Li Yuan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Li Yuan (李元)
Alias(es)	Teacher Li Yuan; Director Li Yuan; Mr. Li Yuan; “Wuling Education” (virtual identity used during Qijia Town training) 33 47 115 229
Gender	Male
Age	30 at the beginning of the story; 32 by his later visit to the Xia Family Estate 1 290 293
Affiliation	Lingshan No. 1 High School; Xia Family through marriage to Xia Zhao 196 264
Occupation/Role	Martial arts teacher; Teaching Affairs Director; Vice Principal; martial artist; Anatomist
Status	Alive; married to Xia Zhao 264 288 345
Distinctions	Intermediate professional title; Second-Class Merit; First-Class Martial Dao Rating; Dragon River Forest Trial Tournament champion 69 164 230 311
First Appearance	Chapter 1, “Mind Enlightenment”

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Fourth Grade Realm	1	Had been stalled at this realm for years while teaching; sought the Youth Martial Tournament as a route to advancement.
Peak Fourth Grade	14	Reached peak foundational strength through intensive cultivation, nutrient fluid, and a deeper grasp of the Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique.
Fifth Grade	32	Broke through after sustained training and use of B-grade Nutrient Fluid; gained substantially sharper vision, hearing, and perception.
Introductory Heavenly Refining Body	45 46	Condensed Gang Qi in just over an hour and reached the method’s introductory stage after overnight cultivation, reinforcing both his body and attacks.
Mid Fifth Grade; modest Gang Body success	51 72	Initially assessed his strength as at least Mid Fifth Grade; subsequently confirmed this realm. His Gang Body improved passive defense, stamina, energy, and recovery.
Initial Sixth Grade	109	Advanced after a three-day breakthrough in which his protective Gang Qi shattered and was reforged.
Sixth Talent: Nimble Hands	150	Invested his sixth Talent Point in the Skill branch during a dangerous lock-picking situation, gaining greatly improved precision and hand control.
Mid Sixth Grade	164	Advanced through concentrated Heavenly Refining Body cultivation, Gang Qi tempering, and A-grade Nutrient Fluid.
Three realms of Wiping Blade mastered	199	Mastered Wiping Force, Wiping Mark, and Wiping Shadow in roughly ten days; subsequently crippled a Seventh-Rank assassin.
Sixth-Grade Great Perfection	213	Deliberately exhausted himself before taking S-grade Nutrient Tonic, allowing its effects to drive a leap from Early Sixth Grade to Great Perfection.
Seventh Talent: Technique Self-Adaptation	216 221	Gained the ability to reshape deeply understood techniques into forms perfectly suited to himself, producing another major increase in practical strength.
Life Essence Fluid-enhanced physique	258 291	Consumed twenty milliliters of diluted fluid before meeting the Xia Family and later continued using the treasure alongside Heavenly Refining Body.
Eighth Talent: The More You Fight, the Braver You Become	291 293	Unlocked a Combat Talent that increases power during sustained combat before physical strength is depleted. Testing revealed boosts at approximately ten minutes, half an hour, and one hour.
Fundamental Void-Severing Art application	296	Identified the art’s principle of forming a qi barrier and demonstrated it by pressing campfire flames into a square shape without first seeing the original manual.
Ninth-Rank strike resistance demonstrated	321 325	Survived Jin Lou’s attack and assessed himself as capable of withstanding a strike from a peak Ninth-Rank martial artist; this was a combat and defensive benchmark, not a stated realm breakthrough.

Background

Li Yuan transmigrated into the High Martial world ten years before the story begins. By age thirty, he had spent years working as a martial arts teacher at Lingshan No. 1 High School, sacrificing much of his own cultivation progress and remaining trapped at Fourth Grade. He spent three years accumulating merit points for a Youth Martial Tournament qualification, only for Principal Yin and other school leaders to attempt to give the opportunity to Jin Fan instead. 1 2 3

His turning point came with the awakening of the Talent Tree and the Mind Enlightenment Talent. Its effects transformed his ability to study martial arts, leading him to rediscover the proper circulation principles of the basic Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique and to reject the school’s expectation that he should keep yielding his opportunities to others. 2 3

