Lin Tian

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Early life and Martial Academy

Lin Tian was born into an impoverished branch of the Lin family. His household lived on two shabby boats at Jinghe Bend after being driven from the Lin Family Old Residence, while his grandfather favored other relatives over him. 1 84

His father had earned a martial-training quota through military service, enabling Lin Tian to enter Zhao Family Martial Academy. He was tested as having Inferior Bone Quality, and his continued training was treated as laughable or futile by many Outer Academy disciples. 1 9

When Lin Tian and his mother requested the quota earned by his father, who had been maimed in military service, his grandfather instead assigned it to another grandson, Lin Tiansheng. Facing pressure from the Shark Gang, Lin Tian resolved to pursue martial arts as a means of protecting his family. 2

The immediate threat to his household included Shark Gang leader Zhuang Qiang's demand to marry his elder sister, Lin Wan. Lin Tian rejected Lin Wan's suggestion that she surrender herself to spare the family further trouble and assured her that he had obtained the qualification to train. 4 12

Despite this treatment, Lin Tian practiced the Mountain-Shaking Fist alone and persistently. Zhao Cang taught him the relationship between cultivation methods, qi, blood, and martial realms, but initially held little expectation for Lin Tian because of his bone quality. 5 22

Lin Tian awakened the Fate Grid after beginning martial training, allowing his repeated practice to accumulate into direct technique progress and experience. 7

Rise through the Martial Examination

Lin Tian's breakthroughs to Bright Force and Dark Force overturned the academy's assessment of him. Zhao Cang retested his bones after Lin Tian revealed his Dark Force cultivation, confirming that his bone quality remained inferior; Zhao instead attributed Lin Tian's rapid advancement to a temporary state of “Heavenly Perception.” 40 41

He entered the Martial Examination and earned full marks in its first test by wearing 180-jin Stone Armor and displaying Weight-Lifting as Lightness. He later became the first Outer City disciple to win the title of Top Candidate, defeating the favored Xiao Tian through superior fist technique. 63 69

Bao Tianhua's sponsorship substantially improved Lin Tian's access to cultivation resources. Lin Tian repaid that support by representing the Bao Family in its Fist Duel against the Li Family, where his Transformation Force strength secured the Bao Family's victory. Before the duel, Bao Tianhua also arranged for Lin Tian's family to move into the Inner City. 36 81 83 89 91

After relatives attempted to make him abandon martial training and work to support Lin Tiansheng, Lin Tian visited the old residence to settle his remaining obligations. He gave Zhang Cui five taels of silver as his final aid to that branch of the family, while separately giving his younger aunt, Lin Ci, an exclusive pass allowing her to stay and purchase property in the Inner City. 84 85

After his Transformation Force breakthrough became public, Lin Tian eliminated the chiefs of three Water Bandit strongholds and declined to immediately join the Commandery Captain's Office, preferring to pursue the martial path through a prefectural sect. 97 98

Before leaving, he exchanged the military merit from killing the Water Bandit leaders, together with a promised favor, for the Commandery Captain's protection of his family. The Commandery Captain also provided a sect-entry quota and a letter, while warning that the sect could still select only the best candidates. 98

Heavenly Derivation Sect

After the examination, Lin Tian traveled to Gaoyan Prefecture City and entered the Heavenly Derivation Sect. His Flesh Reconstruction improved his bone quality to Superior Bone Quality during admission testing. 102 103

He reached early Core Condensation through the Geng Metal True-Condensing Art, gaining true qi capable of materializing as armor or a spear. During a confrontation with the Five Extreme Yin Demons on Extreme Yin Island, he revealed this strength while defeating them and helping Pei Qingyu's party recover abducted people and stolen goods. 119 124

He later became a Core Condensation cultivator and joined the Wood Courtyard, where Hua Chengming assigned him sect missions in exchange for instruction and opportunities to seek advice. 133 136

To address the danger of his five streams of true qi clashing, Lin Tian asked Hua Chengming for advice under the pretext of helping a friend. Hua taught him the Nine Phases Map, which stabilized the streams and improved their circulation, then hinted that the five could be fused. 152

Lin Tian secured a Core Disciple position after defeating Xiao Shaoyang, though many continued to underestimate him because the true qi he publicly displayed was of inferior quality. 164 166 168

His Core Disciple status granted expanded access to the Spirit-Drawing Tower, cultivation techniques, and sect resources, which he used to cultivate several elemental arts simultaneously and prepare for the Gang Realm. 155 171

He later defeated Song Shaoyan during the sect alliance gathering, frustrating the Heavenly Dynasty Sect's attempt to build political momentum through its champion's victories. The result placed Lin Tian among Gaoyan Prefecture City's top three talents. 201 209

After reaching the Gang Realm, Lin Tian reported killing two Demon Sect cultivators to Sect Master Mo Sheli and asked that the matter be concealed so the Demon Sect would not retaliate against his family. Mo Sheli later announced that Lin Tian was the first of the Heavenly Derivation Sect's current Core Disciples to reach the Gang Realm. 228 245

Dao Origin Sect and Heavenly Steed Lineage

Lin Tian advanced to the Gang Realm before participating in the Dao Origin Sect's Hundred Sects Plan. He subsequently became an Inner Disciple of the Dao Origin Sect and performed prominently in the Dao Derivation Tower trials. 216 284 293

On the tower's twelfth floor, a broken sword entered his mind and caused severe pain, apparently reacting to an Ancestral Master's inheritance. Lin Tian survived the incident, and the sword remained in his Sea of Consciousness until he later learned to refine and summon it. 274 323 498

His later tower challenges raised him to third overall after he rapidly reached the twenty-ninth floor. Elder Zhou promoted him to True Disciple Candidate and recruited him into the depleted Heavenly Steed Lineage, whose difficult True Scripture and lack of internal competition suited Lin Tian's cultivation priorities. 307 314 315

Within the Heavenly Steed Lineage, Lin Tian concentrated on the Primordial Five Elements Art, spear techniques, and the Myriad Beast Curse rather than joining the competing factions of True Disciple Candidates. His Sea of Consciousness also expanded until he could control objects within a two-hundred-meter range. 323

