He Jiong

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	He Jiong (何窘)
Alias(es)	Xiao He
Gender	Male
Affiliation	The Academy; Bug-Hunting Squad
Occupation / Role	Bug-Hunting Squad coordinator and Insect Chamber guide; Four Squares Formation leader
Status	Active 569

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Obtains [Their Own Way]	338	Draws the Transcendent Skill after reaching the 500th floor. It copies a target’s used Transcendent Skill for one hour, with copied-skill strength determined by its own enhancement level.
Full-attribute enhancement Level 4; [Their Own Way] Level 5	383	His earnings from Bug-Hunting Squad work fund rapid personal upgrades.
Advanced multi-copy use	385	Learns that a sufficiently enhanced [Their Own Way] can copy multiple skills simultaneously, without interference, and use each copy multiple times.
Receives the Heavenly Dipper True Manual	424	Becomes the first test recipient of the restored cultivation technique and immediately produces sword qi.
[Their Own Way] Level 8	558	His skill is at Level 8 before Wang Wen finances its next major upgrade.
[Their Own Way] Level 11	558	Spends 11.1 quadrillion Points to upgrade from Level 8 to Level 11, gaining three additional uses of copied skills.

Background and History

He Jiong initially relied heavily on his connection to Wang Wen. While drunk, he publicly called Wang Wen his “big brother” and agreed to help Huang Baobao request a meeting with Tiansheng’s leader. Although Wang Wen released Chairman Huang through this connection, Chen Hansheng reprimanded He Jiong for appearing to trade on Wang Wen’s name. 296 298 299

His status briefly made him a target for opportunists, who crowded around him seeking introductions to Wang Wen and other Academy figures. He rejected advances that he believed were motivated only by Wang Wen’s influence, while his relationship with Du Keke deteriorated. 300 301

After being easily injured while trying to protect Du Keke from Old Liu, He Jiong realized that the respect he received came from Wang Wen’s favor rather than his own worth. He refused Old Liu’s medicine, moved into The Academy, cut ties with his former associates, and committed himself to the Academy’s demanding routine of training, exercise, and Spirit-Absorbing Divine Stone practice. 320 325

He joined Wang Wen’s tower team after volunteering to perform any available work. Initially assigned the team’s menial tasks, he steadily earned trust through diligence and initiative. 333 336

His decisive turning point came when he proposed leaving climbers behind in the Insect Chamber to hunt continuously after being teleported in. He immediately volunteered to be among the first Stayers, transforming the proposal from an efficiency idea into the foundation of the Bug-Hunting Squad. 337

By the time the Squad was fully established, He Jiong was responsible for bringing in personnel, supervising operations, and sustaining the Insect Chamber’s income system. Wang Wen later credited him—not himself—for proposing, researching, and operating the project. 385 471

Personality

He Jiong is blunt, excitable, and prone to crude humor, but he becomes markedly more disciplined after joining The Academy. His early insecurity manifests in drinking, showing off connections, and measuring his worth through Wang Wen’s favor; afterward, he deliberately changes his habits and works to earn respect through results. 299 320 325

He is highly practical when solving operational problems. His Stayer proposal, willingness to handle exhausting work, and later management of the Bug-Hunting Squad show an instinct for making Tower resources and manpower more efficient. 337 348 471

Despite his tendency to speak recklessly, He Jiong is intensely loyal. He remains protective of Wang Wen and his allies, follows Wang Wen into dangerous game stages despite being told to rest, and blames himself when he cannot endure long enough to protect the team. 441 514 554

His relationship with Xu Wa also reflects his growth. He comes to value their mutual lack of pretension: neither expects the other to change, and Xu Wa treats him the same whether he is poor or influential. 388 398

Abilities & Skills

[Their Own Way]

A Transcendent Skill that temporarily replaces itself with a skill used by a target.

• Copied skills last for one hour; the base cooldown is twenty-four hours. 338
• The copied skill’s enhancement level is determined by [Their Own Way] rather than the original owner’s level. 338 339
• At higher levels, He Jiong can retain multiple copied skills simultaneously and use each one multiple times. 385
• He copied [Same-Floor Teleportation], gaining the ability to lead people into designated Tower stages. 339
• He later used the skill to copy the Blood Demon Clan’s rebirth bloodline and produce Rebirth Bloodline Orbs for the group. 421 440
• He can copy practical support effects, including healing medicine, and combat skills such as Cheng Queyi’s steel-canopy attack. 452 544

Mechanism Art and Poisoncraft

He Jiong becomes a dual master of mechanisms and poisons, allowing him to function as both a battlefield controller and damage dealer in the Four Squares Formation. 385 543

• Wang Wen teaches him the Four Squares Formation growth strategy and entrusts him with leading reliable climbers through the 400th floor. 385
• He completed Master Mechanism Art after roughly a month of practice and Academy coursework. 385
• He prioritizes Resource Team members who supported the Bug-Hunting Squad when selecting Four Squares Formation participants. 385

Heavenly Dipper True Manual

He Jiong is the first person to receive the Heavenly Dipper Sect’s restored cultivation technique, serving as Wang Wen’s safety test. 424

• He can release sword qi from his fingertips shortly after beginning cultivation. 424
• He activates Wang Wen’s jade tablet, then activates tablets for Chen Hansheng and Mi Lailai as well. 425
• The technique improves energy quality and recovery efficiency, making it a stable energy source for Tower abilities. 425

Domain and Giant Form

He Jiong can deploy a domain and transform into a towering giant in battle.

