Jiang Lingzhou

Biodata

Background

Jiang Lingzhou is the son of Jiang Hu, a Mahayana-stage cultivator whose strength gives the Taichu Sect the upper hand in its friendly relationship with the Tianmu Sect. His father dotes on him and is fiercely protective of his safety 18 49.

Two years before his return to the Tianmu Sect, Jiang Lingzhou saw Gu Yi in the Scripture Repository and fell in love at first sight. Gu Yi was living under Ye Yiyi’s identity, and Jiang Lingzhou pursued him as “Senior Sister Ye.” After repeated visits and persistent attention failed, he had his father approach the Tianmu Sect with a marriage proposal. Wen Daochen stopped the proposal by producing a marriage contract and falsely claiming that Ye Yiyi was already betrothed. Jiang Lingzhou nevertheless declared that he would marry no one else 18.

The proposal became widely discussed throughout the Cultivation Realm. Rumors of his infatuation circulated alongside portraits of Ye Yiyi, whose position rose to second place in the Beauty Rankings 18.

Appearance

• Height: Over 185 centimeters, slightly taller than Xie Wenyun 42.
• Hair: Ink-black; neatly tied up when he dresses carefully for his outing with Gu Yi 21.
• Usual clothing: Often adorned with gold and silver; he wears particularly flamboyant finery for his planned pleasure-boat surprise 21 29.
• Formal outing attire: An understated, elegant robe with an exquisite jade ornament at his waist 21.
• Beauty ranking: Eighteenth in the Cultivation Realm Beauty Rankings 22.

Personality

Jiang Lingzhou is spoiled, outspoken, and accustomed to using his wealth to obtain what he wants. He offers to cover Gu Yi’s purchases, buys an entire stall’s stock of talismans, and privately considers emptying his family home if it would please “Senior Sister Ye.” Gu Yi initially regards him as an “annoying pest” 18 20 23 27.

His courtship is persistent and frequently disregards boundaries. He kisses Gu Yi without permission, then claims that he has abandoned his pursuit and merely sees him as an older sister. He later admits to Xie Wenyun that he never intended to give up. Although he insists that his feelings are sincere, he initially knows little about Gu Yi’s health and misunderstands his sensitivity to light 19 26 29.

His impulsiveness is accompanied by genuine concern and courage. He wants to intervene when other disciples are pursued by stronger cultivators, refuses to abandon the search for the missing Gu Yi, and ultimately shields his love rival Xie Wenyun from falling rocks at considerable cost to himself 36 40 42.

Abilities & Skills

Golden Core Cultivation

Jiang Lingzhou is identified as one of the two Golden Core cultivators accompanying the Foundation Establishment-stage Gu Yi 36.

• Fights alongside Xie Wenyun against the black-clad attackers, kicking one away while Xie covers his blind spot 38.
• Recognizes that he and his companions cannot defeat a dozen peak Golden Core pursuers, despite his initial impulse to help their targets 36.
• Loses access to usable spiritual power near the vine-covered cliff, leaving him unable to prevent his fall through cultivation alone 40.

Equipment & Items

• Life-saving ring: A magical artifact he normally carries. He presses it into Xie Wenyun’s hand as they fall from the cliff; Xie later returns it to his finger. Its precise mechanism is not described 40 42.
• Azure sky jade pendant: A rare, egg-sized pendant given to Gu Yi. It conceals spiritual-power aura but provides neither offensive nor defensive protection. Gu Yi uses it alongside the Tianmu Sect’s cultivation technique to avoid recognition by Lin Yuan; Chu Jing later damages it during the attack 20 26 37.
• Silk sash: A gift Gu Yi uses to cover his light-sensitive eyes during his Golden Core tribulation and while resting beside a fire 46 48.
• Yellow protective amulet: Originally given to Gu Yi by Wen Daochen and later seen around Jiang Lingzhou’s neck. Its presence leads Xie Wenyun to suspect that Gu Yi reciprocates Jiang Lingzhou’s feelings 49.
• Purchased talismans: Buys every talisman at a night-market stall, although no subsequent use of them is documented 27.

