Jiu Ming

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Jiu Ming (九命)
Alias(es)	Mysterious Merchant
Species/Race	Soul Body; formerly human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mysterious Shop
Occupation/Role	Shop owner, interworld merchant, and commission-based protector
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Combat-type Soul Body	2	The Mysterious Shop identifies him as a combat-oriented Soul Body with unusually strong innate mental power; he can condense that power into tangible martial attacks.
Spirit-burning burst and Geass	86	Gains a Geass that burns mental strength to amplify his power. Its bird-shaped mark appears in his left eye, and he can layer it with his own spirit-burning technique.
Life Force fortification	145	A “green jujube” greatly replenishes his vitality, removes his persistent deathly gray coloration, and makes his body appear more like that of a living person.
Wind and lightning absorption	172	Absorbs a white fox’s wind and lightning energy, channels it through his body, and releases it through concentrated attacks.
Innate Gap ability	278	Converts the Gap ability from a Sealed Card into power that belongs to him, allowing its development to follow his own path rather than Yakumo Yukari’s.
Clone division	320	Creates up to one hundred clones at roughly 1% of his power each; further division halves their individual output.
Divine Artifact wielder	327 328 329	Completes trials against reflections of himself to claim Gungnir and Laevateinn, then develops combat methods around both weapons.
Trace of planetary-class power	592	Tree Loli helps him assimilate a trace of a higher power that can set nearby energy in motion, though he initially cannot use it outside her shop.
Expanded Power of the Planet	821	His share of planetary power rises from roughly one-in-a-million to between one-in-a-thousand and one-in-a-hundred, though he remains a user rather than an administrator.
“Iron triangle” trait fusion	902	Retains both the Mysterious Shop’s traits and Twisted Aberration traits, becoming resistant to Twisted Aberration influence without relying on the Shop’s protection.

Background / History

Jiu Ming was human before becoming a Soul Body. His memories include a frail, sickly body before death, while his current body and appearance remain fixed in a youthful state. During the Mysterious Shop’s Labyrinth training, he witnessed people turn on one another as the space contracted; attempts to intervene only made him a target. His unusual Soul Body prevented him from being easily eliminated. 2 30 640

The Mysterious Shop judged him as a combat-type Soul Body rather than a transformation type. His mental power functions as both stamina and explosive force, allowing him to fight physically despite lacking a conventional body. He became the Shop’s owner and supplier, using the Card Collection Book to collect items as Sealed Cards for storage, sale, or later use. 2 3 6

After arriving in Changhe Academy’s world, Jiu Ming began operating as the “Mysterious Merchant.” He traded Du Fei’s life force for merchandise, infiltrated the academy to obtain photographs, and later accepted Wang Hai’s commission to discreetly protect high-potential students during their Death Forest internship. 4 6 12

His travels eventually expanded across numerous worlds through the Mysterious Shop. He repeatedly takes commissions, trades abilities and artifacts, interferes in large-scale crises, and builds connections with people who can use Invitation Cards to reach the Shop. 223 472 703

Appearance

Jiu Ming normally resembles a pale, long-haired youth. Though his Soul Body was initially gray and faintly transparent, accumulated Life Force removed much of its deathly appearance and made him pass more easily for a living person. He has no heartbeat, however, and his body remains unnaturally still while asleep. 145 151 657

• His appearance is physically fixed, while his clothing is part of his Soul Body and can be changed at will. 2 152
• He normally appears around eighteen years old and does not visibly age. 30 152
• His original complexion was deathly gray; after gaining vitality, it became sickly pale instead. 145
• He can use transformation-based abilities to alter his age, stature, hairstyle, and minor physical details. 436 442
• His conjured clothing offers no inherent protection; its durability depends on his own power. 152

Personality

Jiu Ming is casual, playful, and frequently provocative, especially when dealing with people he finds interesting. He enjoys teasing companions, making absurd offers, collecting unusual items, and presenting himself theatrically as the “legendary Mysterious Merchant.” 133 148 396

Despite his flippancy, he is observant and pragmatic. He studies unfamiliar powers, tests opponents’ limits, and adapts quickly after making mistakes. He is also wary of exposing his true nature, knowing that his status as a Soul Body would invite unwanted attention and experimentation. 14 153 155

He prefers not to kill when he can avoid it. Jiu Ming states that he has never killed anyone and fears becoming a different person if killing becomes habitual, though he can be ruthless when protecting others or confronting major threats. 148 149 489

Abilities & Skills

Soul Body Physiology

Jiu Ming is an energy-based Soul Body whose mental strength substitutes for physical stamina and muscular force.

