Lián Qí

Lián Qí (廉耆, Ren Ki, "Honorable Sage") is a minor character in Thunderbolt Fantasy. He is Lǐn Xuě Yā's former mentor and the creator of the Soul Echo Flute.

Personality
Lián Qí is a level-headed old master who does not shy away from scolding both his former pupil and Shā Wú Shēng when the latter threatens his life. Whether it is due to his temperament or fear of Wú Shēng's reputation, Lián Qí is not quick to resort to violence when confronted by Wú Shēng. Instead, Lián Qí attempts to reason with him. Only when Wú Shēng advances with his own weapons drawn does Lián Qí unsheath Pò Zhú. When all is said and done, Lián Qí even chastises the gods for giving Wú Shēng such deadly power.

According to an interview with Urobuchi, Lián Qí is morally comparable to Lǐn Xuě Yā in that they are both villains. This is hinted at in Season 1 Episode 9 when Shā Wú Shēng quotes the letter he took from Lián Qí. The letter is Lǐn's request for help in stealing the Tiān Xíng Jiàn from Dān Fěi, the same he sent to Shòu Yún Xiāo and Xíng Hài. According to this same interview, even Lián Qí scolding Lǐn is not out of fondness for his former pupil but out of disappointment.

Abilities

 * Swordsmanship: In combat, Lián Qí uses his sword, Pò Zhú (破竹, Hachiku, "Breaking Bamboo"), as a slashing and stabbing weapon. While Lián Qí is likely not the one responsible for Lǐn Xuě Yā's mastery of the sword, he is an accomplished enough swordsman to be praised by Lǐn.
 * Item Enchantment: A skill he passed on to Lǐn Xuě Yā, Lián Qí is a master of infusing tools with sorcerous power. Lǐn considers the Soul Echo Flute to be one of Lián Qí's greatest works.
 * Qi Channeling: Instead of manually drawing his sword, Lián Qí uses qi to shoot it out of the sheath, bounce it off of a rock, and catch it in hand on the rebound.