Xu Ziming

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xu Ziming (徐梓茗)
Alias(es)	Little Ming Who Can't Use a Sword (Battle Net username) 14
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Pengcheng No. 3 Martial Arts High School; Nebula Martial Hall 1 104
Occupation/Role	Martial arts high-school student; swordsman and Battle Net competitor 1 15
Status	Active 109
First Appearance	Chapter 1: “Equipment Slot”

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Life Energy Level 2.3	1	Begins with a 441-point mock-exam total; his swordsmanship and martial-arts scores are considered mediocre.
Life Energy Level 3.0	3	Breaks through shortly after awakening the Equipment Slot.
Basic Sword Method: Beginner; Sword Momentum	4	Completes a perfect training session, comprehends Sword Momentum, permanently solidifies Natural Sword Bone, and unlocks a second Equipment Slot.
Life Energy Level 3.1	11	Surpasses the Martial Arts Undergraduate Cutoff and confirms the reading through a second test.
Basic Sword Method: Minor Accomplishment	20	Reaches a new sword-technique realm while preparing for Zhao Yong’s challenge.
Iron Cloth Shirt: Iron Skin	24	Endures sand, gravel, and branding-iron training to advance his external defense.
Battle Net: Silver rank	27	Defeats Angry Haki-mi in a promotion match.
Basic Body Forging Method: Minor Achievement	28	Gains a 50% physical-strength increase.
Equipment Slots: 3	32	Unlocks a third slot after permanently solidifying another trait; future expansion requires three green-or-higher traits, Life Energy Level 5.0, and a first Life Evolution.
Life Energy Level 4.2; Basic Body Forging Method: Great Success	49	Gains 0.3 Life Energy in eight days; Great Success increases his blood-qi density by another 50%.
Mortal-Transforming Sword Intent	60	Comprehends the Sword Intent of the Basic Sword Method and kills a one-Life-Evolution Rock Clan warrior.
Nebula Mental Tempering Method: Minor Accomplishment	69	Reaches Minor Accomplishment after activating Star God’s Favor against a Phantom Spirit Clan enemy; the temporary trait is lost afterward.
Life Energy Level 4.7	83	Recorded with perfected Basic Sword Method, Basic Body Forging Method Mastery at 76.4%, and beginner-level Five Prison Sword Art, Nebula Mental Tempering Method, and Heavenly Demon Dance.

Background / History

Xu Ziming was a student of Pengcheng No. 3 Martial Arts High School in Pengcheng City. Before the Equipment Slot appeared, three years of effort had left him at Life Energy Level 2.3, with a mock-exam total of 441 points—enough only for an ordinary vocational martial-arts college in Suzhe Province. His initial goal was to attend Pengcheng Martial University, but his rapid progress led him to aim higher. 1 7

His turning point came when the Equipment Slot identified the Basic Body Forging Method as equippable. He later exchanged its trait for the Type 1 Psionic Sword’s Natural Sword Bone, then reached Beginner in the Basic Sword Method within an hour and awakened Sword Momentum. Ma Mingyu recognized his talent, personally sparred with him at equalized Life Energy, and began actively mentoring him. 1 3 4 5 6

Xu Ziming’s growing strength drew public attention after he defeated the True Martial Sect member Song Wenkang and obtained diluted Qilin Source Blood. He subsequently killed a Flame Spirit Clan warrior near his home, protected a civilian, and was saved from a stronger alien by Ma Mingyu. The authorities later awarded him the title of City Hero, including ten additional college-entrance-exam points. 22 33 34 47

During the secret-realm assessment, he partnered with Wu Mengmeng, fought mutant-beast tides and alien infiltrators, and comprehended Mortal-Transforming Sword Intent while trapped against a Rock Clan warrior. His first-day total of 473 points placed him tenth among the remaining participants. 53 54 60 62

Afterward, Xu Ziming represented Nebula Martial Hall in the Jinling competition. He won direct entry into the top sixteen by defeating Tang Sect disciple Ying Gao Bazhu, advanced through Chen Zhenxuan, then deliberately forfeited his semifinal against Chu Nan to pursue the reward associated with third place. 88 96 104 105 108

Appearance

Xu Ziming is an eighteen-year-old youth with sword-like brows, starry eyes, and a visibly athletic physique developed through body-forging practice. After intensive training, his face is described as more chiseled, with pronounced muscular lines. 13 36 49

