Jingliu

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Jingliu (镜流)
Species/Race	Human; a long-life native of the Xianzhou 65 66 70
Gender	Female 66 80
Affiliation	Astral Express; formerly the Xianzhou Luofu 75 105 116
Occupation/Role	Former Luofu Sword Champion; swordswoman; Jing Yuan’s master 88 116
Status	Alive; traveling with the Astral Express. Her severe mara-struck condition has been alleviated, but no complete cure is established for her 80 105 109
First Appearance	Chapter 62, where she observes unfamiliar ingredients on the Luofu 62

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Strength increase; no named rank or realm given	80	Eating Buddha Jumps Over the Wall clears her mind, considerably eases her mara’s torment, and causes her strength to grow gradually. The dish combines Wheat Ear Tea with Destruction power supplied through Phantylia’s cooking fire.

Background / History

Jingliu formerly held the position of Sword Champion on the Xianzhou Luofu. She trained Jing Yuan and taught Blade his swordsmanship through repeated lethal encounters, although she could not permanently kill him. She also captured Hoolay alive and previously visited the Prison of Deep Seclusion to imprison criminals 88 90 91 115 116.

A battle centuries earlier left her with enduring regret over her comrades falling apart and turning against one another. By her return to the Luofu, she is regarded as a criminal responsible for grave offenses. Jing Yuan’s affection for his former master remains complicated by his duty to the soldiers who died 75 76 88.

Before encountering Jiang Yao, Jingliu allies with Luocha to pursue their shared goal of killing Yaoshi. She is prepared to die for that objective, but witnessing Jiang Yao’s power forces her to reconsider whether her original methods could ever threaten an Aeon 75 89 103 104.

Appearance

• White hair and blood-red eyes 65 66.
• Wears a black veil over her eyes, relying on powerful perception to understand her surroundings 62.
• Her body is described as bearing numerous wounds while remaining capable of fighting 70.
• Commonly presents an icy demeanor; seeing Dan Heng abruptly extinguishes the warmth she displays after Jiang Yao’s meal 82.

Personality

Jingliu is resolute, guilt-ridden, and capable of extreme self-denial. Her obsession allows her to retain sanity despite advanced mara, and she describes her existence in terms of making her body into a sword. Although she has shed blood, she does not enjoy killing indiscriminately: even while losing control, she recognizes Jiang Yao as someone who is not her enemy and warns him to flee 65 75.

Her caution is practical rather than passive. Once she recognizes that Jiang Yao vastly outmatches her, she conceals her helplessness, questions him for information, and avoids a fight that could endanger the Xianzhou. Later, she openly offers service in exchange for knowledge about Aeons 70 75 89 104.

Around Jiang Yao, her aloof reputation gives way to embarrassment, direct requests, and an unusually dependent manner. This does not erase her underlying determination: she continues pursuing Abundance’s destruction while choosing accommodation over futile resistance 103 104 106 107.

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

Jingliu’s standing as a former Sword Champion is supported by her dominance over experienced fighters and her ability to instruct others 90 116.

• Teaching: Trained Jing Yuan, taught Blade his sword techniques, and secretly instructs Yanqing while sparring with him 88 90 115.
• Combat superiority over Blade: Blade has never defeated her in their repeated encounters 116.
• Capture: Took Hoolay alive; he retains intense fear and hatred of her 90 96.
• Limits: Jiang Yao incapacitates her before her combat instincts detect danger and later shatters her ice sword with a casual strike 66 70.

Ice Manipulation

Jingliu controls ice power within her body and can form swords from it 70 75.

• Creates an ice sword when confronting Jiang Yao and another to stop Silver Wolf from taking food prematurely 70 124.
• Can chill her entire body to provide cooling for Jiang Yao 102 103.
• Jiang Yao extracts some of her ice power while she is unconscious and uses it as cooking water—an intervention she had believed impossible because that power should be under her control 75.

Perception and Path Experience

• Her perception remains effective with her eyes covered by a veil 62.
• She has walked both The Hunt and Destruction 79.
• Destruction power in Jiang Yao’s stew is particularly compatible with her, contributing to its restorative and strengthening effects 80.

Mara Suppression

Jingliu maintains a precarious balance through extraordinary will and obsession rather than freedom from mara 65.

• Can briefly resist violent impulses and distinguish an enemy from someone she should protect during a flare-up 65.
• Her control can fail when that balance is disturbed, even by something intended to alleviate the condition 65.
• Jiang Yao’s later cooking offers substantial relief, but her condition remains severe 80.

Mara-Struck Condition

Treatment / Event	Effect
Entwined Fate	Restores long-lost happiness and has a mara-alleviating effect. Because her mara has already erupted, it disrupts her existing equilibrium and triggers a dangerous loss of control 65.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall	Calms her chaotic mind, eases torment, restores warmth and hope, and gradually increases her strength without completely curing her 80.
After leaving Cloudford	She discovers that the relief persists. Luocha notices both reduced symptoms and an unusual power resembling Abundance within her 89.
Continued treatment	She tells Jiang Yao that his cooking has also left her with embarrassing involuntary vocal reactions 103.

Relationships

• Jiang Yao — Initially a frightening captor, later her provider of treatment, information, and protection. She commits herself to following him, while he also regards feeding and training her as opportunities to develop his own Path 76 80 104 105 116.
• Jing Yuan — Former disciple. He hopes she can find happiness but struggles to reconcile that wish with her crimes and his obligations to fallen soldiers 87 88.
• Dan Heng — A source of unresolved hostility tied to Dan Feng. He fears traveling alongside her, though he accepts her stated reasons for joining the Express 82 105 106 124.
• Blade / Yingxing — Former swordsmanship pupil and sworn enemy. Her presence triggers his mara and an immediate attack; she restrains herself out of consideration for Jiang Yao’s intentions 115 116 124.
• Luocha — Ally in the plan to kill Yaoshi. She withholds details of her encounter with Jiang Yao and sends him away; he privately intends to betray her to gain the general’s trust 75 89.
• Yanqing — Grand-disciple whom she secretly instructs. Being caught teaching him embarrasses her 90.
• Hoolay — Captured enemy who wants revenge on her. Jiang Yao brings her to the prison partly to provoke him 90 91 96.
• Himeko — Approves her arrival aboard the Express after hearing her explanation about treatment and protecting Jiang Yao 105 106.
• March 7th and Stelle — Welcome and thank her because they mistakenly believe she saved Jiang Yao 106.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Encounter at Cloudford

Jingliu notices Jiang Yao’s unfamiliar ingredients while pursuing her own mission against Abundance. After accepting his Entwined Fate, she suffers a mara flare-up and warns him to run. He instead knocks her unconscious. When she awakens and attempts to defend herself, he breaks her ice sword and later incapacitates her again to keep his secrets hidden 62 64 65 70.

Her suspicions culminate in identifying him as the Devouring Calamity Ancestor. She initially rejects that conclusion, but being swallowed and subsequently released convinces her that she is facing an Aeon 75 76.

Treatment and Apparent Rescue

Despite fearing manipulation, Jingliu accepts Jiang Yao’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and experiences unprecedented relief. When the Express crew arrives, Jiang Yao credits her strength for his survival against Phantylia, creating the mistaken belief that she rescued him. She leaves after Dan Heng warns that Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan are approaching 79 80 82.

Following Jiang Yao

Concerned that a confrontation involving Jiang Yao could compound her past sins, Jingliu resolves to accommodate him. He finds her training Yanqing, kisses her after a tense exchange, and takes her to the Prison of Deep Seclusion 89 90 91.

She later asks for help killing Yaoshi and receives a warning against involving herself in Aeon affairs. Rather than abandon her objective, she offers herself in exchange for information. Jiang Yao sets killing Qlipoth as a condition for joining the Express and proposes eventually training her to make that challenge conceivable; no such achievement is shown 103 104 105.

Joining the Astral Express

Himeko introduces Jingliu as the Express’s new companion before the journey to Penacony. Jingliu explains that she seeks treatment and can protect Jiang Yao, but also attempts to share his room after telling Himeko he had agreed—an arrangement Jiang Yao protests 105 106.

Penacony and the Stellaron Hunters

Jingliu accompanies Jiang Yao to meet the Stellaron Hunters. Blade attacks her immediately, but Jiang Yao knocks him unconscious; she is moved by his defense of her 115 116.

During the subsequent meal preparations, she avoids renewing her confrontation with Blade and stops Silver Wolf from taking food without permission. Jiang Yao prepares dishes suited to her and Blade’s conditions, and Jingliu is the first to eat the roasted Hoolay meat 123 124 127.

Notable Quotes

“Run!” 65

“I am willing to offer myself. I only ask that you spare the Xianzhou.” 90

“I do not ask you to help me, only that you might share a little information about Aeons.” 104

“From now on, please just say whatever you mean. I'm slow, but I'm very obedient.” 107