His original aptitude was not poor: he reached Fourth Grade at twenty-one and attracted attention at the time. His subsequent stagnation resulted partly from devoting his energy to teaching during important cultivation years. He had also declined an opportunity to remain at Clearwater First High School, choosing Lingshan because his parents lived there and because he originally wanted to demonstrate his teaching ability without relying exclusively on elite students. He later regarded the latter motivation as excessively idealistic. 2 138

His early finances were strained, with nutrient-fluid costs limiting how much he could train. Career advancement eventually allowed him to move into a two-bedroom apartment in Heavenly Vista Garden. When his parents struggled to adjust to the new surroundings, he arranged a small food business for them, giving them both activity and an additional source of income. 3 14 87 115 136

Appearance

Li Yuan is described as reasonably handsome, though he deliberately uses conservative clothing and an older hairstyle to make himself appear less conspicuous around students. 38

• Maintains a deliberately mature, restrained teacherly appearance. 38
• Possesses an increasingly formidable physique developed through the Heavenly Refining Body and repeated body tempering. 51 152
• Is often regarded as composed and attractive by Xia Zhao, Xia Yao, and others who observe him closely. 39 154
• Appears younger than thirty to Xu Nianxing when they first meet. Feng Yingtian later notices that Li Yuan is considerably more handsome than himself. 87 245

Personality

Li Yuan is principled, patient, and resistant to pressure. Years of being asked to “think further ahead” by surrendering opportunities made him especially unwilling to accept institutional injustice, yet he generally confronts it through preparation, results, and direct reasoning rather than impulsive retaliation. 3 4

He remains deeply responsible as an educator even while pursuing Martial Dao. Before taking leave for training or competition, he prepares lessons in advance, reinforces his students’ foundations, and arranges supervision rather than abandoning his classes. 25 31 47

Although increasingly confident in his strength, Li Yuan is cautious in dangerous situations. He studies mission procedures, avoids opponents beyond his current ability, and refuses to accept vague promises or political manipulation without understanding the risks and rewards. 98 99 199

He considers character formation part of teaching even when students lack the ability to pursue Martial Dao. His educational outlook emphasizes foundations, discipline, and sustained effort rather than enthusiasm alone; he also questions academic acceleration when it serves no clear practical purpose. 91 285 321

Li Yuan generally has little interest in humiliating strangers or proving himself over minor disputes. However, he responds firmly when his reputation, safety, or Xia Zhao’s standing is threatened. His experience with King Sheng shows that he can combine decisive force with diplomacy, preserving a defeated opponent’s dignity when cooperation is more useful than humiliation. 67 168 271 337 338

His growing accomplishments strengthen his sense of self-worth. He learns not to treat Xia Zhao’s powerful background as proof of his own inferiority, while continuing to maintain respectful boundaries within her family. He also remains skeptical of mystical claims, questioning Gu Xin’s supposed connection to the Cloud Immortal and regarding sincere reliance on physiognomy as foolish. 247 291 301 345 346

Abilities & Skills

Talent Tree

Li Yuan gains Experience Points by collecting Light Points, which are visible only to him and occur most frequently among people he has directly guided. Accumulated Experience Points condense into Talent Points that can be invested in different Talent Tree branches. 25

• Mind Enlightenment — Greatly improves mental clarity and makes difficult martial theory easier to understand. 2
• Enlightenment to Perfection — Allows him to perceive the deeper principles and hidden meanings within cultivation methods and martial techniques. 3 4
• Martial Recruitment Accelerator — Enhances his natural aptitude, allowing his body to rapidly turn understanding into practical mastery; enabled him to condense Gang Qi in roughly an hour despite a process normally requiring months. 15 45
• Flaw Insight — Turns weaknesses and openings in an opponent’s actions into visible signals, making it exceptionally useful for combat and threat assessment. It does not guarantee that he can exploit an opening when strength, speed, or judgment are insufficient. 43 46
• Eidetic Memory — Allows him to memorize manuals, terrain, routes, and mission instructions with exceptional speed and accuracy. He also remembers names and faces from brief encounters, enabling him to recognize wedding guests and identify people conducting surveillance. 97 98 304 314 315
• Nimble Hands — His sixth Talent and first investment in the Skill branch. Greatly improves delicate operational accuracy and hand control; acquired when precise lock manipulation was necessary for his and Xia Yao’s survival. 150
• Technique Self-Adaptation — His seventh documented Talent, unlocked in the Enlightenment branch. Allows him to deeply comprehend a technique and transform it into a form perfectly suited to himself, rather than forcing his body to conform to its original creator’s requirements. Its acquisition further accelerated his Martial Dao strength. 216 221
• The More You Fight, the Braver You Become — His eighth Talent, unlocked in the Combat branch after reaching 817/800 Experience Points. His power gradually rises during continuous combat as long as his physical strength is not depleted. 291

