Qin Yi

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Imperial childhood and recruitment

Qin Yi grew up as Prince Qing's heir after his mother's death. His father taught him about treacherous human relationships, the dangers of cultivation, and the need for strength. At ten, he accepted that possessing a Spirit Root would mean leaving his family and the Qin Kingdom for the immortal path 1.

After passing Zhao Qian's preliminary test, Qin Yi departed with Qin Shiyu and Qin Peng. Testing at the Eight Gods Pavilion revealed his Lightning-Fire Dual Spirit Roots, prompting several elders to compete for him. Given permission to choose his teacher, he selected Pavilion Master Song Qi and became his final disciple 2 4 5.

Song Qi settled him in a bamboo grove, supplied techniques and cultivation resources, and gave him Cangyuan. During the following eight years, Qin Yi reached Qi Refining Ninth Layer. Lan Xuan guided his cultivation during the final three years and repeatedly exposed his shortcomings in practical combat 5 6 7.

Prince Qing's death

At eighteen, Qin Yi returned home and discovered that Prince Qing had died after grief and drinking ruined his health. His father had forbidden others from notifying him, hoping not to disrupt his cultivation. In a final letter, Prince Qing asked Qin Yi to experience the freedom and wider world he had never known 8 9.

Qin Yi mourned at his parents' tomb, entrusted the family residence to Li Zixian, and provided money for its upkeep. He then renounced his position as a young prince and declared the Eight Gods Pavilion his home. His father's death marked a pronounced hardening of his temperament 9.

Blood-Colored Forest trials

Song Qi assigned Qin Yi to hunt a Golden-Horned Rhinoceros, two Nine-Eyed Demon Spiders, and a Silver Moon Wolf King to develop his combat experience. Qin Yi killed the rhinoceros, then killed two cultivators who disrupted his trap and threatened him over the corpse 10 11.

Seeking the spiders, he joined a Li Household expedition ostensibly hunting a Foundation Establishment demon tree. After the expedition's destruction, he lured the pursuing assassin Huamei into the Star-Binding Formation, interrogated her, and killed her upon identifying her connection to Seven Shas Valley 12 15 16.

Jin Peng subsequently betrayed and attacked him. Qin Yi persuaded Elder Li that the Xie Household was responsible for Li Ze's death, secured custody of Jin Peng, and tortured him to death. He later approached Lang Ya under the name Xie Wuhui, inventing a Foundation Establishment backer to recruit his help against the Silver Moon Wolf King 18 19 20.

Qin Yi also recognized deep-sea sunken silver being sold for fifty Spirit Stones and consigned it to auction. He eventually collected eighteen thousand Spirit Stones from its sale 16 22.

Star City and True Person Chiyu's cave abode

Using the name Jin Peng, Qin Yi agreed to kill Song Qingyun's elder brother in exchange for entry to a purported secret realm. He poisoned Song Yunfeng with powder taken from Huamei; more than thirty guards and maidservants also died. After returning to his sect and reaching Foundation Establishment, he came back to claim the promised opportunity 22 23 24 25.

The “secret realm” was True Person Chiyu's Golden Core cave abode, restricted by agreement to younger Qi Refining cultivators. White Visage allowed Qin Yi to conceal his higher cultivation and enter. Inside, Hong She trapped him in an illusion of life with his father. Although he recognized the deception, he remained for eight subjective years before choosing to leave and breaking it 26 27.

Qin Yi contracted Hong She, looted the Alchemy Chamber and Chiyu's cultivation room, and obtained the spear technique Dragon Soars Through the Nine Heavens. He preserved Song Qingyun as a means of escaping, then blamed Liu Shihong for the slaughter inside. During the resulting clash between households, he disguised himself as a Liu disciple and fled 27 28 29.

Heavenly Sea tournament

Qin Yi entered the tournament for Zhou Jiayue's hand primarily to hone his techniques against talented opponents. He defeated Ye Qing with one spear strike and later fought Wu Pingjian, whose swordsmanship had aroused his competitive interest. Qin Yi ultimately defeated Wu Pingjian and reached the final five 30 31 32 34 35.

When Song Qi ordered him to Falling Cloud City, Qin Yi made a one-year marriage promise to Zhou Jiayue before departing. Privately, he regarded the marriage and ties to the Azure Cloud Imperial Dynasty as potential burdens and intended not to return 36.

Righteous–demonic war and sect investment

On the Azure Seclusion Plain, Qin Yi recognized signs that the battlefield was feeding an array and attempted to retreat. The Heavenly Demon Great Array sealed the plain before he escaped. Unable to damage it, he fought while it drained the righteous cultivators' spiritual power; a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage opponent eventually halted his advance 39 40.

