Lin Chen

Biodata

Feature	Detail
Name	Lin Chen (林辰) 3
Alias	Brother Chen; Fourth Senior Brother; Wu Feng (identity used while disguised); President of the Stellar Merchant Association 8 204 228
Species	Human; the last surviving member of the Mystic Heaven Imperial Clan, whose memories were sealed and who has undergone nine reincarnations 3 172
Gender	Male 3
Affiliation	Green Mountain Sect, Sect Leader Peak; initially a menial disciple, later becomes Zhao Qingshan's fourth Inner Disciple; temporary Deputy Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion; president of the Stellar Merchant Association; initiator, executor, and supervisor of the Community of Shared Destiny Plan 16 34 133 190 228
Status	Alive; cultivation at Spirit Sea Realm Layer 1, though he commonly conceals it as Return to Origin Realm Layer 4 213 214 228
First Appearance	Chapter 3: "Arson" 3
Spirit Root	Five Elements Perfectly Balanced Spirit Root, initially considered a waste Spirit Root; foundation for the ancient Extreme Path. His talent rises to the equivalent of a mid-grade spirit root after his Five Elements cultivation techniques reach the Transcendent Realm 45 26 3 71
Cultivation Level	Spirit Sea Realm Layer 1; he reached Return to Origin Realm Layer 9 by cultivating the Great Five Elements Art, then fused lightning and Five Elements power to breach the gates of his divine treasuries and enter the Spirit Sea Realm 193 213
Notable Possessions	Storage Ring, Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle, Small Bronze Mirror, Raksha Sect Token, Soul Origin Mirror, Dragon Tooth Spike, Soul-Calming Bell, Extreme Dao Pearl, Azure Mystery Pearl, Sacred War Blood Armor components, Thunder Spirit Pearl, Silver Dragon Sword, Azure Cloud Armor, and a supreme-grade Spirit Artifact diving suit 26 34 41 95 106 109 114 128 172 120 211 239

Physical Description

Lin Chen is a young man of lean and athletic build, with black hair that streams in the wind and a composed, collected demeanor that rarely betrays emotion. He moves with effortless grace, often seen piloting a flying sword, and his posture and bearing convey a quiet confidence. His physique has been tempered to an extraordinary degree through cultivation, making him appear both unassuming and formidable at once.

• Attire: Purple Spirit Robe — a top-grade magic tool that serves as the uniform of an inner disciple, inscribed with seven defensive formations and capable of actively absorbing ambient spiritual energy to accelerate cultivation 38.
• Physical traits: Black hair, typically worn loose and flowing; lean, athletic build; youthful appearance. He was sixteen when he entered Green Mountain Sect and is later described as seventeen 31 6 158.
• Demeanor: Calm, collected, and rarely startled; maintains a steady composure even under provocation or during combat 15 28.
• Notable features: Often seen with a flying sword at his command; his body has been hardened by the Body Forging Art to the point that a top-grade magic tool cannot injure him, giving him a quiet, resilient presence 28 42.
• Body refinement: Following prolonged cultivation of the Ultimate Body Forging Art, Lin Chen’s body becomes comparable to a low-grade Spirit Artifact, allowing him to endure powerful artifact and spatial-talisman attacks with little or no injury 76 120. After cultivating the Five-Element Thunder Manipulation Secret Art to the flawless realm, he awakens a Lightning Spirit Physique and his physical body reaches the level of a high-grade Spirit Artifact 199.
• Chosen Eye mark: After a period of seclusion, a faint mark resembling a pair of eyes appears on Lin Chen’s back. It is connected to his status as a Chosen One of the Purple Extreme Devil Eye and can later manifest as his Chosen Eye 75 76 159.
• Lightning traits: His Lightning Spirit Physique imbues his body with lightning power; direct contact can shock other cultivators, while his physique grants tremendous explosive strength even without spiritual power 199.

Abilities and Powers

Universal Exchange System
The Universal Exchange System is Lin Chen’s foundational power, allowing him to convert currency or Spirit Stones directly into years of cultivation, technique mastery, or even the correction and creation of cultivation methods. Upon triggering the system, he exchanged ten gold coins for ten years of cultivation, instantly advancing from the Quenching Body Second Layer to the Quenching Body Seventh Layer 1. Later, he used gold coins to exchange for decades of cultivation, which enabled him to identify and fix the flaws in the folk Incomplete Body Forging Art, creating the Ultimate Body Forging Art 9. The system also permits the exchange of Spirit Stones for cultivation breakthroughs, technique comprehension, soul cultivation, formations, artifact refinement, and other specialized skills, effectively allowing Lin Chen to bypass normal training time. The cost scales with his talent and the difficulty of the task, but the exchange is instantaneous and, in battle, lets him replenish spiritual power on the spot by spending Spirit Stones 26 48 98.

• Notable Applications:
  • Exchanged 89 gold coins for 89 years of cultivation to correct the Incomplete Body Forging Art 9.
  • Deducted 1,000 Spirit Stones to master the Soul Forging Art and unlock his Sea of Consciousness 26.
  • Used 400, 800, 1,600, and 3,200 Spirit Stones in sequence to advance from Qi Condensation Layer 9 to the peak of that realm 31.
  • Can fuse techniques via exchange, such as combining Wood Element Art with Eternal Spring Art 28 71.
  • Raised five beginner Yellow-tier Five Elements Dao Arts to the Transcendent Realm, allowing techniques of their rank to exceed ordinary grade limitations 59 108.
  • Exchanged 1,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones to master the Five Elements Origin Return Formation to Transcendence 98.
  • Refined one ten-thousandth of the Connate Spirit Treasure Dragon Tooth Spike to activate its armor-piercing power 128.
  • Cultivated the Great Five Elements Art to Great Achievement, driving his cultivation from Return to Origin Realm Layer 3 to Layer 9 193.
  • Raised Concealment Art and Sword Control Art to the Transcendent Realm, permitting Spirit Sea Realm aura imitation and vastly improving his sword’s range, speed, and precision 194.
  • Used the system to condense Five Elements Origins and break through to the Spirit Sea Realm 209 213.
• Limitations:
  • Requires sufficient gold coins or Spirit Stones; without resources, he cannot use the system’s benefits.
  • Exchanges for cultivation do not grant automatic control—he must still adapt to his new power, as seen when he destroyed his courtyard after a sudden leap in strength 32.
  • The system’s demands can impose difficult advancement requirements, including nine Spirit Attachments followed by nine Spirit Refinements, leading Lin Chen to openly argue with it 61.
  • The system cannot directly provide techniques beyond his current comprehension level without first exchanging for the prerequisite cultivation years.
  • At the Spirit Sea Realm, direct cultivation exchanges require Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, substantially increasing his resource burden 214.

Ultimate Body Forging Art
The Ultimate Body Forging Art originated from a flawed folk technique corrected and enhanced through the Universal Exchange System. After over a hundred years of simulated cultivation, Lin Chen integrated the insights and created a complete art that forges the physical body to a saintly level. At its initial stage, it grants him ten-thousand-jin strength and makes his body impervious to Low-Grade Artifacts 9. The art continues to strengthen with further cultivation, requiring Spirit Stones for advancement. During the Heavy Mountain Path trial, he circulated the art while climbing, passively tempering his body even under tenfold gravity 9. The power of the art is such that by Qi Condensation Layer 9, his physical body was tough enough that even a Top-grade Magic Tool would struggle to harm him 31.

• Notable Applications:
  • Withstood the pressure of the Heavy Mountain Path while simultaneously cultivating, surpassing many other candidates 8 9.
  • Broke free from Lord Qin’s grip after his initial exchange, demonstrating raw strength 1.
  • Provides a foundation for his Triple Path Cultivation alongside spiritual power and soul cultivation 31.
  • By the Newcomer Competition period, his body is comparable to a low-grade Spirit Artifact and can resist attacks that would normally threaten cultivators of his realm 76 120.
  • Absorbed energy from the hatching of a Diamond Lightning Bird egg to further refine his physical body 90.
  • Perfected the art sufficiently to alter his physical appearance at will while disguised as Wu Feng 204.
  • Combined with thunder refinement, it advances to high-grade Spirit Artifact durability and lets him pulverize a boulder from ten meters away with a bare punch 199.
• Limitations:
  • The art must be cultivated in stages; at the Beginner level, a mid-grade magic sword wielded by a Qi Condensation cultivator could still cut him in two 9.
  • Progress is slow without Spirit Stones—normal training yields only snail-like gains 9.
  • As his body grows stronger, it demands exceptional quantities of energy-rich food or spiritual power; his seclusion before the Newcomer Competition consumed roughly one hundred thousand Spirit Stones 76.

