Li Shaobai

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

Li Shaobai comes from a family that operated a Soul Master Escort Agency for generations. By his father’s generation, the family had fallen into decline. After Shaobai awakened his Martial Soul, his father regarded him as the family’s hope and had him practice swordsmanship day and night 30 67.

In the future depicted by the Celestial Screen, his father dies of illness when Shaobai is eight. Before dying, he uses an old connection between Shaobai’s grandfather and Chen Xin’s father to secure Shaobai’s entry into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and discipleship under Sword Douluo 67.

The present-day timeline has not yet reached all of those events. Chen Xin initially notes that he has not taken Shaobai as his disciple, and Ning Fengzhi later explains that Shaobai is staying with his gravely ill father 31 63.

Appearance

• Eyes: Ink-black 29.
• Clothing before his transformation: Coarse hemp garments; he carries a flawless, pure-white longsword 68.
• White Phoenix form: Long silvery-white hair and a moon-white, cross-collared robe. His clothing can be condensed from his Martial Soul 73 75.
• Empowered state: Scarlet Soul Power and blood-colored radiance surround him. After losing control, he appears in blood-red phoenix robes 76 80 89.

Personality

Li Shaobai is considerate and protective, but initially distrustful of suspicious circumstances. He intervenes when Sea Soul Masters threaten Xiao Wu, then questions her because their retreat contradicts their usual treatment of talented continental Soul Masters. He later refuses to treat her as a source of a Soul Ring and Soul Bone, regarding her instead as a homeless girl who has also saved his life 25 26 67.

Despite his exceptional talent, he calls himself an ordinary person whose opportunities came from his family connections, sect, and Martial Soul. His defeat by Dugu Feng badly damages his confidence: he becomes hesitant to summon his Martial Soul, fearing both another failure and the Blood God’s whispers 30 31.

Much of his life is organized around other people’s expectations—reviving his family, marrying Ning Rongrong, and succeeding Chen Xin as the sect’s protector. His turning point comes when he realizes that protecting Xiao Wu is something he personally wants, rather than a duty assigned to him 68 73.

His loyalty also extends to the sect’s ordinary members. When elders die trying to help him escape, he refuses to let more disciples suffer for his choices and draws pursuit toward himself. That resolve becomes dangerously distorted under the Chaos God’s power, eventually giving way to uncontrolled slaughter that even injures Xiao Wu 86 88.

Abilities & Skills

White Phoenix Martial Soul

The White Phoenix consists of condensed, pure spiritual power and changes according to Li Shaobai’s will. Its attribute is identified as ultimate mental 73 75.

• Phoenix Cry Sword: Its original sword form arose because Shaobai wanted to inherit his family’s Sword Martial Soul and fulfill his father’s hopes 73.
• White Phoenix Transformation: Reveals a form reflecting his own will rather than his inherited expectations 73.
• Mental damage: Phoenix Cry Swords can hurt an opponent’s mind even when they fail to penetrate physical defenses 79.
• Feather-to-sword manifestation: White phoenix feathers transform into numerous Phoenix Cry Swords for massed attacks 79.
• Limit: His initial attacks cannot overcome Bi Shuo’s complete physical and mental defenses; further empowerment is needed to break through 79 80.

Swordsmanship

His Green Lotus Sword Technique emphasizes flowing, agile movements and rapid strikes 79.

• Forms a defensive wall of swordplay against falling purple snakes 69.
• Deflects volleys of hidden weapons while he carries Xiao Wu 70.
• Allows him to defeat a defense-type Battle Soul King with Green Lotus Sword Song 71.
• Does not guarantee superiority in a pure sword duel: Bi Shuo wins their second exchange without either using Soul Power 79.

Soul Skills

Five-Finger Fist-Heart Sword

A self-created sword skill developed after his near-death realization 74.

• Channels Soul Power through his arm’s meridians and condenses a slender sword-shaped blade of light at the center of his fist 74.
• Uses an upright left palm before his chest and a raised right fist as its preparatory stance 74 82.
• Decides his duel with Bi Shuo when the sword ray strikes during Bi Shuo’s momentary distraction 82.
• Its final ray contains white, red, and unexpected purple light, leaving Shaobai suspicious of outside interference 82 83.

Skull Throne’s Blessing

Power associated with Khorne, whom Shaobai initially calls the Lord of the Skull Throne after hearing “Skulls for the Skull Throne” 75.

• Escalating strength: His power rises as he fights, eventually reaching Titled Douluo-level combat strength 80 83.
• Soul Power supply: Makes his Soul Power seem inexhaustible and substantially accelerates his movement 76.
• Conditional support: The blessing vanishes when he hesitates before two Titled Douluo, leading him to conclude that he only receives power if he fights 76.
• Mental danger: Earlier whispers leave him terrified; later empowerment overwhelms his restraint and turns him against everyone in his path 31 88.
• Physical danger: Bibi Dong identifies his rampage as the consequence of a mortal body being unable to withstand the Chaos Gods’ blessings 88.

Equipment & Items

• Storage Soul Tool — Holds Gold Soul Coins, writing materials, and books. He uses its contents to bribe an arena employee and leave a challenge letter for Tie Jian Zhao 26 30.
• Signed Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng novels — Includes a complete set inscribed “To the future Heaven Dou’s Number One Sword.” He gives the set to Xiao Wu before their intended farewell 36.
• Phoenix Cry Sword — His Martial Soul’s sword manifestation, rather than a separate conventional weapon 68 73.