The Murong Family initially considered supporting Lin Tian, but ultimately chose Zhao Santong as its future son-in-law and withdrew its prospective investment in Lin Tian. Lin Tian subsequently challenged Zhao Santong to a wagered duel, defeated the peak Gang Realm cultivator without injury, and collected 60,000 points. 341 375 376

Lin Tian later challenged Liang Wankuo for a True Disciple seat and won, becoming the Dao Origin Sect's tenth True Disciple. The Heavenly Steed Lineage's bell rang five times to mark the change in True Disciple status. 407

After his victory, Heavenly Steed Pulse Master Dugu Lin and Mu Chunfeng brought him to Heavenly Steed Pavilion. His new status also brought a change of residence arranged by a Deacon Disciple personally assigned by the Pulse Master. 408 410

Secret Realm Expedition

Lin Tian challenged Gu Changyuan for a Secret Realm-related quota on the Myriad Phenomena Arena, but Gu Changyuan's sister, Gu Qingshuang, intervened and fought in his place. Lin Tian defeated Gu Qingshuang with a single strike while restraining enough force to avoid seriously injuring an ally of the Dao Origin Sect; the Witness Elders subsequently confirmed him as the Dao Origin Sect's leader for the expedition's non-True Essence Realm contingent. 442 443 445

After entering the Secret Realm, Lin Tian proposed confronting the Royal Court faction alone to deter further attacks and gather Secret Realm Origin Power. Elder Zhou accepted a limited version of this plan, permitting Lin Tian to face the first five enemy batches by himself. 457

Lin Tian discovered that Law Formless could manipulate Secret Realm Origin Power directly, allowing him to extract and store it in Energy Storage Crystals independently of the sect's arrangements. He also investigated the Broken Sword's spatial properties and encountered the Martial Dao Will within it. 466

Lin Tian's vast Sea of Consciousness allowed him to track Royal Court teams that attempted to surround him. Releasing his Primordial True Qi, he displayed an aura comparable to that of a True Essence Realm cultivator and overwhelmed the Royal Court's Gang Realm geniuses. 468 469

During the expedition, his five streams of True Gang fully transformed into Peerless True Gang, bringing his fighting strength close to the True Essence Realm. He ultimately drove every Royal Court participant from the Secret Realm, killed dozens of elite opponents, and emerged without injury. 479 487

Lin Tian returned with more than one hundred Secret Realm Origin Crystals, a haul estimated at roughly one-tenth of the Dao Origin Sect's accumulated reserves, and formally surrendered them to Elder Zhou and Sect Master Yu Xiangtian. His actions secured major resources for the sect and made him the decisive force behind the younger generation's survival and gains in the expedition. 487 490

True Essence Realm and Hebei Region

After the expedition, Lin Tian studied the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture revealed by the Broken Sword. He advanced the scripture to its second layer, refined the sword, and summoned it out of his Sea of Consciousness. Testing it in seclusion, he opened connected spatial rifts and began exploring its offensive capabilities. 488 489 498

Lin Tian also fulfilled an agreement with Murong Yun by transferring one-tenth of his accumulated Secret Realm Origin Power into an Origin Storage Crystal. The transfer left him with three-tenths of his reserves; even the portion he gave away filled the crystal completely. 502

Returning to the sect, he broke through to the True Essence Realm in an isolated back-mountain area. His five Peerless True Gangs became five strands of True Essence, and he manifested a humanoid Dharma Body resembling himself. His new Primordial True Essence also displayed a structure-disrupting attribute he provisionally called “chaos.” 503 504 505

The Gold Spirit Lineage backed Liang Wankuo's attempt to reclaim the True Disciple seat Lin Tian had taken from him. Lin Tian subsequently defeated Yan Xingshan and rose to fifth among the True Disciples, strengthening the Heavenly Steed Lineage's standing. Afterward, he noticed that Mu Chunfeng had come to support him despite serious injuries that medicine was only suppressing. 505 516

Seeking the later stages of the Demon-Subduing Golden Body, Lin Tian set out for the Hebei Region, where his destination lay near a war zone. Before departing, he reserved a Flying Boat through the sect. Amid growing Demon Sect calamities, he continued cultivating the Broken Sword's scripture, reaching its third layer and unlocking an invisible spatial attack. 508 523 526

On the journey, Lin Tian rescued a Qingfeng Chamber of Commerce caravan while disguised as a middle-aged man. Rather than accept a reward, he asked Ma Yourong to help him enter Wanbang City under the caravan's identity so that he would not have to reveal his Dao Origin Sect affiliation. 529

In Wanbang City, Lin Tian traveled under the name Zhao Tian, presenting himself as an unaffiliated cultivator searching for a Six-Armed Stone Buddha connected to the Demon-Subduing Golden Body. He agreed to cooperate with Madam Ma of the Zhou Family, protected her during a family dispute, and accepted a quiet courtyard from her while she helped search for the statue. He later completed his second True Essence tempering and pursued a lead on the technique at the Feng Family. 532 533 534 538 548

Lin Tian forced Feng Tianyang to guide him into the Feng Family's restricted underground vault, subduing its Gang Realm guards with Heart Demon Curses. Inscriptions within a grotto revealed the continuation of the Demon-Subduing Golden Body, covering the Diamond Body, Glazed Body, and Dragon-Subduing Body stages. After compelling Feng Tianyang to disclose the source of the family's Golden Body Liquid, Lin Tian opened a passage beneath the Six-Armed Stone Buddha and discovered a pool of golden water that strongly attracted his physique. 551

Camp Leadership and Leng Qingfeng

After obtaining new techniques, Lin Tian practiced the Six Demon-Subduing Forms and One Reed Crosses the River. He initially mastered only two of the Six Demon-Subduing Forms, while beginning to test the movement art's reputed exceptional speed. 573

During his battle with Leng Qingfeng, Lin Tian deliberately tested both his own improved strength and the limits of his opponent's Heavenly Dawn Seven Swords. He repeatedly forced Leng Qingfeng back through spear strikes and ultimately won, using One Reed Crosses the River and Demon-Subduing Golden Body Forging against the final sword moves while keeping Spatial Slash in reserve. 582 586

