Jiang Yu

Biodata

Power Progression

Jiang Yu grows stronger through player attention rather than named cultivation realms. The Popular Character System grants strength increases, skills, and rewards as his audience expands 1 4 14 33.

• Next stated goal: Reach 150,000 popularity to obtain the system’s promised treasured flying sword. The supplied chapters do not show him reaching this threshold 14 27.

Background / History

In his previous life, Jiang Yu obtained three five-star characters in a single ten-pull on Sparkle’s banner, became so excited that he blacked out, and awakened in the world of Honkai: Star Rail. His new life skipped infancy and childhood, placing him directly into the body of a white-haired Xianzhou youth 1.

Initially penniless and without influence, he found food and lodging at the Evernight Marquis. Mengming hired him as a mascot because of his looks, while Mr. Xiyan occasionally used him as the model for “Cosmic Sword Immortal” 1.

His knowledge of the game made him fear the approaching Ambrosial Arbor disaster. After the Popular Character System awakened, he began seeking screen time to acquire enough strength to survive it, eventually planning to enter the character banner pool during the Luofu storyline 1 4 27.

Appearance

• Hair and eyes: White hair and gray eyes 2.
• Build: Small, boy-sized frame; noticeably shorter than Dan Heng 3.
• Usual clothing: Blue or blue-green robes, described as slightly loose 2 6.
• Jarilo-VI clothing: An oversized dark green jacket matching Dan Heng’s, with earmuffs added during the snowy journey 35 47.
• Character-art design: White robes and a sunny smile, reclining on a floating, pitch-black broad-bladed heavy sword in a forest. This is promotional artwork, not confirmation that he has obtained the promised sword 32.

Personality

Jiang Yu is cheerful, sociable, and openly fond of the Astral Express Crew. Although he deliberately cultivates player interest, his enthusiasm for adventure and affection for his companions are genuine. He considers maintaining a fabricated personality too exhausting to be worthwhile 33 43.

He enjoys stylish entrances and impressive displays, but often undermines his own image with awkwardness: his first sword-flight ends in a crash, and his new strength initially exceeds his combat experience. He also prefers direct solutions, from smashing through station walls when lost to attacking with whatever large object is nearby 1 2 3 10 37.

His pursuit of popularity is calculated. He hints at Dan Heng’s hidden history to create mystery, plans generous player rewards, and pretends to remain unconscious after suppressing Stelle’s Stellaron because apparent sacrifice will attract more sympathy than an effortless victory 3 4 13.

He is also mischievous and holds grudges. He stomps on the captured Horrific Maze for its taunts, helps leave Sampo waiting in the snow, and plans to retaliate against Aha’s prank by spreading an Aha-themed catchphrase through the Tavern 25 41 42.

Despite his confidence, he can be frightened by ghostly effects and remains sensitive to cold. He recovers quickly enough to dismantle the maze’s illusion, while his discomfort on Jarilo-VI inspires him to turn a Fragmentum creature into a portable heater 24 37 39.

Abilities & Skills

Popular Character System

Converts attention from real-world players into Jiang Yu’s personal strength and unlocks skills, achievements, and rewards 1 4 14.

• Arranges an early story entrance, including teleportation near the Blue Planet, a disposable flying sword, and protection from the resulting crash 1 2.
• Allows him to design his playable character and choose when its rate-up begins 4.
• Supplies Stellar Jade that he regards as useless for himself but valuable as player giveaways 4 17.
• Continues strengthening him as players watch his story; it does not immediately supply the combat experience needed to use that power safely 3 11.

Pure as the Wind

Uses wind as a sword and lets Jiang Yu move like a breeze, cutting enemies with invisible gales 1 2.

• Bisects Voidrangers without requiring a physical sword 2.
• Supports rapid movement, brief crossings of more than a dozen meters, and flight 6 14.
• Expands into a blade-filled storm capable of shredding Reavers and severely wounding a Trampler 6.
• Disperses the Horrific Maze’s false image of Stelle with a whirlwind 24.
• Uses the cold wind on Jarilo-VI to cut through Fragmentum monsters 38.

Strutting Around

Turns a nearby object into a weapon for a direct attack, commonly a leaping overhead strike 4 12 37.

• Borrows Dan Heng’s Cloud-Piercer during the character trial 4.
• Uses Arlan’s large blade in station battles and against the Doomsday Beast 10 11.
• Drives a Space Bridge fragment more than twice his size into the Doomsday Beast’s core-like structure 12.
• Wields a frozen Voidranger as a weapon against a Frostspawn 37 38.
• Depends partly on the improvised weapon’s durability: Arlan’s blade cracks during the Doomsday Beast battle 11 13.

Astral Coil and Celestial Torrent

Both skills are awarded after Jiang Yu attracts the attention of over 50,000 people 14.

• Celestial Torrent: Appears as Sword Art: Celestial Torrent, a support action players can activate to weaken the Doomsday Beast 14.
• Astral Coil: Its specific effects are not explained in the supplied passages 14.
• Their system descriptions are brief and poetic; Jiang Yu himself does not fully understand them 14.

Aha’s Borrowed Power

Provides exceptional protection and the means to suppress Stelle’s rampaging Stellaron 12 13.

