Xiao Ling

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xiao Ling (萧凌)
Aliases / Assumed Identities	Ling Xiao; Gu Yao, the purported senior alchemist whose identity he used in an earlier battle. 35 201 244 267
Gender	Male
Age	Six at transmigration; approximately twelve during preparations for the Alchemist Tournament. 1 269
Affiliation	Xiao Clan; later the Xiao Alliance; Mote Mercenary Group; Alchemist Guild. 149 252 283
Occupation/Role	Young Clan Head; Young Alliance Master; cultivator; alchemist; mentor of the Xiao Clan's younger generation; Third Commander of the Mote Mercenary Group; Honorary President of the Alchemist Guild. 104 153 252 283
Constitution	Myriad Ghost Devouring Soul Body, also associated with the name Ten Thousand Ghost Life-Devouring Body. 121 259 263
Status	Alive
First Appearance	1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Eighth Stage Dou Power	1	Tested at age six, astonishing the Xiao Clan.
Ninth Stage Dou Power	1	Broke through after a single day of cultivation following transmigration.
Dou Practitioner	2	Broke through after a month of lifespan harvesting and preparation with purchased techniques and Foundation Establishment Powder. The breakthrough occurred while he slept, without taking a pill at that moment, and produced an exceptionally large Dou Qi vortex.
Nine-Star Dou Shi	4	His strength is implied to be at this level when Gu Yuan assesses him; Xiao Ling deliberately values keeping his true power uncertain.
Dou Grandmaster / Da Dou Shi	13	Identified as a ten-year-old Dou Grandmaster while intervening in Xiao Yu's duel with Wu Ming.
Da Dou Shi	17	Revealed this level to Xiao Clan elders before departing for Qingshan Town.
Dou King aura	35	Publicly displayed a Dou King aura and wings while leaving Qingshan Town, deterring the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
Da Dou Shi	40	Successfully broke through again after suppressing or concealing earlier displayed strength.
Peak Dou Huang combat strength with trump cards	62 64	Assessed his available strength as barely reaching peak Dou Huang through his trump cards. Activating nine special meridian points further amplified his aura against Wu Ming; these displays did not establish a permanent breakthrough to Dou Huang.
Da Dou Shi, publicly reduced to One-Star Dou Shi	108	Displayed Da Dou Shi strength before returning his apparent cultivation to One-Star Dou Shi.
Seven-Star Dou Grandmaster / Da Dou Shi	143	Stabilized the sudden increase in strength associated with killing Aoba Pa.
Eight-Star Da Dou Shi	158	Reached this level after intensive cultivation and repeated depletion of his Dou Qi and soul power while treating Rong Xiaodie.
Half-Step Dou Ling	166 181	Deliberately delayed advancing to Dou Ling because he anticipated danger at the breakthrough. During the tomb battle, ten Dou Huang Pills temporarily supplied tenfold peak Dou Huang combat power at severe physical cost.
Late Spirit Realm soul cultivation; fourth-grade alchemy	187	Reported a soul breakthrough and solid soul form, achieved a ninety-percent formation rate for third-grade pills, and attempted the fourth-grade Desire Demon Pill.
High-level Spirit Rune Master	195	Reached this spiritual cultivation stage after nearly four months of seclusion; his incomplete Devouring Ancestral Symbol could produce only a small, unfinished Devouring Realm.
Dou Zong-level combat assessment	199	Killed the peak sixth-rank Di Ku Underworld Tiger with one Sword Finger strike and was regarded as a Dou Zong-level expert. Later passages continued to describe a lower underlying Dou Qi realm.
Strength equivalent to Three-Star Dou Ling	216	Assessed his own strength at this level, with trump cards allowing him to withdraw from encounters with Dou Zongs within three stars.
Half-Step Dou Ling	229	Needed a Dou Huang Pill to sustain the high consumption involved in forming his clone.
Dou Zong-level battle strength	244 245	Defeated the Masked Black-robed Person and was identified as a Dou Zong. His use of Dou Huang Pills and later Dou Ling breakthrough distinguish this battle strength from his permanent Dou Qi cultivation.
Fifth-rank alchemist advancement	254	His advancement is identified in the chapter title; after recovering his Dou Qi, he prepared to refine with a fifth-tier cauldron.
Peak Dou Ling	264 268	Permanently advanced through a Lightning Tribulation using his physical body and Dou Qi, gaining faint lightning patterns on his meridians and bones. He subsequently confirmed that he had not yet sensed a Dou Wang tribulation.
Fifth-grade pill success rate above fifty percent	270	His fifth-grade pill-refining success rate is identified as exceeding fifty percent.
Late Spirit Realm soul cultivation	273	A further breakthrough to this realm is reported after he absorbs the weakened Soul Heart; the process also exposes him to a recovering Mo Clan Pseudo-King's stronghold.
Fifth-grade alchemist; Alchemist Tournament champion	283	His victory and fifth-grade skill made him famous across the imperial capital.
Draw against Yun Shan using temporary enhancement	289	Swallowed nine remaining Dou Huang Pills and countered Meteor Kill with Cauldron Suppresses Mountains and Rivers. Both fighters were badly injured; this was not a confirmed permanent realm advancement.

