Xu Tianran

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Tianran (徐天然)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sun Moon Empire’s imperial family; Xu Chengjing’s faction 17 23
Occupation/Role	Xu Chengjing’s eldest legitimate son; participant in his father’s succession plot 17 26
Martial Soul	Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon 1 3
Innate Soul Power	Level nine 3
Family	Son of Xu Chengjing; eldest brother and only full brother of Xu Tiance 1 22
Status	Alive following Xu Chengjing’s seizure of the throne 25
First Appearance	Imperial Martial Soul Awakening ceremony in Mingdu 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Martial Soul awakening; level-nine Innate Soul Power	1 3	Awakened the rare Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon before the opening ceremony. Within Prince Purple Brilliant’s household, only Tianran and his father possessed it. His awakening marked the beginning of Xu Chengjing’s secret coup preparations.

Background / History

Expected heir

Xu Tianran initially enjoyed a secure claim to inherit his father’s title of Prince Purple Brilliant: inheritance required the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon Martial Soul, which none of his siblings possessed. He also spent years helping Xu Chengjing prepare to seize the imperial throne 17.

At the imperial awakening ceremony, Xu He’s Twin Martial Souls, Innate Full Soul Power, and appointment as Crown Prince provoked a clenched fist and a hostile look from Tianran. His own youngest brother soon became another succession threat: Xu Tiance awakened Sun-Moon Radiance, demonstrated Innate Full Soul Power, and became Kong Deming’s disciple 1 2 3.

Displaced by Xu Tiance

Tianran had previously concentrated on his second and third brothers, who were closer to his age. Tiance, nearly ten years younger, had scarcely registered as a competitor. After the awakening, Tianran realized that his father’s accession would not necessarily make him Crown Prince 3.

Kong Deming’s patronage helped bring Jing Hongchen into Xu Chengjing’s faction, advancing the coup while strengthening Tiance’s position. Tianran resented the prospect that years of work might earn him only the princely title he would have inherited anyway 17.

When the Body Sect relocated to Mingdu, Tianran questioned why an organization hostile to Soul Tools would join the Sun Moon Empire. He correctly suspected that Tiance might possess a second, Body Martial Soul capable of attracting Du Busi 21.

Acceptance and the palace coup

Learning that Kong Deming had asked Tiance whether he wanted to become Crown Prince extinguished Tianran’s remaining hopes. He drank silently during the family banquet, but afterward urged Tiance to cultivate diligently and become a sage king, surprising his younger brother with apparent sincerity 22.

Despite losing his expected place in the succession, Tianran eagerly accompanied Xu Chengjing into the palace during the coup. When Du Busi publicly confirmed his mentorship of Tiance and the Body Sect’s allegiance, Tianran accepted his earlier deduction about Tiance’s Twin Martial Souls. His resentment gave way to understanding 23 25.

Personality

Tianran is ambitious and sensitive to succession politics. His outwardly caring manner can conceal unease, and his early reaction to Xu He’s elevation shows that he has not yet mastered his father’s composure. He also recognizes political implications quickly, particularly when investigating the Body Sect’s unexpected relocation 1 21.

His affection for Tiance complicates their rivalry. He had long looked after his much younger full brother and settled disputes when Tiance fought other princes’ children. Although genuinely hurt by losing the succession, he encourages Tiance rather than attacking him and continues supporting their father’s coup 22 23.

Tianran has admired Shrek Academy since childhood and once wished to study there. His familiarity with the academy and its rivals helps him identify the inconsistency between the Body Sect’s traditions and its move to Mingdu 21.

Abilities & Skills

Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon

A rare inherited Martial Soul shared with his father 1.

• Qualifies him to inherit the title of Prince Purple Brilliant 17.
• Awakened with level-nine Innate Soul Power, below Tiance’s Innate Full Soul Power 3.

Political Planning and Deduction

Tianran contributes to his father’s operations and assesses the motives behind new alliances 17 26.

• Helped prepare Xu Chengjing’s bid for the throne over an extended period 17.
• Deduced that Tiance’s possible Body Martial Soul could explain Du Busi’s mentorship and the Body Sect’s relocation 21 25.

Relationships

• Xu Chengjing — Father and political leader. Initially favored Tianran as his successor, but ultimately chose Tiance for the Crown Prince position; intended Tianran to inherit his former princely title 17 22.
• Xu Tiance — Youngest brother, only full brother, and former succession rival. Their longstanding familial bond survives Tianran’s disappointment, culminating in his encouragement of Tiance’s future rule 22 25.
• Xu He — Imperial cousin whose appointment as Crown Prince initially provokes Tianran’s hostility 1.
• Kong Deming — His support for Tiance effectively ends Tianran’s chance of becoming Crown Prince 12 22.
• Holy Spirit Cult — Zhongli Wu proposes exploiting Tianran’s presumed resentment to foment a succession struggle. Ye Xishui rejects the plan in favor of approaching Tiance; no alliance with Tianran is established 26.

Differences from the Original Course of Events

The following outcomes are described through Xu Tiance’s knowledge of the original story, rather than as events Tianran undergoes in the altered timeline:

• Tianran becomes Ye Xishui’s disciple and cooperates with the Holy Spirit Cult to secure his position and obtain powerful Soul Masters. He intends to eliminate the cult after continental unification, while Ye Xishui seeks to control him and legitimize it 28.
• An assassination attempt leaves him unable to father children. Tiance hopes that preventing his appointment as Crown Prince will spare him this fate 17.
• Shadow Douluo Xue Chen serves as Tianran’s loyal protector; in the altered timeline, Kong Deming assigns him to protect Tiance instead 22.
• Du Busi later uses self-detonation while going after Tianran 19.

Notable Quotes

“My brother, you should be a sage king like Yao and Shun!” 22