Xu Ziqin

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xu Ziqin (徐子衿)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Jiangling First High School; Southern Chess Academy
Occupation/Role	Professional Go player; Go commentator
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 1
Family	Daughter of Xu Duahua, CEO of Jinxiu Group 121

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
High-school amateur player	76	Represented her school in the high-school Go league; despite not having trained through a formal Go-dojo system, she was already regarded as a highly gifted player with sharp overall judgment. 76
Professional Go player	151	Qualified through the Professional Qualification Tournament with an undefeated record, becoming one of the newly certified professionals. 151
Professional Two Dan	284	Introduced on national television as “Xu Ziqin Two Dan” while co-commentating the Contention for the Championship. 284

Background / History

Xu Ziqin was a first-year student and the mathematics representative of Class 6 at Jiangling First High School. Known for her beauty, academic excellence, and wealthy family background, she attracted many admirers, though few students dared approach her. 1

Although Go initially seemed to be only one of several hobbies alongside painting and piano, Xu Ziqin had substantial talent. She received instruction from professional player Xia Wen, who believed that Xu could already have become a professional had she devoted herself fully to the game. 20 21

Xu first took notice of Yu Shao’s Go through his game against Zheng Qin. While the spectators thought Yu was merely holding his own, she correctly recognized that Zheng Qin had been forced onto the defensive. She later reconstructed the game for Xia Wen, prompting Xia to judge Yu’s level as at least professional. 4 21

At the school Go league, Xu became one of Jiangling First High School’s representatives. Her early losses to Yu Shao and Su Yiming were painful, but they fundamentally changed her relationship with Go: she stopped treating it as a casual talent and committed herself to pursuing stronger play. 49 81 102

After leaving school for nearly a year, Xu returned as Chang Yan Nine Dan’s disciple and entered the Professional Qualification Tournament. She progressed undefeated, drew extensive media attention, and became a professional player. 121 151

Appearance

Xu Ziqin is repeatedly described as exceptionally beautiful, with a clear, reserved presence that draws attention even in simple clothing. 1 121 284

• Long black hair, often reaching her waist; she sometimes wears it in a low ponytail. 8 24
• Clear, amber-like eyes. 5 54
• Fair, porcelain-like skin and a clean, elegant appearance. 26 213
• Often wears understated clothing, including school uniforms, plain shirts, hoodies, jeans, and simple dresses. 8 121 213 284
• Her expression becomes notably cold and intense during serious Go games. 31 74

Personality

Xu Ziqin is quiet, self-contained, and difficult for most people to approach. As a student, she rarely remembered people outside her own class unless her duties as mathematics representative required it. Her composed manner and natural pride led classmates to see her as aloof. 3 53

Her pride is closely tied to her competitive nature. Xu dislikes losing regardless of her opponent’s gender, and she initially struggled to accept the gulf between her own level and that of Yu Shao or Su Yiming. 102 186 213 However, defeat ultimately makes her more determined rather than breaking her. After losing to Su, she calls the game the most satisfying she has ever played because of how well she performed against a superior opponent. 81

As she becomes immersed in the professional Go world, Xu grows more open and relaxed. She begins to smile more often, initiates conversations and games, jokes with Zheng Qin, and openly states her ambition to reach the World Tournament. 127 428 438

Abilities & Skills

Go Playing

Xu is a high-level professional Go player distinguished by aggressive fighting spirit, strong board judgment, and a refusal to concede psychologically even from disadvantage.

• Uses sharp, combative openings and deliberately complex positions. 49 77
• Can make bold sacrifices to create life-and-death struggles and seek initiative. 80 81
• Her play is more tenacious and forceful than Wu Zhixuan’s, particularly when under pressure. 198
• Defeated Wu Zhixuan repeatedly and eventually earned her first victory over Zheng Qin. 309 437
• Her rapid development led players in title-match main tournaments to treat her seriously. 437

Game Analysis

Xu has strong independent analytical ability and notices strategic details that other observers miss.

