Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Brother Yan; Xiao Clan's Xiao Yan
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Clan; Jia Nan Academy; Starfall Pavilion
Occupation/Role	Yao Chen's personal disciple; alchemist; cultivator
First Appearance	1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Powerless young man	1	After being humiliated by Nalan Yanran, resolves to become strong and accepts Yao Chen as his master.
Five-star Great Dou Master	84 86	Subdues the Wind Fury Dragon Flame during a year of independent training.
Seven-star Great Dou Master	123	Reaches this level during a training trip through the Black Corner Region.
Eight-star Great Dou Master	130	Breaks through under Lu Yu's guidance; his refined movement technique lets him suppress a Three-star Dou Ling student.
Five-star Dou Spirit	135	Defeats Nalan Yanran in a single strike at the Three-Year Pact ceremony.
Dou Huang	183	Advances with Lu Yu's assistance and an Emperor Breaking Pill; Yao Chen praises his stable, thoroughly refined foundation.
Seven-star Dou Zong	278	Considered competitive among the Gu Clan's younger generation; believes his Heavenly Flames allow him to contend with a Dou Zun.

Background / History

Xiao Yan was a powerless member of the Xiao Clan when Nalan Yanran ended their engagement. Determined never to be bullied again, he accepted the formerly hostile Yao Chen as his master and began cultivating under him 1.

He later left to train independently for a year, planning to reunite with Lu Yu in Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy. During this period, he acquired and refined the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, reached Five-star Great Dou Master, and improved his movement techniques 47 84 86.

After returning from the Black Corner Region, Xiao Yan sought Lu Yu's help in exploring a Dou Venerate ruin. He also declared his intention to defeat Han Feng personally, both to honor Yao Chen's judgment and to prove what Han Feng had lost 123.

At the Three-Year Pact ceremony, Xiao Yan confronted Nalan Yanran at the Misty Cloud Sect. As a Five-star Dou Spirit, he defeated her with one strike and formally ended their pact 135.

Personality

Xiao Yan is proud, determined, and deeply motivated by the humiliation he suffered at the hands of Nalan Yanran. His desire for strength is rooted in a refusal to be powerless or bullied again 1.

He values honor and personal principles. Rather than relying on others to settle his conflict with Han Feng, he insists on defeating him himself to vindicate Yao Chen's choice of disciple 123. He similarly refuses to treat marriage as a bargaining chip in exchange for Heavenly Flames 209.

Though competitive, Xiao Yan maintains close, supportive bonds with Lu Yu and Yao Chen. He can be bluntly loyal toward his friends, openly mocking a man who insulted Lu Yu after Lu Yu defeated him effortlessly 183.

Abilities & Skills

Fen Jue

Xiao Yan cultivates Fen Jue, a technique that gives him exceptional compatibility with Heavenly Flames and heat control.

• Allows him to wield multiple Heavenly Flames 141 172.
• Supports his ambition to pursue stronger flames after reaching Dou Huang 183.
• Gives him an advantage in alchemy through superior fire control 273.

Heavenly Flames

Xiao Yan possesses and employs several powerful flames.

• Wind Fury Dragon Flame — obtained and refined during his year of training 84 86.
• Bone Spirit Cold Flame — left to him by Yao Chen; he can control it to a preliminary extent 141.
• Yin-Yang Twin Flames — used alongside his other flames in battle 172.
• Earth Core Flame — enhanced with Earth Fire Origin supplied by Lu Yu 150 172.
• Can fuse three flames into a destructive three-colored fire lotus 172.

Meridian Activation Method

A method that temporarily drives his meridians at full capacity.

• Greatly enhances the power of his Dou Skills for roughly three breaths 87.
• Raises his Profound-tier High-level Wind Dragon Shadow Body to a speed comparable to an Earth-tier technique 87.
• Temporarily boosts Flame Splitting Wave Ruler from Earth-tier Low-grade toward Earth-tier Mid-grade power 87.
• Its use helped his attacks reach the threshold of a Dou Spirit while he was still below that realm 88.

Alchemy

Xiao Yan is an alchemist trained under Yao Chen.

