Zi Yan

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Background

Zi Yan spent her childhood fighting magical beasts for food. After accidentally consuming Transformation Grass, she assumed human form and was taken in at Jia Nan Academy by Grand Elder Su Qian. Though Su Qian treated her as family, his responsibilities left him little time to care for her directly. Other academy members largely avoided her, called her the “Brute Force King,” or treated her as an untrustworthy child. 174

She initially did not know her own species or family, identifying Su Qian as her only family. Xiao Yan recognized her as the young princess of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan's royal bloodline when they met at the academy. 164 174

Members of Eastern Dragon Island eventually traced her royal aura to Jia Nan Academy. Great Elder Qing Shan told Zi Yan that the clan expected her to inherit the position of Dragon Emperor. After Xiao Yan assured her that she could retain her freedom and see him again, she agreed to return with Qing Shan and Hei Qing. 329 331 332

On Eastern Dragon Island, Zi Yan received an inheritance and cultivated in seclusion. After almost a year of cultivation, she grew tired of the island's restrictive routine and returned to Xiao Yan. First Elder Qingmu permitted her to remain with him temporarily, although the division of the dragon islands made her rapid development an urgent concern. 352 375

Xiao Yan subsequently brought her into the magma world beneath Jia Nan Academy, where she discovered that her father, Zhukun, was still alive. He had been trapped guarding the Ancient God Cave Mansion rather than deliberately abandoning her. Their initial reunion exposed her resentment over her lonely childhood, but learning the circumstances of his disappearance allowed them to reconcile. 380 381 382

After finding the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit in the Creation Saint's ruins, Xiao Yan took Zi Yan and First Elder Qingmu to consult Zhukun. Zi Yan remained with her father to absorb the fruit, which he explained could bring her directly into maturity but also posed a risk of crystallization because of its immense energy. 385 390 391

Appearance

Zi Yan appears to be a small girl of roughly twelve or thirteen, standing only to Xiao Yan's waist. Her innocent appearance contrasts with the cool indifference in her eyes. 164

• Long purple hair.
• Fair, tender cheeks with a faint rosy color.
• Large, bright black eyes.
• Small, slight build and delicately cute features.
• Often visibly drools or puffs out her cheeks when tempted by beast-derived pills. 164 167
• Wears white when she first meets Xiao Yan and later favors purple dresses. 164 379
• Remains in her juvenile stage when reunited with Zhukun. Her father states that absorbing the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit can allow her to mature into a grown young woman; this transformation has not yet been shown. 381 391

Personality

Zi Yan is blunt, willful, and food-motivated, especially when magical-beast-based pills are involved. She is prone to tantrums and threats of force, but she understands boundaries in serious situations: despite overwhelming temptation, she returned Xiao Yan's Tier 7 Myriad Beast Pill without consuming it. 167

Her directness conceals loneliness and a strong desire for trust. Xiao Yan's willingness to give her the Myriad Beast Pill before receiving payment deeply affects her because few people at Jia Nan Academy had treated her normally. 173 174

Once she accepts Xiao Yan as her older brother, she becomes openly affectionate and dependent on him for his specially refined pills. She also displays protectiveness and responsibility after taking the Snow Demon Sky Ape as her little brother. 182 199 230

Although the prospect of joining her clan interests her, she hesitates to leave because she fears separation from Xiao Yan. She accepts Qing Shan's invitation only after Xiao Yan supports her choice and promises that they will meet again. 331

Zi Yan enjoys the idea of being in charge but dislikes prolonged, repetitive cultivation. Qingmu complains that she would rather grow stronger by swallowing pills, and she describes Dragon Island as boring because there is nothing to do but cultivate. Nevertheless, she spends almost a year cultivating there before seeking a break. 331 375

Her attachment to Xiao Yan is not solely based on food. After leaving seclusion, she explicitly says that she missed him, and she becomes apologetic when Xiao Yi Xian explains that his efforts to grow stronger also serve to protect her from Dragon Island's troubles. 372 376

Despite her childish presentation, she understands more than she openly admits. During their return to Jia Nan Academy, she privately recognizes Xiao Yan's attempts to conceal adult matters from her. She also becomes uncomfortable over his intimacy with Qing Lin and begins wishing that she and Xiao Yan had not become sworn siblings. She later admits to Zhukun that she wants to become Xiao Yan's partner. 380 391

