Tan Lin

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Tan Lin (谭霖)
Alias(es)	Human Emperor
Species/Race	Human; a reincarnator who has lived three human lives 1 38
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Founder and former sovereign of the Human Emperor Hall; master of Li Qingjue 1 7
Occupation/Role	Cultivator, former Dao Attainer, and Human Emperor
Status	Alive; his incomplete true soul has been largely restored, but he is preparing another reincarnation to recover its final missing fragment 47
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Below Saint Realm	1	In his first life, cultivated the Lunar Scripture but could not advance into the Saint Realm.
Below Quasi-Emperor	1	In his second life, cultivated the Solar Scripture through a faint Solar Body bloodline but failed to cross the Quasi-Emperor threshold.
Peak Quasi-Emperor	1	In his third life, was born with the Human King Battle Body, created the Yin-Yang Divine Millstone, founded the Human Emperor Hall, and reached the realm’s peak by age 3,000.
Dao Attainer / Human Emperor	1 2 19	Survived the Dao-Proving Tribulation and became known as the sole figure to cultivate both Lunar and Solar paths and attain the Dao; he was immediately ambushed while weakened.
Immortal Platform, Level One Primordial Spirit	4	Drew upon residual Dao marks to reconstruct an incomplete primordial spirit while remaining bodiless.
Great Sage-level Primordial Spirit	19	The artifact spirit within Tianling’s painting merged with him, rapidly strengthening his primordial spirit.
Temporary Great Saint Body	22 23	Used an incomplete Great Saint-level primordial spirit and vast regional essence energy to create a fragile body without an origin.
Restored Human Emperor Battle Strength	40	Linked with the Human Emperor Banner and his old Dao marks, temporarily reconstructing his soul and former power.
Near Primordial Era Peak	42 43	Merged the banner’s largest soul fragment, sacrificed his former Dao traces, and rebuilt a new body capable of confronting Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable’s true body.

Background / History

Tan Lin’s first life ended without reaching the Saint Realm despite cultivating the Lunar Scripture. He spent thousands of years gathering resources and karmic energy for the All-Causes Soul Pearl, then used it to reincarnate. His second life focused on the Solar Scripture and a faint Solar Body bloodline, but likewise ended below the Quasi-Emperor Realm. 1

In his third life, Tan Lin was born with the Human King Battle Body. By combining Lunar and Solar forces through the Yin-Yang Divine Millstone, he transformed his physique and rose to the peak of the Quasi-Emperor Realm. He founded the Human Emperor Hall in the Central Region of the Big Dipper, led humanity against foreign races, and became the Human Emperor. 1

During the era of the Human Emperor Hall’s campaigns, Tan Lin captured the daughter of an ancient emperor after defeating her invading force. His subordinates sent her to his chambers without his direction, beginning a relationship that developed from hostility and captivity into a deep karmic attachment. 1 19

At age 3,600, Tan Lin attempted to prove the Dao. He survived the tribulation, deterred Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable’s attempt to possess him, and was then struck by the Undying Heavenly Emperor. To escape, he dismantled his body, cultivation, Dao Fruit, blood, primordial spirit, and true soul through the All-Causes Soul Pearl. Only a remnant soul and his crucial memories survived; he halted the incomplete reincarnation rather than risk losing himself to the mystery of the womb. 2

After an unknown period in the void, his remnant soul awakened within a bronze ring associated with the young Nannan. Her future as the Female Emperor and their rapidly strengthening causal bond supplied the energy he needed to restore himself. 2 4

Appearance

Tan Lin most often appears as a translucent remnant-soul phantom emerging from the bronze ring. Even in this incomplete state, his bearing is unmistakably imperial. 8

• Tall and straight-backed, with an aura likened to one standing above the eternal starry sky. 8
• Sword-like brows and deep, star-filled eyes. 8
• Crimson mist coils around his manifested soul. 8
• His reassembling primordial spirit shines from within his phantom body. 8
• When acting publicly as the Human Emperor, his face is concealed beneath imperial bearing and lingering Imperial Path charm. 44

Personality

Tan Lin is calculating, patient, and intensely pragmatic. His three lives of failure and reincarnation taught him to prioritize survival, concealment, and preparation over direct confrontation. He freely acknowledges that greed and hesitation during his Dao-Proving attempt were central to his downfall. 2

As a teacher, he is severe by design. He provokes Li Qingjue with cutting remarks, forces her to confront pain and fear, and frames their bond as a transaction. Yet he also protects her from threats she cannot handle, improves her cultivation methods, tends to her practical needs, and refuses to let her die pointlessly. 6 11 12

Tan Lin’s conduct as the Human Emperor reveals a broader sense of responsibility. He rebuilt humanity’s strength in the Primordial Era, refuses to blame later generations for surviving under the restricted areas’ pressure, and grants the Human Emperor Hall’s members the freedom to leave rather than demanding obedience. 1 45 46

Abilities & Skills

All-Causes Soul Pearl

The All-Causes Soul Pearl preserves Tan Lin’s memories across lives, gathers energy through karmic connections, and is the foundation of his reincarnation and survival.

