Hong Tiangan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Hong Tiangan (洪天干)
Alias(es)	Dean Hong
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Ninth Martial Arts University; later a member of the Martial Arts Alliance 115 772
Occupation/Role	Dean of the Ninth Martial Arts University; practitioner and instructor of the old cultivation method; Jiang Fan's master 115 116
Status	Alive; was active when Jiang Fan returned after years away 773
First Appearance	Chapter 115

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 7 Great Grandmaster	114	Introduced as a Level 7 Great Grandmaster whose combat strength is comparable to a Level 8 Martial Saint. 114
Level 7 Peak	364	Sparred seriously with Level 7 Jiang Fan while holding a two-minor-realm advantage; his realm and experience ultimately allowed him to suppress Jiang Fan. 364 365
Level 9 Supreme	773	Had reached Level 9 by Jiang Fan's return, but was nearly overwhelmed by a trace of Jiang Fan's Level 14 aura. 773

Background / History

Hong Tiangan serves as the dean of the Ninth Martial Arts University and maintains a secluded, relatively informal teaching environment. He accepted Jiang Fan as a disciple partly because his favored second disciple, Luo Xiuwu, made the request, and partly because Jiang Fan's rise to Level 3 within a month marked him as an exceptional prospect. He assigned Jiang Fan to Stone Path Cottage alongside Luo Feihuai and Xue Min. 115 116

He is a committed advocate of the university's old cultivation method. Initially concerned that Jiang Fan's rapid growth was being driven by excessive gene serum and blood-replenishing potions, Hong urged him to build a stable foundation instead. After Jiang Fan's continued advancement made that explanation untenable, Hong openly admitted that he had misjudged him. 116 146

Hong concluded that Jiang Fan possessed an Extraordinary Physique after learning that he had advanced without using a Level 2 gene serum. He attributed Jiang Fan's unusually rapid cultivation, resistance to mental attacks, and other anomalies to that physique, while respecting Jiang Fan's choice not to disclose every personal secret. 147

Before accepting Fu Xingchen, Hong already had nine disciples, with Fu becoming his tenth. He took Fu in to repay an old friend's favor, but became increasingly dissatisfied with Fu's arrogance, impatience, and poor state of mind. 346

Personality

Hong Tiangan is approachable in daily life despite his status. He gardens in his courtyard, brews tea for visitors, and tells students that the university does not need excessive formalities so long as they cultivate earnestly. 115

As a teacher, he is patient and analytical. He prefers students to establish foundations before learning advanced applications, explains principles in detail, and adapts his instruction to a disciple's circumstances. He also avoids excessive praise for exceptional students, believing encouragement should be directed toward those who need it most. 118 119 346

His calm manner conceals a fierce temper and strong sense of fairness. Hong will investigate before judging a dispute, but reacts sharply when a disciple blames him for injustice or disrespects their seniors. 352

He is intensely protective of his disciples. He repeatedly intervenes against stronger opponents and refuses to betray Jiang Fan even after suffering a severe injury at the hands of a Sacred Judge. 152 230 535

Abilities & Skills

Old Cultivation Method Instruction

Hong is an accomplished teacher of the old cultivation method and emphasizes the connection between a cultivator and Heaven and Earth Energy.

• Required Jiang Fan to reach Minor Accomplishment in the Heaven and Earth Natural Meditation Technique before teaching practical applications. 119
• Taught the Blazing Sun Void-Breaking Fist after identifying Jiang Fan's fire-element affinity. 119
• Explained that elemental energy can be applied for attack, control, enhancement, defense, and support. 157
• Stressed that Blood Essence cultivation remains essential because it determines the capacity and potential ceiling of a Martial Artist. 157

Formationcraft and Spatial Transit

Hong established a formation-linked route between the Ninth Martial Arts University and his secluded Qingyan Mountain training grounds.

• Created a spatial channel that allows travel between the university and Qingyan Mountain. 364
• Maintains formations and an energy barrier around Qingyan Mountain, allowing major battles and cultivation to occur away from civilians. 364 534
• Studied Jiang Fan's Flash technique and grasped its basic principles through their exchange of insights, though he found his own spatial perception less clear than Jiang Fan's. 366

Combat Ability

Hong possesses combat strength beyond that expected of an ordinary Level 7 Martial Artist.

