Xu Juren

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Juren (徐居仁)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xu Clan of Heavenly Martial City 4 14
Occupation/Role	Clan leader and patriarch 4 9
Family	Grandfather of Xu Qingyang and Xu Qingying; father of the Desolate Sky Sword Master and Xu Yi; eldest brother of Xu Nanjin 3 29 33 34
Cultivation	Peak Nascent Soul Realm; had remained at this stage for ten years 27
Status	Alive at his latest documented appearance 37
First Appearance	Chapter 1 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Nascent Soul Realm	27	Confirmed to have been stalled at this stage for ten years. Accepts a Heaven-Piercing Pill intended to help him enter the Grotto-Heaven Realm; a successful breakthrough is not documented.

Background / History

Family and succession dispute

Xu Juren is the father of the Desolate Sky Sword Master, Xu Qingyang’s father. After Qingyang’s parents disappeared when he was three, Juren remained a central source of support for Qingyang and his younger sister, Xu Qingying 1 3 33 34.

He witnesses Qingyang awaken an emperor-rank Sword Martial Soul on his thirty-sixth attempt, proudly declaring that his grandson deserves it. When the soul immediately vanishes and Qingyang collapses, Juren becomes alarmed. After Qingyang wakes, he encourages him to persevere, citing cases of people awakening their martial souls again 1 3.

First Elder Xu Taichong uses the apparent loss to challenge Qingyang’s position as young master. Juren rejects both Taichong’s demands and Qingyang’s own proposed resignation, arguing that Qingyang’s planning and strategic judgment have already strengthened the clan’s prestige 3 4.

Killing Xu Taichong

Juren initially doubts that Qingyang could have crippled Xu Pan, a fifth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator. Qingyang then confirms that he has reached the seventh level and restored his Sword Martial Soul, leaving Juren delighted 7 8.

When Taichong demands Qingyang’s martial soul and fortuitous opportunity, threatening to expose him to outsiders, Juren attacks. His fist intent overwhelms Taichong’s saber strikes. He refuses Taichong’s plea for mercy because he expects retaliation, then kills him. Juren subsequently sends Xu Jinhong to kill Xu Pan 8 9.

Qingying’s cold poison

Juren hires Li Xunzhou to suppress Qingying’s cold poison. When the treatment fails and ice encases her body, he angrily confronts the physician but keeps him nearby because he is Heavenly Martial City’s only third-rank physician. He agrees to seek a fifth-rank physician from Nanyang Prefecture before Qingyang offers to treat her himself 12.

Although doubtful of Qingyang’s medical ability, Juren watches him remove the ice and absorb the poison within ten breaths. His concern turns to praise. After Qingying recalls being attacked by a masked person, Juren shares the suspicion that someone deliberately triggered her condition and asks Qingyang how he intends to respond 13.

Preparing for outside threats

Juren refuses to surrender Qingyang when Qi Tai’a arrives demanding revenge for Qi Qin and Qi Tian. He prepares to fight, but Qingyang intervenes and defeats the attackers himself. Afterward, Juren warns him that the Qi Family’s connection to the Nanyang Ye Family could bring intervention from War God Academy 14 15.

He later sends Qingyang to investigate the disturbance in the Boundless Mountains, emphasizing experience over acquiring treasure. On Qingyang’s return, he accepts only some gold ore and spirit veins, leaving the other treasures for his grandson’s cultivation. He initially refuses the Heaven-Piercing Pill, accepting it only when Qingyang argues that the family needs his protection against the Qi and Ye families 17 27.

When Xu Nanjin reports that Qingyang destroyed the clan’s best cultivation chamber, Juren concludes that he was practicing a Grotto-Heaven technique. He orders Nanjin to keep the matter secret, unaware that the destructive punch was actually a Spirit Transformation technique 29.

Defense of the Xu Clan

After Ye Tian’s death, Juren anticipates that Qi Yue will blame either him or Qingyang. He proposes publicly accusing Qi Yue first, but Qingyang rejects the plan and insists that he can handle the Ye Family’s experts 31.

