Gu Yuan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Gu Yuan (古元)
Alias(es)	Ancient Clan Leader; former Clan Leader of the Ancient Clan
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Ancient Clan
Occupation/Role	Leader of the Ancient Clan; later a principal architect of the plan to resurrect and control the Pure Lotus Demon Saint
Status	Alive; recovering from severe injuries while overseeing preparations for the resurrection ritual 365 366
First Appearance	Chapter 91

Background

Gu Yuan led the Ancient Clan and participated in the Eight Ancient Races’ search for Xiao Ji Bai and the Sword Emperor Inheritance. He proposed searching the Northwest Continent and the Sword Emperor Ruins while supporting the exclusion of the Soul Clan from the operation due to its history with the Xiao Clan. He also expressed regret over the Xiao Clan’s decline and a desire to locate Xiao Ji Bai. 91

A thousand years earlier, Gu Yuan betrayed his friend Xiao Xuan by leaking news of Xiao Xuan’s attempted breakthrough to Hun Tiandi. The betrayal prevented the Xiao Clan from obtaining the Tou She Ancient God’s inheritance. Gu Yuan later admitted that he intended to eliminate Xiao Xuan to prevent the truth from being uncovered. 256 340

Abilities & Skills

Nine-star Dou Saint Cultivation

Gu Yuan possesses Nine-star Dou Saint power, capable of overwhelming other Saints with oppressive Saint Power and destructive energy attacks. 238 337

• Descended from the Ancient Realm with an energy wave powerful enough to frighten assembled experts. 222
• Suppressed the Pill Tower’s Old Ancestor and attempted to seize the Sword Emperor Inheritance from Su Yun. 238
• Overpowered Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuan with the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame. 308
• Retained enough strength while severely injured to defeat and wound the Beast Race’s Five Saints, including Five-star Dou Saint Huang Tian. 325

Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame

Gu Yuan controls the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, a Heavenly Flame whose power he used against Xiao Yan and Xiao Xuan. 308

• Used Xiao Xun’er’s Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame and Bloodline power to complete the Ancient Emperor Array. 258
• Sought other Heavenly Flames to replenish his losses and heal his injuries. 318 336

Soul Power and Spatial Techniques

Gu Yuan can extend his Soul Power over great distances and employ spatial methods.

• Used Soul Power to sense the mark he had left on Xun’er and locate her in central Zhongzhou. 329
• Detected the hidden formation surrounding the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s tomb only after releasing his remaining Soul Power in full. 324
• Was manipulated by Su Yun’s void power after being injured, forcing him toward the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s tomb. 317

Formations and Resurrection Methods

Gu Yuan possesses specialized knowledge concerning the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s resurrection.

• Identified the four Fragmented Maps as keys to the resurrection rather than maps to the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. 351
• Required an Emperor Realm Soul and a Ninth-grade Golden Pill for the ritual. 350 351
• Inscribed resurrection formation patterns onto Xiao Xuan’s Emperor Realm Soul Body and the Pill Tower Old Ancestor’s Ninth-grade Golden Pill. 365
• Intended to use a Soul Clan secret technique to control the resurrected Pure Lotus Demon Saint. 331 341

Equipment / Items

• Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade Fragment — surrendered to Hun Tiandi in exchange for a secret technique to control a resurrected being. 341
• Pure Lotus Demon Fire Ancient Map fragment — held one of the four map fragments needed to activate the resurrection process. 337 358
• Ice Coffin — contained the perfectly preserved body of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint. 358
• Killing formation — deployed at a valley entrance against the Beast Race army during his escape. 325

Relationships

• Xiao Xun’er — his daughter. Gu Yuan exploited her Bloodline and Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame for the Ancient Emperor Array, leaving her crippled; she later severed ties with the Ancient Clan and adopted the surname Xiao. 258 365
• Xiao Xuan — former friend and ally whom Gu Yuan betrayed a thousand years ago by informing Hun Tiandi of Xiao Xuan’s breakthrough attempt. 256 340
• Xiao Yan — adversary and Xun’er’s close companion. Gu Yuan used Xiao Yan’s father, teacher, and clansmen to pressure him into entering the Ancient Realm, later clashing with him over the Pure Lotus Demon Saint plan. 223 350 354
• Hun Tiandi — co-conspirator in the betrayal of Xiao Xuan; later provided Gu Yuan with a Soul Clan control technique in exchange for the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade Fragment. 256 340 341
• Gu Dao — loyal Ancient Clan subordinate who understood Gu Yuan’s intentions; Gu Yuan later killed him. 91 330
• Gu Jian — Ancient Clan elder appointed to manage the new Ancient Realm, with Gu Lie assisting. 275
• Gu Ming — Ancient Clan associate who assisted Gu Yuan’s resurrection plans and the massacres used to gather blood for alchemy. 331 352
• Su Yun / Xiao Ji Bai — enemy whom Gu Yuan sought to suppress and rob of the Sword Emperor Inheritance; Gu Yuan blamed him for the Ancient Clan’s losses. 238 263
• Pill Tower’s Old Ancestor / Divine Farmer — wary temporary counterparts in the Pure Lotus Demon Saint resurrection plan; Divine Farmer kept Gu Yuan under the Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda’s suppression. 358 359

