Nie Li

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Nie Li (聂离)
Alias(es)	Lei Zhuo — identity used among the Silver Wing Family 45 47
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heavenly Marks Family; Holy Orchid Institute; cooperates with the City Lord’s Mansion and Glory City’s defenders 2 76 110
Occupation/Role	Student, Demon Spirit user, inscription and formation specialist, alchemist, and defense strategist 8 37 89 189
Residence	Moves into the City Lord’s Mansion 37
Status	Alive; organizing collective cultivation against emerging threats 189
First Appearance	Chapter 2, through institute records; first in-person appearance in Chapter 6 2 6

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Bronze Rank 1-Star	8	Demonstrates one-star Bronze soul force on the testing stele, overturning his reputation as an incapable student and winning his wager with Shen Xiu. Shen Fei suspects he deliberately limits the reading.
Silver Rank 1-Star — apparent	22	His publicly perceived rank at the Genius Tournament. Defeats Gold Rank 1-Star Shen Hao through footwork, force redirection, and timing; Shen Fei believes his actual cultivation remains concealed.

• Later cultivation: No subsequent personal realm is specified in the supplied chapters. His victories through arrays establish their combat effectiveness, not an equivalent personal cultivation rank 29 120.
• Latest cultivation project: Activates an array fueled by one hundred thousand Demon Spirits and directs the group to absorb its released soul force; no resulting breakthrough is documented yet 189.

Background / History

Earlier Timeline and Rebirth

In Shen Fei’s earlier timeline, Nie Li was an inconspicuous third-year student at the Holy Orchid Institute. His soul-force results ranked third from the bottom of his year, and his instructor judged him unfit for cultivation. Shen Fei found no record of notable battlefield service and initially concluded that the savior he remembered from Tales of Demons and Gods did not exist 2 6.

After Shen Fei’s rebirth, Nie Li begins attracting attention through unusual theoretical insight, rapid recovery after combat lessons, and challenges to Sacred Family instructors. Shen Fei identifies him as the protagonist he had sought, then concludes that they were both reborn on the same day. The reason for their shared return remains unexplained 6 7.

Rising Standing in Glory City

Nie Li’s commoner birth initially works against him among Glory City’s elite. His defense preparations and battlefield contributions eventually change that judgment: Wind Snow Family elders who once opposed his closeness to Ye Ziyun come to support their prospective marriage. Other influential families also seek his favor 32 89 110.

Appearance

• Build: Slender and lean 15 22.
• Clothing: Usually wears plain gray cloth clothes or robes rather than conspicuous noble attire 6 15 22 188.
• Hair: Wears it casually tied back during the courtyard gathering before collective cultivation 188.
• Habitual posture: Often keeps his hands tucked into his sleeves while observing others or awaiting a confrontation 15 22 36.
• Expression: Frequently composed or impassive, including when opponents ridicule him 8 22 36.

Personality

Nie Li remains calm under public scrutiny and lets results answer mockery. He demands that Shen Xiu honor their wager, defeats Shen Hao without celebrating, and responds to Ye Han’s social maneuvering with deliberate provocation rather than deference 8 22 31.

He is secretive but not recklessly self-reliant. He acknowledges the hazards of the inheritance-space expedition, recruits help, and abandons a dangerous descent into the ruins rather than gamble the group’s lives. He also notices companions withholding information without immediately confronting them 20 37.

His loyalty centers on Glory City’s survival. He prepares medicine, defensive arrays, and civilian evacuation measures, while bluntly warning Shen Fei not to let blood ties excuse the Sacred Family’s betrayal. Once Shen Fei commits to handling his family, Nie Li respects that choice 43 76 105.

Abilities & Skills

Combat Technique and Perception

Nie Li compensates for an apparent rank disadvantage through precise movement and control of an opponent’s force 22 36.

• Evades Shen Hao’s saber by narrow margins and redirects its force with two fingers 22.
• Uses Shen Hao’s momentum to unbalance him and throw him off the tournament platform 22.
• Outmaneuvers Ye Han and his Golden-Armored Ground Dragon, then strikes Ye Han’s protective barrier and forces him to retreat 36.
• Identifies Shen Fei’s family, status, errand, and approximate strength from clothing, insignia, a belt buckle, and the smell of herbs 6.
• Detects scattered beasts and navigational mistakes early enough to guide companions safely around them 20.

Demon Spirits

Demon Spirit	Documented Applications	Limits / Context
Shadow Demon	Scouts underground passages with fine threads; emerges from Nie Li’s shadow; conceals his body until he disappears from sight 39 43 105.	Enables him to enter Shen Fei’s room without being detected even by the fully alert Shadow Mantis 105.
Tiger-Fanged Panda	Appears beside him during his academy confrontation with Ye Han 36.	Onlookers dismiss the variety as a weak work beast. The supplied account does not detail the panda’s individual techniques 36.

