''Xuan-Yuan Sword'' (, literally "Sword of the
Xuan-Yuan") is a series of Taiwanese
role-playing video game
A role-playing video game (commonly referred to as simply a role-playing game or RPG, as well as a computer role-playing game or CRPG) is a video game genre where the player controls the actions of a character (or several party members) immers ...
s for
personal computers
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or techn ...
developed by the DOMO Studio (DOMO小組/多魔小組) of
Softstar Entertainment Inc.
Softstar Entertainment Inc. (), abbreviated as Softstar (), is a Taiwanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher based in Zhonghe District, New Taipei, with Mainland China, Mainland subsidiary branches in Beijing, Shanghai and ...
(大宇資訊) based in
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The games incorporate elements of
Chinese mythology
Chinese mythology () is mythology that has been passed down in oral form or recorded in literature in the geographic area now known as Greater China. Chinese mythology includes many varied myths from regional and cultural traditions.
Much of t ...
as well as historic figures and events.
In time immemorial, the "Xuan-Yuan Sword" was wielded by
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...
of ancient China to defend the ancient Chinese against the warlord
Chi You
Chiyou (蚩尤, ) is a mythological being that appears in East Asian mythology.
Individual
According to the Song dynasty history book '' Lushi'', Chiyou's surname was Jiang (), and he was a descendant of flame.
According to legend, Chiyou had ...
and his aggressive subjects. After Chi You's defeat, the future for the five-thousand-year-old history of China was secured, and the Sword was passed on from Yellow Emperor to future generations to continue to defend the world against evil. Due to its great power, the sword was often sought by treacherous individuals to further their own ends.
A recurring item of the series is the ''Monster Fusion Vessel'' (''Lian Yao Hu'', 煉妖壺), created by the goddess
Nüwa
Nüwa, also read Nügua, is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology. She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.
As creator of mankind, she molded humans individually by hand with yellow clay.
In the Huainanzi ...
in emulation of the Immortal Creation Ding (造物仙鼎) to cleanse the world. Within the Vessel resides an immortal entity known as the ''Spirit in the Vessel.'' The Vessel's powers are to absorb nonhuman creatures, and to transmute them into other creatures or items.
Main series
The Xuan-Yuan Sword series is the oldest and longest living Chinese RPG series, totaling 13 RPGs with ancient Chinese-style stories set in ancient Chinese backgrounds. They are:
* 01 Xuan-Yuan Sword
* 02 Xuan-Yuan Sword II
* 03 Xuan-Yuan Sword: Dance of Maple Banners (The story happened in
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
of China)
* 04 Xuan-Yuan Sword III: Beyond Clouds and Mountains (The story happened around the time of the
An Lushan Rebellion
The An Lushan Rebellion was an uprising against the Tang dynasty of China towards the mid-point of the dynasty (from 755 to 763), with an attempt to replace it with the Yan dynasty. The rebellion was originally led by An Lushan, a general office ...
. The protagonist started from Venice, Italy, and crossed the entire Eurasian continent to reach
Chang'an
Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...
, the Capital of the
Tang Dynasty
The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, t= ), or Tang Empire, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907 AD, with an Zhou dynasty (690–705), interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dyn ...
of China)
* 05 Xuan-Yuan Sword III: Scar of the Sky (The story happened in late
Sui Dynasty
The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...
)
* 06 Xuan-Yuan Sword IV: The Black Dragon Dances as Storm Rages (The story Happened in late
Qin Dynasty
The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first Dynasties in Chinese history, dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin (state), ...
)
* 07 Xuan-Yuan Sword IV: The Millennial Destiny (Part of the story happened in the
Spring and Autumn period
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...
of China, in the 6th Century BC, and the other part 1000 years later, during the
Battle of Fei River
The Battle of Fei River, also known as the Battle of Feishui (), was a battle in AD 383 in China, where forces of the Di-led Former Qin dynasty was decisively defeated by the outnumbered army of the Eastern Jin dynasty. The location of the bat ...
, during the
East Jin Dynasty
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
)
* 08 Xuan-Yuan Sword V: A Sword above the Clouds and the Sentiment of
Shanhai (The story happened in an alternate world called the world of Shanhai, or literally the world of the
Classic of Mountains and Seas
The ''Classic of Mountains and Seas'', also known as ''Shan Hai Jing'', formerly romanized as the ''Shan-hai Ching'', is a Chinese classic text and a compilation of mythic geography and beasts. Early versions of the text may have existed sinc ...
. The time is equivalent to late
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...
period in our world)
* 09 Xuan-Yuan Sword V: The Clouds of Han (The story happened in the period of Three Kingdoms of China)
* 10 Xuan-Yuan Sword V: The Clouds Faraway (The game consists of 3 chapters: the main chapter, the chapter of Lan Ying, and the chapter of
Wuzhang Plains
The Wuzhang Plains (五丈原) are plateaus near the Wei River in China. They are now in the Shaanxi province, 56 kilometres from Baoji. The name "Wuzhang" means "five '' zhang''", where ''zhang'' (丈) is a Chinese unit of measurement which conv ...
. The story happened in the period of Three Kingdoms.)
* 11 Xuan-Yuan Sword VI: The Phoenix Soars over Millennial Clouds (The story happened in the
West Zhou dynasty)
* 12 Xuan-Yuan Sword VI: The Gate of Firmament (The story happened in the
Shang Dynasty
The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...
)
* 13 Xuan-Yuan Sword VII (The story happened in late
West Han Dynasty)
Xuan-Yuan Sword
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword")
In the beginning of the world, the goddess
Nüwa
Nüwa, also read Nügua, is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology. She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.
As creator of mankind, she molded humans individually by hand with yellow clay.
In the Huainanzi ...
created two kinds of intelligent life: those of men, and those of monsters, who warred among each other all the time. The Sword was created by men in an attempt to end the everlasting war. Led by a single heroic figure, Xuan-yuan Swordsman (軒轅劍俠) who wielded the Sword, the war between humans and monsters ended with both sides suffering heavy casualties. Seventeen years later, the main character, He Ran (何然), a young swordsman left his mentor to set off on a journey into the chaotic world to carve his own path.
The first game in the series, Xuan-Yuan Sword was also Softstar's first RPG product and was released in 1990. The time period the game is set in is ambiguous. The game features a
Dragon Quest
previously published as ''Dragon Warrior'' in North America until 2005, is a franchise of Japanese role-playing video games created by Armor Project (Yuji Horii), Bird Studio (Akira Toriyama) and Sugiyama Kobo (Koichi Sugiyama) to its publi ...
-like user interface. Players started the game as a novice adventurer with minimal fighting skills and can gain combat experience through battles to enable progression to other areas and advance the plot. The main characters were named after the characters from
A Chinese Ghost Story
''A Chinese Ghost Story'' ( zh, t=倩女幽魂, w=Ch'ien-nü Yu-hun, l=The Ethereal Spirit of a Beauty) is a 1987 Hong Kong romantic comedy horror film starring Leslie Cheung, Joey Wong and Wu Ma, directed by Ching Siu-tung and produced by Ts ...
in this game, but their names were retconned in the second game.
The game featured standard VGA 16-colored 640x480 screen, complete with party-members, round-based combat, full-screen sprite animation, various monsters, Chinese-styled AdLb music, sound effects, animated spell effects, as well as full Chinese interface, which was a great hit in Taiwan's computer game market at that period.
Released on October 13, 1990.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 2
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 2")
Continuing from where the first game left off, He Ran (何然), together with the vigilante Yang Kunshuo (楊坤碩) and the young thaumaturge Jiang Ruhong (江如紅), defeated the dreaded incarnation of the Flaming Phoenix (火鳳凰) (the sinister monster who kidnapped Jiang), befriended a benevolent fox spirit Gu Yuesheng (古月聖), and traveled back in time to find He Ran's parents. They sought to bring about the end of the leader of the invasive monsters, known as the Wicked God (惡神),
Bashe
Bashe () was a python-like Chinese mythological giant snake that ate elephants.
