Jing Hongchen

Biodata

Background & History

Appointment and the Earlier Imperial Coup

Jing Hongchen studied under Kong Deming and became the Sun Moon Empire’s youngest Level 9 Soul Engineer. According to Uncle Xiao, the Late Emperor secured his appointment as Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue Hall despite opposition, partly out of regard for Jing Hongchen’s father. His own son’s limited aptitude had raised concerns about the Hongchen Family’s succession 370.

When the reigning emperor overthrew the Late Emperor roughly ten years before Huo Yuhao’s bid for the throne, Jing Hongchen received warning but did not enter the palace to defend his benefactor. Uncle Xiao later condemned this decision as ingratitude. Jing Hongchen’s choice preserved his family, but became a lasting contradiction in his claims of loyalty 371 434 435.

Recruitment of Huo Yuhao

Jing Hongchen initially regarded Huo Yuhao as a potentially dangerous genius from an enemy nation. After learning that the former Shrek competitor was already a Level 4 Soul Engineer, he ordered Lin Jiayi to monitor his assessment and considered eliminating him if his talent proved too threatening 190 193.

Their first extended discussions changed his assessment. Huo Yuhao’s Soul Tool Machine demonstrated standardized production, while his proposals for artificial soul bones, automation, and high-altitude weapons overlapped with Illustrious Virtue Hall’s secret research. Jing Hongchen listened seriously, questioned technical weaknesses, and developed genuine appreciation for his ideas 193 194 195.

Although Huo Yuhao refused to manufacture weapons specifically for attacking Star Luo, Jing Hongchen allowed him to remain. He assigned Xuan Ziwen as his teacher and instructed Lin Jiayi to arrange an assessment for entry into Illustrious Virtue Hall. He also used Huo Yuhao’s achievements to stimulate Xiao Hongchen’s competitive drive 195 198.

Protecting the Hongchen Siblings

After observing Huo Yuhao fight Xiao Hongchen to a draw, Jing Hongchen made representing Sun Moon Academy in the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament a condition of his admission 204 205 206.

When the Royal Family Disciplinary Team arrested Xiao Hongchen, Jing Hongchen rushed to the Imperial City. He recognized that the incident was intended to entangle him in the princes’ succession struggle, despite his attempts to remain neutral. His greatest fear was that his grandchildren would become leverage against him 211 214.

Huo Yuhao rescued Xiao Hongchen by impersonating a royal named Xu Sheng, accompanied by an apparent Titled Douluo. On learning the truth, Jing Hongchen acknowledged that he owed Huo Yuhao a favor and ordered both youths to keep the impersonation secret. He subsequently confirmed that even a Level 9 Soul Tool was within the reward he could offer 215 216.

The Soul Beast Embryo Dispute

Jing Hongchen purchased the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Embryo at auction for Xiao Hongchen. He hoped its soul ring and soul bone might awaken a second martial soul and make his grandson an unmatched genius. Possession of the treasure attracted repeated intrusions into Illustrious Virtue Hall 251.

Huo Yuhao and the Ice Empress approached him under the identities of Northern Douluo Zhang Xiu and Bing’er, warning that the embryo’s Ultimate Ice would kill an unsuitable absorber. Rather than surrender it immediately, Jing Hongchen investigated their claim 249 250.

He borrowed Huo Yuhao’s ice-attribute pistol and used the God-Sealing Platform to channel the embryo’s power through it. Meng Hongchen’s Level 9 defensive protection blocked the attack’s destructive force but not its penetrating cold. Her response convinced him that neither grandchild could safely absorb the embryo 253 255 256.

Jing Hongchen then sought political value from the unusable treasure. He considered investing it in Huo Yuhao, trading it to the Holy Spirit Cult, or using it to improve relations with the imperial family. Long Xiaoyao’s revelation that Kong Deming wanted it for a possible Level 10 Soul Tool offered another prospect before the Body Sect attacked the hall 256 259.

Alliance with the Northern Land

Following the Body Sect attack, Jing Hongchen suspected Huo Yuhao because of his body martial soul, Spiritual Detection, and Simulation. Huo Yuhao redirected his attention toward a missing Level 8 Soul Engineer. The Snow Empress and Ice Empress then appeared and claimed Huo Yuhao as a member of the Northern Land, dispelling Jing Hongchen’s suspicions and encouraging him to seek their favor 264 265.

His investment in Huo Yuhao became increasingly substantial. He arranged a fifty-thousand-year-old mental-attribute Evil Eye Tyrant for Huo Yuhao’s sixth soul ring, offering the Myriad Souls Douluo top-quality Level 8 and Level 7 Defensive Soul Tools in exchange. He personally transported Huo Yuhao to the Evil Demon Forest and guarded him during absorption 296 298.

