Yan Xuankong

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yan Xuankong (燕玄空)
Alias(es)	“Xiahou Xuan” — a fabricated identity based on a long-dead former Shannan Dao Commander 551
Species/Race	Human; later resurrected in an Incense Divine Body 549
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Demon Extermination Division; former Commander of Shannan Dao 226 227
Occupation/Role	Former Shannan Dao Commander; Han Zheng’s bound advisor and companion 233 549
Status	Alive; inhabits an Incense Divine Body that cannot cultivate through conventional martial arts 549
First Appearance	Chapter 226, as a Primordial Spirit within a Kitchen God statue 226

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Yang God Realm	227	Before his disappearance, Yan Xuankong stood at the peak of the Yang God Realm and was one step from the Dharma Aspect Realm. He had slain three of Shannan Dao’s four Great Demon Kings. 227
Disembodied Primordial Spirit	226–227	His body was destroyed and his Yang God badly wounded after becoming trapped in Thousand Buddha Village; his remaining spirit attached itself to a Kitchen God statue. 226 227
Incense Divine Body	549	He resurrected in a body solidified by incense wish power. It lacks meridians, a dantian, and a Martial Dao True Core, preventing conventional cultivation, but possesses exceptional physical resilience and incense divine power. 549
Incense-path cultivation attempt	601	Entered seclusion to seek a Dharma Aspect-level breakthrough through incense divine power rather than the Martial Path. 601
Further incense-path advancement	619	Advanced further through incense cultivation; his power became concealed enough to resemble that of an ordinary person while still emitting faint divine light. 619

Background

Yan Xuankong was the Shannan Dao Demon Extermination Division Commander before Chen Baxian. At his peak, he was a formidable Yang God Realm martial artist who killed three Great Demon Kings and used overwhelming force to suppress Shannan Dao’s major Jianghu factions. He intended to use his achievements in Shannan Dao to compete for a command position at the Capital City headquarters. 227 406

His career was undermined by both his conduct and a catastrophic disappearance. During an annual report in the Capital City, he offended five of the six Demon Extermination Division Commanders, leaving him without political support. He was ambitious, sought merit aggressively, and later became infamous for practices including exploiting lower-ranked guards and embezzling Division funds. 227 231 580

Yan Xuankong discovered a secret connected to Prince Liang, Ji Yuanfang, and attempted to use it for blackmail. Ji Yuanfang responded by arranging his ambush with the Black Mountain Old Demon, leaving Yan Xuankong severely injured and trapping him in Thousand Buddha Village. His physical body was destroyed, while part of his Yang God—and with it, portions of his memories and cultivation methods—was stripped away. 233 484 549

His disappearance left Shannan Dao without its Commander during a period when the Imperial Court was preoccupied by rebellions near the capital and attacks on Demon Suppressing Pass. The Black Mountain Old Demon first tested whether Yan Xuankong had truly vanished, then gradually unleashed a five-year calamity across Shannan Dao. The Division consequently remembered Yan Xuankong as a disastrous and unreliable Commander despite his earlier accomplishments. 226 227

Appearance

After his resurrection, Yan Xuankong occupies a body suffused with golden incense divine light. His form is no longer a normal martial artist’s body and can alter its outward appearance. 549 551

• His Incense Divine Body was initially described as radiant and golden. 549
• He can reshape his face and presented himself as a square-faced, dignified middle-aged man while posing as “Xiahou Xuan.” 551
• He retains and wears his former Crimson Gold Flying Bear Armor from the Demon Extermination Division. 574

Personality

Yan Xuankong is arrogant, boastful, impatient, and intensely conscious of his own talent. He habitually belittles other martial artists as mediocre and remains convinced that, without his sixty-year imprisonment, he would have reached the heights later attained by Chen Baxian. 285 406

He is also pragmatic to the point of ruthlessness. His historical assessment describes him as arrogant toward superiors, condescending toward inferiors, eager for quick success, and willing to use unscrupulous means for personal advancement. His first attempt to escape Thousand Buddha Village was to seize Han Zheng’s body rather than cooperate honestly. 231 232

Despite these flaws, Yan Xuankong is not without redeeming qualities. He rewards capable subordinates generously, shares martial knowledge without excessive secrecy, and once corrected Fang Henge’s flawed cultivation despite disliking him personally. He is deeply affected when others remember such help, though he disguises his satisfaction with sarcasm and bluster. 379 580

Abilities & Skills

Yang God Realm Martial Arts

Before losing his original body, Yan Xuankong was a peak Yang God Realm martial artist whose combat ability placed him near the threshold of the Dharma Aspect Realm. 227

• Personally killed three of Shannan Dao’s four Great Demon Kings. 227
• Suppressed the Xiao Family’s former Old Ancestor in three moves. 524
• Possessed extensive experience in cultivation, combat, and advancement through the major martial realms. 232 260
• His former martial arts cannot be used normally through his current body because it has no meridians, dantian, True Essence, or Gang Qi. 549

Primordial Spirit

As a disembodied Yang God, Yan Xuankong survived within the Kitchen God statue and could project Primordial Spirit power. 226 230

• Used Primordial Spirit power to assist in repairing the Kitchen God statue. 230
• Initially attempted to use his superior spiritual power to possess Han Zheng’s body. 231 232
• Was defeated by Han Zheng’s Terrifying Purgatory Ghost King Aspect and God-Piercing Thorn, which directly harmed his spirit. 232
• His Yang God was bound by Han Zheng’s Spirit Restraining Seal; Han Zheng can destroy it through their spiritual connection if necessary. 233

Incense Divine Power

Yan Xuankong’s resurrected body is sustained by incense wish power, granting him divine power distinct from True Essence and Gang Qi. 549