Name
The term ''bashe'' compounds ''ba'' "a proper name; tip, tail; crust; greatly desire; cling to; be near" and ''she'' "snake; serpent".
The Chinese charac ...
, and eventually confronted the treacherous Spirit of the Vessel.
Released on February 8, 1994.
; Features
: Many key features of the game series were introduced with this game. It was set in 320×240 256-colored screen (in the once-popular VGA X-mode). In-game artworks such as scenes, monsters, character portraits, items were fashioned in
Chinese painting
Chinese painting () is one of the oldest continuous artistic traditions in the world. Painting in the traditional style is known today in Chinese as ''guó huà'' (), meaning "national painting" or "native painting", as opposed to Western style ...
style.
; Monster Fusion Vessel
: Another key feature is the Vessel system. Not long after the beginning of the game, the Monster Fusion Vessel can be acquired, and has two main functions:
# Absorb enemies encountered in battle, with limitations:
#* Cannot absorb creatures that have higher experience level than player, and those creatures whose levels are close to the players' are more easily captured when wounded.
#* Bosses creatures and human enemies cannot be absorbed.
#* Imprisoned monsters are visible in players inventory and can be summoned to assist during battle with a stamina cost.
# Transmutation. A player can transmute creatures and items to other objects or creatures. The resulting product may be exceedingly powerful or unobtainable otherwise.
; The Sword
: In the battle against the final boss, the Vessel Spirit, the goddess Nüwa appeared and revealed the truth that Xuan-Yuan Swordsman was He Ran's father whose spirit has fused with the Xuan-Yuan Sword. Receiving the powerful weapon from the goddess, the protagonist and his company went to the World Within the Vessel and defeated the treacherous Vessel Spirit, sealing him by planting the Xuan-Yuan Sword in his head.
This installment also introduced a recurring element of the series, the DOMO Studio that is present in all future games in vastly different incarnations that players can visit to access humorous fourth wall-breaking dialogue, quests, and items.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: Beyond the Clouds and Mountains
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: Beyond Clouds and Mountains")
The story opens in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 ...
with Septem (賽特), a Frankish knight and covert intelligence operative of mixed descent from
Gaul
Gaul ( la, Gallia) was a region of Western Europe first described by the Romans. It was inhabited by Celtic and Aquitani tribes, encompassing present-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, most of Switzerland, parts of Northern Italy (only during ...
who was the lieutenant to
Pepin the Younger
the Short (french: Pépin le Bref; – 24 September 768), also called the Younger (german: Pippin der Jüngere), was King of the Franks from 751 until his death in 768. He was the first Carolingian to become king.
The younger was the son of t ...
. Septem possessed an heirloom bronze vessel with an eastern design, which was in fact the Monster Fusion Vessel. He had heterochromic pupils of blue and brown, garnering discrimination and distrust from his peers and fellow knights over his somewhat Eastern appearance. Miles (麥爾斯) (the reincarnation of Satan whose memories and innate powers had not yet been fully awakened), a knight-commander under the guidance of the cleric Cornelius (康那里士) (the Dread Lord of Hell in disguise), was the polar opposite of his rival Septem, enforcing the Church's will without mercy and question, executing those designated as heretics without hesitation, and had the affection of Lilian (莉蓮), a pure maiden Septem had courted in vain. Pepin himself, however, favored Septem, and gave him a quest of great import. He was to go to the East, and find the way to achieve Absolute Victory/the Way of the King. During the journey, a simpleminded demoness named Nicole (妮可) joined Septem after being summoned by a strange dying man Septem tried to help, as an agent sent by
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
. Her mission was to awaken Septem's memory of his past life, in which he was Lucifer's most trusted ally who took part in Lucifer's Rebellion, and to convert him to Satan's cause once more, accompanied with promises of wealth, power, and demonic servants, but she eventually abandoned her mission over the fondness she developed for Septem. Kama, a self-proclaimed spirit of love, and Ankh, a snarky talking flying Egyptian black cat accompanying Kama (both of whom Septem encountered in the
Tadmor Tombs), as well as
Li Jing (李靖), a Chinese mortal-turned-deity who oversaw the establishment of the Tang dynasty, whose reincarnated self, Master Huiyan, previously accompanied Septem for a short time before sacrificing himself in an attempt to stop a
war between the Abbasid Caliphate (which recently overthrew Umayyad rule) and Tang (which ended in the defeat of the Tang forces led by
Gao Xianzhi
Gao Xianzhi, or Go Seonji, (died January 24, 756) was a Tang dynasty general of Goguryeo descent. He was known as a great commander during his lifetime. He is most well known for taking part in multiple military expeditions to conquer the Western R ...
), also joined the party. Septem also met his eventual wife, Widad (薇達), a military leader who defied Arabian patriarchal traditions and who was the reincarnated spirit twin of Kama, and the young grandson of
Al-Kindi
Abū Yūsuf Yaʻqūb ibn ʼIsḥāq aṣ-Ṣabbāḥ al-Kindī (; ar, أبو يوسف يعقوب بن إسحاق الصبّاح الكندي; la, Alkindus; c. 801–873 AD) was an Arab Muslim philosopher, polymath, mathematician, physician ...
, whom Septem studied under for a short time around the time of the
Abbasid Revolution
The Abbasid Revolution, also called the Movement of the Men of the Black Raiment, was the overthrow of the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750 CE), the second of the four major Caliphates in early History of Islam, Islamic history, by the third, the A ...
, as well as Wang Siyue (王思月), a willful young woman from
Chang'an
Chang'an (; ) is the traditional name of Xi'an. The site had been settled since Neolithic times, during which the Yangshao culture was established in Banpo, in the city's suburbs. Furthermore, in the northern vicinity of modern Xi'an, Qin Shi ...
with feelings for Septem, along his journey. After finally reaching China and encountering a variety of conflicts, including the
An Lushan Rebellion
The An Lushan Rebellion was an uprising against the Tang dynasty of China towards the mid-point of the dynasty (from 755 to 763), with an attempt to replace it with the Yan dynasty. The rebellion was originally led by An Lushan, a general office ...
, the group discovered Satan's plan to subjugate all worlds by using the Reversal of
Mandala
A mandala ( sa, मण्डल, maṇḍala, circle, ) is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for e ...
Ritual (反曼陀羅陣), which Septem's past incarnation invented and gained time traversal powers from, to modify the natural laws of causality, and managed to foil it with the assistance of The Immortal of Xuan-yuan Sword (the avatar of the Xuan-Yuan Sword who takes on the form of a stern and wise old man). After Satan's defeat, Septem married Widad, returned to assist
Charlemagne
Charlemagne ( , ) or Charles the Great ( la, Carolus Magnus; german: Karl der Große; 2 April 747 – 28 January 814), a member of the Carolingian dynasty, was King of the Franks from 768, King of the Lombards from 774, and the first Holy ...
with lessons from his journey-that a ruler must rule in the best interests of the commonfolk, and the way to ensure victory lies in the prevention and cessation of conflicts, and later reunited with Nicole, who was reborn once more as a normal girl by the grace of Heaven.
The game eschews turn-based battles for the
Active Time Battle
In video and other games, the passage of time must be handled in a way that players find fair and easy to understand. This is usually done in one of the two ways: real-time and turn-based.
Real-time
Real-time games have game time progress cont ...
combat system, an unusual feature in Chinese RPGs. The refining system in the game has two categories of items and creatures, Eastern and Western, which allows for the creation of different items based on altar selection.
