Xu Yan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xu Yan (徐焱)
Alias(es)	Marquis of Xiyang
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Sun Moon Empire imperial court; Sun Moon royal clan 3 35
Occupation/Role	Marquis; eighth-rank Soul Engineer; Soul Douluo; attendant and escort to Princess Xu Tianzhen 18 27 29
Status	Alive 41
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Appearance

Xu Yan is a nine-foot-tall, heavily built man with a rugged bearing and prominent peach-blossom eyes. His sheer size and strength make him resemble a “towering boulder” in close combat. 2 16

• Muscular, broad-framed physique. 2 16
• Sturdy build capable of overpowering opponents through raw physical force. 16
• Often wears an outwardly carefree or smug expression. 21
• Uses a silver-gray, technologically styled Soul Guidance great axe in battle. 16

Personality

Xu Yan presents himself as straightforward, carefree, and somewhat boorish; he is fond of hearty laughter, food, showing off his influence, and treating others lavishly. Princess Xu Tianzhen nevertheless considers his seemingly reckless persona deceptive, believing he hides his own schemes well. 3 21 25

He is deeply loyal to the Sun Moon imperial family, especially Xu Tianzhen. Her abrupt proposal that Qian Yuhan become her consort repeatedly throws him into panic because he fears the damage to her reputation—and the Emperor’s retaliation against him. 19 20

Although he initially questions Qian Yuhan aggressively while investigating him, Xu Yan becomes ashamed after reading evidence of the boy’s difficult past. He later serves as Qian Yuhan’s guide in Bright Capital and grows protective of his welfare. 20 21 30

Abilities & Skills

Soul Douluo Cultivation

Xu Yan is a Soul Douluo who had reached the rank ten years before the events in the Star Dou Great Forest. 18

• Possesses flight speed sufficient to rapidly return from the forest’s core zone after receiving a distress signal. 8
• Can confront eight-ring Evil Soul Masters alongside Xu Yu and Qian Yuhan. 15 16
• His physical strength allows him to smash Zhongli Di’s Soul Guidance Staff into a V-shape with his axe. 16

Eighth-Rank Soul Engineering

Xu Yan is an eighth-rank Soul Engineer with access to advanced offensive, defensive, and mobility Soul Tools. 27 29

• Prepared an ambush against Zhongli Ren using a shoulder-mounted Soul Tool cannon. 8
• Deploys a bright-blue defensive barrier to shield Xu Tianzhen and the attendants during battle. 16
• Operates a high-speed flight Soul Tool with eight flame nozzles and an energy barrier. 21
• Understands the destructive danger posed by high-level fixed Soul Cannonballs and uses one to maintain a standoff against the Zhongli brothers. 14

Close-Quarters Combat

Unlike the Zhongli brothers’ reliance on natal beast souls, Xu Yan fights directly and aggressively with heavy weapons. 16

• Charges opponents with an unrestrained, force-oriented fighting style. 16
• Uses his Soul Guidance great axe to break weapons and force opponents into retreat. 16
• Combines front-line combat with protective barriers for allies. 16

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Wrath of Burning Heaven — A seventh-level heavy Soul Tool cannon used during his ambush in the Star Dou Great Forest. 8
• Soul Guidance great axe — Silver-gray axe used to overpower Zhongli Di in close combat. 16
• Defensive Soul Tool barrier — Creates a bright-blue “eggshell” shield around Xu Tianzhen and the attendants. 16
• Flight Soul Tool — A blue metal flight board with eight flame nozzles and an energy-film barrier; Xu Yan deliberately removed its shock absorbers to heighten the sensation of high-speed travel. 21
• Level 9 Fixed Soul Cannonball — A strategic deterrent he guards during the confrontation with the Zhongli brothers. 14

Background & History

Star Dou Great Forest

Xu Yan first encounters Qian Yuhan while traveling with Xu Yu, Princess Xu Tianzhen, and two attendants in the Star Dou Great Forest. He scouts the area and reports that Qian is an unaccompanied child seeking a spirit ring. 2

