Jing Hongchen

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Jing Hongchen leads Illustrious Virtue Hall, a position that places him at the center of the Sun Moon Empire’s soul-tool development. As Kong Deming’s disciple, he recognizes both the hall’s strategic importance and the danger of becoming involved in the imperial succession conflict. He initially insists that the Hongchen Family remain neutral, refusing Meng Hongchen’s suggestion of marrying into the imperial family because of the instability surrounding the throne. 15 17

When Xiao Hongchen returns from enrollment shaken by an unknown peer’s superiority, Jing initially dismisses the youth as someone who must have damaged his potential through medicinal enhancement. Lin Jiayi’s report overturns that judgment: Ye Chenxing possesses immense spiritual power, a royal Sun Martial Soul, and unprecedented Ultimate Fire and Ultimate Light. Jing immediately recognizes the talent’s military and political value, but also regards Ye’s royal identity as a dangerous complication. 15 16

Unable to safely shelter Ye by himself, Jing brings him to Kong Deming. After Kong accepts Ye as a disciple, Jing is ordered to devote Illustrious Virtue Hall’s resources to Ye’s training and protection while concealing the dual-ultimate Martial Soul. Though disappointed to lose the chance to personally mentor Ye, Jing continues to invest heavily in him and considers a future connection between Ye and Meng beneficial to the Hongchen Family. 17 19

Jing personally accompanies Ye, Xiao, and Meng on the Jingyang Mountain Range soul-ring hunt. He provides Ye with rare cultivation resources and a Rank Nine defensive soul tool, then supervises the youths from a distance to cultivate their independence. When Holy Spirit Cult members ambush the group, he holds off powerful attackers and expends high-grade Soul Guidance Devices to create an escape route for the younger generation. 22 24 25 32 33

After realizing that the ambush targeted Ye rather than himself, Jing abandons his own battle and searches the forest in panic. Finding Ye alive after his battle with Zhongli Ren, he meticulously checks the boy for injuries. From this point, Ye is no longer merely a strategic asset to Jing; Jing regards him with genuine familial protectiveness. 36

Jing later becomes one of Ye’s strongest institutional supporters in Soul Engineering. Ye’s technological theories, improved Sun-Moon Needle, and Soul-Control Tool Machine repeatedly overturn Jing’s expectations. He offers Illustrious Virtue Hall’s funding and personnel to support Ye’s civilian-focused Star Tower, despite initially recognizing the machine’s enormous military potential. 44 46 48 49 50

As Star Tower expands, Jing acknowledges that its momentum has become substantial enough to rival Illustrious Virtue Hall despite its civilian focus and refusal to manufacture offensive Soul Tools. He continues to support the organization while recognizing that its technological foundation could produce devastating weapons if it chose to do so. 87

Jing also remains deeply invested in his grandchildren’s development. He is relieved when Meng recovers her confidence and openly expresses her feelings for Ye, and he is overwhelmed with gratitude after Ye’s Immortal Herbs evolve Meng and Xiao’s Martial Souls and repair Meng’s previously damaged foundation. 89 94

Believing that the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament could promote Star Tower and finally allow the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy to overcome Shrek Academy, Jing advocates entering Ye, Xiao, Meng, Gu Yue, and Gu Yeqiu. Though initially concerned that the young prodigies lack the experience to face Shrek’s main team safely, he ultimately accepts Ye’s promise to build a team capable of matching Shrek within a year. 89 95

Appearance

Jing Hongchen is repeatedly described as rotund, with a round, plump figure and face. Despite this unassuming appearance, he carries the authority of Illustrious Virtue Hall’s master and one of the Sun Moon Empire’s foremost Soul Engineers. 17 32

• Round, plump build. 17 32
• Usually maintains a composed and dignified bearing, even during institutional crises. 16
• His agitation can become obvious when confronted with Ye Chenxing’s abilities or Ye Yulin’s attempts to recruit him. 16 46 48
• His face and manner can become openly emotional when the safety or growth of Xiao and Meng is involved. 89 94