The game was released on December 4, 1999. An iOS port of the game with additional storylines and scenes meant to expand the portion of the game set in China was released on January 17, 2017.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 4: The Black Dragon Dances as the Storm Rages
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 4: The Black Dragon Dances! The Clouds Fly)
This game is the fourth installment of the main series. The game is the first to be presented in 3D, both in environment and in combat.
The story starts with an orphaned girl from the late
Zhao state, Shui Jing (水鏡) and her senior disciple-sister, Qu Xian (屈嫻) on the top of a mountain with their seniors from the House of
Mo, a Mohist clan actively opposing the tyranny of
Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
and
its leader, who is often accompanied by a mysterious purple-skinned adviser (later revealed to be the original Vessel Spirit on an ideological mission to create an unified utopia by absorbing the mortal world into the universe created by the Spirit - "Realm in the Clouds"). Qu Xian witnessed her companions being murdered by giant mechanical constructs created with the Jiguan technique. Later, Shui Jing meets with Ji Liang (姬良) (later known as
Zhang Liang Zhang Liang is the romanization of common names like 張良, 張亮 and 張梁.
張良
* Zhang Liang (Western Han) (died 189 BC), early Han dynasty strategist
** Zhang Liang, an animation character from the animated TV series ''The Legend of Qin'', ...
張良), a well-educated young man from the annihilated
Han state who can utilize the Scroll of Heaven (Tian Shu 天書) in battles after obtaining and deciphering it in an early escapade with Shui Jing, and Ji Peng (疾鵬), a humorous talking bird king who employs a humanoid Jiguan body in battle. The three journey across various lands to combat the machinations of the Qin Empire and the Vessel Spirit. Later in the story, Ji Peng is revealed to be the bird owned by the Mo clan leader's husband, Fu Ziche (輔子徹) (introduced in Dance of Maple along with the current Mo leader, Lady Wenjin (紋錦), renowned for her eternal youthfulness), who had been sealed in ice in the World Within the Vessel after a battle with the Vessel Spirit during which he averted disaster by preventing the Black Fire the Vessel Spirit unleashed using a purple crystal in desperation from taking form. The trio eventually reconcile their differences with the Spirit, rescued Fu Ziche, and confronted the true threat, battling with all nine portions of Black Fire (with each portion increasing its power and all nine portions 4^128 times as powerful as one portion alone) running amok, which is believed to be the ultimate weapon of the Hell that can take the form of a black dragon, discovered long ago using purple crystals by the ancient Shu kingdom engineer Qi, who caused the destruction of his civilization and was sealed away in a protective cocoon until the events of the game, when he took control of Lady Wenjin (who was created with Black Fire) and Black Fire to go on a rampage to destroy the world (or in his mind, creating a world where hell and the mortal realm co-existed in order to eliminate death) upon awakening.
Released on the August 4, 2002.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 5: A Sword Above the Clouds and the Sentiments of the World of Shanhai
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 5: A Sword Soaring Above Clouds; Shanhai Sentiments")
The main character Lu Chengxuan (陸承軒) killed his parents as a result of not being able control his mysterious power, and was about to die in the wilderness as an outcast when he was coincidentally brought to the World of
Shanhai through a portal created by Huangfu Muyun (皇甫暮雲), a powerful wielder of sword energy and the avatar of the Xuanyuan Sword, using the Pangu Axe. There, he encounters Xia Rou (夏柔), second empress of the Kingdom of Women. The two traveled around the world, meeting with people from other kingdoms, and set out to accomplish a task given to them by the Elder of the Green Dragon Kingdom, leading to a confrontation with the exiled Princess of Heaven,
Qing'er (青兒), who helped the
Yellow Emperor
The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...
, Ji Xuanyuan (姬軒轅), claim the mortal world for humans and was banished due to her newly acquired form causing cataclysmic droughts after expending her power in aiding him in reforging the sword that would later be known as the Xuan Yuan Sword.
Released on August 4, 2006.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 6: The Phoenix Soars in the Sky among Millennial Clouds
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 6: The Fenghuang Rising High Above the Sky and Thousand-year Clouds")
In c. 1046 BCE, the
Battle of Muye
The Battle of Muye () or Battle of the Mu was a battle fought in ancient China between the rebel Zhou state and the reigning Shang dynasty. The Zhou army, led by Wu of Zhou, defeated the defending army of King Di Xin of Shang at Muye and capt ...
erupted. The leader of the Zhou of the west,
Ji Fa
King Wu of Zhou () was the first king of the Zhou dynasty of ancient China. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BC and ended three years later in 1043 BC.
King Wu's ancestral name was ...
, took the opportunity presented when
King Zhou of Shang
King Zhou (; ) was the pejorative posthumous name given to Di Xin of Shang () or King Shou of Shang (), the last king of the Shang dynasty of ancient China. He is also called Zhou Xin (). In Chinese, his name Zhòu (wikt:紂, 紂) also refers to a ...
rallied his forces in a southeastern expedition and when the Shang capital of
Zhaoge Zhaoge () was the last of a series of cities that served as capital of the Shang dynasty, and later capital of State of Wey (衛國). It is located in current Qi County, Hebi, Henan about 50 km south of Anyang.
See also
*Yinxu
Yinxu (modern ; ...
was undefended to form an alliance with leaders in the west at
Mengjin to perform a swift strike against the capital.
Hearing of the impending attack, the Shang king was caught off guard and forced to head to Muye for battle, and ended up burning himself alive on the
Deer Terrace Pavilion
The Deer Terrace Pavilion () was a structure believed to have been built during the Shang dynasty. Its location was believed to be in Zhaoge (near the present-day Jinniuling mountain ridge in Qi County, Hebi).
It was also the site of a very luxur ...
, thus ending the six-hundred-year reign of the
Shang Dynasty
The Shang dynasty (), also known as the Yin dynasty (), was a Chinese royal dynasty founded by Tang of Shang (Cheng Tang) that ruled in the Yellow River valley in the second millennium BC, traditionally succeeding the Xia dynasty and ...
and ushering in the era of the
Zhou Dynasty
The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
.
After the Battle of Muye, the tense atmosphere remained between the Shang and Zhou people. The Shang remnant forces retreated to the largest vassal state in the east,
Yan (奄國), for a respite until a chance for rebellion arose. King Zhou's son,
Wu Geng Wu Geng or Wugeng (Chinese: ''Wǔgēng''), a.k.a. ''Lùfù'', was an ancient Chinese noble who was the son of Zhou, the last king of the Shang. After his father executed Bigan by cutting out his heart, Wugeng fled to Feng, the capital of the Zhou ...
, was held at Zhaoge. King Wu of Zhou (formerly known as Ji Fa) assigned land and title to him, but ordered his three younger brothers to keep Wu Geng confined and under surveillance to prevent rebellion. With the passing of King Wu from illness, the
Duke of Zhou
Dan, Duke Wen of Zhou (), commonly known as the Duke of Zhou (), was a member of the royal family of the early Zhou dynasty who played a major role in consolidating the kingdom established by his elder brother King Wu. He was renowned for acting ...
who served as a royal advisor was accused of attempting to seize the throne, and had to resign to prove his innocence, causing the kingdom to be leaderless and the political situation to become volatile. The Shang sought to seize this chance to attack
Haojing
Hao or Haojing (), also called Zongzhou (), was one of the two settlements comprising the capital of the Western Zhou dynasty (1066–770 BCE), the other being Fēng or Fēngjīng (). Together they were known as Fenghao and stood on opposite banks ...
to reclaim the kingdom. A war between the east and west appears to be imminent, and at the same time, a mysterious force stirs in the dark.
