Xie Jinghan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xie Jinghan (谢惊寒)
Alias(es)	Second Young Master Xie; Han'er
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xie Household
Occupation/Role	Second young master of the Xie Household; swordsman; founder and instructor of the Xie Household Sword Guards
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
First Rank Postnatal Realm; Sword Intent Realm	2	After awakening memories of his former life at fourteen, he receives the Martial Arts Proficiency Panel. He practices the Sword-Drawing Technique for three years and reaches its ultimate completion, unlocking and entering the Sword Intent Realm.
Postnatal Perfection	6	He opens his twelve regular and eight extraordinary meridians through continuous cultivation of the Postnatal Breathing Method.
First Stage of the Innate Realm	6	After eighty-one heavenly cycles, he breaks through the Innate barrier without a bottleneck. His body, meridians, True Qi, and mind undergo a complete transformation.
Second Stage of the Innate Realm	29	He has advanced to the second level of the Innate Realm while training the Sword Guards and refining his sword intent.
Heart-Severing, first level	24–25	During his battle against Gong Feiyu, he remedies the flaws of Sword-Edge Flowing Light and comprehends its second layer, Heart-Severing.

Background

Xie Jinghan was once an ordinary man in modern society before an accident sent his soul into another world. Reborn into the Xie Household, he became the overlooked illegitimate son of its second branch, beneath the legitimate line in status and largely ignored by the clan. His memories of his former life fully awakened when he was fourteen. 2

At that time, he gained the Martial Arts Proficiency Panel, which allows martial techniques and true martial intent to accumulate proficiency and advance without the usual cultivation bottlenecks. Because his natural aptitude is ordinary and his position precarious, he hides his ability and spends three years cultivating in seclusion. 2

His mother obtains him access to the Scripture Repository, where he chooses the neglected Sword-Drawing Technique. Its simple, repeatable form suits the Panel perfectly; after practicing it thousands of times each day for three years, he brings it to ultimate completion and comprehends Sword Intent. 2

Appearance

Xie Jinghan is first depicted as a youth of sixteen or seventeen with a cold, aloof bearing. He favors restrained dress and carries a sword at his waist. 1

• Handsome, tranquil brows and eyes. 1
• Usually wears refined brocade or plain-colored robes. 1 19
• Maintains an indifferent expression, with his sharpness deliberately concealed. 1 7
• After entering the Innate Realm, he develops an ethereal, clear presence that inspires reverence. 7
• His posture is consistently straight, calm, and unhurried. 2 19

Personality

Xie Jinghan is reserved, observant, and highly self-controlled. His experience from his former life helps him read people and handle social situations with tact, allowing him to remain composed even when other aristocratic youths look down on him for being illegitimate. 2

He values steady progress over reckless glory. Even after gaining Sword Intent, he initially prefers quiet cultivation to dangerous public challenges, and he carefully reflects on his shortcomings after every major battle. 2 17 20

Despite his desire to remain secluded, he places family responsibility above personal convenience. He accepts the mission to locate Xie Jinlin, protects the Xie Household when threatened, and later establishes the Sword Guards so the clan will not have to depend on him alone. 8 22 26

He is merciless toward enemies who harm innocents, such as the Blood Slaughter Sect members operating the Blood Pool, but shows compassion toward captives, allies, and those who sincerely seek his help. 12 14 15

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts Proficiency Panel

Xie Jinghan possesses a personal panel that records the proficiency of his cultivation methods, martial skills, and martial intent.

• Lets techniques accumulate proficiency through repeated practice. 2
• Allows him to break through after reaching a technique's completion, without conventional bottlenecks or barriers. 2
• Converts completed foundational techniques into more advanced versions, such as the Xie Household Basic Breathing Method becoming the Postnatal Breathing Method. 2
• Cannot easily record advanced techniques beyond his comprehension or aptitude threshold. 2

Sword Intent Realm

He entered the Sword Intent Realm after completing the Sword-Drawing Technique, cultivating not merely sword forms but his swordheart and the source of his sword intent. 2 5