• Can pass through walls and evade certain attacks through intangibility. 4 5 12
• Condenses mental power into physical explosive force, allowing him to overpower ordinary physical ability users. 2 6
• Can physically intercept energy- and impact-based attacks, treating them as tangible objects. 102
• Regenerates wounds and severed limbs through gray-green energy rather than blood or conventional anatomy. 172 324
• Must sleep to recover mental strength; excessive expenditure makes his body transparent and risks dissipation. 6 37
• Cannot naturally project his mental power outside his body as telekinesis. 433

Spirit Burst and Geass

Jiu Ming can burn mental strength to temporarily multiply his physical output.

• His own spirit-burning state manifests as transparent flames and greatly amplifies strength and speed. 153
• His Geass can further enhance his body by burning mental strength; it activates through the bird-shaped mark in his left eye. 86 97
• He has used Geass offensively to disrupt a woman questioning his identity and to alter the eunuch faction in the Chinese Federation. 91 221
• Double Burst can briefly push him beyond some Great Yokai-level opponents, but sustained use causes lasting self-damage. 156
• He considers Geass an external power and prefers relying on abilities he has personally mastered. 153 156

Gaps

Jiu Ming uses Gaps for movement, concealment, scouting, and unconventional attacks.

• Can travel through space, create footholds, and attack from distant or unexpected angles. 153 328
• Converted the ability from a Sealed Card into his own developing power. 278
• Uses Gaps as acceleration tracks for high-speed sword strikes and to redirect attacks. 383 417
• Can use them to rescue or reposition people, such as transferring a captive woman to safety. 861
• High-output Gaps can become unstable, and using them defensively against sufficiently powerful enemies is ineffective. 153 586

Collection and Sealed Cards

As the Mysterious Shop’s owner, Jiu Ming can collect items into card-like forms.

• Stores collected cards in the Card Collection Book and can retrieve them at will. 3 6
• Can seal skills, weapons, consumables, life force, and other valuable objects. 3 6
• Cannot freely convert stolen property into Sealed Cards; items forcibly taken from him become useless to the thief. 39
• Uses Sealed Cards to deploy weapons, barriers, abilities, and equipment during combat. 88 438
• Invitation Cards connect selected people to the Mysterious Shop and can be used as interworld transfer points. 703 730

Clones

Jiu Ming can divide himself into multiple real clones.

• Can create approximately one hundred clones at 1% of his original power each. 320
• Further division is possible, but each additional split sharply reduces every clone’s power. 320
• Clones are linked through Gaps and can be dismissed by closing their connections. 320
• They are useful for scouting, evacuation, deception, and overwhelming weaker targets. 320 487
• Individually, clones are less durable than his true body unless he assigns them substantial power. 351

Elemental Adaptation

Jiu Ming can absorb, manipulate, or counter several forms of energy.

• Absorbs wind and lightning energy, then concentrates it into physical attacks. 172
• Uses Super Energy Crystals to absorb lightning and produce large-scale electrical attacks. 152 155
• Can shape ice and increase its hardness by lowering its temperature. 298
• Uses the Dragon’s Neck Jewel to neutralize or devour compatible Five Elements attacks. 351
• His transparent flames can burn mental power and resist certain spiritual attacks. 172 328

Planetary Power and Shop Authority

Jiu Ming later gains access to power on a planetary scale.

• Can draw on planetary energy and, under suitable conditions, sense events across an entire planet. 863
• His planetary power is limited by compatibility and can be depleted if forced in worlds where it does not naturally fit. 607 623
• His fused traits allow him to resist Twisted Aberration corruption. 902
• He can influence the Twisted Aberration across connected worlds, though not completely control it. 903

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Card Collection Book — Stores Sealed Cards and records collected items for later retrieval. 3 6
• Super Energy Crystal — Absorbs lightning and supports Jiu Ming’s high-output electrical attacks. 152 155
• Gungnir — Divine spear with unerring-strike and piercing properties; later enhanced to +10. 327 328 392
• Laevateinn — Divine flaming greatsword whose destructive flames are its primary threat. 327 458
• Transparent Longsword — Drains energy from opponents and returns much of Jiu Ming’s lost vitality when used by him. 165
• Fire-Rat Robe — Protective robe capable of blocking intense flames. 327
• Dragon’s Neck Jewel — Five-element artifact used to counter elemental powers. 351
• God’s Hand: Perfector — Glove-type Imperial Arms that massively improve finger control and tactile sensitivity. 461
• Book of Thousand — Servant Item capable of recording and reproducing what it sees, subject to substantial power costs and duplication limits. 696 697
• Type Zero Ship-Slaying Blade / anti-ship blades — Enormous weapons capable of severing massive attacks, though individual blades can break under extreme output. 549 550

