Li Yao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Li Yao (李耀)
Alias(es)	Kimura Yao; Shigan; Fourth Tsuchikage
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Konohagakure (formerly); Yahiko's group/Akatsuki; Iwagakure
Occupation/Role	Shinobi; possessor; researcher; Fourth Tsuchikage
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 4

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Genjutsu immunity and reflection	19 26	Confirmed immune to genjutsu below Mangekyō Sharingan level; later reflects the Third Hokage's Bringer-of-Darkness genjutsu.
Wood Release recovery	60	Uses Wood Release Chakra to heal severe injuries after escaping pursuit, though depleted chakra limits the recovery.
Shadow Clone evasion	71	Splits his route with Shadow Clones to obstruct Konoha's pursuit.
Elemental construction	89	Uses Fire and Water Styles to clear Viper Island, then builds a house with Wood Style.
Multi-target illusion control	96 115	Controls several civilians with genjutsu and later incapacitates Sarutobi Tenchu and Ayase by invading their minds.
Lightning Release Chakra Mode training	127 131	Develops the Third Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode; achieves control and defense described as superior to the Third Raikage's.
Eight Gates and seal-less ninjutsu	155	Activates the Eight Gates and demonstrates the ability to cast ninjutsu without hand seals amid a battle with multiple Kage.
Spirit Transformation Technique	161	Acquires and organizes knowledge of the technique from Kato Dan's memories.
Five elemental clones	234	Completes five elemental clones after possessing Ghost Lantern Wuyue for the Water Style Clone.
Black Hole Space Chakra	223	Gains the ability to spatialize his body, becoming intangible and immune to most attacks.
Mirror Space	496	Obtains Danzō's Mangekyō Sharingan and its object-storage space-time ability.
Psionic Equation and Soulified Sealing	529	Develops formations that convert life energy into soul energy and temporarily or permanently soulify objects.

Background / History

Li Yao initially occupies Kimura Yao's body. His unfamiliarity with habits such as eating raw-fish sushi draws Minato's suspicion, though Li Yao begins to feel accepted in Konoha and resolves to protect it. 4

Minato ultimately reports the discrepancies in Li Yao's chakra temperature and behavior. Captured by the Third Hokage, Li Yao admits that he is not Kimura Yao and that he has taken the body, but cannot provide the ninjutsu knowledge expected of an infiltrator. 19 20

The Third Hokage subjects him to six months of mental and physical torture. Li Yao remains unbroken, enters a vegetative state, and unexpectedly reflects the Hokage's genjutsu; this convinces the Hokage that he is both dangerous and a potentially valuable source of power. 26

After escaping, Li Yao becomes a fugitive. Mito Uzumaki concludes that he has integrated his soul with chakra, making him comparable to a Tailed Beast in the difficulty of killing or sealing him. 60

Madara Uchiha later manipulates and monitors Li Yao through White Zetsu. Li Yao eventually detects this control, escapes a heart-activated Forbidden Curse by abandoning his body through the Spirit Transformation Technique, destroys the former body with the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique, and possesses an Amegakure jōnin. 161 214

Personality

Li Yao is adaptive and intensely self-preserving. He repeatedly retreats, hides his strongest techniques, creates decoys, and changes bodies rather than accept defeat. 71 115 214 223

His actions are often driven by vengeance against the Third Hokage, most overtly when he captures Sarutobi Tenchu and Ayase as potential instruments to torment the Hokage emotionally. 120

He is also relentlessly curious about chakra, souls, sealing, and nature energy. This pursuit leads him to develop techniques through experimentation on captives and to prioritize research even when it disregards others' distress. 179 438 524 529

Despite this ruthlessness, Li Yao shows protectiveness toward Little Yezi, rescues her from captivity, removes her Forbidden Curse, and repeatedly acts to keep her safe. He also shows empathy toward imprisoned Uzumaki civilians whose suffering reminds him of his own. 143 161 166 214

Abilities & Skills

Possession and Soul Techniques

Li Yao's defining ability is the transfer and manipulation of souls, allowing him to survive bodily death and take new hosts.

