Zhu Rong

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Zhu Rong is one of the Twelve Ancestral Witches born from Pangu's essence blood and inherently commands the Law of Fire. When Pan Xuan first awakened in Pangu Hall, Zhu Rong recognized that the dragon shared the Ancestral Witches' origin but found Pan Xuan's peaceful, righteous aura unlike their battle-oriented nature 1.

During the Witches' initial suspicion of Pan Xuan, Zhu Rong impatiently proposed throwing the apparent treasure into his Southern Illumination Divine Flame to expose its true nature. Once Pan Xuan established that he was born from Pangu's noble righteous qi, Zhu Rong apologized for his earlier hostility and accepted him as a brother 2 3.

Zhu Rong participated in the collective effort to help Pan Xuan take human form. He transformed into an innate Dao body, expounded the Law of Fire as the fifth Ancestral Witch to teach Pan Xuan, and repeatedly treated the younger brother with rough but affectionate familiarity 6 7. He also contributed a drop of essence blood during the rounds of instruction, adding his fire-origin power to the twelvefold inheritance that supported Pan Xuan's transformation 8.

After Pan Xuan took form, Zhu Rong volunteered as the first subject for the Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light. The technique made his thoughts clearer and gave him a faint grasp of concepts he had previously struggled to understand, though its effect was limited by his already exceptional aptitude and Pan Xuan's lower cultivation 9 10. He later volunteered again in hopes of developing a primordial spirit like Houtu, but did not succeed 11.

He supported Pan Xuan's strategy of secretly strengthening the Witch Clan through battlefield salvage rather than openly expanding its population. Zhu Rong then helped collect corpses from the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Clan battlefields, both to nourish the Pangu Blood Pool and to accumulate strength without drawing major attention 15 16.

In the western lands, Zhu Rong attacked an ancient innate restriction with the Southern Illumination Divine Flame. After Pan Xuan opened the restriction, Zhu Rong absorbed the Killing Intent within the resulting abyss and achieved a major physical breakthrough 19 20. He later joined the group in recovering the Destruction Stele and agreed to cease frequent corpse-collection after reaching the Mixed Origin Golden Immortal realm 21 25.

Pangu's Inheritance and the Martial Dao

During the ascent of Mount Buzhou, Zhu Rong sensed Pangu's fire as a creative force rather than merely a destructive one. He subsequently received the Great Dao of Strength and the Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation from Pangu. Although delighted by the inheritance, he openly admitted that the Great Dao of Strength was extremely difficult to comprehend 25 28 29.

Zhu Rong participated in the Twelve Ancestral Witches' successful formation of the Pangu Phantom. Di Jiang designated the Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation as the Witch Clan's strongest trump card, to be practiced diligently but not used lightly 30 31.

When Pan Xuan proposed systematizing the Witch Clan's physical cultivation into the Martial Dao, Zhu Rong enthusiastically supported the idea. Pan Xuan found that his innate body had already perfected Body Refining and Qi Refining, and guided his Will Refining toward the fire that tempers and creates as well as burns. Zhu Rong later condensed a manifestation of his true form, completed Will Refining, and began pursuing the integration of fire law into his flesh through Dao Refining 33 34 35 44 45.

Restoring the West

After Luo Hou's destruction of the western earth veins, Zhu Rong was deeply affected by the scale of the devastation. Despite wielding flames capable of reducing things to nothing, he had never witnessed such a complete collapse of land, spiritual energy, and life 38 39.

He joined Houtu, Pan Xuan, and the other Ancestral Witches in repairing the western earth veins. Working beside Gong Gong, he heated broken fragments until they softened, while Gong Gong introduced Weak Water to help fuse them. Their work required precise control to avoid melting or crumbling the fragments, and their coordination grew increasingly seamless over the long restoration effort 40 41.

Treasures, Star Origins, and Clan Expansion

After acquiring the ability to refine spiritual treasures through a Law Deity, Zhu Rong attuned the Li Fire Fan. Together with Houtu, Gong Gong, and Tianwu, he discovered that their four fans could form the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation. Di Jiang ordered the four to master both their treasures and the formation 58.

