Han Li

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

• Dark skin and ordinary features: Recognizable descriptions from childhood through his later cultivation career 2 19 203.
• Youthful appearance: Appeared twenty-three or twenty-four during his first direct negotiations with Xiao Yu 67.
• Blue or azure robes: Worn upon arriving at Emerald Island, entering Void Sky Hall, and exploring Devilfall Valley 129 203 373.
• Concealing cloak: Used to hide his identity while trading a thousand-year medicinal herb at the Heavenly Star Sect market 67.

Personality

Han Li is intensely cautious about his identity, possessions, and survival. When Xiao Yu recognized him without an introduction, he immediately drew a magic tool and prepared to fight or flee. Even the prospect of improving his chances of Core Formation did not stop him from asking about lasting side effects and demanding a way to verify the Golden Book Page 67 68.

He prefers secure cultivation gains to dangerous competition. After obtaining a Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng rootlet and its refining formula, he declined to enter Void Sky Hall’s Inner Hall: the resources needed for his future Nascent Soul breakthrough mattered more to him than competing with numerous Nascent Soul cultivators for further treasures 217.

He bargains aggressively and remembers humiliation. He concealed his willingness to accept Xiao Yu’s original formation offer to seek better terms, demanded additional compensation after the Miaoyin Sect’s failed revenge operation, and privately vowed repayment after Xiao Yu threatened and extorted him 67 168 217 366.

His attachment to Nangong Wan can override his usual restraint. He attacked Xin Yue after she claimed Nangong Wan would eventually belong to Xiao Yu, yet later showed an awkward, inexperienced jealousy when asking Nangong Wan whether Xiao Yu had pursued her 365 367.

Abilities & Skills

Spirit-Medicine Cultivation and Pill Refining

Han Li uses the Little Green Bottle to accelerate the growth of medicinal herbs, providing the ingredients needed to support his cultivation 53 68.

• Prepared accelerated-growth herbs for refining Foundation Establishment Pills in an earthfire chamber 53.
• Ripened a thousand-year purple osmanthus blossom before visiting the market 67.
• Could grow a new Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng from the rootlet he retained, securing an ingredient for his eventual Nascent Soul breakthrough 217.
• Could replace surrendered spirit medicines relatively easily; the material losses and humiliation of Xiao Yu’s extortion troubled him more 366.

Azure Essence Sword Art

Han Li’s primary cultivation art is also practiced by Xiao Yu, making its missing methods and accompanying treasure-refining instructions central to their early dealings 67 68.

• Possessed the formulas for six levels before exchanging Golden Book Pages with Xiao Yu 67.
• Received the later cultivation methods through their completed exchange 73.
• Learned to reveal a Golden Book Page’s contents by repeatedly striking it with Azure Essence Sword Aura until his magical power was nearly exhausted 68.
• Recognized the art’s drawbacks: slow early progress and magical-power loss associated with its middle layers 68.

Three-Turn Heavy Origin Art

This supplementary method accompanies the Azure Essence Sword Art and requires rebuilding cultivation to deepen magical power 42 129.

• Completed its first turn after relocating to the Chaotic Star Sea 129.
• Accepted its resource demands because the Little Green Bottle could supply the medicinal herbs needed for extensive pill consumption 68.
• Xiao Yu presented the method as a remedy for the sword art’s flaws and claimed it could provide at least a fifty-percent chance of Core Formation; this was an incentive offered during their negotiations, not a guaranteed outcome 68.

Great Evolution Art

Han Li cultivated the Great Evolution Art obtained from a corpse placed within his cave abode’s restrictions by Xiao Yu 72 217.

• Reached its third level, giving him divine sense comparable to late Core Formation cultivators 204.
• Could cautiously exchange voice transmissions in the presence of Nascent Soul cultivators without expecting them to overhear 204.
• Despite this divine-sense strength, his early Core Formation cultivation could not withstand possession by a Nascent Soul-stage divine soul without another defense 217.

Evil-Warding Divine Thunder

Han Li possesses Evil-Warding Divine Thunder associated with his life-bound treasure 213 217.

• Destroyed the green figure sent to possess him during Profound Bone’s ambush 215.
• Kept enough thunder in reserve to survive despite Profound Bone’s belief that earlier encounters should have exhausted it 215 217.
• At early Core Formation, he doubted that even releasing all his remaining thunder would suffice to harm a Nascent Soul cultivator 213.

Formations and Tactical Preparation

Han Li understands formation tools and uses advance preparation to control encounters 214 215.

