Verdant Green Maiden

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Verdant Green Maiden (Qing Nü; 青女)
Alias(es)	Snake Girl; Shao Dian; Qing Xiao Jade Maiden; Doctor Qing Gu; 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; Green Robe Immortal Maiden; Gui Gu Zi; Mount Tai Holy Mother; Heavenly Mountain Heavenly Maiden; Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva; Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden; Yu Qing Great Emperor; Dragon Woman Ancestor Master; Eastern Sacred Mother; Ying Qing, courtesy name Yu Se; Heavenly Mountain Saintess; Shao Dian Qing Nü; Liuli 6 13 90 94 133 184 201 312 404 592 629
Species/Race	Jiao Dragon, formerly a snake
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Mount Tai Immortal Class 387
Occupation/Role	Diviner, physician, cultivator, teacher, and guardian deity; Song Imperial Tutor and mentor to the leadership of Saintess City and the Western Regions forces 582 592 594
Status	Alive; her divine power and arts are lost during a later crisis, and she can no longer summon Heaven 517 556. Her draconic bodily traits remain usable through instinct; no restoration of her external magic is established by her later explanation 566.
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.
Qing Xiao Jade Maiden divine position	29 94 562	Her first divine position, originating through Ying Zheng and the Frost Snow Goddess; marks the beginning of her connection to Heaven and Earth's fate.
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.
Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva incarnation	104	Cultivates a Bodhisattva incarnation while weakened after sending the East Wind and awakening from a prolonged slumber.
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.
Retained instinctive draconic control	566	Clarifies that her Dragon Horns and Dragon Pearl are parts of her body and can still be controlled instinctively, unlike the external magic she can no longer use.

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

Ji He, a Zhou royal kinsman responsible for constructing Luoyi, supplied her with food, clothing, and other necessities. Their acquaintance developed over two years, although his letters eventually ceased after he returned to Hao Jing. Her neighbors initially sought to arrange marriages for her, then increasingly sought blessings after noticing that her appearance did not change. 5 6

After she refused Yao Jiang's request to become her disciple and revealed her giant snake form, he attempted to organize a mob against her. Her neighbors defended her, but she subsequently left Luoyang. Yao Jiang later established Tian Yuan Palace to hunt her; she retaliated by deliberately attracting its cultivators and throwing them to the wolves of Xiao Mountain until the organization abandoned its large-scale pursuit. 7

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

Under the identity of Gui Gu Zi, she accepted Pang Juan and Sun Boling as disciples. She began their instruction with principles of good conduct, provided for their daily needs, and made them maintain the valley in which they studied. 13 17

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

At Ying Zheng's birth, she agreed to become his master after Ying Yiren requested her guidance. Her interest in his future fortune was initially closely connected to her ambition to become a dragon, but she also developed a protective attachment to him. 24 26

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

At Bolangsha, Zhang Liang attacked her carriage after mistaking it for Ying Zheng's. She pursued him and revealed her true nature during their confrontation. 43

Han and religious development

Verdant Green Maiden accompanied Zhang Qian through the Hexi Corridor, overcoming Xiongnu cavalry and enabling his envoys to continue into the Western Regions. She later guided Huo Qu Bing toward opposing the Xiongnu and joined Wei Qing's campaign in Hexi. 67 72

Her assistance during the Yellow River floods earned Liu Che's gratitude for preventing widespread deaths. While residing in Changmen Palace, she was served for seven years by Chen Ajiao, whose childlessness she ultimately described as a blessing rather than punishment. Chen Ajiao later left the palace and became the Wannian Princess, responsible for the Qing Xiao Jade Maiden Temple in Chang'an. 71 72

In the Kushan Empire, she spread teachings through miracles, divination, and medical treatment. Kashyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna initially came to challenge her authenticity, but accepted the Glazed Sutra she provided and became proponents of her teachings. Her resulting status as Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva reduced her vulnerability to changes in mythology and Buddhist schemes. 90

