Zhao Xuan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Zhao Xuan (赵玄)
Alias(es)	Eldest Senior Brother; Senior Disciple Brother; Immortal Zhao Xuan; Tribulation Arbiter 128
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Jie Sect (Shangqing lineage)
Occupation/Role	First disciple of Master Tongtian; strategist and spokesman for the Jie Sect during the Investiture of the Gods crisis; supreme decision-maker for Investiture-related sect matters; tribulation arbiter under the reformed lists 33 128
Status	Active; survives through the ending 128
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Zhao Xuan was Master Tongtian's first disciple, entering the Shangqing lineage while Tongtian still resided on Kunlun Mountain, before the Three Pure Ones separated. He later followed Tongtian east to Golden Turtle Island when the Jie Sect was founded. Though senior to the sect's better-known figures, he kept a low profile, rarely fought publicly, and did not manage the sect's daily affairs. 1

Three hundred years before the Investiture crisis, Zhao Xuan predicted that Haotian would petition Zixiao Palace, the Sages would be summoned, and the Investiture of the Gods List would appear. When the first part of this prediction came true, the Jie Sect began treating his warnings about its future seriously. 1 2

He revealed that the coming calamity would disproportionately destroy the Jie Sect: Zhao Gongming would die after aiding the Shang, the Three Xiao Sisters would suffer defeat and loss, Master Tongtian would be confined, and Daoist Duobao would eventually enter the West and become the Buddhist Sect's lord. 3

Zhao Xuan is a transmigrator whose familiarity with the Jie Sect's original future informs his warnings and intervention. The deaths and destruction he describes are the anticipated outcomes of the old Investiture path, not events that have already occurred in the altered storyline. 2 128

After the initial confrontation over the Investiture List, Tongtian formally grants him final authority over all matters involving the Investiture, with Duobao, Jinling, Wudang, and Guiling assisting him. This authority does not require routine daily affairs to be brought before him. Zhao Xuan uses it to investigate internal wrongdoing and prevent other factions from exploiting the sect's corruption. 33

His campaign eventually moves beyond withdrawal and compensation to exposing the administrative manipulation behind divine appointments and replacing the old arrangement with new lists. By the ending, the Jie Sect remains intact, its disciples can choose whether to enter the tribulation, guard the island, or volunteer for Heavenly Court service, and Zhao Xuan continues to accept the responsibilities of a tribulation arbiter. 114 115 128

Appearance

Zhao Xuan wears dark Daoist robes and keeps his black hair bound beneath a crown. His refined, handsome appearance and calm expression conceal an oppressive composure that silences a room without overt killing intent or pressure. 2

• Dark robes and black Daoist robes. 2 5
• Black hair tied beneath a crown. 2
• Refined and handsome features. 2
• Exceptionally calm demeanor; his presence suppresses agitation among fellow disciples. 2
• Suffers a wrist injury when White Crane Boy attempts to stop his writing; the injured hand remains evident during the sect's subsequent confrontation with the List. 69 72

Personality

Zhao Xuan is steady, restrained, and relentlessly pragmatic. He refuses to let righteousness, fraternity, the “greater good,” or heavenly mandate be used as excuses to sacrifice Jie Sect disciples. His central principle is that the sect should not “sit at the gambling table” when its members alone are being used as stakes. 2 5 12

He is also highly strategic. Rather than directly confronting the Heavenly Court, he recalls Jie Sect laborers and allows the resulting disorder to reveal how dependent the Three Realms are on them. He treats disasters, service, merit, karma, and compensation as matters requiring written terms and evidence. 7 12 16 23

Despite his sharp rhetoric, Zhao Xuan observes hierarchy and propriety. He bows to Yuanshi while refusing to abandon his account of the Chan Sect's conduct, and he stops questioning when the Dao Ancestor intervenes rather than give others grounds to accuse the Jie Sect of insubordination. 20 32

His loyalty does not mean sheltering guilty disciples. He distinguishes those who committed crimes, shared spoils, concealed wrongdoing, or acted under coercion, rejecting Ma Yuan's argument that a large number of offenders should be immune from punishment. He permits legitimate outside dealings but refuses to let disciples trade the sect's interests for personal benefits or escape routes. 33 35 42

Zhao Xuan earns solidarity without demanding it. When the List threatens those protecting him, he offers the disciples a genuine opportunity to withdraw. Their decision to remain becomes a voluntary defense of one another rather than obedience imposed by their senior brother. 72

He prioritizes rescue and evidence over revenge. Even after being injured, he preserves White Crane Boy as a living witness; during Shi Ji's crisis, he refuses to attack Qianyuan Mountain and instead protects her and Biyun Boy's remaining spirit. He also acknowledges uncertainty rather than promising that a stabilized true spirit can definitely be restored. 69 99 102

By the ending, he regards the new lists as only a beginning. He expects Kunlun, the Western Sect, and the Heavenly Court to continue pursuing their interests and warns that renewed complacency could endanger the Jie Sect again. 128

Abilities & Skills

Foresight

Zhao Xuan possesses knowledge of future events and uses it to anticipate the Investiture of the Gods calamity.

