Xuan Zi

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xuan Zi (玄子)
Alias(es)	Elder Xuan
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shrek Academy; Sea God Pavilion
Occupation/Role	Inner Court Dean; elder; mission leader; combat instructor
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 24

Background / History

Xuan Zi is a Shrek Academy elder who first observes Huo Yuhao during the freshman assessment after Wang Yan reports the unusual traits of Huo Yuhao's Titan Snow Demon martial soul. Interested in Huo Yuhao's potential, Xuan Zi requests to be informed of his subsequent matches. 24

He first becomes directly involved with Huo Yuhao after the academy temporarily moves to strip Huo Yuhao of his Core Disciple status. He is identified as the elder responsible for the “suppress first, elevate later” approach and receives Huo Yuhao in a bamboo grove near the Inner Court. 31 32

He holds high expectations for Huo Yuhao, viewing him as a prospective Inner Court student and possible future Shrek Seven Devil. His attempt to recruit Huo Yuhao fails when Huo Yuhao prioritizes wealth and status after Outer Court graduation over the academy’s prestige. 32 33

After consulting Mu En, Xuan Zi stops directly pressuring Huo Yuhao to decide. Instead, he personally oversees Huo Yuhao’s cultivation through harsh live-combat sessions, fighting him without holding back in training style while limiting his own 98th-level power. 53

During the Death God Envoy mission, Xuan Zi’s decision to shadow the team rather than accompany it directly contributes to the reserve and Inner Court teams being left exposed to the evil soul masters. After the incident, he attempts to secure Huo Yuhao’s continued participation in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, only for Huo Yuhao to demand early graduation from the Outer Court as a condition. 62 63 64

While supervising Shrek’s tournament team in Star Luo City, Xuan Zi repeatedly clashes with Huo Yuhao over strategy and security. He later detects the Body Sect’s pursuit of the team and confronts Du Busi when the sect moves openly to seize Huo Yuhao. 91 92 117 118 119

Following the tournament, Xuan Zi and Mu En review the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone Huo Yuhao extracts from the Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Saber. He is also involved in informing Huo Yuhao of the exchange program with the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. 134 135

Personality

Xuan Zi is carefree and eccentric in public, often appearing while drinking and eating rather than presenting the solemn bearing expected of an academy elder. 31 49

He is temperamental, authoritative, and inclined to test or manipulate students. He initially tries to use honor, status, and the Inner Court’s prestige to influence Huo Yuhao, then considers punishment when Huo Yuhao refuses his invitation. 32 33 53

Despite this, he recognizes talent and practical results. He repeatedly arranges combat tests, observes student battles, and personally trains Huo Yuhao through direct confrontation. 51 53 56

Xuan Zi places considerable importance on Shrek Academy’s honor and is unwilling to concede even a preliminary tournament match, despite Huo Yuhao’s argument that preserving the team’s strength is strategically preferable. 91 92

His confidence in his own power can lead him to underestimate threats. During the Star Luo City incidents, he dismisses Huo Yuhao’s concerns regarding the mysterious short Soul Tool, the city defense force’s inaction, and the possibility of a larger hostile organization. 91 92 95

When a crisis directly requires combat, however, Xuan Zi acts decisively and remains protective of his students, immediately confronting the Evil Soul Master Title Douluo after Huo Yuhao alerts him. 94

Abilities & Skills

Super Douluo Cultivation

Xuan Zi is a 98th-level Super Douluo. 53

• Can suppress his strength sufficiently to serve as Huo Yuhao’s direct sparring opponent. 53
• Endures Huo Yuhao’s attacks during live-combat training while verbally disrupting his focus. 53
• Can release Super Douluo pressure to intimidate elite soldiers of the Star Luo City Defense Force. 95
• Detected the presence of several Super Douluo-level Body Sect experts following Shrek’s team. 117 118

Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul

Xuan Zi possesses the Godly Taotie Bull martial soul. 32

• His cultivation and martial soul allow him to contend directly with Title Douluo-level opponents. 94
• While restraining the scale of the battle in Star Luo City, he fought an Evil Soul Master Title Douluo whose tentacles could drain Soul Power. 94
• He ultimately subdued the Evil Soul Master by seizing him and sealing his Soul Power with a strike to the lower abdomen. 94

Spatial Control

Xuan Zi can manipulate the Soul Fighting Platform’s space.

• Compressed the platform’s space while overseeing the Core Disciple assessment. 51

Combat Instruction

His teaching approach emphasizes real combat over conventional instruction.

