Lin Chang'an

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Lin Chang'an (林长安)
Alias(es)	True Person Lin; True Lord Lin; Elder Lin; Alchemist Lin; Medicine Daoist / Elder Yao (assumed identity); Wen Fang (External Incarnation identity); Huang Tianxiao (assumed identity); Alchemist Xiao; White Bone Old Devil / White Bone Superior (assumed identity) 144 167 256 347 435 610 622
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Former rogue cultivator of Green Bamboo Mountain Market; former Guest Elder of Celestial Mystery City and the Mystic Sound Pavilion; associated with Azure Sea Palace; Nascent Soul Supreme Elder of the Spirit Control Sect; later associated with the Ice God Palace and Bing Clan Chamber of Commerce; participates in the North Cold Alliance's wartime operations in the Spirit Realm 77 248 431 618 622 756 771
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; talisman master; alchemist; formation master; artifact refiner; corpse-puppet refiner
Status	Active
Current Realm	Spirit Transformation Middle Stage; last explicitly recorded cultivation progress is 19/100 766
Latest Recorded Age / Lifespan	962 / 6,010 years 756
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Qi Refining Third Layer	1	Awakens his status panel while cultivating the Evergreen Art; is near the next breakthrough at 95/100 progress.
Qi Refining Fourth Layer	6	Breaks through; mana volume doubles and lifespan rises from 88 to 98 years through the Evergreen Art.
Qi Refining Fifth Layer	25	Reaches the fifth layer after three and a half years of seclusion; approaches the sixth layer.
Qi Refining Sixth Layer	31	Breaks through using resources earned from talisman crafting.
Qi Refining Eighth Layer	51	His Supreme Realm Evergreen Art provides at least thirty percent more spiritual power than that of an eighth-layer cultivator practicing the same art; Wood Spirit Thorn also reaches the Supreme Realm.
Qi Refining Ninth Layer	65	Reaches the ninth layer at age fifty-two in Celestial Mystery City and begins preparing for Foundation Establishment.
Foundation Establishment	110	Is recognized among his old companions as the sole Foundation Establishment cultivator present.
Foundation Establishment Middle Stage	136	Uses the Grandmaster-level Sha Yuan Sword Art to produce offensive power comparable to an ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage sword cultivator.
Foundation Establishment Late Stage	218	Has reached the late stage while traveling at Five Dragon Island and preparing for Core Formation.
Core Formation	246	Successfully forms a Golden Core; gains the divine ability External Incarnation.
Second-Tier Early Stage Body Refining / High-Grade Spiritual Root	273	Advances through purified Demonic Qi and raises his spiritual-root aptitude to High-Grade.
Earth-Grade Spiritual Root	310	His improved aptitude increases his cultivation rate to roughly two experience points annually; his early Golden Core cultivation is recorded at 66/100.
Core Formation Middle Stage	321	Emerges from ten years of seclusion after advancing during its ninth year; lifespan reaches 702 years, and body refining reaches the peak of the Second Order.
Third-Rank Body Refining	337	Combines Core Formation Middle Stage cultivation, Third-Rank Late Stage divine sense, and Third-Rank body cultivation to contend with Core Formation Late Stage opponents without exposing major trump cards.
Core Formation Late Stage	382	Breaks through to the late stage; subsequently displays late-stage Golden Core cultivation while establishing himself in the Southern Region.
Nascent Soul	435	Receives a Nascent Soul celebration in the Seven Kingdoms.
Fourth-Rank Body Refining	474	Successfully undergoes lightning tribulation in Demon Abyss Forest and manifests the Golden Body Dharma Image. Nascent Soul Early Stage progress rises from 33/100 to 36/100, and lifespan reaches approximately 2,485 years.
Nascent Soul Middle Stage	518	Reaches the middle stage before age five hundred.
Nascent Soul Middle Stage, 20/100	550	Advances cultivation with a Phoenix Origin Pill refined from ten-thousand-year Fire Spirit Mushroom.
Nascent Soul Middle Stage, 30/100	559	Continues steady advancement while developing Nether Soul Island and preparing for the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm; recorded age and lifespan are 485/2,832 years.
Nascent Soul Late Stage Divine Sense	584	Divine-sense range reaches 300 miles, enabling simultaneous command of all thirty-six Sun-Piercing Divine Swords.
Fourth-Rank Body Refining, Public Combat Display	596	Reveals fourth-rank body cultivation in the battle against the Ye Family, allowing him to overpower Ye Yun in close combat.
Nascent Soul Late Stage Body Refining	654	Uses his battle with True Lord Feipeng to break through the body-refining bottleneck; his improved physique also advances Inch-by-Inch Ground-Shrinking.
Spirit Transformation	679	Holds the status of a Spirit Transformation Heavenly Monarch and joins the White Sword Saint in pressuring the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion.
Spirit Transformation Early Stage, Formal Ascension	696	Ascends toward North Cold Continent while using thirty-six Sun-Piercing Divine Swords and a Heavenly Thunder Array to withstand the spatial passage's dangers.
Spirit Transformation Middle Stage, 15/100	756	Advances with resources supplied by the battlefield alliance; recorded age and lifespan are 962/6,010 years.
Spirit Transformation Middle Stage, 19/100	766	Continues advancing while preparing covert wartime operations supported by Wind-Spirit Wings and Red-Clothed's Lightning Evasion Technique.
Seventy-Two High-Grade Fifth-Rank Sun-Piercing Divine Swords	771	All seventy-two swords complete their evolution through prolonged yin-yang blending. He considers their combined power sufficient to clash head-on with a Spirit Transformation Late Stage cultivator.

Background

Lin Chang'an began as a rogue cultivator of humble origin. Before entering the cultivation world, he served Prince Yun’s Mansion and was present when the mansion tested spiritual roots. He later settled in the Green Bamboo Mountain Market, combining mortal martial-arts experience with cultivator techniques and spending five years and eight months in a Monster Hunting Squad. His early distinction lay in talisman crafting rather than spiritual-root aptitude. 78

Elder Lu, also called Immortal Master Lu, introduced him to cultivation after they met in the royal mansion. Before this encounter, Lin Chang'an had cultivated mortal martial arts and entered the capital to seek employment. His early monster-hunting experience included service in Old Man He's squad, which suffered heavy casualties in a monster ambush. 4 7

At age forty, he awakened a status panel while practicing the wood-attribute Evergreen Art. The panel revealed his remaining lifespan, realm, cultivation-method proficiency, talisman skills, and spells, making him acutely aware of the urgency of his path. 1 14

He secured a ten-year arrangement with the Zhou Family: he would produce a yearly talisman quota and train two juniors in return for cultivation resources, materials, and a better residence. This access to Spirit Stones, pills, manuals, and inherited notes rapidly accelerated both his cultivation and craftsmanship. 13 14 23

After establishing himself as a high-grade first-tier talisman master, Lin Chang'an steadily rose through Celestial Mystery City’s cultivation community. He eventually pursued Foundation Establishment, settled resources through spirit fields, and cultivated practical ties with the Zhou Family, Yun Yao, the Mystic Sound Pavilion, and True Person Lu’s circle. 32 71 108 110

