Xie An

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xie An (谢安)
Alias(es)	Xie Mingxi (courtesy name); Young Master Mingxi
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Age	16 1
Affiliation	Xie Household; Qingwu County
Occupation/Role	Legitimate eldest son and heir of salt merchant Xie Zhengtang; martial artist
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1: Grain-Collecting Ghost

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
No martial realm	1	Began with Qi and Blood of 0.8 and Spirit of 0.9; possessed the inactive Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model.
Martial Arts Model activated	2–3	Reached Spirit 1.0 and activated the system, which can analyze and implant martial arts at the cost of his vitality and blood.
Mountain-Suppressing Stance perfected	5	Instantly implanted the first layer of Taishan Fist, repairing his previously weak physical foundation.
Skin Tempering	9	Reached the realm after four days of medicinal baths and day-and-night sparring; Qi and Blood and Spirit both rose to 1.4.
Muscle-Tendon Tempering	19	Broke through while using Tiger-Tendon Essence Decoction after mastering the Five Animal True Form Diagram.
Consummation of Muscle-Tendon Tempering	20	Opened 160 major tendons after implanting Five Mountains Collapse and integrating Taishan Fist with the Five Animal True Forms.
Full Muscle-Tendon Tempering / Second Barrier	21–22	Opened all 485 great tendons and could contend with Organ Tempering martial artists despite remaining in the Muscle-Tendon Tempering Realm.
Red Sun Saber Technique, first two stances perfected	40–41	Implanted Tiger-Subduing and Sinking Pressure Stances, gaining weapon proficiency while using Chen Mo as a Manifest Force sparring partner.

Background

Xie An transmigrated into the body of the sixteen-year-old legitimate eldest son of Xie Zhengtang, a Qingwu County salt merchant. The original Xie An had been heavily sheltered, accustomed to brothels, gambling houses, and a life of comfort while expecting to inherit the family estate. 1 2

His investigation of Li Family Village exposed him to the Grain-Collecting Ghost, mass death, and the hidden supernatural order of Qingwu County. Realizing that wealth and family protection could not guarantee his survival, he activated the Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model and began pursuing martial strength. 1 2 3

Xie An’s rapid growth drew Uncle Shui’s attention. To conceal the true source of his abilities, he accepted the explanation that he had undergone a rare “Awakening Enlightenment,” earning formal instruction and access to the Xie Household’s medicinal resources. 8

After Zhao Hu’s death and the discovery of a Yin Cloth Doll hidden beneath his bed, Xie An became directly involved in investigating the plot against the Xie Household. His elder sister Xie Yu later began guiding him under the identity of Daoist Master Yusu, though he initially did not know their familial connection. 30 33 34

Appearance

Xie An is described as tall and straight, with long limbs suited to heavy weapons. He presents himself as a wealthy young master, usually appearing in fine robes and jade ornaments. 1 3 39

• Often wears blue or azure cloud-patterned brocade robes.
• Keeps his hair in a topknot secured with a mutton-fat jade hairpin.
• Wears a jade Buddha pendant, rosewood prayer beads, and ornate belts.
• Commonly wears fox-fur cloaks and cloud-patterned boots during winter. 1 3

Personality

Xie An is pragmatic, observant, and highly adaptive. He uses legal procedure and personal connections to enter Qingwu County after curfew, investigates inconsistencies in his father’s explanations, and treats frightening supernatural events as problems to be understood rather than merely feared. 2 13 31

His pursuit of strength is driven primarily by survival. Though he initially sought an effortless path through the Ten-Thousand Questions Model, he later embraced punishing sparring, medicinal tempering, and disciplined training when he learned that the system could not directly advance his cultivation realm. 3 9 19

He is generous toward people who serve him loyally, supporting Zhao Hu’s family, treating Zhou Ji’s father, and supplying his guards with costly medicine. However, he can become calculating and ruthless when confronting threats to himself or the Xie Household, as shown during his capture and interrogation of A Shan. 9 16 19 37 38

Abilities & Skills

Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model

An AI-like martial arts system that appeared after Xie An’s transmigration. It can analyze, deconstruct, modify, fuse, evolve, and implant martial arts and supernatural talents. 1 3

• Directly implants perfected knowledge, movement, intent, and muscle memory into Xie An’s body.
• Can acquire talents after he comes into contact with a being or object possessing a special ability.
• Consumes Xie An’s Qi and Blood as computational power; excessive use causes collapse, nausea, bleeding, or unconsciousness.
• Cannot directly transplant another person’s cultivation realm; Xie An must temper his own body through training and medicine. 3 9 14

Taishan Fist

A fist art derived from the stonecutters’ Shattered Rock Hammer Method and transformed by Zhao Tieshan. Xie An perfected its three layers through transplantation. 4 5 20

• Mountain-Suppressing Stance — establishes a stable body structure, footwork, and mountain-like intent.
• Mountain-Taming Fist — includes suppression, force-redirection, blocking, attack-defense transitions, and a killing blow.
• Five Mountains Collapse — stacks five layers of force into one devastating strike; powerful enough to shatter a massive Taihu ornamental rock. 7 20
• The final technique places immense strain on the user’s muscles and bones. 20

Five Animal True Form Diagram

A conceptual martial art created by frontier hunters through imitation of primordial beasts. It lacks a conventional cultivation method, but the Ten-Thousand Questions Model allowed Xie An to implant and master all five forms. 18 19

• White Tiger Sky-Roar — Metal-aligned destructive force and slaughter intent.
• Azure Deer Life-Attraction — Wood-aligned vitality and recovery.
• Black Bear Mountain-Tamer — strengthens bone density, defense, and power.
• Scarlet Ape Heaven-Stealer — explosive movement and lethal attacks.
• Mystic Crane Shadow-Scour — agility, lightness, speed, and evasive movement. 18 19
• The forms’ conflicting artistic conceptions must be gradually harmonized after implantation. 19