• Successfully creates a Rank 7 pill 173.
• His success with the Rank 7 pill advances his soul power to the Half-step Spirit Realm 173.
• Improves the Blood Burning Pill based on Yao Chen's notes; it can temporarily raise his strength by two stars for approximately half an hour 141.
• Is regarded by Lu Yu as having the potential to become a Ninth-Grade Profound Pill Grandmaster through perseverance 273.

Combat Style

Xiao Yan combines heavy-weapon combat, movement techniques, and explosive flame-based attacks.

• Wields the Mysterious Heavy Ruler, using its weight and broad defensive coverage to block incoming attacks 135 171.
• Uses an earth-yellow vortex to accelerate suddenly and improve his mobility in combat 171.
• His movement technique became refined enough to overwhelm a Three-star Dou Ling opponent with afterimages 130.
• Can potentially fight a Dou Zun by employing his Heavenly Flames despite being a Seven-star Dou Zong 278.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Mysterious Heavy Ruler — Xiao Yan's primary weapon; used in the Three-Year Pact duel and subsequent battles 135 171.
• Sound Transmission Conch — given to him by Lu Yu before he returned to Wutan City 138.
• Qi Recovery Pills — improved pills gifted by Lu Yu before Xiao Yan entered the Inner Academy 88.
• Crimson Flame Flower — given by Lu Yu to assist his breakthrough toward Dou Spirit 86.
• Emperor Breaking Pill — used in his breakthrough to Dou Huang 183.
• Soul Infant Fruit — gifted by Lu Yu to repair Yao Chen's damaged soul origin 241.

Relationships

• Lu Yu — Childhood friend, mentor-like ally, and friendly rival. They exchange cultivation resources, spar, and support one another's growth 1 86 88 123.
• Yao Chen / Old Man Yao — Master. Yao Chen initially absorbed Xiao Yan's Dou Qi, then accepted him as a personal disciple and trained him in cultivation and alchemy 1 173 183.
• Xiao Xun'er — Childhood friend. Xiao Yan recognizes her arrival with a complicated expression when she finds him, Lu Yu, and Yao Chen in the back mountain 1.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée. Her annulment of their engagement drives Xiao Yan's initial pursuit of strength; he later defeats her at the Three-Year Pact 1 135.
• Han Feng — Rival connected to Yao Chen's past. Xiao Yan seeks to defeat him honorably to prove Yao Chen's judgment 123.
• Tang Huo'er — Fenyan Valley's eldest daughter, who repeatedly seeks Xiao Yan out to spar 209 223.
• Zi Yan — Acquaintance from the Northwest and Jia Nan Academy. Their reunion is casual and friendly 273.
• Qing Lin — Academy competitor; their selection-tournament match ends in a draw after she controls five Magical Beasts 94.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Apprenticeship under Yao Chen

Following the dissolution of his engagement, Xiao Yan accepts Yao Chen as his master and sets out to gain the strength to protect his dignity 1.

Independent Training and Jia Nan Academy

Xiao Yan takes a year away from Jia Nan Academy to train, acquire the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, and reach Five-star Great Dou Master before entering the Inner Academy 47 84 86.

Inner Academy Growth

He develops the Meridian Activation Method, spars with Lu Yu, and continues advancing through academy selections and arena battles 87 88 130.

Three-Year Pact

Xiao Yan travels with Lu Yu to the Misty Cloud Sect, meets Nalan Yanran in the agreed duel, and ends their conflict with a decisive victory 135.

Heavenly Flame Pursuit

After mastering preliminary control over the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, Xiao Yan expands his arsenal to multiple flames and seeks opportunities to subdue even stronger Heavenly Flames 141 172 183.

Gu Clan Black Seal Army Ceremony

Accompanied by Lu Yu, Xiao Yan requests to test himself against Gu Clan prodigies. As a Seven-star Dou Zong, he is assessed as potentially among the Ancient Clan younger generation's top ten 278.

Trivia

• Xiao Yan initially wanted the Green Lotus Core Flame, but Lu Yu's earlier intervention changed the circumstances and prevented the opportunity from arising as expected 40.
• He no longer considers Nalan Yanran important by the time he spars with Lu Yu at Jia Nan Academy 88.
• Old Man Yao entrusts Xiao Yan to Lu Yu's care before leaving for the Pill Tower 209.