Extreme Path Method
The Extreme Path Method is a unique cultivation philosophy Lin Chen comprehended, enabling him to push body, cultivation, and soul to their absolute limits—each a separate “extreme path.” This method is the framework behind his ability to walk Triple Path Cultivation simultaneously 31. The system explains that the Five Elements Root was the mainstream root of the ancient cultivation era and is the essential foundation for cultivating the Extreme Path, rather than an inherently defective root 3. A core requirement of the Extreme Path Method is the “Spirit Attachment” process, unique to this path, where each of his five qi meridians converges with Five Elements spiritual power. Only after completing this attachment can he advance to the Return to Origin Realm, and at that point his total spiritual power becomes five times that of a normal cultivator of the same realm 27. The method also allows him to later generate mutated spirit roots through Five Elements collision, breaking the shackles of his Five Elements Root 27.

• Notable Applications:
  • Allows Lin Chen to cultivate body forging, spiritual power, and soul arts in parallel, maximizing his overall combat potential 31.
  • Grants five times the spiritual power of ordinary cultivators once Spirit Attachment is complete, and lets him freely use Dao arts from all five elemental systems 27.
  • The method’s nine-layer Spirit Attachment process is a prerequisite for reaching Return to Origin Realm 32.
  • Lin Chen reaches the ninth level of Extreme Dao Spirit Attachment, triggering an immense Five Elements energy surge detectable by cultivators of Green Mountain Sect and Beast Taming Sect 67.
  • He later conceals his Extreme Dao aura with the Extreme Dao Pearl bestowed by Green Mountain Ancestor 109.
  • At Return to Origin Realm Layer 9, his five viscera divine treasuries develop giant gates bearing the roots of the Five Elements Origins; activating their Five Elements insignias is necessary for the next extreme-path stage 194.
  • By combining lightning with the Five Elements power used to assault these gates, he opens them and enters the Spirit Sea Realm 213.
• Limitations:
  • Requires immense resources—Lin Chen worried about the high Spirit Stone cost for each layer of Spirit Attachment 32.
  • The method demands extreme comprehension and dedication; even with the system, the cultivation time needed is enormous for a Five Elements Root 27.
  • Its unusual nature attracts attention from powerful cultivators and is recognized by Green Mountain Ancestor as a controversial cultivation path 108.
  • Lin Chen must preserve balance between his body, cultivation, and soul; a severe imbalance can obstruct further advancement 199.

Soul Forging Art
The Soul Forging Art is a Spirit-grade auxiliary technique focused on strengthening the soul. Lin Chen obtained an incomplete version from the sect, but used the system to complete all three volumes (upper, middle, lower). By exchanging 1,000 Spirit Stones for 1,000 years of cultivation, he advanced the art to Mastery and unlocked his Sea of Consciousness, enabling his spiritual power to be increased up to a hundredfold 26. The upper volume of the art teaches the method to open the Sea of Consciousness—a step that Zhao Qingshan could only bypass due to his higher cultivation level, as the incomplete version lacked this crucial instruction 33. With a strong soul, Lin Chen can probe or resist mental interference, such as the violet eyes that appeared in his dreams 26.

• Notable Applications:
  • Unlocking the Sea of Consciousness provides a foundation for soul-based techniques and resistance against soul attacks.
  • The hundredfold spiritual power increase (when fully realized) massively amplifies his reserves and technique potency.
  • Lin Chen’s soul cultivation is one leg of his Triple Path Cultivation, making him exceptionally resilient 31.
  • He imprints his soul upon the Soul Origin Mirror and learns to use it as a soul-army training ground after gathering the wandering souls of Ten Thousand Souls Ravine 95.
  • He performs soul searches on Raksha Sect captives and uses soul artifacts to capture and interrogate soul bodies 159 163.
  • His soul power is sufficiently formidable to enter Li Wanrou’s Sea of Consciousness, reinforce her damaged soul, and help eliminate the Thousand-Illusion Ice Eyes controlling her 218.
• Limitations:
  • Soul cultivation is universally acknowledged as extremely difficult and dangerous—“one careless slip and your soul scatters” 26.
  • The complete art is rare; even the sect’s version was missing the upper volume, and the cost to master it via the system was steep (1,000 Spirit Stones at once) 26 33.
  • Manifesting his Chosen Eye during a soul search draws the attention of the Soul-Devouring Sect’s will and causes a severe backlash 159.
  • His attempt to use the system to fully inspect Li Wanrou’s Sea of Consciousness initially fails because he lacks enough Spirit Stones 216.

Five Elements Root Cultivation
Though initially considered a waste spirit root, Lin Chen’s Five Elements Root becomes a formidable advantage due to his ability to raise cultivation rapidly. The root allows him to freely cultivate any Five Elements technique or Dao art, and to cast spells from all five elemental systems 27 39. By cultivating the five basic elemental arts (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) and fusing them, he can achieve Five Elements spirit attachment, multiplying his spiritual power fivefold. Additionally, upon reaching the Return to Origin Realm, the Five Elements can collide to generate new mutated spirit roots, potentially achieving Earth-grade or even Heaven-grade talent 27. During his first mission, Lin Chen displayed five-colored light when unleashing his full power, shocking even his senior brother Qi Ruming 39.

• Notable Applications:
  • Can learn and cast any Five Elements technique without attribute restrictions—unlike cultivators with single-element roots.
  • Fusion of techniques is possible; e.g., Wood Element Art fused with Eternal Spring Art 28 71.
  • The five-element balance gives him 5× spiritual power at peak Qi Condensation, allowing him to crush same-realm opponents 27.
  • Upon reaching the Transcendent Realm in his Five Elements Dao Arts, Lin Chen gains refined perception and manipulation of Five Elements spiritual energy, including control over the size of his fireballs 60.
  • In the Return to Origin Realm, he opens his dantian and activates the five viscera divine treasures, giving each elemental power a distinct place of return and allowing simultaneous Five Elements spell release 118 124.
  • His Transcendent Five Elements cultivation techniques improve his innate affinity to the equivalent of a mid-grade spirit root and allow him to draw on ambient spiritual energy within three meters 71.
  • The Great Five Elements Art allows him to dissolve and refine hostile elemental energy, including fire poison, and is the key technique behind his rapid Return to Origin Realm advancement 181 193.
• Limitations:
  • Normal cultivation speed for a Five Elements Root is excruciatingly slow—ten to a hundred times slower than others 22. Only the system’s exchanges allow Lin Chen to overcome this.
  • The need to cultivate multiple techniques simultaneously increases Spirit Stone expenditure significantly 27.

Techniques and Dao Arts
Lin Chen has mastered several techniques through system exchanges, each serving specific combat or utility purposes. The Eternal Spring Art (Yellow-grade mid-tier) builds a solid foundation and extends lifespan; at the Ultimate realm it grants eternal youth and a thousand-year lifespan 19. The Sword Control Art enables flying sword attacks and sword flight, reaching a proficiency level that surprised even elders 19 28. The Concealment Art hides his true cultivation level from anyone within the same major realm 19. The Flame First Solution allows him to condense crimson flames for attack 19. He also learned the Five Element Arts (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) simultaneously at the Initiate level, with each providing corresponding elemental skills 28.

• Notable Applications:
  • Sword Control Art used for both ranged combat and travel—Lin Chen transformed into a streak of light during his first flight 28.
  • Concealment Art allowed him to pass unnoticed among outer disciples and avoid scrutiny of his rapid breakthroughs 19.
  • Eternal Spring Art’s vitality surge provides increased stamina and healing, beneficial for prolonged battles 19 22.
  • Lin Chen selects five beginner Yellow-tier Five Elements Dao Arts and advances each to the Transcendent Realm, enabling nominally Yellow-rank beginner techniques to rival Profound-rank advanced techniques 59 108.
  • His Transcendent Beast Taming Art enables him to hatch a seemingly dead Diamond Lightning Bird egg, earning recognition as an exceptional beast tamer 90.
  • He masters the high-grade Profound-rank Five Elements Origin Return Formation to Transcendence and uses it to locate the origin of another world 98.
  • His Transcendent Sword Control Art can silently pierce a mountain from a thousand meters away, with power sufficient to threaten early Spirit Sea Realm cultivators 194.
  • His Transcendent Concealment Art can imitate a Spirit Sea Realm aura or suppress his true cultivation to Return to Origin Realm Layer 4 194 228.
  • He acquires the Thunder Origin Art, Thunder-Slaying Tyrant Blade, and Thunder Clone Technique from Thunder Mountain Sect, immediately raising all three to the Beginner level 214.
• Limitations:
  • Most techniques are low-to-mid grade; higher-grade techniques would require more resources to master.
  • Mastering many techniques demands continuous Spirit Stone investment to deepen each one (e.g., from Proficiency to Minor Success) 31.
  • Technique power scales with cultivation realm; against higher-realm opponents, even proficient techniques may be insufficient without other advantages 48.