• His Sword Intent is described as solitary, razor-sharp, icy, and tyrannical. 19
• He can conceal his cultivation through the principle of “concealing the sword within himself,” making his strength difficult for peers to perceive. 7
• His sword intent advances especially quickly through high-level battles and life-and-death pressure. 16 20 25
• He later gains more rounded control, able to release and withdraw sword intent seamlessly. 23

Sword-Drawing Technique

His primary sword art is a seemingly basic technique consisting only of drawing and sheathing the sword. He cultivates it to ultimate completion through a million repetitions. 2

• Edge Flowing Light — A sword draw that darkens the surrounding space before releasing a blinding, lightning-wreathed edge. 19
• Heart-Severing — The second layer of Edge Flowing Light; its light seals an opponent’s mind in a blinding white expanse unless they possess sufficient mental will. 25
• One Hundred Thousand Volts — A lightning-based killing move used against Gong Feiyu. 24
• Its power allows him to defeat opponents with significantly higher cultivation. 24 28

Breathing Methods and Innate True Qi

Xie Jinghan cultivates through the Xie Household’s foundational breathing method and its subsequent Postnatal and Innate forms. 2 6

• Reaching the Innate Realm cleanses impurities from his body and makes his flesh, sinews, and bones tougher than refined steel. 6 7
• His widened meridians support an unending circulation of Innate True Qi. 6
• His enhanced senses can probe the surrounding terrain and detect approaching footsteps or hidden presences. 7 10

Tracking Arts

He uses the Martial Arts Proficiency Panel to rapidly master tracking techniques during the search for Xie Jinlin. 10 16

• Wilderness Tracking Art — Detects subtle traces left around Black Tiger Stronghold. 10
• Ten-Thousand-Mile Tracking Art — An advanced tracking art derived from the Wilderness Tracking Art. 16
• Uses tracking methods to find the hidden courtyard and underground route leading to the Blood Slaughter Sect’s base. 10

Leaping Art

A movement technique intended for swift travel, climbing, and crossing difficult terrain. 10

• Treading the Void — Allows him to step through the air and move at extreme speed. 19 24
• Used both in combat and in pursuit. 19 26

Seven-Star Sword Art and Formation

Xie Jinghan receives the Seven-Star Sword Art manual from Miao Cunyi and recognizes its value as both a personal sword art and a group formation. 25 26

• A single practitioner can transform one sword into seven streams of star-glow sword qi. 26
• Seven practitioners can form the Seven-Star Sword Formation, combining their swords into one force. 26
• He unlocks the Seven-Star Big Dipper Sword Formation, producing visible Seven-Star Big Dipper Sword Qi. 31
• He personally teaches the art to the first eight Xie Household Sword Guards. 27

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Thunderclap Sword — A supreme Treasure Weapon formerly wielded by Xie Zhonghua, the previous generation’s Xie Household sword grandmaster. Xie Xuanyuan and Xie Huaijin give it to Xie Jinghan after he saves the household. It gathers qi, nurtures sword intent, and resonates with his swordheart. 5
• Sword-Congealing Pill — A pill that accelerates his Sword Intent Realm cultivation over three months. 21
• Seven-Star Sword Art manual — A sword-art and formation manual sent by Miao Cunyi as repayment for Xie Jinghan’s guidance. 25 26
• Twelve Moonlit Nights — A set of twelve high-quality swords discovered in the Armory Pavilion and made available to the Sword Guards. 30