The game opens with a cinematic of a battle between
Xia
Xia (Hsia in Wade–Giles) may refer to:
Chinese history
* Xia dynasty (c. 2070 – c. 1600 BC), the first orthodox dynasty in Chinese history
* Xia (Sixteen Kingdoms) (407–431), a Xiongnu-led dynasty
* Xia (617–621), a state founded by Dou Ji ...
and Shang forces at the Xia capital
Zhenxun
Zhenxun () was the last capital for the pre historical Chinese Xia dynasty. There is a consensus among many Chinese scholars that the Erlitou site about 20 km east of central Luoyang
Luoyang is a city located in the confluence area of Luo River ...
that concludes with the end of the Xia Dynasty and the deaths of two Xia lovers, the warrior Si Tianjia (姒天甲) and the priestess Miao Ji (苗姬). The two promise each other to transmigrate as enemies of Shang to oppose it together in their next lives. As they lay dying, a Xia artifact, the Holy Circlet of Tianhuan carried by Miao Ji splits into two halves and merges with Si Tianjia and Miao Ji.
The story focuses on the conflict among the reigning Zhou and the subordinate Shang states. The main character, Feng Tianling (鳳天凌), is a proud young Shang noble raised in Yan who can see and communicate with spirits and supernatural creatures. A benevolent spirit, Hupo (琥珀 Amber), has been his friend and companion since he was young. He sets out on a journey of self-discovery and encounters companions and enemies alike along the way amidst growing omens of
war
War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular o ...
. Feng Tianling's companions are Huyue (瑚月), a beautiful maiden from a
mysterious tribe who is attached to Tianling because of a supposedly destined marriage, Ji Ting (姬亭), the Zhou princess skilled in archery who values bravery and prowess, Jialanduo/Kalandra (迦蘭多), a
Shendu
The Republic of India has two principal short names, each of which is historically significant, "India" and "Bharata". A third name, "Hindustān", is sometimes an alternative name for the region comprising most of the modern Indian states of ...
royal with
chakra
Chakras (, ; sa , text=चक्र , translit=cakra , translit-std=IAST , lit=wheel, circle; pi, cakka) are various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, or the esoteric or ...
manipulation skills who is searching for his sister, and Rong Shuang (蓉霜), a young Black Fire Sect disciple from
Shu on a mission with her fellows to recover their cultural artifact, Black Fire.
The DLC Chapter of Zhuo Shanzhu (濁山鑄篇), released as a free update, features a story involving Zhuo Shanzhu (濁山鑄), the elder brother of Rong Shuang previously presumed to be dead, and his investigation of the nature of Black Fire, the Black Fire Sect, and the history and technology of the lost kingdom of Sanmu.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 7
At the end the
Western Han Dynasty
The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
,
Wang Mang
Wang Mang () (c. 45 – 6 October 23 CE), courtesy name Jujun (), was the founder and the only Emperor of China, emperor of the short-lived Chinese Xin dynasty. He was originally an official and consort kin of the Han dynasty and later ...
, the regent of Han, seized the imperial throne and established the
Xin dynasty
The Xin dynasty (; ), also known as Xin Mang () in Chinese historiography, was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty which lasted from 9 to 23 AD, established by the Han dynasty consort kin Wang Mang, who usurped the throne of the Emperor Ping o ...
.
During this time, various auspicious signs as well as ominous phenomenons, such as the unearthing of a stone bovine and a white stone carved with writing, and the discovery of ancient tombs were prevalent.
A peculiar bamboo scroll was unearthed from the tomb of
the Marquis of Liu, and was swiftly delivered to the court astrologer.
Unexpectedly, on the night the scroll was received, a fire broke out, and all within the court astrologer residence perished. The scroll also vanished without a trace.
Ten years had gone by, but the prosperous era foretold by the mysterious omens did not come to pass.
Numerous natural disasters tormented the commonfolk, and many rose up in rebellion.
Just then, the scroll that disappeared more than a decade ago resurfaced, ushering in a turbulent time anew.
Tales (
Gaiden
In media, a spin-off (or spinoff) is a radio program, television program, film, video game or any narrative work, derived from already existing works that focus on more details and different aspects from the original work (e.g. particular topics, ...
) titles
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Dance of the Maple Banners
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword Legend: Dance of Maple")
The first standalone expansion episode in the series, the story of ''Dance of the Maple Banners'' (楓之舞) was based on the
Warring States period
The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
in
Chinese History
The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the ''Book of Documents'' (early chapter ...
. The Sword fell into the hands of the political radical, ''Shusangzi'' (蜀桑子 or Sang Jing 桑凈). The main character Fu Ziche (輔子徹) is an eccentric young disciple of
Mozi
Mozi (; ; Latinized as Micius ; – ), original name Mo Di (), was a Chinese philosopher who founded the school of Mohism during the Hundred Schools of Thought period (the early portion of the Warring States period, –221 BCE). The ancie ...
, and is also an expert in mechanical engineering, especially in the creation and manipulation of Jiguan Ren (機關人), man-sized mechanical golems powered by mystic energy. Jiguan Ren were originally developed for war, but their designs were hidden away for fear of being misused. Shusangzi had re-discovered this technology, and developed a large Jiguan army for his own ends. Upon learning of this,
Mozi
Mozi (; ; Latinized as Micius ; – ), original name Mo Di (), was a Chinese philosopher who founded the school of Mohism during the Hundred Schools of Thought period (the early portion of the Warring States period, –221 BCE). The ancie ...
sent Fu Ziche to investigate, and if possible, to stop Shusangzi. On his quest, he encountered Wenjin (紋錦), the estranged daughter of Sang created with the aid of the power of the Vessel, and they eventually fell in love.
Being the first game in the series to have connection with real world history, Dance of the Maple Banners inherited most of the previous game's interface, arts, and battle system, with subtle modifications, and wrapped with new plot. More realistic ancient war machines were made alive, while historical figures such as Mozi,
Lu Ban
Lu Ban (–444BC). was a Chinese architect or master carpenter, structural engineer, and inventor, during the Zhou Dynasty. He is revered as the Chinese Deity (Patron) of builders and contractors.
Life
Lu Ban was born in the state of Lu; a few ...
,
Sun Bin
Sun Bin (died 316 BC) was a Chinese general, military strategist, and writer who lived during the Warring States period of Chinese history. A supposed descendant of Sun Tzu, Sun was tutored in military strategy by the hermit Guiguzi. He wa ...
, could be encountered in the game.
As were the cases with most other standalone tales titles, players do not have the chance to wield the Sword. In this game the Sword is in Shu Sangzi's possession, and is used against players. In the final battle, Shu uses a move called ''Xuan-Yuan Sword Technique'' (軒轅劍法), which inflicts serious damage to the player party.
Released on January 6, 1995.
Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: The Scar of the Sky
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword 3 Legend: The Scar of the Sky")
Set in the era of
Sui Dynasty
The Sui dynasty (, ) was a short-lived imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 581 to 618. The Sui unified the Northern and Southern dynasties, thus ending the long period of division following the fall of the Western Jin dynasty, and layi ...
, 150 years prior to the events of Xuan-Yuan Sword 3, this game addressed several loose threads in Xuan-Yuan Sword 3.
The main character is a young man named Chen Jingchou (陳靖仇, meaning "To pacify the northern foes and to avenge Chen."), the only royal descendant remaining from the decimated
Chen Dynasty. The final attempt for counterattack from the Chen family happened several years before Chen Jingchou was born, when the tens-of-thousands-strong remnants of Chen forces were single-handedly wiped out by a 10-year-old Sui child, Yang Tuo (楊拓) (later known as Yuwen Tuo 宇文拓), a student of
Yang Su
Yang Su (楊素; died August 31, 606), courtesy name Chudao (處道), formally Duke Jingwu of Chu (楚景武公), was a Chinese military general and politician of the Sui dynasty whose authority eventually became nearly as supreme as the emperor' ...
.
Having lived under the reign of those who destroyed his kingdom, Chen Jingchou had been educated by his mentor, Chen Fu (陳輔), to pursue a life of vengeance and of reviving his kingdom. The first step of their journey to restore Chen was to acquire the Mirror of Kunlun, one of the Ten Great Ancient Artifacts.
