Hongyun

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Hongyun was formed from the first crimson cloud between Heaven and Earth to attain the Dao. A longtime resident of Wuzhuang Temple, he is Zhenyuanzi's closest friend and shares the temple's secluded, independent way of life. His cultivation centers on the Four Symbols—earth, water, wind, and fire—and on bringing their transformations into balance. 7 124 125

When Xuande, Jieyin, and Zhunti sought assistance repairing the devastated Western Earth Veins, Hongyun immediately supported the undertaking. He argued that the suffering beings of the West should not be abandoned when aid was possible, then joined Zhenyuanzi in surveying the region. During the survey, he recorded changes in the Qi of the Four Directions while Zhenyuanzi traced the Earth Veins with the Earth Scroll. 9 10

Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi assumed responsibility for the most severely damaged Earth Vein structures. Zhenyuanzi reshaped broken nodes and restored the main channels, while Hongyun harmonized the disordered earth, water, wind, and fire Qi, soothing conflicts that could destabilize the repairs. Their work continued through the final restoration of the Western Earth Vein system, earning them Heavenly Dao Merit and advancing Hongyun to the late-stage Daluo Golden Immortal realm. 12 19 20

He travelled with Xuande, Jieyin, Zhunti, and Zhenyuanzi to Purple Cloud Palace to hear Hongjun's lectures. Although initially restless in the directionless Chaos, he endured the journey and became one of the first listeners to arrive. During the lecture, the Primordial Violet Qi unexpectedly chose him, embedding itself in his Primordial Spirit and making him the focus of widespread envy. 32 54

After leaving Purple Cloud Palace, Hongyun came to understand that the Violet Qi made him vulnerable to theft and schemes. He remained at Wuzhuang Temple while his friends prepared to protect him, then entered seclusion to comprehend the Qi and his treasures. He later selected the Purple-Gold, Azure-Blue, and Silver-White Gourds from the Innate Gourd Vine, eventually using the Purple-Gold Gourd to sever his Good Corpse and enter the Quasi-Saint realm. 59 70 106

Hongyun continued aiding the West's development after his breakthrough. He helped transplant the Four Symbols Banana Tree to Mount Sumeru, received Xuande's Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation, and used it to support the placement of the Three Immortal Islands around Mount Sumeru. He also spent thousands of years nourishing the fused branch that became the twin-born Spiritual Root of the Yellow Center Plum and Ginseng Fruit Tree. 85 88 106 111

When Kunpeng invited Hongyun and Zhenyuanzi to join the Demon Clan, both declined. They chose to remain at Wuzhuang Temple, preferring their free and peaceful cultivation over involvement in factional conflict. 125

Acceptance of Disciples

Xuande brought Zhao Gongming and the Three Cloud Sisters to Wuzhuang Temple after recognizing that their wind-and-cloud origins were better suited to Hongyun's teachings than his own. Before meeting them, Hongyun sensed an unusually strong affinity: the sisters' cloud origins resonated with his own, while Zhao Gongming's clear-wind Origin Essence echoed his understanding of the Wind Dao. Their meeting produced a mutual feeling of familiarity and kinship. 131

Hongyun accepted all four as disciples, ending his long wait for suitable successors. Although he had cultivated for countless kalpas, he had never previously accepted disciples because beings transformed from clouds were exceptionally rare. To celebrate, he returned to Fire Cloud Cave to retrieve spiritual wine he had originally intended to age for several thousand more years. The gathering drank beneath the Ginseng Fruit Tree, after which Hongyun, Zhenyuanzi, and Xuande taught the new disciples over several days. Hongyun expounded the Cloud Dao, while Xuande later gifted the Golden Jiao Scissors to Zhao Gongming and the Hunyuan Golden Bushel to the three sisters. 132

Hongyun subsequently set out for the West when its cultivators announced a method of reaching Quasi-Saint without an Innate Spiritual Treasure. He and Zhenyuanzi later chose not to intervene when the Demon Clan advanced against the Immortal Court. At another gathering, he agreed to Tongtian's proposal for a disciple contest, whose rules emphasized earnest competition, learning, and the avoidance of serious injury. 136 149 158