Despite the outward composure of his victory, Lin Tian returned to regulate his unsettled aura and regarded the battle as evidence that he needed further improvement. He estimated that he had used nearly seventy or eighty percent of his openly displayed strength, with Spatial Slash remaining his unused decisive weapon. 586

Lin Tian assigned Qi Tianliang to distribute the Skyflame Marrow Crystals obtained by the factions. Afterward, he reclaimed the authority over the Dao Origin Sect's camp that the sect had originally assigned him, accepted its authority token, and demanded the resource ledger and figures for the preceding two months. He also found that absorbing a Skyflame Marrow Crystal could reduce the time required to reach his fourth True Essence tempering to approximately one month. 586

Wuya Peak and Journey to the Ten Thousand Flowers Sect

After returning to his cultivation routine, Lin Tian reviewed the techniques that remained useful at his level and prioritized cultivation and the Demon-Subduing Golden Body. He also decided to resume serious training in the Myriad Beast Curse because its future Puppet Curse could help him deal with unknown or dangerous circumstances. By this time, he was cultivating with Secret Realm Origin Power, Skyflame Marrow Crystals, and Earth Vein Origin Power in succession. 592 601

Following Elder Zhou's reminder, Lin Tian went to Wuya Peak to meet Elder Guan. At Boundless Pavilion, he encountered Xiao Sanding of the Gold Spirit Lineage and Luo Xiao of the Mystic Heaven Lineage before an attendant led the three onward. 601

Within a cave containing inscribed spear techniques, Lin Tian discovered that comprehending those techniques reduced the pressure imposed on him. His Fate Grid and powerful physique allowed him to learn every spear technique along the route, including peerless arts that he could bring to major accomplishment, rather than skipping inscriptions to keep pace with the two ahead of him. 603

During the subsequent journey toward the Ten Thousand Flowers Sect, Lin Tian continued cultivating aboard his Flying Boat. Over a month and a half, his Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture reached the fifth layer, unlocking formation diagrams, while his Diamond Body continued progressing without reaching full perfection. Another ten days brought both the Six Demon-Subduing Forms and One Reed Crosses the River to the third layer. 610

After testing the new abilities, Lin Tian judged that he could fight an opponent at the ninth True Essence tempering with his other methods fully unleashed, even without Spatial Slash. His own cultivation was approaching the fifth tempering, which he expected would allow him to contend with an eighth-tempering cultivator without exposing his trump cards. He nevertheless continued training rather than treating the approaching Ten Thousand Flowers Grand Competition as assured. 611

Appearance

Lin Tian was originally an ordinary-looking, dark-skinned youth whose appearance reflected years of outdoor hardship. The Heavenly Dao Jade later refined his features and skin to such an extent that even Hua Chengming joked he could qualify for a beauty ranking. 211

• His post-reconstruction body has repeatedly become stronger and more resilient through Flesh Reconstruction. 85 296 297
• His appearance, build, bearing, and clothing changed so drastically over two years that Zhou Wanqian and Zhou Mingda did not recognize him at first. 234 235
• He sometimes uses the Formless Secret Art to alter his appearance and reduce unwanted attention, though the Heavenly Dao Jade's effects remain conspicuous. 216
• By the time he became a True Disciple, his tall, composed bearing and refined appearance attracted the attention of numerous prominent families seeking to send women to serve at his side. 412
• During his Hebei Region travels, he altered his appearance and used the name Zhao Tian to conceal his identity. 532 548
• When using Demon-Subduing Prison Suppression, a golden phantom merges with his body and becomes crimson-gold patterns covering his skin. 610

Personality

Lin Tian is notably self-contained and difficult to provoke. He endured ridicule over his Inferior Bone Quality without abandoning his training, and he remained composed when Zhao Cang and the Inner Academy treated his success as a temporary accident. 9 22 41

He is pragmatic about resources and status. He declined Zhang Ming's suggested shortcut to aristocratic support, accepted Bao Tianhua's sponsorship when it aided his training, and later chose the Heavenly Steed Lineage because it offered powerful methods with little internal competition. 28 81 314

He also values dignity and reciprocity. Lin Tian fought for the Bao Family after receiving Bao Tianhua's support, but left when Bao Tianming openly appraised him as a commodity and refused Bao Shanhe's attempts to smooth over the insult with a banquet. 86 93

Though cautious, Lin Tian is not indifferent to others. He agreed to treat Zhou Wanqian despite Capital Commandant Zhou having previously wronged him, and he returned home to support his family after becoming powerful. 213 247 250

Lin Tian habitually conceals his true strength, revealing additional methods only when necessary. His refusal to be drawn into the early factional struggles among True Disciple Candidates likewise reflects his preference for accumulating strength quietly rather than entering complicated political disputes prematurely. 323 440

He remains intensely focused on practical advancement. Even after becoming a True Disciple, he continued to prioritize cultivation and combat experience over status, social obligations, or marriage arrangements. 384 412

During the Secret Realm expedition, Lin Tian accepted personal risk to act as a deterrent for his faction, motivated by the need to cultivate the Heavenly Steed True Scripture, collect Origin Power, and fulfill his promise to obtain Origin Crystals for Hua Chengming. 457

Although overwhelmingly stronger than Gu Qingshuang, he deliberately held back the decisive portion of his attack to avoid seriously harming a cultivator from the allied Sword Heaven Upper Sect. 445

After reaching the True Essence Realm, Lin Tian continued to favor preparation over haste: he chose staged tempering to make full use of his foundation and delayed investigating the Gold Spirit Lineage until he was better prepared. In Wanbang City, he restrained Madam Ma's daughters without retaliating for their attack. 498 508 536

His caution originated in his poverty and lack of backing. Early in his training, he deliberately avoided armed groups and followed the principle of neither provoking nor creating trouble. He nevertheless recognized that protecting his family and obtaining resources sometimes required revealing enough talent to demonstrate his value. 8 38