Jing Hongchen eventually released Huo Yuhao from his tournament commitment in exchange for promised Northern Land support during the imperial succession. Believing that a possible Limit Douluo now backed his family, he gained greater confidence in dealing with Xu Tianran and disclosed the alliance at the tournament 300 324 325.

The alliance also created danger: Huo Yuhao’s campaign against evil soul masters brought the Northern Land into conflict with the imperial family’s Holy Spirit Cult partners. Jing Hongchen nevertheless offered him refuge at the Hongchen Residence and requested a private meeting with the Northern Douluo 369.

Central Armory Disaster

During the attack on Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen learned that He Caitou was the surviving prince Xu He. Uncle Xiao revealed that timed explosives would breach the underground stockpile of Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shells and destroy Mingdu 371.

Jing Hongchen ordered Lin Jiayi to activate every warehouse barrier and instructed the others to evacuate the students into the air. He rushed to the Central Armory, but Xu Guozhong obstructed him until the explosion occurred. His Red Dust Protection shattered, leaving him severely injured and barely able to stand 371 373.

During reconstruction, Xu Tianran offered assistance while also demanding blueprints, courting personnel, and interfering with the rebuilding. Jing Hongchen recognized these actions as a threat to his eventual control of Illustrious Virtue Hall. He assigned Xuan Ziwen and Xiao Hongchen to redevelop the Soul Tool Machine to accelerate reconstruction 435 436.

Supporting Huo Yuhao’s Accession

When Huo Yuhao challenged Xu Tianran under the identity of Xu Sheng, Jing Hongchen knew the supposed imperial descendant was an impostor. He initially confronted Huo Yuhao in fury, insisting that the throne belonged within the Xu bloodline. He deployed over a thousand Soul Cannon Barrels, but fired away from Huo Yuhao, destroying a wall of his own study instead 434 435.

Jing Hongchen ultimately chose Huo Yuhao over Xu Tianran, prioritizing his grandchildren, family, and Illustrious Virtue Hall. His support carried one firm condition: Huo Yuhao must not attack Kong Deming, and Jing Hongchen would never oppose his mentor if Kong intervened. He also asked that the coming confrontation cause as little destruction as possible 435.

He assembled trusted Illustrious Virtue Hall experts and declared his support for the purported Late Emperor’s Bloodline. Although Elder Wu questioned the danger of opposing Xu Tianran, no one withdrew from Jing Hongchen’s decision 438.

After Huo Yuhao took the throne, Jing Hongchen acknowledged that his family had benefited while privately mourning his own abandonment of dynastic loyalty. At the following court session, Huo Yuhao established the Cabinet and appointed him Cabinet Grand Secretary, citing his prestige and meritorious capture of criminals 469 470.

Cabinet Service

As Grand Secretary, Jing Hongchen warned that the new emperor’s position remained insecure, particularly among the soul engineer corps commanders. He and Huo Yuhao discussed using Illustrious Virtue Hall graduates in the campaign against the Duke of Splendor to build military influence. He also challenged proposals for a joint international academy, fearing the loss of Sun Moon’s technological advantage 472.

Huo Yuhao restored secretly copied Illustrious Virtue Hall research records, including Plan One, to Jing Hongchen. The two later worked together to investigate the Ordinary Alliance, remove compromised officials, and weaken the Aodu Chamber of Commerce. Jing Hongchen extracted a substantial payment from military commanders before releasing the chamber’s members 472 569.

He continued helping consolidate the new government but rejected Huo Yuhao’s suggestion to bring Xiao and Meng into the Cabinet, judging them too young 575.

Appearance

• Build: Short, stout, and plump 190 215.
• Expressions: His eyes narrow into slits when he smiles; his expression becomes markedly fierce when angered 194 434.
• Combat equipment: Wears a red helmet during the confrontation with intruders at Illustrious Virtue Hall 248.

Personality

Jing Hongchen combines scientific curiosity with political caution. He enjoys serious technical discussion and is willing to recognize talent even in someone who defeated his grandchildren. His appreciation is practical rather than indiscriminate: he questions immature proposals, tests claims, and initially withholds trust from Huo Yuhao because of his foreign origins 193 194 195 206.

His grandchildren are his clearest vulnerability. He hopes Xiao will succeed him as Hall Master and repeatedly measures political decisions against the siblings’ safety. He considers a marriage between Meng and Huo Yuhao as a possible family alliance, while recognizing his reluctance to turn his beloved granddaughter into a sacrifice 216 249 259 266.