Relationships

• Wang Hai — Early contact, commission provider, and trusted professional associate. Wang Hai protects Jiu Ming’s secret from researchers and repeatedly calls on him during Exotic Beast crises. 12 80 152
• C.C. — Close companion and frequent traveling partner. Her Geass contributes to Jiu Ming’s own power development, and their relationship becomes increasingly domestic and teasing. 86 221 240
• Long Xiao Qi — Customer, traveling companion, and younger ally whom Jiu Ming guides through her first major Exotic Beast battles. 132 157 161
• Yakumo Yukari — Tense ally and source of much of Jiu Ming’s early experience with Gaps. She often uses him as a distraction, but also assists him with artifacts and travel. 114 116 327
• Tree Loli — Powerful ally whose assistance enables Jiu Ming’s planetary-power development. They show mutual concern despite Tree Loli’s reserved demeanor. 573 592 821
• White Fox — Recurring rival, companion, and target of Jiu Ming’s teasing. Their relationship is marked by fights, mutual provocation, and growing familiarity. 247 248 612
• Nezha — Client whom Jiu Ming protects from the Dragon Kings and helps escape her predetermined fate. 548 561 563
• Di Xue — Young ally and protégée whom Jiu Ming supports in building power and independence within her world. 856 870 878

Story Role / Major Arcs

Changhe Academy and Death Forest

Jiu Ming establishes himself as the Mysterious Merchant, trades life force with Du Fei, and draws Changhe Academy’s attention through his infiltration and Soul Body abilities. Wang Hai later hires him to protect students during their Death Forest internship. 4 5 12

Lunar Capital Incident

After traveling with Yakumo Yukari and her group, Jiu Ming becomes entangled in the Lunar Capital’s politics and security. He evades lunar soldiers, clashes with Watatsuki no Yorihime, discovers the Hourai Elixir, and eventually escapes the capital after defeating Kazami Yuuka. 104 113 120 121

Exotic Beast Tide

Jiu Ming joins Wang Hai, Long Xiao Qi, and Zhu Hao at the defensive line against an Exotic Beast tide. He defeats King-class beasts, uses the Super Energy Crystal in battle, and trains Long Xiao Qi through direct combat experience. 152 155 157 161

Divine Artifact Trials

Yakumo Yukari leads Jiu Ming to Gungnir and Laevateinn. Forced collection subjects him to trials against duplicate versions of himself, requiring him to exploit his own habits and weaknesses before claiming the weapons. 327 328 329

Imperial Capital and Twisted Aberrations

Jiu Ming investigates the crisis beneath the Imperial Capital, clashes with Esdeath and other Imperial Arms users, evacuates civilians with clones, and ultimately destroys the capital’s Twisted Aberrations with Goddess of Love weapons. 425 458 487 489

Nezha Commission

Jiu Ming takes responsibility for Nezha’s conflict with the East Sea Dragon Palace, battles the Dragon Kings, and forces Ao Guang into a binding agreement protecting Nezha. He leaves her in Taiyi True Person’s care after changing the course of her calamity. 548 559 561 563

Mysterious Shop Expansion

Following his assimilation of planetary power and the fusion of Mysterious Shop and Twisted Aberration traits, Jiu Ming helps unite multiple regions and prepares players for the conflict with the Twisted Aberration across connected worlds. 821 902 903

Notable Quotes

“I'm the legendary Mysterious Merchant!” 133

“I've never killed anyone. So I want to see how long I can keep this streak of not opening that killing taboo.” 148

“I'm already over a hundred years old.” 641

Trivia

• Jiu Ming cannot fly naturally and compensates through rapid Gap travel, spatial movement, and even sword flight. 562 822
• He has experienced more than a century of subjective time despite only months passing for some of his companions. 152
• Alcohol has almost no effect on him because anything he consumes is broken down by his body. 169
• He is an avid collector whose Card Collection Book contains weapons, tools, oddities, and seemingly useless objects. 88