Ai Li

Biodata

Power Progression

Appearance

Ai Li is exceptionally tall for a woman; in high heels, she stands slightly taller than Xu Le 161 384.

• Early attire: Gold-rimmed glasses, pinned-up hair, a gray business outfit with a miniskirt, flesh-colored stockings, and polished high heels 161.
• Later uniform: Commonly wears a Law Enforcer garrison officer’s military uniform, favoring combat readiness over dresses 257.
• Hair: Eventually grows it long enough to interfere with combat when loose, but chooses not to cut it because she prefers its appearance 262.
• Moon Hound form: Develops fluffy white fur, claws, fangs, and a tail. She can transform individual limbs or retain an intermediate form 186 212 249 416.
• Siquan markings: Her transformed tail gains four purple rectangular sigils, while paired facial markings resemble tear tracks after the initial transformation settles 212.

Personality

Ai Li deliberately maintains a cold, intimidating manner because it makes others easier to manage. Her growing tendency to smile does not immediately change this professional façade, and she repeatedly insists on being addressed as “Ms. Ai Li” rather than “Miss Ai Li” 185 225 255.

Her discipline is practical rather than ceremonial. Even under severe emotional interference, she prioritizes reporting useful information, avoids touching dangerous Warlock constructs, and tries to protect civilians. She treats training seriously, dislikes wasting time on rest, and rejects the idea that martial skill can be acquired without sustained effort 186 187 215 260.

Despite her reserve, she becomes deeply affectionate toward Xu Le. She struggles to ask him to stay or express romantic needs directly, but eventually abandons all restraint when they reunite. Her loyalty also becomes morally compromising: she increasingly places his safety above legal restrictions and, later, above her earlier ambitions for Zion 217 271 403 412.

Ai Li enjoys the pride of single combat but accepts that coordinated attacks are safer. She is perceptive in ordinary affairs and combat, although unfamiliar mystical systems and political maneuvering sometimes exceed her knowledge 259 413 416.

Abilities & Skills

Grandmaster Martial Combat

Ai Li combines high-level Warrior conditioning with heavy weapons, grappling, kicks, claws, and rapid changes of stance 166 220 249.

• Overpowers a Level 3 Succubus directly and can seize it while it is in Ghost Mist form 166 168.
• Uses precise bodily awareness; she considers unexplained heart pain abnormal because she can ordinarily detect problems down to individual muscle fibers 242.
• Can continue operating through severe injuries, but lacks the Dark Moon Angel’s rapid healing 176.
• Cannot simply overcome every stronger opponent: Yan Luo’s full-strength blow incapacitates her, while Chang Yu’s Demon Form repeatedly forces her back 206 242 243.

Moon Hound Transformation

Her first canine fruit supplies enhanced physical strength, powerful senses, and instinctive access to Moon Spirit energy 168.

• Tracks Xu Le by scent and overhears conversations spoken quietly nearby 168 169.
• Detects suspicious absences of scent, lingering blood, and approaching danger 175 193.
• Absorbs Moon Spirits during moon-bathing and can absorb Ancient Yin Duo Energy through her fruit powers 168 176.
• Moon’s Howl: Releases a howl after breaking free of Old Man Ge’s grasp 204.
• Moonquake: Infuses a heavy mace strike with Red Moon Spirit energy 206.
• Dog Style—Blasphemy: Bites an opponent while transmitting Red Moon energy into the target’s body 249.
• Tracking remains vulnerable to environmental interference; prolonged burning destroys many of the scents at Chi Xiao’s battlefield 416.

Siquan Power and God of Division

The Siquan Fruit complements her existing Moon Hound abilities and strengthens her constitution 212.

• God of Division: Creates a crossed Incantation Seal beneath a target, which becomes crossed canine tails that bind the target’s ankles 225.
• Can deliver a restraining variation through a bullet; two white canine tails emerge where the shot strikes Warlock Luo 228.
• Uses the Siquan facial markings while resisting an alluring fruit’s influence, then activates her Heart Energy Concealment Device before examining it further 217.

Red Sha

Ai Li uses Red Sha to reinforce her body and weapon attacks 294 306.