Background / History

Xiao Ling transmigrated into the body of a six-year-old Xiao Clan prodigy who shared his name. He inherited the original body's memories, including the murder of its father, and resolved to become strong enough to avenge him. He also discovered that his constitution left him with a dangerously short lifespan and that a system could be strengthened through stolen lifespan. 1

He became a leading figure among the Xiao Clan's juniors, overseeing morning classes, organizing assessments, distributing cultivation resources, and teaching techniques. His methods—including harvesting lifespan from rats, magical beasts, and enemies—were driven by the need to survive as well as grow stronger. 2 3 7

After Gu Yuan entrusted Xiao Xun'er to his care, Xiao Ling accepted responsibility for her safety and brought her into his household. He later spent thirty years of lifespan on a Tianshan Snow Lotus Seed to treat her damaged meridians. 4 16

As his influence grew, Xiao Ling transformed the Xiao Clan through alchemy, training, law-enforcement reforms, and aggressive political planning. He engineered the downfall of the Aoba and Jialie Families, ordered raids on their estates, and helped establish the Xiao Alliance in Wutan City. 74 85 111 122 149

His campaign against the rival families also fulfilled his revenge against the original body's enemies. He personally exterminated the Aoba Family, including women and children, and absorbed approximately four thousand years of lifespan before targeting the Jialie Family. Before the campaign, his remaining lifespan had fallen to only eleven months, making the acquisition of lifespan an urgent motive alongside clan security and resource gathering. 74 120 121

During later travels, he gained allies including Hai Podong and Queen Medusa, protected Qing Lin, contended for the Green Lotus Core Flame, and defeated the Masked Black-robed Person—revealed to be connected to Wu Ming—with Dou Zong-level battle strength. His subsequent breakthrough to Peak Dou Ling clarified that these earlier high-level combat displays did not represent his permanent Dou Qi realm. 220 223 237 244 245 264 268

After Qing Lin was abducted, Xiao Ling and Hai Podong investigated the Mo Clan, discovering a hidden underground city and threats associated with the Outer Realm Evil Clan. He subsequently recovered from severe injuries after a month of unconsciousness and resumed his responsibilities as the Mote Mercenary Group's Third Commander. 246 250 251 252 253

Returning to Qingshan Town, he reunited with Xiao Yi Xian and Yao Wan'er, helped develop Xiao Yi Xian's special physique, and survived the Lightning Tribulation accompanying his permanent breakthrough to Peak Dou Ling. He then harvested enough lifespan to complete a system upgrade, which consumed ten thousand years and left the system dormant. 255 259 262 264 266 267

His Alchemist Tournament victory established him as a prominent fifth-grade alchemist and earned him an honorary presidency of the Alchemist Guild. Afterward, he resisted Yun Shan's attempt to force him into the Misty Cloud Sect and refused recruitment by the Soul Hall, using a dangerous Fire Lotus to secure Yun Yun's release. 283 289

Following another period of recovery, Xiao Ling returned briefly to Wutan City before traveling with Xun'er and Qing Lian toward the Black-Corner Region. Soul Hall protectors intercepted them after Ghost Suppression Pass; he arranged for Cai Lin to escort Xun'er toward Jia Nan Academy while he remained to face the attackers. 290 294 297 299

Personality

Xiao Ling is calm, calculating, and intensely pragmatic. He treats strength as the foundation of security, deliberately conceals capabilities when useful, and uses fear as a deterrent against those who threaten his people. 4 60 134

Despite his ruthlessness toward enemies, he is deeply invested in the Xiao Clan's future. He improves the treatment of servants and dangerous-duty personnel, personally trains promising juniors, and plans long-term systems for the clan and Xiao Alliance. 7 99 107 159

He is protective toward those under his care, particularly Xiao Yu, Xun'er, Qing Lin, and Rong Xiaodie. His concern can lead him to spend precious lifespan, intervene personally in dangerous situations, or carry guilt when he cannot fully repair the harm done to someone. 16 134 158 223

His protective instincts coexist with extreme collective retaliation. He leaves no survivors in the Aoba Family and recalls slaughtering every living thing in a town while saving a clan sister. His later plans explicitly include harvesting lifespan from enemies and traitors to advance toward Dou Di. 108 120 121 253

He is also capable of selective mercy and practical compassion. He spares Clan Leader Li's son with a warning against further misconduct, and later protects Xiaohong from abuse, refuses her expected services, and offers her a route into employment and cultivation through the Alchemist Guild. With the system dormant, he acknowledges that he cannot correct every injustice and becomes more cautious about confronting hidden threats. 162 267

Xiao Ling values independence enough to reject coercion by both Yun Shan and the Soul Hall, even when badly injured. At the same time, he is stubborn and willing to gamble with dangerous cultivation methods, including enduring lightning directly and experimentally combining different tribulations. 264 289 291

His public composure contrasts with his embarrassment when others tease him about romance. He dislikes the excessive attention that follows his tournament victory, remains respectful toward senior alchemists such as Fa Ma, and treats Qing Lian's abilities primarily as means of keeping her safe rather than exploiting her in combat. 269 283

