Xie Xun (simplified: 谢逊, traditional: 謝遜, pinyin: Xiè Xùn, jyutping: ze6 seon3) was one of the Four Guardian Kings of the Ming Order, known as the Golden-Haired Lion King (金毛狮王). He was the sworn father of Zhang Wuji and, after avenging his family on Cheng Kun, ordained as a monk of the Shaolin Order.
Biography
Early life and tragedy
Xie Xun came from a hunting family. At ten he became a disciple of Cheng Kun, the “Mixed Origin Thunderclap Palm” (混元霹雳手). At twenty-eight, Cheng Kun murdered Xie Xun’s entire household—parents, wife, children, siblings, and servants—thirteen people in all. Xie Xun spent years seeking revenge but lost to Cheng Kun twice. After Cheng Kun vanished, Xie Xun killed indiscriminately, leaving “Killer: Cheng Kun” at each scene to draw his master out, which instead made him and the Ming Order enemies of the jianghu.
Ming Order Guardian King
Xie Xun joined the Ming Order and became one of the Four Guardian Kings. He attacked three of the Kongtong Five Elders to obtain the Seven Injury Fist manual and accidentally killed the Shaolin monk Kongjian, who had tried to reconcile him with Cheng Kun. Kong Jian told him before dying that the Dragon-Slaying Sabre held the key to defeating Cheng Kun.
Seizing the Dragon-Slaying Sabre
At forty-one, Xie Xun went to the “Displaying the Sabre and Proclaiming Prestige” gathering on Wangpan Island, where the Heavenly Eagle Order had the Dragon-Slaying Sabre. He took the sabre, used his Lion Roar (狮子吼) to overwhelm the assembled martial artists, and abducted Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu. A storm drove their vessel to Ice Fire Island in the far north. In a fit of rage, Xie Xun tried to kill Yin Susu; she blinded him with mosquito-whisker needles.
Ice Fire Island
On Ice Fire Island, Xie Xun swore brotherhood with Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu and became sworn father to their newborn son, whom he named Wuji (无忌) in memory of his own late son Xie Wuji. He passed his martial arts to Zhang Wuji and stayed on the island when the family returned to the Central Plains.
Return to the Central Plains
Years later, Xie Xun was brought back to the Central Plains and imprisoned by the Beggars’ Guild and then at Shaolin. At the Temple Conference, Zhang Wuji and the Ming Order came to rescue him. Xie Xun defeated Cheng Kun, avenging his family, then chose to remain at Shaolin and was accepted as a disciple by Du’e, one of the three senior monks.
Personality and traits
Xie Xun was fierce, stubborn, and driven by vengeance for much of his life. His killings made him a figure of fear, yet he was capable of deep affection, as shown by his bond with Zhang Wuji and his eventual repentance and ordination at Shaolin.
Martial arts
Xie Xun was skilled in the Lion Roar, the Seven Injury Fist, and the Mixed Origin Skill (混元功). He wielded the Dragon-Slaying Sabre and a double-headed wolf-tooth club.
Behind the scenes
Source
Character information was drawn from docs/fetched-data/HSDS_20251027_082242/人物/谢逊_20251026_234845.json.
See also
- Zhang Wuji — Sworn son
- Zhang Cuishan — Sworn brother
- Yin Susu — Sworn sister
- Cheng Kun — Former master, enemy
- Ming Order
- Dragon-Slaying Sabre
- The Heavenly Sword and the Dragon Sabre