Jiang Ran

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Jiang Ran (姜然)
Alias(es)	“The Young Master Who Sold Like Crazy” (self-proclaimed) 50
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male 5
Affiliation	Pingjiang No. 1 High School; Liu Household of Xiang Family Village; Hundred Yue Sect, Silverbright Peak 3 62
Occupation/Role	High-school student; former Vermilion Dense Iron miner; Hundred Yue Sect inheritor disciple and artifact-forging assistant 59 62 76
Status	Alive; Qi Assimilation cultivator 72 76
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Qi Refinement Level One	1	Begins with only the Water Ball Technique; his spell cannot breach the formation in Jiangbei Forest Park. 1
Blood Nourishment	6	Starts advancing through the Qi-Nourishing Method after discovering that spiritual energy from Spirit Stones rushes into his body at an extraordinary rate. 6
Essence Nourishment	10	Breaks through after refining 25 doses of KeHua No. 5 while deliberately slowing his progress to avoid suspicion. 10
Qi Refinement Level Two	28–29	Breaks through while using a rented Superior Water Spirit Root; retains Level Two cultivation after the root is returned. 28 29
Qi Nourishment Perfection / Mystic Spirit Body	41	Completes the Qi Nourishment Realm in secret, gaining the Mystic Spirit Body and substantially improved senses and bearing. 41
Qi Refinement Level Three	52	Publicly advances after three months of cultivation, setting Pingjiang No. 1 High School’s cultivation-speed record. 52
Fourth-Order Ten-Thousand-Waters Rushing-Flow Qi	67	Collects the fourth-order Ren Water True Qi at sea through a Qi-Collection Method and specialized diving equipment. 67
Qi Assimilation / Dao Initiation	72–73	Successfully assimilates Ten-Thousand-Waters Rushing-Flow Qi; his water spirit root upgrades, and his basic Water-Form Technique reaches power comparable to a Grade Eight spell. 72 73

Background

The original Jiang Ran was an impoverished Pingjiang No. 1 High School student with a Low-Grade Water Spirit Root, poor grades, and deceased parents. He lived in subsidized housing and relied on government assistance. 5 14 18

A middle-aged man with extensive life experience transmigrated into Jiang Ran’s body. He awakened in Jiangbei Forest Park amid a mass-casualty demonic cultivator incident, armed only with Qi Refinement Level One cultivation and the Water Ball Technique. A mysterious system intervened before the approaching cultivators could deal with him. 1

After being transported to the Great Ruins Realm, Jiang Ran survived Black Dragon Mountain, reached Xiang Family Village, and secured food and lodging with the Liu Household by posing as a separated hunter willing to work. 3 He later learned that Old Man Liu had registered him into the household partly to use him as a substitute for Iron Ox during the Hundred Yue Sect’s miner conscription. Jiang Ran negotiated compensation rather than accept the arrangement outright, gaining a complete Qi-Consumption Cultivation Method, a Qi-Collection Method, and a Soul-Nourishing Herb. 11 12

Appearance

Jiang Ran is a handsome teenage boy whose changed physique becomes increasingly conspicuous as he cultivates. His physical condition rose from a Level 1.23 fitness rating to 1.82 within months, then reached Level 12.12 after Dao Initiation. 17 75

• Originally appears as an ordinary, impoverished high-school student. 5 14
• Develops unusually vigorous blood, essence, and physical strength through Qi Nourishment and Qi Assimilation. 10 75
• Gains a more confident, composed presence after forming the Mystic Spirit Body. 41

Personality

Jiang Ran is calculating, adaptable, and strongly motivated by survival. He quickly invents plausible cover stories, evaluates others’ motives, and treats cultivation methods, resources, and money as practical means to secure his future. 3 11 23

He is cautious about exposing his abilities or the Great Ruins Realm’s inheritance, preferring to reveal only enough talent to explain his progress. 27 29 His caution does not make him passive: after repeated attacks by demonic cultivators, he abandons his earlier low-profile strategy and commits to strengthening himself. 33 34

Despite his opportunism, Jiang Ran responds sincerely to kindness from Tao Dapeng, Zhang Jingjing, Su Xue, and Shen Duzhou. 7 36 53 76 He can also be ruthless when threatened, killing five Alliance Society members after they attempt to take his life in the mines. 57

Abilities & Skills

Qi Refinement Spellcasting

Jiang Ran possesses unusually refined spiritual-power control and can make basic spells exceed their normal combat value.

• Uses Water Ball, Fireball, Torrent, Water-Form, Flame-Raising, Stone-Splitting, and other Five Elements spells. 1 40 57
• Applies elemental restraint and same-element suppression by altering a spell’s spiritual-power route. 48
• Reached Spirit Communion-level control while still at Qi Refinement Level Two. 48
• Mastered the sixth-level, fire-attributed Azure Flame Technique in less than a day despite its conflict with his Water Spirit Root. 74
• Initially lacked defensive spells, prompting him to concede rather than face Yang Zhan’s Level Seven Mountain-Cleaving Technique head-on. 48 50

Qi-Nourishing Cultivation

Jiang Ran cultivates the Great Ruins Realm’s Qi-Consumption Path alongside Pingjiang’s Qi Refinement Path.

