Contents
Biodata
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Xiao Xuan (萧玄) |
| Alias(es) | Young Human Emperor; Venerable Lord 684 915 |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Xiao Clan; Heavenly Ruins; Human Emperor Faction 684 915 1048 |
| Occupation/Role | Heaven-grade Son of Heaven; one of the Heavenly Ruins' top ten inheritors; formerly the youngest Great Emperor of his time, before Chen Wen surpassed that distinction; Venerable Lord of the Human Emperor Faction 684 915 1154 1704 |
| Status | Deceased — killed by Chen Wen at the Great Emperor Ceremony, where Chen Wen crushed his head, despite the arrival of Xiao Yuntian. 1184 1200 1704 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 684 (mentioned); Chapter 716 (in person) 684 716 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dao Proving Realm | 684 717 1012 | Reportedly killed a Great Emperor before attaining the Great Emperor Realm. An account of this feat identified his cultivation as the peak Ninth Level Dao Proving Realm; his palm strike during his earlier confrontation with Chen Wen was already comparable to an ordinary Great Emperor's attack. 684 717 1012 |
| Great Emperor Realm | 1155 | Returned to the Heavenly Ruins as a Great Emperor after seclusion. His status was elevated by the widespread belief that he had passed the Epoch Extinction Tribulation; his Human Emperor Law Form later exposed that he was not its true triggerer. 1154 1155 1176 |
| First Level Great Emperor Realm | 1170 | Fought Chen Wen while explicitly identified as a First Level Great Emperor, supplementing his realm with the powers of three past lives. 1170 |
| First Level Great Emperor Realm with Human Emperor Law Form | 1176 1177 | Activated his Heaven-and-Earth Technique after being overwhelmed by Chen Wen. The Human Emperor Law Form restored his combat state and increased his strength by at least threefold, bringing his power close to that of higher-level Great Emperors. 1176 1177 |
Background
Xiao Xuan was a Heaven-grade Son of Heaven of the Heavenly Ruins, the elder brother of Xiao Ye, and one of the realm's ten foremost inheritors. His title, Young Human Emperor, was tied to the Human Emperor inheritance he possessed. Even before attaining the Great Emperor Realm, he had reportedly slain a Great Emperor while in the Dao Proving Realm. 684
His enmity with Chen Wen began after Chen Wen killed Xiao Ye. Their conflict worsened when Chen Wen acquired treasures Xiao Xuan regarded as his own, including his Nirvana Fruit and Mysterious Vein. Xiao Xuan personally confronted Chen Wen in an Exotic Space Secret Realm, initially treating him as beneath notice; Chen Wen nevertheless survived his attacks, nearly killed him in a counterattack, and escaped. 684 717 1155 1163
Xiao Xuan did not initially know that the cultivator who had taken his treasures was Chen Wen. The loss of the Nirvana Fruit and the extraction of the Mysterious Vein he had cultivated remained a deep grievance during his seclusion, and finding and killing the thief was one of his purposes upon returning. He recognized Chen Wen as that thief when Chen Wen appeared at the Great Emperor Ceremony. 1155 1163
After returning from outside the Heavenly Ruins, Xiao Xuan entered a lengthy seclusion to prepare for the Great Emperor Realm. The circumstances of that seclusion were uncertain to outsiders, with rumors ranging from a breakthrough opportunity to internal injuries, but his strength before entering seclusion was already sufficient to suppress ordinary Great Emperors. 684 895
While Xiao Xuan was in seclusion preparing for his breakthrough, Chen Wen repeatedly dismantled forces connected to the Human Emperor Faction. Xiao Xuan initially dismissed Chen Wen as insignificant, but the deaths of Yang Feng, Gu Longyang, Li Chengfeng, and Murong Qingcheng, along with Chen Wen breaking a record Xiao Xuan had failed to surpass, turned his hostility into open killing intent. He authorized further attempts on Chen Wen's life through the Human Emperor Faction before eventually deciding to act personally. 915 916 970 1003
One of these plans involved Mu Long's uncle, Mu Tu, an Elder of the Asura Faction who had a good personal relationship with Luo Nanchen. Xiao Xuan approved using Mu Tu because his position made it easier for him to approach Chen Wen than the Human Emperor Faction's own Elders, while Xiao Xuan himself remained at a critical point in his cultivation. 970
