Elder Yao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yao Chen 42
Alias(es)	Elder Yao; Venerable Yao; Saint Yao; Continent's Foremost Alchemist 42 586
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Starfall Pavilion; later the Four Pavilions 564 586
Occupation/Role	Alchemist, Pavilion Master, master of Xiao Yan 451 564
Status	Alive; resurrected into a physical body 284
First Appearance	Chapter 42: “Exchange” 42

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Soul body; roughly Two-Star Dou Sect strength	132	Manifested from Xiao Yan's body with an aura assessed at approximately Two-Star Dou Sect.
Soul body; not weaker than Five-Star Dou Sect strength	239	His soul recovered substantially through medicinal resources acquired in trades.
Physical body restored; glimpsed the Half-Saint threshold	284	Lin Yuan revived him using the Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill, eighth-tier magical-beast essence blood, and three Heavenly Flames.
Half-Saint	557	Had been a Half-Saint for several years and possessed the strength and reputation to be considered for a major anti–Hall of Souls role.
Near High-Level Half-Saint	564	Was close to advancing to the High-Level Half-Saint stage.
Dou Saint	586	Used the Fire Saint Origin Mirror and Mysterious Spirit Saint Yuan Pill to rise from Peak Intermediate Half-Saint to the Dou Saint realm.

Background / History

Yao Chen was once known as the Continent's Foremost Alchemist. After his fall decades earlier, he survived as a soul body and remained concealed alongside Xiao Yan, emerging through the Bone Flame Ring when necessary. His fall created an irreconcilable enmity with the Hall of Souls, while Han Feng and Old Man Mu Gu were also among the enemies he sought to settle accounts with. 42 412 557

Without a body, he could only display Dou Sect-level strength and had to avoid exposing himself to powerful factions that might covet his possessions. This vulnerability became especially dangerous after the Hall of Souls began tracking his movements following an incident in the Tagor Great Desert. 106 222

As Xiao Yan's master, Yao Chen provided the Flame Mantra, protection, cultivation instruction, and access to opportunities far beyond Xiao Yan's original station. He viewed Lin Yuan's rise as a useful spur for his proud disciple, encouraging Xiao Yan to treat their rivalry as motivation rather than discouragement. 3 150

Yao Chen relied on trades with Lin Yuan to gather resources, pill formulas, intelligence, and methods needed for his restoration. Lin Yuan ultimately fulfilled their agreement by reconstructing Yao Chen's body, allowing him to return to alchemy and reclaim his former strength. 138 283 284

After returning to the Central Plains, Yao Chen became a central figure in Starfall Pavilion and prepared Xiao Yan to succeed as its Young Pavilion Master. He later expanded his influence through the Four Pavilions, building the resources and connections necessary to confront both the Hall of Souls and the Yao Clan. 263 451 586

Personality

Yao Chen is deeply devoted to alchemy for its own sake. Unlike alchemists motivated primarily by profit, he finds genuine enjoyment in the process of pill refinement and was eager to resume it once his body was restored. 286

He is a demanding but attentive teacher. He calibrates Xiao Yan's training to the disciple's current foundation, restrains him from attempting soul techniques prematurely, and uses both praise and rivalry to sustain his ambition. 150 245

His affection for Xiao Yan is one of his clearest traits. He takes pride in every breakthrough his disciple achieves, treats attacks on Xiao Yan as personal provocations, and reacts fiercely when Yao Wangui steals Xiao Yan's Wind Fury Dragon Flame. 451 645

Though generally easygoing among trusted friends, Yao Chen is cautious when dealing with enemies and secrets. His years as a hunted soul body taught him to limit exposure, assess threats carefully, and prioritize Xiao Yan's safety over pride. 133 150 222

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Yao Chen is an elite alchemist whose reputation as the Continent's Foremost Alchemist persists even after his resurrection.

• Refined three pills from a single furnace after regaining his body. 287
• Assisted Lin Yuan in refining the Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill, gathering spiritual energy with the Righteous One Soul Technique. 245
• Jointly refined the Ninth-Grade Mysterious Spirit Saint Yuan Pill with Lin Yuan, preparing five sets of ingredients to maximize the attempt's chance of success. 566 568
• His pill refinement and knowledge of high-grade formulas became a major source of Starfall Pavilion's influence and resources. 451

Spirit Ascension Method

The Spirit Ascension Method is Yao Chen's signature secret art for raising a pill's sentience.

