Medicine Elder

Biodata

Name	Yao Chen
Alias(es)	Medicine Elder; Venerable Yao; Medicine Venerable
Species/Race	Human 518
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Starfall Pavilion (Pavilion Master); later Medicine Pavilion (master) and the Netherworld (Grand Elder) 194 376
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; mentor to Xiao Yan
Alchemical Rank	Formerly a Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist; later reported at Saint Grade Alchemy Grandmaster level 209 492
Status	Alive; resurrected from a soul body 282
First Appearance	Chapter 10

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Nine-turn Dou Zun	151	His cultivation in life; he states that he was at this realm while Mu Gu was only a One-star Dou Zun.
Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist	209	Recognized as Starfall Pavilion’s highest-ranked alchemist; his Bone Spirit Cold Flame is ranked eleventh among Heavenly Flames.
Great Perfection Spirit Realm; Peak Dou Zong combat output	81	Refines a Seventh-grade Seven Moon Soul Quenching Pill to restore his soul strength; with Xiao Yan’s help, can exert Peak Dou Zong combat power.
Early Heaven Realm Spiritual Power	209	Recorded as his strongest soul realm at Starfall Pavilion.
Mid Heaven Realm Spiritual Power	221	Consumes the Taiyi Soul Tempering Pill, which elevates his soul from early to mid Heaven Realm.
Late Heaven Realm Spiritual Power	251	His soul realm advances while he and Xiao Yan operate within the Soul Hall plan.
Great Perfection Heaven Realm Spiritual Power	281	Reaches the required soul-state threshold for resurrection.
Eight-star Dou Sheng	282	Resurrected through Xiao Yan’s refinement using the Azure Emperor Cauldron and exceptional revival materials; initially struggles to fully command the sudden increase in strength.
Late Nine-star Dou Sheng	363	His cultivation reaches the late stage of Nine-star Dou Sheng.
Late Saint Grade Heavenly Supreme / Saint Grade Alchemy Grandmaster	492	Counted among Chen Yang’s companions who attain late Saint Grade Heavenly Supreme or Saint Grade Alchemy Grandmaster levels in the Great Thousand World.

Background / History

Yao Chen was once a member of the Yao Clan, but was driven out for undisclosed reasons. He subsequently made his name across the Central Continent, becoming a Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist and the Pavilion Master of Starfall Pavilion. He established the pavilion partly to expand his influence and search for Han Shanshan. 210 227 248

At the height of his former life, Yao Chen was a Peak Nine-turn Dou Zun, only a step from Dou Sheng. His career ended when his disciple Han Feng betrayed him in concert with Mu Gu and the Soul Hall. Yao Chen’s body was destroyed, but his soul escaped and survived within the Bone Flame Ring. 151 238

He later learns that Han Shanshan had sacrificed herself to save him, revived him, erased both his and Wind Venerable’s memories of her, and left a soul imprint in the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. 248

Appearance

Before his resurrection, Medicine Elder appears as an illusory soul body that emerges from Xiao Yan’s ring. As his Spiritual Power recovers, his soul becomes solid enough that cultivators below the Dou Zong realm cannot distinguish it from a physical body. 233

After resurrection, he appears as a handsome man seemingly under forty, with long hair and white robes. 283

• Formerly resided within the Bone Flame Ring carried by Xiao Yan. 238
• Has a distinctive beard-stroking habit. 14 35
• His revived body initially cannot fully contain or control his abruptly increased aura. 283

Personality

Medicine Elder is proud, sharp-tongued, and highly confident in his status as an alchemist. He takes particular offense when Xiao Yan claims he cannot refine medicine, and he responds to teasing with equal—or greater—mockery. 14

Beneath his stern training methods, he is deeply protective of Xiao Yan. He carefully monitors the dangers of Xiao Yan’s battles, worries about the strain caused by possession, and openly takes pride in his disciple’s alchemical accomplishments. 45 174 238

He is also sentimental about his past. His reactions to Han Feng’s betrayal, Han Shanshan’s sacrifice, his grand-teacher Xiao Jinghou’s condition, and his reunion with Hu Jiujiu show that old attachments remain important to him. 151 239 248 447

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Medicine Elder is a former Peak Eighth-grade Alchemist whose reputation was built on refining and selling high-grade pills that others, including the Pill Tower, would not provide. 209 248

• Refined a Seventh-grade Seven Moon Soul Quenching Pill to restore his Spiritual Power. 81
• Can refine Grade 8 pills even without a physical body, using the Bone Spirit Cold Flame; external puppets handle the pill lightning. 221
• Identifies and analyzes unfamiliar pills through Xiao Yan’s senses while in soul form. 14
• Possesses extensive knowledge of pill recipes, medicinal materials, magical beasts, Heavenly Flames, and soul cultivation. 35 42 116

Soul-Body Techniques

After losing his body, Medicine Elder survives as a soul within the Bone Flame Ring and can emerge or inhabit Xiao Yan’s body when necessary. 10 46

• Can temporarily possess Xiao Yan to protect him or lend him combat ability. 46 92
• Uses Spiritual Power to form weapons, including a staff used in Xiao Yan’s body-tempering training. 21
• Conceals his presence so effectively that Jia Nan Academy’s Elders Qian Bai cannot detect him while his Spiritual Power is at the peak of the Spirit Realm. 116
• His use of Xiao Yan’s body depends on Xiao Yan’s physical endurance; Xiao Yan’s robust physique reduces the burden on him. 92

Bone Spirit Cold Flame

Medicine Elder possesses the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. 209