He generally disregards insults that cause no actual harm. He accepted Lin Qian's apologetic gift of pills without prolonging their dispute and later explained through his conduct that he held little resentment toward the Murong Family, whose proposed backing he had originally intended to decline. 42 501

Lin Tian uses difficult battles to measure his progress rather than merely establish superiority. After defeating Leng Qingfeng, he focused on how many methods the fight had required and the danger of insufficient strength. Even after gaining the ability to challenge much higher-tempering opponents, he reminded himself that the world contained other geniuses and continued cultivating. 582 586 611

Abilities & Skills

Fate Grid — Learning Leads to Success

Lin Tian possesses the Fate Grid, which records the named techniques he cultivates and their numerical progress. 36 171

• The Fate Grid awakened shortly after Lin Tian began martial training and elevated his Mountain-Shaking Fist from Minor Achievement through accumulated practice experience. 7
• He used it to compare high-grade mental techniques and select the strongest wood-attribute method, the Ten Thousand Woods Reaching Heaven Art. 109
• It records the completion of his techniques, including the full upgrade of the Demon-Subduing Golden Body. 296
• Its progress-based insight allows him to approach difficult techniques strategically rather than relying on ordinary cultivation speed alone. 109 314
• The Fate Grid allows him to learn techniques from recorded visions and comprehend exceptionally difficult cultivation arts with extraordinary speed. He cleared the Dao Derivation Tower's Grade A-Plus comprehension test involving the damaged Taotie Source Devouring almost instantly. 127 272 315
• It registered the Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture after Lin Tian discovered it within the Broken Sword, providing a new path for him to cultivate and command that weapon. 489
• After helping a woman overcome a bottleneck in the Wind-Soughing Sword Dance, Lin Tian found that the technique remained recorded on his own Fate Grid, suggesting a further way to learn techniques while guiding others. 431
• Techniques learned through the Fate Grid remain in his memory, although he continues practicing them to maintain and improve his practical use. 538
• In the spear-technique cave, it allowed him to comprehend every inscription along his route and bring even peerless spear arts to major accomplishment while enduring the cave's pressure. 603

Mountain-Shaking Fist

The Mountain-Shaking Fist was Lin Tian's foundational martial art and the basis of his rise at Zhao Family Martial Academy. Its echoes correspond to mastery: three at minor mastery, six at major mastery, and nine at perfection. 5

• Lin Tian used six echoes to reveal his Dark Force cultivation. 40
• He cultivated the fist to perfection and comprehended Weight-Lifting as Lightness, allowing him to wear 180-jin Stone Armor and placing Transformation Force within reach. 63
• His technique allowed him to defeat physically stronger Martial Examination opponents and claim Top Candidate. 69
• After reaching perfection, the Fate Grid elevated the fist to a further Limit-Breaking stage, a level beyond the conventional mastery standard. 23 85
• Completing its Limit-Breaking progress naturally fused his Bright Force and Dark Force into Transformation Force. He then condensed the power of the original nine echoes into a tenth echo, projecting highly restrained force into a boulder four or five zhang away. 79

Demon-Subduing Golden Body

A body-tempering technique that strengthens Lin Tian's physique, recovery, defensive power, and innate talent through repeated Flesh Reconstruction. 85 171

• The technique improved Lin Tian from Inferior Bone Quality to Superior Bone Quality after an early reconstruction. 103
• By the Golden Raiment stage, his body alone could withstand attacks from a True Qi Realm opponent of the same level and kill through raw physical force. 297
• In the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, his body further strengthened until his physical power was comparable to Gang Realm completion, while even perfected Gang Realm opponents would struggle to break his defenses. 333
• His physique was strong enough to take Zhao Santong's instant combat skill without injury and rebound the force of the attack back onto its user. 373
• His body can autonomously cultivate and refine True Gang, substantially improving his overall cultivation efficiency. 382
• After becoming a True Disciple, Lin Tian sought information about the technique's later stages while keeping its constitution-enhancing nature secret. A lead eventually took him toward the Six-Armed Stone Buddha in the Hebei Region. 409 416 532 548
• In the Feng Family's hidden chamber, his body strongly desired the Golden Body Liquid stored beneath the Six-Armed Stone Buddha. The family used this liquid to support cultivation of its Golden Body Meridian-Penetrating Scripture. 551
• His improved physique allowed him to endure the spear-technique cave's pressure while comprehending inscriptions that others had to skip. 603

Six Demon-Subduing Forms

A powerful combat art that supplements Lin Tian's body cultivation with golden manifestations and specialized strengthening methods. 573 586 610

• By Chapter 573, he had mastered two forms. Their use consumed substantial power, and excessive use could significantly affect him. 573
• Demon-Subduing Golden Body Forging, also described as the Demon-Subduing Forged Golden Body, was one of the methods he used against Leng Qingfeng's final sword moves. 586 610
• The art reached the third layer after ten further days of training aboard the Flying Boat, with the Fate Grid recording 0/15,000 progress for the new layer. 610
• Demon-Subduing Prison Suppression merges a golden phantom into his body, producing crimson-gold patterns over his skin and greatly increasing his strength. Lin Tian believed even a ninth-tempering True Essence expert could not withstand his spear head-on in this state. 610
• Demon-Subduing Prison Suppression consumes enormous amounts of vital blood. Despite his abundant reserves, he can sustain it only briefly and must seek a quick resolution when using it. 610

Five Elements Cultivation

Lin Tian concurrently cultivates multiple attribute-based mental arts rather than relying on a single stream of true qi. 149 171