Abilities & Skills

Lifespan-Plundering System

Xiao Ling possesses a system tied to his abnormal lifespan. It allows him to take lifespan from living beings and trade lifespan for techniques, pills, materials, and other resources. 1 2

• Harvested lifespan from rats in the Xiao Clan back mountain to sustain himself. 2
• Planned to hunt magical beasts to restore his remaining lifespan. 3
• Absorbed approximately four thousand years of lifespan from the exterminated Aoba Family. 121
• Absorbed the lifespans of the Jialie Family after eliminating them. 122
• Used thirty years of lifespan to obtain the Tianshan Snow Lotus Seed for Xun'er. 16
• The system later entered dormancy, limiting his access to its resources. 158
• Acquired 160 years of lifespan after killing the Di Ku Underworld Tiger. 199
• Traded thirty years and two months of lifespan for Spirit Gathering Stone and a Blood Lotus Pill during his journey toward Mo City. 215
• Completed a later upgrade by consuming ten thousand years of lifespan after killing more than a thousand magical beasts. The system immediately entered another slumber, preventing him from reinforcing the seal on the Mo Clan's Pseudo-King. 267
• Considers deliberately accelerating breakthroughs with lifespan and using Lightning Tribulations to stabilize and strengthen the resulting cultivation; this is a proposed cultivation strategy rather than an established completed advancement. 253

Constitution and Cultivation Methods

His Myriad Ghost Devouring Soul Body is powerful but dangerous: Xiao Ling states that without the system, he would already have refined himself to death. He regards Xiao Yi Xian's E'nan Poison Body as an even greater innate talent, provided it can be controlled. 259 263

• Yan Huang Canon — Purchased from the system early in his cultivation; later used while cultivating on the green lotus platform. 2 254
• Zi Wu Body Tempering Technique — An auxiliary technique taught to Xiao Yu, Xun'er, and other Xiao Clan juniors. Its master-scroll hand seals produce exceptionally pure Dou Power, and Xiao Ling requires Xun'er to keep its unusual properties secret. 2 3 5
• Exceptional Dou Qi capacity — His first Dou Practitioner vortex was extraordinarily large. During his duel with Ruo Lin, he used Dou Qi equivalent to ten times that of an ordinary One-Star Dou Shi while restricting his displayed realm. 2 50
• Temporary pill enhancement — Dou Huang Pills supply peak Dou Huang Dou Qi for techniques, clone formation, and major battles. Taking many in succession can severely strain or rupture his meridians and dantian. 123 181 229 244 253 289
• Meridian-point amplification — Activated nine special meridian points in succession to greatly strengthen his aura during a confrontation with Wu Ming. 64

Alchemy

Xiao Ling is an alchemist capable of refining cultivation and healing medicines. His work materially strengthens the Xiao Clan's economy and military potential. 56 74 85

• Publicly revealed himself as a second-tier alchemist. His flame-control technique imitated True Flame closely enough that the elders initially mistook him for a fourth-grade alchemist. 74
• Processed fourth-tier Stone Spirit Sunflower and refined second-tier Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. 56
• Produced large quantities of enhanced first-, second-, and third-grade pills using the Fen Dan Seal. 85
• His three-day production included twenty thousand bottles of Blood Coagulation Powder, five thousand bottles of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid, one hundred Foundation Establishment Pills, and fifty Huiyuan Pills. 85
• Studies the ancient Dao of Pills and possesses the Pill Emperor's inheritance, including Dao Chenzi's alchemical memory inheritance. 85 189 190 253
• Achieved a ninety-percent formation rate for third-grade pills and attempted the fourth-grade Desire Demon Pill, testing its effects on Short-Tailed Rats. 187
• Gathered Gale Wolf magic cores to prepare Wind-Thunder Pills. 164
• Refined pills for allies, including Queen Medusa and Hai Podong. His truce with Medusa included an agreement involving tier-six pills in exchange for her assistance. 245
• Prepared fifth-grade refinement after recovering from the desert battle, and later raised his fifth-grade pill success rate above fifty percent. 254 270
• Obtained materials for Hai Podong's Recovery Spirit Purple Pill, beast flames, fire-attributed treasures, and fourth-grade Foundation Establishment Powder through Ya Fei. 269
• Won the Alchemist Tournament and received the Soul Fusion Pill formula and an honorary presidency from Fa Ma. 283
• Began instinctively refining an unknown pill from twenty ten-thousand-year-old sixth-grade medicinal ingredients. He later identified the Present-World Green Lotus Pill's effect as allowing the soul to experience reincarnation and retain the insights of successive lives. Insights beyond the recipient's present capacity could remain sealed until a later stage. 291 294
• Medicinal Hot Pot — Developed a recipe that improves Dou Qi cultivation without side effects and shared it with his companions and Xun'er. 264 294

Soul Power and Soul Clones

Xiao Ling can employ soul power for perception, combat, healing, and the creation of a Soul Clone. 17 134 229