The ancient monstrosity
Taotie
The ''Taotie'' () is an ancient Chinese mythological creature that was commonly emblazoned on bronze and other artifacts during the 1st millennium BC. ''Taotie'' are one of the " four evil creatures of the world". In Chinese classical texts such a ...
was released from a mirror that was revealed to be a fake. In order to protect Jingchou, Fu trapped himself with Taotie using a potent Silk of Ice spell, and instructed Jingchou to embark at once to find a way to save him, as well as finding information concerning other Artifacts. As he set out on his journey, Jingchou summoned an elemental spirit familiar given to him by his master to accompany him on his journeys.
Jingchou later was later joined by Yu Xiaoxue (于小雪), a white haired girl showing unusual healing magic potential, the honorable half
Göktürks
The Göktürks, Celestial Turks or Blue Turks ( otk, 𐱅𐰇𐰼𐰰:𐰉𐰆𐰑𐰣, Türük Bodun; ; ) were a nomadic confederation of Turkic peoples in medieval Inner Asia. The Göktürks, under the leadership of Bumin Qaghan (d. 552) and ...
-blooded hero Zhang Lie (張烈) and Zhang's young sister-in-law Tuoba Yu'er (拓拔玉兒) of the Tuoba tribe, which kept the Shennong Ding for generations and was subject to indiscriminate slaughter by the Sui emperor's troops. During their expedition in collecting the Artifacts, they encountered several Blood Rituals of Ten Thousand Souls, rites conducted by
Grand Preceptor
Grand Preceptor, also referred to as Grand Master, Section Cp2:192 C was the senior-most of the top three civil positions of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The other two were Grand Tutor (太傅) and Grand Protector (太保), respectively. These three p ...
Yuwen Tuo which involved the killing of ten thousand souls to gather their essences into a single Blood Pearl. The party attempted to intervene with the rituals, but Yuwen Tuo proved to be too formidable a foe. Thus they adopted the strategy of subterfuge, hampering his every effort to collect the Blood Pearls without direct confrontations, and was even helped in secret by a young princess named Dugu Ningke (獨孤寧珂), who held tremendous political power due to her relation with her uncle,
the emperor, and protested Yuwen's actions.
Eventually, their plan failed, and Yu Xiaoxue was held as a hostage by Tuo in exchange for the Artifacts that Jingchou's party had collected, namely the
Shennong
Shennong (), variously translated as "Divine Farmer" or "Divine Husbandman", born Jiang Shinian (), was a mythological Chinese ruler known as the first Yan Emperor who has become a deity in Chinese and Vietnamese folk religion. He is venerat ...
Ding
Ding may refer to:
Bronze and ceramics
* Ding (vessel), a bronze or ceramic cauldron used in ancient and early imperial China
* Ding ware, ceramics produced in Dingzhou in medieval China
People
* Ding (surname) (丁), a Chinese surname and lis ...
, the Seal of Kongtong, the
Pangu
Pangu (, ) is a primordial being and creation figure in Chinese mythology who separated heaven and earth and became geographic features such as mountains and rivers.
Legends
The first writer to record the myth of Pangu was Xu Zheng during t ...
Axe, the
Nüwa
Nüwa, also read Nügua, is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology. She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.
As creator of mankind, she molded humans individually by hand with yellow clay.
In the Huainanzi ...
Stone, and the
Kunlun
The Kunlun Mountains ( zh, s=昆仑山, t=崑崙山, p=Kūnlún Shān, ; ug, كۇئېنلۇن تاغ تىزمىسى / قۇرۇم تاغ تىزمىسى ) constitute one of the longest mountain chains in Asia, extending for more than . In the bro ...
Mirror. Jingchou complied, yet Tuo discarded the Stone and the mirror as fakes, proclaiming that he himself was actually the human avatar of the Kunlun Mirror. Surprisingly, Yu Xiaoxue refused to leave with Jingchou, stating that she intended to stay and help Tuo's project, and seemingly betrays his trust by repelling his attack on Yuwen's plans wielding the Xuan-Yuan Sword. Losing all hope, Jingchou gave up his quest and opted to travel with his similarly disheartened mentor.
Ningke, who was actually a demon general dispatched from the western pantheon of Hell, was displeased with this turn of events. She infiltrated China by possessing the original Princess Dugu who died of illness, and arrived in anticipation of what was calculated to be the time a
comet
A comet is an icy, small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, warms and begins to release gases, a process that is called outgassing. This produces a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes also a tail. These phenomena ar ...
named Crimson Piercer (Chi Guan - 赤貫) would pass through the sky, opening a rift in the divine protective barrier of the Chinese lands and allowing an opportunity for demons from the West to invade. Tuo learned of the implications of the passage of the comet, and set out to collect five of the Artifacts in order to seal the rift the comet would cause in the Barrier of the Ninth
Heaven
Heaven or the heavens, is a common religious cosmological or transcendent supernatural place where beings such as deities, angels, souls, saints, or venerated ancestors are said to originate, be enthroned, or reside. According to the belie ...
in the firmament above
Shenzhou. However, several of the five Artifacts required for the Ritual of Mending were nowhere to be found. Ningke proposed that he substitute these with Blood Pearls along with the construction of a
Tower of Babel
The Tower of Babel ( he, , ''Mīgdal Bāḇel'') narrative in Genesis 11:1–9 is an origin myth meant to explain why the world's peoples speak different languages.
According to the story, a united human race speaking a single language and mi ...
, and a
Pentagram
A pentagram (sometimes known as a pentalpha, pentangle, or star pentagon) is a regular five-pointed star polygon, formed from the diagonal line segments of a convex (or simple, or non-self-intersecting) regular pentagon. Drawing a circle aroun ...
ritual formation. In order to save the Chinese world, using his power, his riches and his relation with the
Emperor Yang
Emperor Yang of Sui (隋煬帝, 569 – 11 April 618), personal name Yang Guang (), alternative name Ying (), Xianbei name Amo (), also known as Emperor Ming of Sui () during the brief reign of his grandson Yang Tong, was the second emperor of ...
, Tuo managed to accomplish these despite his moral misgivings. In the process, Tuo also discovered that Xiaoxue was actually the avatar of the Stone of Nüwa, as Artifacts resonate with each other when in close proximity. Consequently, he told her of his plan and convinced her to help him, leading to misunderstandings between her and Jingchou.
Ningke could not allow the Ritual to be abandoned and manipulated Jingchou through treachery by murdering Yu'er, who learned the truth behind the situation after going to the Grand Preceptor Residence in secret in an attempt to reconcile Xiaoxue and Jingchou, and framing Xiaoxue and Tuo. Fueled by anger and grief, Jingchou's party managed to reach the top of the Tower of Babel, where they were beaten once again by Tuo. Ningke suddenly appeared in the confusion and seized Xiaoxue as hostage to divert Tuo's attention. Jingchou took the opportunity and severed Tuo's arm. Ningke then revealed her true demon form, imprisoning Tuo with magic. Unable to mend the sky, the Chinese world fell under
Satan
Satan,, ; grc, ὁ σατανᾶς or , ; ar, شيطانالخَنَّاس , also known as Devil in Christianity, the Devil, and sometimes also called Lucifer in Christianity, is an non-physical entity, entity in the Abrahamic religions ...
's rule of death and destruction.
