Verdant Green Maiden

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Verdant Green Maiden (Qing Nü; 青女)
Alias(es)	Snake Girl; Shao Dian; Qing Xiao Jade Maiden; Qing Gu Doctor; Ning Lingyi; Yu Se; Fairy Qing; Shunde Heavenly Maiden; Lady of Mount Tai; Yellow River Earl; Luo River Goddess; Bi Xia Yuan Jun; Frost God 173 292 418 445 467 562
Species/Race	Jiao Dragon, formerly a snake
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Mount Tai Immortal Class 387
Occupation/Role	Diviner, physician, cultivator, teacher, and guardian deity
Status	Alive; her divine power and arts are lost during a later crisis, and she can no longer summon Heaven 517 556
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Snake spirit to human incarnation	33	States that she took human form the day after being fished from the Wei River, when she was less than a year old.
Jiao Dragon	66 386	Her true form is an azure jiao with horns and a Jiao Snake Pearl; she later undergoes the Jiao Dragon tribulation following the Han dynasty.
Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva	90	Gains this Bodhisattva status after spreading teachings in the Kushan Empire, reducing the effects of mythological shifts and Buddhist schemes on her.
Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden	133	Heaven recognizes her merit in preserving peace between Han and Hu peoples and grants her the divine position.
Loss of divine power and arts	517	During a later crisis, her divine power and supernatural arts no longer remain. She continues fighting through physical prowess and swordsmanship.

Background / History

Origins and early travels

Verdant Green Maiden recalls having a human life before awakening as a female snake, though her memories of her earliest years as a snake are indistinct. She later recounts following the Yellow Emperor's tribe, witnessing the Battle of Zhuolu, and receiving the dying Yellow Emperor's charge to become a dragon. She is also regarded as a totem of the You Xiong Clan. 30 33 349 567

By the time she settled near the Luo River, she had already lived for roughly two thousand years. She avoided those bearing a dynasty's dragon qi, fearing that a declining ruler might seek an auspicious snake for sacrifice or exploitation. At the Luo River, she supported herself through fortune-telling and became known as the Green Robe Immortal Maiden. 5 6

While traveling to Kunlun Mountain to seek the Queen Mother of the West, she accidentally hatched a green bird from an egg. The bird, Qing Niao, declared that she had been waiting for Verdant Green Maiden. 8

By the Song era, she states that she has lived for three to four thousand years and has repeatedly altered history. 556

Qin era

Verdant Green Maiden took a particular interest in Zhao Ji's unborn son, Ying Zheng, whose future auspicious fortune she had long awaited. She protected Zhao Ji and the child in Handan, later training Ying Zheng in swordsmanship as he grew up. 24 27

Although Ying Zheng regarded her as his master and attempted to make her his queen, she rejected the proposal, punched him, and fled Xianyang with Hong Luan. She nevertheless returned for his coming-of-age ceremony after receiving his invitation. 32 33

She remained invested in Ying Zheng's future, confronting him over his plan to refine Immortal Medicine for her and approving his intention to crown himself emperor. After the Feng Shan ceremony, she recognized that Qin's auspicious fortune was still dissipating despite his efforts. 40 43

Song-era travels

During her later travels around Bianjing, Verdant Green Maiden rescued Ye Sanqi and his caravan from Hou Moch'en Liyong's men, killing their leader for his abuses. She subsequently accepted Ye Sanqi as an old friend. 545 547

She intervened on behalf of the neglected Princess Zhao Qingyu, removed her from the palace with Zhao Guangyi's reluctant consent, and became her master. She later guided Zhao Qingyu through Guanzhong, encouraging her to keep learning and to envision a life that could protect others. 552 554 556 566

When the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Temple in Wan Nian County profited from worthless protective charms, Verdant Green Maiden investigated the scheme personally. She subdued the temple's strongmen and corrupt officials, invoked Zhao Qingyu's imperial seal to summon higher authority, and insisted that the lesser accomplices ultimately be dealt with by law rather than indiscriminate punishment. 562 563

Appearance

Verdant Green Maiden usually appears as an elegant, exceptionally beautiful young woman. Her clothing changes with the era, though verdant green robes are strongly associated with her. 5 151

• Approximately 1.6 meters tall in human form. 30
• Fair-skinned, with smooth black hair and a noble bearing. 5 68
• Brown-green vertical pupils. 418
• Azure scales emerge between her brows and at the corners of her eyes when she reveals her nature. 83
• Possesses large azure jiao horns and a Dragon Pearl in her revealed form. 175 387
• Her true form is a vast dark-azure Jiao Dragon, described as hundreds or thousands of zhang long. 386
• Develops several strands of white hair after suffering severe backlash from altering history. 492
• Her hair later becomes visibly mottled gray. 543

