Xiao Yan

Biodata

Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Family; later travels with Yao Lao
Occupation/Role	Dou Qi cultivator; Yao Lao's disciple
Status	Alive; retreats from Ning Luo after being overwhelmed in Maple City 346
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third-stage Dou Disciple	3	At the annulment dispute, he is far below Ning Luo's five-star Fighter cultivation.
Three-star Dou Zhe	80	Reported as his starting point before several months of rapid advancement under Yao Lao's help.
Seven-star Fighter	80	Reached within a few months with Yao Lao's assistance.
Da Dou Shi	174	Breaks through before returning to Misty Cloud Sect for the Three-Year Agreement; he has also obtained the twenty-third-ranked Mysterious Yellow Flame.
Dou Ling	321	Arrives in the Black Corner Region seeking the Fallen Heart Flame and revenge against Ning Luo.
Approximately four- to five-star Dou Ling	322	His own cultivation is estimated at this level; Yao Lao's possession can temporarily give his body a Dou Emperor aura.
Dou Wang	342	Advances before joining the battle in Maple City to avenge Yao Lao and pursue Han Feng's Sea Heart Flame.

Background

Xiao Yan is the son of Xiao Zhan, the Xiao Family Patriarch. By the time Nalan Yanran arrives to annul their engagement, his cultivation has fallen from the Dou Practitioner realm. He rejects the annulment on the grounds that the original agreement was made by the Xiao and Nalan patriarchs, and invokes the authority of their deceased elders to pressure the Xiao Family elders into opposing it 2.

Ning Luo publicly challenges Xiao Yan's position, arguing that neither Xiao Yan nor Nalan Yanran knows the other well enough to justify a forced marriage. Xiao Yan responds that, aside from her beauty, he has no regard for Nalan Yanran; Ning Luo then overwhelms him with released Dou Qi and sends him into a wall 3.

After Xiao Zhan formally severs the Xiao Family's ties to the Nalan Family, Xiao Yan vows to go to Misty Cloud Sect in three years and erase the day's disgrace. The resulting Three-Year Agreement becomes the central motive behind his training 4.

Yao Lao's mentorship

Xiao Yan discovers Yao Lao after investigating the loss of his Dou Qi. The two attempt to sell Yao Lao's Foundation Building Spirit Liquid, only to find that a superior version is already being auctioned by another alchemist 45.

Yao Lao becomes Xiao Yan's mentor and can possess his body in battle. During their first encounter with Ning Luo in Qingshan Town, Yao Lao takes control to test Ning Luo, but Ning Luo uses the Soul Seizing Technique to capture him 76. To secure Yao Lao's release, Xiao Yan obtains the Magical Core of a Second-Order He Yuan after two days of attacks and severe injuries in the Monster Beast Forest 77 78. Yao Lao is returned with a damaged soul, while Ning Luo retains his Bone Spirit Cold Flame 78.

Appearance

As a youth, Xiao Yan has dark eyes and a delicate but intense expression that turns severe when provoked 3. During his travels, he is commonly seen in plain or black clothing with his oversized Heavy Black Ruler strapped across his back 75 176.

• Carries a pitch-black, blunt Heavy Black Ruler nearly taller than himself. Its surface bears worn, indistinct patterns 75.
• Bears a lean build and gradually develops a composed, unhurried bearing during his return to Misty Cloud Sect 174.
• Uses yellow Dou Qi Armor after reaching the Da Dou Shi realm 179.

Personality

Xiao Yan is driven by humiliation, pride, and the determination to surpass those who defeated him. After Ning Luo's first victory over him, he repeatedly frames his future strength as repayment for humiliation and refuses to abandon the Three-Year Agreement despite the disparity between them 3 77 87.

He can remain practical when advised by Yao Lao. In the struggle over the Fallen Heart Flame, he withdraws rather than confront the flame at its peak, then chooses to wait for an opportunity while other factions fight 328. His larger goals later expand beyond revenge: he seeks to recover his father from the Soul Hall and to avenge Yao Lao against Han Feng 321 342.

Abilities & Skills

Dou Qi Combat

Xiao Yan uses a heavy-weapon fighting style built around the Heavy Black Ruler. Releasing the ruler's restraint markedly increases both his speed and the force of his Dou Qi eruptions 178.

• Employs Eight Extremes Collapse against Ning Luo during the Three-Year Agreement 178.
• Forms a tangible Dou Qi Armor upon reaching the Da Dou Shi realm 179.
• Can use sand for evasive movement in the Tagor Desert, though a Dou Emperor's wind walls prevent his escape 123.
• Fights despite severe disadvantages, including against a Black-Robed Dou Emperor while supported by Yao Lao 123 124.

Mysterious Yellow Flame

Xiao Yan obtains the twenty-third-ranked Mysterious Yellow Flame before the Three-Year Agreement 174.

