Xu Tianyuan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Tianyuan (徐天渊)
Alias(es)	Sixth Prince; “Lord Xu Tianyuan,” a form of address he forces Xiao Hongchen to use 8 19
Gender	Male 1
Age	Sixteen at the beginning of the story 1 16
Affiliation	Sun Moon Empire imperial family; Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy 1 7
Occupation/Role	Sixth prince and academy student 7 8
Martial Souls	Sun; Divine Axe Rhitta, a system-granted second Martial Soul 1 2 3
Cultivation	Level 47 Soul Ancestor, his latest documented level 28 29
Residence	Villa 007, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy 7 8
Status	Alive; invited to replace Xiao Hongchen on the academy’s tournament team 31
First Appearance	Chapter 1 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 29 — Soul Grandmaster	1 2 3	Starting cultivation. Binds the Pride Sin Template and activates it through his Sun Martial Soul at night, gaining enough combat power to kill three Soul Kings without increasing his level.
Level 30 — Soul Elder threshold	13	Reaches level 30 after an hour of sunbathing. A purple third Soul Ring begins forming, revealing that sunlight can overcome his ring bottleneck.
Level 32 — Soul Elder	17	Completes a full day of sunbathing and obtains his third ring. His ring configuration becomes two yellow and one purple; his original ten-year first ring has grown into a hundred-year ring.
Level 33 — Soul Elder	28	Reached on the first day of the subsequent cultivation period.
Level 35 — Soul Elder	28	Reached on the seventh day of continued sunbathing.
Level 38 — Soul Elder	28	Reached by the end of the first month.
Level 40 — Soul Ancestor	28	Reaches the bottleneck halfway through the second month and condenses his fourth ring at noon. Its purple color is so deep that it is almost black; no exact age is given.
Level 47 — Soul Ancestor	28 29	Reached in the third month, fifteen levels above his previous level 32. His total soul power and its purity are described as comparable to an ordinary Soul Emperor’s.

Background / History

Xu Tianyuan is a transmigrator who lived into his twenties in his previous life and has spent sixteen years in the world of Douluo. His familiarity with the original novel lets him recognize important characters, their motives, and the approaching Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament 8 11 24.

Born as the Sun Moon Emperor’s youngest son, he becomes a potential obstacle to his half-brother Xu Tianran’s succession. Xu Tianran’s purge kills numerous imperial relatives, leaving Tianyuan to survive by appearing harmless, cowardly, and uninterested in power 1 2.

His disguise extends beyond behavior: he deliberately chooses weak Soul Rings, sleeps through classes, submits blank examination papers, and tolerates bullying without retaliation. He also cultivates a reputation for debauchery through frequent visits to pleasure houses. These measures convince the empire that he is an incompetent wastrel, but also discourage potential supporters from helping him 13 24.

He never meets his mother. Palace attendants say she died of illness, whereas Luan Feng—her close friend—later tells him that she died giving birth to him. Tianyuan accepts Luan Feng’s account as the truth 24.

Appearance

• Normal form: Thin and frail, with fair skin, handsome, sharply defined facial features, and short blond hair 2 3 9.
• Muscle Mode: Grows beyond two meters tall, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, enormous arms, prominent chest muscles, and eight abdominal muscles 18 30.
• Transformation effects: His expanding body tears apart his upper clothing; he returns to his slender appearance when the mode ends 3 18 19.

Personality

Tianyuan is patient and calculating when his survival is at stake. He recognizes that defeating stronger opponents does not make him safe from Xu Tianran’s political network, and repeatedly chooses institutional protection over immediate revenge. His performances of panic, stupidity, and wounded innocence exploit the reputation he spent years constructing 4 5 6 26 27.

His caution coexists with cruelty and vindictiveness. He threatens to kill Ju Zi over her allegiance to Xu Tianran, beats her into reluctant submission, and uses her desire for revenge as leverage. His ambition extends to unifying the world’s competing powers into one empire, without committing himself to morally acceptable methods 9 10 11 12.

Muscle Mode amplifies his arrogance, making him openly contemptuous and prone to calling opponents “ants.” After his first battle, he notices that this behavior fades when the transformation ends 3 19 31.

Outside combat, he enjoys comfort, food, and teasing others. He ignores classes in favor of sunbathing, dislikes wasting expensive meals, and turns Xiao Hongchen’s defeat into an opportunity to demand money. Despite considering a politically advantageous match, he ultimately rejects pretending affection for a woman he has never met 19 23 27 28.

