Xie Qianli

Biodata

Background

Xie Qianli comes from the Xie Emperor Clan in the southern Azure Cloud Realm Domain. His clan has produced several Great Emperors and maintained friendly relations with the Ye Lineage for generations. Its members are born with patterned markings on their backs that accompany powerful innate talents 16 26.

His assignment in the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm was to obtain the Sage Sword of Ice for his elder brother. He completed this task despite being a fire-attribute saber cultivator himself 26 31.

Appearance

• Build: Tall, with an outwardly unassuming manner that causes other cultivators to underestimate him 26 50.
• Expression: Frequently wears a broad, seemingly guileless grin and strikes poses he considers handsome 16 17.
• Bloodline markings: Crimson markings illuminate his body during combat. Those on his back can form the image of a fire qilin 26 34.

Personality

Xie Qianli is talkative, sociable, and prone to rambling introductions. On first meeting Nie Qingcheng, he immediately explains his lineage, cultivation path, and love of food. He is similarly informal with Ye Wushuang, placing a hand on his shoulder before learning how famous he is 16 17.

Food is his chief enthusiasm, and he openly aspires to become the God of Cooking. Ye Wushuang persuades him both to visit the Ye Lineage and to travel to the Heavenly Star Imperial Dynasty by promising local delicacies. His appetite does not entirely override his manners: at the Ten Thousand Fragrances Pavilion, he waits for everyone to arrive before eating, despite obvious impatience 17 40 41 44.

His foolish demeanor conceals considerable combat ability and a willingness to deceive enemies. After witnessing him overwhelm the contenders for the frost sage sword, Ye Wushuang concludes that he has been playing dumb. Later, Xie Qianli convincingly stages a defection and wins over Ming Ji through friendly conversation and tactful praise 26 46 49.

He is loyal to his friends and angered by cruelty toward ordinary people. He helps clear Ye Wushuang’s path to the All Under Heaven Sword, joins the resistance against the Netherdark Dragon Venerable, and independently attacks patrol soldiers after witnessing their abuse of refugees. Even after the dragon’s nether Qi knocks him down, he retains his humor 31 34 35 42.

Abilities & Skills

Fire-Attribute Cultivation and Bloodline

Xie Qianli channels fire through his True Qi, saber, and inherited markings 26 32.

• Generates intense heat and coats his blade in flames 26.
• Activates crimson back markings that can manifest a fire qilin image 32 34.
• Sustains little injury from Nie Qingcheng’s playful flames, leading her to recognize his fire affinity 26.
• Gains the frost sage sword’s acceptance through his Emperor Clan bloodline, rather than by overpowering it 26.

Saber Combat

His fighting style combines heavy physical force, saber intent, and fire-infused Saber Qi 26 32.

• Forces multiple challengers back with repeated slashes; those who withstand his blows suffer injuries or die 26.
• Cracks the ground through the force of his attacks and cuts a black fissure to establish a boundary opponents dare not cross 26.
• Conceals fire within Saber Qi to set Jin Zhan’s feathers ablaze 32.
• Passes the Sword Heart Tomb’s entrance trial by enduring three streaks of Sword Qi without moving, though he finds them painful 30.
• Cannot overpower a sage sword at his demonstrated cultivation level; an imperial elder also extinguishes his Saber Qi and sends him flying with one palm strike 26 42.

Nine Heaven-Burning Forms

His named saber technique has several demonstrated forms:

Deception and Social Skills

Xie Qianli helps Ye Wushuang infiltrate the Sixth Prince’s camp through a staged quarrel 46 47.

• Pretends that Ye Wushuang stole the girl he rescued, providing a personal grievance to explain his defection 46.
• Appears to neutralize Ye Wushuang’s Netherdark Dragon Claw; in reality, Ye Wushuang withdraws the attack at the moment of his counterstrike 47.
• Defuses Ming Ji’s resentment by crediting him with bearing most of the attack’s power, quickly turning their conversation into friendly drinking 49.