• Has an exceptionally high absorption rate for body-tempering medicines and spiritual resources. 10
• Refined his body through Blood, Essence, Heart, and Soul Nourishment, ultimately forming the Mystic Spirit Body. 4 41
• Qi Nourishment Perfection dramatically amplifies his Qi Refinement spells, allowing basic techniques to overpower stronger-ranked students. 49
• His physical body is dependent on substantial energy intake; early cultivation left him severely hungry and exhausted. 5

Ren Water Qi Assimilation

Jiang Ran’s fate aligns with Ren Water, allowing him to follow a water-based Dao Path. 12 35

• Receives Ice-Lake Spirit-Water Qi during conscription and later refines water-attributed True Qi to accelerate Qi Refinement. 12 27
• Collects fourth-order Ten-Thousand-Waters Rushing-Flow Qi, a mutable Ren Water True Qi capable of containing numerous water forces. 64 67
• Completes Qi Assimilation in Pingjiang to conceal the resulting breakthrough from the Hundred Yue Sect. 71 72
• Gains heightened physical strength, spell comprehension, water affinity, and an upgraded Water Spirit Root after Dao Initiation. 72 74

Martial Arts

Jiang Ran learned Great Ruins Realm martial arts from the Liu Household and other sources.

• Vajra Fist — A hammer-like fist art that can manifest external qi and shatter rock once mastered. Jiang Ran rapidly grasps its essence while using a Superior Spirit Root. 3 29
• Sand-Flying Footwork — Acquired from Sun Qianhan in exchange for ore. 38
• White Tiger Palm and Eight Directions Fist — Taken from Alliance Society members after their attack. 57

Artifact Refining

As a Silverbright Peak disciple, Jiang Ran works under artifact forger Shen Duzhou.

• Learns supporting tasks such as spirit-material quenching and replaces an experienced fire tender within a day. 69
• Grasps the introductory Flowing Water Artifact Refining Method unusually quickly. 78
• Successfully executes Ice Lake Glazed Art to wield the Three-Star Radiant Sword. 80

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heavenly Unity Jade Pendant — Enables travel between Pingjiang and the Great Ruins Realm; also appears to shield him from spiritual lie-detection. 5
• Purple jade safety talisman — Given by Su Xue for emergency protection. 18
• Impact drill and mining tools — Used to mine Vermilion Dense Iron more efficiently than physical labor alone. 16
• Myriad Spirits Dao Robe — Received as a symbol of his Qi Assimilation status within the Hundred Yue Sect. 76
• Three-Star Radiant Sword — A Qi-Ingesting artifact Jiang Ran learns to wield through Ice Lake Glazed Art. 78 80

Relationships

• Old Man Liu — Head of the Liu Household. Initially shelters Jiang Ran, but later attempts to use him as Iron Ox’s substitute in the miner conscription; the two reach a transactional agreement for cultivation methods and resources. 3 11 12
• Liu Dacheng “Iron Ox” — Old Man Liu’s eldest son and Jiang Ran’s early guide to the Great Ruins Realm’s cultivation system. He treats Jiang Ran as family after the latter joins the Liu Household registry. 3 10
• Tao Dapeng — Jiang Ran’s closest school friend and former fellow bottom-ranked student. Their friendship persists through Jiang Ran’s rapid rise and financial success. 7 29 51
• Zhang Jingjing — Class One’s top student and the target of the original Jiang Ran’s repeated confessions. She later lends him her savings when she mistakenly believes he plans to sell his Spirit Root. 30 36
• Su Xue — Pingjiang Third Police Bureau officer, protector, tutor, and ally. She provides cultivation resources, saves him from demonic cultivators, asks for his testimony, and tutors him in ancient language. 17 33 53 55
• Shen Duzhou — Silverbright Peak artifact forger who employs Jiang Ran as an assistant, entrusts him with deliveries, and sends him healing medicine after his injuries. 62 76
• Elder Jiang — Rain Spring Peak elder who recognizes Jiang Ran’s water cultivation and grants him a water-path insight despite his lack of Jiang Clan blood. 63
• Zhuang Beiluo — Leader of the Alliance Society and Jiang Ran’s enemy following the Mining Leaderboard contest and Jiang Ran’s successful Qi Assimilation. 59 81

Story Role / Major Arcs

Jiangbei Forest Park Incident

Jiang Ran transmigrates during a demonic cultivator massacre in Jiangbei Forest Park. His unexplained reappearance later makes him the sole surviving student connected to the case and subjects him to police scrutiny. 1 5 14

Great Ruins Survival and Mining

Using the jade pendant to travel between worlds, Jiang Ran gains Great Ruins cultivation methods, mines Vermilion Dense Iron, sells ore in Pingjiang, and turns the disparity between the two worlds’ resources into an advantage. 5 16 23

He hides a massive ore reserve until the final settlement of the Mining Leaderboard, submits 28,150 jin in total, takes first place, and receives a Qi Assimilation Opportunity from the Hundred Yue Sect. 58 59

Pingjiang Student and Spell Tournament Competitor

Jiang Ran returns to school, rapidly rises from a bottom-ranked student to Qi Refinement Level Three, and becomes a representative in the National High School Spell Competition. 29 52 He overwhelms several higher-ranked opponents through superior control but concedes against Yang Zhan rather than expose his full strength. 49 50

Hundred Yue Sect Disciple

After winning the mining contest, Jiang Ran joins Hundred Yue Sect’s Silverbright Peak, works in artifact forging, searches for a suitable Ren Water True Qi method, and eventually completes Qi Assimilation outside the sect. 61 62 72 76

College Entrance Examination

Dao Initiation gives Jiang Ran exceptional physical strength and learning ability before the examinations. He receives full marks in physical fitness and Vajra Fist, records a Level 12.12 physique, and is personally recruited by Wanjun University’s Giant Force Department—an offer he declines. 74 75

Trivia

• The original Jiang Ran confessed to Zhang Jingjing one hundred times and was rejected ninety-nine times. 8 30
• Jiang Ran’s first major legal source of wealth is the 2.4 million yuan bounty for two apprehended late-stage Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators. 33
• He markets the Liu Household’s Vajra Fist through the Ten Thousand Arts Trading Center, discovering that short-term usage rights sell better than permanent ownership. 50 52