Lin Longyue

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Lin Longyue is the daughter of the Baosu Marquis and the younger sister of Lin Suri. Within the residence, she commands the West Courtyard's affairs, including its retainers, servants, and martial trainees. She regularly practiced flower arrangement with the Yunhe Commandery Princess before Chen Lingxi entered her service. 2 3

Her mother died when she was young, while her father spends his time in secluded Dao cultivation and largely ignores worldly affairs. Her relationship with her elder brother was strained. Chen Lingxi attributes her cold disposition to this upbringing and identifies her ambitions as improving her cultivation, taking charge of the household, and inheriting the Baosu Marquis title, which women are permitted to inherit in Great Li. 5 81

She first took notice of Chen Lingxi when he approached her as an official slave with a flower arrangement. Though initially cold and ready to punish his breach of protocol, she recognized his literary ability, skill at flower arranging, resistance to Silver Bone suppression, and martial potential. She spared him, relocated him to the western courtyard, and authorized him to obtain a martial manual. 5

Appearance

Lin Longyue is half a head shorter than Chen Lingxi, but carries herself with a commanding presence that makes her seem to look down on him. 5

• Wears a scarlet monkey-fur felt cape in snowy weather. Snow falling on the crimson cape melts and evaporates immediately. 3 4
• Has been seen in a moon-white cloud-patterned jacket beneath a silver-white gauze robe, with a single white jade magnolia hairpin. 37
• Wears fitted black martial attire while training in palm techniques. 50
• On formal outings, wears full finery and gathers her black hair with a silver hairpin. 85
• Her normally cold, authoritative expression gives way to a pale, haggard appearance after prolonged essence drainage. 94
• After leaving the residence, she appears more weathered and haggard, but her expression carries a resilience acquired through hardship. 214 236

Personality

Lin Longyue is composed, proud, and intensely conscious of the Baosu Marquis Residence's reputation. She values useful talent rather than sentiment: Chen Lingxi's flower arranging and martial promise earn him resources and protection, while his requests on Liu Changle's behalf do not move her without proof of merit. 5 13 26

She is ambitious in both cultivation and status. The chance to gain Consort Chun's favor through Chen Lingxi's arrangements pleases her, and she views the Wind-Riding Elixir as her means to catch up to Chu Linzi. She refuses to borrow additional fighters for her duel with Chu Linzi because a victory won through others would still invite ridicule. 13 26

Her confidence erodes after learning that Yunhe Commandery Princess, Consort Chun, and Crown Prince Ying Chi had treated her treasure body as a cultivation resource. Even so, she remains resilient under interrogation, conceals Chen Lingxi's whereabouts, and later endures Ying Ju's coercion without revealing the Spirit-Wielding General's identifying methods. 88 133

Her attachment to the Spirit-Wielding General eventually exceeds her original transactional outlook. While being tortured by Ying Ju, she considers whether disclosing his saber and elusive subordinate might save her, but recoils from disappointing him. She is herself surprised that she has become willing to risk death for another person. 133

Life outside the marquis residence further tempers her character. By the time she reaches Qi Circulation, the exhaustion associated with her earlier helplessness has largely given way to hard-earned resilience, although she remains discouraged by the widening distance between her cultivation and Chen Lingxi's. 214 236

Abilities & Traits

Martial Arts

Lin Longyue is a martial artist who progressed from the Silver Bone Realm to Golden Body before later entering Qi Circulation. 16 133 214

• Practices palm techniques, producing visible air ripples with her strikes. 50
• Developed Bone-Penetrating Force after consuming the Wind-Riding Elixir. 50
• Her cultivation was severely damaged when a formation siphoned away her essence and spiritual qi. 94
• Recovered her Silver Bones when her activated Treasure Qi replenished her meridians, bones, and blood qi. 95

Treasure Body

Lin Longyue possesses an innate treasure body containing exceptionally pure, dense spiritual energy that existed within her from birth. 81

• The spiritual energy initially burdened her because she lacked the cultivation to use it. 81
• Yunhe Commandery Princess harvested her vital essence to cultivate. 79 88
• Consort Chun intended to use her as medicine, while Crown Prince Ying Chi's formation extracted her essence and spiritual qi. 88 94
• Chen Lingxi later described their arrangement as taking her Mysterious Qi and breaking the foul formation within her body. 135
• Her true Treasure Qi lay dormant deeper within her body than the spiritual energy being harvested. Chen Lingxi concluded that neither the Crown Prince nor Yunhe had reached this more valuable resource. 81 85
• Chen Lingxi's Spirit Qi could activate her Treasure Qi. Their combination nourished her body and dismantled the formations draining her, while allowing him to refine the first natal qi of his Six-Qi True Method. 95
• The Mysterious Qi obtained from her more than doubled Chen Lingxi's cultivation speed and strengthened techniques including the Dragon Roar Technique, Azure Edge Method, and Concealed Edge Method. He believed continued refinement of the dormant reserves within her could strengthen it further. These effects are demonstrated in Chen Lingxi's use of the qi, rather than as techniques mastered by Longyue herself. 96
• Chen Lingxi later judged her Mysterious Qi more profound than his Sword-Edge Qi and Thunder Qi, considering its ability to enhance arts exceptionally rare even by the standards of the Great World. 148

