Lu Lin

Biodata

Feature	Detail
Name	Lu Lin
Alias	Li Yan (disguise)
Species	Human
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Blood Baleful Demon Sect (menial miner); Demonic Sect (personal guard of Luo Siqing); Red Flame Sect (guest elder); later independent martial artist
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Appearance

Lu Lin’s appearance is not fixed; he frequently alters his height, build, and facial features through concealment arts, making his true form difficult to pin down. In his natural state, he is a young man with a muscular, powerful physique—his muscles knot like coiling dragons from years of intensive Body Tempering cultivation, and his stance is steady and composed. His skin, when circulating blood aura, may show a faint layer of blood mist or, after condensing a Golden Body, subtle golden markings and blood patterns, but he deliberately suppresses these signs to avoid detection. In public, he often adopts disguises, the most common being that of a brawny man in his thirties with an ordinary, unremarkable face. When fulfilling his duties as an exclusive guard, he wears the dark-red Blood Demon Battle Armor, which fits him well and feels faintly cool to the touch; otherwise, he dresses in simple, unassuming clothes.

• Build: Strong, muscular, with a physique honed by years of Body Tempering; capable of altering his build at will 2 137 174.
• Hair: Not explicitly described in available records; when disguised, he typically appears as a brawny man with an ordinary face 137.
• Eyes: Not explicitly described.
• Typical Attire: Dark-red Blood Demon Battle Armor (cool armor plates, fits well) when on duty; otherwise, simple clothes or the attire of a common martial artist; frequently disguises himself as a brawny man in plain garments 37 137 174.
• Distinguishing Features: A thin layer of blood mist rises over his skin when circulating qi and blood; can conceal all blood patterns and Golden Body markings to appear as an immortal cultivator with crystalline palms; uses the Black Tortoise Illusion Breath Art to alter his aura and appearance at will 35 150 171.

Personality and Traits

• Cunning and Strategic: Lu Lin consistently employs deception and careful planning to achieve his goals. He disguises his appearance and identity, such as when he masqueraded as Chu Zong to assassinate a young cultivator and his guards 149, or as Li Yan to investigate a rescue party 174. He also uses strategic thinking in battle, such as deliberately drawing out a fight to keep his true strength hidden from allies while delaying an assassin 41. His ability to set ambushes and exploit weaknesses is demonstrated when he ambushes the Red-Bearded Bald Man, cutting off his arm 212.

• Ruthless and Decisive: Lu Lin does not hesitate to kill when it serves his interests, even against multiple opponents. He killed Li Zitong and his accomplices to avoid handing over the Blood Qi Pills 6, and later assassinated a young cultivator and his guards without direct confrontation 149. He also severs the arm of the Red-Bearded Bald Man without hesitation 212. This ruthlessness extends to dealing with obstacles like the Puppet Sect youth, where he shows decisiveness 155.

• Cautious and Self-Aware: Lu Lin is highly conscious of his own limitations and the risks of exposure. He decides to wait before breaking through his cultivation stage to avoid attracting unwanted attention 212. He also understands the power gap between Body Tempering and Connate realms, adapting his tactics in battle 55. After gaining significant combat power, he chooses to use his abilities sparingly to avoid drawing notice 200. Internally, he admits fear but maintains an outward fearless front, as shown when he reflects, "I was actually scared half to death" after a trial 238.

• Opportunistic: Lu Lin seizes opportunities to gain resources and cultivation time. He secretly keeps the valuable heart meat from the Red Flame Wolf King for his own cultivation 41. He snatches two supreme-grade flying swords from Ye Tianjian and escapes 155. He also captures and refines two Withered Fire Essences, advancing his stage 212. His exchange of spoils from deceased True Persons for cultivation time shows his resourcefulness 200.

• Resourceful and Adaptable: He makes the most of limited resources and adapts to changing situations. He negotiates shrewdly for a half-broken bronze mirror and used its spiritual energy for cultivation 8. In combat, he uses Spirit-Breaking Arrows against a stronger assassin 41, and later adapts by using a shield when facing a Connate expert 55. He also demonstrates adaptability by switching cultivation strategies when needed, such as postponing Iron Elephant Body improvement to acquire pills 29.