Light Points reflect moments of insight, including his own. Early observations show that shallow insights may provide one Experience Point, while deeper insights provide several. Later, some collected Light Points yield no experience, encouraging him to seek more demanding instruction, cultivation, and practical experience. By his eighth Talent selection, the next Enlightenment Talent requires two Talent Points. 2 3 29 135 291

Testing his eighth Talent reveals non-linear increases rather than a perfectly steady rise. At approximately ten minutes, half an hour, and one hour of continuous training, he experiences boosts of around thirty percent each. After three boosts, his practical combat strength is nearly doubled, and his strength and movement speed exceed those of an entry-level Seventh-Grade martial artist. His unusual endurance makes the Talent especially compatible with Heavenly Refining Body and Life Essence Fluid. 291 293

Martial Comprehension and Instruction

Li Yuan’s greatest strength is his ability to analyze techniques beyond their conventional interpretation. He can identify underlying principles, flaws, applications, and limitations that even experienced practitioners and Grandmasters overlook. 39 45 234

• Reinterpreted the Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique as repeated qi circulation through the body rather than a single inhalation-and-exhalation cycle. 3
• Reworked the Collapse Extreme Fist around its Stopping Point Method, enabling each subsequent strike to become faster and stronger. 4
• Expanded the Six Martial Chain Blade by combining its six forms in pairs for greater variation and adaptability. 4
• Explained Flickering Shadow Steps through four coordinated stages—gathering force, setting direction, bursting forward, and braking—while answering hostile technical questions during an A+ Open Class evaluation. 11
• Improved Chen Yong’s Jade Stone Palm and Straw Raincoat Blade despite their limited potential. 29
• Raised the instructional level of Lingshan No. 1 High School’s teachers by teaching Martial Dao principles rather than rote forms. 123
• Solved cultivation questions that had obstructed Feng Youwang for fifteen years. 288
• Identified the fundamental qi-barrier principle of the Void-Severing Art from discussion alone and supplied a practical demonstration recognized as authentic by Xia Ping and Xia Cheng. 296
• Trained teachers so effectively that nearby cities began recruiting them aggressively; proposed training replacements in advance rather than relying exclusively on retaining existing staff. 301

Cultivation and Gang Body

Li Yuan initially relied on the basic Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique, but later adopted the far more advanced Heavenly Refining Body. The method uses Gang Qi to damage and temper the body while the body refines the Gang Qi, eventually forging a powerful Gang Body. 32 45

• Can endure unusually severe body-tempering pain and absorb Nutrient Fluid at levels beyond ordinary martial artists. 31 164
• Developed a Gang Body with improved passive defense, stamina, recovery, and physical strength. 51
• Uses Gang Qi as a controllable defensive layer that can be refined and reshaped as his cultivation progresses. 110
• His former Zhou Tian Dao Yin Technique became insufficient for tempering fascia and bone marrow after Fifth Grade, forcing him to seek stronger methods. 25 32
• Received Heavenly Refining Body from Xia Zhao and independently studied its original text before reviewing her annotations, avoiding conventional interpretations that had misled other practitioners. 45
• Can reinforce his hands and fist attacks with Gang Qi in addition to using it defensively. 46
• His powerful physique and protective Gang Qi make some breakthroughs harder by creating a tougher limitation to overcome. A similarly strong body can resist beneficial tonic effects, requiring deliberate exhaustion before taking the S-grade Nutrient Tonic. 109 213
• Adopts a body-centered long-term cultivation philosophy after studying Chu Shanhe’s writings, regarding physical tempering as the foundation of future advancement. 252
• Resists the Chu Palace’s heat and poisonous mist through his tempered physique. Later survives a strike from Jin Lou, a peak Ninth-Rank martial artist. 251 325

