Mo Tao

Biodata

Power Progression

History

Rise in the Imperial World

Mo Tao established his reputation at a banquet celebrating a young Black Tortoise five years before Zheng's confrontation with Fu Yuan. Arriving uninvited, he broke the Black Tortoise's renowned defenses and defeated it in three hundred moves at the same realm. His other reported exploits included fighting a True Dragon and facing a White Tiger and Zhu Yan alone, earning him recognition as a rival to human imperial scions 17.

After the World Road had been open for half a year, Mo Tao was counted among the prodigies who had advanced through their respective roads without meeting a worthy opponent. His followers later publicly proclaimed that he would suppress Dugu Baitian's Chaos Physique; no battle between them is documented in the supplied account 25 31.

Conflict with Fu Yuan

The feud began when Zheng invoked Mo Tao's protection while facing defeat in the Lone Lamp Pavilion. Fu Yuan dismissed the threat and captured Zheng, later telling Mo Tao's clone that he had killed the follower 17 37.

Mo Tao's clone confronted Fu Yuan inside the Three-Demon Formation alongside pure-blooded beasts, demon envoys, demon generals, and hundreds of puppets. Fu Yuan destroyed the Iron Puppet King, broke the formation's first core, and survived the detonation of 180 fire and poison puppets without injury 37 38.

After Fu Yuan killed the twenty-six demon envoys and two demon generals, Mo Tao proposed an alliance against Dugu Baitian. He offered a choice of powerful constitutions, including Supreme Bone, Five Spirit Body, Yin-Yang Eyes, Cold Heaven Veins, and Human King Blood. Fu Yuan rejected the offer, and the clone withdrew rather than fight him directly 39.

Mo Tao watched without intervening as his remaining followers were killed. When Fu Yuan finally attacked the avatar, it dispersed into black Qi to escape. Fu Yuan's Double Pupils isolated the area and erased the demonic Qi, destroying the avatar before it could warn the main body 40.

Dragon-Phoenix Cave and Heaven-Ascending Tower

Meanwhile, Mo Tao's main body hunted Bai Su and an Azure Luan in the Dragon-Phoenix Cave with companions. Through his avatar's images, he became fascinated by Fu Yuan's physique and decided to devour him after finishing the hunt 39 40.

Ao Jue interrupted the hunt and forced the group to retreat. Mo Tao acknowledged that Chen's methods, together with something restraining Ao Jue, had prevented their deaths. Rather than abandon his ambitions, he expressed excitement at the prospect of eventually devouring Ao Jue, Jian Wushuang, and Dugu Baitian 49.

Mo Tao subsequently waited near the Heaven-Ascending Tower with Zhu Xiaotian and Chen Qiusheng to ambush Fu Yuan and Fu Feng. His attempt to consume Fu Yuan's sword intent failed, forcing him to defend himself with a battleaxe formed from Demonic Qi and Devouring Qi. The three allies attacked together, but Fu Yuan's tenth-grade bloodline and Chaos Splitting the Heavens phenomenon left them trembling and unable to advance. Mo Tao's ultimate fate is not shown in the provided chapters 48 49 50.

Appearance

• Clone: Appears as a black, Taotie-shaped figure surrounded by towering demon flames 37.
• Eyes: His clone's eyes are described as pitch-black and cold 39.
• Demonic presence: His arrival near the Heaven-Ascending Tower is heralded by surging black Qi; in battle, he manifests the imposing appearance of a dark demon god 48 49.

Personality

Mo Tao values victory over honor and willingly employs underhanded methods. Unlike an emperor's son who might stake everything on pride, he accepts retreat when necessary and relies on formations, puppets, allies, and expendable avatars to pursue his goals 38 39 49.

He treats followers as disposable. Their pleas and deaths leave him unmoved, and he compares them to stronger ants rather than valued companions. Even while Fu Yuan destroys his forces, Mo Tao focuses on identifying the powerful physique he hopes to consume 39 40.

His ambition centers on devouring exceptional beings to surpass his predecessors. He enjoys hunting prey and responds to stronger rivals with greed and excitement, although Fu Yuan's revealed phenomenon ultimately strips away his arrogance 39 40 49 50.

Abilities & Skills

Devouring Arts

Mo Tao uses Devouring Qi to consume power and seeks exceptional prey to advance his devil art 39 49.

• Attempts to convert incoming sword intent into Spiritual Qi to replenish himself 49.
• Believes devouring Fu Yuan would make it unnecessary to keep avoiding Ao Jue 40.
• Limit: Cannot devour Fu Yuan's Imperial Dao sword intent and must switch to active defense 49.

Demonic Qi Manipulation

Mo Tao shapes Demonic Qi into large-scale attacks and combines it with Devouring Qi 49.

• Creates a black hand several hundred meters across to attack Fu Yuan and Fu Feng 49.
• Condenses Demonic Qi and Devouring Qi into his Devouring Battleaxe 49 50.

Soul-Based Avatar

His documented avatar is refined from a million living souls fused with demonic Qi. Although only at the fourth level of Nirvana, it possesses strength disproportionate to its cultivation 37 40.

• Sends images back to the main body, allowing Mo Tao to observe distant battles 40.
• Disperses into numerous wisps of black Qi to flee 40.
• Limits: Considerably weaker than his main body; vulnerable to the purifying power of Fu Yuan's Double Pupils 38 40.
• Cannot contact the main body once Fu Yuan's Double Pupils isolate the surrounding area 40.

Three-Demon Formation

Mo Tao deploys his clone within a layered formation supported by eight Spirit-Seizing Flags 37.

• First layer: Uses demonic mist, masses of demon souls, and regenerating demon-dragon spirits to bewilder and exhaust opponents 37.
• Second layer: Confines those inside through a separate core involving space 37.
• Limit: Fu Yuan's Double Pupils see through the obscuring mist and locate the first core 37.

Demonic Mark Tracking

• Senses the approach of living beings marked by Demonic Qi, detecting his intended prey while they are still less than ten li away 49.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Devouring Battleaxe / Devouring Greataxe — A weapon condensed from Demonic Qi and Devouring Qi rather than identified as a separate artifact. Used to resist Fu Yuan's sword attacks and deliver powerful overhead strikes 49 50.
• Eight Spirit-Seizing Flags — Sustain the layered Three-Demon Formation and release its demonic mist and spirits 37.

Relationships

• Fu Yuan — Enemy and intended prey. Their feud begins with Zheng's death; Fu Yuan later destroys Mo Tao's avatar and confronts his main body 17 37 40 49.
• Zheng — Follower who unsuccessfully invokes Mo Tao's reputation to deter Fu Yuan 17.
• Nine-Headed Lion — Subordinate who coordinates the formation ambush. Ultimately realizes Mo Tao has no intention of saving his followers 37 40.
• Chen Qiusheng — Hunting partner, Carefree Manor inheritor, and the man Mo Tao addresses as “Brother Chen.” His methods help the group escape Ao Jue 40 49 50.
• Zhu Xiaotian — Ally in the Dragon-Phoenix Cave hunt and the ambush near the Heaven-Ascending Tower 48 49.
• Ao Jue — Rival whom Mo Tao initially avoids. Forces Mo Tao's hunting party to retreat from the Dragon-Phoenix Cave 40 49.
• Dugu Baitian — Rival and proposed assassination target. Mo Tao seeks Fu Yuan's cooperation against him, while his followers boast that Mo Tao can defeat the Chaos Physique 31 39.