Story Role / Major Arcs

Search for the Sword Emperor Inheritance

Gu Yuan helped organize the Eight Ancient Races’ effort to find Xiao Ji Bai, directing attention toward the Northwest Continent and the Sword Emperor Ruins. 91

After Gu Yang summoned him to the Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan confronted Xiao Yan and attempted to force him into the Ancient Realm by dangling the safety of Xiao Yan’s father, teacher, and clansmen before him. When Xiao Yan resisted, Gu Yuan used overwhelming pressure and force against him and the Pill Tower’s Old Ancestor. 222 223 224

Gu Yuan later tried to expel Su Yun and the Xiao Clan from the Ancient Realm. Su Yun refused to leave without entering the Heavenly Tomb. 244

Betrayal of Xun’er and the Ancient Emperor Array

Gu Yuan revealed his historic betrayal of Xiao Xuan and aligned himself with Hun Tiandi to resist the Sword Emperor’s contingency. When Xun’er refused to assist, he imprisoned her. 256

He then activated the Emperor Slaying Formation, draining Xun’er’s Bloodline power through the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame to complete the Ancient Emperor Array. The process destroyed her cultivation and left her crippled. 258

Defeat and Flight

Following the conflict involving the Ancient Clan, Lightning Clan, and Beast Race, Gu Yuan was severely injured and forced to flee. Su Yun exploited Gu Yuan’s condition, using void power to steer him toward the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s tomb. 317

While hiding in the Tianheng Mountain Range, Gu Yuan sought a Heavenly Flame to heal himself. He instead discovered the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s tomb and learned of two remaining strands of Origin Qi, reigniting his ambition to reach the Emperor Realm. 318 322

Despite failing to regenerate his left arm and leg after two months of healing, he escaped a Beast Race encirclement by using a killing formation, defeating the Five Saints, and creating a Dou Qi storm. 325

Pure Lotus Demon Saint Scheme

Gu Yuan decided to revive the Pure Lotus Demon Saint as a weapon against the Son of the Dragon Phoenix and as a possible route to restoring the Ancient Clan. Fearing the resurrected Saint might side with the Sword Emperor’s successor, he sought a Soul Clan method to control him. 324 331

To obtain the materials for the ritual, Gu Yuan surrendered a Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Jade Fragment to Hun Tiandi and pursued the four Pure Lotus Demon Fire Ancient Map fragments. 341

Gu Yuan, Gu Ming, and Gu Jian massacred Yong’an City and subsequently slaughtered humans across Zhongzhou for three months, collecting essence blood for an ancient alchemy method. The reported death toll exceeded one billion. 352 353

He defended the atrocities as necessary for the Human Race’s greater good, proposing to use the resulting blood-refined resources to revive the Pure Lotus Demon Saint against the Son of the Dragon Phoenix. 354

Resurrection Preparations

Under the Mysterious Yellow Exquisite Pagoda’s watch, Gu Yuan received the map fragments and revealed the Pure Lotus Demon Saint’s preserved body. 358

He cooperated uneasily with the Pill Tower, inscribing formation patterns on Xiao Xuan’s Emperor Realm Soul and the Ninth-grade Golden Pill. The exertion worsened his condition and required seven days of recovery. 359 365

By the time Xun’er sought one final meeting with him, Gu Yuan had recovered enough to lead the gathered parties toward the ritual site. His relationship with his daughter remained hostile and emotionally distant. 365 366

Trivia

• Gu Yuan’s former friendship with Xiao Xuan was once close enough that Xiao Xuan trusted the Ancient Clan to protect the weakened Xiao Clan for a thousand years. 248 250
• Though he appointed Gu Jian to manage the new Ancient Realm, Gu Yuan privately showed coldness after making the appointment. 275
• Gu Yuan’s injuries and decline repeatedly forced him to pursue recovery resources, including a Ninth-grade Mysterious Pill and the aura of a Heavenly Flame. 318 334