Zhao Manying

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhao Manying (赵缦缨)
Alias(es)	Sword Immortal; Century's Pride; Greatest Genius of Our Time; Second Global Goddess; Moon Palace Sword Immortal; Eight-Crown King; Ten-Crown Champion
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Empyrean Star Club (former competitor)
Occupation/Role	Super Esper; Swordsman; former Super League ace
Status	Active Esper; retired from the Super League
First Appearance	5

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Esper	5	Fused with an Ability Seed and became an Esper at age sixteen.
Intermediate Esper	5	Advanced at age seventeen.
Advanced Esper	5	Advanced at age twenty; subsequently signed with the Empyrean Star Club and entered the Super League.
Super Esper	5	Advanced at age twenty-two, drawing worldwide attention and raising Empyrean Star's championship prospects.

Background / History

Zhao Manying became an Esper at sixteen, advanced to Intermediate Esper at seventeen, and was named the youngest Sword Art Grandmaster in history at eighteen. At twenty, she became an Advanced Esper and signed an exceptional contract with the Empyrean Star Club as its core competitive player. 5

She joined the Empyrean Star Club partly to approach the Shi family. Zhao seeks revenge connected to her father's death while concealing her motives in order to protect her mother and younger brother, Zhao Cangming. Her father had acquired the Eclipse-class ability Quantum Mind in the Astral Realm and left her coordinates to the place where he found it. 180

Despite joining a team whose other members initially could not provide sufficient support, Zhao's individual performance made her a global phenomenon. Her advancement to Super Esper at twenty-two became a national and international headline, with fans gathering outside Tianqin Stadium to celebrate. 5

Appearance

Zhao Manying is a tall, athletic woman whose public image combines poise, elegance, and a powerful combat presence. She is approximately 1.8 meters tall and is frequently described as striking even among other famous Espers. 144 148

• Shoulder-length pink hair when offstage; she also wears her black hair in a ponytail during training. 148 155
• Clear, star-like eyes; pale jade-like complexion; refined facial features. 148
• Long, strong legs and a lithe physique developed through continual martial arts and sword training. 183 322
• Often appears publicly in fitted combat attire, carrying a longsword behind her back. 5
• Favours a black leather combat suit in private duels. 148 321

Personality

Zhao is intensely competitive and confident in her own ability. Before meeting Ji Xinghuo, she believed that no Esper below the Legendary rank could defeat her in a one-on-one battle; losing to him challenged that certainty but did not destroy her fighting spirit. 146 180

She treats defeat as a necessary part of growth rather than an humiliation. After losing two virtual matches to Ji Xinghuo, she congratulated him, remained eager to fight again, and emphasized that no one can remain undefeated forever. 145

Behind her composed public persona, Zhao is playful, direct, and more emotionally expressive with people she trusts. She dislikes excessive attention to her private life and has asked fans to respect her partner's privacy. 146 154 155

Her long-term revenge plan demonstrates exceptional restraint and responsibility. Rather than leave Earth recklessly as a teenager, she remained close to the Shi family while ensuring that her mother and brother would not become targets. 180

Abilities & Skills

Quantum Mind

An Eclipse-class Esper ability originally obtained by Zhao's father in the Astral Realm. Zhao fused with it herself, greatly strengthening her information processing, self-control, and combat performance. 180

• Processes information with computer-like speed and precision. 303
• Enhances martial arts, cultivation, combat judgment, memory, learning, and emotional control. 180 343
• Enables her to remain calm and make rapid, correct responses even under extreme pressure. 145 150
• Provides extraordinary control over her own condition and Spirit Energy. 303 321
• Its primary weakness is limited external information gathering and perception. 303

Eye of Truth

A Starfall-grade ability given to Zhao by Ji Xinghuo. She successfully fused with it, creating a powerful complement to Quantum Mind. 313 320

• Improves perception and analysis of external information. 320
• Compensates for Quantum Mind's weaker external sensing capabilities. 303
• Allows her to scrutinize Shi Renzhong's intentions and become more cautious of his deception. 339
• Combined with Quantum Mind, lets her perform precision tasks such as shooting at an exceptional level without dedicated training. 343

Swordsmanship

Zhao is a Martial Arts Grandmaster and one of the world's foremost swordswomen. Her swordsmanship is the foundation of her reputation as the Sword Immortal. 5 145

• Uses extremely fast, precise sword attacks that can overwhelm opponents with a single weapon. 150
• Applies Tidal Force, a penetrating Star Force with delayed bursts that can erupt repeatedly inside a target. 145
• Uses Cannon Force to produce explosive power through her sword strikes. 175
• Maintains a 97% win rate over more than 20,000 Martial Dao Platform matches. 145
• Was ranked first on the Sky Ladder for years before Ji Xinghuo briefly displaced her; she later returned to first after his advancement to Legendary. 146 362

Mobility and Defensive Techniques

Zhao combines her speed, kinetic control, and defensive abilities to survive exchanges against powerful opponents. 149 150

