Old Emperor

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Old Emperor (老皇帝)
Alias(es)	Great Xia Emperor; Old Emperor of Great Xia
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Great Xia dynasty; secret ally of Liu Qiushui and Asura Hall
Occupation/Role	Emperor of Great Xia; cultivator; wielder of the Myriad Souls Banner
Status	Deceased 239
First Appearance	Chapter 88

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Body Integration Stage	226	Reached after a long pursuit of strength, but remained unable to contend with Lingxu, a Tribulation Crossing cultivator.
Tribulation Crossing Stage	228	His established realm by the confrontation at Divine Grass Mountain; he considered Lingxu his only true opponent.
Body Integration Stage (suppressed)	232	His cultivation fell by a major realm after deploying the Myriad Souls Banner, though the banner kept him dangerous.
Unprecedented demonic state	236	Merged with the Myriad Souls Banner and entered the demonic path, gaining enough power to immobilize opponents at the cost of torment from the souls he had absorbed.

Background / History

The Old Emperor was a transmigrator who waited seven hundred years to locate the Ascension Platform. Upon arriving in the cultivation world, he expected an effortless rise resembling the stories of his former life, but instead encountered court conspiracies, betrayal by his sworn brother, and repeated humiliation by cultivators stronger than himself. 226

He ultimately took Great Xia's throne, but imperial authority did not protect him from the cultivation world. His mother revealed on her deathbed that she was not his biological mother, while his daughter, concubine, and empress each defied his authority at different points. These experiences left him distrustful, obsessed with power, and determined to uncover other transmigrators. 226

Publicly, he was a widely beloved and acclaimed ruler of Great Xia. Secretly, he cultivated through the Myriad Souls Banner, required large numbers of souls to sustain it, and used his imperial identity as cover for his crimes. 117 205

Appearance

The Old Emperor is portrayed as an aged, hunched ruler who moves barefoot beneath a long imperial robe. In public audiences, he sits upon the dragon throne with a weary appearance. 117 224

• Long imperial robe 117
• Bare feet and hunched posture 117
• Often conceals himself beneath a black robe while acting outside the palace 176
• Possesses powerful Spiritual Sense capable of silently examining large groups 117 172

Personality

The Old Emperor is calculating, suspicious, and exceptionally cautious. He repeatedly tests those around him for signs of being transmigrators, including subjecting banquet guests to subtle examinations over three days. 117 Even when convinced that Li Xuanxiao was vulnerable, he repeatedly considered the possibility of a trap and reinforcements lying in wait. 227

He is ruthless in pursuing strength and security. He was prepared to provoke war with Great Sui to create cover for expanding the Myriad Souls Banner, cooperate with hostile forces against his own capital, and sacrifice his cultivation realm to wield the banner's power. 117 122 232

Despite this ruthlessness, he understands governance and personnel. He distinguishes between treacherous agents suited for covert killings and upright officials suited to guarding the Dragon Vein, appointing Zhang Haoran because he believed him incorruptible. 225

His resentment toward Lingxu is deeply personal: he envies Lingxu's apparent cultivation talent and cannot accept being surpassed despite his own centuries of struggle. 236

Abilities & Skills

Tribulation Crossing Cultivation

A Tribulation Crossing Stage cultivator before the decisive battle at Divine Grass Mountain, the Old Emperor could dominate opponents such as Elder Sun and Di Nüfeng. 228 229

• Overpowered Shushan's Tribulation Crossing cultivators after absorbing demons from the Demon Suppressing Pagoda. 176
• Killed Elder Sun by seizing his Nascent Soul, though Elder Sun's final self-sacrificial attack blasted him away. 238
• His realm was tied to Great Xia's national fortune; damage to that fortune could cause his cultivation to fall. 178

Myriad Souls Banner

The Old Emperor's principal artifact is the Myriad Souls Banner, a sinister weapon sustained by souls and vengeful spirits. 117 232

• Absorbed demons released from the Demon Suppressing Pagoda. 176
• Produced powerful malevolent energy that concealed his identity and aura even when he used his full strength. 227
• Unleashed countless vengeful souls to blanket the battlefield in resentment. 232
• Contained two Tribulation Crossing great demons, which he deployed in his schemes. 172
• Could be swallowed and merged with his Dao, allowing him to transport Lingxu into another ancient battlefield. 235
• Its use carried a severe price: deploying it reduced his cultivation by a major realm, and merging with it subjected him to the torment of the souls he had consumed. 232 236

Spatial and Escape Techniques

The Old Emperor possesses abilities suited to evasion and battlefield control.