He later left the Yue Kingdom’s sphere for Five Dragon Island, formed his Golden Core, and became a Guest Elder of the Mystic Sound Pavilion. His publicly revealed identity as a Third-Order Formation Master gave him standing among major factions, while he concealed further attainments in talismans, alchemy, and other crafts. 246 248 250

As his cultivation advanced, Lin Chang'an expanded his influence across the Abyss Sea, survived conflicts with powerful clans and sects, and gained fame for fighting opponents beyond his realm. He ultimately entered the Spirit Realm, where he adopted new identities and joined the Ice God Palace while seeking resources to restore and advance his cultivation. 559 602 610 618

After returning to the Lower Realm, Lin Chang'an advanced to Spirit Transformation and used his new standing to negotiate with major powers alongside the White Sword Saint. He later cultivated the Devil Race’s Asura Aspect and prepared for a formal ascent to the Spirit Realm with Fairy Ice Butterfly, Jin Feng, and several other Spirit Transformation cultivators. 679 695

His formal ascension led toward North Cold Continent. In the Spirit Realm's subsequent warfare, he balanced open participation in allied operations with concealed activities, using battlefield resources to advance to Spirit Transformation Middle Stage and strengthening treasures that allowed him to operate independently. 696 707 756 766 771

Appearance

Lin Chang'an is described as a handsome, refined man usually dressed in white. Rather than projecting overt intimidation, he carries an otherworldly and transcendent bearing likened to a pine or cypress. 288

• Retains a youthful appearance despite the passage of centuries, aided by cultivation and the Evergreen Art. 130
• Often presents himself as calm, mild-mannered, and scholarly. 288 359
• Uses disguises and alternate identities when circumstances require concealment. 200 256 405 610
• His Profound Heaven Spirit Body and advanced concealment methods permit him to imitate another cultivator’s appearance and mana aura with exceptional accuracy. 460
• Under the White Bone Superior identity, deliberately imitates the original cultivator's languid posture, sharp gaze, and habit of rubbing his fingers or knuckles. 610

Personality

Lin Chang'an is patient, resourceful, and intensely pragmatic. Born with a low-grade spiritual root and limited early resources, he compensates through planning, technical skill, cautious negotiation, and relentless cultivation. He consistently weighs risks against gains, preferring preparations, formations, concealment, and escape routes over reckless confrontation. 14 181 182 257

His caution does not make him passive. He pursues ambitious goals—Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul, and beyond—and acts decisively once his interests or companions are threatened. He is especially willing to use ruthless methods against enemies who endanger those under his protection. 111 252 369

Though he recognizes that relationships in the cultivation world often follow status and benefit, Lin Chang'an values old friendships and repays genuine favors. He remains appreciative of the support given by Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Lu Qingqing, Wei Yiyi, Yun Yao, and others, even as lifespan and cultivation gradually separate them. 71 130 250 252

His centuries of cultivation leave him increasingly reflective about mortality, reincarnation, and the changing meaning of old ties. He nevertheless refuses to become resigned, viewing cultivation as both a pursuit of power and a means of witnessing the vicissitudes of the world. 433 475 601

He enjoys disciplined cultivation rather than regarding it solely as hardship. The ability to see measurable progress gives his practice direction, while the supernatural possibilities of cultivation make an otherwise repetitive routine deeply satisfying to him. 130 279

His generosity toward descendants of old friends has clear limits. He protects genuine connections but refuses to become responsible for every later generation, and he distinguishes sincere ties from attempts to exploit his status. By later centuries, his emotional connection to the Li and Shen families has weakened, whereas the Zhou Family maintains a continuing relationship through shared interests. 252 435 570

Despite his ruthless treatment of enemies, he retains a capacity for compassion and respect. He escorts the delusional Old Man He without humiliating him and admires Elder Cheng's lifelong devotion to the Spirit Control Sect even while recognizing that he cannot emulate it himself. 24 448

In Spirit Realm warfare, he continues treating reputation as a tool rather than an end. He welcomes fame when it provides freedom of movement or causes observers to attribute his strength to a known treasure, thereby concealing his actual methods more effectively. 756

Abilities & Skills

Status Panel and Permanent Proficiency

Lin Chang'an's awakened talent records cultivation and technical progress in numerical form, allowing him to identify bottlenecks and improvements with unusual precision. 1 16 21

• Displays his name, age and total lifespan, cultivation realm, cultivation-method proficiency, craft skills, and spells. 1
• Reading suitable cultivation notes can directly increase proficiency and provide new insights, as demonstrated with Elder Lu's Evergreen Art notes. 11 23
• His One Proof Eternal Proof ability makes acquired insights permanent improvements, increasing the value of other cultivators' experience journals and inherited knowledge. 24
• Once he enters the threshold of a difficult divine ability, he expects continued practice to eventually carry it to its highest proficiency realm. 460

Evergreen Art

A wood-attribute cultivation method that forms the foundation of Lin Chang'an’s cultivation.

• Extends lifespan and preserves youth. 6 23
• Benefits from Elder Lu’s cultivation notes, allowing Lin Chang'an’s comprehension and cultivation speed to improve substantially. 23 25
• Its compatibility appears to support his progress in Breath Concealment and Invisibility techniques. 25
• At the Supreme Realm, provides at least thirty percent more spiritual power than that of a comparable Qi Refining Eighth Layer cultivator practicing the same art. 51
• After evolving into the Everlasting Evergreen Technique and being supported by the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine, it grants him unusually dense mana, rapid recovery, and a Self-Healing Body suited to prolonged combat. 136 197 474
• At Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, his mana is nearly twice as thick as that of his peers. 136
• His abundant mana later makes the multiplied consumption of the Wind-Spirit Wings' power-focused refinement an acceptable drawback. 756

Talisman Crafting

Lin Chang'an’s earliest and most consistently valuable specialty. His talisman production finances much of his cultivation and gives him a practical advantage over cultivators with superior spiritual roots.

• Crafts Golden Light, Godly Travel, Flying Sword, Fireball, Ice, and other talismans. 1 21 23 102
• Successfully produces a premium Golden Light Talisman during his early efforts to improve his circumstances. 3
• Creates his first first-tier mid-grade Golden Light Talisman after repeated attempts. 14
• Purchases a First-Rank Mid-Grade Flying Sword Talisman inheritance for 100 Spirit Stones and subsequently completes a mid-grade Flying Sword Talisman. 21 23
• Becomes a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Master after obtaining high-grade inheritance from Yun Yao. 32
• Uses higher-grade talisman materials to increase the power of lower-tier talismans when higher-order inheritances are inaccessible. 52
• Reaches Second-Tier Mid-Grade Talisman Master. 117
• Reveals Second-Tier High-Grade Talisman Mastery after acquiring valuable snake skin and other materials. 156
• Obtains the Qin Family's Thunder Shock Talisman inheritance and supplies high-grade second-tier defensive talismans to companions during the Beast Tide. 160
• Reaches Third-Rank Low-Grade Talisman Master. 203
• Studies Yun Yao's Talisman Treasure Crafting inheritance, planning to draw on a damaged Golden Core treasure's spirituality to create concealed survival trump cards. 204 208
• Reveals Third-Order Talisman Mastery to Fairy Nishang and successfully crafts the Third-Order Mid-Grade Fire Dragon Talisman. 295
• Advances to Third-Order High-Grade Talisman Master, drawing on the Nether Soul Sect inheritance and the overlap between formation-pattern drawing and talisman crafting. 366
• Later advances to Fourth-Order Low-Grade Talisman Master. 485
• Reaches Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade Talisman Master. 527 644
• Produces Quasi-Tier 3 Forbidden-Breaking Talismans valuable enough to trade for rare fire- and yang-attribute spiritual items. 218
• Continues studying higher-order talisman inheritances in the Spirit Realm, although wartime shortages of demon-beast and spirit-plant materials slow his advancement in the art. 620 708

Formation Mastery

Formation arts become one of Lin Chang'an’s foremost public identities and a major source of influence.

