Li Daoxuan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Discovery of the Scenery Box

Li Daoxuan receives a mysterious diorama on his birthday and initially assumes his friend Cai Xinzi sent it. She denies sending anything and does not even know it is his birthday. The box depicts a famine-stricken village whose moving inhabitants he mistakes for sophisticated electric toys 1.

When bandits murder Gao Yiye’s mother and attempt to kill Gao Yiye, he flicks the attacker away. Her subsequent plea to Heaven moves him to kill the remaining bandits. Blood on his palm, the villagers’ changing behavior, and their burial of the dead convince him that the inhabitants are living, intelligent people 1 2 3.

His fascination costs him his job: after he ignores his employer’s messages while watching the box, he is dismissed and receives 2,350 yuan in final wages. He nevertheless decides to support the village’s original 42 inhabitants, estimating that feeding them will cost 100–200 yuan a month 3 5.

Identifying the Miniature World

The arrival and disappearance of constables through the box’s glass boundary reveal that Gao Family Village belongs to a larger world beyond his view. The villagers cannot identify their country or reign era, so they bring the dismissed county secretary San Shier to answer his questions 7 8 9 13.

San Shier identifies the date as the seventh month of Tianqi’s seventh year. After obtaining the emperor’s name and news of Jurchen attacks, Li Daoxuan concludes that the box overlooks the late Ming dynasty rather than an unrelated miniature kingdom. He researches historical records overnight, while recognizing that their contradictions and judgments make them imperfect guides 13 14 15.

Livelihood and Miniature Commissions

Li Daoxuan resumes paid design work to support himself and the villagers. Later, their sculptors’ tiny carvings create a second source of income through Cai Xinzi’s model business 18 33 38.

Personality

Li Daoxuan is compassionate but fiercely partial toward the people under his protection. He responds angrily to bandits murdering starving villagers, yet accepts Gao Yiye’s warning that killing government constables would endanger the entire village. He also stops the villagers from pursuing desperate water thieves and secretly gives the thieves flour 2 8 19.

His curiosity is practical and experimental. He consults history and military forums, tests the box’s behavior, and repurposes household objects to solve problems. He values skilled helpers and increasingly delegates administration rather than personally arranging every meal, lodging assignment, and watch duty 16 21 25 28 31 32.

He treats village ceremonies as amusing “playing house” and enjoys watching miniature daily life and battles. This detachment has limits: although he wants the villagers to gain combat experience, he cannot resist shielding them from arrows or stopping a blade aimed at Zheng Daniu 31 42 45 47 48 49.

His behavior toward Gao Yiye is not entirely selfless. Despite criticizing forum users’ voyeuristic suggestions, he is tempted to watch her bathe. After she catches his gaze through her damaged roof, he puts away his magnifying glass and does not watch her undress 5 10 11.

Abilities & Skills

Scale-Based Physical Intervention

His apparent divine might largely comes from the 1:200 scale difference between his world and the box’s inhabitants 16 21 48.

• Flicks or slaps bandits with lethal force 1 2.
• Lifts a constable between his fingers and carries Li Da through the air on his palm 8 28.
• Blocks arrows with his palm and immobilizes an enemy saber between two fingers 48 49.
• Breaks thin modern sheet iron into pieces that the villagers can transport and forge 21.
• Cannot guarantee protection while asleep or away, prompting him to develop defenses the villagers can operate themselves 16 20.

Wind and Sandstorms

A breath that is ordinary in his world becomes a powerful gust inside the box 8 42.

• Blows four constables away without killing them 8.
• Raises a sandstorm to obscure pursuing bandits, allowing refugees to reach the village gate 42.

Communication and Observation

Gao Yiye serves as his principal point of contact, hearing his words and relaying them to other inhabitants 9 21 27.