• Carries the Jinghong Sword, usually sheathed across his back. 26 63
• His normal presence becomes sharply oppressive when he releases Sword Momentum or Sword Intent. 4 54 60
• When activating Qilin Body, he develops scales, dragon horns, enlarged stature, and altered mystical eyes. 33 74

Personality

Xu Ziming is disciplined, self-critical, and difficult to provoke. Rather than accepting mediocre results like Dai Fei initially does, he treats the Equipment Slot as an opportunity to outwork his limitations. Even after reaching Black Iron I on Battle Net, he compares his combat-power index of 32 to stronger peers and concludes that he still has to improve. 1 17

He is pragmatic with resources and protective of his family. He accepts Ma Mingyu’s Blood Qi Potions but withholds the matter from his family to avoid worrying them; later, he plans to use his earnings to support his household and help his sister pursue music lessons. 7 47

In combat, Xu Ziming is calm, analytical, and adaptable. He reviews losses to identify weaknesses, uses terrain and preparation against stronger foes, and does not blindly trade injuries with reckless opponents. He will aid others in danger, but withdraws support when rescued students respond with hostility and ingratitude. 17 54 57 95

Abilities & Skills

Equipment Slot

Xu Ziming possesses an internal Equipment Slot system that recognizes certain manuals, weapons, and resources as equippable items. Equipped traits can be permanently solidified by fulfilling specific conditions, allowing him to free slots and unlock more. 1 3 4 32

• Body Forging Acceleration — Raises body-forging speed by 50%, provides 100% energy absorption during forging, and digitizes cultivation progress. 1
• Natural Sword Bone — Increases sword-technique cultivation speed by 200% and lets him monitor any sword technique he practices. 3
• Equipment-slot accumulation — Effects already accumulated from an equipped item do not reset when he removes it. 81
• Recorded permanent traits — By his departure for Jinling, he has permanently solidified Body Forging Acceleration, Steel Body, Natural Sword Bone, Filter Charge, Filter Charge+, Sword Saint Body Technique, and Alien Slayer. 83

Swordsmanship

Swordsmanship is Xu Ziming’s primary combat specialty. His Natural Sword Bone allows him to treat the sword as an extension of his body, while his training emphasizes breaking free from fixed technique patterns. 3 6

• Basic Sword Method — His foundational art; he develops it from uninitiated to perfected and comprehends its Mortal-Transforming Sword Intent. 3 60 83
• Sword Momentum — Produces a sharp, oppressive aura that can unsettle opponents and create openings. 4 54
• Mortal-Transforming Sword Intent — Simplifies complexity into direct sword force; it pierced a Rock Clan warrior’s stone defense and killed it in one decisive strike. 60
• Five Prison Sword Art — Ma Mingyu’s original sword art, built around suppression and the cultivation of Luofu Sword Intent. 31
• Jinghong Dance — A high-speed offensive movement used alongside Jinghong; with Heavenly Demon Dance, his trajectory becomes extremely difficult to track. 88 96
• Sword Saint Body Technique — Lets him locate opponents despite sensory disruption and enhances his sword combat when equipped alongside Natural Sword Bone. 39 95

Body Forging & Defense

Xu Ziming strengthens his body through the Basic Body Forging Method and the Iron Cloth Shirt. 1 17

• Iron Cloth Shirt / Iron Skin — An external cultivation technique advanced through painful physical conditioning; its defense is insufficient against extreme heat from a Flame Spirit Clan warrior. 24 33
• Steel Skin / Steel Body — Permanent defensive traits recorded through the Equipment Slot system. 49 83
• Filter Charge — Reduces an E-grade Blood Qi Potion’s absorption time from two days to one while eliminating side effects. 8
• Alien Slayer — Increases the ferocity of his attacks against alien opponents. 60

Qilin Body

The diluted Qilin Source Blood obtained from Song Wenkang grants Xu Ziming the Qilin Body trait. 22

• Activates scales, dragon horns, greater physical power, and an ancient-pressure aura. 33
• Grants immunity to the Flame Spirit Clan’s fire attacks. 33
• Can temporarily let him contend with enemies beyond his normal level. 33 74
• Has a severe cost: after exhausting the Qilin’s power against a stronger enemy, his transformed state vanishes and leaves him weakened. 34