Pursuit of His Own Dao

After Nuwa attained the Dao, Zhenyuanzi urged Hongyun to hasten his own pursuit of sainthood. Hongyun instead maintained that every cultivator's Dao had its own rhythm and that attainment could not be forced. He regarded his travels, friendships, charitable deeds, and cultivation of spiritual roots as meaningful parts of his path rather than distractions from an urgent goal. 168

When Nuwa invited the great powers to hear her teachings at Wa Huang Palace, Hongyun agreed to accompany Zhenyuanzi while leaving their disciples to cultivate at the temple. He joked that, just as he had obtained Primordial Violet Qi at Purple Cloud Palace, he might discover another opportunity at Nuwa's lecture. 170

Demon Clan Surveillance

Following Laozi's attainment, Kunpeng persuaded Dijun and Taiyi that Hongyun's Primordial Violet Qi offered the Demon Clan its most accessible opportunity to acquire a Sage. Zhenyuanzi warned Hongyun that he could not withstand their combined strength and insisted that he remain within Wuzhuang Temple's Earth Scroll defenses. Hongyun initially declared that he would resist any attempt to rob him, but ultimately accepted his friend's protection. 199

Kunpeng deployed Shadow Crows around Wuzhuang Temple to report any opportunity for an ambush. Even after Xuande returned as a Hunyuan being, Dijun and Taiyi continued their plans, while Zhenyuanzi refused Hongyun's request to visit Mount Sumeru to offer congratulations. The Demon Clan later reaffirmed its twofold strategy: Taiyi would pursue his own path to the Dao, while Kunpeng maintained surveillance in hopes of seizing Hongyun's Qi. 209 215

Relinquishment of the Primordial Violet Qi

Xuande visited Wuzhuang Temple after destroying the tens of thousands of Shadow Crows stationed around it. He explained that using the Primordial Violet Qi to become a Heavenly Dao Sage would bind Hongyun to the Heavenly Dao's commands, with disobedience risking the loss of his Saint Position or even his life and Dao. He also pointed to the eight existing Hunyuan beings as evidence that attainment depended on one's own Dao rather than possession of the Qi. 217

Zhenyuanzi urged Hongyun not to sacrifice the freedom central to his nature. Recognizing that a Saint Position purchased through lifelong servitude would contradict his true heart, Hongyun publicly proclaimed his refusal to merge with the Heavenly Dao. He released the Primordial Violet Qi, allowing it to leave Wuzhuang Temple and return to the world rather than trading it for protection, treasures, or political advantage. 217 218

The Great Dao rewarded his choice with merit. Hongyun, who had already reached mid-stage Quasi-Saint and severed his Good and Evil Corpses, severed his Obsession Corpse and advanced to late-stage Quasi-Saint. The corpse appeared as a red-robed phantom identical to him before merging back into his body under the merit's influence. Relieved of the burden that had restricted his movements for countless kalpas, he announced plans to visit Mount Sumeru and then drink with the Ancestral Witches at Buzhou Mountain. 217

Recognition as Ancestor Hongyun

Hongyun's declaration was sensed by the Hunyuan beings and widely celebrated among independent cultivators. They admired his refusal to exchange his freedom for sainthood and his decision to return the opportunity to the world without demanding compensation. The title “Ancestor Hongyun” spread from markets near Wuzhuang Temple throughout the Primordial Wilderness, accompanied by commemorative tablets and incense offerings. Some cultivators designated the anniversary of his declaration as “Hongyun Day,” gathering annually to discuss the Dao and commemorate his act. 218

Hongyun initially knew nothing of this recognition because he was occupied with planning his travels. When a Wuzhuang Temple outer disciple brought back a tablet bearing his new title, he laughed at the likeness and joked that the carving made him too fat. His pleasure came from having his commitment to freedom understood rather than from gaining a prestigious title. His relinquishment also rendered the Demon Clan's long-standing plans to seize the Qi from him futile. 218

