Hongjun

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Hongjun (鸿钧)
Alias(es)	Dao Ancestor of Heavenly Dao; Patriarch Hongjun
Species/Race	Chaos Earthworm; Chaos Demon God
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heavenly Dao; later allied with Luohu and outer-realm forces
Occupation/Role	Dao Ancestor of Heavenly Dao
Status	Deceased; killed by Deng Jiugong after being expelled from the Heavenly Dao 626 629 630

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Dao Ancestor of Heavenly Dao	31	Merged with the Dao, becoming the Heavenly Dao's Dao Ancestor.
At most mid-stage Primordial Wuji Golden Immortal	312	Deng Jiugong assesses Hongjun as being two major realms above himself.
Late-stage Primordial Wuji Golden Immortal	364	Breaks through personally; his advancement also pushes the Heavenly Dao to the Perfection of its third awakening.
Temporary Primordial Wuji Golden Immortal Perfection-level power	368–370	Burns origin blood essence and undergoes demonic transformation, temporarily forcing the Heavenly Dao into its fourth awakening. The boost later fades.
Perfection Primordial Wuji Golden Immortal	515	Completes his cultivation breakthrough but conceals it by maintaining a late-stage aura.
Half-step Primordial Wuji Grand Unity Golden Immortal combat power	548	Reaches this power level through his Chaos Earthworm true form and the Heavenly Dao's fourth awakening; this is not a stable independent breakthrough.
Near Primordial Wuji Grand Unity Golden Immortal	624–625	After drawing on vast Heavenly Dao origin and merging Qu She Daoist's power, he approaches the realm but does not truly attain it.

Background

During the Witch-Demon Calamity, Hongjun delivered three lectures at Purple Heaven Palace. His teachings caused nearly all Quasi-Saints of the Primordial Era to cultivate the Slaying Three Corpses method, a path which Yang Mei later identifies as Hongjun's own method of enlightenment 31 395.

Following the Dao-Demon conflict, Hongjun merged with the Heavenly Dao and became its Dao Ancestor. Yang Mei later recounts that Hongjun withheld his strength during the battle against Luohu, contributing to Yin Yang and Qian Kun's deaths, then schemed against Yang Mei after the battle. Hongjun ultimately emerged as the victor and gained control over the Primordial Era 31 395.

Hongjun treated the Heavenly Dao's rise as inseparable from his own authority. He suppressed the Earthly Dao and Human Way, regarded the Primordial Era's Great Tribulations as a means to eliminate the weak, and feared the emergence of powerful beings beyond his control 298 299 306.

Personality

Hongjun is calculating, suspicious, and intensely possessive of authority. He regards strength as the only meaningful rule and considers weaker beings expendable, arguing that “all beings are ants” and that the strong may determine the order of the Primordial Era 298.

His pragmatism frequently manifests as manipulation. He used incomplete Primordial Violet Qi to retain leverage over the Heavenly Dao Saints, distributed Saint-Slaying Pills to strengthen that control, and attempted to exploit conflict between Houtu and Deng Jiugong 302 314 306.

As his position deteriorates, Hongjun becomes increasingly desperate. He burns his essence blood, falls into demonic possession, allies with Luohu, drains Heavenly Dao origin to enhance himself, and ultimately proposes coexistence only after recognizing Deng Jiugong's superiority 368 371 529 618 623.

Abilities & Skills

Heavenly Dao Authority

As the Heavenly Dao's Dao Ancestor, Hongjun can draw upon its origins, laws, and will to enhance himself or suppress others.

• Commands the Heavenly Dao's Three Thousand Laws and immense Heavenly Dao pressure 362 621.
• Uses Heavenly Dao origin to rapidly heal himself and restore fallen Saints 315 368.
• Could forcefully destabilize or recall the incomplete Primordial Violet Qi implanted within Heavenly Dao Saints 302.
• Within the Heavenly Dao origin space, his body can become insubstantial against attacks below a sufficient power level 621 622.
• His control weakens when the Heavenly Dao rejects him and his Nascent Soul imprint is exposed 626.

Chaos Earthworm True Form

Hongjun's true form is a colossal Chaos Earthworm, granting exceptional defense, regeneration, and raw power.

• Greatly increases his physical strength and defensive ability 364 551.
• Allows him to break free of the Primordial Life-Taking Rope before its upgrade 548 551.
• Regenerates injuries rapidly through Heavenly Dao origin, though sustained damage and origin loss can overcome this recovery 362 368.
• His true form is ultimately bound, dismembered, drained, and destroyed following his defeat 630.

Eye of Heavenly Punishment

Hongjun commands the Eye of Heavenly Punishment to unleash destructive lightning.

• Bombards the Pangu True Body with Heavenly Dao lightning and forces it onto the defensive 359 361.
• Can sever the Primordial World Tree's branches when they penetrate the Heavenly Dao through the Eye 363.
• Its power is tied to the Heavenly Dao's strength and awakening level.

Slaying Three Corpses and Clones

Hongjun created the Slaying Three Corpses cultivation method using Creation Jade Disk fragments and cultivated multiple clones.

