Xiao Chen

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Fallen Prodigy

Xiao Chen was born in Great Liang’s Third Prince’s residence as Consort Xiao’s only child. His father largely ignored him, while his mother fought for his opportunity to take the Dao-Seeking Academy’s assessment, even contributing her dowry. Xiao Chen promised to become someone remarkable and take her away from the residence 2 43.

At the academy, he became the Sword Dao Institute’s chief disciple and its greatest prodigy in a hundred years. His prospects collapsed when a demonic beast destroyed his dantian during his attempt to obtain a Five-Colored Ice Lotus. He brought the lotus back for his fiancée, Qin Rou, but she subsequently rejected him as unworthy and had the Qin Clan dissolve their engagement 2.

Abandoned or bullied by former companions and facing expulsion, Xiao Chen fell into despair. Consort Xiao secured him a place under Chu Feng, who accepted him as his disciple and the Miscellaneous Dao Institute’s chief disciple. Chu Feng’s promise of protection won his lasting loyalty 2 3.

Return to Prominence

Chu Feng directed Xiao Chen toward repeated sword practice beneath a waterfall, Sitting in Forgetfulness, and eventually Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin. These teachings enabled him to resume cultivation without repairing his dantian through conventional medicine 5 6 7 8.

Before the Outer Sect Grand Competition, he secretly trained in Cloud Dream Marsh under a black cloak and mask. His devastating swordsmanship earned him the name Black-Robed God of Slaughter. He concealed his recovery even after encountering Liu Yue’er, distrusting her companions rather than her, and later claimed the reward for Flower Gentleman’s head 8 9 10.

His repeated one-strike victories overturned his reputation as a cripple. He defeated Tang Feng, unveiled Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin against Jin Gang’s Talisman Treasure, and ultimately won the competition. His performance also secured the Miscellaneous Dao Institute’s continued existence and resource allocation 15 18 19 20 116.

After awakening a Divine Physique, he appeared at number one hundred in the Heavenly Secrets Gazette’s ranking, with five-star potential 37.

Return to Great Liang

Xiao Chen returned home with Liu Yue’er and an academy delegation, but Prince Ding’s servants still treated him as a powerless concubine’s son. When Steward Qiu barred him from the main gate, he refused to accept the humiliation and killed the guards who opposed him 43 44 45.

The confrontation escalated when Xiao Shili arrived with members of the Supreme Purity Sword Sect. Xiao Chen killed the disciple who attacked him, then defeated the sect’s Heavenly Origin elder, Bai, while still in the True Fate Realm. He stopped attacking when Elder Bai conceded 45 46.

Prince Ding then attempted to cultivate a relationship with his newly influential son. Xiao Chen instead concentrated on reuniting with his mother, whose welfare had motivated his ambitions from the beginning 47.

Academy Rivalries and Sword Dao Journeys

After three years of cultivation and travel, Xiao Chen returned with a Sword Saint’s inheritance. He initially dismissed its Dao as unsuitable for his own path, but Chu Feng encouraged him to study it as a reference. He also issued the promised challenge to Qin Rou, intending to resolve the lingering wound left by their broken engagement 82 85.

He later became champion of the True Disciple Tournament after facing Ye Lingxiao above Mirror Lake. Their final forced him to demonstrate both the Taiji Sword Technique and Ten Thousand Swords Return to One 116 117 132.

Teaching in Hongyuan

After leaving the Dao-Seeking Sect to temper himself, Xiao Chen reminded Cao Youqian that their sect taught without discrimination, stopping him from attacking approaching humans, demons, and ghosts 605.

Xiao Chen established a structured teaching program: students who learned the basic sword techniques and passed an assessment within six months could become registered disciples, while those who awakened their physiques within three years could become personal disciples. Students who failed to progress or qualify within three years would return to their tribes 615.

His disciples Jian Yi and Jian Sheng perfected their Sword Intents with help from his spiritual rain. Heaven recognized his work as opening Sword Dao in that world and rewarded him with 99 points of True Essence of Sword Dao. Rather than immediately becoming a Saint, he resolved to reach 999 points first 638.