Days later, under the instruction of the now immortal He Ran and Gu Yuesheng (last seen in Xuan-Yuan Sword 2), Jingchou's group, which now also includes a young
Li Shimin
Emperor Taizong of Tang (28January 59810July 649), previously Prince of Qin, personal name Li Shimin, was the second emperor of the Tang dynasty of China, ruling from 626 to 649. He is traditionally regarded as a co-founder of the dynasty ...
successfully retrieved the Artifacts from Ningke's handmaidens in the bloodied world, and returned to the Tower. They defeated Ningke with her full unrestricted power, and rescued Tuo. Having the Artifacts at hand, Jingchou and company invoked the Ritual of Reversal (which is also named the Ritual of Loss, 失卻之陣) at the top of Tower of Babel, which, utilizing the power of Tuo as the avatar the Mirror of Kunlun at the ritual formation's center, reversed time and brought the party back to the moment prior to the passing of Chi Guan.
The group invoked the Ritual of Trespass (also called the Ritual of Babel), sending them above the sky, and arrived at Chi Guan itself. Coming across the Heavenly Maiden White Jade Ring (天女白玉輪), an eight trigrams formation used by the deities Fuxi and Nüwa to revive their deceased daughter in ancient times, Jingchou had the choice to bring Yu'er back to life at the cost of expending a great deal of Xiaoxue's power. At the heart of the meteor, where the party prepared to cast the Ritual of Sealing, which caused the non-artifact casters to lose their most precious memories or ideals (with Zhang Lie losing his ambition of unifying the lands, Li Shimin losing his love for his family, and Jingchou losing his memories of Yu'er or his master depending on the ending), Ningke, then still alive and ignorant of the recent events Jingchou and his companions experienced, appeared and attempted to continue her deception, but a fight ensued, and Ningke was vanquished. The party decided to grant her final wishes: to be returned to her homeland, and to become free to love whom she loves. Gu stated that was impossible due to her demonic nature, and placed her soul into the Fuxi
Qin Qin may refer to:
Dynasties and states
* Qin (state) (秦), a major state during the Zhou Dynasty of ancient China
* Qin dynasty (秦), founded by the Qin state in 221 BC and ended in 206 BC
* Daqin (大秦), ancient Chinese name for the Roman Emp ...
(伏羲琴), which Yuwen Tuo brought with him on his self-imposed exile to the west, Ningke's homeland, after the events of the game for her soul to be cleansed eventually.
Chen Fu witnessed what appeared to be Jingchou assisting in the machinations of Yuwen Tuo, their sworn enemy. Ningke exploited this before heading to Chi Guan by giving Chen Fu the Fruit of Satan, a demonic object that grants power in exchange for sanity, deceiving him into battling against his student. Chen Fu soon arrived at the heart of Chi Guan with the intent to destroy it. Jingchou's group was left with no choice but to kill Chen Fu to save the world.
Several decades later, Ningke was reborn as Nicole, a demon cleansed of evil, while Septem was born to a descendant of Tuo in western lands.
The Magic System is revamped in this game. All magics now belong to one of the
five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth (金木水火土) in Chinese mythology.
The game was released on December 2, 2000. A
television series
A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...
based from the game, produced by Chinese Entertainment Shanghai Limited, starring
Hu Ge
Hu Ge (, born 20 September 1982), also known as Hugh Hu, is a Chinese actor and singer. While studying at the Shanghai Theater Academy, he was invited to play the leading role Li Xiaoyao in the 2005 television series ''Chinese Paladin'', and ...
and
Cecilia Liu
Liu Shishi (; born 10 March 1987), also known as Cecilia Liu, is a Chinese actress best known for portraying Long Kui in the television series ''Chinese Paladin 3'' and Ruoxi in the Chinese time-travel drama ''Scarlet Heart'' and '' Imperial Doc ...
, aired in 2012.
An iOS port of the game was released on April 8, 2014.
Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Millennial Destiny
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword Legend: Billows of the Bleak")
The game opens with an alternate version of the
Battle of Fei River
The Battle of Fei River, also known as the Battle of Feishui (), was a battle in AD 383 in China, where forces of the Di-led Former Qin dynasty was decisively defeated by the outnumbered army of the Eastern Jin dynasty. The location of the bat ...
, a battle between
Former Qin
The Former Qin, also called Fu Qin (苻秦), (351–394) was a dynastic state of the Sixteen Kingdoms in Chinese history ruled by the Di ethnicity. Founded by Fu Jian (posthumously Emperor Jingming) who originally served under the Later ...
and
Eastern Jin
Eastern may refer to:
Transportation
*China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai
* Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways
*Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991
*Eastern Air L ...
. It concludes with Eastern Jin's surrender to Former Qin. Former Qin merged with Eastern Jin and united the entirety of China.
Set within the
Spring and Autumn period
The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...
, the story is told from the perspective of an orphaned girl, Che Yun (車芸), whose family was framed by a corrupt official and executed. She was spared from execution due to her age, but her legs were amputated as punishment. Che Yun was talented in the art of Mujia - a technique of creating and manipulating constructs of magnets and wooden machinery, which are lightweight yet powerful, with her late grandfather as her inspiration. She fashioned herself wooden prosthetic legs and managed to craft a lifelike and agile wooden fox that can be used in various tasks such as transportation and battle, Yunhu (雲狐), after much effort and coming across rare materials. She was a close friend with Huan Yuanzhi (桓遠之), whom Che Yun saved from drowning and who assisted her in creating Yunhu with exotic components. Che Yun later encountered Ying Shi (嬴詩) (who is
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
of Che Yun except that Ying was from a different era and was named Murong Shi - 慕容詩). With Che Yun as a common link, Huan and Ying formed a grudging alliance and adventured together, coming into conflicts with the Jin Kingdom's Tai Chen Gong, a priest organization focused on increasing its power and influence, and Heralds of the Seven Luminaries (七曜使者 "Qiyao Shizhe"), a group of powerful rebels from a bleak future timeline sent back with the help of the student of the then-deceased Spirit of the Vessel. At the culmination of the story, Che, Ying and Huan reached the deepest chamber of the Realm of Haotian containing the wheel that determines the destiny of and relationship between all things, Wheel of
Taiyi (太一之輪 "Taiyi Zhi Lun"). However, Murong and Huan were both duty-bound to set history on diverging courses in favor of their homelands. Che intended to stop Huan from changing the future despite Murong having decided against intervening with history by ordering Yunhu to push Huan away. However, Huan wielded the Xuan-Yuan Sword and injured Che fatally by accident while repelling Yunhu. The gate to the Palace then closed abruptly. Murong, unable to extract her friends was transported out of the gate, leaving Huan and Che in the room where Huan, immortal due to the power of his surroundings, mourned in regret for a thousand years. At the instant of Che Yun's death, Murong realized their link and inherited the knowledge of Mujia. She entered the gate when it next opened in a thousand years after she returned to the future in which Jin overcame Qin to fight for the welfare of the common-folk, encountering a sorrowful aged Huan and offering forgiveness and acceptance as Che Yun would have.
Released on February 6, 2004.
On December 3, 2015, an animated series inspired by the game called ''
Xuan Yuan Sword Luminary
is a Japanese anime television series co-produced by TV Tokyo, Softstar and Nada Holdings, and animated by Studio Deen.
It is based on the Taiwanese role-playing video game '' Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Millennial Destiny''. The series is being strea ...
'' (軒轅劍:蒼之曜 / Ken En Ken: Aoki Kagayaki, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword: Lights of the Bleak") was announced as a collaborative project with
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as and known colloquially as , is a television station headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the subsidiary of listed certified b ...
and
Studio Deen
is a Japanese animation studio founded in 1975 by Sunrise producer Hiroshi Hasegawa and ex-Sunrise animators. The studio owns three subsidiaries: Danny Donghua (丹尼動画), a Chinese sub-contracting studio; Megumi (め組), a digital work sub-c ...
and began airing on October 2, 2018 in Mainland China, Taiwan, as well as Japan.
Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Han Clouds
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword Legend: The Clouds of Han")
Released on December 19, 2007.
The game is set in the era of the
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...
