Xie Household

Biodata

Background / History

The Xie Household has been rooted in Heaven-Bearing Prefecture for hundreds of years and has practiced the sword path across generations. Its ancestors produced a sword Grandmaster whose reputation once shook Central Province, establishing the family as an illustrious martial lineage. 1

Its prosperity sharply declined after the sudden death of that Grandmaster, whose undelivered core inheritances were lost. Although no longer at its former peak, the household retained extensive mansions, street-facing properties, and commercial holdings throughout Heaven-Bearing Prefecture. 1

Under Household Head Xie Huaijin, the family preserved its remaining foundation through his experience in the imperial court and connections throughout Central Province. By the time of Xie Xuanyuan's sixtieth birthday, it remained a prestigious household that local powers did not readily offend. 1

During the birthday banquet, Black Tiger Stronghold invaded to avenge its destruction thirty years earlier. The household's guards and disciples suffered heavy losses, while its aging strongest elder, Xie Xuanyuan, was pushed to exhaustion defending the residence. Xie Jinghan ultimately killed Wu Hen and saved the household. 3 4

The family then organized an expedition to locate Xie Jinlin, who had been captured by the Blood Slaughter Sect. Xie Jinghan, Xie Yue, and twelve elite clansmen traced the enemy to Black Tiger Mountain, rescued Jinlin and other captives, and destroyed the sect's Blood Pool base. 8 9 11 12 13

The Blood Slaughter Sect later threatened the household's total extermination through a sword duel between Gong Feiyu and Xie Jinghan. Following Gong Feiyu's defeat at Wangjiang Terrace, the Blackfeather Guard withdrew and the immediate threat to the residence was lifted. 21 22 25

Recognizing that the household had relied entirely on Xie Jinghan during the crisis, the family began building an internal martial force. Xie Jinghan established the Xie Household Sword Guards and personally trained their first eight members. 25 26 27

Despite the victory, Xie Jinghan considered Gong Feiyu's public promise to settle their grievances unreliable. He ordered the household to keep a low profile, refrain from bullying others, and avoid using his newfound reputation to provoke trouble. His fame nevertheless drew a continuous stream of visitors and challengers, whom Xie Huaijin received while Jinghan remained in cultivation. 27 29

Before Xie Jinghan left for Tiger Leaping Gorge, the Wang and Xie households formally finalized an alliance of mutual protection and support. Jinghan's departure also drew hostile martial wanderers away from the family. 32

More than half a year after parting from Xie Jinghan, seven Sword Guards accompanied Xie Yue on an escort mission to Nujiang Prefecture. After safely delivering their shipment, they visited Jinghan at Zhao Village and traded with the villagers. Their improved cultivation demonstrated that the household's younger martial force had continued developing during his absence. 66

Power Progression

Estate and Holdings

• Xie Residence — The household's main estate in Heaven-Bearing Prefecture, containing banquet halls, reception halls, training grounds, the Armory Pavilion, and Parasol Tree Courtyard. 1 16 27 30
• Commercial properties — The lineage possesses restaurants, wine shops, inns, apothecary halls, escort agencies, and several street-facing properties. 1
• Training grounds — A large bluestone martial field on the western side of the residence, capable of holding several hundred trainees. 27
• Armory Pavilion — Stores thousands of weapons accumulated over generations, primarily Common Iron, refined-iron weapons, and Named Weapons. 30
• Scripture Repository — Houses martial manuals, including the lower-level collection from which Xie Jinghan selected the Sword-Drawing Technique with his mother's assistance. 2
• Parasol Tree Courtyard — Xie Jinghan's secluded cultivation courtyard, containing an ancient parasol tree and a bluestone platform. He received this new place of cultivation after the birthday attack. 5

Organization

Xie Household Sword Guards

The Sword Guards were founded after the Blood Slaughter Sect crisis to create a dependable backbone force rather than leaving the household reliant on a single expert. Candidates were assessed for pure hearts, solid foundations, resilience, and the ability to endure hardship. 25 26

• Xie Ku — First to awaken during selection; noted for exceptional willpower. 27
• Xie Que — First-batch Sword Guard. 27
• Xie Po — First-batch Sword Guard. 27
• Xie Hai — First-batch Sword Guard. 27
• Xie Bufan — First-batch Sword Guard. 27
• Xie Baimei — Only girl among the first eight; Xie Qianhuan's elder sister. 27
• Xie Qianhuan — Xie Baimei's blood sibling. 27
• Xie Jingming — Xie Jinghan's third younger brother; included at Xie Huaijin's request. 27

Under Xie Jinghan's daily instruction and the household's resources, all eight entered the ninth rank of the Postnatal Realm; Xie Ku advanced furthest, nearing the eighth rank. 29

Their initial training required attendance at the martial field every afternoon for two hours, with advance permission required for absences. Xie Jinghan taught the orthodox Postnatal Breath Circulation Art to build their foundations and temper their meridians, together with the Seven-Star Sword Art, which could be practiced individually or combined into a formation. 27

