Qingzhu

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Early Command and Daiyu's Fall

Born and raised aboard Xianzhou Daiyu, Qingzhu identifies more strongly with the ship than with the ancient nation from which its people originated. She takes command at seventeen and makes Daiyu the most prosperous of the nine Xianzhou by twenty. Before the invasion, she also questions the other ships' rapid expansion because of its energy costs and the uncertainty of their next destination 3.

When the Denizens of Abundance invade, Qingzhu dispatches troops, then orders civilians and soldiers to evacuate aboard surviving Starskiffs. Refusing to abandon Daiyu herself, she knocks Qingxin unconscious so that others can carry her to safety. With three thrusters still operational, she rallies the remaining defenders and orders Daiyu crashed into a planet to destroy the attackers 3 4.

Ayinai rescues Qingzhu and several hundred others at the crash site on Planet Talasa. On awakening, Qingzhu recognizes her rescuer as the Aeon of Existence and becomes openly ecstatic. Ayinai subsequently grants her the universe's first Emanator position on the Path of Existence 4 5.

Secret Reconstruction

After Ayinai restores Daiyu, Qingzhu organizes damage assessments across its realms. She thanks Ayinai on the survivors' behalf and learns that the goddess considers Daiyu—not the Garden of Existence—the true successor to her Path. At Qingzhu's request, Ayinai projects herself before the survivors throughout the ship 6.

Qingzhu keeps Daiyu's restoration secret, treating its presumed destruction as a strategic advantage. Refugees still traveling independently return to Talasa after destroying their tracking devices. The ship rebuilds and establishes the Manifest Existence Army in its tenth reconstruction year 6.

Because of Ayinai's intervention, only a little over a decade passes for Daiyu's inhabitants while a thousand years pass outside. Qingzhu later explains this discrepancy when Daiyu resumes contact with other factions 10.

Trade and New Citizens

In the Itasumai Star System, Qingzhu negotiates Daiyu's first trading partnership with The Family. She offers Higgs Purifying Tree seeds for 27 million Credits each, including fifty years' worth of soil, and secures protection for Daiyu's transport ships within Family territory. Ayinai witnesses the contract while presenting herself as a gardener 10.

Qingzhu privately confirms that she and General Youding are Emanators of Existence, asking The Family's regional head to keep their identities confidential. She then accepts his invitation to visit Family territory with Ayinai's permission 11.

When a marginalized Halovian branch joins Daiyu, Qingzhu returns to oversee its reception and relocation. She implements its settlement in the Fortune Forest Realm, but explicitly credits Ayinai for granting access to the realm 12 13 14.

Festivals and the Machine Crisis

Qingzhu helps organize a New Year's Eve dedication to Ayinai, persuading Wanmeng to dance and pairing her with Qi Tianque's piano performance. After discovering that his transformed instrument can support even Emanators, she proposes a group consisting of herself, Xiahou Chan, Wanmeng, and Qi Tianque: the Four Existences Atop Nihility 15 17 18.

Four months later, Wanmeng predicts that Daiyu's ingenious creations will become self-aware. Qingzhu orders residents to monitor them and authorizes their destruction if necessary. During the ensuing fighting, she remains responsible for overall coordination rather than accompanying Xiahou Chan to the Artisanship Commission 19 20.

Intervention on Yuanqiao

After receiving reports of golden automaton attacks and rebellion aboard Yuanqiao, Qingzhu orders Daiyu to jump to its aid. There, she confronts Helmsman Lin for knowing about the commoners' suffering without acting. She approves Mr. Lu's negotiations to take over oppressive nobles' businesses, recognizing that the transferred enterprises can provide stable employment 21 23.

When Yuanqiao approaches a red giant, Qingzhu directs Daiyu and its Starskiff groups to tow it away. She then deploys her divine kingdom to destroy the star, saving Yuanqiao's 130 billion inhabitants. She accepts Lin's kneeling thanks but refuses to let him kowtow 29.

Garden of Existence Conflict

As Daiyu heads toward the Ayinai System, Denizens of Abundance apparently trap it behind an Ambrosial Arbor barrier. Qingzhu is actually obeying Ayinai's instruction to feign helplessness; both she and Daiyu could break through. Ayinai explains that keeping her away from the system protects the prospects of a future Emanator 34 37 40.

During the standoff, Qingzhu attends the birth of the first child born since Daiyu's reconstruction. She carries Ayinai's blessed newborn back to her parents and declares a shipwide day off 41.

When the deception ends, Qingzhu kills the Houyhnhnm commander and orders the Manifest Existence Army to leave no enemies alive. After losing one hundred soldiers, she orders their burial and the registration of their families for compensation. She also orders the enemy's Ambrosial Arbor taken aboard rather than left for others to use 47 48.

Qingzhu later enters the battle against Elder Ge, deploying her divine kingdom and fighting alongside Amo. Elder Ge's stolen divine power initially blocks their attacks and exhausts her reserves. Ayinai's reinforcement restores and strengthens her; with Dong Tian restraining Elder Ge, Qingzhu and Amo break his barrier and subdue him 61 62 65.

Afterward, Qingzhu, Amo, and Dong Tian help reinforce Voracity's seal using Xiaohe's Heart of Nihility and the Broodmother. At the victory banquet, Qingzhu joins Amo, Xiaohe, and Dong Tian in jealously watching Akivili approach Ayinai 67 70.

Appearance

• Bearing: Described as a valiant-looking woman when she approaches an Interastral Peace Corporation envoy 25.
• Hair: Has bangs that cast a shadow over her eyes when she sits grimly during the Garden crisis 32.
• Armament: Commonly carries a long spear, also described as a lance or polearm 4 29 61.

