Zhong Lin

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Zhong Lin (钟林)
Alias(es)	Young Master of Hundred Herbs Hall; Vice Sect Leader Zhong; Sixth Holy Son of the Heaven Sword Holy Land; Elder
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Heaven Sword Holy Land; Sword Pavilion; formerly Hundred Herbs Hall and Sword Cauldron Sect
Occupation/Role	Martial Artist; Pill Refiner/Alchemist; Holy Son; sect elder
Status	Alive
First Appearance	23

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Eighth Rank Martial Artist	40	Advances rapidly through the Iron Mountain Skill and plentiful Blood Replenishment Pills.
Qi and Blood Realm, Rank 6	68	His cultivation is visibly identifiable to Mei Weixuan; receives Qi and Blood Pills to accelerate refinement.
Qi and Blood Perfection	98	Exploits the Hyena Boar battle’s aftereffects to penetrate the Gushing Springs and complete the realm.
Rank 5 Inner Fortitude	99	Begins strengthening his five viscera through a breathing technique and Five Elements Pills.
Rank 5 Inner Fortitude Completion	112	Completes nourishment of all five internal organs alongside Mei Weixuan.
Viscera Refinement Completion	116	Reaches completion within a month after escaping Wu Jinguang.
Divine Strength Realm	118	A Marrow Cleansing Blood Exchange Pill remakes his body and raises his physical strength to ten thousand jin.
Rank 3 Inner Breath Realm	118 122	Cultivates innate Essence Qi and enters the Upper Three Ranks; later defeats an equal-realm opponent with one punch.
Connecting Vessels Realm, Fifth Level	151	Opens the Yin Qiao Meridian and gains earth-aspected changes through the Crouching Earth Seal.
Connecting Vessels Realm, Sixth Level	154	Opens all acupoints of the Yang Qiao Meridian in a single night.
Connecting Vessels Realm, Ninth Level	158	Opens the Yang Wei and Chong Meridians within seven days.
Peak Rank 2 Connecting Vessels Realm	161	Opens the twelve main meridians and Eight Extraordinary Meridians, connecting the body’s hundred meridians.
Rank 1 Pure Origin Realm	164	Completes the transformation of Inner Breath into True Qi with a Pure Essence Pill.
Grandmaster Realm	181	Merges five attributes of True Qi through the Five Elements Mixed Origin Skill, causing a sect-wide breakthrough phenomenon.
Innate Perfection	198	Reaches Innate Perfection and awakens Chen Jia within the Soul Nourishing Ring.
Spirit Origin Realm	211	Enters the realm after circulating the Earth-Rank Crimson Flame Skill and compressing Innate True Qi.
Spirit Sea Realm, Mid-Stage	261	Advances after refining Fire Spirit Pills; his Dragon Elephant Golden Body also reaches its sixth level.
Spirit Embryo Realm	283	Breaks through after surviving Chen Jia’s attempted possession in the Seven Stars Secret Realm.
Profound Core Realm	364	Condenses a Rank 2 Profound Core with the aid of the Gold Origin Pill and prior foundations.
Profound Core Realm Completion	414	Breaks through after accumulated medicinal power and successive battles loosen his bottleneck.
Yin Yang Realm	431	Merges his Immortal Golden Core with a First Rank Ocean Heart Yin Fiend.
Yin Yang Realm Perfection	496	Harmonizes Yin and Yang, transforming Spirit Origin into Gang Qi.
Life and Death Realm, Sixth Level	508 525	Recognized as the Sixth Holy Son; later reveals this cultivation to Sword Cauldron Sect members.
Life and Death Realm Perfection	529	Achieves perfection and gains command of the Innate Thunder Law.
King Realm	564	Breaks through, is appointed an Elder of the Heaven Sword Holy Land, and receives the Nine Dragons Divine Sword.

Background

Zhong Lin originated as a hunter from Black Mountain County. After leaving Summer River Village with Shi Tou, he became a painter attached to the Black Mountain County Yamen, obtained a body-forging method, and entered the Martial Path. He later became Yin Daoyan’s disciple and the Young Master of Hundred Herbs Hall. 124 148 149

His cultivation is enabled by a System panel that records skills after he learns their foundations and can raise them to maximum level through an unlimited supply of Skill Points. Its early listings include combat arts, medicine, pharmacy, disguise, calligraphy, cooking, and lockpicking. 42 51

After joining the Sword Cauldron Sect, Zhong Lin gained access to Heaven-Rank methods, developed the Five Elements Mixed Origin Skill, and rapidly surpassed the cultivation limits of the Profound Tortoise Continent. He traveled to the Fallen Star Islands, cultivated his own power base, and later entered the Heaven Sword Holy Land through Emperor Yu’s recommendation. 126 153 237 369 371

He was recognized as the Heaven Sword Holy Land’s Sixth Holy Son after passing Sword Emperor Feng Sihan’s test. Following his King Realm breakthrough, Feng Sihan appointed him an Elder and granted him access to the Holy Land’s Eight Great Martial Arts. 508 564 566

Appearance

At seventeen, Zhong Lin is described as refined and unusually composed for his age. His Martial Path accomplishments make his temperament more ethereal; his eyes can leak faint golden Inner Breath when his control slips. 127

• His physique changed from thin to dense, solid, and powerful during early Iron Mountain Skill training. 40
• His perfected body-tempering gives him a balanced, muscular build rather than a visibly bulky one. 233
• The Dragon Elephant Golden Body can manifest dragon-scale patterns, dragon-like tendons, and an intimidating dragon might across his body. 260
• Through the Eight Desolations Dragon God Body Protection Art, he can assume a half-human, half-dragon form with scales, claws, horns, and a dragon head. 399
• His later Sword Dao cultivation leaves him refined, reserved, and sharp beneath a calmer exterior, “like a precious sword sheathed.” 430

Personality

Zhong Lin is pragmatic, ambitious, and intensely focused on cultivation. He consistently chooses techniques for long-term utility, avoids incompatible Inner Breaths that would disrupt his Dantian, and seeks resources, methods, and alliances that strengthen his foundation. 126 161 386

He is protective toward people he accepts as his own. He apologizes to Shi Tou for failing to protect him, teaches him martial arts, and repeatedly provides resources and guidance to his allies and sect seniors. 99 237 290

Despite his caution, Zhong Lin has a confident and playful side. He teases Gu Yourong, boasts freely around Old Man Xu, and openly takes pride in the hardships he has overcome. 121 155 528

In battle, he is decisive and ruthless toward threats, but he can exercise restraint when an opponent no longer poses danger, as shown when he spared Men Qingan after overpowering him. 93 178

Abilities & Skills

System

Zhong Lin possesses a System that displays his learned methods, martial skills, miscellaneous talents, and an unlimited reserve of Skill Points.

• Records skills once he gains an initial grasp of them. 60 120 130
• Raises recorded skills from Beginner to Max Level through Skill Points. 51 120 346
• Includes practical noncombat talents such as medicine, pharmacy, calligraphy, cooking, disguise, ventriloquism, and lockpicking. 51
• Can consolidate his vast sword-art knowledge into the broader framework of a Sword Domain. 504 509

Pill Refining

Zhong Lin is an exceptionally advanced Pill Refiner whose cultivation and alchemy reinforce one another.

Pill Refining Rank	Chapter	Notes
Rank 2	88	Reveals his rank to Mei Weixuan.
Rank 3	91	Learns to refine pills requiring Inner Breath and True Qi.
Rank 4	127	Becomes one of only a few Rank 4 Pill Refiners in the Sword Cauldron Sect.
Rank 5	214	Gains major status in Purple Cloud City; Xu Youde attempts to recruit him.
Rank 6	268	Identified as a Sixth Rank Pill Refiner while pursuing higher body-refinement.
Rank 7	382	His identity as a Seventh Rank Pill Refiner surprises Chu Yu.
Rank 8	440	Claims and later demonstrates the capacity to refine the Three Origins Healing Saint Pill.

