Old Medicine

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Old Medicine (药老)
Alias(es)	Old Yao; Lao Yao; Grandpa Medicine
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Lin Xiao's group; the Undead World
Occupation/Role	Lin Xiao's master, alchemist, cultivation adviser, and soul-body combatant
Status	Active; regained a physical body and later recovered to nine-star Dou Venerable 242 243
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Nine-star Dou Venerable	243	After recovering a body, he borrowed World Power through Shanshan's fusion with the Golden Ancient Tree and reached the Undead World's current limit over ten years.

Background / History

Old Medicine originated from a world governed by the Dou Qi cultivation system. In his prime, he was stated to be stronger than the Dragon God; however, he awakened in the Douluo world as a soul body with incomplete Soul Power. He believed the Douluo world lacked the resources needed for his full recovery. 122

He became Lin Xiao's master after meeting him through the Ring. He first assessed Lin's fire-and-wood affinities, explained the requirements for becoming a Flame Alchemist, and offered the evolving Flame Mantra technique. 2

Although initially limited to a soul form, Old Medicine could manifest outside the Ring, possess Lin Xiao, refine pills, and confront opponents far beyond Lin's ordinary strength. Lin Xiao eventually used resources from the God Realm and the Golden Ancient Tree to refine Old Medicine a young physical body. 103 104 242

Appearance

In soul form, Old Medicine manifests as a floating elder with an immortal aura and a habit of stroking his beard. He is commonly associated with pale-white cold flames. 14 122

• Usually appears as a translucent soul body outside Lin Xiao's Ring. 14 15
• Carries a wine gourd and chicken leg when impersonating Xuan Zi. 77
• Later receives a youthful physical body refined by Lin Xiao. 242

Personality

Old Medicine is patient and exacting as a teacher. He explains alchemy step by step, makes Lin Xiao practice basic hand signs before attempting independent refinement, and adapts cultivation methods to Lin's unusual dual-system condition. 14 15 165

He is protective of Lin Xiao and those he considers family, but maintains a moral boundary against indiscriminate killing. He permits ruthlessness against responsible enemies while warning Lin not to become a murderer. 69

Despite his strength, he can be playful and curious. He was visibly intrigued by Lin Xiao and Electrolux's secret plan involving the soul within the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, but ultimately allowed them to keep it from him. 214 222

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy and Pill Refinement

Old Medicine is an accomplished alchemist who can refine pills without a pill furnace and teach both fundamental and high-grade pillcraft.

• Refined three Second Grade soul-restoring pills from ten roughly nine-hundred-year medicinal herbs. 14
• Uses Soul Fire during pill refinement; his cold flame produces pills with enhanced medicinal effects. 14
• Taught Lin Xiao the required order of alchemy: ingredient separation, medicinal-essence extraction, herb breakdown, and pill condensation. 14
• Identifies auxiliary Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures required for Grade 7 pills and intends to teach Lin Xiao their refinement. 124
• Personally refined pills that rapidly healed Di Tian and other severely injured Limit Douluo-level allies. 217

Bone Spirit Cold Fire

Old Medicine commands the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, a powerful cold flame used for refinement, combat, containment, and control.

• Created a flame mark that allows Lin Xiao to control the Divine Sense Puppet containing Tang San's divine sense. 101
• Used the flame while possessing Lin Xiao to confront the Demon Emperor and refine Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow into a container for an unstable flame. 103
• Handed the Bone Spirit Cold Fire to Lin Xiao so he could separate the residual soul concealed within it. 234

Soul Power and Possession

As a soul body, Old Medicine can project overwhelming Soul Power and temporarily possess Lin Xiao.

• Suppressed Elder Ma and his companions so completely that they could not move, then altered Elder Ma's memory to frame Shrek for the Soul Beast Embryo theft. 77
• Can possess Lin Xiao in battle, but extensive use leaves Lin exhausted and unconscious afterward. 103 104
• Extracted the Demon Emperor's surviving soul from her dropped soul bone. 164
• Can conceal powerful auras, including the Snow Empress's, and shield Lin Xiao from high-level spiritual detection. 95 181

Cultivation Knowledge

Old Medicine possesses extensive knowledge of Dou Qi realms and their relationship to the Douluo world's power system.

• Explained that the Dou Qi path progresses through realms including Dou Disciple, Dou Ancestor, Dou Venerable, Dou Saint, and Dou Emperor. 122
• Identified the Silver Dragon King as a wounded six-star Dou Ancestor. 122
• Guided Lin Xiao's first Soul Core condensation to resolve the imbalance between his Soul Power and Dou Disciple cultivation. 165
• Helped organize the planned conversion of the Douluo Continent from Soul Power cultivation toward Dou Qi, with Heavenly Tribulations retained for both humans and soul beasts. 234

Relationships

• Lin Xiao — His disciple and the person through whom he acts in the Douluo world. Old Medicine serves as Lin Xiao's primary alchemy and cultivation teacher, while Lin repeatedly seeks a way to restore his master fully. 2 14 122
• Electrolux — Fellow soul-body mentor and close collaborator. They jointly support Lin Xiao, organize the Undead World, and later receive bodies at the same time. 101 192 242
• Ice Emperor — Treated as Old Medicine's granddaughter; he supports the effort to rescue her sealed sister, the Snow Empress. 76 87
• Snow Empress — Calls him “Grandpa Medicine.” He helps restore her body and evaluates the time and materials needed for her recovery. 89 117
• Gu Yue Na / Silver Dragon King — Recognizes Old Medicine's superior knowledge and strength. He arranges the materials needed for Lin Xiao to eventually refine a Grade 7 healing pill for her. 122 124
• Han Shanshan — His wife. Lin Xiao and Electrolux work in secret to restore her residual soul, while her later fusion with the Golden Ancient Tree enables Old Medicine to borrow World Power. 214 243

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Early mentorship — Evaluates Lin Xiao's potential, provides the Flame Mantra, teaches foundational alchemy, and refines soul-restoring pills for Lin and Igor. 2 14 15
• Soul Beast Embryo heist — Possesses Lin Xiao and uses overwhelming Soul Power and memory interference to impersonate Xuan Zi, seize the Snow Emperor Embryo, and direct blame toward Shrek. 76 77
• Sea God Island conflict — Protects Lin Xiao from the Demon Emperor, refines a container from Ten Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow, and directs the acquisition of the Deep Sea Flame. 103 104
• Soul Beast alliance — Explains the Dou Qi hierarchy to the Silver Dragon King, supports the alliance with Gu Yue Na, and helps gather materials for her treatment. 122 124
• Undead World development — Advises Lin Xiao's faction after the conflict with Shrek, helps plan the Plane Consciousness's liberation, and participates in reforming the Douluo Continent's cultivation system. 192 234
• Physical restoration — Receives a newly refined body from Lin Xiao and, over the following decade, restores his strength to nine-star Dou Venerable. 242 243

Notable Quotes

“You can be ruthless, but you cannot be a murderer.” 69