The eldest, but illegitimate, son of the Crown Prince, Ruyu has lived half in the shadows for his entire life. Separated from his mother at an early age and thrust into the grind of the perform-or-die role of assassin trainee, Ruyu eventually clawed his bloody way to the top of the organization that took his mother's life. Knowing that he has a target on his back, he has reworked the Yisha to serve just causes and his own purposes: revenge.

Tall, imposing, and intense, Ruyu has the finely cultivated aura of a dangerous and competent individual.

Height: 188cm / 6'2''
Build: deceptively lean
Hair: kept in a neat topknot at all times
Eyes: extremely dark blue
Style: black or dark blue/red/purple, generally utilitarian save for markers of rank. in the field, he wears the same dark leather armor as everyone else.

• Extremely self-possessed
• Ruthless and efficient
• Seems relaxed but is always on alert
• Has high ideals but no compunctions about getting his hands dirty to achieve them
• Very high pain tolerance; stoic about it
• Changes his behavior to fit in with current company
• Unexpectedly melted by Han Mengbo but works hard to keep it secret

• Mastery of the Yisha style of martial arts, along with with some other, equally secretive techniques
• Excellent qinggong
• Mainly uses a sword but proficient with many other weapons, both legitimate and not
• A chameleon; can adapt to the situation and play various roles as needed
• Scheming long-term planner
• An excellent liar

• His father, the Crown Prince, fell in love with one of the top Yisha assassins and eventually she got pregnant
• The emperor, Ruyu's grandfather, ordered her death as the he felt the Crown Prince's first child could not come from a common woman he wasn't even married to
• She ran, and successfully stayed hidden for a period of time, despite both Yisha and the Crown Prince's forces chasing her
• The Yisha finally caught up with her when Ruyu was about 8; his father's men showed up in time to save his life but not his mother's, bringing him back to the Crown Prince's manor
• While his father wanted to care for him openly because he was his mother's only child, he had no choice but to put him into Yisha training to protect him from the emperor
• Ruyu endured years of harsh training and torturous punishments and did well for himself, thanks to the solid foundation he'd learned from his mother
• He formed close relationships with his cohort, even going so far as to take punishments on their behalves, partially for survival, and partially to serve his greater plans
• Eventually fought his way to the top of Yisha hierarchy, and took over the sect with the help of his peers
• Gave Yisha members the choice to go free or stay with him with the goal of eliminating the cruel and corrupt from power, up to and including his own grandfather
• Those that stayed became his core group of trusted officers as he began to put his long term plans into motion

Han Mengbo: Jianghu #1 Hottie and charming himbo that he unexpectedly fell for. Tries to push Mengbo away to protect him but also can't seem to stay away. Brings out all the warmth and tenderness Ruyu thought he'd lost. Would do anything to keep Mengbo safe.

Jiang Moyan: Best friend, formerly with benefits. One of the few allowed to see Ruyu's true emotions.

Qin Yuzhu: A trusted subordinate. In charge of intelligence gathering.

Xie Ruxian: Cousin with similar ideals that Ruyu eventually supports as heir.

Xie Xiang: Half-sister who sympathizes with Ruyu more than all their brothers combined.

Contemporary: Long-(wavy)-haired classical ballet dancer

Idol Camp: Traditional/fusion dancer and final group member

The Immortal Politics of Heaven: A black and gold dragon prince who meets human Han Mengbo while he is a very small and injured snake