Yan Xiu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yan Xiu (燕修)
Alias(es)	Young Master Yan; Consultant Yan 81 89
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Yan Family; Special Case Investigation Section 19 77
Occupation/Role	Mystic Master, Special Case consultant, and future head of the Yan Family 25 77 81
Status	Alive; sentenced to one year and six months’ imprisonment with a two-year suspension, a fine, and removal from his positions after using the Life Exchange Array 111
First Appearance	Chapter 19 19

Background & History

Yan Xiu was born into the Yan Family and is Yan Baiwen’s only son. Despite his father’s standing, he established significant influence within the family through his own capabilities and is regarded as its future head. 77

His innate killing intent manifested dangerously from childhood. Yan Baiwen recalls an incident at a family gathering when Yan Xiu was twelve, as well as other occasions in which he struggled to restrain it. 72 His killing intent later becomes both his defining strength and a persistent threat to his own stability. 105

By the time he began working with the Special Case Investigation Section, Yan Xiu had studied talisman drawing for two years and developed broad knowledge of Gu arts, rituals, evil artifacts, and metaphysical crime scenes. 25 33 60

Appearance

Yan Xiu is a notably handsome man whose usual cold, distant bearing makes him difficult to approach. In professional settings, he is generally composed and elegant rather than outwardly expressive. 25 60

• Has deep, dark eyes that can appear intense or oppressive when his killing intent surfaces. 42 88
• Often wears a white shirt and gold-rimmed glasses, which give him a gentler appearance than his usual demeanor suggests. 25
• Wears tailored black suits on formal or dangerous assignments, creating an especially imposing presence. 109
• His body becomes unnaturally cold while undergoing corpse-poison extraction, despite developing a fever. 83

Personality

Yan Xiu is calm, restrained, and highly deliberate. He rarely explains more than necessary, preferring to observe, ask pointed questions, and act once he has reached a conclusion. His colleagues rely heavily on his judgment in metaphysical cases, including situations he has not personally inspected. 47 60

He is protective of Liu Mumu, though this concern can become controlling or severe when he believes she is in danger. He reprimands her for independently approaching suspects, takes care of her during illness, and repeatedly prioritizes her safety over professional or personal gain. 42 66 71

His compassion has clear limits. Yan Xiu does not seek to harm innocents, but he is ruthless toward threats that endanger those he protects. This is most apparent in his treatment of Qi Buyan, whom he forces to bear the backlash of the Life Exchange Array to save Liu Mumu. 110

Abilities & Skills

Innate Killing Intent

Yan Xiu possesses an immense innate killing intent that surrounds and obscures his fate. It is powerful enough to overwhelm Mystic Masters, disrupt hostile metaphysical forces, and make divination against him exceptionally dangerous. 88 89

• Qi Buyan is nearly overwhelmed after attempting to read his fortune; his fate is completely concealed behind killing intent. 89
• The killing intent can paralyze opponents without Yan Xiu physically attacking them. 110
• It destroys pages of the Human Skin Book and kills one of Qi Weiming’s subordinates when it erupts uncontrollably. 105
• Yan Xiu uses it to force conflicting energy out of Li Qing, allowing the man to recover enough to reveal that Lin Lin had visited him. 103
• Its instability can leave Yan Xiu unconscious or in a state of chaotic backlash; Doctor Xue considers gradual natural recovery the safest treatment. 105
• Hostile forces have temporarily controlled or influenced him through the mother zombie’s sound and the Human Skin Book. 82 104

Black Flames

When contaminated by hostile metaphysical energy, Yan Xiu can produce black flames from his body.

• The flames burned away purplish-black contamination that spread from his fingertip after contact with an unknown object. 53
• Blind Liu identifies this resistance to fiendish contamination as an unusual trait connected to Yan Xiu’s dangerous nature. 53

Talismans and Ritual Knowledge

Yan Xiu draws talismans by personal preference and has practical knowledge of rituals, Gu lineages, and metaphysical tools. 25 33

• Draws talismans for Liu Mumu, including protective charms. 25 43
• Identifies the Grass Gu lineage’s Substitute Life ritual from its damaged altar and straw dolls. 33
• Recognizes the rare Black Needle Gu and determines that it was preset to awaken and kill its host. 60
• Directs the containment of the mother zombie, requesting red cloth, an ink marker, seven coffin nails, and a coffin after escaping its trap. 82

Array and Evil-Artifact Expertise

Yan Xiu can analyze advanced metaphysical formations and forbidden rituals, including methods recorded in the Human Skin Book. 105

• Identifies the Human Skin Book’s Soul Exchange Technique and its links to fate-plundering formations. 105
• Retains the book’s contents after being controlled by it, allowing him to understand Qi Buyan’s Soul Exchange Array. 109
• Breaks Qi Buyan’s array, destroys the Human Skin Book, and repurposes the formation to transfer Qi Buyan’s fate back onto her. 110 111