• Uses its power to support his alchemy despite lacking a body. 221
• Uses it during Xiao Yan’s body-tempering regimen, striking Xiao Yan for three hours daily to activate the effects of the Ice Fire Body Tempering Pill and Yin Yang Creation Pill. 43
• Eventually passes the flame to Xiao Yan, enabling Xiao Yan to refine it and further evolve the Fen Jue. 248 282

Poison Pill Method

Medicine Elder knows a method for controlling a Calamity Poison Body when the Netherworld Poison Flame cannot be found. 35

• Requires a single person to control three Heavenly Flames in order to refine the required poison pill. 35
• Shares the method with Chen Yang partly to increase Xiao Yan’s value as a future ally. 35

Combat Experience

Although primarily an alchemist, Medicine Elder was a powerful combatant in life and remains capable of guiding Xiao Yan through high-level battles. 81 174

• In life, reached Peak Nine-turn Dou Zun. 151
• After resurrection, reaches Eight-star Dou Sheng, but initially lacks the control to fight opponents of the same realm reliably. 282 283
• Receives the Medicine Clan Leader’s inheritance technique and additional Dou Techniques from Chen Yang to rebuild his combat foundation. 283

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bone Flame Ring — The ring that housed Medicine Elder’s soul after Han Feng destroyed his body. 238
• Black Demon Cauldron — His medicine cauldron, used for Grade 8 pill refinement. 221
• Bone Spirit Cold Flame — His former Heavenly Flame, ranked eleventh; later given to Xiao Yan. 209 248
• Na Ling — A rare item Medicine Elder had originally prepared for Xiao Yan to assist in devouring a Heavenly Flame. 42

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — His disciple. Their relationship begins with resentment and constant bickering, but develops into profound mutual loyalty; Xiao Yan devotes himself to resurrecting Medicine Elder. 14 28 145 282
• Chen Yang — Ally and benefactor. Chen Yang provides resources, plans Medicine Elder’s resurrection, protects his interests against the Yao Clan, and supports Starfall Pavilion. 35 200 233 282
• Han Feng — Former disciple who betrayed Medicine Elder alongside Mu Gu and the Soul Hall, resulting in Medicine Elder’s death. 151 238
• Mu Gu — Soul Hall figure who cooperated with Han Feng in Medicine Elder’s betrayal. 151 238
• Yao Wan Gui — One of the Yao Clan figures connected to the grievances against Medicine Elder; Chen Yang leaves him alive for Medicine Elder’s eventual revenge. 224 227
• Yao Dan — Yao Clan Leader who later regrets not paying sufficient attention to Yao Chen’s achievements and seeks reconciliation. 227
• Xuan Yi — Former wife and Pill Tower associate; she is shocked to discover that Yao Chen survived Han Feng’s betrayal. 238 282
• Fairy Qing — Former wife who witnesses his resurrection and reassesses Xiao Yan after seeing his achievements. 282
• Hu Jiujiu — Old friend from the Fox Clan and a former intended partner; the two reunite emotionally after more than a century apart. 43 447
• Fire Cloud Old Ancestor — Longtime friend and fellow former Peak Nine-turn Dou Zun. Medicine Elder once refined a Bodhi Pill for him. 193 198
• Xiao Jinghou — His grand-teacher, a Pill Tower figure whose failing condition deeply concerns Medicine Elder. 239 240

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xiao Yan’s Early Training

Medicine Elder is revealed as the soul within Xiao Yan’s inherited ring after Chen Yang identifies the ring as the cause of Xiao Yan’s disappearing Dou Qi. He becomes Xiao Yan’s principal trainer, overseeing brutal body-tempering sessions and planning to teach him Eight Extremes Collapse. 10 15 21

Searching for Revival Materials

Medicine Elder eventually reveals that the Fen Jue can be used to resurrect him. Xiao Yan commits himself to the task, while Chen Yang raises the prospect of using far superior materials to build Medicine Elder a stronger body. 28 103 200

Central Continent and the Yao Clan

After returning to Starfall Pavilion, Medicine Elder recovers enough to refine Grade 8 pills and attends the Medicine Clan’s Medicine Canon through Xiao Yan’s successes. Chen Yang humiliates Yao Wan Gui and reserves the final revenge for Medicine Elder. 221 224 227

Soul Hall Infiltration

Xiao Yan presents Medicine Elder to the Soul Hall as a captured prisoner in order to gain status within the organization. Medicine Elder endures the operation in a deliberately weakened guise while Xiao Yan becomes one of the Nine Heavenly Venerates. 248 251

Resurrection

Once his Spiritual Power reaches Great Perfection of the Heaven Realm, Xiao Yan and Chen Yang begin the resurrection. Xiao Yan uses nine Exotic Flames, the Azure Emperor Cauldron, and the Ninth-grade Golden Pill Life Creation Pill to create and fuse Medicine Elder’s new body. 281 282

Post-Resurrection

Medicine Elder regains a physical body and rises directly to Eight-star Dou Sheng. He later becomes the master of the Medicine Pavilion and the Netherworld’s Grand Elder, eventually advancing alongside Chen Yang’s circle into the Great Thousand World. 283 376 492

Notable Quotes

“My surname is Yao, and you say I can’t refine medicine?” 14

“These eyes of mine, Yao Chen’s eyes, have not gone blind a second time!” 145

“Meeting again is something worth being happy about, isn’t it?” 447

Trivia

• Medicine Elder’s public reputation rests partly on refining pills that the Pill Tower refused to refine and selling pills that it refused to sell. 248
• He misses ordinary pleasures such as food while he exists as a soul body. 81
• His unexpected exclamation after resurrection ruins the dignified impression created by his new Dou Sheng aura. 283