• His energy release dispersed Jiang Fan's linked Five Element Abilities during their sparring match. 365
• Formed a massive finger seal capable of overpowering Jiang Fan's sword light and Spiritual Energy interference. 365
• Retained the speed and reaction time to counter Jiang Fan's Flash-based attacks after initially being caught off guard. 365
• Fought Si Kongnan Tian, a Level 8 Martial Saint, to a stalemate while subtly holding the advantage. 230

Relationships

• Jiang Fan — Disciple. Hong personally taught and protected Jiang, arranged guards after an attack, defended him against powerful enemies, and regarded him as the foremost talent he had encountered. 147 156 230 366
• Luo Xiuwu — Second-oldest and favored disciple. Hong accepted Jiang Fan partly because Luo Xiuwu requested it. 115
• Xue Min — Senior disciple. Hong entrusted her with passing the Heaven and Earth Natural Meditation Technique to Jiang Fan and relied on her to help guide Fu Xingchen. 116 117 346
• Luo Feihuai — Senior disciple and resident of Stone Path Cottage. 116
• Yue Chuan — Second Senior Brother to Jiang Fan and one of Hong's disciples; he discussed Jiang Fan's military arrangements with Hong. 234
• Fu Xingchen — Former disciple. Hong accepted him to repay an old favor, then expelled him after his disrespectful conduct and refusal to repent. 346 352 353
• Si Kongnan Tian — Enemy combatant. Hong confronted him to prevent him from killing Jiang Fan. 230
• Dark-skinned Sacred Judge — Opponent from the Martial Arts Divine Hall who severely injured Hong after exposing his deception concerning Jiang Fan's cultivation site. 535

Story Role / Major Arcs

Jiang Fan's Enrollment and Early Guidance

Hong accepted Jiang Fan into his personal lineage, warned him against relying excessively on gene serum, and directed him toward the old cultivation method. He later tested Jiang Fan's progress, taught him elemental applications, and identified fire-element techniques suited to him. 115 116 118 119

Extraordinary Physique Revelation

After investigating Jiang Fan's unexplained rise to Level 4, Hong determined that Jiang had not used a Level 2 gene serum and concluded that he possessed an Extraordinary Physique. This belief greatly raised Hong's expectations for Jiang's future. 146 147

Newcomer League Protector

Hong supported Jiang Fan throughout the Collegiate Newcomer League, intervening when First Martial Arts University personnel attempted to retaliate against Jiang after a match. He also arranged covert protection for Jiang following an attack connected to Si Kongyingjie. 152 156

Conflict with the Si Kong Family

When Si Kongnan Tian attempted to kill Jiang Fan after the Life and Death Duel, Hong confronted him directly and made his position unmistakable: Jiang Fan was his disciple, and Hong would save him. He later helped ensure Jiang's military enlistment, giving him protection from further immediate retaliation. 230

Qingyan Mountain Sparring and Flash Exchange

Hong brought Jiang Fan to Qingyan Mountain for a serious sparring match, where Jiang revealed five elemental abilities, a sixth water-element ambush, Spiritual Power, and Flash. Impressed by Flash's potential, Hong exchanged spatial insights with Jiang and considered the lesson a favor worth repaying. 364 365 366

Fu Xingchen's Expulsion

Hong initially sought to resolve Fu Xingchen's conflict with Jiang Fan and Fei Ruoyun leniently, but changed course when Fu proved disrespectful and unrepentant. Hong severed their master-disciple relationship and chose to owe Fu's father another favor rather than compromise his own standards. 352 353

Defiance of the Martial Arts Divine Hall

Hong allowed Jiang Fan to use Qingyan Mountain as a hidden cultivation location and attempted to conceal evidence of his presence from the Sacred Judges. When exposed, he was severely injured but still refused to reveal Jiang Fan's whereabouts, accepting the risk of execution to protect his disciple. 534 535

Notable Quotes

“You want to kill my disciple, and I want to save my disciple! Isn't that clear enough?” 230

“There aren't that many rules here. Our Martial Arts University isn't like other schools with all that flashy stuff! You're here to cultivate. As long as you cultivate well, everything else can be discussed!” 115

Trivia

• Hong enjoys gardening and was first seen tending soil in his courtyard. 115
• He treats Qingyan Mountain as both a private cultivation ground and a secure battlefield, having connected it to the university through formations. 364
• Hong considered Jiang Fan the fastest and most exceptional talent among his disciples in sensing and cultivating Heaven and Earth Energy. 118 346