Nie Yannian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Nie Yannian (聂延年)
Alias(es)	Master Nie; Teacher Nie
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Prince Xin's Royal Residence; formerly the Demon Suppression Division 10 27
Occupation/Role	Martial-arts instructor; mentor to Meng Yuan
Status	Deceased; mortally wounded at the city gate and died after revealing his Heavenly Mystery Divine Power 261
First Appearance	Chapter 10

Background / History

Nie Yannian served in the Demon Suppression Division before leaving its employ. His experience there included demon-slaying work such as skinning and dismembering, skills he says had not diminished after his departure 24 27.

At Prince Xin's Royal Residence, he oversaw a training field for youths. He initially gave only brief demonstrations and left the trainees to practice without close supervision, treating the position more like routine work than formal discipleship 10. After returning from an absence, he culled sixteen underperforming trainees and retained eleven, then taught the survivors the Embracing Stake Nourishing Essence Art to prepare them for opening acupoints 13 14.

Meng Yuan's rapid progress changed Nie's investment in the training field. He confirmed Meng's first opened acupoint, explained the ranked Martial Path and the Three Heavens, appointed Meng senior brother over the other trainees, and personally gave him further instruction 16 17. He later rewarded Meng with better lodging and rations, taught him saber and movement techniques, and arranged opportunities for him to earn merit and enter the Demon Suppression Division 18 20 61 93 94.

Nie led Meng Yuan and Ren Debiao in investigating the Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly. There, he fought and defeated the Seventh Rank Buddhist demon Great Tail Venerable before pursuing the fleeing demons with his companions 23 25. He remained a trusted adviser as Meng rose through the ranks, repeatedly emphasizing cultivation, caution in officialdom, and the importance of remembering one's roots 90 93 113.

He eventually accepted Meng as his son-in-law and continued using his connections to protect and advance him, including asking his former student Lin Yan to accompany Meng's party 203 206. During the crisis in the capital, Nie remained loyal to the Ying Family even while badly injured, declaring that he should die before Third Miss Ying RuShi if he could not die before Old Ying or Young Ying 254. Meng later found him mortally wounded at the city gate; Nie revealed Gain Age Add Years before dying 261.

Personality

Nie Yannian is vulgar, teasing, and conspicuously lazy in ordinary instruction. He regularly arrives late, lounges while students train, and turns even serious conversations toward crude jokes 16 20. His apparent indifference does not extend to students with promise: he closely observes talent, rewards diligence, and gives detailed personal guidance once he decides someone is worth cultivating 17 18 46.

He values endurance, self-reliance, and practical survival over empty bravado. He urges students to work harder than those born into powerful families, cautions Meng that retreating for reinforcements is sometimes the right choice, and teaches that higher realms matter more than temporary status 17 61 113. Beneath his mockery, he is protective of Meng Yuan, proud of his achievements, and deeply loyal to the Ying Family 28 103 261.

Abilities & Skills

Seventh Rank Martial Cultivation

Nie Yannian is a Seventh Rank Martial Practitioner, capable of overwhelming opponents of the same rank through martial skill and True Qi 25.

• Demonstrated precise force control by kicking a thirty-jin stone lock into the air and shattering it with a single punch as it fell 13.
• Possesses a strong understanding of the Martial Path, including the Ninety-Nine Acupoints, the Upper, Middle, and Lower Three Heavens, True Qi, Jade Liquid, and the Ascension Three Stages 17 44 90.
• Explains that Martial Practitioners often excel in close combat but ordinarily rely more heavily on weapons than the spells and divine abilities used by other paths 17.

Saber Mastery

Nie uses a saber as his principal weapon and teaches killing-oriented saber techniques.

• Gale Wind Saber Technique — A rapid saber art requiring coordinated whole-body force, steady and ruthless strikes, and True Qi circulation through opened acupoints 20 30.
• He demonstrated the technique at a speed that left only flashes of white light visible to Meng Yuan 20.
• He stresses that technique must be governed by internal principle: Qi and strength, as well as intent and Qi, must unite for martial arts to achieve their full power 30.

