Zidian (紫电, Zǐdiàn) is the Jiang Clan's family heirloom currently held by Jiang Cheng. Its standard shape is a ring that transforms into a whip when unleashed.
Description[]
Zidian is a powerful magical tool held by the Yunmeng Jiang Clan. It is a silver ring with a purple crystal and can turn into a whip. Zidian means "purple lightning", referring to the purple-colored lightning that the weapon emits in its whip form.
Jiang Cheng wears the ring on his right index finger.[1]
Zidian's spiritual prowess allows it to separate the soul and physical form of an individual whose body has been seized by a spirit, rendering Zidian a useful tool to discern if someone has been possessed.[2] The one exception is that if the body was offered to the spirit – as in the case of Mo Xuanyu offering his body to Wei Wuxian, since this does not count as a possession. Therefore, whipping with Zidian is ineffective in this special circumstance.
Moreover, Zidian only responds to its owner or a person its owner has permitted to use it.[3]
Use[]
Massacre of Lotus Pier[]
Zidian was originally owned by Yu Ziyuan, who trained with a master alongside her maids Jinzhu and Yinzhu to wield their electric whips.[4]
Yu Ziyuan wields Zidian against the Qishan Wen Clan during the attack on Lotus Pier, but Wen Zhuliu has the spiritual prowess to grab the weapon with his bare hands. Realizing their perilous situation, she uses Zidian to bind both Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian to a boat. She sends them away in the boat with instructions for Zidian not to release them until they were in a safe environment.[4]
Once Jiang Fengmian finds his son and Wei Wuxian, he is astonished that Zidian obeys his command to release the boys. Wei Wuxian realizes that Yu Ziyuan once trusted Jiang Fengmian enough to render him a master of Zidian as well. However, once Jiang Fengmian learns that Wen Zhuliu is present in Lotus Pier, he likewise binds the boys with Zidian and send them further away.[4]
Dafan Mountain[]
Wei Wuxian claims that anytime Jiang Cheng touches his ring, it was a sign of his killing intent.[1]
Jiang Cheng later contemplates using Zidian against Lan Wangji, who opposes his use of Immortal-Binding Nets, but he ultimately decides against it.[5] Upon finding out that "Mo Xuanyu" summoned Wen Ning, Jiang Cheng immediately suspects Wei Wuxian's return and proceeds to draw Zidian against Lan Wangji and his guqin Wangji. Jiang Cheng manages to strike Wei Wuxian's back, but due to the fact that Wei Wuxian did not seize Mo Xuanyu's body, his soul is not expelled.[2]
Stone Castles[]
After finding Jin Ling in Qinghe with "Mo Xuanyu", Jiang Cheng still suspects "Mo Xuanyu" of being Wei Wuxian. Jiang Cheng thus strikes Wei Wuxian on the leg when he attempts to run away.[6] He then leaves Zidian with Jin Ling to investigate the supposed appearance of Wen Ning. Jin Ling, in turn, entrusts Zidian with one of Jiang Cheng's subordinates before freeing Wei Wuxian and running off on his own to escape his uncle's wrath.[3]
Second Siege of the Burial Mounds[]
With his spiritual powers sealed and a legion of fierce corpses about to attack, Jiang Cheng realizes that something is wrong when Zidian suddenly dims and before its glow expires.[7]
Later, he once again entrusts Zidian to Jin Ling, implying that he was planning on laying down his life for his nephew. Jin Ling promptly returns the ring to his uncle and runs off to fight the fierce corpses alongside his fellow juniors.[8]
Guanyin Temple[]
At the Guanyin Temple, Jiang Cheng uses Zidian to briefly gain the upper hand against Jin Guangyao before the latter's words cause him to lose his composure.[9]
Gallery[]
Animation[]
.PNG "Zidian Ring Form (Donghua).PNG (605 KB)")
.JPG "Zidian Concept Draft (Donghua).JPG (1.67 MB)")
Manhua[]
_-_1.png "Zidian (manhua) - 1.png (365 KB)")
Web Series[]
_-_1.png "Zidian (live-action) - 1.png (341 KB)")
References[]
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