The coincidence between Chen Wen's and Xiao Xuan's Emperor Tribulations caused the Heavenly Ruins to attribute the legendary Epoch Extinction Tribulation to Xiao Xuan. Xiao Xuan accepted the prestige associated with that belief, even claiming that his Nine Lifetimes Reincarnation Body had allowed him to survive the tribulation. His later Human Emperor Law Form demonstrated that he had not been the true triggerer. 1151 1152 1155 1176
Xiao Xuan eventually opened the Life and Death Arena and publicly scheduled their duel to coincide with his Great Emperor Ascension Ceremony, intending to make Chen Wen a stepping stone for his return and force the Heavenly Ruins to choose sides. He gave Chen Wen five months before the duel, publicly framing the event as both his return to prominence and Chen Wen's execution. 1003 1011 1012 1013
His challenge immediately affected Chen Wen's standing within the Heavenly Ruins. Some Elders became reluctant to associate with Chen Wen, and his public provocation of Xiao Xuan through Mu Long's Sound Transmission Token intensified the dispute. Zhao Jiuyuan and Mo You advocated withdrawing Chen Wen's resources, while Chen Jingyue argued that the institution should provide a fair platform rather than punish him out of favoritism toward Xiao Xuan. The higher-ups ultimately maintained Chen Wen's existing treatment but declined to interfere with actions against him. 1009 1010 1013
After becoming a Great Emperor, Xiao Xuan returned to the Heavenly Ruins to an official welcome led by his master, Chen Wujue. Major powers largely rallied around him, and he used the ceremony to cultivate further political support. He also invited cultivators to attend and promised to open his training ground afterward to share his insights on becoming an Emperor. 1154 1157 1161
The ceremony instead became a public collapse of Xiao Xuan's standing. Chen Wen resisted his Emperor's Aura, repeatedly overwhelmed him in direct combat, and forced him to reveal hidden techniques. When Xiao Xuan manifested the Human Emperor Law Form, observers realized he could not have been the cultivator who triggered the Epoch Extinction Tribulation, exposing the false basis of much of his prestige. 1165 1169 1172 1176
Xiao Xuan's Heavenly Spirit Gathering Dragon Formation temporarily restrained Chen Wen and gave Xiao Xuan an apparent advantage. However, the surrounding powers regarded Chen Wen as the true victor of the exchange, since the formation rather than Xiao Xuan's direct combat strength had prevented Chen Wen from immediately finishing the battle. Chen Wujue nevertheless allowed the Life and Death Arena to continue under the Heavenly Ruins' rules. 1172 1173 1174
Even after manifesting his Human Emperor Law Form and recovering much of his fighting strength, Xiao Xuan remained unable to reverse the battle. Xiao Chongyang intervened to save him, and Chen Wujue attempted to end the duel, but Chen Wen insisted that the life-and-death challenge reach its stipulated conclusion. Numerous allied Great Emperors subsequently joined the confrontation. 1177 1179 1180
By the final stage of the confrontation, Chen Wen held Xiao Xuan in mid-air by the neck while Xiao Xuan pleaded for his father to save him. Xiao Yuntian's arrival also failed to prevent Chen Wen from killing him by crushing his head. Afterward, Xiao Yuntian offered Liu Qing and other allied leaders a favor in exchange for helping eliminate Chen Wen. 1183 1184 1200
Xiao Xuan's death destabilized the Xiao Clan. His father, Xiao Chongyang, was later dead as well, after which competing Xiao Clan factions struggled for control and Xiao Yunlong temporarily took charge. 1257 1340
His defeat also damaged the standing of those who had invested in him. Within the Heavenly Realm Tower, Liu Qing's decision to abandon Chen Wen in favor of Xiao Xuan became a political liability, giving an internal rival an opportunity to challenge his leadership. Xiao Xuan's death at the ceremony was later included in the detailed account of Chen Wen's background examined by Murong Qingxian. 1288 1704
Appearance
Xiao Xuan is most often depicted in golden robes, carrying a regal and oppressive presence associated with the Human Emperor inheritance. His arrival alone causes weaker cultivators to feel suffocated by his aura. 1154 1161
- Wears golden robes. 716 1161
- Possesses black hair. 1169
- Projects a domineering imperial aura capable of suppressing weaker opponents. 1154 1165
- His imperial aura became even more powerful after he reached the Great Emperor Realm. 1154