,
Wei
Wei or WEI may refer to:
States
* Wey (state) (衛, 1040–209 BC), Wei in pinyin, but spelled Wey to distinguish from the bigger Wei of the Warring States
* Wei (state) (魏, 403–225 BC), one of the seven major states of the Warring States per ...
,
Shu and
Wu and feature famous historic figures.
Zhuge Liang
Zhuge Liang ( zh, t=諸葛亮 / 诸葛亮) (181 – September 234), courtesy name Kongming, was a Chinese statesman and military strategist. He was chancellor and later regent of the state of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms period. He is r ...
, the chancellor of the kingdom of Shu had engaged on
multiple northward military expeditions with little success. On Zhuge Liang's Third Expedition, a secret military group called "Fei Yu" (飛羽)(meaning Flying Feather, deriving its name from the two famous generals of Shu kingdom -
Zhang Fei
Zhang Fei () (died July or August 221 AD), courtesy name Yide, was a military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei in the late Eastern Han dynasty and early Three Kingdoms period of China. Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who were among the earlies ...
and
Guan Yu
Guan Yu (; ), courtesy name Yunchang, was a Chinese military general serving under the warlord Liu Bei during the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. Along with Zhang Fei, he shared a brotherly relationship with Liu Bei and accompanied him on ...
)carried out various missions in the war to further the interests of Shu. However, on the Fourth Expedition, Thanks to its own group of powerful secret operatives, Wei was able to discover and exploit critical weaknesses of Shu, prompting The Feathers to take action. The game addresses issues of loyalty and duty, as well as the harsh realities of warfare and peace.
A live-action television series based on the game has been released.
Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Clouds Faraway
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword Legend: The Clouds Faraway")
Released on January 12, 2010.
The Clouds Faraway, also set in the era of the
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms () from 220 to 280 AD was the tripartite division of China among the dynastic states of Cao Wei, Shu Han, and Eastern Wu. The Three Kingdoms period was preceded by the Han dynasty#Eastern Han, Eastern Han dynasty and wa ...
, is presented with a contrasting viewpoint to the Han Clouds. The main character, Xu Muyun (徐暮雲), was adopted by
Xu Shu
Xu Shu ( 207–220s), courtesy name Yuanzhi, originally named Xu Fu, was an official of the state of Cao Wei during the Three Kingdoms period of China. He was born in the late Eastern Han dynasty and used to be a vigilante swordsman in his early ...
and raised in the Kingdom of
Wei
Wei or WEI may refer to:
States
* Wey (state) (衛, 1040–209 BC), Wei in pinyin, but spelled Wey to distinguish from the bigger Wei of the Warring States
* Wei (state) (魏, 403–225 BC), one of the seven major states of the Warring States per ...
. Muyun grew up with his childhood friends Lanyin (蘭茵) and Zhang Gao (張誥) in the house of
Zhang He
Zhang He () (died July or August 231), courtesy name Junyi, was a military general serving under the warlord Cao Cao in the late Eastern Han dynasty of China. He continued serving in the state of Cao Wei under its first two rulers, Cao Pi and ...
, and the three youngsters vowed to fight for their homeland and bring about prosperous days together. Through his journey, Muyun came to a new level of maturity, learned of his true identity, realized the meaning of duty and friendship, and witnessed the ruthlessness of war.
The story is continued after the main game in three DLC chapters, released to enrich the story. These three chapters are: The Chapter of
Wuzhang Plains
The Wuzhang Plains (五丈原) are plateaus near the Wei River in China. They are now in the Shaanxi province, 56 kilometres from Baoji. The name "Wuzhang" means "five '' zhang''", where ''zhang'' (丈) is a Chinese unit of measurement which conv ...
: Muyun (), The Chapter of Wuzhang Plains: Zhaoyun (), and the lengthy and critically acclaimed Chapter of Lan Yin ().
Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Sword Legend: The Gate of the Heavens")
Released on March 26, 2015.
In ancient times, the Heavenly Emperor opened the Gate of Firmament, connecting the Heavens and Earth. Mortals could ascend to the Gate to obtain divine power in order to assist in the search for the Emperor's missing daughter. Unscrupulous individuals took advantage of the Emperor's gesture, and caused the mortal world to descend into chaos. The lives of the common folk were filled with anxiety and weariness. The god
Fuxi
Fuxi or Fu Hsi (伏羲 ~ 伏犧 ~ 伏戲) is a culture hero in Chinese legend and mythology, credited along with his sister and wife Nüwa with creating humanity and the invention of music, hunting, fishing, domestication, and cooking as well ...
and the goddess
Nüwa
Nüwa, also read Nügua, is the mother goddess of Chinese mythology. She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.
As creator of mankind, she molded humans individually by hand with yellow clay.
In the Huainanzi ...
took pity on the people, and along with
Zhuanxu
Zhuanxu (Chinese: trad. , simp. , pinyin ''Zhuānxū''), also known as Gaoyang ( t , s , p ''Gāoyáng''), was a mythological emperor of ancient China.
In the traditional account recorded by Sima Qian, Zhu ...
, convinced the Queen of Huaxu (華胥之主, based on Lady Huaxu 華胥氏) to close the Gate forcibly with great sacrifice. After this, no one could reach the Heavens through the Gate, and no god could go to the mortal world; thus came about the Isolation of the Heavens and Earth (Jueditiantong 絕地天通). Time passed, and the mortal realm suffered due to disasters and endless conflicts over
claims to rule, embroiled in political instability and riotous events. At this time of unrest and warfare, a Heavenly entity descends, adding to the unsolved mysteries of the troubled world.
The story revolves the journeys and adventures of Sikong Yu (司空宇), a young man whose goal is to protect his nomadic Youxiong village (有熊村), which consists of descendants of the Yellow Emperor, Muyue (沐月), a mysterious woman claiming to be from the legendary Kingdom of Huaxu (華胥) whose distant behavior makes her seem unapproachable,
Feng Yu
Feng Yu () (died 952/953?), courtesy name Jingchen (), was a Chinese politician of the Later Tang, Later Jin, and the Liao dynasties of China. He was powerful during the reign of Later Jin's second emperor Shi Chonggui, as Shi's Empress Feng wa ...
(鳳煜), a jovial and cunning traveler with ties to royal House of Shang, and
Zi Qiao (子巧), a royal high priestess of the Zi Kingdom who is betrothed to the Shang prince and possesses tremendous strength as well as an insatiable appetite. Together, they fight to bring the nefarious plots of a mysterious group of conspirators consisting of the followers of
Gong Gong
Gonggong () is a Chinese water god who is depicted in Chinese mythology and folktales as having a copper human head with an iron forehead, red hair, and the body of a serpent, or sometimes the head and torso are human, with the tail of a serpe ...
(共工), the water god who had been sealed away for his violent actions, led by his second-in-command
Xiang Liu (相柳), as well as Qing Yu (青榆), the avatar of the
World Tree
The world tree is a motif present in several religions and mythologies, particularly Indo-European religions, Siberian religions, and Native American religions. The world tree is represented as a colossal tree which supports the heavens, thereb ...
Jian Mu (建木) who has been driven by hatred for humans and vengeance against those of the Xuan-Yuan bloodline as well as his former lover Lan Ling (藍鈴), to an end before ruin befalls the world.
Three free DLC packs have been released as game patches, including the Chapter of the All-encompassing (萬象之篇), the Chapter of Gods and Demons/Chapter of Saviors (神魔之篇), and the Chapter of the Watchful Vigil (守望之篇), which add side quests, stories, and hidden endings to the game.
On September 10, 2015 a multi-language version of the game was placed on
Steam Greenlight
Steam is a video game digital distribution service and storefront by Valve. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their games, and expanded to distributing and offering third ...
, the game has since been Greenlit and has been released in English, Japanese, simplified Chinese and traditional Chinese. It is the first core title (main and tales) in the series to see an English release. A
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
port as well as an
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third base console in the Xbox series of video game consoles. It was first released in North America, parts of ...
version of the game have been released.
