Wei Jinlin

Biodata

Background

Wei Jinlin oversees the Red Cloud County Military Service Bureau and initially teaches its four hundred disciples the Nine Palace Living Stakes. After ten days, he ends formal instruction and leaves them to practice independently, regarding the post primarily as work because he sees no true martial genius among that year’s recruits 2.

Beyond his official title, Wei personally manages much of the bureau’s routine operation. He distributes training uniforms and wooden tablets from the Utility Room, delivers letters to disciples, and prepares meals in the Public Kitchen 3 4 11 30.

Personality

Wei Jinlin is stern, restrained, and pragmatic. He makes blunt assessments of his disciples’ potential, criticizes Lu Ming’s supposedly ordinary training talent, and sets demanding conditions before offering further instruction 19 33.

His harshness is balanced by a consistent sense of responsibility. He recognizes demonstrated achievement regardless of background, protects Lu Ming from unsupported accusations, and continues safeguarding his disciples even after aggravating his own injuries 3 18 55 71.

He is notably frugal. Wei charges disciples for replacement training tablets, asks Lu Ming to “cut [him] in” when approving a martial-art exchange, and personally fills several bureau jobs rather than delegating them 4 48.

Abilities & Skills

Marrow Cleansing Realm Cultivation

Wei has concealed cultivation at the Marrow Cleansing Realm, a level above Organ Tempering and rare even in Qingning Prefecture City 55 65.

• Killed three intruders at range by expelling pale qi arrows with a shout, displaying Tiger Leopard Thunder Sound 6.
• Evaded a combined ambush by a mysterious expert and the Earth Dragon Beast through afterimage-level speed 55.
• Severely wounded both attackers with palm strikes, forcing them to escape 55.
• Instantly pursued and killed the Blood Man Zhou Zhen after exposing his identity 65.
• Limitation: An old injury prevents him from using Marrow Cleansing Realm power freely; exertion causes coughing, blood loss, and weakened aura 55 65.

Lightness Skills

Wei’s movement technique allows him to cross terrain and launch himself through the air at extreme speed.

• Uses Smooth Ascent to the Clouds to travel in sky-bound afterimages 41.
• Can move across the Iron Stake Area with a few light taps and accurately throw Red Tokens to the winners 32.
• Taught Smooth Ascent to the Clouds and the Cloud-Stepping Technique to Lu Ming 12 19.

Martial Instruction

Wei is the principal instructor of the Nine Palace Living Stakes and evaluates disciples through their performance on its wooden and stone formations 2 9 12.

• Teaches the Nine Palaces Palm, Cloud-Piercing Finger, and first-rate lightness skills to qualified disciples 12 19.
• Recognizes Lu Ming’s ability to combine techniques and tests whether he can develop the talent needed for the Formless Divine Art 32 33.
• Imparts the Formless Divine Art, a supreme art based on mastering and integrating diverse martial arts 48.
• Holds one annual special recommendation slot that can improve a disciple’s chance of entering a first-rate sect 48.

Sound Transmission

Wei can transmit speech directly into a selected person’s ear without those nearby hearing him.

• Secretly tells Lu Ming that Lei Wanchun likely did not search for Qin Zhonghai 58.

Relationships

• Lu Ming — Instructor and protector. Wei recognizes Lu Ming’s progress, grants him training access and free movement through the bureau, teaches him multiple techniques, and considers him a potential candidate for the special recommendation slot 3 18 33 48.
• Lei Wanchun — Fellow Red Cloud County expert and Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master. They coordinate against the Earth Dragon Beast, but Wei witnesses Lei’s hesitation during the ambush and quietly questions his actions concerning Qin Zhonghai 54 55 58.
• Qin Zhonghai — Allied Heavenly Secret Pavilion vice pavilion master. Wei responds when Lu Ming reports Qin’s attack, then directs Lei Wanchun to search for the severely injured Qin 54 55.
• Xu Shou — Director of the Black Mountain County Military Service Bureau. Wei accepts Xu’s displaced disciples during the monster crisis and later works alongside him during the emergency 30 41.
• Chen, Shen, and Zhao family heads — Local clan leaders who personally apologize after Wei kills their scouts near the Military Service Bureau 7.
• Zhu Ming — Disciple rewarded with a large courtyard and further instruction after reaching Skin Refining 2.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Military Service Bureau training — Establishes the Nine Palace Living Stakes curriculum, oversees the four hundred recruits, and begins noticing Lu Ming’s unusual progress 2 3.
• Lu Ming’s mentorship — Provides Lu Ming with increasingly advanced instruction, from lightness skills and finger techniques to the Formless Divine Art 12 19 33 48.
• Red Token tests — Organizes the Iron Stake Area mini-test and Red Token scramble, using them to distribute portions of demon meat and assess the disciples’ abilities 30 32 46.
• Earth Dragon Beast ambush — Participates in the Genius Bait plan, survives a planned pincer attack, and reveals his hidden Marrow Cleansing Realm strength 54 55.
• Blood Man crisis — Returns to regroup the endangered disciples, identifies the possible return of the Blood-Worshipping Demon Cult, and kills Zhou Zhen after his transformation 57 65.
• Grand Examination escort — Leads fifty selected martial geniuses from Red Cloud County to Qingning Prefecture City for the Grand Examination process 68 71 72.

Trivia

• Wei personally fills so many bureau roles that Lu Ming initially suspects he is effectively the only staff member he has encountered there 4.
• He permits Lu Ming to exchange the Cloud-Stepping Technique with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion only after demanding a share of the trade 48.
• Wei’s hidden strength is revealed twice: first against the Earth Dragon Beast and its controller, then publicly when he suppresses Zhou Zhen 55 65.