Su Li

Biodata

Feature	Detail
Name	Su Li 10 16 41 43
Alias	"Fallen Prince" (fabricated persona) 5 8 9
Age	18 (at the time of first reincarnation) 9
Gender	Male
Appearance	Sword-shaped brows, starry eyes, fair skin, ethereal aura; significantly optimized appearance due to innate trait [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] 1 2 35 38
Origin	Claimed to be from the East (Ancient Eastern Kingdom); also documented as a freeman from Blue Leaf Town on a forged identity 10 16 41
Status	Freeman (Special Talent Recruitment Audit Passed) 10
Residence	13th Street, Lower District, Grey Gull Port (initial); later Wading Village 10 36
Occupation	Varies: guest at a high-end club, blacksmith apprentice, forger, sword-forger 5 19 47
Known Traits	[Sword Brows Starry Eyes], [Introvert], [Sword Spirit Root (Incomplete)] 1 12 35
Family	Son: Su Xiaochui (the "Bloody Hand Butcher"); Daughter: Su Na (a fierce blacksmith); Wife: Saina (eventually) 34 35 36

Physical Description

Su Li's appearance is fundamentally defined by the innate trait [Sword Brows Starry Eyes], which optimizes his features to an extraordinary degree, granting him well-defined brows, a deep and captivating gaze, and an undeniable charm that makes him stand out even in squalor 1. His sword-like eyebrows slant toward his temples, his eyes are startlingly bright like stars falling into the sea, and his skin is as fair as the finest porcelain 2 41. The trait is solidified into his soul, ensuring that in every lifetime he retains this optimized appearance, regardless of age or circumstance 1. Over the course of his lives, his physique and skin condition evolve—from a young, fair-skinned form, to a rugged, wheat-colored muscularity during his years as a blacksmith, and finally to an otherworldly refinement after acquiring the [Sword Spirit Root], which leaves his skin glowing like mutton-fat jade and imbues him with an ethereal aura 5 21 29 36.

• At the moment of his first rebirth, Su Li appears as a young man with a fair, slender hand, taut skin, and a face that, despite tattered clothes, carries a "broken beauty" reminiscent of a sword immortal 1 2.
• After a decade of blacksmithing, his skin is tanned to a healthy wheat color, and the once-delicate features take on a wilder, rugged edge, making him resemble a newly unsheathed sword rather than fine porcelain 21 29.
• In one life’s old age, his skin remains firm, his features sharp, and his eyes still captivating, a side effect of the [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] trait that preserves his handsomeness even as his daughter appears older than him 34.
• Following the synthesis of [Sword Brows Starry Eyes], [Sword Dao Leader], and the removal of [Introvert] concealment, his skin transforms into "mutton-fat jade" with a faint glow, and his brows and eyes carry an indescribable ethereal aura that makes observers want to kneel 35 36.
• The [Introvert] trait, when activated, significantly reduces his presence so that others subconsciously ignore him, effectively masking his striking looks; when deactivated, his full charm is unleashed, often causing people to stare dumbfounded 12 36.
• In his youth, even with a dirty face and messy hair, his appearance is startlingly handsome, causing others to hesitate before approaching him, assuming he has influential backing 3 5.
• When he first arrives at the Blackstone Fortress as a conscript, his soft, clean hands and fine clothing make the veteran officer suspicious of his claim to be a blacksmith, highlighting his refined appearance 42.

Personality

• Pragmatic and resourceful: Su Li consistently prioritizes survival and comfort over pride or moral qualms. When offered work at a high-end club as a "prince," he quickly abandons his reservations, reasoning that "backbone" is worthless compared to fifty Gold Coins and a life of ease 5. He forges an identity document from a shady forger, buys cheap grilled squid out of kindness, and later sneaks out of Grey Gull Port by hiding on a smuggler's cart — all calculated moves to improve his lot 13 41.

• Self-aware with a sharp, self-deprecating humor: Su Li frequently jokes about his own circumstances and appearance. After seeing his reflection in the water, he muses that even working as a gigolo would earn him a "much higher rating" than in his past life 2. In old age, he laughs at himself as an "old demon" thanks to his perpetual good looks, and notes wryly that his daughter Su Na, who looks older than him, must endure calling him "Father" 34.

