Immortal Book Quiz: 20 Questions to Test Your Knowledge
Think you know every twist of Sue Lynn Tan’s Immortal? From the betrayal in the Immortal Realm to the secrets of the Wangchuan River, this 20-question quiz will challenge your memory and deepen your understanding. Mixing multiple-choice and short-answer formats, the quiz covers eight plot/sequence questions, five character-motivation questions, four theme/symbol questions, and three synthesis questions. After you finish, check the answer key for brief explanations tied directly to the story. If you need to refresh your memory, visit our full book summary, discussion guide, or ending explained.
Quiz Questions
1. (Plot – Sequence) What does Liyen’s grandfather give her just before he dies?
- A) The imperial seal of Tianxia
- B) The Divine Pearl Lotus
- C) An immortal sword
- D) A map of the Immortal Realm
2. (Plot – Sequence) Why does the God of War give Liyen an immortal sword in Chapter 4?
- A) As a wedding gift
- B) To defend herself against Winged Devils
- C) To bribe her into loyalty
- D) Because she asked for it
3. (Plot – Sequence) What does Liyen discover in her grandfather’s hidden journal, left by Lady Zhirong?
- A) The location of the Shield of Rivers and Mountains
- B) The recipe for immortality
- C) The Wuxin’s true weakness
- D) A love letter from the queen
4. (Plot – Sequence) During the pledging ceremony, Queen Caihong reveals the Divine Pearl Lotus is inside Liyen. What does Zhangwei do next?
- A) He shields Liyen from the queen’s guards
- B) He uses a dagger to try to extract the lotus
- C) He apologizes and begs for forgiveness
- D) He attacks the queen
5. (Plot – Sequence) How does Liyen escape the Immortal Realm after the betrayal at the pledging ceremony?
- A) She stabs Zhangwei and seizes his legendary sword
- B) She flies away on a qilin
- C) She opens a portal with the shield
- D) She is rescued by Chengyin
6. (Plot – Sequence) What agreement do Liyen and Zhangwei reach in Chapter 21?
- A) She will marry him in exchange for Tianxia’s freedom
- B) She will give him the Divine Pearl Lotus and his sword in exchange for Tianxia’s freedom and the Shield of Rivers and Mountains
- C) She will destroy the wall herself
- D) She will become immortal and rule together
7. (Plot – Sequence) What test does the Ancient Grandmaster set for Liyen in Kunlun?
- A) Rescuing a boy floating on a log
- B) Defeating a serpent in the lake
- C) Solving a riddle at the gateway
- D) Climbing the Tree of Everlasting Life
8. (Plot – Sequence) What is the real reason the Wuxin wanted Liyen, as revealed by the Mirror of Destiny?
- A) To extract the Divine Pearl Lotus
- B) To use her immortal heritage to open the gateway to Kunlun
- C) To make her their queen
- D) To kill her as revenge against Queen Caihong
9. (Character Motivation) Why does the God of War initially court Liyen?
- A) He truly loves her from the beginning
- B) He needs the Divine Pearl Lotus to heal the Wuxin poison
- C) Queen Caihong ordered him to marry her
- D) He wants to gain control of Tianxia
10. (Character Motivation) Why does Aunt Shou betray Liyen and join the Wuxin?
- A) She lost her daughter Damei and seeks revenge against the immortals
- B) She wants power over Tianxia
- C) Lord Dalian forced her with a threat
- D) She is secretly a Wuxin
11. (Character Motivation) Why does Liyen agree to go to the Immortal Realm despite her fear?
- A) To make a formal alliance with Queen Caihong
- B) To search for the Shield of Rivers and Mountains
- C) To assassinate the queen
- D) To see the phoenixes
12. (Character Motivation) Why does Chengyin refuse Liyen’s proposal of a real marriage?
- A) He is in love with someone else
- B) He wants a marriage based on love, not politics
- C) He is afraid of Zhangwei
- D) He doubts her ability to rule
13. (Character Motivation) Why does Queen Caihong command Liyen to watch Zhangwei’s punishment on the Dragon Platform?
- A) To make an example of him and humiliate Liyen
- B) Because it is required by immortal law
- C) To test Liyen’s loyalty
- D) To give Liyen a chance to save him
14. (Theme – Symbol) What does the Divine Pearl Lotus primarily symbolize in the story?
- A) Immortality and eternal youth
- B) Healing and sacrifice
- C) Political power
- D) Romantic love
15. (Theme – Symbol) What does the Wuxin’s ability to harvest emotions symbolize?
- A) The strength of positive feelings
- B) The danger of exploiting sorrow and fear
- C) The immortality of memories
- D) The weakness of mortals
16. (Theme – Symbol) What does the red-thread bracelet Zhangwei fastens on Liyen represent?