• Predicted Haotian's appeal to Zixiao Palace, the Sages' gathering, and the List's manifestation three centuries in advance. 1
• Foretold the likely fates of Zhao Gongming, the Three Xiao Sisters, Holy Mother Wudang, Daoist Duobao, Master Tongtian, and the Jie Sect. 3
• Used fulfilled predictions to gain Master Tongtian's conditional approval for his crisis strategy. 5
• His knowledge of the original future is explicitly associated with his identity as a transmigrator. 2
• Recognizes the significance of the fire intent drawing Biyun Boy's true spirit toward Qianyuan Mountain, identifying a danger beyond the Sky-Shaking Arrow's visible military markings. 99
• Reveals individual fates through the Three Steles, allowing disciples to confront the actual death sentences and schemes written for them. 111

Political and Strategic Planning

Zhao Xuan turns the Jie Sect's withdrawal from worldly work into leverage against the Heavenly Court.

• Ordered the recall of Jie Sect disciples serving throughout the Three Realms, exposing the Heavenly Court's staffing dependence. 7 10
• Rejects vague requests for aid and requires formal allocation of merit, karma, authority, and compensation. 12 16 19
• Used the Third Sea Eye crisis to force the Heavenly Court to formally appoint Qingxiaozi as temporary Water Department guardian. 16 19
• Established three steles requiring supplicants to record a disaster's cause, responsible party, and the distribution of merit and karma. 22 23
• Conducts internal cleansing before outside factions can use genuine offenders to justify collective punishment of the Jie Sect. 33 34 35
• Establishes the Clear Gate Regulations, preserving ordinary outside interactions while prohibiting private profiteering through the sect's name, advocacy purchased by outsiders, and escape arrangements made at the sect's expense. 42
• Investigates Lu Qing before Zhao Gongming to expose the appointment system through a less politically entangled case, avoiding an inquiry that could strengthen the List's hold on Gongming. 50
• Keeps the Northern Border stable while accompanying Tongtian to Zixiao Palace, ensuring that the detention of the Antarctic Immortal does not distract the sect from the mortal-world conspiracy. 94
• Proposes the Killing Tribulation List, Profit-Sharing List, and Willing Divinity List as alternatives to the old arrangement, making wrongdoing, benefits, and consent the bases for entry. 114

Accounting and Evidence

Zhao Xuan treats written records as weapons against institutional exploitation.

• Produced four jade slips proving Qingxiaozi's proper handover, service record, and injuries, defeating the Water Department's accusations. 12 13
• Compiled detailed records of Jie Sect assignments, casualties, merits, and unpaid rewards for the Heavenly Court. 13 15
• Maintains the Investiture of the Gods Accountability Ledger, which records beneficiaries of Jie Sect actions alongside those who performed them. 27
• Publicly challenged the premise that Jie Sect diversity and prior service constitute crimes deserving tribulation. 28
• Recorded the benefits received by the Heavenly Court, Chan Sect, Western Sect, and Xuan Sect against the Jie Sect's projected losses. 29 30 31
• Uses authentic Yuqing correspondence and the Western Sect's Golden Letter to expose the outside escape routes offered to Chang'er Dingguang Xian. 36 38 40
• Uncovers the connection between departmental preliminary registers, the Position Assignment Register, and the Investiture List, showing how past service was rewritten as a foreordained divine connection. 44 45 51 52
• Restores Zhou Huai's omitted name and sacrifice to the Clear Gate Register, exposing the selection system's refusal to record dead candidates who could no longer fill offices. 51
• Traces the appointment rules through the Water Department, Director of Fate, Jade Emptiness annotations, and the Western Sect's benefit from avoiding a greater calamity. 53 54 55
• Distinguishes evidence from final attribution, warning that a visibly implicated faction or individual may have been exposed as a decoy. 52 53
• Uses the Three Steles to expose the Chentang Pass scheme and the wider distribution of deaths, divine posts, lineages, offerings, and merit. 108 110 111

Composure Under Pressure

Zhao Xuan remains controlled when confronted by powerful opponents.

• Prevented Holy Mother Guiling from attacking Heavenly Court envoys and thereby denying them a pretext to accuse the Jie Sect. 11 12
• Pressured Guangchengzi through reason and public accountability rather than force. 17 18 20
• Maintained proper etiquette before Yuanshi and the Dao Ancestor while preserving the Jie Sect's claims. 20 32
• Continues his investigation after White Crane Boy wounds his wrist, directing the capture of the attacker without ordering his death. 69
• Secures a public apology and punishment for White Crane Boy at Kunlun's gates without crossing Yuxu Palace's boundary or attacking the mountain. 69 70
• Warns Duobao when Yuanshi's intervention makes the confrontation exceed a disciple's ability to bear it. 92
• Challenges the Dao Ancestor's unequal allocation while keeping the final decision with Hongjun rather than claiming that the steles should replace his authority. 113 114

Karmic Investigation and Fate Protection

Zhao Xuan's writing becomes an active means of investigating and resisting the machinery of the Investiture List.

• Temporarily pins back the Calamity Qi gathering around Lu Qing's fate with his brush. 51
• Records the chain of administrative intervention and prevents Lu Qing's name from entering the List while the account remains unresolved, distinguishing blocked entry from changing an already entered name. 52
• Blocks the List Shadow's attempt to draw Holy Mother Jinling into the inquiry and records that interference as evidence. 52
• Uses the Clear Gate Register and Vermilion Brush to reveal concealed appointment criteria and Jade Emptiness's approval of priority for Jie Sect disciples. 54
• Through the investigation, the Clear Gate Register removes most of Lu Qing's Calamity Qi and marks him temporarily removed from Position Assignment; this is a reprieve, not complete freedom from the system. 55
• Writes protections against using Wen Zhong's thunderfire deeds, cultivated arts, or discipleship under Jinling as automatic grounds for divine appointment. The register's resistance to the remnant List is supported by Tongtian's Shangqing Sword Intent. 56

Shangqing Techniques and Rescue

Zhao Xuan displays direct magical abilities during the rescue of Shi Ji and Biyun Boy.

• Travels toward Chentang Pass in sword light after receiving Tongtian's authorization. 99
• Uses Shangqing energy to protect Biyun Boy's remaining true spirit and pins the fire intent dragging it into the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover. 100
• Wields Green Duckweed Sword Intent carried in his sleeve to repel the cover's fire dragons and damage its surface. This intervention follows Tongtian placing an azure light on his sleeve before the mission. 99 100 101
• Stops the cover from descending, forces its dragons back, and destroys a fire talisman aimed at Shi Ji's heart. 100
• Seizes the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover from Taiyi Zhenren and brings it back as evidence. 101 102
• Uses a Shangqing Sword Line to protect Biyun Boy, turns Taiyi's withdrawing fire strand into a soul-anchoring thread, and channels sword intent through the cover's scar to repel further interference. 102