Great Five Elements Art
The Great Five Elements Art is a dragon-clan inheritance technique found within a jade slip left by Long Aotian. It requires dragon-clan bloodline to cultivate, making it inaccessible to Lin Chen by ordinary means 128. After determining that Little Fire Dragon’s blood can satisfy this requirement, Lin Chen arranges for the Earthfire Three-Flower Python to provide him with dragon blood daily, opening a path for him to cultivate the art 145. Its upper, middle, lower, and ultimate volumes correspond respectively to the Spirit, Profound, Earth, and Heaven ranks 128.

• Notable Applications:
  • Provides an advanced route for integrating Lin Chen’s Five Elements cultivation with dragon bloodline power 128 145.
  • Its cultivation is directly supported by Little Fire Dragon, strengthening the bond between Lin Chen and his spirit beast 145.
  • The art refines harmful elemental energies, including the Dragon Breath Icefire Lotus’s fire poison, into Lin Chen’s own spiritual power 181.
  • Cultivating it to Great Achievement produces enormous Five Elements spiritual power and advances Lin Chen from Return to Origin Realm Layer 3 to Layer 9 193.
• Limitations:
  • Requires dragon-clan bloodline, which Lin Chen does not naturally possess 128.
  • Depends on Little Fire Dragon’s continued willingness to provide blood 145.

Five-Element Thunder Manipulation Secret Art and Lightning Spirit Physique
The Five-Element Thunder Manipulation Secret Art is a thunder-based body-refinement method cultivated by Lin Chen through repeated lightning strikes. By enduring and absorbing the lightning, he raises the art to the flawless realm, awakens a Lightning Spirit Physique, and brings his physical body to the level of a high-grade Spirit Artifact 199. Lightning power also becomes a crucial supplement to the Five Elements Origins within his divine treasuries, enabling his breakthrough to the Spirit Sea Realm 213.

• Notable Applications:
  • Enables Lin Chen to absorb thunderbolts rather than merely withstand them, using lightning to refine his body 199.
  • Gives his flesh explosive power capable of destroying a distant boulder with a physical strike alone 199.
  • Imbues his body with electric force that shocks those who touch him 199.
  • Fuses with Five Elements power to force open the divine treasury gates and absorb Five Elements Origin power 213.
• Limitations:
  • Lightning refinement is inherently dangerous and attracted concern even from Master Wukong, who initially feared Lin Chen would be killed by the thunder 199.
  • Further lightning cultivation and the condensation of Five Elements Origins require immense resources and appropriate lightning-rich environments, such as Thunder Mountain’s Thunder Pool 209.

Formation and Cloudship Forging Arts
Lin Chen is an exceptional formation master due to his Transcendent Five Elements Origin Return Formation. Its three primary variations are spirit gathering, spirit dispersal, and extermination and purification; at Transcendence, it can borrow the qi of mountains, rivers, and earth veins 98. He later combines formation foundations with the Cloudship Forging Art, constructing the Stellar Merchant Association as a defensive fortress intended to eventually function as a flying warship 190 191.

• Notable Applications:
  • Reversed the Spirit Illusion Formation in Wild Domain Dragon City and used it to manipulate and capture hostile cultivators 117.
  • Reinforced Green Mountain Sect’s defenses into a fortress after the Beast Taming Sect conflict 106.
  • Uses Midair Formation Deployment to dismantle powerful formations and set up formations under combat conditions 183.
  • Created defensive warship components and Meteorfall Cannons for the Stellar Merchant Association 191 193.
  • Established a Profound-rank Five Elements Origin Return Formation that kills intruders from Thunder Mountain Sect 222.
• Limitations:
  • Although he can deploy all three primary formation variations, their effective range remains restricted by his cultivation level 98.
  • Major formations and warship construction require substantial materials, which the Stellar Merchant Association struggles to procure in sufficient quantity 238.

Power Progression

Stage	Chapter	Method	Notes
Qi Condensation First Layer	Chapter 4	System exchange	Reached after ten exchanged years of cultivation and comprehending the Extreme Path Method; spiritual power was extremely condensed as later observed by elders 3 4 10.
Qi Condensation Second Layer	Chapter 13	System exchange (62 Spirit Stones)	Won a bet against Elder Liu; shocked elders by cultivating Flame Primer instantly 13.
Qi Condensation Third Layer	Chapter 17	System exchange (90 Spirit Stones)	Exchanged after encountering ghost Jian Rushuang; used Spirit Stones from his savings 17.
Qi Condensation Fifth Layer	Chapter 26	System exchange (Soul Forging Art for 1,000 Spirit Stones)	Advanced two layers from Layer 3 after mastering Soul Forging Art; opened Sea of Consciousness; Zhao Qingshan observed and was stunned 26.
Qi Condensation Sixth Layer	Chapter 31	System exchange (400 Spirit Stones)	Part of a rapid consecutive advancement from Layer 5 to Layer 9 Peak using the “Devouring Talent” 31.
Qi Condensation Seventh Layer	Chapter 31	System exchange (800 Spirit Stones)	Continued sequence; Spirit Stones from senior brothers and Sect Leader funded the breakthrough 31.
Qi Condensation Eighth Layer	Chapter 31	System exchange (1,600 Spirit Stones)	Sequence continued; Lin Chen’s cultivation aura surged with each deduction 31.
Qi Condensation Ninth Layer Peak	Chapter 31	System exchange (3,200 Spirit Stones)	Final step of the sequence; total cost of 6,000 Spirit Stones for four layers; Lin Chen also advanced Soul Forging Art to Minor Achievement and five techniques to Minor Achievement 31.
Extreme Dao Spirit Attachment Ninth Layer	Chapter 67	System exchange and Five Elements cultivation	Completed the ninth layer of Spirit Attachment, producing a massive Five Elements energy surge and greatly improving his control of the Five Elements 67.
Return to Origin Realm	Chapter 124	System-guided breakthrough using Spirit Stones	Opened his dantian, activated the five viscera divine treasures, and broke through while cultivating at the inner city’s spiritual-liquid pool 124.
Return to Origin Realm Third Layer	Chapter 171	Continued cultivation	Confirmed to have reached the third layer upon returning to Clearwind City 171.
Return to Origin Realm Ninth Layer Peak	Chapter 193	System exchange through Great Five Elements Art	Cultivated the Great Five Elements Art through Great Achievement; immense Five Elements spiritual power pushed him through six minor layers in three days 193.
Spirit Sea Realm First Layer	Chapter 213	System-assisted Five Elements Origin condensation	Fused lightning with Five Elements power, smashed open the gates of his five divine treasuries, and absorbed Five Elements Origin power 213 214.

Plot and Story Arcs

Escape from Clearwind City

Lin Chen’s journey begins with a carefully orchestrated escape from the City Lord’s Mansion in Clearwind City. Using a decoy and a well-planned route, he slips away and meets Uncle Liang, a loyal servant who helps him leave the city hidden inside a coffin to avoid suspicion 4. After successfully passing through the city gate, Lin Chen reveals that he has already reached the first layer of the Qi Condensation Realm, marking his entry into cultivation 4. He decides to head to Linshan City with Uncle Liang, but their rest at a relay station is interrupted by Lord Qin and a squad of thirty guards. Lin Chen easily defeats the guards, demonstrating the power of his Extreme Path Method, and Lord Qin, realizing Lin Chen’s strength, attempts to use a Spirit Binding Lock against him. However, Lin Chen’s aura reverses the lock, binding Lord Qin instead 5 6. He tears up the contract Lord Qin holds and refuses to listen to pleas for mercy, killing him on the spot 6. The Station Master then takes Uncle Liang hostage, but Lin Chen kills the Station Master as well, scares off the onlookers, and burns the post station 6. Settling Uncle Liang in a peaceful mortal city with a house, servants, and a chest of gold, Lin Chen then rides alone to the Green Mountain Sect 6.