The eight initially practiced with ordinary ironwood swords. Xie Jinghan later took them to the Armory Pavilion and allowed each to select a Common Iron-grade weapon suited to their cultivation. They then returned to the martial field to familiarize themselves with their new swords. 30 31

More than half a year after their separation from Xie Jinghan, Xie Ku, Xie Que, Xie Po, Xie Hai, Xie Bufan, Xie Baimei, and Xie Qianhuan accompanied Xie Yue on an escort delivery to Nujiang Prefecture to broaden their experience. During their subsequent visit to Zhao Village, the six other than Xie Ku had reached Postnatal Grade Seven, while Ku had reached Grade Six. Xie Jinghan praised their progress and stable foundations. Xie Jingming was absent from this journey. 66

Household Hierarchy and Customs

The household maintains a strict hierarchy that favors legitimate descendants. Xie Jinlin was the legitimate heir on whom the family concentrated its cultivation efforts, while Xie Jinghan, an illegitimate son of the second branch, originally received little attention. Despite these distinctions, the family's customs were relatively generous, and it did not deliberately mistreat illegitimate descendants. 2

Formal gatherings observe rank and seniority. At the birthday banquet, senior scholars and lineage elders occupied the central seating, while young guests sat separately along the sides. Private family banquets similarly arranged core members by standing and included collateral-branch heads responsible for the household's businesses. 2 7

Escort Operations

The household's escort business maintains experienced martial instructors and clansmen accustomed to long-distance travel. Xie Yue's knowledge of mountain roads and jianghu dangers made him the leader of the escort contingent sent to search for Xie Jinlin. 8

Its previous cooperation with Zhao Village created a relationship strong enough for Xie Yue's letter of introduction to secure Xie Jinghan lodging there, despite the village's usual refusal to admit outsiders. Later, Xie Yue led personnel from the Xie Clan Grand Escort Agency on a successful delivery to Nujiang Prefecture and used their visit to Zhao Village to trade for mountain produce, wild game, and local specialties. 40 66

Equipment and Resources

• Thunderclap Sword — The household's clan-guarding Treasure Weapon and former sword of Xie Zhonghua, the previous generation's sword Grandmaster. Xie Xuanyuan and Xie Huaijin entrusted it to Xie Jinghan after the Black Tiger Stronghold attack. 5
• Twelve Moonlit Nights — A complete set of twelve high-quality swords found in the Armory Pavilion. Their blades contain Star-Meteor Iron and shine with white, moonlike radiance at night. Xie Jinghan claimed the set together with its ancient mechanical sword case. 30
• Seven-Star Sword Art — A seven-person sword formation manual received by Xie Jinghan from Miao Cunyi; it can contend against opponents of higher cultivation when performed by seven practitioners. 25 26
• Cultivation resources — Following the Sword Guards' establishment, the household committed cultivation methods, pills, weapons, training grounds, and other resources to their development. 26
• Xie Household Basic Breathing Method — An introductory cultivation method available to all household descendants. 2
• Sword-Drawing Technique — A basic sword art kept in the Scripture Repository's lower-level collection. Ordinary descendants largely dismissed it, but Xie Jinghan selected it and cultivated it to completion, making it the foundation of his sword path. 2
• Orthodox Postnatal Breath Circulation Art — Taught by Xie Jinghan to the first Sword Guards to establish solid foundations and cleanse and temper their meridians. 27
• Sword Guard weapons — The first eight guards received Common Iron-grade weapons from the Armory Pavilion to replace their ordinary ironwood training swords. 30

The Armory Pavilion's custodian identified Thunderclap as the household's only ancestral Treasure Weapon at the time of Xie Jinghan's visit. The family had avoided purchasing additional Treasure Weapons because their materials and cost were prohibitive, and its previous strength was insufficient to protect such treasures from covetous outsiders. 30

