Brother Ji

Biodata

Name	Brother Ji (基哥)
Alias(es)	Rotten-Life Ji; A-Ji
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Thirteen Guardians of Longjin Road; secretly a “breaker” for a Heaven's Will Gang branch
Occupation/Role	Youth-gang leader; Thirteen Guardians’ third seat; street-level drug distributor and extortionist
Status	Deceased — ambushed and killed by Li Xiuwen in the Dragon Palace sewers 18 19
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Azure Membrane	18–19	Reached the first martial stage by consuming Fish Balls; Venomous Snake states that medicinal toxins destabilized his qi and blood and impaired his judgment. 18 19

Appearance

Brother Ji is a notably large and intimidating street thug, standing roughly 1.9 meters tall and physically overwhelming Li Xiuwen before the latter begins martial training. His body reflects the strength-focused nature of Bear Mountain Style. 3 4 17

• Thick, muscular arms, described as being as thick as Li Xiuwen’s thighs. 4
• Bluish skin tone and prominent, snake-like veins across his arms. 3
• Azure sheen on his arms, identifying him as an Azure Membrane martial artist. 9
• Later reappears with a bandaged hand and several vicious facial scars after an unspecified conflict. 16

Personality

Brother Ji is cruel, exploitative, and accustomed to ruling weaker residents through intimidation. He extorts Li Xiuwen, preys on the disabled A-Hua through drug addiction, and treats violence as a routine means of control. 4 11

He is also ambitious and resentful of his superiors. Pressured by Third Master’s turf-money quota, he secretly affiliates with Heaven’s Will, seeks to take over Chen’s Rice Noodle Factory, and plans to establish an independent drug operation. 11 12

His confidence in Li Xiuwen proves fatal. Brother Ji continues to view Awen as the frightened weakling he once bullied, never realizing that he has reached Azure Membrane and prepared an ambush. 16 18

Abilities & Skills

Bear Mountain Style

Brother Ji practices Bear Mountain Style, an unranked wild boxing system focused heavily on physical power. 17

• Produces exaggerated musculature and considerable raw strength. 4 17
• Incorporates elements from foreign “combat fighters.” 17
• Sacrifices agility and broader physical development in exchange for strength. 17
• His boxing training makes Li Xiuwen initially fear direct confrontation despite Brother Ji’s relatively low cultivation. 4 10

Azure Membrane

Brother Ji possesses an Azure Membrane, granting him enhanced strength and durability beyond ordinary people. 9 18

• His arms display a faint blue gleam characteristic of the stage. 9
• His advancement was forced through Fish Balls rather than a stable foundation. 19
• His unstable qi and blood leave him vulnerable to Li Xiuwen’s calculated ambush. 18 19

Criminal Manipulation

Brother Ji uses drugs, debt, and intimidation to control targets.

• Tricks A-Hua into taking “candy pills,” then claims that A-Hua owes him money. 11
• Supplies Li Xiuwen with white powder in an attempt to make him dependent. 16
• Intends to use Li Xiuwen’s literacy to produce drugs for his planned independent operation. 12 18

Equipment / Items

• White powder — distributed as an addictive drug and used to entrap prospective subordinates. 12 16
• Ancient martial arts manual — purchased on Gui Street with his savings; he cannot decipher its entry point due to limited education and martial knowledge. 12
• Moving-Mountain Style: Binding Armor Skill manual — concealed in his clothing and recovered by Li Xiuwen after his death. 19

Relationships

• Li Xiuwen — extortion victim and intended drug-production subordinate; Li Xiuwen ultimately ambushes and kills him. 4 12 18
• Third Master — superior within the Thirteen Guardians; threatens to strip Brother Ji of his third-seat position if he fails to meet collection quotas. 11
• Dao Youming — cousin and influential member of Thunder God Shed; previously saved Brother Ji from severe gang punishment, though he later shows little concern over his death. 19 31
• Venomous Snake — fellow Thirteen Guardian who examines Brother Ji’s corpse and suspects Li Xiuwen’s involvement. 19 24
• A-Hua and his mother — victims of Brother Ji’s drug-based debt scheme and extortion. 11
• His underlings — assist his collections and encourage him to abandon Third Master’s faction. 11

Story Role / Major Arcs

Extortion of Li Xiuwen

Brother Ji is introduced as the local thug responsible for Li Xiuwen’s fear of the Longjin Road youths. He exploits the family’s late turf-money payment, physically assaults Li Xiuwen, and takes fifty dollars from him. 3 4

Conflict with Third Master

As the Thirteen Guardians’ third seat, Brother Ji struggles to meet Third Master’s monthly demand for five thousand in profits. He resents Third Master’s authority but remains wary of openly challenging him. 11

Independent Drug Scheme

Brother Ji secretly becomes a Heaven’s Will “breaker,” distributes white powder, and targets Chen’s Rice Noodle Factory as a source of capital. He plans to addict and control Li Xiuwen so that Awen can help manufacture drugs. 12

Death in the Dragon Palace

After attempting to recruit Li Xiuwen into his scheme, Brother Ji leads him through the sewers to supposedly meet Third Master. Li Xiuwen feigns submission, then uses a rear stab, Soul-Crushing Powder, and Sand-Turning Palm to kill him. 18

Aftermath

The Thirteen Guardians conceal Brother Ji’s death because of his connection to Dao Youming. Venomous Snake later suspects Li Xiuwen, while Dao Youming dismisses the death as the predictable result of Brother Ji’s own misconduct. 19 24 31

Notable Quotes

“You may be timid, but you've got some education. You're suited to making powder.” 18

“I only want to take the brothers and earn one more sum, build up some capital, do legitimate business, and enjoy my old age in peace.” 11

Trivia

• Brother Ji’s death provides Li Xiuwen with the Binding Armor Skill manual, beginning Li Xiuwen’s hard-qigong cultivation. 19 21
• Despite his imposing physique, Brother Ji’s martial foundation is considered unstable because he relied on Fish Balls to reach Azure Membrane. 19
• Third Master initially judges Brother Ji’s killer to be only Azure Membrane, reasoning that a stronger martial artist would not have needed an ambush. 19