Chen Xuan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Chen Xuan was originally a young viewer of the Douluo Continent anime who harshly mocked Xuanzi for wasting his Rank 98 strength. While walking home, he was struck by lightning and awakened in Xuanzi’s elderly body, retaining his own consciousness while inheriting Xuanzi’s memories and cultivation 1.

Recognizing that he had arrived before several future tragedies—including the destruction of Zhang Lexuan’s family and the collapse of Beibei’s family—Chen Xuan resolved to use Xuanzi’s authority rather than repeat the original owner’s failures. His initial plans included protecting Beibei’s parents, reforming Shrek’s Soul Tool development and Inquisitorial Legion, and rescuing Zhang Lexuan before disaster struck 2.

His foreknowledge later guides his interest in rescuing Ye Guyi and recruiting Ju Zi’s family. However, the appearance of extraordinary children absent from his expected timeline eventually makes him question whether the future remains predictable. He suspects that an external threat, possibly an Abyssal invasion, may be approaching, but does not treat that suspicion as confirmed 56 72 97.

Appearance

Chen Xuan initially inhabits Xuanzi’s nearly two-hundred-year-old body, presenting himself as an imposing but unkempt elder. After the Life Gold and Half-Life Tree transformation, he regains the appearance and vitality of a man around thirty 1 59.

• Initially has a rough elderly physique, deep voice, grizzled hair, and wide elder’s robes.
• Often carries or eats chicken legs, even during official business 3 6.
• Can disguise himself convincingly as a frail, ash-smeared old beggar by concealing his Soul Power and altering his posture 25.
• After rejuvenation, has sharp brows, youthful features, and bluish stubble along his chin 59.
• For his formal visit to the Zhang Family, wears a dark brocade robe, meticulously combed hair, and an antique jade token at his waist 34.
• When displaying his evolved power, is surrounded by black, red, and azure-green Soul Rings. During Taotie Descent, the enormous Taotie manifestation is wreathed in crimson-gold and azure-green radiance 60 114.

Personality

Chen Xuan is blunt, irreverent, and easily provoked by incompetence—especially when students are treated as expendable. He responds to negligence with immediate, practical action, using his cultivation and seniority to force reforms rather than waiting for consensus 3 4.

His harshness is tempered by genuine protectiveness. He intervenes in Beibei’s parents’ lives, refuses to sacrifice Inner Court students to reckless missions, and becomes deeply attached to Zhang Lexuan after witnessing her generosity toward a person she believed was helpless 10 13 26.

Despite his responsibilities, he retains the tastes and mentality of his younger original self. He enjoys fine food, wine, music, teasing trusted companions, and openly resents being trapped in an old man’s body before his rejuvenation 23 24 59.

He is capable of admitting personal fault. When Zhang Lexuan learns that his beggar identity was a deception, he acknowledges that she has reason to be angry and promises not to pretend in front of her again. His approach to her discipleship also emphasizes preserving her family ties rather than separating her from her parents for cultivation 34 35.

His military judgment increasingly favors restraint over bravado. He accepts the Holy Spirit Cult’s initial retreat when Mu En’s condition makes further fighting dangerous, and later chooses containment and attrition rather than exhausting his newly formed Limit Douluo foundation against multiple supreme enemies 20 71 73.

His concern for ordinary people coexists with a ruthless attitude toward enemies. He guarantees food for the impoverished Lin Xiaoman during the awakening pilot program, but orders the secret elimination of captured Evil Soul Masters and remaining fugitives after a disastrous interrogation exposes the Holy Spirit Cult’s lethal secrecy measures 73 76.

Abilities & Skills

Rank 98 Cultivation and Godly Taotie Bull

Chen Xuan possesses the inherited cultivation of the Rank 98 Taotie Douluo. His Godly Taotie Bull martial soul carries a trace of Taotie’s bloodline and naturally suppresses dragon-type martial souls 2.

