CHARACTER INFO
- Birthday: September 07
- Star Rank: 4 ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦
- Alternative Names: None
- Title: Frozen Ardor
- Organization / Circle: Unknown
- Origin: Liyue
- Constellation: Nubis Caesor
- Vision / Element: Cryo / Ice
- Weapon: Claymore
- Primary Attribute: ATK (%)
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
Chongyun is an exorcist who roams the land with Liyue as his base of operations, evil spirits fleeing wherever he goes. As the heir to a clan of exorcists, he has always possessed abilities superior to most. However, these abilities are not the result of training, but of an inborn trait — congenital positivity.
A young exorcist from a family of exorcists. He does everything he can to suppress his pure positive energy.
TALENTS/ABILITIES
Demonbane – Normal/Charged Attack
- Normal Attack: Perform up to 4 consecutive strikes.
- Charged Attack: Drains Stamina over time to perform continuous swirling attacks against all nearby opponents. At the end of the sequence, perform a more powerful slash.
- Plunging Attack: Plunges from mid-air to strike the ground below, damaging opponents along the path and dealing AoE DMG upon impact.
Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost – Elemental Skill
- Chongyun strikes the ground with his greatsword, causing a Cryo explosion in a circular AoE in front of him that deals Cryo DMG.
Spirit Blade: Cloud-Parting Star – Elemental Burst
- Performing the secret hand seals, Chongyun summons 3 giant spirit blades in mid-air that fall to the earth one by one after a short delay, exploding as they hit the ground.
Steady Breathing – Passive Talent 1
- Sword, Claymore, or Polearm-wielding characters within the field created by Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost have their Normal ATK SPD increased by 8%.
Rimechaser Blade – Passive Talent 2
- When the field created by Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost disappears, another spirit blade will be summoned to strike nearby opponents, dealing 100% of Chonghua’s Layered Frost’s Skill DMG as AoE Cryo DMG. Opponents hit by this blade will have their Cryo RES decreased by 10% for 8s.
Gallant Journey – Passive Talent 3
- When dispatched on an expedition in Liyue, time consumed is reduced by 25%.
CONSTELLATION
- Ice Unleashed – The last attack of Chongyun’s Normal Attack combo releases 3 ice blades. Each blade deals 50% of Chongyun’s ATK as Cryo DMG to all enemies in its path.
- Atmospheric Revolution – Elemental Skills and Elemental Bursts cast within the Frost Field created by Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost have their CD time decreased by 15%.
- Cloudburst – Increases the level of Spirit Blade: Cloud-Parting Star by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
- Frozen Skies – Chongyun regenerates 1 Energy every time he hits an enemy affected by Cryo. This effect can only occur once every 2s.
- The True Path – Increases the level of Spirit Blade: Chonghua’s Layered Frost by 3. Maximum upgrade level is 15.
- Rally of Four Blades – Spirit Blade: Cloud-Parting Star deals 15% more DMG to enemies with a lower percentage of their Max HP remaining than Chongyun. This skill will also summon 1 additional spirit blade.
ASCENSION MATERIALS
Ascension 1: Level 20 – Level 40
- Cor Lapis ×3
- Shivada Jade Sliver ×1
- Damaged Mask ×3
Ascension 2: Level 40 – Level 50
- Cor Lapis ×10
- Shivada Jade Fragment ×3
- Damaged Mask ×15
- Hoarfrost Core ×2
Ascension 3: Level 50 – Level 60
- Cor Lapis ×20
- Shivada Jade Fragment ×6
- Stained Mask ×12
- Hoarfrost Core ×4
Ascension 4: Level 60 – Level 70
- Cor Lapis ×30
- Shivada Jade Chunk ×3
- Stained Mask ×18
- Hoarfrost Core ×8
Ascension 5: Level 70 – Level 80
- Cor Lapis ×45
- Shivada Jade Chunk ×6
- Ominous Mask ×12
- Hoarfrost Core ×12
Ascension 6: Level 80 – Level 90
- Cor Lapis ×60
- Shivada Jade Gemstone ×6
- Ominous Mask ×24
- Hoarfrost Core ×20
BUILD GUIDE
For a complete guide on Chongyun, please check our Chongyun Best Build Guide page.
CHARACTER OUTFIT
Pure Spirit – Default Outfit
Description:
Chongyun’s outfit. A traditional thaumaturge’s trappings.
How to Obtain:
Unlocked upon obtaining character
CHARACTER LORE
Throughout its long history, Liyue has never had a lack of rumors and myths regarding all manner of evil spirits and demons. And regardless of the truth of such rumors, someone has to do something about them.
Chongyun was born into a renowned family of exorcists, and has possessed a natural ability to drive away evil spirits from a young age due to his innate constitution of pure-yang spirit. His powers of exorcism are far beyond the norm: his mere presence is sufficient to scatter evil spirits.
However, this has proven to be an inconvenience for Chongyun himself, for though he has undertaken hundreds of successful exorcisms, he has never seen a single ghost or demon.