Personality

Jing is politically cautious, practical, and acutely aware of the risks surrounding power. Before learning the full extent of Ye Chenxing’s talent, he views the supposed lost prince as a political “hot potato” and prefers to report him directly to the Emperor rather than expose Illustrious Virtue Hall to the succession struggle. 16

His caution gives way to intense enthusiasm when Ultimate Fire and Ultimate Light are confirmed. Jing sees ultimate attributes as a long-awaited answer to the Sun Moon Empire’s historic defeats and quickly begins imagining Ye as the future pillar of Illustrious Virtue Hall. 16 17

Jing is generous and deeply protective toward promising youths, especially his grandchildren and Ye. He personally organizes elite instruction, supplies rare resources, gives Ye a life-saving ninth-grade soul tool, and accompanies the group on a dangerous soul-beast expedition. 22 24 25

He can also be possessive and comically competitive. Jing openly clashes with Ye Yulin over Ye’s future, physically blocks Ye Yulin from recruiting him, and ultimately drags Ye toward Kong Deming alongside his rival to settle the dispute. 46

Although Jing immediately recognizes the military implications of Ye’s Soul-Control Tool Machine, he accepts Ye’s civilian-oriented vision for Star Tower and supports its potential to reform the empire through technology rather than war alone. 49 50

Jing carries a long-standing resentment toward Shrek Academy because of the academy’s repeated victories over Sun Moon Empire teams. His enthusiasm for the coming tournament reflects both national pride and his personal desire to finally overturn that history. 89 95

Abilities & Skills

Rank Nine Soul Engineering

Jing is a Rank Nine Soul Engineer and a Level 94 Titled Douluo, placing him among the Sun Moon Empire’s strongest technical combatants. 17 32

• Suppressed three Soul Douluo-level attackers before Dark Cloud Douluo entered the battle. 32
• Deployed more than a dozen Rank Seven-or-higher Soul Guidance Devices at once to prevent an attacker from reaching Ye, Xiao, and Meng. 33
• Is sufficiently powerful that the Holy Spirit Cult’s ambush relied on coordination, concealment, and the need to divide his attention between combat and protecting the youths. 32 36
• His spiritual perception is formidable enough that the attackers’ concealment through Dark Cloud Douluo’s methods was an exceptional threat rather than an ordinary evasion. 32

Defensive Soul-Tool Craftsmanship

Jing personally created Hongchen’s Blessing, a ninth-grade triggered defensive soul tool. 24

• Automatically attaches to the user’s chest and senses incoming attacks. 24
• Its standard defense matches the user’s strongest non-soul-skill attack while consuming only one-fifth of the corresponding soul power. 24
• Its active function creates a fifteen-second invincible barrier with defensive strength three times the user’s cultivation; it requires recharging afterward. 24
• The tool protected Ye Chenxing from the self-destruction of Zhongli Ren’s Ghostshadow Leopard Emperor beast soul. 36

Strategic Leadership

Jing uses Illustrious Virtue Hall’s resources to nurture talent while keeping sensitive information controlled.

• Arranged a rotating special class taught by the hall’s Rank Nine Soul Engineers, primarily benefiting Ye, Xiao, and Meng. 22
• Personally led the search for Ye’s second soul ring and was willing to expand the search from Jingyang Mountain Range to Evil Demon Forest or Star Dou Great Forest. 23
• Supported Ye’s Soul Engineer assessment under the highest secrecy after previous intelligence leaks endangered him. 48
• Offered Illustrious Virtue Hall’s finances and personnel to assist Star Tower. 49
• Supports Star Tower’s officially independent status and its placement in Ming Capital’s outer city, despite initially questioning the need to separate it from the empire’s institutions. 50
• Facilitated the enrollment of Gu Yuena and the other “Ancient Clan” students at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. 86 95
• Agreed to allow Ye’s seven-person team to pursue a place in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament after Ye pledged to raise them to Shrek’s main-team standard within one year. 95

