Emperor Xuanwu
You Were Told to Practice Life Skills, Not Become a God!
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Emperor Xuanwu (玄武帝) 635 |
| Species/Race | Human 636 |
| Gender | Male 635 |
| Affiliation | Great Qian Kingdom 635 |
| Occupation/Role | Emperor and founder of Great Qian 635 636 |
| Status | Alive as of Chapter 818 818 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 635 635 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Selfless Realm | 769 | Confirmed to have advanced beyond the Heaven-Human Realm; he prepares with Qin An to put their defensive plan into action 769. |
Background and History
Xuanwu fought his way up during an era in which ordinary people suffered amid war and disorder. He overthrew the former dynasty and founded Great Qian, an achievement he attributes to courage and the willingness to fight rather than political timidity 636 644.
After the war, he buried the defeated dynasty’s remains within the Dragon Vein to prevent their resentment from producing dangerous False Gods. The vein suppressed the resentment but did not dispel it; over time, the accumulation formed the Void Land. Xuanwu later discloses this unintended consequence to Qin An when Qin considers entering it 709 710.
Xuanwu’s efforts to make his three sons strong contenders for the Crown Prince position instead fostered a potentially deadly rivalry. He acknowledges his mistake to Qin An and offers to restrain the First and Second Princes, while leaving Qin free to confront their subordinates 636.
Appearance
Xuanwu is a burly, middle-aged man whose bearing commands attention 635.
- Wears a yellow robe 635.
- Has a calm gaze marked by weariness and years of experience 635.
- Holds his back straight even while seated on the Dragon Throne 635.
Personality
Xuanwu prizes bold, effective action. He praises Qin An’s blunt proposal for confronting Great Qian’s enemies even though he knows Qin prepared for the audience by consulting senior officials; to Xuanwu, the result matters more than whether Qin acted without advice 636.
He is candid about the limits of his own strength. The Heavenly Demon’s shadow frightens him, but he refuses its offer of submission and works to give the kingdom more time to prepare 644. His concern for ordinary people also shapes his decisions: he accepts the cost of strengthening Great Qian’s cultivators while trying to limit the burden on the population, and approves relief when insect infestations threaten livelihoods 683 709.
Abilities and Leadership
Cultivation and Combat
- Before reaching the Selfless Realm, Xuanwu possesses Heaven-Human Realm strength and can extend his divine sense across the Imperial Capital 687 735.
- As emperor, he can gather the Great Qian Kingdom’s power into himself. Even after advancing to the Selfless Realm, however, he is gravely wounded fighting the Undead Emperor and Hundred Flowers Emperor together 772.
- He refuses the two Heavenly Demons’ offer to surrender and become one of them, choosing to fight until Qin An arrives 772.
Governance and Strategy
- Sends Qin An to seek cooperation between the Forbidden Land Holdouts and Great Qian’s Forbidden Land Envoys, recognizing that the Holdouts distrust assurances from past rulers 644 645.
- Approves distributing ancient inheritances to those they recognize, on the condition that recipients join Great Qian’s army or Evil Extermination Division 649.
- Organizes the settlement of displaced people after the battle against the Giant King 808.
Equipment and Items
- Void Land Jade Stone — Gives Qin An a stone that reveals the Void Land’s location beneath the Dragon Vein 710.
- Map of the Selfless Realm trials — Gives Qin An a map after explaining where to pursue the three sources of a Peerless Foundation 754.
Relationships
- Qin An — Trusted envoy and later partner against threats to their world. Xuanwu supplies resources for Qin’s cultivation, warns him about dangerous breakthroughs, and increasingly relies on his judgment 645 681 754 792.
- Eunuch Yang — Longtime palace guardian whom Xuanwu trusts with contacting the Holdouts; Xuanwu is shocked when he learns Yang has betrayed Great Qian 645 687 695.
- The Three Princes — His sons and rival claimants to the Crown Prince position. He regrets how his attempt to strengthen them intensified their conflict 636.
- Emperor Tianwu — Ruler of the restored Great Zhou Kingdom, which challenges Great Qian during unrest in the Forbidden Lands 665 666.
Story Role and Major Arcs
- Uniting the Forbidden Lands: Xuanwu first seeks cooperation through Qin An, then mobilizes Great Qian against Holdouts who break with the alliance. After subduing the remaining opposition, he turns to strengthening the kingdom for the Heavenly Demon’s arrival 644 676 682 683.
- Preparing for the Heavenly Demons: He supports Qin An’s training, commits experts to watch the rift in the Sea of Hope, and oversees distribution of Qin’s Dragon Vein formation before the final battle 696 725 770.
- Defending against threats beyond Great Qian: After the Heavenly Demons’ defeat, Xuanwu helps investigate the Mysterious World and hosts fighters arriving from other worlds. Following the battle against the Giant King, he takes charge of settling the displaced people 775 785 792 808.