• When he opens the lid and looks inside, Gao Yiye can see his face among the clouds. Watching through the closed glass lid hides him even from her 33.
• The villagers generally cannot see his intervening hands, though they can feel them and observe their effects 2 28 45.
• Their voices are extremely faint; he often needs silence and close attention to understand them 1 4 19.
• His original view covers approximately 500 by 300 meters. Villagers standing on the wall can see threats farther away than he can 41.
• The unlocked directional controls remain bounded. Center restores the view over his temple 50.
• A protective barrier prevents him from moving the temple to exploit its position as the viewing center 50.

Provisioning and Technical Guidance

Li Daoxuan uses modern supplies and information to improve village survival rather than relying exclusively on direct intervention 16 21 28.

• Supplies eggs, rice, vegetables, meat, cooking oil, flour, and water 4 5 11 16 19 31 38.
• Provides ice for a heatstroke victim and burn ointment for a scalded servant 37 50.
• Introduces stronger fishing-line lashings, armor-making materials, firearm drawings, and usable toy artillery 21 25 28 45.
• Recognizes manufacturing limits: Li Da may need years to reproduce the Sharps Rifle, while modern handheld weapons are too large at the villagers’ scale 16 28 45.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Scenery Box — Mysterious diorama through which he observes and interacts with Gao Family Village; its sender is unknown 1.
• Magnifying glass — Used to inspect houses, inhabitants, ceremonies, and combat 5 41 47.
• Surveillance camera — Monitors the box while he is away and records footage that reveals the nighttime water thefts 17 19.
• Lock&Lock container — Becomes the village’s enormous pond; he promises daily refills for drinking and irrigation 16 18.
• Lego-brick wall — Temporary fortification while the commissioned walled house is unfinished 20 29.
• Fishing line — Replaces weak straw rope during gate construction; size 0.4 line becomes approximately two centimeters thick at village scale 25.
• Pepsi-Cola-can house — Housing supplied for Li Da when no habitable vacant house remains 28.
• Sharps Rifle plans — A5 printout assembled from forum-provided drawings and photographs for Li Da to study 28.
• Plastic catapults — Purchased as a box of 50 miniature toys; deployed as powerful village artillery 45 47.
• Hakka Walled House: Tank Edition — Commissioned from Cai Xinzi at the village’s scale, with one-millimeter sheet-iron construction, detailed interiors, drainage, large off-road tires, a motor, and remote control. Still unfinished at its last documented update 17 38.
• Dao Xuan Heavenly Venerable Cave — Village-built temple that receives worshippers’ lights and becomes the center of the expanded viewing area 40 41 50.

Relationships

• Gao Yiye — First villager he saves and his main intermediary. She petitions him for food, relays his instructions, and persuades him to spare the constables 1 4 8 21.
• Cai Xinzi — Modern-world friend and model specialist. Builds his commissioned walled-house tank and handles sales and commissions for miniature carvings 17 38 40.
• San Shier — Initially brought under guard for questioning; becomes an administrator, recruiter, and source of information beyond the box’s original view 13 16 30 32.
• Third Madam — Organizes religious etiquette, helps prepare Gao Yiye for worship, and gives Li Daoxuan his formal divine title 31.
• Gao Chuwu — Village messenger and defender, sent to obtain San Shier and recruit craftsmen 9 22 25.
• Li Da — Recruited master blacksmith. Li Daoxuan promises to free him from the hereditary artisan register if he successfully produces the requested rifle 27 28.
• Gao Yiyi — Village blacksmith tasked with making armor and learning improved forging methods from Li Da 21 28.
• Zheng Daniu — Sculptor whose carvings help generate income. Li Daoxuan personally stops an enemy saber to protect him 40 49.
• Wang Er of Baishui — Unknowing beneficiary of Li Daoxuan’s flour gift. Li Daoxuan appreciates his gratitude but avoids accepting rebel grain or tying the vulnerable village to his uprising 19 20 29 30.
• Mister Bai — Refugee and defensive adviser whose initial skepticism gives way to belief after witnessing the supplied catapult and other interventions 42 45 46 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs