Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Clan; disciple of Yao Lao 78
Occupation/Role	Cultivator and alchemist
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Ninth-stage Dou Disciple	6	Reached this level at age ten and challenged Xiao Ce, whose lower realm did not prevent him from winning. 6
Dou Practitioner	7	Briefly broke through, then inexplicably regressed back to the ninth stage of Dou Qi. 7
Ninth-stage Dou Qi	91	Regained his cultivation after Yao Lao began guiding him; publicly revealed his recovery to the Xiao Clan. 91
Dou Zhe	101	Returned to the Dou Zhe realm after taking Juqi Powder and converting his Dou Qi through the Flame Mantra. 101
Four-Star Dou Zhe	108	His actual strength was four-star Dou Zhe, though he concealed it as two-star at the coming-of-age ceremony. 108
Four-Star Doushi	128	Recorded at four-star Doushi after absorbing the Wind Fury Dragon Flame; an earlier account places him at five-star Doushi. 127 128
Seven-Star Da Dou Shi	138	Reached seven-star Da Dou Shi and obtained the high Xuan-class flying technique Sky Eagle Wings. 138
Dou Wang (reported)	146	A chapter summary identifies him as a Dou Wang; the accompanying account instead calls him a Da Dou Shi, leaving the exact rank inconsistent. 146

Background / History

Xiao Yan was the Xiao Clan's celebrated prodigy in Wutan City. As a child, he regarded himself as the clan's foremost genius and openly declared his ambition to become the Xiao Clan's first Dou Emperor. His confidence often manifested as arrogance, particularly toward his cousin and recurring rival, Xiao Ce. 2 6

Despite holding a one-stage advantage over Xiao Ce during their youth, Xiao Yan repeatedly lost their spars. Xiao Ce's superior foundation and perfected Stone-Shattering Palm overcame Xiao Yan's higher cultivation, forcing him to confront the difference between realm and real combat ability. 6 7

Soon after becoming a Dou Practitioner, Xiao Yan's Dou Qi began vanishing and he regressed to the ninth stage of Dou Qi. The Xiao Clan expended resources seeking a cure, but only his father, Xiao Zhan, continued to support him after others lost hope. 7 Xiao Ce, unlike most of the clan, continued to acknowledge him rather than treating him as worthless. 12

Xiao Ce later exposed the source of Xiao Yan's regression: Yao Lao, a soul residing within the Bone Flame Ring left by Xiao Yan's mother, had been absorbing his Dou Qi. Xiao Yan eventually accepted Yao Lao as his master, choosing the Flame Mantra and committing himself to a renewed path of cultivation and alchemy. 77 78 101

Appearance

At age ten, Xiao Yan wore black training clothes and had a delicate, youthful face marked by a trace of arrogance. 6

• Black training attire during his spar with Xiao Ce. 6
• Initially carried himself with a proud, competitive demeanor. 2 6
• Later adopted a more composed bearing after experiencing the loss and recovery of his cultivation. 12 91

Personality

As a child, Xiao Yan was boastful, competitive, and easily pleased by praise. He considered himself the Xiao Clan's number-one genius and was frustrated by repeated defeats at Xiao Ce's hands. 2 6 7

His cultivation regression tempered him considerably. After recovering, he recognized how shallow his earlier vanity had been and became more restrained toward renewed attention from the clan. 91 He remains ambitious, but his goals have shifted toward restoring Yao Lao, seeking justice for his master, and leading the Xiao Clan back to prominence. 137 147

Abilities & Skills

Flame Mantra and Heavenly Flames

Xiao Yan chose the Flame Mantra over an Earth-rank cultivation method after returning to the Dou Zhe realm. 101

• Absorbed the Wind Fury Dragon Flame during his journey through the Tagor Desert. 127
• Uses Heavenly Flames in combat and alchemy-related techniques. 127 146
• His early progress was hindered by the Flame Mantra before it evolved. 108

Alchemy

Under Yao Lao's instruction, Xiao Yan developed into a high-level alchemist.