Chongyun believes that a true exorcist should exorcize evil with charms and swordsmanship. This natural ability that he has…is just not orthodox.
Therefore, he has dedicated himself to the study of exorcism techniques and martial arts, as well as seeking the haunts of evil spirits to prove himself an able and professional exorcist even without his unique physical condition.
Yet, when will that condition stop being a stumbling block on his path to self-realization?
When Chongyun first ventured out as an exorcist, there had been much talk of an evil spirit lurking inside Liyue Harbor.
The victim of these hauntings was a woman from a family with a high enough stature to even have a word or two with the Liyue Qixing.
From a time she knew not when, her sleep began to be harassed by sounds that kept her awake, but every time she tried to follow the sound, it would suddenly shift behind her, and begin ringing again in her ears.
This shock caused her unspeakable distress, and she even lost weight for loss of appetite.
Her wealth was enough to hire the best exorcists from all over, but no matter what they tried, they had to retreat empty-handed. And not only did the noises persist, they even grew in boldness.
It was then, just when she had given up all hope, that Chongyun walked through her door.
“I apologize for coming just now, it has been far too sunny lately… I heard that this place houses a very stubborn ghost. Please, leave it to me.”
Then Chongyun brought a chair over and sat upon it in the middle of the house for a time. That night, the strange sounds were no more.
The wealthy woman finally had a good night’s sleep, and she came running to Chongyun the next morning with an overabundance of gold and jewelry as a reward. But Chongyun, as was his wont, only accepted his usual fee of a few hundred Mora without an ounce of emotion on his face.
Ever since that incident, Chongyun has found that his reputation precedes him for miles around. He has become beloved in Liyue for his “style and character,” and indeed scholars have given him this appellation: “a heart of clear water, and a face of ice.”
However, calling his mannerisms and style “frosty” couldn’t be further from the truth.
Due to the abundance of yang energy in his constitution, he is constantly troubled by increased body temperature and sudden urges or impulses.
He has tried everything to alleviate the issues both physically and psychologically. His methods include not drinking hot water, not eating hot or spicy food, wearing light clothes, not getting into arguments, keeping himself from being angered, staying indoors on sweltering days, and always bringing a parasol when on the job.
In short, he attempted to stay away from everything that might aggravate his condition.
Despite all this, his yang energy did not subside a whit.
A little depressed, Chongyun began to wrestle with his own body. When he heard about an evil spirit in Dragonspine, he made for the peak wearing only a shirt.
Though it was hard enough to keep himself warm, he still felt this insufficient. Digging a hole in a frozen lake, he jumped in and soaked in the icy water while waiting for the evil spirit to show itself.
After staying in the lake for half a day, he finally caught a glimpse of his target.
However, after pursuing it down the mountainside, he discovered it was only a snow rabbit that had been frightened off by his flying swords and floating charms.
The fever that he ran afterward lasted far longer than it would in a normal person.
Chongyun’s pure-yang spirit is not only a huge obstacle in his path as an exorcist, but a constant daily hassle.
He must be extra careful to stay away from “heaty” things, to which he is very sensitive, or risk his yang energy and emotions going out of control.
Chongyun’s clan once held a celebration party at Wanmin Restaurant. And though he waited until all the dishes had gone cold, he did not expect the tender rice balls to be stuffed with Jueyun Chili.
After but a single bite…
Chongyun had no recollection of what happened next.
However, according to the victim, chef Xiangling of Wanmin Restaurant, many unforgettable things happened.
Chongyun first jumped onto the reception desk and shouted “Everything’s on me tonight!” — never mind that he did not actually have any money on him. He then began to chat with customers at other tables as if they were old pals, bragging to them how incredible his clan’s exorcist arts were, never forgetting to taste the other people’s dishes on the tables before he left.
Lastly, he claimed to have sensed an evil spirit in Wanmin Restaurant. This he did not find, but he did slap a charm on Xiangling’s forehead and chase her around with his sword.
Afterwards, Chongyun scrimped and saved for an entire month to pay Wanmin Restaurant back for the mess and any damages he might have caused; he also gave Xiangling an evil-warding talisman he carved by hand.
But Xiangling, for her part, didn’t mind Chongyun’s “transgressions” at all. Instead, she felt that the crazy Chongyun was the real Chongyun, without any personal walls up.
Chongyun has had the privilege of meeting a true friend in his long journey as an exorcist: Xingqiu.
In contrast to the hard-working Chongyun, Xingqiu was naturally gifted, and had a more flexible way of looking at problems.
After learning about Chongyun’s troubles, Xingqiu came up with a possible solution.
“If you can’t reduce the effectiveness of your yang energy, what if you sought out an evil spirit that is immune to it?”
It gave Chongyun a eureka moment. Since then, Chongyun has no longer sought to alleviate his condition. Instead, he now tries to get Xingqiu to come with him to find such a spirit.
“What? Sightings of the legendary Aoyin near the Sea of Clouds? Leave it to me!”
“The old house at Feiyun Slope has been taken over by an evil spirit? My bad. I’ll attend to it right away.”
