Liu Qiaolian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Liu Qiaolian (柳巧莲)
Alias(es)	Lian'er; Qian'er
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Xia Daoming's household; Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School
Occupation/Role	Xia Daoming's attendant and disciple; former traveling merchant
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 11

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third-Rank Martial Master	11	Was already a practitioner of the Dragon Serpent Art, but had spent much of her wealth supporting Liu Zhong's cultivation rather than her own.
Fourth-Rank Martial Master	22	Reached Fourth Rank after three months of Xia Daoming's financial support, nourishing medicines, and diligent training. She then began using Dragon Abyss Paste to prepare for observing the Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram.
Perceived the secret diagram's divine rhyme	48	On her second observation of the Hidden Dragon Art's Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram, she sensed its divine rhyme and imagery, showing aptitude for comprehending Hidden Strength.

Background

Liu Qiaolian came from Liu Family Village, whose destruction left Liu Zhong as the only family she believed she had. She treated him as a younger brother, devoted resources to his martial training, and hoped he would one day avenge their clan. Their family descended from a Grandmaster of the Dragon Transformation realm; its inheritance included a damaged map connected to the Dragon Transformation Fruit, a Hidden Strength diagram whose divine rhyme later faded, and the recipe for the Earth Treasury Blood-Returning Pill. 11 12

After fleeing to Li City, she lived there for six years and supported herself and Liu Zhong through trade between the north and south. The pair saved toward enrolling at the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School, whose entrance fee alone was five thousand taels. 11 12 13

Appearance

Liu Qiaolian is a beautiful, mature-looking woman with a voluptuous, graceful figure and a dignified bearing. Though she initially appears to be a young married woman, she is twenty-three and had never married when she met Xia Daoming. 11 13

• Usually wears fitted green martial attire.
• Keeps her black hair in a simple flowing-cloud bun.
• Has fair skin, delicate features, and watery eyes.
• Is noted for a swaying gait and an elegant, curvaceous figure. 11 13 37

Personality

Liu Qiaolian is intensely loyal and self-sacrificing. Liu Zhong's betrayals leave her despairing and without a reason to continue living, but Xia Daoming's acceptance of her service gives her a renewed purpose. She swears to repay his two rescues for the rest of her life and repeatedly places his needs, safety, and cultivation above her own. 11 16 33

She is also practical, capable, and resilient. Her experience as a merchant makes her an effective guide and organizer, while her willingness to bury Liu Zhong despite his betrayal reflects her enduring attachment to family. She initially considers herself too old and untalented to pursue martial arts seriously, but obeys Xia Daoming's order to cultivate and eventually demonstrates real talent with the secret diagram. 11 13 16 17 48

Abilities & Skills

Dragon Serpent Art

Liu Qiaolian practices the Dragon Serpent Art and progresses from the Third-Rank to the Fourth-Rank Martial Master realm under Xia Daoming's support. 12 22

• Fought alongside Xia Daoming against Shi Yingdeng's party.
• Killed a fleeing Fourth-Rank Martial Master driver with a short spear. 29
• Received the opportunity to observe the Hidden Dragon Art's Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram through Xia Daoming and Liang Jingtang. 37
• Perceived the diagram's divine rhyme on her second observation, but has not yet been confirmed to have cultivated Hidden Strength. 48

Trade, Travel, and Household Management

Her years as a traveling merchant give her substantial practical experience.

• Knows trade routes between the north and south and planned Xia Daoming's route to Li City, arranging food, lodging, and travel. 11 13
• Owns a house in Li City's Sui Mian Lane, purchased six years before Xia Daoming's arrival. 13
• Handles Xia Daoming's household affairs, including acquiring a larger residence, purchasing four maids, preparing medicines, and maintaining living quarters. 16 30
• Identified the political protection offered by the Situ Family's Flowing Cloud Workshop and explained local forces in Li City. 13

Formation Studies

Liu Qiaolian has a personal interest in formations and ancient texts.