- Is surrounded by golden heavenly lightning when fighting seriously. 1166 1169
- Appeared bloodied and with his body cracking after Chen Wen overwhelmed him with the Dragon Elephant Tramples Heaven Technique. 1169
Personality
Xiao Xuan is intensely proud, possessive, and accustomed to treating other cultivators as inferiors. He refers to people who challenge him as “ants,” considers contested treasures to be his personal property, and assumes that his strength and backing entitle him to obedience. 716 1164 1165
He is also politically calculating. His public challenge to Chen Wen was designed not only to secure revenge, but to display his ascension before the world and isolate Chen Wen within the Heavenly Ruins. He further sought to turn his ceremony into a gathering point for powerful factions by offering to share his Great Emperor insights. 1011 1012 1157
His ambition extended beyond leadership of the Xiao Clan. Xiao Chongyang considered Xiao Xuan unwilling to return to become Clan Master and therefore treated Xiao Shan as his intended heir. Xiao Xuan likewise regarded cultivators stronger than himself as only temporarily superior, believing that he would eventually surpass and trample them all. 1061 1154
While he was secluded, Xiao Xuan was willing to have subordinates and outside connections eliminate Chen Wen on his behalf. His decision to sanction successive assassination attempts reflected both his confidence that Chen Wen could be removed indirectly and his desire to preserve his own position until his breakthrough was complete. 916 970
Xiao Xuan's pride extended to his reputation and records. Chen Wen's breaking of a record that Xiao Xuan himself had failed to surpass became a particularly deep grievance, making Chen Wen's existence a direct challenge to his claim of superiority. 970
His composure deteriorates when his superiority is publicly challenged. Chen Wen's survival, repeated provocations, and battlefield reversals turn Xiao Xuan's confidence into rage and eventually desperation. Chen Wen's ability to surpass his Dragon Elephant Tramples Heaven Technique particularly caused him to lose control in front of the assembled powers. 717 1061 1169
Even while under extreme pressure, Xiao Xuan remained unwilling to concede defeat. He repeatedly insisted that Chen Wen could not surpass him, resorted to his bloodline and formation abilities when direct combat failed, and began to panic only after Chen Wen's Heaven Shaking Four Consecutive Strikes placed him in mortal danger. 1171 1172
His final defeat stripped away his aloof demeanor. Once Chen Wen held him by the neck, he openly displayed fear and repeatedly begged Xiao Chongyang to save him. 1183
Abilities & Skills
Human Emperor Inheritance and Emperor's Aura
Xiao Xuan inherited the Dao of the Human Emperor, granting him an imperial aura that suppresses those beneath him.
- Can unleash an Emperor's Aura to pressure targets into submission; he attempted to force Chen Wen to kneel. 1165
- His aura is especially effective against cultivators without firm willpower or an opposing personal aura. 1154
- Can wield golden Imperial Dao lightning infused with Law power. 1166
- His lightning technique is named Imperial Dao Heavenly Thunder and originates from his Human Emperor inheritance. Chen Wen's World-Shattering Heavy Thunder overpowered it during their duel. 1166
- Formed a massive Thunder Dragon from his heavenly lightning to defend against Chen Wen's Heavenly Emperor Fist. 1167
- His aura was ultimately crushed by Chen Wen's during their confrontation. 1165 1177
Nine Lifetimes Reincarnation Body
Xiao Xuan possesses the Nine Lifetimes Reincarnation Body, allowing him to draw on the power systems of his past lives. 1170
- Simultaneously mobilized lightning, fire, and gold-based powers originating from three past lives. 1170
- The three systems stack within his body, greatly increasing his physical strength and combat ceiling. 1170
- While using these powers, he is effectively comparable to three cultivators fighting as one. 1170
- The power systems are limited by his current realm, but their stacking effect allows him to exceed the normal limits of a First Level Great Emperor. 1170
- Manifested the three powers as three-colored giant dragons coiling around his body and used their reinforcement to crush Chen Wen's incoming sword qi with one hand. 1170
- His reincarnation constitution was one reason observers considered him a plausible triggerer of the Epoch Extinction Tribulation, believing his ability to live through multiple lifetimes disrupted the rules of heaven and earth. 1141
