Xu Changshou

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Xu Changshou grew up in Xu Family Village as the son of a well-known hunter. His family had enough food and clothing until his father was killed by a wild beast when Xu was nine. His mother died afterward, leaving him orphaned. Landowner Wang Yuanwai took him in as a cowherd but also made him haul water, chop firewood, and work the fields. Xu lived in a cowshed, regularly went hungry, and endured beatings and insults from Wang Xu-shi 1.

At twelve, Xu found the unconscious Zhang Zhengyuan beside the road and brought him home on an ox. Despite receiving only two of the four cornmeal buns promised for his labor, he saved one for the Daoist. Zhang repaid him by teaching the Six-Character Breathing Method and protecting him from the Wangs. Recognizing that Zhang’s protection was temporary, Xu devoted nearly all his waking hours to practice until he sensed qi and secured acceptance as a disciple 1 2 3.

Soon afterward, Xu dreamed of Xu Gan fighting the evil cultivator Wang Mang and embedding the Xu Family’s greatest treasure into its bloodline. He awoke to find the Bloodline Jade Talisman around his neck and concealed it even from Zhang. On entering the Green Immortal Sect, he discovered that Zhang was only a menial Qi Refining disciple and that cultivators without resources or backers faced severe exploitation. Rather than abandon cultivation, Xu placed his hopes in unlocking the jade talisman 4 6 7.

Appearance

Xu changes from an underfed village boy into a handsome young cultivator as the sect’s spirit food nourishes him 1 16.

• At twelve: Ragged clothing, a dirty face, and the appearance of a boy accustomed to hard labor 1.
• At fifteen: Handsome and graceful, almost fully grown, though still somewhat thin 16.
• After opening the jade talisman: Can manifest a red ancient “talisman” character on his palm by circulating spiritual energy into it 19 20.

Personality

Xu’s diligence begins as a survival strategy: cultivation offers his only apparent escape from hunger and abuse. He initially wants little more than reliable meals, but Zhang’s descriptions of immortal arts expand his ambitions. He later replaces sleep with meditation for more than two years, earning teasing remarks about being a cultivation maniac 2 3 4 16.

His humble upbringing gives him a practical outlook. He accepts menial status, adjusts quickly to disappointing circumstances, and continues working toward Foundation Establishment despite the examples of exhausted or retiring disciples around him. He is generous toward others in hardship, rescuing Zhang while hungry himself and later giving Su Mo ten Qi Gathering Pills when Su’s family can no longer support him 1 8 14 27 36.

Xu is also secretive and risk-conscious. He hides his inheritance, disguises himself when selling talismans, and invents explanations for his unusual progress and combat power. He avoids unnecessary journeys outside the sect and prefers earning money without attracting scrutiny, although he will act boldly when equipped with a suitable countermeasure 4 27 28 34 40 44 46.

Abilities & Skills

Ten-Attribute Spiritual Root

Xu possesses metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, lightning, light, darkness, and ice—the full set of ten attributes described in the setting 8.

• Cultivation drawback: Its highly mixed nature makes ordinary advancement slow; early progress depends heavily on exceptional practice time 5 8 17.
• Talisman compatibility: Can supply the attributes required by talismans that other cultivators cannot draw 23.
• Spell versatility: Learns every basic spell in the Complete Compendium of Spells in less than a day 41.
• Specialized cultivation: Meets the ten-element requirement for the Great Dao Talisman Scripture 20.

Cultivation Methods

• Six-Character Breathing Method: Zhang’s introductory breathing practice, through which Xu first senses qi 1 2 3.
• Initial Green Immortal Sect method: Covers the first three layers of Qi Refining and is transmitted through a jade slip 5.
• Ten Paths Formula: Cultivates all ten attributes and covers Qi Refining through the twelfth layer 8 12.
• Great Dao Talisman Scripture: Compatible with the Ten Paths Formula, extends to Foundation Establishment perfection, and includes specialized spiritual-energy circulation for talisman drawing. Access to the method does not mean Xu has reached Foundation Establishment 20 24.

