Yan Cui

A newly initiated Human Emissary of the Order, he wears a disquieting smile that appears warmly inviting one moment and sends chills down your spine the next.

What thoughts truly occupy his mind remains an enigma to almost everyone. Yet unmistakably, his every calculated step propels this intricate web toward an endgame that, while cloaked in uncertainty, feels entirely predestined...

Endowed with innate swordsmanship genius, Yan Cui further refined his dual-blade mastery under the guidance of 'That Person.' His ambidextrous assault became entirely seamless, capable of breaking through the defenses of even supreme grandmasters.

Through years of rigorous training, Yan Cui grew acutely aware of the two-handed sword's critical flaw: exceptional reach on the flanks, but vulnerability in the center. Determined to offset this inherent weakness, he focused relentlessly on fortifying his core guard, ultimately refining his signature lethal technique:

After baiting a block with an unassuming opening stance, Yan Cui unifies his twin blades, concentrating dense Sha-Qi along their edges before thrusting into the target's core. Ordinary foes suffer instantly shattered meridians from the pressurized sword aura; even veterans who manage to deflect the blow are inevitably impaled as he seamlessly pivots into a sweeping cross-slash.

True to its name, Yan Cui executes this move by vaulting high into the sky and pooling a surge of Sha-Qi into dual blades, raining down an alternating tempest of blade-qi slashes—the 'Heaven' phase. Once the blades' energy empties, Yan Cui locks the twin swords forward and dives at blistering speed clean through the foe—the inescapable 'Earth' phase. Together, they form the fearsome 'Strike of Heaven and Earth.'

Born in the twentieth year of the Organization, Yan Cui possessed a lifelong passion for the sword and aspired to become an elite blade master.

In Year 36 of The Order, Yan Cui sought to master the sword by apprenticing himself to the celebrated master Gu Pingyong, widely revered as the 'Vast Sky Swordsman'.

For his first three months as a disciple, Yancui was restricted to drilling four basic sword motions: thrust, slash, parry, and sheath. Gu Pingyong prized restraint, but Yancui naturally embellished the forms with creative flourishes, provoking furious reprimands during every session. Months passed with zero recognized progress, earning him scorn across the sect as an untalented show-off. Undeterred, he took to practicing under the cover of night within a secluded grove on the mountainside.

In his hands, the blade felt like an obstacle rather than an extension of himself. The rigid orthodox stances bound him like chains, holding hostage the untamed sword dance stirring within his soul.

Late one night, as Yan Cui swung his blade in listless frustration, a voice cut through the dark with mocking laughter at his folly, declaring it had witnessed firsthand the tragic unmaking of a prodigal swordsman.

When Yan Cui questioned the critique, the mysterious figure bluntly warned that his current path would only yield empty theatrical forms suited for vainglorious orthodox sects. Yan Cui fiercely countered that he sought martial prowess to walk the Jianghu with free dignity, but the stranger replied that a blade exists solely for victory—failing that means death. True mastery holds countless techniques, yet all boil down to one: striking with the unfiltered instinct of one's own soul.

Struck by an epiphany, Yan Cui abandoned rigid drills to follow pure martial instinct. His defiance enraged Gu Pingyong, but the pupil would submit no longer. Before the entire sect, Yan Cui denounced his master's acclaimed swordplay as an empty facade. Humiliated, Gu Pingyong stormed off amid stunned murmurs, while Yan Cui watched coldly, already resolved to sever ties and flee the sect for good.

Shortly after making up his mind, Gu Pingyong uncharacteristically assigned him to join several senior disciples on a critical mission, and this sudden display of trust shook his resolve to depart.

As the party departed their sect and made their way into a secluded forest, Yan Cui's fellow disciples abruptly turned hostile, unsheathing their swords to surround him. Gu Pingyong had fabricated the assignment all along—using it as an excuse to orchestrate an ambush and purge this disgraced disciple far from the sect's walls.

As the crowd braced for battle, the elusive figure guiding events from the shadows stepped forward to rescue Yan Cui—none other than an Envoy of the OrderZuo Shang. Operating under the guise of an Order mission to eradicate Gu Pingyong, Zuo Shang—who had been quietly cultivating his own faction—encountered a troubled Yan Cui while scouting the Changkong Sword Sect's defenses. Immediately recognizing the youth's raw potential, Zuo Shang resolved to bring this exceptional talent under his own wing.

Grateful for Zuo Shang's rescue and enlightened by the revelation that Gu Pingyong's skill had waned, Yan Cui begged to study under him. Zuo Shang merely offered a cryptic parting line before melting into the night with a faint smile.

Recognizing that Zuo Shang demanded Gu Pingyong's head as proof of allegiance, Yan Cui withdrew deep into the mountains for a year of relentless training. Each time he imagined his former master discovering the corpses of the assassins sent after him—and dreading his missing apprentice—a thrilling, twisted satisfaction rushed through his veins.

In Year 37 of The Order, having perfected his swordplay, Yan Cui drew his blade against his renowned mentor. Detecting the thin veil of terror beneath Gu Pingyong's shaky reprimands, Yan Cui gave no quarter, forcing the 'Vast Sky Swordsman' to draw before slitting his throat in a single merciless strike.