• Gains First-tier Array Master knowledge through Song Tingfeng. 112 113
• Reaches Second-Rank Formation Mastery before the cave-ruins expedition with Yun Yao; later records Second-Tier Low-Grade proficiency supported by a Third-Tier Formation Inheritance. 171 180
• Improves through practical use while hunting Yin spirits and operating formations. 236
• Reveals himself as a Third-Order Formation Master after Core Formation. 246
• Uses formations to prepare Core Formation Spirit Items and to confront powerful enemies. 223 246
• Possesses Third-Order Mid-Grade formation mastery after his ten-year seclusion and studies Azure Sea Palace's extensive Third-Order High-Grade inheritance. 321
• Reaches Third-Order Mid-Grade Array Master before advancing to Third-Order High-Grade Array Master. 352 366 379
• Advances to Fourth-Order Low-Grade Array Master. 485
• Later holds Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade Array Master proficiency. 527 644
• Researches teleportation arrays, encountering difficulties with spatial stability and scarce materials. 550
• Uses high-order formations and the Sun-Piercing Sword Array to trap Nascent Soul opponents and control large-scale engagements. 592 596
• Establishes a Heavenly Thunder Array supported by eighty-one lightning-tribulation pillars for his ascension, weakening the incoming tribulation's power by twenty to thirty percent. 696
• Becomes a Fifth-Order Formation Master whose formation withstands a strike from a Three-Tribulation Quasi-Spirit Treasure. 721
• Dismantles the high-quality teleportation array used for his clandestine crossing between continents to protect his movements and conceal the route. 766

Alchemy

Lin Chang'an develops alchemy both for cultivation support and self-sufficiency.

• Holds First-Tier High-Grade Alchemist proficiency. 108
• Uses the Condensing Origin Art to purge impurities from pills, addressing his concern over pill toxins. 113
• Reaches Second-Tier Mid-Grade Alchemist proficiency. 136
• Operates as the Medicine Daoist in Celestial Mystery City's eastern black market, refining Foundation Establishment Pills while concealing his identity. 144
• Plans to refine his own auxiliary Core Formation pills once his skills mature. 218
• Conceals a Third-Order Alchemist identity through his External Incarnation, using the name Wen Fang. 256
• Reaches Fourth-Order Low-Grade Pill Master and later demonstrates Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade Alchemist proficiency while impersonating White Bone Old Devil. 485 527 610
• Refines the Phoenix Origin Pill from a Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Mushroom and Jin Feng's essence blood, using it to improve his cultivation and fire control. 550
• Obtains a Fourth-Rank pill furnace and corresponding inheritance at the Cold Wind City auction, further strengthening his Spirit Realm alchemy foundation. 622

Artifact Refining

Lin Chang'an studies artifact refinement to repair, improve, and create the many treasures required by his diverse cultivation paths.

• Records First-Order High-Grade Artifact Refiner proficiency while developing his four principal cultivation crafts. 257
• Uses External Incarnations to develop artifact refinement without delaying his primary cultivation. 279
• Reaches at least Second-Tier Mid-Grade Artifact Refiner proficiency while refining and repairing spirit artifacts. 279
• Uses a dedicated Formation Platform and third-order skill to refine mechanism-puppet treasures and Dharma treasures. 325
• Uses an avatar posing as a Fourth-Rank Artifact Refiner to negotiate wartime cooperation with the Dao Protection Alliance, requesting damaged Ancient Treasures and refining inheritances as payment. 474
• Demonstrates Fourth-Rank Artifact Refiner attainments in the Spirit Realm, refining multiple fourth-rank magic treasures suitable for Humanoid Transformation Great Demons. 647
• Holds Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade Artifact Refiner proficiency. 644
• Repairs and enhances Ancient Treasures using Spirit Realm materials that were rare or extinct in the Lower Realm. 602 667
• Refines the Wind-Spirit Wings with his true body and five clones, combining Ancient Treasure forging with Demon Race tempering methods to prioritize power over mana efficiency. 756

Sword Arts and Divine Abilities

Lin Chang'an supplements his technical crafts with high-level offensive methods.

• Sha Yuan Sword Art — A demonic sword technique whose Grandmaster-level power rivals an ordinary Foundation Establishment Late Stage sword cultivator; its backlash is mitigated by his Self-Healing Body. 136
• Obtains an incomplete version of the Sha Yuan Sword Art lacking its meridian-protecting mental method. At Proficient 85/500, three strikes shatter a Second-Tier Mid-Grade Diamond Talisman; Yun Yao later supplies the missing portion. 121 127
• Sword Shadow Follows Heart — A divine ability mastered after half a year of cultivation; its offense and defense are compared to a top-grade spirit artifact. At early Core Formation, it can form three sword radiances, each comparable to a third-order low-grade magic treasure. 179 252
• Initially cultivates Sword Shadow Follows Heart while still at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage by using Pulse-Protecting Pills to compensate for insufficient meridian resilience. 179
• At Core Formation Late Stage, he can condense and maintain nine Sword Shadow Follows Heart sword beams, using them as a fluid offensive and defensive sword shield. 382
• Sword Qi into Silk — A high-level Sword Dao divine ability that allows near-instant casting of sword techniques through fine, threadlike sword qi. 460 596
• At the Proficient level of Sword Qi into Silk, can condense ten sword threads simultaneously. 485
• Sun-Piercing Sword Array — A sword formation centered on his Sun-Piercing Divine Swords. After his divine sense reaches Nascent Soul Late Stage, he can command thirty-six swords; the array can threaten or slaughter a Nascent Soul Late Stage great cultivator. 584 592 596
• Later conceals a complete force of seventy-two Sun-Piercing Divine Swords, each with High-Grade Fifth-Rank power. He considers even their direct combined attacks sufficient to challenge a Spirit Transformation Late Stage opponent. 771
• Mystic Soul Spike and Soul Hooking Mystic Sound — Divine-sense attacks acquired through inherited cultivation experience; the former can disrupt an enemy’s Sea of Consciousness and create an opening for decisive attacks. 333 592
• Sun Essence Fire — A powerful flame that weakens the Glazed Saintess's Glazed Light-Fixing Mirror. His broader fire-based sword path is recognized as Wood Controlling Fire. 707 696

Body Refining and Self-Healing Body

Lin Chang'an develops body refinement alongside orthodox cultivation, using it to reinforce endurance and combat power.

