Xuan Zi

Biodata

Background / History

Earlier Life

Thirty years before meeting Na’er, Xuan Zi rescued an orphan from the Star Dou Great Forest. That child later became a senior teacher at Shrek Academy 9.

Despite living for more than two centuries, he never had a proper romance. When Mu En suggested finding a partner to pass down the Taotie Divine Bull Martial Soul, Xuan Zi protested that he was too old for romance 25 26.

The Twins’ Martial Soul Awakening

Xuan Zi was sleeping in the Sea God Pavilion when Mu Changqing’s Golden Dragon King awakening startled him awake and caused him to fall beneath the conference table. He felt its bloodline suppression before understanding what had happened 3.

When Changqing subsequently demonstrated his Martial Soul, Xuan Zi’s Taotie Divine Bull automatically possessed him and attempted to retaliate. Mu En suppressed it before it could injure Changqing. Sobered by the danger, Xuan Zi then tested the boy’s strength, allowing him to land several punches and push him back half a step 4.

Mu En reprimanded Xuan Zi for drinking and failing to pay attention. Concerned that his carelessness could endanger students, Mu En banned him from alcohol for a month and ordered him to copy the academy rules 5.

First Soul Ring Expedition

Xuan Zi escorted Mu Changqing and Bei Bei to the Star Dou Great Forest for their first Soul Rings. He located and trapped an approximately eight-hundred-year-old Light Blade Dragon for Bei Bei, then evaluated the resulting Radiant Dragon Claw skill 7 8.

While searching for a suitable beast for Changqing, he subdued a rare Tyrannosaurus and a Mighty Vajra Bear guarding a cave. Inside, he found Dragon Saliva Grass and the frightened, amnesiac Na’er. He gently questioned her, used Soul Power to calm her, and accepted her into the group’s care. His examination did not reveal her true identity as the Silver Dragon King 8 9.

After confirming that the bear had raised Na’er, Xuan Zi oversaw Changqing’s absorption of the Tyrannosaurus’s sacrificed Soul Ring. He tested the resulting Dragon King Overlord Body, identifying both its exceptional defenses and its heavy Soul Power consumption. He also settled the disturbance caused when the group returned to Shrek City with the bear 10.

Training Changqing and Managing Shrek

Mu En selected Xuan Zi to help Changqing master his strength and control the Golden Dragon King’s power. Their sessions involved harsh sparring, gravitational compression, and ramming exercises, with Elder Zhuang treating Changqing’s injuries 7 12.

During Mu En’s seclusion, Xuan Zi took charge of academy affairs. He arranged morning theory lessons under Yan Shaozhe and afternoon strength training for Changqing. His administrative responsibilities later required him to remain at Shrek rather than accompany Changqing’s second Soul Ring expedition 11 16.

At the end of the initial three-month training period, he gave Changqing five bottles of medicine made from Dragon Saliva Grass. His gravity training also inspired Changqing’s proposal for gravity Soul Tools 12 14.

When Mu En returned, Xuan Zi reported that he had eliminated several evil Soul Master gathering places. After the Dragon God’s phantom appeared above Shrek, he followed Mu En’s orders to destroy airborne spying Soul Tools and killed several evil Soul Masters hiding nearby 22 24.

Star Luo Empire Escort and Ambush

Xuan Zi secretly accompanied the academy delegation traveling to the Star Luo Empire to recruit blacksmiths for Shrek’s new Forging Department. Qian Duoduo knew he was protecting the group from the shadows 29 42.

During the journey, Xuan Zi drank wine and fell asleep, delaying his response to an ambush by Mask Douluo, Nightmare Douluo, and thirteen other evil Soul Masters. Qian Duoduo had to break free with Changqing and Bei Bei before Xuan Zi intervened. Xuan Zi killed the thirteen lesser attackers, intercepted Mask Douluo, and killed him 41.

He pursued Nightmare Douluo toward the Sun Moon Empire, repeatedly preventing his escape until his Soul Power was exhausted. After killing him, Xuan Zi collected his valuables and headed toward evil Soul Master gathering places he had discovered during the pursuit 42.

Later Instruction

Xuan Zi continued evaluating Changqing’s development, including his third Soul Skill, Golden Soul Power. He also refereed a three-on-three student battle, stopped Na’er’s spear thrust before it could injure her opponents, and led the participants through an afternoon of post-battle analysis 27 28 29.

Before leaving to escort Shrek’s All-Continent Soul Master Tournament team, Xuan Zi tested Changqing’s Sovereign’s Descent and newly created Dragon Emperor’s Evil-Shattering Fist. He judged that Changqing, despite being a three-ring Soul Elder, could defeat an ordinary Soul King 50.

Appearance

Xuan Zi is an elderly man whose unkempt appearance initially makes him resemble a filthy beggar rather than the Sea God Pavilion’s second-in-command 1.

• Hair and beard: Both are described as dirty and poorly maintained 3 8.
• Hands: Rough; he leaves a greasy handprint on Changqing’s clothing while patting his shoulder 27.
• Usual accessories: Frequently carries a chicken drumstick and, especially early in the story, a wine flask 1 5 7.
• Martial Soul True Body: His body becomes enormous, and two pairs of bull horns emerge from his head 41.

Personality

Xuan Zi is habitually languid, gluttonous, and fond of sleep. He dozes through meetings and is often found eating or resting. His constant need for food is partly a requirement of his Martial Soul, which forces him to replenish his strength frequently 5 22 27.