Abilities & Skills

Pride Sin Template

A system-granted template binds to Tianyuan during the assassination attempt in his chambers, supplying Sunshine, Divine Axe Rhitta, Cruel Sun, Pride Flare, and the special form The One 1.

• Requires solar power to activate; his Sun Martial Soul provides a substitute at night 2.
• Nighttime activation is weaker than activation under the real daytime sun 2.
• Does not remove the world’s cultivation-level restrictions 4.
• Remains secret even after he accepts Luan Feng’s protection 26.

Sunshine and Solar Cultivation

The Sunshine talent converts sunlight into soul power and can supplement cultivation through meditation. Tianyuan finds the resulting power denser and purer than what his previous cultivation method produced 1 13.

• Passively increases soul power while he sunbathes; the talent is described as ineffective after sunset 1.
• Condenses new Soul Rings at cultivation bottlenecks, eliminating his need to hunt Soul Beasts for subsequent rings 13 17 28.
• Increases the ages of existing rings; his white first ring eventually becomes yellow 13 17.
• Produces soul power carrying the scorching Power of the Sun 28.

The system also grants an idealistic skill named Sunshine, described as functioning regardless of day or night if there is “a sun in your heart.” Tianyuan does not initially understand its activation condition; his demonstrated nighttime solution is to summon his Sun Martial Soul 1 2.

Sun Martial Soul and Muscle Mode

His original Martial Soul manifests as a sun-like fireball behind him. It can activate the template even when natural sunlight is unavailable 2.

• Passively absorbs light and heat, strengthening his body even without Muscle Mode. Morning sunlight lets him withstand close-range shots from Ju Zi’s Level 3 Soul Tool 10.
• Muscle Mode dramatically increases his size, strength, and combat presence 2 18 30.
• His enhanced speed and perception allow him to catch Ma Rulong’s Soul Emperor-powered saber between two fingers 30.
• The mode influences his personality toward pride and contempt, and destroys ordinary upper clothing 3.

Cruel Sun

Condenses a small Sun Fireball at his fingertip whose heat distorts the air, ignites furniture, and softens nearby metal 3.

• Can be launched directly at an opponent 3.
• Engulfs the tiger Martial Soul assassin in flames that he cannot extinguish, burning him to death 3.
• Can be dispersed at Tianyuan’s command 3.
• Later serves as a threat against the academy visitors after Ma Rulong’s defeat 31.

Pride Flare

A solar attack used against the feather-wielding assassin 3.

• Destroys the attacker’s storm of razor-sharp feathers.
• Burns the attacker to death 3.

Divine Axe Rhitta

Rhitta is identified as his second Martial Soul, but is technically a divine weapon granted by the template rather than a conventional Martial Soul. This distinction allows him to wield it while simultaneously manifesting his Sun Martial Soul 18.

• Absorbs excess solar heat from its wielder and stores it 3.
• Releases stored energy as the ranged scorching shock wave Sun Slash, or coats its blade to strengthen close-range attacks 3.
• Breaks a Soul King’s spear and cleaves its wielder in half 3.
• Its Dust Slash melts Xiao Hongchen’s black ice iron armor and severely burns him 19.

The One / Noon Form

The template grants The One, while Tianyuan identifies noon as the point at which his power is strongest 1 4.

• At level 29, he estimates that his noon power could defeat a Soul Saint 4.
• He predicts that reaching Soul King would let his noon form overcome ordinary Titled Douluos 4.
• At level 47, he believes fighting a Titled Douluo at high noon may be possible, but explicitly has not tested that belief 28.

Deception and Political Strategy

• Makes the assassination attempt public to prevent Xu Tianran from quietly arranging another attack 4 5.
• Invents an unknown rescuer to conceal his own combat abilities 5 6.
• Records Xiao Hongchen’s promise not to report their duel, protecting his position at the academy 18 26.
• Requests quiet protection from Luan Feng rather than a public declaration of support 26.
• Uses knowledge of Ju Zi’s history and motives to offer an alternative route to revenge against Dai Hao 9 11.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Divine Axe Rhitta — Golden, crescent-bladed axe measuring two meters long and weighing over nine hundred kilograms. Its head bears sun patterns and side spearpoints; a thorned ring sits at the end of its haft 3.
• Thousand-Jin Shield — Black, hexagonal Level 7 defensive Soul Tool given by Luan Feng. Activated by channeling soul power into it 25 26.
• Swift-Speed Pendant — Silver Level 7 speed-enhancing Soul Tool with a blue crystal, also given by Luan Feng. She expects the two tools, used properly, to help him survive an ordinary Soul Douluo 25 26.
• Storage ring — Taken from Xiao Hongchen as “compensation for emotional distress”; contains tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins 19.
• Recorded duel agreement — Evidence of Xiao Hongchen’s promise not to involve his grandfather after their fight 18 26.