She remained especially attached to Qing Xiao Jade Maiden, regarding it as her first divine position and the beginning of her relationship with Heaven and Earth's fate. Her other identities included Mount Tai Holy Mother and Heavenly Mountain Heavenly Maiden. 94

After the Yellow Turban defeat, she spent several years resettling innocent followers of the Way of Supreme Peace. During this period, she concealed her aura and avoided both Hong Luan and Chunyu Tiying, with Heaven apparently assisting in keeping her whereabouts hidden. 97

Daoist legacy and later dynasties

Verdant Green Maiden taught Yang Jian and Yang Chan, writing Dao Scriptures for both and personally guiding Yang Chan's cultivation. Her broader influence extended through the Mount Tai Immortal Class and the incarnations associated with her divine positions. 116 173

She protected Tao Hongjing at Huayang Pavilion on Maoshan and discussed Daoist arts with him at length. When he sought to classify and unify the celestial deities, she agreed to assist and invited other Daoist sects to participate. Visiting Daoists recognized her as the ancient Verdant Green Maiden and a Dragon Woman Ancestor Master. 183 184

When Yuwen Yong sought to identify the deity he was addressing, she explained that several seemingly separate gods and Bodhisattvas were all her identities. She requested that he build a temple honoring Qing Xiao Jade Maiden, and he agreed. 201

She repeatedly returned to the homes, gardens, and graves of old acquaintances. These visits exposed the disappearance of familiar places and families, including the ruins of Qin and Han palaces and the eventual loss of Dragon Treasure Garden in Jinling. 178 202 502

Tang-era teaching and intervention

Verdant Green Maiden chose Li Shimin as a disciple before his birth, while refusing to accept Li Jiancheng because of their fated conflict. After Li Shimin became emperor, she urged him to create an unprecedented prosperous age and become a ruler of all under Heaven. 216 327

Her rebellion against the Book of Fate brought together members of the Mount Tai Immortal Class and allies including Nezha, Xuanzang, Yang Jian, Sun Huo Wang, and Saro. She later encouraged her disciples to develop independently, sent Saro back to Guanyin, and departed with He Qiong. 387 415

During her travels with He Qiong, she gave her the second lotus from the Dragon Pearl. She subsequently led her to Central Min and proposed that she settle in an abandoned village and practice medicine. 416 419

Di Renjie persistently sought her instruction, following her until he collapsed from exhaustion. She revived him but declined to accept him formally as a disciple, instead agreeing to answer his questions for one month while traveling south. They parted in Jiangdu. 417 418

She compiled the Green Lotus Sword Song for Li Bai, while allowing the Daoists of Tai Ping Daoist temple to practice it according to their own understanding. Later, under the name Yu Se, she befriended Yang Yuhuan and attended gatherings with her. 439 452 454 456

She also intervened on behalf of Third Lady of Dongting Lake, asserting her divine authority before the Dongting Monarch. Third Lady subsequently returned to manage Dongting Lake and promised to govern it well. During the same journey, Verdant Green Maiden provided disaster relief after an unusual winter flowering preceded a poor harvest. 446

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

In Lantian County, she and Zhao Qingyu stayed with the Yue family. She arranged for Yue Qiu to sell their carriage and buy a cow to replace Old Yellow Ox in the family's work, while encouraging Zhao Qingyu's interest in farming and ordinary people's lives. 556 557

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

She later distributed more than half the temple warehouse's protective talismans to commoners. During this episode, she explained to Zhao Qingyu that her Dragon Horns and Dragon Pearl remained controllable because they were parts of her body, whereas magic was external and no longer available to her. 566

Saintess City and Western Regions leadership

Following an ordeal marked by thunder, Verdant Green Maiden returned to Saintess City pale and seriously wounded, but immediately resumed administrative work. She compiled her experience from several thousand years into a book for Zhao Qingyu, emphasizing that its advice must be adapted to local conditions rather than followed unquestioningly. 582