Relationships

• Li Shaobai’s father — Raises him to restore the family’s fortunes and arranges his future sect membership. His final request—that Shaobai live according to his own wishes—becomes central to Shaobai’s breakthrough 67 73.
• Chen Xin / Sword Douluo — His future master and intended predecessor as the sect’s protector. Chen Xin expects Shaobai’s swordsmanship eventually to surpass his own 25 68 73.
• Ning Fengzhi — Sect leader who arranges a search for him and regards him as vital to the sect’s future. Privately considers obtaining Xiao Wu’s Soul Ring and Soul Bone for him 25 67 73.
• Gu Rong / Bone Douluo — Senior protector whom Shaobai calls his martial uncle. Comes to his aid and later fights Spirit Hall while urging him to escape 69 83 86.
• Ning Rongrong — His fiancée in the depicted future. Her present-day self fears that Xiao Wu will take him away 67 68.
• Xiao Wu — Traveling companion whom he protects despite knowing she is a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast. She becomes openly affectionate, while his determination to save her helps him recognize his own wishes 67 73 75 83.
• Dugu Feng — Rival whose overwhelming victory shatters Shaobai’s confidence. Shaobai seeks better swordsmanship so that their next encounter will at least force Dugu Feng to draw his sword 26 31.
• Bi Shuo — Opponent who offers him freedom if he wins their duel. They develop mutual respect, and Shaobai warns him about the unsettling Purple-Silver Sword 79 84.
• Yu Tiansheng — Friendly acquaintance whose identity as Lanling Xiaoxiaosheng is known to Shaobai. Shaobai possesses personally signed editions of his novels 26.
• Priest — Chaos Gods’ servant who engineers a survival game around Shaobai’s refusal to abandon Xiao Wu 68 69 70.
• Bibi Dong — Blocks his departure after Bi Shuo’s defeat and directs Spirit Hall’s forces against him and his sect’s protectors 84 86 88.

Major Story Arcs

Search for a Swordsman

In the Celestial Screen’s future, Shaobai sneaks away while his master accompanies Ning Fengzhi to Sea God Island. Hoping to overcome the stagnation left by his defeat against Dugu Feng, he searches for a Soul Master skilled in controlling multiple swords 26.

He protects Xiao Wu from Sea Soul Masters, then shares her route toward the Star Dou Great Forest. In Suotuo City, he intervenes when Dai Mubai harasses her and challenges him to settle matters in the Great Soul Arena. An arena employee identifies Shaobai’s intended opponent as Tie Jian Zhao, who has already left to obtain his fourth Soul Ring; Shaobai leaves a letter requesting a swordsmanship match 25 28 29 30 32.

Beast Tide and Priest’s Game

Shaobai escorts Xiao Wu into the forest and gives her his signed novels before leaving. A black dragon’s appearance and the ensuing beast tide interrupt their farewell. Afterward, he carries Xiao Wu through a forest sealed by the major factions, spending seven days bypassing six cordons 36 66 70.

Priest offers them the Chaos Gods’ power and threatens to expose Xiao Wu’s identity after 666 breaths. Shaobai instead heads toward the forest’s core, hoping to secure the Beast God’s protection. Purple snakes mark their location with a blood-formed signal, drawing pursuers into their path 68 69.

White Phoenix Revelation

Shaobai fights through Soul Masters seeking Xiao Wu before Zhao Wuji intercepts him. Exhaustion and depleted Soul Power leave him unable to escape a tracking attack, and Zhao Wuji crushes his chest with Great Strength Vajra Palm 71 72.

Near death, Shaobai confronts his dependence on other people’s expectations. His decision to protect Xiao Wu restores his resolve and reveals the White Phoenix’s true form. He then overcomes his fear of the Chaos God, develops the Five-Finger Fist-Heart Sword, and kills Zhao Wuji with power supplied by the Lord of the Skull Throne 73 74 79.

Duel with Bi Shuo

Chrysanthemum and Ghost immobilize Shaobai and Xiao Wu, but Bi Shuo persuades them to release the fusion skill and offers a duel with freedom as the prize. Shaobai initially struggles against Bi Shuo’s superior cultivation and defenses before the blessing steadily raises his strength 76 78 79 80.

His final Five-Finger Fist-Heart Sword defeats Bi Shuo. Afterward, Shaobai openly tells Gu Rong that he knows Xiao Wu’s identity and intends to protect her. Bi Shuo honors the result, but Bibi Dong arrives and forbids their departure 82 83 84.

Charge Against Spirit Hall

When Spirit Hall attacks the sect members helping him escape, Shaobai refuses to abandon them. He asks the elders to convey his apologies to Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin, then charges toward Bibi Dong to draw pursuit away and create an opening for Xiao Wu 86.

Repeated kills rapidly restore his empowered strength. He gravely wounds Yang Wudi, but loses control, crushes Xiao Wu’s hand, and begins slaughtering indiscriminately. His latest depicted actions show him pursuing a terrified Gui Mei in blood-red phoenix robes 88 89.

Notable Quotes

“To me, Xiao Wu is just a little girl with a somewhat fiery temper, who likes reading strange novels, who cries, and who has no home to return to.” 67

“Chaos God! … I’m not afraid of you anymore. … I’m going to challenge you!!” 74

“What happened today arose because of me, Li Shaobai, alone. I absolutely cannot let the sect suffer on my behalf.” 86