• Releases Soul Power pressure powerful enough to force a Titled Douluo to his knees 14.
• Reveals nine Soul Rings while confronting the Rank 97 Evil Soul Master Duanmu Yao 17.
• Uses overwhelming physical strength to cripple Dark Thunder Douluo with a single punch 18.
• After absorbing Life Gold, his martial soul evolves into the ancient true Taotie 58.
• His original Soul Ring configuration consists of two yellow, two purple, four black, and one red ring. He privately considers this configuration inadequate for a powerhouse of Xuanzi’s standing 17.

Earth-Attribute Soul Skills

Chen Xuan uses earth-based Soul Skills to control terrain, restrict movement, and overwhelm enemies with sustained bombardment 18.

• First Soul Skill — Creates mud-and-stone tentacles to bind opponents.
• Third Soul Skill — Raises a heavy stone wall capable of blocking Harrier Feather Blades.
• Fourth Soul Skill — Applies crushing gravity to force airborne enemies downward.
• Fifth Soul Skill — Summons a wide-area barrage of meteor-like earth spheres that can shatter a Super Douluo’s defensive barrier.

Taotie Devouring

The Taotie martial soul can devour an opponent’s Soul Power, physical strength, and life force. Chen Xuan uses it to rapidly drain Duanmu Yao after pursuing him from the battlefield 19.

• Devours Life Gold from the Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife, triggering the Taotie’s evolution 58.
• Can draw out and destroy harmful energy; the Taotie’s absorption pulls Miasma from Mu En’s body during the Dragon Dan breakthrough 58.
• Its evolved form can manifest independently as Little Black Dog, an intelligent half-blooded Taotie with an immense appetite 59 60.
• The evolved beast form has a ram’s body, human face, tiger fangs, human claws, eyes beneath its armpits, and blue-gray scales patterned with dark gold 58.

Rank 99 Cultivation and Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Cores

Chen Xuan confirms that he has reached Rank 99 Limit Douluo during the western campaign. His dual-core system consists of a golden Yang Core in his upper dantian and an azure Yin Core in his middle dantian, with complementary sun-and-moon imagery surrounding his evolved martial soul 58 71.

• His Yin-Yang Complementary Soul Cores give him endurance far beyond that of ordinary Limit Douluos 71.
• Shortly after his breakthrough, the cores have not fully stabilized or synchronized 71.
• Little Black Dog’s power depends on Chen Xuan. Full-output combat through the materialized Taotie consumes his source Soul Power, preventing him from sustaining prolonged, overloaded battles indefinitely 71.
• He consequently judges a direct confrontation with the Evil Emperor and the Holy Spirit Cult’s strongest figures too costly, even if victory might be possible 71.
• Mu En later explains that Chen Xuan has not spent enough time at the Limit level to establish a true connection with the world comparable to Mu En’s own connection to the continent’s origin 97.

Ninth Soul Skill: Taotie Descent

Taotie Descent is Chen Xuan’s ultimate trump card. He recalls Little Black Dog, places his hand on its head, and merges the power of his nine Soul Rings into the unique Million-Year Jade-Green Soul Ring. The skill infuses the materialized martial soul with the essence of the ancient primordial Taotie 81.

• Transforms Little Black Dog into a massive Primordial Taotie True Body 81.
• Produces a gigantic devouring black hole capable of consuming air, earth, spiritual energy, spirits, and living beings 81.
• Instantly destroys the remaining twelve apostles on the battlefield 81.
• Forces Zhongli Wu to detonate the Ancient Bone Dragon King, Ye Xishui to expend ten sealed blood souls, and Long Xiaoyao to use Darkness—Annihilation to create an escape route 81.
• Its primordial aura frightens the Evil Emperor into concealing its presence 81.
• Leaves Little Black Dog exhausted and the surrounding hundred-li region devastated after its use 81.
• Is deployed again in the Far North, where Little Black Dog grows to hundreds of yards in size and releases an ancient aura over the battlefield as Chen Xuan intervenes to aid the Ice Empress and Snow Empress 114.

Domains and Defensive Techniques

Chen Xuan can combine powerful defensive and territorial abilities against multiple high-level enemies.