Spirit Sight: Qi-Gazing

A supernatural talent apparently triggered by Li Yunfeng’s corpse reopening its eyes and staring at Xie An. 13

• Sees the qi of living beings, dead objects, plants, animals, and martial artists.
• Distinguishes living qi, which rises, from still death qi.
• Estimates a target’s vitality and approximate martial threat by qi density.
• Reveals details beyond the Vital Breath perception of Dark Force martial artists, including the direction in which qi flows. 14 16
• Cannot clearly perceive Daoist Master Yusu, whose presence appears as impenetrable darkness. 31
• Revealed an abnormal strand of descending qi within Xie An himself. 14 15

Withered Abyss

A destructive talent acquired after Xie An touched the clothes left behind by Zhao Hu and Liu Fu. 26

• Causes touched matter to rapidly rot, wither, and decay.
• Reduced furniture and wood to deadwood, killed an evergreen plant, and desiccated a rooster with only a fraction of its power. 29
• Can injure Manifest Force martial artists; Chen Mo’s Inner Force could only suppress and dilute its effects. 41
• Destroyed A Shan’s poisoned metal nail and withered her hand during their fight. 37
• Its exact effectiveness against ghosts, demons, and stronger internal martial artists remains unknown. 29 41

Red Sun Saber Technique

A powerful saber art recommended and transcribed by Chen Mo after Xie An recognized his weakness against armed opponents. 39

• Tiger-Subduing Stance — uses righteous, suppressive intent to overwhelm an opponent like a blazing sun descending upon the earth.
• Sinking Pressure Stance — concentrates force downward while tempering the body’s muscles, tendons, bones, qi, blood, and Inner Force.
• Requires substantial Qi and Blood to implant, reflecting its advanced nature. 40 41

Equipment / Items

• Heavy straight saber / broadsword — his chosen weapon type for the Red Sun Saber Technique. 39 40
• Vital Blood Pills — rapidly restore his depleted Qi and Blood after system use. 14 20
• Tiger-Skin, Tiger-Tendon, and Tiger-Bone Essence Decoctions — medicinal baths used for bodily tempering. 8 19 22
• Ten-Thousand Questions Martial Arts Model — his defining system ability. 1 3

Relationships

• Xie Zhengtang — father; a protective but secretive salt merchant who initially concealed the existence of ghosts from him. 2 6
• Xie Yu / Daoist Master Yusu — elder sister and supernatural mentor; conceals her identity while guiding him through ghost-related dangers. 30 34 43
• Uncle Shui — household steward, head guard, and martial mentor; a formidable Dark Force expert who formally supports Xie An’s training. 2 8 16
• Xie Xiaoyu — younger half-sister; affectionate toward Xie An and wants to learn martial arts to protect him. 6
• Qiu Lan — personal maid who has served him for eight years; manages his care, clothing, meals, and medicinal recovery. 3 5
• Zhao Hu — longtime personal guard and early sparring partner; Xie An supported his family before Zhao Hu was killed in the supernatural disaster. 9 16 28
• Zhou Ji — guard, sparring partner, and informant; became deeply loyal after Xie An aided his injured father. 19 21
• Li Dao — Organ Tempering guard and regular sparring partner; a former constable recruited for his strength and integrity. 22
• Chen Mo — Manifest Force martial artist from Yongsheng Martial Arts Hall; serves as his instructor and high-level sparring partner. 18 39 41
• A Shan — assassin responsible for placing the Yin Cloth Doll; captured by Xie An after a brutal fight. 37 38

Story Role / Major Arcs

Li Family Village Investigation

Xie An investigates fleeing tenant farmers at Li Family Village and encounters the Grain-Collecting Ghost, initiating his awareness of ghosts, ritual sacrifice, and the dangers concealed by Qingwu County’s institutions. 1 2

Martial Cultivation

After activating Ten-Thousand Questions, Xie An masters Taishan Fist, develops the Five Animal True Form Diagram, and tempers his body through medicinal baths and increasingly difficult sparring sessions. 3 9 19 22

Zhao Residence and Yin Cloth Doll Plot

Zhao Hu’s death, the Monster Strain’s appearance, and Xie An’s recurring nightmares reveal that he has been targeted by a Yin Cloth Doll connected to Li Family Village’s curses. With Yusu’s help, he discovers the doll beneath his bed. 28 31 33

Confrontation with A Shan

After learning that Zhou Yun’s wife arranged the assassination attempt, Xie An faces A Shan in his first direct life-or-death battle. He defeats and captures her using environmental tactics, Taishan Fist, and Withered Abyss. 36 37

Inheritance of the Xie Household’s Secret

Seeking martial arts capable of dealing with ghosts and wraiths, Xie An learns of the Illuminating Spirit Scripture and the three great powers of Qingwu County. He ultimately accepts responsibility for the Xie Household’s hidden supernatural legacy and enters the Xie White Goddess Shrine. 42 43

Notable Quotes

“I don't want to work hard or suffer, but I still dream of becoming a martial arts master. You get it, right?” 3

“Kneel for your master!” 36

“I am a son of the Xie Household, with Xie blood flowing through my veins. I should naturally shoulder the Xie Residence's glory, disgrace, rise, and fall.” 43

Trivia

• Xie An’s courtesy name, Mingxi, is commonly used by friends, guards, and household staff. 2
• He was initially regarded as an idle young master incapable of enduring martial training. 2 3
• Uncle Shui compares his sudden martial aptitude to the reincarnation of a Martial Saint. 8
• His system-assisted martial arts mastery is often mistaken by others for Awakening Enlightenment or exceptional innate fortune. 8 40