Primordial Heavenly God Bloodline
When pressed by Chen Wen's Heaven Shaking Four Consecutive Strikes, Xiao Xuan activated his Primordial Heavenly God Bloodline. 1172
- Produces black-and-gold bloodline flames and an ancient heavenly god phantom. 1172
- Temporarily grants him divine nature and significantly strengthens his offensive capabilities. 1170 1172
- Burned his bloodline when he recognized that holding back would place his life in danger. 1172
- Reinforced a three-colored defensive shield with bloodline and divine power. 1172
- The shield was destroyed by Chen Wen's amplified attack. 1172
Formation Mastery
Xiao Xuan concealed his ability as a Formation Master until his duel with Chen Wen. 1172
- Formed the Heavenly Spirit Gathering Dragon Formation barehanded. 1172
- Used the world's Spiritual Energy to restrain Chen Wen. 1172
- Released a formation seal from within his body that expanded to cover the grand assembly hall. 1172
- His formation mastery surprised the Heavenly Ruins' leadership because he had never publicly revealed it. 1172
- The formation temporarily prevented Chen Wen from immediately completing his attack, although it did not establish Xiao Xuan's superiority in direct combat. 1173
- This method linked Xiao Xuan and the formation as one entity. Xian Hongshao explained that breaking free of its restraint would inflict a severe backlash on him. 1172
Human Emperor Law Form
Xiao Xuan's Heaven-and-Earth Technique manifests as the Human Emperor Law Form, rather than the Epoch-Ending Cataclysm others expected. 1176
- Manifested an immense Human Emperor-shaped Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol. 1177
- Greatly restored his imperial might and combat state after being suppressed. 1177
- Increased his strength by at least threefold. 1177
- Produced power comparable to that of top Great Emperors despite Xiao Xuan's First Level Great Emperor cultivation. 1177
- Revealed that he was not the cultivator who had triggered the Epoch Extinction Tribulation. 1176
- Delivered a powerful palm strike through the Dharma Idol, which Chen Wen withstood after revealing his own Great Emperor cultivation. 1177
Martial Arts
Xiao Xuan's direct combat ability was exceptional even before his Great Emperor breakthrough.
- Reportedly killed a Great Emperor while still in the Dao Proving Realm. 684
- His casual palm strike was already comparable to an ordinary Great Emperor's attack. 717
- Used claw attacks, finger presses, and Fist Intent in battle against Chen Wen. 717 1169
- Possesses Fist Intent, which he used through the Savage Ape Suppressing Heaven Fist. 1170
- Used the God-Demon Prison Suppressing Art to create a large-scale suppressive attack against Chen Wen. 1171
- Manifested Three Thousand Great Worlds, using three-colored energy and world-suppressing figures to fuse the power of three great worlds. 1171
- His Three Thousand Great Worlds attack briefly put Chen Wen at a disadvantage in a head-on exchange; observers judged that even a Second Level Great Emperor might be unable to withstand it. 1171
- Had learned the Dragon Elephant Tramples Heaven Technique, a divine ability that summons Primordial Dragon Elephant phantoms to mobilize the power of heaven and earth. Xuanyuan Longchen passed the technique to both Chen Wen and Xiao Xuan. 888
- Initially summoned ninety Primordial Dragon Elephants to confine Chen Wen during the Life and Death Arena battle. 1168
- Summoned one hundred and ninety Primordial Dragon Elephants to seize the world's momentum during the Life and Death Arena battle. 1169
Relationships
- Xiao Ye — Younger brother. Chen Wen's killing of Xiao Ye began Xiao Xuan's vendetta against him. 684
- Xiao Shan — Biological younger brother and Xiao Clan succession candidate. Xiao Xuan reacted with particular fury upon learning Chen Wen had killed him. 1050 1061
- Xiao Chongyang — Father and head of the Xiao Clan. He entrusted Xiao Xuan with avenging Xiao Shan and restoring clan honor, then personally intervened after Xiao Xuan's defeat. Xiao Chongyang was later dead during the Xiao Clan's subsequent succession crisis. 1061 1179 1257
- Xiao Hongyue — Fellow Xiao Clan member who recognized that Xiao Xuan would be the one to avenge Xiao Ye and later assessed Chen Wen's potential against him. 818 838
- Xiao Yuntian — Xiao Clan Old Ancestor who arrived during the aftermath of Xiao Xuan's defeat and offered support against Chen Wen. His arrival failed to save Xiao Xuan, and he subsequently offered favors to other leaders to secure their help in killing Chen Wen. 1184