• His Self-Healing Body lets him exploit techniques with severe backlash and endure prolonged battles. 88 136
• Its early regenerative power preserves his combat effectiveness through non-vital injuries; at that stage, he specifically identifies the head and heart as vulnerable vital areas. 88
• Reaches the Second Stage of Body Refining and upgrades his spiritual-root aptitude to High-Grade. 273
• Subsequently nurtures his spiritual-root aptitude to Earth-Grade, improving his cultivation speed. 310
• Reaches Third-Rank Body Refining after consuming the essence blood of a Third-Rank Late Stage great demon. 337
• Breaks through to Fourth-Rank Body Refining after lightning tribulation in Demon Abyss Forest. His strengthened barriers and attacks allow him to contend with ordinary Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivators without relying on his strongest secret techniques. 474
• Reveals Fourth-Rank Body Refining during battle with the Ye Family. 596
• Uses his Fourth-Rank body cultivation to convincingly assume the persona of White Bone Old Devil. 610
• Achieves Nascent Soul Late Stage body-refining strength while fighting True Lord Feipeng, allowing him to sustain intense close-quarters battles and drive the incomplete Inch-by-Inch Ground-Shrinking ability to the Proficient level. 654
• Cultivates the Asura Aspect, forming a fiendish Devil Race Dharma Aspect that further enhances his physical strength. 695

Profound Heaven Spirit Body and Divine Sense

Lin Chang'an's cultivation integrates Dharma, body, and divine sense rather than treating body refinement as an isolated auxiliary path. The Profound Heaven Immortal Vine supports this combined development. 208 337 474

• Improves the precision of divine-sense control, benefiting talisman drawing, alchemy, artifact manipulation, and combat. 208
• Gains the Profound Heaven Spirit Body upon Core Formation and continues developing it through later stages. 246 412
• The coordinated advancement of Dharma, body, and divine sense produces qualitative improvements in overall strength. 337 474
• His cultivation plan identifies bringing all three paths to Core Formation Late Stage as a foundation that increases his Nascent Soul formation chance by thirty percent. 310
• Reaches Nascent Soul Late Stage divine sense with a range of 300 miles. 584

External Incarnation

A divine ability gained upon forming his Golden Core.

• Creates a clone possessing 30% of his strength. 246
• Allows simultaneous cultivation, skill advancement, production, and identity management without interrupting his main cultivation. 250 257
• Is used to create the alchemist persona Wen Fang and secure additional Mystic Sound Pavilion resources. 256
• Eventually operates five clones to produce high-grade talismans, pills, and magic treasures. 559
• Can serve as a substitute in a crisis, effectively granting Lin Chang'an an additional means of surviving fatal danger. 246
• Is used in his battle against True Lord Feipeng to launch a concealed attack and consume the opponent’s Nascent Soul. 654
• Uses five clones at formation eyes while his true body performs the central refinement of the Wind-Spirit Wings. 756

Condensing Origin Art

A secret technique cultivated using a second-tier wood-attribute Crystal Core.

• Completes its initial cultivation after two months and purifies his mana. 113
• Purges impurities from medicinal pills. 113
• Reduces Lin Chang'an’s concerns over pill toxins and supports his alchemy-focused cultivation strategy. 113

Blood Spirit Thorn

An upgraded form of the Wood Spirit Thorn spell.

• Its predecessor launches wooden thorns through extreme compression, rotation, and instantaneous release, placing considerable strain on the user's fingers. 27
• Wood Spirit Thorn reaches the Supreme Realm during Qi Refining, surpassing the power achieved by its original creator. 51
• Refined over half a month using the potential of Lin Chang'an’s Self-Healing Body. 88
• Can threaten Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivators. 88
• Increases its force by applying violent exertion to his arm rather than changing the spell's core mechanism; pairing it with flying-needle tools enhances its ability to penetrate defenses. 88
• Is most effective as a close-range surprise attack, with reduced prospects of success once an opponent has survived and recognized it. 117

Spirit Attachment and Movement Techniques

Lin Chang'an develops several high-level techniques for temporary amplification, escape, and battlefield control.

• Spirit Attachment Secret Technique — Allows him to merge with Red-Clothed and the Sword Servant, temporarily raising his combat power and manifesting Dragon Race traits and divine thunder. 459 512 596
• Golden Body Dharma Image — A fourth-rank body-cultivator ability that enlarges his body and enables him to wield heavy treasures, such as the Golden Alms Bowl, with overwhelming force. 592
• First manifests the Golden Body Dharma Image during his Fourth-Rank Body Refining breakthrough. 474
• Inch-by-Inch Ground-Shrinking — A Spirit Transformation-level movement divine ability inherited from White Bone Old Devil. Lin Chang'an masters its basics in the Spirit Realm and later advances it through body refinement. 610 654
• Profound Yin Demonic Fire — A cold Yin-fire divine ability used under the White Bone Old Devil identity; it suppresses magic treasures and spiritual items and serves as one of his foremost openly usable trump cards in the Spirit Realm. 610 622
• Wind Evasion — Associated with the publicly known Wind-Spirit Wings, giving him a recognizable movement method distinct from his concealed lightning-based operations. 766
• Lightning Evasion through Spirit Attachment — After Red-Clothed masters Lightning Evasion, he can employ it through Spirit Attachment for escape and covert raids. He uses the distinction between wind and lightning movement to separate his public identity from clandestine battlefield activity. 766 771

Yin-Yang Combined Attack and Dual Cultivation

Yun Yao provides Lin Chang'an with a genuine Yin-Yang Dual Cultivation Combined Attack Secret Technique while negotiating their joint expedition to a late Golden Core cultivator's hidden legacy. It is distinguished from predatory demonic cauldron methods. 127

• Uses the Dual Cultivation Secret Technique to temporarily suppress the Sword Servant's unstable Human-Monster bloodline and permit normal cultivation. 273
• Supports the Sword Servant's development through instruction and dual cultivation. 284
• Cooperates with Fairy Ice Butterfly in a Yin-Yang Combined Attack Secret Art that coordinates their fire and ice techniques during the clash with Vajra Temple cultivators. 707

Corpse-Puppet Refinement

Lin Chang'an possesses advanced knowledge of corpse puppets and Yin-baleful refinement.

