Jing Hongchen

Biodata

Name	Jing Hongchen (镜红尘)
Alias(es)	Hall Master of Mingde Hall
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mingde Hall; Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy; Hongchen Family; Sun Moon Empire
Occupation/Role	Hall Master of Mingde Hall; senior Sun Moon Empire official; expedition leader for the Soul Fighting Competition
Cultivation	Titled Douluo; described as Rank 94 upon arriving in the Extreme North, while his spar with Gu Yuejin identifies him as Rank 93 14 31
First Appearance	Chapter 13

Background / History

Jing Hongchen is the Hall Master of Mingde Hall and grandfather of Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen. While searching the Extreme North for the missing Meng Hongchen, he fought the berserk Hundred-Thousand-Year Ice Bear King, Xiao Bai, while relying on his Soul Tool armament to suppress the beast. He located Meng through the Hongchen Family’s flower-shaped secret mark and pursued her trail. 13

He initially approached Gu Yuejin with killing intent, believing his granddaughter had been taken. Once he found Meng safely absorbing a Soul Ring and learned Gu Yuejin had saved her, his hostility gave way to gratitude. He gave Gu Yuejin his personal token, promising either a custom Rank Nine Soul Tool or three Rank Eight Soul Tools, with Mingde Hall covering materials. 14

Recognizing Gu Yuejin’s value and interest in Soul Tools, Jing recruited him to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. He placed Gu Yuejin in charge of martial soul combat instruction and arranged core-disciple treatment for Huo Yuhao. 14 26

Appearance

Jing Hongchen is a slightly stout, imposing elderly man. He carries the authority expected of Mingde Hall’s master, though his stern demeanor softens noticeably around his granddaughter. 14

• Wears dark-red Soul Tool Battle Armor in combat. 13
• Can deploy nine pairs of Flying Soul Tool Wings. 13
• Possesses a golden Toad Martial Soul manifestation. 31
• Often handles jade walnuts while observing political or technical affairs. 28 98

Personality

Jing Hongchen is pragmatic, perceptive, and strongly protective of the Hongchen Family—particularly Meng Hongchen. His immediate shift from aggression to relief after confirming her safety demonstrates that her well-being takes priority over his pride or suspicions. 14

As Mingde Hall’s leader, he evaluates people through usefulness, talent, and political consequence. He quickly recognized Gu Yuejin as an exceptional asset, but he also understood that conventional wealth and authority would not be enough to control someone so independent. 26 63

He is politically calculating but not blindly submissive. When Xu Tianran considered forcing a marriage alliance with Xu Tianzhen, Jing advised a more natural approach, implicitly protecting Meng Hongchen’s interests. He later committed Mingde Hall’s support to Xu Tianran while personally leading the academy delegation to Star Luo City. 63 77

Abilities & Skills

Titled Douluo Cultivation

Jing Hongchen possesses the cultivation and combat foundation of a Titled Douluo, able to confront Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts and sustain high-intensity battles. 13 31

• Released nine Soul Rings during his spar with Gu Yuejin: two yellow, two purple, and five black. 31
• Used the sixth soul skill, Prodigal Son Returns, to generate destructive golden sound-wave vibrations. 31
• Was defeated by Gu Yuejin in a Soul Tool-free spar, but retained enough authority to acknowledge the loss without abandoning his dignity. 31 32

Toad Martial Soul

Jing’s Martial Soul is a golden toad with powerful poison and sound-based offensive capabilities. 31

• Lian Hongchen Poison — produces a dark-golden poison with corrosive and paralyzing effects. 31
• Prodigal Son Returns — unleashes a wide golden sonic shockwave capable of damaging the arena floor and straining its protective barrier. 31
• His martial-soul combat effectiveness is notably reduced when deprived of Soul Tools, a weakness exposed during his duel with Gu Yuejin. 31

Soul Tool Mastery

As Mingde Hall’s Hall Master, Jing commands advanced Soul Tools and treats their technology as strategic assets. 13 14 98

• Deployed dozens of Floating Cannons and interference fixed Soul Tool cannons against Xiao Bai. 13
• Used the Rank Eight Sky Prisoner Net to restrain the Ice Bear King. 13
• Offered Gu Yuejin a custom Rank Nine Soul Tool or three Rank Eight Soul Tools as repayment for saving Meng Hongchen. 14
• Reacted furiously when a missing experimental Rank Nine core-formation prototype from Mingde Hall appeared in a Star Luo auction. 98