• Cautious and adaptive, having learned from past mistakes: His death in the first life — beheaded after a tryst with a noblewoman — teaches him to lie low. He activates the [Introvert] trait to avoid notice, destroys his modern clothes to avoid suspicion, and decides to leave the dangerous city for the countryside 2 12 13. Ten years later, he still chooses the safety of a blacksmith's life over the allure of adventure, rejecting the urge to become a "big tycoon" in the city 50.

• Devoted to family and deeply loyal: Despite his ambition, Su Li repeatedly prioritizes his wife and children. In his second life, he stays in Wading Village to care for Saina, even though he could have pursued power: "If I left, who would make red-braised pork for you?" 37. He teaches his son blacksmithing and appreciates his daughter's skill, and when his son disappears, he copes by focusing on his remaining family 29 31 33.

• Calculating and manipulative when necessary: Su Li is not above using his appearance and charm to gain advantage. He crafts a tragic backstory as a refugee to win sympathy from the blacksmith family, and later maintains an aloof, "unattainable" persona at the club to drive up his price 8 19. He even uses his [Introvert] trait to sneak past guards, and later synthesizes it away only when he deems it no longer necessary 35.

• Resilient and stoic in the face of hardship: From his first life as a dock porter fighting stray dogs for food, to his final peaceful death under the old locust tree, Su Li endures without self-pity. He accepts his mortality with a smile, finding contentment in an ordinary life, and dies with "a final mockery of this damn world, and a reconciliation with it" 34.

• Kind-hearted beneath the pragmatism: Despite his cynical exterior, Su Li shows genuine compassion. He buys grilled squid from an elderly woman even though it's of poor quality, simply to be kind 41. In his final years, he lives a simple, honest life, and even in his youth he cares for Saina, ensuring she has enough to eat and grows healthy 29 41.

• Ambitious but ultimately chooses contentment: Although he dreams of exploring the world and gaining power — he eventually leaves Wading Village to "see if the ocean is truly endless" — for most of his life he suppresses that ambition for the sake of family stability 38 50. He admits that his legendary status is "a big fat zero," but grins recklessly: "I never cared about being some savior anyway" 34.

Background and History

First Life: The Dock Porter of Grey Gull Port

In his original transmigration, Su Li arrived in the world as a middle-aged man on the shores of Grey Gull Port, naked and disoriented. He destroyed his modern clothes to avoid suspicion and found ragged garments, then made his way into the port town. For fifty-two years, Su Li lived as a dock porter, hauling bricks and enduring endless beatings. He learned the local tongue, learned to read noblemen’s expressions, and learned to scavenge food from mold. But he never managed to turn his life around. He had no golden finger, no system, no hidden master—only grueling labor and poverty 1. He accumulated zero wealth and attained no social standing. At the end of his life, he died a pauper. In the void after death, the system belatedly appeared, presenting a pale blue light screen with a life settlement. His survival duration was rated at fifty-two years with an E (White) grade, annotated as “reincarnated cockroach” for surviving to natural death in a hellhole like Grey Gull Port, but “completely devoid of quality.” As compensation, Su Li received the innate trait Sword Brows Starry Eyes, which drastically improved his physical appearance 1 34.

