Xia Zhao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xia Zhao (夏昭)
Gender	Female
Age	30 37
Affiliation	Xia Family
Occupation/Role	Eighth-Grade martial artist; core Xia Family descendant and martial-arts prodigy 37 180
Status	Active
First Appearance	Battles a Mutant Hound in Qijia Town before being rescued by Li Yuan 36

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Eighth Grade, Initial Stage	37	Reveals that she can briefly contend with a Ninth-Grade martial artist at full strength.
Feather Blade refinement	63 67	Applies Li Yuan's advice to concentrate the technique's dispersed power into three lethal Feather Blades; its power nearly doubles, and her Eighth-Grade execution approaches the Xia Family's Ninth-Grade experts.
Star-Shattering Sword Shadow, third level	66	Cracks and fully demonstrates the third level through seven moves, surpassing Xia Tai's own understanding of it.

Background

Xia Zhao is a core descendant of the Xia Family, whose martial inheritance includes techniques such as Feather Blade and Star-Shattering Sword Shadow. Her father, Xia Cheng, is recognized as the Xia Family's most gifted member and the nation's youngest Grandmaster; Xia Zhao's later achievements lead her family to conclude that her talent has surpassed his. 66 67 73

By age thirty, Xia Zhao had reached the Eighth Grade Initial Stage, a realm generally not reached until after fifty. Although she has access to substantial family resources, Li Yuan recognizes her martial talent as exceptional in its own right. 37 39

Her ability to decipher difficult family techniques makes her both a major asset and someone the Xia Family is reluctant to expose to danger. After the Qijia Town incident, the family restricts her participation in risky expeditions, though she later receives permission to travel to Sunset Mountain Camp. 165

Appearance

Xia Zhao is a striking woman with fair skin, an excellent figure, and sharp features. Li Yuan considers her beauty more forceful than Xia Yao's gentler appearance; her presence alone can make others feel pressured or inferior. 40 137 213

• Usually wears fitted combat attire suited to martial activity. 176
• Deliberately changes into a gentle casual outfit and understated makeup before her dinner with Li Yuan. 176
• Her beauty and Xia Family status attract frequent attention, including from prospective suitors and political figures. 49 133

Personality

Xia Zhao is composed, direct, and practical under pressure. While trapped in Qijia Town, she honestly tells Li Yuan both her condition and martial realm because their shared survival requires trust. She withholds details about the Mutant Beasts not out of distrust, but because she believes that knowing too much would endanger him. 37

She has strong pride in her martial talent, yet is willing to test ideas she does not immediately understand. Rather than dismissing Li Yuan's unfamiliar advice, she memorizes it and verifies it through practice, eventually recognizing that his comprehension exceeds her own in certain areas. 41 63 67

Her concern for Li Yuan becomes increasingly personal. She searches for him after Qijia Town, prepares training opportunities and techniques for him, protects him during his conflict with Jin Fan, and openly links arms with him when confronting Zhuang Meng. Her pursuit can also be forceful: she asks Cheng Jing to interfere with Xu Nianxing's relationship prospects because of her feelings for Li Yuan. 49 79 181 190 213

Abilities & Skills

Eighth-Grade Martial Arts

Xia Zhao is an Eighth-Grade Initial Stage martial artist whose full-strength combat ability can briefly rival the Ninth Grade. 37

• Retains enough strength after recovering from poison and exhaustion to evade and stall a Mutant Hound rather than fight it head-on. 42
• Can protect herself with Gang Qi; it prevents injury when Jin Fan ambushes her. 133
• Her injury and poison from Qijia Town demonstrate that Mutant Beasts can still overwhelm her when she is caught off guard. 36 39

Movement Art

Xia Zhao possesses a top-tier Movement Art and uses it decisively when facing dangerous beasts. 42

• Pulls Li Yuan along at extreme speed while fleeing a Mutant Hound. 42
• Uses circling and evasion to create openings rather than relying on a direct clash with a poisoned beast. 42

*Feather Blade*

Feather Blade is the Xia Family's core blade technique. It manifests as red feathers that scatter into cutting blades, making it difficult for opponents to identify the true lethal strikes. 63

• Uses Li Yuan's guidance to avoid distributing its power evenly; instead, she concentrates the main force into three Feather Blades. 63
• Raises the technique's power to nearly double its former output. 63
• Demonstrates Eighth-Grade Feather Blade power comparable to that of the Xia Family's Ninth-Grade experts. 67
• Its normal dispersed form loses considerable force after the feathers break apart, especially against tough beasts or Gang Body defenses. 63

*Star-Shattering Sword Shadow*

A four-level Xia Family sword art whose latter two levels had been controlled by Xia Tai. 64

• Masters the third level after applying Li Yuan's earlier pointers. 64 66
• Demonstrates seven moves containing the true essence of the third level, rather than merely imitating its appearance. 66
• States that the fourth level should not take much longer after resolving the third level's difficulties. 66

