Li You'an

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Li You'an (李幼安)
Alias(es)	Legendary Scholar; Legendary Top Scholar; General You'an
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Flying Tiger Army (founder and commander); Great An Dynasty; Xiliang City
Occupation/Role	Scholar-general; swordsman; City Lord of Xiliang City
Status	Active; one of the three Half-step Limits guarding the Five Great Immortal Cities as of 428
First Appearance	57

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Five Realms	276	Formed his Invincible Momentum in Lin'an by overcoming all obstacles, beginning the path that earned him the title of Legendary Scholar.
Sixth Realm	276	Integrated his Invincible Momentum into himself; this drove a rapid succession of breakthroughs.
Ninth Realm	173 251	Reached peak condition in both Blood Essence and spirit refinement before attempting the next major breakthrough.
Tenth Realm	251	Successfully broke through, allowing him to keep pace with An Le and assume responsibility for rebuilding Xiliang City.
Half-step Limit	428	Guarded the Five Great Immortal Cities alongside Lu Yishan and Su Zhanxian.

Background

Li You'an was originally a prodigy of the Academy of Literature. He abandoned the brush for the battlefield, fought at the Canglang River, and founded the Flying Tiger Army. During his youth, he received a Minor Sacred Token, surpassed his generation, reached the Sacred Mountain’s peak, and conversed with the Sacred Master 57 110.

He once faced the Yuan Meng Emperor with only a broken bamboo sword. The battle was intended to contain the emperor rather than defeat him, but it established Li You'an as a formidable defender of the Canglang River frontier 57.

His rise began in Lin'an, where he condensed Invincible Momentum at the Five Realms. After entering the Sixth Realm, he integrated that momentum into himself and advanced rapidly to the Ninth Realm. He later guarded the border for decades, creating and personally training the Flying Tiger Army 174 276.

Appearance

Li You'an is commonly seen in scholar’s robes despite his identity as a battlefield general. His bearing combines scholarly refinement with the pressure of a veteran swordsman.

• Often wears flowing Confucian or scholar’s robes 57 117.
• Has long, unbound hair 57.
• Carries the famed sword Thousand Times.
• His sword qi manifests as starlight, often surrounding him in a brilliant celestial glow 57 113.

Personality

Li You'an is patriotic, disciplined, and deeply concerned with the decline of Great Zhao’s spirit. He despises the complacency produced by Lin'an’s prosperity and believes that the Canglang River battlefield is where people are truly tempered 57 99.

Although he initially served Great Zhao and restrained himself for the sake of its people, the court’s willingness to sacrifice civilians beyond the Canglang River ultimately broke his loyalty to the dynasty. He rebelled not for personal power, but because he refused to abandon the border cities and their inhabitants 172 173.

He recognizes An Le as a greater legend than himself and places profound faith in his potential to recover the lost Central Land 235.

Abilities & Skills

Thousand Times

Li You'an’s signature swordsmanship and personal sword share the name Thousand Times.

• Condenses sword qi into starlight and can make the sword vanish into dispersed sparks 57.
• Allows his body to move with extraordinary speed as he transforms into sword light 113.
• Was reforged by An Le into a Supreme Artifact without severing its bond to Li You'an 256.
• Li You'an judged that the reforged weapon could support challenges against cultivators of the Tenth Realm’s Second or Third Calamity 256.

Past and Present Sword Qi

Li You'an comprehended the Sacred Master’s past and present sword qi. While he had insight into both, the Present Sword Qi was the aspect he truly mastered 101.

• His Past and Present Sword Qi is his renowned battlefield technique 175.
• Used the technique to kill two Ninth Realm Yan Wangs in a single strike during the Canglang River campaign 175.
• Its power is amplified through Thousand Times and falling starlight 101 142.

Invincible Momentum

Li You'an’s cultivation is closely tied to an undefeated will forged through repeated victories.

• Condensed Invincible Momentum in Lin'an at the Five Realms 276.
• Used it to break through successive realms after entering the Sixth Realm 276.
• His example inspired An Le to challenge the Minor Saint Ranking and pursue his own undefeated path 92 98.

