Zhao Xuan
Martial Ascension: Evolving an F-Rank Talent into SSS-Rank
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Zhao Xuan (赵玄) |
| Gender | Male 101 |
| Affiliation | Ultimate Martial Academy 65 |
| Occupation/Role | Special admissions student; martial artist 65 |
| Cultivation Realm | Early Blood Exchange Realm 155 163 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 65 65 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Peak Astral Condensation Realm | 65 | His established realm when introduced; Lu Yuan describes him as one step away from Blood Exchange. Jiang Lan estimates his punching force at approximately 15,000 kilograms, rather than obtaining a measured result. |
| Early Blood Exchange Realm | 155 | Announces that he broke through the previous week. He later wins two Three-School Alliance tournament matches before losing to a mid-Blood Exchange opponent 163. |
Background
Zhao Xuan had attended Ultimate Martial Academy for more than two years before meeting Jiang Lan. He was already among its stronger special admissions students, with few peers able to match him. Lu Yuan believed this success had made him somewhat arrogant and hoped a defeat by Jiang Lan would temper his competitiveness 65 68.
He also had experience with the academy’s monthly wilderness hunts. After sparring with Jiang Lan, he recruited him for a three-person team and brought in Lin Wan, whom he introduced as an even more experienced wilderness hunter than himself 68 69.
Personality
Initially somewhat aloof and competitive, Zhao Xuan becomes openly exuberant as he befriends Jiang Lan. He readily admits defeat in their spar, praises Jiang Lan’s strength, and later cheers loudly for him at tournaments. Their friendship develops into frequent teasing and banter 68 80 83 163.
He enjoys attention and showing off. After Jiang Lan kills a fifth-tier beast, Zhao Xuan poses proudly when other students ask about their team’s achievement, earning a rebuke from Lin Wan. However, he does not confuse boasting with entitlement: when dividing the expedition rewards, he insists that Jiang Lan deserves the largest share because he handled the strongest beasts 101.
His concern for his friends can override his usual playfulness. He questions the safety of Jiang Lan’s first solo wilderness trip and becomes notably serious before Jiang Lan departs on the dangerous vanguard mission 83 126.
Abilities & Skills
Close-Quarters Combat
Zhao Xuan combines fast punches with feints, abrupt changes in direction, and close-range follow-ups 68.
- Uses hooks, jabs, straight punches, knees, and elbows in rapid combinations.
- Anticipates evasive movements, following a missed knee strike with an elbow attack.
- Cannot penetrate Jiang Lan’s defense during their spar; his successful elbow strike instead sends painful recoil through his arm 68.
Team Combat
His hunting role includes drawing a beast’s attention, attacking its flanks, and creating openings for teammates 70 71 96.
- Coordinates with Lin Wan by engaging enemies directly while she attacks from another angle 70 96.
- Harasses fourth-tier beasts while Jiang Lan handles frontal combat and Lin Wan targets vital areas 71.
- During the military clearing operation, he and Lin Wan handle third-tier beasts while Jiang Lan takes the fourth-tier targets 96 98.
- His peak Astral Condensation punch barely makes the Iron-Clad Bear sway, demonstrating the limits of his attacks against its armor 71.
Wilderness Fieldcraft
- Leads the team’s formation during their first documented hunt and harvests beast materials afterward 70.
- Tracks scores and recommends returning once the team has secured sufficient points rather than continuing recklessly 71.
- Takes a night-watch shift during the military expedition 97.
- Fires a signal flare to summon military reinforcements when the team encounters a fifth-tier Black-Armored Giant Rhinoceros 98.
Equipment
- Training clothes — Worn around the academy’s training facilities 67.
- Backpack — Carries collected Beast Cores and emergency supplies 70 98.
- Signal flare — Used to call for help during the Black-Armored Giant Rhinoceros encounter 98.
Relationships
- Jiang Lan — Friend, former sparring opponent, and recurring hunting teammate. Zhao Xuan recruits him after losing their spar and remains an enthusiastic supporter as Jiang Lan’s strength outpaces his own 68 72 163.
- Lin Wan — Friend and regular hunting partner. Their combat coordination is effective, while their conversations often feature her dry responses to his chatter and boasting. They continue hunting together even when Jiang Lan is absent 70 101 110 118.
- Lu Yuan — Academy instructor familiar with Zhao Xuan’s competitive temperament. He observes Zhao Xuan’s spar with Jiang Lan and later tells him about Jiang Lan’s application to leave the city alone 68 83.
Story Role / Major Arcs
| Arc | Zhao Xuan’s involvement |
|---|---|
| Meeting and sparring with Jiang Lan | Arranges a match with the newcomer. After his attacks fail to cause damage, Jiang Lan catches his forearm and punches him backward seven or eight meters. Zhao Xuan concedes and subsequently invites him on a hunting mission 65 67 68. |
| First team hunt | Teams with Jiang Lan and Lin Wan to kill third- and fourth-tier beasts. They withdraw from a suspected fifth-tier presence and finish first with 125 points, compared with the second-place team’s 63. They agree to team up again 70 71 72. |
| Academy ranking tournament | Wins his opening match but is eliminated in the quarterfinals. He then cheers for Jiang Lan, who wins the championship 79 80. |
| Three-day military clearing operation | Hunts with Jiang Lan and Lin Wan in Team B. During the fifth-tier rhinoceros encounter, he fires the rescue flare and shelters behind a rock wall while Jiang Lan fights. The team finishes with 186 points; Jiang Lan takes 100, leaving Zhao Xuan and Lin Wan to divide the remainder 95 98 99 100 101. |
| Beast-tide mobilization | Attends the emergency briefing assigning special admissions students to mixed mobile squads. He later confirms that he participated in the outside-city deployment 113 120. |
| Reunion and Three-School Alliance tournament | Reunites with Jiang Lan and Lin Wan over barbecue, announces his Blood Exchange breakthrough, and shares news of the inter-academy tournament. At the event, he wins twice before a mid-Blood Exchange opponent eliminates him in his third match 155 162 163. |
Notable Quotes
“That strength and defense of yours... they're insane, man.” 68
“You took down all the Fourth Tiers yourself, and you killed the Fifth Tier too. Lin Wan and I just killed a few Third Tiers on the sidelines. To put it nicely, we were supporting you. To put it bluntly, we were picking up scraps. An even split really wouldn't be right, would it?” 101