• His recorded arts include the Geng Metal True-Condensing Art, Azure Wood Eternal Spring Art, Thick Earth Mountain-Suppressing Art, Mystic Water Origin-Returning Art, and Separating Fire Heaven-Burning Art. 171
• He concealed his multi-attribute cultivation by publicly displaying Azure Wood True Qi while secretly condensing Geng Metal True Gang. 216
• A special constitution copied through the Formless Combat Technique accelerated his Azure Wood True Qi cultivation and recovery ability. In vegetation-rich surroundings, it also strengthens his regeneration and allows him to sense the vitality and spiritual qi of plants, helping him locate medicinal herbs. 190
• He later cultivated the Primordial Five Elements Art, which coordinates his five elemental streams and enabled all five to advance to the middle Gang Realm together. 306 323
• By the late Gang Realm, Lin Tian possessed two True Gangs and had refined his metal-attributed True Gang to the peerless grade. He later used the fusion of two Peerless True Gangs in his True Disciple challenge. 375 440
• During the Secret Realm expedition, all five of Lin Tian's streams transformed into Peerless True Gang. His unrestricted Primordial True Qi subsequently carried pressure close to True Essence Realm True Essence. 468 479
• Upon entering the True Essence Realm, the five Peerless True Gangs produced five strands of True Essence. His Primordial True Essence gained an attribute he provisionally calls “chaos”: it disrupts internal structure, reducing stone to sand and a high-quality sword to fragments. Lin Tian believes it can similarly disrupt an opponent's True Essence or techniques. 504 505
• He completed his first True Essence tempering with Secret Realm Origin Power, then his second through the Primordial Five Elements Art, choosing to cultivate to the limit between temperings. 508 538
• His early Geng Metal True Qi could materialize into armor or a spear, combining the metal attribute's defensive hardness and offensive sharpness. 114 119
• The Nine Phases Map, taught by Hua Chengming, altered his meridian circulation so that he could control five streams without them going berserk and lend the power of several streams to one. 152
• By his later cultivation period, he used Secret Realm Origin Power, Skyflame Marrow Crystals, and Earth Vein Origin Power in succession to accelerate his advancement. 601

Formless Combat Technique

A versatile technique used for concealment, transformation, and unconventional combat applications. 133 174

• Lin Tian tested it against an elder at Core Condensation without being detected. 133
• Gray mist can alter his appearance; he successfully transformed into Hua Chengming's likeness. 174
• He uses it to hide when sensing danger and to modify his appearance in public. 216 331
• It enabled him to copy a special constitution, giving him a means to acquire traits normally possessed only from birth. 171 190
• Lin Tian ultimately cultivated the technique's third layer, Law Formless. Its formerly gray-white mist transformed into an interwoven black-and-white mist upon this breakthrough. 416
• At the Law Formless stage, he can sense and gather surrounding Earth Vein Origin Power, shaping it into constructs such as a giant hand for combat. His initial construct dispersed when used offensively, and he could not yet move an entire Earth Vein. 416
• Law Formless also allows him to conceal his True Gang aura while imitating the auras of Core Condensation and True Essence Realm cultivators. 416
• The technique's three stages are Matter Without Form, Human Formless, and Law Formless. At Matter Without Form, he can change an object's appearance, aura, and apparent properties, but not its underlying substance or inherent strength. 127
• It can alter the apparent form and attribute of his own true qi or True Gang, assisting both concealment and the removal of traces after combat. 127 329
• During the Secret Realm expedition, Lin Tian confirmed that Law Formless could control origin powers, including extracting Secret Realm Origin Power from a storage crystal and directing it into other crystals. This control remains limited by his own strength, as demonstrated by his inability to relocate an Earth Vein. 466

Spear Arts and Spear Momentum

Lin Tian fights with the Yi Chen Spear and has developed formidable spear-based techniques. 138 160

• Spear Momentum creates three Thunder Illusion Bodies, each possessing forty percent of his own might. 160
• Maintaining Spear Momentum and its illusion bodies consumes an immense amount of true qi. 160
• He learned and rapidly mastered the Eight Gates Heavenly Guardian Spear Art through a vision. 320
• He employed the Thousand Peak Heavy Prison Spear to contend with Zhao Santong's unparalleled combat skill during their wagered duel. 373
• Lin Tian cultivated the peerless Myriad Shadow Formless Spear from minor accomplishment to perfection, then reached its Limit-Breaking stage. Its starry-black manifestation enabled him to vanish from Liang Wankuo's sight during their battle. 384 394 403
• Through his spear cultivation and expanded Sea of Consciousness, Lin Tian comprehended and employed Spear Intent in the battle that secured his True Disciple seat. 394 440
• His spear remained his principal weapon during his Secret Realm battles, where he used it to overwhelm and incapacitate Royal Court geniuses whose numbers greatly exceeded his own. 468 469
• After his second True Essence tempering, he continued practicing the perfected Myriad Shadow Formless Spear Art and considered whether learning additional peerless spear arts might help him comprehend a Spear Domain. 538 539
• His early repertoire included the offensive Blazing Prairie Spear, the defensive and suppressive Mountain Prison-Suppressing Spear, and the speed-focused Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Spear. He selected the last for its combination of spear attacks and footwork usable independently as a movement technique. 127
• The Thousand Peak Heavy Prison Spear produces a pitch-black, oppressive Spear Momentum focused on strength, contrasting with the lightning-based field of his thunder spear art. 308
• Body Transformed into Myriad Shadows was a speed-related method he practiced before formally registering his challenge to Liang Wankuo. 399
• In the spear-technique cave, comprehension of the inscribed arts reduced the pressure on him in proportion to his understanding. His Fate Grid and physique allowed him to learn every technique on the route. 603
• By his journey to the Ten Thousand Flowers Sect, he possessed fused Spear Intent and considered its possible use by his new True Essence clones an additional source of combat power. 611

One Reed Crosses the River

A movement combat technique reputed to possess unsurpassed speed. Lin Tian learned it during his later True Essence Realm cultivation and used it in the battle against Leng Qingfeng. 573 586

• By Chapter 573, the Fate Grid displayed the technique at its second level, and Lin Tian began testing its movement capabilities. 573
• He advanced it to the third layer after ten additional days of cultivation aboard his Flying Boat. 610
• Its later capability produces clones formed from True Essence. These clones do not reproduce his physical strength because they are manifestations of True Essence rather than flesh-and-blood bodies. 610 611
• Further advancement can increase both the number of clones and the proportion of his True Essence strength they possess, potentially allowing them to reproduce his full True Essence strength. 611
• Lin Tian regarded the possibility of combining the clones with his fused Spear Intent as a major prospective increase in fighting power. 611