Power Progression

Chapter(s)	Advancement / Demonstration	Scope and Limitations
1, 2, 3	Reveals accurate foreknowledge of the Investiture crisis and the Jie Sect's original future.	His knowledge is associated with transmigration; no cultivation realm is specified.
13, 33	Receives Tongtian's public backing and, later, final authority over Investiture-related matters.	An advancement in institutional authority, not a stated cultivation breakthrough; routine daily affairs remain separate.
51, 52	Uses his brush and the Clear Gate Register to resist Lu Qing's Calamity Qi and block unresolved entry into the List.	Prevents an appointment from taking effect while its records are disputed; does not establish unrestricted control over completed divine enrollment.
54, 55	Exposes concealed appointment rules and secures Lu Qing's temporary removal from Position Assignment.	Most of Lu Qing's Calamity Qi is removed, but his release is explicitly incomplete.
56	Writes protections for Wen Zhong against appointments based on deeds, skills, and master-disciple ties.	The Clear Gate Register is supported by Tongtian's Shangqing Sword Intent.
69	Continues writing despite White Crane Boy's attack and wrist injury.	Duobao and the other senior disciples block the killing strike and capture the attacker; this is not a solo combat victory.
99, 100, 101	Deploys Shangqing energy and Tongtian's Green Duckweed Sword Intent against Taiyi's fire cover, protecting Shi Ji and seizing the treasure.	The demonstrated sword intent is linked to Tongtian's support, not an independently stated cultivation breakthrough.
102	Stabilizes Biyun Boy's remaining true spirit and counters Taiyi's remote attempts to withdraw the cover's fire intent.	Tongtian reinforces the platform and suppresses the dragons; full restoration of the spirit is not guaranteed at this stage.
111, 113	Uses the Three Steles to reveal assigned fates and support collective rejection of the old List.	The List's weakening also depends on Tongtian's sword strikes and the disciples' united refusal.
114, 115, 128	Proposes the new list system, applies its accountability rules, and continues as a tribulation arbiter.	Hongjun remains the final authority; the new system does not eliminate future conflict in the Three Realms.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Jade slips — Used for evidence, petitions, compensation calculations, records of grievances, and merit-and-demerit audits. 12 13 15 18
• Investiture of the Gods Accountability Ledger — A ledger used to record the Jie Sect's actions, beneficiaries, merits, karma, and the costs imposed by the Investiture. 27 29 32
• Three steles of Golden Turtle Island — Public records requiring disaster supplicants and responsible officials to identify the origin of a crisis, the obligated party, and the bearer of merit and karma. 22 23
• Clear Gate Register — Used to investigate disciples' outside connections, past merits, hidden appointment records, and the fate mechanisms linking them to the Investiture List. It also preserves Zhou Huai's restored record and supports protective inscriptions against forced appointment. 45 50 51 54 56
• Vermilion Brush — Writing implement used with the Clear Gate Register to question concealed records, document responsibility, and resist premature Position Assignment. 51 53 54
• Jie Sect Old Merit Ledger — Collection of old Heavenly Court orders, receipts, and service records voluntarily submitted by Outer Sect disciples, sealed by Zhao Xuan as evidence for the sect's demand for answers. 45
• Yuqing token and talisman letter — Evidence of Chang'er Dingguang Xian's Jade Emptiness escape route, including the promised Pure Tranquil Body. Zhao Xuan uses the authentic correspondence to demand investigation of Yuxu Palace's involvement. 36 38 39
• Western Sect Golden Letter / invitation — Evidence of the Western Sect's promised Lotus Throne seat for Long-Ears; its lotus projection is confronted and its recruitment attempt entered into the Accountability Ledger. 36 39 40
• Water Department Old Seal and Remnant Position Assignment Register — Objects interrogated or examined to expose the administrative chain behind divine appointments, including the Director of Fate's authority-gap reports and Jade Emptiness's annotations. 44 51 53 54
• Green Duckweed Sword Intent — Power supplied by Tongtian and employed by Zhao Xuan during the Chentang Pass rescue and subsequent protection of Biyun Boy's spirit. Zhao Xuan is not identified as the owner of the Green Duckweed Sword itself. 99 100 102
• Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover — Taiyi Zhenren's treasure, seized by Zhao Xuan and placed before the Three Steles as evidence. Its remaining fire intent and sword scar are used to stabilize Biyun Boy's spirit and counter Taiyi's interference. 101 102 103

The Three Steles later reveal the old Investiture arrangement and are carried by Tongtian to Zixiao Palace with Zhao Xuan accompanying him. Under the new system, disciples record their departures before the steles and account for the karma of their journeys on returning. 111 113 114 128

