Xiao Dongsheng

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xiao Dongsheng (肖东升)
Gender	Male
Age	27 during his challenge campaign 137
Affiliation	Mountain-Shaking Sect; later joins the Demon-Suppressing Office and secretly colludes with the Mahayana Evil Cult 136 178 210
Occupation/Role	Former chief true disciple and personal disciple of Cui Wennian; Demon-Suppressing Office appointee; subsequently an evil-cult mole and fugitive 136 178 210 244
Highest Documented Realm	Early Inner Vajra Realm 196
Status	Defeated and incapacitated by Cheng Heng at the Orthodox-Demon Summit; death is not explicitly confirmed in the provided passage 247
First Appearance	Chapter 136 136

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Skill-Transforming Force	177	Retrospectively stated to have reached this realm at sixteen.
Elixir-Embracing Realm	177	Entered the realm early in his career; cultivated the Mountain-Stilling River-Pacifying Art to great mastery.
Peak / Perfected Elixir-Embracing Realm	137 146	Begins his challenge campaign at the realm’s peak, cultivating Mountain-Calming and Mountain-Shaking True Qi together.
Forced true-qi enhancement; three streams	155 156 157	Cui Wennian forcibly adds another stream of true qi before the rematch with Cheng Heng. His power increases, but the three streams have a muddled aura and unstable circulation.
Early Elixir-Embracing Realm — regression	161	Falls from Perfected to Early Elixir-Embracing after Cui Wennian confiscates the Ice Soul Pearl.
Early Inner Vajra Realm	196	Condenses his own vajra qi after sustained cultivation. Commander Zhang celebrates the breakthrough with a public advancement ceremony.

Background / History

Xiao Dongsheng was once regarded as a once-in-a-century genius of the Mountain-Shaking Sect. His early advancement, great mastery of the Mountain-Stilling River-Pacifying Art, and strong combat foundation made him a major recipient of sect resources. Cui Wennian nurtured him as the leading figure of Qingchuan Prefecture’s younger generation 177.

Cui intended Xiao to follow his own example: descend the mountain, defeat the Ten Great Prodigies, and use an undefeated campaign to break through to Vajra Force. Success would have positioned Xiao as the Mountain-Shaking Sect’s next sect master. Wu Yue was assigned to protect him without interfering unless a battle became life-threatening 136.

Appearance

Xiao Dongsheng is tall and straight-backed, with a fair, jade-like face and a handsome bearing. During his challenge campaign, his sharp aura resembles a sword about to leave its sheath 142 210.

• Early attire: Mountain-Shaking Sect true-disciple clothing 142.
• Later clothing: Gray-black combat attire at the alliance rematch, a gray cloth martial outfit at the Demon-Suppressing Office banquet, and white robes during the escort ambush 156 176 210.
• Battle presence: Fervent eyes and an invisible pressure that quiets spectators around him 142.
• After his demonic turn: Blood-red eyes, torn robes, and thick black demonic aura at the Orthodox-Demon Summit 246.

Personality

Xiao initially combines formal courtesy with unmistakable pride. He presents his challenges as requests for instruction, but his restrained language carries a provocative edge. Against strong opponents, he shows genuine enthusiasm for combat and can carefully control a duel’s pace rather than relying solely on aggression 143 145.

His confidence deteriorates when Cheng Heng withstands him. Unable to accept losing to a comparatively obscure disciple, he becomes anxious and increasingly forceful. Repeated defeat, Cui Wennian’s punishment, and the withdrawal of sect support turn his wounded pride into resentment toward both Cheng Heng and the Mountain-Shaking Sect 146 161 177.

He remains determined enough to seek another route through the Demon-Suppressing Office and later rebuild his standing. Ultimately, however, his desire to surpass Cheng Heng becomes an obsession: he betrays fellow cultivators and treats both orthodox enemies and evil-cult allies as sources of power to consume 178 196 210 211.

