Kong Deming

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Kong Deming (孔德明)
Alias(es)	Elder Kong; Father of Soul Tools; the continent's only Level 10 Soul Engineer
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sun Moon Empire; Mingde Hall
Occupation/Role	Soul Engineer; researcher; guardian of the Sun Moon Empire; Xu Tianyao's grandfather and mentor
Status	Alive; has resumed activity following his planned closed-door cultivation and continues accompanying Xu Tianyao on major expeditions. 116 130 144
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Background / History

Kong Deming is the Sun Moon Empire's foremost Soul Engineer, known throughout the empire as its true guardian. As the continent's only Level 10 Soul Engineer and the Father of Soul Tools, he commands sufficient prestige that even the Emperor treats him with deference. He is also regarded as the pillar supporting the empire's national destiny. 5

He possesses the twin Sun and Silver Moon Martial Souls, but his Sun Martial Soul has a fatal flaw. The opposing Yin and Yang soul powers repel one another; attempts to merge them cause uncontrolled explosions. In his youth, he sealed the Sun Martial Soul and cultivated the gentler Silver Moon instead, using its ice and spatial attributes to excel in soul-tool research. This choice allowed him to become extraordinarily powerful but left him unable to resolve the underlying conflict and advance further through his Sun Martial Soul. 6

Kong Deming spent decades researching a solution to the incompatibility of the Sun Moon Martial Souls. Xu Tianyao's awakening—with superior Sun and Moon Martial Souls and innate soul power of level 15—gave him a chance to test theories that could no longer be applied to himself. 5 6

After revealing a photograph connecting him to Xu Tianyao's mother, Kong Deming is identified as Xu Tianyao's maternal grandfather. Xu Tianyao subsequently kneels and acknowledges him as master, establishing a relationship that is both familial and mentor-based. 7

Kong Deming had discovered the Red Sun Golden Crow in the Southern Marsh Volcano Group years earlier while searching for rare mineral veins. He deliberately left the soul beast undisturbed, intending for it to become an opportunity for a future descendant possessing a Sun-type Martial Soul. 12

Although his precise involvement in Xu Tianran's original rise to power remains unclear, Kong Deming's standing was significant enough to influence the allegiance of the Empire's Soul Engineer forces. By the time Xu Tianyao began considering succession, Kong Deming had selected him as his heir and intended for him to become strong enough to lead the Empire in the future. 111 117

Appearance

An aged, silver-haired man whose face bears the weariness of many years. He wears silver robes and Soul Engineer robes, with a powerful and oppressive presence when releasing his martial soul or spatial power. 6 24 27

• Deep, abyss-like eyes noted for their penetrating gaze. 5
• Silver-white hair blown by the Far North's winds. 27
• Usually carries himself with the composure of an elder scholar, but becomes visibly fervent when discussing his research. 8 9
• His formerly aged eyes can show intense pride and shock when witnessing Xu Tianyao's exceptional progress. 134 137

Personality

Kong Deming is analytical, exacting, and intensely devoted to research. His decades-long pursuit of a solution for the Sun Moon Martial Souls drives much of his involvement with Xu Tianyao; he carefully records experimental data, revises hypotheses, and immediately pursues new possibilities such as an artificial Sun-Moon Soul Core. 6 9 10

Though initially distant, he expresses care through practical action rather than sentiment. He regrets neglecting Xu Tianyao while pursuing research, personally refines his body for a thousand-year first soul ring, safeguards him in dangerous encounters, and repeatedly prioritizes the boy's survival. 8 11 25 27

He is fiercely hostile toward the Holy Spirit Cult. While he had previously tolerated Xu Tianran's use of the cult as a political matter, he refuses to allow Xu Tianyao to become involved with it and seeks to eradicate its members. 22

Kong Deming is politically patient and does not encourage Xu Tianyao to immediately contest Xu Tianran for the throne. Rather, he urges his grandson to first gain sufficient strength, judgment, and military experience, considering these necessary qualifications for bearing the Empire's future. 116 117

Despite his vast knowledge, he recognizes when a matter exceeds the scope of Soul Tool science. After witnessing the ice-blue divine guidance associated with Xu Tianyao, he declines to give false certainty and allows Xu Tianyao to explore its meaning for himself. 137

Abilities & Skills

Silver Moon Martial Soul

Kong Deming's primary cultivated Martial Soul is the Silver Moon, a supreme space-type Martial Soul with ice and spatial attributes. It is regarded as the king among space-type Martial Souls. 6 24

• Uses spatial power to pursue targets across vast distances after locking onto their aura. 24
• Can distort space, teleport, suppress movement, and redirect or evade attacks. 12 24
• Its attributes were especially valuable to his Soul Tool research. 6
• Can maintain vigilance over a dangerous forest through advanced detection Soul Tools while monitoring events at a distance. 31