• Identified the Four Symbols Black Tortoise Formation and understood its earth-sealing purpose 214.
• Used Musk Orchid Beast dung to lure the Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng’s rabbit avatar into that formation 215.
• Used rainbow skirt grass to attract demon beasts for hunting, although it also drew dangerous Level Six beasts 129.
• Concealed his aura and withdrew rather than investigate nearby fighting after escaping the spirit-stone mine 111.

Combat Strength

• As a late Core Formation cultivator, gained the upper hand against several guards protecting the Spirit-Eye Tree before a Nascent Soul-level presence forced him to withdraw 330.
• At early Nascent Soul, killed several same-rank Mulan Sorcerers and escaped a Mulan Divine Master during the Yellow Dragon Mountain battle 350.
• Ranked among the stronger participants in the Heavenly South assembly despite having a lower cultivation realm than many present 354.
• Refined Yin-Fire Thunder beads capable of opening a hole in a Blood Luo Shield 361.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Little Green Bottle / Small Bottle — His closely guarded means of accelerating spirit-medicine growth 67 68 129.
• Five Elements Reversal Formation implements — Received from Xiao Yu in exchange for a thousand-year purple osmanthus blossom 68.
• Golden Book Page — Received the page containing cultivation methods after retrieving Li Huayuan’s page for Xiao Yu; both men verified their exchanged pages with sword aura 73.
• Divine Wind Boat — Used to withdraw from a large puppet battle he had encountered while passing through the area 71.
• Great Teleportation Token — Obtained during the Demonic Path war, enabling his eventual use of the ancient teleportation route to the Chaotic Star Sea 129.
• Heavenly thunder bamboo — Accepted as payment for helping the Miaoyin Sect attempt to avenge its sect leader 168.
• Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng rootlet and refining formula — Retained after negotiating the division of the captured ginseng with Xiao Yu 217.
• Yin-Fire Thunder beads — Two were visible in his hands before he used one to escape the Blood Luo Shield and put the other away 361.
• Geng metal — Acquired a small piece from Wei Wuya in exchange for a Level Eight demon core 354.
• Thousandfold Peak — A pitch-black, mountain-shaped Ancient Treasure surrendered to Xiao Yu among the final payments associated with Nangong Wan’s departure 366.

Background / History

Childhood and Doctor Mo

At eight or nine years old, Han Li lived in Five Li Ravine, tending cattle and gathering firewood for his family. Xiao Yu saw him there after unsuccessfully searching near the Seven Mysteries Sect for the Heaven-Controlling Bottle 2.

By fifteen or sixteen, Han Li had become the target of Doctor Mo’s attempt at possession. The attempt failed, and Han Li awoke to find Doctor Mo dead opposite him 19.

Yellow Maple Valley and the Golden Book Pages

Han Li’s performance in the Blood Trial led Li Huayuan to accept him as a named disciple. Before their market negotiations, Han Li had scarcely seen his nominal master outside the Forbidden Grounds 67.

At the Heavenly Star Sect market, Han Li traded a thousand-year herb for Xiao Yu’s Five Elements Reversal Formation implements and a promised introduction to an Array Master. Xiao Yu then offered later Azure Essence Sword Art methods in return for the Golden Book Page held by Li Huayuan 67 68.

Han Li secured the page and completed the exchange. Neither trusted the other entirely: both immediately tested their received pages with Azure Essence Sword Aura 73.

Escape to the Chaotic Star Sea

After narrowly escaping the spirit-stone mine, Han Li avoided Xiao Yu’s nearby battle and later discovered the Ancient Teleportation Array. He initially refused to use it because he lacked knowledge of its requirements and feared an ambush at the destination 111 112 129.

He returned to Yellow Maple Valley and was drawn into the war against the Demonic Path. After obtaining a Great Teleportation Token, he finally risked the journey to the Chaotic Star Sea, seeking a place where he could cultivate peacefully 129.

His first extended hunt around Emerald Island proved disappointing. A year of luring beasts yielded only a handful of Level Five kills, while several encounters with Level Six beasts nearly killed him. He returned to Tianxing City and chose another hunting island 129.

Void Sky Hall

Han Li reunited with Xiao Yu after more than a century and received information about Void Sky Hall’s trials and Nascent Soul participants. He also admitted damaging one corner of the teleportation formation after crossing to the Chaotic Star Sea 203.