• Lin Chen escapes the City Lord’s Mansion using a decoy and meets Uncle Liang 4
• They leave Clearwind City in a coffin to avoid suspicion 4
• At a relay station, Lord Qin and his men confront Lin Chen; Lin Chen defeats thirty guards and reveals his strength 5
• Lin Chen reverses Lord Qin’s Spirit Binding Lock, binds him, and kills him 6
• The Station Master takes Uncle Liang hostage; Lin Chen kills the Station Master and burns the post station 6
• Lin Chen settles Uncle Liang safely in a mortal city and departs for the Green Mountain Sect 6

Entrance Exam and the Heavy Mountain Path

Upon arriving at the Green Mountain Sect, Lin Chen finds a long queue of applicants, mostly parents accompanying their children. He is approached by a wealthy young man, Jin Yuanbao, who offers him test notes in exchange for companionship 6. The assessment begins with the Heavy Mountain Path, a trial of steps that increases pressure with each step. Lin Chen advances quickly, reaching the thirty-thousandth step where he encounters an illusion of the Lin Family massacre. In the illusion, he observes a Blue Robe cultivator with a Diamond Purple Birthmark, a key clue to his family’s destruction 8. He then pushes to the sixty-thousandth step, leaving all other participants behind and struggling under immense gravity pressure 8. The elders note his tenacity but express regret at his Five Elements Spirit Root 8. Later, during the test of spirit root quality, Jin Yuanbao, Huang Mingyuan, Liu Ruyan, and Han Bingxue all display high-grade spirit roots, causing a stir 10. Lin Chen’s own cultivation breaks through to Qi Condensation Layer 2 during a confrontation with an elder, surprising everyone 13. Despite suspicions of cheating from others, Lin Chen ultimately secures the top score in the assessment and becomes a menial disciple of the Sect Leader Peak 16.

• Lin Chen queues at the Green Mountain Sect and meets Jin Yuanbao, who offers test notes 6
• On the Heavy Mountain Path, Lin Chen reaches thirty thousand steps and sees an illusion of the Lin Family massacre 8
• He advances to sixty thousand steps, impressing the elders despite his Five Elements Root 8
• The spirit root tests reveal several high-grade talents, including Han Bingxue’s Ice Attribute Earth Grade Spirit Root 10
• Lin Chen breaks through to Qi Condensation Layer 2 during an argument with Elder Liu 13
• He is accused of cheating but is ultimately declared first place in the assessment 15 16

Revealing the Conspiracy

The assessment’s conclusion is marked by a confrontation with Huang Mingyuan and Liu Ruyan. Huang Mingyuan attacks Lin Chen, but Lin Chen stands his ground without counterattacking, demonstrating his superior strength. He exposes Huang’s false injury by breaking his leg, causing Huang to fall unconscious 15. Liu Ruyan then steps up to plead for understanding, but Lin Chen outmaneuvers her with words, exposing her manipulation. Elder Liu, the elder overseeing the test, revokes the qualifications of all those who accused Lin Chen of cheating and expels them from the sect, including Liu Ruyan 15. The sect announces the assessment’s end, and Lin Chen is declared the first-place winner 15. This arc also reveals deeper layers: Lin Chen later learns that He Yiliang, an outer disciple, also sees purple eyes in his dreams, similar to the eyes from the Lin Family massacre, and that He Yiliang’s family was killed by the same people 24. Lin Chen suspects a curse or external influence is guiding him, and he begins investigating the Green Mountain Sect’s history, discovering that the sect was founded a thousand years ago to suppress the Purple-Eyed Giant Demon of the Purple Demon Abyss 22 24.

• Lin Chen fights Huang Mingyuan, exposes his false injury, and breaks his leg 15
• Liu Ruyan tries to plead for the accusers but is outwitted and expelled along with them 15
• Elder Liu revokes the test qualifications of all who accused Lin Chen and declares him first place 15
• He Yiliang visits Lin Chen, revealing he too sees purple eyes and lost his family to the same killers 24
• Lin Chen learns the Green Mountain Sect was built to seal the Purple-Eyed Giant Demon 24

Cultivation Growth and Life as a Personal Disciple

After officially becoming a menial disciple of the Sect Leader Peak, Lin Chen is warmly welcomed by his senior siblings—Ming Bufan, Qi Ruming, and Jian Rushuang. He receives cultivation manuals, a flying sword, and a Little Rabbit Doll from them, and begins to feel a sense of belonging 16 18. Zhao Qingshan, the Sect Leader, takes an interest in Lin Chen’s cultivation, joining them for breakfast and answering questions 22. Lin Chen asks about his slow cultivation speed due to his Five Elements Perfectly Balanced Spirit Root, and Ming Bufan explains its nature 22. Undeterred, Lin Chen uses his system to advance the Eternal Spring Art to Minor Success and rapidly breaks through to Qi Condensation Fifth Layer, shocking the Sect Leader, who suspects a hidden talent 22 26. Lin Chen also devises a get-rich scheme using Picture Books, which are scarce and valuable in the cultivation world, enlisting Jin Yuanbao’s help to produce and sell them 18 23. He accepts a sect mission to kill Mine Beasts alongside Qi Ruming, impressing everyone with his extraordinary mining skills and defeating two demon beasts and a Raksha Sect ambusher 39 41. Upon returning, he is surrounded by elders competing to recruit him, but he diplomatically proposes part-time work at each hall while remaining on Sect Leader Peak 42. His promotion to Inner Disciple and status as the Sect Leader’s Personal Disciple spreads like wildfire, causing both uproar and determination among other disciples 39.

• Lin Chen is accepted by his senior siblings and receives gifts and guidance 16 18
• He learns about his Five Elements Root and slow cultivation but uses the system to break through to Qi Condensation Fifth Layer 22 26
• Lin Chen and Jin Yuanbao plan to sell Picture Books for profit 18 23
• He completes a mining mission, showing exceptional skill, and kills a Raksha Sect ambusher 39 41
• Elders try to recruit Lin Chen; he negotiates a part-time arrangement 42
• News of his promotion causes a sensation in the sect 39

Uncovering the Raksha Sect and the Traitor

While exploring an abandoned mine tunnel, Lin Chen encounters a Red-Haired Man claiming to be the Crimson Flame Demon Lord. After challenging his identity, the man goes berserk, and Lin Chen escapes through a secret passage that leads him outside the Green Mountain Sect 37. There he discovers a village massacre and reunites with his sect members, learning of a plot involving the Devil Race and Human Devils 37. Later, during the Newcomer Competition preparations, Lin Chen visits Outer Sect Elder Hao Youcai to retrieve money owed to He Yiliang. Using his Spiritual Sense, Lin Chen discovers a hidden treasure vault, and Hao Youcai’s suspicious behavior leads Lin Chen to follow him to Heavy Mountain Path, where Hao disappears into a formation barrier 45 46. Lin Chen returns to the sect and reports Hao Youcai’s activity, leading Zhao Qingshan and the elders to attack the enemy stronghold. The operation is a success, but Hao Youcai reveals himself as a Raksha Sect agent and escapes, heavily injured. Lin Chen chases him, and they engage in a battle of attrition. Lin Chen uses Spirit Stones to maintain his spiritual power but eventually becomes trapped within a Natural Barrier by Hao’s space-imprisoning artifact 46 47 48. Ming Bufan and Zhao Qingshan search for the missing Lin Chen 48.

• Lin Chen explores an abandoned tunnel, meets the Crimson Flame Demon Lord, and escapes to find a village massacre 37
• He reunites with sect members and learns of a Devil Race plot 37
• While retrieving He Yiliang’s money, Lin Chen uncovers Hao Youcai’s hidden treasure vault 45 46
• He follows Hao to Heavy Mountain Path and discovers a formation barrier leading to the enemy stronghold 46
• The sect attacks the stronghold; Hao Youcai is exposed as a Raksha agent and flees 47
• Lin Chen pursues Hao and becomes trapped in a Natural Barrier after a fierce battle 48

Wild Domain Dragon City Secret Realm

Lin Chen enters the Wild Domain Dragon City Secret Realm to seek Five Elements spiritual energy and resources for his breakthrough. Within the city, he confronts disciples from several hostile sects, acquires soul and spatial treasures, and reaches the inner city’s Five Elements convergence 114 120. Cultivating at a spiritual-liquid pool, he opens his dantian and the divine treasures of his five viscera, successfully entering the Return to Origin Realm 124. He then encounters Long Aotian, the Dragon Palace Crown Prince’s soul shadow, who reveals the involvement of the Raksha Sect and Holy Soul Hall in the destruction of Dragon City and entrusts Lin Chen with uncovering the truth behind the dragon race’s disappearance 127. Long Aotian gives him access to the inner city’s resources and leaves behind an immense Storage Ring containing the Dragon Tooth Spike and the Great Five Elements Art 128.