• Can forcibly elevate a medicinal pill's sentience, a decisive advantage in refining high-level pills. 609
• Requires exceptional flame control and soul power; Yao Chen himself used it sparingly because of its demands. 609
• Passed the technique to Xiao Yan for the Pill Convention, enabling his disciple to refine an Eighth-Grade Seven-Colored Medicinal Pill. 609 634

Soul Techniques

Before his resurrection, Yao Chen's soul was both his survival mechanism and his primary means of combat and protection.

• Formed barriers around Xiao Yan's residence to isolate it from outside observation. 150
• Used soul perception to survey threats and detect changes in the Fallen Heart Flame's aura. 214
• Cultivated the Righteous One Soul Technique to draw in and gather spiritual energy. 245
• Taught Xiao Yan that soul cultivation required sufficient Dou Qi and soul foundations before attempting to sense spiritual energy. 245

Heavenly Flames and Fire Arts

Yao Chen possesses the Bone Chilling Flame, a signature Heavenly Flame recognizable enough to expose his identity. 42

• Helped Xiao Yan cultivate and combine flames through the Flame Mantra. 3 132
• Improved the Fire Lotus Technique and gave Xiao Yan a revised version for controlled multi-flame practice. 206
• Considered the Bone Chilling Flame personally significant and struggled with Lin Yuan's offer to trade it. 613

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Master and disciple. Yao Chen gave Xiao Yan the Flame Mantra, trained him in alchemy and soul cultivation, and repeatedly risked himself to protect him. 3 451 645
• Lin Yuan — Long-term trading partner and ally. Lin Yuan supplied information and resources, revived Yao Chen, and later joined him in Ninth-Grade pill refinement. 133 284 566
• Venerable Feng — Old friend and close ally. Feng brought Yao Chen and Xiao Yan to the Central Plains and supported Yao Chen's restoration and return to Starfall Pavilion. 253 263
• Ling Ying — Trusted associate who provided intelligence concerning the Xiao Clan and coordinated protection efforts around Xiao Yan. 150 153
• Han Feng — Former disciple and hated enemy. Yao Chen investigated Han Feng after his resurrection and regarded his betrayal as a grievance that required settlement. 412
• Yao Wangui — Yao Clan adversary. Yao Wangui publicly humiliated and injured Yao Chen, then stole Xiao Yan's Wind Fury Dragon Flame. 624 645

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Jia Ma Empire and the Three-Year Agreement — Yao Chen negotiates with Lin Yuan for protection during Xiao Yan's confrontation with the Misty Cloud Sect, offering pill formulas, secret techniques, and information in return. 133 155
• Xiao Clan Crisis — After learning that the Hall of Souls targeted the Xiao Clan, he works with Ling Ying and Lin Yuan to investigate, relocate survivors, erase their traces, and keep Xiao Yan out of immediate danger. 150 170 171
• Journey to the Central Plains — Reunites with Venerable Feng, leaves Jia Nan Academy with Xiao Yan, and begins preparing Xiao Yan for a larger role in Starfall Pavilion. 253 263
• Resurrection — Supplies materials and cooperates with Lin Yuan in the creation of a new body, finally ending his long existence as a soul body. 283 284
• Starfall Pavilion Expansion — Leads the pavilion's rise, sends Xiao Yan to develop relationships and gain experience, and builds the strength needed for future conflict with the Hall of Souls and Yao Clan. 451 586
• Pill Convention Conflict — Supports Xiao Yan's use of the Spirit Ascension Method against the Yao Clan, witnesses his disciple's Eighth-Grade Seven-Colored pill, and suffers public humiliation at Yao Wangui's hands. 609 634 624
• Rise to Dou Saint — Uses the Mysterious Spirit Saint Yuan Pill and Fire Saint Origin Mirror to break into the Dou Saint realm, solidifying his standing as Saint Yao. 586

Notable Quotes

“Return my disciple... to me!” 645