Her feelings toward her father are initially complicated by abandonment and loneliness. She cries in Xiao Yan's arms rather than immediately welcoming Zhukun, but softens after learning that he was imprisoned. Once reconciled, she allows him to pat her head, calls him Father, and later promises to spend more time with him. 381 382 390

Abilities & Skills

Ancient Void Dragon Physiology

Zi Yan is an Ancient Void Dragon in her growth stage, possessing a royal magical-beast bloodline and a human transformation caused by Transformation Grass. 164 174

• At her first meeting with Xiao Yan, her aura is comparable to that of a Dou Wang, though she is unable to contend with a Dou Zong such as him. She later reaches Tier 7. 164 384
• She grew up fighting magical beasts and feeding on them. 174
• Magical-beast corpses and beast-derived medicinal pills exert an extreme instinctive attraction on her. 164
• Her heart blood essence is valuable because of her royal bloodline; extracting it temporarily weakens her and requires a lengthy recovery. 174
• Her royal bloodline naturally suppresses other magical beasts. Mu Qingluan feels uncomfortable in Zi Yan's presence because of the difference in their bloodline ranks. 290
• At the Skeleton Mountain Range, she deliberately releases bloodline pressure that suppresses Tier 7 magical beasts and even some Tier 8, Dou Venerate-level beasts. Her royal bloodline is stated to rank above that of the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan. 384
• She can sense an aura closely related to her own bloodline, allowing her to recognize her connection to Zhukun before formally meeting him. 380

Spatial Travel

Zi Yan can pass through space despite being in her growth stage, a trait Xiao Yan considers evidence of her exceptional bloodline. 164

Her heart blood essence also serves as the catalyst through which Xiao Yan awakens his Space Control talent. The immature blood's energy provides little improvement to his physique, but the spatial talent concealed within her royal bloodline gives him a powerful foundation for manipulating space. He later credits this talent with enabling their rapid journey from the Central Plains to the Black-Corner Region. 176 380

Physical Strength

Her reputation as Jia Nan Academy's “Brute Force King” reflects her physical power and combative nature. She challenged the Snow Demon Sky Ape directly and sought Xiao Yan's help after its punches hurt her. 174 229

Upon returning to Jia Nan Academy after her time on Dragon Island, she declares that she has become stronger than Su Qian and wants to surprise him. Her subsequent appearance in the Skeleton Mountain Range confirms that she has reached Tier 7, although no exact star rank is given. 380 384

Treasure Hunting

Zi Yan possesses a talent for finding treasures. This ability helped uncover resources later used by Xiao Yan to refine pills for her. 267

In the Ancient Forest within the Creation Saint's ruins, she senses something calling to her and leads Xiao Yan toward the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit. She recognizes the fruit and explains what she knows about it before Xiao Yan collects both it and its sapling. 385

Pill Consumption

Zi Yan can consume medicinal pills containing energy too violent for ordinary humans to digest, especially when Xiao Yan refines her ingredients into beast-compatible pills. 181

• She strongly prefers Xiao Yan's pills over ordinary medicinal ingredients or pills made by other alchemists. 181 282
• Her appetite is a liability: she once consumed too many pills at once, absorbed more energy than she could digest, and fell unconscious. 267
• Xiao Yan supplies her with large quantities of pills, including a Storage Ring intended to last several months at her usual rate of consumption. 243
• She can distinguish Xiao Yan's pills by their scent and noticed a pill he had not personally refined among those he gave her before her departure. 331
• After returning from Dragon Island, she receives Tier 7 pills infused with Xiao Yan's blood and regards them as exceptionally delicious. 379
• Xiao Yan gives her an eighth-tier, nine-colored Pill Beast found during their exploration of the Creation Saint's ruins; she is not shown consuming it. 385

Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit

The Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit offers Zi Yan an opportunity for a major transformation. Zhukun states that she is at an especially suitable age to absorb it and that doing so can bring her directly from her juvenile stage into maturity. 391

Her cultivation is still shallow relative to the fruit's enormous energy, creating a substantial risk that she will be unable to withstand it and undergo crystallization. Zhukun therefore arranges for Xiao Yan to return in three months and help her digest its energy with sufficiently powerful Heavenly Flames. Zi Yan stays with Zhukun to begin the process; successful absorption, bloodline evolution, and a resulting cultivation breakthrough have not yet been reported. 391