• Lin Chen kills a Spiritual Resonance Sect cultivator who targets him and refines her Soul-Calming Bell 114
• He withstands attacks by Cloud Sea Sect disciples and seizes their spatial talisman treasure 120
• He breaks through to the Return to Origin Realm through the Five Elements spiritual-liquid pool 124
• Long Aotian asks him to investigate the dragon race’s destruction and provides him a Raksha Sect identity for undercover work 127
• Lin Chen acquires the Connate Spirit Treasure Dragon Tooth Spike and the dragon-clan Great Five Elements Art 128
• He leads the surviving Green Mountain Sect disciples out of the collapsing secret realm and maintains a cover story to protect the sect 129

Mystic Heaven Imperial Clan Revelation

After his strength reaches the Return to Origin Realm’s third layer, Lin Chen returns to Clearwind City and investigates the old Lin Family residence. Using a token to open a concealed cellar formation, he discovers a hidden space containing a black sphere and a silver river in which two mysterious figures appear 171. They reveal that Lin Chen is the final survivor of the Mystic Heaven Imperial Clan, whose continent-spanning dominion was destroyed by multiple imperial clans 172. His memories were sealed, and he has reincarnated nine times; he must first fuse with the memories of his first incarnation and grow strong enough to merge with the remaining incarnations 172. The figures give him a ten-year mission to reclaim Mystic Heaven Continent and activate the Mystic Heaven Nine-Revolution Reincarnation Grand Formation 172.

• Lin Chen returns to the Lin Family’s haunted former residence and discovers a hidden cellar formation 171
• A black sphere reveals a silver river and two mysterious figures connected to his past 171
• He learns he is the last surviving member of the Mystic Heaven Imperial Clan 172
• He learns his memories were sealed and that he has undergone nine reincarnations 172
• He receives the Azure Mystery Pearl and a mission to reclaim Mystic Heaven Continent within ten years 172

Stellar Merchant Association and Western Region Alliance

Following the conflicts with the Beast Taming Sect and the Soul-Devouring Sect, Lin Chen expands his influence beyond Green Mountain Sect. He reorganizes the Beast Taming Hall into the Stellar Merchant Association, distributes duties among his allies, and uses the Cloudship Forging Art and his formation expertise to turn its headquarters into a heavily fortified commercial base capable of producing warships and Meteorfall Cannons 190 191 193. His commercial and military plans earn the support of Green Mountain Sect and Mysterious Heaven Sect, while Zhao Qingshan’s advancement to the Void Realm greatly strengthens their position 193 228.

At the gathering of Western Region sects, Vice Sect Leader Hai formally introduces Lin Chen as the president of the Stellar Merchant Association and the initiator, executor, and supervisor of the Community of Shared Destiny Plan 228. Lin Chen subsequently earns broad support by revealing his strategy against the Windcloud Sect: controlling and reversing the passage used for the Northwestern Region invasion, then using captured Wind Demons for a surprise counterattack 231.

• Lin Chen renames the Beast Taming Hall the Stellar Merchant Association and assigns work to his followers 190
• He learns the Cloudship Forging Art from Wei Shuangliang’s blueprint and develops warship construction methods 190
• He fuses formations into cloudship components, fortifying the association and preparing it to eventually become a flying warship 191
• Lin Chen unveils Meteorfall Cannons and gains the support of Green Mountain Sect and Mysterious Heaven Sect 193
• Zhao Qingshan reaches the Void Realm, attributing his opportunity in part to Lin Chen 228
• Vice Sect Leader Hai publicly names Lin Chen leader of the Community of Shared Destiny Plan 228
• Lin Chen dismisses the unreliable Yunmiao Sect and wins support for his anti-invasion strategy 231

Thunder Mountain Sect and Spirit Sea Breakthrough

While investigating the Windcloud Sect and its connection to the Wind Demons, Lin Chen travels with Master Wukong under false identities to the Thunder Mountain Sect. He uses his perfect body control to disguise himself as Wu Feng, infiltrates the sect, and discovers that its ancestors intend to seize his body to prolong their lives 204 211. Lin Chen cultivates in the Thunder Pool, uses the system to accelerate the condensation of Five Elements Origins, and secretly refines the Thunder Spirit Pearl—the sect’s core treasure—while leaving a convincing fake behind 209 211.

The Thunder Mountain Sect Patriarch attempts to cultivate Lin Chen as a future body-seizure vessel, gifting him the Thunder Origin Art, Thunder-Slaying Tyrant Blade, and Thunder Clone Technique 214. Lin Chen instead uses the Great Five Elements Art, lightning power, and the system to break through to Spirit Sea Realm Layer 1. His breakthrough creates a major disturbance and confirms the extraordinary potential of the Five Elements Extreme Path 213 214.

• Lin Chen cultivates in Thunder Mountain Sect’s Profound-rank Thunder Pool and begins condensing Five Elements Origins 209
• He awakens the Lightning Spirit Physique and refines his body to high-grade Spirit Artifact level 199
• He secretly refines the Thunder Spirit Pearl and replaces it with a fake set to vanish after three days 211
• The Thunder Mountain Sect’s ancestors plot to possess Lin Chen’s body 211
• The sect patriarch gives Lin Chen three lightning inheritances in preparation for the possession scheme 214
• Lin Chen opens the gates of his five divine treasuries and enters Spirit Sea Realm Layer 1 213
• He later uses a disguise as the Thunder Mountain Ancestor’s senior brother to manipulate the sect and correct its flawed inheritance 223

Li Wanrou’s Rescue

Lin Chen’s investigation of the Soul-Devouring Sect reveals that his fourth senior sister, Li Wanrou, is the third-ranked Hall Master of the Soul Hall 163. He later confronts her alongside Master Wukong and learns that she is not fully human or ghost, but is controlled by a sinister entity within her Sea of Consciousness 216. Lin Chen uses the prophecy connected to their shared past to gain her trust, then enters her Sea of Consciousness and strengthens her soul through the system 216 218.

Together, Lin Chen and Li Wanrou destroy the Thousand-Illusion Ice Eyes that had enslaved her. Though she regains control of her body and mind, she remains embittered toward Zhao Qingshan and refuses to aid him despite Lin Chen’s request 218.

• Lin Chen learns Li Wanrou is a Soul Hall Hall Master ranked third in the Soul-Devouring Sect 163
• He and Master Wukong track Li Wanrou and confront the entity within her body 216
• Lin Chen uses a prophecy to convince Li Wanrou of his identity and intentions 216
• He reinforces her soul and helps her destroy the Thousand-Illusion Ice Eyes 218
• Li Wanrou regains her autonomy but refuses to reconcile with Zhao Qingshan 218

Relationships

Jin Yuanbao

Jin Yuanbao is Lin Chen’s most devoted and resourceful ally within the Green Mountain Sect. From their first meeting at the sect’s entrance, where the wealthy young man offered test notes in exchange for companionship, Jin Yuanbao has looked up to Lin Chen with almost worshipful admiration. Lin Chen, in turn, treats him as a younger brother to be protected and guided, though he often finds Jin Yuanbao’s clingy behavior exasperating. Their bond is built on mutual benefit and genuine trust: Lin Chen relies on Jin Yuanbao’s business acumen and connections, while Jin Yuanbao sees Lin Chen as both a lucky star and a model to emulate. The dynamic is marked by Lin Chen’s firm but caring mentorship and Jin Yuanbao’s eager, sometimes comedic devotion.

• Immediately after Lin Chen’s breakthrough to Qi Condensation Layer 2, Jin Yuanbao hugs him tightly and declares, “You’re my real brother. I’m yours for life.” Lin Chen shoves him away in disgust, insisting “I don’t like men.” 13
• Lin Chen warns Jin Yuanbao to stay away from Liu Ruyan, explaining she is the “destined female lead” whom no one but the Chosen One can handle. Jin Yuanbao reluctantly agrees after Lin Chen threatens to end their brotherhood if he speaks of it again. 13
• When Lin Chen proposes a get-rich scheme involving storybooks, Jin Yuanbao enthusiastically volunteers to help, promising “Brother Chen, don’t worry. I’ll get this done beautifully.” 11
• Jin Yuanbao later reveals he has a Spirit Detection Pearl and successfully sells Lin Chen’s storybook, splitting the earnings with him. 38
• He introduces Lin Chen to Junior Sister Xiao Yuer, praising Lin Chen as the author of the storybooks she loves. 27
• Jin Yuanbao advances to Qi Condensation Layer 5 and ranks third in the Newcomer Competition, with Lin Chen’s influence and guidance implied as a factor. 45
• Jin Yuanbao delivers 100,000 Spirit Stones to Lin Chen, enabling his later Five Elements Dao Art advancement 59.
• He and Lin Chen begin planning the Seven Cats Fiction store and a larger book-city business, recruiting artists and writers to expand their storybook enterprise 76 77 109.
• Jin Yuanbao remains an enthusiastic public supporter of Lin Chen, leading cries of “Brother Chen is invincible” after the Dragon City expedition footage is shown 133.

Liu Ruyan

Liu Ruyan is a beautiful but manipulative outer sect disciple whom Lin Chen recognizes as the “destined female lead” of the original story. He views her as a dangerous, seductive figure who uses others as pawns to further her own ends. Their interactions are marked by Lin Chen’s cold wariness and Liu Ruyan’s feigned innocence and aggrieved demeanor. Despite her beauty, Lin Chen remains utterly immune to her charms, treating her with open suspicion and contempt. She, in turn, resents Lin Chen’s success and tries to undermine him through proxies.

