Ren Yingying

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ren Yingying (任盈盈)
Alias(es)	Qing'er — cover identity used while travelling as Song Qingshu's wife 1660
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Sun Moon Holy Cult; later manages Song Qingshu's Southern Song power base and the King of Qi's household 1389 2054
Occupation/Role	Saint Maiden of the Sun Moon Holy Cult; Princess Consort of Qi; political administrator 1364 1939 2054
Status	Active; evacuated safely during the Lin'an crisis and later reunited with Song Qingshu 2476 2485
First Appearance	Chapter 158

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Sun Moon Holy Cult elder-class foundation	1364, 1380	As Saint Maiden, her martial arts are described as strong enough to injure several black-clothed opponents; her recovery of power alarms pursuers, who regard her as comparable to a cult elder.
Blood Burning Great Method	1380, 1381	Uses the method to break a suppression and escape the Six Harmonies Pagoda. It temporarily multiplies her power but costs thirty years of lifespan.
Rootless Tree Art recovery	1947, 2476	Song Qingshu teaches her the life-nurturing art to address her lost lifespan. It improves her condition, though she does not regain her former peak quickly.

Background

Ren Yingying is Ren Woxing's daughter and the Saint Maiden of the Sun Moon Holy Cult. Raised among the experts of Blackwood Cliff, she possesses both martial training and the authority expected of a senior cult figure. Her attachment to Linghu Chong shapes many of her early decisions; she is prepared to fight Ouyang Feng rather than abandon him, and later continues investigating Linghu Chong's sudden change in Sichuan. 463 1655

Her relationship with Song Qingshu begins in hostility and coercion. After he repeatedly intrudes into her affairs, he blackmails her into cooperating with a plan involving Ren Woxing's Star Absorbing Great Method. Ren Yingying accepts only because she believes it can help save Linghu Chong, concealing the truth of her unstable True Qi from her father. 580 581

Ren Woxing turns her political value into a marriage alliance with Song Qingshu. Though she initially resents the arrangement and remains devoted to Linghu Chong, she accepts a public marriage in order to protect the Sun Moon Holy Cult's interests. 590 643

Appearance

Ren Yingying is repeatedly recognized as an exceptional beauty, retaining a striking presence even when distressed or dishevelled. Her bearing is notably graceful and dignified, giving her the aura of nobility expected from the Sun Moon Holy Cult's Saint Maiden. 197 1938

• Fair, jade-like complexion. 170 1938
• Elegant, composed manner and refined posture. 1386 1938
• Her beauty is widely known in the martial world, where she is counted among its famed beauties. 578 925
• Can project cold authority when acting in her capacity as Saint Maiden. 1364 1660

Personality

Ren Yingying combines gentleness with a sharp, calculating mind. She consistently considers the wider consequences of her choices: she refuses situations that could create doubt between herself and Linghu Chong, develops an elaborate plan to break her engagement, and later arranges political outcomes around Song Qingshu's larger ambitions. 634 643 2485

She is proud and highly protective of her dignity, particularly when threatened or publicly embarrassed. This does not make her reckless: when Ruan Xingzhu captures her, she quickly regains composure, probes for the woman's true objective, and refuses to disclose information that could endanger Song Qingshu's plans. 1663 1664

Despite her position, Ren Yingying is selfless in danger. While poisoned by You Tanzhi, she urges Song Qingshu not to risk his life for her; during her escape from the Zhongyi Army, she chooses the Blood Burning Great Method and eventual death over capture and humiliation. 616 1381

Abilities & Skills

Martial Arts and Swordsmanship

Ren Yingying is a capable martial artist with sharp judgment developed from growing up around Blackwood Cliff's experts.

• Attacks Ouyang Feng with her sword when Linghu Chong is endangered, though Ouyang Feng disarms her. 463
• Injures several black-clothed men while attempting to rescue Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan. 1364
• Recognizes the danger of high-level techniques and can assess other fighters' strength, including Yang Miaozhen's spearwork. 321
• Her personal combat ability is respected enough that pursuers fear the consequences of confronting her after she recovers her power. 1380

Blood Burning Great Method

A desperate life-burning technique used during her escape from the Zhongyi Army.

• Temporarily raises her power severalfold. 1381
• Breaks the suppression placed on her and enables her escape from the Six Harmonies Pagoda. 1380
• Costs thirty years of lifespan. 1381
• Its effectiveness is shortened because much of the released power is spent breaking the prior suppression. 1381

Rootless Tree Art

A life-nurturing cultivation method used to mitigate the damage caused by the Blood Burning Great Method.

• Song Qingshu resolves to teach it to restore her lost lifespan. 1947
• Improves her health after the lifespan loss, though her recovery remains incomplete for some time. 2476

Strategy and Administration

Ren Yingying is an accomplished planner and political organizer rather than merely a figurehead.