Carrying Gu Pingyong’s severed head, Yan Cui stood before Zuo Shang once more. He swore that his blade would run red with the blood of every self-righteous hypocrite claiming mastery in the martial world, restoring true honor and fury to the sword.

Thereafter, Yancui became one of Zuo Shang's disciples—and the deadliest covert dagger at his command, carrying out countless illicit missions in the shadows.

Year 40 of The Order, Master of the OrderMu Tianmiaoassassinated, Zuo Shang assumed the mantle of Nether Lord, while Yan Cui joined The Order as Zuo Shang's personal attendant, entering "The Order", serving as a Mortal Emissary.

On the fourth day of the fifth month, Year 40 of The Order, Zuo Shang and Soul clashed in a top-secret duel; both emerged critically maimed, their martial arts entirely shattered.

Caught in the throes of a generational power shift within The Order and pressured by the encroaching Western assassin clan 'Shadow', Zuo Shang exploited his severe wounds to play the fool. Faking continued helplessness, he adopted the righteous persona of 'Lord Bai' to eradicate The Order with his covert forces. Meanwhile, Yan Cui pretended to defect to 'Shadow', secretly intending to pit Lord Bai's troops against both 'Shadow' and The Order—clearing the path for Zuo Shang to unite the entire Jianghu under his new alias.

Taking the assignment, Yan Cui made quiet inroads with the 'Shadow' syndicate. Along the way, he discovered that its mercurial leader, Xie Wutian the 'Vile Sovereign,' regularly brutalized the women around him, prompting Yan Cui to step directly into the viper's nest.

He covertly seduced Yao Wugu, the abused wife of Xie Wutian, utilizing his remarkable spearplay to secure her unyielding devotion and total obedience.

Next, he feigned a pact with Yao Wugu: they would strike down both Xie Wutian and Zuo Shang, merge the Shadow and The Order under one banner, and spend their days together as kindred spirits. Swayed by Yan Cui’s dashing looks, lethal prowess, and honeyed promises, she readily gave her consent.

Meanwhile, Yan Cui forged a pact with Xie Wutian. At this time, Zuo Shang's severe injuries and his desperate concoction of the Blood-Coagulating Poison Pill were common knowledge. Armed with Yan Cui's intel, the two conspired their next move:

The plan was set: Zang Wudi, a ruthless champion of "Shadow," was dispatched to guard the Perilous Bridge—the sole gateway into Yecheng—and ambush the Black Dart Clan to seize their shipment of toxic elixirs. Using the stolen pills as bait, they forced The Order into launching an offensive against Shadow, while Yan Cui leaked intelligence from the dark to deal them a devastating blow. Through these calculated maneuvers, a grand conspiracy began to unfurl...

At dawn on July 15, Yan Cui watched from the shadows as Zuo Shang ran through Shadowless Sword, a prime operative of 'Shadow', with a single lethal thrust. Once the duel concluded, Yan Cui hauled the corpse back to his personal tent.

At mid-morning (Si hour) on July 16, Yan Cui conferred with Human Envoys Lao Gui and Chang Hong alongside Escort Fourteen in the Secret Chamber to map out an offensive against 'Shadow'—only to promptly betray those battle plans to Shadow.

In the early hours of July 17 in The Order's calendar, Yan Cui and Zang Wudi awaited intelligence on a treacherous bridge. Following a bitter verbal spar, Yan Cui feigned indignity and left. Soon after, Soul arrived and slew Zang Wudi in combat; once Soul departed, Yan Cui crept back to haul Zang Wudi's corpse to his own tent.

At the 3rd quarter of the Tiger hour on July 17, Yan Cui took Yao Wugu back to his tent to 'spar' in an effort to win her trust completely. From then on, Yan Cui maintained the ruse that he had slain Zuo Shang and entirely betrayed The Order.

On the afternoon of July 21, taken in by Yan Cui's flawless charade, Xie Wutian became convinced that Zuo Shang was dead and rushed eagerly to the Secret Tomb of The Order to carve up the spoils with Lord White and Yan Cui.

Feigning helplessness throughout their parley, Yan Cui lulled Xie Wutian into complacency. Cornered, he offered to surrender the Order on a solitary whim: he simply wanted to watch Yao Wugu haul Xie Wutian's carriage like a beast of burden.

Xie Wutian scoffed at Yan Cui's lack of ambition before commanding Yao Wugu to pull his carriage. Caught up in his drunken arrogance, Xie Wutian never saw the betrayal coming: Yao Wugu fired a hidden dart right into his right eye, and carriage slaves previously swayed to the plot pinned the despot down and detonated themselves. Just like that, the tyrant who ruled 'The Shadow' for decades met an ignominious end.

Overjoyed, Yao Wugu stepped forward to flatter Yan Cui once more, only to be struck down on the spot. Lord Bai commended Yan Cui warmly for the ruthless efficiency, then departed in his carriage.

Once Master Bai took his leave, Yan Cui beckoned Soul out from the woods, having sensed his presence all along. His sole reason for lingering behind was to witness Soul's legendary swordsmanship firsthand.

A savage duel to the death erupted between them. In the end, Soul's superior skill brought down Yan Cui, though at great cost—Soul sustained six sword strikes and lay unconscious for three days.

Though he did not live to witness the end of the grand conspiracy, Yan Cui passed away with zero regrets—confident he had poured everything into the cause and upheld the honor of a swordsman until his final breath.