• Lin Chen accuses Liu Ruyan of inciting Huang Mingyuan to slander him, causing her expulsion from the sect. He coldly dismisses her tearful attempts to explain. 28
• After Lin Chen’s breakthrough, Liu Ruyan stands beside Huang Mingyuan, staring at Lin Chen “with eyes like a viper,” making Lin Chen feel a chill down his neck. 13
• She manipulates Huang Mingyuan by whispering, “Brother Mingyuan, we righteous cultivators fear no evil… even if you’re forced to leave, I won’t abandon you.” Lin Chen sees through her scheme, calling Huang Mingyuan an “idiot” and a pawn. 14
• When Lin Chen tells Jin Yuanbao to stay away from her, he describes her as “the destined female lead” and warns that anyone who gets close will “die, their family ruined, their home destroyed.” 13
• Liu Ruyan tries to call out to Lin Chen after the accusation incident, speaking with a tearful voice and an aggrieved expression, but Lin Chen remains cold. 15
• She is later revealed to possess an Extreme Yin Body, which neutralizes Lin Chen’s Blazing Sun Poison during an unintended intimate encounter 53.
• Her ties to the Enchantress Clan and engagement to a Beast Taming Sect figure make her central to the conflict targeting Lin Chen and Green Mountain Sect 79 89.
• The Enchantress Clan’s later retaliation against Lin Chen is tied to his involvement with Liu Ruyan, despite her being born outside the clan’s formal line 178.

Liu Xinzhi

Liu Xinzhi is Liu Ruyan’s older sister, a dignified and steady cultivator who contrasts sharply with her sister’s cunning nature. Lin Chen initially mistakes her for Liu Ruyan and treats her with the same hostility, but he soon discerns that she is different—more sincere and graceful. She apologizes on behalf of her sister and attempts to make amends, but Lin Chen remains guarded, wanting no connection with the Liu family. Their encounter is brief but revealing, with Liu Xinzhi showing genuine curiosity about Lin Chen.

• At the Scripture Depository, Lin Chen accuses Liu Xinzhi of being Liu Ruyan and using tricks. She laughs and introduces herself, then apologizes on her sister’s behalf with a sincere bow. 28
• Lin Chen refuses her apology, stating bluntly, “I don’t want any connection with the Liu Family. Please go.” He then focuses on selecting techniques, ignoring her. 28
• Despite his coldness, Liu Xinzhi occasionally steals glances at Lin Chen while browsing techniques, her thoughts unknown. Lin Chen notices her dignified and steady demeanor differs from Liu Ruyan’s seductive, manipulative nature. 28
• Later, when Elder Li throws Lin Chen out of the depository, Liu Xinzhi emerges and identifies him to the elder as “the only menial worker from Sect Leader Peak—Lin Chen.” 28
• She is revealed to be a legitimate princess of the Enchantress Clan who appears unwilling to return to the clan; the clan’s campaign against Green Mountain Sect is believed to have been intended in part to force her return 103 178.

He Yiliang

He Yiliang is an elite outer disciple whose family was also massacred under mysterious circumstances, and he becomes a reluctant informant and ally to Lin Chen. Initially a ghost trapped in a small mirror, He Yiliang seeks Lin Chen’s help to retrieve his body and uncover the truth. Their relationship is transactional and tense, with Lin Chen demanding sincerity and proof before offering assistance. Over time, He Yiliang is awed by Lin Chen’s power and comprehension, eventually submitting to him as a follower.

• He Yiliang first approaches Lin Chen on Sect Leader Peak, revealing that his family was also killed by the same perpetrators. Lin Chen remains suspicious, asking, “Why should I believe you?” 24
• He Yiliang reveals he knows about the purple eyes in dreams, shocking Lin Chen and establishing a shared connection to the conspiracy. 24
• As a ghost, He Yiliang explains that the Iron Box contains evidence of his family’s annihilation and that his body is hidden below the Heavy Mountain Path. Lin Chen initially tests him, suspecting lies, but then decides to save him. 35
• Lin Chen contacts He Yiliang through the small mirror, demands a favor in exchange for twenty thousand Spirit Stones, and displays his cultivation aura—stronger than Qi Condensation Ninth Layer—leaving He Yiliang “completely dumbfounded” and forced to compromise. 43
• After Lin Chen successfully cultivates the Lesser Resurrection Art and retrieves He Yiliang’s belongings, He Yiliang completely submits, his soul unstable with shock. Lin Chen mocks him: “It only took me half a month to investigate this much information, yet you spent three years. You’re useless!” 44
• Lin Chen decides to confront He Yiliang’s master to retrieve embezzled Spirit Stones, showing his determination to help his new subordinate. 44
• Zhao Qingshan resolves He Yiliang’s status within the sect and renames him He Chenfeng, making him an honorary Green Mountain Sect disciple 60.
• Lin Chen appoints He Chenfeng as head of Sect Leader Peak’s Logistics Department because of his broad practical skills and loyalty 61.
• As He Chenfeng, he develops divination abilities after his resurrection and warns Lin Chen that the Stellar Merchant Association faces a demon-beast calamity 195.
• He later supplies Lin Chen with seven thousand high-grade and top-grade talismans, including an elementary talisman treasure, and receives the Thunder Origin Art from him 201 238.

Qi Ruming

Qi Ruming is Lin Chen’s third senior brother, a skilled forger and enthusiastic researcher who becomes Lin Chen’s close collaborator in investigating the Iron Boxes. Their relationship is one of mutual respect and growing camaraderie, with Qi Ruming acting as a mentor in forging matters and Lin Chen impressing him with his abilities. Qi Ruming’s hot-tempered exterior hides a perceptive and supportive nature.

• When Lin Chen demonstrates extraordinary mining skills, Qi Ruming is utterly impressed and shares a friendly moment with him on the way back to the sect. 42
• Qi Ruming examines the three Iron Box components with fervor, exclaiming, “Little junior brother, this is definitely an incredible creation… Your family’s massacre might be because of this.” Lin Chen trusts his expertise. 43
• After Lin Chen cooks a meal of simple ingredients, Qi Ruming’s taste buds are conquered, and he expresses admiration: “I never imagined such simple ingredients could produce such an exquisite flavor.” 36
• Qi Ruming is shocked by Lin Chen’s rapid cultivation progress, feeling “a mix of pride and frustration” at the vast difference in their talents. 42
• When disciples gather to question Lin Chen’s ranking, Zhao Qingshan orders Qi Ruming to deal with them, and Qi Ruming reluctantly goes to find Lin Chen. 45
• Qi Ruming later teaches Lin Chen that the Iron Boxes are connected to artifact refinement and instructs him in fusing beast souls into Spirit Artifacts 77.
• He sells Crimson Flame Ironclad Beasts for 1.08 million Low-Grade Spirit Stones and becomes an important partner in the Stellar Merchant Association’s warship construction 191 238.

Zhao Qingshan

Zhao Qingshan is the Sect Leader of Green Mountain Sect and Lin Chen’s master. He takes a special interest in Lin Chen from the start, accepting him as a formal disciple and treating him with warmth and inclusion. Their relationship is marked by Zhao Qingshan’s mentorship in cultivation and his growing investment in Lin Chen’s progress. Lin Chen feels a deep sense of belonging and loyalty toward him.

• Zhao Qingshan joins his disciples for breakfast, showing a more approachable side. He answers cultivation questions, benefiting Lin Chen, and Lin Chen feels “a complete sense of belonging to a home” from his acceptance. 22
• After tasting Lin Chen’s cooking, Zhao Qingshan’s eyes light up, and he eats voraciously, then stores the storybooks Lin Chen gives him without letting others see. 25
• Zhao Qingshan gives Lin Chen the Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle as a gift during the apprenticeship ceremony. 34
• He and Lin Chen work together to address the threat to the sect’s spirit vein, with Lin Chen proposing a plan to replace the Crimson Flame Demon Lord with a fake. Zhao Qingshan is impressed by Lin Chen’s strategic thinking. 38
• When disciples question Lin Chen’s ranking, Zhao Qingshan returns and scolds Qi Ruming for not handling the situation, showing his protectiveness over Lin Chen. 45
• Zhao Qingshan supports Lin Chen’s concealment and preparations before Wild Domain Dragon City, accepting eighteen Storage Rings of resources and providing Spirit Stones for his disciple’s breakthrough plan 106.
• After the secret realm expedition, Zhao Qingshan publicly rewards Lin Chen’s contribution and supports his appointment as temporary Deputy Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion 133.
• Lin Chen gives Zhao Qingshan the incomplete Profound-rank Azure Wood Mysterious Heaven Art to strengthen Green Mountain Sect, reinforcing their mutual trust and sect loyalty 170.
• Zhao Qingshan later reaches the Void Realm, crediting Lin Chen’s efforts and the sect’s improved foundation for the opportunity 228.