Xia Zhao warns him to conceal his successful understanding of Heavenly Refining Body, since Grandmasters had previously fought over the method before abandoning it as incomprehensible. Publicly revealing that it works could renew those conflicts. 179

Combat Techniques

• Cloud Extreme Fist — Li Yuan’s version differs from conventional practice; its changing patterns and depth of application overwhelmed Gu Yu’s attempts to decipher it. Later adaptation makes it fit his own physique and coordinate more closely with his movement and weapon skills. 20 34 293
• Collapse Extreme Fist — A fist art Li Yuan can use as a continuous, adaptive barrage rather than a predictable sequence of overwhelming strikes. His deeper interpretation increases its momentum by nearly thirty percent and gives a Mid-grade skill power potentially comparable to many High-grade techniques. 4 20
• Six Martial Chain Blade — His longtime blade technique, later surpassed in power by higher-level arts. 4 91
• Cloud Treading Step — A Movement Art he mastered to an unusually high level, though its limitations became clear against stronger opponents. He later still uses it effectively in tournament matches through deeper comprehension and self-adaptation. 39 91 305
• Wind River Art — A pinnacle Movement Art acquired through Lanwu Trial Performance Credits. 113
• Wiping Blade — An advanced blade technique built around merging blade and body; Li Yuan mastered its three realms—Wiping Force, Wiping Mark, and Wiping Shadow—before defeating a Seventh-Rank assassin. 189 199
• Mountain Body-Protecting Qi — A rare defensive martial skill acquired to strengthen his protection against threats such as Jin Fan and the Jin Family. 196
• Void-Severing Art — Demonstrated its fundamental effect by forming an invisible qi barrier above a campfire, pressing the flames into a square. His explanation distinguishes its essential barrier-forming principle from the apparent movement-related applications discussed by others. 296

His practical combat accomplishments include forcing the B-level Little Rock Bear to flee after five exchanges at Sixth Grade, crippling a Seventh-Rank assassin, and winning the Dragon River Forest Trial Tournament against domestic and foreign competitors. These results illustrate the difference between his formal realm and his actual combat ability. 110 199 311

Anatomy and Technical Skill

Li Yuan possesses exceptional dissection and analytical ability. He can infer the effects, risks, and potential of rare biological materials from limited information, and his Anatomist Skill surpasses established masters. 234 237

• Analyzed the effects and risks of the Feng Family’s Ligament Sinew research with little prior information. 234
• Assisted in work that astonished experienced anatomy masters, forcing several who had dismissed him to acknowledge his superior skill. 237
• Applied the same comprehension to complex factory machinery, completing B-grade activation and repair missions that other martial artists and specialists could not handle. 105 115
• Possesses hand dexterity beyond what established anatomy masters consider achievable, allowing him to learn their techniques with exceptional ease. 240
• Uses Nimble Hands and Eidetic Memory together for operations requiring both structural understanding and extremely precise manipulation. 150
• Considers acquiring testing equipment through his school’s dissection classes to analyze Life Essence Fluid privately rather than entrusting the secret to an outside institution. 254
• Completes dismantling, installation, and restoration work on Wugang City production lines after previous operators damaged the machinery. 202 212