She subsequently entrusted Saintess City's affairs to Zhao Qingyu and departed for Western Prefecture. Her delegation extended to military leadership: she deliberately allowed Zhao Qingyu to handle Cao Bin and the other Western Regions commanders, preparing her disciple to exercise authority independently. 592 594

Near Yang Pass, she intercepted an imperial envoy led by Lü Mengzheng while pretending to be a roadside bandit. After defeating the guards, she seized and destroyed an imperial decree ordering Cao Bin to withdraw his troops. Lü recognized her as an Imperial Tutor whose service extended back to Zhao Kuangyin's reign, despite her youthful face and gray hair. 594

Meizhou Island and maritime teaching

While Bao Zheng was serving in Hui'an County, Verdant Green Maiden accepted Lin Moniang as a disciple on Meizhou Island. She arranged to visit monthly and instructed the Lin family to contact her through the county magistrate if necessary. 609

Her teaching combined classical learning with her own extensive insights. At Lin Moniang's request, she agreed to teach more practical skills, including agility, and instructed her in reading the heavens, predicting fortune, and understanding the sea. Lin's advice to fishing families earned her the local title of Little Immortal Aunt. 610

When an epidemic-stricken boat reached Meizhou, Verdant Green Maiden rejected proposals to burn those aboard. She cured its only surviving child, Guihua, and personally accompanied her home rather than expose Lin Moniang to the journey. On the child's home island, she found that a female doctor had already controlled the epidemic and recognized the healer as her martial aunt. 610

Return to the troubled Hexi Corridor

Before returning to Hexi, Verdant Green Maiden reunited with Bao Zheng outside Bianjing. The news that his wife had died reminded her of the people she had outlived. She formally charged Bao, as her disciple, to govern justly and bring peace to the people. 627

At Xiao Pass, restrictions imposed during the Tangut rebellion initially prevented her from entering Hexi. She intended to cross the mountains instead and subsequently met Di Qing, first presenting herself as a shepherdess. She encouraged him before his expedition and crossed the Yellow River on Old Yellow Ox, instructing him to meet her in Dunhuang. 627 628 629

Traveling west, she assisted civilians displaced by Tangut and Tatar conflicts without distinguishing between Han, Western Regions, Tangut, or steppe origins. Her following grew rapidly, and pastoral songs celebrated her as Shao Dian Qing Nü, Liuli, and the Heavenly Maiden. 629

Alisha, a cavalry commander in Zhao Qingyu's forces, recognized her and escorted her to the Eastern Expeditionary Army's camp. She reunited with her now-aged disciple, listened to her account of the Western Regions' development, and acknowledged her hard work while expressing concern that she had personally entered the conflict. 629 630

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
• Despite her gray and white hair, her face still appears eighteen or nineteen years old and has no wrinkles when Di Qing learns her relationship to the elderly Zhao Qingyu. 594 629 630
• Her snowy-white skin is covered with severe wounds after the ordeal preceding her return to Saintess City. 582
• Can pass as a strikingly handsome young gentleman when dressed as a man, although she rarely adopts such attire. 443 445
• Wears Daoist crowns associated with different traditions according to personal preference rather than adhering to a single sect's customary appearance. 111 114
• Her noble bearing is perceptible through Qi Gazing; Tao Hongjing describes it as an innate dignity unlike that of ordinary scholars or great families. 183

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

She explicitly believes that human will can conquer Heaven and rejects the Book of Fate's authority to determine life and death. Her opposition is not simply a desire to improve her own position: she objects to the manipulation of all living beings by ordained fate. 385

Despite her appreciation of attractive people, she has no interest in taking a lover. She distinguishes between finding family and pursuing romance, welcoming the former while declining the latter. 176

Her long life does not make her indifferent to loss. She remembers the faces of both rulers and commoners she has known, mourns the disappearance of familiar places, and sometimes feels that she should not make further friends because she will outlive them. Bao Zheng's account of his wife's death again unsettles her centuries later. 147 190 202 627