• Possessed Kimura Yao's body before being exposed by Minato and the Third Hokage. 19 20
• His soul is integrated with chakra, complicating attempts to kill or seal him. 60
• Uses the Spirit Transformation Technique to abandon a cursed body and possess an Amegakure jōnin. 214
• Developed the Spirit Assimilation Technique, transferring a ninja's spirit into a stray dog while retaining the victim's intelligence and memories. 238
• Researches soul perception, soul strength, the Reaper Death Seal, and the removal of the Ōtsutsuki chakra imprint. 438
• Creates the Psionic Equation/Soul Replication Formation to convert life energy into soul energy. 529

Illusion Arts

Li Yao possesses exceptional genjutsu resistance and offensive illusion techniques.

• Immune to genjutsu below Mangekyō Sharingan level. 19
• Reflected the Third Hokage's Bringer-of-Darkness genjutsu. 26
• Controls multiple people in a merchant residence simultaneously. 96
• Subdues Sarutobi Tenchu and Ayase by infiltrating their minds and rendering them unconscious. 115
• Uses Illusion Arts to control Ōnoki during an aerial battle. 319
• Deliberately conceals the full extent of his illusion and sealing abilities from potential enemies. 223

Chakra Natures and Ninjutsu

Li Yao is proficient in all five basic nature transformations, alongside Wood Release and several specialized techniques. 190

• Wood Release — heals injuries, creates forests and barriers, constructs buildings, and restrains opponents. It cannot immediately regenerate every loss; after losing an arm, he heals the wound but cannot regrow it. 60 89 155
• Lightning Release Chakra Mode — a semi-energetic state that enhances physical ability, defense, and control. 127 131
• Water Style — employs the Third Mizukage's Black Water defensively and develops a Water Style Clone through Ghost Lantern Wuyue. 216 234
• Wind Style — develops the silent, all-cutting Wind Style Slash and studies Flowing Wind Armor as a new application of Wind Style. 207 238
• Fire Style — used alongside Water Style to clear Viper Island. 89
• Ink Ninjutsu — creates Ink Little Eagles for expanded visual perception and uses Ink Iron Rain in combat. 135 155
• Can perform ninjutsu without hand seals. 155 216

Sealing Techniques

Li Yao combines sealing knowledge with chakra absorption, spiritual manipulation, and large-scale research.

• Uses Black Iron Chains for restraint, defense, and enemy binding. 96 127 155
• Absorbs chakra from Sarutobi Tenchu's sealing scroll to stabilize the Gate of Death Acupoint Space. 115
• Uses the Adamantine Sealing Technique to absorb the chakra of Grass ninja. 143
• Uses the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique to destroy his former body and evade Madara's curse. 214
• Develops the Soulified Sealing Technique, which can temporarily or permanently convert objects into a soul-like state. 529

Space-Time Abilities

• Black Hole Space Chakra — spatializes Li Yao's body, rendering it intangible and resistant to most attacks. 223
• Mirror Space — Danzō's Mangekyō Sharingan ability; stores objects in a pocket space but has no offensive function. 496
• Uses a Black Hole Space Feather Robe when confronting Six Paths-level threats. 414

Physical Combat

Li Yao combines enhanced physical conditioning with taijutsu and high-speed movement.

• Reaches his lineage-based physical limit after sustained Lightning Release Chakra Mode training. 131
• Activates the Eight Gates while evading Sarutobi Gekko and the Kage. 155
• Overpowers Fūgyō in a high-speed taijutsu fight through greater speed and strength. 207
• Destroys one of Kakuzu's hearts with a single kick. 176
• As Shigan, uses an enhanced Super Heavy Rock Technique to cripple the Third Raikage with one punch. 308

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Black Iron Chains — chakra-binding chains used offensively and as a defensive perimeter. 96 155
• Sealing Technique scroll — entrusted to Little Yezi before Li Yao's confrontation with Madara. 214
• Mangekyō Sharingan — taken from Danzō; grants Mirror Space. 496
• Hearts of Nature / Star Chain Nature Heart — devices deployed across the ninja world to absorb Nature Energy. 528
• Puppet Heart — under modification to collect and store Nature Energy without turning it into chakra. 523

