Ya

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Ya (鸦)
Alias(es)	Miss Ya; Teacher Ya
Species/Race	AI
Gender	Masculine
Affiliation	Independent; Bai Zhou's mentor and companion
Occupation/Role	Ritualist, combat instructor, strategist, and keeper of a hidden legacy
Status	Active 242
First Appearance	Chapter 1, initially unnamed; identified as Ya in Chapter 4 1 4

Background / History

Ya arrived at the ruins of Evening City during the 138th exploration of the Reflection Ruins Realm, locating the missing children while carrying the Flowing Fire Long Saber. At the time, Ya appeared as an overwhelming sword-bearing figure whom Bai Zhou later compared favorably to other Extraordinaries. 1 5

After Bai Zhou was brought out of Evening City, Ya discovered that he was the sole person able to perceive him. Neither nearby officers nor the Great Door acknowledged Ya's presence, prompting Ya to conclude that Bai Zhou possessed an undeveloped inborn talent. Ya proposed a transaction, explaining that Bai Zhou's ability to see him was needed. 4

Ya helped Bai Zhou seal the Crown of Thorns, guided him through the Apocalypse Ritual and Enlightenment Potion, and began systematically teaching him the occult knowledge, rituals, and combat fundamentals he lacked. 6 12 Ya later identified Bai Zhou's inherited knowledge as belonging to the Adventurer Path, helped fuse Moon Ember with Sacred Oath Slash, and promised that Bai Zhou would not walk the path alone. 16

When corruption within Branch 36 placed Bai Zhou in danger, Ya supported his investigation and offered to flee alongside him. The two escaped the Special Management Department base, established a stronghold, and began using Ya's hidden Safe House and supplies to evade pursuit. 25 30 40 44

Ya temporarily vanished while leaving behind a black silk ribbon bearing a sleeping silhouette resembling him. Bai Zhou carried the ribbon into battle, treating it as a way to continue fighting beside Ya. 57 After returning, Ya continued to inspect Bai Zhou's condition, advise him on threats, and support his increasingly dangerous expeditions through the Reflection Ruins Realm. 77 113

Ya's past remains largely undisclosed. A private room and black-crow painting at L'Ambroisie were associated with Ya, while the restaurant also concealed a cache of equipment and weapons intended as Ya's legacy. 44 46 Ya has also been recorded in history before, though the circumstances and extent of that historical status are unknown. 158

As Bai Zhou became increasingly self-sufficient, Ya recognized that many of the abilities once requiring instruction or preparation could now be handled by Bai Zhou alone. Even so, Ya remained concerned for his safety and continued to teach advanced techniques, including the completed Adventurer-compatible form of Thousand-Blade Vortex Slash. 217 239 241

A dream drawn from Irina's memories showed a woman with Ya's face lying in a desolate pit. Ya denied any known familial connection to Empress Irene, leaving the meaning of the vision unresolved. 231 232

Appearance

Ya usually manifests as a petite, youthful figure in a black windbreaker, with an upright bearing likened to an unsheathed blade. His presence can shift between physical-seeming manifestations, shadows, and the silhouette carried by his black silk ribbon. 2 4 57

• Often wears a pitch-black trench coat or windbreaker. 4 12
• Has striking rainbow-toned or ruby-like eyes. 1 4
• Commonly appears with a three-legged, crow-like black bird perched on his shoulder. 2
• Carries the Flowing Fire Long Saber. 1
• Uses a black silk ribbon with a silver bell as a resting place; while dormant, a sleeping silhouette manifests upon it. 57

Personality

Ya is cold-spoken, composed, and difficult to read. His outward expression is often flat or aloof, but he is attentive to Bai Zhou's injuries, exhaustion, secrets, and long-term survival. 4 43 77 113 Ya refuses information that Bai Zhou believes is unsafe to share, prioritizing Bai Zhou's security over personal curiosity. 113

As a teacher, Ya is demanding and blunt. He repeatedly warns Bai Zhou that power and forbidden knowledge require caution, yet encourages him to face danger rather than surrender to it. 12 154 241 Ya can also be quietly competitive and jealous when Bai Zhou receives instruction from others, responding by deriving an even more advanced secret technique overnight. 239 241

Abilities & Skills

Concealed Manifestation

Ya is ordinarily imperceptible to others and was initially visible only to Bai Zhou.