Military Leadership

Li You'an is a scholar-general capable of both commanding armies and governing territory.

• Founded, trained, and commanded the Flying Tiger Army 174.
• Held the army’s complete Tiger Tally, symbolizing his independent command over the force 174.
• Led the Flying Tiger Army against Xiliang’s evil cultivators and ghost cultivators at the Canglang River 167 175.
• Was entrusted with rebuilding and administering Xiliang City after its fall 251 252.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Thousand Times — Li You'an’s famed sword and swordsmanship; later reforged into a Supreme Artifact by An Le 57 256.
• Flying Tiger Army Tiger Tally — The bronze command token of the Flying Tiger Army. Li You'an held the entire tally before giving it to An Le, establishing their minister-sovereign relationship 174.

Relationships

• An Le — Mentor, ally, and later subordinate. Li You'an first guided An Le in swordsmanship, defended him against the Lin'an court, and brought him to Fú Sōng Mountain to seek the Sacred Master’s Future Sword Qi. He later gave An Le the Flying Tiger Army’s Tiger Tally and served him as sovereign 57 98 99 174.
• Zhao Huangting — Ally and fellow protector of An Le. The two discussed swordsmanship, Great Zhao’s fading ambition, and the need to cross the Canglang River 57 88.
• Hua Jiebing — Her return to Lin'an brought Li You'an back into the conflict over Lin Manor and Calm the Waves. He later acted to free her alongside An Le 57 113.
• Qin Lishi — Political and martial adversary. Qin Lishi led civil officials in restraining Li You'an at Heavenly Profound Palace, prompting Li You'an to injure the officials’ Primordial Spirits and leave the court behind 111 113.
• Flying Tiger Army — His personally cultivated border army. The soldiers followed him in rebelling against Great Zhao and later recognized An Le as their Young Master 173 235.
• Lu Yishan — Fellow administrator under An Le. The two managed Xiliang City and Dali City respectively, treating their cities’ development as a friendly rivalry 251.
• Wang Banshan — Allied with Li You'an during the Canglang River campaign; Wang Banshan’s Enduring Righteousness created the opening for Li You'an to kill two Yan Wangs 175.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return to Lin'an

Hua Jiebing brought Li You'an back to Lin'an, where his presence altered the balance between the Lin and Qin factions. He met An Le, revealed Thousand Times, and advised him to deepen his understanding of Sword Qi is Near 57.

Guidance of An Le

Li You'an supported An Le’s decision to cultivate Invincible Momentum, though he warned him that the path required extraordinary courage. After An Le killed Qin Qianqiu, Li You'an stood beside him against the court and took him to Fú Sōng Mountain, where An Le gained the Future Sword Qi 98 99 100.

Break with Great Zhao

Li You'an’s faith in Great Zhao deteriorated after the Zhao Emperor treated civilians beyond the Canglang River as expendable. When the emperor permitted Xiliang cultivators to enter Great Zhao’s territory, Li You'an destroyed the decree and publicly rebelled 172 173.

Flying Tiger Army and Canglang River

After breaking with Zhao, Li You'an remained at the Canglang River rather than abandon the cities behind him. He fought the Xiliang evil cultivators, killed two Ninth Realm Yan Wangs, and maintained the Flying Tiger Army’s defense of the frontier 173 175.

Service Under An Le

Li You'an handed An Le the Flying Tiger Army Tiger Tally, acknowledging him as sovereign. He subsequently served as a key general, protected An Le during major conflicts, and helped resist outside forces during An Le’s Tenth Realm tribulation 174 231 259.

Lord of Xiliang City

Following Xiliang’s fall, An Le entrusted its reconstruction to Li You'an. Li You'an entered the Tenth Realm, took charge of the city’s development, and later continued serving as one of Great An’s principal defenders 251 252 356.

Notable Quotes

“I, Li You'an, rebel against Zhao today!” 173

“Great Zhao has no spirit, but we do! Our new sovereign will have it!” 172