He Xiuyuan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

He Xiuyuan grew up at the Great Sun Sacred Ground as the Holy Lord’s son. Despite possessing a supreme spiritual root, he endured repeated criticism from his father, who compared him unfavorably with other disciples and with his mother’s heavenly spiritual root. His father also insisted that he would amount to nothing without the sacred ground 37.

Determined to prove otherwise, He Xiuyuan destroyed his cultivation and joined the Divine Firmament Sword Sect at the bottom as an outer disciple. He brought nothing from the Great Sun Sacred Ground, relying instead on what he obtained in his new sect. He lived frugally for years after leaving home and later refused Xu Yaoyang’s offer of mission assistance because he did not want help from his former sacred ground 37.

Appearance

• Exceptionally handsome, with the refined bearing of a gentleman 26.
• Delicate yet resolute facial features 26.
• Wears Divine Firmament Sword Sect disciple robes while traveling on its mission 28.
• Golden patterns appear on his arms during combat, strengthening his sword strikes; golden streaks across his body are identified as manifestations of attribute power 31 32.

Personality

He Xiuyuan is straightforward, conscientious, and protective of fellow disciples. He dislikes unexplained killing and investigates the identities of Ying Huaixu’s victims before judging his actions. He initially attempts to reason with bandits, but acts decisively when their leader demands that Ye Ningshuang be left behind. He values a clear conscience more than his reputation 26 28 29.

His independence is rooted in his determination to escape his father’s judgment. Nevertheless, criticism still affects him deeply: Ying Huaixu’s disappointment and comparison to his father’s insults eventually push him to resume serious training. His resolve can coexist with complacency, as shown by the time he spends enjoying the inner sect instead of cultivating 37 50.

His companions repeatedly unsettle his confidence. Their rapid breakthroughs leave him envious and demoralized, while their enthusiasm for killing frightens and exasperates him. He nevertheless remains loyal: after suspecting that Ying Huaixu is responsible for his unusual cultivation gains, he resolves to keep the discovery secret to protect him 33 39 41 43 46.

Abilities & Skills

Metal Spiritual Root

• Possesses a supreme-grade metal spiritual root, contrasting with his companions’ apparently low-grade roots 33.
• Manifests golden attribute power that reinforces his sword strikes 31 32.
• Ying Huaixu considers his root and specialization sufficient grounds to aim for unrivaled combat strength among cultivators of the same level; this is an expectation, not an established achievement 50.

Swordsmanship and Rainbow Sword

• Can kill groups of bandits with sweeping sword light and slaughter pursuing elite wolves 28 31.
• His strongest documented sword technique is Rainbow Sword, trained to great accomplishment. Its execution makes his sword blaze with golden light 31.
• Rainbow Sword inflicts only superficial wounds on the Phantom Night Wolf, demonstrating the limits of his strength during that encounter 31.
• At Meridian Opening, he can release true qi as sword qi. His attack fails to damage the transformed city lord’s enlarged arm 47.

Stunning Swan

• Uses Stunning Swan, a movement technique, to evade the city lord’s attempt to seize him and reposition for another attack 47.

Unnamed Secret Art

• Possesses a secret art associated with forcibly boosting his strength in the game’s scripted city lord encounter 47.
• In the actual battle, he begins activating it after the escape route is blocked, but its lengthy windup leaves him vulnerable. The city lord knocks him unconscious before activation is completed 47.
• He associates using the move in this desperate situation with the prospect of dying 47.

Sect and Cultivation Knowledge

• Knows little-publicized information about Xu Yaoyang’s position as Holy Son and explains the blood feud between the Divine Firmament Sword Sect and Thousand Mechanisms Sect 29.
• Warns Ye Ningshuang not to expose her unusual advancement method to outsiders 33.
• Explains how the Questioning Heart Formation and Sin-Severing Formation prevent people burdened by karmic sins from leaving Falling Radiance City 43.
• Recognizes the need to prioritize intelligence gathering over destroying enemy outposts 41.

Unexplained Combat-Based Cultivation Gains

• Discovers that each kill during the Falling Radiance City purge produces a small, measurable cultivation increase 45.
• Notes that earlier killings had never caused this effect and suspects a connection to Ying Huaixu. The cause remains unconfirmed 46.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Sword — Used for sword techniques, sword qi, and close combat; its name and grade are not specified 28 31 47.
• Storage Bag — Received upon joining the Divine Firmament Sword Sect and used to carry travel provisions 29.
• Healing Pills — Allows him to recover after being injured by the Phantom Night Wolf 32.
• Sect token — Receives mission communications, including an order to stand by during the Falling Radiance City operation 42.
• 100,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones — Gifted by Ying Huaixu upon reaching Falling Radiance City 37 38.
• Over 300 Qi-Gathering Pills — Given by Ying Huaixu to support his renewed cultivation effort 50.

Relationships

• Ying Huaixu — Fellow disciple, close friend, and demanding training partner. He initially interprets Ying’s actions as evidence of a cold exterior concealing kindness, later trusts his judgment, and protects his suspected secret. Ying ultimately pressures him to stop slacking and improve his combat ability 29 39 46 50.
• Ye Ningshuang — Junior sister and initial romantic interest. He largely stops pursuing her after concluding that she loves Ying Huaixu. He advises her about concealing her cultivation method and later fights to protect her 27 29 33 45 47.
• Great Sun Holy Lord — Father. His repeated belittling drives He Xiuyuan to abandon the sacred ground and rebuild his cultivation independently; the resulting estrangement is acknowledged by both He Xiuyuan and Xu Yaoyang 37.
• Mother — Possesses a heavenly spiritual root, which his father uses as a comparison when criticizing his aptitude 37.
• Xu Yaoyang — The Great Sun Holy Lord’s disciple and the sacred ground’s Holy Son. Recognizes him as “Senior Brother Xiuyuan,” shares news from home, and offers assistance that He Xiuyuan refuses 37.
• Qiu Shiyi — Senior sect cultivator who rescues the group and mistakenly awards He Xiuyuan the greatest credit for defeating the city lord 48.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Journey to Falling Radiance City

He Xiuyuan joins the mission as a ninth-layer peak Body Tempering cultivator whom Ying Huaixu remembers as its principal fighter. During the journey, he attempts to court Ye Ningshuang, fights bandits threatening the group, and independently suspects that their assignment may be a trap 26 27 28 30.

The wolf attack exposes a major departure from Ying Huaixu’s game knowledge. Although He Xiuyuan defeats elite wolves, the Phantom Night Wolf repeatedly overwhelms him, leaving Ying to win the battle. Witnessing Ying and Ye Ningshuang’s rapid advances pushes him into seclusion, where he reaches Meridian Opening earlier than Ying expected 31 32 33 35 36.

Blood Sacrifice Investigation

At Falling Radiance City, He Xiuyuan keeps the mission in focus while Ying Huaixu explores the city. He follows Ying and Ye Ningshuang into the Thousand Mechanisms Sect’s hideouts and helps report the discovered Blood Sacrifice Array plot 38 39 40.

When his companions begin destroying outposts wholesale, he persuades them to find their inside contact instead. He subsequently worries that Ying’s additions to their report could be exposed by the sect’s Truth-Testing Stone or provoke war between the sects 41 42.

City Purge and Underground Battle

Ordered by Ying Huaixu to protect Ye Ningshuang, He Xiuyuan joins the purge and discovers that killing enemies increases his cultivation. He becomes increasingly aggressive in pursuing targets, reaches Meridian Opening’s second level, and identifies the fleeing city lord to the sect 45 46.

Trapped underground with his companions, he interrupts the city lord’s advancement and offers to hold him off while Ye Ningshuang carries Ying to safety. The city lord blocks their escape and knocks him unconscious before his secret art can activate 47.

Ying defeats the city lord’s first phase, then places the recovering He Xiuyuan before the transformed enemy and pretends to be unconscious. Qiu Shiyi destroys the remaining threat and credits He Xiuyuan with the victory. He enters the inner sect but feels unworthy of the praise and planned commendation 48.

Inner-Sect Training

After nearly ten days without meaningful training, He Xiuyuan is confronted by Ying Huaixu. A sparring session exposes his predictable attack patterns, and Ying supplies over three hundred Qi-Gathering Pills while setting a goal of reaching Meridian Opening’s ninth level within two years. He Xiuyuan agrees to cultivate seriously; the goal has not yet been achieved 50.

Original Game Fate

• In Primordial Immortal Cultivation Record, He Xiuyuan is remembered as an upright, exceptionally gifted senior brother destined to die during the mission 26 27.
• The scripted city lord battle has him forcibly boost his strength with a secret art and drive back the boss during its second phase 47.
• Players commemorate him with “Rest in peace, Senior Brother He.” His family background is never disclosed in the game storyline Ying Huaixu remembers 26 37.
• His survival in the actual world is a significant change that leads Ying Huaixu to question whether smaller events can change without preventing later world missions 33 48.

Notable Quotes

“I don't actually care about my reputation. Whatever I do, all I ask is that my conscience is clear!” 29

“I'll hold him off. Take Old Ying and get out of here. Find a chance to send word to Senior Brother Qiu!” 47