Relationships

• Master Tongtian — Master and sect leader. Tongtian accepts Zhao Xuan's initial withdrawal strategy, conditionally considers granting him sole authority over Investiture-related decisions, and later supports his right to question the accounts. 5 7 20 32 He subsequently grants final Investiture authority, protects Zhao Xuan against the Antarctic Immortal and Yuanshi, supports the Shi Ji rescue, and brings him to Zixiao Palace to argue for reform. Their final conversation affirms continued trust alongside the need for vigilance. 33 93 94 99 113 114 128
• Daoist Duobao — Fellow senior disciple. Duobao initially warns Zhao Xuan to watch his words, but Zhao Xuan foretells his future transition into the Buddhist Sect. 3 Duobao later assists the internal investigation, volunteers to undergo scrutiny himself, blocks White Crane Boy's killing strike, and fights the Antarctic Immortal to protect Zhao Xuan and the evidence. Zhao Xuan steadies and warns him after Yuanshi intervenes. 33 42 69 91 92
• Zhao Gongming — Junior brother. Zhao Xuan previously warned him that his righteousness could be exploited; Gongming later supports Zhao Xuan's strategy. 2 10 18 Zhao Xuan keeps him on Golden Turtle Island, postpones direct investigation of his Wealth Department connection to avoid strengthening the List's hold, and later reveals the death sentence Gongming breaks with his Sea-Calming Pearls. 45 50 55 111
• Holy Mother Guiling — Fellow disciple and outspoken supporter. Zhao Xuan repeatedly restrains her from rash violence while she backs his confrontations with the Heavenly Court and Chan Sect. 11 16 18 She assists the sect's cleansing and collective defense, but he continues to prevent her anger from turning into premature attacks on Jade Emptiness or Qianyuan Mountain. 33 54 72 99
• Qingxiaozi — Jie Sect disciple defended by Zhao Xuan against the Water Department's false accusations. Zhao Xuan secures formal recognition, merits, and protections for his return to the Third Sea Eye. 12 19
• Haotian — Heavenly Emperor and political opponent. Zhao Xuan forces him to acknowledge the Heavenly Court's reliance on Jie Sect labor and to issue formal terms for Qingxiaozi's service. 7 16 19 Their dispute expands to the secret selection of divine officials. Haotian reluctantly permits an investigation of the Heavenly Court and orders relevant records produced, but Zhao Xuan continues to demand accountability rather than accepting denials of personal involvement. 44 45 53 54 108 114
• Guangchengzi — Head of the Chan Sect's Twelve Golden Immortals. Zhao Xuan challenges his sect's avoidance of worldly burdens and presses him to accept a public audit of the Three Sects' merits and demerits. 17 20
• Yuanshi — Tongtian's fellow Sage and Zhao Xuan's uncle-master. Zhao Xuan respectfully defies Yuanshi's attempt to end the accounting dispute, pledging to revisit it when the Investiture List appears. 20 The later inquiry exposes Jade Emptiness's role in prioritizing Jie Sect candidates, and Zhao Xuan rejects Yuanshi's sectarian prejudice during the debate over the new lists. 54 114
• Dao Ancestor Hongjun — Recognizes Zhao Xuan's restraint and accounting at the end of the initial confrontation, while withdrawing the Investiture List for later deliberation. 32 Hongjun later hears the case concerning the Antarctic Immortal and reopens deliberation over the List. Zhao Xuan proposes reforms while explicitly reserving final judgment to him. 96 113 114
• Holy Mother Jinling — Fellow disciple and principal enforcer during the internal cleansing. She severs Ma Yuan's sinister cultivation foundation, protects Zhao Xuan against White Crane Boy, and is herself shielded from the List Shadow's attempt to implicate her through an investigation. Zhao Xuan also challenges the use of her bond with Wen Zhong as grounds for divine appointment. 33 35 52 56 69
• Holy Mother Wudang — Assists the cleansing by investigating Outer Sect disciples' origins and later observes the disclosure of outside correspondence and gifts. 33 41
• Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao — Junior sisters who support his investigations and help capture White Crane Boy. Yun Xiao directly asks whether he can save Zhao Gongming; Zhao Xuan carefully distinguishes his ability to trace the submitted name from certainty that he can free Gongming completely. 34 50 69
• Lu Qing — Outer Sect disciple whose service is used as the first detailed case against the appointment machinery. Zhao Xuan obtains his temporary removal from Position Assignment and restores his dead companion's merits to the record. Lu Qing later chooses to stand beside Zhao Xuan despite the List's threats. 50 51 55 72
• Zhou Huai — Deceased Sea Eye guard whose contribution was omitted from the Water Department's records. Zhao Xuan restores his name and sacrifice, refusing to let his death erase his merits. 51 55
• Wen Zhong — Jinling's disciple and a mortal minister whose deeds, Thunder Arts, lineage, and dynasty ties are being used to draw him into the calamity. Zhao Xuan writes protections for him and recognizes his role as a connecting point between the sect, military authority, and the mortal realm. 56 59
• Ma Yuan — Outer Sect offender investigated under Zhao Xuan's authority. Zhao Xuan rejects his claims of sect prestige and immunity through numbers, separates individual responsibilities, and orders executions; Ma Yuan's execution is later entered into the ledger. 34 35 38
• Chang'er Dingguang Xian / Long-Ears — Attendant whose hidden Yuqing and Western Sect escape routes Zhao Xuan exposes. After Long-Ears is dealt with, Zhao Xuan insists that the outside parties who supplied those routes must also answer. 36 37 38 40
• White Crane Boy — Yuxu Palace attendant who wounds Zhao Xuan and attempts to kill him under the claimed authority to investigate disorder. Zhao Xuan preserves him as a witness and forces Jade Emptiness to acknowledge and punish his wrongdoing. 69 70
• Antarctic Immortal — Chan Sect opponent who tries to remove Zhao Xuan and silence a witness. Duobao and Tongtian stop him, and Zhao Xuan accompanies Tongtian to the hearing that results in his detention. In a later reckoning, Zhao Xuan warns him against again withholding a Jie Sect disciple's Life Seal. 91 93 94 96 98 118
• Shi Ji and Biyun Boy — Junior sister and her attendant whom Zhao Xuan rescues from Taiyi's fire cover. He brings them back to Golden Turtle Island and stabilizes Biyun Boy's surviving true spirit while acknowledging the uncertainty of full recovery. 99 100 102
• Taiyi Zhenren — Qianyuan Mountain opponent who shields Nezha and traps Shi Ji. Zhao Xuan overpowers his fire cover with Tongtian-supported sword intent, seizes the treasure, and counters his remote interference with Biyun Boy's spirit. 100 101 102
• Jieyin and Zhunti — Western Sages whose recruitment schemes and benefits Zhao Xuan documents. Under the new rules, he demands a Western Sect contribution to the Profit-Sharing List rather than allowing gains without corresponding obligations. 40 55 114 115
• Daoist Randeng — Opponent whose Western Sect entanglement and proposed use of a pagoda against Nezha become subjects of Zhao Xuan's accounting. Randeng acknowledges that Zhao Xuan has blocked his Western Sect route; Zhao Xuan insists the pagoda cannot remain an instrument for Li Jing to suppress his son. 108 113 120

