Lu Li

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Lu Li (陆离)
Alias(es)	Strange Light; Grotesque; Lord of Black Heaven Hall; Rhythm of Time; Gresta, Lord of Shadows and Dreams 23 168 243 442
Species/Race	Originally human; later a shadow creature deeply fused with his Dreamlands 209 442
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Black Heaven Hall (founder and lord); Countermeasure Bureau Non-Standing Group; Theseus Magic Society 243 307 310
Occupation/Role	Player; magical-item crafter; creator of martial arts; master of Zhao Yifan; controller of multiple avatars 224 230 227 442
First Appearance	Chronicles of the Old Days, Chapter 1: “Unknown Game”

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Player / Ultimate Control	1	Transported into the “Puppet Thread Defense” instance and receives the innate ability Ultimate Control.
Alienation Path enhancement	17	Repairs his left hand’s spiritual deficiency, chooses the Alienation Path, and designates his shadow for enhancement.
Shadow Magic user and mask-based summoner	29 54	Assembles Shadow Assassin units through modules, then integrates modules into nine masks to form his Shadow Legion.
Semi-shadow creature	102 111	Develops Shadow Bloodline and undergoes physical, heart, and shadow mutations; his rewards leave him a semi-shadow creature.
Shadow Dreamlands	171	His Dreamlands becomes a separate world in an unknown dimension; he gains the innate ability Shadow Dreamlands.
Complete shadow / Dreamlands creature	209	Cuts away part of his soul and fuses it with the Dreamlands, enabling it to function as another body and skill core.
Martial-arts avatar and Black Heaven Qi	231 243	Cultivates Black Heaven Qi through an avatar and demonstrates Black Heaven’s power against Li You.
Martial-arts incarnation	301	Absorbs legendary factors from the Martial Arts World, creating an incarnation with abilities shaped by his accumulated legends.
True body rated approximately A+	308	His 50% resonance does not reflect his full strength; with his true body and Dreamlands, he is evaluated at roughly A+.
Black Day’s mortal vessel	402	Possesses Ling Ge, absorbs her personality and soul, and uses the vessel to defeat Holy Sight Mountain’s forces.

Background

Lu Li was a student at Leping No. 2 High School in Leping City. His parents died in an accident, after which his maternal uncle took him in and assumed control of their inheritance. Lu Li lived with his uncle’s family, including his cousin Ji Yue, but their childhood closeness gradually became estrangement. 17 53

On a summer day, Lu Li was abruptly transported to a snowy night and placed in the game instance “Puppet Thread Defense.” The instance required him to protect an old man until dawn, introducing him to the game system, supernatural dangers, and his innate ability, Ultimate Control. 1

Appearance

Lu Li’s appearance changes substantially with his transformations, avatars, and magical equipment. In his early shadow-altered state, he appears as a delicate, half-long-haired youth whose ominous clothing, masks, and umbrella make ordinary people reluctant to approach him. 102

• Shoulder-length hair that grows back rapidly even after being cut. 161
• Often wears dark or black-patterned clothing, including Hanfu, hooded clothing, wizard robes, or a black cloak. 102 199 243
• Carries stacked masks at his waist and an Oil-Paper Umbrella marked with black patterns. 102
• Can construct a human-like outer skin from Shadow Magic, moisture, dust, and soil; this shell is inscribed with runes and resists positive energy. 199
• His complete shadow form is fundamentally a mass of darkness, though he can employ human-shaped bodies and avatars. 181 442
• In one later manifestation, he is approximately three meters tall, wears a fitted suit, has a featureless white head, and bears black tentacles. 589

Personality

Lu Li is highly analytical, patient, and experimental. He routinely studies modules, skills, martial arts, dreams, legendary factors, and supernatural systems before applying what he learns to new abilities. He treats combat, social interactions, and even world development as problems to be modeled, tested, and optimized. 19 230 320 390

His self-control extends beyond physical movement: hostile emotions and mental interference fail to shake him because of his command over his own mind. 5 He is capable of restraint when it serves a strategic purpose, such as incapacitating guards rather than killing them during the Mermaid Princess’s reunion with Prince William. 40

At the same time, Lu Li can be coldly pragmatic. He manipulates people, cultivates followers, engineers circumstances around artificial protagonist halos, and regards many individuals as useful experimental subjects. 115 372 391 419 He is interested in unusual phenomena and openly describes his interests as “all interesting things.” 23

Abilities & Skills

Ultimate Control

Lu Li’s original innate ability grants exceptional control over his body and mind.

