Old Yao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yao Chen (药尘) 299
Alias(es)	Old Yao; Venerable Yao; Medicine Saint 16 364
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Starfall Pavilion; Heavenly Mansion Alliance
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; mentor; Pavilion Master of Starfall Pavilion 421
Status	Alive
First Appearance	Chapter 16

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Nine-Star Dou Zun	361	Revealed as his recovered peak strength while existing as a soul body.
Half-Saint	364	Regains a physical body and advances, defeating the Eighth and Ninth Heavenly Venerables.
One-Star Dou Sheng, late stage	422	His cultivation is shown falling from this level while forcibly opening a sealed gate for Xia Mo.
One-Star Dou Sheng, mid stage	437	Remains weakened and afflicted by Outer Realm Evil Clan power after the sealed-realm expedition.
Two-Star Dou Sheng	437	Breaks through after Xia Mo extracts the corrupting power suppressing his Dou Qi.

Background

Yao Chen was born into a lowly branch of the Yao Clan. His Dou Di Bloodline was so thin that it was practically negligible; after losing his parents young, he endured cold treatment within the clan. He was later expelled after a failed mission, with accounts describing him as having been framed after displaying his talent at a Medicine Meet. 373 421

Refusing to accept his expulsion, Yao Chen devoted himself to alchemy and wandered the Central Continent alone for nearly a century. His efforts eventually made him the continent's foremost Alchemist, though he abandoned any desire to return to the Yao Clan. 373 421

He later obtained the Fen Jue during a struggle among powerful experts at an ancient ruin. He escaped through a hidden route with Venerable Wind; the method would ultimately become the cultivation technique used by Xiao Yan. 421 422

Yao Chen was betrayed by a disciple and lost his body. His weakened soul survived within the Bone Flame Ring, where he eventually encountered Xiao Yan and Xia Mo in Wutan City. 299 421

Personality

Old Yao is proud of his attainments yet generally carefree, preferring alchemy and cultivation over authority or administrative work. He keeps promises, disregards mockery, and believes strength is the best answer to those who belittle him. 421

As a teacher, he is stern and demanding but deeply invested in his disciples' growth. He often provokes Xiao Yan by praising Xia Mo's progress, while his pride in both disciples is unmistakable. 309 364 407

His past made him capable of ruthlessness. When controlling Xiao Yan during the conflict with the Snake People Tribe, he pursued fleeing leaders to eliminate future threats, only stopping when Medusa intervened. 182

Appearance

After losing his body, Old Yao appears as an aged, illusory soul body. Once restored, he possesses a genuine physical form and an aura powerful enough to frighten Soul Hall Heavenly Venerables. 361 364

• Aged male appearance with a composed, scholarly bearing. 361
• Illusory body during his period as a remnant soul. 297 361
• Vast Soul Power that distorts the surrounding space. 361
• Regains a physical body before his Half-Saint breakthrough. 364

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Yao Chen is renowned as the former number one Alchemist of the Central Continent and has successfully refined a Ninth-grade Treasure Pill. 364 442

• Teaches alchemy to Xiao Yan and Xia Mo, treating their cultivation and alchemical development as equal priorities. 16
• Refines Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid for his disciples. 20
• Assists in refining the Sixth-grade Po E Dan for Hai Bodong. 197
• Identifies rare formulas, secret arts, and alchemical materials. 297
• Uses the Black Demon Cauldron for high-level pill refinement. 197

Soul Power

Even as a soul body, Old Yao possesses extraordinary Soul Power.

• His awakening releases a soul-energy shockwave that alarms Fa Ma, Jia Xing Tian, and Hai Bodong. 281
• His Soul Power creates pressure capable of faintly distorting space at Starfall Pavilion. 361
• His soul body survives the destruction of his original physical form. 16 421

Heavenly Flame and Combat

Old Yao commands a powerful Heavenly Flame and can use it in battle or through Xiao Yan's body. 182

• Temporarily controls Xiao Yan to defeat the Snake People Tribe's energy serpent and pursue its leaders. 182
• Raises Xiao Yan to Dou Zong-level combat strength during the escape from the Misty Cloud Sect. 296
• Defeats the Eighth and Ninth Heavenly Venerables after recovering his body and reaching Half-Saint level. 364
• Discusses and guides Xiao Yan in the use of flame-based secret arts, including the Heavenly Fire Three Profound Transformations. 297

Sealed-Realm Access

Old Yao can activate ancient spatial mechanisms, though doing so may demand a severe personal cost.