When an earth Qilin demanded his submission and territory, Xiao Chen defended the Famous Sword Holy Land. He killed the Demon God despite the realm disparity, then later completed his Saint breakthrough. At Chu Feng’s request, he and Cao Youqian agreed to safeguard the Dao-Seeking Sect for sixty years 645 646 658.

Appearance

• Eyes: Described as bright even during his early despair after losing his cultivation 2.
• Disguised attire: Wears a black cloak and mask while training anonymously in Cloud Dream Marsh 8 10.
• Bearing: By his return from his three-year journey, Wang Baole regards him as resembling an immortal descended to earth 82.
• Physique manifestations: A faint divine light surrounds him after his Divine Physique awakening; immortal light envelops him following his victory over the earth Qilin 34 646.

Personality

Xiao Chen is deeply filial. His perceived failure to fulfil his promise to his mother contributes heavily to his initial despair, while his return home centers on her welfare rather than his father’s newly offered attention. He extends similarly strong gratitude to Chu Feng for accepting and protecting him at his lowest point 2 43 47.

His fall from prominence makes him more cautious and steady. He deliberately conceals his restored cultivation before the outer-court competition and distinguishes between trusting Liu Yue’er and trusting the people around her. Against dangerous enemies, he is pragmatic enough to ask his Dao protector to eliminate a hidden survivor rather than insist on handling everything personally 8 10 173.

As eldest senior brother, he combines protection with encouragement. He helps Cao Youqian cultivate, intervenes when he is threatened, and returns specifically to support his life-and-death duel. Their closeness eventually resembles that of blood brothers, complete with teasing and sparring 28 37 62 390.

His confidence in the Invincible Sword Dao is uncompromising, but it does not prevent courtesy or restraint. He stops when Elder Bai admits defeat, treats Elder Ku respectfully after winning, and welcomes Jian Xin and Yuan Ke as companions on the sword path 46 440 545.

Abilities & Skills

Invincible Sword Dao

Xiao Chen pursues an invincible sword by studying many schools rather than restricting himself to one technique. He describes his approach as “the sea embracing a hundred rivers” 290 423.

• Integration of techniques: Treats other sword inheritances as references for improving his own Dao 82 423.
• Steadfast sword heart: Withstands trials aimed at shaking his commitment, including the Sword Tower’s Five Elements visions and the Sword Emperor’s pressure 300 546.
• Sword supremacy: His Invincible True Essence forces the weapons of ten Kings and Marquises out of their scabbards 439.
• Combat above his realm: Defeats Heavenly Origin Elder Bai as a True Fate cultivator, Great Sage Elder Ku as a Nirvana cultivator, and the earth Qilin before becoming a Saint 45 46 439 646.

Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin

Chu Feng’s foundational teaching enables Xiao Chen to cultivate through his ruined acupoints and generate Sword Qi within his body 7 8.

• Self-generated Sword Qi: Supports sword control, recovery, spiritual vitality, and protection of the heart meridian 8.
• Spiritual-power absorption: Can drain another person’s spiritual power, demonstrated during Cao Youqian’s training 37.
• Mass Sword Qi attacks: Releases countless sword streams capable of exhausting defensive treasures or overwhelming enemy techniques 20 46 146.
• Ten Thousand Swords Return to One: Its killing move condenses the multitude of swords into a single attack 117 423.

Taiji Sword Technique

A complementary sword art whose yin and softness counter forceful, yang-oriented attacks 116.

• Blocks Ye Lingxiao’s Flying Immortal attack in the True Disciple Tournament final 116.
• Shares the principle of returning many things to one with Ten Thousand Swords Return to the Origin, helping Xiao Chen comprehend its killing move 117.
• Reaches major accomplishment alongside his principal technique 143.

Physiques and Divine Sword Faxiang

• Innate Sword Physique: Helps him endure repeated sword practice beneath a towering waterfall even before recovering his cultivation 6.
• Divine Physique: Awakens upon his True Fate breakthrough 34.
• Firmament-Breaking Sword Physique: An Immortal Physique awakened with his Nirvana breakthrough 387.
• Divine Sword Faxiang: Manifests behind him when releasing his True Essence; he also combines it with his Immortal Physique against the earth Qilin 439 645.