• Enables precise regulation of his physical condition, including releasing body heat through his pores. 17
• Lets him suppress negative emotions and resist psychological influence. 5
• Supports rapid observation and adaptation in combat. 110
• His early physical body remains inferior to stronger specialists such as Zhou Chu. 89 110

Alienated Shadow and Shadow Magic

Lu Li’s shadow is the foundation of his transformation and most of his combat abilities.

• His detached shadow can hold or bind weapons and withstand ordinary blades and small firearms. 19
• In a lightless environment, the shadow’s strength and speed increase threefold. 19
• The shadow has limited fine control and a short detachment range. 19
• Explosives can disperse it for at least an hour, temporarily removing its physical-stat enhancement. 19
• Bright, positive-energy techniques and Qi Ye’s Shadowless Lamp Barrier can block his access to outside Shadow Magic. 258 259
• He later uses shadow tentacles to restrain and absorb shadow monsters created from Qi Yunfei’s blood. 262 263

Shadow Masks and Summoned Units

Lu Li uses nine white masks as vessels for Shadow Magic and modular units.

• The masks transformed into demon masks connected directly to him after he infused them with Shadow Magic. 36
• Shadow Assassin — an assassin-type unit designed for stealth and targeted attacks. 29 32
• Claw Ghost / Shadow Demon — a frontline unit upgraded after the Claw Ghost proved incompatible with the Shadow attribute. 83 111
• Lilith — a support-summoner unit associated with one of the masks. 83
• The masks can stack themselves and hang at his waist when their units are dismissed. 54

Touch of Fear

A fear-inducing ability initially assembled as an incomplete skill.

• Causes creatures touched by Lu Li to experience fear. 23
• He can manually channel magic into the skill slot to compensate for its missing Energy Module. 40
• Its early activation is slow and requires substantial preparation. 23 40
• Lu Li used it to incapacitate guards without killing them. 40

Meditation and Mental Development

Lu Li develops his soul and spiritual power through meditation methods.

• Uses the Tranquility Meditation Method to cultivate mental power. 20
• Refines the method with analysis supplied by Moon Shadow Dependent. 54 60
• Meditation improved his soul assessment from 3.01 to 3.03 and his spiritual derivation from 2.39 to 2.43 in one documented session. 60
• His meditation attracted a mysterious entity and caused memory loss on at least one occasion. 60

Eye of Reconnaissance

A panel-form reconnaissance skill assembled from seven modules.

• Scans targets for physical and soul assessments, abilities, weaknesses, and evaluations. 89
• Requires three seconds of focused attention to activate. 89
• Can fail against interference and requires stronger concealment and anti-interference modules for higher-level targets. 89
• Lu Li later uses an enhanced detection ability to assess Zhao Yifan. 227

Shadow Dreamlands

Lu Li’s Dreamlands is both a personal dimension and an extension of his body.

• Formed by infusing his understanding of shadows, the Seven Deadly Sins, and Connection and Surge modules into a growing Dreamlands. 171
• Detached from his body to become a real world in an unknown dimension. 171
• Allows Lu Li to use the Dreamlands itself as a skill core and avatar. 209
• Houses shadow units, spirits, dangerous shadow flora, and the All Living Beast. 245
• Continues to expand through dream energy, eventually reaching the scale of a small town. 245

All Living Beast

A shadow creature created within the Dreamlands.

• Devours the souls of opponents Lu Li kills. 245
• Extracts and organizes information about absorbed abilities. 245
• Assigns obtained abilities into the Three Suns Seven Stars system. 245
• Acquired Li You’s Lust ability, Song of Love’s Sorrow, which evokes lingering attachments and can drive targets to suicide. 245

Martial Arts and Black Heaven

Lu Li creates, teaches, and weaponizes martial arts through his Black Heaven system.