As Ye Huaixian approaches, Juren rejects his son Xu Yi’s suggestion of appeasement. He argues that surrendering Qingyang would not prevent the enemy from exterminating the clan. Instead, he activates the Clan-Protecting Formation left by the Desolate Sky Sword Master 33.

Juren uses the formation to repel Ye Huaixian’s initial attack, but the Heaven-Breaking Stele destroys its defenses. The White Tiger King then intervenes and kills the leading enemies. Unaware that the masked defender is Qingyang himself, Juren thanks him and helps eliminate the surviving Ye and Qi forces, including Qi Yue 34 36.

Appearance

• Wears a long black robe when visiting Qingyang after his awakening ordeal 3.

Personality

Juren values Qingyang’s resolve and judgment independently of cultivation strength. Even while believing his grandson may never cultivate, he considers him qualified to remain young master. He also prioritizes Qingyang’s future over his own advancement, initially refusing both valuable treasures and the Heaven-Piercing Pill 4 27.

His affection does not make him indiscriminately trusting. He recognizes Taichong’s likely desire for revenge, anticipates Qi Yue’s political manipulation, and conceals Qingyang’s powerful technique from the wider clan. When protection requires violence, he acts decisively—even against the clan’s First Elder 8 29 31.

As a mentor, he stresses practical trials rather than talent alone. He sends Qingyang into the Boundless Mountains specifically to temper him through experience, while warning him about the stronger institutions behind his enemies 15 17.

Abilities & Skills

Fist Intent

• Has comprehended fist intent, which Xu Taichong identifies as the reason he cannot match Juren 8.
• Shatters Taichong’s saber light with adamantine fist force, knocks him back, and kills him with a subsequent punch 8.

Clan-Protecting Formation

• Activates the inherited formation through the inscriptions on his Green Wooden Staff 34.
• Uses Three Formation Strikes to release Purple Lightning, Glazed-Flame Spirit Chains, and ten luminous longswords, destroying Ye Huaixian’s Blood Flood Dragon Fist 34.
• The formation exudes Grotto-Heaven-level might but is vulnerable to the formation-destroying Heaven-Breaking Stele 34.

Leadership and Political Strategy

• Defends Qingyang’s succession rights against internal opposition 3 4.
• Orders Xu Pan’s execution through Xu Jinhong 8 9.
• Anticipates the attempt to implicate the Xu Clan in Ye Tian’s death and devises a preemptive public accusation against Qi Yue 31.

Equipment / Items

• Green Wooden Staff — Inscribed staff used to operate the Clan-Protecting Formation 34.
• Heaven-Piercing Pill — Gift from Qingyang intended to overcome his ten-year cultivation bottleneck 27.
• Gold ore and spirit veins — Selected from Qingyang’s Boundless Mountains haul; he declines the remaining treasures 27.

Relationships

• Xu Qingyang — Grandson and chosen young master. Juren protects his position, kills Taichong for threatening him, and refuses to surrender him to outside enemies 4 8 14 34.
• Xu Qingying — Granddaughter. He arranges treatment for her cold poison and is astonished when she later reveals her Ice Phoenix Physique 12 13 34.
• Desolate Sky Sword Master — Son and Qingyang’s father; left the formation Juren relies upon to defend the clan 33 34.
• Xu Yi — Son and the Sword Master’s younger brother. Juren rebukes his fear of the Ye Family and rejects sacrificing Qingyang for supposed safety 33.
• Xu Nanjin — Third younger brother. Reports Qingyang’s destruction of a cultivation chamber and agrees to keep his technique secret 29.
• Xu Jinhong — Clansman entrusted with killing Xu Pan; later informs Juren of his impending departure from the clan 9 37.
• Su Zilian — Qingyang’s fiancée. Juren welcomes her support for Qingyang and receives her and Qin Guanyu after the siege 7 36.
• White Tiger King — Apparent outside protector whom Juren credits with saving the clan; he does not recognize him as Qingyang 36.

Notable Quotes

“But even if you can never cultivate again, your strategic talents are more than enough for you to shoulder responsibility on your own. You'll certainly make a worthy young master!” 4

“Qingyang, you're my grandson. Of course I'll shield you and guide you safely on your way!” 8

“You must understand that the only way to keep growing stronger is to keep tempering yourself through experience!” 17