• Releases green flames and green Battle Qi when facing Ning Luo at Misty Cloud Sect 176.
• Is targeted by the Fallen Heart Flame because he possesses a lower-ranked Heavenly Flame 328.
• Seeks additional Heavenly Flames to increase his strength and challenge Ning Luo 321.

Buddha's Rage Fire Lotus

Xiao Yan's principal trump card is a fire-lotus technique created by fusing flames with opposing properties.

• Fuses yellow and purple flames through Soul Power to form the fire lotus 181.
• The technique produces violent explosive force capable of threatening high-level opponents 181 182.
• Its backlash leaves Xiao Yan weakened after the clash with Ning Luo 182.
• Ning Luo later replicates the technique after observing it once and defeats Xiao Yan with an azure-purple fire lotus 184.

Yao Lao's Possession

Yao Lao can temporarily take over Xiao Yan's body, sharply raising its combat capacity.

• Enables Xiao Yan to confront opponents otherwise beyond his own level 76 123.
• At approximately four- to five-star Dou Ling, Xiao Yan can project a Dou Emperor aura while possessed by Yao Lao 322.
• The support is limited by Yao Lao's weakened soul and the loss of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame 124 321.

Equipment

• Heavy Black Ruler — An enormous, blunt black ruler used as Xiao Yan's primary weapon and training burden 75 178.
• Ring of Holding — Used to store and summon the Heavy Black Ruler; Yao Lao resides within Xiao Yan's ring 75 123.
• Mysterious Yellow Flame — The twenty-third-ranked Heavenly Flame acquired before the Three-Year Agreement 174.

Relationships

• Xiao Zhan — Father and Xiao Family Patriarch. He supports Xiao Yan's cultivation with expensive medicinal resources and encourages his eventual return to prominence 44 46.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée. Her attempt to annul their arranged engagement leads directly to Xiao Yan's conflict with Ning Luo and the Three-Year Agreement 2 4.
• Ning Luo — Primary rival. Ning Luo defeats Xiao Yan at the annulment dispute, captures Yao Lao, defeats him in the Three-Year Agreement, and later repeatedly obstructs his pursuit of Heavenly Flames 3 76 184 346.
• Yao Lao (Yao Chen) — Mentor and soul companion. He guides Xiao Yan's cultivation, possesses his body in emergencies, and shares Xiao Yan's conflict with Han Feng 45 76 325.
• Xiao Xun'er — Cousin; the story explicitly establishes that they have no childhood-sweetheart relationship 5.
• Soul Hall — Enemy faction that destroys the Xiao Family and takes Xiao Yan's father, becoming one of Xiao Yan's stated targets 321.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Engagement annulment and Three-Year Agreement

Xiao Yan opposes Nalan Yanran's annulment request, clashes with Ning Luo, and is defeated in the Xiao Family hall. He then swears to challenge Ning Luo at Misty Cloud Sect after three years 2 3 4.

Training with Yao Lao

With Yao Lao's guidance, Xiao Yan rapidly advances in cultivation and travels through Qingshan Town, the Monster Mountain Range, and the Tagor Desert. His first reunion with Ning Luo results in Yao Lao's capture and forces him into the dangerous hunt for a He Yuan Magical Core 75 77 78.

Three-Year Agreement

Xiao Yan returns to Misty Cloud Sect as a Da Dou Shi, carrying the Heavy Black Ruler and the Mysterious Yellow Flame. He battles Ning Luo with his ruler techniques and Buddha's Rage Fire Lotus, but Ning Luo reveals his Dou Ling cultivation and defeats him with a copied fire lotus 174 176 181 182 184.

Fallen Heart Flame conflict

After the Xiao Family is destroyed and his father is taken by Soul Hall, Xiao Yan enters the Black Corner Region as a Dou Ling. He seeks the Fallen Heart Flame for power, revenge against Ning Luo, and the rescue of his father 321. He avoids directly confronting the erupting flame, attempts to benefit from the struggle between the factions, and later advances to Dou Wang in pursuit of Han Feng and the Sea Heart Flame 328 342.

Maple City confrontation

Xiao Yan observes Ning Luo and Han Feng's conflict over the Heavenly Flames, intending to take advantage of the victor's weakness. Ning Luo later attacks him with the Fallen Heart Flame's heart fire, forcing Xiao Yan to retreat on Yao Lao's advice 342 346.

Notable Quotes

“Ning Luo, thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river—do not bully the poor young man! Today's humiliation, I will repay a hundredfold one day!” 3

“Ning Luo, although you are strong, no matter what price I must pay, I will catch up to you. Three years from now, wait for me. I will definitely defeat you!” 87

“I must obtain the Fallen Heart Flame, then seek revenge on Ning Luo. And the Soul Hall—they took my father away. No matter what price I have to pay, I will rescue him.” 321