• Officers near Bai Zhou failed to notice Ya despite Ya standing in plain sight. 4
• The Great Door did not detect Ya. 4
• Ya can appear from shadows, hover in mid-air, and vanish without using normal entrances. 4 115 158
• Ya states that he cannot directly interfere with reality; some of his support functions as a psychological effect on Bai Zhou. 155

Ritual Knowledge

Ya possesses broad knowledge of rituals, occult traditions, dangerous scripts, and methods of spiritual protection.

• Guided Bai Zhou through the Apocalypse Ritual and Enlightenment Potion. 6
• Identified Bai Zhou's corruption as erosion from the deceased and performed a cleansing ritual. 11
• Warned Bai Zhou against continuing to explore the Forbidden Ancient Script without caution. 12
• Conducted ritual examinations of Bai Zhou after his rapid growth and confirmed that his powers were legitimate. 113
• Taught Bai Zhou appraisal only after he became a ranked ritual master. 238

Combat Instruction and Secret-Art Development

Ya is an accomplished instructor in blade combat and the Adventurer Path's secret techniques.

• Began Bai Zhou's special training by teaching blade use, even using a bench leg as a makeshift weapon. 12
• Modified Bai Zhou's mechanical spear-gun with chemical ammunition, hidden weapons, and explosive crossbows. 15
• Confirmed Bai Zhou's Adventurer inheritance and helped create Moon Ember Sacred Oath Slash. 16
• Derived Three Thousand Three Hundred Vortexes from Thousand-Blade Vortex Slash and Three Thousand Vortices. 239
• Completed the Adventurer-compatible Vortex portion of Thousand-Blade Vortex Slash. 241

Shadow and Moonlight Support

Ya can use shadows and understands moon-related mystical protections.

• Used shadows to shield Bai Zhou from sunlight while he slept. 44
• Explained the defensive value of Moonlight's Blessing, including its ability to stabilize the soul and frustrate divination, curses, and other behind-the-scenes interference. 242
• Recognized and interpreted changes to Bai Zhou's Moonlight Blessing after the Moon Wolf Totem's influence. 242

Strategic Guidance

Ya repeatedly assesses threats, plans escapes, and helps Bai Zhou exploit enemy weaknesses.

• Warned Bai Zhou that the corrupt forces within Branch 36 had targeted him and proposed fleeing together. 30
• Explained the surveillance advantage held by their pursuers and directed Bai Zhou toward Ya's Safe House. 44
• Suggested turning Major Luo's Midnight Compass tracking method against him. 79
• Prepared Bai Zhou for the political risks of becoming famous after being recorded in Tinghai's history. 154

Equipment / Legacy

• Flowing Fire Long Saber — Ya's distinctive long saber, carried during the exploration of Evening City. 1
• Black Silk Ribbon with Silver Bell — A ribbon Ya rests upon; it can display a sleeping silhouette associated with Ya. 57
• Crow-like black bird — A three-legged crow-like companion that accompanies Ya and assists with rituals. 2 12
• L'Ambroisie Safe House cache — Ya's hidden legacy, containing a black thin trench coat, electronic watch, silver necklace, gold-wire glasses, black folding umbrella, and the Extraordinary revolver Light and Shadow Harmony. 44 46

Relationships

• Bai Zhou — Student, companion, and the only person initially able to perceive Ya. Ya trains, protects, and advises Bai Zhou, while Bai Zhou insists that Ya's existence matters regardless of whether others can see him. 4 16 113 155
• Crow — A three-legged, crow-like black bird usually perched on Ya's shoulder; it assists with ritual work and appears to understand Ya's intentions. 2 12 159
• Fang Xiaoxia — Ya observes Bai Zhou's connection to Fang Xiaoxia and warns him when he senses mysticism influencing her. 115 157
• Gem Witch — Ya provides Bai Zhou with analysis of the Gem Witch's Wisdom Eye and her recognition of Bai Zhou's Three Yang Fires. 165

Notable Quotes

“Remember, you are not alone. I will help you.” 16

“Revere power, and even more so, one must always revere knowledge.” 12

“Though I'm very curious—but you must remember this: if it's a secret that outsiders must not know, then I need not know it either.” 113

“The Extraordinary path itself is a road of no return.” 241

Trivia

• Ya does not eat beef. 6
• Ya is frequently associated with the scent and taste of roasted coffee beans. 4 98
• Bai Zhou had never seen Ya eat or sleep before discovering the sleeping silhouette on the black silk ribbon. 44 57
• Ya's hidden restaurant room at L'Ambroisie featured a large painting of a black crow. 46
• Ya is implied to have attended, or at least have a significant past connection to, the Genius Training Camp in Tianjing. 160