Zhu Rong angrily rejected the contempt expressed toward the Witch Clan by cultivators attending Zixiao Palace, but accepted Pan Xuan's advice to wait until Hong Jun's second sermon before seeking resources. The Ancestral Witches' Law Deities made the search for innate treasures easier 61 62.

In the Primordial Starry Sky, Zhu Rong gathered small portions of fire-aspected star origin without permanently damaging the stars. He later used fire power to simulate the Sun Star's heat during the collective deduction of the Zhoutian Star Dou Great Array, gaining a new balance between his fire and Gong Gong's water. When Pan Xuan proposed creating Star Witches from leftover origins and Ancestral Witch essence blood, the group agreed to begin with Zhu Rong's essence blood and fire-aspected origin 73 79.

He also supplied a damaged Five-Clawed Golden Dragon corpse that he had recovered from an abandoned Dragon Clan stronghold by the East Sea. He welcomed the establishment of the Star Tribe as the Witch Clan's thirteenth tribe 82 85.

The Blood Sea and Divine Dao System

Zhu Rong initially questioned why Pan Xuan considered the foul Blood Sea a treasure vault, but became enthusiastic once its value as a source of purified cultivation resources was explained. His proposal to drive Minghe away by force was rejected as insufficient to protect ordinary clansmen from retaliation. During the reconnaissance of the Blood Sea, he used his flames to burn approaching foul energy 88 89 90 92.

He supported Pan Xuan's Divine Dao System and endorsed Pan Xuan becoming Mount Buzhou's first Mountain God. Zhu Rong himself became Mountain God of Southern Peak Mount Heng, whose earthly fire and Red Emperor aura resonated with his own power, and left a Law Deity projection to guard it 95 104.

Zhu Rong accompanied Tianwu and Zhu Jiuyin to the Undying Volcano to recruit the Phoenix Clan into the Divine Dao. Although Pan Xuan cautioned him against allowing his temper to derail the negotiations, he largely deferred to Zhu Jiuyin. When Yuanfeng requested continued authority over the Phoenix Clan's internal affairs, Zhu Rong confidently accepted that condition on Pan Xuan's behalf. The visit ended successfully and with an elaborate Phoenix Clan farewell 108 112.

To counter Hong Jun's influence over the Heavenly Dao, Zhu Rong and the other Ancestral Witches sent their Law Deities into Heavenly Dao space to sustain the Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation. Zhu Rong retained his physical cultivation and Southern Illumination Divine Flame, declaring that he could still fight without access to his Law Deity 119 120.

Confrontation with Hong Jun's Arrangements

After Di Jun, Taiyi, and Kunpeng ambushed Pan Xuan, Zhu Rong demanded retaliation and strongly opposed allowing his younger brother to travel alone again. He accepted Di Jiang's decision to send Houtu and Zhu Jiuyin as escorts while he remained at Mount Buzhou to carry out his duties 134 135.

He later advocated attacking the newly established Heavenly Court before it could consolidate its strength. Pan Xuan and Di Jiang explained that an all-out war would be premature and could compromise the Witch Clan's larger struggle against Hong Jun. Though reluctant, Zhu Rong understood their reasoning and restrained his demand for immediate war 140 141.

The Fire Tribe's cultivation grounds were strengthened with Zhu Jiuyin's Time Acceleration Array. Zhu Rong's existing volcanic cavern, refined with Southern Illumination Divine Flame, became a secret realm where one day outside corresponded to ten years within 144.

Zhu Rong initially opposed rapprochement with the Three Pure Ones because of their disdain for the Witch Clan, especially Yuanshi's attitude. Pan Xuan's explanation that their mutual rejection might have been engineered by Hong Jun prompted him to reconsider. After their shared heritage was reaffirmed, Zhu Rong greeted Yuanshi warmly as a brother and joked about his formerly cold expression 147 148 171.

Primordial Spirit Awakening and Teaching

When Pan Xuan discovered a Heavenly Dao restriction in the Ancestral Witches' True Spirits, Zhu Rong reacted furiously to the suggestion that Hong Jun had shackled them before they developed awareness. He nevertheless joined the collective effort to sever the restriction through the Pangu Phantom and the Three Pure Ones' Primordial Spirit power. Its removal left his mind clearer and his surroundings newly vivid 160 162.