• Reached fifth-tier alchemy by the time of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Grand Meeting. 136 137
• Used Heavenly Flames and Yao Lao's possession technique to remove Nalan Jie's Brand Poison. 146
• Participated in the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Grand Meeting alongside Xiao Ce and Yao Yue. 155

Combat Techniques

Xiao Yan possesses a growing arsenal of Dou Techniques, though he initially struggled to match Xiao Ce's extraordinary mastery.

• Stone-Shattering Palm — Used against Xiao Ce during their childhood spar, but was decisively outperformed by Xiao Ce's perfected version. 6 7
• Eight Extremities Collapse — Trained under Yao Lao through harsh physical conditioning; its demands on the body slowed his early progress. 91
• Ghost Possession — A high-tier Heaven-class technique used with Yao Lao's possession to treat Nalan Jie. 146
• Sky Eagle Wings — High Xuan-class flying Dou Technique obtained at an auction in Black Seal City. 138

Equipment / Items

• Bone Flame Ring — A keepsake left by Xiao Yan's mother; houses Yao Lao's soul and was responsible for absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi before their agreement. 77
• Wind Fury Dragon Flame — Heavenly Flame absorbed in the Tagor Desert. 127
• Sky Eagle Wings — High Xuan-class flying Dou Technique. 138

Relationships

• Xiao Ce — Cousin, childhood rival, friend, and eventual ally. Xiao Ce repeatedly defeated him when they were young, yet continued to support him during his regression and helped set him on the path to Yao Lao. 6 12 77 129
• Yao Lao — Master and resident of the Bone Flame Ring. Yao Lao initially drained Xiao Yan's Dou Qi, then became his alchemy and cultivation mentor after Xiao Yan accepted him as master. 77 78 101
• Xiao Zhan — Father. Xiao Zhan remained committed to finding a solution for Xiao Yan's regression after the rest of the clan gave up. 7
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — Elder brothers who established the Moti Mercenary Group partly to secure Xiao Yan's future and prevent him from being bullied. 41
• Gu Xun'er — Foster cousin within the Xiao Clan and Xiao Ce's lover. Xiao Yan recognizes her exceptional background after learning she is Gu Yuan's daughter. 136 137
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée. Their engagement was dissolved peacefully, and Xiao Yan showed no interest in reviving it despite her later surprise at his growth. 100 146
• Nalan Jie — Former prospective grandfather-in-law; Xiao Yan removed his Brand Poison using Heavenly Flames and Ghost Possession. 146

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xiao Clan Prodigy and Fall

Xiao Yan begins as the Xiao Clan's prominent young genius and Xiao Ce's competitive cousin. His repeated defeats to Xiao Ce challenge his pride before his unexplained regression turns him into an object of ridicule within the clan. 2 6 7

Yao Lao's Disciple

After Xiao Ce reveals Yao Lao's presence in the Bone Flame Ring, Xiao Yan learns why his Dou Qi disappeared. He enters Yao Lao's tutelage, chooses the Flame Mantra, regains the Dou Zhe realm, and begins studying alchemy. 77 78 101

Journey and Return

Xiao Yan leaves Wutan City to temper himself, absorbs the Wind Fury Dragon Flame in the Tagor Desert, and later reunites with Xiao Ce amid the latter's rise as the feared Master Xuantian. 127 128

Alchemist Grand Meeting

Having reached fifth-tier alchemy, Xiao Yan joins Xiao Ce and Yao Yue at the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist Grand Meeting. 136 137 155

Trivia

• Xiao Yan originally believed Xiao Ce was only slightly ahead of him, until Yao Lao revealed that Xiao Ce had already reached Five-Star Dou King. 78
• He once considered Xiao Ce the only person besides his immediate family who believed he was not worthless during his regression. 12
• Xiao Yan identifies Xiao Ce's cultivation method as likely being related to dual cultivation. 147