Biao Ren

Biao Ren (Chinese: 镖人), also known as Blades of the Guardians, is a Chinese manhua written and illustrated by Xianzhe Xu. It began serialization in July 2015 and is set during the late Sui dynasty, incorporating elements of wuxia and historical fiction. The series follows Dao Ma, a wandering escort, against the backdrop of political and military turmoil in the final years of the dynasty. A 2023 profile published by Phoenix reported that the series had accumulated more than two billion readings across more than 50 online platforms in mainland China. The manga has also been published overseas, including in Japan and South Korea. Thirteen collected volumes had been published by January 2026. An animated television adaptation premiered on Tencent Video on June 1, 2023. The series was produced by Tencent Video and New Comics, with Colored Pencil Animation serving as the animation production studio. Its second season premiered exclusively on Tencent Video on June 11, 2026. The season concluded on July 23, 2026, after eight episodes. A live-action film adaptation, Blades of the Guardians: Wind Rises in the Desert, was directed by Yuen Woo-ping and stars Wu Jing, Nicholas Tse, Yu Shi, and Jet Li. It was released in China on February 17, 2026. A live-action television adaptation is also in development at Youku.