Story Role / Major Arcs

Forewarning the Investiture

Zhao Xuan's three-century-old prophecy becomes the basis for the Jie Sect's alarm when Haotian appeals to Zixiao Palace. After leaving seclusion, he exposes the anticipated annihilation of the Jie Sect and argues that the Investiture is designed to distribute benefits to others while leaving Jie Sect disciples to “divide the death.” 1 2 3

Jie Sect Withdrawal

He proposes that the sect cease managing unrelated worldly karma, recall its disciples, and avoid involvement in the Heavenly Court, human dynasties, and Chan Sect conflicts. He asks Master Tongtian for final authority over Investiture-related decisions if three further predictions prove correct. 4 5

Exposing Heavenly Court Dependence

Zhao Xuan engineers the recall of Jie Sect disciples from Heavenly Court posts and other assignments. The withdrawal triggers crises across the Three Realms, while the Chan Sect and Western Sect refuse to supply replacements. 7 9 10

Qingxiaozi and the Third Sea Eye

When the Water Department attempts to blame Qingxiaozi for deaths at the Third Sea Eye, Zhao Xuan demands proof and presents documentary evidence of Qingxiaozi's service and proper handover. He then turns the Sea Eye's renewed collapse into a negotiation, forcing Haotian to recognize Qingxiaozi's authority, merits, protections, and compensation in writing. 11 13 16 19

After Qingxiaozi stabilizes the Sea Eye, Zhao Xuan requires further written safeguards against unauthorized interference by the Water Department and Dragon Palace. The rescue therefore does not erase the debt or restore the old arrangement of unacknowledged service. 21

Merits, Demerits, and the Three Steles

Zhao Xuan expands Qingxiaozi's case into a broader campaign for accountability. He demands public auditing of the Three Sects, erects steles that expose responsibility for disasters, and ensures that merit and karma cannot be assigned solely to Jie Sect disciples. 18 22 23

In the Southern Wilderness case, he requires the disaster's origins and responsible authorities to be publicly recorded, then sends Daoist Qingyi to suppress the poisonous miasma under terms distributing responsibility and losses among the Heavenly Court and local deities. 23

Accountability Ledger and the Investiture List

When the Investiture of the Gods List appears, Zhao Xuan uses the Accountability Ledger to challenge the Jie Sect's alleged crimes. He establishes that past service and the sect's diverse membership are not crimes, then asks why the Heavenly Court, Chan Sect, Western Sect, and Xuan Sect receive the benefits of Investiture while only the Jie Sect pays in lives, lost fortune, and ruined orthodoxy. 27 28 29 30 31

The Dao Ancestor withdraws the List before the calamity formally begins but leaves the ledger open, preserving Zhao Xuan's unresolved account against the other factions. 32

Internal Cleansing and Outside Escape Routes

Zhao Xuan interprets the pause as an opportunity for opponents to find new charges rather than an acquittal of the sect. With Tongtian's full delegation of Investiture authority, he begins investigating wrongdoing inside the Jie Sect. Ma Yuan's brutality and attempted reliance on collective immunity become the first major case; Zhao Xuan separates individual culpability and orders punishment rather than preserving offenders for their fighting strength. 33 34 35

The inquiry then exposes Long-Ears's Yuqing token and Western Sect invitation. After the sect deals with his betrayal, Zhao Xuan records the outside inducements and demands that Jade Emptiness and the Western Sect answer for their own involvement. He requires disciples to surrender outside correspondence, gifts, and invitations within three days. 36 37 38 39 40 41

