Li Longji

Biodata

Power Progression

Cultivation gains are distinguished from temporary increases supplied by national destiny, borrowed strength, or Human Dao Power.

Background / History

Reincarnation and Dream Mentors

Li Longji is the reincarnation of a remnant soul of Lord of Fire Li Er. Zhang Yifan chooses his name after noting that Li Er has been reborn into the Li family as its third son. The Jade Emperor and the others present praise the name as containing an opportunity of the Great Dao 292 408.

From the age of three, Li Longji receives instruction in dreams from a figure he calls Grand Master. This mentor teaches him the way of an emperor and plants his ambition to rule. Yun Niang later identifies the imperial-robed teacher surnamed Zhang as the Jade Emperor. She also teaches Li Longji in dreams and becomes his Second Master 342 343.

Under Grand Master’s guidance, Li Longji secretly establishes the 300,000-strong Dragon Martial Army by age five. Its commander, Chen Xuanli, owes him his family’s rescue. Li Longji tests Chen Xuanli’s character, introduces him to cultivation, and secures his allegiance through a Great Dao oath 343 344.

Luoyang and the Struggle Against Wu Chongxun

At Luoyang’s Immortal Guest Inn, Li Longji and Li Bai independently offer to pay for Chenxiang’s meal. The two feel an unexplained familiarity, while Howling Celestial Dog recognizes them as the reincarnations of Li Er and Taibai Jinxing. Chenxiang shares Zhang Yifan’s diluted wine with them and Gao Shi, increasing their cultivation 310 311.

Li Longji’s ambition differs from Li Bai’s proposed assassination of Wu Zetian: he wants to restore Great Tang and ultimately unite the entire Mortal Realm. Although he resents many of his grandmother’s actions, he admires her political methods 314 316 317.

During the assassination attempt, Li Longji signals Li Bai to stage a rescue. He intercepts Li Bai’s sword and is wounded before Wu Zetian, strengthening her attachment to him and improving the Li clan’s prospects of regaining the throne. Wu Zetian subsequently grants him the title Prince Chu and assigns Yun Niang to attend him 328 334.

Li Longji later reveals that he has recovered and secretly cultivated, seizing a guard’s saber to attack Wu Chongxun. Following Grand Master’s advice, he remains in Luoyang to exploit Wu Chongxun’s growing unpopularity rather than flee and raise troops elsewhere 336 343.

When Wu Chongxun holds Li Dan hostage, Li Longji counters by capturing Wu Chongxun’s family and his grandfather’s soul. He negotiates an exchange while the Dragon Martial Army attacks Wu Chongxun’s mansion and camp. After forcing his rival to withdraw, he publicly claims that Wu Chongxun merely escorted Li Dan home, turning the confrontation into a political victory 347.

Restoration of Great Tang

Over three years of war, Li Longji becomes the leading contender against Wu Chongxun. Chenxiang, Li Bai, Gao Shi, Di Renjie, and other civil and military supporters rally around him; Yuan Tiangang’s earlier publicity has also helped establish his reputation among the people 357.

Di Renjie advises allowing Wu Chongxun to claim the throne first, so that Li Longji can rise against a discredited usurper and eventually be invited to rule. Li Longji initially doubts the proposal, then accepts it and reproaches himself for his lack of composure and trust 357 358.

After Wu Chongxun kills Wu Zetian, Li Longji proclaims a campaign to avenge his grandmother and restore Great Tang. His full offensive brings more than a billion troops into the struggle 361 362.

Kaiyuan Prosperity and the Break with the Heavenly Court

During eighteen years of Li Longji’s rule, Great Tang extends across Jambudvipa and reaches a population of 900 billion, with humans and demons living together. Di Renjie administers the realm as prime minister 383.

Tathagata Buddha secretly exploits Li Longji’s incomplete soul to influence his mind. Rumors that Heavenly Court reincarnations are using him as a puppet deepen his resentment, while his inability to advance beyond Mahayana makes him fear that immortal ministers will outlive and overshadow him 383 384 385.

Li Longji strips Di Renjie of office and replaces him with Li Linfu. When Li Bai challenges the dismissal, Li Longji invokes Great Tang’s destiny to force him to kneel, whips him, and orders him to leave Great Tang within three days. He then authorizes Li Linfu to remove officials connected to the Heavenly Court 385 387 388.