• Regularly studies a yellowed scroll she bought from a northern street vendor.
• Has attempted to reproduce the formations described in the text, without success.
• Is particularly interested in formations that conceal people, bar intruders, or trap trespassers in a maze. 30

Equipment / Items

• Tattered map — A damaged family inheritance said to lead to a Dragon Transformation Fruit in the Vast Mountain Range; Liu Qiaolian entrusted it to Xia Daoming. 12
• Earth Treasury Blood-Returning Pill recipe — A family medicinal formula requiring, among other ingredients, at least a hundred-year-old Dragon-Patterned Purple Blood Ginseng. 12
• Yellowed formation scroll — An old text bought during her merchant travels; its contents fascinate her despite her inability to activate its formations. 30
• Short spear — Used to kill Shi Yingdeng's fleeing Fourth-Rank driver. 29

Relationships

• Xia Daoming — Her savior, master, and later martial instructor. After he saves her twice, she swears lifelong service to repay him; their bond becomes intimate, and he supports her cultivation and promises to help avenge Liu Family Village. 11 16 22 33 34 48
• Liu Zhong — Her cousin and last surviving kin after the massacre of Liu Family Village. She supported his cultivation, but he twice sacrificed her to save himself; she nevertheless buries him after his death. 11
• Liang Jingtang — Head of the Hidden Dragon Martial Arts School. At Xia Daoming's request, he allows Liu Qiaolian to observe the school’s Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram. 37
• Xia He, Yue Gui, Yu Lan, and Qiang Wei — Maids purchased by Liu Qiaolian for Xia Daoming's household. 16

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rescue and Service

While traveling with Liu Zhong, Liu Qiaolian is betrayed first to a Blood Feather Eagle and then to a group of thugs. Xia Daoming saves her twice and kills the attackers. Having lost her family, faith in Liu Zhong, and will to live, she begs to serve Xia Daoming for life. He accepts her as an attendant while allowing that she may leave if she ever regrets the decision; she instead swears a solemn lifelong oath and buries Liu Zhong herself. 11

Inheritance of the Liu Family

Liu Qiaolian explains her family history and gives Xia Daoming its remaining inheritances: the damaged Dragon Transformation Fruit map and the Earth Treasury Blood-Returning Pill recipe. She warns him not to enter the Vast Mountain Range for the fruit before reaching the Eighth-Rank Great Martial Master realm. 12

Journey to Li City

She guides Xia Daoming to Li City, using her merchant experience to keep them supplied and sheltered. On returning to her old home in Sui Mian Lane, memories of Liu Zhong's betrayals overwhelm her; Xia Daoming comforts her and chooses not to remain there. 13

Martial Advancement

Initially reluctant to spend resources on herself, Liu Qiaolian is ordered by Xia Daoming to nourish her blood essence and cultivate toward Fourth Rank. She reaches that realm after three months and later receives special access to the Hidden Dragon Art's Mysterious Divine Rhyme Diagram. 16 17 22 37

Southeastern Journey

Liu Qiaolian travels with Xia Daoming as he seeks medicines and cultivation resources. When Shi Yingdeng's party confronts them, she follows Xia Daoming's order to prevent the driver from escaping and kills the Fourth-Rank Martial Master with her spear. 28 29

Promise of Revenge

After Xia Daoming becomes a Sixth-Rank Great Martial Master, he offers to investigate the destruction of Liu Family Village and avenge her if the culprits are within his ability to face. Overcome with gratitude, Liu Qiaolian accepts the promise. 33 34

Comprehending the Secret Diagram

Xia Daoming brings the Hidden Dragon Art's diagram home for her to study. During her second viewing, she senses its divine rhyme and imagery; Xia Daoming recognizes this as proof that she possesses genuine martial talent. 48

Trivia

• Liu Qiaolian was initially mistaken for a married woman because of her mature appearance, but she was unmarried and twenty-three when she met Xia Daoming. 11
• Her family’s decline began after successive descendants entered the Vast Mountain Range seeking the Dragon Transformation Fruit and never returned. 12
• She views Xia Daoming as her “sky” and states that she could not go on living if something happened to him. 33