Ao Jiao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Ao Jiao (敖皎)
Alias(es)	Ancient Dragon Ao Jiao; Ancient Dragon Saintess; Dragon Girl
Species/Race	Ancient Dragon; East Sea Ancient Dragon Clan
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Ancient Dragon Clan; Li Yan's disciple and ally
Occupation/Role	Protector, combatant, and guide to the Ancient Dragon Clan's secrets
Status	Alive; later guards Li Yan during his seclusion 341

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak strength restored	Ch. 200	Li Yan's Side Effect conversion lets her absorb the Heavenly Emperor's pressure rather than suffer from it, repairing her ancient hidden injuries and rapidly restoring her cultivation.
True Immortal Realm stabilized	Ch. 323	She has stabilized her True Immortal cultivation and mastered the Rectification Rune, though its limits are exposed against the Emperor Lord's severed arm.

Background

Ao Jiao is an Ancient Dragon of the East Sea who has lived for tens of thousands of years. She was captured and suppressed near the entrance to the Abyss of the Netherworld by White Jade Capital, but she insists that she would rather have her soul shattered than submit to them 159.

She initially mistakes Li Yan's Dragon Soul Golden Body for proof that he is an Ancient Dragon descendant. Believing him to be a young member of her nearly lost clan, she introduces herself as Ao Jiao of the East Sea Ancient Dragon Clan and begins treating him as a “little sprout” in need of her protection 157. Even after Li Yan reveals that he is human, she struggles to accept the truth and continues to care for him 184.

Ao Jiao's elder brother, Ao Yan, became the Ghost-faced Dragon Nightmare after submitting to White Jade Capital and cultivating the Bloodline Emperor Lord's methods. Ao Jiao condemns him as a disgrace to the Ancient Dragon Clan and eventually fights beside Li Yan against him 174 182.

Appearance

Ao Jiao's true form is an immense silver-white Ancient Dragon with a body vastly larger than Li Yan's Dragon Soul. Her human form is a white-haired woman with crystal dragon horns.

• Silver-white scales and golden vertical pupils 157 323
• Crystalline dragon horns, used both as weapons and to shelter Li Yan while he rides atop her head 35
• A massive true-dragon body capable of protecting Li Yan within her jaws 194
• Human form with white hair, crystal horns, and a white dress patterned in pale blue 198
• Later wears a golden palace gown marked with gray Side Effect Law runes 323

Personality

Ao Jiao is proud, direct, and intensely protective of Ancient Dragon dignity. She despises White Jade Capital and refuses to submit even when faced with the destruction of her soul 159. Her emotions are unusually open compared with the calculating cultivators around her; she expresses worry, anger, embarrassment, and affection without much concealment.

Her initial arrogance gradually gives way to sincere respect for Li Yan. After witnessing the gulf between her Rectification Rune and his ability to withstand the Emperor Lord's Deathly Aura, she formally addresses him as “Master” and accepts the role of his disciple 323.

Despite her pride, Ao Jiao is compassionate. She takes the weakened Xing Mu with her because she cannot bear to lose another old acquaintance, even though Xing Mu remains devoted to Ao Yan 183. Her concern for Li Yan repeatedly drives her to risk herself against stronger enemies, including Yuan Xu and the Moon Eater Commander 168 194.

Abilities & Skills

Ancient Dragon Physiology

Ao Jiao possesses the immense vitality, physical strength, and resilience of an Ancient Dragon.

• Recovers severe external injuries rapidly through her bloodline's natural vitality 170
• Fights Yuan Xu, one of the Four Evils, despite suffering venomous wounds and paralysis 169
• Uses her claws, horns, and enormous body in direct close-quarters combat 174 175
• Her physical strength is restored enough to overpower Ao Yan after receiving Li Yan's healing support 175
• Her True Dragon Golden Body can still be corroded by the Emperor Lord's high-level Deathly Aura 323

Dragon Breath

Ao Jiao's Dragon Breath can attack, freeze, and corrode.