Martial Comprehension and Instruction

Xia Zhao is widely regarded as a top martial genius and is invited to provide guidance to other elite martial artists. 93 100

• Shares practical knowledge of combat against Fierce Beasts, cultivation, and the Fifth-to-Sixth Grade transition with Li Yuan. 39 106 109
• Deciphers multiple Xia Family cultivation techniques and resolves longstanding problems within their martial inheritance. 165
• Her guidance is difficult for most recipients to grasp fully, despite being clear enough for Li Yuan to understand and discuss with her directly. 93 100

Investigation and Influence

Xia Zhao suspects that the Mutant Beast incidents are man-made rather than natural mutations. 37 44

• Uses her grandmother's connections to investigate people who entered Qijia Town and to locate Li Yuan. 44
• Identifies transport access and border-adjacent roads as likely necessities for any organization conducting large-scale Fierce Beast experiments. 177
• Has enough authority to arrange and revoke a Snow Shadow Mountain training qualification. 50 80

Items Provided to Li Yuan

• USB drive containing Heavenly Refining Body — given to Li Yuan during their confinement in Qijia Town. 40
• Snow Shadow Mountain training qualification — initially arranged for the person Xia Zhao believed was Li Yuan's “Wuling Education” identity; she revokes it after learning Jin Fan received it instead. 50 78 80
• Cloud Swallow Cultivation Method — a basic method selected to enhance Li Yuan's agility and Movement Art. 190
• Wiping Blade — an advanced blade technique sent to Li Yuan for his training. 190
• Brilliant Gold Black Card — her cardholder privileges are transferred to Li Yuan, granting him unrestricted access within Yanling Town and Scenic Mountain Group businesses. 190

Relationships

• Li Yuan — Her rescuer and martial-discussion partner in Qijia Town. Their relationship develops from survival partners into a mutual romantic interest; Xia Zhao repeatedly supports his cultivation, career, and safety. 36 40 177 190 213
• Cheng Jing — Her capable personal assistant, entrusted with investigations, arrangements, and sensitive personal tasks. 78 181 202
• Xia Cheng — Her father, the Xia Family's foremost talent and the nation's youngest Grandmaster; he recognizes that Xia Zhao has surpassed him in martial potential. 66 73
• Xia Yao — Her younger cousin. Xia Zhao later advises Xia Yao to pursue Li Yuan rather than give up on her feelings. 155 165
• Xia Tai — Her third granduncle, who attempts to blackmail the family with Star-Shattering Sword Shadow. Xia Zhao's mastery of its third level breaks his leverage. 64 66 67
• Jin Fan — A Grandmaster's disciple mistakenly believed to be Li Yuan under the “Wuling Education” identity. Xia Zhao revokes his training qualification and later prevents Yuan Zheng from interfering when Li Yuan defeats him. 50 79 80 173
• Zhuang Meng — Li Yuan's former girlfriend and Xia Zhao's perceived romantic rival; Xia Zhao publicly dismisses her as unworthy of Li Yuan. 202 212 213

Story Role / Major Arcs

Qijia Town Incident

Xia Zhao encounters Li Yuan while exhausted, poisoned, and pursued by a Mutant Hound. After he carries her to an abandoned Observation Station, the two remain hidden for nearly twelve days while he treats her infected wound and they exchange martial knowledge. 36 37 39 41

During this period, Xia Zhao gives Li Yuan Heavenly Refining Body and receives insights from him that later transform her understanding of Feather Blade and Star-Shattering Sword Shadow. 40 63 64

Xia Family Technique Dispute

When Xia Tai threatens the Xia Family over the secrets of Star-Shattering Sword Shadow, Xia Zhao reveals that she has already cracked its third level. Her demonstration exposes Xia Tai's hollow leverage, leading to his confinement and elevating Xia Zhao's authority within the family. 66 67 73

Search for Li Yuan and the Jin Fan Mistake

Unable to locate Li Yuan after Qijia Town, Xia Zhao investigates the “Wuling Education” identity used at the Youth Martial Tournament. She is mistakenly led to Jin Fan and grants him a Snow Shadow Mountain qualification before discovering the deception and revoking it. 49 50 78 80

Stone Peak River Conference

Xia Zhao attends the Stone Peak River Teaching Research Conference despite initially disliking such events. There she unexpectedly reunites with Li Yuan, watches his martial discussion with other experts, and decisively intervenes when Yuan Zheng attempts to protect Jin Fan from Li Yuan's counterattack. 165 167 170 173

Support of Li Yuan

Following their reunion, Xia Zhao actively helps Li Yuan navigate threats from the Jin Family, provides him with cultivation resources and techniques, and offers martial theory that enables him to use an S-Grade Nutrient Tonic safely. Her advice contributes to his leap from Sixth Grade Initial Stage to Sixth Grade Great Completion. 177 190 214

Notable Quotes

“If he can strike so heavily, then the other party can naturally strike heavily as well. Earlier, it was said that no one was permitted to interfere. That means no one can.” 173

“Let's go. There's no need to waste time here.” 213