• Detected Ling Ying's concealed presence through the Bagua Seal's perception. 6
• Used soul power to inspect Xun'er's condition and monitor his surroundings. 17 85
• Sent a Soul Clone to rescue Xiao Clan members during the Hunting Tournament. 134
• His clone healed Xiao Yu and killed an enemy with a single palm strike, though it weakened rapidly afterward. 134
• Formed the Clone Soul Heaven, also rendered Hun Tian, through a Sea of Consciousness Origin Embryo. The completed clone did not resemble him and possessed entirely black eyes. 229 230 231
• Advanced his soul cultivation and developed a solid soul form; later absorbed the weakened Soul Heart during another reported Late Spirit Realm breakthrough. 187 273
• Detected the Cloud Sea Flood Dragon observing him during his tribulation. 264
• Used spiritual power to break Xiao Yi Xian out of a mental crisis while she confronted the nature of her poison physique. The expenditure left his spiritual manifestation more illusory and was estimated to require over half a month to recover. 266
• Sent his spiritual body to rescue Hai Podong and Jia Xingtian from a Chu Yun Empire ambush, kill the attacking Dou Emperors, and extract an illusory figure from Yan Li. 283
• Extracted Meng Li's soul with invisible force and burned it in a Fire Lotus after Meng Li threatened Xun'er. 297

Spiritual Runes and Devouring Realm

Xiao Ling's spiritual cultivation developed separately from his Dou Qi realm. After nearly four months of seclusion, he became a High-level Spirit Rune Master, also described as a high-rank Spiritual Talisman Master. 195 197

• His Devouring Ancestral Symbol lacks its final stroke and remains incomplete, restricting him to a small, unfinished Devouring Realm. 195
• Tested the realm against the two Amethyst Winged Lion Kings to measure its limits and sustainable duration. A Dou Huang Pill stabilized the backlash when the realm was broken. 197
• Used its concealment properties to hide Yun Yun from the Azure Sea Golden Crystal Lion. 207
• Combined spiritual power with the incomplete symbol to avoid sentries while infiltrating the Mo Clan's estate and hidden underground city. 251
• Considers acquiring additional ancestral symbols necessary for confronting the Pseudo-Kings. 253 273

Domain of Rules

A Heaven-tier combat skill and domain technique used in Xiao Ling's battle against the Masked Black-robed Person. 244 245

• Creates a domain in which Xiao Ling confronts enemies with his strongest techniques and artifacts. 244
• Enabled him to defeat the Black-robed Person with Dou Zong-level battle strength. 245
• Its earlier barrier manifestation was octagonal, with a distinct thirty-foot rune pillar at each corner. Witnesses initially mistook the effect for a spatial barrier produced by Dou Zun cultivation. 140
• Its techniques could restrain and break down demonic energy during the confrontation with the Phantom Demon General's Will. 180

Heavenly Flame and Fire Lotus

Xiao Ling controls the Green Lotus Core Flame, which he sought beneath the desert and refused to surrender to Queen Medusa. It later supports both his alchemy and his strongest combat techniques. 234 237 289 291

• Three-Colored Flame Lotus / Furious Qing Lotus — Formed from blue-green, gray, and black flames. Its appearance terrified Hai Podong, and Xiao Ling used a controlled detonation to warn Luo Bu and the former Sand Mercenary Group members. The resulting energy interfered with Hai Podong's attempts to examine it. 253 254
• Four-Colored Fire Lotus — A dangerous last resort used to threaten mutual destruction when Vulture Protector held Yun Yun hostage. Xiao Ling left it behind as a deterrent while escaping with her. 289
• Cauldron and Heavenly Flame synergy — Infusing his cauldron with the Green Lotus Core Flame strengthens Cauldron Suppresses Mountains and Rivers, allowing the enlarged cauldron to absorb surrounding Dou Qi. 289
• Alchemy flame transformation — During his instinctive pill refinement, the Green Lotus Core Flame took the form of a blue-green lotus rather than its usual sacred-beast shape. 291

Poison Cultivation and Treatment

Xiao Ling cultivates a Poison Scripture and possesses a multicolored Poison Pill within his body. He uses its poisonous mist to assist Xiao Yi Xian rather than relying solely on conventional healing medicines. 262 266

• Initially provided Xiao Yi Xian with a hand-copied text on poison preparation and refinement while withholding the core of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. 34
• Withheld a complete cultivation method while she remained unable to safely develop her physique, then supplied a method selected for her E'nan Poison Body. 259 266
• Sealed the cultivation hut with soul power and injected poison mist from his own Poison Pill into her dantian, helping her form the violet E'nan Poison Crystal. 262 266
• Recognized that her improved Poison Crystal stood far above his multicolored Poison Pill in their mutual hierarchy. 262

Lightning Tribulation

Dragon Sparrow's influence requires Xiao Ling to face a Lightning Tribulation when advancing to a major realm, beginning with Dou Ling. This differs from the ordinary contemporary cultivation practices of the Dou Qi Continent. 252 253

• Survived his Dou Ling tribulation with physical strength and Dou Qi alone, avoiding Dou Huang Pills and spiritual power because those enhancements would increase the tribulation's power. 264
• Endured lightning comparable to a One-Star Dou Wang's all-out attack and refined the lightning within his body, gaining faint patterns on his meridians and bones. 264
• Learned that weakening his aura could disperse a forming tribulation, allowing temporary control over its targeting. 291
• Experimentally combined his tribulation with Dragon Sparrow's Lightning Punishment while drawing the Cloud Sea Flood Dragon into range. The resulting phenomenon covered roughly a thousand meters and targeted nearby living creatures; he dispersed it before it harmed them. 291
• Regards tribulations as a potential trump card against Dou Zong opponents, though their formation time limits their immediate usefulness. 291

Martial Techniques

Xiao Ling studies, modifies, and teaches Dou Techniques.

