Elder Li

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Elder Li
Alias(es)	Elder Li Deng
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Medicine King Gang; External Affairs Hall
Occupation/Role	Bone Touching expert; former Alchemist; Yang Heng's master
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 87

Background / History

Elder Li is an elderly, highly respected figure in the Medicine King Gang's External Affairs Hall. Publicly, he is known as the gang's Bone Touching expert, responsible for assessing prospective disciples' bone age and cultivation aptitude. Over decades, he identified numerous talents and aided many future high-ranking members, giving him considerable influence despite no longer holding an official post. The External Affairs Hall Master and other senior figures treat him with respect. 87 88 99

He initially presents himself as an eighty-year-old late Blood Strengthening Realm Martial Artist whose frailty limits his activity. His true strength is far greater: Yang Heng later concludes that Elder Li was a Mortal Transformation Realm Martial Artist in his prime, though he has been severely weakened by injuries and age. 87 92 154 155

During the Medicine King Gang's recruitment assessment, Elder Li performs Bone Touching on Yang Heng twice. The examination confirms Yang Heng's bone age as sixteen and identifies his cultivation talent as one in ten thousand—the best talent recruited by the gang in the past decade. 89

Impressed by Yang Heng's potential, Elder Li keeps him behind, takes him as his sole disciple, and grants him the Innate Sacred Art, later referred to as the Innate True Scripture. He also implants a strand of Innate True Qi into Yang Heng's body, claiming it is necessary to help him begin the technique. 90 91 92 93

Elder Li subsequently supports Yang Heng's advancement within the gang. He secures extra rewards for Wang Fei, arranges Yang Heng's gang admission, gifts him an alchemy furnace, and helps have him designated as the future Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall. 90 93 153 155

His apparent generosity conceals a selfish purpose. As his lifespan approaches its end, Elder Li intends to use Yang Heng's exceptional body to extend his own life, pushing him to complete the first layer of the Innate True Scripture and condense ten wisps of Innate True Qi. 177 178

Appearance

Elder Li appears as a frail, deeply aged man whose physical decline contrasts sharply with his hidden power. 88 92

• Gaunt face, sunken cloudy eyes, silver hair, and a heavily wrinkled complexion. 88
• Thin and stooped, described as resembling dry, cracked bamboo; approximately 1.6 meters tall. 88
• Moves slowly and shakily in public, often coughing, as though he could collapse at any moment. 87 91
• Becomes visibly more haggard after expending Innate True Qi, with whiter hair and a more gaunt face. 92
• Can manifest ice-blue flames around his body when acting openly. 149

Personality

Elder Li is patient, observant, and adept at maintaining a benevolent façade. He speaks gently to Yang Heng, praises his talent, provides instruction, and publicly behaves like a caring master concerned for his disciple's cultivation and safety. 91 93 154 172

Behind this demeanor, he is calculating and possessive. He evaluates Yang Heng as a suitable vessel, monitors his cultivation closely, and becomes cold when Yang Heng's progress appears too slow. His concern is tied to the success of his own plan rather than Yang Heng's well-being. 91 154 177 178

He is also pragmatic and ruthless in his pursuit of longevity. Though he briefly considers that he might have sincerely accepted Yang Heng as a disciple under different circumstances, he ultimately dismisses that hesitation and resolves to take Yang Heng's body for himself. 178

Abilities & Skills

Bone Touching

Elder Li is the Medicine King Gang's recognized Bone Touching expert, able to determine a Martial Artist's bone age and evaluate their cultivation potential. 87 89

• Examined Yang Heng twice to verify his age and aptitude. 89
• Determined that Yang Heng was sixteen years old and possessed one-in-ten-thousand cultivation talent. 89
• His assessments are considered authoritative within the Medicine King Gang. 89

Innate True Qi

Elder Li cultivates and controls Innate True Qi, a force far beyond what his publicly claimed cultivation would suggest. 92 154

• Condensed a strand of white Innate True Qi and injected it into Yang Heng's body. 92
• Used the implanted Qi as the catalyst for Yang Heng's cultivation of the Innate Sacred Art. 93
• His Innate True Qi is described as sacred, warm, and soothing upon manifestation. 92
• Expending it visibly worsens his frailty, whitening his hair and aging his appearance. 92