Relationships

• Jiang Hu — Father and Taichu Sect master. His Mahayana cultivation and indulgence underpin Jiang Lingzhou’s privileged position 18 49.
• Gu Yi / “Ye Yiyi” — The object of his persistent courtship. Jiang Lingzhou believes him to be Senior Sister Ye and hopes to make him his Dao Companion; Gu Yi does not return his romantic interest 18 19 26.
• Xie Wenyun — Self-declared love rival and frequent opponent in arguments. Their antagonism develops into mutual protection during the secret-realm crisis, with each saving the other’s life 26 40 42.
• Lin Yuan — A perceived threat to Ye Yiyi’s reputation and safety. Jiang Lingzhou confronts him over touching Gu Yi and later fears he might take liberties with him while they are missing together 25 26 40.
• Lin Ning — Joins Xie Wenyun in searching for him. Jiang Lingzhou initially blames her for Gu Yi’s disappearance and rejects her assurances about Lin Yuan 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return to the Tianmu Sect

• Arrives to announce the Orthodox-Demonic Friendship Conference, held every four years at the Illusory Demon Sect. He hopes its matchmaking opportunities will allow him to win Ye Yiyi despite the supposed engagement 19.
• Gives Gu Yi the azure sky jade pendant and secures his agreement to a lake outing 20.
• Plans a leisurely sightseeing journey rather than traveling directly by flying sword. Gu Yi brings Xie Wenyun, frustrating Jiang Lingzhou’s hopes of spending time alone with him 21.

Nansi City and the Failed Surprise

• Takes his companions sightseeing for eight days before reaching Nansi City on the ninth, where he arranges accommodation at the largest restaurant 23.
• Becomes separated from Gu Yi and Xie Wenyun in the night-market crowd. He and Xie each mistakenly assume that Gu Yi is with the other 27 29.
• Prepares a pleasure boat and fireworks as a romantic surprise. His disciples mistake his grip on Xie Wenyun’s wrist for the agreed signal to launch the fireworks 29.
• Is struck into the river by Xie after revealing that he thought Gu Yi’s light sensitivity applied only to sunlight. He then abandons the celebration and searches personally, refusing even to change out of his wet clothes 29.

Illusory Beast Purgatory

• At the conference, helps Xie Wenyun turn away visitors bringing gifts and love letters to Gu Yi 32.
• Enters the beast-hunting secret realm with Gu Yi and Xie Wenyun because none of his own accompanying disciples qualify to enter 33.
• After discovering that cultivators are massacring the participants, hides with his companions in a concealed tree hollow for two days 36.
• Fights the black-clad men alongside Xie while Gu Yi leaves to help Lin Yuan. Later finds a tassel from Gu Yi’s pendant among the attackers’ corpses 38 39.
• Leaves the survivors’ camp without permission after waiting three days for Gu Yi to return. When Xie and Lin Ning catch up, he refuses to stop searching 40.

Cliff Fall and Recovery

• Slips at a vine-covered cliff where spiritual power becomes unusable. Xie catches him, but an unknown force drags them both over the edge 40.
• Gives Xie his life-saving ring and shields him from falling rocks. Vines arrest their fall, but Jiang Lingzhou is left unconscious, cut, and poisoned 40 42 48.
• Is cut free and carried to safety by Xie, who nurses him through a fever. While still impaired, Jiang Lingzhou embraces Xie and calls him “Senior Sister Ye” 42 48.
• Remains unconscious during the group’s encounter with a vine demoness. Gu Yi protects him behind a barrier and catches a poisonous thorn aimed at him 49.
• Awakens but falls into the mist’s illusion, imagining that he has returned to the Taichu Sect and is marrying Yiyi. Gu Yi breaks the illusion and feeds him Love Vine stamens to prevent further effects; Jiang Lingzhou then resumes arguing with Xie 50.

Notable Quotes

“We're rivals in love, not friends.” 26

“I'm not going back until I find Senior Sister Ye!” 40

“Xie Wenyun, I don't want to owe you anything!” 40