Jing Hongchen

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Jing Hongchen (镜红尘)
Alias(es)	Golden Toad — a disguised teaching identity; Little Mirror — Kong Deming’s nickname for him 18 37 41.
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sun Moon Empire; Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, also called Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy; Illustrious Virtue Hall 37 81 157.
Occupation/Role	Academy dean; master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall; Chen Mo’s soul-engineering teacher; personally appointed homeroom teacher of Chen Mo’s freshman class 11 37.
Cultivation	Level 95 Super Douluo 267.
Soul Engineer Rank	Level 9 Soul Engineer 37 40.
Family	Grandfather of Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen 18 46.
First Appearance	Chapter 9, “The seasoned Jing Hongchen” 9.

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 9 Soul Engineer — established rank	9 37	Already possesses a Level 9 Soul Cannon at his introduction; explicitly reveals his engineering rank when abandoning the Golden Toad identity.
Level 94 Titled Douluo — established cultivation	90	Confronts level-98 Xuan Zi despite a four-level disadvantage, relying on nine Level 9 Soul Tools to offset the gap.
Foundation restoration — no immediate rank increase	174 175	An immortal herb repairs pill-related damage and meridian blockages. His cultivation shows signs of advancement, but reaching level 95 still requires secluded cultivation.
Level 95 Super Douluo	267	Confirmed at level 95 during the next tournament. Kong Deming entrusts him with holding the fort for the imperial family.

Background / History

Kong Deming selected Jing Hongchen for his position, an opportunity Jing credits with making his later career possible. He eventually holds two distinct offices: dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall. The Hall is a core imperial institution rather than an organization belonging solely to the academy, giving Jing authority to represent the Sun Moon Empire beyond campus 41 81.

Before meeting Chen Mo, Jing is dissatisfied with the declining quality of incoming students. He seeks promising recruits for special training and regards strengthening the academy as the route to displacing Shrek Academy’s dominance 9.

His own cultivation has suffered from forcibly increasing his strength through pills. An immortal herb later remedies those deficiencies and prepares him for further advancement, though it does not immediately raise his level 174 175.

Appearance

• Build: Somewhat portly in his ordinary state 90.
• Combat transformation: His figure visibly slims down when he prepares to confront Xuan Zi and deploys his nine Level 9 Soul Tools 90.
• Disguise: Uses the Golden Toad identity while teaching Chen Mo; Meng Hongchen’s arrival catches him without his usual disguise and precipitates its exposure 36 37.

Personality

Jing is suspicious but pragmatic when recruiting talent. He recognizes that Chen Mo’s unusual soul rings contradict the impression of an ordinary commoner, identifies his Body Sect connection, and orders a background investigation. Nevertheless, he reasons that sending such an exceptional child as a spy would be an unreasonable sacrifice and chooses to cultivate him rather than reject him for his origins 9 11.

His mentorship combines generosity, possessiveness, and genuine concern. He teaches Chen Mo without withholding knowledge, supplies research materials on request, and fiercely resists other teachers’ attempts to claim him. When Chen advances unusually quickly, Jing checks his foundation rather than simply celebrating the result 11 36 43.

His commitment to fairness is selective. He insists that Chen earn engineering qualifications properly, but uses technicalities, intimidation, and theatrical diplomacy against institutional rivals. He publicly reprimands Chen after Huo Yuhao’s beating, privately rewards him, and later plans to manipulate a tournament in retaliation for Star Luo’s earlier interference 40 41 103 162 265.

Jing is also an active family matchmaker. He welcomes the prospect of Chen Mo becoming his grandson-in-law, rearranges living quarters to bring Chen and Meng closer, and opposes Xu Tianran’s attempt to secure Chen through an imperial marriage 147 197 279.

Abilities & Skills

Level 9 Soul Engineering

• Evaluates formation cores and finished soul tools, including Chen Mo’s unusually precise Level 2 core 40.
• Personally teaches Level 2 and Level 3 soul-tool knowledge after Chen passes his first assessment 17.
• Studies Chen’s modified Energy-Gathering Soul Guidance Ray Gun and finds ideas applicable to improving Soul Cannons 18.
• Recognizes the engineering value of Chen’s shared perception, particularly its fine detail and ability to improve with cultivation 36.
• Acknowledges his limits: he specializes in soul tools and declines to advise Chen on selecting a third soul ring because martial-soul cultivation is not his strength 17.