After returning to the pavilion, Qin Yi received Flame Cloud Fruits and underwent Cangsong's combat assessment. Cangsong taught him Jade-Shattering Spear to address his close-combat weakness. The sect opened its cultivation resources to him on the condition that he reach Golden Core within ten years and lead its disciples into the decisive battle. Qin Yi accepted after initial reservations 43 44 46.

Azure Dragon Secret Realm

After reaching Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, Qin Yi entered the Azure Dragon Secret Realm determined to obtain its inheritance. Xiao Tianyou pursued him over a grudge against Lan Xuan; Qin Yi trapped and killed him rather than fight him directly 47 48 49.

Qin Yi then impersonated Xiao Tianyou and used his jade slip to summon Zhao Zhongtian near an Iron-Armored Giant Crocodile. Beast Soul Incense provoked the crocodile into chasing Zhao away, allowing Qin Yi to steal its Clear Heart Lotus. He refined the lotus in a protected cave, with formations and Hong She guarding his seclusion 49 50.

Appearance

• Handsome features and noble bearing: His appearance readily supports impersonating a privileged young heir and draws attention in Heavenly Sea City 17 20 29.
• Purple clothing: Wears a purple robe to the Hui Mountain auction and later uses the Nine Dragons Illusory Cloud Robe in a purple form 17 29.
• Cultivation manifestations: Lightning flashes in his left eye and fire in his right upon reaching Qi Refinement Great Perfection. His strongest spear attacks surround him with lightning and a dragon-shaped manifestation 16 44.
• Variable disguises: Uses White Visage and his transforming robe to appear as ordinary disciples or members of other households 25 29 36 49.

Personality

Qin Yi is cautious, calculating, and reluctant to accept unnecessary risks. He maintains his condition in dangerous territory, studies opponents before acting, and uses false identities, poison, formations, and manipulated third parties when these offer an advantage. Song Qi recognizes this caution as a trait he has possessed since childhood 11 23 26 46 49.

His pragmatism coexists with extreme cruelty. He kills people who threaten him, tortures captives for information or revenge, and rejects the idea that being called a demon should alter his pursuit of power. His poisoning of Song Yunfeng also kills numerous servants and guards 11 15 19 25.

His emotional attachments are narrow but profound. Following Prince Qing's death, he considers Song Qi and Lan Xuan the only two people whose welfare concerns him. His longing for his father is strong enough that he knowingly prolongs Hong She's illusion before finally choosing his cultivation ambitions over it 24 27.

Despite preferring calculated victories, Qin Yi enjoys testing himself against genuine talent. Wu Pingjian's swordsmanship excites him, and he seeks opponents capable of forcing him to use his full strength 30 32 34.

Abilities & Skills

Blazing Yang Thunder Asura Scripture

An incomplete cultivation method suited to Qin Yi's dual lightning and fire roots; also called the Blazing Yang Thunder Asura Instruction in the text 6 25.

• Channels lightning- and fire-attribute Spiritual Qi into his Dantian 25.
• Suppresses the conflicting spiritual forces of Fire Source Fruit and Thunder-Vein Grass during his Foundation Establishment preparations 25.
• Allows him to recover access to his power while inside Hong She's illusion 27.

Lightning and fire manipulation

Qin Yi manifests flames, wreathes Cangyuan in lightning, and releases lightning over an area 6 11 27.

• Naturally counters Spirit Bodies such as Hong She, whose resistance to physical attacks does not protect them from his lightning and flames 27.
• His lightning kills low-level cultivators on contact during the Azure Seclusion Plain battle 40.
• Flame Cloud Fruits improve his flame control and expand his fighting options beyond his earlier reliance on lightning 47.

Spear techniques

• Nine Shas Mysterious Fire: An offensive technique supplied by Song Qi and used in Qin Yi's battles with Wu Pingjian and Cangsong 6 34 44.
• Dragon Soars Through the Nine Heavens: Obtained from Chiyu's belongings; allows the spear to become a dragon for flight. Qin Yi discovers it can be combined with Nine Shas Mysterious Fire for greater power 28 30.
• Jade-Shattering Spear: Cangsong's killing-oriented technique, taught specifically to strengthen Qin Yi's close-combat spear attacks 46.
• Limit: His full-power lightning-dragon assault nearly empties his Dantian during Cangsong's assessment 44.

Shadow Ghost Steps

A movement technique supplied by Song Qi 6.

• Lets him evade imperial mausoleum guards under cover of darkness 9.
• Provides the speed to overwhelm Ye Qing before he can respond effectively 31.

