Xiao Hongchen

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xiao Hongchen (笑红尘)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Mingde Hall; Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy; Sun Moon Empire
Occupation/Role	Reserve team captain; Soul Engineer; Tournament champion
Noble Rank	Viscount
Status	Active
Alias(es)	The academy's recognized number one genius; one of the Sun Moon Empire's greatest geniuses in a thousand years 12 84 105

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Soul King; Level 5 Soul Engineer	12	At age fifteen, he possesses Spirit King-level cultivation and is reportedly preparing for the Level 5 Soul Engineer examination.
Level 5 Soul Engineer	25	States that he has passed the Level 5 Soul Engineer examination.
Five-ring Soul King	45, 82	Introduced as a fifteen-year-old Soul King and Level 5 Soul Engineer; later reveals five rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black.

Background / History

Xiao Hongchen is Jing Hongchen's grandson and Meng Hongchen's older brother by several minutes. He and Meng are Mingde Hall prodigies with innate full soul power, extensive resources, and high-quality martial souls. Despite this background, Jing Hongchen did not allow either sibling to risk absorbing higher-age soul rings during their first four rings; both received a conventional yellow, yellow, purple, purple configuration. 12 31 38

He developed a deliberately arrogant and overbearing public persona to draw hostility away from Meng Hongchen, whose special poison-attribute martial soul and status had made her a target of others' malice. Meng understands the motive but continually provokes and reprimands him because she does not want him to bear that burden alone. 47

Ye Luochen was placed into Xiao's class at Mingde Hall. Though Xiao initially approached him out of curiosity over his unusually high cultivation and poor soul-tool foundation, he offered to answer Ye Luochen's questions. Their acquaintance deepened through the Evil Demon Forest soul-hunting mission, where they survived a life-or-death encounter together. 12 25 44

Following the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, Xiao and Meng received elevated rewards from Crown Prince Xu Tianran for their contributions to Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's championship. Both were granted an additional ten million Gold Soul Coins and elevated to viscount rank. 123 136

Although intensely competitive, Xiao ultimately declined to compete with Ye Luochen for the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo. He subsequently gave the restored Ranked Carving Knife to Ye, an act Meng interpreted as repayment for Ye's previous kindness. 126

Appearance

A delicate-featured youth with blue eyes and notably white, jade-like hands. When he activates his martial soul, his back bulges, an additional leg grows from behind him, and a faint golden radiance surrounds his body. 12 25 32 82

• Blue eyes. 12
• Frequently fiddles with or admires his hands. 25 44
• His martial-soul transformation gives him a three-legged, slightly hunched silhouette. 32 82
• Five soul rings: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black. 82

Personality

Xiao is exceptionally self-confident, competitive, and fond of dramatic displays. He routinely boasts, delivers disdainful remarks after victories, and wants others to recognize the strength of Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. His sister frequently interrupts these performances with slaps and mockery. 12 17 82 83

Beneath this vanity, he is perceptive and loyal. He publicly defended Ye Luochen's victory over Yang Ming by precisely explaining how Ye had controlled the entire fight. He also acts decisively when his companions are endangered, prioritizing Ye Luochen's condition after the auction ambush and risking his limits to protect Meng Hongchen in the Evil Demon Forest. 16 32 66

His competitiveness becomes particularly apparent around Ye Luochen's rapid advancement. He wanted to inspect Ye's fourth soul ring, was visibly affected by its black color, and struggled to accept occasions where Ye outperformed him. Ye's later deep meditation and further martial-soul evolution similarly provoked Xiao's frustration and jealousy. 25 28 46 122

Xiao is strongly proud of the Sun Moon Empire and its technological achievements. After witnessing Sun Moon soul tools being sold in Star Luo auctions, he condemned the sellers as parasites exploiting the Empire and expected Jing Hongchen to act against them. 132 133

Despite his obsession with surpassing others, Xiao can place friendship and personal principles over gain. He did not compete for the dangerous Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast embryo and relinquished the Ranked Carving Knife to Ye Luochen. 126

Abilities & Skills

Soul Engineer Expertise

A Level 5 Soul Engineer by age fifteen, Xiao specializes in overwhelming soul-tool firepower and carries extensive high-grade equipment. 25 45