Spatial Combat Techniques

Kong Deming demonstrates overwhelming battlefield control against Titled Douluo-level opponents. 24 25

• Space Lockdown — Freezes the surrounding space into an invisible cage, restricting enemies' bodies and slowing their soul-power circulation. 24
• Void Cage — A spatial containment technique used against the Hundred-Thousand-Year Silver Moon Divine Wolf. 32
• Moon Blade Storm — A spatial offensive technique used to defeat the Silver Moon Divine Wolf. 32
• Moon Domain — Envelops an area several thousand meters wide in a silver spatial world where attacks are swallowed or diverted through layered spatial barriers. 25
• Silver Moon Devouring Heaven — His ninth soul skill; manifests devastating silver moons that shred defenses and opponents alike. 24 25
• Can restrain a fleeing Red Sun Golden Crow by locking down space across several thousand meters. 12

Soul Engineering

Kong Deming is the continent's only Level 10 Soul Engineer and a pioneer whose work defines the Sun Moon Empire's technological strength. 5

• Designed the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device after decades of research. 8 9
• Identified that Sun and Moon soul powers required a balancing medium rather than simple storage. 9 10
• Proposed an artificial Sun-Moon Soul Core to convert and fuse opposing Solar and Lunar soul powers. 10
• Personally arranged Xu Tianyao's training under his disciple Xuan Ziwen for systematic soul-tool education. 17
• Personally continues to tutor Xu Tianyao in Soul Tool creation after his return to Mingde Hall. 130
• Recognized that the Holy Spirit Cult's God Sealing Platform used advanced Level 9 Soul Tool technology absent from Mingde Hall records. 24
• Uses probing Soul Tools to examine Xu Tianyao's physical and spiritual condition after dangerous inheritances or divine encounters. 144

Physical Refinement

Kong Deming possesses extensive resources and technical methods for strengthening a soul master's body. 11

• Personally refined Xu Tianyao for a month using specialized body-tempering Soul Tools. 11
• Raised Xu Tianyao's physical capacity to attempt a thousand-year first soul ring. 11 12

Power Progression

Period	Advancement / Demonstration
Prior to Chapter 5	Became the continent's only Level 10 Soul Engineer and the acknowledged guardian of the Sun Moon Empire. 5
Early cultivation history	Cultivated the Silver Moon Martial Soul after sealing his defective Sun Martial Soul, developing its ice and space attributes to an exceptional level. 6
Far North expedition	Revealed a blood-red ninth soul ring and used Silver Moon Devouring Heaven to overwhelmingly suppress two Titled Douluo Evil Soul Masters. 24 25
Star Dou Forest incident	Defeated a Hundred-Thousand-Year Silver Moon Divine Wolf with Void Cage and Moon Blade Storm, displaying strength described as being at the Super Douluo level. 32
Closed-door cultivation	Entered a planned year of seclusion after obtaining insight from Xu Tianyao's Sun-Moon Soul Core, seeking to correct his own Martial Soul flaw and advance further; he stated that he had seen the “door” to a higher realm. 48 49
Post-seclusion	Returned to guide Xu Tianyao's political and military development and continues to act as his protector; no confirmed outcome of his cultivation breakthrough has been disclosed. 116 117 130

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Silver Moon Divine Light Shield — Kong Deming's natal Soul Tool and strongest trump card; fused with his Martial Soul and regarded as a national treasure. 8 25 49
• Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device — A massive ring-shaped Soul Tool built to guide the coexistence of Sun and Moon soul powers. Kong Deming considers it equal in importance to the Silver Moon Divine Light Shield and intended it as a legacy for the empire. 8
• Sun Moon Ring — The device's core auxiliary component; links its wearer to the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device. 8
• High-level detection Soul Tools — Includes a small remote detection device used to observe combat within the Star Dou Forest. 31
• Probing Soul Tools — Devices used to inspect physical and spiritual fluctuations after Xu Tianyao's encounters with unusual inheritances. 144
• Underground laboratory — An extensive private research base containing advanced Soul Tools, body-refinement equipment, and the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device. 8 11