Later, Hongyun reacted with intense excitement when Xuande stood before Hongjun on behalf of the Witch Clan. Speaking to Zhenyuanzi, he praised Xuande's willingness to confront the Dao Ancestor and connected it with his earlier courage against Tongtian and Minghe. 235

Appearance

Hongyun appears as a Daoist in red robes, with red hair, a kindly face, and a warm smile. 7

• Red clothing and red hair. 7
• A notably friendly, open expression. 7
• Four-colored radiance manifests around him when he employs the power of earth, water, wind, and fire. 19 85
• His hair and beard bristle when he exerts himself to regulate unstable Four Symbols Qi. 19
• When greeting his future disciples, he is described as having a bold, unrestrained face and bright eyes, with faint four-colored light circulating around him. 131
• Commemorative tablets depict him as a red-robed Daoist with a gentle face and carefree smile; Hongyun jokingly objects that one such carving makes him look too fat. 218

Personality

Hongyun is forthright, warm-hearted, and highly sociable. He readily speaks with guests, tells stories from his travels, and brings an energetic, playful tone to formal gatherings. His enthusiasm extends to rare spiritual fruits and treasures, though he is content with modest gains when others pursue greater prizes. 8 56

His easygoing manner does not prevent him from taking serious responsibilities seriously. During the repair of the Western Earth Veins, he set aside his humor to focus completely on maintaining the balance of the Four Directions' Qi. His compassion is practical: he believes that cultivators who can relieve suffering have an obligation to act. 9 12 19

Hongyun is also honest and trusting, traits that leave him vulnerable to the ambitions of other great powers after he obtains the Primordial Violet Qi. Zhenyuanzi specifically worries that Hongyun's straightforward nature makes him susceptible to hidden schemes. 54 59

He values affection, loyalty, and shared karmic affinity over formal repayment. After restoring the Western Earth Veins, he dismissed talk of rewards between friends and instead asked to visit Mount Sumeru for tea and discussions of the Dao. He later described his relationship with Xuande and the others as practically familial. 20 84

Freedom is central to Hongyun's identity. He enjoys wandering, making friends, and helping others, and does not regard cultivation or attainment as matters to be forced according to another person's timetable. His confidence in his friends sometimes makes him optimistic about the threats surrounding him, although he ultimately accepts Zhenyuanzi's restrictions when confronted with the Demon Clan's overwhelming strength. 168 199 209

His relinquishment of the Primordial Violet Qi demonstrates that his easygoing nature does not exclude resolve. Once he understands the cost of Heavenly Dao sainthood, he chooses fidelity to his own nature over the coveted Saint Position. He is willing to remain a free Quasi-Saint rather than become a Sage compelled to serve the Heavenly Dao. 217

As a master, he is openly affectionate and delighted by his disciples' affinity with him. Their acceptance prompts him to share treasured wine earlier than planned and immediately arrange instruction with the help of his friends. 132

Abilities & Skills

Four Symbols Dao

Hongyun cultivates the transformations of earth, water, wind, and fire. His specialty is regulating conflicting energies and restoring them to a stable cycle. 7 9

• Recorded disturbances in the Four Directions' Qi during the Western Earth Vein survey. 10
• Pacified water, wind, and fire Qi while Zhenyuanzi repaired fractured Earth Veins. 19
• Guided the roots of the Four Symbols Banana Tree into Mount Sumeru's Earth Veins. 85
• Harmonized the surrounding energies when the Enlightenment Tea Tree was planted on Mount Sumeru. 88
• Nourished the fused twin-born Spiritual Root with Four Symbols power for thousands of years. 109 111

Cloud Dao and Wind Dao

Hongyun's origin as the first crimson cloud gives him exceptional insight into clouds and wind. Xuande describes his understanding of both as unmatched in the Primordial Wilderness, and the Cloud Dao is identified as the Dao most suited to his nature. 131 132