Power Progression

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Her acknowledged older brother. Their relationship begins with negotiations over Myriad Beast Pills and her heart blood essence, then becomes familial after Xiao Yan reveals his face and they pinky swear. She trusts him, calls him “Brother,” and repeatedly seeks out his pills. 173 174 182 199 His promise that they can reunite helps her decide to return to Eastern Dragon Island. 331 After her inheritance seclusion, she returns to him and receives his support in taking a break from Dragon Island. He promises to help with the clan's division and arranges her reunion with Zhukun. 375 379 380 She passionately defends his accomplishments when Zhukun initially underestimates him. 381 Her feelings later become explicitly romantic on her side: she privately regrets their sworn-sibling relationship and admits to her father that she wants to become Xiao Yan's partner. No mutual romantic relationship is established in the available developments. 380 391
• Su Qian — Grand Elder of Jia Nan Academy and her longtime guardian. He took her in after her transformation and treats her as a daughter or granddaughter, though his duties limit the time he can spend with her. 167 174 She later returns to the academy with the Snow Demon Sky Ape to visit him. 329 She eagerly accepts another visit with Xiao Yan, wanting to see Su Qian and show him how much stronger she has become. 379 380
• Snow Demon Sky Ape — Her self-appointed little brother. After Xiao Yan gives the ape an Ice Marrow Fruit, Zi Yan decides to take responsibility for him. 230 He accompanies her on a later visit to Su Qian. 329
• Qing Lin — A close companion who later plays and roughhouses with Zi Yan; the two are described as getting along like real sisters. 270 Zi Yan stays with Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian during Xiao Yan's seclusion. Although they remain close, Zi Yan privately experiences discomfort upon recognizing Qing Lin's increasing intimacy with Xiao Yan. 376 380
• Xiao Yi Xian — Travels with Zi Yan and Xiao Yan on several occasions. Xiao Yi Xian addresses her as “Little Sister Zi Yan.” 225 She stops Zi Yan from interrupting Xiao Yan's pill refinement and later helps her understand why he must devote time to strengthening himself and protecting those close to him. 372 376
• Qing Shan and Hei Qing — Ancient Void Dragons from Eastern Dragon Island who come to Jia Nan Academy after detecting Zi Yan's royal aura. Qing Shan explains her expected succession as Dragon Emperor, and the two escort her back to Dragon Island. 331 332
• Qingmu — Eastern Dragon Island's first elder in later developments. He pushes Zi Yan to cultivate because of the danger posed by the divided dragon islands, but reluctantly allows her to stay with Xiao Yan for a break. 375 Zi Yan later summons him through the clan's most urgent contact method so that he can accompany her and Xiao Yan to meet Zhukun. 390
• Zhu Li — An Eastern Dragon Island elder involved in her return to Xiao Yan. He and Hei Qing tell Xiao Yan that she is receiving an inheritance in seclusion when she misses the alliance's auction, and later accompany her when she comes to see him. 352 371 375
• Zhukun — Her father and the missing Old Dragon Emperor. Their first reunion is strained by her belief that she was abandoned, but she softens after learning that he was trapped by Tou She Ancient God. She eventually calls him Father and accepts his affection. 381 382 On their next meeting, she hugs him and promises to spend more time with him. He oversees her planned absorption of the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit and encourages her to pursue her feelings for Xiao Yan. 390 391
• Mu Qingluan — Venerable Wind's disciple at Star Meteor Pavilion. Zi Yan is curious about her, but Mu Qingluan withdraws after feeling the pressure of Zi Yan's superior bloodline. 290