As a teacher, she combines indulgence with an insistence on independence. She readily spoils young disciples, but also sends them to develop their own abilities and increasingly entrusts Zhao Qingyu with civic and military responsibilities. 415 566 592 594

She values practical judgment over rigid adherence to inherited instruction. Her administrative book comes with an explicit warning not to believe everything in it, because conditions in the Western Regions differ from those in the Central Plains. 582

Her later relief work demonstrates an inclusive concern for civilians of different peoples. Although uncomfortable with the renewed divine fame attached to her name, she accepts the songs and gratitude of those she helps rather than forcing them to stop. 629

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
• After losing her external magic, she retains instinctive control over her Dragon Horns and Dragon Pearl because they are physical parts of her body. 566
• The dragonhood she seeks is distinct from the inherited draconic bloodline of beings such as Good Wealth Dragon Girl. 355

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
• Early in her travels, she walks out of a Daoist formation and defeats three practitioners with a tree branch whose blows carry the force of a thousand jin, overcoming their Body Tempering Technique. 2
• She defeated Xiongnu cavalry while accompanying Zhang Qian through the Hexi Corridor. 67
• She can pulverize the ground over a distance of a thousand meters with a casual stomp. 132
• She compiled the Green Lotus Sword Song for Li Bai; Daoists of Tai Ping Daoist temple may also learn it according to their comprehension. 439
• 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
• In a swordsmanship test with Guo Rong, she moves too quickly for him to respond effectively, dismantles his techniques, and turns them back against him. 493
• 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
• She defeats the guards of Lü Mengzheng's envoy mission and takes its imperial decree by force. 594
• Her agility allows her to drop gracefully from a tree several zhang tall, impressing Lin Moniang, who asks to learn similar practical skills. 610

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
• Her divination can offer insight into the fortunes of individuals, cities, and nations. 90
• She recognized Ye Xian's potential as a general through a hexagram showing the star of a general upon her. 463
• She continues to employ Turtle Shell divination in later eras, using it to locate Ye Sanqi and his endangered companions. 545
• She teaches Lin Moniang to read the heavens, discern good and ill fortune, and understand conditions at sea; Lin applies these lessons to advise islanders on fishing journeys. 610

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
• During her teaching mission in the Kushan Empire, she produces out-of-season snow and timely rain for drought-stricken land. 90
• She created an illusionary barrier potent enough that ordinary Daoists and Heavenly Masters could not break it. 178
• She can enter another person's dreams, using a dream encounter to comfort and advise Deng Sui. 94
• She can conceal her aura and travel without using magic, making herself untraceable to others except Heaven during her withdrawal after the Yellow Turban conflict. 97
• Her Bodhisattva manifestation appears with a radiant halo and lotus-platform imagery. 154 381
• Her incarnations, including Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden and Glazed Medicine Pure Light Bodhisattva, can participate in protecting the realm rather than existing only as objects of worship. 173
• She can create ice, which she supplies to Li Mang despite his earlier betrayal. 464
• 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
• She later distinguishes external magic from instinctive bodily control, explaining why her horns and Dragon Pearl remain usable without her former arts. 566

Healing and Medicine

Verdant Green Maiden practices medicine alongside her cultivation.

• She learned medicine from Chunyu Tiying and later credits that training with making her religious travels more successful. 90
• She served as a physician at the Imperial Academy under the title Doctor Qing Gu. 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
• Most difficult illnesses are manageable for her, but her medical skills do not truly revive the dead or regenerate flesh and bone. 90
• She established a clinic in Luoyang with the Qin Clan's assistance and arranged for others to maintain its daily operation. 435
• She cured Guihua, the sole surviving child aboard an epidemic-stricken boat, and accompanied her home while continuing to comfort her grief. 610

Teaching and Governance

Her instruction draws upon thousands of years of experience and encompasses moral conduct, martial arts, cultivation, classical learning, medicine, and administration. 13 116 439 582 610

