Shen Qiu

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Shen Qiu (沈秋)
Alias(es)	“Secret Realm Terminator”; “Secret Realm Ripper”; Sect Master of Autumn Gate 571 877 1013
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Shen Family; Lightning Vein; Sword Sect; Autumn Gate (founder and sect master) 10 123 552
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; Heavenly Talent; Autumn Gate sect master
Spirit Root	Gold-Fire Dual Spirit Root 2 10
Spirit Body	Nine Nether Spirit Body 13
Family	Deceased father; mortal mother 2
Latest Confirmed Cultivation	Late Heavenly Immortal Realm 1023
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Qi Refining First Layer	6	Breaks through, gaining confidence and challenging Shen Yun.
Qi Refining First Layer, peak	10	Reaches the peak of the first layer within one month; his Dual Spirit Root talent earns recruitment offers from the Lightning and Wind Veins.
Qi Refining Fourth Layer	17	Passes the spiritual-pressure test with composure; recognized as a major dark horse.
Qi Refining Ninth Layer	123	Reaches the ninth layer after year-round tempering in the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range under Azure Venerable's guidance.
Foundation Establishment Seventh Layer	158	After nearly dying during his mountain ordeal and remaining unconscious for almost a year, cultivates the Nine Nether Spirit Body to Minor Achievement and breaks through to the late Foundation Establishment stage. His advancement is aided by absorbing the accumulated killing intent of the Tiger Soul Prison Soul Blade.
Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer	191	At age twenty, registers at the ninth layer during the Years Spirit Appraisal Ceremony.
Golden Core Peak	372	Returns after traveling and life-and-death experiences, having reached Golden Core peak.
Deity Transformation Realm	552	The Nine Nether Origin left by the Ghost Immortal perfects his Spirit Body and rapidly advances his cultivation.
Void Returning Realm	726	Reaches Void Returning after traveling across the East Sea and West Heaven and entering numerous ancient secret realms.
Half-Immortal Realm	840	After thousands of years of continued advancement and secret-realm exploration, reaches the Half-Immortal realm.
Late Heavenly Immortal Realm	1023	While trapped in a hanging coffin, absorbs immense life essence and breaks through from Early Heavenly Immortal to Late Heavenly Immortal, then uses the remaining vitality to consolidate his Dao foundation.

Background / History

Shen Qiu began as a collateral Shen Family descendant with no connection to the Wind Vein. As a child, he followed Shen Yun closely and often imitated him, though he carried a visible sense of inferiority. The discovery of his Gold-Fire Dual Spirit Root aptitude abruptly changed his social standing, drawing recruitment attempts from influential clan figures and inflating his confidence. He eventually chose the Lightning Vein over the Wind Vein. 1 2 10

His father had died long before the spirit-root test, leaving him with only a mortal mother. This family situation contributed to his childhood inferiority. 2

His rise coincided with the return of Shen Yun's overwhelming talent. Initially convinced that he could replace Shen Yun in Shen Qingruo's eyes, Shen Qiu became consumed by jealousy after Shen Yun reached Qi Refining Sixth Layer in a single test. 4 11 He devoted himself to cultivation on Misty Peak, seeking to erase the humiliation of being surpassed. 16

Azure Venerable appeared in Shen Qiu's Sea of Qi after the spirit-root test and offered him aid in exchange for karmic debts. She became his guide and pushed his cultivation through extreme training, secret medicines, and deliberate provocation. Shen Yun's name proved the most effective stimulus for Shen Qiu's determination. 13 123 His greed for the Blood-colored Warblade in the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range broke a sealing formation and awakened the Deity Transformation Realm Qiongqi Demon King, forcing Azure Venerable to flee with him. 123

Following his later recovery and Foundation Establishment breakthrough, Shen Qiu volunteered for a death match at Soul Severing Ridge. His combat power surpassed Zhang Zijian's, securing him a place in the battle; he subsequently slew two demon geniuses and avenged Mo Feiyu. 160 169

His recovery was greatly aided by the Tiger Soul Prison Soul Blade, whose accumulated killing intent had helped seal the Qiongqi King. After returning home, he learned that Shen Yun's achievements had transformed the Shen Family into the dominant regional power. His mother's request that he invite Shen Yun home so she could thank him further embarrassed Shen Qiu, but he ultimately turned this humiliation into renewed resolve to prove himself. 158

