Xu Mingxuan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Mingxuan (许明烜)
Alias(es)	Charcoal Head 6 77; Daoist Xuan, an identity used during negotiations with Ancient Secluded City 451
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xu Household; later involved in the Heavenly Fortune Dynasty’s administration 6 467 516
Occupation/Role	Cultivator, expedition leader, treasure seeker, and diplomatic envoy; former squad captain commanding fifty soldiers in Ding Camp 61 214 451 550
Family	Xu Chuan and Bai Jing’s third son; a second-generation Xu descendant. Married and a father of two by his reunion with Ge Xuanhong 6 30 165 173
Cultivation	Golden Core; his advancement is confirmed while still concealed from outsiders 451
First Appearance	Chapter 6, “Full-Moon Banquet” 6

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third-Rate Martial Artist	30	Trains at the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts School and gains a reputation as a martial genius in Qingjiang County.
Second-Rate Martial Artist	36	Has reached this level when he accompanies Xu Mingyuan to seek the original Xiantian Dragon Elephant Art.
Houtian peak	61	Reached after four years at the frontier, aided by battlefield experience and medicinal food sent by his family. Begins attempting to sense Heaven and Earth.
Xiantian	75 76	Breakthrough initially concealed under Xu Chuan’s instructions. Reveals Xiantian True Qi while rescuing Ge Xuanhong in the final border battle.
Xiantian perfection	123	Confirmed retrospectively when Xu Mingyuan’s advancement completes the reported progression of the household’s five sons to Xiantian perfection.
Peak sixth layer of Qi Refining	158	Reaches this stage during three months of household cultivation.
Seventh layer of Qi Refining	158	Breaks through with a Realm-Breaking Pill while publicly displaying only fourth-layer strength.
First layer of Qi Refining — cultivation restarted	197	Disperses his previous cultivation to adopt the Five Elements Spirit Art. Reenters the first layer in less than half a day and begins using High-Grade Qi-Gathering Pills.
Ninth layer of Qi Refining — cultivation recovered	206	Recovers to this level after two years. Trains with five elemental Flying Swords under Ren Xiaoyao’s guidance.
Foundation Establishment	214	Establishes his foundation during the Wuhua Secret Realm expedition, emerging from seclusion after Ye Xuehua. His realm is publicly revealed at the trial’s conclusion 216.
Golden Core	451	Confirmed as a hidden Golden Core cultivator during his mission to Ancient Secluded City; the breakthrough itself is not described in the supplied account.

History

Childhood and martial training

Xu Mingxuan’s full-moon banquet brings together the family’s relatives and friends. Afterward, Xu Chuan checks him through the Bloodline Genealogy: he possesses incomplete five-element spiritual roots, no aptitude for immortal cultivation, no talent, and no bloodline. Xu Chuan accepts the result without disappointment 6.

At nine years old, Mingxuan represents his family during the sparring challenge at its shop opening. He defeats Xu Feng with restraint, then wins against the older, more aggressive Xu Wei at the cost of an internal injury. Xu Chuan stops him after the second bout 25.

He later studies at the Heavenly Dragon Martial Arts School. Once he reaches Second-Rate status, he accompanies Xu Mingyuan, Chen Daniu, and two guards to Liuyun County, where Mingyuan negotiates with the owner of the original Xiantian Dragon Elephant Art 30 36.

Six years at the frontier

Mingxuan serves on the Great Wei–Great Liang border during the conflict over a blackiron essence mine. Four years into his service, he commands fifty soldiers in Ding Camp. With major battles becoming less frequent, mining occupies much of the troops’ daily routine 61.

While mining, he uncovers an unusual palm-sized object. Its exposed surface has a silvery sheen rather than the glossy black appearance he expects from blackiron essence stone, prompting him to excavate it carefully 62.

Although he reaches Xiantian, he follows his family’s instructions to remain inconspicuous and allows Commandant Ge Xuanhong to believe he is only at the Houtian peak. Ge’s private news that the troops may soon return home leaves him too excited to sleep 75.