Notable Items and Resources

• Protective inner armor — Given by Gu Yu before the Youth Martial Tournament out of genuine concern for Li Yuan’s safety. 47
• Gilded Black Card — Originally Xia Zhao’s card; transferred to Li Yuan and usable at Scenic Mountain Group businesses. 189
• Life Essence Fluid — Chu Shanhe’s hidden inheritance, a scarce body-tempering treasure capable of extending vitality and greatly benefiting Martial Dao cultivation. Li Yuan discovers approximately fifty milliliters and keeps its existence discreet because its scarcity and life-preserving effects could provoke conflict among powerful factions. 252 253 254 258
• S-Grade Nutrient Tonic — Secured through Xia Zhao and Deputy Commander Zhou after Li Yuan completed the Wugang City production-line work; enabled his leap to Sixth-Grade Great Perfection. 212 213
• Lanwu Trial Performance Credits — Earned more than 2,400 credits through five B-grade machinery missions, then exchanged credits for Wind River Art before pausing mission work to cultivate. 113
• A-grade Nutrient Fluid — Received fifteen bottles from the city after his meritorious border service and used them during his preparation for the Stone Peak River conference. 164
• Level Three Treasure-Hunting Grounds authorization — Granted access to Yanling Town’s various areas despite the usual recommendation that participants possess at least Eighth-Rank strength. 189
• Life Tempering Fluid — Obtained more than one hundred milliliters during the Luoshan Island expedition; the account describes this as the trip’s principal material gain. 338

Li Yuan uses diluted Life Essence Fluid himself and provides it to people close to him. Xia Zhao reports improved movement, body control, and healing of lingering injuries after receiving it. After the Luoshan Island trip, he gives carefully diluted fluid to his parents and five bottles of a weaker mixture to Chen Yong, presenting Chen’s portion as an ordinary health-boosting specialty drink. 258 291 338