• Determined and Persistent: Lu Lin shows relentless drive to improve his strength. He cultivates the Iron Elephant Body to the fourth layer within seven years, demonstrating determination 8. He also spends 310 years of high-grade cultivation time on the Nine Heavens True Thunder Art 200. His pursuit of power is a core motivation, as he thinks, "Only by obtaining greater power... can I break free of these chains" 11.

• Deceptive and Manipulative: He routinely deceives allies and enemies alike. He hides his true strength from Luo Siqing and other guards during a battle 41. He changes his appearance and build to infiltrate groups 174. His internal monologue reveals he feigns courage: "I was actually scared half to death. I just didn't want to sit around waiting to die" 238.

• Self-Interested: Lu Lin prioritizes his own benefit over loyalty to others. He keeps Luo Siqing alive not out of loyalty but because she is beneficial to him 41. His cooperation with Luo Siqing is based on mutual benefit, as he asks "What benefit can you gain from working with me?" 53. He also secretly uses valuable resources like the wolf heart meat for himself 41.

• Confident in Combat (but not arrogant): He is confident in his martial abilities, having perfected the "Savage Elephant Charge" killing move and defeated Yuan Long in sparring 36. He deflects a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator's flying sword 173. However, he also recognizes his limitations and adapts when facing stronger opponents, such as when he realized the gap against the burly man 55.

Background

From his earliest days in the cultivation world, Lu Lin's life was defined by the brutal struggle for survival as a menial miner of the Blood Baleful Demon Sect. Dragged to the sect as a captive, he was forced to toil in the black iron mines, where the only path to advancement was through the accumulation of resources and the careful cultivation of martial arts. His first breakthrough came when he discovered a Rusty Iron Fragment that, when exchanged through the mysterious Martial Dao Melting Furnace within his consciousness, granted him three years of cultivation time 5. Using this, he improved his mining skills and Breath Concealment Art, allowing him to locate Inferior Spirit Stones and Black Iron Ore more efficiently, and he soon broke through to the third level of Body Tempering 5. However, the mining area was rife with gang violence; the Blood Wolf Gang extorted protection money, and when his fellow villager Lu Shi refused to pay, he was beaten and later taken away by the steward for failing his ore quota, an event that hardened Lu Lin's resolve 3 5. Lu Lin began secretly accumulating strength, killing several Gang members to eliminate threats and cover his tracks 7.

His resourcefulness grew as he sold smuggled spirit stones in Blood Baleful City and purchased the martial arts manual for the Iron Elephant Body, a crucial step toward increasing his physical power 7 11. A pivotal moment came when he killed a Qi Refining cultivator from the Blood Baleful Demon Sect, using the spoils—pills, spirit stones, and magical artifacts—to gain eighty years of cultivation time, bringing his total to 157 years 29. This enabled him to advance his cultivation rapidly, but he remained cautious, delaying improvements to his Iron Elephant Body until he could acquire proper medicinal pills 29. His skills caught the attention of the sect's higher-ups, and he was selected as an exclusive guard for a newly arrived immortal master, Luo Siqing—a role that meant sharing life and death with his master, including being buried alive if she died 33.

Under Luo Siqing's patronage, Lu Lin's development accelerated dramatically. She recognized his hidden cultivation level and talent, gifting him the complete Demonic Ape Blood Qi Art and Bone-Protecting Pills, and challenging him to break through to the seventh layer of Body Tempering within two months 34. Lu Lin accepted the challenge, and with the aid of the pills, he rapidly broke through to the seventh and then the eighth level of the Iron Elephant Body 33. He proved his exceptional martial comprehension by perfecting the "Savage Elephant Charge" killing move and defeating a senior disciple in a sparring match, earning Luo Siqing's investment in high-quality equipment: Blood Demon Battle Armor, a Blood Demon Blade, and Dark Blood Steel arrows 36. Yet, despite these advancements, Lu Lin chafed at the slow pace of cultivation without the constant infusion of cultivation time that mining provided. He even considered requesting a transfer back to the mines, so powerful was his longing for the steady accumulation of spirit stones 37. However, his duties soon intervened.

