demanding but attentive. Before his death, he personally assigns his disciples instructions, medicines, weapons, techniques, and future responsibilities according to their temperaments and needs. 187

“I am a dying man. I merely wish to do something for the civilians before I die.” 123

Abilities & Skills

Martial Saint Spearmanship

Sun Xiangzong is regarded as the foremost spear wielder of the human world. Even after more than a decade without publicly fighting, he kills the Martial Saint Ning Changqun with a single overwhelming strike and restores his authority before more than one hundred thousand soldiers. 125 126

• His intervention at Poyang shattered armor to a depth of eighteen inches and repelled nearly twenty thousand barbarian bandits. 112
• His internal energy is cyan rather than the transparent energy of ordinary martial artists, marking his status above Martial Saint. 123
• He can use his spear to manifest a silver dragon powerful enough to destroy a colossal sword and defeat numerous sword cultivators. 183

Guardian of the Eastern Continent

Under the identity Ghost Seven, Sun Xiangzong acts as the Eastern Continent's Guardian Envoy, opposing cultivation-world interference in mortal affairs. 183

• Reinforced the Eastern Continent's seal with a jade talisman, forcing cultivators to retreat from the mortal world. 184
• Possessed a spiritual pearl engraved with the Spirit Extinguishing Great Formation, which he prepared to use against the malevolent veins. 190
• Resisted the backlash of malevolent energy while moving to destroy the Witch God Cult's blood-sacrifice operation. 190

Instruction and Legacy

Sun Xiangzong selects cultivation methods according to each disciple's physique and provides direct guidance to disciples on the verge of breakthroughs. 133

• Formally accepts Chen Sanshi as his final and youngest disciple after the elite selection. 131 133
• Teaches Chen Sanshi about Azure Profound Qi, spiritual energy, and the Sword Qi Technique. 133
• Passes down the Dragon Scripture, a True Force realm cultivation method. 200
• Creates a sword technique specifically suited to Nie Yuan and gives Rong Yanqiu a whip technique to temper her bloodthirstiness. 187

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Dragon Gallant Bright Silver Spear — Sun Xiangzong's signature spear for sixty years; its authority was sufficient to deploy the Eight Great Camps even without official seals or tallies. He publicly gives it to Chen Sanshi as his successor. 200
• Bright-silver thumb ring — An extraordinary ring worn on his right hand. 126
• Jade talisman — Used to reinforce the Eastern Continent's seal and expel interfering cultivators. 184
• Spirit Extinguishing Great Formation pearl — A spiritual pearl engraved with a formation intended to suppress the malevolent veins. 190

Relationships

• Cao Kai / Emperor Longqing — Sworn brother and former master. Cao Kai rescued Sun Qing from arrest, after which Sun adopted the name Sun Xiangzong and served as his bodyguard. 184 247
• Chen Sanshi — Final disciple and chosen heir. Sun names him Chief True Disciple, teaches him immortal and martial methods, and bequeaths the Dragon Gallant Bright Silver Spear. 131 133 200
• Sun Li — Daughter and one of his two surviving children; Sun arranges her marriage to Chen Sanshi before his death. 134 200
• Sun Buqi — Son and one of his two surviving children. Sun entrusts his care to Chen Sanshi. 134 187
• Lu Ji — Eldest disciple; a Martial Saint whom Sun advises not to turn against his junior disciples. 125 187
• Fang Qingyun — Fourth disciple; assists Sun during the elite selection and accompanies him to the Capital regarding the army expansion. 123 134
• Meng Guangxin — Fifth disciple; a bald, monk-like general whom Sun directs toward Lingyin Temple after the coming war. 123 187
• Wang Zhi / Tang Ruoshan — Sixth disciple. Sun harshly rebukes him over the destruction of Xuanwu Camp but provides medicine after Wang's return. 187
• Nie Yuan — Third disciple; receives a new sword technique created by Sun. 187
• Rong Yanqiu — Ninth disciple; receives a whip technique and elixirs intended to temper her bloodlust. 187

Story Role

Elite Selection and Northern Liang Expansion

Sun Xiangzong proposes expanding the Eight Great Camps to twelve, raising the army's strength beyond 150,000 troops. He intends to eliminate at least two barbarian tribes before retiring so that the northern border will remain secure for fifty years. 123

During the elite selection, he judges the candidates while the imperial court attempts to divide his authority. When Ning Changqun exploits the investigation into the tampered assessment to openly challenge him, Sun reveals his retained strength and kills Ning before the assembled army, regaining the prestige he had deliberately allowed to fade. 125 126

Sun ultimately declares Chen Sanshi the selection champion and his Chief True Disciple, disregarding political expectations that Cao Fan would receive the position. 131

Guardian Envoy and Seal Crisis

As Ghost Seven, Sun Xiangzong confronts cultivators attempting to interfere in the Eastern Continent. He identifies himself as its Guardian Envoy, breaks an enemy sword formation, and reinforces the seal separating cultivators from mortal affairs. 183 184

When the Ancient Demon Clan and the Witch God Cult accelerate the revival of the malevolent veins through blood sacrifice, he employs the Spirit Extinguishing Great Formation and personally enters the conflict despite his failing health. 189 190

Final Arrangements and Death

Knowing his death is near, Sun gathers his disciples before the northern campaign. He distributes techniques, weapons, medicine, advice, and responsibilities, then asks Chen Sanshi to protect Sun Li and Sun Buqi. 187

After Chen Sanshi's victory in the great desert, Sun publicly presents him with the Dragon Gallant Bright Silver Spear—the symbol of command over the Eight Great Camps—and gives him the Dragon Scripture. 200

Following Sun Xiangzong's death, he is buried on Huangyun Mountain in his birthplace, Huangyun Village. At the burial, the spear spirit within the Dragon Gallant Bright Silver Spear emerges above his coffin before dispersing into the wind. 201