Becoming a Mortal Immortal Emperor

While walking through Chang’an in disguise as Li Sanlang, Li Longji meets Yang Guozhong and helps search for Yang Yuhuan. Her Pure Yin Body offers a means of transforming his rare Pure Yang constitution and overcoming his cultivation barrier 388 391.

Their union carries him to Tribulation Transcendence, but the Heavenly Dao’s chains still prevent immortality. Li Longji appeals to humanity’s ancestors and the Human Dao, whose assistance breaks the remaining restrictions and raises him directly to Grand Unity Golden Immortal 393.

Both Tathagata and the Jade Emperor regard this ascension as serving their plans. Tathagata has arranged Yang Yuhuan’s involvement, while the Jade Emperor considers Li Longji’s rise necessary for the Human Dao’s advancement 393.

Asura Infiltration and Rebellion

Li Longji favors An Lushan after the latter swears that he is neither a reincarnated Western Teachings figure nor their pawn. The oath conceals his actual identity as an Asura demon king, and Li Longji appoints him military governor of Pinglu, Fanyang, and Hedong 405.

Manipulated by An Lushan and Shi Kefa’s schemes, Li Longji kills three of his sons. He later names his newborn son by Yang Yuhuan crown prince, unaware that the child, Li Heng, is Shiva reincarnated and intended to replace him 408 412 416.

Du Fu urges him to give the population twenty years to recover from war. Li Longji refuses, removes Gao Shi from supreme command, and orders An Lushan and Shi Kefa to prepare 90 million soldiers to invade Western Niuhe Continent in three months. He intends to unite the Mortal Realm within three years 416.

He also accepts Yang Yuhuan’s reassuring explanation when Old Bai and Old Jin warn of widespread Asura infiltration. An Lushan subsequently rebels, kills Li Linfu, and marches toward Chang’an while Asura attacks erupt across the empire 419 423.

Awakening and the Defense of Chang’an

Howling Celestial Dog challenges Li Longji to remember his original aspiration rather than obsess over whose interests he serves. Restoring his missing soul fragments returns his memories as Li Er and raises him to Quasi-Saint. Li Longji learns that the Jade Emperor sought safeguards over the Human Dao, not obedience from the Human Emperor 439.

Recognizing Yang Yuhuan’s betrayal, he grieves that he genuinely loved her and killed three sons for her. He postpones deciding her and Li Heng’s fate to confront the attackers 440.

Drawing on Great Tang’s destiny, Li Longji kills Shi Siming and destroys his Netherworld Formation. He then fights the Myriad Buddhas Great Array, manifests the Spear Dao Laws after his weapon breaks, and publicly argues for reconciliation between humanity and the Heavenly Court 444 446 449.

By borrowing his subjects’ strength, he overwhelms Samantabhadra’s manifestation. Tathagata intervenes and gravely wounds him; Li Longji nevertheless refuses to kneel. He later executes Samantabhadra by a thousand cuts over seven days and nights 450 451 453.

An Lushan’s renewed assault forces Li Longji to return the borrowed strength so his people can defend themselves. He receives Human Emperor Power to continue the battle inside the Blood River Formation. Du Fu, newly a Saint, eventually joins him there; the battle remains unresolved in the supplied account 453 454 455.

Appearance

• Youthful appearance: Wears luxurious gold robes and possesses a distinctly noble bearing 310.
• Imperial attire: Wears imperial robes in battle, accompanied by Imperial Purple Qi and Great Tang’s Destiny Golden Dragon 440 445.
• Human Emperor manifestation: His torn imperial robes transform into Human Emperor robes when the Human Dao grants him its power 453.

Personality

Li Longji is ambitious, politically calculating, and unusually composed from childhood. He conceals a vast army, turns an assassination attempt into a staged rescue, and calmly drinks tea while negotiating with enemies who have surrounded him. Even Samantabhadra admires his temperament 328 343 347.

His original ambitions combine personal immortality with restoring Great Tang and unifying the Mortal Realm. He can recognize his own shortcomings: after doubting Di Renjie’s strategy, he privately resolves to improve his courage, judgment, trust, and emotional restraint 311 317 358.