• Preached the Slaying Three Corpses method at Purple Heaven Palace, though no one besides Hongjun is stated to have attained enlightenment through it 31 395.
• Possessed three clones during the Dao-Demon conflict 395.
• Severed his inner demons and a portion of his origin to create a Demonic Dao avatar after his first major defeat 371.
• Maintained Qu She Daoist as a clone and later incorporated Qu She's power into himself 567 622.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Creation Jade Disk Fragment — Used to interfere with the Heavenly Dao, resist its rejection, and support Hongjun's schemes; extracted from him after his defeat 371 625 630.
• Universe Cauldron — A major defensive treasure used against Deng Jiugong and to mitigate the Great Dao's lightning tribulation 331 366.
• Eye of Heavenly Punishment — Heavenly Dao weapon that releases destructive lightning 359 361.
• Purple Heaven Palace / Purple Firmament Palace — Hongjun's residence and a High-grade Chaos Spirit Treasure used for defense and retreat; seized by Deng Jiugong 566 586 621.
• World-Destroying Millstone — High-grade Chaos Spirit Treasure acquired in Chaos; used for offense, defense, and destroying passages into the Heavenly Dao origin space 423 541 621.
• Chaos Bead — Used in a final attempt to break Deng Jiugong's defense within the Heavenly Dao origin space 625.
• Primordial Violet Qi — Complete and incomplete strands used to enhance comprehension and maintain control over Heavenly Dao Saints 302 314 315.

Relationships

• Houtu — Rival Dao Ancestor of the Earthly Dao. Their conflict centers on whether Great Tribulations should promote growth or eliminate the weak, and on Hongjun's suppression of the Earthly Dao and Human Way 299 306.
• Deng Jiugong — Principal enemy. Hongjun repeatedly attempts to suppress, seize from, or kill him; Deng Jiugong ultimately strips Hongjun of his treasures, Dao Ancestor position, and life 315 565 621 630.
• Luohu — Former adversary from the Dao-Demon conflict who later becomes Hongjun's ally against Deng Jiugong. Both remain wary of one another's ambitions 395 529 548.
• Yang Mei — Former ally betrayed by Hongjun during the Dao-Demon conflict. Yang Mei later joins the forces opposing Hongjun and seeks revenge 395 629.
• Nuwa — Former Heavenly Dao Saint whom Hongjun controlled through incomplete Primordial Violet Qi; she later opposes him as Dao Ancestor of the Human Way 302 361.
• Tongtian Sect Master — Former Heavenly Dao Saint who breaks from Hongjun's control. After Hongjun's expulsion, Tongtian becomes the new Dao Ancestor of Heavenly Dao 302 627.
• Grand Pure Laozi and Primordial Heavenly Venerate — Heavenly Dao Saints kept loyal through Primordial Violet Qi, Saint-Slaying Pills, healing elixirs, and Hongjun's manipulation 314.
• Jieyin and Zhunti — Heavenly Dao Saints resurrected by Hongjun through Heavenly Dao origin, at the cost of reduced potential 315.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Conflict with the Earthly Dao

Hongjun opposes Houtu's rise as Dao Ancestor of the Earthly Dao because it ends his exclusive control over the Primordial Era. He attempts to prevent Deng Jiugong from proving his Dao and clashes directly with Houtu and the Pangu True Body 274 295 299.

Investiture of the Gods Aftermath

Following the Investiture of the Gods, Hongjun reinforces his remaining Saints through Primordial Violet Qi and Saint-Slaying Pills. He resurrects Jieyin and Zhunti, considers elevating Haotian, and seeks an opportunity to seize Deng Jiugong's treasures and hidden opportunities 314 315.

First Heavenly Dao War

Hongjun fights Houtu, Nuwa, Tongtian, Deng Jiugong, and the Ancestral Witches. He shatters a Creation Jade Disk Fragment against the strengthened Pangu True Body, burns his origin blood essence, temporarily drives the Heavenly Dao to its fourth awakening, and is eventually forced into retreat 356 361 368 371.

Demonic Alliance

After his retreat, Hongjun creates a Demonic Dao avatar by severing his inner demons. He later allies with Luohu, helps Wutian become a Heavenly Dao Saint, and causes the Heavenly Dao's fourth awakening, provoking widespread condemnation from the Primordial Era's inhabitants 371 529 530.

Collapse of Heavenly Dao Authority

Hongjun is repeatedly driven back by Deng Jiugong, eventually hiding in a protected space after draining Heavenly Dao origin to bolster his cultivation. Deng Jiugong's forces locate him, seize the Purple Heaven Palace and World-Destroying Millstone, and invade the Heavenly Dao origin space 615 618 619 621.

Downfall and Death

Deng Jiugong and his allies weaken the Heavenly Dao by devouring its origin. After Hongjun shatters a Golden Wheel of Merit, the Heavenly Dao rejects him and the Great Dao's lightning tribulation exposes his Nascent Soul imprint. Tongtian replaces him as Dao Ancestor of Heavenly Dao; Hongjun is then bound, dismembered, drained by the Primordial World Tree, and annihilated 624 626 627 630.

Notable Quotes

“In the Primordial Era, the weak are prey to the strong. Strength is the rule. Without strength, one loses their life. What rules can be spoken of!” 298

“All beings are ants.” 298

“I have merged with the Dao. I am the Heavenly Dao.” 623

Trivia

• Hongjun's true form is a Chaos Earthworm, despite Deng Jiugong often deriding him as an “old worm” 548 565.
• He distributed Innate Supreme Treasures from Treasure Distribution Rock because such treasures held little use for his own immense strength 298.
• Hongjun's incomplete Primordial Violet Qi was deliberately divided so that the corresponding portion in his possession could control the strands refined by the Heavenly Dao Saints 302.
• The destruction of Hongjun's Creation Jade Disk Fragment ultimately contributes to Deng Jiugong synthesizing a complete Jade Plate of Creation after Hongjun's death 361 631.