• Learns from Zhou Chu’s spear techniques, assassin footwork, spirit-weapon data, and other combat systems. 110 230
• Creates Black Heaven Volume One around internal energy and a visualization diagram. 230
• Forcefully places the Black Heaven Secret Realm Visualization Diagram into Zhao Yifan’s dreams to teach him. 230
• Uses Black Heaven and seven palm strikes to kill Celestial martial artist Li You. 243
• Designs distinct inner-qi techniques for Black Heaven Hall’s Ten Halls. 238

Crafting and Magical Items

Lu Li is a skilled creator of magical items and spirit weapons.

• Uses forum knowledge, alchemy notes, witchcraft, runes, and spirit-weapon forging procedures. 224 320
• Crafts the Flower Spear from a talking flower and other materials. 224
• Forges the Red Dawn Sword from a martial-arts information sphere. 246
• Establishes the Spirit Weapon Path, forging spirit weapons from clients’ materials and teaching talented visitors. 406

Time and Sight Abilities

His human ability-user avatar develops temporal and visual powers.

• Personal Time Acceleration makes him appear to move at roughly twice normal speed; the Countermeasure Bureau rates it as a C-class human threat. 307
• The ability has a lifespan-related side effect. 300
• Future Sight, Present Sight, and Past Sight originate from the power in the mark on his hand. 505
• Future Sight makes his eyes glow blue, requiring specially made glasses to conceal the effect. 505

Game Control Mark

As the God of Games, Lu Li can mark and control transmigrated individuals.

• Marks Yan Qingyu and takes control of her body to assassinate the Qing Emperor. 627
• Equips the mark with Modification, Life, and Absorption modules. 628
• Allows a host to absorb life force from others and alter their own body. 628
• In Yan Qingyu’s case, repeated absorption produced additional hearts and pushed the host far beyond the world’s normal limits. 628

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Nine Shadow Masks — demon-mask vessels used to deploy shadow units. 36 54
• Oil-Paper Umbrella — reinforced after the Zhou Chu instance; later used as a signature magical implement. 102 111
• Shadow Spear — a Shadow Magic spear skill whose control and speed were improved through module changes. 102 209
• Short Blades — Lu Li considers them better suited to him than a spear in direct combat. 210
• Flower Spear — a magical spear made from a talking flower, capable of resonating with its owner and producing protective spiritual light. 224
• Red Dawn Sword — a spirit weapon forged from an absorbed martial-arts sphere. 246
• Magic Crystals — refined waste expelled by his true body; they provide enormous reserves of shadow energy for sustained item use. 340

Relationships

• Ji Yue — His cousin. They were close as children, but became distant after Lu Li moved into her family home following his parents’ deaths. 17 53
• The Old Man — The target Lu Li is assigned to protect in “Puppet Thread Defense”; the old man gives him shelter and clothing. 1
• The Puppet — A participant in Lu Li’s first instance who asks him to take care of her master after admitting that she deceived and used him. 13
• Moon Shadow Dependent — Forum contact and skill-development collaborator who provides analysis and module parameters for Lu Li’s meditation method. 54 60
• Gao Xiaowen — Fellow player and temporary companion during the Mermaid Princess arc. 23 36
• Hu Wenxu — Fellow Player, ally, and eventual rival power. They cooperate during the Mermaid Princess and Martial Arts World arcs, agreeing to share information and secure the top two positions. 40 228 253
• Zhou Chu — A powerful instance protagonist who teaches Lu Li spear fundamentals and martial combat principles. 110
• Zhao Yifan — Lu Li’s disciple and Black Heaven Hall’s Young Hall Master; Lu Li trains him in Black Heaven martial arts and demands continual improvement. 227 230 243
• Adre — A shadow-compatible subordinate whose growing connection to Lu Li turns into worship; he later serves as High Priest of the Night Spirit Cult. 225 310
• Lin Tong — Countermeasure Bureau officer who invites Lu Li to register his supernatural ability and join the Non-Standing Group. 307 310
• Li Mo — A subject of Lu Li’s long-term manipulation through shadow marks and an artificial protagonist halo. 372 391
• Theseus — Leader of the Theseus Magic Society; Lu Li is bound to complete five missions and earn 100 contribution points to leave the organization. 311

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Game Player

• Survives “Puppet Thread Defense,” learns the game’s basic rules, and begins using Ultimate Control to adapt to supernatural threats. 1 5
• Chooses the safer but slower Alienation Path and begins specializing in Shadow Magic. 17 19
• Builds his first modular skills through forum research, including meditation, fear induction, and shadow-based units. 20 29 32

Mermaid Princess and Mask Development

• Obtains nine masks from the Mermaid and transforms them through Shadow Magic. 36
• Helps the Mermaid Princess reach Prince William while deliberately avoiding lethal force against the royal guards. 40
• Uses the dungeon’s rewards to construct the Shadow Assassin, Claw Ghost, and other mask-based units. 53 54

Zhou Chu Instance

• Enters the “Zhou Chu Eliminates Three Evils” instance and uses reconnaissance to identify Zhou Chu’s exceptional attributes. 89 90
• Trains with Zhou Chu, gains martial knowledge, and leaves the instance after the mission’s conclusion. 110
• Receives Dragon-Slaying Aura, a strengthened umbrella, half of the Madness Curse incantation, and the Shadow Demon evolution. 111

Formation of the Shadow Dreamlands

• Explores dreams, studies dream witchcraft, and harvests dream energy. 170
• Creates the Shadow Dreamlands as an independent dimension linked to his shadow. 171
• Completes his transformation into a shadow creature whose Dreamlands can operate as an alternate body and combat core. 209

Black Heaven Hall and the Martial Arts World

• Accepts Zhao Yifan as his disciple and establishes Black Heaven Hall as a major martial force. 227 241
• Creates Black Heaven martial arts, exterminates the South Heaven Sect, and expands his organization through the Ten Halls. 230 232 238
• Defeats Li You, develops the Martial Arts Dreamlands, and distributes martial knowledge to accelerate the world’s development. 243 245 246
• Seeks a systematic path to the Mythic realm and identifies “fortune” as a reward for advancing the world. 250 253

Avatars, Incarnations, and Multiworld Influence

• Develops separate avatars, including Black Heaven Hall’s master, Dark River, a human Countermeasure Bureau ability user, and a magic-and-witchcraft avatar. 301 442
• Joins the Countermeasure Bureau’s Non-Standing Group while continuing to act through his other bodies. 307 310
• Uses his avatars, Dreamlands, crafted items, and raven attacks in a remote campaign against Lord God. 340
• Reveals himself as the manipulator behind Li Mo, the High Priestess, and artificial protagonist halo experiments. 391
• Possesses Ling Ge as the Black Day’s mortal vessel and absorbs Holy Sight Mountain’s inheritances. 402

Later Experiments and Game-God Activity

• Studies time, distortion, and world-anchor phenomena through further instances and experiments. 505 517
• Operates as the God of Games by placing a Game Control Mark on Yan Qingyu and using her body to overthrow the Qing Emperor. 627 628
• Continues acting across worlds and temporal systems, eventually using the Ring of Truth form to convey information about the past, present, and future. 687

Notable Quotes

“Everything has a price, does it not? I have my own discretion.” 102

“I'm interested in all interesting things.” 23

“What's my background? All you need to know is that I'm wiping out your South Heaven Sect today.” 232

Trivia

• Lu Li is one of the few known people to have survived falling into the dangerous Wu River. 17
• He once introduced himself as “Strange Light,” claimed to be an Implant Path newcomer, and wore a princess dress as part of the disguise. 23
• He is capable of creating functional skills outside the game’s skill-bar system by directly combining modules and magic. 54
• His shadow transformation greatly enhances his appearance before his complete conversion into a genderless shadow mass. 181
• Although the game-panel system rates only part of his strength, his true body and Dreamlands make ordinary resonance-based assessment unreliable. 308