• Can manifest nearly a hundred Soul Guidance Cannons at once and suppress an opponent in a single exchange. 17
• Uses volleys of cannon fire to provide precise support, including destroying exposed tentacles that interfered with Ye Luochen's attempts to break an illusion. 33
• Uses Milk Bottles to rapidly supply his soul tools with energy. 65
• Is dedicated to crafting and wishes to create the perfect gloves; he initially retained the restored Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife because its properties suited his preferences. 69
• His Three-Legged Golden Toad martial soul can control metal elements, supporting his ability to rapidly condense and manipulate large quantities of metal soul tools. 105

Martial Soul

Xiao possesses the Three-Legged Golden Toad, a high-quality martial soul, and innate full soul power. Its activation alters his body and supports his combat style. 31 38 82 105

• Transformation produces an additional leg and a golden aura. 32 82
• Revealed five rings, including a ten-thousand-year black fifth ring. 82
• Demonstrates that he is not solely reliant on soul tools, emphasizing his martial-soul strength during the Vero Academy match. 82
• His martial soul grants him control over metal elements, allowing him to maximize the deployment of Soul Guidance Cannons. 105

Martial Soul Fusion Skill

Xiao and Meng Hongchen can combine their powers to unleash a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. During their battle against the Evil Eye Tyrant, their merged energies manifested as a giant crimson-gold, three-legged toad that released a devastating vortex-like torrent from its mouth, injuring the hundred-thousand-year soul beast. 33

Heavy Firepower

His defining combat approach is saturation bombardment.

• In a practical-class duel, he instantly deployed nearly one hundred cannons and ended the fight within seconds. 17
• During the Evil Eye Tyrant's illusion, he forcibly activated a Level 9 Heavy Soul Guidance Cannon in an attempt to save Meng Hongchen, though the effort did not break the illusion. 32
• His later attacks against the illusion consumed nearly eighty percent of his soul power. 34
• At the tournament, he opened the three-versus-three match by throwing dozens of metal spheres before charging directly toward his opponents. 82
• He helped Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy demonstrate overwhelming artillery strength during the tournament's team battles. 75

Tactical Judgment

Xiao can assess fights and threats quickly rather than relying only on raw force.

• Identified that Ye Luochen had prevented Yang Ming from replenishing his soul tools and dictated the duel's rhythm from beginning to end. 16
• Supported Ye in breaking the Evil Eye Tyrant's illusion by targeting exposed tentacles rather than continuing blind bombardment. 33
• Deduced that Huo Yuhao was the likely auction attacker based on the assailant's ice and spiritual attributes, then planned to verify the suspicion during Shrek's match. 67
• Trusted his own memory and spiritual power when Huo Yuhao attempted to deceive the group with an illusion. 64
• Reassessed the Body Sect as a serious threat after witnessing its members' exceptional soul-ring configurations and physical strength. 84

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Soul Guidance Cannons — Can deploy large numbers for concentrated artillery barrages. 17 33
• Level 9 Heavy Soul Guidance Cannon — A massive cannon capable of condensing destructive black light; activation places a severe burden on him. 32
• Class 9 defensive soul tool — Provided by Jing Hongchen after the Evil Demon Forest incident. 65
• Class 9 Soul Guidance Cannon — Also supplied by Jing Hongchen for improved offense. 65
• High-grade Milk Bottles — Used to maintain and fully charge his soul tools. 65
• Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife — Won with Meng Hongchen at auction for four million Gold Soul Coins. After Ye Luochen restored its life energy, Xiao initially retained it as a Ranked Carving Knife suited to his crafting needs, but later gave it to Ye. 61 63 69 126
• Combat blade crafted from the carving knife — Given to him by Ye Luochen; Xiao found it highly responsive to his thoughts. 68