• Refines high-level pills including the Expanding Sea Pill, Soul Nourishing Pill, Gold Origin Pill, and Three Origins Healing Saint Pill. 220 341 364 452
• Uses alchemy as cultivation, requiring precise control of fire and power. 395
• Identifies the ingredients of the life-sacrificing Blood Soul Pill by consuming it, exposing its nature. 233

Five Elements Mixed Origin Skill

Zhong Lin’s principal cultivation framework integrates multiple elemental methods into a unified system.

• Combines five attributes of True Qi to enter the Grandmaster Realm. 181
• Enhances meridian-opening efficiency and develops different elemental Inner Breaths, including earth-aspected defensive power. 153 161
• Evolves into the Five Elements Avatar after integrating the Five Direction Divine Beast Spirits with his Five Elements Spirit Body. 454
• Lets him manipulate elemental transformations in combat, including using water to generate metal through the Five Elements Profound Jade Sword. 423

Dragon Elephant Body Refinement

The Dragon Elephant Metal Body—also referred to as the Dragon Elephant Golden Body—is an Earth-Rank body-refining art focused on strength, resilience, Qi and Blood, and bodily transformation. 208

• Fifth Level — Reshapes his body within a blood cocoon and lets him create a hundred-meter trench with one punch. 233
• Sixth Level — Raises his physical strength to 320,000 catties and produces dragon scales and dragon might. 260
• Seventh Level — Achieves the Azure Dragon Coiling Star form after tempering himself inside a Spirit Tool pill furnace. 268
• Eighth Level — Breaks through alongside his entry into the Spirit Embryo Realm. 283
• His body later becomes strong enough to shatter Spirit Tools with his bare fists and endure Heaven-and-Earth power that would destroy ordinary cultivators. 380

Sword Dao

Zhong Lin is a sword-path prodigy who accumulates techniques, comprehends their principles, and integrates them into a single Sword Domain.

• Flying Spirit Sword Sutra — A metal-aspected Heaven-Rank method chosen for its offensive power and compatibility with alchemy. 125 126
• Dividing Light Shadow Condensing Sword Technique — Grants Sword Qi Transformation after Zhong Lin comprehends 20% Sword Intent. 239 240
• Flower Wandering — A flying and escape art mastered alongside 90% Sword Intent, greatly increasing his speed. 346
• Yuan Magnetic Destruction Sword Qi — Counters Five Elements Sword Qi; reaching 10% perfect Sword Intent with it draws Heaven-and-Earth power to temper Zhong Lin’s body. 379 380
• Sword Domain — Consolidates his many sword arts; after forming his Sword Heart, any sword art becomes easier for him to grasp. 504 509
• Eight Great Martial Arts — Learns advanced stages of the Heaven Sword Holy Land’s major inheritances, including the Great Void Sword Formation, Purgatory Sword Sea, Sword Unification Art, and Myriad Phenomena Returning to Truth. 566

Fist, Palm, and Seal Arts

Zhong Lin maintains powerful close-combat options alongside his swordsmanship.

• Dragon Subduing Palm — A True Qi martial skill that manifests a dragon-shaped energy strike. 123
• Crouching Earth Seal — An earth-aspected Seal Technique used defensively against the Two-Headed Exotic Beast; later powerful enough to shatter a mountain peak. 151 183
• Eternal Fierce Beast Fist — Incorporates the ferocity of sea beasts and Fist Intent; used to kill Spirit Embryo Realm expert Yuan Fei across a realm gap. 253 254
• Form and Spirit Fist Way — Enables powerful transformations and overwhelms Chuan Deng Monk’s Buddhist manifestations. 517
• Myriad Dragons Extinction — Injures Yin Yang Realm cultivator Huo Hong. 367
• Earthshaking Emperor Bear — An imitative fist art whose practice itself strengthens his physical body. 470 471