• His cloud-related Dao aura permeates the world; Yun Xiao sensed it even before undergoing Form Transformation. 131
• Can perceive resonance between his own Dao and beings transformed from clouds or clear wind, enabling him to recognize his affinity with Zhao Gongming and the Three Cloud Sisters before meeting them. 131
• His Cloud Dao rhythm resonates with the sisters' cloud Origin Essences, while his Wind Dao rhythm resonates with Zhao Gongming's clear-wind Origin Essence. 131
• Teaches the formation of clouds from water vapor, their movement through the air, and their transformations. 132

Earth Vein Restoration

Hongyun complements Zhenyuanzi's Earth Dao by supplying the “Qi and blood” of restored terrain: harmonizing ambient energies, awakening dormant vitality, and preventing elemental clashes during major repairs. 12

• Worked on the West's most dangerous and structurally damaged Earth Vein regions alongside Zhenyuanzi. 13 19
• Helped complete the restoration of the Western Earth Vein system and received Heavenly Dao Merit for the deed. 19 20
• Assisted in stabilizing Mount Sumeru's Earth Veins during the settlement of the Three Immortal Islands. 106

Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation

Xuande passed the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation to Hongyun because of its natural compatibility with his Dao. 88

• Invokes the powers of earth, water, wind, and fire and can evolve myriad phenomena. 88
• Its full deployment can make escape difficult even for a Quasi-Saint. 88
• Served as the supporting foundation for the Three Talents Formation surrounding Mount Sumeru and the Three Immortal Islands. 106
• Its integration with the islands' formation helped transform Chaos Qi into Spiritual Energy to replenish the Western Continent. 106

Formation and Spiritual-Root Support

Hongyun can use Four Symbols power to refine and regulate Spiritual Energy within large formations. 109 111

• Took the Position of Heaven in the Innate Three Talents Grand Formation with Xuande and Zhenyuanzi. 109 111
• Helped maintain the balance between the Yellow Center Plum and Ginseng Fruit Tree branches during their fusion. 109 110
• Perceived that the awakened fused tree transformed surrounding Spiritual Energy into a purer form. 111

Three Corpses Severance

Hongyun practices the Three Corpses method, obtaining three Innate Gourds of the same origin to support his cultivation. Xuande and the others prioritized his and Fuxi's need for compatible corpse-anchoring treasures when distributing the gourds. 47 69 70

• Severed his Good Corpse with the Purple-Gold Gourd, entering early-stage Quasi-Saint. 106
• Had severed his Evil Corpse and reached mid-stage Quasi-Saint before relinquishing the Primordial Violet Qi. 217
• Severed his Obsession Corpse with the aid of Great Dao merit after rejecting Heavenly Dao bondage, reaching late-stage Quasi-Saint. 217

Spiritual Wine Brewing

Hongyun brews spiritual wine and stores it for long periods to deepen its Dao resonance. His treasured cloudmist wine is made from clouds, mist, and water vapor collected across the heavens over countless years. 56 132

• Stores the wine in a rune-engraved stone urn within the restricted depths of Fire Cloud Cave. 132
• Retrieved the aged wine to celebrate accepting his first four disciples rather than waiting the additional several thousand years he had originally intended. 132

Equipment / Treasures / Items

• Primordial Violet Qi — Former possession — Chosen by the Qi at Purple Cloud Palace and absorbed into Hongyun's Primordial Spirit; granted the possibility of sainthood but attracted hostile attention. He later released it into heaven and earth after learning that using it to become a Heavenly Dao Sage would cost him his freedom. 54 55 217
• Purple-Gold Gourd — One of the Innate Gourds; used by Hongyun to sever his Good Corpse. 70 106
• Azure-Blue and Silver-White Gourds — Two additional Innate Gourds that resonated with Hongyun when he selected his treasures from the gourd vine. 70
• Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation — A formation Xuande gifted to Hongyun for its exceptional compatibility with the Four Symbols Dao. 88
• Three Light Divine Water — Kept in a jade bottle and contributed to the attempt to fuse the Yellow Center Plum and Ginseng Fruit Tree branches. 109
• Enlightenment Tea Tree Branches — Cuttings gifted to him by Xuande when the tea garden on Mount Sumeru was established. 88
• Heavenly Cloudmist Wine — Treasured spiritual wine brewed from gathered clouds, mist, and water vapor and aged at Fire Cloud Cave; shared when he accepted Zhao Gongming and the Three Cloud Sisters. 132

