Fan Rui, a native of Puzhou (濮州; around present-day Juancheng County, Shandong), is fearsome-looking with untidy hair.

With Xiang Chong and Li Gun as his sidekicks, Fan Rui leads a 3,000-strong outlaw band at Mount Mangdang (芒碭山; north of present-day Yongcheng, Henan).

But Shi cannot not hold up against the assaults of Xiang Chong and Li Gun, who bears down on his men with speed and ferocity, causing heavy casualties.

Fan Rui, who knows sorcery, assists Xiang Chong and Li Gun in their attack by unsettling the other side with blasting winds and flying pebbles.

Although awarded an official post, he declines it and chooses to continue Taoist training under Gongsun Sheng as a recluse together with Zhu Wu.