Leadership and Political Influence

Jing controls major Mingde Hall and academy resources, making him a central figure in the Sun Moon Empire’s technological and military preparations. 26 77

• Recruited Gu Yuejin to lead martial soul combat instruction at the academy. 26
• Supported the Battle Armor project by facilitating Gu Yuejin’s position and resources within the academy. 66 68
• Personally led the Soul Fighting Competition delegation to Star Luo City and ordered Mingde Hall into Level 1 alert during his absence. 77
• Prioritized resources for the competition delegation while preserving funding for Xuan Ziwen’s Battle Armor project. 77

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Dark-red Soul Tool Battle Armor — combat armor used in the Extreme North. 13
• Flying Soul Tool Wings — nine pairs of wings enabling high-speed aerial maneuvering. 13
• Floating Cannons — remotely controlled artillery used against Xiao Bai. 13
• Interference Fixed Soul Tool Cannons — specialized cannons used to disrupt and bombard targets. 13
• Sky Prisoner Net — Rank Eight electrified metal net used for restraint. 13
• Hongchen Family secret mark — a flower-shaped Soul Power marker used by Meng Hongchen to leave a trail. 13
• Personal Mingde Hall token — grants access to Jing and his promised Soul Tool reward. 14

Relationships

• Meng Hongchen — his granddaughter; Jing’s search for her in the Extreme North and his immediate relief at her safety show his deep affection and protectiveness. 13 14
• Xiao Hongchen — his grandson; Jing relies on him as one of the Hongchen Family’s rising talents and observes his growth under Gu Yuejin’s instruction. 25 66
• Gu Yuejin — initially a suspicious stranger who had saved Meng; later recruited as the academy’s Martial Soul Department Director. Jing respects his strength, values his potential, and maintains a friendly, teasing rapport with him. 14 26 31 46
• Huo Yuhao — Gu Yuejin’s disciple, whose academy enrollment Jing personally arranged with core-disciple treatment. Jing recognizes him as an exceptional body-martial-soul talent and a natural Soul Tool user. 26 29
• Xu Tianran — Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire. Jing supports his political position, but is cautious of his desire to control Gu Yuejin and pushes back against overly forceful marriage-alliance plans. 63 77
• Xuan Ziwen — collaborator in the Battle Armor initiative; Jing protects the project’s priority status even while reallocating Mingde Hall resources for the tournament. 66 77
• Xiao Bai — adversary in the Extreme North; Jing battled the berserk Ice Bear King while trying to locate Meng Hongchen. 13

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Extreme North search — Battles Xiao Bai, follows Meng Hongchen’s secret mark, and reunites with her after Gu Yuejin saves her. 13 14
• Recruitment of Gu Yuejin — Invites Gu Yuejin into the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and entrusts him with martial soul combat instruction. 14 26
• Spar with Gu Yuejin — Accepts Gu Yuejin’s Soul Tool-free challenge and is defeated, witnessing the latter’s extraordinary body martial soul and Hundred-Thousand-Year seventh Soul Ring. 31 32
• Academy reform and Battle Armor support — Backs Gu Yuejin’s department and becomes increasingly invested in the potential of the Battle Armor project. 66 68
• Soul Fighting Competition expedition — Personally leads the Sun Moon delegation to Star Luo City, commits Mingde Hall resources, and openly aligns with Xu Tianran. 77
• Rank Nine core auction incident — Identifies a stolen Mingde Hall experimental core formation at auction and attempts to reclaim it before Gu Yuejin intervenes. 98

Notable Quotes

“This Old Man is Jing Hongchen, Hall Master of Mingde Hall of the Sun Moon Empire.” 14

“No one but this old man can handle this Sea Calming Divine Needle.” 77

Trivia

• Jing’s opinion of Gu Yuejin improves dramatically after learning that Gu Yuejin is not affiliated with Shrek Academy. 14
• He is visibly bothered by Meng Hongchen’s immediate infatuation with Gu Yuejin, even while acknowledging Gu Yuejin’s value. 14 15
• Although he is a Titled Douluo and the master of Mingde Hall, Gu Yuejin’s physical strength defeats him without either combatant using Soul Tools. 31 32