Sea of Consciousness and Myriad Beast Curse

The broken sword's presence expanded Lin Tian's Sea of Consciousness, granting him a greatly enhanced range of spiritual control. 323

• He can control objects within a two-hundred-meter range through his expanded Sea of Consciousness. 323
• Lin Tian concurrently cultivates the Myriad Beast Curse, which progressed to its second layer during his seclusion on Heavenly Steed Peak. 323 325
• Its Mind-Control Curse can briefly command weaker creatures or opponents. Its Heart Demon Curse requires direct contact and plants a delayed trigger, but has no realm restriction. 325
• By the Secret Realm expedition, the Broken Sword had expanded his Sea of Consciousness to a level comparable to that of a True Essence Realm cultivator, enabling him to monitor enemy movements across the battlefield. 457 468
• In Wanbang City, he used the Myriad Beast Curse to hold Zhou Cai and Zhou Ling in horse stances, then released them without retaliation. 536
• He used Heart Demon Curses to subdue the Feng Family's Gang Realm vault guards and compel Feng Tianyang to disclose the location of the Golden Body Liquid. 551
• After reviewing his later training priorities, Lin Tian resolved to develop the art further. He knew that its third layer would transform the Mind-Control Curse into a Puppet Curse, allowing more direct control of others' actions, but this remained a planned advancement at that point. 601

Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture

A combat scripture discovered within the Broken Sword that allows Lin Tian to command the spatially attuned weapon through Martial Dao Will. 488 489

• The Fate Grid registered its first layer at 0/5,000 progress, and Lin Tian began cultivating it through focused mental control rather than physical forms. 489
• Each successive layer expands the range in which he can control the Broken Sword and unlocks additional capabilities. 489
• Upon reaching the second layer, Lin Tian refined and summoned the Broken Sword from his Sea of Consciousness. He used it to create two connected spatial rifts roughly ten meters apart; a stone thrown into one immediately emerged from the other. 498
• At the third layer, the sword can merge with space and travel invisibly and silently at great speed. Its Spatial Slash also grew at least fifty percent stronger. 523 524
• Its Void Sword Array Diagram can use Martial Dao Will to summon sixteen phantom swords around a target, making it an array-diagram technique of the kind normally associated with True Essence Realm experts. Lin Tian later unlocked the scripture's formation diagrams upon reaching the fifth layer. 489 610
• Because the Broken Sword possesses spatial properties and can cut through space, Lin Tian believes the scripture could become a means of threatening enemies above his own realm under favorable conditions. 488
• His early Spatial Traversal could transport living beings, including himself, within ten meters. At that stage, his Sea of Consciousness supported only three uses in succession. 499
• The third-layer advancement expanded Spatial Traversal's range to one hundred meters. Lin Tian believed the strengthened Spatial Slash could defeat even a late-stage True Essence expert if delivered as a surprise attack. 524
• By Chapter 592, the scripture was at its fourth level with 6,689/8,000 recorded progress. 592
• Upon reaching the fifth layer, Spatial Traversal extended to five hundred meters, still with three uses in succession. Spatial Slash improved further and was assessed by Lin Tian as invincible within the True Essence Realm, but it could not yet injure Grandmaster experts. 610
• Lin Tian expected the seventh layer to bring another qualitative transformation to both Spatial Slash and Spatial Traversal. This was a future threshold rather than an achieved ability. 610

Blood-Colored True Qi

A specialized true qi produced after Lin Tian's later Flesh Reconstruction. 296

• It killed a squirrel without harming the tree it stood on, demonstrating unusually precise destructive power. 296
• Within the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, it continuously strengthened by refining baleful aura and further tempering Lin Tian's body. 331
• The Blood-Colored True Qi continued to absorb the power of a blood bead and approached Gang Realm perfection alongside Lin Tian's other cultivation. 427
• By his later True Essence Realm cultivation, Lin Tian possessed blood-colored True Essence, which supplied abundant vital blood power. Even these reserves could sustain Demon-Subduing Prison Suppression only briefly. 610

Martial Dao Dharma Body

Lin Tian manifested a humanoid Martial Dao Dharma Body resembling himself when he entered the True Essence Realm, rather than a form based on his spear. 504

• Activating the five strands of True Essence derived from his Peerless True Gangs expanded his Initial Dharma Body to 9.9 zhang. Its foundation gives him the potential for seventeen True Essence refinements. 504
• Before his first tempering, Lin Tian tested both the Dharma Body and the structure-disrupting power of his new Primordial True Essence. 505

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Yi Chen Spear — Lin Tian's spear weapon; through the Formless Combat Technique, it can become black liquid that coats his clothing and forms true-qi-powered armor. It was shattered into fragments in the Blood Baleful Forbidden Land, though Lin Tian later again wielded the Yi Chen Spear during his preparations for the Zhao Santong duel and throughout the Secret Realm expedition. 138 331 369 468
• Heavenly Dao Jade — A treasure cultivated within Lin Tian's body that continuously transformed his skin and appearance. Its technique can store power in advance for later restoration without side effects. 206 211
• Broken sword — A mysterious sword fragment that entered Lin Tian's mind in the Dao Derivation Tower and may be connected to an Ancestral Master's inheritance. After his five True Gangs became Peerless True Gang, its previously obscured inscriptions revealed the names Primal Grand Profound True Method and Void Sword-Controlling True Scripture. Lin Tian subsequently refined and summoned it from his Sea of Consciousness, using its spatial power to open connected rifts and deliver invisible attacks. Its abilities continued improving with the scripture, eventually allowing five-hundred-meter Spatial Traversal and access to formation diagrams. 274 323 488 498 523 610
• Divine Wind Colt — Lin Tian's mount, used for his return to Qingchuan County and travel back to Prefecture City. 247 251
• Murong Family token — A token gifted through Murong Ya that contained 1,500 Dao Origin Sect points and granted Lin Tian an opportunity to enter the Murong Family's Secret Ground. 284 358
• Secret Realm Origin Power — Lin Tian accumulated an exceptionally large reserve during the expedition. He transferred one-tenth of it to Murong Yun under their agreement, retained three-tenths afterward, and later used Origin Power for True Essence tempering. 502 508
• Energy Storage Crystals — Used with Law Formless to collect and store Secret Realm Origin Power directly. Lin Tian placed three crystals at an Origin Power Spring during the expedition. 466
• Demon-Subduing Golden Body continuation — Recovered from inscriptions in the Feng Family's underground grotto; contains the Diamond Body, Glazed Body, and Dragon-Subduing Body stages. 551
• Golden Body Liquid — A powerful golden liquid discovered in a hidden pool beneath the Six-Armed Stone Buddha. The Feng Family relied on it for its Golden Body Meridian-Penetrating Scripture, and Lin Tian's physique strongly desired it. 551
• Skyflame Marrow Crystals — Cultivation resources whose distribution Lin Tian assigned to Qi Tianliang. Absorbing one demonstrated that they could greatly accelerate his True Essence cultivation; he later used them alongside Secret Realm Origin Power and Earth Vein Origin Power. 586 601
• Camp authority token — Returned to Lin Tian by Qi Tianliang when he reclaimed the authority assigned to him over the Dao Origin Sect's camp. 586
• Flying Boat — Used for his later journey toward the Ten Thousand Flowers Sect, during which he continued cultivating his spear arts and other techniques. 610 611