Huang Mingyuan

Huang Mingyuan is a talented disciple with a Wood-Fire Two-Attribute High Grade Spirit Root who becomes Lin Chen’s antagonist, manipulated by Liu Ruyan into accusing Lin Chen of cheating. Lin Chen sees him as a foolish pawn and a “money-delivering child,” easily provoked and lacking foresight. Their interactions are brief but highlight Lin Chen’s strategic calm.

• Huang Mingyuan, urged by Liu Ruyan, publicly accuses Lin Chen of cheating during the assessment. Lin Chen remains composed, seeing him as a pawn. 14
• Lin Chen accepts the challenge, viewing Huang Mingyuan as a tool to earn Spirit Stones from Elder Liu’s bet. 14
• After Lin Chen’s breakthrough, Huang Mingyuan shows resentment alongside Liu Ruyan. 13
• Huang Mingyuan’s accusation is later exposed, and Lin Chen’s victory solidifies his reputation. 15
• He later reunites with Liu Ruyan outside the sect and reaches Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9 Peak through suspiciously rapid means 50.
• He protects Liu Ruyan during Lin Chen’s poisoned encounter with her, prompting Lin Chen to spare them when a stronger cultivator intervenes 53.

Ming Bufan

Ming Bufan is the peak master of Sect Leader Peak and Lin Chen’s first senior brother. He acts as a responsible and authoritative senior, offering guidance and treating Lin Chen as an equal. His explanations about Lin Chen’s spirit root and cultivation path demonstrate his role as a mentor.

• Ming Bufan explains the nature of Lin Chen’s Five Elements Perfectly Balanced Spirit Root to him, providing crucial guidance. 22
• He warmly accepts Lin Chen as a junior brother, treating him with equality and kindness. 18
• Ming Bufan is depicted as a diligent leader, reviewing sect documents and valuing his disciples’ well-being. 18
• He theorizes that the Enchantress Clan’s war against Green Mountain Sect was intended to force Liu Xinzhi, a high-status clanswoman, back to the clan 103.
• Lin Chen later learns that Ming Bufan abandoned his wedding to Yun Sihai on the day it was meant to occur, revealing an unresolved part of his senior brother’s past 154.

Jian Rushuang

Jian Rushuang is Lin Chen’s second senior sister, who interacts with him warmly and shows surprise at his rapid cultivation progress. She is part of the close-knit group on Sect Leader Peak.

• Jian Rushuang, along with Ming Bufan and Qi Ruming, treats Lin Chen warmly and as an equal, fostering a sense of belonging. 18
• She is shocked along with the other senior disciples at Lin Chen’s fast cultivation speed, demonstrating their competitive nature. 22
• She gives Lin Chen the Rabbit Doll used to force him into combat training and later participates in the playful roughhousing that exposes the Chosen Eye mark on his back 31 75.

Xiao Yuer

Xiao Yuer is a junior sister from the inner sect, a personal disciple of Elder Hai. She is introduced by Jin Yuanbao and becomes an admirer of Lin Chen’s storybooks.

• Jin Yuanbao introduces Xiao Yuer to Lin Chen, saying she came to help him. She breaks into a smile upon learning Lin Chen is the author of the storybooks she loves, addressing him as “Senior Brother Chen” with admiration. 27

Green Mountain Ancestor

Green Mountain Ancestor is a senior figure of Green Mountain Sect and an Extreme Dao cultivator who recognizes Lin Chen’s unusual path. Initially near the end of his lifespan, he becomes increasingly protective of Lin Chen after receiving a Heavenly Origin Fruit from him, referring to Lin Chen as his grandson 109.

• The Ancestor recognizes Lin Chen’s cultivation of the Extreme Path and calls him to the Green Mountain Secret Realm 108.
• Lin Chen gives him a Heavenly Origin Fruit, restoring his lifespan and peak power 109.
• He provides Lin Chen with the Extreme Dao Pearl, allowing him to conceal his Extreme Dao aura 109.
• He takes the Azure Wood Mysterious Heaven Art with the intention of using it to break through to the Void Realm and improve the sect’s future 170.
• His relationship with Zhao Qingshan becomes comically contentious after Zhao Qingshan reaches the Void Realm and claims to have “kicked Ancestor’s ass” 228.

Little Fire Dragon

Little Fire Dragon is the Earthfire Three-Flower Python that becomes attached to Lin Chen after witnessing his Extreme Dao Spirit Attachment. Though initially a powerful spirit beast, it transforms into a tiny snake and coils around his wrist, becoming one of his closest spirit-beast companions 67.

• It accompanies Lin Chen through Wild Domain Dragon City and communicates with him at the spiritual-liquid pool before entering an ancient portal 124.
• Lin Chen names it Little Fire Dragon, treating it kindly and strengthening their bond 128.
• It agrees to provide Lin Chen with dragon blood daily so that he can cultivate the Great Five Elements Art 145.
• Lin Chen makes an arrangement with Elder Qiu involving it in exchange for a favor, trusting that Elder Qiu requires it for Fire Dragon Pill refinement 101.
• A Frost Giant Python later offers its Mystic Ice Marrow in the hope of following Little Fire Dragon, whom it admires despite their incompatible attributes 187.

Master Wukong

Master Wukong is the former Crimson Flame Demon Lord who attains enlightenment, becomes a true spirit, and accepts Lin Chen as his master. Although he deliberately cripples his Devil Race cultivation to remain beside Lin Chen, he later restores his strength after recognizing a karmic mission to become Lin Chen’s Dao Protector 73 171 191.

• His enlightenment is catalyzed by Lin Chen, after which he asks Lin Chen to accept him as a disciple despite being the former Crimson Flame Demon Lord 73.
• He reveals that Lin Chen is a Chosen One connected to the Purple Extreme Devil Eye, though a backlash prevents him from fully explaining the assessment system 75.
• He protects Lin Chen during major conflicts and demonstrates overwhelming strength by killing a peak Void Realm expert while driving True Spirit Realm power through Return to Origin Realm cultivation 190.
• He recognizes a karmic bond compelling him to protect Lin Chen and concludes that he is Lin Chen’s Dao Protector 191.
• He accompanies Lin Chen during the Thunder Mountain Sect infiltration, disguising himself as Elder Qin and shielding him from the sect’s body-seizing scheme 204 211.
• He assists Lin Chen in confronting Li Wanrou and suppressing the entity within her body 216.

Hai Tianlan

Hai Tianlan is Vice Sect Leader Hai’s daughter and a capable Mysterious Heaven Sect cultivator who becomes increasingly impressed by Lin Chen’s formation, beast-taming, and strategic abilities. Her father and Elder Qiu repeatedly attempt to encourage a closer relationship between her and Lin Chen 98 101 142.

• She works with Lin Chen to deploy the Five Elements Origin Return Formation and capture the origin of an otherworldly realm 98 99.
• Lin Chen’s formation mastery overturns her initial underestimation of him and earns her respect 98.
• Elder Qiu deliberately arranges missions for Lin Chen and Hai Tianlan to travel together, hoping that they will develop feelings 148.
• She supports Lin Chen’s account of the Enchantress Clan’s soul demons and helps validate his deductions before Mysterious Heaven Sect 102.
• Her father openly supports and protects Lin Chen in Western Region affairs, in part because he views Lin Chen as a possible match for her 228.

Wei Shuangliang

Wei Shuangliang is a fellow transmigrator and system holder who initially challenges Lin Chen as a supposed fraud but later chooses to rely on him. His low-level system issues missions and rewards without possessing intelligence, leaving Wei dependent on Lin Chen’s strength, resources, and judgment 58 146 190.

• He initially challenges Lin Chen, a Qi Condensation Realm Layer 9 cultivator, while only at Layer 6, attempting to expose him as a fraud 58.
• He admits to Lin Chen that he is a transmigrator and promises not to violate sect rules, recognizing Lin Chen’s overwhelming advantage 146.
• Lin Chen learns that the two systems may ultimately be opposed because systems are connected to the Heavenly Dao and possess competing growth paths 148.
• Wei gives Lin Chen the Cloudship Forging Art blueprint after completing a system mission, helping initiate the Stellar Merchant Association’s warship project 190 191.
• Lin Chen suspects that Wei knowingly uses him to complete difficult system missions, though Wei remains outwardly cooperative 195.
• Wei’s mission involving Wind Demons indirectly contributes to the crisis threatening the Stellar Merchant Association, but Lin Chen helps him complete it while testing the association’s defenses 197.
• He later receives a third-stage mission reward: a supreme-grade Spirit Artifact diving suit that Lin Chen identifies as crucial equipment for entering the Buried Sand Sea lava lake 239.