• Matches a punch from Luo Juya’s shadow Giant through Red Sha possession 294.
• Projects a blade slash using a technique learned from Wang Shu through their camp’s shared Secret Techniques 306.
• Uses Red Sha alongside Moonwalk to destroy a Level 4 Ghost-Type Oddity 393.

Moonwalk

Moonwalk lets Ai Li move through the air without true flight 393.

• Combines Red Moon Spirit energy with air control associated with a Storm Calamity Sorcerer.
• Creates explosive bubbles beneath her feet and kicks off them to climb, turn, and fight in midair.
• Can cushion her descent with another burst of air.
• Consumes too much stamina and fruit power for prolonged use 393.

Elemental Thunder

After awakening, Ai Li produces lightning around her fingers and soon shapes it into a projected blade 421 427.

• Provides ranged attacks, addressing a weakness in her earlier fighting style.
• Supports sharpened, piercing attacks.
• Her immediate ability to form a concrete lightning blade surprises Xu Le 427.

Security, Investigation, and Instruction

Ai Li has extensive experience in protection work, plainclothes operations, and dealing with nightlife establishments 305 384.

• Uses professional assurances and controlled intimidation to reach Black Alley’s management without causing a general disturbance 305.
• Detects Xie Wenjie’s false claim that Xu Le and Xia Libo are nearby because she cannot smell them 225.
• Advises Bai Jing to organize and master her attribute system before attempting promotion 395.
• Emphasizes firearms, equipment, and throwable items as ways to improve immediate combat strength and conserve stamina and Spirit Energy 441.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Transforming mace: Stored as an ear stud and expanded into a large spiked weapon. Ai Li uses it for heavy strikes, defensive clashes, and breaking through walls 175 186 206.
• Battle Blade: Used to unleash Red Sha slashes 306.
• Short blade and knives: Uses a short blade to intercept Luo’s shooting technique; also carries knives for practical tasks and close-range work 187 209 228.
• Heart Energy Concealment Device: Initially supplied by Xu Le. Helps stabilize her emotions in combat, and she later gives Li Wen a favorable, deliberately factual assessment of its usefulness 174 175 183.
• Tree / Soul Tree Mark: Her later tree-shaped mark grants access to Sha. A Tree Mark at the back of her neck subsequently serves as an anchor through which Xu Le emerges using his developing long-range teleportation technique 260 415 416.

History

Military Career and Zhang Nuo’an

Ai Li grew up with Zhang Nuo’an. She became a Warrior while he became a Warlock, and both entered Zion’s official ranks with the ambition of improving their city. Her advancement to Level 4 at 22 earned her a reputation as an exceptional military talent 197 206.

Her later move from the military system into security work drew criticism from officers who believed she was wasting her potential on a Warlock researcher. By the time she was almost 24, she had waited nearly six years for Zhang Nuo’an to commit to a future together, while he increasingly prioritized influence, resources, and his pursuit of Li Qingcheng 160 197 206.

Joshua’s Tomb and Separation

As the official responsible for special assignments, Ai Li arranged Xu Le’s Ancient Ruins mission and accompanied him into the site later identified as Joshua’s tomb. She initially treated him with marked reserve, but agreed to conceal his apparent research into Guyinduo forbidden powers from Zhang Nuo’an 161 162 163 168.

During the tomb crisis, she shielded Xu Le from the Dark Moon Angel, recognized the creature as Wang Leming, and fought until repeated wounds brought her close to collapse. Zhang Nuo’an withdrew and sealed the exit, while Xu Le and his summons fought to support her 175 176.

Ai Li eventually confronted Zhang Nuo’an with records of his prohibited experiments and accidents, explaining that she had investigated him to leave herself a way out. Li Wen subsequently transferred her directly to the Zion Progressives. When she later learned Zhang Nuo’an had died, she accepted the end of their shared past and asked whether Xu Le was injured 182 183 197.

Cloakroom Incident and Black Tide

While overseeing security, Ai Li became trapped in the Cloakroom’s light-and-shadow disturbance. Youjia’s interference drove her toward uncontrolled bloodlust, but Xu Le’s actions briefly restored her clarity. She illuminated the room to suppress Night Demon manifestations and killed an emerging Night Demon before Xu Le reached her 185 186 187 188.