• Allows Jiang Yu to face Nanook and receive the Aeon’s gaze without being affected 13.
• Protects him while crossing the destructive space surrounding Stelle 13.
• Cancels the effects of Nanook’s glance and suppresses the Stellaron sufficiently for Stelle to wield its power freely for a time 13.
• Leaves Jiang Yu energetic rather than exhausted after the suppression 13.
• Is not available on demand: Aha resists his later request for more power to address Jarilo-VI’s condition 34 42.

Trial Character Mechanics

The early trial reveals only Jiang Yu’s basic attack and skill. His HP, base stats, Light Cone, Ultimate, talent, and technique are hidden or unavailable 3 4.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Disposable flying sword — Provided for his debut; left charred after he crashes into Herta Space Station 2.
• Cloud-Piercer — Dan Heng’s spear, temporarily taken for his trial basic attack 4.
• Arlan’s large purple blade — Borrowed for combat and breaking through station doors and walls; damaged during the Doomsday Beast battle 10 11 13.
• Space Bridge wreckage — Used as an oversized improvised weapon against the Doomsday Beast 12.
• Phone — Used to contact the Express Crew, his Luofu acquaintances, Asta, Herta, and Aha 8 33 38.
• Blazing Glory Creation — A captured heat-emitting Fragmentum elemental crystal, carried as the squad’s portable heater 39 41.
• Retrieval tools — Learns to use two devices with Stelle before entering the Horrific Maze 22.
• Stellar Jade — System rewards repurposed as gifts for players; his first displayed quest giveaway offers 200 4 14 17.

Relationships

• Mengming — Employer and early benefactor. Provides food and lodging, stays in contact during his travels, and offers his Express friends discounted tea 1 33.
• Mr. Xiyan — Uses Jiang Yu as a story model and later receives permission to adapt his space-station adventures 1 33.
• Dan Heng — Trusted combat partner and fellow Xianzhou native. Saves him from an ambush, coordinates readily with him, and supplies warmer clothing and earmuffs 2 3 6 35 47.
• March 7th — Playful friend and teammate. Celebrates their teamwork, worries over his apparent unconsciousness, and accompanies him into the Express parlor upon reaching Jarilo-VI 6 14 33.
• Stelle — Fellow newcomer and frequent adventure partner. Jiang Yu suppresses her Stellaron and later retrieves the Horrific Maze with her 13 19 24 25.
• Himeko — Helps finish the station battle and welcomes his lively interactions with the Express family 6 30.
• Welt / Mr. Yang — Provides reassurance after the Stellaron incident and information about the Bud of Erudition 14 38.
• Aha — A power-giving, prank-playing “buddy,” whom Jiang Yu treats without divine reverence. Jiang Yu sells their chat history to Herta and later plots a retaliatory catchphrase campaign 8 33 34 42.
• Herta — Creditor for station damage and researcher interested in his Stellaron-suppression method. Jiang Yu reports securing his release by selling her his conversations with Aha 15 33.
• Asta — Asks him and Stelle to retrieve the Horrific Maze; later enjoys the star photographs he sends during the Express journey 19 33.
• Sampo — Prank target, prospective business partner, and guide toward Belobog. Mistakes Jiang Yu for a fellow Fool and greatly overestimates the calculation behind his genuine cheerfulness 41 42 43 47.
• Pom-Pom — Gets along well with Jiang Yu, whose desire to pet the conductor is genuine 30 43.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Herta Space Station

• Debut and rescue: His intended spectacular entrance becomes a sword crash. After defeating Voidrangers, he joins Dan Heng to find Arlan 2 3 4.
• First squad battle: Fights alongside Dan Heng, March 7th, and Stelle, then unleashes a cutting storm against reinforcements as Himeko arrives 5 6.
• Doomsday Beast: Breaks through station walls to rejoin the crew, intercepts an attack aimed at March, and strikes the beast with bridge wreckage. Antimatter damages his body before he uses Aha’s power during the ensuing Stellaron crisis 10 11 12 13.
• Aftermath: Gains new system rewards and faces Herta’s interest in both his property damage and his unusual abilities 14 15.
• Horrific Maze retrieval: Recognizes its false possession scene as an illusion, dismantles it with wind, and criticizes its scare construction until it cries. He and Stelle retrieve a Curio that had driven previous security teams to breakdowns 24 25 27.

Astral Express Journey

• Boards the Express with Stelle, relying on the crew for further adventures and an eventual return to the Luofu 27 28 33.
• Maintains contact with Mengming and Mr. Xiyan, shares star photographs with Asta, and receives Tingyun’s contact details through Mengming 33.
• His “Cosmic Sword Immortal” character art is released while players are following his adventures 32.

Jarilo-VI and the Road to Belobog

• His sensitivity to cold leads to an impulsive Frostspawn attack and the capture of a Blazing Glory Creation for warmth 37 38 39.
• Initiates contact with a Bud of Erudition; the squad defeats the resulting Fragmentum horde without injury 38.
• Proposes selling Fragmentum elemental crystals as practical products, suggesting uses such as heating bathwater and starting fires. Sampo agrees to discuss business in Belobog 42 43.
• Prevents Sampo from fleeing a confrontation with the Silvermane Guards by catching him by the ear. After negotiations, Gepard escorts the group toward Belobog 47.

Notable Quotes

“Ahaha... hello there... It was my first time riding a sword. Didn’t expect to get into a sword wreck.” 2

“If it can touch you, that means you can touch it too!” 24

“You can’t even dodge a jumping slash, and you want me to get serious and show my strength? Hmph! Have it your way. Watch closely—I’m putting one percent of my strength into this strike!” — Character-art quote 32