Jing Hongchen

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Hair: Silver-gray 95.
• Features and bearing: Handsome, upright, and outwardly gentle and elegant; his expression becomes icy while punishing the Body Sect intruders 95.
• Soul rings: Two yellow, two purple, and five black 111.
• Aura: Huo Yuhao perceives a dense, sharply defined etheric aura with a dawn-like color conveying warmth and peace 16.

Personality

Jing Hongchen combines an appreciation for talent with a long-term concern for the Illustrious Virtue Hall. He considers Huo Yuhao capable of changing the continent’s balance of power and protecting the Hall for two hundred years. That prospect justifies an enormous investment, even before he has completely verified the boy’s background 16.

His generosity comes with expectations: serious study, responsible use of resources, and restraint with medicinal pills. He values Huo Yuhao’s steady temperament and genuine concentration more than attempts to please him. He also insists that students preserve their lives and future potential rather than sacrifice either for tournament glory 16 20 34 46 113.

He is fiercely protective of his family and disciples. Attempts to recruit Huo Yuhao provoke brutal retaliation against Body Sect members, while Xuan Zi’s attempt to recruit Meng Hongchen leads him to issue a personal challenge 95 109. In quieter moments, he arranges Huo Yuhao’s birthday celebration and orders his overworked disciple to take a day off 35 54.

Despite advising others to rest, Jing Hongchen routinely neglects sleep, meals, and administrative work during research. Huo Yuhao knows his offices and laboratories but has never heard where he lives 54 112.

Abilities & Skills

Integrated Soul Tool Engineering

Jing Hongchen is a leading specialist in integrated soul tools who continues frontline research despite his administrative positions 15 43.

• His recorded achievements include seven independently invented Level 9 soul tools, more than ten jointly developed Level 9 soul tools, and 2.3 billion Gold Soul Coins in cumulative personal research funding 15.
• His compact Level 9 energy whip demonstrates exceptionally intricate integrated core-array construction 95.
• During a single tournament rest day, he creates a crystal-based Level 6 melee suit for Meng Hongchen under severe material restrictions. Its quality ranks among the best at that level 103.
• He knows the academy’s and Hall’s technological reserves well enough to identify a soul-tool-compatible Milk Bottle technology abandoned two hundred years earlier 43.

Giant Humanoid Soul Tool

Jing Hongchen leads the Giant Humanoid Soul Tool Prototype, a project intended to open a path toward Level 10 soul tools 31.

• Investment: The experimental unit has already cost more than one billion Gold Soul Coins when he introduces it to Huo Yuhao 31.
• Development: Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Detection Sharing helps him resolve difficult core-array problems 31 112.
• Demonstrated combat: He uses the giant to hammer Xuan Zi into the ground and strike him with a beam as he retreats 111.
• Post-tournament assessment: He describes its current strength as top-tier Level 9, with preliminary completion expected to bring it to Level 9.5 112.
• Later assessment: He subsequently refers to his mecha as Level 9.5 when discussing defenses against Evil Soul Masters 121.
• Power limit: At rank 93, he can sustain it for only twenty or thirty breaths. He expects a true Level 10 version to require a Super Douluo’s reserves 112.

Soul Power and Combat

• Cultivation: Rank 93; he attributes his difficulty approaching rank 94 to an impure Martial Soul bloodline 112.
• Suppression: Two unidentified Level 9 soul guidance rays prevent Lang Ya and Yu Tao from mobilizing either soul power or spiritual power 95.
• High-grade arsenal: He supplements his cultivation with numerous advanced soul tools, including Level 9 flight equipment and fixed soul guidance shells 81 95 121.
• Engraving limitation: Although he can suppress the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife’s curse, using it for high-grade engraving would provoke failures he considers unacceptable 81.

Teaching and Research Supervision

• Provides Huo Yuhao with annotated books from his early collection and weekend self-study sessions at Quiet Heart Studio 16.
• Moves him from theoretical study into practical research through Feng Yu’s project team 27.
• Encourages student-led funding applications and later appoints Huo Yuhao to lead the Ultra-Low-Loss Soul Power Relay Soul Tool project 39 121.
• Restricts access to sensitive information, uses confidentiality agreements, and clears other researchers from the laboratory before exposing Huo Yuhao’s abilities 16 27 31.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

Personal Arsenal

• Starlight Sapphire Storage Soul Tool — Worn on his right hand; bears six star lines 16.
• Level 9 energy whip — A hand-sized metal handle generates a crimson energy lash more than ten meters long 95.
• Spirit-Severing God-Banishing Tower — Level 8 soul tool used against Lang Ya and Yu Tao after their capture 95.
• Level 9 Flying Soul Tool — Supports rapid travel and can carry Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen within its protection 95 124.
• High-altitude detection equipment — Deploys seven Level 9 detection soul tools during the search for the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well 125.
• Level 9 full-spectrum healing soul tool — Brings the Illustrious Virtue Hall’s only example on the Sunset Forest expedition 125.
• Specialized protective soul tool — Shields the expedition while descending through corrosive poisonous miasma 125.

Creations Given to Others

• Red Dust Protection — Level 9 triggered defensive soul tool given to Huo Yuhao after Jing Hongchen delays its intended delivery. It has no minimum cultivation requirement, adheres to the chest, and activates against sufficiently dangerous attacks. In a Titled Douluo’s hands, it can provide Super Douluo-level defense 14 34.
• Red Dust Shield — Level 7 defensive soul tool made for Xiao Hongchen 34.
• Level 6 Melee Soul Guidance Suit — Custom crystal-based equipment for Meng Hongchen, including an Ice Marrow Spirit Jade Rapier. Her rank-52 cultivation limits its operating time 103.

History

Accepting Huo Yuhao

After reviewing Feng Bujue’s report, Jing Hongchen evaluates Huo Yuhao’s theoretical knowledge and experiences Spiritual Detection Sharing firsthand. Although he had previously stopped accepting disciples, he places his own profile first among the proposed teachers and has Feng Yu emphasize his resources and teaching record. Huo Yuhao chooses him 15.

Jing Hongchen accepts him as his final disciple and gives him a supplementary card linked to his own account. It provides unrestricted academy access to gold coins and rare metals, as well as meals normally reserved for Level 7 and Level 8 Soul Engineers, but excludes medicinal pills. He also orders Huo Yuhao to conceal his Twin Martial Souls and Ultimate Martial Soul 16.

His subsequent investigation identifies Huo Yuhao as the White Tiger Duke’s son. Jing Hongchen requires Feng Yu to sign a confidentiality agreement and destroys the report 27.

Supporting His Disciple’s Development

Jing Hongchen rewards Huo Yuhao’s record-breaking examination performance with one million Gold Soul Coins and introduces him to practical engineering projects. He later uses Spiritual Detection Sharing to overcome a major obstacle in the giant humanoid project 26 27 31.

Before the tournament, he gives Huo Yuhao Red Dust Protection and purchases a ten-thousand-year Silver Ying Beast for five million Gold Soul Coins as the boy’s third soul ring. He also calculates Huo Yuhao’s thirteenth birthday from bone-age records and joins the celebration despite a demanding research schedule 34 46 54.

Soul Fighting Tournament

Jing Hongchen travels to Star Luo City after threats to his disciple emerge. He captures Lang Ya and Yu Tao, whips them unconscious, suppresses them with soul tools, and buries them alive for several days in a pit previously made by Cheng Gang 95.

At the Starlight Auction, he buys five soul bones for additional championship rewards and bids on an Ice Jade Scorpion left arm bone suited to Huo Yuhao. The bone is later confirmed to have gone to his disciple 96 113.

When Xuan Zi attempts to recruit Meng Hongchen during the final, Jing Hongchen shields both her and Huo Yuhao, then challenges him in the sky. His giant humanoid soul tool overwhelms Xuan Zi, and he returns safely as the academy claims the championship 109 111.

Political Position and New Research

After the tournament, Jing Hongchen distributes soul bones, money, and research placements according to performance. He politely rejects Xu Tianran’s attempt to draw him into greater political responsibility, disapproving of the Crown Prince’s increasing brutality and reliance on Evil Soul Masters 113.

He later explains the Crown Prince’s backing of the Xishui Alliance to Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen. Although he considers the Hall unable to dictate imperial policy, he believes his mecha and Level 9 fixed shells can protect them. He approves Huo Yuhao’s relay project and keeps both Huo Yuhao and Meng Hongchen out of the Shrek exchange program 121.

Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well

Seeking treatment for Meng Hongchen’s mixed ice, fire, and poison condition, Jing Hongchen travels with her and Huo Yuhao to Sunset Forest. He brings an unusually broad equipment reserve, emphasizing detection, healing, and protection rather than attack power 124 125.

The group reaches the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, where Youyou explains that the spring can suppress Meng Hongchen’s condition but cannot cure it. Their discussion ends with Youyou demanding that they leave or remain trapped in the valley 125.

Relationships

• Huo Yuhao — Final disciple and intended future protector of the Illustrious Virtue Hall. Jing Hongchen funds his education, protects his secrets, celebrates his birthday, and defends him against recruitment attempts 16 27 54 95.
• Xiao Hongchen — Grandson and disciple. Jing Hongchen disciplines his boasting, equips him for survival, and warns him against damaging his cultivation foundation for quick tournament success 14 20 34 113.
• Meng Hongchen — Granddaughter and disciple. He creates equipment for her, confronts Xuan Zi over her attempted recruitment, and accompanies her search for treatment 20 103 109 124.
• Feng Yu — Disciple and trusted research subordinate. Handles assessments, confidential information, and practical instruction for Huo Yuhao 15 16 27.
• Xuan Zi — Shrek powerhouse and opponent. Their dispute over Meng Hongchen culminates in an aerial battle won by Jing Hongchen’s giant humanoid soul tool 109 111.
• Xu Tianran — Crown Prince whose political overtures Jing Hongchen declines. He opposes Xu Tianran’s use of Evil Soul Masters without openly challenging imperial authority 113 121.
• Ye Guyi — New recruit whom he welcomes into the academy and assures of protection from the evil faction pursuing her 121.

Notable Quotes

“In combat, Soul Masters are divided by role… Soul Engineers aren't nearly so complicated. In combat, there are only two kinds: those with money, who are Hexagonal Warriors, and those without money, who are useless at absolutely everything.” 16

“Strive for the best placement you can, but remember that your task is to gain experience, not stake your lives on the soul fighting stage.” 34

“Don't let all that talk of glory go to your head. Your future potential matters more.” 113