Xu Yilin

Biodata

Background / History

Rise in Canglan City

Xu Yilin established his reputation in his youth by forging excellent weapons. He personally trained the Xu Household’s master artificers, maintaining relationships likened to those between a master and disciples. The household eventually operated five weapons workshops and held roughly seventy percent of Canglan City’s weapons market 6.

Liu Wuxie’s father was a close friend who had shared life-and-death experiences with him. Xu Yilin credited that friend with saving the Xu Household from destruction and remained deeply grateful. After Liu Wuxie’s parents disappeared when the boy was five, Xu Yilin adopted him and raised him as his own son; he had no sons himself 1 2.

Liu Wuxie’s Marriage and Brothel Scandal

The Xu and Liu families arranged their children’s marriage before they were born, agreeing that they could wed at eighteen. Xu Yilin honored that promise despite Liu Wuxie’s reputation as a wastrel, rejecting a proposed Tian Household marriage alliance. He also refused a Wan Household proposal and resisted his younger brother’s repeated requests to cancel the match 1 11 19 41.

When Liu Wuxie was buried beneath a collapsed brothel on his wedding night, Xu Yilin rushed out without properly dressing. Although furious, he guaranteed compensation within three days and brought his son-in-law home. His concern was one of the first signs of familial warmth recognized by the reincarnated Liu Wuxie 1.

Weapons-Workshop Crisis

The Tian Household undermined the Xu business by poaching artificers and arranging disturbances over supposedly defective weapons. After Liu Wuxie exposed Tian Hong’s hired mercenaries, Xu Yilin openly praised him for protecting the workshop and the household’s reputation 6 13.

The wider business crisis nevertheless worsened, turning many of Xu Yilin’s hairs white. Its reversal began when Hu Shi presented ten newly forged weapons containing traces of spirituality. Xu Yilin recognized their exceptional quality, appointed Hu Shi chief artifact refiner, and promised him full support. Orders subsequently flooded all five workshops 28 29.

Threats to the Family

Xu Yilin sent Liu Wuxie and Xu Lingxue to the Hundred Demon Gathering to maintain relations with the Wan Household and broaden their experience. When they returned with news that the Wan and Tian households had tried to kill them, he summoned the stewards and began preparing for an attack after Master Huo’s month-long protection expired 14 24.

He later opposed Baili Qing’s decision to dissolve their marriage, arguing that the young couple should settle their own affairs. Unable to prevent her destruction of the contract, he urged Xu Lingxue not to dismiss Liu Wuxie’s recent transformation and assured her that he and Liu Wuxie would handle the household’s problems while she studied at the Imperial Academy 27.

Entrusting Liu Wuxie with the Mine Crisis

Xu Yilin witnessed the extraordinary Spiritual Qi gathering caused by Liu Wuxie’s breakthrough to the Xiantian Realm. Rather than interrupt him, he ordered measures to prevent news of the breakthrough from leaking 29.

After repeated robberies of purple-gold ore shipments, Xu Yilin intended to investigate personally. Liu Wuxie warned that leaving would expose the household’s workshops to attack and offered to go instead. To establish his ability to survive the mission, he defeated Xu Yilin in a private spar in which the patriarch restricted himself to lower Spirit Cleansing strength. Xu Yilin then remained in Canglan City to guard the household 33 34.

Stone-Breaking Army Investigation

Xu Yilin prepared for the imperial investigation using a report secretly supplied by the Song Household. During questioning, he recognized that Xue Chunyu was trying to make the politically vulnerable Xu Household a scapegoat for the Stone-Breaking Army’s disappearance. He appealed to Elder Kong for fairness and defended the household’s conduct before summoning Liu Wuxie 47 48.

Bi Gongyu’s testimony and Qi Enshi’s intervention ultimately cleared the family of suspicion. Elder Kong apologized to Xu Yilin before leaving. Qi Enshi’s claim that Xu Yilin had requested official help against bandits surprised the patriarch, who had made no such request 49.

Appearance

• Beard: Described as bristling while he angrily confronted Liu Wuxie after the brothel collapse 1.
• Graying hair: The weapons-workshop crisis turned many of his hairs white 28.

Personality

Xu Yilin places loyalty above advantageous alliances. He continued supporting Liu Wuxie despite years of misconduct because of his bond with the boy’s father, and fulfilled the marriage promise despite opposition from both within and outside the household 1 2 11 41.

His stern public manner conceals considerable affection. During Tie Li’s false accusation, he appeared to hold Liu Wuxie to harsher standards before the servants, but privately acknowledged his hardships, promised an investigation, and invited him to eat with the family. He also recognized that marriage and adulthood required him to stop disciplining Liu Wuxie as a child 8.

As patriarch, he generally avoids provoking conflict but responds firmly to threats against his family. He can set anger aside to organize defenses, recognize useful talent, and maintain necessary diplomatic relationships—even offering Baili Qing hospitality after opposing her treatment of the couple 6 24 27 28.

Abilities & Skills

Spirit Cleansing Cultivation

• Had already reached the peak of the Spirit Cleansing Realm when introduced as one of Canglan City’s ten greatest experts 2.
• Can deliberately suppress his combat strength, as demonstrated during his spar with Liu Wuxie 33 34.
• Uses his Spirit Cleansing presence defensively to shield himself from saber Qi 34.
• His sparring defeat occurred while restricted to the lower Spirit Cleansing Realm, not while using his full cultivation 34.

Blazing Sun Palm

His signature palm technique manifests blazing suns, intense light, and waves of heat 34.

• Used to block Liu Wuxie’s saber force 34.
• Can be deployed with either hand, allowing him to shift from defense to counterattack 34.
• Failed to stop Liu Wuxie from exploiting an opening beneath his arm during their spar 34.

Artifact Refining

• Forged the weapons that established his early reputation in Canglan City 6.
• Personally trained the household’s master artificers 6.
• Identified defects in an inferior saber with a light finger flick 6.
• Recognized the spirituality and near–Spirit Artifact quality of Hu Shi’s weapons, although their refining method exceeded his understanding 28.

Formation Knowledge

• Possesses some knowledge of formations 29.
• Recognized that an unusual formation was concentrating Spiritual Qi in Liu Wuxie’s courtyard and judged its effect beyond what even the formation-renowned Song Household would likely achieve 29.

Relationships

• Liu Wuxie — Adopted child and son-in-law, whom he treats as his own son. His frustration with Liu Wuxie’s misconduct gradually gives way to pride and greater trust as the young man protects the household 1 2 8 13 33 34.
• Liu Wuxie’s father — Life-and-death friend and benefactor. Xu Yilin’s gratitude underlies his commitment to raising Liu Wuxie and honoring the marriage agreement 1 2.
• Xu Lingxue — Daughter. He supports her Imperial Academy studies while defending her right to resolve her marriage without forced interference 27.
• Yang Zi — Wife. He interrupts her denunciation of Liu Wuxie when she goes too far 2.
• Xu Yishan — Younger brother and guardian of the purple-gold mine. Xu Yilin refused his repeated requests to cancel Liu Wuxie’s marriage 41.
• Hu Shi — Apprentice promoted to chief artifact refiner after demonstrating a superior forging method; Xu Yilin pledges to support his work fully 28.
• Baili Qing — His daughter’s master. He respects her position but openly challenges her forced dissolution of the marriage 27.
• Xue Chunyu — Hostile imperial investigator whose questioning Xu Yilin recognizes as an attempt to frame the household 47 48.

Notable Quotes

“You've had a hard time all these years. From now on, eat with us.” 8

“The children should resolve their own affairs, rather than have us forcefully interfere.” 27