During Great Liang’s final offensive, Mingxuan rescues the badly wounded Ge from Houtian Peak opponents and is forced to reveal his Xiantian True Qi. He returns with one First-Class Merit and one Second-Class Merit, declining further military service in favor of going home. Only seven of the twenty or thirty Xu Household men sent to war survive 76 77.

Homecoming and family life

After six years away, Mingxuan returns to an emotional welcome and a banquet arranged by Xu Chuan. His First-Class Merit is used to exempt the household’s farmland and forest land from taxes. He discovers that the family now owns more than 100,000 mu and possesses both advanced martial resources and a secret route into immortal cultivation 77.

Xu Chuan assigns him to study the household’s inherited martial art, cultivate near the Jade-Cold Pool, and teach Wu Tao and Shen Qingyi to read. Bai Jing also presses him to find a wife; Xu Chuan tells him that either a commoner or an aristocratic woman is acceptable, provided he likes her 77 78.

Mingxuan participates in mountain expeditions and demon hunts. On a later journey, the Xu party saves members of the Ge Household, reuniting him with his former commandant. By then, he is married and has two children 98 101 123 165 173.

Cultivation restart and the Wuhua Secret Realm

Xu Chuan selects Mingxuan to restart cultivation with the Five Elements Spirit Art, intending to strengthen him for the Black Radiance Grand Assembly. Mingxuan initially doubts his own fighting ability but accepts the costly change and devotes himself to cultivation on Green Jade Peak in the Guangling branch 197 201.

After recovering to the ninth Qi Refining layer, he leads training expeditions and practices with a Five-Spirit Casket made by Xu Deling. Before the Grand Assembly, he purchases an unusual herb root that Xu Chuan identifies as four-hundred-year-old heavenly beard grass, an ingredient for the Spirit-Purifying Pill 206 212.

Inside the Wuhua Secret Realm, Mingxuan assigns exploration duties and establishes his foundation. His party defeats Mei Clan attackers, rescues Lei Xiaoyun’s group from demonic cultivators, and later defeats pursuers in a prepared ambush 214 215.

When the Sima Clan follows them, he leads the party into the poisonous Black Marsh and organizes a counterattack. After victory, the group destroys evidence and abandons dangerous spoils that could expose the Xu Household to retaliation. Mingxuan requires Zhou Zongyun and Ye Xuehua to swear soul oaths of secrecy 215.

The expedition ends without losses to the Xu party. Mingxuan trades Great Wei identity tokens through the Zhao Clan for herbs and crafting materials, helping consolidate the household’s gains before its hidden Foundation Establishment cultivators are revealed 216.

Envoy and administrator

As a concealed Golden Core cultivator, Mingxuan visits Gu Xuanyou to propose cooperation between the Xu Household and Ancient Secluded City against the Greedy Wolf Sect. He presents regional stability and trade with Mysterious Moon Prefecture as shared interests, warns that Greedy Wolf may soon gain a second Nascent Soul cultivator, and requests introduction under the name “Daoist Xuan” 451.

He later discusses population growth and the possibility of a martial-artist army with Mei Yun, contributing to the Heavenly Fortune Dynasty’s planning. He also helps escort remaining clan members during the relocation of two Xu branches 467 516 521.

For the Heavenly Passage expedition, Xu Chuan considers Mingxuan better suited to treasure-finding than frontline combat. Mingxuan accepts that assignment 550.

Personality

Mingxuan’s early conduct combines competitive ability with restraint: he avoids excessive harm against Xu Feng, but withstands Xu Wei’s harsher attacks to secure a second victory. Military life develops his discipline; despite his family’s wealth, he remains focused on training rather than indulgence 25 61.

He is strongly attached to home. Years at the frontier leave him thinking about his parents, siblings, and friends, and he chooses reunion over a military career. His return to Bai Jing is openly emotional 61 76 77.