• Identifies deliberate flaws in the Mysterious Yin Demonic Sect's corpse-refining method and uses the Nether Soul Sect's inheritance to correct them. 350
• Refines three Yin Baleful Corpse Puppets, including one at the peak of Third-Order Early Stage and two at Third-Order Early Stage. 359
• Uses corpse-puppet techniques as part of his negotiations and identities in the Spirit Realm. 407 610
• Reaches Fourth-Rank Low-Grade Puppeteer proficiency and later Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade Puppeteer proficiency. 527 644
• Agrees to refine a pair of Fourth-Rank Ice-Fire corpse puppets in exchange for materials and 40,000 High-grade Spirit Stones. 621
• Acquires materials at the Cold Wind City auction and successfully refines a powerful Yin Demonic Corpse. 622
• Commands nine corpse puppets in the Nine Nether Soul Refining Array during his battle with True Lord Feipeng. 654
• Later seeks two additional materials for a Heavenly Yin Demonic Corpse, considering Spirit Transformation battlefield merits as a means of obtaining them. 707

Equipment, Weapons, and Items

• Green Bamboo Sword — Upgraded into a top-grade magical tool using Iron-Backed Demon Mantis forelimbs. 88
• Black Iron Shield — Defensive magical tool later considered for upgrading. 87
• Green-Scaled Sword and Yellow Dragon Bell — Offensive and defensive top-grade Spirit Artifacts included in his preparations for the cave-ruins expedition. 172
• Flying-Needle Tools — Concealed weapons used with Wood Spirit Thorn and Blood Spirit Thorn to penetrate protective spiritual light. Their effectiveness is greatest in close-range surprise attacks. 27 88 190
• Dragon Scale Inner Armor — Protective armor worn by the Sword Servant; absorbs a Black Blood Divine Needle strike but is damaged in the process. 369
• Blood Sha Sword — Damaged Golden Core magic treasure associated with True Person Blood Sha. Its deterioration from Third-Order High-Grade to Mid-Grade leads Lin Chang'an to consider sacrificing its spirituality for Talisman Treasure crafting. 204
• Blood Sha Demonic Blade — Magic treasure acquired after Lin Chang'an kills Meng and refines his soul and essence blood. 368
• Sun-Piercing Divine Sword — Lin Chang'an’s Life-Bound Dharma Treasure, refined from the Fusang Divine Tree. Its initial golden form reflects the tree’s exceptional age, though it initially bears demonic-energy corrosion. 287
• Sun-Piercing Divine Swords, Expanded Set — Eventually possesses seventy-two swords whose evolution is completed through prolonged yin-yang blending. Each reaches High-Grade Fifth-Rank power, and he deliberately keeps the full set concealed. 771
• Fusang Divine Tree — Received from Fairy Nishang and used as part of his cultivation foundation on Heavenly Spring Peak. 248 250
• Profound Heaven Immortal Vine — His Life-Bound Spirit Plant; he connects it to its root to halt its withering. 203 257
• Four Symbols Dragon Scale Armor — Ancient Treasure project for which he seeks a Thunder Flood Dragon essence soul and ancient materials. 341
• Four Symbols Dragon Scale Armor — Repaired with the Thunder Flood Dragon essence soul and later enhanced with the Dust-Avoiding Pearl, Water-Avoiding Pearl, Wind-Warding Pearl, and Fire-Repelling Pearl. Its completed form is a top-tier Ancient Treasure capable of protecting him against cultivators below Spirit Transformation. 348 525 667
• Golden Alms Bowl — Buddhist magic treasure empowered with the Buddha Light Sarira and used in Lin Chang'an’s Golden Body Dharma Image. 592
• Withered Bone Demon Blade — A demonic blade used under the White Bone Old Devil identity, particularly in his battle against True Lord Feipeng. 654
• Buddha Light Sarira — Precious material used in his agreement to refine True Lord You Sha’s Killing Intent. 538
• Golden Arm Bracelet — Buddhist treasure crafted with Buddha Light Sarira that suppresses True Lord You Sha's Killing Intent by thirty percent. He exchanges it for twenty years of intelligence cooperation. 561
• Silver Bell — Incomplete Ancient Treasure given by Fairy Ice Butterfly to support his survival during his planned Fourth-Rank Body Refining breakthrough. 474
• Fire Dragon Ring — Treasure formerly associated with the Ye Family, revealed during his clash with the Glazed Saintess. He claims to have obtained it from a fire-element demon in the Demon Sealing Abyss to deflect suspicion. 707
• Wind-Spirit Wings — Ancient Treasure refined with assistance from five clones and Demon Race tempering techniques. Its power-focused construction multiplies mana consumption, a drawback he accepts because of his exceptionally abundant mana; the wings are subsequently perfected and associated with his public Wind Evasion method. 756 766
• Yin-Yang Five-Elements Diagram — Provides an internal battle environment in which outsiders cannot observe his actual combat methods, helping him conceal his strength. 756
• Five-Elements Blood Fiend Banner — A concealed treasure that he judges unsuitable for public exposure during his later Spirit Realm activities. 771
• Zhou Bingyun's Spirit-Beast Records — Jade slips that help him identify an otherwise inconspicuous tracking fragrance. After her death, he also receives her unfinished records of Spirit Beasts and Spirit Insects. 199 252

Spirit Pets

• Green-Horned Ox — Long-standing spirit pet that receives cyan armor forged from Iron-Backed Demon Mantis remains; later mutates and becomes a major part of Lin Chang'an’s combat reputation. 88 368 369
• Green-Horned Ox — Continues advancing through long seclusion and remains one of Lin Chang'an’s principal close-combat allies. 393 596
• Green-Horned Ox — Its mutated petrification ability annihilates groups of low-tier Yin Spirits while leaving little evidence. 315
• Phoenix Cry Bird / Jin Feng — Fire-attribute spirit pet whose advancement Lin Chang'an supports through traded spiritual items; later returns from a Secret Realm carrying treasures. 200 218 576
• Phoenix Cry Bird / Jin Feng — Revealed to possess the bloodline of a Golden Flame Divine Phoenix connected to the Earth Core Fire Prison. It assists in major battles and later seizes True Lord Feipeng’s physical body. 438 592 654
• Phoenix Cry Bird / Jin Feng — Guards his Fourth-Rank Body Refining breakthrough and consumes demonic beasts drawn toward the concealed tribulation. Later awakens a pupil-based divine ability after consuming the Phoenix Origin Pill. 474 550
• Yin Spirit Two-Headed Tiger — Yin Spirit Beast King raised in the Heaven-Reaching Fog Sea and used in Lin Chang'an’s Yin-based operations. 350 359
• Yin Spirit Two-Headed Tiger — Preserved for purification with his Mystic Heaven Mana rather than sacrificed as food. Becomes an intelligent scout and mapmaker, recording islands, beasts, and resources while helping nourish his corpse puppets. 328 350
• Ice Flood Dragon — Ally that assists in preventing Ye Chen’s escape during Lin Chang'an’s battle against the Ye Family. 596