Soul-Tool Combat

• Uses Level 9 Soul Cannons to threaten or subdue hostile opponents 19 21.
• Incapacitates Park Guk-chang and his companions with a controlled cannon blast before taking them into custody 21.
• Deploys nine Level 9 Soul Tools simultaneously against Xuan Zi, considering them sufficient grounds to contest a stronger cultivator 90.
• Activates his Martial Soul Avatar with several Level 9 Soul Tools circling him when Long Xiaoyao intercepts an evacuation 234.
• Shields Chen Mo and the Hongchen siblings from the destructive clash at the Starlight Auction Hall 92.

Recruitment and Mentorship

• Waives Chen Mo’s remaining entrance tests after confirming his exceptional talent 9.
• Appoints himself homeroom teacher to prevent senior academy teachers from taking Chen as their student 11.
• Arranges an independent Level 7 proctor for Chen’s Level 2 assessment to avoid accusations of favoritism 41.
• Uses practice battles to demonstrate Chen’s team-support value and secure Kong Deming’s commitment to provide resources 47 48.
• Recognizes Di Qiu’er as eligible for special admission, while still requiring an entrance test 165.

Negotiation and Security

• Unites otherwise competing Sun Moon academies when they face unfavorable tournament arrangements abroad 81.
• Seeks protection for Sun Moon exchange students by negotiating their exemption from Shrek’s dangerous Evil Soul Master inspection missions 155.
• Accepts Chen’s proposal to conceal advanced technology from visiting Shrek students 162.
• Uses spiritual-detection-blocking display covers connected to automatic defenses inside the Illustrious Virtue Hall 180.
• Presents recorded evidence of blueprint theft and negotiates a substantial payment before releasing the offenders 184.

Disguise

• Conceals his identity behind the Golden Toad persona while teaching Chen Mo 15 18.
• Maintains the fiction by awkwardly confirming that Golden Toad exists after Meng repeats Chen’s claim that the supposed teacher is Jing’s junior fellow disciple 18.
• The disguise does not fool Chen, who later reveals that Truth-Piercing exposed Jing from their first meeting 37.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Level 9 Soul Cannons — repeatedly drawn during threats to his academy or students; used against Park Guk-chang’s group and to pressure the tournament committee 9 19 21 103.
• Nine Level 9 Soul Tools — brought to the Star Luo tournament specifically to protect his delegation; all nine are deployed during his confrontation with Xuan Zi 66 90.
• Hongchen’s Protection / Red Dust Protection — a Level 9 defensive soul tool given to Chen Mo as a discipleship gift. Usable even by a One-Ring Soul Master, it automatically produces a spherical shield when Chen faces a lethal attack 15 19 21.
• Soul communicator token — left outside his laboratory to prevent research interruptions. This habit causes him to miss Chen’s initial warning about Park Guk-chang 19.
• Tyrant Tiger Soul Refining Blade — a Level 8 Illustrious Virtue Hall weapon recovered at auction for 1.3 million Gold Soul Coins after apparently being smuggled abroad. Jing later gives it to Ma Rulong for tournament use 87 101.
• Crimson Plain Battle Armor — received from Kong Deming on Chen Mo’s behalf. Unlike Hongchen’s Protection, this Level 9 defensive tool can be worn directly 147.
• Supplementary gold card — a black-and-gold card given to Chen as a reward after his victory over Huo Yuhao, with permission to spend freely 162.

Relationships

• Chen Mo — Student and intended future grandson-in-law. Jing provides unrestricted instruction, materials, and powerful protection; Chen refuses Kong Deming’s apprenticeship offer out of loyalty to him 19 43 147.
• Meng Hongchen — Granddaughter. Jing risks confronting Xuan Zi for a soul bone she wants and actively supports her growing closeness with Chen 90 197 279.
• Xiao Hongchen — Grandson. Jing trusts that Xiao prefers fair competition over bullying, but becomes exasperated with his interference in Meng’s relationship and gives his room to Chen 46 155 197.
• Kong Deming — Senior patron and adviser who selected Jing for his position. They compete over Chen’s apprenticeship, but cooperate in funding and protecting him 41 43 48 147.
• Xuan Ziwen — Academy researcher and potential rival for Chen’s mentorship. Jing is wary of his interest from their early encounter 9 40 41.
• Park Guk-chang — Rival academy dean who attempts to abduct and kill Chen. Jing confronts him, incapacitates his party, and intends to bring them before the emperor 19 21.
• Xuan Zi — Hostile Shrek elder. Their clashes involve auction intimidation, tournament interference, and attempts to claim Sun Moon students 90 103 109.
• Yan Shaozhe — Shrek dean and negotiating counterpart. Jing bargains with him over exchange-student safety and later extracts soul bones and rare metals for the release of blueprint thieves 155 184.
• Xu Tianran — Crown prince whose overtures Jing treats cautiously. Jing resists allowing Chen to become an imperial political asset through marriage to Xu Tianzhen 136 147 279.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruiting Chen Mo