For Pangu's funeral preparations, Zhu Rong undertook to gather the Breath of Fire left by Pangu at the Undying Volcano and throughout the Primordial World's volcanoes and fire veins. He explained that his Southern Illumination Divine Flame descended from Pangu's first flame 195.

Before the establishment of reincarnation, Zhu Rong helped conceal and defend the Blood Sea with a layer of Southern Illumination Divine Flame outside Di Jiang's spatial barriers. Afterward, he entrusted his Great Dao merit to Houtu, who used it to purify the eleven brothers' fiendish qi. With the additional assistance of Pan Xuan's wisdom light, Zhu Rong finally developed a Primordial Spirit, which was further purified through the Three Pure Ones' teachings 214 218 219 227.

When the seven gourd children took human form, Zhu Rong immediately took an interest in the fire-aspected Chi Yan. He welcomed the child and became his instructor in the Southern Illumination Divine Flame 230 236 237.

Cooperation and the War against the Gods of Chaos

Zhu Rong initially objected to allowing Di Jun's Heavenly Marriage to proceed, fearing the consequences of Di Jun attaining Sagehood. He withdrew his opposition after Pan Xuan explained that completing the Heavenly Dao's yin-yang union would also benefit reincarnation, living beings, and the Divine Dao System. He later watched Di Jun's actual attainment of Sagehood in uncharacteristic silence 263 265.

Despite lingering distrust of Di Jun, Zhu Rong supported Pan Xuan's decision to negotiate with him. He subsequently joined the Twelve Ancestral Witches, the Three Pure Ones, and other allies in the operation against Amenominakanushi, helping break the foreign deity's Divine Domain barrier and protect Di Jun while Pan Xuan exchanged the primordial violet qi bound to his Primordial Spirit 275 278 281.

During the war against the Gods of Chaos, Zhu Rong fought alongside Kunpeng and halted Asgard's advance as the Primordial World's armies gradually overwhelmed the opposing legions 334.

Appearance

In his true form, Zhu Rong is a fire-wreathed god-demon with a beast's head and human body. His innate Dao body retains the same aggressive, blazing presence 1 6.

• True form
  • Beast head and human body.
  • Crimson scales covering his body.
  • Fire snakes piercing his ears and fire dragons beneath his feet.
  • Surrounded by raging flames 1.
• Innate Dao body
  • Burly man over twelve feet tall.
  • Crimson hair and a red beard.
  • Bare chest and heavily muscled build.
  • Torch-like eyes and faint firelight flowing around his body 6.
• Martial Dao manifestation
  • A spectral god-demon appearing within a shaft of fiery-red light.
  • Reproduces his beast-headed, crimson-scaled true form, including the fire serpents and dragons.
  • Wreathed in intense flames 44.
• Primordial Spirit
  • Initially manifests with fierce crimson radiance that merges with the Southern Illumination Divine Flame.
  • Forms a burning flame mark between his brows.
  • Its flames later become pure scarlet-gold through the Three Pure Ones' Dao instruction 219 227.

Personality

Zhu Rong is hot-headed, blunt, and quick to turn disagreements into confrontations, especially with Gong Gong. His first instinct toward an unknown object is often direct force; he proposed burning Pan Xuan to reveal his identity and later rushed toward the Destruction Stele before Pan Xuan stopped him 2 21.

Despite his impulsiveness, he is forthright enough to admit when he is wrong. After Pan Xuan was accepted as kin, Zhu Rong apologized for his earlier doubts, pledged to protect him, and readily supported Pan Xuan's decisions once convinced of their merit 3 6 16. His enthusiasm for combat and growth remains constant, as shown by his eagerness to absorb the abyssal Killing Intent and his boredom after the group stopped making battlefield rounds 20 25.

His impatience is distinct from stupidity or an inability to understand strategy. Although he advocated immediate war against the Heavenly Court, he accepted restraint after Pan Xuan and Di Jiang explained the wider dangers. Pan Xuan likewise trusted that Zhu Rong would not mishandle genuinely important matters despite his fiery disposition 108 141.

