Xu Heng

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

Xu Heng is a tall, sturdily built youth whose Long-Armed Ape Martial Soul further emphasizes his reach and physical power.

• Short-haired. 24
• Has noticeably long arms even before activating his Martial Soul. 36
• His Martial Soul covers his arms, shoulders, and back in dark-brown coarse hair. 24 36
• His body becomes heavier and his arms expand further when using his second Soul Skill. 24

Personality

Xu Heng is direct, competitive, and frank about victory and defeat. He initially underestimates Lu Yuan because of the latter's age and single Spirit Ring, but immediately becomes more cautious after the Piercing Spear slices his training uniform at the shoulder, and takes the fight fully seriously after it damages his defenses. 24

He is a pragmatic fighter who adjusts rather than complains. After Shock Edge disrupts his usual weapon-grappling style, he changes from grabbing the spear with his hands to using his forearms and promises to revise his tactics again in their next match. 36

His exchanges with the instructors and Lu Yuan also show a dry sense of humor. He objects to being introduced as the northern grounds' lowest-ranked trainee and later jokes about whether the reduction in Lu Yuan's arena training means that he himself is graduating. 24 30

Xu Heng openly recognizes Lu Yuan's improvement. Early in their training, he asks Shao Ping whether Lu Yuan is learning unusually quickly; after their draw, he acknowledges that obtaining a second Spirit Ring may make Lu Yuan's spear impossible for him to catch. 26 32

Abilities & Skills

Long-Armed Ape Martial Soul

Xu Heng's Martial Soul grants him powerful arms, a larger frame, and the reach needed to dominate close-range exchanges.

• Uses superior arm span and physical force to press inside a spear's effective range. 24
• Suppresses opponents by controlling the middle or rear of their weapon shaft rather than risking contact with the spearhead. 24
• Enables him to maintain pressure even when Lu Yuan uses evasive footwork or changes the spear's angle. 24 32
• Retains a physical-strength advantage over Lu Yuan even after the latter reaches Level 21 and obtains his second Spirit Ring. 36

First Soul Skill

Xu Heng's unnamed first Soul Skill reinforces his arms with denser, tougher coarse hair for defense.

• Blocks or deflects Piercing Spear strikes with his forearms. 24
• Withstood a Piercing Edge attack, though the spear still cut a shallow mark into the defensive layer. 24 32
• Does not fully negate the Piercing Spear's sharpness. 24
• Supports his switch to forearm blocking after Shock Edge makes barehanded spear-grabbing dangerous. 36

Second Soul Skill

Xu Heng's unnamed second Soul Skill greatly increases his physical suppression ability.

• Enlarges his arms and makes his stance and body noticeably heavier. 24
• Lets him batter the Piercing Spear aside and force Lu Yuan into a close-range losing position. 24
• Was required when Lu Yuan first challenged him in the northern arena, demonstrating the threat posed by the evolved Piercing Spear. 24
• Allows him to exploit an opening during spear withdrawal and drive inside the weapon's momentum to pin its shaft. 30
• Becomes less decisive once Shock Edge disrupts his ability to maintain control of the spear shaft. 36
• Was used to its fullest in his defeat by Level 21 Lu Yuan, according to Lu Yuan's subsequent account to Qian Daoliu. 37

Close-Range Suppression

Xu Heng's defining combat method is closing distance, controlling the spear shaft, and denying long-weapon users room to build momentum.

• Avoids the spearhead while pressing his palm onto the shaft's middle section. 24
• Uses weapon control to pull opponents off balance and force body-to-body exchanges. 24
• Initially overwhelms Lu Yuan with this method, but Lu Yuan gradually learns to counter it through angle changes, Martial Soul dismissal, and resummoning. 32
• Develops considerable familiarity with Lu Yuan's habits through repeated sparring. By their later training matches, a shift of the spear tip can reveal Lu Yuan's intended positioning, while Lu Yuan can read Xu Heng's approach from the movement of his shoulder. 30
• Can pursue immediately when Lu Yuan dismisses his Martial Soul, rather than automatically losing his balance when the spear disappears. 32
• Is directly countered by Shock Edge, which numbs or loosens his grip whenever he touches the spear shaft. 36
• Can resist an individual Shock Edge release by preparing his strength and Soul Power, but doing so divides his attention and leaves openings for Lu Yuan's follow-up attacks. 36