Personality

Verdant Green Maiden is fiercely independent and refuses to let fate, rulers, or Heaven dictate her choices. Her defining desire is to become a dragon, and she repeatedly chooses intervention over passive obedience to the Heavenly Dao. 33 95 387

She is compassionate toward ordinary people and is willing to protect them even when doing so carries consequences. She refrained from acting against Li Yuan solely out of personal resentment because he governed the region within the passes well, and she has repeatedly provided healing, famine relief, and protection during war. 93 129 292

Her kindness does not extend to manipulation or disrespect. She killed Liu An after he attempted to use her identity for his own pursuit of power and immortality, and she responds bluntly to those who underestimate her. 65

She is playful, vain about her appearance, and fond of teasing others. Despite her age and divine status, she bickers readily with Hong Luan and dislikes being reminded of her height or age. 30 217

Verdant Green Maiden believes that no person is inherently nobler than another and encourages people to learn, improve themselves, and determine their own paths. Her response to the fraudulent talismans of the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Temple also demonstrates her hostility toward those who exploit commoners' faith for profit. 556 562 563

Abilities & Skills

Transformation and Jiao Dragon Form

Verdant Green Maiden can switch between a human guise and her true Jiao Dragon form.

• Her true form bears azure horns and a Dragon Pearl, with a body vast enough to dominate the sky. 66 386
• She can reveal partial draconic traits, including scales, horns, and vertical pupils, without fully transforming. 83 175
• Despite her power, she is still identified as a Jiao Dragon rather than a completed True Dragon. 217 386

Martial Prowess and Physical Strength

She possesses overwhelming physical and sword-based combat ability.

• A casual kick can shatter stone; she consciously restrains herself to avoid accidental killing. 8
• She defeated Xiongnu cavalry while accompanying Zhang Qian through the Hexi Corridor. 67
• She annihilated nearly ten thousand Liao soldiers outside Luoyang by herself, earning the widespread reputation of a female sword immortal. 492
• She later again decimated the Liao Army during Guo Rong's northern campaign. 496
• Large interventions can cause severe backlash; after the Luoyang battle, she was exhausted and began developing white hair. 492
• Even after losing her divine arts, she can cut down cavalry alone with a blade and revive the Khitan's fear of the female sword immortal. 517
• She effortlessly throws aside armed strongmen, defeats palace guards, and subdues corrupt temple officials without relying on divine arts. 552 562 563

Divination and Fate Perception

She uses a Turtle Shell for divination and can perceive auspicious fortune and disturbances in fate.

• Her divinations may be unclear, as when she sought guidance on meeting the Queen Mother of the West. 8
• She limits divination for any one person to three occasions. 82
• She can perceive threads of auspicious fortune and noticed them tremble when An Lushan took his new name. 436
• She has spent months severing the influence of a segment of Fate from herself. 66
• She continues to employ Turtle Shell divination in later eras, using it to locate Ye Sanqi and his endangered companions. 545

Divine Arts

Her divine positions and cultivation allow her to wield large-scale supernatural techniques.

• She summons lightning, using it to punish a Qiang leader and to destroy armed private soldiers. 133 186
• She can summon snow across a vast area. 218
• She created an illusionary barrier potent enough that ordinary Daoists and Heavenly Masters could not break it. 178
• Her Bodhisattva manifestation appears with a radiant halo and lotus-platform imagery. 154 381
• Her divine power and arts are eventually stripped away, leaving her dependent on a blade in battle. 517
• She was once able to summon Heaven directly, but can no longer do so after Heaven was punished because of her. 556

Healing and Medicine

Verdant Green Maiden practices medicine alongside her cultivation.

• She served as a physician at the Imperial Academy under the title Qing Gu Doctor. 82
• She established temporary clinics during epidemics and prepared preventive medicine for those not yet ill. 129
• At Shule City, she used a magical pearl to supply defenders and heal the wounded. 93
• She used her own dragon blood to help Nezha endure the effects of lotus root infused with her Dragon Qi. 279

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Dragon Pearl / Jiao Snake Pearl — Stores belongings and bears the auspicious fortune accumulated through Han offerings. 82 356
• Turtle Shell — Used for divination, including locating Ye Sanqi's caravan in the Song era. 8 545
• Bamboo Hat — Can restrain Bai Suzhen's true snake form. 83
• Rich Flower — A wooden sword bestowed through Heaven and named by Verdant Green Maiden. 139
• Mermaid's Tear Pearls — Treasures kept within her Dragon Pearl and bestowed on others for protection. 175
• Twin Lotus — A lotus nourished with her spiritual energy and a Mermaid's Tear; she later gives it to Yang Chan as a magical artifact. 131 147
• Medicine chest — Used during her work as a physician. 129
• Horsetail whisk — Used with her Daoist attire and divine manifestations. 114 296
• Credential seals — Keeps several official seals, allowing her and her companions to pass through guarded areas without obstruction. 545
• Defender of the State Grand Princess seal — Zhao Qingyu temporarily lends her this seal to establish authority over the corruption investigation at the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Temple. 563