When the sect war erupted over the Red Gold Mine in the Floating Splendor Mountain Range, Lu Lin was sent into battle as part of Luo Siqing's personal guard 38 44. During the conflict, he was ordered into the mine pits to extract red gold, where he discovered that the ore contained spiritual energy he could exchange for cultivation time—a revelation that invigorated him 44. The war was brutal: the Green Duckweed Sword Sect's Martial Army attacked, and in the chaos, many of the exclusive guards were killed. Only three of the original twelve survived, including Lan Zhu and Zhuo Yao, who hid for over a month before fleeing back 59. Lu Lin, meanwhile, continued to mine relentlessly, accumulating 893 years and two months of cultivation time in just three months, and even uncovered a magic treasure fragment 64. But the demands of his master never ceased; Luo Siqing summoned him to help obtain a Foundation Establishment cultivator's inheritance, drawing him into ever greater dangers 64.

The relationship between Lu Lin and Luo Siqing deepened as they began to cooperate openly. She promised to obtain the Demonic Sect's Pseudo Golden Body cultivation method for him once she became Saintess, and in return, he agreed to become her hidden trump card—a martial artist of inconceivable strength who could catch immortal cultivators off guard 53 137. Their partnership was tested in the Moyun Realm, where Lu Lin defeated powerful beasts, gained Luck Glows, and met Luo Siqing again on the last day before the realm closed, returning together to Cuiyun Mountain 168. Shortly after, Luo Siqing was officially announced as the new Saintess of the Blood Baleful Demon Sect, a position that gave her the resources and authority to reward Lu Lin with 100 catties of Blood Crystal 169. She also revealed that she had exchanged part of his destiny for resources while ensuring his safety, and she was intrigued by his decision to pursue the difficult path of condensing a complete Martial Dao Golden Body using Nine Heavens Thunder, rather than settling for a Pseudo Golden Body 169.

Driven by this ambition, Lu Lin left the Red Flame Sect—where he had been disguised under the alias Li Yan—to seek treasures containing Nine Heavens Thunder 173 174. He had only two years bought by Luo Siqing to find what he needed 174. On a mission to intercept Xiantian Realm martial artists, he encountered the prodigy Xia Qianyu once again, now at the late Xiantian Realm, but the battle was disrupted by three Foundation Establishment cultivators who attacked the Red Flame Sect guest elders 173. Lu Lin secretly tracked them, hoping to learn the cultivators' true purpose and possibly discover leads on Nine Heavens Thunder 174. He eventually followed Xia Qianyu and the cultivators to Divine Martial City, where he continued to investigate 175. Later, after returning from the Return Ruins ancient battlefield, Lu Lin exchanged four Martial Dao Scourges—reducing his cultivation time by 60,000 years—and brought the Ape Clan members he had subdued back to the Blood Baleful Demon Sect 259. There, Luo Siqing had broken through to Thousand-Pattern Golden Core, and together they integrated the Ape Clan into the sect's forces, with Lu Lin's trust in Luo Siqing and her capacity for leadership now firmly established 259. Throughout this journey, Lu Lin evolved from a desperate miner into a strategic martial artist whose power and connections rivaled that of many immortal cultivators, all while remaining fiercely independent and cautious—a man who, despite his growing strength, still believed in the value of a steady pickaxe and a vein of spirit stones.