He becomes decisive when protecting the household. In the Wuhua Secret Realm, he prioritizes secrecy and survival over valuable loot, plans ambushes, and binds witnesses through soul oaths. Outside combat, Xu Chuan describes him as inclined to steal moments of leisure 215 217.

Abilities & Skills

Seeking Fortune and Avoiding Calamity

• Possesses a talent explicitly valued for detecting danger and warning traveling companions 200.
• His intuition draws praise from Xu Mingyuan when the family discovers the Ge Household under attack 165.
• Recognizes the potential of an unusual herb root later identified as rare heavenly beard grass 212.
• His suitability for treasure-seeking remains important even after reaching Golden Core 410 550.

Five Elements Spirit Art

• Restarts cultivation to adopt this profound continuation of the Xu Household’s inherited method 197.
• Develops deeper and purer magic power, complemented by the method’s exclusive techniques 214.
• After Foundation Establishment, can wield the Five-Spirit Casket more powerfully than Ren Xiaoyao at the same cultivation level 214.

Five Elements Sword Formation

• Trains under Ren Xiaoyao to control five elemental Flying Swords housed in the Five-Spirit Casket 206.
• Combines the formation with the Five Elements Spirit Art during the Wuhua expedition 214.

Combat and expedition leadership

• Demonstrates tactical learning and self-control in childhood sparring 25.
• Gains practical experience through frontier warfare and commands a fifty-man squad 61 76.
• Assigns exploration teams, coordinates scouts and formations, and prepares counterambushes in the Wuhua Secret Realm 214 215.
• Uses soul oaths and the destruction of incriminating items to limit the political consequences of combat 215.

Diplomacy and administration

• Negotiates a prospective alliance with Ancient Secluded City while concealing his identity and avoiding premature commitments 451.
• Works with Mei Yun on population and military-development questions in the Heavenly Fortune Dynasty 467 516.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Five-Spirit Casket — Crafted by Xu Deling; houses five elemental Flying Swords for the Five Elements Sword Formation 206 214.
• Fine-grade magical artifact — Already possesses one when Xu Chuan proposes restarting his cultivation; its identity is unspecified 197.
• High-grade defensive magic treasure — Produces a glazed light barrier around his party during a confrontation in the Demon-Sealing Valley 507.
• Zhao elders’ token — Establishes the Xu Household’s connection to the Spirit-Taming Zhao Household during a cautious encounter in the secret realm 215.

Relationships

• Xu Chuan — Father and cultivation mentor. Mingxuan follows his instructions to conceal his strength and trusts his recommendation to restart cultivation 75 197.
• Bai Jing — Mother. Welcomes him home in tears and later urges him to marry 77 78.
• Xu Mingwei — Eldest brother and martial benchmark. Reminds Mingxuan to protect household secrets and attend to present responsibilities 39 77.
• Xu Mingyuan — Second elder brother. Mingxuan admires his negotiating ability and joins him on the journey to obtain the Dragon Elephant inheritance 36.
• Xu Mingshu and Xu Mingxian — Younger siblings and expedition partners. Mingxuan coordinates Mingshu’s scouting insects and Mingxian’s formations during the Wuhua trial 215.
• Ge Xuanhong — Former commandant and sworn brother. Their brotherhood follows Mingxuan’s battlefield rescue and later supports friendly relations with the Ge Household 76 165.
• Ren Xiaoyao — Instructor in controlling the five elemental Flying Swords 206.
• Xu Deling — Niece and artifact supplier. Crafts his Five-Spirit Casket and accompanies him for protection on a potentially dangerous journey 200 206.
• Mei Yun — Colleague in the Heavenly Fortune Dynasty’s development; discusses city conditions, population, and future military expansion with him 467 516.
• Gu Xuanyou — Diplomatic counterpart in Ancient Secluded City; cautiously considers Mingxuan’s proposal for cooperation against Greedy Wolf 451.

Notable Quotes

“Mother, Charcoal Head’s home.” 77

“Father, although I have a fine-grade magical artifact too, I am not even as good as Mingxian in a direct fight.” 197