Marking and Surveillance

Elder Li leaves a concealed blue light spot on Yang Heng's right shoulder, allowing him to maintain control and awareness over his disciple. 155 160

• The mark emits a cold aura identical to the aura Yang Heng senses while cultivating the Innate True Scripture. 160
• Yang Heng concludes that the mark enabled Elder Li to locate him and intervene when his life was endangered. 155 160
• Yang Heng experiences a strong sensation of danger when considering fleeing Qinghe City shortly after receiving Elder Li's technique. 94

Ice-Blue Flame

Elder Li can wield ice-blue flames potent enough to harm Yin Gu's unusual black energy. 149

• Arrived at the Medicine Garden after Yin Gu attacked Yang Heng. 149
• Removed the frost covering Yang Heng by drawing it into his palm as a strand of black energy. 149
• Forced Yin Gu to flee and threatened to kill him should he target Yang Heng again. 149

Alchemy

Elder Li was formerly an Alchemist of the Medicine King Gang and possessed high-level pill-refining knowledge. 99

• Could refine pills required by Organ Tempering Realm Martial Artists. 99
• Previously guided Zhu Xuan, the current Alchemy Hall Master. 99
• Provided Yang Heng with an alchemy furnace to support his study of the Art of Alchemy. 155

Items and Techniques

• Innate Sacred Art / Innate True Scripture — profound five-layer cultivation method bestowed upon Yang Heng. 91 93
• Innate True Qi — a strand implanted into Yang Heng's Dantian to initiate his cultivation of the technique. 92 93
• Alchemy Furnace — Elder Li's former furnace, given to Yang Heng when he begins studying alchemy. 155

Relationships

• Yang Heng — Disciple and intended vessel. Elder Li recruits him after discovering his exceptional talent, teaches him the Innate True Scripture, and secretly plans to take his body to prolong his own life. 89 91 177 178
• Wang Fei — Recruitment disciple who brings Yang Heng for evaluation. Elder Li rewards Wang Fei for identifying and introducing Yang Heng to the gang. 87 90
• Zhu Xuan — Current Alchemy Hall Master and a recipient of Elder Li's past guidance. Elder Li supports Yang Heng's designation as Zhu Xuan's future successor. 99 153
• Li Tiansheng — Medicine King Gang Leader. Elder Li has sufficient standing to secure Yang Heng's future position as Alchemy Hall Master through the Gang Leader. 153
• Yin Gu — Fellow cultivator who attacks Yang Heng at the Medicine Garden. Elder Li intervenes, recognizes Yin Gu's nature, and drives him away. 149

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruitment Assessment

Elder Li evaluates Yang Heng during the Medicine King Gang's recruitment process and publicly establishes him as an unprecedented martial arts prodigy. His decision to take Yang Heng as a disciple immediately elevates Yang Heng's standing within the gang. 89 90 99

The Innate True Scripture

Elder Li gives Yang Heng the Innate Sacred Art, implants Innate True Qi within him, and personally explains the technique's first layer. Yang Heng accepts the instruction outwardly while privately suspecting Elder Li's intentions. 91 92 93 94

Medicine Garden Intervention

After Yin Gu incapacitates Yang Heng, Elder Li secretly arrives at the Medicine Garden, removes the lingering frost from Yang Heng's body, and chases off Yin Gu without revealing himself to his disciple. 149

Alchemy Hall Succession

Elder Li uses his influence to help designate Yang Heng as the future Hall Master of the Alchemy Hall, granting him access to free medicinal materials for alchemy training. 153

Approaching Body Seizure

As Yang Heng's Innate True Scripture cultivation advances, Elder Li's patience and greed intensify. He pressures Yang Heng to condense ten wisps of Innate True Qi, intending to use the completed first layer as part of his plan to seize Yang Heng's body and continue his life. 154 177 178

Trivia

• Elder Li's real name is initially unknown to the Medicine King Gang; most members simply call him “Elder Li.” 87
• His ordinary blue-brick residence near the External Affairs Hall belies his prestige and hidden strength. 153
• Many gang members envy Yang Heng because they expect Elder Li's sole disciple to inherit his wealth, connections, and alchemical legacy. 99