Li Mo

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Li Mo (离陌)
Alias(es)	Acting Leader of the Shadow Cult; Leader of the Shadow Cult; Bearer of Black Day
Species/Race	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Holy Sight Mountain (formerly); Shadow Cult (formerly leader)
Occupation/Role	Assassin trainee; Shadow Cult leader
Status	Alive; stripped of leadership and departed with loyal followers 402
First Appearance	Chapter 371

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Holy Sight Mountain assassin disciple	371	Trained for eighteen years in short-blade assassination; ranked second among Ke Su's five disciples.
Black Day mark acquired	371 372	Absorbs a black gemstone within an ancient tower; it becomes a pitch-black sun tattoo on his chest and grants shadow-related memories.
Shadow manifestation	374	His shadow rises independently, disarms Sheng Heng, and holds a blade to his throat.
Advanced shadow user	376 378	Develops Shadow Armor, Shadow Speech, shadow-based control over others, and shadow wings for escape after being crippled and imprisoned.
Heavenmark weapon wielder	388	Refines a boar tusk into Frenzied Fang, a dagger whose Heavenmark power greatly strengthens each strike.
Artificial protagonist halo advancement	390	Defeats Lu Zhu; his Black Day halo grows stronger, amplifying his aura and intimidating the Shadow Cult.
Black Day inheritance	392 393	Inherits the High Priestess's Black Day, receiving immense shadow power, sharper thought, administrative knowledge, and improved cultivation insight.
Presence practitioner	397	Uses the Gap Method and his accumulated “existence” to overwhelm He Feng's presence and halt his charge.

Background / History

Li Mo was an orphan raised at Holy Sight Mountain under Assassin Master Ke Su. Although younger than Sheng Heng, he entered the order early enough to become Ke Su's second disciple. He trained obsessively to surpass Sheng Heng, pursuing victory even when it endangered his own life. 371

Ke Su's harshness toward Li Mo stemmed partly from Li Mo's father, Li Wen. Li Wen had investigated a forbidden shadow-related domain, was disowned, and ultimately died; Ke Su feared Li Mo would repeat that path. 374

After being punished for his reckless sparring, Li Mo saw a strange light within an ancient tower and secretly entered it. He absorbed a black gemstone that became the Black Day tattoo on his chest. The being within the gemstone, Lu Li, began feeding him shadow techniques and steering his desire for recognition toward hatred, power, and revenge. 371 372 392

Appearance

Li Mo is described as fair-looking and physically frail after Ke Su damages his lungs; strenuous activity often leaves him coughing. The Black Day mark on his chest becomes his defining feature and is later displayed publicly during his succession ceremony. 388 392

• A pitch-black sun tattoo, known as Black Day, is imprinted on his chest. 371 372
• Uses a short blade, throwing darts, and later the curved dagger Frenzied Fang. 373 388
• Can cover himself in black Shadow Armor or dissolve into shadow during combat. 376 390
• Wore broad robes and conspicuous makeup at his leadership succession ceremony. 392

Personality

Li Mo begins as fiercely competitive, reckless, and desperate for acknowledgment. His initial goal is simple: defeat Sheng Heng and prove that he is worthy. He enjoys intense combat, becoming calmer and more focused as battles grow fiercer. 371 373

After Ke Su cripples and imprisons him, Li Mo increasingly embraces ruthlessness. He becomes willing to kill, manipulate prisoners, threaten potential allies, and use public displays of violence to establish authority. 376 384 386

Despite his ambition, Li Mo initially lacks experience with political maneuvering and struggles to understand the Shadow Cult's internal power games. As leader, he grows more calculating and decisive, but much of his rise is shaped by Lu Li's Black Day, artificial protagonist halo, and implanted influence. 381 387 393

Abilities & Skills

Assassin Arts

Li Mo received Holy Sight Mountain's assassin training and specializes in close-quarters combat.

• Fights with a Short Blade, dagger, and throwing darts. 371 373
• Uses deceptive movement and deliberately risks himself to force opponents into openings. 371
• Applies a vibration technique that transfers force through clashing weapons, temporarily numbing an opponent's muscles. 373
• His damaged lungs make prolonged combat dangerous, encouraging him to seek rapid, decisive kills. 388

Shadow Manipulation

Black Day grants Li Mo access to shadow power and techniques transmitted from Lu Li.

• Can turn his shadow into a corporeal clone or independent combatant. 372 374
• Forms weapons, including a shadow short blade, directly from shadow power. 384 385
• Can become shadow-like to evade attacks, pass through opponents, or reposition. 380 390
• Uses Shadow Armor to reinforce his body and withstand attacks. 376 390
• Escaped Holy Sight Mountain using shadow wings after jumping from a cliff. 376
• His shadow power and Black Day are vulnerable to control or removal by a superior Black Day authority. 400 402

Shadow Speech

Li Mo can influence others through shadow power after his imprisonment.

• Borrows strength from surrounding shadows and exerts control over prisoners. 376
• Manipulates freed captives into acting on their resentment and attacking Holy Sight Mountain. 376
• Uses intimidation and psychological pressure alongside his shadow techniques. 380 384

Black Day and Artificial Protagonist Halo

The Black Day mark is Lu Li's most successful artificial protagonist halo at the time.

