Xueya

Biodata

Appearance

• Facial scar: A prominent, old scar crosses his face. Later descriptions place it from his brow to the corner of his mouth, with dark-red edges left by an infection years earlier 421 526 642.
• Voice: Hoarse and rasping, compared to sandpaper scraping rock 82.
• Clothing: Initially wears thick, filthy wolf pelts; later appears in leather armor and black or dark-gray linen robes 139 526 642.
• Hair: Described as loose and greasy during the conquest of the Great Boulder Tribe 526.
• Later condition: Repeated defeats leave his face thinner, with pronounced cheekbones and sunken eye sockets, though his gaze remains fierce 642 687.

Personality

Xueya treats weaker communities as sources of food, recruits, livestock, and captives. He takes pleasure in forcing chiefs to submit and regards massacres as both retaliation for resistance and a means of restoring his followers’ confidence after defeat. He also participates in and rewards sexual violence against captives, distributing women alongside weapons, horses, and provisions 150 217 384 423.

His brutality is calculated rather than indiscriminate. He selects vulnerable targets, avoids stronger enemies when necessary, and uses hostages, rewards, and forced participation in atrocities to prevent recruits from leaving. When dealing with the Bear and Tiger tribes, he can adopt a courteous manner and accept unfavorable obligations for protection and recognition 129 388 527 540.

Revenge against the Fire Tribe remains a recurring ambition, but fear repeatedly tempers it. He recognizes its superior equipment and organization, retreats when outmatched, and postpones retaliation while rebuilding. His concern for his own survival can extend to abandoning most of his tribe, although Xueshou’s death later draws genuine grief and self-blame 297 339 344 659.

History

Early Raids and the Defeat at Wild Boar Gully

By his first documented appearance, Xueya has spent years leading raids against neighboring tribes. As nearby communities flee and the remaining settlements grow poorer, he worries that the Wolf Tribe can no longer obtain enough supplies through its usual targets 82.

At Wolf Fang Valley, he notices the unnatural silence and missing scouts, but Jia Li launches an allied ambush before he can escape. After heavy losses and encirclement, Xueya admits defeat and withdraws. Unable to challenge the Pottery Salt Tribe again immediately, he turns toward the growing Fire Tribe 85 88.

His subsequent raids include an assault on the Little Stone Creek Tribe and extortion of the White Pig Tribe. He rejects the poorer Deer and Green Sheep tribes as unprofitable targets and advances toward Fire Tribe territory 89 96.

Outside Wild Boar Gully, Xueya again suspects an ambush. He challenges Jianshi to a duel, only to be disarmed and severely injured by a kick to the chest. Duyan and Shichui rescue him as the Fire Tribe routs his army; he later learns that only fifteen people escaped with his group 96 106.

The survivors hide for two days before retreating toward High Pointed Mountain, massacring two small tribes for food and to eliminate witnesses. Xueya reaches home unconscious and requires more than a month of treatment before he can barely sit upright 106 129.

Rebuilding at High Pointed Mountain

Xueya restores his manpower through violent annexations, eventually commanding more than four hundred fighters, most of them newly coerced vassals. Despite his renewed strength, he refuses an immediate confrontation with either the Fire Tribe’s armored warriors or the Fish Tribe’s boats 129.

He later attacks the Bison and White Pig tribes, bringing Jianshi’s forces after him. Rather than face Jianshi alone, Xueya calls on Shichui, Duyan, and Yexiao to surround him. The Wolf Tribe is defeated again, and its leaders escape on ponies 144.

During the return journey, Xueya raids five or six small tribes and brings home more than five hundred captives and substantial supplies. He orders a month of rest and training, then plans to acquire ponies near Horse Tribe territory 150 151.

When a later probe fails against the Pottery Salt Tribe’s organized defenses, he delays a full assault. He subsequently extorts grain from the Green Grain and Marsh tribes, displaying captured Fish Tribe equipment to undermine their confidence in outside protection. Continued recruitment and raiding restore the Wolf Tribe to approximately five hundred warriors 175 181 212.

The Western Campaign and Allied Counterattack

Xueya leads roughly four hundred warriors west to force smaller tribes into his army. When Baiyan refuses, he orders the White Stone Tribe destroyed, then has the wounded chief killed before the White Creek Tribe to compel its submission. Further coercion expands his combined force to nearly a thousand 217 219 220.

Avoiding an immediate attack on the well-defended Pottery Salt Tribe, he targets the Marsh and Green Grain tribes instead. His forces take the Green Grain camp and subsequently defeat the Fish Tribe in open battle 220 230 233 234.

The victory does not secure the region. Smaller communities flee before his army, and news that the Fire Tribe has deployed at least two hundred cavalry prompts him to retreat. Allied forces then burn the Little Leaf Tribe camp around his troops and destroy his main force. Xueya, Yexiao, Shichui, and a handful of survivors abandon their exhausted horses and escape into the forest 235 238.