Mental Cultivation & Movement

Xu Ziming develops mental resilience through the Nebula Mental Tempering Method and mobility through Heavenly Demon Dance. 40 81

• Star God’s Favor — Doubles the speed at which he extracts star energy; it temporarily boosted his mental power enough to resist a Phantom Spirit Clan member’s psychic attacks, but was consumed afterward. 40 69
• Nebula Mental Tempering Method — Forms a mental bead and improves his ability to resist mental interference. 49 69
• Heavenly Demon Dance — A footwork method that controls explosive blood-qi release and withdrawal through the legs. 81
• Dragon Trap — Used with Heavenly Demon Dance to defeat Du Yao during the top-sixteen stage. 92

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Jinghong Sword — Xu Ziming’s named Battle Net weapon and primary sword; it replaced his original virtual weapon after registration. 26
• Qilin Source Blood (Diluted) — Looted from Song Wenkang; the source of his Qilin Body trait. 22
• Battle Net login device — A simplified home-access device gifted by Ma Mingyu. 14
• Soft armor — Defensive equipment gifted by Officer Sun. 47
• Pure Yang Jade Pendant — Restores expended blood and vitality, improving his endurance in prolonged combat. 108

Relationships

• Ma Mingyu — Homeroom teacher, sparring partner, and mentor. He recognizes Xu Ziming’s sword talent, funds his cultivation, gives him Battle Net access, and teaches him the Five Prison Sword Art. 5 7 14 31
• Dai Fei — Deskmate and friend. Initially content to settle for vocational martial education, he becomes shocked by Xu Ziming’s sudden progress and remains supportive of his ambitions. 1 4 23
• Mother Xu — Supportive mother who encourages him without excessive pressure and regularly brings him food during intense training. 1 8 49
• Xu Zhiyao — Younger sister who believes in his potential and worries about him when he overtrains. 1 8
• Xu Ziming’s father — Works on the front lines and supports the family from afar; he sends Xu Ziming an Alien Warrior Life Source Crystal and later sends money after learning of his achievements. 14 27
• Wu Mengmeng — Battle Net opponent who becomes his secret-realm teammate. She fights beside him against the beast tide and trusts him after witnessing his Sword Intent. 38 53 54 63
• Shen Xingyue — Fellow prodigy and recurring competitor. She takes interest in Xu Ziming’s growth, while he recognizes the effort behind her strength. 29 60 89
• Fang Xingyun — Master of Nebula Martial Hall. He recruits Xu Ziming, provides guidance, and transports him to the Jinling competition. 36 83

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Equipment Slot awakening — Discovers the Equipment Slot after receiving disappointing mock-exam results, then chooses swordsmanship as his path. 1 3
• School breakthrough — Masters Sword Momentum, earns Ma Mingyu’s attention, scores 180 in practical combat, and becomes an inspiration to ordinary students. 4 6 13
• Battle Net rise — Registers under his ironic username, progresses from Black Iron to Silver, and receives recruitment offers from martial halls. 14 17 27
• Song Wenkang incident — Defeats a True Martial Sect member, gains Qilin Source Blood, and becomes widely known at school despite trying to downplay the event. 22 23
• Pengcheng alien attack — Kills a Flame Spirit Clan warrior, protects a civilian, and survives an encounter with a second-stage Life Evolution monster through Ma Mingyu’s intervention. 33 34
• Secret-realm assessment — Teams with Wu Mengmeng, rescues students, defeats alien infiltrators, and gains citywide recognition after comprehending Mortal-Transforming Sword Intent. 53 60 69
• Jinling competition — Defeats Ying Gao Bazhu and Chen Zhenxuan to reach the semifinals; forfeits to Chu Nan before entering the third-place match against Yang Ping. 88 96 105 108

Notable Quotes

“This battle, I have won!” 29

“No matter your myriad techniques, I shall break them all with a single sword.” 29

Trivia

• Xu Ziming’s Battle Net name, Little Ming Who Can’t Use a Sword, contrasts directly with his status as a sword-intent user. 14 60
• He received the City Hero title for his anti-alien actions, granting him ten additional college-entrance-exam points. 47
• His first-day secret-realm score was 473 points, placing him tenth out of the 876 remaining students. 62