Xuan Zi

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xuan Zi (玄子)
Alias(es)	Elder Xuan; Old Xuan
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shrek Academy; Sea God Pavilion; formerly the Shrek Supervisory Corps
Occupation/Role	Shrek elder; former Vice Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion; former Deputy Head/Vice Commander of the Supervisory Corps; expedition and tournament-team leader
Status	Active 435
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Background / History

Xuan Zi discovered Su Wen in the Star Dou Great Forest after sensing his exceptional spirit power. Delighted by Su Wen's Innate Full Spirit Power and Beast Taming Martial Soul, he immediately sought to recruit him for Shrek Academy and offered to personally obtain a suitable Spirit Beast. Upon learning that Su Wen's first Spirit Ring could increase in age alongside his contracted Spirit Beast, Xuan Zi considered the revelation important enough to report to Elder Mu. 3

During the same expedition, Xuan Zi neglected the main Inner Courtyard team while pursuing Blazing Bird eggs with Su Wen. He initially argued that the team could handle itself unless it encountered a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast; when such danger emerged, he raced back too late. Su Wen was severely injured while buying the group time against the Blood-Eroding Demon Tiger, and his Martial Soul was shattered. Xuan Zi arrived to find casualties and the academy disciples' trust in him badly damaged. 6 11 12

At a Sea God Pavilion meeting, Xuan Zi accepted responsibility for the disaster and offered to resign as Vice Pavilion Master and Deputy Head of the Supervisory Corps. Elder Mu held him responsible for the failed operation. 13 14

He later led Shrek's Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament team alongside Wang Yan. That expedition also ended disastrously when Evil Spirit Masters devastated the main team; Xuan Zi promised to return the injured members to Shrek and bear the consequences. 124 127

Afterward, Xuan Zi returned in clean clothes with his beard shaved, explaining that Mu En had revoked his Supervisory Corps post and ordered him to change his appearance if he wished to remain at Shrek. He stated that he wanted to change. 135

In later years, a Shrek simulated assessment recreated the tournament disaster and made Xuan Zi's failure a permanent “easter egg.” Angered at being publicly memorialized as the unreliable leader who had stood outside the Evil Spirit Master dungeon, he confronted the disciples involved and later unsuccessfully pressed Su Wen to remove the scenario. 434 435

Appearance

Xuan Zi is initially depicted as a slovenly, elderly man with disheveled hair, an unkempt beard, tattered clothing, and a perpetually casual manner. 3 83 124

• Commonly carries a chicken leg and a wine gourd. 3 83
• His rough appearance causes him to be compared to a beggar or old rogue. 124
• After disciplinary action, he appears clean-shaven, neatly dressed, and straight-backed, giving him the appearance of a battle-hardened veteran. 135
• In the later simulated-assessment era, he is depicted in a middle-aged form. 434

Personality

Xuan Zi is excitable and impulsive, particularly when encountering exceptional talent. His joy at finding Su Wen is so excessive that he nearly dances, and he eagerly promises to catch even extremely high-level Spirit Beasts for the child. 3

His confidence is undermined by a history of poor judgment as a leader. He casually abandons an Inner Courtyard expedition to seek food, arrives late to a life-threatening crisis, and later presides over another disastrous tournament mission. 6 12 127 He does, however, experience genuine remorse: the disappointment of the injured team weighs heavily on him, and he voluntarily offers to surrender his academy posts. 12 14

After Mu En's intervention, Xuan Zi attempts to reform himself, changing his appearance and expressing a desire to remain at Shrek Academy. 135 He remains quick-tempered when confronted with criticism, especially when Su Wen's simulated assessment preserves his failures for future students to encounter. 434 435

Abilities & Skills

Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul

Xuan Zi possesses the Godly Taotie Bull Martial Soul. 14

• His cultivation is described as Rank 98, placing him among the continent's strongest experts at the time. 61
• He is identified as an Extreme Douluo, though regarded as the weakest among that rank in the cited comparison. 61
• He can rapidly traverse the Star Dou Great Forest as a streak of yellow light. 9
• His strength intimidates a twenty-thousand-year Nether Python into retreating from a Dragon Beard Fruit tree. 7
• Later assessments place Su Wen's Pet Beast lineup at a level capable of challenging Xuan Zi and even contending with a Limit Douluo as a team. 225

High-Speed Movement

Xuan Zi can relocate himself and others with extreme speed.

• He seized Su Wen and transported him from the camp to the crown of an ancient tree in an instant. 3
• When he realized the expedition had entered the Core Region and faced a potential Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he immediately rushed back toward the group. 9

Equipment / Items

• Wine gourd — commonly carried at his waist or in hand. 3 83 124
• Chicken leg — frequently seen eating one during academy operations and departures. 3 83 124
• Sea God Pavilion badge — surrendered when he offered to resign his position after the Star Dou Great Forest failure. 14

Relationships

• Su Wen — Xuan Zi discovered and recruited him for Shrek Academy, initially treating him as an extraordinary find. Their relationship later became strained by Xuan Zi's repeated leadership failures and Su Wen's open condemnation of them. 3 125 435
• Mu En — Senior Shrek authority who held Xuan Zi accountable for the failed expedition, prompting his offered resignation and later removal from the Supervisory Corps post. 13 14 135
• Zhang Lexuan — Accompanied Xuan Zi during Su Wen's recruitment and Spirit Beast search; she was among those endangered when Xuan Zi arrived late during the Blood-Eroding Demon Tiger crisis. 3 12
• Ma Xiaotao — Part of the Inner Courtyard group endangered during Xuan Zi's first failed expedition; she reacts with shock at his cleaned-up appearance after his attempted reform. 12 135
• Wang Yan — Co-led Shrek's tournament team with Xuan Zi and confronted him after the main team was nearly wiped out by Evil Spirit Masters. 124 127

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruitment of Su Wen

• Identifies Su Wen's Innate Full Spirit Power and unusual Beast Taming Martial Soul. 3
• Offers Shrek Academy's support and plans to report Su Wen's upgradable Spirit Ring to Elder Mu. 3

Star Dou Great Forest Failure

• Leaves the main expedition while pursuing food with Su Wen. 6
• Arrives late after the group battles a Blood-Eroding Demon Tiger, finding Su Wen gravely injured and several disciples harmed. 12
• Accepts responsibility before the Sea God Pavilion and offers to relinquish his positions. 14

Tournament Leadership and Attempted Reform

• Leads Shrek's tournament delegation with Wang Yan. 124
• Fails to prevent the Evil Spirit Master attack that devastates the main team, then accepts responsibility for returning the injured students. 127
• Returns to Shrek visibly reformed in appearance after Mu En removes him from his Supervisory Corps leadership role. 135

Legacy in Shrek's Simulated Assessment

• Becomes part of a simulated assessment based on the Evil Spirit Master dungeon incident, where students can call on him as outside aid. 434
• Resents the scenario's portrayal of him and asks Su Wen to erase it, only to lose his temper when Su Wen repeatedly delays acting. 435

Trivia

• Xuan Zi's first response to Su Wen's innate first Spirit Ring is anger at whoever supposedly gave it to him, before learning that it came with Su Wen's Martial Soul. 3
• He judges Su Wen's decision to obtain only a ten-year Spirit Beast as normal until learning that Su Wen's Spirit Ring can grow with the contracted beast. 3
• He is repeatedly associated with eating and drinking even during high-risk academy operations. 3 6 83 124