Second Life: The Blacksmith of Wading Village

Reborn at the moment of his first arrival, Su Li resolved to avoid the fate that had doomed his first life. Using his new appearance and the acquired trait [Introvert] —which reduced his presence—he successfully evaded the patrol squad that had previously arrested him. He then made his way to Wading Village, a rural settlement where he could start anew 2 12. Starving and homeless, he was taken in by the blacksmith Old Buck and his wife Aunt Martha. Despite Old Buck’s initial skepticism over Su Li’s frail looks, Su Li proved his work ethic and became an apprentice blacksmith 19 20. Over the years, he married the blacksmith’s daughter, Saina, a freckled village girl who had harbored a crush on him. They had two children: a son, Su Xiaochui, and a daughter, Su Na 29 34. Su Li ran the smithy with Old Buck, living an ordinary but fulfilling life. He aged slowly due to the Sword Brows Starry Eyes trait, retaining a youthful appearance even as Saina grew old. After fifty-eight years in this life, he died at the age of seventy-eight, peacefully under the old locust tree at the village entrance—the very place where he had first met Saina. A mysterious black-robed figure, bearing a striking resemblance to Su Li, later arrived, kowtowed before his body, and paid his respects 34. The system settled this life with a moderate rating, and Su Li acquired the innate trait [Sword Dao Leader] . He synthesized it with his other traits, preparing for the next cycle 35.

Third Life: The Immortal and the Bond

When the rebirth anchor activated, Su Li expected to return to Grey Gull Port. Instead, he awakened under the familiar old locust tree in Wading Village—the node where his profound bond with Saina had been created. The system explained that because the bond level between them was “Engraved in the Bones” (spent a lifetime together, living from the same root and dying in the same grave), the rebirth anchor had corrected itself toward the origin of that bond. Saina had retained complete memories of their marriage in the previous life 36. Finding him, she immediately recognized him and embraced him with wild joy. Su Li discovered he now possessed the [Sword Spirit Root] , a cultivation ability that operated automatically, granting him immense strength and near-immortality. However, his body was too powerful for a mortal womb, and he and Saina were unable to have children in this life—a source of deep sorrow for Saina 37 48. Despite this, they lived sixty more years together. Su Li’s blacksmithing skills became legendary; his forged tools were so sharp that nobles competed for them. But his cultivation hit a wall after turning thirty, and he felt trapped in the village. Saina died at the age of eighty, encouraging him to leave after her death 38. Su Li carved her tombstone again—the same epitaph as in the previous life—and after her passing, he finally departed Wading Village, carrying only a small bundle, walking as straight as a sword toward the outside world 38.

Fourth Life: The Shut-In Blacksmith and the Space Ring

Following his death after the third life, Su Li’s settlement granted him a D+ evaluation and the D-rank inherent trait Space Ring: a 27-cubic-meter storage space where time does not flow. He was reborn once more in Wading Village under the old locust tree, and again Saina found him soon after, still retaining her memories. This time, Su Li resolved to use his new ability to become wealthy and powerful. He revealed the bronze ring to Saina, demonstrating how it could store and retrieve objects 48 49 50. Saina, overcoming initial feelings of inferiority over her appearance and childlessness, accepted him. Su Li decided to stay in the village for her safety, prioritizing her welfare over his personal ambitions. He began to plan a life of prosperity, leveraging his blacksmith skills and the ring’s storage capacity 50. This life marked a shift from his previous passive acceptance to a deliberate pursuit of wealth and status.

Abilities and Traits

Sword Brows Starry Eyes

This is a foundational innate trait that significantly optimizes the user's appearance, granting well-defined features, a deep and captivating gaze, and an undeniable charm. The effect is so pronounced that even when covered in mud, the user stands out like a pearl in dust. The trait is solidified into the soul and automatically takes effect in every lifetime 1.

Source: Obtained from an F-rank prize pool draw during the initial life settlement after Su Li's first death 1.

• Effects:
  • Dramatically enhances physical attractiveness, making the user seem like a prince even in simple clothes 1 2.
  • The charm can deter some troublemakers by projecting an air of mystery and implied backing 3.
  • The skin becomes fair and fine, like the finest porcelain, and muscle definition is aesthetically pleasing 5.
  • The trait can be stacked with other traits, such as [Introvert] 12.
• Limitations:
  • High attractiveness can cause unwanted attention, such as being targeted by perverted nobles or making it difficult to remain inconspicuous in dangerous environments 1.
  • Does not provide any direct combat or defensive benefits on its own.

Introvert

A manually triggered, passive defensive trait that drastically reduces the user's presence when they do not wish to be noticed. The user becomes like a stone by the roadside or a weed in a corner, subconsciously ignored by others unless they perform an outrageous act. The trait is solidified into the soul and can be stacked with [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] 12.