Relationships

• Xia Zhao — Wife. They met while trapped in Qijia Town, where Li Yuan treated her Mutant Beast venom injury and the two exchanged martial guidance. Their trust developed into romance, and they later married in Lingshan City. She provides valuable cultivation methods and techniques, openly defends him against hostile relatives and Zhuang Meng, and regards him as an independent partner rather than an appendage of her family. He remains deeply concerned for her safety during missions and eventually travels to find her when communication stops. 39 43 212 248 249 264 301 338
• Chen Yong — Close friend, colleague, and frequent training partner. Li Yuan regularly coaches him in martial arts and supports his career and personal confidence. Chen helps review evidence of Jin Lou’s attack and later receives diluted Life Essence Fluid without being told its true identity. 28 29 87 321 338
• Director Zeng Chang — Political supporter and mentor within the Municipal Education Bureau. Zeng helped Li Yuan attend Qijia Town training, protected his career, and supported his promotions. They later jointly address the recruitment of First High School’s trained teachers by neighboring cities. Zeng also shows genuine concern after Jin Lou’s attack. 31 69 197 301 324
• Director Ma Tingde — Former superior who initially pressured Li Yuan to surrender the tournament qualification, but later defended his bonus and recognized his value as a teacher. 3 28 32
• Jin Fan — Principal martial rival and enemy. Jin Fan resented losing the Youth Martial Tournament qualification and later attempted to kill Li Yuan, escalating their conflict into a long-running feud. Li Yuan’s counterattack at Stone Peak River severely damages Jin Fan’s martial foundation. After the Jin elders cut off his resources, Jin Fan’s resentment shifts increasingly toward his own relatives. 1 85 164 175 221 325
• Gu Yu — Competitive rival and Grandmaster’s disciple. Though ordered to defeat Li Yuan and dismantle the Cloud Extreme Fist, Gu Yu shows him respect and gives him protective armor. Repeated defeats and Li Yuan’s subsequent accomplishments eventually make Gu Yu reluctant to encounter him. 47 69 77 313
• Zhuang Meng — Former university girlfriend. Li Yuan has repeatedly rejected her attempts to resume contact and severed ties after she allowed personal assumptions to affect his Lanwu Trial treatment. He blocks her calls and later rejects efforts to use their former romance to recruit him into Tang Wenlou’s faction. 97 100 131 210 212
• Xia Yao — Xia Zhao’s cousin and Li Yuan’s Border Front companion. Li Yuan treats her like a younger sister, despite her developing feelings for him. Their martial discussions help him acquire the Talent Point used to unlock Nimble Hands during a survival crisis. 146 150 152 186
• Feng Yingtian — Powerful ally and grateful beneficiary of Li Yuan’s help. Feng publicly treats him as a lifesaver, values his insight, and supports his relationship with Xia Zhao. He offers gifts, jewelry, and the Feng Family’s protection, regarding Li Yuan’s anatomical expertise as exceptionally valuable. 229 234 247
• Li Yuan’s parents — Important personal motivation and continuing beneficiaries of his success. He seeks advancement partly to support them, helps them establish a food stall, and later gives them diluted Life Essence Fluid. They support his marriage to Xia Zhao but remain concerned that their modest circumstances may not match her background. 14 115 136 257 285 338
• Xu Nianxing — Former prospective romantic partner introduced through a blind date. They grow close through regular messages and his health-preserving cultivation guidance, but her mother’s class prejudice and insults toward his family cause him to doubt their future. Xu Nianxing herself defends his character and rejects marriage based solely on wealth. 87 91 123 166 186 196
• Chen Moying — Lanwu Trial liaison officer who replaces Zhuang Meng. She values his achievements, respects his decision to pause missions, and defends their work against unfair blame. Later she helps arrange his return to Wugang City under Deputy Commander Zhou. 100 106 113 131 199 202
• Commander Zhou — Political and professional ally whose advancement is aided by Li Yuan and Xia Zhao’s successful resolution of the Wugang City machinery crisis. As Deputy Commander, he helps secure the promised S-grade reward and attempts to protect Li Yuan from rival recruitment. 202 210 212 256
• Principal Yin — Hostile superior whose favoritism originally obstructs Li Yuan’s cultivation and career. He later proposes exposing Li Yuan to a Jin Family attack through a border exercise and cooperates with Jin Lou’s arrangements. Li Yuan’s growing authority and results increasingly undermine Yin’s influence. 2 230 315 321
• Vice Principals Zhang and Qi — Former political competitors who come to respect his achievements. They warn him about threats to his life and later refuse Principal Yin’s plan to send him into a Jin Family ambush. 163 164 230
• Xia Cheng — Father-in-law. Initially concerned that Li Yuan might exploit the Xia Family, he grows increasingly satisfied with him and eventually hopes to involve him in the family’s business affairs. After Jin Lou’s attack, he insists on bringing a Physician to examine Li Yuan. Li Yuan later coordinates with him over Luoshan Island cooperation. 296 314 321 337
• Xia Ping and Xia Zhao’s grandmother — Senior in-laws whose initial reservations give way to warm acceptance after Li Yuan demonstrates his ability, manners, and generosity, particularly through Life Essence Fluid. 291
• Xia Jin — Friendly Xia Family cousin and conversational ally. Explains internal family competition and guides Li Yuan to the Dragon River Forest Trial Tournament, warning him about the attention attached to being Xia Zhao’s husband. 296 301 302
• Jin Lou — Jin Family expert and enemy. A peak Ninth-Rank martial artist who personally attacks Li Yuan and remains committed to preventing his continued growth. 315 321 325
• King Sheng — Luoshan Island ruler whose hostility turns into cooperation after Li Yuan exposes Anan’s scheme and kills Qin Song. Li Yuan preserves his dignity afterward and negotiates direct snow iron ore trade with the Xia Kingdom. 337 338
• Nate — Geological expert who earns Li Yuan’s trust by standing beside him during the Luoshan Island crisis. Li Yuan appoints him to manage future business dealings with King Sheng. 338

Story Role / Major Arcs

Youth Martial Tournament Conflict

Li Yuan refuses to surrender the qualification he earned with merit points despite pressure from Principal Yin and Director Ma. He proves his capability by defeating Gu Yu, secures his place, and later wins first place in points at the Youth Martial Tournament. 13 20 23 121

Before the qualification match, he defeats the leadership’s attempt to damage his work evaluation by earning an A+ Open Class rating. After the tournament, Zeng Chang helps him obtain an intermediate professional title. A later recorded Martial Combat Lesson victory over Gu Yu further disproves claims that his achievements were merely luck and strengthens the case for his promotion. 11 69 77

Qijia Town Training

During training under the virtual identity “Wuling Education,” Li Yuan becomes trapped with Xia Zhao in the wilderness. He treats her venom wound, protects her during their concealment, gains practical knowledge of Fierce Beasts, and develops a lasting connection with her. 31 39 43

