Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Fourth Brother; Little Yanzi 23 47
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Family; Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy 165
Occupation/Role	Xiao Family cultivator and alchemist; champion of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Grand Meeting 113
Status	Alive 370
First Appearance	Chapter 5

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Sixth Stage Dou Qi	9	His cultivation talent returns; he publicly demonstrates his recovery during the Xiao Family's annual strength test.
Dou Master	19	Holds his own against the Wolf Head Mercenary Group while being pursued with Xiao Yi Xian.
Seven-Star Dou Master	23	Defeats a second-tier Ironwood Ape with the Eight-Level Collapse.
Seven-Star Da Dou Shi	114	Reaches this level while preparing for the Three-Year Agreement.
Seven-Star Dou Ling	165	Returns from Jia Nan Academy able to briefly hover in the air and reunites with Xiao Kun after a year apart.
Four-Star Dou Zong	187	His aura briefly spreads after secluded cultivation.
Dou Zun	291	His rise from Dou Ling to Dou Zun over six years becomes known to the Han Family.
Late-Stage Dou Zun	321	Yao Lao introduces him to Xuan Yi as possessing late-stage Dou Zun strength.
Seven-Star Dou Venerate	350	Refines a peak eighth-grade pill during the Pill Gathering despite being outmatched by Xiao Kun's ninth-grade result.
Peak First-Turn Dou Venerate	366	His aura is sensed by Xiao Kun during the latter's refinement of the Nihility Devouring Flame.

Background

Xiao Yan is Xiao Kun's younger brother and a member of the Xiao Family. Although Xiao Kun considers their appearances distinct, he notes that both brothers share deep black eyes and delicate, handsome youthful features; he also regards Xiao Yan's innate talent and Soul Power as comparable to his own. 1

During Xiao Yan's period of lost talent, Xiao Xun'er remains his close childhood sweetheart. Xiao Kun supports him by providing a Storage Ring containing pills, including seven bottles of Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid, and encourages him to believe that his talent will return. 5 Xiao Yan later restores his cultivation, publicly overturning the Xiao Family's perception of him at the annual strength test. 9

Appearance

Xiao Yan is described as a handsome youth with deep black eyes and delicate facial features. 1

• Wields the large Profound Heavy Ruler in battle. 119
• Uses purple Purple Cloud Wings, a flying Dou Technique given to him by Xiao Kun. 19 108
• Commonly wears black robes during combat and travel. 117
• Possesses a simple black Storage Ring that once housed Yao Lao's soul. 48

Personality

Xiao Yan is intensely focused on cultivation, combat, and alchemy. Even when Xue Mei's admiration is apparent to Xiao Kun, Xiao Yan remains oblivious and concentrates on his alchemical preparations instead. 92

He is also notably resilient. He continues fighting while pursued by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, prepares diligently for the Three-Year Agreement, and devotes himself fully to pill refinement despite the pressure of public competition. 19 112 113 After three years of training, he no longer harbors resentment toward Nalan Yanran and refuses to seek an opportunity to humiliate her over Nalan Jie's illness. 91

Xiao Yan trusts Xiao Kun deeply, accepts his guidance and gifts, and treats him with open respect. 5 165 He is similarly devoted to Xiao Xun'er; her presence and support repeatedly motivate his growth. 5 370

Abilities & Skills

Green Lotus Core Flame

Xiao Yan possesses the Green Lotus Core Flame, a Heavenly Flame that overwhelms ordinary Beast Fires and other contestants' flames during the Alchemist Grand Meeting. 108 113

• Suppresses weaker flames during alchemy. 113
• Enables high-level pill refinement. 113
• Its difficult fine control initially limits Xiao Yan to rough flame shaping. 79

Alchemy

Xiao Yan is an accomplished alchemist whose ability is closely tied to his Heavenly Flame and precise control of it.

• Refines a genuine peak fourth-grade Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill to win the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Grand Meeting. 113
• Refines a Glazed Body Tempering Pill, a peak eighth-grade medicinal pill, during the Pill Gathering. 352
• Uses the dangerous Spirit Ascension Technique to extract and reintegrate a pill's spiritual energy, raising its quality at the risk of destroying it. 350
• Is recognized by Yao Lao as his disciple and receives the elder's direct instruction. 48 321

Heavenly Flame Three Profound Transformations

Xiao Kun gives Xiao Yan the Xiao Clan's inherited Secret Art, which uses multiple flames to temporarily raise the user's power and can ultimately awaken the Xiao Clan's Clan Mark. 77

• Xiao Yan initially masters the first transformation before leaving for the imperial capital. 78
• The first transformation can raise his strength by at least three stars when powered by the Green Lotus Core Flame. 77
• Full cultivation requires three kinds of flames, preferably Heavenly Flames. 77

Combat and Mobility

Xiao Yan combines direct weapon combat, explosive close-range techniques, aerial movement, and prepared puppets.

• Eight-Level Collapse — Defeats an Ironwood Ape by detonating force within its body; later uses the same principle to severely injure Nalan Yanran after breaking her Dou Qi Armor. 23 121
• Purple Cloud Wings — Allows sustained flight before reaching the Dou Wang realm. 19 20
• Golden puppet — Can deploy a Peak Six-Turn Dou Venerate puppet against Soul Hall opponents; its physical strike can fracture surrounding space. 331

Equipment / Items

• Profound Heavy Ruler — Xiao Yan's primary heavy weapon. 119
• Purple Cloud Wings — Profound-tier high-grade flying Dou Technique gifted by Xiao Kun. 19
• Green Lotus Earth Heart Fire Lotus Seat and lotus seeds — Spiritual objects given to him by Xiao Kun to accelerate cultivation. 48
• Two map fragments leading toward the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. 133
• Golden Peak Six-Turn Dou Venerate puppet — A defensive trump card used against a Soul Hall expert. 331

Relationships

• Xiao Kun — Older brother, patron, and trusted guide. Xiao Kun supplies him with pills, cultivation resources, Dou Techniques, Heavenly Flames, and protection throughout his journey. 5 19 77 133
• Xiao Xun'er — Childhood sweetheart. Their innocent closeness persists from childhood into adulthood, and Xiao Yan supports her when she explains the Ancient Clan's mission. 5 370
• Yao Lao — Teacher whose soul resides in Xiao Yan's black Storage Ring; Xiao Yan formally addresses him as “Teacher.” 48
• Xiao Zhan — Father. Xiao Zhan takes pride in Xiao Yan's growth and sees him off when he leaves for Jia Nan Academy. 121 133
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — Elder brothers. The four brothers reunite in the Tagor Desert after years apart. 47
• Xiao Yi Xian — Friend and former traveling companion. Xiao Yan is with her when Xiao Kun rescues them from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. 19
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée and opponent in the Three-Year Agreement. Xiao Yan defeats her decisively at the Misty Cloud Sect. 10 121
• Xue Mei — Silver-haired alchemist who appears to admire Xiao Yan, though he does not notice her interest. 92

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Recovery of talent — Receives Foundation Establishment Spiritual Liquid from Xiao Kun, regains his cultivation, and proves his renewed talent to the Xiao Family. 5 9
• Magic Beast Mountain Range — Travels with Xiao Yi Xian, fights magical beasts, and survives pursuit by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group until Xiao Kun intervenes. 19 23
• Alchemist Grand Meeting — Represents the Jia Ma Empire, suppresses rival flames with the Green Lotus Core Flame, and wins the championship with a Three-Pattern Azure Spirit Pill. 108 113
• Three-Year Agreement — Confronts Nalan Yanran at the Misty Cloud Sect and wins after three years of cultivation. 114 121
• Jia Nan Academy — Enters the Inner Academy, reaches the Dou Ling realm, and reunites with Xiao Kun during the Fallen Heart Flame crisis. 133 165 168
• Central Plains and Pill Gathering — Becomes known as a Dou Zun-level prodigy, enters the Alchemist Tower, and competes in the Pill Gathering alongside Xiao Kun. 291 321 350
• Return to the Xiao Family — Leaves Holy Pill City after learning that Gu Xun'er has returned to the Xiao Family, then supports her in revealing the Ancient Clan's investigation. 368 370