• Correctly assessed Yu Shao’s advantage against Zheng Qin while the crowd misread the board. 4
• Identified a critical tiger move in a closely contested school-league game. 45
• Reconstructed Yu Shao and Zheng Qin’s game move by move for Xia Wen’s review. 21
• Recognized that Yu Shao’s preferred style resembled his earliest recorded games and correctly inferred that his later style was not entirely natural to him. 403
• Emphasizes that certain subtleties of Go can only be understood by a player directly involved in the game. 515

Go Commentary

Xu served as a commentator for the televised Contention for the Championship alongside Yu Shao.

• Initially nervous before the broadcast, but gained confidence once the commentary began. 284
• Provided useful analysis that complemented Yu Shao’s commentary. 284
• Was defended by Yu Shao when television staff made inappropriate remarks about her appearance rather than her professionalism. 284

Relationships

• Yu Shao — Former schoolmate, frequent Go opponent, and trusted analysis partner. His victories over her pushed Xu to take Go seriously; she later reviews games with him, gives him an expensive set of Go stones, and supports his major matches. 49 102 249 363
• Xia Wen — Xu’s early Go teacher and a professional player who recognized both Xu’s talent and Yu Shao’s exceptional level. 20 21
• Chang Yan — Nine Dan professional and Xu’s mentor. Chang Yan accepted Xu as a disciple because of her exceptional talent and potential in women’s Go. 121 159
• Su Yiming — Powerful rival whom Xu faced as the third player in the high-school league final. She lost to him but considered the game deeply satisfying. 76 81
• Zheng Qin — Fellow professional and frequent chess-hall opponent. Xu eventually defeated him for the first time after several previous games. 20 437
• Wu Zhixuan — Fellow female professional and rival. Xu’s victories over Wu, combined with public comparisons between them, strained their relationship. 309
• Xu Duahua — Her father and the CEO of Jinxiu Group, a real-estate company that sponsors some professional Go events. 121

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early School and Shanhai Chess Hall

Xu is introduced as Jiangling First High School’s admired but distant mathematics representative. She becomes an early witness to Yu Shao’s first game against Zheng Qin, accurately reading the board and becoming curious about Yu’s unexplained strength. 1 4 21

High-School Go League

Xu joins Yu Shao and Zhong Yufei as a school-league representative. Her aggressive style and strong results establish her as one of the school’s best players, but defeats to Yu Shao and Su Yiming force her to confront her limits and strengthen her resolve. 39 49 76 81

Professional Qualification

Having become Chang Yan’s disciple, Xu returns after nearly a year away from school to enter the Professional Qualification Tournament. Her background, appearance, mentor, and undefeated run make her one of the event’s most discussed entrants before she qualifies as a professional. 121 151 161

Professional Career

Xu continues to challenge stronger professionals, including Le Haoqiang and Zheng Qin. Though she suffers losses in major selection events, she steadily improves, breaks her losing streak against Zheng Qin, and becomes a Two Dan professional capable of competing at a high level. 284 297 437

World Tournament Ambition

Xu openly declares that she wants to participate in the next World Tournament. Her interest in the history of the first female world champion suggests that she aims to become more than merely a participant. 428

Notable Quotes

“But, if I just spend more time, I can also play like you and Su Yiming do in matches!” 102

“Although I still don't want to lose to anyone, on the other hand, even if I do lose, I'll still be happy if I can play a really good game.” 127

“You've never disappointed me.” 363

“Sometimes, only by being in the thick of it can one see the subtlety of the board. And only when one is trapped in the situation can they seek transcendence.” 515

Trivia

• Xu was her class’s mathematics representative, which was initially the main reason she remembered classmates. 3
• She frequently tucks stray hair behind her ear when thinking or speaking. 127 213 249
• The Go stones she gifted Yu Shao were premium Hegao stones with translucent, snow-like patterns and a total value exceeding one million yuan. 249