• Heaven-Mending Light Barrier — Blocks Zhongli Wu’s death-infused scythe strike and protects Chen Xuan while he is surrounded 18 19.
• Taotie Domain — Strengthens his devouring presence in battle 19.
• Earth Domain — Expands his control over the battlefield’s earth element 19.

Perception, Concealment, and Instruction

Chen Xuan can accurately assess Soul Power, identify unstable cultivation, and conceal his own aura while traveling. He also possesses extensive practical knowledge of high-level cultivation and combat 22 23 27.

• Detects Lu Yun’s unstable Titled Douluo aura before recognizing him 23.
• Conceals his Rank 98 cultivation to enter foreign territory as an ordinary traveler 22 56.
• Identifies Lu Yun’s cultivation bottlenecks and teaches him to use Wind Concealment, silent attacks, and precise wind blades 27 32.
• Uses careful observation and staged encounters rather than exposing his identity prematurely when evaluating Zhang Lexuan 22 25.
• His casual aura-concealment technique is not infallible against Titled Douluos; Lu Yun detects his immense reserve of Soul Power during their reunion 23.
• Uses powerful spiritual consciousness to crush the Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife’s invading evil intent and strip Evil Qi from its surface, while recognizing that forcibly destroying the deeply fused remnant would damage the Life Gold 57.
• Emphasizes that cultivation beyond the Titled Douluo threshold requires state of mind and accumulated experience, rather than merely increasing Soul Power 27.

Military Command and Institutional Planning

Chen Xuan combines battlefield leadership with administrative reform, technological cooperation, and population-focused recruitment 4 5 73.

• Directs financial audits, coordinated arrests, personnel reorganization, and compulsory Soul Tool training at Shrek 4 14 42.
• Leads a five-month western advance that establishes defensive strongholds, rescues civilians, escorts prisoners, and searches for Evil Soul Master bases 71.
• Advocates a border-first expansion into the Sun Moon Empire to avoid the entrenched interests of Bright Capital City 73.
• Coordinates five hundred Awakeners: three hundred supplied by Illustrious Virtue Hall and two hundred drawn from Shrek City and participating sects 73.
• Uses encirclement, detection arrays, resource denial, and interception of fleeing enemies to weaken Evil Soul Master forces before direct assault 73 76.
• Recognizes the danger of Ye Xishui’s Dark Ban and halts headquarters-related questioning after two prisoners detonate and severely injure their interrogators 76.

Notable Items

• Sea God Pavilion Internal Affairs Token — Entrusted to Chen Xuan by Mu En, granting authority to investigate hidden agents, suspend the Inquisitorial Legion, mobilize personnel, and direct Soul Tool funding; later transferred to Song Yunzhi 22.
• Storage Soul Tool — Used to carry supplies and conceal the sealed Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife during his journey to the Star Luo Empire 56 57.
• Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife — Purchased for 100,000 Gold Soul Coins. Its cursed remnant was purified beneath the Golden Ancient Tree, after which its Life Gold was consumed by Chen Xuan’s martial soul 57 58.
• Zhang Lexuan’s Pale-Blue Purse — Given to him when she believed him to be a destitute beggar. He keeps it close to his chest as a reminder of her kindness and handles it again while preparing to approach her family openly 26 33.
• Mu En’s Dragon Dan — A rare cultivation resource supplied by Mu En after the martial soul’s evolution consumes much of the Life Gold’s energy. It supports Chen Xuan’s dual-core formation and further strengthens the Taotie 58.

