Carefree Hermit

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Carefree Hermit
Alias(es)	Xiao Yao 419
Gender	Male
Occupation/Role	Rogue Immortal; flute master; formation practitioner; Li Yang's adoptive father and mentor 182 184
Status	Alive; reunited with Li Yang in the Immortal Realm 469
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 180; physically appears in Chapter 182 180 182

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Tribulation Crossing cultivator	180 199	Reached this stage only after roughly a thousand years of cultivation; failed his heavenly tribulation and became a Rogue Immortal.
Rogue Immortal — six Heavenly Tribulations passed	180	At Xiang Yu's earlier encounter with him, his combat power neared the Grand Celestial Immortal level while his state of mind had already reached Ninth Heaven Profound Immortal.
Rogue Immortal — eight Heavenly Tribulations passed	180 194	Approached the ninth tribulation after independently surviving eight; his mental cultivation had entered the early Immortal Lord level.
Grand Luo Golden Immortal	207 208	Passed the ninth Rogue Immortal Heavenly Tribulation through his own strength, enduring its mental attack with only minor injuries.
Mid-stage Immortal Lord	419	Advanced rapidly in the Immortal Realm through its abundant spiritual energy and treasures; retained exceptional mental cultivation and the speed granted by Divine Sword Purple Lightning.

Background / History

Carefree Hermit originally belonged to a sect with loosely managed disciples. He devoted much of his early life to formations and music rather than cultivation, taking a thousand years to reach the Tribulation Crossing Stage. He failed that tribulation and continued on as a Rogue Immortal. He later regretted his lack of diligence, believing greater strength might have saved Si Ji. 180 199

He loved Si Ji, a woman of the Fox Tribe. Their interracial relationship led to his isolation by other cultivators and pursuit by hostile sects. Si Ji was killed during a cultivation battle while pregnant; her demon core was destroyed, leaving her unable to reincarnate. Her death became the central grief of his life and inspired both his flute music and the Sword of Sorrowful Sha. 180 182 184 196

After becoming a Rogue Immortal, he distinguished himself by defeating opponents above his apparent cultivation. Soon after his failed tribulation, he destroyed a sect and killed Great Accomplishment-stage experts. Over nearly nine thousand years as a Rogue Immortal, he developed the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody, the Sword of Sorrowful Sha, and his unique method of tempering a life-bound immortal sword. 184 193 195

He discovered a Xingling Seven-Colored Flower after passing his first Rogue Immortal tribulation and remained in seclusion for nearly eight thousand years while waiting for it to mature. His cave mansion was protected by an illusion formation, concealing the flower and its valley from outsiders. 183

Appearance

Carefree Hermit appears as a white-haired middle-aged man. His ordinary exterior contrasts with the oppressive aura and cold killing intent he displays in battle. 182 184 194

• White hair and the appearance of a middle-aged man. 182 184
• Often maintains a cold, aloof expression around strangers. 180 182
• Wore cyan-black protective battle armor during his ninth heavenly tribulation. 206

Personality

Carefree Hermit is famously solitary, proud, and dismissive of convention. He spent thousands of years in seclusion, rarely leaving his residence and refusing to teach the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody even to Xiang Yu. He speaks bluntly, has little patience for formal flattery, and possesses the confidence to challenge dangers no one else has overcome. 180 201 203

His coldness conceals intense loyalty and affection. Li Yang's flute revealed a grief resembling his own, prompting Carefree Hermit to pass on his greatest musical technique, personally teach him, and eventually accept him as an adopted son. He gave Li Yang three Xingling Pills despite regarding them as life-saving treasures. 182 184 196 200

The loss of Si Ji left him deeply regretful and capable of extreme ruthlessness. When Li Yang was believed dead in the Sea of the Underworld, Carefree Hermit pursued revenge against the Upper Purity Palace with devastating violence. Yet he is not incapable of mercy, sparing You Yi after killing Zeng Feng. 199 222 224

Abilities & Skills

Mental Cultivation

Carefree Hermit's state of mind vastly exceeds his cultivation realm. His mental cultivation allowed him to detect Xiang Yu's Primordial Spirit within Li Yang and overwhelm veteran Rogue Immortals through pressure alone. 182 194

• Reached the early Immortal Lord level of mental cultivation before his ninth tribulation. 194 201
• Surpassed Xiang Yu's mental cultivation by Chapter 182. 182
• Withstood the ninth Rogue Immortal Heavenly Tribulation's mental attack. 207
• Can direct mental pressure at a specific target without affecting nearby cultivators. 194

Red Dust Refining Heart Melody

A secret and incomplete flute melody created by Carefree Hermit to refine the listener's state of mind. It has no direct destructive power, but can greatly improve mental cultivation and may serve as a foundation for cultivating sorrowful killing energy. 180 196

• Passed to Li Yang on a golden disc after recognizing their shared grief. 182
• Personally taught Li Yang flute-playing for three months. 183 200
• Its effectiveness differs by individual; it improved Carefree Hermit's state of mind dramatically but had little effect on Li Yang. 198
• Remains unfinished; Carefree Hermit asked Li Yang to perfect it if possible. 182

Sword of Sorrowful Sha

Carefree Hermit's signature sword art, born from sorrow and strengthened through the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody. It combines formidable sword force with emotional and mental pressure. 184 194 196