Relationships

• Elder Lu / Immortal Master Lu — Early mentor who introduces Lin Chang'an to cultivation and leaves Evergreen Art experience notes that accelerate his progress. Lin attends his funeral and continues honoring his grave centuries later. This mentor is distinct from True Person Lu, the Golden Core ruler associated with Celestial Mystery City. 7 9 11 252 434
• Yun Yao — Old acquaintance from Prince Yun’s Mansion and later a Li Fire Palace disciple. She provides high-grade talisman inheritance and helps Lin Chang'an access formations and Foundation Establishment resources; their bond remains important despite long separations. 32 65 71 321
• Yun Yao — Becomes a trusted cultivation partner and collaborator, supplies the missing part of the Sha Yuan Sword Art, and proposes their joint pursuit of a Golden Core legacy using the Yin-Yang Combined Attack Secret Art. Later reveals her desire to leave the Mysterious Yin Demonic Sect's Saintess position. 127 303
• Yun Yao — As a Devil Race Saintess, temporarily descends into Fairy Nishang through spirit attachment during a rare peak of full-moon power. Her reunion with Lin Chang'an remains warm and intimate, and they exchange intelligence on the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, weakening seals, and the future of Spirit Transformation cultivation. 561
• Li Erniu — Longtime friend who remains loyal despite becoming attached to the Zhou Family. He assists with the Zhou Family’s recruitment attempts and later supports Lin Chang'an’s Foundation Establishment. 32 71
• Shen Lie — Old friend and husband of Lu Qingqing; shares information, joins reunions, and remains part of Lin Chang'an’s earliest circle. 61 71
• Lu Qingqing — Friend and former Gathering Immortal Pavilion associate; contributes Spirit Stones toward Lin Chang'an’s Foundation Establishment. 25 71
• Wei Yiyi — Old friend whose hardships make him quieter and more introspective; remains connected to Lin Chang'an’s Yue Kingdom circle. 71 250
• Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Wei Yiyi, and Lu Qingqing — All eventually pass away. After attaining Core Formation, Lin visits the first three friends' graves and later attends Lu Qingqing's funeral, providing arrays, pills, and talismans to their descendants. 252 255
• Li Yifan, Shen Fan, and Wei Yingying — Younger members of his old circle whom he personally recognizes as having genuine ties to him. He mentors and supports them but refuses to extend the same obligation indiscriminately to all their descendants. 123 160 167 252 255
• Shen Zhuang and Li Tianmo — Grandsons of Shen Fan and Li Yifan whom he receives at Heavenly Spring Peak and assigns to assist the Sword Servant while prioritizing their cultivation. Later limits their attempts to obtain additional benefits through ancestral connections. 288 435
• Zhou Family — Early patrons and later business partners. They provide resources, residence, manuals, and contracts, while Lin Chang'an protects and supports their interests. 13 14 110 434
• Zhou Bingyun — Zhou Family member who seeks to maintain goodwill between Lin Chang'an and her clan. 87 111
• Zhou Bingyun — Holds affection for him that he recognizes but does not accept while prioritizing Core Formation. After learning that six Li Fire Palace bandits murdered her eight years earlier, he kills all six and leaves their heads in the Zhou Family ancestral hall. 252
• Zhou Bingxuan — Descendant connected to the Zhou Family whom Lin Chang'an guides on Heavenly Spring Peak. 288 292
• Zhou Bingxuan — Develops romantic feelings for him, which he deliberately avoids encouraging. Later earns his confidence through capable management of petitioners claiming old connections after his Nascent Soul advancement. 390 435
• Song Tingfeng — Formation-master friend whose insights grant Lin Chang'an enlightenment and First-tier Array Master knowledge. 112 113
• Su Miaoyin — Personal disciple and blood-related daughter of True Person Lu. Receives Lin during his recruitment as Celestial Mystery City's Guest Elder and remains an old acquaintance with whom he exchanges greetings and private messages. She is distinct from Fairy Nishang. 65 77 363 396
• Fairy Nishang / Ni Chang — Sect Master of the Mystic Sound Pavilion. She recruits Lin Chang'an, supports his establishment on Five Dragon Island, and becomes a close political ally. 246 248 369
• Fairy Nishang / Ni Chang — Her disappearance after obtaining a Nascent Soul Formation Spirit Item concerns Lin, although her lit Soul Lamp confirms her survival. Later serves as the vessel for Yun Yao's temporary descent through an ancient demonic altar. 435 561
• True Person Lu / True Lord Lu — Golden Core powerhouse whose Celestial Mystery City provides Lin Chang'an a foundation for advancement; Lin later cooperates with and seeks assistance from him. 61 181 576
• Sword Servant / Qiu Ling'er / Red-Clothed — Lin Chang'an’s devoted attendant, disciple, and later concubine. He guides her cultivation to Core Formation and beyond; she becomes his most trusted assistant and combat companion. 337 341 425
• Sword Servant / Qiu Ling'er / Red-Clothed — Reaches Nascent Soul, awakens Dragon Race bloodline abilities, and works with Lin Chang'an through their Spirit Attachment Secret Technique. 459 499 592
• Sword Servant / Qiu Ling'er / Red-Clothed — Her mastery of Lightning Evasion provides him with a new escape and covert-raiding method through Spirit Attachment. 766
• Hu Jin / Old Hu — Friend and fellow cultivator who later reaches Core Formation and joins Azure Sea Palace. 218 256
• Hu Jin / Old Hu — Gifts Lin a rare second-tier mid-stage wood-attribute monster core and warns him about robberies. Their cooperation extends through black-market affairs, the capture of Qin Feng, and preparations for Outer Sea commissions. 127 144 184 196
• True Person Tan / Tan Hai — Azure Sea Palace cultivator who arranges an alliance involving Lin and the Lu Family after Lin's Core Formation. They reunite after Lin becomes a Nascent Soul True Lord. 246 247 431
• True Lord You Sha (Bai Yuxi) — Powerful collaborator with whom Lin Chang'an exchanges resources, intelligence, and cultivation assistance based on mutual repayment of favors. 538 559 576
• True Lord You Sha (Bai Yuxi) — Accepts a Buddhist arm bracelet in exchange for twenty years of intelligence on the Heaven-Reaching Fog Sea and Sea-Overturning Alliance. 561
• Ming Yue / First Palace Mistress Mingyue — Nascent Soul-level observer from the Southern Region who forms a tentative alliance with Lin Chang'an, offering intelligence in return for future corpse-puppet assistance. Later identified as Azure Sea Palace's First Palace Mistress. 407 508 589
• Ming Yue / First Palace Mistress Mingyue — Supplies intelligence and valuable support, including a treasure before the Dao Protection Alliance's war. Later shares Ye Family background and joins discussions concerning a common ascension route. 475 589 680
• Second Palace Mistress Xingyue — Azure Sea Palace leader who seeks to befriend, invest in, and make use of Lin Chang'an. Their relationship includes mutual calculation but develops enough trust for cooperation over ascension. 508 680
• Fairy Ice Butterfly — Lin Chang'an’s senior sister and a powerful Spirit Control Sect cultivator. They cooperate against Corpse Mountain Valley, support one another’s cultivation, and later prepare to ascend to the Spirit Realm together. 459 475 695
• Fairy Ice Butterfly — Gives him the Silver Bell and helps conceal his departure for body-refining tribulation. After ascension, they coordinate fire and ice attacks against Vajra Temple opponents and discuss obtaining a Frost Centipede-related opportunity. 474 707 757
• Elder Cheng — Spirit Control Sect elder whose devotion to the sect earns Lin's respect. Frequently encourages a closer partnership between Lin and Fairy Ice Butterfly. 437 448
• Jin Jianchuan — Dao Protection Alliance leader who negotiates wartime artifact-refining cooperation with Lin's avatar and later entrusts Lin with a jade tablet connected to his plans. 474 477
• Bing Yun / Zou Bingyun — Leader of the Bing Clan Chamber of Commerce in Cold Wind City. Connected to Zhou Bingyun through reincarnation and the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine, she becomes Lin Chang'an’s capable Spirit Realm ally and publicly recognized successor under his White Bone Superior identity. 601 602 609 622
• Bing Yun / Zou Bingyun — Her decisive, meticulous character leads Lin to recognize that she and the Zhou Bingyun he once knew are not the same person despite their connection. 602
• True Lord Liehuo — Trade partner who commissions Fourth-Rank Ice-Fire corpse puppets from Lin Chang'an and later provides materials and Spirit Stone support for his Spirit Realm refinement projects. 621 622
• White Sword Saint — A Spirit Transformation ally and True Lord You Sha’s clone. Together, he and Lin Chang'an pressure the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion and negotiate compensation and intelligence. 679
• True Lord Feipeng — Ice God Palace adversary whose intelligence regarding White Bone Old Devil proves outdated. Lin Chang'an kills him after using the battle to break through in body refinement. 654 655
• Old Man He — Former monster-hunting squad leader and early market acquaintance. Lin's Golden Light Talisman helps him survive a demonic-beast encounter; Lin later shows kindness during his decline and repeatedly pays respects at his grave or its former location. 4 13 24 25 252 433
• Chen Qing and Chen Wen — Former neighbors whose relationship with Lin deteriorates over lineage ambitions and monitoring of his cave abode. Chen Wen later becomes entangled with bandits targeting Lin and is publicly soul-searched before execution. 113 123 136 140
• Qin Feng — Rival black-market organizer whose recruitment schemes Lin investigates under the Elder Yao disguise. Lin, Old Hu, and Yun Yao later expose and capture him while he is disguised as a servant. 167 184
• Zhao Lingyue and Zhao Lingxing — Mystic Sound Pavilion elders who regard Lin as a benefactor and rely on his protection. He supports their sect but considers Zhou Bingxuan more capable at handling complex administrative affairs. 390 391 435
• Glazed Saintess / Liuli — Vajra Temple opponent whom Lin ambushes after ascension. Their relationship later develops into cooperation; she teases him for trading Buddhist teachings learned from her to the Peacock Princess. 707 757
• Red Copper Touzhang — Vajra Temple body cultivator whose strength knocks aside Lin's Fire Dragon Ring and shatters his defensive barrier, exposing the limits of direct confrontation during their early Spirit Realm clash. 707
• Old Devil Hehuan and Ling Qiao'er — Fellow ascension-circle connections. Lin appreciates Ling Qiao'er's consistent gifts and etiquette, recognizing Old Devil Hehuan's efforts to establish support for her among the older cultivators. 771