Relationships

• Zhenyuanzi — Closest friend and fellow Wuzhuang Temple cultivator; their Earth Dao and Four Symbols Dao form a natural partnership in Earth Vein restoration and spiritual-root cultivation. Zhenyuanzi protected him with the Earth Scroll, insisted that he remain within Wuzhuang Temple during the Demon Clan's surveillance, and later urged him to relinquish the Primordial Violet Qi rather than lose his freedom. Hongyun affectionately teases him as an old stick-in-the-mud. 7 12 19 111 199 209 217
• Xuande — Friend and collaborator in restoring the West. Xuande resolved to protect Hongyun after the latter received the Primordial Violet Qi and later gifted him the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation. He introduced Hongyun's four disciples, destroyed Kunpeng's surveillance network around Wuzhuang Temple, and explained the alternatives to Heavenly Dao sainthood, enabling Hongyun to relinquish the Qi. Hongyun later expressed excited admiration for his willingness to confront Hongjun. 55 88 131 132 217 235
• Jieyin — Ally in the restoration of the West and companion on the journey to Purple Cloud Palace. He welcomed Hongyun to study beneath Mount Sumeru's Four Symbols Banana Tree and later approved of his decision to relinquish the Primordial Violet Qi. 9 32 85 218
• Zhunti — Ally and frequent conversational companion; Zhunti supported Hongyun after the Violet Qi chose him. He offered to arrange a cave dwelling for Hongyun on Mount Sumeru and praised his resolve in giving up the Qi to return to his true heart. 54 57 85 218
• Nuwa and Fuxi — Fellow cultivators who collaborated with Hongyun in awakening the twin-born Spiritual Root. Both were among the friends who promised to protect him after he obtained the Primordial Violet Qi. Nuwa later welcomed his relinquishment of the Qi as the lifting of a long-standing burden. 59 111 218
• Northern Mystery — An ancient late-stage Quasi-Saint whom Hongyun met at Mount Sumeru; Hongyun deeply respected its serenity and steadfastness. 106
• Kunpeng — Visited Wuzhuang Temple to recruit Hongyun for the Demon Clan; Hongyun refused and remained independent. Kunpeng later advocated seizing his Primordial Violet Qi and deployed Shadow Crows to watch for an opportunity to ambush him. Xuande destroyed the informants, and Hongyun's release of the Qi ended the scheme to seize it from him. 125 199 209 217 218
• Dijun and Taiyi — Demon Clan rulers who coveted Hongyun's Primordial Violet Qi as a route to securing Hunyuan-level strength for their faction. Their power and resources prompted Zhenyuanzi to keep Hongyun within Wuzhuang Temple's defenses. His relinquishment of the Qi deprived their long-planned attack of its target. 199 209 215 218
• Zhao Gongming — Disciple introduced by Xuande. His clear-wind origin resonates with Hongyun's Wind Dao, making him well suited to Hongyun's instruction. 131 132
• Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao — The Three Cloud Sisters and Hongyun's disciples. Their cloud origins share a natural affinity with his own, producing an immediate sense of kinship and making them ideal inheritors of his Cloud Dao. 131 132
• Independent Cultivators — Widely honored Hongyun after he returned the Primordial Violet Qi to the world without seeking compensation. They popularized the title Ancestor Hongyun, erected tablets, offered incense, and in some places established annual commemorations of his declaration. 218

Notable Quotes

“The beings of the West are also living creatures. If they suffer and we have the power to help, how can we stand by and do nothing?” 9

“This tree... this tree was practically born for me!” 85

“Of the three thousand Great Daos, each has its own rhythm. Fellow Daoist Nuwa has hers, and I have mine. It cannot be forced or rushed.” 168

“I would rather be a free and unfettered Quasi-Saint than a Sage chained by the Heavenly Dao!” 217

“I, Hong Yun, am carefree by nature and dislike restraints. I am unwilling to forsake my true heart for a Saint Position.” 217

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