Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎) 7
Alias(es)	Yan Xiao — an alias formed by reversing his name 71
Gender	Male 7
Affiliation	Xiao Family / Xiao Clan 7 91
Occupation/Role	Patriarch of the Xiao Clan; disciple of Xiao Chen 14 91
First Appearance	Chapter 7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third stage of Dou Qi	14	His cultivation had stagnated because Yao Chen, residing in his ancient ring, absorbed the Dou Disciple he produced. 14
Seventh stage of Dou Disciple	20	His talent had recovered, though Xiao Ning and Xiao Mei were temporarily ahead due to the Xiao Family's resources. 20
Dou Master	29	Returned for the Xiao Family coming-of-age ceremony at this realm and displayed the Wind Fury Dragon Flame. 29
Dou Zun	76	Listed among the Xiao Clan's 373 Dou Zuns after entering the Tianxuan Continent. 76
God-Grade Bloodline awakened	70	The first Xiao Clan member in a thousand years to awaken a God-Grade bloodline; his Burning Mantra had evolved to the Heaven Tier. 70
Peak Dou Zun	91	Reached this level before age twenty, but lacked the life-and-death experience needed for sainthood. 91
Reincarnation Realm / Dou Saint	92	Endured the Reincarnation Tribulation, used Buddha Fury Reincarnation against its torrents, and manifested a Disk of Reincarnation. 92
Spirit Heavenly Supreme	100	Later recorded as one of the Xiao Clan's six Spirit Heavenly Supremes. 100

Background

Xiao Yan was formerly the Xiao Family's foremost prodigy, renowned across the Jia Ma Empire for his talent. His progress collapsed when the Dou Qi he cultivated began vanishing, leaving him dejected and unable to advance beyond the third stage of Dou Qi. Despite this, he retained a casual outward manner and often withdrew to the Xiao Family's back mountain. 7 14

The cause was Yao Chen, a soul living within Xiao Yan's ancient black ring. Yao Chen had absorbed the Dou Disciple produced from Xiao Yan's cultivation, prompting Xiao Yan to erupt in anger when Xiao Chen exposed the truth. He quickly regained his composure, however, and accepted Xiao Chen's offer of aid, service, and formal discipleship. 14

With Yao Chen's guidance and a high-grade Qi Gathering Powder, Xiao Yan carefully prepared to reclaim his cultivation rather than rushing an attempt with a high failure risk. His recovery was explosive: he reached the Dou Master realm by the Xiao Family's coming-of-age ceremony, defeated Xiao Ke in a single move, and possessed the Wind Fury Dragon Flame. 22 29 30

By the time Xiao Chen brought him to the Tianxuan Continent, Xiao Yan had awakened a God-Grade bloodline, elevated the Burning Mantra to the Heaven Tier, and gathered six Exotic Flames. There he met Lin Dong, intervened in his conflict with Lin Yun, and became involved with the Ancestral Stone and its spirit, Yan. 70 72 76

Xiao Yan later became the Xiao Clan's Patriarch. To overcome the weakness created by his sheltered advancement, he received Reincarnation insights from the Black-Eyed Elder, underwent the Reincarnation Tribulation, and chose to burn his bloodline with Exotic Flame to cross all three levels of the tribulation on his own terms. 91 92 93

Appearance

Xiao Yan is introduced as a young man with dark pupils and a youthful face. At the Xiao Family coming-of-age ceremony, he appears in black robes and carries a black ruler nearly as tall as himself. 7 29

• Wears an ancient black ring that houses Yao Chen's soul. 7 14
• Carries a large black ruler in battle. 29
• Later adopts the alias Yan Xiao while operating in Yan City. 71

Personality

Xiao Yan is initially carefree in manner despite the frustration of his lost cultivation. He answers family summons casually, spends time alone on the back mountain, and treats major changes in the Xiao Family with outward indifference. 7

He can be fiercely emotional when betrayed, as seen when he learned that Yao Chen caused his lost Dou Qi, but he is capable of quickly restraining himself and apologizing for his outburst. His approach to cultivation is notably patient: he refused to consume the Qi Gathering Powder until he had rested and fully stabilized his condition. 14 22

After gaining power, he becomes confident, domineering, and commercially ruthless. He kills Wang Yan with ease, controls access to the Ancient Tomb Mansion, and demands exact payment from those leaving it. He nevertheless shows favor toward Lin Dong and is comparatively lenient toward women such as Lin Ke'er and Ling Qingzhu. 82 83

Abilities & Skills

Burning Mantra and Exotic Flames

Xiao Yan cultivates the Heaven-Tier Burning Mantra and advances by devouring and refining Exotic Flames rather than relying on ordinary cultivation alone. 70 90

