Xu Yanqiu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xu Yanqiu (徐砚秋)
Alias(es)	Madam Xu Yanqiu; Her Highness the Grand Princess; Empress Dowager
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Radiant Sun Empire; Sun-Moon Empire; Xu Family; Spirit Hall Empire
Occupation/Role	Former youngest princess of the Radiant Sun Empire; hidden ruler and political strategist of the Radiant Sun Empire; mother of Qian Xunzong
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 97 (mentioned); Chapter 124 (appears unidentified) 97 124

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Battle Armor-enhanced strength	131	Binding the Four-Word Battle Armor Scarlet Luan Golden Wings heals decades of hidden injuries, loosens her cultivation bottleneck, and increases her strength severalfold. 131
Rank 99 Limit Douluo combat strength	155	Fully activating Scarlet Luan Golden Wings and her Sun Sacred Fire raises her combat strength to the level of a rank-ninety-nine Limit Douluo. 155

Background

Xu Yanqiu was the youngest princess of the Radiant Sun Empire. Sixty years before her reunion with Qian Xunzong, several border princes rebelled against the empire. She was captured while stationed at the western frontier and transported as a hostage, but escaped after a battle between the rebel fleet and the Bright Moon Empire destroyed the ship carrying her. A storm and a sea soul beast nearly killed her before an expert from Sea God Island rescued her. 129

She eventually reached Douluo Continent, where she met and married Qian Daoliu. After giving birth to Qian Xunzong, an imperial jade pendant informed her that her homeland had suffered disaster. She secretly constructed a high-grade soul-tool warship, departed with Muyou, and returned to the Sun and Moon Continent. 129

By the time she returned, her father and two brothers had died in the rebellion, while the crown prince was mortally ill. Although he wished to transfer the throne to her, Xu Yanqiu refused it and instead installed Xu Qingxuan, a collateral relative possessing the Sun Spirit, as emperor. She and Muyou then took control of the empire’s military and political power, crushed the rebellion, eliminated foreign enemies, and stabilized the Radiant Sun Empire over three years. 129

While living in secrecy at the Radiant Sun Imperial Palace, Xu Yanqiu built a network of four Level-9 Soul Engineer disciples: Wu Mengqiu, Zui Hongchen, Long Wushuang, and Ye Qiulian. Through them, she controlled key parts of the empire’s intelligence, military, Soul Tool, and engineering institutions. 129

Qian Xunzong’s discovery of her hidden forging cave at Cloud-Treading Villa revealed her existence to him. He later encountered her at the Crimson Sun Sacred Tower and, after infiltrating the Radiant Sun Imperial Palace, reunited with her in Qingning Pavilion. Xu Yanqiu recognized him as the infant son from whom she had been separated for fifteen years. 97 124 128

Appearance

After sixteen years of separation and hardship, Xu Yanqiu retains a graceful, noble presence tempered by experience. In private she dresses simply, while in public she carries the reserved authority of the Radiant Sun imperial house. 129 171

• Delicate, gentle features with a mature and resilient bearing. 133 171
• Long black hair, at times concealed beneath a veiled bamboo hat. 133
• Often wears moon-white robes or a moon-white palace dress embroidered with orchids. 142 171
• Uses a simple white-jade hairpin rather than elaborate jewelry. 171
• Her fully deployed Scarlet Luan Golden Wings manifests in gilded armor, scarlet flame patterns, sacred white radiance, and golden starlight. 131 148

Personality

Xu Yanqiu is tender and openly doting toward Qian Xunzong. Upon recognizing him, her long-maintained composure collapsed; she embraced him immediately, worried over the dangers he had faced, praised his talent with maternal pride, and accepted his gratitude toward Muyou. 128

In political affairs, she is decisive, intimidating, and ruthlessly pragmatic. She considers Xu Qingxuan’s throne a position granted by her power, maintains control over his court and guards, and treats rebellion as something she can eliminate with a single command. 130 131

Her belief that overwhelming strength establishes legitimacy places her at odds with Qian Xunzong’s concern for justification, civilian suffering, and public condemnation. This outlook drives her plan to unify the Sun and Moon Continent under her son’s authority. 129 130

Abilities & Skills

Soul Tool Engineering

Xu Yanqiu is a veteran Soul Tool engineer whose technical accomplishments underpin both her political influence and her personal combat strength.

• Is proficient in every Level-9 formation and possesses exceptional engraving speed and precision. 127
• Used her Soul Tool expertise to secretly forge a high-grade warship for her return from Douluo Continent. 129
• Trained four direct disciples who became Level-9 Soul Engineers and took control of major imperial institutions. 129
• Former owner of the Vast Starry Sky Engraving Knife, a supreme Soul Tool she had used for decades before gifting it to Qian Xunzong. 131

Sun Sacred Fire

Xu Yanqiu wields the Sun Sacred Fire Spirit, an ultimate fire power especially effective against evil and corrupt energy.