• Lost Track Steps — used to evade incoming attacks, including charged lightning strikes. 149
• Flash Step — used for abrupt repositioning and high-speed pursuit. 150 175
• Steel Body — grants strong physical defense but restricts her ability to move while active. 150
• Ice Armor — adds another layer of protection. 150
• Kinetic Shield and Repulsion Field — defensive kinetic barriers used alongside her armguards. 150

Quantum Speed Reading

Zhao successfully fused with a Quantum Speed Reading alien species. Its detailed effects have not been specified. 522

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Jinghong Sword — Zhao's custom Super Energy Three-Star longsword. It possesses sharpness, refraction, metal restoration, empowered jets, flight, and Shadow Clone functions; its sword shadows can match the original blade's destructive power. 148
• Chromium Gold Armguard — defensive arm equipment used during her duel with Ji Xinghuo. 149
• Steel Amulet — protective equipment that reduced the damage of Ji Xinghuo's Sound Spear. 149
• Spirit Sword Bracelet — a Super Energy Three-Star Spirit Energy weapon that can control sixteen flying sword lights. It is superior to Jinghong in value and power, while complementing Jinghong's close-combat role with long-range offense. 314
• Manifold Barrier — an Excellent ability received from Ji Xinghuo and later fused by Zhao. 313 321
• Paradise Gem, Scarlet Emperor Blood Crystal, and True Essence Injection — valuable resources gifted to Zhao by Ji Xinghuo after his return from the Astral Realm. 313

Competitive Career

Achievement	Details
Youngest Sword Art Grandmaster	Received the distinction at age eighteen. 5
Super League champion	Led Empyrean Star to domestic championship victories, including four consecutive titles. 69 313 365
International Invitational champion	Won six International Invitational Tournament championships. 365
Golden Crown recipient	Received multiple Golden Crowns as the most outstanding player in championship finals. 174 313 365
Eight-Crown King	Earned the title after winning three league titles and five International Invitational championships. 313
Ten-Crown Champion	Became the first player to win ten consecutive major crowns: four domestic Super League titles and six International Invitational titles. 365
Retirement	Retired from the Super League to focus on cultivation and protecting her family. 375

Relationships

• Ji Xinghuo — Romantic partner, sparring rival, and trusted future Astral Realm companion. Their first virtual duel led to a month of nightly matches, an offline duel on Mount Hua, and eventually a public relationship. 145 146 153 362
• Zhao Cangming — Her younger brother, an Intermediate Esper. Zhao is deeply concerned about his cultivation and safety. 152 375
• Zhuo Yanran — Her mother, a fashion-industry business owner. Zhao remained on Earth in part to protect her. 180 367
• Unnamed father — Deceased father who possessed Quantum Mind and left Zhao clues to the Astral Realm location where he obtained it. 180
• Shi Hongyi — Founder of Shiying Group and a Heavenly King whom Zhao distrusts and holds responsible in her plan for revenge. 180
• Shi Renzhong — Empyrean Star's owner and teammate. His pursuit of Zhao and hostility toward Ji Xinghuo have strained their relationship. 174 339
• Yu Meiling — Former peer and rival from the Skywalker team. Their relationship deteriorated as Zhao surpassed her in strength, popularity, and championship success. 175
• Liangqiu Feiyan — Ji Xinghuo's younger sister, whom Zhao agreed to guide in physical training. 171

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rise of the Sword Immortal

Zhao's rise from a teenage Esper to the youngest Sword Art Grandmaster and a Super League core made her one of the world's most famous competitive Espers. Her advancement to Super Esper at twenty-two elevated both her individual standing and Empyrean Star's title prospects. 5

The Heart Demon

Ji Xinghuo defeated Zhao twice on the virtual Martial Dao Platform, then won all 500 of their nightly matches over the following month. Unable to defeat him in martial arts, Zhao began to regard him as her Heart Demon and requested a real-world battle to test the full scope of their abilities. 145 146

Their Mount Hua duel confirmed that Zhao's practical combat strength far exceeded what the virtual platform could show. Although Ji Xinghuo defeated her, Zhao continued to pursue growth rather than surrendering to frustration. 148 150 153

Relationship with Ji Xinghuo

After their duel, Zhao and Ji Xinghuo became closer and began dating. Zhao publicly hinted at their relationship, later asking fans and media to respect Ji Xinghuo's privacy because he was not a public figure. 153 155

Their relationship survived Ji Xinghuo's extended absence in the Astral Realm. After his return, Zhao accepted resources and abilities from him while maintaining her own determination to cultivate, fight, and eventually become Legendary. 313 321

Revenge Against the Shi Family

Zhao revealed that she joined Empyrean Star to approach the Shi family while pursuing revenge connected to her father. She has concealed this objective for years to protect her mother and brother, while waiting until she possesses enough strength and information to act. 180

Ten-Crown Champion and Retirement

Zhao led Empyrean Star to a fourth consecutive domestic championship and secured her tenth consecutive major title. Finding the Super League increasingly unchallenging, she later announced her retirement to focus on cultivation and her family's security. 365 375

Notable Quotes

“Who can remain undefeated forever? ... Failure is the main theme of life, which is normal.” 145

“Below Legendary, no one in the world is my opponent. Including you.” 146

“I can definitely do it!” 164