Source: Acquired from a trait draw after Su Li's death at the hands of Lady Charlotte's knights 12.

• Effects:
  • When activated, others subconsciously ignore the user's existence, providing an ultimate "social anxiety" defense mechanism 12.
  • Allows the user to avoid detection even while being remarkably handsome, as it reduces the impact of [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] in social settings 12 35.
• Limitations:
  • The trait is permanently removed if the user chooses to synthesize it with other traits, losing the "invisibility in crowds" camouflage forever 35.
  • It can be broken by overtly conspicuous actions (e.g., streaking) 12.

Sword Dao Leader

A special growth-type innate trait that grants unparalleled comprehension of the sword. The user can learn any swordsmanship at a single glance and master it after ten repetitions. Su Li considers this trait somewhat mismatched to his profession as a blacksmith, but it is later revealed to be highly compatible with his other traits 35.

Source: Obtained as a reward during a later life settlement, after Su Li's death in Blackstone Fortress 35.

• Effects:
  • Grants nearly instantaneous learning and mastery of any sword-based techniques 35.
  • Retains all characteristics of [Sword Brows Starry Eyes] when combined, ensuring that the user's looks remain striking and sword talent invincible 35.
• Limitations:
  • Does not directly provide physical power; it only enhances skill comprehension. The user still needs the physical ability to execute the techniques.

Sword Spirit Root (Incomplete Version)

A powerful cultivation ability that elevates the user to a "darling of the heavens and earth." The body itself becomes a bridge connecting to heaven and earth, allowing direct perception and absorption of spiritual energy (ether) in the air without the need for crude Knight Breathing Methods. This trait is the result of synthesizing [Sword Brows Starry Eyes], [Sword Dao Leader], and [Introvert], with the latter being permanently consumed in the process 35.

Source: Acquired by synthesizing the three prior traits during a life settlement, after the system detected their high compatibility 35.

• Effects:
  • Cultivation Speed Increased by a Hundredfold: Even when sleeping, the user's spiritual energy automatically circulates and absorbs ether 35.
  • Automatic Operation: The trait works 24 hours a day, continuously devouring ambient spiritual energy 37.
  • Retains Sword Brows Starry Eyes and Sword Dao Leader: The user's appearance is refined further—skin becomes like mutton-fat jade with an ethereal aura—and their sword comprehension remains supreme 35 36.
  • Enables Magic Forging: When blacksmithing, the user unconsciously channels spiritual energy into the forged weapon, producing extraordinary attributes that earn the title of "Magic Forger" 45 47.
• Limitations:
  • Incomplete Version: The trait is not fully developed, leaving a "ceiling" that prevents further advancement. After a certain point, the energy within the body hits a wall, like a bottle filled to the brim with an invisible seal on the mouth 37.
  • No Children: The user's body is too strong for a mortal womb to withstand the gestation of that power, resulting in childlessness 37.
  • Loss of Low Profile: Because [Introvert] was consumed, the user's charm has nowhere to hide, attracting trouble that they must now have the ability to solve 35.

Space Ring

An inherent D-rank trait that manifests as a rustic bronze ring on the user's finger, containing 27 cubic meters of static space. Time stops for any items stored within, meaning hot food remains hot and fresh indefinitely. The trait is permanently solidified into the soul and can be stacked infinitely into the next life 48.

Source: Obtained from a D-rank prize pool draw after a D+ comprehensive evaluation in a life settlement 48.

• Effects:
  • Storage Capacity: Provides a three-meter cubed (27 cubic meters) space for storing items 48.
  • Time-Stasis: Any item placed inside experiences no passage of time, preserving its state indefinitely 48 50.
  • Instantaneous Retrieval: The user can store and retrieve items with a thought, making it ideal for smuggling wealth, food, or weapons 48 50.
• Limitations:
  • Cannot Store Living Creatures: The space is static and only accepts non-living matter 48.
  • Fixed Volume: The space is limited to 27 cubic meters and cannot be expanded.