Equipment & Resources

• Hongchen’s Blessing — Ninth-grade defensive soul tool personally forged by Jing and gifted to Ye Chenxing. 24
• Flying Soul Tool — Golden wing-like flight device capable of safely carrying Jing and three youths at high speed. 24
• Rank Seven and Rank Nine Soul Guidance Devices — Used in combat to protect the younger generation during the Holy Spirit Cult ambush. 33
• Premium Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue — Refined cultivation treasure distributed to Ye, Xiao, and Meng before the school term. 22
• Illustrious Virtue Hall’s resources — Includes elite instructors, classified testing equipment, laboratories, and personnel used to support Ye’s cultivation and research. 16 22 48 49
• Soul-beast breeding resources — Maintains access to living-creature storage Soul Tools and the academy’s soul-beast breeding program, allowing him to capture the weakened Golden Wolf King alive. 30

Relationships

• Kong Deming — Jing’s teacher and the master of the Hall of Consecration. Jing defers to Kong’s authority, brings Ye Chenxing to him for protection, and follows his orders to safeguard Ye’s identity and development. 17 19 20
• Ye Chenxing — Initially viewed as a politically dangerous but invaluable genius; Jing becomes Ye’s benefactor, protector, expedition leader, and eventually a family-like guardian. He later supports Ye’s Soul Engineering research, Star Tower, and tournament ambitions with Illustrious Virtue Hall’s resources. 16 24 36 49 95
• Xiao Hongchen — Grandson. Jing is proud of Xiao’s talent but corrects his arrogance, combat carelessness, and lack of theoretical study. He is deeply grateful when Ye’s Immortal Herb improves Xiao’s Three-Legged Golden Toad and helps preserve his Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Meng. 15 23 26 94
• Meng Hongchen — Granddaughter. Jing rejects her impulsive wish to marry into the imperial family, yet later considers a possible future relationship with Ye as a way to preserve ties to him. He is relieved when she recovers from her insecurity and openly expresses her affection for Ye. 15 17 89
• Lin Jiayi — Trusted academy official who reports Ye’s assessment results to Jing and helps carry out Jing’s arrangements for elite instruction and enrollment. 16 22
• Ye Yulin — Fellow Rank Nine Soul Engineer and professional rival. The two openly compete over Ye’s future as a Soul Engineer, but become united in their admiration for Ye’s all-round technical talent and the Soul-Control Tool Machine. 46 48
• Xu Ping — Deputy commander of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps. Jing absolves Xu Ping after the ambush near his garrison, acknowledging that the attackers were unusually powerful and well concealed. 37
• Gu Yuena — Jing recognizes her exceptional potential and invites her to enter the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy as part of Ye’s prospective seven-person tournament team. 95
• Gu Yeqiu and Gu Yue — Jing accepts the extraordinary “Ancient Clan” students into the academy and includes them in plans for Ye’s reserve team and tournament development. 86 95

Notable Actions

• Recognized that Ye Chenxing’s dual ultimate attributes were too strategically important to ignore, despite the political risk of his supposed imperial lineage. 16 17
• Introduced Ye to Kong Deming rather than attempting to control the prodigy alone. 17
• Gifted Ye Hongchen’s Blessing, a ninth-grade defensive soul tool that later saved Ye’s life. 24 36
• Captured the weakened Golden Wolf King alive for the academy’s breeding program after Ye’s team defeated the wolf kings. 30
• Defended Ye, Xiao, and Meng against the Holy Spirit Cult ambush and enabled their escape with overwhelming Soul Guidance firepower. 32 33
• Helped establish the conditions for Star Tower by committing Illustrious Virtue Hall’s resources to Ye’s civilian Soul Guide Device project. 49 50
• Recognized Star Tower as an organization whose influence could eventually rival Illustrious Virtue Hall, while continuing to support its civilian technological mission. 87
• Supported Meng and Xiao’s growth after their Immortal Herb-assisted Martial Soul improvements, expressing profound gratitude to Ye for repairing Meng’s foundation and strengthening both grandchildren. 94
• Backed Ye’s plan to build a team capable of facing Shrek Academy in the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament. 95