Buddhist body tempering

Qin Yi cultivates a Buddhist body-tempering technique among the methods supplied by Song Qi 6 44.

• Enables the rapid spiritual-power expenditure required by his strongest attack.
• Without that conditioning, the same expenditure would risk damaging a cultivator's meridians 44.

Formations and poison

• Star-Binding Formation: Traps Huamei and seals her spiritual power; his first deployment requires careful preparation 15.
• Poisonous-vine formation: Immobilizes Xiao Tianyou, allowing Qin Yi to disarm and kill the higher-realm disciple 48.
• Poisoned bait: Uses Soul-Bewildering Powder on Worry-Free Fruits in an attempted rhinoceros trap 11.
• Airborne poison: Uses colorless, odorless Nine-Colored Illusion Spider venom powder to assassinate Song Yunfeng 23 25.

Divine Sense and combat assessment

• Opens Divine Sense to thirty zhang immediately after reaching Foundation Establishment, exceeding Lan Xuan's initial twenty-five-zhang range 25.
• Detects pursuers, nearby combatants, and concealed threats 27 30 48.
• At Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, can exchange blows with an ordinary late-stage cultivator, but judges exceptionally talented late-stage opponents too dangerous to confront directly 49.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Cangyuan: A top-grade Law Treasure spear forged by Cangsong from Dark Iron, Vast Heaven Stone, and an Azure Dragon's remnant soul. It retains traces of lightning-tribulation power and is bound to Qin Yi through his heart's Essence Blood 6.
  • Song Qi initially places three seals on it and leaves a protective spiritual imprint.
  • One seal is removed at Foundation Establishment; unrestricted use is intended for Golden Core 6 25.
• White Visage: Changes his face and conceals cultivation from those below Golden Core. Golden Core cultivators can discern his cultivation but cannot penetrate the mask with Divine Sense to see his true face 25.
• Nine Dragons Illusory Cloud Robe: Changes its outward form to match disguises, including Liu Household clothing and a purple outfit 29.
• Bamboo-grove token: Activates transportation to his residence while he is inside the Eight Gods Pavilion; does not function outside the sect 5.
• Thunderclap Pearls: Explosive treasures powerful enough to kill a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator. Qin Yi expends four to force entry into Chiyu's cultivation room 28.
• Beast Soul Incense: Used to provoke the Iron-Armored Giant Crocodile and divert it toward Zhao Zhongtian 49.

Relationships

• Prince Qing — Father and formative teacher. His death severs Qin Yi's strongest attachment to the mortal kingdom, though Qin Yi continues to grieve him deeply 1 8 9 27.
• Mother — Deceased before his recruitment. Qin Yi invokes her protection as a child and later mourns at his parents' shared tomb 1 9.
• Song Qi — Master and chief benefactor. Provides cultivation methods, weapons, pills, protection, and increasingly demanding goals 5 6 24 25 46.
• Lan Xuan — Senior sister, cultivation instructor, and frequent sparring partner. One of the few people Qin Yi explicitly cares about after his father's death 7 24.
• Cangsong — Song Qi's martial uncle, addressed as Grandmaster. Forged Cangyuan, assesses Qin Yi's combat ability, and teaches Jade-Shattering Spear 6 44 46.
• Hong She — Contracted female ghost and subordinate. Guides him through Chiyu's cave abode, attacks on his orders, and guards his seclusion 27 28 48 50.
• Wu Pingjian — Respected tournament rival whose strength kindles Qin Yi's fighting spirit. Qin Yi defeats him after an evenly matched exchange 32 34 35.
• Zhou Jiayue — Commandery Princess of Heavenly Sea and recipient of his conditional one-year marriage promise. Qin Yi privately intends to avoid returning 36.
• Song Qingyun — Transactional ally who commissions his brother's assassination in exchange for cave-abode access. Qin Yi later keeps him alive to facilitate his own escape 22 28.
• Zhang Ningrong — Given to Qin Yi by Song Qingyun; Qin Yi declares her his maid and demands obedience 22 23.
• Li Zixian — Loyal family servant entrusted with maintaining Prince Qing's residence after Qin Yi leaves 8 9.
• Qin Shiyu and Qin Peng — Fellow imperial children recruited alongside him into the Eight Gods Pavilion 1 2 3.

Notable Quotes

“From this day forward, I, Qin Yi, am no longer the noble young prince of Prince Qing's residence. I am merely a lonely spirit and a wandering ghost. The Eight Gods Pavilion will be my home for the rest of my life.” 9

“I don't care who you are. If you dare threaten me, death is your only path!” 11

“Everything I do depends on my mood.” 30