Xie Lian was once the most darling young god in all the heavens. Born the Crown Prince of the wealthy nation of Xianle, he devoted himself to cultivation and ascended at the tender age of 17. As an adolescent, he would often proclaim his desire to "save the common people".
Of the prince before he ascended, two stories were frequently told: One, of how he stopped a parade to save a falling child. The other, of the time he vanquished a vicious ghost guarding a bridge, laying the beast to rest with the words "heart in paradise, body in abyss". These feats earned him the legacy of being one of the Four Famous Tales, known as The Crown Prince Who Pleased the Gods.
After the events of the war that destroyed his country, Xie Lian was banished from the Heavenly Court in disgrace and his powers were sealed. Not long after, he ascended for a second time, and was once again banished within the span of one incense time. Commonly believed to be a god of misfortune, Xie Lian spent the next 800 years as a humble scrap collector, surviving by busking and selling the items he finds.
By the time of his third ascension, Xie Lian has developed a good-natured, easy going attitude. He is a shrewd investigator, and is willing to put himself in harm's way to help others.
During his first ascension, Xie Lian, also known as the Flower-Crowned God, was depicted always smiling, wearing colorful robes and holding a Flower in one hand and a Sword in the other. Now, Xie Lian wears simple white robes with a Bamboo Hat. He wears Bandages around his wrists and neck, one of which is his spiritual tool Ryoue.