After surviving another near-death crisis in Canglan Hall, he received the Nine Nether Origin and reached the Deity Transformation Realm. He gathered like-minded rogue cultivators into Autumn Gate, becoming its sect master. 552 His later exploits in secret realms earned him the title “Secret Realm Terminator.” 877

Over the following millennia, Shen Qiu continued to rise through dangerous secret realms and ancient tombs until reaching the Half-Immortal Realm. Though he remained outwardly defiant toward the Gravekeeper, the latter brought Shen Qiu and Azure Venerable to the Upper Realm's Immortal Ancient Battlefield, where Shen Qiu was forced to recognize the immensity of the gap between himself and true Immortal Realm experts. 840 841

During a later Heavenly Pride trap, Shen Qiu was bound inside a hanging coffin and survived its devouring force through the life essence contained within it. Although the coffin's red hairs began draining his cultivation, the influx of vitality allowed him to break through three Heavenly Immortal barriers in succession before he deliberately stabilized his foundation. 1023

During the later Heavenly Pride selection, Shen Qiu's passage through the rain of time establishes that he attained the Dao and became an immortal in fewer than ten thousand years. After another profitable secret-realm expedition, he appears at a battlefield mounted on his white tiger and equipped with multiple peerless treasures. 994 1113

Appearance

Shen Qiu is tall and lean, most often seen in black robes or a black war robe. His bearing becomes increasingly fierce and imposing as his cultivation advances. 123 158 400

• Described in childhood as having an ordinary appearance, bright and agile eyes, and a hint of inferiority in his brows. 1
• Cold, stern facial features. 123
• Two blood-red scars beneath his left eye. 123
• Often stands with his arms crossed in an arrogant, confrontational posture. 160 263
• Emits black demonic energy when circulating the Netherworld Demonic Art. 123
• Retains his characteristic black-clad, arms-crossed bearing even after ascending to the Upper Realm. 841 968
• Later rides a white tiger and wears a Primordial Cape alongside other peerless treasures acquired from secret realms. 1113

Personality

Shen Qiu is fiercely proud, competitive, and highly sensitive to being overshadowed—especially by Shen Yun. His early ambition to win Shen Qingruo's attention develops into a long-running fixation on surpassing Shen Yun. 4 11 75 Even repeated defeats and humiliations do not break his resolve; instead, they usually provoke him into harsher training. 74 169 726

His confidence frequently turns into recklessness. He charges into dangerous secret realms, provokes powerful opponents, and causes scenes in formal settings without much regard for consequences. 123 400 571 Yet he possesses genuine endurance, combat instincts, and the ability to recover his composure after setbacks. 45 48 598

Despite his hostility toward Shen Yun, Shen Qiu recognizes Shen Yun's strength and ultimately accepts him as a worthy opponent. He is also notably warmer toward Shen Qingruo, acting protectively when he misunderstands her relationship with Shen Yun. 599 728

Shen Qiu is intensely independent and dislikes owing favors or accepting charity. Even after being aided through a life-threatening crisis, he insists that Shen Yun is Shen Yun and that he himself must repay his own debts of karma. 843 1036 His bluntness and boastful nature can cause others to mistake his straightforward pride for steadfast loyalty or hidden depth. 974 1036

Shen Yun considers him unruly and transparent rather than deeply calculating: his thoughts are usually written on his face, and he does not know how to lie. Nevertheless, Shen Qiu can employ cunning combat tactics and has practical familiarity with the schemes of unorthodox cultivators. 271 400 968

His youthful romantic obsession with Shen Qingruo has faded by their later reunion, leaving sincere affection for an old childhood friend. Shen Qingruo also identifies Shen Yun as the person Shen Qiu has always admired most, revealing the admiration beneath his persistent rivalry. 571 728

Abilities & Skills

Dual Spirit Root Aptitude

Shen Qiu possesses Gold-Fire Dual Spirit Root aptitude, which establishes him as one of the Shen Family's notable young talents. 2 10

• Recruited by both the Lightning Vein and Wind Vein before choosing the Lightning Vein. 10
• Uses gold- and fire-attributed spiritual power. 18
• Masters his initial cultivation method in one night, earning the Fifth Elder's praise before entering the Qi Refining Realm. 4

Nine Nether Spirit Body

A Spirit Body cultivated under Azure Venerable's direction, fueled by emotional extremes and later perfected through the Nine Nether Origin. 20 158 552