Relationships

• Yellow Emperor — Early benefactor and central influence on her ambition; his dying instruction that she become a dragon remains a defining memory. 349
• Hong Luan — Longtime bird companion and frequent bickering partner; accompanies her on travels and escapes. 32 217
• Ying Zheng — Her student and adopted charge. She protected him before birth, trained him in swordsmanship, and resisted his wish to make her queen. 24 27 32
• Heaven (Tian / Damn Heaven) — A complicated guide and adversary who grants or acknowledges her divine positions while warning her against defying fate. Heaven is later punished because of her actions, leaving her unable to summon Heaven as she once did. 74 133 492 556
• Chunyu Tiying — Devoted follower who remained on Mount Tai, spread Verdant Green Maiden's virtues, and aided common people in her name. 60 65
• Yang Chan — Her disciple; Verdant Green Maiden gives her the Twin Lotus and foresees her connection to Mount Hua. 133 147
• Li Shimin — Her chosen disciple. She refused Li Jiancheng because of their fated conflict but later urged Li Shimin to create an unprecedented prosperous age. 216 327
• Guanyin — Fellow Bodhisattva and celestial ally who persuades her to help with Xuanzang's journey. 355
• Good Wealth Dragon Girl (Saro) — Guanyin's disciple, entrusted to Verdant Green Maiden for several decades despite her initial reluctance to follow a Jiao Dragon. 356 387
• Old Yellow Ox — Loyal mount and companion who has carried her for centuries. 133 178
• Guo Rong — A later emperor who addresses her as Master and receives her support during his northern campaign against the Liao. 496
• Li Bai — A devoted later student who repeatedly seeks her teaching and prioritizes listening to her over his official duties. 452
• Ye Sanqi — A merchant whom she rescues from Hou Moch'en Liyong's men; after witnessing her abilities, he pledges unwavering loyalty, and she acknowledges him as an old friend. 545 547
• Zhao Qingyu — A neglected Song princess whom Verdant Green Maiden rescues from palace oppression, takes as her disciple, and personally guides through Guanzhong. 552 554 556 566

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Western Regions and Han influence — She aids Zhang Qian's westward mission, guides Huo Qu Bing toward opposing the Xiongnu, and joins Wei Qing's campaign in Hexi. 67 72
• Bodhisattva and healer — She gains followers in the Kushan Empire, receives the title of Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva, and later protects Shule City with healing and supplies. 90 93
• Defiance of fate — After learning more of the world's ordained course through Zhang Daoling, she resolves to defy the Heavenly Dao rather than submit to it. 95
• Guardian of the north — She compels migrating Hu tribes to protect civilians, establishing the legend that becomes the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden. 132 133
• Daoist legacy — She protects Tao Hongjing, assists his effort to establish a hierarchy of deities, and is recognized as an Ancestor Master of Crane Call Mountain's lineage. 175 183 186
• Tang dynasty intervention — As Shunde Heavenly Maiden, she supports Li Shimin's rise and demands that he rule as sovereign of all under Heaven. 296 327
• Rebellion against Heaven — In her Jiao Dragon form, she leads the Mount Tai Immortal Class against the Heavenly People and the Book of Fate. 387
• Late-era protector — She attempts to preserve the realm through the collapse of Tang, confronts the Liao Army directly, and becomes a feared legend across the land. 467 492 496
• Disempowered sword guardian — After losing her divine power and arts, she continues resisting threats through her blade and unmatched martial strength. 517
• Song-era mentor and temple reformer — She rescues Ye Sanqi's caravan, takes Zhao Qingyu as her disciple, and confronts corruption conducted in the name of the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Temple. 545 554 562 563

Notable Quotes

“I want to... become a dragon!” 349

“I’m from Guanzhong, but I’m not human.” 217

“My own disciple—I’ll spoil her myself.” 566

Trivia

• She considers herself a highly experienced rabbit-roaster after several thousand years of practice. 386
• She named her wooden sword Rich Flower specifically because enemies would be humiliated to lose to a weapon with that name. 139
• She dislikes being compared unfavorably in height and complains that her human incarnation is only 1.6 meters tall. 30
• She personally cooks during her travels with Zhao Qingyu and proves unexpectedly adept at it. 556