Xie Daoyun

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Han Imperial Family
• Yun (Martial Aunt)

Tai Xuan Sect
• Ji Yuntao (Companion)

Xie Daoyun is the most outstanding disciple of the Fan Xinzhai and a member of the Five Beauties and Five Princes.

## Personality and Traits

As befitting a true Buddhist, Xie Daoyun is quaint, stoic, and reticent. She is a gorgeous young lady, desired by many talented suitors, including Ji Yuntao, Xie Yan, and Di Xiaoyao, three of the five dignified princes. Xie Daoyun is virtually impossible to attract, and she admits that she can't promise a lasting relationship to anyone due to her duty towards her sect. Despite her innocent charm, she is best described as a "cultivation machine with no feelings", unintentionally breaking the hearts of many suitors. However, she falls in love with the monk Shenxiu (a.k.a. Xie Yan) and is left bereaved after his death.

## Plot

As the most outstanding righteous practitioner of her generation, Xie Daoyun is famous for executing many criminal demonic practitioners. As a descendant of the Fan Xinzhai, she is on a quest for a reincarnated saint destined to be the leader of all Righteous and Demonic sects. According to Ji Changwu, Xie Daoyun has travelled extensively across the Han Empire with many young martial artists, although the Gentle Dignified Prince, Ji Yuntao is the one who has spent the most time with her.

Xie Daoyun and Ji Yuntao arrive at the city of Qufeng in pursuit of the rogue Yan Jie. A few days later, the two disciples successfully corner and execute Yan Jie, winning the favor of the local businessmen of Qufeng. Ji Yuntao plans to usurp the Cold Iron Ore mines of the Mo Qing Sect in behalf of the Fan Xinzhai. Xie Daoyun supports him but isn't so involved in it. Unexpectedly, Ji Yuntao loses the struggle for supremacy against Xie Yan of the Mo Qing Sect. Shortly after the end of the duel between Ji Yuntao and Xie Yan, Xie Daoyun abruptly transitions into the Innate Realm. After losing to Xie Yan, the two disciples graciously admit defeat and return to their respective sects.

Few months later, Xie Daoyun visits the Buddhist city of Luoyang, where she meets Xie Ran, a novitiate at the Liantai Monastery. She is surprised to learn that Xie Ran is the younger sister of Xie Yan and recounts his deeds in Qufeng to her. On the same day, the two girls attend the festival of Buddha where several monks across the empire gather to listen to discourses on Buddhism and experience three special trials to improve their Buddhist cultivation. Xie Daoyun is impressed by the wisdom of the renowned monk Shenxiu, who clears all the three trials. Later, Xie Daoyun, Shenxiu, and the Golden Dignified Prince, Di Xiaoyao travel to the Jiye ruins. Xie Daoyun is unaware that "Shenxiu" is actually Xie Yan, who requires her peerless beauty energy to cultivate his Finger Of Flowery Swords and ascend the Innate Realm.

Along the journey, Shenxiu a.k.a. Xie Yan impresses Xie Daoyun with his knowledge of Buddhism, but is unable to attract her. Later, as they enter the ruins of Jiye, Xie Daoyun unwittingly becomes the target of Xi Sanmei's ploy to blackmail Di Xiaoyao. The next day, after Di Xiaoyao and his retinue leave temporarily, Xie Daoyun is attacked by Xi Sanmei and is poisoned in the skirmish. However, Shenxiu saves her and they flee. The duo spend the following days escaping from Xi Sanmei and recuperating. During that period, Xie Yan repeatedly attempts to charm Xie Daoyun with his affability, but although they form a close friendship, he fails to win Xie Daoyun's love. One night, Xi Sanmei loses his patience and decides to rape Xie Daoyun. He defeats Xie Daoyun and Xie Yan and the duo escape once again. After figuring out the exit from the ruins, Xie Daoyun takes Xie Yan with her. This time however, both of them collapse from the poison, and are cornered by Xi Sanmei. Just then, Xi Sanmei is ambushed by the three Vermilion Bird Temple monks that were summoned by Xie Yan.

As the three monks assail Xi Sanmei, Xie Yan carries the injured Xie Daoyun to safety, and explains her of Shenxiu's true identity as Xi Sanmei's foster son. Meanwhile, Xi Sanmei escapes the three monks, albeit sustaining debilitating injuries. He intercepts Xie Yan and Xie Daoyun at the exit and knocks them down. Xi Sanmei coerces Xie Yan to torture Xie Daoyun but Xie Yan defies him and vows to defend her with his life. Xie Daoyun faints from stress while Xie Yan fights a bloody battle with Xi Sanmei. Despite the heavy odds, Xie Yan ultimately kills Xi Sanmei and emerges victorious. Feeling guilty for endangering Xie Daoyun, Xie Yan gives up on courting her. He heals her wounds before leaving Jiye.

In the aftermath, Xie Daoyun wakes up but Shenxiu is no where to be found. She discovers a message carved on a rock by Shenxiu, claiming that the battle with Xi Sanmei has terminally depleted his life force. He tells her that since he has betrayed his elders and his ideals, he will spend his final days alone. He thanks her for giving him the best days of his life, and since his journey has concluded, they should forget one other. Xie Daoyun weeps as she reminisces her time with the monk and realizes that she has fallen in love with Shenxiu. Consequently, Xie Daoyun ascends to the 2nd layer of the Innate Realm, and elsewhere, Xie Yan receives her beauty energy. The star-crossed lovers sadly part ways and decide to forget one other. Xie Daoyun bids farewell to prince Di Xiaoyao and returns to the Fan Xinzhai to stabilize her cultivation. Di Xiaoyao graciously accepts her implicit rejection.

That night, Xie Yan cultivates Xie Daoyun's beauty energy and finally ascends the Innate Realm. He discovers that he can manifest a powerful primordial spirit in the form of Xie Daoyun.

## Trivia

* Xie Daoyun is named after a historical scholar of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.
* Xie Daoyun is first mentioned in chapter 27, where she is portrayed by the actress Bai Yuyan of the Yunyu County Hall in Jiangling city.
* Every disciple of the Fan Xinzhai has to undergo the three tribulations of Worldly Affairs, Love, and Inner Demons before achieving enlightenment. So far, Xie Daoyun has undergone two trials, which interestingly involved Xie Yan.
	+ Xie Daoyun's Worldly Affairs trial involved her journey to Qufeng city, where she killed Yan Jie and saw Ji Yuntao's plans unexpectedly thwarted by Xie Yan. This caused her to enter the Innate Realm.
	+ In her next trial, Love, Xie Daoyun was expected to experience a brief moment of true love, then forget it. She journeyed to Jiye, where she eventually fell in love with the monk Shenxiu, but is heartbroken after his death. This caused her to enter the 2nd layer of the Innate Realm. Unbeknownst to Xie Daoyun, Shenxiu is none other than Xie Yan himself.
* By Xie Yan's own admission, Xie Daoyun is the first girl he has ever tried to actively pursue.
* After the events of Jiye, Xie Daoyun changes her hairstyle to that of a married woman, to express her love for the late monk Shenxiu.
* Xie Yan's Flowery Swords Primordial Spirit derived from Xie Daoyun can induce surrender within opponents. The spirit was often mistaken for an S Class Fallen Fighter in the world of Ba Quan. At a higher level, this Primordial Spirit can dull the opponent's judgement, and disrupt activation of their martial arts. It is particularly effective against martial arts based on desires, such as the Mantra Of The Inner Demons Of The Six Desires or the Great Heavenly Demon Sect's methods.