Qu Heng

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Qu Heng (渠衡)
Alias(es)	“Qu Three Billion” — online nickname adopted after his retreat from Raiden Shogun became a trending topic 233
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Taiheng Sect; Qu Family
Occupation/Role	Sect Master of Taiheng Sect; head of the Qu Family 229
Cultivation	Spiritual Law Realm, Fifth Level 233
First Appearance	Chapter 90

Background / History

Qu Heng inherited a sect whose institutions had operated for 300,000 years. He initially regarded the position of Sect Master as relatively undemanding: powerful subordinates handled routine matters, Hengming enforced the established rules, and Qu Heng could focus on cultivating Peerless Divine Abilities. Before the Lin Family crisis, his two major acts were opening non–Great Destiny Technique Peerless Divine Abilities to artifact and pill refiners, and approving the Artifact Forging Master Association and Pill Refining Master Association 144.

He first met Yang Ning during the association’s petition for recognition. Impressed by Yang Ning’s Black Tortoise Breath Concealment Technique, Qu Heng corrected its direction and imparted the Soaring Serpent Hidden Dragon Method. He also assured Yang Ning that Taiheng would not seize disciples’ fortuitous encounters simply because they possessed them 90 91.

During the investigation into Yingzhou’s newly circulating Yang God methods, Qu Heng intercepted Ye Zhou and Lin Tianheng and convened an inquiry with Yang Ning and Yuanxi 128. He later gave Yang Ning a Hengming Token and added him as a mobile-phone contact, treating him as a useful collaborator in cultivation research 128.

Yang Ning’s conflict with the Lin Family forced Qu Heng to choose between an Outer Disciple he valued and a powerful noble family. He initially avoided confronting the Lin Family by leaving the sect under the pretext of cultivation. On his return, he convened the Elder Council, expelled the Lin Clan from Taiheng Sect, and ordered a purge of its main branch within Taiheng territory 144.

Appearance

Qu Heng is a tall, proportionately built man with a slightly muscular but refined frame. His bearing is warm and detached from worldly concerns, while his presence and speech naturally inspire awe 90.

• Gentle, composed demeanor in personal meetings 90 91
• Simple study, furnished with shelves of indistinct books, a desk, and plain wooden seating rather than extravagant spatial artifacts 128
• Later renovated his office into a bright, modern-style workspace with a floor-to-ceiling mountain view and a large digital display system 167 204

Personality

Qu Heng initially presents himself as humble, considerate, and protective of disciples. He respects personal fortune, praises talent, and speaks reassuringly to Yang Ning, emphasizing that Taiheng can accommodate both geniuses and their opportunities 89 91.

His leadership becomes increasingly reactive as Yang Ning’s inventions, Great Ming’s rise, mobile phones, firearms, and the Player phenomenon destabilize Taiheng. He welcomes technology when it improves his comfort or authority, but becomes fearful when it spreads beyond his control. After Yang Ning’s reported death, he focuses on the problems Yang Ning left behind while overlooking the benefits Yang Ning brought to Taiheng 167.

Qu Heng frequently prioritizes the Qu Family’s interests over those of Taiheng as a whole. He seeks wealth, military influence, and noble-family advantages for his clan, and later admits through his actions that he thinks of Taiheng as a resource belonging to him rather than a responsibility entrusted to him 186 229.

Although capable of decisive action in a crisis, he often avoids difficult decisions, defers to online advice, and becomes overwhelmed by the scale of modern administration and warfare 144 204 225 230. His removal of Tian Dao Yi after the latter’s military successes further reveals his insecurity toward subordinates who accumulate independent prestige 238.

Abilities & Skills

Spiritual Law Realm Cultivation

Qu Heng is a Fifth Level Spiritual Law Realm cultivator, placing him far above ordinary Qi Refining cultivators 233.

• Intercepted Ye Zhou despite Ye Zhou moving too quickly for Golden Core-stage Lin Tianheng using the Calamity Annihilation Heavenly Origin Steps 128.
• Personally pursued a rocket traveling at Mach 45 while maintaining a stable distance from it 216.
• Can rapidly flee dozens of miles using movement techniques when facing perceived danger 233.

Calamity Annihilation Heavenly Origin Steps

Qu Heng uses the Calamity Annihilation Heavenly Origin Steps as his principal demonstrated movement technique.

• Allowed him to track a high-speed rocket before its impact on the Wang Family 216.
• Enables rapid long-distance retreat in combat situations 233.
• Does not prevent him from being publicly criticized for retreating when he judges an enemy may possess a hydrogen bomb 233 234.

Cultivation Instruction

Qu Heng possesses extensive knowledge of Taiheng’s cultivation system and can directly guide disciples.

• Identified a flaw in Yang Ning’s Black Tortoise Breath Concealment Technique and imparted the Soaring Serpent Hidden Dragon Method as reference material 90.
• Explained the relationship between spiritual power, spiritual energy, and mana during Yang Ning’s inquiry into the Six Rens Human Scroll 128.
• Recognized the defensive potential of Yang Ning’s starlight-woven magic robe, judging it to surpass ordinary Peerless Divine Ability-level defenses 128.

Political Administration

As Sect Master, Qu Heng presides over the Elder Council and controls major institutional decisions.