- Chen Wujue — Master. Chen Wujue welcomed Xiao Xuan's return, attempted to negotiate for Chen Wen's life, and later felt betrayed by Xiao Xuan's false association with the Epoch Extinction Tribulation. 1155 1176
- Chen Wen — Mortal enemy and eventual killer. Their rivalry began over Xiao Ye and Xiao Xuan's lost treasures, then culminated in the Great Emperor Ceremony battle. 684 1163 1200 1704
- Human Emperor Faction — Its Venerable Lord and central authority. Faction leaders repeatedly sought his approval to mobilize disciples against Chen Wen. 915 916 1003
- Mu Long — Human Emperor Faction subordinate who repeatedly reported Chen Wen's actions to Xiao Xuan and received permission to arrange assassination attempts. 915 916 970
- Mu Tu — Asura Faction Elder and Mu Long's uncle. Xiao Xuan approved Mu Long's proposal to enlist him in killing Chen Wen during Xiao Xuan's critical cultivation period. 970
- Xuanyuan Longchen — Primordial Era prodigy encountered through a battlefield remnant image. Xiao Xuan nearly defeated him in the Heaven Tier passage and received the Dragon Elephant Tramples Heaven Technique from him. Longchen later warned Chen Wen about Xiao Xuan's potential. 888
- Ye Qingdi — Senior Heavenly Ruins figure and the realm's sole True Dragon, who attended the ascension ceremony to support and assess Xiao Xuan. 1158 1161
- Yao Shan — Medicine Valley's Old Ancestor and Chen Wen's disciple. Xiao Xuan attempted to cultivate his support during the ceremony, but Yao Shan remained seated and later openly acknowledged Chen Wen as his master, humiliating Xiao Xuan. 1161 1162 1182
- Liu Qing — Heavenly Realm Tower leader who favored Xiao Xuan over Chen Wen and publicly praised him at the ceremony. Xiao Xuan's defeat later became a liability for Liu Qing within his own faction. 1156 1161 1288
- Tantai Mingyue — Fellow prominent Heavenly Ruins cultivator who acknowledged Xiao Xuan's strength and potential but declined to attend his ceremony, regarding his challenge to an Outer Ruins disciple as one-sided bullying for personal gain. News of his death later shocked her. 1157 1200
Notable Quotes
“A mere peak third-level Dao Proving Realm cultivator who doesn't show fear in front of me, Xiao Xuan. You're also the first.” 716
“In the face of absolute strength, all schemes are merely the acts of a clown.” 1165
“Kneel!!!” 1165
“All forces that support me, please stand up.” 1164
“To force me to this extent, you have every reason to be proud.” 1171
“Father, save me, save me, save me.” 1183
Trivia
- Xiao Xuan's projected status was so immense that nearly seventy percent of the powers present at his ascension ceremony openly supported him. 1161
- By the time of his direct confrontation with Chen Wen, more than eighty percent of those present stood in response to his call for supporters. 1164
- The betting pools established before the ceremony did not offer odds on Chen Wen winning; they only speculated on how many moves Xiao Xuan would need to defeat him. 1157
- He initially remained calm after learning of Xiao Shan's death, but erupted only after discovering that Chen Wen was responsible. 1061
- His supposed connection to the Epoch Extinction Tribulation was a major reason several neutral powers considered supporting him. The belief was later disproven when he manifested the Human Emperor Law Form. 1141 1151 1176
- Xiao Xuan's loss of the Nirvana Fruit and Mysterious Vein was one of only two setbacks that Chen Wen had inflicted upon him before the Great Emperor Ceremony. 1163
- Chen Wen's three hundred and sixty Primordial Dragon Elephants surpassed Xiao Xuan's one hundred and ninety during their clash, an outcome Xiao Xuan found impossible to accept. 1169
- Xiao Xuan publicly claimed that he could suppress and kill Chen Wen even if Chen Wen emerged from the Land of Immortality multiple times. 1163
- His formation ability was not publicly known before the Great Emperor Ceremony and became one of his last methods of delaying defeat. 1172 1173
- His death was later recorded as the crushing of his head by Chen Wen, an outcome that shocked even Tantai Mingyue, who had considered Xiao Xuan's strength unquestionable. 1184 1200
- Accounts of his pre-Emperor feat differ on his precise cultivation: one identifies him as a peak Ninth Level Dao Proving Realm cultivator, while another describes the feat at the peak Tenth Level. 1012 1166