• His body can ignore or suppress attacks based on ordinary True Essence and Gang Qi. 549 559
• Can manifest golden palms, fists, and close-combat strikes through incense divine power. 550 551
• Fought multiple Heavenly Evil Corpse Generals simultaneously through raw physical strength and immunity to their blood fiend energy. 565
• Incense divine power has poor endurance; a single powerful palm strike consumed roughly one-tenth of his reserves. 550
• His body can be truly harmed by power of origin and is vulnerable to enemies wielding comparable incense-based or layered attribute powers. 549 559

Cultivation Knowledge and Instruction

Yan Xuankong possesses broad theoretical knowledge beyond martial combat, acquired through study at the Capital City headquarters. 363

• Taught Han Zheng the demonic movement technique Blood Shadow Floating Light Great Law. 228
• Passed on the Three Worlds Tribulation Breaking Finger, a Dan Hai Realm finger technique with significant potential. 233
• Advises Han Zheng on cultivation methods, the Capital City Demon Extermination Division, formations, artifacts, alchemy, and Jianghu intelligence. 363 416 418
• Lost many memories of cultivation methods when part of his Yang God was stripped away. 233

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Kitchen God statue — Yan Xuankong’s former spiritual vessel within Thousand Buddha Village; its restored divine protection helped Han Zheng escape the Black Jade Great Buddha. 230 231
• Crimson Gold Flying Bear Armor — his former Demon Extermination Division armor, later recovered and worn again. 574
• Soul Seizing Soul Capturing Bell — a Divine Weapon given to him by Han Zheng, suited to the strength of his incense divine power. 619
• Demon Skin Pouch — used during the infiltration of the Howling Moon Demon Saint’s cave dwelling, where it disguised him as a two-headed pig demon. 593

Relationships

• Han Zheng — Initially cooperated with Han Zheng solely to escape Thousand Buddha Village, then attempted to possess him. Han Zheng defeated and bound his Yang God with the Spirit Restraining Seal; over time, Yan Xuankong became his adviser, combat partner, and companion. 231 233 549
• Chen Baxian — Yan Xuankong’s successor as Shannan Dao Commander. Chen Baxian benefited from Yan Xuankong’s willingness to reward capable subordinates and later concealed Yan Xuankong’s identity rather than pursue his past crimes. 580
• Fang Henge — Received cultivation guidance from Yan Xuankong in his youth. Fang later aided Shannan Dao’s Demon Extermination Division in repayment of that favor. 379
• Ji Yuanfang — Yan Xuankong’s former enemy. Ji Yuanfang ambushed him after Yan Xuankong discovered and attempted to exploit one of his secrets. 233 484 549
• Black Mountain Old Demon — The only one of Shannan Dao’s four Great Demon Kings whom Yan Xuankong did not kill. The demon later colluded in Yan Xuankong’s downfall and exploited his disappearance to devastate Shannan Dao. 227 484
• Wen Tingyun — Knows that “Xiahou Xuan” is Yan Xuankong’s false identity and accepts Han Zheng’s assurance that he can be trusted. 551

Story Role / Major Arcs

Thousand Buddha Village

Yan Xuankong first appears as the voice and Primordial Spirit within the Kitchen God Temple. He guides Han Zheng through Thousand Buddha Village, explains the nature of the Black Jade Great Buddha, and teaches Han Zheng the Blood Shadow Floating Light Great Law so that he can retrieve the Kitchen God statue fragments. 226 228 230

After escaping the village, Yan Xuankong reveals that he intends to take Han Zheng’s body. Han Zheng counters his possession attempt with soul-targeting techniques, forcing Yan Xuankong to surrender and accept the Spirit Restraining Seal. 231 233

Bound Adviser of the Kui Character Camp

As Han Zheng rises through the Demon Extermination Division, Yan Xuankong provides information, evaluates cultivation methods, and comments on threats across Shannan Dao. His knowledge proves valuable in matters ranging from the Division Treasury to ancient formations and the Heavenly Demon Core Technique. 247 260 344 363

He repeatedly warns Han Zheng about the hidden dangers surrounding the Black Mountain Old Demon, Daoist Luo, and the forces operating in Taishan Prefecture, though Han Zheng does not always follow his advice. 251 271

Resurrection and the Youxin Ancient Kingdom

Yan Xuankong helps Han Zheng break the crisis involving Ruyi Heavenly God in exchange for a Divine Body. He successfully resurrects, but discovers that the new body cannot cultivate through conventional martial arts. 545 549

To conceal his notorious identity, he adopts the name “Xiahou Xuan,” a revered Commander from five centuries earlier. Wen Tingyun and Xu Cunbao initially accept the disguise, while Yan Xuankong is forced to endure their praise of Xiahou Xuan and criticism of his real self. 551 556

Demon Suppressing Pass

Chen Baxian recognizes Yan Xuankong despite his disguise but chooses to keep his identity secret, citing past benefits received from him. Yan Xuankong subsequently fights alongside Han Zheng and Chen Baxian against threats connected to Ji Yuanfang and the Demon Race. 576 579 580

At Demon Suppressing Pass, Yan Xuankong begins rebuilding his strength through incense divine pills and cultivation. Though dissatisfied that he cannot resume his former Martial Path, he continues seeking an incense-based route toward the Dharma Aspect Realm. 584 601 619

Trivia

• Yan Xuankong never married and had no disciples, leaving few people to defend his reputation after his disappearance. 379
• His false identity, Xiahou Xuan, belonged to the ancestor of a deceased friend whom Yan Xuankong respected. 551
• He was assigned the disguise of a two-headed pig demon during an infiltration mission and openly disliked it. 593
• Although he claims not to care what others think, Han Zheng notes that Yan Xuankong is visibly pleased when Fang Henge remembers his past guidance. 379