• Bagua Palm / Bagua Seal — Developed through training and epiphany; the manifested seal can envelop an area and detect hidden presences. 6
• Swallow Return Strike — His practice incorporated the essence of Taiji from his previous life, altering the technique beyond its conventional form. Its improved form allowed him to deflect Ruo Lin's attacks while using One-Star Dou Shi strength and gave him a fleeting insight into an extremely primordial principle. 6 51
• Sword Finger — Used against Wu Ming, though a spatial barrier prevented a killing blow. Later used to kill the Aoba clan head and the Di Ku Underworld Tiger. 13 120 199
• Phantom Nine Steps — Taught to Xiao Yu alongside Sword Finger. 14
• Yan Huang Finger — Used to meet Ruo Lin's increasingly powerful attacks while limiting himself to One-Star Dou Shi power. 50
• Fierce Claw Strike, modified version — Taught to Xiao Wu; doubled the original clan technique's power and brought it to the threshold of Xuan rank. 9
• Reverse Life and Death — Used with the Reincarnation Disk against the Phantom Demon General's Will. 180
• Cauldron Suppresses Mountains and Rivers — A high-level Heaven-tier Dou Technique prepared against Wu Ming's clone. It requires a powerful cauldron and Heavenly Flames; peak Dou Huang cultivation can barely execute it. 244 289
• Devouring Realm — Tested against the Amethyst Winged Lion Kings to measure the limits of his spiritual cultivation. 197

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heavenly Prison Thunder Wing / Heavenly Domain Thunder Wings — Refined thunder wings used for flight and intimidation; later appear with dim talismanic markings. They evolved during the Lightning Punishment episode and contain an Origin Talisman Xiao Ling chose not to use during his Dou Ling tribulation. 35 166 231 232 264
• Ten Thousand Ghost Soul-Devouring Cauldron — Imperial weapon used in major combat and as a space containing Pill Spirit. 244 189
• Samsara Disk / Reincarnation Disk — Artifact reinforced with Dou Qi during his clash with the Masked Black-robed Person; also used against the Phantom Demon General's Will. 244 180
• Gate of Death — Ancient summoned object used against the Heavenly Emperor Hand, appearing as a gray stone tablet carrying deathly energy and suppression. 244
• Golden Mask — Made from Green Wood Gold Jade; provides invisibility and disguise. 65
• Life-Reversing Pill — Tier-six pill received from the system. 65
• Extreme Dao Bellyband — Unique artifact acquired through the system after destroying the Jialie Family. 122
• Soul Jade Talisman — Given to Rong Xiaodie so she can call for him when needed. 159
• Dou Huang Pills — Emergency cultivation and combat enhancers used to supply Dou Qi far above his permanent realm; repeated simultaneous consumption places extreme stress on his body. 123 181 229 244 289
• Spirit-Binding Talisman — Acquired at considerable lifespan cost to help Xiao Wu confront Wu Ming. 46
• Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map fragment — Retrieved from a skeleton's arm in the mountain cave; Xiao Ling intended to use it as an incentive for Yan Di's loyalty. 31
• Eagle Wings and Mad Lion Roar — High-level Xuan-tier flight and sound-wave techniques obtained from the cave inheritance. Xiao Ling intended Eagle Wings for Xiao Yu rather than himself. 31 34
• Earth Core Life Pulse Marrow — Valuable spoils obtained during his early journey; helped Xun'er awaken her bloodline ahead of schedule. 34 60
• Soul Heart — Retrieved during the tomb expedition and later absorbed in weakened form to strengthen his soul. 176 273
• Spirit Gathering Stone and Blood Lotus Pill — Purchased together for thirty years and two months of lifespan; he divided the stone into smaller portions for future cultivation and Heavenly Flame-related needs. 215
• Green lotus platform — Filters incoming Dou Qi into pure green energy during his cultivation. 254
• Fifth-tier pill cauldron — A fiery-red cauldron prepared for alchemy after his recovery. 254
• Xue Mei's jade pendant — Farewell gift received before traveling toward Mo City. 215
• Soul Fusion Pill formula — Tournament champion's reward from Fa Ma; the Guild's imprint can be read only twice. Xiao Ling resolved not to use it unless necessary, despite Medusa's interest. 283
• Present-World Green Lotus Pill — Pill whose reincarnation-related effects Xiao Ling investigated after his instinctive refinement. 291 294