• Begins the education of her Guigu disciples with principles of good conduct rather than immediately teaching specialized techniques. 13
• Writes Dao Scriptures for Yang Jian and Yang Chan and offers individualized cultivation guidance. 116
• Answers Di Renjie's questions for a month without granting him formal discipleship. 418
• Compiles an administrative reference book for Zhao Qingyu, emphasizing adaptation to local conditions. 582
• Gradually delegates Saintess City's government and the management of Western Regions commanders to Zhao Qingyu. 592 594
• Charges Bao Zheng to make just governance and the welfare of ordinary people the purpose of his service. 627

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Dragon Pearl / Jiao Snake Pearl — Stores belongings and bears the auspicious fortune accumulated through Han offerings. It is also a part of her body, allowing her to control it instinctively after losing external magic. 82 356 566
• 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. Heaven identifies Yanluo Son of Heaven as its giver. The weapon specializes in striking the soul and can cause intense pain without leaving an ordinary physical wound. 139 205 563
• 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. She subsequently gives the second lotus from her Dragon Pearl to He Qiong. 131 147 416
• Medicine chest — Used during her work as a physician. 129
• Horsetail whisk — Used with her Daoist attire and divine manifestations, including when presenting herself to Lin Moniang's family as a wandering Daoist. 114 296 609
• 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
• Glazed Sutra — A three-chapter scripture she gives Kashyapa Matanga and Dharmaratna to study and disseminate. 90
• Original Orchid Pavilion Preface — Possesses the original work and recalls being present at the historic gathering associated with it. 419
• Administrative reference book — Records her accumulated experience from several thousand years for Zhao Qingyu's use in governing Saintess City and the Western Regions. 582
• Xuanzhong Ji — Entrusts the work to Cao Xuan to copy and preserve so that Cao Luo's contribution can be known to later generations. 161

Relationships

• Yellow Emperor — Early benefactor and central influence on her ambition; his dying instruction that she become a dragon remains a defining memory. She also regards his adoption of her image on tribal flags as the beginning of her bond with the land and its people. 70 349
• Hong Luan — Longtime bird companion and frequent bickering partner; accompanies her on travels and escapes. Verdant Green Maiden explicitly introduces Hong Luan as her family. 32 211 217
• 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. She nevertheless declares that she will save Him. 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. Verdant Green Maiden also studied medicine under her. 60 65 90
• 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. Saro pledges allegiance during the rebellion against Heaven, but Verdant Green Maiden later returns her to Guanyin. 356 387 415
• Old Yellow Ox — Loyal mount and companion who has carried her for centuries. He recognizes old acquaintances, comforts her, and helps bring about her reunion with Bao Zheng by bumping his carriage. 133 178 202 627
• Guo Rong — A later emperor who addresses her as Master and receives her support during his northern campaign against the Liao. She also overwhelms him during a swordsmanship test. 493 496
• Li Bai — A devoted later student who repeatedly seeks her teaching and prioritizes listening to her over his official duties. She compiles the Green Lotus Sword Song for him, and he later writes a beauty poem about her rather than Yang Yuhuan at the Flower-Pinning Gathering. 439 452 456
• 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. She later entrusts her with Saintess City and military responsibilities, preparing her to lead independently. Their affection endures into Zhao Qingyu's old age. 552 554 556 566 582 592 594 630
• Ji He — Zhou royal kinsman who supports her life by the Luo River and becomes a regular divination client and acquaintance. 5 6
• Yao Jiang — Rejected would-be disciple who becomes a hostile pursuer and founds Tian Yuan Palace to hunt her. 7 8
• Pang Juan and Sun Boling — Disciples accepted under her Gui Gu Zi identity; she provides their education and daily necessities while emphasizing moral conduct. 13 17
• Wei Qing — Her military-strategy student and an ally in the Han campaigns. A portrait he secretly drew of her as a child survives among his descendants. 72 189
• Chen Ajiao — Serves her in Changmen Palace for seven years while seeking atonement. Verdant Green Maiden helps her reinterpret her childlessness and move beyond palace life. 72
• Yang Jian — Her cultivation disciple; she writes a Dao Scripture for him and later calls on him to join her rebellion against the Book of Fate. 116 387
• Tao Hongjing — Daoist scholar whom she protects and assists in his project to organize the celestial hierarchy. 183 184
• Wei Jue / Wei Bodhisattva — A later disciple whose training includes spear technique and military strategy. She remains affectionate toward him into his old age and receives his final letter after his death. 189 190 210 211 213
• He Qiong — Traveling companion and disciple whom she helps while searching for her missing master. She gives He Qiong the second lotus and guides her toward a life practicing medicine in Central Min. 406 415 416 419
• Di Renjie — Persistent seeker of instruction whom she refuses to accept formally as a disciple, while agreeing to answer his questions for a month. 417 418
• Third Lady — Member of the Dongting Lake aquatic clan whom she supports against the Dongting Monarch. Third Lady promises to govern Dongting well and meet her again in the future. 445 446
• Yang Yuhuan — Friend who knows her as Yu Se and joins her in temple visits and social outings. Yang Yuhuan applies fashionable makeup to her before the Flower-Pinning Gathering and gradually becomes curious about her true identity. 452 454 455 456
• Ye Xian — A younger woman whom she assists and protects. Recognizing her potential as a general, she asks whether Ye Xian would guard Great Tang's Southern Frontier. 462 463 464
• Bao Zheng — Her disciple, who sincerely offers to support her in old age and later reassures her that he sees her as a kind fairy rather than an ancient monster. She charges him to govern justly and bring peace to ordinary people. 609 610 627
• Lin Moniang — Her young disciple on Meizhou Island. Verdant Green Maiden teaches her classical knowledge, practical skills, divination, and understanding of the sea, helping her become the islanders' Little Immortal Aunt. 609 610
• Guihua — Child survivor of an epidemic-stricken boat whom she cures, escorts home, and comforts after discovering the losses suffered by those who fled the island. 610
• Di Qing — Song expedition commander whom she encourages before the Hexi campaign and asks to meet her in Dunhuang. He later learns from Zhao Qingyu that the youthful-looking woman is the elderly princess's master. 628 629 630