Relationships

• Zhao Cang — Former master at Zhao Family Martial Academy. Zhao initially dismissed Lin Tian because of his Inferior Bone Quality, later recognized his extraordinary progress, and eventually regretted withholding support. Despite teaching him, Zhao had not allowed Lin Tian to perform the tea-serving ceremony that formally established the deeper master-disciple bond. 5 22 41 64 250
• Zhang Ming — Senior brother and consistent supporter. He offered Lin Tian food and advice early on, defended him socially where possible, and was delighted when Lin Tian continued to acknowledge him after rising in status. 5 22 28 250
• Xiao Tian — Fellow disciple and rival. Xiao Tian viewed Lin Tian as talentless, resented his rapid advancement, and collapsed in anger after Lin Tian won the Martial Examination. 16 47 69
• Bao Tianhua — Sponsor and junior brother. Bao Tianhua's resources accelerated Lin Tian's cultivation, while Lin Tian later represented the Bao Family in its Fist Duel and gave Bao Tianhua a pill that could aid a Transformation Force breakthrough. Bao Tianhua also arranged for Lin Tian's family to move into the Inner City. 36 81 83 89 250
• Hua Chengming — Wood Courtyard master. Their relationship began formally and tensely, but Hua offered Lin Tian mission opportunities, guidance, and access to valuable cultivation knowledge. He taught Lin Tian the Nine Phases Map to help stabilize his five streams of true qi. Lin Tian also entered the Secret Realm partly to secure the Origin Crystals he had promised Hua Chengming. 136 152 179 211 457
• Chen Qingyu — Fellow cultivator and recurring ally. Lin Tian fought alongside her against Demon Sect members, later protected her from Song Shaoyan, and reunited with her after her Gang Realm breakthrough. She also made him winter clothes. He supplied her with a Gang Condensation Pill and encouraged her to prioritize the seclusion needed to develop her Special Physique rather than immediate repayment. 147 196 323 324 325
• Elder Zhou — Dao Origin Sect elder who recognized Lin Tian's potential, promoted him to True Disciple Candidate, recruited him into the Heavenly Steed Lineage, and later introduced him to True Essence Realm elders after his victory over Zhao Santong. During the Secret Realm expedition, Elder Zhou reluctantly approved Lin Tian's solo deterrence plan, inspected him after his return, and received the Origin Crystals Lin Tian recovered. He later reminded Lin Tian to visit Elder Guan at Wuya Peak. 314 315 376 457 487 601
• Mu Chunfeng — A True Disciple of the Heavenly Steed Lineage who supported Lin Tian during the Zhao Santong wagered duel and took pride in Lin Tian's concealed strength and progress. Lin Tian later supported the severely injured Mu after the Secret Realm expedition, while Mu learned that Lin Tian had suppressed the Royal Court and secured the expedition's resources. Despite injuries that had not truly healed, Mu came to support Lin Tian's later confrontation with the Gold Spirit Lineage and promised to report his achievements to the Pulse Master. 370 376 490 516
• Zhou Wanqian and Zhou Mingda — Siblings Lin Tian first aided during a journey threatened by a Tiger-Headed Exotic Beast. He later traveled to Canglan Prefecture City to treat Zhou Wanqian's congenital illness. 100 213 235
• Zhao Santong — A peak Gang Realm True Disciple Candidate and the Murong Family's chosen future son-in-law. Lin Tian wagered against and decisively defeated him, exposing his own late Gang Realm cultivation and peerless True Gang. 370 375 376
• Murong Family — A millennial Dao Origin City clan that initially extended Lin Tian hospitality and provided him with a token through Murong Ya. The family later abandoned plans to support him in favor of Zhao Santong, only to be embarrassed by Lin Tian's subsequent victory over Zhao. Lin Tian himself held little resentment toward the family, since he had originally intended to decline its backing. 284 341 375 501
• Murong Yun — A True Essence Realm expert who provided Lin Tian with Secret Realm Origin Power. Lin Tian later honored their agreement by transferring one-tenth of his accumulated Origin Power to Murong Yun, who was astonished by the amount. 502 503
• Liang Wankuo — The True Disciple whom Lin Tian challenged for a True Disciple seat. Lin Tian defeated him despite Liang's spiritual artifact and became the Dao Origin Sect's tenth True Disciple. Liang later broke through to the True Essence Realm, after which the Gold Spirit Lineage directed him to reclaim his former seat. 402 403 407 503 505
• Gu Changyuan — A Half-Step True Essence Realm cultivator whom Lin Tian challenged on the Myriad Phenomena Arena in connection with a Secret Realm quota. Their battle did not proceed after Gu Changyuan's sister, Gu Qingshuang, intervened and fought Lin Tian instead. 439 442 443
• Gu Qingshuang — Gu Changyuan's sister, a cultivator with a Special Physique and powerful Sword Intent. She initially regarded Lin Tian as a cautious and potentially troublesome opponent, intervened in place of her brother, and was defeated by Lin Tian's restrained but overwhelming single strike. 442 443 445
• Yu Xiangtian — Dao Origin Sect Master. Yu Xiangtian considered Lin Tian's victory over Gu Qingshuang a strategic gain against the Sword Heaven Upper Sect's plans, personally accepted the Secret Realm Origin Crystals Lin Tian surrendered, and regarded Lin Tian as an exceptionally valuable and loyal talent. 445 487