Relationships

• Meng Hongchen — Younger sister by several minutes. They bicker constantly, but Xiao deliberately shoulders public hostility to protect her and is fiercely protective when she is endangered. They can also combine their martial souls to perform a powerful fusion skill. 12 32 33 47
• Jing Hongchen — Grandfather and Mingde Hall Master. Jing provides Xiao with exceptional resources, including Class 9 equipment and high-grade Milk Bottles after the Evil Demon Forest incident. 12 65
• Ye Luochen — Classmate, reserve teammate, and friend. Xiao initially offers academic help, later defends Ye's duel victory, fights alongside him against the Evil Eye Tyrant, and expresses concern for his safety after the auction ambush. He later rushes to Ye's room after mistaking cultivation noises for an attack and ultimately gives Ye the restored Ranked Carving Knife. 12 16 33 66 86 126
• Elder Ma — Mingde Hall elder and escort during the Evil Demon Forest mission and tournament period. Xiao defers to his strategic judgment despite voicing doubts. 26 75
• Huo Yuhao — Suspected by Xiao of orchestrating the auction ambush; Xiao later notes Huo's absence from Shrek's match and attributes it to the backlash from overexertion. 67 71
• Xu Tianran — Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire. Xu Tianran rewarded Xiao for the academy's tournament victory, elevated him to viscount, and invited him to address him as Brother Tianran due to Jing Hongchen's relationship with the Crown Prince. 136

Story Role / Major Arcs

Mingde Hall Classmate

Xiao first appears as a prominent student whose boastful introduction is stopped by Meng. He takes the initiative to meet Ye Luochen after class, intrigued by Ye's cultivation and lack of soul-tool knowledge, and offers his guidance. 12

Ye Luochen's Early Rival and Ally

He publicly dismantles objections to Ye Luochen's victory over Yang Ming, highlighting Ye's superior technical control. At the same time, Ye's rapid progress repeatedly triggers Xiao's competitive streak, particularly during the hunt for Ye's fourth soul ring and the later revelation of Ye's black fourth ring. 16 25 46

Evil Demon Forest Incident

Xiao accompanies Ye and Meng on Ye's soul-hunting mission. During the confrontation with the Evil Eye Tyrant, he exhausts himself attempting to save Meng, then cooperates with Ye to destroy the illusion's tentacles. Xiao and Meng subsequently use their Martial Soul Fusion Skill to injure the Evil Eye Tyrant. The experience leaves the siblings temporarily collapsed from exhaustion and results in Jing Hongchen barring them from leaving the academy until they reach level sixty. 26 32 33 34

Reserve Team and Tournament

Xiao serves as captain of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's reserve team. Although he and Meng prioritize Mingde Hall over the academy's tournament prestige, he participates in major displays of Sun Moon firepower and later competes alongside Meng and Ye in the three-versus-three match against Vero Academy. 48 75 77 81 82

Xiao, Meng, and Ye decisively defeated Vero Academy's three competitors, prompting Vero Academy to forfeit its remaining matches. Following the main team's severe losses against the Body Sect, the Hongchen siblings helped secure Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's tournament championship. 83 123

Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife Conflict

Xiao and Meng refuse to yield to Shrek during the auction for the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife. After an illusion-based ambush, he helps defend the group with Class 9 weaponry, worries over Ye Luochen's abnormal condition, and initially keeps the restored carving knife for his own soul-tool work. He later transfers the Ranked Carving Knife to Ye. 61 65 66 67 69 126

Championship Celebration and Imperial Recognition

After Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy won the tournament, Xiao encouraged Ye and the team to publicly celebrate their achievement during the parade through Ming Capital. At Crown Prince Xu Tianran's award ceremony, Xiao was elevated to viscount and received an additional ten million Gold Soul Coins for his service. 132 136

Exchange Student Proposal

When Shrek Academy later proposed an exchange program involving soul-tool and martial-soul studies, Xiao immediately doubted Shrek's stated motives, believing it primarily sought to obtain Sun Moon soul-tool knowledge. He remained present when Jing Hongchen began considering which students would be sent to Shrek. 139

Trivia

• Xiao is only a few minutes older than Meng Hongchen. 47
• Despite his proclaimed indifference, Meng can reliably provoke him by suggesting that Ye Luochen is more talented. 25 46
• He considers Ye Luochen one of the few peers he can genuinely tolerate and get along with. 66
• His usual arrogance was, in part, a calculated attempt to make Meng appear more approachable by comparison. 47
• Xiao rushed into Ye Luochen's room after hearing cultivation noises and believing Ye was under attack, inadvertently causing an embarrassing misunderstanding that became fodder for academy gossip. 86 87
• He takes particular pride in having won the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament at age fourteen. 132