Relationships

• Xiao Yu — Disciple and clan sister; Xiao Ling trains, protects, and later appoints her leader of the Law Enforcement Squad. Her openly affectionate behavior includes kissing his cheek, and he encourages her to grow stronger so she can help him. 2 6 108 16
• Xiao Xun'er — Entrusted to Xiao Ling by Gu Yuan; he becomes her guardian, teacher, and close companion, including treating her meridian condition. Later passages explicitly describe her as his girlfriend. After his homecoming, he tells her about his travels while withholding the system, and she accompanies him toward the Black-Corner Region. 4 5 16 75 80 97 294 297
• Xiao Zhan — Uncle and Xiao Clan leader; trusts Xiao Ling's leadership and strategic plans for the clan. 4 74 159
• Ling Ying — Xun'er's protector and later Xiao Ling's teacher; supports the Xiao Alliance as its Supreme Elder. Xiao Ling gives him a sixth-grade breakthrough pill to improve his ability to protect Xun'er and the clan. Xun'er later asks that he remain to help Xiao Ling during the Soul Hall interception. 6 149 16 299
• Gu Yuan — Entrusted his daughter to Xiao Ling and provided a fire-attribute cultivation method in exchange for his protection of her. 3 4
• Xiao Wu — Trusted subordinate and leading Xiao Clan junior; assists with law-enforcement selection and leads the clan's Hunting Tournament team. Xiao Ling intervenes to protect him during the academy recruitment conflict and generously rewards his service to the Shadow Guards. 65 113 47 143
• Xiao Yan / Yan Di — Younger cousin whom Xiao Ling also regards as the world's original protagonist. Their early interactions include discipline and suspicion over Xun'er, but Xiao Ling later recognizes his potential, approves of his departure with Yao Lao for experience, and considers the changed Nalan Yanran worthy of him. 5 31 85 259 294
• Xiao Yi Xian / Little Fairy Doctor — Ally from Qingshan Town; Xiao Ling aids her with poison-related knowledge and protects her from threats. Their bond becomes openly affectionate, and he supplies a cultivation method for her E'nan Poison Body, assists with her Poison Crystal, and helps her overcome a mental crisis. She later guards him during seclusion. 26 34 134 259 262 266 291
• Yao Wan'er — Wanyao Pavilion ally who seeks Xiao Ling's protection; later openly confesses her feelings for him. He rescues her and Xiao Yi Xian from Scorpion King Sect members, and she supports him through his tribulation and subsequent recoveries while striving to become strong enough to fight beside him. 34 163 259 264 291
• Rong Xiaodie — A girl traumatized after Xiao Ling saved her; he feels responsible for her condition and searches for a treatment. Her father proposed marriage, which Xiao Ling declined, although Xiaodie remained devoted to him. He asks after her condition upon returning home. 153 158 159 147 148 294
• Hai Podong — Alchemical client and later ally; Xiao Ling restores his sealed cultivation and relies on him for intelligence and protection. Their partnership develops into trusting, argumentative companionship. Hai Podong openly defends him during the Mite’er Family dispute and the confrontation with Yun Shan, while remaining terrified of his Fire Lotus. 220 221 245 253 269 289
• Queen Medusa / Cai Lin — Initially clashes with Xiao Ling over the Green Lotus Core Flame; they form a one-year protection contract and later agree to a truce. She helps eliminate the Scorpion King Sect attackers and guards his tribulation. After evolving, she remains constrained partly by their contract and Cai'er's influence. She later agrees to escort Xun'er to Jia Nan Academy, requesting a seventh-grade Imperial Extreme Pill as payment. 237 238 245 255 259 264 268 299
• Wu Ming — Rival whose forces repeatedly threaten Xiao Ling and the Xiao Clan. Xiao Ling kills the Wutan City opponent during the academy recruitment conflict and later kills the masked clone connected to him. 13 60 244 245 47
• Qing Lin — A girl Xiao Ling rescues and seeks to help awaken her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Her later abduction prompts his investigation of the Mo Clan. 223 231 232 246 250 251
• Pill Spirit — Adopted elder sister and knowledgeable guide living within his imperial cauldron. She grants him her origin at great personal cost, accepts future exchanges involving tier-eight pills, and advises him on ancient tribulations. Although she offers to fight for him, Xiao Ling avoids exposing her because her identity as a ninth-tier treasure pill would attract powerful pursuers. 189 190 252 253
• Dragon Sparrow and Dan Yi — Pill Beasts under his care. Xiao Ling regards Dragon Sparrow as his creation and effectively his son; Dan Yi addresses him as “Daddy.” Dragon Sparrow's influence also causes Xiao Ling's cultivation tribulations. 165 195 252 253
• Qing Lian — Small companion associated with his Green Lotus Core Flame, treated as his little sister. He feeds her beast flames and pills, checks her safety after major battles, and values her ability to enter his Storage Ring as protection. 252 254 270 273 283
• Yun Yun / Yun Zhi — Companion encountered during mountain training. Xiao Ling conceals her with the Devouring Realm and later risks his life to rescue her from Vulture Protector. She accompanies him during recovery and his return to the Xiao Clan. 201 207 245 289 290 294
• Xue Mei — Alchemist whose affection becomes explicit when she gives him jade and promises to wait for him. Although he initially declines immediate romance, their later interactions include kisses, cultivation encouragement, thoughtful gifts, and holding hands at the tournament. 215 273
• Ya Fei — Commercial ally with increasing personal affection for Xiao Ling. She supports him against troublesome Mite’er relatives, supplies important alchemical materials, and teases him about romance with Hai Podong's encouragement. 109 112 269
• Cloud Sea Flood Dragon — Magical-beast ally treated as an elder brother. Helps with his lifespan-harvesting campaign and agrees to protect Xiao Clan juniors, but is alarmed when Xiao Ling draws him into a combined tribulation experiment. 264 267 291
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — Mote Mercenary Group leaders who recognize Xiao Ling's authority as Third Commander. They organize the search for Qing Lin and help him restrain arrogance among Luo Bu's subordinates. 246 252 253 254
• Xiao Yi — Loyal Xiao Clan herbalist born with Severed Meridians. His tact and sensible behavior impress Xiao Ling, who notices his unusual potential without treating it as a threat. 259 263
• Fa Ma — Senior alchemist who rewards Xiao Ling's tournament victory, praises his potential, and appoints him Honorary President of the Alchemist Guild. 283
• Mu Tie — Imperial commander who refuses the Misty Cloud Sect's improper interception order and promises Mu Family protection for the Xiao Alliance. Xiao Ling rewards his support with a fifth-grade pill. 297
• Yun Shan — Misty Cloud Sect authority who attempts to force Xiao Ling to return to the sect and marry Yun Yun. Their battle ends with both severely injured. 289
• Vulture Protector and Eagle Protector — Soul Hall enemies. Xiao Ling refuses Vulture Protector's recruitment and uses the Fire Lotus to force Yun Yun's release; the two protectors later intercept him with twenty Dou Huang fighters. 289 297 299
• Xiaohong — Vulnerable woman whom Xiao Ling protects at the Ink Arrival Pavilion and helps seek a new livelihood at the Alchemist Guild. 267