• His 800-layer domain is fueled by Points; its power and range depend heavily on his available wealth. 452
• He can enlarge himself, develop black-red scales and iron claws, and fire scorching eye beams while transformed. 532 543
• His domain was unable to overcome the red-robed priests and was disrupted when he was knocked out of its effective range. 452
• Against Wang Wen’s clone, his domain burned nearly a trillion Points without securing victory. 543

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• All-Illnesses-Vanquishing Lamp — Lent to Mo Ran, allowing He Jiong to contribute directly to the Academy’s inner circle. 398
• Master Poison-Making Skill Stone — A rare unique treasure he obtained unexpectedly during a trip with Xu Wa; he immediately lent it to Mo Ran. 390
• Unique 700th-floor glove — Given to him by Mo Ran in exchange for the Skill Stone. 390
• Rebirth Bloodline Orbs — Copies of the Blood Demon Clan’s rebirth bloodline, capable of restoring a body to its peak condition. 440
• Perfect game-equipment set — Pursues matching, fully enhanced perfect gear; in the game stage, his completed set makes ordinary enemies easy to cut down. 504 505
• Greatsword — His principal weapon in the game stage, used for Heaven-Splitting Slash and close-range executions. 505 506
• Divine Power Guns — Obtained through [Equal Exchange] and used in Wang Wen’s artificial-divine-power experiments. 522 558

Relationships

• Wang Wen — Boss, mentor, and the person He Jiong calls his “big brother.” Their relationship evolves from dependence on Wang Wen’s reputation into earned trust through He Jiong’s work managing the Bug-Hunting Squad. 296 337 471
• Xu Wa — Girlfriend. He visits her after her accident, later brings her into the Tower, and builds a relationship based on shared interests and mutual acceptance. 332 388 398
• Du Keke — Former romantic interest. Her rejection and disappointment become a major factor in He Jiong’s decision to reform himself; he later has no interest in displaying his status to her. 325 468
• Huang Baobao — Friend whose father He Jiong helps free from Tiansheng Dungeon by arranging a meeting with Wang Wen. Huang Baobao comes to regard He Jiong as a true elder brother. 298 299
• Mo Ran — Academy ally. He Jiong lends him the Master Poison-Making Skill Stone and the All-Illnesses-Vanquishing Lamp; Mo Ran gives him a 700th-floor unique glove in return. 390 398
• Mi Lailai — Academy associate who assists He Jiong when Xu Wa disappears and later fights alongside him during the Western Continent priests’ attack. 443 452
• Luo Shan — Fellow Academy member and “good brother.” He Jiong is sent to retrieve Luo Shan when Academy business becomes urgent. 465 468
• Old Monster Liu — Former antagonist who later shows deference to He Jiong. He Jiong recruits him for Wang Wen’s side because a 600th-floor cultivator may be useful. 468

Major Arcs

Bug-Hunting Squad Operations

He Jiong converts his Stayer proposal into a large-scale Insect Chamber operation. He becomes independent enough to use copied teleportation skills himself, then takes responsibility for bringing workers into the Tower and coordinating the Squad’s continued expansion. 337 348 385

Four Squares Formation Project

After discovering that [Their Own Way] can preserve several copied skills at once, He Jiong receives Wang Wen’s Four Squares Formation strategy. He leads trusted participants through the 400th floor, becomes a shareholder in the project, and receives ten percent of its profits. 385

Academy and Western Continent Crisis

During the attack on The Academy, He Jiong tries to save Mi Lailai with copied healing medicine and unleashes his domain against the invaders. He is outmatched, suffering catastrophic injuries before Wang Wen’s side turns the battle. 452 453

Forest Group Game Stage

He Jiong enters the game stage with Wang Wen’s group and becomes a front-line killing force. Armed with a top-tier perfect set and temporary invincibility, he kills hundreds of Forest Group employees and repeatedly defeats Vice President Escudo. 505 507

Main Brain and Volunteer Captain Battles

He Jiong fights Wang Wen’s clone, the avatar protected by the Main Brain, and the volunteer captain. He copies powerful skills to support the group, but the gray mist nearly destroys his giant form and leaves him physically and mentally exhausted. 543 544 552 554

Skill Upgrade for Divine Power Production

When the team needs vastly more divine power, Wang Wen funds He Jiong’s upgrade of [Their Own Way] to Level 11. He calculates that the additional uses could produce 3,072 Divine Power Guns, worth roughly 20 billion energy. 558

Notable Quotes

“Wherever you are, Boss, that’s where I’ll be.” 514

“My boss says fight, then we fight!” 544

Trivia

• He Jiong is a native of the Fifth Region. 441
• His Point total is considered likely among the top three in the world, alongside Wang Wen and Chen Hansheng. 543
• He is an obsessive perfectionist about game equipment, pursuing matching, full-star, +15 perfect sets. 504
• He survived an attempted erasure unharmed for reasons Wang Wen could not immediately determine. 569