Bloodline Jade Talisman

The jade talisman provides Xu with a hidden chamber containing hundreds of talisman designs and the Great Dao Talisman Scripture 19 20.

• Access: Opens after his seventh-layer breakthrough. He manifests the palm character and presses it to his forehead 19 20.
• Consciousness-only entry: His body remains outside, so he must access the chamber from a safe location 20.
• Storage: Holds talismans, materials, and spirit stones; items can be retrieved with a thought 25 34.
• Energy replenishment: The palm character absorbs ambient spiritual energy and restores his depleted reserves in about an hour, faster than a Qi-Replenishing Pill 24.
• Production assistance: Supplies part—but not all—of the energy needed for drawing. Three talismans consume only a third of his reserves when assisted 24.
• Unopened area: A second stone door remains immovable when he first explores the chamber 20.

Talisman Drawing

Xu begins with repeated failures, then improves by studying the scripture’s coordinated cultivation and drawing methods. At the seventh layer, drawing three first-grade talismans normally exhausts him. With the palm character’s assistance, he settles on fifteen per day; twenty is possible but tiring 23 24.

Martial Techniques & Spells

• Withered Wood Palm: Channels qi into a hardened, wood-like palm. Xu learns its essentials in three days and shatters the village’s Lying Ox Stone 5.
• External spiritual-energy projection: Unlocked at the seventh layer; his first test destroys a hard locustwood stool from a distance 19.
• Five Elements Sword: Combines metal, wood, water, fire, and earth attacks. Xu learns the basic forms and most combinations before departure, though the strongest five-element combination remains unmastered at that point 41.
• Sword combat: Kills a Savage Bull King comparable to a ninth-layer cultivator in one strike with the Five-Cloud Sword 42.
• Basic spells: Includes Fireball Spell, Water Manipulation Spell, Wind-Riding Art, Lightning Strike Spell, Earth Spirit Spell, and Ice Sculpture Spell 41.
• Qi-Reading Art: Used to assess fellow disciples’ cultivation 13.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bloodline Jade Talisman — His concealed inheritance, cultivation library, energy-gathering aid, and primary storage space 4 19 24 34.
• Five-Cloud Sword — A dark, five-attribute pseudo-magic artifact purchased for 108 spirit stones. It glows with five-colored radiance when supplied with energy and destroys his Fine Steel Sword in a test 41.
• Spirit Brush and talisman paper — Tools for his initial talisman production; Li Dao Path supplies a brush upon his Green Ink Peak assignment 21 23.
• Red identity token — Replaces his original yellow plaque and records his true ten-element root and Green Ink Peak membership 21.
• Storage Bag — His original bag holds one cubic meter. He later keeps ordinary supplies inside while concealing most valuables in the jade talisman 9 34.
• Beast-hide materials — Hundred-year yellow weasel pelt for Earth Gang Talismans; azure wolf hide for movement talismans; Savage Bull King hide for Sharp Gold Talismans; Black Antelope Thunder Ox hide for planned Thunderstorm Talismans 32 34 38 43 47.
• Crimson Refining and Azure Edge — Fire- and water-attribute pseudo-magic swords taken from his Union of Joy Sect attackers. Myriad Treasures Pavilion refuses them as illicit goods 46.
• Puppet Horse — Purchased for travel outside the sect 41.