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xiao Clan Prodigy

• Transmigrates into Xiao Ling's body, discovers his lifespan crisis, and uses the system to begin building power. 1 2
• Leads morning classes and reforms the Year-End Assessment with a magical-beast hunting competition. 5 7
• Defends Xiao Yu and defeats Wu Ming in their first direct confrontation. 12 13
• Improves servants' and guards' treatment and establishes assessments as a regulated means of resolving friction among clan juniors. 7 8
• Provides Ling Ying with a breakthrough pill and spends thirty years of lifespan on Xun'er's meridian treatment before leaving to travel. 16

Qingshan Town and Wolf Head Conflict

• Leaves the Xiao Clan for Qingshan Town and the Magic Beast Mountain Range. 17
• Meets Little Fairy Doctor and develops ties with Wanyao Pavilion. 26
• Claims a cave inheritance containing medicinal herbs, gold, Eagle Wings, a sound-wave technique, and a Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map fragment. 31 34
• Defeats Wolf Head Mercenary Group forces, plunders the survivors' lifespans, and deters Mu She by revealing his power. 34 35

Rise of the Xiao Clan

• Expands the clan through alchemy, cultivation instruction, law enforcement, and marketplace strategy. 56 74 99
• Protects Xiao Wu during the Jia Nan Academy recruitment conflict and accepts Ruo Lin's twenty-move challenge on his behalf. His modified Swallow Return Strike wins the encounter despite his restricted displayed cultivation. 46 47 50 51
• Uses the Hunting Tournament to draw out the Aoba and Jialie Families. 103 111 113
• Eliminates both families and orders their estates stripped of resources. 122
• Personally exterminates the Aoba Family, absorbs approximately four thousand years of lifespan, and pursues a buried treasure protected by a formation beneath its estate. 120 121 123
• Intervenes through a Soul Clone to save clan members during the Hunting Tournament. 134
• Establishes the Xiao Alliance with Ling Ying's support. 149
• Searches for a treatment for Rong Xiaodie's trauma, leaves her a Soul Jade Talisman, and sets out for further training. 153 158 159 162

Pill Region Training

• Hunts Gale Wolves for wind-attribute cores needed for Wind-Thunder Pills. 164
• Encounters young alchemists from the Pill Region's major factions while pursuing a cave dwelling. 164
• Creates Dragon Sparrow amid a dangerous pill-refinement and Lightning Punishment episode; his Heavenly Domain Thunder Wings evolve during the aftermath. 165 166
• Faces threats connected to the Outer Realm Evil Clan and the Phantom Demon General's Will. 180
• Takes ten Dou Huang Pills to attempt a tenfold peak Dou Huang strike against the Phantom Demon General's true body, severely straining his meridians and dantian. 181
• Advances his soul cultivation and alchemy, receives Pill Spirit's origin, and reaches High-level Spirit Rune Master during prolonged seclusion. 187 190 195
• Tests the incomplete Devouring Realm against two Amethyst Winged Lion Kings and kills the Di Ku Underworld Tiger. 197 198 199

Desert Journey and Medusa Conflict

• Restores Hai Podong's cultivation and travels with him toward the Snake-People territory. 220 221
• Rescues Qing Lin and prepares to awaken her bloodline talent. 223 231
• Forms the Hun Tian soul clone through the Sea of Consciousness Origin Embryo. 229 230
• Refuses to surrender the Green Lotus Core Flame to Medusa, instead negotiating a Bloodline Pill-for-protection contract. 237 238
• Kills the Masked Black-robed Person with Dou Zong-level battle strength before negotiating a truce with Medusa. 244 245