• Preserved his crucial memories when his body, sea of consciousness, and soul were destroyed. 2
• Can dismantle his body, Dao Fruit, essence blood, primordial spirit, and soul for reincarnation. 2
• Its transformed form can preserve Dao Fruits from multiple lifetimes. 10
• Its power is fueled by Causal Points and Deep Crimson Light Points, which are limited and rapidly consumed by stronger techniques. 23 39

All-Cause Vision

All-Cause Vision allows Tan Lin to perceive causality threads, their Anchor Points, and the connections linking people, institutions, enemies, and locations.

• Tracks the Human Emperor Hall, his scattered soul fragments, and hostile threads connected to restricted zones. 2 6
• Detects changes in Li Qingjue’s causal connection to him and uses them to measure the Soul Pearl’s recovery. 12 16
• Lets him monitor Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable’s Dao Body from concealment. 33
• Can reveal distant secrets, including the Undying Heavenly Emperor’s nirvana location and the Undying Daoist’s activity inside the Human Emperor Hall. 38

Causality Concealment

Tan Lin developed several techniques that hide his existence from divine sense, karma, formations, and even memory.

• Inverted All-Causes Vision conceals his karmic traces and can prevent enemy detection. 6 22
• Reverse · All-Causality Vision removed him from the perception of the Profound Firmament Nine Truths Soul-Slaying Formation and erased the painting deity’s memory of him. 20
• All Causes Barrier conceals aura, karma, and movement; it allowed him to infiltrate restricted zones and Human Emperor Hall. 8 23 40
• The barrier’s concealment weakens as his temporary body moves farther from his true soul, and high-level applications consume Deep Crimson Light Points. 23

Lunar, Solar, and Yin-Yang Dao

Tan Lin’s primary cultivation path combines the Lunar Scripture and Solar Scripture through the Yin-Yang Divine Millstone.

• Created the Yin-Yang Divine Millstone to harmonize Lunar and Solar forces during his third life. 1
• Uses Yin-Yang Upheaval, Grand Millstone Grinds the Heavens against Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable’s temporal arts. 42
• Can manifest Lunar and Solar Holy Emperor phantoms and a Yin-Yang Millstone through his former Dao marks. 40
• His Yin-Yang Mill Scripture is the only known surviving method capable of cultivating both paths, though he considers it incomplete and warns others not to immerse themselves in it. 23 45

Reincarnation and Soul Restoration

Tan Lin’s current existence is sustained by a remnant soul, recovered soul fragments, and borrowed or reconstructed bodies.

• His largest true-soul fragment was stored in the Human Emperor Banner. 40 42
• Recovered scattered fragments across the Big Dipper before returning to Li Qingjue after more than a year apart. 35
• Reconstructed a temporary body by gathering the Central Region’s essence energy, though it immediately began cracking due to its lack of origin and bloodline foundation. 23
• Intends to reincarnate again after laying foundations, while leaving the final soul fragment in the Sea of Reincarnation for a future recovery. 47

Source Arts

Tan Lin possesses source-art attainments accumulated over three lifetimes.

• Uses Source Arts to interpret terrain, Dragon Veins, restrictions, and hidden passages. 25 32
• Opened a concealed restriction by creating a precise source-art “key” instead of breaking it by force. 32
• His mastery is stated to surpass the Source Heavenly Masters of later generations. 32

Mentorship and Cultivation Analysis

Tan Lin is an exceptional instructor capable of identifying flaws in cultivation methods and tailoring techniques to the practitioner.

• Exposed the Devouring Source Scripture as a trap designed to turn practitioners into harvestable “treasure medicine.” 7
• Helped Li Qingjue revise the scripture into a personalized path while warning her against foreign wills and Dao imprints. 11 36
• Taught Li Qingjue literacy, ancient scripts, cultivation basics, combat control, and the Quieting Spirit Mantra. 8 12 36
• Supplied Suiren Lianlei with the missing portion of her Human King Body tempering method and a restricted Yin-Yang Mill Scripture fragment. 44 45

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• All-Causes Soul Pearl — His core treasure; stores his memories, accumulates karmic energy, enables reincarnation, and powers his causality techniques. 2 10
• Bronze Ring — The vessel through which his remnant soul remains attached to Li Qingjue. 2 8
• Human Emperor Banner — His former battle banner, containing the largest fragment of his true soul and the heroic spirits of his old soldiers; later entrusted to Suiren Hong for the future Female Emperor. 40 46
• Painting of Tianling — An ancient artifact from his hidden palace; its artifact spirit strengthened Tan Lin’s primordial spirit, and he later retained the scroll for study. 19 39
• Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree seed branch — Stolen from Undying Mountain and preserved for his next life. 24 33
• Hidden cultivation cache — Includes mutated Nine Nether Soul-Returning Grass, Medicine Kings, Dragon-Patterned Black Gold, Sub-Divine Gold, Divine Source, and other materials concealed in a Dragon Vein Node. 23 24 33