He spends over nine hours searching for medicinal herbs using knowledge from Border Records, then continues treatment as her wound improves. Their conversations become a mutual exchange of martial insight rather than one-sided instruction. After returning home, he studies the Heavenly Refining Body method she provides and quickly begins forging Gang Qi. 39 45

Lanwu Trial and Wugang City Missions

Li Yuan enters the Lanwu Trial to earn Performance Credits for better martial arts. After Zhuang Meng assigns him a discouraging cleanup mission, he completes it efficiently, changes liaison officers, and becomes known for finishing difficult B-grade factory-operation missions. 97 99 100 105

He completes five B-grade tasks and earns more than 2,400 Performance Credits, exchanging credits for Wind River Art. Other participants’ failures after the machinery missions are downgraded demonstrate that his success depended on unusual technical skill, precision, and strength rather than easy assignments. 113 115

He later returns to dismantle damaged machinery and restore production lines amid conflict between Deputy Commander Zhou and Tang Wenlou’s faction. Working with Xia Zhao, he completes the remaining lines, rejects attempts to recruit him through Zhuang Meng, and receives the promised S-grade Nutrient Tonic. Their actions contribute to Tang Wenlou’s demotion and suspension, Xia Zhan’s departure from command, and Zhou’s promotion. 202 210 212 256

School Leadership and Border Front Service

Li Yuan rises from teacher to Teaching Affairs Director and later Vice Principal of Lingshan No. 1 High School. He reforms instruction, trains fellow teachers, volunteers for dangerous Border Front duty, and leads an education-sector team through wilderness operations. 115 123 135 138 196

His administration replaces favoritism with contribution-based evaluations and opportunity allocation. He records questionable absences by Jin Fan and Gu Yu, centralizes anatomy-course spending to remove Huang Bo’s financial control, and improves staff benefits. His border service earns Second-Class Merit and supports his advancement to Vice Principal. 132 163 164

After joining the Xia Family through marriage, he continues seeking practical merit rather than accepting the suggestion that others must yield achievements to him. He separates from an unproductive squad arrangement and later gains recognition for completing an A-level Trailblazing Mission in Qujiang Town. Zhang Cheng is among those who support him during this period. 271 280 290 313

His teacher-training reforms eventually make First High School’s staff highly sought after by nearby cities. He and Zeng Chang prepare to recruit and train trainee teachers, warning that losing more than ten percent of the staff at once would seriously damage the school. By the time of Jin Lou’s attack, improved competition results, compensation, and institutional standing have made Li Yuan the school’s effective leader despite Yin remaining the official principal. 301 321 324

Conflict with the Jin Family

After Jin Fan’s failed attempt on his life and subsequent injury, Li Yuan becomes the target of retaliation, public smears, and assassination. He survives a Seventh-Rank assassin through superior technique and later faces continued pressure from Jin Fan’s relatives and allies. 85 199 221

At the Feng Family banquet, Yuan Zheng and Ruan Fei attempt to portray him as a villain and force his hosts to abandon him. His anatomical expertise reverses the situation, and the anatomy masters later agree to his demands, including refusing to obtain medicine for Jin Fan and discouraging other Anatomists from helping. 234 235 240 241

Principal Yin subsequently proposes sending him into the Border Forest Region for a Jin Family ambush, but Vice Principals Zhang and Qi refuse. Later, Li Yuan uses his memory and surveillance awareness to trace a follower back to Jin Fan and Jin Lou, confirming that the Jin Family’s own Ninth-Rank expert intends to act against him. 230 314 315

After surviving Jin Lou’s attack, Li Yuan and Chen Yong review footage showing enough of the masked attacker’s face to support his identification. Li Yuan warns Principal Yin that the incident will be investigated, while Xia Cheng comes with a Physician despite Li Yuan’s assurances that he is unharmed. Zeng Chang later learns that Li Yuan had anticipated the danger and asked Elder Ren to help. 321 324

The Jin Family then cuts off Jin Fan’s resources, treating him as a burden. Although Jin Lou remains determined to eliminate Li Yuan, Jin Fan increasingly resents his cousins and elders more than his original opponent. 325

