Orphaned after the massacre of his village, Caomiao, young Zhang Xiaofan is taken in by the Qingyun Sect at Dazhu Peak, where he is seen as the least gifted disciple. Yet he carries a secret: a monk secretly taught him a Buddhist technique, and he finds a strange stick that will change his destiny.
Personality
Shy, honest and deeply loyal, Zhang Xiaofan long struggles to assert himself. The betrayals he suffers turn him into Gui Li, a cold, disillusioned man who nonetheless never loses his inner uprightness.
Powers & abilities
He cultivates both Qingyun's Taoist path and the Buddhist technique of the Great Brahma Prajna, a forbidden combination. His Shaohuo stick, born from the fusion of the blood-drinking Shixue bead and the Shehun orb, gives him power as great as it is dangerous.
History
A discreet disciple of Dazhu Peak, he reveals himself during a sect tournament. Accused of heresy when his dual cultivation is discovered, he is rejected by Qingyun and joins the Ghost King Sect under the name Gui Li. His life then plays out between the two camps and between two women.
Relationships
Lu Xueqi, a disciple of Xiaozhu Peak, loves him faithfully. Bi Yao, the Ghost King's daughter, sacrifices everything for him. Tian Ling'er, his master's daughter, was his first crush, and Lin Jingyu, the other Caomiao survivor, his childhood friend.
Key moments
- The Caomiao massacre, which makes him an orphan.
- The Qingyun tournament, where he reveals himself.
- Bi Yao's sacrifice, which turns him into Gui Li.
In the adaptations
He is played by Li Yifeng in the drama Noble Aspirations (2016) and by Xiao Zhan in the film Jade Dynasty (2019). The 3D donghua, launched in 2022, returns to Xiao Ding's novel.
Did you know?
- Zhu Xian, the Chinese title, means "killing immortals", after a legendary Qingyun sword.
- Xiao Ding's novel, published from 2003, is one of the pioneers of online xianxia.
Our take
Zhang Xiaofan is a tragic hero who shows how an honest boy can be crushed by other people's certainties. His fate gives Jade Dynasty its melancholy.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan