Old Ancestor Tong Hui

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Old Ancestor Tong Hui (通惠老祖)
Alias(es)	Patriarch Tong Hui
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Huayang Sect
Occupation/Role	Huayang Sect elder and tribulation-transcending cultivator
Status	Alive; successfully formed a Nascent Soul
First Appearance	1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Golden Core Peak	2	Had spent roughly twice as long as local geniuses to reach this point and considered himself an ordinary cultivator with no unique spiritual root.
Nascent Soul	10	Survived an anomalous seven-layered Heavenly Tribulation, then absorbed tribulation energy and spiritual energy to refine his newly formed Nascent Soul.

Background / History

Tong Hui was a Golden Core Peak cultivator of the Huayang Sect, a legitimate lineage of Difei Mountain and one of the Lesser Jade Continent's Seventy-two Immortal Sects. Though the Huayang Heavenly Dao Scripture was an orthodox method capable of leading to supreme enlightenment, Tong Hui regarded his own aptitude and Golden Core as entirely ordinary. His slow advancement had nevertheless given him centuries to prepare extensively for his breakthrough. 2 7

When he began his ascent to Nascent Soul, he expected an ordinary seven-layered lightning tribulation. Instead, the opening strike was Ice Soul Heavenly Thunder—an anomalous lightning type dangerous even to observers. Bewildered by a tribulation he felt no mediocre cultivator should receive, Tong Hui fought with carefully stockpiled artifacts, talismans, formations, and spirit medicine. 2 3

The tribulation repeatedly deviated from convention: its early Exotic Thunder layers ended unusually quickly, Danxiao Tribulation Lightning appeared too early, and Azure Gang Thunder Tribulation appeared despite normally belonging to Foundation Establishment cultivators advancing to Golden Core. His preparations made the first six layers appear almost effortless to outside observers, who began to mistake his thoroughness for hidden genius. 5 6 7

The final layer shattered his black shields, green wooden-fish magic tool, and many emergency artifacts while severely injuring both his body and nascent soul. Tong Hui exhausted his True Essence, consumed large quantities of spirit pills, used the Blood Elixir Technique, and directly refined an Exotic Source to restore himself and break the black talismans afflicting his nascent soul. He ultimately endured the final lightning and successfully ascended. 8 9 10

Immediately after the tribulation, Wang Li took Tong Hui's heavily damaged Yin Thunder Umbrella. Rather than retaliate, Tong Hui acknowledged the artifact as Wang Li's by fate and later also granted Lü Shenliang the artifact-refining method associated with his fishbone magic swords. 12 22 24

Personality

Tong Hui is deeply self-aware and initially insecure about his supposedly mediocre aptitude. He privately rejects the observers' belief that he is a concealed genius, knowing that his survival preparations came from caution, slow cultivation, and a long lifetime of accumulation. 2 3 6

Under pressure, he is practical and exceptionally resolute. He deploys resources according to their endurance and suitability rather than prestige, but abandons all restraint once the seventh layer threatens his life. After surviving, he remains gentle and unexpectedly magnanimous toward Wang Li and Lü Shenliang despite their actions surrounding the Yin Thunder Umbrella. 3 8 12

Abilities & Skills

Nascent Soul Cultivation

Tong Hui successfully crossed the Golden Core-to-Nascent Soul Heavenly Tribulation, elevating Huayang Sect's standing across the Lesser Jade Continent. 10 27

• Formed a nascent soul during the sixth layer of the tribulation. 7
• Continued refining his nascent soul after the tribulation clouds dispersed. 10
• His breakthrough gave Huayang Sect disciples greater status and security when traveling outside the sect. 27

Talisman Control

Tong Hui demonstrates highly refined control over large numbers of talismans.

• Released hundreds of lightning-attracting talismans refined over a century to divert Ice Soul Heavenly Thunder. 4
• Layered hundreds of defensive talismans so that each activated only after the preceding layer was depleted. 6
• His sequencing and control impressed the cultivators observing his tribulation. 6

Artifact Refinement and Sword Formation

Tong Hui possesses an artifact-refining method associated with True Lord White Bone and specializes in bone-based artifacts. 12 49

• Controlled 108 fishbone magic swords, which absorbed water vapor and formed expanding wave vortices. 4
• Used twenty-seven Dharma Swords against the final deep-blue thunderball, detonating them to break it apart. 9
• His complete sets of Dharma Swords can form sword formations more powerful than ordinary artifacts of comparable grade. 49

Desperate Recovery Techniques

When his body, True Essence, and nascent soul were near collapse, Tong Hui relied on dangerous recovery measures. 8 9

• Blood Elixir Technique — Converted vigorous blood qi into a powerful attack against the deep-blue thunderball; its use severely damages a cultivator's foundation and nascent soul. 8 9
• Life-devouring spirit technique — Directly chewed and refined an Exotic Source for immediate spiritual energy, rapidly healing his injuries and shattering the black talismans on his nascent soul. 9
• Consumed mixed spirit pills in large quantities to replenish depleted True Essence, accepting the risks of conflicting medicinal energies. 8

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Yin Thunder Umbrella — A Cosmos Grade Spirit Treasure acquired by Tong Hui during an earlier trial. It released corrupted lightning in the form of black skulls and neutralized much of the tribulation lightning before cracking beyond use. Wang Li later took it, and Tong Hui recognized it as belonging to him. 4 5 10 11 12
• Crimson ancient mirror — Produced black Earth Fiend True Fire to extinguish Ice Soul Heavenly Thunder; its fragments were collected by Wang Li after the tribulation. 3 10
• Purple tattered bellyband — A remnant artifact and keepsake from Tong Hui's dao companion; it produced fire crows that blocked lightning threads before burning to ash. 3 4
• White jade ancient coin — Generated a semi-transparent protective shield around Tong Hui. 3 4
• Fishbone magic swords — A set of 108 water-based magic swords used against the blood-red Form-Shaping Tribulation Lightning. 4
• Eight black shields — Transformed into eight small black mountains that withstood Danxiao and Azure Gang lightning before being destroyed by the final Exotic Thunder. 6 8
• Green wooden fish magic tool — Generated jade-like vines to fill the gaps between the black shield-mountains; destroyed by two black lightning bolts. 8
• Black sword box — Released twenty-seven Dharma Swords against the deep-blue lightning ball. 9
• Exotic Source — A purple crystal consumed directly to restore Tong Hui's strength and heal his nascent soul. 9

Relationships

• He Lingxiu — Huayang Sect disciple who monitored his tribulation and recognized that ownership of the Yin Thunder Umbrella was ultimately Tong Hui's decision. 1 11
• True Person Wu Yang — Huayang Sect elder who attended Tong Hui's tribulation and was stunned by its unusual course. 1 6 9
• True Person Qingyang — Huayang Sect elder present during the tribulation and subsequent dispute over the Yin Thunder Umbrella. 1 10 12
• Wang Li — Profound Heaven Sect disciple who took the damaged Yin Thunder Umbrella immediately after Tong Hui's breakthrough; Tong Hui later acknowledged Wang Li's claim. 10 12
• Lü Shenliang — Wang Li's senior sister, whose Golden Core self-detonation threat accompanied the umbrella dispute. Tong Hui responded calmly and later granted her Tong Hui's artifact-refining method. 12 22 24
• Tong Hui's dao companion — Left him the purple tattered-bellyband artifact that Tong Hui sacrificed during his tribulation. 3

Story Role / Major Arcs

Nascent Soul Tribulation

Tong Hui's anomalous breakthrough is the central event of the opening chapters. His unexpectedly varied tribulation draws cultivators, sect members, and artifact seekers to the desolate mountain, while revealing the depth of resources he accumulated through his long cultivation life. 1 2 3

Yin Thunder Umbrella Dispute

After Tong Hui survives, Wang Li takes the shattered Yin Thunder Umbrella before it lands. The Huayang Sect attempts to reclaim it, but Tong Hui personally settles the matter by allowing Wang Li to keep it, turning what might have become a sect conflict into a public display of generosity. 10 11 12

Huayang Sect's Rise

Tong Hui's successful Nascent Soul formation transforms Huayang Sect's position on the Lesser Jade Continent, giving its disciples increased prestige and protection. 27

Trivia

• Tong Hui had prepared the lightning-attracting talismans used in the first wave for the expected third wave of a normal tribulation. 4
• The first three layers of his tribulation consumed only a fraction of the resources normally expended by a Golden Core cultivator attempting Nascent Soul ascension. 5
• His Yin Thunder Umbrella was not originally forged by Huayang Sect; he had found it as an ancient cultivator's relic during a perilous trial. 11