Chu Palace Inheritance and Marriage

At the Chu Palace Trial, Li Yuan correctly realizes that the traditional palace route is misunderstood and discovers Chu Shanhe’s hidden inheritance: Life Essence Fluid. Soon afterward, he and Xia Zhao formally commit to marriage, confront the Xia Family’s opposition, and marry on August 26. 251 252 254 264

He learns that five palaces were private residences intended to discourage intrusion, while Hunchun Palace was the place for receiving guests and leaving guidance. Rather than pursuing prestige through the misunderstood obstacles, he follows the inscriptions to the genuine inheritance and adopts Chu Shanhe’s emphasis on physical cultivation. 251 252 253

The Xia Family initially attempts to discourage him through extravagant gifts and displays of wealth and martial pressure. Xia Zhao openly supports his independence and sincerity. By his later visit, Xia Ping and her grandmother welcome him warmly, recognizing his conduct, ability, and the value of the Life Essence Fluid he has provided. 247 254 258 291

Xia Family Gathering and Void-Severing Art

During a later journey to the Xia Family Estate, Li Yuan unlocks his eighth Talent, The More You Fight, the Braver You Become, and tests its staged increases in power. At the family’s Night Discussion, rivalry between the Main House and Branch House turns the study of Void-Severing Art into a contest for prestige. 291 293 296

Xia Xiu calls on him expecting embarrassment, but Li Yuan identifies the art’s underlying qi-barrier principle and demonstrates it over a campfire. Xia Ping and Xia Cheng recognize the effect as matching the original manual, transforming an attempt to belittle him into public proof of his comprehension. 296

Dragon River Forest Trial Tournament

Li Yuan travels with Xia Jin to Dragon River Forest for a tournament that has evolved from informal holiday competition into a serious international martial event. His marriage to Xia Zhao attracts scrutiny, and Pei Xiaoyan openly disparages his suitability as her husband. 301 302 304

He competes using deeply understood and self-adapted techniques, including the seemingly basic Collapse Extreme Fist and Cloud Treading Step. He continues winning after the other remaining Xia Kingdom competitors are eliminated and ultimately takes the championship, denying the expected victory to Cole. 305 311

Luoshan Island Expedition

Following the Jin Lou confrontation, Li Yuan travels to lawless Luoshan Island, confident that his demonstrated defensive strength makes most local threats manageable. He prepares supplies and gathers information before taking the private boat crossing. 325

When accused over the deaths of Minte and Nalong, he demonstrates that the allegation is inconsistent with his strength and identifies Anan as the person who ordered their deaths. He kills Qin Song, who had betrayed his assigned protective role, and compels King Sheng to address Anan’s guilt. King Sheng orders her execution and then seeks cooperation rather than continued opposition. 337

Li Yuan negotiates direct snow iron ore trade with the Xia Kingdom, appoints Nate to manage future dealings, and treats King Sheng respectfully to preserve the partnership. Although the expedition yields little martial instruction, it provides more than one hundred milliliters of Life Tempering Fluid. 338

Search for Xia Zhao and Little Creek Mountain Visit

After returning to Lingshan City, Li Yuan remains troubled by Xia Zhao’s silence. Xia Cheng can only confirm that she is still on her mission, so Li Yuan travels toward Qijia Town to find her himself. His ability to enter her temporary wilderness camp without being challenged raises fears that its security or the mission situation has broken down. 338

Later, Li Yuan and Xia Zhao travel together to Little Creek Mountain to meet Gu Xin, a former prodigy rumored to be the Cloud Immortal’s successor. Li Yuan suspects that Gu Xin has deliberately encouraged these stories and considers avoiding the assumptions built into them. At the gathering, he remains skeptical of the martial artists’ apparent belief in physiognomy and divination. 345 346

Notable Quotes

“How long am I expected to keep sacrificing my own future—until after I die?” 3

“I came to Lan Eagle City only to improve through the Lanwu Trial. I have no interest in considering your feelings.” 100

“I'm not after her circumstances. I'm after her. It's just that she happens to have those circumstances.” 246

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