Li Chen

Biodata

Power Progression

Background and History

Early life and awakening

Li Chen grew up poor and believed his parents had died fighting at the border. Before awakening, he could see whether other people were capable of awakening, though the ability was less reliable with newborns and could not assess himself 2.

At sixteen, he awakened after climbing toward a broken throne in a strange inner space. Although the stone displayed S-rank talent, an unidentified man ordered his ability recorded as B-rank. Li Chen chose Canglan Academy for its quieter, less competitive environment, and his close friend Su Zhe accompanied him 5 6 7 9.

Canglan Academy and Ruined City

At Canglan, Li Chen developed energy blades and defensive techniques. After becoming trapped in Black Mist, he resolved to gain enough strength to control his life, absorbed the mist, and used it against Eerie Monsters. His team later won the Canglan Tournament by breaking through an illusion on the Heart-Questioning Road 25 56 67.

In his inner space, Li Chen climbed a white staircase and received King’s Power from a masked man. The man later identified himself as Li Chen, called the space the Throne Space, and warned that only Forbidden Power could oppose the Elder Gods 75 87.

Tournament and Canghai Pass

Li Chen defeated Qi Hong with the Demon Blade Vermilion and discovered during a match with Shi Nie that King’s Power could take and return another person’s ability. In the Academy Tournament’s Extreme Cold Secret Realm, he fought the Shi Family Saint Son and the Demon Buddha simultaneously 125 138 167.

At Canghai Pass, Li Chen fought Eerie Monsters and powerful cult members. When the First Seat threatened his companions, he protected them with a barrier, recognizing that he regarded them as family 194 197 207.

City of Sin and the Eerie Lord

Li Chen woke after a year-long coma in the City of Sin, where he was classified as an SS-rank criminal and test subject. He learned that he had absorbed the energy of three Withered Sea Realm Sequence Users 210.

Inside the Forbidden Door, he told the chained Eldritch God that he intended to become a God and create a free world. He also secured Distortion’s agreement to follow him and later transformed Lust into a conscious Eerie Monster under his control 227 236.

Human authorities subsequently ordered Li Chen’s arrest as an Evil Cult member. During an Eerie Tide in Huizhou, he fought the Special Affairs Bureau’s chief commander and Shi Kun, the Shi Family Saint Son. He later merged Forbidden with his soul to stop it from consuming him uncontrollably, advancing his transformation into an Eerie Monster 264 272 279 289.

Origins and the outside world

A conscious memory of another Li Chen told him that he had originally been intended as that God’s reincarnation. Cang Yue later explained that the previous world was destroyed by Elder Gods and that Li Chen’s reincarnation authority had created the current world anew 179 256.

The Eerie Race recognized an emperor’s aura on Li Chen and brought him to Sin City. There, he recognized the high priestess as the woman he had known as his mother; she admitted that she had brought him into the Human Race to set him on a path across reincarnation 315 317.

After leaving his universe, Li Chen arrived in the Ghost Country and learned of the destruction of the Dimensional World and the six great worlds. He chose to grow stronger rather than enter the dangerous Sea of Chaos alone 346 348.

Appearance

Li Chen was slightly taller than Su Zhe as a teenager. Later, he appeared with long black hair and sharply defined features; his hair was eventually described as white as snow 6 308 352.

• King’s Power mark: A white wing-and-sword mark appeared on his right hand; the mark later changed to depict a black Demon Blade 75 116.
• Forbidden markings: Black, crack-like lines spread along his arm and appeared on his neck as he absorbed Forbidden Substance 185.
• Forbidden clothing: He could cover himself in a black coat or armor made from Forbidden Substance 204 308.

Personality

Li Chen was diagnosed with a congenital lack of emotion and often responded to hardship with silence. He initially wanted a peaceful life, but resented being treated as a pawn by people who knew more about his circumstances than he did 9 54 139 147.

Despite his reserve, he came to regard his Canglan companions as family and risked himself to protect them. After learning how extensively his life had been manipulated, he questioned whether his friendships were genuine, though he preferred to believe his bond with Su Zhe was real 207 318.