Zhu Rong's loyalty to his siblings is especially strong when they are threatened. Pan Xuan's ambush provoked demands for revenge and an insistence that he receive protection on subsequent journeys. He is also openly delighted by gains that strengthen the wider Witch Clan, including Houtu's spiritual development and the creation of the Star Tribe 13 85 134 135.

His rivalry with Gong Gong does not prevent patient, exacting cooperation. During the restoration of the West, the two worked for years without their usual arguments, adjusting fire and water in silent response to one another. He can also show unusual solemnity in matters involving Pangu, as when volunteering to gather his father's surviving fire aura 40 41 195.

Abilities & Skills

Law of Fire

Zhu Rong inherently commands the Law of Fire as the Ancestral Witch of Fire 1 7.

• Manifests the Southern Illumination Divine Flame.
• Formed his flames into a fire dragon to assault an ancient innate restriction 19.
• Used his flames to illuminate the descent into the Killing Intent abyss 20.
• His fire-law power underwent a qualitative increase after his breakthrough; his eyes were described as capable of burning all things to ashes and melting heaven and earth 20.
• His direct assault, even alongside the other Ancestral Witches' attacks, failed to break the innate restriction without Pan Xuan's intervention 19.
• Recognized Pangu's fire as the fire of creation during the Mount Buzhou ascent. Pan Xuan subsequently guided him toward a will that tempers and creates, rather than merely destroys 25 35.
• Precisely softened broken earth-vein fragments with controlled heat so that Gong Gong's Weak Water could help fuse them 40 41.
• Burned approaching foul energy at the Blood Sea and later supplied a defensive flame barrier during preparations for reincarnation 90 214.
• Identified the Southern Illumination Divine Flame as an inheritance from Pangu's first flame between heaven and earth 195.

Physical Cultivation

As an Ancestral Witch, Zhu Rong possesses an exceptionally powerful physical body and benefits from Killing Intent that would corrode ordinary living beings 20.

• Absorbed ancient Ferocious Beast Killing Intent to temper and nourish his body 20.
• Broke past the limits of a Daluo Golden Immortal through the abyssal opportunity 20.
• His attained realm is described as Primordial Origin Golden Immortal and also rendered Mixed Origin Golden Immortal; later accounts explicitly attribute his Primordial Origin Golden Immortal cultivation to the western abyssal breakthrough 24 25 76 88.
• Naturally possessed opened acupoints and complete seas of qi, equivalent to perfected Martial Dao Body Refining and Qi Refining 35.
• Completed Will Refining and condensed a manifestation resembling his true form 44 45.
• Pursued Dao Refining with the aim of integrating fire law throughout his body and making every part of his flesh and blood burn with Southern Illumination Divine Flame 45.
• Retained his Fleshly Martial Dao and flame abilities after his Law Deity entered Heavenly Dao space 120.

Great Dao of Strength and Formations

Zhu Rong received the Great Dao of Strength and the Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation from Pangu, although he found the former difficult to comprehend 28 29.

Law Deity and Primordial Spirit

Before developing a Primordial Spirit, Zhu Rong used his Fire Law Deity to comprehend the Heavenly Dao and interact with spiritual treasures. It served as a bridge linking his will to a treasure's corresponding law rather than refining it through the direct action of a Primordial Spirit 58.

• Resonated with the Li Fire Fan's fire law to establish a connection with the treasure 58.
• Sensed the distribution of fire-aspected star origins and drew out small strands for storage in specially prepared spirit jade 73.
• Left a Law Deity projection to guard Southern Peak Mount Heng after becoming its Mountain God 104.
• Temporarily lost access to his Law Deity when it was stationed in Heavenly Dao space, but retained ownership and its connection to him 119 120.
• Had the Heavenly Dao restriction preventing Primordial Spirit development severed through the Pangu Phantom 160.
• Developed a crimson Primordial Spirit through merit purification and wisdom light; subsequent instruction purified its flames and condensed fire virtue law within it 218 219 227.

Spiritual Treasure

Divine Office and Cultivation Grounds

• Mountain God of Southern Peak Mount Heng — His fire law resonates with the mountain's earthly fire and Red Emperor aura. He left a projection of his Law Deity there as a guardian 104.
• Fire Tribe cultivation secret realm — A natural fire cavern in a volcanic crater at Mount Buzhou's southern foothills, refined by Zhu Rong with Southern Illumination Divine Flame over countless years. Its fire-aspected fiend qi is nearly liquid, and Zhu Jiuyin added a Time Acceleration Array allowing ten years of internal cultivation per outside day 144.