Spin-off titles
Xuan-Yuan Demonbane Chronicles
(, literally "Xuan-Yuan Records of Subduing Demons")
Released on February 10, 2001.
The humble sword-wielding Mo clan hero defeats demons to bring peace to the world. The Monster Fusion Vessel is an ancient artifact that can seal away monsters.
The Mo clan is a group of powerful and righteous vigilantes, protecting the Monster Fusion Vessel for generations. The story begins with a resounding wave of panic, with a catastrophe witnessed by the young hero Fu Zixun. With his clan destroyed, the Vessel lost, the common folk imperiled, and his benefactor murdered, the young man never expected a trip down the mountain to turn into a grueling journey to defeat demons. Facing deaths and the seeking vengeance, his youth and naiveté are buried only to be replaced by a heavy long sword and revenge weighing upon him. Together with the daughter of his benefactor, he begins his journey with uncertainty. Fortunately, the journey did not prove lonesome and he encountered a pampered daughter of a wealthy family who joined with bandits, a famous transport guard leader, a thief titled Flying on Grass, a legendary swordsman, a fox spirit from a mystic valley, and a simple boy leaving his House consisting of only himself. These people bear resentment, pain, anger, and hatred, yet gather under the common idea of righteousness to travel the world. The future holds many uncertainties, and their opponents have cunning schemes. The group does not even know where their path will end, so can only forge their way ahead little by little, encountering monsters causing disturbances as well as evil government officials mistreating commoners. "Just what kind of world is this?" The group can only ponder in disapproval, yet they share a belief that drives them forward-a belief in a beautiful future. Even though monsters threaten the world and heroes rise in response, but the outcome is still unknown. They can only rely on their companies' warmth to trudge through hardships together. All, with the appearance of the ancient weapon Xuan-Yuan Sword, shall eventually become clear.
This is an experimental strategy RPG utilizing 3D environments with 2D character sprites set in an alternate continuity to the core Xuan-Yuan Sword games, but still contains a few elements related to Xuan-Yuan Sword 3. The protagonist Fu Zixun (輔子洵) is a young man who goes on a journey after of his clan's destruction and the Monster Fusion Vessel's theft caused by Jiutian (九天), the malevolent entity the protagonist's younger clan sister Zhu Yuanyuan (朱媛沅) accidentally unleashed. On his journey, he encounters allies including Ding Yun (丁芸), the kind and trusting daughter of a renowned doctor, Jiang Wushuang (江無雙), a bossy young girl who ran away from home and leads a group of bandits she defeated, Zuo Zhenhe (左震河), a respected and mighty guard leader for transporting goods, Qiu Qianli (裘千里), a skilled but kind-hearted thief, Leng Zhongqiu (冷仲秋), a stoic hero with a dark past, Qise (七色), a fox spirit with a feminine human form who is the elder sister to Jiutian, and Liang Cuo (梁錯), a slightly bumbling young man from a secretive family known for skills in engineering and the occult.
List of titles
*Main Series:
**Xuan-Yuan Sword (軒轅劍) (1990)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 2 (軒轅劍貳) (1994)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: Beyond the Clouds and Mountains (軒轅劍參:雲和山的彼端) (1999)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 4: The Black Dragon Dances as the Storm Rages (軒轅劍肆:黑龍舞兮雲飛揚) (2002)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 5: A Sword Above the Clouds and the Sentiments of the World of Shanhai (軒轅劍伍:一劍凌雲山海情) (2006)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 6: The Phoenix Soars Above the Sky among the Millennial Clouds (軒轅劍陸:鳳凌長空千載雲) (2013)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 7 (軒轅劍柒) (2020)
*Waizhuan (Tales) titles:
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: Dance of the Maple Banners (軒轅劍外傳:楓之舞) (1995)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: The Scar of the Sky (軒轅劍參外傳:天之痕) (2000)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Millennial Destiny (軒轅劍外傳:蒼之濤) (2004)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Han Clouds (軒轅劍外傳:漢之雲) (2007)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Clouds Faraway (軒轅劍外傳:雲之遙) (2010)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Gate of Firmament (軒轅劍外傳:穹之扉) (2015)
*Spin-off titles:
**Xuan-Yuan Demonbane Chronicles/Xuanyuan Fu Mo Lu (軒轅伏魔錄) (2001)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword Online: Chain of Life (軒轅劍網路版) (2002)
**
Dream of Mirror Online
''Dream of Mirror Online (DOMO)'' is a free-to-play MMORPG game with story lines based on ancient Chinese mythology. It is the second online game of the ''Xuan-Yuan Sword'' series. The graphics are anime-style with various Chinese themes. This gam ...
/Flying Adventure: Xuan-Yuan Sword Online 2 (飛天歷險:軒轅劍網路版二代) (2005)
**The Scar of the Sky Online (天之痕 OL) (2010)
**Flying PuPu (飛天噗噗) (2011)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword Waizhuan Online (軒轅劍外傳 Online) (2012)
**Battle Legends (伏魔傳奇) (2012)
**Mirror of Sanctity (崑崙鏡) (2012)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword 7 Online (軒轅劍七) (Canceled)
**Xuan-Yuan Legends of Gods and Demons/Xuanyuan Shen Mo Zhuan (軒轅神魔傳) (2013)
**Spell Card Xuan-Yuan (符卡軒轅) (2014)
**Vochord: Xuan-Yuan Sword Rhythm Game (Vochord 轩辕天籁) (2017)
**Chronicles of Xuan-Yuan Heroes (軒轅劍群俠錄) (2018)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Dragon Dances Among Clouds and Mountains (軒轅劍龍舞雲山) (2019)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword Luminary (軒轅劍蒼之曜) (2019)
**Xuan-Yuan Sword Origins (軒轅劍劍之源) (2020)
*Spin-off media:
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Scar of the Sky (軒轅劍之天之痕) (2012) - A two-volume novel written by Yan Leisheng (燕壘生) based on Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: The Scar of the Sky.
**
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky (軒轅劍之天之痕) (2012) - A live-action television series based on Xuan-Yuan Sword 3: The Scar of the Sky.
**The Music of Xuan-Yuan Sword (軒轅劍歷代音樂集:劍詠軒轅) (2014) - A collection of music from the series.
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: Billows of the Bleak (軒轅劍外傳:蒼之濤) (2016) - A novel adaptation of the game of the same name.
**Xuan-Yuan Sword: Han Cloud (軒轅劍之漢之雲) (2017) - A live-action television series based on Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Han Clouds.
**
Xuan Yuan Sword Luminary
is a Japanese anime television series co-produced by TV Tokyo, Softstar and Nada Holdings, and animated by Studio Deen.
It is based on the Taiwanese role-playing video game '' Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Millennial Destiny''. The series is being strea ...
(軒轅劍:蒼之曜) (2018) - An animated television series inspired by Xuan-Yuan Sword: The Millennial Destiny.
See also
* ''
Xuan-Yuan Sword: Scar of Sky''
* ''
The Legend of Sword and Fairy
''The Legend of Sword and Fairy'' (), also known as ''Chinese Paladin'', is a game/media franchise created by Yao Zhuangxian and is developed by Taiwanese company Softstar. The franchise centers on a series of Chinese mythology-based role-playi ...
''
Notes and references
External links
Official Xuanyuan Sword websiteXuan Yuan Sword TV Series FanpageSoftstar's website{{in lang, zh
Xuanyuan Sword seriesat
MobyGames
MobyGames is a commercial website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes nearly 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms. The site is supported by banner ads and a small ...
Action role-playing video games
Chinese-language-only video games
Role-playing video games
Video games developed in Taiwan
Xuanyuan Jian
Video games based on Chinese mythology
Video games set in Imperial China
Video game franchises introduced in 1990
Video games adapted into television shows