• Approved the Artifact Forging Master Association and Pill Refining Master Association 144.
• Convened the Elder Council to expel the Lin Clan from Taiheng Sect and purge its main branch 144.
• Implemented the Nine-Rank System to rank noble families by their ancestors’ cultivation levels and military standing 231.
• Appointed Tian Dao Yi to command the Tai Heng Army, then replaced him after becoming threatened by his success 236 238.

Items

• Hengming Token — A top-grade Spirit Artifact Qu Heng gifted to Yang Ning. Within Taiheng territory, it can teleport its holder back to Hengming Tower 128.
• Deep Blue / mobile-phone network access — Qu Heng relies heavily on Deep Blue Knows, email systems, online reports, and mobile communications to manage sect affairs and seek advice 167 204 225 230.
• Multi-interface work display — A cinema-like control room with 864 phone interfaces, used to review Taiheng’s communications and media 204.

Relationships

• Yang Ning — Initially a highly valued Outer Disciple. Qu Heng taught him cultivation principles, supported the Artifact Forging Master Association, and gave him a Hengming Token; later, he became threatened by Yang Ning’s influence and treated his reported death as politically convenient 90 91 128 167.
• Hengming — Taiheng’s Immortal Artifact and a power Qu Heng must accommodate. Their relationship deteriorates as Hengming becomes dissatisfied with Taiheng’s treatment of commoners and noble-family abuses 144 148 196.
• Li Yuan — President of the Artifact Forging Master Association. Qu Heng informed him of Yang Ning’s reported death and sought his help understanding or controlling mobile-phone technology 167.
• Tian Dao Yi — Taiheng’s Senior Disciple and later army commander. Qu Heng entrusted him with the Northern Expedition, then removed him after fearing his growing military prestige 236 238.
• Qu Liang — Qu Heng’s secretary, later installed as army commander after Tian Dao Yi’s removal. Qu Liang used the Great Destiny Technique in war, consuming Taiheng’s Fortune and Mana 238 239.
• Hua Manlou — An online acquaintance Qu Heng privately consulted for advice on Taiheng’s militia crisis; Hua Manlou proposed the Nine-Rank System 231.
• Qu Bai — Qu Heng’s son, killed by an “Immortal Extermination Sniper Rifle” during the war. Qu Heng initially reacted with limited grief but became enraged by the wider losses suffered by Taiheng 204.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Meeting Yang Ning and the Artifact Forging Master Association

Qu Heng meets Yang Ning during the association’s petition for recognition, acknowledges his talent, improves his concealment method, and endorses the association’s establishment 90 91.

The Yingzhou Investigation

After ancient Yang God cultivation methods spread through Yingzhou, Qu Heng intercepts those involved and investigates the source with Yang Ning and Yuanxi 128.

Lin Family Purge

Returning from seclusion to the aftermath of the Lin Family’s ancestral-land destruction, Qu Heng convenes the Elder Council. He expels the Lin Clan from Taiheng Sect and authorizes the purge of its principal branch 144.

Great Ming and Mobile-Phone Crisis

Qu Heng is unsettled by Hengming’s creation of Great Ming and by the disruptive spread of mobile phones. He attempts to remove controversial online content and obtain technical notes that might allow Taiheng to control the technology 148 167.

Intervention in Great Ming

After Qu Family scouts report chaos in Great Ming, Qu Heng prohibits Taiheng Outer Disciples from entering the country, seeking to protect Qu Family interests and preserve his public image. He later petitions Hengming to permit Taiheng disciples to enter Great Ming, subject to a Sixth Level Qi Refining limit 186 196.

Taiheng’s War Losses and Player Revelation

Qu Heng discovers that Taiheng has suffered catastrophic wartime losses and that firearms can kill cultivators through the Talisman Realm. After soul-searching a Player, he learns of Earth and the possibility that Tai Heng is a virtual world, precipitating a crisis of faith 204 211.

Noble-Family Militarization

Seeking troops to suppress regional militias, Qu Heng adopts the Nine-Rank System on Hua Manlou’s advice. The rankings expose tens of millions of previously hidden Three Tribulations Realm cultivators among Taiheng’s noble families 231.

Tian Dao Yi’s Command and Fall

Qu Heng gives Tian Dao Yi command of the Tai Heng Army, allowing him to reorganize it into an elite force and rapidly defeat Dongsheng’s military infrastructure. Alarmed by Tian Dao Yi’s prestige, Qu Heng replaces him with Qu Liang, whose use of the Great Destiny Technique contributes to Taiheng’s declining Fortune and internal resentment 236 238 239.

Economic Decline

Qu Heng promotes cultural industry to compete with Great Xia, but Great Xia’s “cultural exchange” and industrial expansion trigger unemployment and mass migration from Taiheng. He later learns that noble families are profiting from the continuing Dongsheng war even as Taiheng’s broader position worsens 242 244.

Notable Quotes

“As long as you don't betray the sect, Tai Heng will always be behind you!” 91

“Being the Sect Master is so difficult!” 230

Trivia

• Qu Heng operated as an online video creator under a pseudonym, posting videos about his luxurious lifestyle 167.
• He remodelled his office after the rise of mobile-phone culture, including hiring a female secretary and adopting a corporate-style environment 167.
• His nickname, “Qu Three Billion,” became so widespread that online users automatically replaced the character “Heng” with “Three Billion” when referring to him 233.