Liu Xianyang

Overview

Liu Xianyang (刘羡阳) is a highly gifted sword cultivator, the second Sect Master of the Dragon Springs Sword Sect (龙泉剑宗), and the childhood best friend of Chen Ping'an. Born in Mud Bottle Alley (泥瓶巷) within the Lizhu Grotto-Heaven (骊珠洞天), he is a descendant of the tomb keepers for the Chen clan. Known for his tall, handsome appearance and his carefree, seemingly flippant personality, Liu Xianyang possesses an innate, terrifying aptitude for learning almost anything he tries.

Despite his constant joking and outward laziness, Liu Xianyang is fiercely loyal and perceptive. He spent years studying at the Chunru Chen Clan (醇儒陈氏) in the South Posuo Continent before returning to Baoping Continent to inherit the mantle of the Dragon Springs Sword Sect. As a Yu Pu Realm (玉璞境) sword cultivator, he made a name for himself across the continent during his legendary "questioning of the sword" at Zhengyang Mountain, demonstrating his bizarre and overwhelming dream-based sword techniques.

Appearance and Personality

Liu Xianyang is a tall, robust, and handsome young man who often wears a lazy, careless smile. He has a habit of acting like a boastful, loud-mouthed rogue who loves to brag, tease his friends, and aggressively defend his ego. He frequently refers to himself as "Uncle Liu" (刘大爷) when joking with friends or provoking enemies.

However, beneath this frivolous exterior lies an incredibly sharp mind and a deeply loyal heart. He rarely holds a grudge against minor slights but never forgets true kindness or deep enmity. He serves as a protective older-brother figure to Chen Ping'an and Gu Can. While Chen Ping'an tends to internalize his struggles and meticulously plan his actions, Liu Xianyang's approach to life is much more direct and emotionally unbound. He relies heavily on intuition and possesses an optimistic, resilient worldview, refusing to let the heavy burdens of the cultivation world grind down his joyful spirit.

History

Early Life in Lizhu Grotto-Heaven

Orphaned at a young age and raised initially by his grandfather, Liu Xianyang grew up in Mud Bottle Alley. He possessed an incredible natural talent for mundane tasks—from catching fish to making slingshots—and quickly became the favorite apprentice of Yao Laotou (姚老头) at the Dragon Kiln. Although he often bullied the neighborhood kids, he formed an unbreakable bond with Chen Ping'an and Gu Can.

His family possessed a pair of ancestral treasures: a battered Houzi Armor (瘊子甲) and an ancient Sword Manual. The Moving Mountain Ape of Zhengyang Mountain coveted the sword manual and nearly beat Liu Xianyang to death when he refused to hand it over. It was Chen Ping'an's desperate intervention and the subsequent events that saved his life. Following this near-death experience, Liu Xianyang left the small town, traveling to the South Posuo Continent under the guidance of Chen Dui to study at the Chunru Chen Clan.

Study in South Posuo Continent

At the Chunru Chen Clan academy, Liu Xianyang spent a decade studying. He was given a high-quality folding fan made of Shenxiao Bamboo, an ink-eating fish, and a wisp of "book-turning wind" by a clan elder. Despite being surrounded by the rigorous academic environment of a Confucian academy, he quietly but diligently cultivated the sword using his ancestral manual. He formed a good relationship with the great Confucian scholar Chen Chun'an (陈淳安), frequently discussing philosophy and the nature of the world with him on the cliffs overlooking the river.

Return and Dragon Springs Sword Sect

Upon returning to Baoping Continent, Liu Xianyang officially joined the Dragon Springs Sword Sect as the direct disciple of the Military School Saint, Ruan Qiong. Because Ruan Qiong focused primarily on forging swords, Liu Xianyang was largely self-taught in swordplay. Thanks to his astonishing talent, he quietly advanced to the Yu Pu Realm (玉璞境).

When Ruan Qiong stepped down, Liu Xianyang officially took over as Sect Master. Despite his high position, he preferred lounging in a bamboo chair near the old blacksmith shop by the Longxu River, eating sunflower seeds, taking naps, and avoiding formal sect duties, leaving the administration to his senior martial brother, Dong Gu. During this time, he also developed a deep romantic relationship with She Yue (赊月), a girl who adopted the alias Yu Qianyue (余倩月).

Questioning the Sword at Zhengyang Mountain

To exact revenge for the near-fatal beating he suffered in his youth, and to shatter Zhengyang Mountain's ambitions, Liu Xianyang teamed up with Chen Ping'an to question the sword at their grand sect ceremony.

Walking alone up the mountain steps of Yixian Peak, Liu Xianyang defeated multiple Zhengyang Mountain sword cultivators with contemptuous ease, easily bypassing the sword formations of Qiongzhi Peak's Liu Yu (柳玉) and forcing Yujiao Peak Master Yu Lin (庾檩) to collapse instantly. When confronted by Situ Wenying (司徒文英), a high-level ghost sword cultivator from Full Moon Peak, he revealed his terrifying dream-based natal flying sword ability, dragging her into an illusionary ancient battlefield where he completely shattered her Dao heart.

Cultivation and Abilities

Liu Xianyang is a Yu Pu Realm (玉璞境) sword cultivator whose rapid advancement and unique combat style make him one of the most formidable young sword immortals in Baoping Continent.

• Dream-Based Natal Flying Sword: His primary sword technique is derived from his ancestral sword manual. Rooted in the concept of "refining the sword in a thousand-year dream and roaming as a ten-thousand-year ancient" (日炼千岁梦，夜游万年人), he can travel through the river of time and enter ancient battlefields to hone his sword intent while asleep.
• Dream Invocation: His natal flying sword allows him to drag his opponents into a dreamscape. To his enemies, they are forced to revisit their entire life's timeline or face overwhelming illusions, while Liu Xianyang casually walks down the river of their lives, striking them at his leisure. This ability ignores conventional defenses and directly targets the Dao heart and soul, causing even higher-realm opponents to collapse mentally.
• Innate Comprehension: His most terrifying trait is his learning speed. He can learn and synthesize complex techniques and philosophical principles intuitively, seamlessly converting scholarly teachings into profound sword intent.

Relationships

• Chen Ping'an: His childhood best friend and brother-in-arms. Liu Xianyang constantly teases Chen Ping'an but holds a fierce, protective loyalty toward him. He is one of the few people who can casually scold or hit the usually solemn Chen Ping'an without any repercussion.
• Gu Can: Another childhood friend from Mud Bottle Alley. They frequently bicker and trade insults, but Liu Xianyang still treats Gu Can as a younger brother, having watched over him since they were poor kids in the town.
• Ruan Qiong: His master. Although Ruan Qiong taught him little about swordplay, there is a deep, unspoken mutual respect. Ruan Qiong trusted Liu Xianyang enough to hand over the entire sect to him.
• She Yue (Yu Qianyue): His dao companion. Originally from the Wilderness with a complex destiny, she fell in love with Liu Xianyang's genuine and relaxed nature. They share a comfortable, teasing dynamic.
• Yao Laotou: The master of the Dragon Kiln who originally taught him how to make porcelain. Yao Laotou favored Liu Xianyang heavily for his exceptional talent and blunt honesty.
• Chen Chun'an: A senior Confucian scholar at the Chunru Chen Clan who recognized Liu Xianyang's unique disposition and spent time guiding him through casual conversations during his studies.

References

• 剑来1：少年起微末，第六章 — 敲山: Details Liu Xianyang's brutal beating at the hands of the Zhengyang Mountain Moving Mountain Ape due to his ancestral armor and sword manual, and his defense by Chen Ping'an.
• 剑来5：山水有相逢，第五章 — 月儿圆月儿弯: Covers his arrival at the Chunru Chen Clan in the South Posuo Continent and his early conversations with the great scholar Chen Chun'an.
• 剑来21：皆是笼中雀，第三章 — 大家都是读书人: Depicts the heartfelt reunion between Liu Xianyang and Chen Ping'an at the Sword Qi Great Wall, where they discuss their past and perspectives on the world.
• 剑来31：观礼正阳山，第七章 — 问剑做客两不误: Showcases the beginning of his solo climb up Zhengyang Mountain, effortlessly defeating lower-level sword cultivators like Liu Yu and Yu Lin.
• 剑来31：观礼正阳山，第八章 — 兵解正阳山: Details his battle against the Full Moon Peak ghost sword cultivator Situ Wenying, revealing his terrifying dream-based natal flying sword ability.
• 剑来41：山青花欲燃，第十章 — 有限杯长少年: Highlights his relaxed life as the Sect Master, his interactions with She Yue (Yu Qianyue), and his casual yet profound bond with his childhood friends.