Li Wanrou

Li Wanrou is Lin Chen’s fourth senior sister, formerly believed to be associated with the Soul-Devouring Sect. She is revealed to be the third-ranked Hall Master of its Soul Hall, but her body and consciousness are compromised by the Thousand-Illusion Ice Eyes 163 216 218.

• Lin Chen learns of her rank and identity by interrogating a Soul-Devouring Sect soul body 163.
• She initially appears hostile when Lin Chen and Master Wukong locate her, but Lin Chen uses a prophecy to establish his identity and intentions 216.
• Lin Chen enters her Sea of Consciousness, reinforces her soul, and helps her destroy the Thousand-Illusion Ice Eyes 218.
• Though freed, she retains deep resentment toward Zhao Qingshan and refuses Lin Chen’s request to help save him 218.

Equipment and Artifacts

Item	Description
Thousand-Mile Escape Shuttle	A top-grade Spirit Artifact and rare spatial-type flying treasure. It can absorb spiritual energy within ten thousand zhang, transforming into a streak of escape light that carries its master a thousand li. It is ten times faster than a flying sword and automatically draws on ambient spiritual energy. Given by Master Zhao Qingshan as a life-saving gift, it grants Lin Chen a second chance in danger 34.
Storage Ring	A standard-issue ring for inner disciples of Green Mountain Sect, containing a hundred-meter-square spatial dimension. It replaces Lin Chen's earlier Storage Pouch and holds his gear, including top-grade magic tools, pills, and talismans 26.
Storage Pouch	A cloth pouch left by Lin Chen's parents, sealed with spiritual energy. It opens upon reaching Qi Condensation, revealing a ten-meter-square space. Lin Chen uses it to empty Lord Qin's treasure vault 2 3.
Iron Boxes (Three)	Three identical iron boxes carved with dragon and phoenix patterns. They are flawlessly forged, double-layered, and each contains a component: a Small Bronze Mirror, a black Token, or a Hairpin. The boxes are inextricably linked to the Lin Family massacre and, under moonlight, emit beams that form a fragmentary map. When fed blood Qi, they transform their contents into strange mechanisms 34 35 43.
Small Bronze Mirror	A palm-sized mirror found in one of the iron boxes. Under moonlight, it reflects a soul’s shadow (He Yiliang’s ghost) and enables communication with trapped spirits. It is one of three components that, when fully assembled, may reveal the truth behind the massacre 34 35 43.
Black Token	A token of unknown material found in Lin Chen’s family heirloom iron box. It glows under moonlight and is one of the three interconnected components, hinting at a larger secret 2 35 43.
Hairpin	An ordinary-looking hairpin found in the iron box taken from Lord Qin’s treasury. Under moonlight it emits a faint glow, confirming it is a magical component tied to the other iron box items 35 43.
Spirit Binding Lock	A restraining artifact used by Lord Qin to bind cultivators. When Lord Qin tries to use it on Lin Chen, Lin Chen’s powerful aura reverses the lock, binding Lord Qin instead 5 6.
High-grade Artifact Sword	A sword forged by Third Senior Brother Qi Ruming specifically for Lin Chen. It serves as his main weapon during early cultivation 18.
Top-Grade Magic Tools (Sword, Armor, Protective Jade Pendant)	A complete set of top-grade magic tools given to Lin Chen upon becoming an inner disciple. The sword, armor, and pendant are powerful enough for a Return to Origin realm cultivator and provide significant combat and defensive boosts 26.
Qi Condensation Pills	Ten bottles of pills supplied as standard inner disciple gear. Lin Chen intends to use them in a spirit-rich environment to reduce Spirit Stone consumption during cultivation 26.
Secret Realm Token	A token that grants entry to a secret realm. It is part of the equipment given to Lin Chen, representing valuable opportunities for resources and advancement 26.
Basic Talismans	A stack of basic talismans included in Lin Chen’s inner disciple gear, useful for minor offensive, defensive, or utility effects 26.
Alchemy Furnace	A pitch-black alchemy furnace found among He Yiliang’s possessions. It is used for refining pills and represents a potential resource for Lin Chen’s alchemical pursuits 44.
Cloth Rabbit Plush	A palm-sized rabbit plush that appears to be ordinary cloth but shows signs of life: it gnaws on objects, moves while Lin Chen sleeps, and seems to be a living creature in disguise 26 32.
Jade Slips (Concealment Art & Sword Control Art)	Blank jade slips containing the techniques Concealment Art and Sword Control Art, given by Senior Brother Ming Bufan. They allow Lin Chen to learn essential cultivation skills 18.
Soul Origin Mirror	A soul artifact coveted by Hao Youcai. Lin Chen later imprints his soul upon it after collecting the wandering souls of Ten Thousand Souls Ravine, learning that it can serve as a training ground for a soul army 48 95.
Soul-Calming Bell	A soul artifact seized from a Spiritual Resonance Sect cultivator in Wild Domain Dragon City. Lin Chen refines it and later uses it to restrain and interrogate a Soul-Devouring Sect soul body 114 163.
Soul-Destroying Hairpin	A soul-targeting artifact used alongside the Soul-Calming Bell to capture and interrogate the soul body concealed within Senior Brother Yun 163.
Dragon Tooth Spike	A Connate Spirit Treasure left in Long Aotian’s massive Storage Ring. Lin Chen refines one ten-thousandth of it through the system, unlocking armor-piercing power capable of severely injuring powerful opponents 128 145.
Desolate Mountain Seal	A powerful seal artifact wielded by Lin Chen in combat against Cloud Sea Sect disciples within Wild Domain Dragon City 120.
Spatial Talisman Treasure	A spatial treasure seized from Cloud Sea Sect disciples after they attempt to use it against Lin Chen. He survives its attack and takes it while fleeing their pursuit 120.
Extreme Dao Pearl	A treasure given by Green Mountain Ancestor that conceals Lin Chen’s distinctive Extreme Dao aura, reducing the risk that others will identify his cultivation path 109.
Azure Mystery Pearl	A mysterious pearl Lin Chen finds in the concealed cellar beneath the Lin Family residence after learning of his Mystic Heaven Imperial Clan heritage 172.
Sacred War Blood Armor Arms	Two Spirit Artifact-grade arms forged by Elder Qiu from four Iron Box components. The original artifact is a replica component of the Sacred War Blood Armor, which requires the bloodline powers of all twelve great races to fully activate 106.
Sacred War Blood Armor Breastplate	An additional Iron Box component discovered after Lin Chen kills Thunder Mountain Sect intruders. It can link with the existing components as part of the Sacred War Blood Armor 222.
Great Five Elements Art Jade Slip	A dragon-clan inheritance jade slip containing the Great Five Elements Art. It requires dragon bloodline to cultivate, prompting Lin Chen to rely on Little Fire Dragon’s blood 128 145.
Dragon Scale Fragment	A fragment given by Zhao Qingshan that Lin Chen believes may lead to surviving traces of the dragon race 170.
Silver Dragon Sword	A top-grade Spirit Artifact acquired from the Beast Taming Sect’s resources. Lin Chen uses it with Sword Control Art and the Dragon Tooth Spike to kill Senior Brother Yun, a Return to Origin Realm Layer 5 cultivator 120 163.
Azure Cloud Armor	A high-grade Spirit Artifact originally associated with the Beast Taming Sect and among the powerful equipment that attracts the Cloud Sea Sect disciples’ greed 120.
Thunder Spirit Pearl	Thunder Mountain Sect’s core treasure. Lin Chen secretly refines the true pearl and leaves behind an imitation designed to vanish after three days, threatening the collapse of Thunder Mountain 211.
Lightning Talismans	Powerful talismans drawn by He Chenfeng that call lightning from the sky. He can create only one daily due to the strain on his lightning power and control 238.
Seven Thousand Talismans	A Storage Pouch of mostly high-grade and some top-grade talismans prepared by He Chenfeng for Lin Chen, including an elementary talisman treasure 201.
Cloudship Forging Art Blueprint	A blueprint supplied by Wei Shuangliang that Lin Chen learns to the extraordinary level, allowing him to create warship components and develop the Stellar Merchant Association’s defensive fleet 190 191.
Meteorfall Cannons	Heavy cannons developed through Lin Chen’s fusion of formation expertise and Cloudship Forging Art. Their unveiling shocks Green Mountain Sect and Mysterious Heaven Sect 193.
Supreme-Grade Spirit Artifact Diving Suit	A diving suit obtained through Wei Shuangliang’s system reward. It permits unrestricted movement in liquid and protects the wearer against environmental damage, making it crucial for entering the Buried Sand Sea’s lava lake 239.