Northern Expansion and Conflict with the Horse Tribe

Still unwilling to confront the Fire Tribe directly, Xueya rebuilds through northern conquests. He coerces the Charcoal Fire and Firewood tribes, promotes useful recruits, and expands his raiding force to more than nine hundred warriors 297 299 300 301 303.

His raids seize horses, supplies, and people from communities within the Horse Tribe’s sphere of influence. When the Horse Tribe mobilizes, he directs affiliated communities to evacuate south toward High Pointed Mountain 303.

Xueya’s cavalry struggles against Junfeng’s better-coordinated riders, but an ambush at Tiger and Leopard Valley kills more than forty Horse Tribe cavalrymen and captures Chidian and others. Xueya negotiates peace by returning the captured warriors, surrendering two thousand sheep, and swearing an ancestral oath. Once Junfeng withdraws, he dismisses the oath 305 307.

Loss of High Pointed Mountain

Xueya launches another western expedition with nine hundred warriors and fifteen hundred logistics personnel. Finding the Marsh Tribe evacuated, he leaves men to harvest its rice and rushes four hundred cavalry toward the Fish Tribe, where the defenders refuse his attempts to provoke an open battle 327 332 333.

Fire Tribe reinforcements arrive, and Xueya loses a mounted duel against Shinian after approximately sixty exchanges. The ensuing attacks and ambushes shatter his army, exposing the growing gap between the Wolf Tribe’s equipment and the Fire Tribe’s bronze weapons 338 340 342.

Returning with only a few dozen survivors, Xueya decides High Pointed Mountain is no longer defensible. He secretly departs north with a hundred veteran warriors and supplies, leaving most of the Wolf Tribe and its subordinate communities behind as a decoy 344.

Northern Recovery and the Great Boulder Conquest

Xueya’s survivors hide in the forests north of the Big Horse River. A further clash with bronze-equipped Valley Tribe cavalry reduces his following to fewer than a hundred, after which he resumes attacking small settlements 374 384.

He targets the sparsely controlled region between the Great Luwei and Great Boulder tribes. Recruits are compelled to massacre communities connected to those larger powers, making them enemies of the authorities they might otherwise seek for protection. His following grows to about twelve hundred, then to a force of two thousand 385 388 390 425.

Further conquests expand the combined force to more than four thousand. Xueya then takes the Great Boulder Tribe’s main camp, overthrowing its leadership. Afterward, he assigns the conquered territory to subordinate tribes for farming and livestock production while suppressing remaining resistance 480 526 536.

Bear–Wolf Alliance and Betrayal

Following the conquest, Xueya accepts Xiong Pan’s offer of an introduction to the Tiger Tribe. In exchange for recognition and protection, the Wolf Tribe agrees to help the Bear Tribe attack the Valley Tribe’s Little Valley Camp Outpost 527.

Xueya later presents Tongding with two thousand ponies and negotiates boats for the return journey. He agrees to attack the Great Luwei Tribe, taking supplies while reserving its territory and population for the Tiger Tribe, and confirms his commitment to the outpost campaign 540.

At Little Valley Camp Outpost, Xueya proposes a three-sided night assault. Cavalry blocks the roads while ships seal the dock; the attackers breach both entrances and capture Daiyan and the camp 562.

After the Tiger Tribe’s defeat, Xueya turns on his Bear Tribe allies. He falsely tells Xiong Pan that Xiong Lie is surrounded, luring twelve hundred cavalry away from camp. His five hundred survivors seize the camp, prepare traps, and kill Xiong Pan and the returning cavalry. Xueya removes valuables, weapons, most of the grain, and young women, leaving the remaining inhabitants to maintain the fields 574.

The captured resources support another expansion to eight thousand warriors. Xueya then watches the Greater Qing Tribe across the river, intending to raid it before it can join the Fire Tribe 584.

Collapse and Flight Across the Long River

Xueya eventually prepares to evacuate the Wolf Tribe’s camps on both banks of the Great Rock River toward Stone Ridge Mountain. Fire Tribe scouts discover the withdrawal, allowing Yan to coordinate ambushes against the departing columns 640.

Repeated cavalry clashes destroy much of Xueya’s remaining strength. Even his specially trained personal guards fail to overcome Shinian’s troops. After breaking through successive blocking forces and finding Duzhu’s convoy devastated, he escapes with only five riders beside him 646 649.

At a temporary hunting site, Xueya reunites with Yexiao and twenty surviving riders. With Stone Ridge Mountain occupied and Xueshou dead, he blames himself for summoning his brother into the fighting. He and Yexiao decide to cross the Long River, rebuild on its northern bank, and eventually return for revenge 659.

By his latest documented appearance, Xueya again commands roughly a thousand warriors north of the river. He plans further raids and recruitment until his force reaches around two thousand, then intends to move north into the grasslands before reconsidering the Fish River region 687.