After Qian leaves the group, Xu Tianzhen orders Xu Yan to follow him, investigate his background, assist with his spirit-ring hunt if possible, and determine whether he can be drawn into the Sun Moon Empire’s orbit. Xu Yan protests that he is a straightforward person, though the princess states that he conceals his schemes behind his rough appearance. 3

Xu Yan shadows Qian into the forest but is detected by Qian’s spiritual scan. He later witnesses Qian acquire a ten-thousand-year fourth soul ring through a calculated conflict between soul beasts. 4 6

When Xu Yu’s group is coerced by the Zhongli brothers, Xu Yan answers their distress signal and arranges an ambush. He emerges from a hollow tree to bombard Zhongli Ren with his Soul Tool cannon, buying time for Xu Tianzhen and the attendants to escape. 8

During the later confrontation, he protects Xu Tianzhen’s group with a defensive barrier and personally engages Zhongli Di with his great axe. Despite his efforts, he is left shocked by Qian Yuhan’s overwhelming strength against the Evil Soul Masters. 15 16

Escorting Qian Yuhan to Bright Capital

After Qian agrees to Xu Tianzhen’s invitation to help eliminate Evil Soul Masters in the Sun Moon Empire, Xu Yan is assigned to accompany him. He persistently questions Qian about his identity and history, only to become guilty after reviewing documents that reveal Qian’s hardships. 20

Xu Yan assists Qian in clearing out his hidden cave residence, then transports him to Bright Capital on his flight Soul Tool. There, he uses his standing as a marquis to gain entry to the imperial palace and brings Qian before Emperor Xu Kun. 21

Academy Application Assignment

Emperor Xu Kun orders Xu Yan to persuade either Xu Tianzhen or Qian Yuhan to change academies within three days, so that the prospective pair will attend the same institution. Wu Ergui pressures Xu Yan into accepting the assignment by threatening to expose his misconduct to his family and the Emperor. 25 26

Xu Yan investigates Bright Capital Soul Engineer Academy before dawn, posing as an imperial inspector. Its poor facilities and nearly inedible cafeteria food convince him that Qian must not attend it, despite his original intention to steer Qian there. 28 29 30

His attempts to manipulate Qian’s schedule and conceal Xu Tianzhen’s application fail. After betting that Qian cannot locate the Princess Mansion on a tourist map, Xu Yan loses and eats the map raw. 30 31 32

Relationships

• Xu Tianzhen — The Sun Moon Empire princess Xu Yan serves and protects. He follows her orders, worries intensely about her reputation and safety, and is repeatedly caught in the middle of her pursuit of Qian Yuhan. 3 19 41
• Qian Yuhan — Initially a surveillance target, then a traveling companion and guest in Xu Yan’s mansion. Xu Yan becomes respectful and protective after learning of Qian’s past, though Qian regularly frustrates or outmaneuvers him. 20 21 25 31
• Xu Yu — A fellow Soul Douluo and royal relative who calls Xu Yan her “big nephew.” They coordinate in the forest and share embarrassment over Xu Tianzhen’s improvised royal “family motto.” 16 18
• Xu Kun — Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire and Xu Yan’s “Fourth Uncle.” Xu Yan is a trusted but frequently burdened subordinate, receiving sensitive assignments directly from him. 21 35 40
• Wu Ergui — Imperial envoy who delivers Xu Kun’s decree ordering Xu Yan to resolve the academy-application problem. Wu Ergui coerces him into accepting the task. 25 26
• Zhongli Tian, Zhongli Di, and Zhongli Ren — Evil Soul Master adversaries encountered in the Star Dou Great Forest. Xu Yan ambushes Zhongli Ren and battles Zhongli Di. 8 16

Notable Quotes

“You three old bastards, your Grandpa Xu Yan is here! Eat a blast from your grandpa first!” 8

“I am not sick!” 26

Trivia

• Xu Yan treats Qian Yuhan to enough night-market food to last the boy roughly a week. 25
• He accepted a box of medicinal herbs after mistakenly believing Qian Yuhan thought he had a private health problem. 26
• After losing a bet over the location of the Princess Mansion, he ate a tourist map and needed a coconut drink to avoid choking. 31 32
• He considers himself influential enough in the imperial palace to tell Qian Yuhan to invoke his name whenever trouble arises. 21