Qi Cultivation

Lin Suri transmitted a breathing and qi-circulation method into Lin Longyue's mind through a strand of spiritual qi directed between her brows. She subsequently cultivated to the Fifth Floor of Qi Circulation. 135 214

Possessing spiritual qi allows her to perceive the names on the Immortal Ranking. 214

Items

• Wind-Riding Elixir — Reward from Consort Chun after Chen Lingxi's locust-branch arrangement pleased Mirror Palace; used to temper her body and advance her Silver Bone cultivation. 26 50
• Hongdong jade bracelet and two spirit stones — Given to her by Chen Lingxi after he saved her from Ying Ju; he instructed her to seek a breathing formula from Lin Suri and flee Yuan River Prefecture. The bracelet was Rong Chun's Hongdong treasure. 135

Relationships

• Chen Lingxi — Her former official slave and a valuable subordinate whose flower arrangements and martial talent earned her favor. She later seeks protection from the masked Spirit-Wielding General without initially knowing that he is Chen Lingxi. Their mutually beneficial treatment arrangement restores her health and provides him with Mysterious Qi. She develops a personal attachment to him, protects his secrets under torture, and finally learns his identity after he defeats Ying Ju. Although he declares their karmic bond ended, she continues to think of him as “General.” 5 13 94 95 133 135 236
• Lin Suri — Her elder brother. Their relationship is distant; she seeks him out for a breathing and qi-circulation formula after Chen Lingxi warns her to flee, and he transmits the method before sending her away. By the events at Nanche, she knows that the person bearing Lin Suri's identity is no longer her original elder brother. 135 214
• Baosu Marquis — Her father, who spends most of his time in secluded Dao cultivation and neglects worldly affairs. Longyue hopes to take charge of the household and inherit his title. 81
• Yunhe Commandery Princess — Initially a close companion who practiced flower arrangement with her and supported her rivalry with Chu Linzi. Longyue later learns that Yunhe had been feeding on her vital essence. 2 27 88
• Consort Chun — A powerful patron whose appreciation of Chen Lingxi's arrangements brought Longyue a Wind-Riding Elixir. Longyue seeks the honor of hosting her at the residence, unaware that Consort Chun intends to use her as medicine. 26 50 88
• Crown Prince Ying Chi — Secretly maintained a formation inside her that harvested her essence and spiritual qi after Yunhe's death. 94
• Chu Linzi — Daughter of the Yuan River Prefecture Lord and Longyue's rival. Their impending duel drives Longyue to seek capable fighters, including Chen Lingxi and Sun Ninghu. 13 27 37
• Ying Ju — The Eastern King's heir apparent, who captures and tortures Longyue to force Chen Lingxi to reveal himself. 133
• Jiang Yuan — Silver Bone expert hired as a West Courtyard retainer. Longyue permits him to train Chen Lingxi because she wants Chen to become useful to her. 13
• Yang Zhuri — Attempts to acquire Chen Lingxi from her. Longyue refuses both his request conveyed through Yunhe and his later offer of five hundred taels and a Silverblood Pill. 50 57
• Yu Jiangwei — A Candleflame Star cultivator ranked fourth on the Immortal Ranking. Longyue accompanies her group outside Nanche Prefectural City and, under her scrutiny, identifies Chen Lingxi as a fellow native of Weiji Grotto-Heaven. 214 215
• Qing Yuechan — A Candleflame Star cultivator whom Longyue accompanies to the icy plain where Chen Lingxi defeats Ou Ningzi. 236

Story Role

Patronage of Chen Lingxi

Lin Longyue gives Chen Lingxi his first meaningful opportunity within the Baosu Marquis Residence. She grants him access to the Martial Practice Court, transfers his slave registration to her residence, improves his allowance and meals, and promises medicinal baths after Jiang Yuan identifies his exceptional martial bones. 5 13

When Chen Lingxi's flower arrangement gains Consort Chun's favor, Longyue orders him to send a new arrangement to Mirror Palace every five days. She later expands his privileges, including library access, money, leave from the residence, and a prospective elevation from official slave to a fan household. 27 29

These privileges include a thirty-tael monthly allowance, two trips outside the residence each month, and access to the library's first three floors. Chen Lingxi nevertheless recognizes that her favor depends on his continuing usefulness rather than unconditional kindness. 29