• Allows Shen Qiu to forcibly fuse gold and fire spiritual power. 18
• Can contain negative forces; Azure Venerable teaches him to impart demonic nature to his spiritual power as a shortcut to controlling and fusing it. Before the Family Grand Competition, he succeeds in fusing approximately one-tenth of his Gold-Fire Spiritual Power. 16
• Reaches Minor Achievement during his near-death recovery, accompanying his Foundation Establishment breakthrough. 158
• Reaches Great Completion after twelve years of cultivation under Azure Venerable's guidance. 390
• Is perfected after he absorbs the Nine Nether Origin associated with the Ghost Immortal. 552
• Ranks eleventh among the Spirit Bodies known to Azure Venerable. 267
• Enables the Nine Nether Domain of Law, which he uses to overwhelm a Qiongqi clansman. 554

Netherworld Demonic Art

A demonic cultivation art that produces black demonic energy and supports Shen Qiu's Nine Nether path. 75 123

• Reaches Minor Achievement by the time Shen Qiu enters the mysterious valley in the Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range. 123
• Evaporates poisonous demonic vines before they can touch him. 123
• Can shroud his Sea of Qi in black mist. 75
• Uses Netherworld Demonic Fire to repel and defeat multiple Demon Race Heavenly Prides in Canglan Hall. 423

Combat Skill and Movement Technique

Shen Qiu is an experienced combatant whose evasive movement can overcome opponents with greater cultivation. 160 265

• Defeats Xiao Yun Kong by making his sword qi repeatedly miss with an elusive movement technique. 265
• His movement technique resonates faintly with gold and fire laws, making him difficult for conventional techniques to strike. 265
• His footwork is described as so swift that even Great Golden Core cultivators would find it difficult to match. 269
• Uses talismans, Illusory Body Arts, formation plates, and deceptive tactics to contend with opponents of higher cultivation. 271
• Defeats a Qiongqi clansman with the Nine Nether Domain of Law, then roasts and eats the defeated clansman's Qiongqi beast. 554
• Defeats Xiao Yun Kong despite the latter's superior cultivation and reputation. 265
• According to circulating accounts, lures Blood Sha Old Devil into Thunder Fire Purgatory, where several Mystic Immortal-level demons and monsters surround and kill him, leading to the near-destruction of the Mystic Sha Sect. 877

Resilience and Willpower

Shen Qiu demonstrates exceptional perseverance in adversity, particularly during trials designed to test temperament. 45

• Leads many participants during the first Illusion Realm of the Sword Sect assessment. 45
• Remains composed after drawing the difficult Yuan Chen Sword Art. 48
• Repeatedly turns humiliation and defeat into motivation to continue cultivating. 74 726 877
• Endures the hanging coffin's devouring force and cultivation-draining red hairs long enough to seize its life essence for his own breakthrough. 1023
• Chooses to temper and consolidate his cultivation rather than recklessly continue advancing after his rapid Heavenly Immortal breakthroughs. 1023

Practical Knowledge and Intuition

His experience leading Autumn Gate gives him extensive exposure to unorthodox practitioners, vicious monsters, and their schemes. Although he often acts on intuition rather than sustained analysis, this familiarity helps him identify suspicious circumstances surrounding King Jiang Wu's soul injuries. He reasons that an ambushing demon cultivator would ordinarily destroy an enemy's Spiritual Platform outright rather than deliberately leave hope of recovery. 968

Cultivation Foundation

Shen Qiu's rapid advancement frequently depends on dangerous opportunities and Azure Venerable's forced-ripening methods. Shen Yun acknowledges his fortune and fighting drive but observes that his foundation is insufficiently solid. After entering the Upper Realm, Azure Venerable reflects on her responsibility for this weakness and resolves to guide him more carefully. 571 613 841

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Blood-colored Warblade / Crimson Warblade / Tiger Soul Prison Soul Blade — A postnatal mid-grade magical artifact taken from an ancient altar; its removal awakens the Qiongqi Demon King. Its accumulated killing intent later supports Shen Qiu's recovery and rapid Foundation Establishment advancement. 123 158
• Four Directions Fire Dragon Pillars — Constructs made from Nine Yang Essence Wall that create a flame domain and raise Shen Qiu's aura to the peak of the eighth Qi Refining layer. 50
• Kun Clan incense burner — A secret treasure revealed when Shen Qiu enters Canglan Hall, prompting speculation about its connection to the Kun Clan. 423
• Big Black Pot — A black cauldron used alongside his Netherworld Demonic Fire and later to collect spoils from the hanging coffin passage. He gathers the treasures below him with Divine Sense and even strips treasure robes from dried corpses. 423 1023
• Green Gourd Ring — A ring Shen Qiu obtains that qualifies him to enter the Medicine Immortal Secret Realm. It transmits inheritance instructions and spatial coordinates located in the Northern Darkness Land. 594
• White-browed Tiger — A beast that pledges allegiance to Shen Qiu and later serves as his mount; it is identified as a Void Core Tiger Demon during the imperial examination. 191 1113
• Primordial Cape — A peerless cape Shen Qiu wears after reaping substantial rewards from a later secret realm. 1113