• Enhances Li Mo's influence and helps hold the Shadow Cult together despite his lack of seniority. 387
• Alters perception and memory; Yao Ge's memories of a former love are gradually replaced with Li Mo's image. 387
• Intensifies Li Mo's aura during major confrontations and succession rituals. 390 392
• Grants knowledge of shadow cultivation, soul rituals, leadership, agriculture, and administration. 385 393
• Carries a flaw: after a major burst of fortune, its backlash can expose Li Mo to danger. 399
• Leaves Li Mo vulnerable to Lu Li's intended takeover as shadow power progressively mutates his soul. 399

Gap Method and Presence

Li Mo learns to weaponize his personal “presence” after becoming Shadow Cult leader.

• His protagonist halo gathers “existence” through his status and connections, strengthening his presence. 397
• Uses the Gap Method to suppress He Feng's charge and send him flying. 397
• Can pressure and intimidate opponents whose presence is weaker than his own. 390 397

Ritual and Soul Knowledge

Li Mo inherits incomplete but extensive technical knowledge from Black Day.

• Identifies flaws and foreign influences in Nie Zuo's soul-summoning ritual. 385
• Teaches methods for examining remains, correcting ritual materials, detecting interference, and controlling a completed ritual. 385
• Warns that prolonged residence of spirit entities within the body is dangerous. 385

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Short Blade — His primary assassin weapon during his time at Holy Sight Mountain. 371 373
• Throwing darts — Used to restrict an enemy's movement before closing in. 373
• Frenzied Fang — A curved dagger forged from a boar tusk and activated with a Heavenmark; each swing releases power that greatly reinforces the attack. 388
• Black Day — The black-sun mark on his chest; source of his shadow inheritance, artificial protagonist halo, and eventual connection to Lu Li. 371 387

Relationships

• Lu Li — The consciousness behind Black Day; supplies Li Mo with power and knowledge while deliberately manipulating him into becoming a potential secret Avatar. 372 387 399
• Ke Su — Li Mo's master and adoptive guardian figure. Ke Su is severe because he fears Li Mo will follow Li Wen's path, yet secretly spares him during his first escape. 374 376 400
• Sheng Heng — Eldest senior brother and Li Mo's central early rival. Sheng Heng worries about Li Mo's safety even during their duels. 371 374
• Ling Ge — Junior sister and former close companion. She hopes to bring Li Mo back after his defection, but their relationship collapses during the war between their factions. 372 381 398
• Yao Ge — Shadow Cult supporter who treats Li Mo's wounds and later becomes High Priestess. Her attachment to him is influenced by altered memories, though she remains one of his most important allies. 381 387 393
• Nie Zuo — A Shadow Cult ritualist with spirit-summoning abilities. Li Mo negotiates his neutrality, corrects his ritual, and gains a tentative ally. 384 385
• Lu Zhu — A rival Shadow Cult officer who poisons and challenges Li Mo for leadership. Li Mo defeats him, and Lu Zhu later dies. 385 390 393
• Li Wen — Li Mo's father, whose forbidden research into shadow power and eventual death shaped Ke Su's treatment of Li Mo. 374
• The High Priestess — Knew Li Wen and once taught him shadow cultivation. She recognizes Li Mo as the prophesied Black Day bearer and transfers the Shadow Cult's leadership to him. 391 392

Story Role / Major Arcs

Holy Sight Mountain Defection

Li Mo's rivalry with Sheng Heng culminates in a victory achieved through shadow power. Ke Su recognizes the power as resembling Li Wen's forbidden path, severely injures Li Mo, and imprisons him. Li Mo then embraces Black Day's influence, escapes through the mountain dungeon, kills guards, frees prisoners, and flees Holy Sight Mountain. 374 376

Rise of the Shadow Cult

Rescued by the resurgent Shadow Cult, Li Mo becomes its Acting Leader. He secures support through intimidation, the promise of a superior shadow cultivation method, and negotiations with figures such as Nie Zuo. He also survives an attempted poisoning linked to Lu Zhu's leadership ambitions. 381 384 386

Succession and Consolidation

Li Mo defeats Lu Zhu with Shadow Armor and his enhanced aura, then inherits the Shadow Cult after the High Priestess publicly identifies him as Black Day's prophesied bearer. Over the following year, Black Day's inherited power and knowledge allow him to strengthen the cult, improve productivity, establish intelligence networks, and consolidate his authority. 390 392 393

War Against Holy Sight Mountain

Believing the Shadow Cult's population limits its growth, Li Mo advocates war against Holy Sight Mountain. During the conflict, he uses the Gap Method and his overwhelming presence against He Feng, Ling Ge, and Ling Piaoluo, prioritizing his role as cult leader over his former bonds. 393 397 398

Loss of Leadership

Li Mo's campaign ends in disaster. Ke Su exploits the aura hidden in Li Mo's injured lung, while Lu Li ultimately appears through Ling Ge's body as Black Day's mortal vessel. Lu Li strips Li Mo of his authority; carrying Yao Ge's corpse, Li Mo withdraws with the followers still willing to rebuild elsewhere. 400 402

Notable Quotes

“Either embrace the shadows, or die in the darkness.” 380

“I'm the leader. Who agrees? Who objects?” 380

Trivia

• Li Mo was Holy Sight Mountain's second disciple despite being younger than Sheng Heng because he entered the sect earlier. 371
• His original motivation was recognition, not domination; Lu Li's influence transformed that desire into a drive to seize power and destroy Holy Sight Mountain. 392
• The Black Day on Li Mo's chest is the third—and best—artificial protagonist halo created by Lu Li at that point. 387