• Can confuse or overwhelm an opponent's mind through its sorrowful aura. 184
• Defeated twelve Rogue Immortals of the Upper Purity Palace, including True Man Yu Ming. 194
• Can threaten even True Man Iron Pot, a longtime Rogue Immortal ally. 198
• Its principles helped Carefree Hermit advise Li Yang on blending solid and illusory attacks to exhaust an opponent mentally. 184

Formations and Restrictions

Carefree Hermit is an accomplished formation practitioner, a discipline he studied extensively before becoming a Rogue Immortal. 183 199

• Concealed the Xingling Seven-Colored Flower with a large illusion formation. 183
• Created and explained the Yang Pass mechanism, which includes an attack formation against forced entry. 184
• Expended nearly one-fifth of his energy to place a protective restriction on Li Yang at Cloud Mist Mountain. 214

Sword Refinement

Unlike ordinary sword cultivators, Carefree Hermit continuously tempered a life-and-essence-bound weapon rather than merely refining a preexisting sword. 193 218

• Forged the low-grade Immortal Artifact Immortal Sword Refining Heart through his own blood, life, and cultivation. 218
• Used the weapon in an attempt to refine Divine Sword Purple Lightning, turning the life-bound sword into blood mist without suffering its usual fatal consequence. 221
• Successfully established a blood-binding pact with Divine Sword Purple Lightning. 222

Artifacts & Treasures

• Black jade flute — Given to him by Si Ji; he played it while mourning her and developed the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody and Sword of Sorrowful Sha through that grief. 196
• Immortal Sword Refining Heart — A self-forged, life-bound low-grade Immortal Artifact used in his unique sword-refining method. 193 218
• Divine Sword Purple Lightning — Divine sword he refined through a blood-binding pact; its speed made escape from his attacks nearly impossible. He later surrendered it to Immortal Emperor Water Flame to protect the Star Extremes Sect. 222 224 467
• Origin Returning Pearl — Mid-grade defensive Immortal Artifact seized from True Man Yu Ming; protected him against the corrosive energies of the Sea of the Underworld. 218 221 224
• Xingling Pills — Helped refine seven pills from the Xingling Seven-Colored Flower, keeping two for himself and giving three to Li Yang. He consumed one while refining Divine Sword Purple Lightning. 200 222

Relationships

• Li Yang — Adoptive son and disciple. Their shared love and loss led Carefree Hermit to teach him the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody; Carefree Hermit later treated him as his own child and risked everything to protect or avenge him. 182 184 224 469
• Si Ji — Deceased beloved from the Fox Tribe. Her death and the destruction of her soul defined much of Carefree Hermit's grief, music, and later regrets. 182 196 199
• Xiang Yu — Fellow powerhouse who admires Carefree Hermit's cultivation and desperately wished to study the Red Dust Refining Heart Melody. 180 182
• True Man Iron Pot — Rogue Immortal friend of thousands of years and partner in refining the Xingling Pills. 196 200
• Golden Sword Venerable — Once saved by Carefree Hermit as a young Shushan disciple; remains respectful and seeks to repay that life debt. 189
• Immortal Emperor Nine Heavens — Friend and protector in the Immortal Realm. He sheltered Carefree Hermit within the Shushan Sword Sect against the Upper Purity Palace. 419 420
• Immortal Emperor Water Flame — Upper Purity Palace leader who sought to capture Carefree Hermit and later obtained Divine Sword Purple Lightning through coercion. 419 467
• Xue Ji — Nine-Tailed Demon Fox whom Carefree Hermit treated respectfully because of her Fox Tribe heritage, entrusting her with a secret jade slip. 214

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Carefree Immortal's Abode — Li Yang discovers Carefree Hermit's abandoned-seeming cave mansion and learns of his legendary history from Xiang Yu. 180
• Red Dust Refining Heart Melody — Carefree Hermit meets Li Yang through their flute music, recognizes their shared loss, and grants him the incomplete melody. 182
• Xingling Seven-Colored Flower — Reveals the treasure he guarded for nearly eight thousand years, teaches Li Yang, and shares his collected artifacts. 183 184
• Adoptive Father and Protector — Accepts Li Yang as his adopted son, protects him against the Upper Purity Palace, and demonstrates the Sword of Sorrowful Sha against its Rogue Immortals. 184 189 194
• Ninth Rogue Immortal Heavenly Tribulation — Rejects the safety of the Primordial Tai Chi Yin Yang Great Array and becomes the first known cultivator to overcome the ninth Rogue Immortal Heavenly Tribulation by personal strength. 201 207
• Cloud Mist Mountain — Protects Li Yang through the mountain's restrictions, kills True Man Yu Ming, seizes the Origin Returning Pearl, and refines Divine Sword Purple Lightning. 214 218 222
• Sea of the Underworld and Revenge — Enters the Sea of the Underworld to search for Li Yang after his disappearance, then massacres Upper Purity Palace disciples in revenge. 224
• Immortal Realm Conflict — Ascends to the Immortal Realm and continues his conflict with the Upper Purity Palace while receiving protection from the Shushan Sword Sect. 239 419
• Reunion with Li Yang — Learns that Li Yang survived and reunites with him, showing open joy despite his otherwise colder demeanor. 469

Notable Quotes

“Since there is a Heavenly Tribulation, there must be a way to pass it! If I cannot pass it, who can!” 201

“Li Yang, you're really alive. That's wonderful.” 469