• Escaped Lingxu after being struck by using a spatial ability that could not be tracked. 177
• Opened a spatial passage to flee after Lingxu severely injured him. 238
• His escape ability could be countered by prepared spatial confinement. 235

Formations and Spiritual Sense

He uses Spiritual Sense, formations, and long-term preparation to identify threats and control engagements.

• Scanned guests and tested their reactions in an effort to identify a transmigrator. 117
• Set formations around Divine Grass Mountain to prevent Li Xuanxiao's escape. 227
• Read records directly with Spiritual Sense while investigating Li Xuanxiao. 227

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Myriad Souls Banner — His life-defining demonic artifact, powered by absorbed souls and capable of housing great demons. 172 232
• Imperial seal — Used in his administration of Great Xia, including Zhang Haoran's appointment to guard the Dragon Vein. 225
• Ascension Platform knowledge — He located the platform after seven centuries and later revealed its location to Ling Xuanxiao. 226 239

Relationships

• Zhao Lu — His daughter. He attempted to use her broken engagement with Ye Yunzhou as a pretext for war, while she later revealed Li Xuanxiao's identity as a transmigrator to him. 114 225
• Lingxu — Shushan Sect Leader and his overwhelmingly powerful adversary. Lingxu repeatedly defeated or humiliated him, culminating in their final battle. 177 224 236 237
• Ling Xuanxiao / Li Xuanxiao — Fellow transmigrator whom he obsessively sought to identify and capture. He ultimately tried to steer Ling Xuanxiao toward his own path by giving him the Myriad Souls Banner. 117 227 239
• Liu Qiushui — Co-conspirator in the plan to seize Great Xia's Dragon Vein, though their alliance was unstable and she bore a grudge against him. 120 122 147
• Happy Youth — Ally with whom he made a deal while investigating the origin of transmigrators; the youth was a clone of Happy Old Man. 147
• Elder Sun — Enemy combatant whose Nascent Soul the Old Emperor seized; Elder Sun died after launching a final attack against him. 238
• Zhang Haoran — Appointed by the Old Emperor as a Dragon Vein guard because he appeared upright and incorruptible. 225

Story Role / Major Arcs

Search for the Transmigrator

The Old Emperor searches the imperial capital and later the Monster Extermination Assembly for someone capable of proving a shared origin. He uses strange questions, observation, and Spiritual Sense to test potential transmigrators, but Li Xuanxiao avoids exposure by reacting as an ordinary person would. 92 117

Expansion of the Myriad Souls Banner

Seeking more souls for the banner, he plans to start a war with Great Sui and exploits political tension surrounding Zhao Lu's broken engagement. 114 117 He also works through covert allies, including the Death Cult and spies within Shushan. 165

Dragon Vein Conspiracy

The Old Emperor joins Liu Qiushui and Asura Hall in an attempt to seize Great Xia's Dragon Vein. He manipulates the capital's protective array, betraying the city he publicly rules. 122

Assaults on Great Powers

After the Demon Suppressing Pagoda incident, he escalates his attacks with the Myriad Souls Banner, targeting major sect figures at the Tribulation Crossing level. His attack on the Profound Sword Sect's Grand Elder signals his open threat to the great powers. 176 205

Battle at Divine Grass Mountain

Lured toward Li Xuanxiao's prepared battlefield, the Old Emperor faces Elder Sun, Di Nüfeng, the Sword Spirit, Lingxu, and Li Xuanxiao's traps. He repeatedly escapes or transforms through the Myriad Souls Banner, but each escalation leaves him more desperate and damaged. 227 228 232 235 238

Death and Legacy

After his defeat, the Old Emperor meets Ling Xuanxiao in the snow. He claims to have sought Ling Xuanxiao so that the younger transmigrator could attain enlightenment and ascension, gives him the Myriad Souls Banner and the Ascension Platform's location, then dies after a final attack that destroys Ling Xuanxiao's Nascent Soul. Ling Xuanxiao chooses not to inherit his path. 239

Trivia

• The Death Immortal Sect Master worshipped the Old Emperor as an “Immortal” without realizing that he was actually Great Xia's emperor. 165
• The Myriad Souls Banner has no discernible future or past, preventing Happy Old Man from fully deducing it even at the cost of his remaining lifespan. 326
• Though secretly responsible for mass death and conspiracy, he was publicly regarded as a good emperor by commoners and cultivators. 205