Zhao Lu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhao Lu (赵露)
Alias(es)	Princess Zhao Lu; Empress Zhao Lu
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Great Xia Imperial Family; Shushan Sect; Silver Sword Peak
Occupation/Role	Shushan disciple; commander of the Golden Armored Guards; ruler of Great Xia
Spiritual Root	Single Spiritual Root 68
Status	Alive; ruling Great Xia as its Emperor/Empress 341
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Foundation Establishment Stage	75	Reached Foundation Establishment by the time Li Xuanxiao returned from the Lesser Cold Secret Realm; he provided her with precious cultivation materials.

Background / History

Rescue and entry into Shushan

Zhao Lu was attacked and injured by Evil Cultivators before Li Xuanxiao rescued her, treated her wounds in a cave, and killed her attackers without revealing himself directly. She used a purple-amethyst Image Stone to view her rescuer’s appearance and became deeply intrigued by him 3.

As a princess of Great Xia, Zhao Lu later arrived at Shushan with the imperial family to request cultivation training. Li Xuanxiao denied being her rescuer in order to avoid royal entanglements, but Zhao Lu joined Shushan as a disciple nonetheless 4.

Li Xuanxiao became her Senior Brother and introduced her to Shushan’s Path of Ruthlessness, stressing that a cultivator must not be ruled by emotion or personal attachment 5. Zhao Lu later supported him with sect information and delivered the mission to eradicate the Tiger Demon of Weihu Mountain 21.

Life on Silver Sword Peak

Zhao Lu grew jealous when Li Xuanxiao devoted increased attention to Feng Liuli. He recognized her feelings and redirected them into motivation for her studies, while preparing both junior sisters for an outside training mission 69.

After returning from the Lesser Cold Secret Realm, Zhao Lu had reached Foundation Establishment and waited for Li Xuanxiao on Silver Sword Peak. She openly flirted with him, while he remained guarded and gave her cultivation materials instead 75. During his later seclusion, she tried to prevent Su Wan from disturbing him 77.

Coiled Dragon City and the imperial conflict

Zhao Lu led Great Xia’s Golden Armored Guards into Coiled Dragon City during the conflict with City Lord Yue Tianqi. She requested five Mahayana-stage experts from Shushan, contributing to the response against the Myriad Souls Banner crisis 87 88.

Upon returning to the imperial palace, she arranged a wedding procession as a trap for Li Xuanxiao, surrounding him with Spirit Transformation cultivators and a formation intended to block his Earth Evasion technique. The target was only his clone; Li Xuanxiao escaped and left her an essay assignment on the consequences of plotting against others 89.

Her father broke off her engagement to a Great Sui prince. When Zhao Lu became ill, she agreed to return to the palace to visit her ailing mother, while Li Xuanxiao chose to accompany the Monster Extermination Assembly partly to protect her 115. During an assassination attempt, Zhao Lu used a clone technique to mislead her attackers 118.

Ascension to Great Xia’s throne

Following the Old Emperor’s death, Zhao Lu received his final letter; the shock caused her to collapse, and a Gu Worm emerged from her head 241. She subsequently left Shushan to inherit Great Xia’s throne, expressing affection and respect for Li Xuanxiao before departing 245.

Her mother initially opposed her succession and intended to send her away to Jiangnan instead. Zhao Lu accepted the decision outwardly, but Li Xuanxiao secretly entered the palace to support her claim 247. Her enthronement ceremony was challenged by resistant officials and disrupted omens, but Lingxu and eight Shushan Tribulation Crossing experts arrived in support. Zhao Lu remained restrained throughout the pressure surrounding her coronation 248.

She ultimately ascended as Empress of Great Xia. In later events, she was referred to as Great Xia’s Emperor and remained burdened by the consequences of having previously killed Shushan disciples 249 341.

Appearance

Zhao Lu is noted for her exceptional beauty during her arrival at Shushan 4.

• Carries a refined purple-amethyst Image Stone on her person 3.
• Led the Golden Armored Guards while dressed in green robes during the Coiled Dragon City crisis 87.

Personality

Zhao Lu is emotionally direct and persistent in her affection for Li Xuanxiao. Her attachment manifests as jealousy toward Feng Liuli, flirtation after attaining Foundation Establishment, and eventually an elaborate attempt to force a marriage through a palace trap 69 75 89.

She is also capable of decisive leadership and deception under pressure. She commanded the Golden Armored Guards, sought high-level Shushan assistance during the Coiled Dragon City emergency, and used a clone to evade an assassination attempt 87 88 118.

Despite her ambition to rule Great Xia, Zhao Lu shows concern for her family. She returned to the palace to visit her ill mother, worried over her father after his injury, and was profoundly affected by his death 115 127 241.

Abilities & Skills

Cultivation

Zhao Lu possesses a Single Spiritual Root, a talent associated with faster cultivation in a matching attribute and easier breakthroughs through bottlenecks 68.

• Reached the Foundation Establishment Stage by Chapter 75 75.
• Received instruction in Shushan’s Path of Ruthlessness from Li Xuanxiao 5.
• Participated in Shushan’s outside training missions alongside Feng Liuli 69.

Clone Technique

Zhao Lu can create a clone for tactical deception.

• Used a clone to deceive assassins targeting her during the evil-cult eradication mission 118.
• Her use of deception demonstrated increased resourcefulness and self-preservation in combat situations 118.

Imperial Command and Strategy

Zhao Lu combines her royal position with practical leadership.

• Led Great Xia’s elite Golden Armored Guards in Coiled Dragon City 87.
• Requested five Mahayana-stage Shushan powerhouses to address the city’s crisis 88.
• Prepared a grand formation and Spirit Transformation-stage encirclement to prevent Li Xuanxiao’s escape from the imperial palace 89.

Equipment / Items

• Image Stone — A purple-amethyst recording stone Zhao Lu used to view Li Xuanxiao’s appearance after he saved her 3.

Relationships

• Li Xuanxiao — Her rescuer, Senior Brother, mentor, and object of affection. Zhao Lu repeatedly pursues him, while he protects and supports her without matching her directness 3 5 89 127.
• Old Emperor of Great Xia — Her father. His political schemes affected her broken engagement, and his death left her grieving and facing a final message from him 114 115 241.
• The Empress — Zhao Lu’s mother, who initially opposed her accession and planned to send her to Jiangnan rather than permit her to rule 247.
• Zhao Qi — Her brother, who expressed concern for her safety while considering the political implications of threats against her 118.
• Daoist Master Lingxu — Shushan’s Sect Leader, who publicly supported Zhao Lu’s enthronement alongside other Shushan great powers 248.
• Lu Ziyin — Silver Sword Peak’s Peak Master, who led Zhao Lu’s training expedition and later worked with her during the Coiled Dragon City crisis 69 88.
• Feng Liuli — Fellow junior sister and Li Xuanxiao’s disciple. Zhao Lu became jealous of the attention Feng received, though both followed Li Xuanxiao’s teachings and trained together 69 75.