Ju Zi

Biodata

Background / History

Family and Connection to Xu Tianran

Ju Zi's father was an army cook who died at the hands of Dai Hao, the White Tiger Duke, during a battle in the Ming Dou Mountain Range. She subsequently found excuses to visit the mountains every year to pay respects to him. Her terrain-survey assignment also served this personal purpose 6.

Ju Zi previously saved Xu Tianran during an assassination attempt shortly after he became crown prince. Their bond remained close afterward, although she had not become his crown princess by the time of Jing Hongchen's ransom 29.

Capture in the Ming Dou Mountain Range

While leading a Soul Tool terrain-survey team, Ju Zi instructed her companions to avoid conflict with Star Luo personnel during the ceasefire. Her team instead encountered Princess Vina's party. After Vina withdrew, Ju Zi ordered Luo Feng captured as a suspected Star Luo spy, but he immobilized the team's vehicles with Mountains and Rivers 6.

Luo Feng tore open her vehicle's door and compelled her to drive him to the highest peak, promising to release her there. During the climb, she accidentally fell into his arms; his decision to secure her safely without taking advantage of her softened her initial impression of him 7.

Jing Ziyan arrived with a rescue squad and attacked before Ju Zi could settle matters peacefully. Luo Feng destroyed the squad with Mountain Suppression, leaving Ju Zi and Jing Ziyan terrified and willing to submit to his demands. Ju Zi then devised a military disguise to escort him down the mountain as a wounded senior brother named Bi Yuntao 8 9.

At a checkpoint, Dai Hao killed the soldiers questioning them. Ju Zi recognized him and confronted him over her father's death. After his clash with Luo Feng ended through Vina's intervention, Ju Zi and Jing Ziyan remained prisoners despite assurances that they would eventually be released 9 10 11.

Fire Phoenix Douluo, whom Ju Zi affectionately called Granny Luan Feng, attempted to recover her. Luo Feng and Dai Hao defeated and captured the rescuer instead. Ju Zi was subsequently imprisoned for more than half a month and released only after her captors extracted every secret she knew 11 12 29.

Ransom of the Hongchen Family

After learning that Luo Feng had captured Jing Hongchen, Ju Zi warned Xu Tianran that he was no ordinary opponent. Xu Tianran responded by appointing her to deliver the ransom, treating even his former rescuer as a pawn while arranging Holy Spirit Cult involvement 29.

At the Ten Thousand Ren Mountain Range, Ju Zi met Luo Feng again. Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, concealed among the accompanying party, attacked him and were immediately frozen by the Snow Empress. Ju Zi pleaded for their lives and offered to triple the payment 29 30.

She handed over hundreds of chests containing gold, rare ores, and Soul Tool core components, along with several purple-gold cards. Luo Feng accepted the exchange and released Jing Hongchen and his grandchildren. Ju Zi agreed to convey his warning that further provocation could bring him to Mingdu, then departed with all three captives safely recovered 30.

Appearance

• Hair: Distinctive orange hair, recognizable to Luo Feng even at a distance 6 29.
• Glasses: Worn during her first appearance as the survey team's leader 6.
• Build and bearing: Described as a beautiful young woman with a mature appearance and a graceful figure 6 7.
• Disguise: Pins up her hair beneath a hat and wears a standard military uniform while helping Luo Feng descend the mountain 9.

Personality

Ju Zi is normally emotionally controlled and quick-witted. Even while frightened of Luo Feng, she anticipates his need to leave the border area and constructs a detailed cover story, matching uniforms and using legitimate personnel documents to reduce suspicion 9 10.

Her father's death breaks through that composure. On recognizing Dai Hao, she openly confronts him despite knowing that she cannot match his strength. Her annual visits to the battlefield likewise show the lasting importance of that loss 6 10.

Her attitude toward Luo Feng combines fear, attraction, and growing trust. His restraint during their first journey briefly makes her feel safe, but his destruction of the rescue squad leaves her terrified. At their later reunion, she momentarily wishes she stood beside him rather than serving as Xu Tianran's pawn. By the ransom exchange, she considers Luo Feng someone who keeps his word despite regarding him as wicked 7 8 29 30.

Abilities & Skills

Soul Tool Operation

• Skillfully operates the All-Terrain Exploration Soul Tool using its levers and control buttons 7.
• Drives the vehicle up an almost vertical incline toward the Ming Dou summit 7.
• Leads a field team conducting terrain surveys with Soul Tools 6.

Planning and Infiltration

• Creates the wounded-soldier cover used to move Luo Feng through Sun Moon territory 9.
• Coordinates matching uniforms, conceals her distinctive hair, and prepares clearance documents 9.
• Assigns Luo Feng an injured role so that she and Jing Ziyan can answer questions on his behalf 9.

Negotiation

• Attempts to prevent further conflict by offering to explain Luo Feng's release agreement to her rescuers 8.
• Negotiates for the Hongchen siblings' lives after their failed attack and completes the expanded ransom exchange 29 30.

Equipment / Items

• All-Terrain Exploration Soul Tool — A spherical vehicle with room for approximately three people, spider-like mechanical legs, automatic weapons, and protective shields; designed for mountainous terrain 6.
• Military uniforms and hat — Supplies retrieved from her vehicle for the group's descent in disguise 9.
• Clearance and identification documents — Used by Ju Zi and Jing Ziyan at the Sun Moon checkpoint 9.

Relationships

• Father — An unnamed army cook killed by Dai Hao; Ju Zi returns annually to the Ming Dou Mountains to mourn him 6.
• Xu Tianran — Crown prince whose life she saved. Despite their close bond, he uses her familiarity with Luo Feng to make her his ransom envoy 29.
• Luo Feng — Captor and later negotiating counterpart. Her feelings develop beyond fear, but she explicitly denies a romantic relationship when questioned by Vina 7 11 29 30.
• Jing Ziyan — Academy junior who attempts to rescue her, survives the confrontation, and helps carry out her escape disguise 7 8 9.
• Dai Hao — Her father's killer and later her captor; she confronts him directly over their blood feud 10 29.
• Luan Feng / Fire Phoenix Douluo — A close elder figure whom she calls “Granny Luan Feng”; her attempted rescue ends in capture 11 12.
• Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Meng Hongchen — Captives whose release she secures through ransom negotiations with Luo Feng 29 30.

Trivia

• The narration identifies Ju Zi as the future ruling empress of the Sun Moon Empire in the original timeline. This is not a position she has attained in the events covered here 6.
• Her connection to Xu Tianran is the stated reason the empire mounts an unusually extensive search after her survey team disappears 7.