Du Xingyi

Biodata

Power Progression

Meng Yuan encounters Du Xingyi across multiple lifetimes; her failed and successful Foundation Establishment opportunities belong to different timelines 42 43 48.

Background / History

Early Life and Entry into Cultivation

Du Xingyi belonged to a merchant household established on Deer Island for generations. She disappeared during a hunting trip, prompting an unsuccessful search. Island Master Huo later told Du Yueyi that a friend had taken her younger sister away to pursue an immortal opportunity. Dong Bai is subsequently identified as the teacher who guided Du Xingyi onto the cultivation path 35 36 49.

Her position as a cultivator helped the Du household rise in influence. Huo’s favor toward the family provided protection on Deer Island, while her connection to Dong Bai later allowed her mortal relatives to relocate to Longstone Island 35 49.

Earlier Encounters with Meng Yuan

During Meng Yuan’s third lifetime, Du Xingyi returned after his fishermen’s uprising destroyed four of Deer Island’s Thirteen Families. She dismissed the rebellion as insignificant, informed Huo of the disturbance, and wounded Meng Yuan with peach petals before leaving on her flying sword 37 38.

In his fourth lifetime, she instead found Meng Yuan tending her feverish sister. Initially intent on killing him, she relented after Du Yueyi intervened. She sent him to Huo for cultivation, on condition that he never again disturb her mortal family. She also instructed Huo to teach him the Bright Garment Art, which ultimately damaged his cultivation prospects 39 42.

Years later, Du Xingyi discovered that her Foundation Establishment opportunity lay beyond the Bronze Gate beneath Chaolong Mountain. Meng Yuan could cross the obstructing candlelight, but she recognized that she had ruined the cultivation future of the very person she needed. He ignored her demand to extinguish the flame and approached the gate instead; Netherflame engulfed him, and her opportunity vanished 42.

Alliance and the Bronze Gate

In Meng Yuan’s next lifetime, Du Xingyi investigated a suspicious messenger named Pei Hu who knew private details about her family. She ordered the Du household’s relocation to Longstone Island and searched Scattered Rock Island, but found no trace of him 43 44.

She then encountered Meng Yuan under his Daoist name, Yuanyuanzi. Learning that his millstone-shaped life-bound object resisted illusions, she arranged a formation test before recruiting him to investigate the Bronze Gate Ruins. Their agreement included wages, compensation for injuries, a success reward, and a future favor 44 45.

Du Xingyi supplied cultivation resources, taught him the Supreme Clarity True Art of Qi Control, and swore to treat him as an elder brother if he helped open the gate. His repeated demands exhausted her earnings and savings. She eventually returned injured with the last Origin-Opening Pills she could provide and remained at the ruins to recover 46 47.

After Meng Yuan reached late Qi Refining, he extinguished the candle and enabled her to enter the gate. She emerged ten days later, bloodied but successful in Foundation Establishment, then spent a month recovering under guard 47 48.

Patronage on Longstone Island

Du Xingyi brought Meng Yuan to Longstone Island and introduced him to Gong Xiangxian. Her backing secured his registration with the Starsea Alliance and appointment as managing steward of White Deer Pavilion, a shop Dong Bai had given her. She also asked him to look after the Du clanspeople 49.

Gong explained that the shop rewarded her investigation into a shopkeeper’s murder involving Origin-Opening Pills. Meng Yuan privately suspected that Du Xingyi herself had committed the killing to obtain his pills, but the passage does not confirm his suspicion 49.

Ten years later, Du Xingyi visited Meng Yuan and criticized his immersion in market business and romantic entanglements. While discussing Huo’s death in pursuit of Foundation Establishment, she challenged Meng Yuan’s loss of purpose. Their conversation helped prompt him to abandon his comfortable position and resume seeking the Great Dao 49.

Appearance

Du Xingyi resembles Du Yueyi but is slightly taller and thinner, with an exceptionally pale face and a slender waist 37 39.

• Black clothing, hair, hairpin, and eyes define her initial appearance 37.
• A pretty, slightly baby-faced appearance contrasts with her cold expression 42.
• Her slight facial baby fat remains when she visits Meng Yuan ten years after his move to Longstone Island 49.

Personality

Du Xingyi is reserved, severe, and dismissive toward mortals. Her first encounter with Meng Yuan shows little interest in his political achievements or personal motives. Although she offers to kill anyone threatening her sister or her elder brother’s children, her distant manner makes Du Yueyi feel that their sisterly bond has weakened 37 39 44.