Story Role / Major Arcs

Green Bamboo Mountain Market

Lin Chang'an rises from an under-resourced rogue cultivator by proving his talisman skill to the Zhou Family. He obtains resources, cultivates the Evergreen Art, learns mid- and high-grade talismans, and turns craftsmanship into a path toward longevity. 13 14 23 32

Before securing that foundation, he briefly considers retreating to the mortal world but chooses to remain in cultivation. His first premium Golden Light Talisman renews his confidence, while Elder Lu's passing and the reunion of former classmates emphasize the importance of lifespan, aptitude, and resources. 3 9

As sect conflict intensifies, he purchases restricted experience journals under a disguise and recognizes the exceptional value of permanent proficiency gains. He also develops Wood Spirit Thorn into a powerful low-consumption attack and takes precautions against being drawn into local family disputes. 24 27 36

Celestial Mystery City and Foundation Establishment

After moving to Celestial Mystery City, Lin Chang'an builds resources, pursues Foundation Establishment, develops alchemy and formations, and begins operating as an independent cultivator with spirit fields and business ties. 65 108 110 113 117

His old friends contribute Spirit Stones toward his Foundation Establishment preparations. He subsequently accepts a thirty-year Guest Elder contract with Celestial Mystery City, receiving second-rank talisman inheritances, a Foundation Establishment cultivation technique, a cave dwelling, and protection. 71 77

His spirit-field lease with the Zhou Family brings an annual rent of fifty Mid-grade Spirit Stones for one hundred mu of superior-grade fields. Song Tingfeng's instruction opens his path into formations, while the Condensing Origin Art removes an important obstacle to cultivation supported by pills. 110 112 113

Li Fire Palace's bounties make technical cultivators targets and push Lin to improve his combat strength. He cultivates the dangerous Sha Yuan Sword Art, develops a joint legacy-expedition plan with Yun Yao, and later helps operate the eastern black market as the Medicine Daoist. During the Beast Tide, he supplies defensive talismans and leads companions in defending the city. 117 121 127 144 160

Five Dragon Island and Core Formation

Lin Chang'an travels to the Five Dragon Island region, advances through late Foundation Establishment, forms his Golden Core, and reveals his Third-Order Formation Master status. He becomes a Mystic Sound Pavilion Guest Elder and establishes Heavenly Spring Peak as his base. 218 246 248

Before Core Formation, his Third-Rank talisman skill offers both a potential bargaining chip with major powers and a risk of coercive recruitment. He seeks materials for Talisman Treasures and explores the Heaven-Reaching Fog Sea while keeping his full technical attainments concealed. 204 206 208

After forming his core, he signs a hundred-year Spirit Contract with Azure Sea Palace and accepts Fairy Nishang's offer of the Fusang Divine Tree in connection with joining the Mystic Sound Pavilion. 247 248

Growth of Heavenly Spring Peak

Using the Profound Heaven Immortal Vine, External Incarnations, spirit plants, servants, and trusted descendants of old friends, Lin Chang'an builds a stable cultivation base while avoiding excessive entanglement in factional affairs. 257 288 292

His return to the Yue Kingdom after nearly fifty years brings painful reunions and farewells. He visits the graves of Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Wei Yiyi, and Elder Lu; avenges Zhou Bingyun's murder; and attends Lu Qingqing's funeral. Before leaving, he strengthens the protective arrays of the Shen, Wei, Li, and Zhou families and supplies pills and talismans. 251 252 255

At Heavenly Spring Peak, he supports the Sword Servant's cultivation, raises his spiritual-root aptitude, and uses incarnations to study artifact refinement. The inheritances seized from Divine Sword Sect attackers broaden his knowledge, while Shen Zhuang, Li Tianmo, and Zhou Bingxuan become prospective assistants. 273 279 284 288

Seven Kingdoms and Blue Wave Island Conflicts

Lin Chang'an’s combat strength and the mutation of the Green-Horned Ox become increasingly public. He clashes with the Meng Clan, protects the Sword Servant, refines Yin Baleful Corpse Puppets, and strengthens his standing among the Seven Kingdoms Alliance. 368 369

His preparation for the Monster Sea Abyss Secret Realm includes hunting Yin Spirit Beast Kings, studying Azure Sea Palace and Nether Soul Sect inheritances, refining defensive treasures, and improving his divine sense and formations. He refuses recruitment schemes that would make him a disposable tool in dangerous expeditions. 310 315 321 328 350

After attaining Core Formation Late Stage, he begins liquidating or transferring vulnerable resources in anticipation of the Secret Realm's upheaval. He also deliberately avoids encouraging Zhou Bingxuan's feelings, remaining focused on Nascent Soul advancement. 382 390

Southern Region and Nascent Soul Pursuit

Escaping the Monster Sea Abyss in disguise, Lin Chang'an enters the Southern Region, studies local powers, forms an alliance with Ming Yue, and settles temporarily with the Myriad Poison Sect while preparing for Nascent Soul Formation. 405 407 425