Abilities & Skills

Phantom Sword Technique

Xiao’s principal sword art combines flowing defense, deceptive movement, and sudden changes in offensive intensity 143 145 146.

• Dissolves heavy attacks through successive layers of force and counters with precise sword movements 143.
• Uses swift footwork and afterimages to evade attacks from multiple directions 143.
• Shifts between mist-like sword qi, rapid sword shadows, and fierce blood-red sword phantoms aimed at vital points 146.
• Hanging Galaxy: Produces thousands of dazzling sword shadows, piercing Li Mengzhu’s protective qi after his strength begins to fail 143.
• His speed and variations fail to overcome Cheng Heng’s defensive saber technique and superior physical strength 146.

Mountain-Stilling River-Pacifying Art

Xiao cultivated this heavy, imposing martial art to great mastery before his fall from sect favor 177.

• His deep qi reserves allow him to maintain a steady offense while Li Mengzhu’s more explosive fighting style exhausts its supply 143.
• Commander Zhang values his solid foundation and extensive practical combat experience when recruiting him 178.

Multiple True Qi

Xiao originally cultivates Mountain-Calming and Mountain-Shaking True Qi simultaneously 138 145 146.

• Combines the two streams to counter Xu Qinghe’s ultimate attack and defeat her 145.
• Releases both streams as a tangible protective shield against Cheng Heng 146.
• During the rematch, his three streams are described as Mountain True Qi, Riftedge True Qi, and Thunderbolt True Qi, supplying crushing pressure, defense-breaking force, and speed 156.
• The artificially enhanced three-stream circulation becomes a weakness that Cheng Heng exploits; senior experts recognize its muddled aura 156 157.

Devouring Secret Art

After embracing evil cultivation, Xiao develops a forbidden art capable of absorbing powerful cultivators’ origin blood essence and cultivation 211.

• Attempts to harvest the righteous and evil energies released by Cheng Heng’s clash with the cult protector 210 211.
• Maintains devouring suction with one hand while defending himself with black-and-white vajra qi in the other 211.
• Uses devouring gang qi to seize and carry the wounded protector during their escape attempt 212.
• Can manifest a demonic maw with soul-devouring power, but forcibly activating the damaged art risks his soul and Dao heart 212.
• Cheng Heng’s Azure Sea Formless Palm dismantles the maw and reverses its devouring power, causing Xiao’s own origin qi to leak uncontrollably 212.

Intelligence and Infiltration

Xiao’s knowledge of orthodox sect operations makes him a dangerous insider 210 244.

• Leaks deployments, Azure Water Pavilion defenses, secret-realm information, and the Blackwater Lotus Seed’s location to the Mahayana Evil Cult 210.
• Understands weaknesses in martial techniques commonly used by young orthodox cultivators 244.
• Waits for stronger fighters to injure one another before attempting to harvest their power 211.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Red Moon Sword — His sword during the challenge campaign and the first rematch with Cheng Heng 143 155.
• Ice Soul Pearl — An exotic treasure supporting his cultivation. Cui Wennian removes it after his repeated defeats, causing a severe realm regression 160 161.
• Demon-Suppressing Office waist token — Collected when he accepts an appointed post and completes his registration 178.
• Demon-Evasion Smoke Pellet — Fills the gorge with miasma that obstructs sight, disrupts vital currents, and disturbs souls during his attempted escape 212.