She is vigilant about secrets and pragmatic about useful allies. She warns Huo that apparently foolish rogue cultivators may conceal dangerous intentions, and opposes killing Yuanyuanzi unnecessarily because killing a cultivator brings karma. Once his ability offers a route through the ruins, she tolerates bargaining and delays that would otherwise exhaust her patience 44 46 47.

Her prolonged cooperation with Meng Yuan makes her more resolute, flexible, and steadfast in pursuing the Dao. By the time she reaches Foundation Establishment, she acknowledges his loyalty despite disapproving of his private conduct, and follows through on her promise to help him 48 49.

Abilities & Skills

Life-Bound Shen and Shang Stars

Du Xingyi names the Shen and Shang Stars as her life-bound witnesses when swearing her Dao-heart oath 47.

• Their specific combat abilities are not demonstrated in the supplied passages.
• Her oath binds her promise to treat Yuanyuanzi as an elder brother if he helps open the Bronze Gate 47.

Spiritual Suppression and Petal Attacks

Du Xingyi can render the mortal Meng Yuan unable to move or speak, leaving him powerless to resist 37 39.

• Draws peach petals from nearby branches and launches them like swords.
• Wounds Meng Yuan in the chest without engaging him in close combat 37.

Flight

Du Xingyi travels on a flying sword before reaching Foundation Establishment 37.

• After her breakthrough, she carries Meng Yuan away from Deer Island to Longstone Island 49.

Treatment and Medicinal Knowledge

She diagnoses Du Yueyi’s illness as cold Qi entering her body after sweating, then treats her through hand movements and a medicinal pill 39.

• Provides her sister with a bottle of pills for later use 39.
• Obtains Origin-Opening Pills for Meng Yuan and instructs him to take no more than one per month 47.

Cultivation Instruction and Ruins Research

Du Xingyi teaches Meng Yuan the Supreme Clarity True Art of Qi Control, a Profound Clarity Sect method suited to mixed spiritual roots 47.

• Researches ancient texts for the origins of the ruins’ dragon imagery, without finding an answer 46.
• Recognizes the potential value of an illusion-resistant life-bound ability and arranges a formation test 44.
• Cannot overcome the Bronze Candle Stand herself; Meng Yuan’s assistance is necessary to reach her Foundation Establishment opportunity 42 48.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Flying sword — Used for transportation during her return to Deer Island 37.
• Illusion formation — Supplied to replace Huo’s mountain-protecting formation and test Yuanyuanzi 44 45.
• Medicinal pills — Includes pills for Du Yueyi and cultivation resources supplied to Meng Yuan 39 46 47.
• Childhood jujube-wood sword — Kept beneath the pillow in her old bedroom, inscribed with “Stars Shining Brightly in the Sky” 43 44.
• White Deer Pavilion — Shop in Goldstone Market given to her by Dong Bai; managed by Meng Yuan because Du Xingyi dislikes mundane business affairs 49.

Relationships

• Du Yueyi — Elder sister. Du Xingyi protects and treats her but maintains an emotional distance and initially tries to separate her from Meng Yuan 39 44.
• Dong Bai — Master and Island Master of Longstone Island. Guides her cultivation, disciplines her over speculative trading, and provides support for her family 47 49.
• Huo Qiushi / Huo Old Freak — Senior martial brother and collaborator guarding the Bronze Gate Ruins. Follows her instructions concerning Meng Yuan and assists during her breakthrough 39 44 48.
• Meng Yuan / Yuanyuanzi — Enemy in earlier lifetimes; contractual ally and later beneficiary of her patronage. His ability enables her Foundation Establishment, and she swears to treat him as an elder brother upon success 37 42 47 48 49.
• Li Nineteen — Takes him to the Starsea Alliance’s Main Mountain and, at Meng Yuan’s request, places him under Wang Zhinong’s instruction 46 50.
• Gong Xiangxian — Trusted administrator under Dong Bai. Arranges Meng Yuan’s alliance registration and shop appointment following Du Xingyi’s instructions 49.

Notable Quotes

“Killing a cultivator is different from killing a mortal. It is certain to bring karma. If we can avoid killing, we should.” 44

“I swear upon my Dao heart, with my life-bound Shen and Shang Stars as witnesses: if Yuanyuanzi helps me open this gate, I will treat him as an elder brother!” 47

“The Great Dao! Scrabbling like flies and dogs, scheming and calculating—it’s all for the Great Dao.” 49