Pei Yanqing

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Pei Yanqing (裴砚清)
Alias(es)	Li Qiang
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Qinglian Sword Sect
Occupation/Role	Chief disciple; sword cultivator
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 9
Cultivation	Spirit Transmutation Early Stage
Spiritual Root	Heaven Grade Water Spiritual Root
Path	Ruthless Dao

Background / History

Pei Yanqing is the chief disciple of the Qinglian Sword Sect, an Upper Three Sect. Born with a Heaven Grade Water Spiritual Root and an Innate Sword Bone, he became the cultivation world's highest-ranked genius while still under a hundred years old. His talent and Spirit Transmutation Early Stage cultivation earned him a reputation as a potential ascendant 17.

As a practitioner of the Ruthless Dao, he initially regarded Hehuan Sect disciples as a danger to his Dao Heart. Qinglian Sword Sect elders had verbally warned disciples away from the sect after several of its former prodigies suffered shattered Dao Hearts and ruined futures following entanglements with Hehuan Sect cultivators 9 31.

To avoid attracting attention during a trip to Xiaoyao Town with his junior brother Lu Jing, Pei Yanqing concealed his appearance with the Thousand Illusion Transformation and used the name “Li Qiang” 9 20. His disguise failed in the Gui Xu Secret Realm's Red Forbidden Zone, where he revealed his identity to Yun Luo 29.

Appearance

Pei Yanqing is a white-robed young man whose true appearance is striking enough that he habitually concealed it while traveling.

• Cold-jade-like features, sword eyebrows, and narrow, clear eyes likened to a snowy night sky 9 29.
• Long black hair, normally secured beneath a jade crown; after battle, it hangs loose around his face 29.
• A high nose with a slight hump and thin, faintly red lips contribute to his aloof expression 9.
• Carries a cool, abstinent, and distant bearing characteristic of his Ruthless Dao 9 31.
• Uses the Thousand Illusion Transformation to assume an ordinary-looking face 9.

Personality

Pei Yanqing is restrained, serious, and principled. He states that he does not harm others first, and he repeatedly aids Yun Luo despite his initial caution toward the Hehuan Sect 20 29 33.

His view of the sect rivalry is more nuanced than that of many Qinglian Sword Sect disciples. He considers a cultivator's Dao Heart—not merely the Hehuan Sect—to be responsible when someone loses themselves to desire or attachment 31.

Though he cultivates the Ruthless Dao, Pei Yanqing struggles to separate reason from his growing attachment to Yun Luo. He attempts to cut off their connection after the Gui Xu Secret Realm, yet remains protective of her and later agrees to assist her cultivation through soul communication 38 43 50.

Abilities & Skills

Sword Cultivation

Pei Yanqing is an elite sword cultivator whose combat ability remains formidable even under realm suppression.

• While suppressed to Golden Core Great Perfection in the Red Forbidden Zone, he fought a Nascent Soul Great Perfection giant snake by relying on his intact Spirit Transmutation sword intent 29.
• Killed multiple Nascent Soul demon beasts in a single exchange and yielded their corpses to Yun Luo after taking their cores 30.
• Engaged the Spirit Transmutation-stage Demon Face Spider in over a hundred exchanges before defeating it 33 34.
• Can fly without a spirit sword due to his Spirit Transmutation cultivation 45.

Spirit Transmutation Sword Intent

His higher-realm comprehension persists even when his cultivation base is restricted.

• Used Spirit Transmutation intent to contend with a demon beast whose realm exceeded his temporarily suppressed cultivation 29.
• Bound an evil cultivator through spiritual sense, assisting Yun Luo and her senior sisters 13.
• His sword energy can repel opponents and snap ancient trees in its path 43.

Ruthless Dao

Pei Yanqing cultivates the Ruthless Dao, which emphasizes a stable Dao Heart and resistance to emotional attachment.

• Uses the Heart-Clearing Formula to suppress distracting emotions and restore his focus 38 44.
• Believes that a cultivator whose convictions are easily shaken possessed an unstable Dao Heart from the beginning 31 50.
• His path becomes increasingly difficult to maintain as his feelings for Yun Luo deepen 36 38 50.

Soul Communication

Pei Yanqing can participate in soul-based dual cultivation with Yun Luo.

• Practiced the Lingxi Tongxin Jue with Yun Luo, allowing their souls to connect and their five senses to be shared 46.
• The technique drew spiritual energy from a spirit spring and benefited Yun Luo's Water Spiritual Root cultivation 46 47.
• Later agreed to assist Yun Luo through Soul Communication while maintaining a boundary against physical intimacy 50.