• Possesses the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, Green Lotus Core Flame, Bone Spirit Cold Flame, Three Thousand Burning Flame, Red Lotus Karma Flame, and Nine Nether Wind Flame. 70
• The Red Lotus Karma Flame and Nine Nether Wind Flame were marriage dowries from the Flame Clan and Yao Clan, respectively. 70
• His six-flame fusion is stated to be no weaker than the Xiao Clan's Nihility Devouring Flame; it is later identified as the Six-Glazed Lotus Heart Flame. 70 100
• Uses Exotic Flame to burn his own bloodline during his attempt to cross all three levels of the Reincarnation Tribulation. 93

God-Grade Bloodline

Xiao Yan is the first member of the Xiao Clan in a thousand years known to awaken a God-Grade bloodline. 70

• His bloodline, talent, and accumulated resources enabled him to reach peak Dou Zun before age twenty. 91
• His rapid growth also left him lacking practical life-and-death experience, a flaw the Reincarnation insights were intended to address. 91

Soul Power and Mental Cultivation

Xiao Yan possesses exceptional soul perception and develops methods beyond Dou Qi cultivation. 22 71

• Could sense abnormal energy fluctuations within a thousand miles of Yan City. 87
• Created a soul barrier that confined Lin Yun before dismissing him. 72
• Received the Spirit Movement Chapter, a manual for the first three levels of mental-energy cultivation. 72
• Learned about the Spirit Rune Master path and considered its potential applications to pill refinement. 71

Reincarnation Power

The Black-Eyed Elder directly imparted Reincarnation insights to Xiao Yan, compensating for his unstable foundation and lack of hardship. 91

• Withstood the Reincarnation Tribulation's first torrent of Yuan Power. 92
• Used Buddha Fury Reincarnation to disintegrate later torrents. 92
• Manifested a Disk of Reincarnation after reaching the Reincarnation Realm. 92

Alchemy and Resource Use

Xiao Yan is an eighth-grade alchemist and makes liberal use of the Xiao Clan's resources. 76

• Sold a Three-Vein Green Spirit Pill for 50,000 Yang Yuan Pills in Yan City. 71
• Supplied the Ancestral Stone with cultivation methods and Dou Skills, allowing it to evolve and improve them. 76
• Used his methods to awaken Yan, the spirit of the Ancestral Stone. 76

Equipment / Items

• Ancient black ring — the vessel containing Yao Chen's soul. 7 14
• Black ruler — carried during the Xiao Family coming-of-age ceremony. 29
• Ancestral Stone — can evolve techniques and Dou Skills; its spirit is Yan. 76
• Storage Ring — used to store the Qiankun Bags collected from the Ancient Tomb Mansion. 83
• Life Devouring Pill — carried while waiting outside the Ancient Tomb Mansion. 83

Relationships

• Xiao Chen — ancestor and master. Xiao Chen exposed the cause of Xiao Yan's lost Dou Qi, accepted him as a disciple, and later guided his path toward becoming a Dou Saint. 14 91 92
• Yao Chen (Yao Lao) — ring-bound mentor. Yao Chen initially caused Xiao Yan's cultivation loss by absorbing his Dou Disciple, then guided him with pills and cultivation instruction. 14 22
• Xiao Xun'er — childhood companion and later wife. She regularly sought him out during his low point in the Xiao Family. 7 69
• Nalan Yanran — later wife; her prospective breaking of their engagement became politically dangerous after the Xiao Family's rise. 20 69
• Qing Lin — later wife; she initially accompanied Xiao Yan during his leisure time in Salt City. 22 69
• Yao Ling — later wife from the Yao Clan. 69
• Huo Zhi — later wife from the Flame Clan. 69
• Lin Dong — ally and friend in the Tianxuan Continent. Xiao Yan saves him from Lin Yun, shares opportunities with him, and accompanies him through the Ancient Tomb Mansion incident. 72 82 83
• Ling Qingzhu — associate of Lin Dong. Xiao Yan teases her about her relationship with Lin Dong and accepts compensation from her after the tomb expedition. 82 83
• Black-Eyed Elder — mentor in Reincarnation cultivation who gifted Xiao Yan his Reincarnation insights. 91

Notable Quotes

“I want to rely on myself to reach the Great Thousand World that the Ancestor spoke of. Only in this way can I become a true powerhouse, rather than blindly relying on the Ancestor and Teacher.” 93

“You can choose not to pay. However, this tomb is about to collapse soon. You had better think it through.” 83

Trivia

• His alias, Yan Xiao, is simply “Xiao Yan” written in reverse order. 71
• Xiao Yan's six Exotic Flames were fused into the Six-Glazed Lotus Heart Flame. 100
• He is described as the Xiao Clan's first God-Grade bloodline awakener in a thousand years. 70