The Honkai Star Rail 2.5 Trailblaze Continuance mission exceeded everyone’s expectations by being highly action-packed and lore-driven. With Jing Yuan’s intelligence shining again, making completely unexpected plans, leading to hard boss fights against Hoolay and Feixiao, to the revelation of Vidyadhara being a part of the entire incident, the 2.5 missions gave us a lot to chew on. However, the ultimate bombshell dropped at the end of the mission, when Yaogyuang revealed that Ruan Mei had stepped in Luofu, followed by a brief conversation between Ruan Mei and Tingyun. This spurred an insane theory in my head about Ruan Mei, and if it’s true, it would take Honkai Star Rail’s storytelling to another level.
Is Tingyun Alive in Honkai Star Rail?
Yes, Tingyun is alive as revealed at the end of the Honkai Star Rail 2.5 version. Recent leaks also reveal a new 5-star character version of Tingyun for version 2.7. She was possessed by Phantylia during the Ambrosial Arbor incident and was later killed before the final confrontation. Now, for how long Phantylia was controlling her is still unknown, and the story will likely be revealed during the 2.6 continuance mission. During the ending of version 2.5, we get a brief conversation between Tingyun and Ruan Mei, which is a massive reveal as Tingyun was presumed dead during the Ambrosial Arbor incident.
It seems that Ruan Mei played a major role in reviving Tingyun. Ruan Mei was researching creating new lifeforms, so it wouldn’t be surprising for her to revive someone like Tingyun. We have already seen Ruan Mei reviving/cloning Skaracabaz — the long-dead Emanator of Propagation, during the version 1.6 Trailblaze mission, although it didn’t survive for long. The main question would be why Ruan Mei decided to revive Tingyun and what she gains from it.
Why Did Ruan Mei Save Tingyun?
We already know that Ruan Mei is very fascinated with Emanators, as seen during her first appearance in the Crown of the Mundane and Divine Trailblaze Continuance mission. It is very much possible that Tingyun’s involvement with the Lord Ravager Phantylia led Ruan Mei to clone or revive Tingyun. Her body was eventually taken over by an Emanator of Destruction.
The Lord Ravager Phantylia may be an Emanator of Destruction; however, she is very fascinated with Abundance, always seeking the imperishable vessel that will help it rid its fear of Destruction. What else is connected to the Abundance? The Hunt and the Xianzhou Alliance, obviously! Ruan Mei stepping into Xianzhou Luofu with a revived Tingyun may be an indication of a major upcoming plot twist, especially with Godslayer protocol being mentioned as well.
Ruan Mei Might Be Seeking to Become the Next Aeon of Abundance
Lan, the Aeon of Hunt, and Yaoshi, the Aeon of Abundance, have long been in a power struggle. This power struggle is also actively pursued by their followers, with the Xianzhou Alliance leading the charge for The Hunt and the Disciples of Sanctus Medicus and Borisins leading the charge from the Abundance’s side. This long-drawn struggle might finally be reaching its end, as both the Borisins and Disciples of Sanctus Medicus are currently at their weakest.
This is followed by the latest reveal of the Godslayer Protocol by Jingliu and Luocha, which is a plan to kill an Aeon, and the target Aeon is none other than Yaoshi of the Abundance. There isn’t much revealed about the Godslayer Protocol, but it is the remnants of the dead Aeon of Propagation, which Luocha was carrying in that massive coffin.
How does all this tie in with Ruan Mei? We know that Ruan Mei has a fascination with Aeonhood and is likely on the path to becoming one in the story. We have known for a long time that Ruan Mei is actively looking for ways to become an Aeon. She has surprising mastery over Life, creating new species to reviving or cloning the dead. All this sounds very close to Abundance, doesn’t it? If one Aeon is killed, it may also open a way for another to ascend.
In summary, the developments in Honkai Star Rail point towards a rich and intricate storyline involving Ruan Mei, Tingyun, and the broader implications of their actions. The potential for plot twists and character development is immense, making it an exciting time for fans of the game.