While cooperating with Profound Bone to capture the Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng, Han Li was trapped by the Golden Silk Ball, whose fiend soul threads prevented him from mobilizing magical power. Xiao Yu intervened against Profound Bone, while Han Li’s hidden Evil-Warding Divine Thunder destroyed the figure attempting to possess him 215 217.

Under pressure from Xiao Yu, Han Li accepted one rootlet and the refining formula rather than contest ownership of the whole ginseng. He then declined further exploration and withdrew toward the Outer Hall 217.

Return to Heavenly South

Repeated demon-beast attacks in the Outer Sea pushed Han Li through his late Core Formation bottleneck. He subsequently returned to Heavenly South rather than become involved in the war between the Star Palace and the Inverse Star Alliance 310.

He infiltrated the Falling Cloud Sect to obtain roots from Cloud Dream Mountain’s Spirit-Eye Tree. His sect record presented him as a tenth-level Qi Refining disciple, concealing his actual cultivation 310.

After concluding that Xiao Yu repeatedly profited from opportunities connected to him, Han Li resolved to avoid contact. His attempt to take a tree root nevertheless failed when guards discovered him and a hidden Blood Jade Spider released a Nascent Soul-level aura, prompting his retreat 327 330.

Nascent Soul, the Mulan War, and Nangong Wan

After forming his Nascent Soul in the Linglong Sect, Han Li gained renown at Yellow Dragon Mountain. He later participated in the Gambling Battle against the Mulan forces 350 365.

During the main battle, he remained inside a Blood Luo Shield until he used a Yin-Fire Thunder bead to escape. He denied being able to leave earlier, although his private reasoning had relied on Xiao Yu being powerful enough to stabilize the battle outside 361.

Afterward, Han Li and Nangong Wan decided to become Dao Companions. Their departure from the Yue Alliance required compensation, especially after Han Li injured Xin Yue. Xiao Yu extracted Gambling Battle materials, demon-beast materials, rare herbs, an Ancient Treasure, and a jade slip before allowing them to leave 365 366.

Devilfall Valley

Han Li entered Devilfall Valley with Marquis Nanlong and Lu Weiying to seek help for Nangong Wan’s Soul-Sealing Curse, inflicted by a Yin Luo Sect demonic cultivator. His concern for her drew him into an expedition he would ordinarily have avoided 373.

Relationships

• Nangong Wan — Dao Companion. Their longstanding attraction culminated in their decision to leave together; Han Li later braved Devilfall Valley to seek a cure for her curse 365 367 373.
• Xiao Yu — Trading partner, occasional ally, and increasingly distrusted rival. Han Li eventually deduced that Xiao Yu repeatedly claimed or shared opportunities connected to him 67 73 217 327.
• Li Huayuan — Nominal master, who accepted Han Li after the Blood Trial. Han Li obtained his Golden Book Page for the exchange with Xiao Yu 67 68 73.
• Doctor Mo — Attempted to possess Han Li and died when the attempt failed 19.
• Profound Bone Old Devil — Temporary collaborator turned enemy. His possession scheme left Han Li determined to take revenge 215 217 218.
• Man Huzi — Humiliated Han Li by forcing him to surrender his jade pillar in Void Sky Hall; Han Li yielded rather than challenge a stronger cultivator 205.
• Miaoyin Sect — Hired him for a failed revenge attempt using heavenly thunder bamboo as payment. He refused its guest-elder position and demanded additional compensation after the operation failed 168.
• Xin Yue — Nangong Wan’s senior sister. Their dispute over Nangong Wan’s departure escalated into a fight in which Han Li injured her 365.
• Marquis Nanlong and Lu Weiying — Fellow explorers during his Devilfall Valley expedition 373 374.

Differences from the Original Timeline

• Han Li does not obtain the Spirit Descending Talisman, Gold-Eating Insects, Soul-Screaming Beast, Qianlan Ice Flame, or Mysterious Mu Infant Transformation Art in this timeline. Other opportunities nevertheless allow him to develop formidable strength 354.
• Xiao Yu deliberately delivers the corpse carrying the Great Evolution Art to Han Li’s cave abode after taking the art first 72 217.
• Without Silver Moon’s illusions to assist him, Han Li’s identity is exposed during his infiltration of Cloud Dream Mountain 330.
• Despite Xiao Yu’s interference with his opportunities, Han Li still acquires heavenly thunder bamboo through the Miaoyin Sect 168.

Notable Quotes

“This is too important for me not to be cautious.” 217

“No one in this world gives without expecting anything in return!” 218

“Shameless beyond compare!” — Upon concluding that Xiao Yu repeatedly took a share of his opportunities 327