- A) The unbreakable bond between them
- B) The time limit of her stay in the Immortal Realm
- C) A curse that will kill her if she lies
- D) A tracking device for the queen
17. (Theme – Symbol) The Shield of Rivers and Mountains symbolizes what?
- A) A weapon of mass destruction
- B) Tianxia’s independence from immortal rule
- C) The enchanted wall around Tianxia
- D) A treaty of alliance
18. (Synthesis – Short Answer) How does Liyen’s attitude toward the immortals change from the beginning to the end of the book? Provide one specific example of this change.
19. (Synthesis – Short Answer) What is the significance of Liyen rejecting both futures shown by the Mirror of Destiny? How does this decision reflect her character growth?
20. (Synthesis – Short Answer) In what ways does the theme of sacrifice drive the main conflict of the story? Name at least two instances of sacrifice.
Answer Key
1. B — In Chapter 2, Liyen’s grandfather gives her the Divine Pearl Lotus, the only antidote to the Wangchuan River poisoning, just before he dies of a heart attack.
2. B — In Chapter 4, the God of War gives Liyen an immortal sword because Winged Devils had attacked her; he warns her to be able to defend herself.
3. A — In Chapter 5, Liyen finds her grandfather’s journal, which reveals the Shield of Rivers and Mountains is the key to bringing down the enchanted wall around Tianxia.
4. B — In Chapter 16, after the queen reveals the lotus is inside Liyen, Zhangwei uses a dagger enchanted with her hair to try to extract it, completing the betrayal.
5. A — In Chapter 16, Liyen stabs Zhangwei with a hairpin, seizes his legendary sword, and escapes during a Winged Devil attack.
6. B — In Chapter 21, Liyen and Zhangwei negotiate: she will give him the Divine Pearl Lotus and his sword, and he will secure Tianxia’s freedom and return the Shield of Rivers and Mountains.
7. A — In Chapter 28, the Ancient Grandmaster’s test is an illusion: Liyen rescues a boy floating on a log; the boy then transforms into the Ancient Grandmaster who welcomes her.
8. B — In Chapter 35, the Mirror of Destiny reveals that the Wuxin wanted Liyen because her immortal heritage holds the key to opening the gateway to Kunlun.
9. B — In Chapter 15 and Chapter 21, Zhangwei admits he is dying from Wuxin poison and needed the Divine Pearl Lotus to heal—his courtship was part of the queen’s plan to extract it.
10. A — In Chapter 34, Aunt Shou confesses she poisoned Liyen and joined the Wuxin because she lost her daughter Damei and wants revenge on the immortals.
11. B — In Chapter 5, Liyen resolves to search for the Shield of Rivers and Mountains during her visit to the Immortal Realm rather than pledge fealty.
12. B — In Chapter 21, Chengyin refuses Liyen’s proposal of a real marriage because he wants a love match, not a political arrangement.
13. A — In Chapter 12, Queen Caihong orders Liyen to watch Zhangwei’s lashing on the Dragon Platform as punishment for protecting her, intending to humiliate both.
14. B — The Divine Pearl Lotus heals the Wangchuan River poison and later cures Zhangwei; its transfer requires willing sacrifice, symbolizing healing achieved through self-sacrifice.
15. B — In Chapter 5, Liyen’s grandfather explains that the Wuxin thrive on sorrow and fear; this symbolizes the danger of harvesting negative emotions for power.
16. B — In Chapter 6, Zhangwei fastens a red-thread bracelet on Liyen that marks the time limit of her stay; she will die if she overstays in the Immortal Realm.
17. B — The Shield of Rivers and Mountains is the device that can bring down the enchanted wall, freeing Tianxia from its obligation to the immortals—it symbolizes independence.
18. Liyen begins by hating all immortals, believing them selfish and cruel. Over time, she learns to trust Zhangwei and sees that not all immortals are the same. For example, she forms a fragile alliance with him despite his earlier betrayal, and she eventually reconciles with her mother, Queen Caihong.
19. By refusing both fates—becoming a Wuxin or remaining immortal—Liyen rejects being defined by either side. This decision shows her growth from a reactive, fearful young woman into a determined leader who forges her own path, just as Zhangwei advised: “Write your own destiny.”
20. Sacrifice is central: Liyen’s grandfather gives his life and the lotus for her survival; Liyen sacrifices her mortal identity and later willingly transfers the lotus to Zhangwei to save him. These acts of sacrifice drive the plot and force characters to choose between love, duty, and freedom.
For a deeper dive into any of these topics, explore our Immortal discussion questions or the ending analysis.