Inscriptions and Formation Arrays

Nie Li repairs ancient patterns that Glory City’s inscription specialists cannot adequately interpret and constructs arrays with both defensive and cultivation uses 19 37 38 189.

Work	Function / Achievement	Constraints
Restored defensive Legendary Inscription	Repairs the fragment supplied through Xiao Ning’er; it is copied for the city wall 21 37.	Originates from a heavily damaged scroll recovered by Shen Fei and Ning’er 19.
Restored offensive inscription	Recovers a usable offensive pattern 37.	Can only be restored to Black Gold Rank, not its original Legendary level 37.
Ten Thousand Demons and Spirits Array	Designed with the City Lord’s approval; its unfinished framework can counter Black Gold beasts. Used against an Abyssal Troll and to contain Black Fiend 27 29 120.	Sustaining it visibly exhausts Nie Li. Dragon Fiend uses a powerful crystal to open an escape gap for Black Fiend 120.
Omnidirectional Spatial Array	Repairs the ancient teleportation formation for an expedition into an unknown inheritance space 37 38.	Requires twenty-three Radiance Stones; the destination may contain serious hazards 37.
Spirit God concealment inscriptions	Suppress Yu Yan’s fire-law aura and provide the same protection for Mingyu’s dark-law aura 170 171.	Mingyu must refrain from fighting to avoid detection 171.
Demon Spirit conversion array	Converts the spiritual power of one hundred thousand Demon Spirits into soul force for group cultivation 189.	Less efficient than Shen Fei’s devouring art, but avoids its soul-sea refinement process and potential backlash 189.

Alchemy, Medicine, and Cultivation Guidance

• Supplies Shen Fei with two hundred Soul-Gathering Pills through Xiao Ning’er 21.
• Stabilizes Ye Zong’s condition after Ye Han’s assassination attempt through pills and medical treatment; Ye Zong nevertheless remains weakened 94 105.
• Provides Body Tempering Pills used by Shen Fei and Ning’er after physical sparring 173.
• Gives Lu Piao a cultivation technique, a suitable Demon Spirit, and guidance that support his substantial improvement 38.
• Gives Su Ming a cultivation art described as capable of carrying him to Legend Rank 105.
• Enables Duan Jian’s painful Black Dragon Bloodline awakening under the cover of a medicine test 47 48.
• Supplies Shen Fei with black crystal marrow, refined from dark-attribute Demon Spirits, which strengthens the Shadow Mantis 57 61.

Ancient Languages and Historical Knowledge

• Speaks the ancient language of the Ulan Empire and performs an ancient Winged Folk salute to establish contact with Sikong Hongyue 44.
• Claims Silver Radiance Family ancestry to invoke its shared lineage with the Silver Wing Family; the subsequent visit relies on a concealed identity and carefully maintained cover story 44 45.
• Greets Mingyu in Ancient Empire language, prompting the Spirit God to recognize an Imperial connection 169.
• Identifies dangerous restrictions before companions enter them 20 38.
• At the Same-Origin Stele, comes into contact with residual intent and sees fragmented images; the experience temporarily leaves him unresponsive and pale 41 42.

Strategy and Leadership

• Coordinates healing supplies, civilian evacuation to the Inner City, and array coverage at the North Gate before the million-strong beast tide arrives 76.
• Uses Shen Fei’s intelligence to help establish firm evidence of Sacred Family–Dark Guild collusion 105.
• Plans the group’s escape from Sikong Yi’s attempted captivity and assigns separate roles to Duan Jian and Shen Fei 53.
• Helps organize the Jade Grove Clan’s accommodation, food, and medicine after its arrival in Glory City 169.
• Responds to suspected New Faction surveillance by proposing restrictions on long-distance travel and stronger freight-depot security 185.
• Emphasizes that Glory City needs more Legend Rank defenders rather than relying on Black Gold fighters to overcome the realm gap 185.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Fragment Page — holds it in the aftermath of the Netherlight encounter; the page has dimmed to an ordinary-looking yellowed scrap while he is pale and injured. Its precise function is not explained in the supplied passage 40.
• Sword — uses a sword in the array-assisted battle against the Abyssal Troll 29.
• Radiance Stones — materials required for the Omnidirectional Spatial Array; Sikong Yi later reports finding more than sixty 37 51.
• Ten Space Rings — placed into the cultivation array’s central pillar; collectively contain one hundred thousand Demon Spirits 189.
• Ye Ting’s Spirit Puppet — a small metal bird carrying the Wind Snow Family’s founding ancestor, who accompanies Nie Li during preparations to investigate the Dark Guild 124.
• Ice Jade Bracelet — takes Ye Han’s gift on Ye Ziyun’s behalf, embarrassing him, then leaves it with Ziyun 31 32.