His pursuit of freedom increasingly brought him into conflict with former allies. He feared losing himself along that path and hoped that, if his memories faded, his companions might one day awaken his humanity 342 343.

Abilities & Skills

Vector Manipulation

Li Chen controls energy and uses it to redirect attacks, create defenses, and form weapons. Early in his training, he could defend effectively but had difficulty attacking until he developed compressed energy blades 24 25.

• Forms barriers and repulsive forces; sufficiently overwhelming force can break through them 125 135 168.
• Creates blades from different kinds of energy and guides attacks toward targets 124 155.
• Disrupts energy-based attacks, including those used by the Shi Family Saint Son and Demon Buddha 167.
• Early massed-blade attacks consumed considerable mental energy, while compressed energy bombs were unstable 25 26.

Forbidden Power

Li Chen absorbs and controls Forbidden Substance, including substance taken from Eerie Monsters. Repeated absorption greatly improved his physical abilities 56 87 93.

• Shapes the substance into blades, armor, and chains, and can extract an Eerie Monster’s source power 95 204 231.
• Repairs his body; after becoming an Eerie Monster, he could recover from near-total bodily destruction if a shred of flesh remained 207 335.
• Can infect others and transform them into Eerie Monsters 190 236.
• Risks losing control or being consumed by Forbidden; he merged it with his soul to contain a rampage 289.

King’s Power

King’s Power initially allowed Li Chen to see white, bandage-like lines on people and objects. Its ability-taking function became clear during his fight with Shi Nie 75 138.

• Can take another person’s ability and return it 138.
• After returning Shi Nie’s blood control, Li Chen retained access to it as Forbidden Substance replenished the ability 139.

Reincarnation Authority

Cang Yue attributed the creation of the current world to Li Chen’s reincarnation authority. A memory of the other Li Chen said that the authority had dissipated after it was used 179 256.

Equipment and Weapons

• Ink — A weapon made from pure Forbidden Substance. Li Chen could reshape his umbrella into weapons, including a sword and spear 111 116 332.
• Demon Blade Vermilion — The black Demon Blade developed with Gu Cheng and given to Li Chen as a farewell gift. Its Shared Body ability forms a protective layer of Forbidden Substance that also strengthens him 111 125.

Relationships

• Su Zhe — Childhood friend who helped Li Chen survive financially. Li Chen regarded him as family, though he later questioned whether their friendship had been arranged 9 207 318.
• Jianping — Academy teammate and close friend who later fought Li Chen after their positions diverged 56 293 327.
• Su Xian — Companion who reassured Li Chen that he had people supporting him. Li Chen later hoped Su Xian and the others might help restore his humanity 192 342.
• Yu Qingnian — Li Chen’s teacher and Canglan instructor, who later stood against him 42 334.
• Cang Yue — Former classmate and Cang Family Holy Maiden who later explained the previous world’s destruction and Li Chen’s reincarnation authority 173 256.
• The other Li Chen — A former God and conscious remnant connected to Li Chen’s birth, who guided and manipulated his path toward godhood 179 307 339.
• The high priestess — The woman Li Chen knew as his mother; she raised him for six years and later revealed her role in bringing him into the Human Race 301 317.
• Gu Cheng — Collaborator on the Dark Demon Blade, which he gave Li Chen as a farewell gift 111.
• Shi Kun — Shi Nie’s elder brother and Li Chen’s opponent in both the Academy Tournament and Huizhou 167 278 279.
• Distortion and Lust — Eerie beings who agreed or were made to follow Li Chen 227 236.

Notable Quotes

“I’m a person too... I’m a person of flesh and blood too...” 147

“Our positions are simply different. Behind me is a bottomless abyss. If I don’t move forward, I die.” 272

“Freedom... Jianping, freedom alone can run through my entire life. I’ve long since gone down the path of pursuing freedom, never to return, but I’m afraid of losing myself in it.” 343