Relationships

• Shen Yun — Clanmate, rival, and the central target of Shen Qiu's ambition. Shen Yun saves him from Granny Aramaki's assassination attempt and later from possession by the Ghost Immortal, while Shen Qiu continues vowing to surpass him. 74 75 552 726 Shen Qiu nevertheless considers Shen Yun the only person truly qualified to be his ultimate opponent and openly acknowledges his overwhelming strength. 974 Shen Qingruo describes Shen Yun as the person he has always admired most. After returning to the Divine City together, Shen Qiu again challenges him to a Peak Duel the following day. 728 989
• Azure Venerable — Mentor and companion who cultivates Shen Qiu's Nine Nether path, frequently manipulates his rivalry with Shen Yun to motivate him, and repeatedly worries over his recklessness. 123 191 400 Though she once intended to use Shen Qiu to restore her body, she later regains a physical form and resolves to guide him more carefully. 390 552 841 Their closeness is recognized by Shen Qingruo, who is pleased that Shen Qiu has someone to accompany him and asks Azure Venerable to take good care of him. Azure Venerable agrees. 728
• Shen Qingruo — Childhood playmate and object of Shen Qiu's early admiration; he treats her with conspicuous warmth and becomes protective of her. 4 17 571 728 By their later reunion, he has relinquished his former romantic obsession, while she regards him as an unruly clan cousin and wishes him happiness with Azure Venerable. 571 728
• Shen Qingshu — Lightning Vein recruiter and ally who invites Shen Qiu into the faction. 10 11
• Shen Kuangtao — Early associate who attempts to use Shen Qiu's status to settle his grievance against Shen Yun. 6 10
• Parents — His father died before his cultivation began, and his remaining mother is a mortal. She cares warmly for him and wishes to thank Shen Yun for helping ordinary clansmen, unaware of the extent of Shen Qiu's rivalry with him. 2 158
• Shen Wude — Clanmate with whom Shen Qiu frequently bickers; their exchanges during the martial examination also show camaraderie born of shared experiences. 271
• Shangguan Mo — Rival during the Sword Sect assessment who seeks to cripple Shen Qiu out of jealousy. Their reckless competition causes mutual harm in the temperament trial, and Shen Qiu later defeats him during the Heaven Ascending Ladder trial. 45 47 74
• Wu Tianyin — Old acquaintance who warns Shen Qiu against rashly challenging the Qiongqi Ninth Brother. 552 553
• Autumn Gate members — Rogue cultivators who share Shen Qiu's dislike of restrictive rules and gather under his leadership. 552
• Gravekeeper — A vastly stronger senior whom Azure Venerable calls Shen Qiu's master. He brings Shen Qiu and Azure Venerable into the Upper Realm and challenges Shen Qiu's pride and cultivation foundation. 841 Shen Qiu later notes that, despite boasting that he could help Shen Qiu defeat Shen Yun, the Gravekeeper himself was unable to overcome Shen Yun. 1113
• Ouyang Qinghe — An old friend whom Shen Qiu meets again in Shenghui City while investigating King Jiang Wu's condition. She later rescues Shen Qiu's group from Chu Shanhe in the Bottomless Cold Abyss. 844 968
• Shen Xiao and Wu Shoushan — Fellow Upper Realm cultivators who find and save Shen Qiu after his attempt to seize an opportunity in the Bottomless Cold Abyss. Shen Xiao's protection of Shen Qiu helps establish mutual trust between them. 843 844 848
• Lu Chen and Senior Brother Shangguan — Fellow survivors of the Heavenly Pride trap. Lu Chen reveals the Jade Void Saint Son's plot to Shen Qiu, while both later misunderstand Shen Qiu's refusal of aid as exceptional loyalty. 1023 1036 Both credit Shen Qiu's assistance with their survival and offer to help repay the debt owed to Shen Yun. 1036
• Luo Guyin — Accompanies Shen Qiu, Shen Yun, and Azure Venerable back to the Divine City and explains the warning concealed in Shen Yun's words to Sword Venerable Shouzheng. 989