• Royal Court faction — Lin Tian's principal opponents during the Secret Realm expedition. The Royal Court's elite Gang Realm geniuses repeatedly attempted to surround and kill him, but he overwhelmed their teams, drove every participant out of the Secret Realm, and killed dozens of their leading talents. 459 468 469 487
• Yan Xingshan and the Gold Spirit Lineage — Rival True Disciple and lineage. Lin Tian defeated Yan Xingshan and rose to fifth among the True Disciples, frustrating the Gold Spirit Lineage's attempts to suppress the Heavenly Steed Lineage. 508 516 523
• Madam Ma — A Zhou Family leader in Wanbang City who agreed to help Lin Tian search for the Six-Armed Stone Buddha. Traveling as Zhao Tian, he protected her during a family confrontation, and she offered him a quiet courtyard while their agreement continued. 532 533 534 536
• Zhou Cai and Zhou Ling — Madam Ma's daughters. Lin Tian restrained them with the Myriad Beast Curse after a misunderstanding, then released them without punishment. Their mother subsequently sent them to apologize. 536 539
• Lin Wan and his parents — His immediate family and a central motivation for his early pursuit of martial arts. Lin Tian sought to protect Lin Wan from the Shark Gang's forced marriage demand, arranged security for the family before leaving Qingchuan County, and later returned to visit them. 2 4 8 98 247 249
• Lin Ci — His younger aunt, with whom he had been close since childhood. Unlike the rest of the old residence, she retained his affection; he gave her an exclusive Inner City pass when settling his obligations to the family. 2 24 85
• Old Master Lin, Zhang Cui, and Lin Tiansheng — Relatives associated with the favoritism and deprivation suffered by Lin Tian's household. His grandfather gave his father's martial quota to Lin Tiansheng, while the family later attempted to make Lin Tian abandon cultivation to support his cousin. Lin Tian ultimately severed ties after providing a final small payment. 1 2 84 85
• Pei Qingyu — Bao Tianhua's maternal aunt and a merchant contact in Gaoyan Prefecture City. Lin Tian helped defeat the Five Extreme Yin Demons and recover her household's abducted people and goods. His subsequent rise substantially benefited her commercial standing, and she sought to deepen their connection. 110 124 168 249
• Mo Sheli — Heavenly Derivation Sect Master. He recognized Lin Tian's composure and concealed abilities, agreed to consider concealing his Demon Sect killings to protect his family, and announced his distinction as the first current Core Disciple to reach the Gang Realm. 169 185 228 245
• Dugu Lin — Pulse Master of the Heavenly Steed Lineage. After Lin Tian became a True Disciple, Dugu Lin brought him to Heavenly Steed Pavilion with Mu Chunfeng and personally arranged assistance for his change of residence. 408 410
• Bao Wancheng — A prisoner in Thunder Punishment Prison whom Lin Tian approached for intelligence about the Demon-Subduing Golden Body. The map obtained from him directed Lin Tian toward the Six-Armed Stone Buddha. 418 532
• Feng Tianyang — A Feng Family member whom Lin Tian forced to guide him through the restricted vault. Lin Tian used a Heart Demon Curse to obtain the location of the Golden Body Liquid beneath the Six-Armed Stone Buddha. 551
• Leng Qingfeng — A powerful opponent whose Heavenly Dawn Seven Swords Lin Tian used to test his improved strength. Lin Tian defeated him but regarded the demanding fight as a warning to strengthen himself further. 582 586
• Qi Tianliang — A Dao Origin Sect camp cultivator whom Lin Tian tasked with distributing Skyflame Marrow Crystals. He returned the camp's authority token when Lin Tian reclaimed command and was asked to provide the resource ledger and figures. 586
• Song Bao'er — A member of Lin Tian's household who informed him that his sect rewards had been placed in his Cultivation Chamber and whom he asked to prepare hot water after his return. 601
• Elder Guan, Xiao Sanding, and Luo Xiao — Elder Guan was the senior figure Lin Tian went to meet at Wuya Peak. Xiao Sanding of the Gold Spirit Lineage and Luo Xiao of the Mystic Heaven Lineage accompanied him from Boundless Pavilion under the guidance of Elder Guan's attendant. 601

Notable Quotes

“For martial practitioners like us, appearance is nothing but illusion. Strength is the foundation.” 261

“Senior Brother, I understand. But some things must be tried, or how could I ever be content?” 7

Trivia

• Lin Tian was around eighteen when he demonstrated Weight-Lifting as Lightness during the Martial Examination. 63
• He became the first Outer City disciple to win the Martial Examination's Top Candidate title. 69
• Lin Tian's enhanced appearance became so striking that Hua Chengming joked he could appear on a beauty ranking despite being male. 211
• He was already a Gang Realm cultivator at twenty years old during the Hundred Sects Plan, an achievement that impressed cultivators from the participating sects. 262
• Lin Tian's Secret Realm Origin Crystal haul exceeded one hundred crystals, an amount estimated to equal roughly one-tenth of the Dao Origin Sect's accumulated reserves. 487
• His Initial Dharma Body resembles himself rather than his frequently used spear. 504
• He chose the spear in part because he regarded it as a highly versatile weapon; the Three Thousand Thunder Illusion Spear also fulfilled his need for a separate movement technique. 127
• By the True Essence Realm, he no longer needed sleep and could spend the entire night cultivating. 538
• Even after estimating that he could fight a ninth-tempering True Essence opponent without Spatial Slash, he had not yet completed his own fifth tempering. 611