Immortal

Lord Zhangwei is the male love interest of the novel. As the immortal God of War, he is both revered and feared, his reputation marked by ruthless efficiency and unwavering loyalty to Queen Caihong of the Golden Desert. While he is Liyen’s first love in her immortal life, the mortal Liyen, whose memories have been erased, harbors a deep hatred for his kind, complicating their relationship’s rekindling. Unlike other mortals, who fear Zhangwei, Liyen is drawn to challenge him from the start, reflecting their dynamic: “The God of War stoked [her] temper rather than [her] fear” (51). Her initial assessment aligns with the widespread belief that “all mortals know the God of War possesses a heart of ice, a desert of a soul” (85), positioning him as an enigmatic figure who many believe to lack emotional depth.

Zhangwei’s relationship with Liyen is fraught with tension, deception, and unspoken longing. Initially, he manipulates her to obtain the Divine Pearl Lotus, the only cure for a fatal wound he sustained in the war against the Wuxin. This betrayal reinforces Liyen’s belief that the immortals take what they want without regard for mortals. Yet Zhangwei is not a simple antagonist, but an antihero who does for good reasons what seems to be the wrong thing. His moments of genuine care and protection complicate Liyen’s initial perception of him. As Liyen discovers more of Zhangwei’s vulnerable side, she begins to see that “maybe not all wounds left scars that could be seen” (192), and that perhaps he has endured many of the same losses and hardships she has.

Queen Caihong, the ruler of the Golden Desert, is a commanding and formidable presence in the novel. While she is not an antagonist, she does create an external conflict for Liyen, who wishes to free Tianxia from its servitude to the immortals. Queen Caihong begins the novel as a harsh and distant figure, an immortal queen who, according to Liyen’s limited perspective, prioritizes power and order over compassion. When Liyen first arrives in Tianxia, the queen appears as an intimidating force, her “dark-red lips pulled into a hard slash” (12) as the God of War sets fire to the city on her behalf while she demands the Divine Pearl Lotus flower. As the story unfolds, however, it reveals her to be more than a ruthless ruler, but also Liyen’s mother. This revelation adds depth and complexity to Queen Caihong’s previous interactions with Liyen and appearances in the novel.

Queen Caihong governs with absolute authority, and one of her defining characteristics is her refusal to relinquish control. She would rather maintain Tianxia’s servitude than risk potential instability, a decision that puts her at odds with mortal Liyen’s ideals of self-governance. She believes power should be claimed and maintained through strength rather than granted through sentiment, a philosophy that shapes her approach to both ruling and motherhood. Even after their relationship is revealed, Liyen reflects that her mother “had never shied from expressing her disapproval that [she] wasn’t as strong, clever, or ruthless as her” (436). This contrast between them serves as one of the novel’s central conflicts. Where Liyen seeks to earn devotion through service, Caihong expects obedience through dominance. The inherent opposition in their ideals places Tianxia’s fate in limbo and reinforces the theme of Earning Rather than Demanding Devotion.

Though she values control above all, Queen Caihong is not without emotion. When Liyen regains her memories, she recalls moments of tenderness. Zhangwei later confirms that Caihong’s cruelty toward her mortal daughter was a facade, necessary to ensure that Liyen remained unaware of the truth: “She never hated you […] she had to pretend, even though it hurt her” (342). While her love is not always expressed gently, it is real, nonetheless. This duality in her character exemplifies the complexities of the immortals. While Liyen first believed them incapable of love, selflessness, and compassion, both Zhangwei and Queen Caihong prove these assumptions incorrect.

Ultimately, Queen Caihong’s arc reflects the novel’s theme of The Cyclical Nature of Vengeance. She would rather punish than forgive, particularly when it comes to the Wuxin. Yet, in the end, she acknowledges Liyen’s choices and expresses pride in her daughter’s ability to break the cycle of violence, stating that the price of hate “is always higher than one imagines” (438). Though she does not change entirely, she recognizes the value in Liyen’s path, proving that even the most unyielding rulers can be moved by love.

Aunt Shou is a pivotal maternal figure who is both a guardian and trusted adviser. From the beginning, the narrative presents her as one of Liyen’s closest protectors, who helped raise her after the loss of her parents. The novel also positions her as one of Liyen’s grandfather’s most trusted confidants. Her role as a guiding force in Liyen’s life makes the later revelations that she is Wuxin and Lord Dalian’s mother all the more shocking.

Throughout the novel, Aunt Shou expresses a deep dislike for immortals, which Liyen initially attributes to her role as a mortal adviser. However, the real reasons for her disdain become clear when her true nature is exposed. Having lost her daughter at the hands of the immortals, she has harbored resentment and grief for years, making her susceptible to The Cyclical Nature of Vengeance. Aunt Shou’s love for her adopted son, Chengyin, and loyalty to Liyen create internal conflict over choosing between Lord Dalian’s cause and what she knows is right. She finally reveals her Wuxin heritage not with anger but with a sense of tragic inevitability: “This is my real home; these are my people. Dalian is my son” (306). This matter-of-fact reveal places Aunt Shou as a sympathetic and relatable character, even amid her betrayal, showing that she, like Liyen, is torn between her duty to her people and the desires of her heart. While Aunt Shou plays a role in deceiving Liyen, she expresses guilt over past actions, particularly regarding Liyen’s grandfather, whose death she mourns. In the end, Aunt Shou’s arc represents the complexities of loyalty and breaking free of the cycle of vengeance. Her character embodies the tragic consequences of vengeance. She loses Lord Dalian just as she lost her daughter and damages her relationships with Liyen and Chengyin in the process.