When disciples fear that cleansing means total isolation, he establishes three Clear Gate Regulations rather than banning all outside interaction. Duobao volunteers to be investigated first, demonstrating that scrutiny is not confined to the Outer Sect. 42

Exposing the Position Assignment System

An apparent reward offering Zhao Xuan the Water Department Principal Deity position reveals a deeper mechanism: past Jie Sect service has been used to identify future divine officials. Zhao Gongming's Wealth Department entry shows that the records extend beyond the Water Department, and a fragment of List Qi confirms their connection to the Investiture List. Zhao Xuan seals the records and begins collecting old service evidence. 44 45

Instead of investigating Gongming first, he chooses Lu Qing. The inquiry reveals the conversion of old merits into a Divine Office Foreordained Connection and uncovers the Position Assignment Register. The omission of Zhou Huai's sacrifice, accompanied by the rule that the dead shall not be assigned positions, demonstrates that the system selects usable living candidates rather than faithfully honoring merit. 50 51

Zhao Xuan traces the chain through the Water Department, the Director of Fate's authority-gap rules, Jade Emptiness's approval of priority for Jie Sect disciples, and the Western Sect's avoidance of a greater calamity. The completed inquiry secures Lu Qing's temporary removal from Position Assignment. He then investigates Wen Zhong, whose Thunder Arts, bond with Jinling, and mortal dynasty ties provide multiple routes into the calamity. 52 53 54 55 56 59

White Crane Boy and the Sect's Solidarity

White Crane Boy tries to stop Zhao Xuan's writing, wounds his wrist, and launches a killing strike. Duobao, Jinling, the Three Xiao Sisters, and Zhao Gongming capture him. Zhao Xuan insists on keeping him alive and takes the dispute to Kunlun's gates without crossing Yuxu's boundary. 69

There, he forces the Antarctic Immortal to choose between acknowledging White Crane's affiliation and abandoning the right to protect him. White Crane apologizes toward Golden Ao, loses a wing from his Dharma manifestation, is confined for three thousand years, and has his authority to investigate mortal-world disorder revoked. Zhao Xuan warns that future attacks will be treated as acts of Jade Emptiness itself. 70

When the damaged List subsequently threatens the disciples protecting Zhao Xuan, he allows them to withdraw. They instead close ranks voluntarily. By standing beside Lu Qing, Zhao Xuan exposes the List's strategy of threatening everyone while attempting to isolate its easiest target; the united sect denies it that opening. 72

Antarctic Immortal and the Zixiao Palace Hearing

The Antarctic Immortal's attempt to take Zhao Xuan, the Gray-Clothed Man, and the evidence to Kunlun escalates into a battle with Duobao. Yuanshi intervenes after Duobao forces Antarctic to kneel, injuring Duobao and damaging his treasures. Zhao Xuan steadies his fellow disciple before Tongtian emerges to halt the rescue attempt and assert authority over the case. 91 92 93

Zhao Xuan accompanies Tongtian to Zixiao Palace while ensuring that the Northern Border remains stable. The witness describes coordinated unrest in Chaoge, false messages to Xiqi, and a forged troop order intended to frame the Jie Sect and Wen Zhong while Zhao Xuan was held in the East Sea. Hongjun uses the Yuqing Dharma Seal to establish Antarctic's attempt to seize Zhao Xuan and attack the witness. 94 95 96

Antarctic is detained, and the Jade Emptiness Outer Estate's mortal-world talisman orders are recalled. Zhao Xuan returns with Tongtian and supports continued restraint rather than an attack on Kunlun. Yuanshi responds by shifting toward Jiang Shang's planned Mount Qi assembly and mortal political procedures. 97 98 99

Shi Ji, Biyun Boy, and Qianyuan Mountain

A bloodied Sky-Shaking Arrow brings news of Biyun Boy's death and Shi Ji's danger at Chentang Pass. Zhao Xuan identifies fire intent pulling the boy's remaining true spirit toward Qianyuan Mountain. With Tongtian's authorization and sword-intent support, he goes to rescue the victims rather than attack Taiyi's mountain. 99

At Chentang Pass, he stops the Nine Dragon Divine Fire Cover, protects Biyun Boy's surviving spirit, and insists on taking Shi Ji and the spirit away without taking Nezha. When Taiyi refuses, Zhao Xuan suppresses the cover, destroys an attacking fire talisman, and seizes the treasure. 100 101

Back at Golden Turtle Island, he stabilizes the spirit with a Shangqing Sword Line and turns Taiyi's withdrawing fire intent into a soul-anchoring thread. Tongtian supports the platform while leaving the rescue in Zhao Xuan's hands. The seized cover becomes evidence that Qianyuan Mountain cannot evade by withdrawing its power or dismissing the incident. 102 103