Equipment & Weapons

• Long saber / flame saber — His principal weapon, used to channel flames, saber intent, and the Nine Heaven-Burning Forms 26 32.
• Frost sage sword / Sage Sword of Ice — Claimed in the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm for his elder brother. It initially rejects his incompatible fire aura but yields after sensing his Xie Family bloodline 26 31.

Relationships

• Ye Wushuang — Close friend and traveling companion whom he calls “Brother Ye” or “Brother Wushuang.” He protects Ye Wushuang’s opportunity to claim the All Under Heaven Sword and later acts as his infiltrator in the Sixth Prince’s household 16 31 46 47.
• Elder brother — The intended recipient of the Sage Sword of Ice. Xie Qianli affectionately calls him “wooden-headed” and identifies obtaining the sword as his clan-assigned task 31.
• Nie Qingcheng — Traveling companion whom he repeatedly pairs romantically with Ye Wushuang. His loud teasing frequently earns him a burst of phoenix flame 16 17 39.
• Jin Zhan — Rival whom he mocks as a yellow-feathered bird. He volunteers to fight Jin Zhan in the Sword Heart Tomb and burns his feathers during their battle 19 31 32.
• Sixth Prince — His nominal patron and actual target of deception. The prince recruits him because of his Emperor Clan background and attempts to secure his loyalty with generous hospitality 46 49.
• Ming Ji — Fellow guest retainer in the Sixth Prince’s camp. Xie Qianli wins his friendship by downplaying his own apparent contribution against Ye Wushuang’s attack 49.
• Ye Wanwan — Host at the Ten Thousand Fragrances Pavilion. His enthusiastic, rambling introduction amuses her 43.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Heavenly Sword Secret Realm

• Meeting Ye Wushuang: Introduces himself to Nie Qingcheng before Ye Wushuang descends from a nearby tree. The three travel together toward the Ten Thousand Swords River 16.
• Ten Thousand Swords River: Declines the river trial because he uses a saber, continuing to eat while others compete for sword inheritances 20.
• Claiming the frost sword: Reveals his fire cultivation, defeats the surrounding challengers, and obtains the sword for his elder brother. Ye Wushuang reprimands him for recklessly attacking a sentient sage weapon 26.
• Sword Heart Tomb: Passes the entrance trial and volunteers to hold off Jin Zhan so Ye Wushuang can pursue the All Under Heaven Sword 30 31 32.
• Netherdark Dragon Venerable: Joins the imperial-clan youths’ charge against the dragon. Its nether Qi knocks them down before they reach it, though their attacks slightly thin the surrounding nether power 34 35.
• Departure: Loudly celebrates Ye Wushuang’s victory over the dragon, then accepts an invitation to sample the Ye Lineage’s food 39 40.

Heavenly Star Imperial Dynasty

• Journey to the capital: Leaves the Ye Lineage with Ye Wushuang after being tempted by the dynasty’s delicacies 41.
• Conflict with the patrol: Supports helping refugees and attacks the soldiers after witnessing their conduct. He suppresses them until an imperial elder intervenes; Ye Wanwan subsequently drives the elder away 42 43.
• Staged defection: Pretends to fall out with Ye Wushuang and becomes the Sixth Prince’s guest retainer, privately intending to betray him 46.
• False pledge of allegiance: Coordinates with Ye Wushuang to appear to repel the Netherdark Dragon Claw, strengthening the prince’s confidence in him 47.
• Gathering preparations: Befriends Ming Ji and agrees to display his strength at an upcoming gathering. He arrives with the Sixth Prince, eagerly anticipating the Ten Thousand Fragrances Pavilion’s food 49 50.

Notable Quotes

“Hello, everyone! I'm Xie Qianli, a saber wielder who wants to become the God of Cooking.” 17

“Our Xie Family never starts trouble, but we're not afraid of it either!” 26

“Brother Wushuang, let me clear your path and help you claim the sword.” 31