Relationships

• Zhang Zhengyuan — Rescued Daoist and first cultivation teacher. Accepts Xu as a disciple after his qi sensation, but requires him to use “senior brother” inside the sect. Leaves after receiving the referral reward 1 3 6 8.
• Wang Yuanwai and Wang Xu-shi — Former employers who exploit and abuse him. Their treatment changes after Zhang intervenes; Xu nevertheless recognizes that their kindness depends on the Daoist’s presence 1 2.
• Xu Gan — An ancestral figure in Xu’s dream who places the Xu Family treasure into its bloodline. Xu feels blood-deep kinship with him, though initially does not understand the connection 4.
• Liu Chuansheng — Admission official who conceals Xu’s ten-attribute root in the initial registration and supplies the Ten Paths Formula 8.
• Jiang Xiaochuan — First neighbor and friend at Gengzi Courtyard; later becomes competitive about cultivation rank. Xu notices increasing jealousy and calculation during their reunion 10 20 34.
• Ye Shanhua — Fellow disciple, materials supplier, talisman buyer, and traveling companion. Xu is attracted to her as they grow older, but conceals the source of his superior talismans 16 30 32 33 38 41.
• Yang Bailao — Senior disciple responsible for teaching him talisman drawing. Offers practical guidance while expecting Xu to face the same exhausting work that has consumed his own life 21 22 25.
• Li Dao Path — Foundation Establishment supervisor at Green Ink Peak. Recognizes Xu’s root as suitable for talisman work and later assigns the Fire Mulberry mission; Xu suspects the assignment may hide hostile intentions 21 40.
• Su Mo — Fellow disciple whose determination impresses Xu. When Su loses family support, Xu gives him ten Qi Gathering Pills 13 36.
• Huang Xiangui — Pill merchant who sells Xu affordable Qi Gathering Pills and accepts unusual talismans in trade 17 28.
• Li Ling’er — Ninth Princess of Fire Mulberry Country, whom Xu must escort to the sect. She becomes attached to him during his stay and calls him “Brother Changshou” 48 49 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Sect Admission and Green Ink Peak

• Joins as a menial disciple after his spiritual-root test and conceals his village background among disciples from cultivation lineages 8 10.
• Unlocks the jade inheritance at the seventh layer shortly before leaving Reserve Beauty Peak 19 20.
• Initially fears that Green Ink Peak’s energy-draining work will destroy his cultivation prospects. The palm character’s assistance allows him to exceed his quota and preserve time for advancement 21 24.

Building a Talisman Business

• Begins selling under a Thousand Faces disguise and trades Earth-Escape Talismans for cultivation pills 27 28.
• Conceals his superior Windwalking Talismans’ origin by attributing them to another senior brother, even making a disguised detour to support the story 33.
• Establishes monthly sales of ten Windwalking Talismans to Ye Shanhua for ten spirit stones. His savings reach 273 spirit stones by his ninth-layer breakthrough 34 38.

Thunder Pool Expedition

• Travels with Ye Shanhua and obtains Savage Bull King hide, strengthening his offensive talismans before confronting the thunder ox 41 42 43.
• Uses Lightning-Attracting Talismans to neutralize the Black Antelope Thunder Ox’s advantage, then catches and beheads it 44 45.
• Kills two twelfth-layer Union of Joy Sect cultivators who attempt to seize the remains 45 46.
• Resolves the pursuit by selling the ox horn for forty spirit stones while retaining the hide he needs. Thunder Marsh Town subsequently worships him as the Thunder God and parades a gilded statue depicting him 47.

Fire Mulberry Mission and Possession Attempt

• Accepts Li Dao Path’s mission to retrieve a child with a variant root, with a promised reward of ten spirit stones and three months’ exemption from assignments 40.
• Reaches Rising Sun City, meets Li Xiaoxian and King Li Zheng, and agrees to protect the secrecy of Li Ling’er’s ice spiritual root while posing as her bodyguard 48.
• Refuses the offer to have the Seventh and Eighth Princesses attend him 48.
• During the royal ancestral ceremony, discovers an evil spirit concealed in a side hall’s golden statue. It enters between his eyebrows to possess him, leaving him alternating between lucidity and savagery; the supplied account ends before the struggle is resolved 50.

Notable Quotes

“Master, once I've learned a true immortal art, does that mean I won't have to go hungry anymore?” 3

“I can't tell anyone about this, not even Zhang Zhengyuan.” 4