Meditation and Divine Sense

• Sitting in Forgetfulness: Induces self-forgetfulness and heightened comprehension of the Sword Dao 6.
• Divine-sense growth: Raises his spiritual perception to True Fate level while his cultivation remains lower 9.
• Controlled perception: Can restrain his divine sense to avoid alerting enemies 9.

Teaching and Technique Transmission

• Transmits cultivation instruction directly into students’ seas of spiritual consciousness through luminous rain 615.
• Uses spiritual rain to accelerate his disciples’ Sword Intent development 638.
• Tests perseverance and sword heart as well as technical ability, as demonstrated with Ximen Ye 183 357.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Unparalleled Sword — Named sword wielded against Chao Xiu in Great Void Valley 146.
• Black cloak and mask — Conceal his identity during his early training expeditions 8 10.
• Sword Saint inheritance jade slip — Obtained during his travels and donated to the Miscellaneous Dao Institute’s library 82.
• Sword Jade — Produced when the Azure Flood Dragon King challenges him to present an ancestral treasure 325.
• Ten storage rings from the Sword Demon — Contain treasures and cultivation methods, including numerous Saint Rank techniques 423.

Relationships

• Chu Feng — Master. Takes him in after his crippling injury, provides the teachings behind his recovery, and remains the focus of his loyalty 2 7 8.
• Consort Xiao / Madam Xiao — Mother. Sacrifices for his education and secures his place under Chu Feng; he seeks to repay her by giving her a better life 2 43 47.
• Prince Ding — Father. Neglects Xiao Chen during his childhood, then attempts reconciliation after witnessing his restored power and academy standing 43 47.
• Xiao Shili — Brother and Prince Ding’s heir apparent. Intervenes against him during the confrontation at the estate gates 45.
• Qin Rou — Former fiancée. Receives the lotus that cost him his cultivation, then breaks their engagement; their three-year agreement becomes a means for him to confront his unresolved feelings 2 4 82 85.
• Liu Yue’er — Close junior sister who continues encouraging him after his injury and loves him. Accompanies him home and on later sword-related travels 9 45 47 181.
• Cao Youqian — Second junior brother and closest fellow disciple. Xiao Chen protects and trains him; the two later become Holy Sons and Saints together 28 37 357 390 658.
• Ye Beixuan — Fifth junior brother. Rescues him from the Black Devil Bandits, guards his cultivation, and later confronts Yang Wei on his behalf 173 202.
• Ye Lingxiao — Sword rival and academy ally. Faces Xiao Chen in the True Disciple Tournament final, then supports him against outside factions at the Sword Tomb 116 133.
• Ximen Ye — Disciple. First seeks instruction after witnessing Xiao Chen’s swordsmanship; formally accepted after passing a later sword test 183 357.
• Jian Yi and Jian Sheng — Personal disciples in Hongyuan. Their perfected Sword Intents bring heavenly recognition of Xiao Chen’s work in establishing Sword Dao 638.
• Jian Xin and Yuan Ke — Rival sword cultivators who become friendly discussion partners after their encounter at Western Peak 544 545.

Notable Quotes

“There's no need for thanks between brothers. Once you've grown stronger, just make sure to take good care of Master.” 37

“I'm not fighting this battle to prove anything to anyone. I only want to perfect my Sword Intent, and you will be my whetstone!” 85

“I will study every sword technique in the world and comprehend the true invincible sword from them.” 423

Trivia

• Chu Feng recognizes Xiao Chen’s fallen-genius background, broken engagement, and three-year agreement as traits of a story protagonist 1 4.
• Chu Feng privately imagines declaring that Xiao Chen has “the makings of a Sword Emperor”; the Sword Emperor’s remnant later gives Xiao Chen that assessment directly 4 546.
• The supplied passages contain realm inconsistencies: the ancient phantom calls Xiao Chen a True Fate cultivator after his Heavenly Origin breakthrough, while the later Sword Demon encounter describes a Dao Integration achievement after his Nirvana breakthrough 104 134 387 422.