Li Peng

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Li Peng is Steward Li Yuan’s son. His father paid the Third Steward to secure him a martial-training position, temporarily forcing the qualified Chen Xun out of the selection. Li Peng immediately asserted his privilege by shoving Chen aside and claiming the place as his own. Chen was later reinstated when two additional slots opened. 1

He grew up with better food and greater security than the servant trainees around him, giving him a pronounced sense of superiority. He derided the other trainees as “country bumpkins” and resented Chen Xun because his father’s payment became unnecessary once Chen regained a place in the program. 2

Personality

Li Peng is status-conscious, jealous, and deeply prejudiced against Chen Xun’s humble origins. He repeatedly calls Chen a “mud-legged peasant” and treats his own family connection as proof that he deserves greater respect and opportunity. 4 9 20

His pride is fragile. He reacts bitterly whenever Chen Xun, Liu Feng, or Sun An advances beyond him, often interpreting their success as an injustice rather than a result of ability or circumstance. 9 23 33 41

Despite his arrogance, Li Peng can endure difficult training and spends heavily on Blood-Strengthening Soup, Blood-Strength Pills, and medicine to improve his cultivation. His ambition is genuine, but he commonly pursues it through flattery, slander, reporting others, or relying on his father’s influence. 4 6 33 34

He is also prone to cowardice under direct pressure. Luo Shan’s aura frightened him during their first meeting, and he repeatedly backed down rather than fight Chen Xun after provoking him. 9 12

Equipment and Resources

• Blood-Strengthening Soup — Purchased extra servings during his trainee period to accelerate his blood-and-vitality cultivation. 6
• Blood-Strength Pill — Received from Li Yuan and consumed in an attempt to catch up with Liu Feng and Chen Xun. 34
• Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique — Chosen as his free martial skill after joining the Medicine Escort Team. 12
• Hidden Martial Token — Issued by Luo Shan to obtain his selected low-grade martial skill from the Martial Repository Pavilion. 12
• Tiger Token — Hunting Team proof of membership, implied by his later acceptance into the team. 47

Relationships

• Li Yuan — Father and Li Family steward. Li Yuan purchased Li Peng’s original training place, provided him with cultivation resources, and used information Li Peng supplied about the Hunting Team disaster. 1 33 34
• Chen Xun — Primary rival. Li Peng displaced him from the training selection, repeatedly insulted and targeted him, was defeated by him, and later blamed him for his own humiliations and failures. 1 5 35
• Liu Feng — Former associate whom Li Peng flattered because of Liu Feng’s aptitude. Their relationship collapsed after they competed over inner-courtyard sparring positions; Li Peng later became jealous of Liu Feng’s promotions and breakthroughs. 4 9 33
• Sun An — Fellow trainee and one-time sparring partner candidate. Li Peng argued with Sun after Sun defended Chen Xun, and later envied Sun’s opportunity to become the Twelfth Young Master’s attendant. 4 8 9
• Luo Shan — Former captain of the Third Medicinal Escort Squad. Luo Shan considered Li Peng timid but protected him during the One-Line Sky battle; Li Peng nevertheless blamed and resented him after being injured. 12 23
• Xie An — Family acquaintance through Li Yuan. Li Peng expected Xie An to favor him against Chen Xun, but Xie An instead urged him to maintain a good relationship with Chen. 12
• Zhao Qing and Bai Zhen — Allies from the inner-courtyard sparring assignment. They encouraged Li Peng’s confidence during the trainee period. 8 9
• Yang Feng — Hunting Team senior member. Li Peng reported Chen Xun’s apparent daytime sleeping to Yang Feng during the Flower Thief security assignment. 49

Story Role

Martial-Arts Training

• Li Peng entered the servant martial-training program through Li Yuan’s bribery and began antagonizing Chen Xun over the position. 1 2
• He cultivated alongside the other trainees, attached himself to the talented Liu Feng, and used meals and social influence to isolate Chen Xun. 2 4
• After Chen Xun exposed the twenty-tael bribe publicly, Li Peng organized a confrontation with Liu Feng and several others. Chen Xun defeated him with a kick, ending the attempted group retaliation. 4 5
• He stopped provoking Chen openly afterward, instead training obsessively and purchasing extra Blood-Strengthening Soup in hopes of surpassing him. 6

Early Martial Artist Period

• Li Peng served the Fourteenth Young Master as a sparring partner and boasted about the status and rewards he received. 8 9
• After becoming a martial artist, he and Chen Xun were assigned to the Medicine Escort Team’s Third Squad. 11
• He selected the Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique, while Chen Xun chose a defensive art; Li Peng considered Chen’s decision foolish and later attempted to report him for choosing a different manual. 12 13
• During the Blackwater Town escort, Luo Shan favored Li Peng and kept him near his side, while the squad largely ignored Chen Xun. 19

One-Line Sky Aftermath

• Li Peng was seriously injured during the battle at One-Line Sky and spent more than a month recovering. Rather than appreciate Luo Shan’s protection, he resented both Luo Shan and Chen Xun after learning Chen emerged unharmed and received rewards. 23
• He broke a promise to keep news of the Hunting Team’s disaster secret, reporting it to Li Yuan in hopes of earning approval and political advantage. 33

Competition for Advancement

• Li Peng consumed a Blood-Strength Pill to keep pace with Liu Feng and Chen Xun, but Chen’s official certification at the First Transformation Limit intensified his jealousy. 34
• He falsely reported Chen Xun for possessing unexplained wealth. Steward Zhu publicly rebuked him after confirming that Chen had legitimately earned the money as the Seventh Young Master’s sparring partner. 34
• He initially failed the Hunting Team assessment. Xie Xiong cited his low cultivation, poor temperament, failure to repay Chen Xun for saving him, and prior slander against Chen. 35
• After reaching the Qi-Blood Second Transformation, Li Peng was admitted to the Hunting Team as a replacement member. He remained eager to provoke Chen Xun, though Chen responded only with congratulations. 47
• During the Flower Thief assignment, Li Peng reported Chen Xun’s sleeping habits to Yang Feng, continuing his pattern of trying to place Chen under scrutiny. 49

Trivia

• Li Peng’s father spent twenty taels of silver to secure his initial martial-training position—four months of Li Yuan’s five-tael monthly steward salary. 4
• He vomited after eating rough camp stew during the Blackwater Town escort, then forced himself to continue eating after seeing Chen Xun finish his portion without complaint. 20
• Although he frequently calls Chen Xun a commoner, Li Peng himself relies heavily on family resources and connections for advancement. 1 34 47