Personality

Qingzhu's official severity conceals an energetic, playful temperament. She explains that her position previously prevented her from behaving so freely. After Daiyu's restoration, she delegates much of her paperwork to Qingxin, visits Wanmeng frequently, and uses teasing persuasion to draw her friends into performances and social activities 5 7 15 17.

Her devotion to Ayinai is openly lovestruck. She takes particular pride in being the goddess's first Emanator and in Daiyu's recognition as Existence's true successor. That affection also makes her possessive: she resents perceived favoritism toward others and reacts aggressively to men who approach Ayinai 5 6 14 70.

Despite her relaxed behavior among friends, Qingzhu accepts personal responsibility in a crisis. She refuses evacuation during Daiyu's fall, confronts Lin over his inaction, and insists on facing past failures rather than avoiding them. Her concern extends to bereaved military families, for whom she orders compensation after the Houyhnhnm battle 4 23 47.

Abilities & Skills

Ideal Divine Kingdom Existing in the World

Qingzhu's strongest killing move manifests a gold-and-green divine kingdom, also referred to as Utopia 29 40 65.

• Scale: Encompasses an entire star system during the destruction of the red giant 29.
• Self-enhancement: Multiplies her power and accelerates her absorption of imaginary energy within the domain 29.
• Phantom army: Summons soldiers and cavalry to attack her targets 29 61.
• Existence erosion: Phantom attacks accelerate assimilation by Existence. Cavalry passing through an opponent strip away portions of the existence of everything they possess, including their power 29 61.
• Limit: Elder Ge's divine-power barrier prevents the domain's power from penetrating, negating its usual advantage until his defenses are broken 65.

Spear Combat and Path Power

Qingzhu channels Existence through her spear and can release its power directly into a struck enemy 29 47.

• Kills a Houyhnhnm commander with a thrust too fast for the naked eye to follow, then reduces him to powder with a surge of Path power 47.
• Regularly spars with Xiahou Chan 55.
• Uses Path-enhanced unarmed strikes, punching Aha through the Palace of Existence's roof 14.

Perception and Energy Management

• Energy sensing: Probes Elder Ge's vortex and determines that he has merged with it rather than retaining a physical body 62.
• Battlefield endurance: Possesses extensive access to Ayinai's Path, but sustained combat can leave her without time to recover 65.
• Support compatibility: Qi Tianque's control could help maintain a continuous supply of Path power; his injuries prevent him from providing that assistance during the Elder Ge battle 65.

Command and Negotiation

• Coordinates Daiyu's navigation, evacuations, military deployments, and emergency responses 3 4 19 20.
• Uses secrecy and deliberate displays of Emanator strength to protect Daiyu's negotiating position 6 9 10 11.
• Secures trade terms that combine revenue with transport protection, supporting Daiyu's financially strained return to interstellar commerce 10 13.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Spear / lance / polearm — Her principal weapon and the focus for her divine kingdom's activation. Ayinai considers its material ordinary, although its blacksmith describes it as among the toughest materials available apart from Qlipoth's crystal walls 4 17 29.
• Interstellar navigation chart — Purchased from the Interastral Peace Corporation and used to compare Daiyu's position with those of the other Xianzhou 3.
• Ambrosial Arbor branch — Entrusted to her by Ayinai and planted in Higgs soil aboard Daiyu 33.

Relationships

• Ayinai — Rescuer, goddess, and source of Qingzhu's Emanator power. Qingzhu vows to follow her Path and displays intense affection and protectiveness toward her 4 5 14 70.
• Qingxin — Deputy, secretary, and deliberately groomed successor. Qingzhu forces her evacuation during Daiyu's fall, then later leaves much of the commission's paperwork to her 4 6 7 12.
• Xiahou Chan / General Youding — Fellow Emanator, military colleague, sparring partner, and member of the Four Existences Atop Nihility. Their friendship includes frequent bickering 11 18 38 55.
• Wanmeng — Master Diviner and close friend whom Qingzhu frequently visits and teases. Qingzhu also arranges Qingxin's company when she fears a troubling divination may harm Wanmeng's well-being 15.
• Qi Tianque — Younger friend who calls her “Sister Qingzhu” at her request. She helps arrange his performance with Wanmeng and recognizes his value as a battlefield supporter 16 17 18 65.
• Qi Shige — Leader of the Halovians admitted to Daiyu. Qingzhu oversees their settlement and directs his gratitude toward Ayinai 13 14.
• Helmsman Lin — Yuanqiao's leader and a descendant of Daiyu whom Qingzhu considers one of her own. She rebukes his failures but saves his ship and its population 23 29.
• Amo — Battlefield ally against Elder Ge and participant in reinforcing Voracity's seal 61 62 65 67.
• Dong Tian — Initially the target of Daiyu's intervention against the Garden's rebellion; later an allied Three-Path Emanator who helps Qingzhu defeat Elder Ge 32 65.
• Aha and Akivili — Targets of her protective hostility around Ayinai. She punches Aha away and later attacks Akivili after mistaking him for Aha 14 67.

Notable Quotes

“I'm the Helmsman and supreme commander of the Xianzhou Daiyu. Even if I die, I won't leave the Xianzhou Daiyu. I'll live and die with the Daiyu soldiers staying behind!” 4

“I, Qingzhu, Helmsman of the Xianzhou Daiyu's Sky-Faring Commission, am willing to follow in the footsteps of the Arbiter of True Existence and practice the path of [Existence]!” 5

“Old man, what are you showing off for? You're not the only one with divine power.” 65