Laws and Special Techniques

• Crimson Flame Skill — An Earth-Rank mid-grade cultivation method with True Qi compression capable of reaching the Transcendent Realm. 211
• Crimson Flame Wings — Allows high-speed flight through Spirit Origin, visibly shocking Sword Cauldron Sect disciples. 224 225
• Innate Thunder Law — Used to stimulate the growth of his Innate Thunder Beast and later incorporated into the Palm Prison Heart Sutra. 529 530 536
• Azure Dragon Nirvana — Incapacitates Vajra Arhats Ming Xin and Shou Jing. 517
• Azure Dragon Stirring the Sea — Lets Zhong Lin transform into an Azure Dragon and draw Dragon Qi from beyond the ordinary world. 516
• Palm Heaven Scripture — A high-level palm art retained among his core techniques after reaching the Life and Death Realm. 529

Equipment

• Soul Nourishing Ring — Black iron ring that housed Chen Jia’s soul body; after Chen Jia’s failed possession attempt, Zhong Lin preserves his remaining true spirit within it and inherits his memories. 198 283
• Eastern Emperor Bell — Zhong Lin’s Natal Weapon; evolves into a Spirit Tool and is prepared for imprinting with his Intent. 341
• Azure Frost — Treasure Tool sword gifted by Xi Xuan upon Zhong Lin’s Yin Yang Realm breakthrough. 431
• Five Elements Profound Jade Sword — Sword used to channel Five Elements transformations in combat. 423
• Nine Dragons Divine Sword — King Tool awarded by Sword Emperor Feng Sihan after Zhong Lin reaches the King Realm. 564
• Starfall Giant Cauldron — Pill furnace used to refine advanced pills such as the Soul Nourishing Pill and Gold Origin Pill. 341 364

Relationships

• Yin Daoyan — Master and Hundred Herbs Hall leader. Yin provides cultivation methods, rare pills, protection, and later relies on Zhong Lin’s guidance in pill refinement. 117 120 237 263
• Gu Yourong — Senior sister and close companion. She guides Zhong Lin’s Inner Fortitude cultivation, cares for him after dangerous battles, and later reunites with him affectionately. 99 116 291
• Mei Weixuan — Friend and cultivation companion. He first identifies Zhong Lin’s Qi and Blood rank, gifts him pills, and later travels and cultivates alongside him. 68 88 112
• Shi Tou / Zhong Shi — Zhong Lin’s younger brother. Zhong Lin teaches him martial arts, provides cultivation resources, and remains protective of him into adulthood. 99 234 525
• Yu Jinglei — Sword Cauldron Sect Leader, mentor, and ally. Zhong Lin helps him relocate to the Fallen Star Islands and later supports rebuilding the sect. 181 237 290
• Chen Jia — Ancient Martial Artist and “Ring Old Grandpa.” He initially serves as a source of knowledge and techniques, but later attempts to possess Zhong Lin; Zhong Lin keeps his remaining true spirit after resisting him. 198 208 283
• Tang Xueyuan — Disciple and Fire Cloud Palace manager. Zhong Lin promotes her in recognition of her loyalty and ability. 214 219
• Gu Chen — Zhong Lin’s disciple, whom Zhong Lin suspects to be a Child of Destiny. Their relationship later becomes strained as Gu Chen grows overbearing and ceases contact. 234 235 546
• Long Zhao — Junior brother and traveling ally. They cultivate and fight together across the Fallen Star Islands and Eastern Wasteland. 365 521
• Yu Shu — Princess and mutually beneficial ally. She exchanges a Dragon Scale Fruit for his protection and helps him navigate the Profound Spirit Secret Realm. 353 369
• Xi Xuan — Master in the Heaven Sword Holy Land. Xi Xuan arranges resources for Zhong Lin’s breakthroughs, gifts him Azure Frost, and takes pride in his advancement. 429 431 508
• Sword Emperor Feng Sihan — Heaven Sword Holy Land Sect Master Supreme. He recognizes Zhong Lin as the Sixth Holy Son and later promotes him to Elder. 508 564