Relationships

• Xu Tianran — Half-brother, crown prince, and principal enemy. Tianyuan regards their conflict as irreconcilable and intends to kill him; Xu Tianran repeatedly plans his assassination 1 6 16.
• Xu Zhengxiao — Father and emperor. Genuinely concerned for Tianyuan, but unable to counter Xu Tianran’s entrenched influence; authorizes his move to the academy 5 6 7.
• Luan Feng — His mother’s close friend and eventual protector, whom he begins calling “Aunt Feng.” Offers maternal concern, Level 7 Soul Tools, and discreet backing, but cannot attack the crown prince without risking treason 24 25 26.
• Jing Hongchen — Academy director responsible for his safety under imperial orders. Initially dismisses him as unworthy and allows him to skip classes provided he causes no trouble 7 8.
• Ju Zi — Xu Tianran’s subordinate whom Tianyuan tries to recruit through threats, violence, and a promise to kill Dai Hao within a year. Her initial agreement is reluctant, not genuine loyalty 9 10 11 12.
• Ke Ke — Ju Zi’s protective friend. Intervenes after witnessing his assault, then mistakes the pair’s cover story about “playing games” for a sexual relationship 12 13.
• Xiao Hongchen — Duel opponent whom Tianyuan defeats, humiliates, and extorts. Xiao’s prolonged psychological collapse later creates a vacancy on the tournament team 18 19 29 31.
• Meng Hongchen — Becomes attracted to him despite his reputation, conceals his defeat of her brother, and later explains the tournament invitation 17 20 31.
• Nana — A shy academy acquaintance whom he treats to dinner. He deflects her questions about his strength and avoids romance because he knows the Holy Spirit Cult holds her parents hostage 21 22 25 27 28.
• Ma Rulong — Tournament team member whose aggressive approach escalates into a fight. Tianyuan breaks his forearms and defeats him with a controlled slap 29 30 31.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Assassination and Escape from the Palace

Three Soul Kings enter Tianyuan’s chambers while his newly acquired template is binding. He stalls them, discovers his Sun Martial Soul can power the template at night, and kills all three. Rather than confront Xu Tianran immediately, he smears himself with their blood and stages a public plea for help 1 2 3 4.

He attributes his survival to an unknown expert, humiliates Xu Tianran through pointed remarks before witnesses, and persuades his father to send him to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy 5 6 7.

Academy Refuge and Hidden Growth

Settling into Villa 007, Tianyuan targets Ju Zi as a possible future threat, then attempts to redirect her loyalty through coercion and promises of revenge. He subsequently discovers that sunlight can generate Soul Rings as well as soul power 8 9 10 11 12 13.

Xu Tianran and Yu Dazhi plan to ambush him when he leaves to obtain a ring. Their scheme assumes he must hunt Soul Beasts—a requirement his solar cultivation has already bypassed 13 16 17.

Xiao Hongchen’s Defeat and Luan Feng’s Support

After securing a recorded agreement, Tianyuan defeats Xiao Hongchen in a nighttime duel and takes compensation instead of killing him. Meng conceals the outcome, while the surrounding students continue judging him by his old reputation 18 19 20.

Luan Feng reveals that she witnessed his strength, explains her connection to his mother, and offers her protection. Tianyuan accepts her help while keeping the template secret and asking her to avoid publicly taking his side 23 24 25 26.

Tournament Recruitment

Three months of sunbathing bring Tianyuan to level 47. Meanwhile, Xiao Hongchen remains psychologically unable to train or compete, prompting the academy to seek Tianyuan as his replacement 28 29 31.

Ma Rulong’s insults and physical aggression derail the invitation. Tianyuan breaks his arms, stops his saber, and sends him through a wall with a slap before Meng Hongchen finally explains their mission. The provided chapters end before Tianyuan accepts or rejects the invitation 29 30 31.

Notable Quotes

“But for me, nothing is impossible.” 3

“Once an enemy falls by my hand, I never consider him a rival again. I only give him time to catch up, until I stand forever beyond his reach.” 19