• Uses a token to open a hidden spatial passage connected to the ruin where he obtained the Fen Jue. 422
• Forces open a sealed gate for Xia Mo by expending blood, soul force, Dou Qi, cultivation, and lifespan. 422
• Suffers lingering erosion from the Outer Realm Evil Clan's power after opening the seal. 437

Equipment / Items

• Bone Flame Ring — The ring in which Yao Chen's soul resides after losing his body. 16 281
• Black Demon Cauldron — A powerful medicinal cauldron used during the refinement of the Po E Dan. 197
• Ancient token — Opens the hidden spatial passage in the ruin connected to the Fen Jue. 421 422
• Fen Jue — Cultivation method Yao Chen acquired from an ancient ruin; it is later cultivated by Xiao Yan. 421 422

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Senior disciple. Yao Chen accepts him as a disciple after revealing alchemy and promising to restore his cultivation; Xiao Yan later regards him as a father figure. 16 408
• Xia Mo — Junior disciple. Old Yao recognizes Xia Mo's terrifying talent, guides his alchemy, and later risks his own cultivation to open the sealed realm for him. 16 309 422 437
• Venerable Wind — Close friend and trusted associate. Venerable Wind manages much of Starfall Pavilion's affairs and helps investigate the ruin tied to Old Yao's past. 361 421
• Yao Clan — His birth clan, which expelled him because of his weak bloodline and later treats him as a castaway. He seeks to place his parents' names on its clan monument. 373 408
• Yao Wangui — Yao Clan elder and hostile figure from Old Yao's past; he openly insults Old Yao and his parents at the Yao Clan gathering. 408 440
• Han Feng — Former disciple whose betrayal contributed to Old Yao's fall after his strength had been diminished by the sealed gate. 421 422
• Old Monster Hou — Long-standing rival in the Small Pill Tower who repeatedly tried to suppress Old Yao. 401
• Soul Hall — Major enemy responsible for pursuing him after his betrayal and opposing Starfall Pavilion and the Heavenly Mansion Alliance. 364 402

Story Role / Major Arcs

Taking Disciples

Old Yao emerges from Xiao Yan's ring and admits that he absorbed Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for three years. He accepts Xiao Yan and Xia Mo as disciples, establishes Xiao Yan as the senior disciple, and begins teaching them cultivation and alchemy. 16

Mentor of Xiao Yan and Xia Mo

He provides cultivation resources, technical guidance, alchemical instruction, and combat knowledge. His teaching helps both disciples progress, while he pushes Xiao Yan to keep pace with Xia Mo's exceptional advancement. 20 21 23 309

Recovery of Soul and Body

Xia Mo and Xiao Yan use the Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva to awaken Old Yao's soul. Later, they gather materials for his body restoration, including a Dou Sheng skeleton, enabling him to regain his peak strength and eventually advance to Half-Saint. 281 361 364

Starfall Pavilion and the Heavenly Mansion Alliance

After recovering, Old Yao helps rally his old connections to Starfall Pavilion and supports the formation of the Heavenly Mansion Alliance against Soul Hall. His reputation attracts veteran Alchemists and strengthens the alliance's standing. 361 400 402

Return to the Yao Clan

Old Yao returns to the Yao Clan for its Pill Gathering, facing the clan that cast him out. His disciples defend his honor against Yao Wangui and seek to prove that the Yao Clan discarded a genuine genius. 440 441

The Sealed World Expedition

To fulfill a promise to Xia Mo, Old Yao revisits the ancient ruin connected to the Fen Jue and opens a dangerous sealed gate. The act damages his origin, reduces his cultivation, and leaves him afflicted by Outer Realm Evil Clan power until Xia Mo later heals him. 421 422 437

Notable Quotes

“I've already forgotten my name. You may call me Old Yao.” 16

“Since they consider this old man a discarded man, then I shall show them properly here in the Central Continent that it is not only those with a Dou Di Bloodline who can truly become peak experts.” 373

“The Yao is not the Yao of the Yao Clan.” 373

Trivia

• Old Yao considers alchemy more interesting than romance and is described as refining pills even in his dreams. 421
• His surname is associated with the saying, “May no one in the world fall ill, and may dust gather upon the herbs on the shelves.” 421
• He initially says he has forgotten his own name, but later identifies himself as Yao Chen. 16 299