Mo Clan Investigation and Recovery

• Qing Lin's abduction prompts a citywide search by the Mote Mercenary Group. Xiao Ling delays openly breaking with the Mo Clan until he can rescue her. 246 250
• Infiltrates the Mo Clan with Hai Podong and discovers an underground city guarded by elite cultivators, using spiritual power and the incomplete Devouring Ancestral Symbol for concealment. 251
• Recovers after a month of unconsciousness despite shattered meridians and a ruptured dantian. 252 253
• Consults Pill Spirit about tribulations and considers a lifespan-driven path toward Dou Di and the remaining ancestral runes. 253
• Uses a Three-Colored Flame Lotus demonstration to warn Luo Bu against the arrogance of his subordinates. 253 254

Return to Qingshan Town and Dou Ling Tribulation

• Returns with Medusa and searches for Xiao Yi Xian and Yao Wan'er in the mountains. 255
• Rescues them from the Scorpion King Sect's Young Master and Elder Red Scorpion, then brings them to Xiao Yi Xian's secret valley. 259 263
• Helps Xiao Yi Xian cultivate her E'nan Poison Body and form a violet Poison Crystal. 262 266
• Survives the Lightning Tribulation accompanying his breakthrough to Peak Dou Ling while his three companions guard him. 264
• Harvests lifespan from more than a thousand magical beasts to complete a ten-thousand-year system upgrade. With the system dormant, he entrusts protection of Xiao Clan juniors to the Cloud Sea Flood Dragon and leaves for the Alchemist Tournament. 267

Alchemist Tournament and Imperial Capital

• Investigates the Mo Clan through the Ink Arrival Pavilion and helps Xiaohong escape an abusive situation. 267 268
• Stands up for Ya Fei and acquires important alchemical supplies with Hai Podong's backing. 268 269
• Develops his fifth-grade refinement and advances his soul power by absorbing the weakened Soul Heart, while discovering that a Pseudo-King has recovered to Dou Zong and approaches Dou Zun. 270 273
• Wins the Alchemist Tournament, receives the Soul Fusion Pill formula, and becomes an Honorary President of the Alchemist Guild. 283
• Sends his spiritual body to rescue Hai Podong and Jia Xingtian from Yan Li's ambush involving two Chu Yun Empire Dou Emperors. 283

Misty Cloud Sect and Soul Hall Confrontation

• Rejects Yun Shan's ultimatum and uses nine Dou Huang Pills to oppose Meteor Kill with Cauldron Suppresses Mountains and Rivers, leaving both combatants gravely injured. 289
• Refuses Vulture Protector's Soul Hall recruitment and threatens him with a Four-Colored Fire Lotus to free Yun Yun. 289
• Escapes to the secret valley carrying Yun Yun, then collapses from his injuries. 290
• Experiments with controlling Lightning Tribulations as a trump card and begins an instinctive pill refinement during recovery. 291
• Investigates the Present-World Green Lotus Pill's reincarnation effects and briefly returns to the Xiao Clan, reuniting with Xun'er and delivering resources through Xiao Wu. 294

Black-Corner Region Journey and Interception

• Travels with Xun'er and Qing Lian toward the Black-Corner Region, reaching Ghost Suppression Pass after half a month. 297
• Gives the gate soldiers a chance to stand down, then kills Meng Li after his threat against Xun'er. Rewards Mu Tie for refusing the improper interception order and supporting the Xiao Alliance. 297
• Faces an encirclement by Vulture Protector, Eagle Protector, and twenty Dou Huang fighters. 297
• Arranges for Cai Lin to escort Xun'er toward Jia Nan Academy in exchange for a seventh-grade Imperial Extreme Pill, remaining behind to confront the Soul Hall protectors. 299

Trivia

• Xiao Ling’s cultivation techniques are influenced by knowledge from his previous life, most notably his incorporation of Taiji principles into the Swallow Return Strike. 6
• He considers fear more reliable than respect for preventing others from crossing his boundaries. 134
• Xiao Ling publicly presents weaker cultivation at times, including reverting his displayed strength to One-Star Dou Shi after showing a higher level. 108
• He uses his familiarity with the original Battle Through the Heavens narrative to identify opportunities, including the mountain cave inheritance and the hidden map seller in Mo City. 1 31 216
• His purported mentor Gu Yao is an assumed identity he used in an earlier confrontation, rather than simply a separate senior protecting him. 244
• He jokingly compares Xiao Yi's Severed Meridians and herbal affinity to a “protagonist template,” but remains unconcerned because Xiao Yi is a loyal Xiao Clan member. 259 263
• His repeated Fire Lotus experiments are a source of fear for Hai Podong, whose alarm can cause nearby observers to retreat before an attack is even launched. 253 254
• Despite his prodigious abilities, he admits difficulty reading the ancient texts Xun'er studies; in one passage, he recognizes only two characters among at least a thousand. 97
• His exceptional combat displays should not automatically be equated with permanent cultivation breakthroughs: Dou Huang Pills, spiritual cultivation, artifacts, and concealed abilities repeatedly allow him to fight well above his underlying Dou Qi realm. 62 181 197 229 244 264 268