Relationships

• Shen Fei — Initially distrusts him as a Sacred Family member. Their shared opposition to the Dark Guild develops into cooperation, intelligence sharing, and a division of responsibility: Shen Fei handles his family while Nie Li handles the Guild’s remnants. They later exchange plans and mutual warnings 6 43 105 124.
• Ye Ziyun — Close companion who accompanies him through the ruins, worries during his tournament match, and assists with array repairs. Wind Snow elders support the possibility of their marriage, but no marriage is confirmed 20 22 89. Their later private interactions are relaxed and playful 184 188.
• Xiao Ning’er — Friend, inscription collaborator, and intermediary with Shen Fei. Delivers the Legendary fragments and his pill gift, studies his inscription work, and joins the inheritance-space expedition 19 21 37 38.
• Lu Piao — Friend and cultivation student. Receives a technique, Demon Spirit, and guidance; intends to follow Nie Li if he eventually leaves Glory City 38.
• Du Ze — Trusted companion who assists with formation work and keeps watch during the approach to the underground village 37 43.
• Duan Jian — Helps awaken his Black Dragon Bloodline, shields him from abusive guards, and relies on him during the Silver Wing escape and later security operations 47 53 74 111.
• Ye Zong — City Lord and defense partner. Approves Nie Li’s major array, receives reports from him, and benefits from his treatment after the assassination attempt 27 75 105.
• Ye Han — Rival whose public gift to Ziyun and claims to future responsibility Nie Li challenges. Their antagonism escalates into an academy fight 31 32 36.
• Yu Yan — Spirit God whom he finds and cares for after her long sleep in a Fire Crystal. Conceals her aura and arranges her reunion with Mingyu 170.
• Mingyu — Treats the dark-law Spirit God respectfully, limits knowledge of its identity, and offers concealment inscriptions and refuge at the mansion 169 171.
• Su Ming — Accepts Shen Fei’s recommendation to assess him and later supplies a cultivation art with Legend Rank potential 76 105.
• Sikong Yi — Host who seeks to turn the visitors into captives. Nie Li counters through deception, an escape plan, and sabotage of the Silver Wing Family’s infrastructure 45 53 74.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Emergence at the Institute

• His perceptiveness at the black market causes Shen Fei to reconsider the supposedly talentless student in the archives 6.
• Wins the soul-force wager against Shen Xiu and begins overturning his public reputation 8.
• Defeats Shen Hao at the Sacred Family’s Genius Tournament, demonstrating that apparent rank alone cannot predict his combat ability 22.

Ruins and Early City Defense

• Warns the Gulan Ruins expedition away from a potentially lethal second level and helps guide the return journey 20.
• Restores the Legendary inscription fragments entrusted to him through Ning’er 21 37.
• Builds the Ten Thousand Demons and Spirits Array and uses it in the battle that kills a Black Gold Abyssal Troll 27 29.
• Publicly clashes with the returning Ye Han, then outmaneuvers him in combat at the institute 31 32 36.

Inheritance Space and the Silver Wing Family

• Invites Shen Fei into the expedition through the Omnidirectional Spatial Array 37.
• Leads the group past Red Ghosts and scouts underground passages with the Shadow Demon 39 43.
• Enters the Silver Wing settlement under the Lei Zhuo identity and obtains access through his ancient-language knowledge and ancestry claim 44 45.
• Awakens Duan Jian’s bloodline and plans escape once Sikong Yi’s hostage intentions become clear 47 53.
• Returns with Duan Jian after sabotaging the family’s workshop, killing the inscription masters maintaining its restrictions, and freeing dungeon slaves. Predicts that the resulting unrest will delay pursuit 74.

Beast Tide and Sacred Family Confrontation

• Prepares Glory City for the Dark Guild-driven million-strong beast tide, reducing the risk to defenders and civilians 76.
• Soldiers credit his advance warning and breach defenses with preventing worse casualties; the battle records twenty thousand dead, one thousand seriously wounded, and three thousand lightly wounded 89.
• Coordinates with Shen Fei after evidence of the Sacred Family’s collusion is secured 105.
• Helps watch the Sacred Family and restrict escape routes at the banquet confrontation 108 111.
• Sustains the array during the later battle, then shuts it down after Dragon Fiend rescues Black Fiend rather than pursuing underground 120.

Spirit Gods and Emerging Threats

• Prepares to investigate the Dark Guild’s location with Ancestor Ye Ting’s assistance 124.
• Coordinates the Jade Grove Clan’s resettlement and protects the secrecy of Mingyu’s presence 169.
• Reunites Mingyu with Yu Yan and arranges concealment for both Spirit Gods 170 171.
• Responds to surveillance by another faction with security proposals and a renewed push for Legend Rank strength 185.
• Launches collective cultivation using the Demon Spirit conversion array 189.

Notable Quotes

“If you make a wager, you have to accept the loss. Remember what you promised.” 8

“I hope you can distinguish between blood ties and the greater good. You have strength and brains. You shouldn't let a family like that bind your hands and feet and hold you back.” 43

“I gave him an opportunity. How far he can go will depend on his own fortune.” 47