Relationships

• Xu Tianyao — Maternal grandfather, master, protector, and chosen heir. Kong Deming guides his cultivation, develops a method for his twin Martial Souls, entrusts others with his safety during seclusion, and later advises him to acquire military experience before challenging for the throne. 7 8 11 48 117 130
• Xu Tianran — Kong Deming's exact role in Tianran's ascension remains undisclosed, but his influence over the Empire's Soul Engineer forces has long affected imperial politics. He later recognizes Tianran's association with Evil Soul Masters and hostility toward Xu Tianyao as an unacceptable danger. 22 48 111 117
• Jing Hongchen — Trusted ally and fellow elder. Kong Deming entrusts Xu Tianyao's protection to Jing Hongchen during his year-long seclusion, though Jing Hongchen is more eager than Kong Deming for Xu Tianyao to contend for the throne immediately. 48 49 116
• Xuan Ziwen — His prized disciple. Kong Deming arranges for Xuan Ziwen to personally teach Xu Tianyao soul-tool knowledge. 17
• Snow Empress / Snow Maiden — Initially fights her in the Far North and is overwhelmed by her home-field strength; later pledges to ensure her safety after her human transformation. He continues traveling alongside her as one of Xu Tianyao's closest companions. 26 30 137 138
• Ice Empress — Witnesses her voluntary transformation into Xu Tianyao's Soul Spirit and is astonished that two of the Far North's Three Great Heavenly Kings have chosen to stand with his grandson. 134 137
• Zhang Lexuan — Recognizes her Sun Moon royal bloodline and intervenes to save her from a Hundred-Thousand-Year Silver Moon Divine Wolf. 31 32

Story Role / Major Arcs

Discovery of Xu Tianyao and the Sun-Moon Problem

Kong Deming investigates Xu Tianyao's unprecedented awakening, identifies his superior twin Sun and Moon Martial Souls, and warns him that cultivating both normally would cause catastrophic internal conflict. He offers to solve the problem with Xu Tianyao and ultimately becomes both his grandfather and mentor. 5 6 7

Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Research

He unveils the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device, guides Xu Tianyao through the first successful fusion of Sunlight and Bright Moon soul power, and concludes that the fused power can serve as a balancing medium. This success leads to his artificial Sun-Moon Soul Core hypothesis. 8 9 10

Xu Tianyao's Early Cultivation

Kong Deming personally refines Xu Tianyao's body, captures a Red Sun Golden Crow for his first soul ring, and spends more than a year assisting him until he condenses a Sun-Moon Soul Core and reaches level 24. 11 12 13

Far North Expedition

Despite reservations about Xu Tianyao obtaining a ring for his Moon Martial Soul early, Kong Deming accompanies him into the Far North. He tracks and annihilates two Evil Soul Masters pursuing the Snow Empress, then protects Xu Tianyao during the ensuing confrontation with her. 21 24 25 26

Protection of Royal Bloodlines

In the Star Dou Forest, Kong Deming recognizes Zhang Lexuan as a descendant of the Sun Moon royal family and saves her from the Silver Moon Divine Wolf, allowing her to demonstrate her potential before intervening. 31 32

Closed-Door Cultivation

After deriving new insight from Xu Tianyao's successful Sun-Moon cultivation, Kong Deming enters a planned year of seclusion to resolve the flaws of his own Martial Souls and seek advancement. He sees “that door” to a higher realm, while remaining concerned for Xu Tianyao's safety amid Xu Tianran's hostility. He later returns to active involvement, though the result of his attempted breakthrough has not been confirmed. 48 49 116

Counsel on Imperial Succession

When Jing Hongchen presses Xu Tianyao to contend for the throne, Kong Deming intervenes to defuse their dispute. He does not oppose Xu Tianyao's eventual succession, but counsels restraint, urging him to become stronger and gain front-line military experience before confronting Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult. 116 117

Second Far North Journey and Divine Guidance

Kong Deming accompanies Xu Tianyao on a return journey to the Far North to recruit the Ice Empress. He witnesses Ice Empress become Xu Tianyao's Soul Spirit and is further stunned when she provides three extraordinary soul rings. When an ice-blue rune guides Xu Tianyao southward, Kong Deming accompanies Xu Tianyao, Snow Maiden, and Ice Empress toward the Heaven Dou Empire and Sunset Forest. 130 134 137 138

Sunset Forest Ruins

After Xu Tianyao receives the Mountains Rivers Sun Moon Map and the Eternal Tree from an ancient inheritance, Kong Deming uses probing Soul Tools to ensure that his grandson has not suffered physical or spiritual harm. He remains with the group as they prepare to continue toward the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. 143 144

Trivia

• Kong Deming chose the Silver Moon Martial Soul as his primary path because its ice and spatial attributes complemented Soul Tool research. 6
• He considers the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device one of his two greatest creations, alongside the Silver Moon Divine Light Shield. 8
• Xu Tianyao's successful fusion of Sun and Moon soul power is described as the first such achievement in history. 9
• Kong Deming had preserved the Red Sun Golden Crow's existence for years in anticipation of a future Sun-type Martial Soul descendant. 12