Relationships

• Lu Yuan — Recurring sparring rival. Xu Heng initially defeats him through superior cultivation and close-range suppression, later draws with him, and ultimately loses after Lu Yuan gains Shock Edge. Their rivalry remains respectful. Shao Ping ends Lu Yuan's daily North Field sparring after this victory, although both fighters remain willing to face one another again. 24 32 36
• Shao Ping — Instructor and match supervisor in the northern training grounds. Shao Ping selects Xu Heng as Lu Yuan's first advanced opponent and judges the outcomes of their duels. Their exchanges include blunt banter about Lu Yuan's rapid learning and the value of training against stronger opponents. 24 26 32 36
• Du Chuan — Fellow northern combat trainee. Both serve as recurring opponents for Lu Yuan and recognize his improvement; Xu Heng specializes in direct close-range suppression, whereas Du Chuan initially favors circling and waiting for Piercing Edge's momentum to fade. 26

Story Role / Major Arcs

• First northern-arena match: Selected as the Level 21 opponent for six-year-old Lu Yuan's first advanced spar. He wins by forcing Lu Yuan into close quarters, but must use his second Soul Skill after Lu Yuan damages his first defense with Piercing Edge. 24
• North Combat Zone training: Watches Lu Yuan improve through repeated losses against stronger trainees and recognizes that Lu Yuan is learning unusually quickly. At the end of the third month, he wins another rematch despite fighting more cautiously and using both Soul Skills; Lu Yuan nevertheless tears his sleeve. 26
• Recognition after half a year: Reacts with surprise when Lu Yuan reaches Level 14. By this stage, the northern trainees no longer joke about Lu Yuan belonging in the younger training group, and Xu Heng's former ability to end their matches quickly has diminished. 27
• Transition toward forest training: Fights Lu Yuan for approximately fifteen minutes before finding an opening to suppress his spear with his second Soul Skill. Shao Ping stops the match and announces a change to Lu Yuan's afternoon training because repeated arena bouts against familiar opponents now offer less improvement. 30
• Rivalry reaches parity: At Level 22, Xu Heng faces Level 19 Lu Yuan in a rematch. Their simultaneous finishing attacks are ruled a draw. Xu Heng accepts the result and predicts that Lu Yuan's second Spirit Ring may prevent him from catching the spear in future matches. 32
• Influence on second-ring selection: His persistent spear-suppression tactics provide a concrete example of the weakness Qian Daoliu identifies in Lu Yuan's fighting style. Lu Yuan chooses the 720-year Quake-Armor Beast as his second Spirit Ring target to address close-range restraint rather than merely increase speed or frontal attack power. 33
• Defeat by Shock Edge: After Lu Yuan obtains a 720-year second Spirit Ring, Xu Heng's established spear-grappling strategy is disrupted by Shock Edge. Lu Yuan wins the rematch by combining Martial Soul dismissal and resummoning with both Soul Skills. Xu Heng acknowledges that Lu Yuan was faster and accepts the defeat without excuses. 36
• Completion of Lu Yuan's foundational training: Shao Ping concludes that continued daily sparring with Xu Heng will provide limited improvement. Qian Daoliu subsequently reviews the draw and victory, questions whether Xu Heng held back, and confirms that Lu Yuan's North Field training is complete before sending him to assist Qian Renxue in Tiangou. 36 37
• Lasting tactical influence: During Lu Yuan's later fight against Qin Yue at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his extensive experience facing Xu Heng's close-range suppression helps him instinctively dismiss and resummon his Martial Soul to escape weapon restraint. 41

Notable Quotes

“Isn't he learning a little too fast?” 26

“Once you obtain your Second Spirit Ring, I'm afraid I won't be able to catch your spear anymore.” 32

“A loss is a loss, you don't need to patch things up for me.” 36

“Next time I won't touch your spear shaft at all, and we'll see how you use that Shock Edge of yours.” 36

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