Subsequent examination identified Guyinduo pollution. Xia Libo removed her mark surgically, with a forty-eight-hour observation period required afterward 190.

During the Black Tide, Ai Li pursued Yan Luo while searching for Xu Le, but was overwhelmed and captured. Xu Le rescued her through the River of Souls. Despite severe fractures and blood loss, she then helped him present himself publicly as a gravely wounded hero, posing as his lover while carrying him to medical assistance 206 209.

Xu Le’s Partner in Zion

During her recovery, Ai Li and Xu Le grew closer through shared moonlight training. She ate the Siquan Fruit he left for her, then continued protecting people around him, including Xu Ting, Wang Man, and Ding Ke 211 212 220 225.

She fought beside Xu Le against hostile Red Moon Holy Temple Warlocks and defended the Bright Soap Factory against the Xenomorph Dwarf. Their relationship became physically intimate, after which she discovered the new tree-shaped mark on her back 239 249 260.

Later operations exposed her to threats beyond straightforward martial combat. Distortions in a ruined floating fortress caused missing time and collapse; Mo Chen’s Golden Radiance Tree pierced her and began turning her body into wood. She nevertheless escaped the Illuminati prayer room with Xu Le and Wang Man, disguised as a nun 287 313 315.

Search for Xu Le

After discovering evidence that Xu Le was alive, Ai Li worried that openly searching for him would attract Red Moon Holy Temple observers. Li Wen authorized a visiting Bodyguard Corps assignment that allowed her to travel without making her purpose obvious 380.

In Tianrui Lifeng, she investigated in plainclothes, questioned Thirteen Sister about local factions, and connected the Tree Herders’ collection of Oddity corpses to Xu Le. During the Black Tide, she saved Bai Jing and recognized clues linking Bai Jing’s Darkness abilities to him 384 385 393.

Rather than continue searching blindly, Ai Li waited where she expected Xu Le to return. When she finally recognized his scent and heard him call “Gouzi,” her planned restraint vanished, and the two embraced openly 403.

Insect Crisis and Later Development

After their reunion, Ai Li helped Xu Le investigate the insects hidden in Tianrui Lifeng. She followed his decisions to observe suspicious developments rather than immediately join the fighting, then helped track Chi Xiao through the devastated city 407 412 415 416.

Following the crisis, she awakened with a much stronger body and Elemental Thunder. She accepted that her path was no longer that of a pure Warrior, having incorporated multiple fruits and outside powers. Xu Le subsequently entrusted her with discreetly monitoring two people and deciding whether to guide Bai Jing toward their side 421 427.

Relationships

• Xu Le — Lover, combat partner, and the central focus of her later loyalties. Their initially suspicious working relationship develops through mutual rescues, training, and shared operations 168 188 209 260 403.
• Zhang Nuo’an — Childhood companion and former romantic attachment. His pursuit of power and treatment of her lead to their separation; she eventually regards his death as a farewell to her past 160 182 197.
• Li Wen — Superior in the Zion Progressives. Transfers her into his organization and later authorizes the assignment that enables her search for Xu Le 183 380.
• Wang Shu — Fellow Warrior in Xu Le’s camp and a source of shared martial techniques, including her Red Sha slash 294 305 306.
• Gu Beichen — Ally in investigations, ambushes, and coordinated battles against their enemies 239 294 305 315.
• Xia Libo — Doctor who removes her Guyinduo Mark and later fights alongside her against Xie Wenjie 190 225.
• Wang Man — Someone Ai Li protects and reassures during hospitalization and Xie Wenjie’s interrogation 224 225.
• Ding Ke — Xu Le’s cat, whom Ai Li shelters during combat. She occasionally feels jealous of Xu Le’s attention to Ding Ke but recognizes the importance of their bond 220 225 385.
• Bai Jing — Warrior she saves and advises in Tianrui Lifeng. Their encounter helps Ai Li locate Xu Le 393 395 403.
• Thirteen Sister — Local contact whom Ai Li pressures into cooperation, gaining information about Tianrui Lifeng and Red Beard Ding Ke 384 385.

Notable Quotes

“A Warrior never retreats.” 188

“I waited so long without getting anywhere. I had to leave myself a way out.” 182

“Last-minute preparations are the most useful thing you can do.” 441