Yunmei

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Li Yunmei (Yunmei; 云妹)
Alias(es)	Yun'er
Age	Nine 34
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Li Family
Occupation/Role	Li Pingsheng's younger sister; budding Profound Gate practitioner
Status	Alive; her prematurely opened Spirit Aperture is temporarily sealed, though the Spirit-Subduing Jade is projected to last no more than twelve days 63
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Inborn Spirit Aperture / Profound Gate aptitude revealed	34	After drinking Li Pingsheng's medicinal bone soup and practicing the Health Preservation Stance, she is observed naturally drawing spiritual essence into her acupoints.
Initial spiritual-essence practice	35	Li Pingsheng guides her in drawing spiritual essence; she can feel the energy moving beneath her skin but quickly tires due to her frail body.
Premature Spirit Aperture opening	54	Spiritual-energy fluctuations from Li Pingsheng's inner-core refinement forcibly open her Spirit Aperture, creating an uncontrolled vortex that drains surrounding life force and floods her meridians.
Spirit Aperture temporarily sealed	61	Li Pingsheng uses the Spirit-Subduing Jade and a makeshift Spirit Locking Array to suppress the aperture's devouring power.
Temporary stabilization	63	Li Pingsheng stabilizes her condition with lightning aura, but this damages the jade's foundation and reduces its remaining lifespan to twelve days.

Background / History

Yunmei grew up with the Li Family in severe poverty. Though she had passed her ninth birthday, she was thin, sallow, and malnourished; nevertheless, she retained a child's liveliness and affection for her brother, Li Pingsheng 1. When the family could afford only bran porridge for her while saving meat soup for Pingsheng, she quietly suppressed her hunger rather than complain 1.

She sold the only hair ornament she had ever owned to trade for three lard candies, hoping they would cheer Pingsheng and help him succeed 2. During the Black Water Gang's debt collection, gang thugs threatened to sell her to a brothel. Pingsheng arrived before they could harm her, defeated the attackers, and promised to protect her 4 5.

After Pingsheng prepared medicinal soup from third-rank demonic-beast marrow, Yunmei expelled bodily impurities and gained renewed energy. While he taught her the Health Preservation Stance, he discovered that she could naturally absorb spiritual essence—a rare inborn aptitude for the Profound Gate 34. Pingsheng began secretly teaching her to draw in spiritual essence, insisting that her talent remain hidden even from their family 35.

Before the Martial Hall Grand Exam, the Zhao Family tricked Yunmei into the Inner City and held her hostage to force Pingsheng into accepting poisoned medicine and fighting Zhao Ming under unfavorable conditions. She remained frightened but did not panic, and Lu Qingshan eventually freed her during the match 41 42. After the Zhao Family's downfall, she moved with the Li Family into the protected Inner City residence 49 51.

Her inborn Spirit Aperture later opened prematurely after being stimulated by the spiritual-energy overflow from Pingsheng's cultivation. Unable to regulate the influx, she unconsciously drained the pond, plants, fish, and ambient life force around her; her own body began to freeze and fail under the pressure 54 55. Pingsheng risked his cultivation and life to obtain the Spirit-Subduing Jade, then sealed her aperture through a formation. The seal saved her immediate life but remains temporary 61 62 63.

Appearance

Yunmei is a small, frail girl who initially appears severely undernourished, with a childlike presence that contrasts with the hardship of her upbringing 1.

• Barely reaches Li Pingsheng's waist and has limbs described as thin as dry firewood 1.
• Has sallow skin and large, watery eyes that retain a lively expression 1.
• During her Spirit Aperture leakage, her body becomes unnaturally cold; her skin turns bluish white and blue veins visibly bulge beneath her arms 54.
• While dying from the aperture's instability, parts of her body begin turning transparent, with her bones visible beneath her skin 61.

Personality

Yunmei is deeply devoted to her family, especially Li Pingsheng. Even as a child living in poverty, she gives away her only hair ornament for candies meant to encourage him and refuses the treats herself 2. She wants to grow stronger not for status, but so she can protect her grandfather and second uncle alongside her brother 35.

She is obedient and trusting toward Pingsheng, agreeing without hesitation to keep her Spirit Aperture secret. Her care is expressed through simple, earnest acts, such as sewing him a crude Peace Talisman with her saved allowance despite injuring her fingertips on the needle 35.

Despite being frightened during the Zhao Family's abduction, Yunmei does not cry out or cause a scene that might endanger Pingsheng. She instead clutches the red string from her talisman and trusts him to save her 41. Her fear over harming the fish and plants during the Spirit Aperture incident also shows her gentle nature and lack of malice 54.

Abilities & Skills

Inborn Spirit Aperture

Yunmei was born with a Spirit Aperture and can naturally draw spiritual essence from heaven and earth, marking her as a potential practitioner of the Profound Gate 34.

• Absorbs spiritual essence in rhythm with her breathing while practicing under Li Pingsheng's guidance 34 35.
• Possesses unusually strong affinity for spiritual energy despite her ordinary, frail physique 34 55.
• Her aperture lacks natural restraint once forced open, drawing in surrounding spiritual energy, moisture, and life force indiscriminately 54.
• Excessive intake threatens to rupture her meridians and destroy her body; Shen Tong initially estimates she would die within three days without intervention 55.

Spirit Aperture Leakage

When her aperture opens prematurely, it manifests as a life-draining vortex centered on her body 54.

• Drains water from ponds, withers plants, kills fish, and strips life force from the surrounding environment 54.
• Can absorb the qi, blood, and energy of anyone attempting direct contact or treatment, including Li Pingsheng and Lu Qingshan 54 61.
• Cannot safely be dispersed through Li Pingsheng's lightning arts, as the backlash would likely kill her 54.
• Is temporarily suppressed by the Spirit-Subduing Jade and Spirit Locking Array, but the seal is deteriorating 61 62 63.

Equipment / Items

• Peace Talisman — A crude red talisman Yunmei sewed herself with saved allowance, fabric scraps, and red thread to keep Li Pingsheng safe. He keeps it over his heart 35.
  • Li Pingsheng later infuses it with violet lightning to temporarily buffer the spiritual-energy pressure on Yunmei 55.
• Spirit-Subduing Jade — A suppressive spiritual item obtained by Li Pingsheng and placed on Yunmei's chest to seal her rampaging Spirit Aperture 60 61.
  • Its seal is only temporary and becomes more unstable after Li Pingsheng uses lightning aura to reinforce it 62 63.

Relationships

• Li Pingsheng — Her elder brother, protector, and first cultivation teacher. Yunmei trusts him completely, while Pingsheng repeatedly risks his life and cultivation to keep her safe 5 35 61.
• Lu Qingshan — Pingsheng's ally who rescues Yunmei from the Zhao Family guards and later attempts to protect her during her Spirit Aperture crisis 42 61.
• Zhao Ming and the Zhao Family — Antagonists who deceive Yunmei into entering the Inner City, hold her hostage, and use her to manipulate Pingsheng during the Grand Exam 41 42.
• Shen Tong — Apothecary who diagnoses her Spirit Aperture leakage and explains that it must be sealed with an object capable of suppressing spiritual-energy fluctuations 55.