As emperor, his sensitivity to authority develops into suspicion and intolerance of challenges. Tathagata’s covert influence aggravates these tendencies, but Li Longji also has genuine fears about becoming a puppet and dying while his immortal ministers remain in power. His conflict with Li Bai is sharpened by their incompatible expectations: Li Longji demands a subject’s obedience, while Li Bai continues to invoke their former brotherhood 384 385 387.

He remains capable of ordinary generosity, offering to pay a stranger’s meal and helping Yang Guozhong search for his sister. His treatment of Samantabhadra, however, reveals an extreme vindictiveness that frightens even Great Tang’s soldiers 310 388 453.

After recovering his memories, Li Longji reaffirms his commitment to humanity and accepts the Jade Emperor’s larger purpose. His decision to relinquish borrowed power rather than leave his subjects defenseless places their survival above his immediate advantage 439 449 453.

Abilities & Skills

Pure Yang Body

A supremely firm and masculine constitution that Suirenshi describes as appearing only once in hundreds of millions of years and naturally suited to an emperor 391.

• Harmonizing with Yang Yuhuan’s Pure Yin power transforms his body, expands his meridians, and accelerates his cultivation 393.
• The union alone cannot break the final Heavenly Dao restrictions; outside assistance is required 393.

National Destiny and Imperial Authority

Li Longji can mobilize Great Tang’s destiny through its Destiny Golden Dragon and imperial treasures 387 444.

• Forces the Quasi-Saint Li Bai to kneel despite Li Longji’s lower personal cultivation 387.
• Raises his combat strength to Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal during the defense of Chang’an 444.
• Depends on the condition of the dynasty: injuries and damage to national destiny reduce the strength he can sustain 453.

Hundredfold Waves

A spear technique capable of destroying powerful formations and opponents above his unassisted realm 444.

• Successive strikes destroy Shi Siming’s Dharma Idol and kill him; the seventh strike eliminates the remaining Asura Quasi-Saints sustaining the Netherworld Formation 444.
• A single strike can annihilate millions of An Lushan’s Blood God Son clones 454.
• Its usable waves depend on his physical condition. During the later battles, his wounded body cannot withstand more than the fifth wave 446 454.

Spear Dao Laws

After the nineteen Great Buddha manifestations shatter his spear, Li Longji manifests the Spear Dao Law Pillar and wields it as a replacement weapon 446.

• Drives all nineteen manifestations back several steps 446.

Destiny Dynasty Cultivation

Through his imperial jade seal, Li Longji gathers the strength of subjects who answer his call to raise their right hands 450.

• Channels power from generals, soldiers, and common people into himself, reaching Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal Seventh Heaven 450.
• Draws strength away from contributors, leaving even Di Renjie and other commanders without magical power 450 453.
• Must be released when his subjects need their strength to resist a general assault 453.

Human Emperor Power

Li Longji can petition the Human Dao for power when humanity faces annihilation 453.

• Receives the Human Emperor Throne Altar and Human Emperor robes 453.
• Reaches Primordial Daluo Golden Immortal Third Heaven, destroying a million approaching Blood God Son clones with the initial eruption 453.

Killing Intent

His released killing intent takes the form of millions of silvery frost blades 441.

• Slaughters tens of millions of Asura soldiers within a thousand-mile radius 441.
• Forces Shi Siming and more than a hundred Quasi-Saints to defend themselves with magical power 441.

Strategy and Statecraft

Trained in imperial rule by the Jade Emperor, Li Longji combines military preparation with public legitimacy and calculated appearances 343 344.

• Secretly organizes and conceals the Dragon Martial Army 343 344.
• Uses hostage exchanges to delay enemies while his forces seize their positions 347.
• Turns Wu Chongxun’s killing of Wu Zetian into grounds for a restoration campaign 362.
• Uses public speeches during battle to rebuild support for cooperation with the Heavenly Court 449.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Emperor Sword — Channels Great Tang’s national destiny and imperial pressure; used to subdue Li Bai 387.
• Spear — Weapon used for Hundredfold Waves; shattered by the nineteen Great Buddha manifestations 444 446.
• Great Tang Immortal Dynasty Jade Seal — Upgraded by Zhang Yifan when Li Longji became a Mortal Immortal Emperor. Enables the gathering of his subjects’ strength and later helps him withstand Asura attacks 450 453.
• Whip — Used to punish Li Bai after forcing him to kneel 387.
• Human Emperor Throne Altar — Manifested beneath him through the Human Dao’s grant of Human Emperor Power 453.

