Li Chi would start his professional football career in the 2003 league season when he joined second tier football club Guangdong Xiongying and under the club's manager Wang Baoshan, he would immediately go on to be a vital member of the team which finished seventh. With the club facing financial difficulties the club moved to Shenzhen in hopes of getting better crowds and the club changed their name to Shenzhen Kejian to represent this. The move turned out to be disappointing on and off the field as the club finished the leaguetenth as well as becoming bankrupt in the process.