Story Role / Major Arcs

Shen Family Disciple Tests

Shen Qiu rises after discovering his Dual Spirit Root, joins the Lightning Vein, and becomes convinced that he can overtake Shen Yun. Shen Yun's far greater advancement instead drives Shen Qiu's jealousy into a darker and more obsessive rivalry. 2 10 11

During the Family Grand Competition, he uses the Gold-Fire Spiritual Power developed under Azure Venerable's guidance to defeat Shen Hong despite the latter's Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivation. The encounter leaves him with lingering resentment toward Shen Hong. 16 18

Sword Sect Assessment

He performs strongly in the temperament trial and reaches the Sword Sect assessment alongside Shen Yun. During the Heaven Ascending Ladder trial, he defeats Shangguan Mo and survives Granny Aramaki's assassination attempt due to Shen Yun's intervention. 45 74

His initial lead in the illusion trial draws praise from Murong Xue but also makes him a target for Shangguan Mo and Shangguan Ya. Reckless competition with Shangguan Mo ultimately causes both to fail the trial. In the comprehension assessment, he draws the difficult Yuan Chen Sword Art and takes two hours to execute only half a sword move, placing last despite his determination to remain composed. 45 46 47 48

Ten Thousand Monster Mountain Range

Under Azure Venerable's intensive guidance, Shen Qiu reaches Qi Refining Ninth Layer and obtains the Blood-colored Warblade. His decision to take it awakens the Qiongqi Demon King, creating a catastrophe from which he barely escapes. 123

Soul Severing Ridge

Shen Qiu volunteers for the human side's death match, earns a place through superior combat power, and kills two demon geniuses during the war. His achievements make him a recognized Sword Sect prodigy. 160 169

Even while acknowledging the daunting opponents Shen Yun faces, Shen Qiu insists that no one may defeat Shen Yun before he does, briefly easing the tension among the spectators. 167

Imperial Examination

Shen Qiu arrives riding his Void Core White-browed Tiger and registers Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer cultivation at age twenty. After winning five consecutive matches in the talent assessment, he loses to Feng Qisha, who has already entered Golden Core and possesses middle-stage Golden Core combat strength with the Dragon Sparrow Saber. Shen Qiu attributes his defeat to not yet having condensed Five-Revolutions Mana. 191 196

After further travels through the nineteen provinces, he returns for the martial examination and defeats Xiao Yun Kong with his elusive movement technique. He also defeats Yang Xuanfeng and later secures another victory through talismans, formation plates, Illusory Body Arts, and deceptive tactics. The initial ranking discussion places him fifty-eighth because his cultivation remains comparatively low. 263 265 267 270 271

Canglan Hall and Autumn Gate

After reaching Golden Core peak, Shen Qiu heads for Canglan Hall seeking fame and opportunity. His near-possession by the Ghost Immortal instead grants him the Nine Nether Origin, leading to Deity Transformation and the founding of Autumn Gate. 400 552

His arrival in Canglan Hall prompts speculation that he is Shen Yun's hidden agent. He confronts eight Demon Race Heavenly Prides using his Big Black Pot and Netherworld Demonic Fire, demonstrating both his combat strength and his provocative bearing. 423

Linglong Chess Game

As Autumn Gate's sect master, Shen Qiu enters the Linglong Chess Game Secret Realm, confronts the Qiongqi Clan, and displays the Nine Nether Domain of Law. 553 554

Medicine Immortal Secret Realm

He enters the Medicine Immortal Secret Realm in pursuit of opportunity, remains determined to challenge Shen Yun in any cultivation-suppressed area, and turns his attention toward the white-robed Sword Heart Realm swordsman as another obstacle before his ultimate rival. 594 598 599

After Shen Yun obtains the inheritance and transports the other participants outside, Shen Qiu witnesses the beginning of Shen Xiao's duel with Shen Yun. His shaken confidence revives when he hears that the Azure Dragon Ring supported Shen Yun's acquisition of the inheritance, allowing him to view the result as aided by a powerful backer. 601

Later Travels and Upper Realm

Shen Qiu reaches Void Returning after extensive secret-realm travels, continues seeking a duel with Shen Yun, and later enters the Upper Realm's Immortal Ancient Battlefield. There, he recognizes how shallow his cultivation remains by Immortal Realm standards and resolves to improve. 726 841