Dao Exposition

Zhu Rong served as the fifth of the Twelve Ancestral Witches to expound the Dao to Pan Xuan, sharing his understanding of a fundamental law of heaven and earth 7.

• Helped Pan Xuan deepen his comprehension and progress toward taking a Dao body.
• Favored an informal teaching style, often patting Pan Xuan on the head hard enough to nearly send him flying 7.
• Later taught Chi Yan the Southern Illumination Divine Flame. Pan Xuan described the flame Zhu Rong passed on as fire origin and emphasized that Chi Yan must learn to restrain fire as well as release it 236 237.

Relationships

• Pan Xuan — Younger brother. Zhu Rong initially wanted to test him with fire, then accepted his shared origin and vowed to protect him. He was the first Ancestral Witch to receive Pan Xuan's Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light 2 3 9 16. His trust extended to Martial Dao cultivation, Divine Dao expansion, and eventual cooperation with Di Jun. After Pan Xuan was ambushed, Zhu Rong demanded retaliation and opposed further unescorted travel 35 112 134 135 275.
• Gong Gong — Fellow Ancestral Witch and frequent verbal rival. Their fire-and-water opposition regularly leads to arguments, though they cooperate when supporting Pan Xuan or carrying out Witch Clan affairs 1 6 16 19. Their coordination became exceptionally precise during the western earth-vein repairs, and they gained a new balance between water and fire while deducing the star array 40 41 79.
• Di Jiang — Elder brother and leader of the Twelve Ancestral Witches. Zhu Rong yields when Di Jiang intervenes in his disputes and follows his decisions in major matters 1 15 17. He accepted Di Jiang's escort arrangements for Pan Xuan and his decision against premature war with the Heavenly Court 135 140 141.
• Houtu — Younger sister among the Ancestral Witches. Zhu Rong celebrated her birth of a primordial spirit and urged her to describe the experience 12 13. They later operated the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation together. Houtu's distribution of Great Dao merit helped Zhu Rong finally develop his own Primordial Spirit 58 218 219.
• Zhu Jiuyin — Fellow Ancestral Witch. Zhu Jiuyin compels Zhu Rong to participate in teaching Pan Xuan despite Zhu Rong's lack of confidence in expounding the Dao 6. Zhu Rong respects his authority, deferred to him during the Phoenix Clan negotiations, and benefited from his installation of a Time Acceleration Array in the Fire Tribe's cultivation cavern 108 112 144.
• Pangu — Father and source of his bloodline. Zhu Rong received the Great Dao of Strength and Dutian Divine Fiends Grand Formation from him and later gathered his surviving fire aura for the funeral preparations 28 195.
• Tianwu — Fellow Ancestral Witch and partner in the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation. Accompanied Zhu Rong and Zhu Jiuyin in recruiting the Phoenix Clan into the Divine Dao 58 108 112.
• Yuanfeng and the Phoenix Clan — Possess a natural affinity with Zhu Rong through fire. Zhu Rong took part in successful negotiations at the Undying Volcano, where the Phoenix Clan's nirvana fire instinctively stirred his own flames. He supported Yuanfeng retaining authority over her clan's internal affairs 108 112.
• The Three Pure Ones — Initially objects of Zhu Rong's resentment because of their perceived disdain for the Witch Clan. Their assistance in severing the True Spirit restrictions and the restoration of their shared Pangu kinship led to reconciliation; Zhu Rong warmly addressed Yuanshi as a brother. Their later Dao teachings purified his Primordial Spirit 147 160 171 227.
• Chi Yan — Fire-aspected gourd child whom Zhu Rong welcomed after his transformation. Zhu Rong teaches him the Southern Illumination Divine Flame 230 236 237.
• Hong Jun — Opponent whose suspected interference with the Ancestral Witches' True Spirits provoked Zhu Rong's fury. Zhu Rong supports the effort to end Hong Jun's manipulation of the Heavenly Dao and the Primordial World 160 233.
