Lin Tao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Lin Tao (林涛)
Alias(es)	Great Elder; First Elder; Brother Tao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Lin Family
Occupation/Role	Great Elder and leading elder of the Lin Family; recognized as the family head in its dealings with outsiders 1 20
Status	Alive 134
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Heaven and Earth Connected to the Profound Realm	6	His pressure nearly crushes Ye Dan Nan, a cultivator of the same realm, forcing the Ye Family into terror before other family heads intervene.
Martial Immortal Realm	22	Breaks through after reading the Yellow Emperor Sword Canon, having suppressed his cultivation for a long time.
Martial Immortal Realm, Ninth Heaven	24	Reveals he has reached the ninth layer; his spiritual sense is later repelled when probing the Su Family estate.
True God Realm	134	Reaches the True God Realm alongside Lin Dong after cultivating with the Lin Family's enhanced Blessed Land.

Background

Guardian of the Lin Family's heir

Lin Tao is the Lin Family's Great Elder and the eldest among its active elders. He helps raise and protect Lin You, the sole direct heir of Lin Dong, after the death of Lin You's parents. When Lin You appears to have lost all cultivation before the Heavenly Pride Competition, Lin Tao furiously demands punishment, then collapses into guilt after concluding that the boy has gone mad from the pressure. 1

Lin You's sudden Body Tempering breakthrough changes Lin Tao's view immediately. He accepts Lin You's claim that he rebuilt his Dao foundation, orders the Shadow Guards to provide any cultivation resources Lin You requests, and begins treating him as the Lin Family's future hope. 2 3

Heavenly Pride Competition

Lin Tao leads the Lin Family delegation to the Land of Blood Slaughter for the Heavenly Pride Competition. There, he openly confronts Ye Dan Nan and suppresses him with overwhelming pressure, demonstrating why the Lin Family survived despite being targeted by the other great families. 6

He remains intensely protective of Lin You throughout the competition, even panicking when Lin You faces Ye Fan. After Lin You reveals his true strength, Lin Tao deflects his own earlier concern by claiming he had recognized Lin You's cultivation all along. 7 8

When the Everlasting Family proposes taking Lin You as a son-in-law, Lin Tao refuses despite the political advantage. He does not want Lin You to become dependent on his wife's family or lose his independence. 8

Relocation and rise in Mengbo Star Domain

Following the conflict with the Five Great Families, Lin Tao supports relocating the Lin Family to Mengbo Star Domain and advocates keeping a low profile. He deals cautiously with the dominant Su Family, yielding resource income rather than provoking a conflict while the Lin Family lacks sufficient strength. 19 20 21

After the elders enter the Martial Immortal Realm, Lin Tao still rejects an immediate confrontation with the Su Family because he senses a stronger cultivator within its estate. Instead, he proposes taking Star Domain Missions himself to secure cultivation resources for Lin You and the clan. 24

Lin You's Blessed Land and Sky-reaching Tree greatly alter the family's prospects. Lin Tao establishes heavy restrictions around the Blessed Land to conceal its existence, accepts Lin You's generosity toward the elders, and is moved by the sacrifices he believes Lin You has made for the family. 25 37

Defense against external enemies

During the Sima Family-led assault on the Lin Family, Lin Tao and Lin Dong hold off six True Immortal Realm Old Ancestors together despite suffering serious injuries. He refuses to yield, declaring that attackers seeking the lives of the Lin Family must first get past him. 68

As Lin You's cultivation surpasses that of the elders, Lin Tao struggles to accept the disparity but continues to regard him as family rather than merely a powerful cultivator. When Lin You returns after two months with Myriad Worlds Inspectors and other influential allies, Lin Tao welcomes him home with pride and concern. 86 110

Lin Family secret

Lin Tao brings Lin You to a memorial chamber containing eighteen tablets for fallen Lin Family members and has him offer incense to them. 86

He later entrusts Lin You with a damaged Everlasting Token, revealing that the Lin Family is a branch of an Everlasting Family. The family's long-standing duty is to locate the missing half of the token and return to the main Lin Family. 87

Appearance

Lin Tao is an elderly cultivator with a prominent beard, heavy wrinkles, and an expressive face that often shifts between stern rage, worry, pride, and disbelief. 1 2

• His beard bristles and his eyes bulge when angered. 1
• He is repeatedly described as an old man or one of the Lin Family's “old bones.” 20 37
• Despite his age, he carries himself with the imposing presence of a high-level cultivator. 6

Personality

Lin Tao is fiercely protective of the Lin Family, especially Lin You. His first response to danger is often explosive anger, but that anger comes from responsibility and fear of failing the family members entrusted to him. 1 68

He is pragmatic when the family's survival is at stake. He urges restraint if the Lin Family loses its status, negotiates with the Su Family rather than fighting from a disadvantage, and conceals the Blessed Land behind extensive restrictions. 2 20 25

Despite being the eldest elder, Lin Tao is capable of changing his mind quickly when presented with evidence. He goes from condemning Lin You as useless to supplying him without limit, and later accepts that Lin You has grown beyond the elders' ability to protect or assess. 1 2 86

Abilities & Skills

Cultivation Pressure

Lin Tao can use his cultivation pressure to dominate opponents of the same realm.

• Nearly crushes Ye Dan Nan, a Heaven and Earth Connected to the Profound Realm cultivator, until the Ye Family is left trembling. 6
• His pressure is powerful enough that the other great families must jointly counter it. 6

Spiritual Sense and Restrictions

Lin Tao possesses refined spiritual-sense control and takes responsibility for protecting the Lin Family's secrets.

• Attempts to investigate the Su Family estate with spiritual sense, only to have it shattered by a stronger presence. 24
• Establishes multiple layers of restrictions around the Lin Family after learning that the Blessed Land has a tenfold time-flow effect. 25

Leadership and Strategy

Lin Tao directs the Lin Family through political pressure, resource shortages, and open warfare.

• Orders unrestricted resource support for Lin You's cultivation before the Heavenly Pride Competition. 2 3
• Chooses relocation and restraint rather than allowing the family to be destroyed in a premature conflict. 19 20 24
• Plans to undertake dangerous Star Domain Missions personally when the family's cultivation resources become strained. 24

Equipment / Items

• Damaged Everlasting Token — A Lin Family heirloom bestowed by the family's First Ancestor. It bears the character “Lin,” is missing its other half, and reacts when near those connected to the Everlasting Lin Family. Lin Tao gives it to Lin You. 87

Relationships

• Lin You — His nephew and the Lin Family's sole heir. Lin Tao serves as a guardian, resource provider, adviser, and staunch supporter, though Lin You's absurd growth repeatedly leaves him stunned. 1 2 37 86
• Lin Dong — His younger brother and Lin You's father. The two fight alongside one another and jointly manage major family matters. 1 24 68
• Lin Family elders — As eldest brother and Great Elder, Lin Tao leads the other elders while sharing their rough humor, competitiveness, and devotion to the family. 3 24 110
• Ye Dan Nan — Leader of the Ye Family and an enemy bound to the Lin Family by an unresolved blood feud. Lin Tao openly threatens to eradicate the Ye Family. 6
• Su Ming — Head of the Su Family. Lin Tao initially treats him with humility after the Lin Family enters Mengbo Star Domain, but recognizes the threat behind Su Ming's demands. 20 21
• Zhao Ling'er — A Zhao Family prodigy and potential match for Lin You. Lin Tao accepts her Sky-reaching Tree sapling on behalf of the Lin Family and encourages her possible relationship with Lin You. 35 45 55