Following Nascent Soul advancement, his return to the Yue Kingdom reinforces the Mystic Sound Pavilion's security. He saves the Pavilion from a Mysterious Yin Demonic Sect attack, manages the influx of petitioners through Zhou Bingxuan, and helps establish plans for a chamber of commerce linking the Seven Kingdoms with the Abyss Sea and Dao Protection Alliance territory. 434 435

His Fourth-Rank Body Refining breakthrough in Demon Abyss Forest produces a qualitative improvement in combat power. Alongside Fairy Ice Butterfly and his companions, he prepares to take advantage of the Dao Protection Alliance's war to acquire rare materials, Ancient Treasures, and technical inheritances. 473 474 477

Abyss Sea Fame

After revealing combat power comparable to a Nascent Soul Late Stage great cultivator, Lin Chang'an repels the Ye Family of Great Jin, gains widespread fame, and becomes a central power around Nether Soul Island and the Azure Sea Palace. 558 559 596 598

He uses that reputation to expand Nether Soul Island's commerce while concealing the true extent of his strength. His cooperation with True Lord You Sha develops into a long-term intelligence exchange, and his reunion with Yun Yao provides information on the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm and the weakening Demon Sealing Abyss seal. 559 561

After his later confrontation with the Ye Family forces a Spirit Transformation cultivator's intervention, he becomes known as the number one Sword Cultivator beneath Spirit Transformation. His achievements also strengthen the Spirit Control Sect's standing within the Dao Protection Alliance. 598

Spirit Realm Exploration

Lin Chang'an enters the Spirit Realm and adopts alchemist and corpse-puppet-refiner identities to investigate conditions for ascended cultivators, acquire the Dust-Cleansing Pill, and seek a path toward Spirit Transformation. 601 602 610 618

In Cold Wind City, he strengthens the Bing Clan Chamber of Commerce under the identities of Alchemist Xiao and White Bone Superior, refines Spirit-Purifying Pills to suppress his foreign aura, acquires a fourth-rank pill furnace, and creates a Yin Demonic Corpse to reinforce his concealed combat strength. 609 610 622

His negotiations with True Lord Liehuo turn corpse-puppet expertise into rare materials and Spirit Stones. During this period, all five of his major technical arts—formations, alchemy, talismans, artifact refinement, and puppetry—reach Fourth-Rank Mid-Grade proficiency. 621 644

Return, Spirit Transformation, and Ascension Preparations

After returning to the Lower Realm, Lin Chang'an reexamines the legacies of the Li and Shen families, gathers Spirit Realm resources for his Ancient Treasures, and rises to Spirit Transformation. He allies with the White Sword Saint to suppress the Nine Heavens Sword Pavilion and secure sword canons, intelligence, and a Spirit Transformation Trading Fair invitation. 667 679

He subsequently cultivates the Asura Aspect, exchanges ten-thousand-year Spirit Liquid for fifth-rank resources, and prepares the Spirit Control Sect for his ascension alongside Fairy Ice Butterfly and other Spirit Transformation cultivators. 695

He also shares spatial-node and Upper Realm information with Mingyue, Xingyue, and the White Sword Saint to support a common ascension plan. During the actual passage, his Heavenly Thunder Array and thirty-six Sun-Piercing Divine Swords reduce the danger posed by tribulation lightning. 680 696

North Cold Continent Warfare and Concealed Operations

After ascension, Lin Chang'an clashes with the Glazed Saintess and other Vajra Temple cultivators. His Sun Essence Fire counters her mirror, but her icy defensive treasure and Red Copper Touzhang's overwhelming physical strength force him to adapt. He fights in close coordination with Fairy Ice Butterfly through their Yin-Yang Combined Attack Secret Art while withholding his strongest sword methods. 707

Later warfare supplies the resources for his advancement to Spirit Transformation Middle Stage. He develops a public reputation connected to Ancient Treasures while retaining freedom to move between threatened battlefields rather than accepting a fixed defensive assignment. The concealed battle environment of the Yin-Yang Five-Elements Diagram helps keep his actual abilities unknown. 756

He refines and perfects the Wind-Spirit Wings, then uses Red-Clothed's Lightning Evasion through Spirit Attachment for covert operations distinct from his publicly recognized Wind Evasion. He dismantles his clandestine teleportation array and regards wartime resource acquisition as an opportunity that cannot easily be replaced by ordinary cultivation. 756 766

Over subsequent years, he appears on battlefields under a concealed identity to gather Killing Intent. He leaves a thread of survival for many cultivators' souls and avoids directly changing the war's outcome, while the opposing factions' suspicions of one another help shield his activity. Anticipating eventual exposure or changing conditions, he prepares to abandon that identity. Meanwhile, his hidden set of seventy-two Sun-Piercing Divine Swords completes its evolution to High-Grade Fifth-Rank power. 771

Notable Quotes

“With such an opportunity, if I do not strive for Core Formation, or even Nascent Soul, I would truly be failing the talent and fortune I possess.” 111

“I have reached Core Formation!” 252

“Old friends wither one by one, like leaves in the wind.” 252

“Cultivation, beyond traversing the heavens and earth, is about witnessing the vicissitudes of time; aside from the bitterness, there is a unique flavor to it all.” 433

“I climbed up step by step from the bottom myself. Naturally, I am not so petty.” 435

“Seventy-two Sun-Piercing Divine Swords—I simply have never exposed them. Once I truly use them all, even a Spirit Transformation Late Stage cultivator will be made to drink a pot of bitterness.” 771

Trivia

• Lin Chang'an’s low-grade spiritual root is repeatedly identified as a major obstacle, particularly at later bottlenecks; he compensates through cultivation arts, resources, technical skills, and opportunities. 194 236
• His cultivation name, Chang'an, is associated with longevity through the Evergreen Art’s life-extending effect. 6 23
• He habitually has a pavilion built like the one at his Celestial Mystery City residence whenever he relocates his cave abode. 250
• His public reputation is built chiefly on formation mastery, while his alchemy and talisman abilities are often concealed to avoid attracting excessive attention. 250 256
• He eventually upgrades his spiritual-root aptitude to High-Grade through body refining and Black Qi, and later nurtures it to Earth-Grade. 270 273 310
• Lin Chang'an retains the habit of meticulously recording unfamiliar materials, inheritances, and practical knowledge, a practice that becomes particularly valuable after he reaches the resource-rich Spirit Realm. 620
• This recording habit also extends to cultivation experiences obtained from other cultivators' memories, which he copies onto jade slips for later study. 387
• Despite his powerful public reputation, he repeatedly attributes his victories to preparation, countermeasures, and favorable circumstances rather than claiming invincibility. 559
• His rise from Green Bamboo Mountain Market becomes a celebrated example for low-level rogue cultivators, though popular accounts increasingly embellish his exploits and supposed romantic connections. 435 582
• He deliberately uses different movement methods for different identities: publicly recognizable Wind Evasion and concealed Lightning Evasion supported by Red-Clothed. 766
• He regards an Ancient Treasure's material quality as a greater obstacle to forging than the complexity of its construction technique. 756

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