Elder Chen

Biodata

Background / History

Elder Chen voluntarily taught at Tieyan Junior Soul Master Academy to identify and cultivate promising children from remote areas. Although stationed at the academy, he was a senior professor associated with Spirit Hall headquarters and intended to take exceptional students there for advanced study. 2

He recognized An Chen’s Innate Full Soul Power despite being baffled by the boy’s Iron Pot Martial Soul. He accepted An Chen as a student, personally arranged his first soul-ring hunt, and later formally became his teacher. 2 6 12

During the hunt in the Soul Hunting Forest, Elder Chen revealed both his Elder Token and the seven-ring strength of the body accompanying An Chen. He pursued the ten-thousand-year Crystal Scale Basilisk while leaving a summoned Stone Armor Bear to guard An Chen. He later revealed that this body was a Soul Saint-level Clone, while his true body had remained in the Elder Hall. 4 5 81

When Evil Soul Masters created the Blood Moon crisis north of Tieyan City, Elder Chen took command of the defense, ordered civilian evacuations, and prepared to confront the phenomenon himself after conventional attacks failed. 13 14

After An Chen’s travels, Elder Chen received him at Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy in Spirit City. There, he disclosed the existence of his Clones and helped An Chen prepare to refine Immortal Herbs and hunt a Fourth Soul Ring. 80 81 82

Appearance

Elder Chen is an older Soul Master with graying hair and a prominent white beard. Though he initially presents himself as an ordinary academy professor, his bearing and authority change sharply when he acts in Spirit Hall’s name. 2 4

• Carries an ancient book-shaped Martial Soul, the Myriad Beasts Codex. 5
• Possesses a Spirit Hall Elder Token. 4
• Often receives students in his courtyard over tea. 8 12
• His white beard visibly trembles when amused, irritated, or pleased. 2 8 12
• The elderly body that receives An Chen at Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy has white hair and a white beard; Elder Chen identifies it as a Clone. 80 81

Personality

Elder Chen is practical, perceptive, and demanding. He gives An Chen room to choose his own path—accepting the boy’s preference for Shadow-attribute Soul Rings despite favoring a safer defensive build—but insists that every decision be supported by physical preparation and sound judgment. 3 4 8

He is also unusually open-minded for a Spirit Hall elder. Though Spirit Hall publicly rejects Yu Xiaogang’s theories, Elder Chen privately evaluated the Basic Meditation Cultivation Method and passed it to An Chen because he believed it was genuinely useful. 4

His concern for An Chen is usually expressed through action rather than sentiment: providing training methods, meals, equipment, research material, money, and warnings about the wider world. 8 15 18 51

He remains cautious about An Chen’s unusually rapid advancement. Although he supports An Chen’s attempt to obtain a ten-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring, he first warns that exceeding the usual age limit could scatter Soul Power or prove fatal. 82

Abilities & Skills

Myriad Beasts Codex

Elder Chen’s book Martial Soul can record, summon, and employ Soul Beasts.

• Summoned a thousand-year Stone Armor Bear to protect An Chen in the Soul Hunting Forest. 5
• Summoned a cyan bird to pursue the burrowing Crystal Scale Basilisk. 5
• Used Soul Power chains from the Codex in an attempt to subdue and imprint the ten-thousand-year Crystal Scale Basilisk. 5
• Produced a century-old Hibiscus Bird for message delivery and remote observation. 12
• Summoned large birds to carry himself and others, including An Chen, between locations. 13 83 85
• Used numerous bird-like constructs to search for the missing Shadow Demon Wolf. 83
• Summoned a Light Giant God Bear to counter and recapture the Shadow Demon Wolf after it escaped by switching places with a shadow Clone. 84

Clones and Ability Imitation

Elder Chen can operate through Clones of differing strength. The seven-ring Soul Saint whom An Chen knew in Tieyan City was a Clone, as was the Soul Emperor-level body that received him at Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy. Elder Chen stated that his true body had remained in the Elder Hall; he later arranged for a level-80 Soul Douluo Clone to accompany An Chen on his Fourth Soul Ring hunt. His true body’s cultivation level has not been disclosed. 81 82 84

• Can transmit information over long distances and produce scouting birds. 83
• Can imitate an ability he has witnessed: after observing An Chen merge into a shadow, Elder Chen used one of his own Soul Skills to do the same. 83
• Formed a Soul Power barrier around An Chen’s cultivation room to prevent interference and keep energy from escaping while An Chen refined Immortal Herbs. 81

Seventh Soul Skill: Myriad Beasts Possession

Elder Chen’s seventh Soul Skill merges the power of multiple Soul Beasts into his body. 13 14

• Manifested traits from an azure bird, armored wolf, golden python, and other Soul Beasts. 14
• Enlarged his body, formed dark-golden beast patterns and vertical pupils, and grew azure phantom wings. 14
• Enhanced his speed further while attempting to destroy the Blood Moon before its light reached Tieyan City. 14
• The Blood Moon vanished before he could test whether the technique could affect it. 14

Mentorship and Soul-Ring Theory

Elder Chen is an experienced instructor in Martial Soul development, Soul Rings, and Soul Skills.