Power Progression

| Stage | Key Breakthroughs | Cultivation Time Used | Notable Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Body Tempering (Early–Peak) | Demonic Ape Blood Qi Art perfected to 10th layer; Iron Elephant Body and Diamond Art both raised to 10th level; Spirit Cat Art pushed to 9th layer; Flame Crane Blood Aura Art and Dragon Elephant Blood Aura Art cultivated to 10th layer; three additional martial arts (from spoils) taken to 10th layer. | ~500 years total (e.g., 240 years for Diamond Art alone from 6th to 9th peak 49; 70 years for Spirit Cat Art to 9th layer 28; ~60 years for Flame Crane & Dragon Elephant 58; 30 years for Demonic Ape 6th layer 20; 5 years for Demonic Ape 8th layer 35; 4 years for Diamond Art 4th→6th 32; various minor amounts). | Strength surpassed 30,000 jin (“three elephants”) 49; exceeded 40,000 jin limit 58; reached 50,000 jin (“five elephant strength”) 62; strength comparable to weakest Innate Blood Aura Realm 49; defeated a Qi Refining 8th-layer immortal cultivator 28 29; mastered “Savage Elephant Charge” killing move 36; killed two Green Duckweed Sword Sect cultivators 48. |
| Innate Blood Aura Realm (Early–Mid) | Broke through to mid-Innate stage; condensed 16 Blood Patterns; mastered “Demonic Ape Mountain-Crushing Palm” innate killing move to major mastery; later advanced to late Innate by achieving “Aura Solidification into Armor.” | 148 years for innate killing move to major mastery 73; 1 year (plus Blood Crystals) to reach 10th Blood Pattern 72; remainder of ~430 years used for late-Innate breakthrough 77. | Blood Aura power doubled; physical strength reached 100,000 jin 73; exceeded 50,000 jin earlier 62; accumulated 893 years of cultivation time in three months 64; stored time for future realms. |
| Martial Dao Golden Body (Early–Mid) | Achieved first Nirvana Golden Body using Phoenix Blood; severed five Life Locks; broke through to mid-stage Golden Body; cultivated Nine Heavens True Thunder Art to peak 6th level. | Half a day for first Nirvana Golden Body 241; 310 years of high-grade cultivation time for Nine Heavens True Thunder Art to peak 6th level 200; conversion of 21,000 years ordinary time into 1,050 years high-grade time 199. | Combat power comparable to Thousand-Pattern Golden Core; could exchange ordinary time to higher time at 20:1 ratio 199; absorbed three streams of Sun Essence and one Withered Fire Essence 242; after Nirvana, needed seven streams of Heaven and Earth Essence to reach mid-stage peak 242; accumulated 43,600 years ordinary + 6,520 years high-grade time before major expenditure 252. |
| Post–Golden Body (Late Stage) | Further breakthroughs (late Golden Body stage implied); relied on “Martial Dao Scourge” as third combat state; could contend with Golden Core Great Perfection powerhouses. | All savings exchanged for single “Martial Dao Scourge” (25,600 years ordinary time converted) 252. | Combat power recognized by Yuan Hong as “breathtaking”; capable of head-on clash with late–Golden Core Great Perfection 252; three states of combat power: ordinary, drawing on martial dao luck, and using “Martial Dao Scourge” 200. |

Abilities and Techniques

Martial Dao Melting Furnace

The Martial Dao Melting Furnace is a mystical artifact residing in Lu Lin's sea of consciousness that serves as the foundation of his cultivation. It converts spiritual energy—extracted from Spirit Stones, magic artifacts, ores, and other resources—into cultivation time, which Lu Lin can then expend to improve his martial arts, initiate killing moves, or unlock special skills. The furnace has levels; upgrading from the first to the second level required specific materials such as one hundred jin of Copper Essence and three Low-grade Spirit Stones. It also maintains an inner space for storage and displays a panel showing Lu Lin's cultivation time, techniques, and progress.

• Absorbs spiritual energy from Spirit Stones, magic artifacts, and ores to increase cultivation time 2 29 159 185
• Exchanges accumulated cultivation time for special martial skills like the "Martial Dao Scourge" 159
• Stores items in its inner space, allowing Lu Lin to manage resources and later convert them into time 38 200
• Provides a real-time panel showing cultivation time, martial arts, and killing moves status 73 38
• Requires specific materials (e.g., Copper Essence, Spirit Stones) to upgrade to a higher level; insufficient level limits access to certain functions 11
• Cultivation generation depends entirely on the quantity and quality of resources available; draining large amounts of time quickly can leave Lu Lin without reserves 168

Martial Dao Scourge

"Martial Dao Scourge" is a special martial skill unlocked when Lu Lin's ordinary cultivation time exceeded ten thousand years. It allows him to consume a set amount of cultivation time to triple the power of a single attack. The initial cost was one thousand years of ordinary cultivation time per Scourge, but this cost increased as Lu Lin's overall strength grew—rising to five thousand years after his breakthrough to the Golden Body realm, and later to fifteen thousand years after further advancement. Each Scourge can only be applied to one move, making it a trump card for decisive moments rather than a sustainable combat technique. Lu Lin can exchange multiple Scoutges at once, applying them to each hand or a sequence of attacks.