Equipment

• Chengying Sword — Pei Yanqing's lifebound sword, ranked third on the Spirit Artifact list. It can freeze its surroundings and possesses destructive power capable of cleaving mountains and splitting seas 30 34.
  • He enlarged it and burned a portion of his soul to forcefully increase its power against the Demon Face Spider 34.
  • The sword was damaged during the Gui Xu Secret Realm expedition and later entrusted to Mu He for repair 44 45.
• Thousand Illusion Transformation — A transparent, skin-like magic artifact that changes his appearance; it allowed him to travel as “Li Qiang” until it failed in the Red Forbidden Zone 9 29.
• Qiankun Pouch — Used to store cultivation resources, including Yun Luo's later gift of spirit stones, a demon core, and Heavenly Grade spirit plants 38.

Relationships

• Yun Luo — Initially meets her while disguised and keeps his identity hidden. They become trapped together in the Red Forbidden Zone, where he repeatedly protects her; their relationship becomes emotionally complicated after dual cultivation. He later agrees to help repair her damaged spiritual root through Soul Communication 20 29 33 36 46 50.
• Lu Jing — His junior brother. Pei Yanqing escorted him to Xiaoyao Town to repair his Heaven Grade spirit sword and later reprimanded him for neglecting cultivation 9 38.
• Mu He — Yun Luo's master and a high-level artifact refiner. Pei Yanqing seeks her help to repair the damaged Chengying Sword and provides ore and spirit stones as payment 44.
• Shen Qichen — Pei Yanqing distrusts Shen Qichen, believing that he harbors ulterior motives toward Yun Luo; this leads to a confrontation and misunderstanding 43.
• Qingheng — Elder Qingheng encounters him while rescuing Yun Luo from the Red Forbidden Zone and recognizes him as Qinglian Sword Sect's renowned young talent 36.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xiaoyao Town

Pei Yanqing first appears while accompanying Lu Jing to have a Heaven Grade spirit sword repaired. Concealing his true face with the Thousand Illusion Transformation, he is wary of Lady Huanyin and Yun Luo's interest in him because of the Hehuan Sect's reputation 9.

Early Encounters with Yun Luo

He assists Yun Luo against an evil cultivator, though he initially intends to maintain distance from her and the Hehuan Sect 13. At the entrance to the Gui Xu Secret Realm, still using the identity Li Qiang, he warns Yun Luo about Lin Ting's hostile attention 20.

Red Forbidden Zone

After Yun Luo finds him wounded in the Gray Forbidden Zone, the two are transported to the Red Forbidden Zone by a hidden array. Pei Yanqing's disguise fails during his battle with a Nascent Soul Great Perfection giant snake, forcing him to reveal himself as Qinglian Sword Sect's chief disciple 28 29.

He protects Yun Luo throughout their journey, kills several Nascent Soul demon beasts, and shares the treasure-gathering effort with her 30. He guards their temporary cave abode during a demon-beast tide and discusses the sects' long-standing enmity with Yun Luo 31.

Demon Face Spider Incident

Pei Yanqing confronts and kills the Demon Face Spider with the Chengying Sword, but suffers severe injury, poisoning, and soul damage in the process 33 34. Yun Luo detoxifies him with the spider's bile; its aphrodisiac effect leads to dual cultivation, through which Yun Luo restores her Water Spiritual Root and advances to Foundation Establishment Middle Stage 34 35.

After leaving the Secret Realm, Pei Yanqing asks Yun Luo to become his Daoist Companion. She refuses, explaining that she viewed their dual cultivation as mutually beneficial rather than a commitment; he is visibly hurt but still helps her leave safely 36.

Aftermath and Chengying Sword Repair

Yun Luo sends him substantial resources as thanks, but Pei Yanqing interprets the gift as an attempt to put a price on his primal yang. The Hehuan Sect's public announcement of Yun Luo's advancement and acquisition of his primal yang further worsens his frustration 37 38.

He later reunites with Yun Luo after becoming suspicious of Shen Qichen. He ultimately visits the Hehuan Sect to seek repairs for the Chengying Sword, and Mu He accepts the task 43 44.

Continued Dual Cultivation

While waiting for the Chengying Sword's repair, Pei Yanqing initially refuses Yun Luo's request for further dual cultivation, fearing that excessive contact will compromise his Ruthless Dao. When she explains that her damaged spiritual roots require a Heaven Grade spiritual-rooted cultivator above Nascent Soul, he agrees to help through Soul Communication while setting strict limits 45 50.

Trivia

• Pei Yanqing consistently ranks first on the cultivation world's genius ranking 17.
• His appearance is so sought after that cultivation forum users have offered spirit stones for his undergarments 29 38.
• Although he originally concealed his appearance to avoid Hehuan Sect cultivators, the Thousand Illusion Transformation eventually failed at the worst possible time: while he was trapped with Yun Luo in the Red Forbidden Zone 9 29.