Relationships

• Xie Jinlin — Elder legitimate brother. Initially believed dead after Wu Hen presents his severed arm, but Xie Jinghan searches for and rescues him from the Blood Pool. 3 8 11 13
• Xie Huaijin — Father and Xie Household head. He entrusts Xie Jinghan with finding Xie Jinlin and supports his plan to train the household’s younger generation. 8 26
• Madam Yang — Birth mother. She secures his opportunity to choose a sword technique from the Scripture Repository and worries for his safety. 2 8
• Xie Xuanyuan — Grandfather and Xie Household patriarch. He calls on Xie Jinghan to represent the family at the birthday banquet and later gives him the Thunderclap Sword. 1 5
• Xie Jingming — Third younger brother. Included among the first Sword Guards at Xie Huaijin’s request. 27
• Xie Yue — Trusted Xie Household elder and traveling companion. He accompanies Xie Jinghan’s search for Xie Jinlin and is consistently concerned for his safety. 9 10 13
• Lai Fu — Attendant of Xie Jinghan’s courtyard. He delivers household messages and notices the change in Xie Jinghan after his Innate breakthrough. 2 7
• Wang Zhongze — Head of the Wang Household. He cooperates with Xie Jinghan in investigating Black Tiger Stronghold and respects his abilities. 9 10 13
• Ling Yun — Mystic Azure Sword Sect disciple rescued from the Blood Pool. He advises Xie Jinghan on paths of Sword Intent cultivation. 12 16 17
• Chu Ning — Ling Yun’s senior brother and a fellow Sword Intent Realm swordsman. Xie Jinghan defeats him in a single exchange at Wangjiang Terrace; both gain insight from the duel. 19 20
• Miao Cunyi — Young escort whom Xie Jinghan rescues and temporarily teaches. Miao later gifts him the Seven-Star Sword Art manual. 14 15 25
• Gong Feiyu — Blood Slaughter Sect Holy Son and enemy. He threatens the Xie Household through a life-or-death sword challenge, but Xie Jinghan defeats and severely injures him. 22 24
• Xie Ku, Xie Que, Xie Po, Xie Hai, Xie Bufan, Xie Baimei, Xie Qianhuan — Selected as the first Xie Household Sword Guards under Xie Jinghan’s instruction. 27

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xie Household Birthday Banquet

When Xie Jinlin fails to return for Xie Xuanyuan’s sixtieth birthday banquet, Xie Jinghan is instructed to receive the visiting young talents. He initially conceals his cultivation, but reveals his Acquired Grade One strength when Black Tiger Stronghold attacks, killing Wu Hen with a single sword strike and saving the Xie Household. 1 5

Search for Xie Jinlin

After learning that Xie Jinlin may still be alive, Xie Jinghan accepts responsibility for finding him. He travels to Wusheng Pass, traces the assassins through Black Tiger Stronghold, infiltrates the Blood Slaughter Sect’s hidden base, rescues Xie Jinlin and other captives, and destroys the Blood Pool. 8 13

Sword Challenges at Wangjiang Terrace

Ling Yun introduces him to the Sword Challenge Register and the value of battle in cultivating Sword Intent. Xie Jinghan accepts Chu Ning’s challenge and wins their public duel at Wangjiang Terrace, gaining major insight into his own Sword Intent. 17 20

Battle Against Gong Feiyu

The Blood Slaughter Sect challenges Xie Jinghan to a duel that determines whether the Xie Household lives or dies. After months of cultivation aided by the Sword-Congealing Pill, he confronts Gong Feiyu at Wangjiang Terrace and defeats him with One Hundred Thousand Volts and the Heart-Severing effect of his Sword-Drawing Technique. 21 25

Establishment of the Sword Guards

Recognizing that the Xie Household cannot rely on one person forever, Xie Jinghan proposes a core force trained in the Seven-Star Sword Art. He selects eight youths through the Void Illusion Realm test, personally teaches them, and demonstrates the Seven-Star Big Dipper Sword Formation. 26 27 31

Notable Quotes

“My elder brother is in danger. As a member of the Xie Household, it is my duty.” 8

“I trust only the sword in my hand.” 23

“I, Xie Jinghan, have never accepted threats!” 24

“No matter how strong I am alone, I am ultimately only one person.” 26

Trivia

• Xie Jinghan deliberately chose the Sword-Drawing Technique because its simple form could reliably generate proficiency through repetition, unlike more advanced arts that exceeded his aptitude threshold. 2
• He initially intends to remain secluded in the Xie Household for years rather than seek danger in the martial world. 18
• His first step into the wider martial world is his journey to Black Tiger Mountain to search for Xie Jinlin. 16
• He uses a prophetic verse—“A golden scale is no creature of the pond”—when watching Xie Jinlin, Wang Tianfeng, and Ling Yun swear brotherhood. 13