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. 175 183 184 186
• 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
• Saintess City and leadership succession — Despite serious wounds, she helps govern Saintess City, records her experience for Zhao Qingyu, and gradually transfers civic and military responsibility to her disciple. 582 592 594
• Defiance of the withdrawal decree — She intercepts Lü Mengzheng's mission and destroys an imperial order that would recall Cao Bin's Western Regions forces. 594
• Maritime mentor and epidemic protector — She teaches Lin Moniang to understand the heavens and sea, rescues Guihua from an epidemic-stricken boat, and reunites with her martial aunt while investigating the outbreak. 609 610
• Moral legacy through Bao Zheng — Her reunion with Bao underscores the losses of her long life and her enduring expectation that disciples use their positions to protect ordinary people. 627
• Compassionate savior of Hexi — She returns amid Tangut and Tatar unrest, aids displaced civilians of multiple peoples, inspires new devotional songs, and reunites with Zhao Qingyu's Western Regions forces. 629 630

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

“Human will can conquer Heaven!” 385

“But He was punished because of me. Still, I will definitely save Him!” 556

“But remember, you cannot believe it all. The four words ‘adapt to local conditions’ are the most important.” 582

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
• She regards Qing Xiao Jade Maiden as her favorite divine position because it was her first. 94
• She owns the original Orchid Pavilion Preface and personally attended the gathering associated with it. 419
• Her use of different Daoist crowns confuses practitioners who expect strict distinctions between the traditions of the Three Pure Ones; her explanation is simply that she feels like changing them. 111
• Bao Zheng's sincere offer to care for her in old age briefly leaves her speechless because he misunderstands her longevity and circumstances. 610
• She is mildly dismayed when the people she saves in Hexi revive the divine aura of her name through pastoral songs, but ultimately accepts their chosen form of gratitude. 629

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