• Designs a detailed deception involving an impersonation of Linghu Chong to end her engagement. 634
• Works with Luo Bing to establish Song Qingshu's power base in Lin'an, drawing on her Sun Moon Holy Cult connections. 1389
• Is considered Song Qingshu's most trustworthy and resourceful choice to manage palace affairs, aided by her authority and cult backing. 2054
• During the Lin'an crisis, deliberately yields ground to the Jia and Shi families so that others bear the blame for overthrowing the Song throne, leaving Song Qingshu positioned to restore order. 2485

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Cheng Ying Sword — Ren Yingying's sword, named by Song Qingshu after the ancient shadowless blade; she lends it to him while he protects her. 618
• Black Blood Divine Needle — concealed weapon carried during her escape from the Zhongyi Army. 1380

Relationships

• Ren Woxing — Father and Sun Moon Holy Cult leader. His attempts to secure political marriages place Ren Yingying in conflict with her own wishes. 197 590
• Linghu Chong — Her original beloved and intended husband. She risks herself for him, remains concerned by his later change in Sichuan, and initially resists Song Qingshu out of loyalty to him. 463 643 1655
• Song Qingshu — Initially her coercive adversary and political husband; their relationship changes after he saves her from the Qiantang River and seeks to repair the lifespan she sacrificed. She later becomes his trusted partner in governing Lin'an. 580 1382 1383 1389 2054
• Luo Bing — Collaborator assigned to assist Ren Yingying in developing Song Qingshu's Southern Song power base. 1389
• Chen Yuanyuan — Works alongside Ren Yingying in Lin'an; the two cooperate on the establishment of Heavenly Realm. 1418
• Ruan Xingzhu — Captures and impersonates Ren Yingying to gather intelligence from Song Qingshu. Ren Yingying later encourages Song Qingshu to secure the Ruan family as a political asset. 1664 1683
• Zhang Sanfeng — Examines her cold poison and is associated with the Rootless Tree Art used in her later recovery. 625 2476

Story Role / Major Arcs

Marriage Alliance and Blackwood Cliff

• Attempts to use Song Qingshu as a hostage during Dongfang Bubai's battle with Linghu Chong, Ren Woxing, and Xiang Wentian, but Song Qingshu reverses the situation. 158
• Rejects Ren Woxing's attempt to make Song Qingshu take responsibility for her reputation and marry her. 197
• Is blackmailed into assisting Song Qingshu's scheme to obtain the Star Absorbing Great Method, then deceives Ren Woxing about her induced condition to protect Linghu Chong. 580 581
• Accepts a nominal marriage with Song Qingshu because the Sun Moon Holy Cult needs the Golden Snake Camp alliance. 590

Cold Poison and the False Marriage

• Is injured by You Tanzhi's Ice Silkworm cold poison while shielding Song Qingshu's allies. 616
• Trusts Song Qingshu with her sword as he protects her while continuing to suppress the poison in her body. 617 618
• Seeks help from Song Qingshu while he is disguised as Xu Ruowu, asking him to impersonate Linghu Chong and help dissolve her engagement. 634
• Rejects Song Qingshu's attempts to manufacture suspicion between herself and Linghu Chong, prioritizing her beloved's trust. 643

Escape from the Zhongyi Army

• Rescues Linghu Chong and Yue Lingshan from black-clothed attackers but is later captured by the Zhongyi Army. 1364 1374
• Uses the Blood Burning Great Method to escape imprisonment, then jumps into the Qiantang River rather than be recaptured. 1381
• Is saved by Song Qingshu, whose determination to restore her damaged lifespan becomes the turning point in their relationship. 1382 1383
• Gradually accepts Song Qingshu as her husband and begins building a future with him despite the unresolved complications surrounding Linghu Chong. 1385 1386

Lin'an Power Base

• Takes charge of Song Qingshu's Southern Song network in Lin'an, with Luo Bing assisting her. 1389
• Publicly becomes recognized as the Princess Consort of Qi. 1939
• Earns the trust of figures such as Shen Biqun through her composure and magnanimity. 1938 1940
• Is selected as the principal administrator Song Qingshu can rely upon when palace power requires both political authority and martial support. 2038 2054

Sichuan Journey and Ruan Xingzhu Affair

• Travels with Song Qingshu under the aliases Song Nianying and Qing'er. 1660
• Is abducted and replaced by Ruan Xingzhu, who uses her likeness to deceive Song Qingshu. 1663 1664
• Regains her freedom and later treats the Ruan family as a strategic target rather than merely a personal enemy. 1678 1683

Notable Quotes

“I believe you.” 1383

“Brother Song, I know your ambitions. However, the emperors of the Great Song have always treated the literati well and enjoyed popular support. Rather than you bearing the infamy in the future, it would be better to let others do the dirty work, and then you can emerge to clean up the mess.” 2485