Before leaving the Lower Realm, he impulsively confronts Shen Yun over a misunderstanding concerning Shen Qingruo. Shen Yun restrains him with Words Become Law without injuring him, and Shen Qingruo clarifies the situation. As Shen Qiu departs with Azure Venerable, he promises that nothing will happen to the Shen Family while he is present. 728

Over thousands of additional years, he rises to the Half-Immortal Realm and becomes notorious across the Ancient Immortal Realm for stripping secret realms and even destroying the Mystic Sha Sect. 840 877

Accounts of these exploits describe him drawing Blood Sha Old Devil into Thunder Fire Purgatory to be killed by Mystic Immortal-level monsters. Other rumors claim that Joyful Union Sect demonesses failed to subdue him with seduction arts and instead lost their treasured garments to him. These stories make him a frequent subject of cultivation publications and tavern conversation. 877

Bottomless Cold Abyss

In the Immortal Ancient Battlefield, Shen Qiu joins the struggle over the weakened Sun-Eroding Ice Silkworm's core. His attempt to seize the opportunity leaves him badly injured, but Shen Xiao and Wu Shoushan find and rescue him. 841 843

He subsequently helps Shen Xiao, Wu Shoushan, and Ouyang Qinghe evade the pursuing Mystic Immortal Chu Shanhe by planning to disturb the Calamity Beasts within the abyss. 844 848

Gathering Worthies Pavilion and Heavenly Pride Trap

Shen Qiu is invited by Burial Ground experts to the Gathering Worthies Pavilion after he grows suspicious of the reported condition of King Jiang Wu. 968 He later learns from Lu Chen of Wan Jinsheng and the Jade Void Saint Son's Heavenly Pride trap, survives imprisonment in a hanging coffin, and uses its life essence to advance to Late Heavenly Immortal. 1023

His suspicions about King Jiang Wu arise from his familiarity with demonic practitioners and the apparent inconsistency of leaving an ambush victim with any prospect of recovery. Remembering Shen Xiao's previous assistance, he suggests seeking Shen Yun's help. The Burial Ground's invitation is delivered by a group of seven renowned Heavenly Prides acting on their Vice Sect Master's orders. 968

After the deadly ordeal, Lu Chen and Senior Brother Shangguan publicly credit Shen Qiu with helping them survive. They offer to share the burden of repaying Shen Yun, while Shen Qiu's reflexive rejection of assistance causes those present to imagine a much more noble explanation for his troubled behavior. 1036

Later Heavenly Pride Competition

During the subsequent Heavenly Pride selection, Shen Qiu is the first participant tested and demonstrates that he attained Dao and immortality in fewer than ten thousand years. 994 Senior Brother Shangguan recognizes him as the recently famous “Secret Realm Ripper,” and Shen Qiu later treats their coming contest in the Spirit-Severing Abyss as an opportunity to test himself before challenging Shen Yun. 1013 1018

Before the selection, he returns to the Divine City with Shen Yun, Luo Guyin, and Azure Venerable following the confrontation with Sword Venerable Shouzheng. After Luo Guyin explains Shen Yun's veiled warning, Shen Qiu briefly regrets neglecting his studies but reasserts that cultivators should rely on their fists, challenging Shen Yun to a Peak Duel the next day. 989

After securing further secret-realm gains, Shen Qiu descends near a battlefield riding his white tiger, still determined to someday surpass Shen Yun despite acknowledging the failure of those who claimed they could aid him in doing so. 1113

Trivia

• Shen Qiu's poor luck repeatedly becomes a plot point: he awakens the Qiongqi Demon King, causes misfortune to those who form karma with him, and earns a reputation for bringing trouble. 123 196
• He once loses a match-related confrontation after being knocked out by Shen Wude's backside. 269
• He is known for escalating conflicts with provocative remarks, including insulting Xiao Yun Kong during their fight. 265
• Shen Qiu habitually visits teahouses or taverns after completing a major exploit to listen to others discuss his reputation. 877
• His refusal to accept assistance is so automatic that other cultivators have mistaken it for noble loyalty and brotherly devotion. 1036
• His bone-age test confirms that he became an immortal in under ten thousand years. 994
• As a child, he tried to imitate Shen Yun's scholarly bearing by reading books of the sages, but his limited literacy frustrated his tutor so severely that the effort was abandoned. 989
• His founding slogan for Autumn Gate is that talent and background are inferior to having enough guts. 552