• Di Jun and Taiyi — Initially hostile rivals, particularly after their ambush of Pan Xuan. Zhu Rong advocated attacking their Heavenly Court and distrusted Di Jun's later overtures, but ultimately supported Pan Xuan's cooperation with him and helped protect his liberation from the primordial violet qi's restrictions 134 140 275 281.
• Kunpeng — Initially condemned with Di Jun and Taiyi for attacking Pan Xuan. Later fought alongside him against Asgard's forces during the war with the Gods of Chaos 134 334.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Pan Xuan's awakening — Advocates testing the mysterious dragon with fire, then accepts Pan Xuan as a brother after his origin is confirmed 2 3.
• Pan Xuan's cultivation and transformation — Takes human form, expounds the Law of Fire to Pan Xuan, and later acts as the first test of the Heavenly Enlightenment Wisdom Light 6 7 9.
• Witch Clan strategy — Backs Pan Xuan's proposal to quietly gather resources and wait for the three great clans to weaken each other 15.
• Battlefield-cleaning campaign — Protects Pan Xuan while collecting fallen clan members' corpses and baleful energy at abandoned battlefields 16 17.
• Ferocious Beast Calamity abyss — Attacks the ancient restriction, descends into the abyss, absorbs its Killing Intent, and breaks through to a higher realm 19 20.
• Destruction Stele and Mount Buzhou — Investigates the recovered Destruction Stele, then joins the ascent of Mount Buzhou after reaching the Mixed Origin Golden Immortal realm 21 24 25.
• Pangu's legacy and the Martial Dao — Receives Pangu's inheritance, helps summon the Pangu Phantom, and develops his fire-centered Martial Dao through Will Refining and the beginning of Dao Refining 28 30 31 35 44 45.
• Western restoration — Uses precisely controlled divine flame with Gong Gong's Weak Water to help repair the shattered earth veins 39 40 41.
• Four Symbols formation — Refines the Li Fire Fan through his Law Deity and joins Houtu, Gong Gong, and Tianwu in forming the Innate Four Symbols Grand Formation 58.
• Star origins and the Star Tribe — Collects fire-aspected star origins, contributes to star-array deductions, and supports the creation of the Witch Clan's thirteenth tribe 73 79 85.
• Divine Dao expansion — Becomes Mountain God of Southern Peak Mount Heng and joins the successful mission to recruit the Phoenix Clan 104 108 112.
• Heavenly Dao confrontation — Sends his Law Deity into Heavenly Dao space to sustain the Pangu Phantom's check on Hong Jun, while retaining his physical combat abilities 119 120.
• Heavenly Court tensions — Demands retaliation for Pan Xuan's ambush but accepts the strategic need to delay all-out war; strengthens the Fire Tribe's cultivation infrastructure 134 135 140 141 144.
• Pangu lineage reconciliation — Reconsiders his hostility toward the Three Pure Ones, participates in the severing of the True Spirit restriction, and accepts renewed kinship 147 160 171.
• Reincarnation and Primordial Spirit awakening — Helps secure the Blood Sea, then develops a Primordial Spirit through Houtu's merit purification and Pan Xuan's wisdom light 214 218 219.
• The gourd children — Welcomes Chi Yan and teaches him the Southern Illumination Divine Flame 230 236 237.
• Di Jun's liberation — Sets aside his distrust sufficiently to support Pan Xuan's negotiations and helps protect the extraction of Di Jun's restricted primordial violet qi 275 281.
• War against the Gods of Chaos — Fights alongside Kunpeng to halt Asgard's advance 334.

Notable Quotes

“If anyone bullies you from now on, just give them my name, Zhu Rong!” 3

“Who cares whether they were Ferocious Beasts or not? As long as it can make me stronger! This Killing Intent is mine!” 20

“Good! Will Refining is complete; next comes Dao Refining! I will integrate the fire law completely into my physical body and make every inch of my flesh and blood burn with southern illumination divine flame!” 45

“It really does take some getting used to. But no matter. I can still fight without a Law Deity.” 120

“Father God's Fire Law became the first flame between heaven and earth. The Southern Illumination Divine Flame was passed down from it.” 195

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