Power Progression

Life/Era	Power Level	Key Acquisition
First Transmigration (Grey Gull Port dock)	Mortal, weak; no cultivation or special abilities.	[Sword Brows Starry Eyes] – optimized appearance, solidified into soul 1.
Second Life (Wading Village blacksmith, with Saina and children)	Skilled blacksmith; no aether cultivation. Forges exceptional tools and weapons through mundane skill.	[Introvert] trait – reduces presence and noticeability, allowing avoidance of patrols 12.
Third Life (Rebirth with Sword Spirit Root, lived 60 years in Wading Village with Saina)	Cultivator (early stage, bottleneck at 30). Body superhuman; automatic aether absorption; can forge magic-quality swords.	[Sword Spirit Root (Incomplete Version)] – hundredfold cultivation speed, automatic circulation, retains charm and sword talent from synthesized traits 35 37.
Fourth Life (Leaves village, joins army, becomes Magic Forger at Blackstone Fortress, killed by assassins)	Same cultivation foundation, now able to actively channel aether into forging. Observed Knight Breathing Technique, gained insight into the local power system.	Magic Forger recognition; exposure to Knight Breathing Technique and aether compression methods 38 47.
Fifth Life (After settlement, Space Ring acquired; reborn in Wading Village with Saina)	Young body with continuous cultivation; physical strength and stamina vastly enhanced.	Space Ring (D-rank) – 27 m³ static storage, time stops inside 48.

Notable Relationships

• Sena / Saina (wife): Su Li’s lifelong partner, met when she found him in the woods and was immediately infatuated 16. Their relationship deepened through mutual respect and intimacy, culminating in marriage after Su Li took responsibility for their consummation 27. Sena (later called Saina) struggled with insecurity over her appearance and Su Li’s feelings, but Su Li’s consistent affection and loyalty reassured her 22 32 49. Their bond was so strong it shifted the rebirth anchor, causing Saina to retain memories of their past life 36. Su Li chose to remain in Wading Village for her safety, prioritizing her well-being over personal ambition 50. In old age, they supported each other through grief over their missing son and the challenges of aging 33. Significance: The central romantic relationship of Su Li’s life, representing love, devotion, and the anchor of his moral decisions.

• Su Na (daughter): Su Li’s daughter with Saina, who grew into a formidable woman and renowned blacksmith, inheriting the family trade 32. Su Li was initially reluctant to let her take up the hammer but eventually accepted her choice and passed on his master hammer 32. In later years, she married Kanlun and took over the blacksmith shop, caring for her aging parents 33. Su Li was proud of her accomplishments and her fiery, independent spirit. Significance: Embodies the continuation of Su Li’s legacy and the family’s resilience after loss.

• Su Xiaochui (son): Su Li’s eldest son, brilliant and determined to become a knight against the constraints of their commoner status 29 31. Su Li, despite financial hardship and personal fear, supported his dream, using the family’s entire savings to send him to the Saint George Knight Academy 31. Su Xiaochui later joined the army and disappeared while defending Graystone Fortress, presumed dead 33. His loss became a constant, unspoken grief for Su Li and Saina. Significance: Represents ambition, sacrifice, and the painful price of striving for upward mobility.

• Old Buck (father-in-law): The village blacksmith who became Su Li’s mentor and business partner after Su Li married his daughter Sena 27 29. Initially skeptical, Old Buck came to respect Su Li’s work ethic and sincerity, eventually entrusting the shop to him 27 30. He offered fatherly concern and practical advice, such as suggesting apprentices to lighten Su Li’s load 30. Significance: A father figure who provided stability and professional grounding in Su Li’s early family life.

• Aunt Martha (mother-in-law): Sena’s shrewd mother who actively worked to secure Su Li as a son-in-law, even proposing he share Sena’s room to force the match 23. She supported the marriage wholeheartedly and was pleased when Su Li formally asked for Sena’s hand 27. Her open scheming contrasted with Su Li’s insistence on propriety. Significance: Illustrates family manipulation and the social pressures that shaped Su Li’s early relationship.