Relationships

• Minato Namikaze — Former friend and lunch companion; Minato noticed the inconsistencies in Li Yao's possession of Kimura Yao and reported him to the Third Hokage. 4 19
• Third Hokage — Captor, torturer, and primary target of Li Yao's revenge. 20 26 120
• Little Yezi — Rescued Uzumaki girl, ally, student, and later romantic partner; Li Yao removes her Forbidden Curse and repeatedly protects her. 143 161 166 173
• Madara Uchiha — Former controller and adversary; Madara monitors Li Yao through White Zetsu and attempts to kill him with a Forbidden Curse. 161 214
• White Zetsu — Madara's messenger and monitor; Li Yao identifies White Zetsu as the source who leaked his location to Kato Dan. 161
• Sarutobi Tenchu and Ayase Sarutobi — Pursuers whom Li Yao defeats and captures; he initially intends to use them against the Third Hokage. 115 120
• Yahiko — Leader whose ideal of a peaceful world persuades Li Yao to join his group despite Li Yao's skepticism. 189
• Ōnoki — Initially supports Li Yao while he poses as Shigan; later learns that Li Yao survived when the Wind Style Clone reveals itself. 308 319
• Danzō — Enemy whose Mangekyō Sharingan Li Yao takes; Li Yao acknowledges that Danzō's past actions inadvertently aided his survival. 472 496
• Tsunade — Subject of Li Yao's illusion control and an associate in his later soul-ability research period. 438
• Biwako — Controlled by Li Yao; her pregnancy becomes central to his research into the emergence of soul fluctuations. 523 524

Story Role / Major Arcs

Konoha Identity Crisis

Li Yao tries to live as Kimura Yao and forms a friendship with Minato, but Minato's observations expose his possession. The Third Hokage captures and interrogates him, then subjects him to prolonged torture. 4 19 20 26

Fugitive and Viper Island

After escaping, Li Yao heals with Wood Release, evades Konoha's trackers with Shadow Clones, and establishes Viper Island as a hideout. He develops his abilities while being hunted by Konoha, Kumogakure, and other forces. 60 71 89 96

Revenge and Seclusion

Li Yao defeats Sarutobi Tenchu and Ayase, initially treating them as leverage against the Third Hokage. He then retreats into secluded cultivation, improving Lightning Release Chakra Mode, Black Iron Chains, Wood Release, and chakra capacity. 115 120 127 131

Rescue of Little Yezi

Li Yao encounters imprisoned Uzumaki survivors, rescues Little Yezi, and later decides to retrieve her from Kumogakure. He removes her Forbidden Curse and becomes her teacher and protector. 143 161 166 173

Break from Madara

After learning that Madara has been manipulating him, Li Yao escapes Madara's control by abandoning his cursed body and possessing a new host. He subsequently develops Black Hole Space Chakra and keeps his strongest capabilities secret. 214 223

Five-Clone Expansion

Li Yao completes a system of five elemental clones, possesses Ghost Lantern Wuyue to improve Water Style, and uses his Wind Style Clone to fight, research Nature Energy, and engage Sasori. 234 238 277

Rise as Shigan and Fourth Tsuchikage

Under the identity Shigan, Li Yao surpasses expectations in Iwagakure and cripples the Third Raikage with the Super Heavy Rock Technique. He reveals himself as Li Yao, later confronts Ōnoki through his Wind Style Clone, and presents himself to Konoha as the Fourth Tsuchikage and a peace envoy. 308 319 472

Soul and Nature-Energy Research

Li Yao turns toward large-scale research: collecting Nature Energy through Hearts of Nature, refining space-time and sealing techniques, investigating soul birth, and creating the Psionic Equation to strengthen his soul. 438 523 528 529

Trivia

• Li Yao initially struggles with raw-fish sushi because it was not a habit from his prior life, while Kimura Yao's body accepts it naturally. 4
• He names his isolated refuge Viper Island because of its venomous snakes. 89
• He deliberately avoids displaying every ability in public, fearing that enemies could use knowledge of his powers against him. 223
• His physical growth eventually reaches a limit he attributes to his civilian-ninja lineage, forcing him to prioritize chakra capacity and specialized techniques instead. 131