His drinking is a recurring threat to his reliability. It nearly causes his Martial Soul to injure Changqing and later delays his intervention during the Holy Spirit Church ambush. Mu En openly doubts his ability to shoulder Shrek’s future, while Changqing finds him considerably more dependable when sober 4 5 12 41.

As an instructor, Xuan Zi is demanding rather than gentle. He exposes flaws in Changqing’s speed and concentration of force, pushes him through punishing exercises, and expects students to articulate what they learned from combat. With a frightened child, however, he can be notably patient: he abandons his usual careless manner to comfort Na’er 7 9 29.

He initially places overwhelming faith in Martial Souls and struggles to accept that Soul Tools have developed enough to threaten top-level cultivators. Against evil Soul Masters, he is ruthless, pursuing fleeing enemies and killing them decisively 5 41 42.

Abilities & Skills

Taotie Divine Bull

Xuan Zi’s Martial Soul makes him Shrek Academy’s strongest strength-type Soul Master 4 5.

• Withstands the newly awakened Changqing’s transformed punches with an arm that feels like steel 4.
• Breaks Mask Douluo’s back with a single punch 41.
• Releases pressure powerful enough to terrify and subdue the Tyrannosaurus and Mighty Vajra Bear 8.
• Limitation: Suffers bloodline suppression from Changqing’s Golden Dragon King. Its defensive reactions can activate automatically, requiring Mu En’s intervention on one occasion 4 50.
• Physical requirement: Requires frequent eating to replenish his strength 5.

Gravity Control

Xuan Zi uses gravitational pressure for restraint, combat, and physical conditioning 7 14 42.

• His gravity field significantly improves Changqing’s physique and blood Qi through sustained training 14.
• Holds Nightmare Douluo in a gravitational field, forcing him to spend substantial Soul Power escaping 42.
• Provides the model for Changqing’s proposed gravity-training Soul Tool 14.

Second Soul Skill: Divine Bull Charge

• Summons a charging Taotie Divine Bull against a target.
• Used to intercept Mask Douluo’s escape route; activated through a yellow Soul Ring 41.

Third Soul Skill: Mire Restraint

• Creates a gravity mire that presses down on and restrains its target.
• During Changqing’s training, produces a mire two meters across and holds him down for ten minutes.
• Activated through a thousand-year Soul Ring 7.

Sixth Soul Skill: Meteor Shower

• Sends a vast shower of meteors toward an opponent.
• Used alongside Taotie Divine Bull True Body to bombard Mask Douluo 41.

Seventh Soul Skill: Taotie Divine Bull True Body

• Enlarges Xuan Zi’s body and gives him two pairs of bull horns.
• Used during his pursuit and defeat of Mask Douluo 41.

Eighth Soul Skill: Mend the Heavens

• Causes a mountain range to appear before a fleeing opponent.
• Stops Nightmare Douluo as he attempts to cross into the Sun Moon Empire, knocking him back 42.

Soul Power and Fieldcraft

• Spiritual detection: Searches dragon Soul Beast territory for a suitable first-ring target for Bei Bei 7.
• Flight: Carries Changqing and Bei Bei through the forest and pursues fleeing Titled Douluos through the air 8 41.
• Protection and reassurance: Shields the boys from the cave’s heat and uses Soul Power to calm Na’er’s trembling 8 9.
• Soul Beast knowledge: Recognizes the rare Tyrannosaurus from ancient texts and identifies its Golden Dragon ancestry 8.

Equipment / Items

• Storage Soul Tool — Holds training supplies, medicinal liquid, and valuables taken from Nightmare Douluo 12 42.
• Wine flask — A frequent early possession; Mu En shatters it when imposing his drinking ban 5.
• Dragon Saliva Grass — Harvested from the forest cave; medicine made from it is later supplied to Changqing 9 12.

Relationships

• Mu En — Superior at the Sea God Pavilion. Entrusts Xuan Zi with academy administration and Changqing’s training, but repeatedly reprimands his drinking and carelessness 5 7 11.
• Mu Changqing — Student and frequent sparring partner. Xuan Zi develops his strength control and evaluates his Soul Skills and original techniques; Changqing respects his usefulness while remaining wary of his unreliability 4 12 50.
• Bei Bei — Junior under his protection. Xuan Zi secures his first Soul Beast and tests Radiant Dragon Claw 7 8.
• Na’er — Child taken into the group’s care. Xuan Zi calms her when they meet and confirms that the Mighty Vajra Bear raised her 9 10.
• Elder Zhuang — Training collaborator who heals Changqing after Xuan Zi’s punishing exercises 12.
• Qian Duoduo — Fellow escort during the Star Luo Empire journey. Xuan Zi intervenes against the evil Soul Masters attacking Qian Duoduo and the twins 29 41 42.
• Mask Douluo and Nightmare Douluo — Holy Spirit Church enemies killed after their failed ambush on Changqing’s group 41 42.

Notable Quotes

“Too slow! Your strength is too scattered!” 7

“From now on, you’ll be a perpetual motion machine that can both take hits and dish them out!” 27

Trivia

• The opening narration sarcastically calls him the Holy Spirit Church’s “grand elder,” reflecting Changqing’s fear that his negligence will get talented Shrek students killed—not an established Church affiliation 1 41 42.
• Changqing anticipates a future Soul Ring expedition in which many of Zhang Lexuan’s teammates would die under Xuan Zi’s leadership and intends to warn him. That disaster has not occurred in the supplied events 48.
• When Changqing visits before the tournament departure, Xuan Zi is relaxing with fruit juice rather than wine 50.