Longyue also refuses to transfer him to Yang Zhuri, first explaining that he is teaching her flower arrangement and later rejecting a substantial purchase offer at Clear River Estate. 50 57

Beast-Fighting Palace

Determined not to lose face to Chu Linzi, Lin Longyue brings Chen Lingxi and other West Courtyard martial artists to the Crown Prince's Beast-Fighting Palace. She expects Chen Lingxi to defeat Chu Linzi's side and preserve the Baosu Marquis Residence's honor. 37

During the banquet, the presence of Qiu Chihu, a fighter at Silver Bone Major Accomplishment, makes her question the contest's apparent imbalance and Yunhe's failure to warn her. Observing the other noble guests' reactions helps her recognize that the beast fights are stranger and more dangerous than she had understood. 44

The event leaves Chen Lingxi as the sole surviving beast fighter to emerge, and the Crown Prince orders him returned to Longyue without explanation. Her suspicion of Chen Lingxi deepens, but she responds by reducing rather than withdrawing his preferential treatment. 46 49

Exploitation of Her Treasure Body

Longyue's connection to Yunhe Commandery Princess proves dangerous. Chen Lingxi discovers that Yunhe is drawing spiritual qi from her, while her body conceals far greater dormant spiritual energy and Treasure Qi. 37 79 81

After the massacre at Chu Linzi's gathering, the Spirit-Wielding General tells Longyue that Yunhe fed on her vital essence and that Consort Chun intends to use her as medicine. Though shaken, Longyue truthfully recounts the massacre during the subsequent investigation while concealing Chen Lingxi's whereabouts. At this stage, she does not yet know that Chen Lingxi and the masked General are the same person. 88 135

Crown Prince Ying Chi later continues draining her through a formation embedded in her body. Reduced to a frail condition and unable to preserve her former cultivation, she kneels before the Spirit-Wielding General and asks him to save her. 94 95

Chen Lingxi discovers that his Spirit Qi activates her dormant Treasure Qi. Longyue willingly pursues the mutually beneficial treatment, and the two become physically intimate as their qi interact. Over the course of the night, the combined qi break apart the draining formations, restore her depleted body, and allow Chen Lingxi to refine his first strand of natal Treasure Qi. By morning, her Silver Bones are restored, although Chen Lingxi has already departed. 95

Separation from Chen Lingxi

Ying Ju later uses Longyue as bait to lure Chen Lingxi into a trap, subjecting her to overwhelming Nine Revolutions pressure and torture. Chen Lingxi kills Ying Ju and gives her resources to escape, describing their earlier arrangement as his taking her Mysterious Qi in exchange for breaking the formation affecting her. 133 135

During her captivity, Longyue considers revealing the General's distinctive weapons and subordinate in the hope of surviving. Remembering their time together, however, she cannot bring herself to betray him. 133

When she offers to serve at his side, Chen Lingxi refuses, stating that their relationship was only a transaction and that their karmic bond has ended. He nevertheless warns her to flee the Great Li court's retaliation. 135

Only after Ying Ju's defeat does Longyue recognize the General as the former official slave from her own residence. Following his instructions, she visits Lin Suri with the Hongdong bracelet and two spirit stones. Lin Suri transmits a cultivation method into her mind but answers none of her unspoken questions about his identity or Chen Lingxi's origins. She then leaves the residence and Yuan River Prefecture, uncertain where she can go after spending her entire life there. 135

Later Cultivation

By the time of the struggle around Nanche Province, Longyue has entered Qi Circulation Fifth Floor and appears among the concealed cultivators outside the prefectural city. She recognizes Chen Lingxi's name on the Immortal Ranking and continues to address him inwardly as “General.” 214

She is accompanying Yu Jiangwei and two other Candleflame Star cultivators as they observe the attack on the city's Guiding Passage Formation. Watching Lin Suri through their mirror, she already knows that he is no longer her original elder brother. When Chen Lingxi arrives, her astonishment attracts Yu Jiangwei's attention, and she identifies him as a fellow native of Weiji Grotto-Heaven. 214 215

She later witnesses Chen Lingxi defeat Ou Ningzi and realizes the gulf between her own path and his has become still wider. 236

At the icy plain, she stands behind Qing Yuechan and another Candleflame Star cultivator. Chen Lingxi notices her, and his gaze becomes gentler than when he regards her companions. He leaves without attacking them, but Longyue is left increasingly dejected by the distance separating her from the former slave who now holds eleventh place on the Immortal Ranking. 236

Notable Quotes

“General, please save me.” 94

“What lies between us was originally a transaction.” — Chen Lingxi to Lin Longyue 135

“His name is Chen Lingxi. Like me... he is also a native of this Weiji Grotto-Heaven!” 215

“I am getting farther and farther from the General.” — Lin Longyue's thoughts 236

---