Relationships

• Li Qingjue / Nannan — His formally accepted disciple and the future Female Emperor. Their relationship began as an explicit exchange—her aid in restoring his soul for his teachings and protection—but developed into profound mutual attachment. 7 12 35 38
• Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable — Long-standing enemy who tried to possess Tan Lin after his Dao-Proving Tribulation and later pursued the secret of his survival. Tan Lin destroyed Xiaoyao’s Dao Body and fought his true body to a standstill. 2 42 43
• Undying Heavenly Emperor / Undying Daoist — The hidden enemy responsible for the decisive strike that shattered Tan Lin’s body and soul. Their conflict later continued through traps within Human Emperor Hall and Tan Lin’s interference with the Undying Emperor’s nirvana. 1 2 40 41
• Tianling — An ancient emperor’s daughter whom Tan Lin captured during war and later became deeply entangled with. Her apparent death haunted him until he found her preserved body, though her primordial spirit was missing. 1 19 22 32
• Suiren Lianlei — A Human King Body cultivator whom Tan Lin instructs not to imitate his path blindly; he repairs her incomplete body-tempering method and grants her limited access to the Yin-Yang Mill Scripture. 44 45
• Duan Jixian, Guo Ziqian, Pang Ya, and the old Human Emperor Hall generals — Former soldiers and generals who remained loyal across a million years. Their reunion with Tan Lin is one of his few openly emotional moments. 45 46
• Dongfang Taiyi — The Human Demon who once joined the Human Emperor Hall and went mad while cultivating Lunar and Solar arts. Tan Lin releases and reseals him to preserve his future. 47
• Stone Emperor — A Supreme Being of Undying Mountain whose territory Tan Lin repeatedly infiltrates, steals from, and eventually cuts apart to prepare a secret realm for the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree. 24 47 48
• Undying Heavenly Empress — A hostile but cautious counterpart. Tan Lin deliberately revealed himself to her in Ancient Emperor Mountain and used the Undying Heavenly Emperor’s unborn offspring as an implicit warning. 26

Story Role / Major Arcs

Rise of the Human Emperor

Tan Lin’s third life transforms him from a reincarnating cultivator into humanity’s leading defender. He founds the Human Emperor Hall, unites human strength against foreign races, and attempts Dao attainment after millennia of preparation. 1

Fall, Remnant Soul, and Awakening

His Dao-Proving success is followed by Xiaoyao Heavenly Venerable’s possession attempt and the Undying Heavenly Emperor’s ambush. Tan Lin’s escape leaves him as an incomplete remnant soul trapped in the All-Causes Soul Pearl until he awakens beside Nannan. 1 2

Master of Li Qingjue

Tan Lin recognizes Nannan’s future potential, reveals the Devouring Source Scripture’s hidden danger, and accepts her as his disciple after offering an honest but dangerous contract. He renames her Li Qingjue and begins reshaping her into a cultivator capable of surviving the world’s cruelty. 6 7 11 12

Recovery of Soul Fragments

While Li Qingjue trains and enters the Immortal Palace, Tan Lin recovers fragments of his true soul, explores his former underground palace, acquires Great Sage-level primordial-spirit strength, and evades the Human Emperor Hall’s soul-slaying formation. 19 20 22

Raids on Forbidden Lands

Tan Lin creates a temporary body, infiltrates Undying Mountain, steals rare medicines and metals, and takes the nirvanic Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree branch despite provoking the Stone Emperor. He later enters Ancient Emperor Mountain, gathers divine liquid, and tests the Undying lineage’s response. 23 24 25 26

Return of the Human Emperor

Tan Lin infiltrates Human Emperor Hall, claims the Human Emperor Banner, merges its soul fragment, and temporarily restores his former battle strength. He uses deception to drive away the Undying Daoist, destroys Xiaoyao’s Dao Body, and forces Xiaoyao’s true body to retreat after a star-shattering battle. 40 41 42 43

Legacy and the Next Life

Before beginning another reincarnation, Tan Lin guides the Human King lineage, reunites with his surviving generals, relocates the Human Emperor Hall’s people, entrusts the Human Emperor Banner to Suiren Hong, rescues Dongfang Taiyi, and prepares resources and a refuge for his next lifetime. 44 45 46 47

Notable Quotes

“I will teach you supreme methods, help you uncover the mysteries in this booklet, set you upon the true path of cultivation, and give you the strength to take revenge...” 7

“Determination is a good thing. But if you treat suffering as the norm, that is stupidity. If there is a shortcut, why not take it?” 11

“True strength lies within oneself.” 18