Relationships

Family

• Li Dan / Emperor Ruizong — Father. Li Longji rescues him through a hostage exchange with Wu Chongxun 304 347.
• Wu Zetian — Grandmother and sovereign. He admires her methods but resents her actions, stages her rescue to improve his standing, and later invokes vengeance for her death 314 328 362.
• Yang Yuhuan / Imperial Consort Yang — Consort and Pure Yin cultivation partner. He genuinely loves her, but she participates in the Asura scheme against Great Tang; learning the truth leaves him grief-stricken 393 412 440.
• Li Heng — Son and appointed crown prince; secretly Shiva reincarnated and the intended beneficiary of the Asura succession plot 412 416.

Mentors and Allies

• Jade Emperor — Dream mentor called Grand Master. Guides his imperial education and early preparations; Li Longji eventually pledges to stand beside him after understanding his purpose 343 439 449.
• Yunxiao / Yun Niang — Dream teacher called Second Master and later his attendant. Protects him during the struggle with Wu Chongxun 334 342 343 347.
• Zhang Yifan — Chooses his reincarnated name, brews the wine that improves his early cultivation, and upgrades his imperial jade seal 292 311 450.
• Li Bai / Taibai Jinxing — Close companion and supporter whom he once calls Second Brother. Their conflicting views of sovereign authority culminate in punishment and exile; their previous incarnations were also close friends 317 386 387.
• Chenxiang — Early companion, provider of extraordinary wine, and supporter of his restoration campaign 310 311 357.
• Di Renjie — Adviser and prime minister instrumental in his rise and prosperous reign. Li Longji dismisses him during his estrangement from the Heavenly Court; Di Renjie later contributes strength during the defense of Great Tang 358 383 385 450.
• Gao Shi — Early companion and military supporter. Li Longji later removes him from command of Great Tang’s three armies 311 357 416.
• Du Fu — Childhood companion who later condemns his rule and pleads for peace. After becoming a Saint, Du Fu joins his battle against An Lushan 311 415 416 455.
• Chen Xuanli — Trusted Dragon Martial Army commander whose family Li Longji saved; swears absolute loyalty upon the Great Dao 344.
• Howling Celestial Dog — Recognizes his reincarnation, restores his soul and memories, and explains the Jade Emperor’s actual intentions. Li Longji remembers him as an old friend from his previous life 310 439.
• Suirenshi — Human ancestor who supports his immortal breakthrough and later warns him about the people around him 393 414.

Rivals and Enemies

• Wu Chongxun — Rival for the throne who takes Li Dan hostage and plots Li Longji’s death 336 347 362.
• Li Linfu — Royal relative and successor to Di Renjie as prime minister. Gains Li Longji’s authorization to purge officials connected to the Heavenly Court 384 385 388.
• Tathagata Buddha — Secretly corrupts his incomplete soul and orchestrates schemes against Great Tang; later personally intervenes against him in battle 385 393 412 451.
• An Lushan — Favored appointee and later grand marshal who leads the rebellion against him 405 416 423.
• Shi Kefa — Appointed deputy marshal; secretly works with An Lushan to force Li Longji’s abdication in favor of Li Heng 416.
• Shi Siming — Rebel enemy killed by Li Longji inside the Netherworld Formation 444.
• Samantabhadra — Supports Wu Chongxun and later commands the Myriad Buddhas Great Array. Li Longji ultimately executes him for his crimes against Great Tang 336 446 453.

Notable Quotes

“Restoring the glory of the Great Tang, once the foremost nation on the Primordial Continent, is my lifelong goal! … I want to unite the mortal world of the Primordial Continent!” 317

“Therefore, I will not permit the Heavenly Court to meddle excessively in the affairs of my human Great Tang!” 387

“When I become the Human Emperor in the future, I will certainly fight shoulder to shoulder with the Jade Emperor!” 449

“People of Great Tang, raise your right hands and lend me your strength!” 449