• Instantly triples the attack power of a single move, allowing Lu Lin to injure or kill opponents far above his cultivation level 159 214 248
• Can be used regardless of whether Lu Lin is drawing upon martial dao luck, providing a burst option even in his ordinary state 200
• Effectively breaks through high-level defenses, such as those of True Person Ming Gu or the combined Black Banner attack of Tiger Shadow and Dragon Shadow Daoists 215 234
• Can be stacked: Lu Lin has used multiple Scoutges simultaneously (one in each fist) for an overwhelming onslaught 248
• Consumption of cultivation time is extremely high; a single Scourge can drain thousands to tens of thousands of years, and the cost scales with Lu Lin's power 159 228 252
• Only amplifies one attack per Scourge; cannot be used to sustain a prolonged power boost 159
• Repository of cultivation time limits how many Scoutges Lu Lin can afford; even a fortune of tens of thousands of years can be depleted in a few exchanges 168 217
• Overuse may attract unwanted attention from powerful cultivators due to the massive energy burst 200

Killing Moves

Killing moves are martial techniques that integrate blood aura circulation, muscle exertion, and skeletal support specific to the practitioner's blood aura attribute. Lu Lin has mastered killing moves at both the Body Tempering and Innate levels. Body Tempering killing moves, such as Savage Elephant Charge and Spirit Cat Step, are quicker to learn but limited in power. Innate killing moves, like Demonic Ape Mountain-Crushing Palm, require mobilizing blood qi, tendons, bones, and blood aura simultaneously, demanding immense cultivation time to even reach entry level. Once fully mastered, they unleash devastating force. The complexity of innate killing moves is far greater—for example, it took Lu Lin three years just to initiate Demonic Ape Mountain-Crushing Palm, whereas a Body Tempering killing move took only half a year.

• Savage Elephant Charge: Condenses blood aura into a massive elephant form, used for a powerful rushing attack that can break through cultivator defenses 29 36 50
• Demonic Ape Mountain-Crushing Palm: An Innate-level palm strike carrying mountain-crushing force, capable of devastating damage when perfected 73
• Flame Crane Spreads Wings: A Body Tempering move that condenses blood wings for gliding and simultaneous offense/defense 58
• Lu Lin can execute different killing moves with each hand at the same time, demonstrating peak mastery of martial arts 155
• Cultivating killing moves to perfection requires dedicated cultivation time; Lu Lin spent 148 years to raise Demonic Ape Mountain-Crushing Palm to major mastery 73
• Body Tempering killing moves become obsolete once the practitioner reaches the Innate stage, as they cannot fully utilize Blood Aura's power 73
• Innate killing moves are attribute-specific; a practitioner of Demonic Ape Blood Aura cannot easily use killing moves from Flame Crane Blood Aura Art 149 73
• Time cost for innate killing moves is extremely steep; most martial artists would struggle to achieve even major mastery within their lifespans 73

Three States of Combat Power

Lu Lin categorizes his combat power into three distinct states. The first is his ordinary state—his baseline strength without any enhancements. The second state involves drawing upon his martial dao luck, which temporarily isolates the pervasive Immortal Dao Luck suppression and unleashes his full strength, but creates a noticeable disturbance that can attract powerful cultivators. The third state uses "Martial Dao Scourge" augmentation, which can be applied in either the ordinary or the luck-drawing state to triple the power of an attack. Lu Lin considers the luck-drawing state risky and prefers to rely on Scourge augmentation when possible, as it provides similar power without exposing his martial dao fortune.