Relationships

• Mu En — Senior colleague and trusted leader. Mu En supports Chen Xuan’s institutional reforms, entrusts him with Internal Affairs authority, and provides the Dragon Dan that enables his dual-core breakthrough. Their shared transformation restores both men’s youth. Later, Chen Xuan presents evidence of the continent’s unusual surge of talent and persuades Mu En to prioritize eliminating the Holy Spirit Cult before a possible external crisis 4 22 58 59 97.
• Zhang Lexuan — His only personal disciple. Chen Xuan is moved by her kindness, protects her family, arranges for their relocation near Shrek City, and expects her to become a future pillar of Shrek. He apologizes for deceiving her, celebrates her birthday, and publicly confirms her discipleship at the apprenticeship ceremony, declaring that anyone who bullies her is bullying Shrek 26 34 35 36 45.
• Lu Yun — Former Shrek Inner Court student and current Heaven Dou border guardian. Chen Xuan mentors him after Lu Yun reaches the Titled Douluo realm, while Lu Yun loyally investigates and protects the Zhang Family. Chen Xuan recommends that he seek Song Yunzhi’s instruction and later personally includes him in the Sun Moon Empire expedition, where Lu Yun serves as a reliable organizer and subordinate 23 31 32 35 65 73 76.
• Xian Lin’er — Soul Tool Department dean and principal ally in Chen Xuan’s modernization campaign. He expands her department’s funding, staffing, recruitment, and responsibility for Legion equipment 5 6 13.
• Qian Duoduo — Vice Dean of the Soul Tool Department. Chen Xuan works with him and Xian Lin’er to address the department’s shortage of instructors and equipment makers 6 7.
• Yan Shaozhe — Initially clashes with Chen Xuan over Soul Tool funding and the Martial Soul Department’s privilege, but cooperates in the purge of corrupt Legion personnel and later helps implement academy reforms. Chen Xuan also entrusts him with supervision of the Tribunal’s initial personnel during his Life Gold expedition; Yan later sends him news of Beibei’s safe birth 5 15 38 56 71.
• Song Yunzhi — Sea God Pavilion elder entrusted with Chen Xuan’s investigative, Legion, and funding responsibilities while he searches for Zhang Lexuan. Chen Xuan recognizes her expertise as especially suitable for Lu Yun’s agility-focused martial soul and encourages him to seek her guidance 22 35.
• Lin Huiqun / Elder Lin — Head of Treasure Gathering Pavilion. She assists Chen Xuan with financial investigations, Legion equipment reserves, and recruiting Soul Engineers from the Sun Moon Empire 10 13.
• Little Black Dog / Little Taotie — The corporeal manifestation of Chen Xuan’s evolved Taotie martial soul; proud, gluttonous, and fiercely offended by comparisons to Luo Sanpao. Although capable of independent speech and action, its power depends on Chen Xuan’s Soul Power. They cooperate in Taotie Descent, and Chen Xuan affectionately addresses it as “Brother” before deploying the technique in the Far North 58 59 60 71 81 114.
• A-Huang — Zhang Lexuan’s pet yellow dog, brought to Shrek with Chen Xuan’s permission and subsequently cared for in his household. He cares for A-Huang at home and promises to bring it meat bones from the Star Luo Empire 37 56 57.
• Mu Yunshan, Su Qian, and Beibei — Beibei’s family is among his earliest protection priorities. He directs Mu Yunshan to stay home with his pregnant wife instead of undertaking Legion missions. During the western campaign, he receives confirmation that Su Qian and her newborn son are both healthy, regarding the safe birth as proof that the original tragedies can be changed 2 10 11 71.
• Cai Mei’er — Cooperates in academy administration and helps Zhang Lexuan settle into Shrek. Chen Xuan entrusts her and Yan Shaozhe with Tribunal-related supervision while he is away 38 40 56.
• Elder Zhuang — A familiar colleague whose healing expertise is important to Chen Xuan’s plans. Their relationship includes irreverent teasing, particularly after Elder Zhuang compares Little Black Dog to Luo Sanpao 12 13 59.
• Jing Hongchen — A technological rival who becomes a practical cooperation partner. Chen Xuan advocates exchanges between Shrek and the Sun Moon Empire, discusses their complementary strengths with him, and later works with him on the Tribunal’s awakening program and border detection arrays 7 38 56 73.
• Kong Deming — An influential Sun Moon Empire ally in the Tribunal campaign. Chen Xuan initially admires his commitment to his empire’s stability, though he later remains cautious about relying on his combat ability. They cooperate on the border-first expansion plan 52 71 73.
• Purple Lightning Douluo — A campaign ally who advises him on border populations and supports winning public trust through tangible benefits. Chen Xuan coordinates with him during the Sun Moon Empire awakening pilot program 73.
• Chef Ju and His Family — Chen Xuan offers Chef Ju work as his personal chef after recognizing the frontier town as Ju Zi’s birthplace. Chef Ju and his wife agree to relocate after the expedition, giving Chen Xuan a means of protecting their family before its predicted destruction 72.
• Ju Zi — The future “Empress War God,” whose potential and tragic original future motivate Chen Xuan’s recruitment of her parents. She has not yet actively participated in their arrangement 72.
