Xu Heng

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xu Heng (许衡)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	North Combat Zone / North Field trainee
Occupation/Role	Two-ring Spirit Master; Lu Yuan's recurring sparring rival
Status	Active 36
First Appearance	Chapter 24

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 21	24	Introduced as the lowest-ranked trainee in the advanced northern training grounds; possesses the Long-Armed Ape Martial Soul and two yellow Spirit Rings.
Level 22	32	By his rematch with Level 19 Lu Yuan, he has reached Level 22 and remains superior in physical strength and Soul Power. The exact breakthrough is not shown.

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 takes the fight seriously after the Piercing Spear cuts his shoulder and 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

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

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

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
• Becomes less decisive once Shock Edge disrupts his ability to maintain control of the spear shaft. 36

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
• Is directly countered by Shock Edge, which numbs or loosens his grip whenever he touches the spear shaft. 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. 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. 24 32 36
• Du Chuan — Fellow northern combat trainee; the two comment on Lu Yuan's rapid improvement during his training. 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. 26
• Rivalry reaches parity: At Level 22, Xu Heng faces Level 19 Lu Yuan in a rematch. Their simultaneous finishing attacks are ruled a draw. 32
• 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. 36

Notable Quotes

“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