• Old Kanlun (friend and neighbor): A wealthy butcher in Wading Village who became Su Li’s close companion in old age, often playing Xiangqi together 33. He provided emotional support after Su Xiaochui’s presumed death, offering gruff comfort and camaraderie. Their friendship was marked by shared meals, drunken confidences, and a mutual understanding of loss. Significance: Represents the solace of male friendship and community bonding in later life.

• Kanlun (son-in-law): The butcher’s son who married Su Na 33. Kind-hearted and honest, he was willing to endure Su Na’s fiery temper and treated Su Li and Saina with respect. He was expected to inherit the butchery trade from his father, Old Kanlun. Significance: Symbolizes the integration of the younger generation and the continuity of family bonds.

• Old Jack (middleman): A wily, resourceful man who helped Su Li escape Grey Gull Port and navigate the dangerous politics of Lady Charlotte’s patronage 8 9. He crafted Su Li’s “fallen prince” persona and negotiated the deal that secured a residency permit. He warned Su Li about Charlotte’s eccentric temper and advised him on how to maintain his aloof front. Significance: Represents Su Li’s early survival strategies and the transactional relationships that allowed him to gain a foothold.

• Lady Charlotte (patron): A powerful, wealthy widow who controlled much of Grey Gull Port’s trade. She was intrigued by Su Li’s appearance and demeanor, agreeing to sponsor him in exchange for his company 9. Her eccentric and ruthless reputation (rumored to have poisoned her husband) made her a dangerous but necessary ally for Su Li’s original plan. Significance: Highlights the power dynamics and moral compromises Su Li faced in his quest for status.

Trivia

• Su Li’s ageless appearance is a recurring curiosity: at fifty, he looks at most like a man in his early thirties, and by seventy he remains vigorous while others around him are frail; his daughter Su Na, who is younger, appears older than him 32 33.
• The “red string” tied on Old Jack’s wrist in Chapter 8 serves as a secret code indicating Su Li is available for purchase through a middleman, a detail recognized by the Purple-Skirted Lady 8.
• Su Li’s blacksmith shop in Wading Village was renamed sometime after the old locust tree fell, reflecting the passage of time and the changed landscape 33.
• In his later years, Su Li invented a chess-like game called Xiangqi to pass the time and often played it with Old Kanlun, wagering trivial items such as pig intestines or a cleaver 33.
• To avoid forced conscription in Grey Gull Port, Su Li procured a forged identity document from Little Jack, a shady forger, who listed him as a “freeman” from Blue Leaf Town 41.
• Su Li’s innate trait [Introvert] has a cooldown; when he tried to activate it again to sneak into a cabin for food shortly after arriving in Wading Village, it failed because the ability was still on cooldown 14.
• While sleeping on the floor in Sena’s room, Su Li silently recited the multiplication table (“one times one is one…”) to resist sexual temptation and maintain his integrity 25.
• In Chapter 34, after Su Li dies peacefully under the Old Locust Tree, a mysterious black‑robed figure appears, pays deep respect to his body, and is described as bearing a striking resemblance to Su Li 34.
• Saina was reborn with her memories intact; from the first day of her new life she deliberately acted cautious and refined, afraid that Su Li would look down on her as a “useless village girl” 37.
• Su Li named his eldest son “Su Xiaochui”, a deliberately “cheap” name meant to make the child easier to raise, a common folk tradition in the setting 29.
• Su Li’s daughter Su Na, a successful blacksmith, proudly claimed that the iron she forges is “meant to last three generations”—echoing her father’s own high standards for craftsmanship 33.
• In a moment of self‑awareness, Su Li touched his own unlined face and called himself an “old demon”, recognizing the unnaturalness of his ageless appearance compared to his aging family 34.
• When demonstrating chopsticks to Old Jack, Su Li claimed that forks and knives were “murder weapons” and that chopsticks “contain yin and yang… the ultimate truth of heaven and earth” 6.
• The “Purple‑Skirted Lady” in Chapter 8 was so intrigued by Su Li that she left for the kitchen to initiate a secret transaction, having already noticed the red‑string signal on Old Jack 8.