• Evaluates Soul Beast age and attributes for compatibility with a student’s Martial Soul. 4 6
• Taught An Chen that Soul Ring color and age alone do not determine a Soul Skill’s quality; Martial Soul and attribute compatibility are equally important. 15
• Authored the Soul Skill Compendium, recording likely Soul Skill outcomes from different Soul Ring and Martial Soul combinations. 15
• Identified the limits of An Chen’s predictive combat style and praised his ability to adapt after it failed. 12
• Anticipated the Shadow Demon Wolf’s substitution ability, prepared a counter to it, and allowed An Chen to fight the beast first to assess his growth. 83 84

Power Progression

Equipment / Items

• Spirit Hall Elder Token — Granted him authority to enter the sealed Soul Hunting Forest. 4
• Basic Meditation Cultivation Method — A confidential cultivation manual he gave An Chen despite Spirit Hall’s official opposition to its creator. 4
• Body Forging Method — Spirit Hall training method for Tool Martial Soul users. 8
• Storage Soul Tool ring — An old black ring he gifted to An Chen; it contained Combat Insights and Soul Skill Compendium. 15
• Supplementary Black Card — A card under his account that allows An Chen to withdraw funds from major banks in the Heaven Dou Empire. It later also establishes An Chen’s connection to an elder when shown to Spirit Hall personnel. 18 50 80
• Youxiang Grass — One of Elder Chen’s remaining stalks, sent to An Chen to treat Spirituality damaged by the Babble. An Chen later gave him three stalks for his collection. 51 52 81
• Academy token, uniform, and exclusive Spirit Hall badge — Given to An Chen at Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy. The token provides access to academy facilities and monthly contribution points, while the badge provides discounts. 81

Relationships

• An Chen — Mentor and formal teacher. Elder Chen personally guided his soul-ring choices, training, physical development, and later supported his travels with money and supplies. After their reunion, he protected An Chen while he refined Immortal Herbs and accompanied him on his Fourth Soul Ring hunt. 2 8 12 18 51 81 82 84
• Wang Gang — Spirit Hall colleague who brought An Chen to Tieyan Junior Soul Master Academy and entrusted the child to Elder Chen. 2
• Woman Wen — Spirit Hall associate who coordinated with Elder Chen during the Blood Moon emergency and handled the aftermath after its disappearance. 13 14
• Yu Xiaogang — Respects his research despite Spirit Hall’s public rejection of his theories and their political disputes. 4
• Flender — Knows Flender as the founder of Shrek Academy and one of the Golden Iron Triangle. 18
• Steward Liu — Spirit Hall subordinate who located An Chen and delivered Elder Chen’s letter calling him back for tournament preparations. 66

Story Role / Major Arcs

Training An Chen

Elder Chen identifies An Chen as an extraordinary talent and becomes the primary mentor behind his early growth. He oversees An Chen’s first Soul Ring, helps him select a Shadow-attribute path, gives him cultivation and body-forging methods, and supervises his academic and combat development. 2 4 6 8 12

Blood Moon Incident

Elder Chen responds directly to the Evil Soul Masters’ massacre and ritual. After witnessing the Blood Moon’s ability to nullify ordinary ranged attacks and corrupt summoned Soul Beasts, he prioritizes evacuating civilians before activating Myriad Beasts Possession to confront it. 13 14

Continued Support

After the incident, Elder Chen orders An Chen to stabilize his foundation rather than cultivate recklessly, equips him with a storage Soul Tool and research texts, and warns him that the escaped ritual leader remains dangerous. 15

When An Chen leaves Tieyan City for Shrek Academy, Elder Chen approves the decision, gives him a supplementary Black Card, and warns him not to underestimate the dangers beyond the city. 18

Later, after receiving An Chen’s letter about mental instability, Elder Chen sends Youxiang Grass and explains the danger surrounding Xiangshi Valley, where the plant had once been harvested. 51

As the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament approaches, Elder Chen sends Steward Liu to call An Chen back to Spirit City. His letter warns of widespread abnormalities, drastic personality changes among Soul Masters, and increasing Evil Soul Master activity. 66

Reunion and Fourth Soul Ring

At Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy, Elder Chen checks on An Chen’s cultivation and recovery, then learns that he survived the Xiangshi Valley anomaly. He provides academy privileges but explains that An Chen must earn a place on Spirit Hall’s tournament team. He also reveals that both his current body and the one An Chen knew in Tieyan City are Clones. 80 81

Elder Chen guards An Chen while he refines Immortal Herbs. After An Chen reaches level forty and shares some of the resulting medicinal liquid, Elder Chen arranges a Fourth Soul Ring hunt despite his concern about An Chen’s proposed ten-thousand-year ring. He locates an injured Shadow Demon Wolf, lets An Chen test himself against it, and recaptures it when it escapes. An Chen successfully absorbs its ring and demonstrates Shadow Servant. 81 82 83 84 85

While leaving the Star Dou Great Forest, Elder Chen learns that Spirit City has been attacked, the Supreme Pontiff is missing, and the tournament may be postponed. He tells An Chen not to return. A later warning from Elder Chen reports that several Elder Hall elders have died and again instructs An Chen to stay away from Spirit City. 85 89