The Three Steles subsequently expose the Chentang Pass scheme's links to Jade Emptiness, Heavenly Court offerings, Western Sect recruitment, and the Investiture List itself. Zhao Xuan explains that his purpose was to reveal the larger arrangement, not merely settle Shi Ji's case by killing Taiyi. 108 110 111

Rejecting the Old List and Establishing New Rules

As the Three Steles reveal that the List was deliberated in Zixiao Palace with all Sages aware, Tongtian strikes the inscription assigning Golden Ao's Ten Thousand Immortals. Zhao Xuan reveals the disciples' individual fates and urges them to reject those written outcomes themselves. Duobao and Zhao Gongming begin breaking the lines assigned to them. 111

The sect's united refusal strengthens its fortune and causes its names to fade from the List. Protected by Tongtian against attempts to close the evidence, Zhao Xuan continues revealing the arrangement and challenges the Dao Ancestor's unequal allocation. Hongjun agrees to reopen deliberation at Zixiao Palace. 113

Zhao Xuan proposes three replacement bases for divine appointment. 114

Proposed List	Basis for Entry
Killing Tribulation List	Killing karma created by an individual's actions, regardless of sect or status.
Profit-Sharing List	Contributions of people by factions in proportion to the benefits they receive from the tribulation.
Willing Divinity List	Voluntary acceptance of Heavenly Court service and divine positions.

He clarifies that the steles reveal cause and effect while Hongjun retains final judgment. Once the new rules are established, old cases are addressed first; Zhao Xuan demands that the Western Sect provide a disciple to the Profit-Sharing List for its attempted gains from the Chentang Pass unrest. 114 115

Further accounting keeps the Jade Emptiness Outer Estate's authority on record and confronts its withholding of a disciple's Life Seal. Zhao Xuan also refuses to leave Randeng's pagoda on the old path as an instrument for Li Jing to suppress Nezha, treating that future arrangement as part of the unresolved Chentang Pass case. 118 120

The Jie Sect Endures

By the ending, the Jie Sect has escaped the old List's road to destruction without becoming permanently isolated. Disciples choose among entering the tribulation, guarding Golden Turtle Island, and volunteering through the Willing Divinity List. Departures and returning journeys are recorded under the new accountability procedures. 128

Zhao Xuan remains beside Tongtian as the Ten Thousand Immortals, Three Steles, and sect lineage endure. He accepts continued responsibility as a tribulation arbiter, but emphasizes that the reforms do not end rivalry or guarantee lasting peace. The survival of the sect depends on maintaining vigilance rather than mistaking the new lists for a final victory over every future threat. 128

Notable Quotes

“They want to use the lives of my Jie Sect disciples as stakes. Then the best way for the Jie Sect is simply not to gamble.” 5

“Whoever asks for your help, ask for the price first.” 12

“Kindness can be given. But our lives cannot be thrown away for nothing.” 12

“I am settling accounts.” 18

“Heavenly Court Gains Divinity, so why are the lives not paid by Heavenly Court?” 31

“What I am investigating is who changed the Heavenly Court Authority Deficit into the Interception Sect's mandate.” 53

“A disciple's cultivated strengths must not be broken apart to fill vacancies in divine positions.” 56

“Do you really think I, Zhao Xuan, am that easy to push around?!” 100

“If you want to gain more, contribute more.” 114

“Better turmoil with your eyes open than death in a fog.” 128

Trivia

• Zhao Xuan is the Jie Sect's eldest disciple but is less publicly renowned than Daoist Duobao, the Holy Mothers, Zhao Gongming, and the Three Xiao Sisters. 1
• He was already a disciple of Tongtian before the Three Pure Ones separated. 1
• Yuanshi considers Zhao Xuan meticulous and deeply calculating, despite having previously underestimated his cultivation talent. 8
• The Dao Ancestor describes Zhao Xuan as someone who “know[s] propriety” and “know[s] accounts.” 32
• Taiyi initially interprets White Crane Boy's ability to injure Zhao Xuan as evidence that he cannot be particularly powerful, but finds him unexpectedly difficult to gauge at Chentang Pass. 101
• The Heavenly Court's proposed Water Department Principal Deity appointment for Zhao Xuan becomes evidence of its attempt to turn old service into future conscription, rather than an accepted office. 44
• His final success preserves both the sect's survival and its freedom to interact with the wider world; withdrawal is a protective strategy, not the sect's permanent endpoint. 128