Qingming

Biodata

Background / History

Retreat to the Second Floor

Qingming voluntarily came down to the second floor before Bubu was knocked there from the twenty-eighth floor. According to Bubu, he intended to “lie low.” He settled in a secluded valley containing a clear stream, a bamboo pavilion, a bamboo cottage, and a medicinal herb garden. Hostile NPCs did not dare approach his territory 31 38.

Before introducing him to Xin Jiu, Bubu repeated Qingming's explanations about the tower's administrators: three masked women each governed ten floors, and the former first-floor inhabitants of Lilliput had been replaced with goblins 30.

Testing Xin Jiu

Bubu brought Xin Jiu to Qingming because she wanted a damage-absorption skill. Qingming thanked her for helping the injured dragon but refused to teach her without a condition: she had to retrieve his treasured fan from Yin Lingzi. He also offered to help Bubu take human form 31.

At Xin Jiu's request, Qingming supplied a temporary version of Fox Dream Flowing Fireflies so she could judge whether the reward justified the risk. Before she left, he privately taught Bubu a limited-use lightning incantation and advised Xin Jiu to run if she could not win 32 33.

Xin Jiu survived Yin Lingzi's attacks but failed to recover the fan. Yin Lingzi claimed that Qingming had stolen his treasure first and that taking the fan was retaliation; Qingming's side of that accusation is not established 36 37.

Reward and Bubu's Transformation

Xin Jiu and Bubu returned with a Mushroom Person disguised as the missing fan. Qingming immediately exposed the disguise, pretended he would eat the frightened Mushroom Person, then released it with a red fruit 37 38.

Despite the failed retrieval, Qingming granted Xin Jiu the full absorption skill. He explained that fetching the fan had only been an excuse: his real test was whether she could survive meeting Yin Lingzi. He then spent about a day helping Bubu take human form, emerging visibly tired 38.

Qingming warned Bubu that the tower would soon fall into chaos and that remaining in the valley was safest. Bubu nevertheless chose to accompany Xin Jiu. Qingming accepted his decision and directed Xin Jiu toward the Human-Faced Tree, whose black fruit could help forge a greatsword 38.

Departure and Purge Notice

When Xin Jiu questioned why the game had entered reality, why upper-floor NPCs had descended, and why NPCs possessed independent minds, Qingming avoided answering. After a lengthy silence, he complained about her questions and abruptly sent her and Bubu into the forest. Several medicinal herbs Xin Jiu had admired but left unpicked appeared with them 38 39.

Later, Xin Jiu's report of abnormal NPC activity prompted the system to announce a purge of the Forest Labyrinth. She worried that Qingming might be erased and tried to withdraw her report, but the interface had already disappeared. The provided chapters do not reveal whether the purge affected him 44.

Appearance

• Hair: Long and ink-black, falling over his shoulders and back 31.
• Eyes: Pure gold, with slightly upturned outer corners 31.
• Fox features: White fox ears remain visible in his human form; he also reveals two pointed teeth while teasing the Mushroom Person 31 38.
• Build and complexion: Very fair skin, a broad chest, a slim waist, and slender fingers 31.
• Clothing: Moon-white robes worn loosely enough to expose much of his chest. He explains that he has only just taken human form and is not yet accustomed to it 31.

Personality

Qingming maintains a languid, teasing manner while keeping control of negotiations. He stops Bubu from intervening when Xin Jiu asks for a skill, refuses to be goaded into dropping his condition, and conceals the true purpose of the fan errand until she returns 31 38.

His affection for Bubu is genuine but does not prevent him from setting boundaries. He reacts with visible heartache to the dragon's injuries, equips him with emergency protection, and later warns him against leaving the valley. When Bubu insists, Qingming lets him choose 31 32 33 38.

He enjoys frightening others without necessarily intending harm, as shown by his mock attempt to eat the Mushroom Person. He is also guarded about the tower's secrets, dismissing Xin Jiu rather than answering her questions 38 39.

Abilities & Skills

Fox Dream Flowing Fireflies

An S-rank absorption skill of the fox race that Qingming can teach to outsiders. He transfers its trial form to Xin Jiu through a golden speck of light from his fingertip 31 32.

• The trial blocks a giant red-eyed spider's foreleg strike that would otherwise likely have shattered Xin Jiu's arm bones 36.
• The full skill reduces damage during her fight with the Human-Faced Tree and later saves her from a potentially fatal blow during the Bloodthirsty Wolf King battle 40 42.
• These stated mechanics describe the versions granted to Xin Jiu, not a measured limit on Qingming's own power 32 38.

Mind Reading

Qingming can hear Xin Jiu's thoughts, including her private insults while she outwardly praises him. She does not realize he has heard them 38.

Transformation Arts

• Personal transformation: Takes human form while retaining visible fox ears 31.
• Assisting others: Helps Bubu become a young human boy over roughly one day; the process leaves Qingming looking tired 38.
• Exposing disguises: Reveals the Mushroom Person concealed as his fan with a touch 38.

Lightning Incantation

• Teaches Bubu an emergency incantation that allows him to discharge purple lightning 33.
• The bestowed version has three uses. Its first demonstrated bolt kills an attacking player 33.

Relocation

• Sends Xin Jiu and Bubu out of his valley and into the forest without an ordinary journey 39.
• The technique's name, range, and other limits are not stated 39.

Knowledge of the Tower

• Knows about the administrators' jurisdictions and their replacement of floor inhabitants 30.
• Explains that Bubu is approximately Lv.7, that Lv.100 is the maximum, and that NPC kills or fortuitous encounters can provide advancement 38.
• Knows that the player who cleared the game wielded a greatsword, and warns Xin Jiu that recovering it could expose her identity to NPCs 38.
• Anticipates upheaval in the tower and considers its first five floors beyond the reach of the coming upper-floor conflict 38.

Equipment / Items

• Treasured folding fan — Taken by Yin Lingzi and not recovered during Xin Jiu's visit. The replica made from Bubu's description has jade ribs and a white silk leaf embroidered with bamboo 31 37.
• Medicinal herbs — Grown in his valley. Herbs Xin Jiu refrains from picking later accompany her when he sends her away 38 39.

Relationships

• Bubu — An affectionate older-brother figure and protector. Bubu trusts him deeply, calls him Brother Qingming, and angrily defends him against Yin Lingzi's insults 31 35.
• Xin Jiu — Tests her survival ability, teaches her Fox Dream Flowing Fireflies, shelters her during Bubu's transformation, and provides a lead toward recovering her greatsword. He withholds answers about the game's deeper mysteries 31 38 39.
• Yin Lingzi — An adversarial acquaintance involved in a disputed exchange of stolen valuables. Qingming accuses him of stealing the fan; Yin Lingzi claims Qingming took his treasure first 31 36.
• Mushroom People — Fear him because he is a fox and, according to Bubu, likes eating mushrooms. He nevertheless releases the individual used in the fan deception unharmed and gives it fruit 37 38.