Jing initially dismisses reports of a nine-year-old applicant with exceptional spiritual talent, then rushes to verify them. After identifying Chen’s Body Sect origins, he grants admission and offers formal mentorship on the condition that Chen obtain a Level 2 Soul Engineer badge within a year. Privately, he soon decides to accept Chen even if that deadline is missed 9 11.

Chen’s excellent Level 1 assessment and original weapon modifications prompt Jing to take him as a disciple earlier. The defensive tool given for that occasion subsequently saves Chen during Park Guk-chang’s attempted murder, allowing Jing to arrive and capture the intruders 14 15 19 21.

The First Tournament

Jing accompanies the team despite his administrative workload, prioritizing safety over his original intention to make his grandchildren more independent. He brings nine Level 9 Soul Tools because Chen’s participation makes the risks of competing in enemy territory unacceptable to him 66.

When Star Luo imposes unfavorable rules and groups Sun Moon teams together, Jing discourages a futile immediate appeal and promises retaliation at the next tournament. During the competition, he also recovers a leaked Hall weapon, confronts Xuan Zi’s auction coercion, and forces the organizing committee to deploy mental detectors against cheating 80 81 87 90 103.

After Sun Moon’s victory, Kong Deming warns him against complacency and urges him to protect Chen from Xu Tianran’s growing connection to the Holy Spirit Cult. Jing accepts the advice and receives Crimson Plain Battle Armor for his student 147.

Student Exchange and Blueprint Theft

Jing supports Chen’s refusal to attend Shrek and rejects its proposed exchange list, requiring direct negotiations instead. At the eventual border exchange, he seeks safeguards against dangerous missions for visiting Sun Moon students 136 155.

Back in Mingdu, he oversees Chen’s confrontations with Huo Yuhao. During their combat match, he refuses Fan Yu’s attempt to concede on Huo’s behalf, invoking the agreed rules. Afterward, he publicly smooths over the incident but privately praises Chen and rewards him with his gold card 160 161 162.

The exchange culminates in Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, He Caitou, and Fan Yu being implicated in confidential blueprint theft. Jing presents video evidence, rejects Yan Shaozhe’s initial offers, and releases them only after receiving several ten-thousand-year soul bones, a hundred-thousand-year soul bone, and rare metals. Huo secretly retains copies of the blueprints through a concealed second storage tool 184.

Restoring His Cultivation

At the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Jing absorbs an immortal herb that repairs accumulated medicinal damage and clears meridian blockages. He gains no immediate level, but prepares for seclusion to reach level 95. During the same journey, he urges caution over obtaining a hundred-thousand-year seventh ring for Meng 174 175.

Later Threats and Tournament Retaliation

Jing responds cautiously to news that the Clear Sky Sect has approached Shrek, deciding to strengthen academy defenses and report the development. In a later crisis, he confronts Long Xiaoyao after a Soul Guidance Airship is destroyed during an attempted departure 196 234.

Five years after the Star Luo tournament, Jing reviews Shrek and Tang Sect competitor files and deliberately plans to rig the new competition against them. His earlier promise of retaliation has become an active revenge scheme 265.

When Xu Tianran proposes Chen as a husband for Xu Tianzhen, Jing outwardly insists that Chen must choose for himself. Privately, he resolves to secure Chen’s relationship with Meng after the tournament, worried that the princess, Di Qiu’er, or Ye Guyi could displace his granddaughter 279.

Notable Quotes

“But if your soul tool fails to meet the requirements, I'll still fail you, even though I'm your teacher.” 40

“Meng, don't worry. Even if I have to fight that old bastard today, I'll buy that Soul Bone for you.” 90

“This is my supplementary gold card. You did very well today, kid. Take it and swipe away!” 162