Relationships

• Cui Wennian — Master and former patron. Initially treats Xiao as a potential successor, later forcibly enhances his qi, punishes his failures, confiscates the Ice Soul Pearl, and withdraws support 136 155 161 177.
• Wu Yue — Elder assigned to guard his challenge campaign. Worries that defeat by Cheng Heng will create a heart demon and obstruct Xiao’s Vajra Force breakthrough 136 142 146.
• Cheng Heng — Rival who defeats him repeatedly. Xiao’s desire to reclaim superiority develops into hatred, betrayal, and attempts to devour Cheng Heng’s power 146 156 178 210 247.
• Commander Zhang — Recruits him into the Demon-Suppressing Office, promises cultivation assistance, and publicly celebrates his Inner Vajra breakthrough 178 196.
• Li Mengzhu — Challenge opponent defeated through sustained sword pressure and exhaustion of his qi 143 144.
• Xu Qinghe — Challenge opponent defeated when Xiao combines his two true-qi streams against her ultimate blade strike 145.
• Mahayana Evil Cult protector — Temporary ally and intended prey. Xiao openly plans to consume him alongside Cheng Heng, provoking a three-way fight 210 211 212.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Challenge Campaign

Xiao’s descent from the mountain makes him the most discussed young martial artist in Qingchuan Prefecture. He defeats Luo Hong of Azure Water Pavilion, then Wei Botao of the Myriad Swords Sect within fifty moves, before arriving at the Cloudpiercing Sect 137 138 142.

Opponent	Outcome	Key Detail
Luo Hong	Victory	Defeats Azure Water Pavilion’s leading younger-generation disciple 137.
Wei Botao	Victory	Defeats the sixth-ranked prodigy within fifty moves 138.
Li Mengzhu	Victory	Exhausts his qi and breaks his defenses with Hanging Galaxy 143 144.
Xu Qinghe	Victory	Overcomes River-Severing Torrent with combined true qi 145.
Cheng Heng	Defeat	Cheng neutralizes his sword variations and blasts him off the arena, ending his undefeated campaign 146 147.
Cheng Heng — alliance rematch	Defeat	Three-stream enhancement fails; Cheng strikes with the saber’s spine and leaves him unable to mobilize his qi 155 156.

Disgrace and Government Service

Cui Wennian arranges the rematch before the alliance negotiations to recover the Mountain-Shaking Sect’s lost prestige. Xiao fights under the threat of further punishment after a month of confinement and the painful injection of another true-qi stream 155.

His second defeat leads to the loss of the Ice Soul Pearl, cultivation support, and the admiration of fellow disciples. He vows to cultivate evil techniques, then accepts the Demon-Suppressing Office’s offer as a way out of his sect’s suppression. His eventual Inner Vajra breakthrough briefly restores his public reputation 161 177 178 196.

Evil-Cult Betrayal

During the escort of wounded Azure Water Pavilion elders, Xiao appears beside an evil-cult protector. Cheng Heng identifies him as the mole responsible for the leaked intelligence and the pavilion’s calamity. Xiao reveals his plan to consume both combatants’ origins and leap directly into the True Essence Realm 210.

The scheme fails when both fighters turn against him. His escape pellet and damaged devouring art cannot overcome Cheng Heng’s Azure Sea Formless Palm. The protector dies, leaving Xiao isolated with a heavily wounded soul and shattered gang qi; his death is not confirmed at this point 211 212 213.

Fugitive Pursuit and Final Defeat

Later reports establish that Xiao remains alive and has fully joined the Mahayana Evil Cult. The Orthodox Alliance assigns Cheng Heng to hunt him down, with intelligence indicating that he fled west toward Sunset Glow Commandery 244 245.

At the Orthodox-Demon Summit, Xiao emerges from the Profound Truth Sect’s camp and attacks Cheng Heng with his Inner Vajra cultivation. After dozens of exchanges, Cheng strikes his shoulder with the Azure Sea Formless Palm and follows with the Golden Metal Demon-Slaying Blade. Xiao’s demonic vajra force shatters, and he collapses to his knees, stripped of his former pride 246 247.

Notable Quotes

“On this descent from the mountain, this disciple will certainly secure the top spot on the Prodigy Ranking and use an undefeated record as the foundation for my advancement into the Vajra-Force Realm!” 136

“Since you refuse to tolerate me, then I'll cultivate evil cult techniques!” 161

“From the very beginning, we were merely using each other.” 210