Story Role

• Meeting Xiao Yan: Drawn by the scent of Tier 6 Myriad Beast Blood Pills, Zi Yan confronts the newly appointed Jia Nan Academy elder and demands to eat them. Xiao Yan identifies her as a transformed magical beast and reveals his Dou Zong cultivation, forcing her to abandon any idea of taking them by force. 164
• Myriad Beast Pill incident: She intercepts Xiao Yan's newly refined Tier 7 Myriad Beast Pill but suppresses her craving and returns it to him, establishing that she can be trusted in serious matters. 167
• Heart blood exchange: Zi Yan agrees to exchange her heart blood essence for a Tier 6 Myriad Beast Pill. Xiao Yan's immediate trust and care after the extraction lead her to open up about her isolation at Jia Nan Academy. 173 174
• Becoming Xiao Yan's sister: After Xiao Yan repeatedly refines customized pills for her and removes his mask at her request, Zi Yan accepts him as her big brother through a pinky swear. 181 182
• Snow Demon Sky Ape arc: She asks Xiao Yan to help defeat the Snow Demon Sky Ape, then adopts the defeated magical beast as her little brother after receiving the diluted Earth Core Tempering Milk. 228 230
• Life in Yan City: Zi Yan remains within Xiao Yan's circle, accompanies him and Xiao Yi Xian to Jia Nan Academy, and continues receiving large batches of specially refined pills. 225 243
• Treasure-hunting mishap: After Zi Yan's talent helps discover medicinal ingredients, Xiao Yan refines many of them into pills for her. She eats too many at once and falls unconscious while digesting their energy, alarming the Snow Demon Sky Ape before Xiao Yan determines that she is safe. 267
• Central Plains journey: Zi Yan accompanies Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian to Star Meteor Pavilion. There, her bloodline unsettles Mu Qingluan. She and Xiao Yi Xian remain at the pavilion while Xiao Yan and Yao Chen travel to Burning Flame Valley. 290 Xiao Yan later picks them up on his return from the Pill Tower. 327
• Return to Eastern Dragon Island: While visiting Su Qian with the Snow Demon Sky Ape, Zi Yan attracts the attention of Eastern Dragon Island's elders. Qing Shan tells her of her royal heritage and the expectation that she become Dragon Emperor. Given the choice by Xiao Yan and reassured that she can visit him again, she agrees to leave with Qing Shan and Hei Qing. 329 331 332
• Inheritance and reunion with Xiao Yan: Zi Yan receives an inheritance in seclusion and consequently misses the Tian Shu Alliance's auction. She later arrives while Xiao Yan is refining a pill, accompanied by powerful Ancient Void Dragons. Their presence publicly demonstrates his connection to the clan and deters potential trouble. 352 371 372
• Temporary departure from Dragon Island: Bored after almost a year of cultivation, she asks to stay with Xiao Yan. He persuades Qingmu to let her relax and promises to pay attention to the dragon islands' division. Although initially upset by Xiao Yan's need to enter seclusion again, she accepts his promise of a future secret-realm adventure. 375 376
• Return to Jia Nan Academy and discovery of Zhukun: After spending time with Xiao Yan in Tian Shu City, Zi Yan accompanies him to the academy. He explains that her parents may have been trapped rather than abandoning her and takes her through the underground magma. Beyond a Spatial Barrier, she senses a related bloodline and meets Zhukun. 379 380
• Reconciliation with her father: Zi Yan initially cries and refuses to acknowledge Zhukun affectionately. Xiao Yan recounts her childhood, and she defends him when her father underestimates his achievements. Once she understands Zhukun's imprisonment, she gradually forgives him and calls him Father. Their visit also reveals the severity of the clan's division, prompting Zhukun to support Xiao Yan's efforts to protect her with blood essence and authorization to use clan resources. 381 382
• Creation Saint's ruins: Zi Yan accompanies Xiao Yan and Yao Ling to the Skeleton Mountain Range, where her bloodline pressure drives away hostile attention from magical beasts. Within the ruins' Ancient Forest, she senses the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, which Xiao Yan collects together with its sapling. He also gives her an eighth-tier, nine-colored Pill Beast during their search. 384 385
• Consulting Zhukun about the fruit: Following Xiao Yan's advice, Zi Yan summons Qingmu, and the three visit Zhukun beneath Jia Nan Academy. She affectionately reunites with her father while Xiao Yan presents the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit for his assessment. 387 390
• Preparing for maturity: Zhukun explains that the fruit can bring Zi Yan directly into maturity but warns that its energy may cause crystallization. He asks Xiao Yan to return in three months to assist with Heavenly Flames, while Zi Yan remains behind to absorb it. After admitting that she wants to become Xiao Yan's partner, she becomes especially eager to begin when Zhukun tells her that the fruit can give her an adult form. 391