Abilities & Skills

Close-Quarters Combat

Xueya combines agility with lethal attacks aimed at exposed vital points 92 233 338.

• Uses evasive footwork and quick bone-knife thrusts against Jijiao’s heavier axe attacks 92.
• Fights Julang with a bone blade and small wooden shield, seeking openings at close range 233.
• Employs a powerful two-handed stone-axe strike capable of disarming or injuring opponents 96.
• Is decisively outmatched by Jianshi in strength, speed, and technique; later loses to Shinian through accumulated exhaustion 96 338.

Raiding and Battlefield Command

Xueya coordinates cavalry, infantry, scouts, reserves, and supply personnel across repeated campaigns 303 327.

• Detects potential ambushes from missing scouts, unusual silence, and dangerous terrain 85 96.
• Uses cavalry to seal escape routes while infantry attacks settlements and secures livestock 217 303.
• Exploits high ground, rocks, logs, and blocking cavalry at Tiger and Leopard Valley 307.
• Coordinates land and river forces during the night attack on Little Valley Camp Outpost 562.
• Varies patrol routes and personally joins nighttime patrols to make his camp harder to observe 601.

Coercive Recruitment

Xueya repeatedly restores defeated armies through forced recruitment and control of captured populations 129 219 390.

• Holds recruits’ families under guard to discourage resistance or desertion 219 300 301.
• Forces newcomers to kill captives and attack politically connected tribes, cutting off their routes back to ordinary life 388 391 425.
• Rewards performance with armor, weapons, squad leadership, provisions, horses, and captives 299 423.
• Trains a selected body of three hundred veteran guards specifically for a possible confrontation with Jianshi 646.

Deception and Negotiation

Xueya uses both intimidation and calculated concessions to secure immediate advantages 181 307 527.

• Presents captured equipment as evidence that prospective victims cannot rely on their protectors 181.
• Denies responsibility for aggression when negotiating with Junfeng and later disregards the oath securing their agreement 307.
• Accepts Tiger Tribe protection and military obligations to consolidate conquered territory 527 540.
• Exploits Xiong Pan’s concern for his father to empty the Bear Tribe camp of its cavalry before attacking 574.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bone knife and bone saber: Recurring early weapons, used in duels, raids, and mounted combat 89 92 232 338.
• Heavy stone axe: Used against Jianshi at Wild Boar Gully; knocked from his hands during the duel 96.
• Small wooden shield: Carried in his left hand while fighting Julang 233.
• Leather armor: Worn throughout later campaigns, ranging from an old but sturdy suit to finer captured armor 298 421.
• Bronze weapons: Later carries a captured bronze saber, a bronze dagger, and a bronze short blade 421 526 642.
• Mounts: Frequently rides a black pony; a bloodied chestnut horse carries him during his later escape attempts 332 431 649.
• Ox-horn trumpet: Used to signal the assault on the Small Tree Vine Tribe 303.

Relationships

• Xueshou — Younger brother and second chief. Helps save Xueya after Wild Boar Gully and remains a central commander; Xueya later blames himself for his brother’s death 82 129 659.
• Yexiao — Trusted commander and adviser who handles scouting, recruitment, and negotiations. Survives the final collapse with Xueya and helps plan their northern recovery 386 540 659 687.
• Duyan and Shichui — Senior commanders who rescue Xueya from Jianshi and lead many subsequent raids. Neither returns with him after the disastrous Fish Tribe campaign 96 217 344.
• Duzhu — Senior female leader entrusted with stronghold defense, logistics, and preparations for retreat 217 344 640.
• Tujiu — Cavalry commander used for reconnaissance, trapping fleeing tribes, and diversionary attacks 175 217 220.
• Jianshi — Fire Tribe chief and recurring enemy. His victory at Wild Boar Gully leaves Xueya gravely injured and afraid to face him alone 96 144.
• Yan — Fire Tribe leader who pursues Xueya and later coordinates the ambushes that destroy his retreating forces 238 340 640.
• Shinian — Fire Tribe commander who defeats Xueya in a mounted duel and later fights his elite guards 338 646.
• Jia Li — Enemy commander responsible for the Wolf Fang Valley ambush and the determined defense of the Pottery Salt Tribe camp 85 175.
• Junfeng — Horse Tribe chief and military opponent. Accepts Xueya’s negotiated settlement without trusting his promises 305 307.
• Xiong Lie and Xiong Pan — Bear Tribe allies in the outpost campaign; Xueya later betrays the alliance and kills Xiong Pan’s returning force 527 562 574.
• Tongding — Tiger Tribe authority with whom Xueya negotiates submission, boats, and military obligations 540.

Notable Quotes

“We can't go after the Fire Tribe for now.” 129

“Only by cutting off their retreat will they follow our Wolf Tribe with all their hearts.” 388

“Charge with me! Break through and we can live!” 649