He leads a bandit gang on Mount Deadwood (枯樹山) in Kouzhou (寇州; believed to be present-day Guan County, Shandong).
The imperial military officers Shan Tinggui and Wei Dingguo capture Liangshan's Xuan Zan and Hao Siwen at Lingzhou (凌州; present-day Ling County, Shandong), who have come with Guan Sheng to head them off before they set out on the mission to exterminate their stronghold by order of the Song court.
After rescuing the two, Li Kui leads an attack on a gate of Lingzhou, breaking into it, when Wei Dingguo is battling with Guan Sheng outside the city.
In the battle of Hangzhou in the campaign against Fang La, Bao Xu and Li Kui are assigned to attack the city's north gate.
After slaying the enemy officer Lian Ming, Bao Xu charges into the city where he finds himself surrounded by hiding troops.