Xiurong

As both the daughter and core disciple of the Swordsoul Daolord, Xiurong is extremely confident and haughty, giving off a Young Mistress vibe when she speaks. However, in the Sword Saint's opinion, she has the talent to back up her arrogance.

Xiurong first appears in the Exalted Prima event. She, along with an elf and beastkin who also bear Divine Blessings from the Swordsoul Daolord, confront Sandy, Caleb, and the Sword Saint over a summoning statue Sandy stole. Xiurong personally challenges Miyamoto's right to call himself a Sword Saint, calling it "a self-proclaimed title full of arrogance."^[1] She challenges him to a fight to see if he's capable of living up to the ambition inherent in such a title. The Sword Saint readily agrees and even asks to include her fellow blessed in the combat.

Xiurong quickly emerges as the leader of the trio, able to command the others. She first sends the elf to fight Miyamoto as she chides the Sword Saint for being arrogant and foolish to challenge the three of them simultaneously. The elf fights defensively, steadfast, durable, and unable to be swayed. Miyamoto compares it to battling a great tree.^[2]Eventually, Miyamoto is able to draw first blood. Although surprised at their companion being wounded, Xiurong and the beastkin were also visibly intrigued, craving the opportunity of facing a worthy swordsman. All three join the battle, although Xiurong is still doubtful of Miyamoto's ability to fight the trio simultaneously.

At the outset of the increased challenge, Miyamoto finds himself on the back foot and wounded with blood dripping from seven cuts. But rather than being discouraged, he rushed onto the attack, wishing to truly immerse himself in swordsmanship against three people who had advanced further along the Path of the blade than himself.^[2]

Xiurong's battle style is best described as a sword dance. On pre-system Earth, sword dances were a popular form of entertainment performed by beautiful women to display themselves and their skills but it was never meant for combat, only to awe and impress the observer.^[3] Miyamoto acknowledges that Xiurong still manages to do both. Her movements are fluid, full of movement, and her sword moved as through moonlight that might end with one's severed head on the floor, every strike deadlier than the last. She moved in an unpredictable path, always one step ahead, making it all but impossible for his blade to find its target. However, Miyamoto's Path is grounded in his ability to comprehend, adapt, and grow. Xiurong is forced to admit that she is impressed but still calls his Path "greedy beyond comprehension" and insists he's "setting himself up for failure."^[3]

Ultimately, Miyamoto is able to best the elf and beastkin^[4], leaving it a one-on-one fight with Xiurong. They both throw out skills, but Miyamoto believes they're both holding back trump cards that would leave them too weakened to continue fighting if victory wasn't immediately secured. Ultimately they call it a draw as their battle has drawn a number of competitors from the Exalted Prima event who are hoping they will grievously wound each other and be left vulnerable to an ambush. Having made sure that Miyamoto still knows that she doesn't acknowledge his right to his self-proclaimed title, Xiurong reveals her true identity and hopes that they'll meet again.^[4]

• Swordsmanship
• Luminous Blade: First Dance^[4]
• More advanced version of One Step, Thousand Miles than Jake Thayne .^[5]
• Luminous Blade: Sixth Dance^[5]

• Caleb notes that as a core disciple, Xiurong is considered a genius of her generation. If a contract were placed on her with the Court of Shadows, multiple Judges would be sent to fulfill the contract.^[1]