• Ye Guyi — A young Holy Angel martial-soul bearer whom Chen Xuan intends to locate and bring to Shrek before Evil Soul Masters subject her to the hardships of her original future; the supplied account establishes his intention rather than a completed rescue 56.
• Lin Xiaoman — A talented but impoverished child discovered by the awakening pilot program. Chen Xuan personally assures her that she will have enough food when she expresses concern about going to Shrek City 73.
• Ice Empress and Snow Empress — Chen Xuan intervenes in their desperate battle in the Far North and deploys Taotie Descent. Both recognize him and express astonishment at his Limit-level cultivation and evolved martial soul 114.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Changing Xuanzi’s fate — Upon transmigrating, Chen Xuan resolves to prevent the tragedies and institutional failures associated with Xuanzi’s original future 1 2.
• Inquisitorial Legion reform — He exposes reckless mission assignments, mandates supervision and Soul Tool equipment, investigates embezzled pensions and procurement fraud, and suspends field operations for two years 3 4 13.
• Soul Tool modernization — Chen Xuan redistributes academy resources, introduces mandatory Soul Tool education, recruits engineers from the Sun Moon Empire, and argues that Shrek must learn from technological rivals rather than depend on tradition 5 7 38.
• Defense of Shrek City — He uncovers Evil Soul Master infiltration, battles Duanmu Yao and several Titled enemies, cripples Dark Thunder Douluo, and confronts Zhongli Wu before Shrek’s reinforcements arrive. He ultimately accepts Mu En’s order to end the confrontation because further escalation would risk a battle that the weakened Mu En could not safely sustain 17 18 19 20.
• Cleansing Shrek — After the attack, he commits to a covert purge of infiltrators throughout Shrek’s administration while maintaining the Legion’s suspension and Soul Tool reforms 21 22.
• Zhang Lexuan’s recruitment — Chen Xuan investigates the Zhang Family, indirectly eliminates the Zhao Family threat through Lu Yun, reveals his identity to the Zhangs, and accepts Zhang Lexuan as his sole personal disciple. He celebrates her birthday, accompanies her to Shrek, and publicly formalizes the relationship at the apprenticeship ceremony before representatives of the continent’s major powers 26 31 35 36 37 38 45.
• Further academy restructuring — After returning to Shrek, he develops city-expansion plans with Yan Shaozhe and prepares reforms to the Outer Court’s teaching staff. Over the following month, he works with Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin’er to reorganize the Outer Court and Legion, including transferring Inner Court disciples into teaching positions 40 42.
• Quest for Life Gold — He infiltrates the Star Luo Empire, purchases the Spirit-Eating Engraving Knife, and uses its purified Life Gold to evolve the Taotie martial soul, form Dual Soul Cores, and restore his youth 56 57 58 59.
• War mobilization — With Mu En restored, Chen Xuan accepts command of Shrek’s force advancing toward the Sun Moon Empire in the campaign to eradicate the Holy Spirit Cult and remaining Evil Soul Masters 62.
• Western expedition and Beibei’s safe birth — He departs with allied Soul Engineer Corps, Soul Master forces, and medical personnel. During a five-month advance through Star Luo, his army clears smaller enemy positions while stronger Evil Soul Masters retreat or scatter. News that Beibei and Su Qian are safe strengthens his confidence in changing fate 65 71.
• Recruiting Ju Zi’s family — Near the Ming Dou Mountains, he recognizes Ju Zi’s hometown and recruits her father as his personal chef, securing the family’s agreement to move to Shrek City after the expedition 72.
• Tribunal border expansion and awakening pilot — After entering the Sun Moon Empire, he proposes expansion inward from Bluestone City rather than beginning in Bright Capital City. Working with Kong Deming, Jing Hongchen, and other allies, he launches a mass awakening program and strengthens the northern encirclement to deny Evil Soul Masters food, recruits, and escape routes 73.
• Encirclement of Evil Demon Forest — He reviews intelligence from captured Soul Douluos, learns that headquarters-related questioning triggers Ye Xishui’s Dark Ban, and orders the interrogation strategy changed. Allied troops and Soul Tool arrays surround the forest while its powerful soul beasts withdraw inward 76.
• Taotie Descent against the Holy Spirit Cult — During the confrontation involving Mu En and Long Xiaoyao, Chen Xuan unleashes his Ninth Soul Skill and annihilates the remaining twelve apostles. Ye Xishui, Zhongli Wu, and Long Xiaoyao escape only after expending major trump cards, while the attack devastates the surrounding region 81.
• Unexpected geniuses and renewed assault plans — Reports of numerous children with Innate Full Soul Power and exceptional martial souls lead him to suspect that the continent is preparing for an outside threat. After Mu En confirms that he senses fear in the world’s origin, Chen Xuan argues for eliminating the Holy Spirit Cult first. Mu En agrees and orders preparations for an assault on Evil Demon Forest in three days 96 97.
• Far North intervention — As the Ice Empress and Snow Empress face a desperate situation amid heavy soul-beast casualties, Chen Xuan arrives and again deploys Taotie Descent. The two empresses recognize his transformation and advancement, but the supplied passage does not establish the battle’s final outcome 114.

Notable Quotes

“When they go to war in the future, what will they use to withstand the Sun Moon Empire’s soul cannon fire? Their lives?” 5

“Whether your talent is good or not is something heaven determines. But for me, temperament is even more important than talent.” 22

“If the sky falls, your master will hold it up for you.” 35

“Whoever bullies you bullies Shrek.” 45

“I've only just broken through to Rank 99 Limit Douluo. My Dual Soul Cores have yet to fully stabilize and synchronize.” 71

“Brother, I'm counting on you now.” 114

Trivia

• Chen Xuan mocked Xuanzi as a useless Rank 98 “Chicken Leg Douluo” immediately before transmigrating into him 1.
• He can eat extraordinary amounts of chicken legs; on one occasion, he ate eight drumsticks and accepted five more for the road 3.
• He kept the purse Zhang Lexuan gave him while he was disguised as a beggar, treating it as a reminder of her kindness 26.
• He repeatedly compares Lu Yun’s Wind Spirit Crane to a domesticated chicken when criticizing its noisy movement and weak attacks 31 32.
• While inhabiting Xuanzi’s elderly body, he consciously limits his drinking to manage the former owner’s inherited alcohol cravings without becoming intoxicated 9.
• During his stay in Azure Mist City, he spends his days pretending to be a beggar and his nights enjoying pleasure-boat music and wine, joking that the contradiction would disgrace Sea God Pavilion if it became public 28.
• Stories of Zhang Lexuan helping the disguised Taotie Douluo become popular material for storytellers in teahouses and taverns 37.
• He knowingly pursues the Life Gold that would otherwise have been associated with Huo Yuhao’s future opportunities, privately rationalizing that Huo Yuhao has other advantages 23.
• Elder Zhuang’s comparisons between Little Black Dog and Luo Sanpao lead Chen Xuan to recount Yu Xiaogang’s history and sharply criticize the gap between his theoretical reputation and his personal cultivation failures 59.
• His recruitment of Ju Zi’s family combines an effort to avert tragedy with his genuine appreciation of her father’s cooking 72.
• He associates the newly reported Wind-Thunder Staff martial soul with Investiture of the Gods, recalling Yun Zhongzi and Lei Zhenzi while assessing how unusual the child’s talent is 97.

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