Investigation and Field Operations

Yan Xiu combines metaphysical expertise with practical investigative work for the Special Case Investigation Section. 19 81

• Helps capture Gu Master Xu Yongshuang alongside Fang Chuan. 43 44
• Tracks the Longevity Gu’s history to senior Gu Master Xu Jiunian and discovers that it had been distributed through an auction. 47
• Leads interrogations, examines protected crime scenes, and follows evidence connected to Gu poison, the Qi Family, and Renyuan Private Hospital. 60 79
• Uses a bloodline search involving Zhuo Jiayue’s blood to narrow down Liu Mumu’s location after her kidnapping. 109

Equipment & Tools

• Talisman paper and hand-drawn charms — used for protection and metaphysical countermeasures. 25 43
• Special Case detection instruments — carries energy-detection equipment during the Dongshan Town search; the device reaches its fifth red warning level near Lin Lin. 103
• Protective and containment materials — directs personnel to prepare specialized items for containing the mother zombie. 82

Relationships

• Liu Mumu — His girlfriend and eventual publicly acknowledged partner. Yan Xiu allows her to destroy the Longevity Gu, gives her his grandmother’s jadeite bracelets as an early betrothal gift, and risks his future to save her from Qi Buyan. 71 97 110 111
• Yan Baiwen — His father and the head of the Yan Family. They share mutual trust in investigations, though Yan Baiwen strongly opposes Yan Xiu’s relationship with Liu Mumu because of her life pattern. 71 79 108
• Mrs. Yan — His mother. Initially worried and disapproving of his relationship with Liu Mumu, she later permits Liu Mumu to visit him while he is unconscious. 98 106 108
• Fang Chuan — His Special Case partner and close confidant. Fang Chuan trusts Yan Xiu’s professional judgment but is frequently frustrated by his secrecy and dangerous methods. 43 60 81
• Yan Ling — A Yan Family member and frequent investigation partner. She assists him with the Human Skin Book case and supports his search for Liu Mumu. 98 100 109
• Qi Buyan — Divine Seer of the Qi Family and a major adversary. Yan Xiu deliberately exhausts her through a fortune reading, later destroys her Soul Exchange Array, and transfers the array’s backlash onto her. 89 110
• Lin Lin — A Human Skin Book-controlled adversary who temporarily manipulates Yan Xiu and attempts to use him against Qi Buyan. 103 104 105

Story Role / Major Arcs

Early Special Case Investigations

Yan Xiu investigates cases involving witchcraft tools, attempted murder, and manipulated victims alongside Fang Chuan. He determines that Zhan Ni is unlikely to wake up and helps arrange Zhan Huitian as bait to draw out larger figures behind Ning Yuan. 20 25

Longevity Gu Incident

Yan Xiu protects Liu Mumu with a talisman, helps apprehend Xu Yongshuang, and pursues the Longevity Gu’s origin through Xu Jiunian. 43 44 47 Although he sees Liu Mumu destroy the Longevity Gu, he does not interfere; he later admits that she mattered more to him than the artifact. 69 71

Mother-Son Zombie Case

Yan Xiu investigates the Qi Family’s connections to Renyuan Private Hospital and confronts the mother zombie. He successfully subdues it but becomes infected with corpse poison, requiring treatment arranged by Yan Baiwen. 79 82

Conflict with the Qi Family

At Qi Buyan’s birthday banquet, Yan Xiu requests a reading from the Divine Seer specifically to force her to expend energy. Her failed attempt to read his fate weakens the Qi Family’s political position and disrupts its efforts to gain allies. 89

Human Skin Book Investigation

After Yuan Zhi and Lin Yuanhao are murdered, Yan Xiu traces the missing Human Face Embroidery to the Human Skin Book. He works with Yan Ling and Liu Mumu to identify Tang Xiaolin and Lin Lin as key leads. 98 99 102 103

Lin Lin’s control over Yan Xiu leads to his disappearance and eventual collapse from chaotic killing intent. While trapped with her, he studies the Human Skin Book’s forbidden arrays and learns of the Qi Family’s interest in soul exchange. 104 105

Rescue of Liu Mumu and Legal Consequences

After Liu Mumu is kidnapped by Qi Buyan, Yan Xiu uses Sun Bujue’s divination, his own bloodline search, and the Yan Family’s resources to locate her. 109 He destroys Qi Buyan’s Soul Exchange Array and uses its Life Exchange function to save Liu Mumu at Qi Buyan’s expense. 110 111

Yan Xiu openly admits to the act when confronted by headquarters. He receives a suspended prison sentence, a fine, and removal from his positions, but reunites with Liu Mumu afterward. 111

Notable Quotes

“My girlfriend.” 71

“Don’t worry, murder is illegal. You won’t die by my hand.” 110