Blossoming Spring Thunder

Nie's signature saber technique manifests with thunderous force and a vision of mountains, rivers, and spring thunder 25.

• Broke Great Tail Venerable's Buddhist staff in a single exchange and forced the Seventh Rank demon back more than ten steps 25.
• Its repeated thunderous strikes shattered surrounding peach trees with saber wind 25.
• The technique attacks the opponent's “heart”; stable Dantians, resilient internal organs, and firmly opened acupoints can lessen its effect 131.

Flying Willow Technique

Nie taught Meng Yuan the Flying Willow Technique, a light-body art that treats True Qi as wind and the body as a drifting willow 61.

• Designed for rapid sprinting in mountains, forests, and wilderness rather than close-range maneuvering 61.
• Useful for pursuit, attack, retreat, and escape 61.
• Includes specific True Qi circulation and breathing methods 61.

Gain Age Add Years

Nie revealed Gain Age Add Years as his Heavenly Mystery Divine Power in his final moments 261.

• Its specific operation and effects are not described in the available account.
• Its revelation came as Nie lay mortally wounded after making his final stand for the Ying Family 261.

Relationships

• Meng Yuan — Student, protégé, and later son-in-law. Nie recognized Meng's talent early, taught him martial arts and cultivation principles, arranged his path into the Demon Suppression Division, and repeatedly protected his interests 16 20 93 203 206.
• Nie Qingqing — His daughter. Nie is protective of her and initially resists her growing attachment to Meng Yuan, though he ultimately accepts Meng as family 35 90 206.
• Zhang Guinian — Old acquaintance and frequent collaborator. They jointly discuss Meng's future, official affairs, and demon-related incidents 28 35 44.
• Lin Yan — Former student. Nie arranged for Lin Yan to shadow Meng's party while traveling, presenting him as Meng's senior brother 203.
• Ying RuShi / the Ying Family — Nie is unwaveringly loyal to the family and considers Meng's advancement through them part of his long-term plan 64 254 261.
• Ren Debiao — Trainee and companion during the Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly investigation; Nie was disappointed when Ren failed to capture Wolf Two 23 27.
• Hu Qian, Wu Changsheng, and Zhao Tie Niu — Trainees under Nie's instruction. He pays particular attention to their development and praises Hu Qian after she enters the ranks 44 59.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Royal Residence Training Field

Nie introduces Meng Yuan and Tie Niu to martial training, manages the trainee selection, and provides the foundational cultivation instruction that begins Meng's Martial Path 10 14 16 17.

Cultivating Meng Yuan

He recognizes Meng's exceptional potential and becomes his principal martial mentor, teaching the Gale Wind Saber Technique, Flying Willow Technique, cultivation theory, and the importance of Dao alongside technique 18 20 30 44 61.

Peach Blossom Buddhist Assembly

Nie leads the investigation into Black Mian and White Mian's information, confronts Great Tail Venerable, and defeats the demon monk with Blossoming Spring Thunder 23 28.

Demon Suppression Division Guidance

Drawing on his former service and personal connections, Nie helps Meng enter the Songhe Prefecture Garrison, teaches him how merit and official record-keepers affect promotion, and warns him about internal factionalism 93 94.

Ying Family Crisis and Death

Nie remains beside Meng during the escalating conflict surrounding the Ying Family. Though injured, he insists on going to find Ying RuShi; he is later found mortally wounded at the city gate and dies after disclosing Gain Age Add Years 254 261.

Trivia

• Nie describes his modest ideal life as having meat to eat every day and hot water for bathing 28.
• He nicknames Meng Yuan “Scholar Meng” after noticing him read borrowed books during training breaks 20.
• He considers the Martial Path accessible to people of every background, provided they endure hardship and persist in cultivation 16 17.