• Ordinary state: Suitable for low-intensity combat, conserving both cultivation time and martial dao luck 200
• Drawing upon martial dao luck: Enables Lu Lin to fight at full strength in environments saturated with Immortal Dao Luck, such as outside the Martial Hills; his combat power becomes comparable to a late Golden Core great True Person 200 234 252
• Martial Dao Scourge augmentation: Provides a threefold power increase even in the ordinary state, roughly matching the luck-drawing state, but consumes cultivation time per strike 200
• Combining both luck and Scourge yields the highest burst, capable of matching mid-stage Golden Core cultivators 200 214
• Drawing upon martial dao luck produces a resonance that can be sensed by powerful cultivators, such as True Person Xuankong, posing a risk of attracting unwanted attention 200 226
• Scourge augmentation is extremely costly; each use drains thousands of years of cultivation time, making it unsustainable 200
• Ordinary state is significantly weaker than the other two, making it ineffective against Golden Core or strong Foundation Establishment opponents 200

Relationships

• Lu Lin and Luo Siqing: Their relationship evolves from a master–subordinate dynamic to a partnership built on mutual benefit and trust. Initially, Luo Siqing interrogates Lu Lin, deducing his hidden cultivation level and talent, and offers him resources to advance 34. After a fierce battle that ends in a stalemate, Luo Siqing proposes cooperation, and the two form a Heart Demon Oath to ensure trust 52 53. Luo Siqing later shields Lu Lin in battle, calling him a “seedling to be nurtured” 45, and rewards him generously for his progress 36. Over time, they manage sect affairs together, with Luo Siqing relying on Lu Lin to defend the sect against Golden Core cultivators 260 261. Luo Siqing’s investment in Lu Lin’s growth reflects her high regard for his potential.

• Lu Lin and Xia Qianyu: They encounter each other as enemies when Lu Lin’s group attacks her party, but their shared history leads to a different outcome. Xia Qianyu recognizes Lu Lin’s sword technique and vouches for him to the immortal cultivators who had captured him, demonstrating her loyalty and trust 173 174. Their relationship underscores a bond that transcends their temporary adversarial roles.

• Lu Lin and Yuan Long: A sparring match arranged by Luo Siqing reveals the gap in their martial understanding. Yuan Long, a sixth-year disciple at the peak of Demonic Ape Palm, is defeated by Lu Lin’s superior killing move and comprehension 36. The match forces Yuan Long to acknowledge Lu Lin’s superior talent, marking a shift in status within the sect’s martial hierarchy.

• Lu Lin and Fang Hong / Lan Zhu: As fellow exclusive guards under Luo Siqing, they share camaraderie and cooperate in battle. Fang Hong and Lan Zhu deliver Lu Lin’s exclusive equipment—Blood Demon Battle Armor, Blood Demon Blade, and Dark Blood Steel arrows—and join him in defending Luo Siqing from a black-clad assassin 36 41. Their teamwork highlights the loyalty and brotherhood among the guards.

• Lu Lin and Luo Sijun: Lu Lin accepts Luo Sijun as his disciple, teaching her the top-tier Xiantian martial art Mysterious Underworld Cold Flood Dragon Blood Aura Art. Under his guidance, she progresses rapidly, reaching the third level of Body Tempering in three years, and Lu Lin feels pride in her accomplishments 205. The master–disciple relationship showcases Lu Lin’s role as a mentor.

• Luo Siqing and Tuoba Feng: Tuoba Feng acts as the sect master of the Blood Baleful Demon Sect, working under Luo Siqing’s command. He demonstrates competence in arranging the relocation of the Ape Clan and leading defenses, while Luo Siqing handles high-level strategic decisions and confrontations 260. Their interaction reflects a hierarchical yet cooperative partnership within the sect hierarchy.

• Lu Lin and Yu Qing: Yu Qing, an immortal cultivator from Yu God Palace, relentlessly pursues Lu Lin after he escapes from Wuji City. Yu Qing meets with a Wuji Sect elder to coordinate efforts to capture Lu Lin, even planning to infiltrate a secret realm with his elites to trap him 222. This adversarial relationship drives much of the tension in the story, with Lu Lin constantly evading capture through disguise and cunning.

• Lu Lin and the Black-Clad Assassin (Dong Chuan): During an assassination attempt on Luo Siqing, Lu Lin engages the assassin, using his archery skills to delay him. Dong Chuan realizes Lu Lin’s strength exceeds the tenth level of Body Tempering and prioritizes eliminating him, but Lu Lin lures him away, allowing Luo Siqing to break through and defeat them 41 42. Their clash highlights Lu Lin’s strategic thinking and hidden capabilities.