Story Role / Major Arcs

Black Mountain County

Zhong Lin begins as a low-status painter and secretly develops his skills through the System. He enters the Martial Path with the Iron Mountain Skill, becomes involved in Black Market medicine sales, and establishes ties with Old Man Xu and the local Yamen. 23 28 38 40

He protects Shi Tou, eliminates human traffickers during Shi Tou’s disappearance, and becomes known for decisive violence against those who threaten his family. 93 99

Hundred Herbs Hall and Sword Cauldron Sect

After becoming Yin Daoyan’s disciple and the Young Master of Hundred Herbs Hall, Zhong Lin advances through the Middle and Upper Three Ranks at exceptional speed. He joins the Sword Cauldron Sect, obtains Heaven-Rank methods, and begins developing the Five Elements Mixed Origin Skill. 95 117 124 126 153

He later reaches Grandmaster Realm, begins planning beyond the Profound Tortoise Continent, and seeks companions capable of traveling into the wider cultivation world. 181 192

Fallen Star Islands

Zhong Lin reaches the Fallen Star Islands through a teleportation array and establishes himself as a high-rank Pill Refiner. He trains the Dragon Elephant Golden Body, explores the Seven Stars Secret Realm, survives Chen Jia’s possession attempt, and gains Chen Jia’s memories and Crimson Flame Skill. 211 233 260 283

He also supports Sword Cauldron Sect’s relocation and rebuilding while making arrangements for Yin Daoyan, Yu Jinglei, Shi Yunyi, Gu Yourong, and Gu Chen. 237 290 294 323

Heaven Sword Holy Land

After reaching the Profound Core Realm, Zhong Lin enters the Heaven Sword Holy Land. He accumulates advanced sword inheritances, develops his Sword Domain, wins Outer Sect battles, and is accepted as Xi Xuan’s disciple. 371 380 414 429

He advances through the Yin Yang and Life and Death Realms, is recognized as the Sixth Holy Son, and becomes a central figure within the Holy Land. 431 496 508

King Realm and Beyond

Zhong Lin reaches the King Realm, becomes a Heaven Sword Holy Land Elder, and masters the advanced stages of the Eight Great Martial Arts. He detects the Firmament Blood Scar leading toward the Blood Hua World and demonstrates overwhelming power against Blood Demon Race King Realm opponents. 564 566 568

Notable Quotes

“Sailing the seas for half a year, storms, giant waves, and cold currents couldn't stop my steps. On New Moon Island, I fought a Profound Core expert with Transcendent power. In the Profound Spirit Secret Realm, I achieved Rank 2 Pill Completion. In the Heaven Sword Holy Land, a Holy son bullied me, but now he bows before me. In the Yin Fiend Secret Realm, I used Yin Yang to slay Life and Death. Even in front of King Realm Experts, I do not kneel.” 528

“With the System panel, Zhong Lin would one day reach the peak, never to be confined to a corner.” 192

Trivia

• Zhong Lin’s System panel reorganized itself into “Techniques,” “Arts,” and “Miscellaneous” after he complained that it was too cluttered. 51
• He learned to read by studying under Teacher Liu in the south of Black Mountain County. 25
• Zhong Lin considers appearance important enough to reject the Withered Wood Divine Art because it would leave his skin “like withered wood.” 125
• His first known sword instruction came from Mei Weixuan, who demonstrated the fundamental sword forms for him. 77
• He regards Gu Chen as a possible “Child of Destiny,” while suspecting Shi Yunyi may be a descendant of the Sin Blood Emperor. 323