• Breaches Purple Micro Star Lord's stellar formations when acting under Li Yan's direction 35
• Freezes the Heavenly Palace formations; Li Yan's Side Effect Suppression turns the ice into an unbreakable time-stopped barrier 200
• Can form freezing power through her Dragon Claw during her battle with Ao Yan 174
• Claims that her Dragon Breath can corrode all things, though it is insufficient to safely refine the Emperor Lord's severed arm 323

Rectification Rune

Ao Jiao masters a Rectification Rune connected to Li Yan's Side Effect Law.

• Enables her to handle threats from stagnant True Immortal Realm imperial guards 323
• Attempts to convert the Deathly Aura invading her body while inside the Emperor Lord's red mist 323
• Overloads against the severed arm's constantly changing, source-level side effects 323

Human Transformation

Ao Jiao can compress her enormous dragon body into a humanoid form.

• Uses human form to enter Li Yan's Immortal Mansion, which cannot accommodate her true body 198
• Retains her dragon horns in this form 198
• Is initially self-conscious about appearing human, as she considers dragon form more dignified 198

Relationships

• Li Yan — Initially mistakes him for a young Ancient Dragon and becomes his guide and protector. Their alliance deepens through the Eastern Wasteland and the Abyss of the Netherworld; she later sincerely calls him Master and identifies him as her Dao companion when confronting Xuan Yue War Marshal 157 201 323.
• Ao Yan — Her twin brother and later enemy. Ao Jiao hates his submission to White Jade Capital and his betrayal of the Ancient Dragon Clan, but remains affected by the restoration of his original personality 174 221.
• Xing Mu — An old acquaintance and Ao Yan's loyal attendant. Ao Jiao considers Xing Mu gentle and blameless, rescuing the weakened creature rather than abandoning her 183.
• White Jade Capital — Her captors and enemies. Ao Jiao refuses to become their agent or submit to their authority 159.
• Old Heavenly Court — A wary associate within the Abyss of the Netherworld; its soldiers recognize her history and initially suspect her of serving White Jade Capital 159.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Li Yan's Entry into the Abyss of the Netherworld

Ao Jiao refuses to help Li Yan cross the Abyss barrier until he reveals his Dragon Soul Golden Body. Mistaking him for an Ancient Dragon descendant, she agrees to guide him into the Abyss 157.

Eastern Wasteland Ruins

She warns Li Yan that the Four Evils guard the Ancient Dragon Clan's secret scrolls, but follows and secretly protects him when he proceeds anyway 166 168. She battles Yuan Xu to rescue him after he is swallowed, sustaining serious wounds in the process 168 169.

Li Yan uses the Yuan Yu Willow Leaf Saber to heal Ao Jiao, restoring her strength and allowing her to defeat Ao Yan in a contest of raw physical power for the first time 175.

Seizure of the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Coffin

Ao Jiao commits to Li Yan's plan to seize the Heavenly Emperor's Divine Coffin and stabilize the Abyss of the Netherworld. She destroys formations with Dragon Breath and helps seal the pursuing forces outside the Heavenly Palace 35 200.

Within the palace, Li Yan shares the beneficial conversion of the Heavenly Emperor's pressure with her, restoring her cultivation and repairing injuries accumulated over tens of thousands of years 200.

Li Yan's Disciple

By the time Li Yan refines the Emperor Lord's severed arm, Ao Jiao has stabilized at the True Immortal Realm and mastered the Rectification Rune. Her failed attempt to assist with the refinement reveals the overwhelming difference between her mastery and Li Yan's control of the Side Effect Law; afterward, she accepts him wholeheartedly as her master 323.

Notable Quotes

“I, Ao Jiao, also have a backbone. Even if it means my soul is shattered, I will never bow my head to the White Jade Capital!” 159

“Then I am willing to follow him, rather than you, a beast who betrayed the clan!” 182

“Master!” 323

Trivia

• Ao Jiao repeatedly calls Li Yan “Little Bean Sprout” because she believes his Dragon Soul is still in its infancy 157.
• She finds Li Yan's dragon form far more attractive than his human appearance and is openly disappointed when he changes back 158.
• Her first experience with the Yuan Yu Willow Leaf Saber makes her briefly believe Li Yan intends to stab her for an entirely different reason 171.