Relationships

• Xie Xuanyuan — Old Master of the household; led the destruction of Black Tiger Stronghold thirty years before its retaliatory attack. 3
• Xie Huaijin — Current Household Head; stabilized the family's decline and later authorized full resource support for the Sword Guards. 1 26
• Xie Jinghan — Second Young Master and the household's foremost defender; saved the residence from Wu Hen and Gong Feiyu, then created its Sword Guards. 4 25 27
• Xie Jinlin — Eldest legitimate son and originally favored heir; his disappearance prompted the Black Tiger Mountain expedition, after which he was rescued from the Blood Slaughter Sect. He later departed for the Mystic Azure Sword Sect and became one of True Person Yin Zi's inner disciples alongside Wang Tianfeng. 1 8 12 20 32
• Madam Shen — Mistress of the household and mother of Xie Jinlin and Xie Jingming. 7
• Madam Yang — Xie Jinghan's birth mother. 7 8
• Xie Zhiwei — Youngest sister of Xie Jinghan's generation; six years old at the beginning of the story and cherished throughout the residence. 2 7
• Wang Clan — Allied with the Xie Household in investigating the Black Tiger Stronghold assassins, though Wang Zhongze initially refused to intervene during the birthday attack. The households later formally finalized an alliance to protect and support one another. 4 9 32
• Blood Slaughter Sect — Hostile sect responsible for imprisoning Xie Jinlin and later threatening to exterminate the entire household. 11 22
• Zhao Village — Maintains a cooperative relationship with the Xie Household Escort Agency. This connection and Xie Yue's letter enabled Xie Jinghan to stay in the otherwise closed village; household escort personnel later traded with its inhabitants. 40 66
• Miao Cunyi — Benefactor who provided the Seven-Star Sword Art in repayment for Xie Jinghan's kindness. Xie Yue formed a friendship with him through their shared escort background and later investigated the circumstances behind his destruction of the Heavenly Wolf Escort Agency. Jinghan subsequently agreed to travel to the Shu Region to see him and attempt to help. 15 25 66 67
• Shadow Tower — Issued an assassination assignment targeting Xie Jinghan to A Qing, who followed him after his departure from the residence. Another Shadow Tower assassin, Duan Peng, was later captured at Zhao Village, where Jinghan accepted responsibility for dealing with him. 29 32 61

Story Role / Major Arcs

Sixtieth Birthday and Black Tiger Stronghold Attack

The household hosts Xie Xuanyuan's sixtieth birthday banquet, attended by officials, martial artists, and noble lineages. The celebration becomes a massacre when Wu Hen attacks to avenge Black Tiger Stronghold; Xie Jinghan's intervention prevents the household's destruction. 1 3 4

After Wu Hen's death and the surviving assassins' flight, Xie Xuanyuan orders the banquet to resume. News of Jinghan's single-strike victory spreads throughout Central Province, bringing renewed attention to both him and the household. The family rewards him with its clan-guarding Thunderclap Sword. 5

Search for Xie Jinlin

After determining that Xie Jinlin may still be alive, the household sends Xie Jinghan and an escort party to investigate Black Tiger Mountain. The expedition exposes the Blood Slaughter Sect's hidden base and returns Jinlin to the family alive, though severely injured and missing an arm. 7 8 11 12 13

The mission also rescues Wang Tianfeng and Ling Yun. During the return journey, the three survivors become sworn brothers, with Jinlin the youngest. Jinlin later leaves with his companions for the Mystic Azure Sword Sect, encouraged by Jinghan to continue sword cultivation with his left hand. 13 20

Blood Slaughter Sect Ultimatum

Gong Feiyu seals off the Xie Residence and forces a life-or-death wager: if Xie Jinghan loses their duel, every member of the Xie Household will be exterminated. Xie Jinghan's victory at Wangjiang Terrace ends the immediate siege. 21 22 25

Before the duel, Xie Huaijin offers Jinghan the option of fleeing alone rather than dying with the household, hoping he could eventually avenge them and rebuild the lineage. Jinghan instead commits to defending the family. Although Gong Feiyu concedes defeat, Jinghan later treats the cessation of hostilities as temporary and instructs the household to avoid drawing further attention. 22 24 27

Sword Guards Reforms

In response to the household's inability to protect itself without Xie Jinghan, he and Xie Huaijin establish a program to develop elite descendants. The first Sword Guards receive personal training, weapons, cultivation methods, and formation instruction. 25 26 27 31

The recruits quickly enter Postnatal Rank Nine, with Xie Ku leading their progress. Their later participation in Xie Yue's escort mission provides practical experience outside the residence, and their improved cultivation at Zhao Village confirms continued development in Jinghan's absence. 29 66

Alliance and Xie Jinghan's Departure

As visitors and challengers crowd the residence, Xie Huaijin handles their reception while Xie Jinghan continues cultivating and teaching the Sword Guards. The Wang Household subsequently confirms a formal mutual-support alliance with the Xie Household. 29 32

Jinghan then departs for Tiger Leaping Gorge, deliberately drawing hostile martial wanderers away from his family. The household's existing escort connections later help him establish a temporary residence at Zhao Village. 32 40

Zhao Village Visit and News from the Shu Region

Xie Yue arrives at Zhao Village with escort-agency clansmen and seven Sword Guards after completing a delivery to Nujiang Prefecture. While the clansmen trade with the villagers, Jinghan assesses the guards' progress and praises their continued cultivation. 66

Xie Yue also reports his investigation into Miao Cunyi's destruction of the Heavenly Wolf Escort Agency, explaining the agency's takeover by Peng Sihai and the deaths of Cunyi's master and master's wife. After further discussion, Jinghan decides to travel to the Shu Region, acknowledging that he cannot guarantee Cunyi's rescue but intends at least to see him. Xie Yue thanks him and later departs with the clansmen. 66 67

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