Li Xiangyi

Baichuan Court

 Di Feisheng
(nemesis)

 Qiao Wanmian
(lover)

Xie Zi Mo | 谢子墨
(child Li Xiangyi)

Xu Wei Luo | 徐崴罗
(teenage Li Xiangyi)

Xie Zi Mo | 谢子墨
(child Li Xiangyi)

Li Xiangyi was number one in the martial arts world and the Sect Master of Sigu Sect. He later assumes the identity of travelling miracle doctor Li Lianhua.

## Appearance

Li Xiangyi wears generally striking white or red robes with trailing ribbons and fabrics. His hair is done in a high pony tail adorned with varying hairpieces.

## Personality

According to Li Lianhua, Li Xiangyi was overly arrogant and ambitious, never considerate of others' feelings. He only listened to himself and never submitted to other people. Presumably, Li Xiangyi was impulsive and hot-tempered (inferred from his actions such as fighting a duel over sprigs of plum blossom). He never forgave anyone and was always rushing off to do this business or another. Qiao Wanmian compared Li Xiangyi to sunlight, incredibly brilliant, yet no one can stare directly at the sun for too long and so she grew weary of always chasing after him.

However, Fang Duobing sees Li Xiangyi in a different light. He recognises that Li Xiangyi may have been to proud and arrogant but argues that no one is perfect. "Standing in the sunlight will always leave shadows."

## Background

Li Xiangyi's family, descended from Nanyin royalty, lived in seclusion until they angered bandits who attacked them in the night. The entire Li family was massacred except for their two sons, Li Xiangxian and Li Xiangyi who were left on the streets. The Li family's plight came to the attention of Qi Mushan who was best friends with Li Xiangyi's father and he hand his wife began looking for the two brothers. When the couple found the four-year-old Li Xiangyi, his older brother Li Xiangxian had passed away from illness. Shan Gudao, a young beggar around Li Xiangxian's age, had looked after Li Xiangyi and was taken in by Qi Mushan as well. Thus, the two became martial brothers and disciples of Qi Mushan.

Growing up, whenever Li Xiangyi often got into trouble and was punished, Shan Gudao would sneak him food, etc. Yet as Li Xiangyi's genius in martial arts became more evident, Shan Gudao - who practised hours more than him each day to no avail - grew jealous and eventually began to hate him. Matters worsened when Qi Mushan and his wife quarrelled, leading the couple to each take one of the martial brothers to train and have them duel once a month to see who's disciple was better. Li Xiangyi won every time, to Shan Gudao's increasing resentment.

Outwardly, Shan Gudao remained affectionate to his martial brother. When Li Xiangyi turned 15, Shan Gudao accompanied him down the mountain where he trained for the first time. In the same year, he became the best martial artist in the world. At age 17, he founded Sigu Sect with Shan Gudao. At 20, he was the head of the martial arts world.

## Conflict with the Jinyuan Alliance

Wishing to become world number one, the then world number two Di Feisheng was determined to defeat Li Xiangyi. However, Li Xiangyi wished to bring peace to the martial arts world and refused to meet him in battle until Di Feisheng's Jinyuan Alliance seemingly killed Shan Gudao and stole his body. To find his martial brother's remains, Li Xiangyi attacked Di Feisheng on the East Sea. At the same time, Sigu Sect attacked the JInyuan Alliance's headquarters but received heavy casualties due to the Jinyuan Alliance having set explosives in their own headquarters. Due to being poisoned by Yun Biqiu, Li Xiangyi lost to Di Feisheng by half a move. Li Xiangyi still managed to sink Di Feisheng's ship and they both fell into the sea.

Li Xiangyi washed up on a beach and made his way back to Sigu Sect. However, upon hearing and beholding the consequences of his battle, he left again. He walked back to the beach, collapsed, and was taken to the Pudu Temple by Abbot Wuliao. The abbot managed to temporarily suppress the Bicha Poison within Li Xiangyi for ten years, after which the poison would take effect again and cause hallucinations, loss of vision, madness and eventually death. Li Xiangyi left the Pudu Temple and went by a new identity: Li Lianhua.