“A master exorcist is staying over at Wangshu Inn? I could learn a lot from him… Hmm, better go with a gift.”
Xingqiu usually makes these “leads” up as he goes, and thanks to his “advice,” Chongyun often comes back empty-handed, blaming his bad luck.
“I tried my best to look for it, and even spent quite a sum purchasing intelligence on that evil spirit — but I wound missing it by a hair anyway”, Chongyun says, abashed.
If Xingqiu has time to spare when such an occasion arises, he will encourage Chongyun, treat him to some new cold dish that he has found and then set off to get Chongyun’s swindled money back.
A warm and reliable companion indeed! — So Chongyun thinks at such moments. Who could he possibly trust, if not his fine friend Xingqiu?
In truth, Chongyun wishes that he could fit in more, but he is often forced to reject the invitations of others on account of his need to control his abundance of yang energy.
Of these practices, he finds one particularly incomprehensible: hot springs.
Bathing and “relaxing” in steaming-hot water? Even the sound of that scares him a hundred time more than freezing in a lake on Dragonspine.
However, he has also heard everyone sing yearning praises of these hot springs, praising their comfort, and asserting that they become more so the hotter they are, and that one is filled with energy for a whole week afterward.
Chongyun still doesn’t know if this is true or if people are just teasing him.
And he would have dared to try it out, if not for the ever-present problem of his pure-yang energy constitution.
Xingqiu once asked him this: “If you were able to master your positive energy and rid the world of all evil spirits someday… what would you do after that?”
This seemingly off-the-cuff remark troubled Chongyun deeply.
Perhaps he had indeed missed out on a lot in life on account of his condition.
But he doesn’t regret spending time. If one way of living doesn’t work, he just needs to find himself another — and in any case, he already has his answer.
If that day comes, well, he’ll go to the hot springs then.
The tomes that Chongyun’s family has passed down from generation to generation details every evil spirit they have ever subdued.
From little critters to the monstrous demons ground in tall tales of horror, their varieties are almost dazzling.
It was one such terrifying story that inspired Chongyun’s vow to rid the world of evil spirits.
But as far as he is concerned, inheriting these books has… also proved inconvenient.
Other than textual descriptions, the books also contain illustrations of said evil spirits that carefully detail their unique characteristics — even if the artist may not have been the greatest talent.
But Chongyun has never seen an evil spirit in his life. Unwilling to break with the artistic tradition, he was at a loss.
Ultimately, he would attempt to use his imagination to draw some suitably strange images.
—Thus did the Field Guide to Demons and Beasts grow ever more exotic. Best not to think too deeply about that seven-winged-five-legged chicken-beast or that half-fish half-hilichurl demon.
VISION
“Those other exorcists at least have the courtesy to wave their swords or tack on some talismans. You just sat here for a while, and now you say you’re done, and that I should pay you? Who are you trying to fool?”
Chongyun faced a great deal of suspicion when he first took up the role of an exorcist.
He immediately faced one big hurdle: it was a lot easier to prove that “evil spirits are present” than not.
Of course he would seem a charlatan even compared to “exorcists” who just went through the motions.
With all the ability in the world but no place to use it, looked on with suspicion, and needing to suppress any passionate impulses…
Those who eventually apologized to him were also few.
But even so, Chongyun would not go with the flow, and use some fancy act to cover for his real method of conducting exorcism. Even with this body getting in the way, Chongyun has never once considered giving up.
One day, he will become the greatest exorcist in Liyue, control his yang energy, and rid the world of evil spirits.
Perhaps it was this resolve that earned him the gods’ favor — that said, the Vision granted to Chongyun was one of “Cryo” rather than “Pyro.”
As to which of his goals it was the Vision responded to, that is also a mystery.
NAMECARD
Chongyun – Spirit Blade
Obtain:
Reward for reaching Friendship Level 10 with Chongyun
Description:
This was originally a peachwood sword made of ice. But a big enough ice block makes a better exorcist’s tool than peachwood.
SPECIAL DISH
Cold Noodles with Mountain Delicacies
Description:
Chongyun’s specialty. Though these springy noodles would be irresistible in the sweltering summer, Chongyun insists on dining on them even in the chattering cold of winter. What a guy.
Base Dish:
Noodles with Mountain Delicacies
Effect:
Restores 80 Stamina.
Dish Type:
Stamina Increase Dishes
Rarity:
✦ ✦
TRIVIA
- Chongyun’s Chinese voice actor kinsen (金船) is also the voice actor for Xiao. Chongyun mentions in his Hangout Event Signs of Evil and his voiceline About Xiao that he has deep respect for the guardian yaksha Xiao.
- The three symbols on Chongyun’s clothes, underneath his belt, are from the Bagua, eight trigrams in Taoist cosmology that link between various concepts. In order of top to bottom, they are: (震 Zhèn, represents thunder), (坎 Kǎn, represents water), and (艮 Gèn, represents mountains).
- His constellation, Nubis Caesor, is Latin for “The Cloud Cutter.”
- This could be an allusion to his name, which means “layers of clouds.”
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