His loyalty to the imperial family conflicts with his instinct for self-preservation. He dislikes evil soul masters but complies with imperial orders to cooperate with the Holy Spirit Cult. Ultimately, he accepts the stigma of rebellion rather than risk his family under Xu Tianran, while refusing to betray Kong Deming 256 296 435.

Abilities & Skills

Soul Tool Engineering

• Advanced design: Created Red Dust Protection, a Level 9 Defensive Soul Tool that he regarded as one of his proudest works 373.
• Rapid technical assessment: Identified the mobility advantages and transport limitations of Huo Yuhao’s Flying Board after observing it for less than half a minute 346.
• Experimental verification: Used the God-Sealing Platform and an attribute-specific soul tool to test the embryo’s Ultimate Ice energy 255.
• Research administration: Directs Illustrious Virtue Hall’s projects, though administrative work limits the time available for his own research 195 198.

Soul Tool Combat

• Massed cannon deployment: Can deploy more than a thousand Soul Cannon Barrels around himself 434.
• Extensive defensive arsenal: Believed his carried defensive tools could sustain him against two Titled Douluos—even two Super Douluos—until reinforcements arrived 249.
• Strength beyond cultivation alone: The Ice Empress was confident of defeating his personal strength but considered his soul tool arsenal difficult to assess 249.
• Battlefield intervention: Ended Huo Yuhao and Xiao Hongchen’s match and melted the arena’s ice with a soul tool’s light 205.

Political Leadership

• Institutional influence: His support as Hall Master could materially improve a prince’s chances of succession 216.
• Faction management: Maintained neutrality among the princes for an extended period and later secured his trusted experts’ support for Huo Yuhao’s claim 216 438.
• Government administration: Works with Huo Yuhao on military consolidation, official investigations, and removal of officials connected to criminal organizations 472 569 575.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Red Dust Protection — Personally created Level 9 Defensive Soul Tool. Its special trigger instantly produces a barrier with defensive power exceeding the user’s cultivation by three times. It shattered during the Central Armory explosion 373.
• Level 9 Flying Soul Tool — Features two enormous golden wings, each ten meters wide. Its speed allowed Jing Hongchen to plan a return journey between Mingdu and the Evil Demon Forest, including a soul hunt, within one night 298.
• Soul Cannon Barrels — Deployable weapons used for intimidation and combat; his largest documented deployment exceeds one thousand barrels 371 434.
• God-Sealing Platform — Formerly held the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast Embryo. Its mechanism could extract a small amount of the sealed being’s soul power for testing 255 256.
• Communication Soul Tool — Desk-mounted device used to summon assistance and issue instructions 249 300.
• Milk Bottle — Used to recover soul power after surviving the armory explosion 373.

Relationships

• Xiao Hongchen — Beloved grandson and intended successor as Hall Master. Jing Hongchen personally instructs him and uses rivalry with Huo Yuhao to encourage his growth 198 208 216.
• Meng Hongchen — Beloved granddaughter. Her safety strongly influences his political choices; he also considers a match with Huo Yuhao to strengthen the family 249 259 266.
• Huo Yuhao — Initially a suspected foreign threat, then a supported researcher and political ally. Jing Hongchen ultimately backs his accession and serves as his Cabinet Grand Secretary 190 195 435 470.
• Kong Deming — Mentor and benefactor. Protecting him is Jing Hongchen’s sole explicit condition for supporting Huo Yuhao’s seizure of the throne 259 435.
• Lin Jiayi — Trusted administrator who carries out assessment, recruitment, and emergency-defense instructions 190 195 371.
• Xuan Ziwen — Senior researcher entrusted with teaching Huo Yuhao and redeveloping the Soul Tool Machine for reconstruction 195 436.
• Xu Tianran — Crown prince whom Jing Hongchen cautiously approaches but increasingly distrusts. Xu Tianran’s encroachment on Illustrious Virtue Hall helps drive him to support Huo Yuhao 324 426 435.
• Uncle Xiao — Former subordinate of the Late Emperor who bitterly condemns Jing Hongchen’s failure to defend their benefactor and participates in the plot to destroy Illustrious Virtue Hall 370 371.
• Holy Spirit Cult — Unwelcome partner imposed by imperial policy. Jing Hongchen describes the relationship through his actions as mutual exploitation rather than allegiance 256 296.
• Ah Heng — Trusted household steward, responsible for receiving guests and summoning the Hongchen Family 434 435.

Notable Quotes

“My position may be prestigious, but it isn't all that secure.” 216

“So be it. For Xiao and Meng, I will bear the infamy of being a rebellious minister and traitor.” 435

“Please don't attack Elder Kong. If your plans are exposed and Elder Kong tries to stop you, I will never stand against him either.” 435