• Conducted cultivation guidance through unreserved live combat. 53
• Divided seven students into pairs, leaving Huo Yuhao to train directly against him. 53
• Organized mixed-team sparring between the Inner Court’s main tournament squad and the Outer Court reserve team to evaluate coordination and combat adaptability. 55 56 57

Story Role / Major Arcs

Core Disciple Status Dispute

Xuan Zi is revealed as the elder behind the academy’s pressure tactic against Huo Yuhao. He tests Huo Yuhao’s temperament in a bamboo grove and offers him a route toward the Inner Court and Shrek Seven Devils, only to be refused. 31 32

Inner Court Recruitment Attempts

Angered by Huo Yuhao’s refusal, Xuan Zi discusses possible punishment and soul-bone allocation with Wang Yan and Du Weilun. Mu En later advises him to attract Huo Yuhao through benefits rather than coercion. 33 53

Seven-Man Squad Selection

Xuan Zi oversees the Core Disciple elimination competition, forces further matches to identify promising students, and retains seven students as reserve candidates for Shrek’s future tournament team. 49 51 52

Combat Training

After abandoning direct recruitment pressure, Xuan Zi personally trains Huo Yuhao in repeated live-combat sessions. 53

Tournament Preparation

As Inner Court Dean, Xuan Zi commands assessments between the Inner and Outer Court teams and criticizes the students after their performance. 56 57

Death God Envoy Incident

Xuan Zi leads the Shrek team during the mission connected to the Death God Envoy, but leaves the group claiming he will protect them from the shadows. His absence precedes the team’s disastrous losses and Ning Tian’s capture. 61 62

After Huo Yuhao kills the Death God Envoy and saves Ning Tian, Xuan Zi confronts him in a tense exchange and ultimately yields to Huo Yuhao’s demands concerning Ning Tian. 63

The incident leaves Chen Zifeng, Gongyang Mo, Yao Haoxuan, and Xi Xi dead, while Wu Feng is severely injured and the surviving teams are unable to field a complete, uninjured squad. Xuan Zi subsequently negotiates with Huo Yuhao for his assistance in the tournament, facing Huo Yuhao’s demand to graduate after its conclusion. 63 64

Star Luo Tournament Crisis

After returning from Shrek Academy, Xuan Zi and Wang Yan elevate Huo Yuhao’s position within the tournament team. Xuan Zi rejects Huo Yuhao’s proposal to concede a difficult round-robin match, prioritizing Shrek’s reputation over conserving the team’s strength. 91 92

While nominally following Huo Yuhao during an investigation into the short Soul Tool, Xuan Zi fails to notice a nearby Title Douluo Evil Soul Master until Huo Yuhao launches a Shrek signal flare. 92 93

Xuan Zi battles the Evil Soul Master and, with Huo Yuhao’s assistance, captures him alive. He later intimidates a squad of Star Luo City Defense Force soldiers and insists on bringing the captive back to Shrek for judgment. 94 95

Body Sect Conflict

Xuan Zi senses Du Busi’s Super Douluo-level presence during the tournament and remains vigilant toward the Body Sect’s interest in Huo Yuhao. 117

When Du Busi and other Body Sect experts trail Shrek’s team after the quarterfinals, Xuan Zi recognizes that he is facing multiple Super Douluo-level opponents and attempts to protect the students by confronting them first. 118

Du Busi publicly challenges Xuan Zi over Shrek’s treatment of body martial soul possessors and uses the reserve team’s Death God Envoy losses to question his leadership. Xuan Zi engages Du Busi directly despite the latter’s preparations and external amplification. 118 119

Exchange Program Matters

Xuan Zi joins Mu En in receiving the Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone Huo Yuhao presents after extracting it from the Tyrant Tiger Soul-Refining Saber. He later helps inform Huo Yuhao of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy exchange program. 134 135

Relationships

• Huo Yuhao — Recruitment target, student, and later direct sparring partner. Xuan Zi repeatedly attempts to steer him toward the Inner Court, but Huo Yuhao resists his pressure and prestige-based arguments. Their relationship becomes increasingly strained during the tournament, where they disagree over concessions, security, and Shrek’s priorities. 32 33 53 91 92 95
• Mu En — Senior authority whose advice influences Xuan Zi’s handling of Huo Yuhao; Mu En advises offering benefits instead of coercion. Xuan Zi later joins Mu En in reviewing Huo Yuhao’s extracted soul bone and discussing the exchange program. 33 53 134 135
• Wang Yan — Fellow Shrek authority who discusses Huo Yuhao’s status and soul-bone allocation with Xuan Zi. They later jointly supervise and direct Shrek’s tournament team in Star Luo City. 33 91 92
• Du Weilun — Fellow academy official involved in the Core Disciple dispute and subsequent discussion of Huo Yuhao. 31 33
• Shrek reserve team — Selects and briefs the seven students as reserve candidates for the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. He later oversees their preparation and deployment after the main squad suffers catastrophic losses. 52 54 63 64
• Ning Tian — Her capture during the Death God Envoy incident occurs while Xuan Zi is absent from the group; he later permits her to return to the injured Wu Feng after Huo Yuhao intervenes. 62 63
• Du Busi — Sect Master of the Body Sect and an old adversary. Du Busi challenges Xuan Zi over the Body Sect’s claim to body martial soul users and confronts him while attempting to take Huo Yuhao from Shrek. 118 119
• Star Luo City Defense Force — Xuan Zi rebukes and intimidates its soldiers after they arrive belatedly during the Evil Soul Master incident, then refuses to surrender Shrek’s captive to them. 94 95

Trivia

• Xuan Zi’s bamboo grove contains a tactical formation, which Huo Yuhao notices during their first formal meeting. 32
• He is described as Shrek Academy’s top-tier leading Titled Douluo. 49
• His preferred method of evaluating students is repeatedly placing them in genuine combat situations. 51 53
• Despite his 98th-level cultivation, Xuan Zi is frequently seen carrying a chicken leg and a wine gourd. 31 49 92

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