• Purifies darkness, demonic energy, and other sinister forces. 155
• Creates dense barrages of flaming blades in combat. 155
• Combined with Scarlet Luan Golden Wings to perform Lie Yan Scorches the Heavens, an attack powerful enough to vaporize surrounding seawater. 148
• Restrains the Evil-Eyed Tyrant Overlord’s dark energy when fighting alongside Xinghe. 155

Scarlet Luan Golden Wings

A custom Four-Word Battle Armor bestowed by Qian Xunzong and permanently bound to Xu Yanqiu by blood. 131

• Combines ultimate light, fire, and holy attributes. 131
• Purifies darkness and illusions; reinforces spiritual perception, Soul Tool deduction, and formation mastery. 131
• Protects her body and soul, heals old injuries, stabilizes her foundation, and can withstand god-level attacks without planar backlash. 131
• Raises her combat power to rank-ninety-nine Limit Douluo level when fully activated. 155

Political and Strategic Control

Though Xu Qingxuan held the imperial title, Xu Yanqiu controlled the Radiant Sun Empire’s true levers of power. 130 131

• Installed Xu Qingxuan as emperor and led the campaign that restored the empire after civil war. 129
• Controlled his military authority, court, personal guards, informants, and confidants. 131
• Ordered Grand Marshal Long Wushuang to invade the Bright Moon Empire and directed Ye Qiulian to prepare large-scale war Soul Tools. 130 132
• Presided over reconstruction and central-government reforms after unification, including land reform, livelihood restoration, Soul Master protections, and broader Soul Tool use. 142

Equipment

• Scarlet Luan Golden Wings — Four-Word Battle Armor bound to Xu Yanqiu; enhances offense, defense, healing, Soul Tool capabilities, and resistance to dark forces. 131
• Vast Starry Sky Engraving Knife — her former treasured engraving tool, later gifted to Qian Xunzong. 131

Relationships

• Qian Xunzong — her biological son. Separated from him shortly after his birth, she reunites with him after fifteen years and becomes fiercely protective of his future. 128 129
• Qian Daoliu — husband and father of her sons. They reunite on Douluo Continent after sixteen years apart. 129 170
• Qian Xunji — elder son. He joins his parents and younger brother in an emotional family reunion. 170
• Muyou — loyal retainer and former Spirit Hall elder who protected Xu Yanqiu during her journey back to the Sun and Moon Continent. 128 129
• Xu Qingxuan — collateral relative installed as Radiant Sun Emperor by Xu Yanqiu; later succeeds Qian Xunzong as Emperor Xianzong of the Sun-Moon Empire. 129 143
• Xinghe — addressed by Xu Yanqiu as “Uncle Gun.” He reunited with her after years of worry and fought beside her against powerful Ferocious Beasts. 133 155
• Wu Mengqiu, Zui Hongchen, Long Wushuang, and Ye Qiulian — her four direct disciples, each a Level-9 Soul Engineer entrusted with intelligence, military, Soul Tool, or institutional authority. 129

Story Role / Major Arcs

Hidden History and Reunion

Xu Yanqiu’s name first emerges from a hidden Soul Tool cave at Cloud-Treading Villa, where Qian Xunzong finds her engraving knife. His investigation ultimately takes him to the Radiant Sun Empire, where her identity as his missing mother is confirmed. 97 125 128

Unification of the Sun and Moon Continent

After reuniting with Qian Xunzong, Xu Yanqiu directs the Radiant Sun Empire toward war with the Bright Moon Empire. Her objective is the creation of a unified state whose founding emperor will be her son. 129 130

She publicly declares Qian Xunzong the founding emperor of the Sun-Moon Dynasty after the continent is unified. When he abdicates immediately afterward, she confirms the prearranged succession of Xu Qingxuan as Emperor Xianzong. 142 143

Defense Against Ferocious Beasts and Evil Forces

Xu Yanqiu supports Qian Xunzong against the Ten-Directions Sea-Quelling Ao, combining Scarlet Luan Golden Wings and Sun Sacred Fire with his divine attack. 148

She later fights beside Xinghe against the Evil-Eyed Tyrant Overlord, using her sacred flames to suppress its dark energy and helping protect the group during Qian Xunzong’s confrontation with the Ferocious Beast. 155 159

Return to Douluo Continent

After two years overseas, Xu Yanqiu returns with Qian Xunzong, Xinghe, Muyou, and their fleet to Douluo Continent. Her reunion with Qian Daoliu restores the Qian family after sixteen years of separation. 170

Notable Quotes

“Before absolute strength, all morality and criticism are meaningless!” 130

“Son, stay here and keep everyone steady. Don't act rashly! Gun Grandpa can't hold on alone. Your mother is going to help him!” 155