Xiao Nan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Nan (肖南)
Alias(es)	Master Xiao; Sword Immortal
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Five-Terrace Sect; originally Bai Yue's branch, later Dao Shan Ancestor's Moon-Hanging Peak lineage; Wind-and-Rain Office
Occupation/Role	Sword immortal; former Egret Academy instructor; master of Wang Chong and Zhu Ying; master of Splendid Peak
Status	Alive; Golden Immortal and a high-ranking figure in the Celestial Palace
First Appearance	Chapter 6

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Improved swordsmanship	10	Emerged from seclusion having healed old injuries and improved his swordsmanship; afterward slew Old Demon Luo.
Near fifth major cycle of magical power	25	His magical power was nearing the fifth major cycle when he began studying the Profound Lantern Record.
Profound Lantern Record — introductory stage	86	Converted all of his magical power into the Record's cycles after cultivating its introductory stage.
Profound Lantern Record — third cycle	86	Attained an insight in meditation and unexpectedly advanced to the third cycle.
Profound Lantern Record — fifth circulation	184	Broke through silently after an extended period of cultivation.
Profound Lantern Record — seventh heavenly cycle	213	Advanced rapidly and held a banquet to celebrate.
Profound Lantern Record — eighth cycle	249	Broke through his long-standing bottleneck after Wang Chong's wedding feast.
Completion of the Profound Lantern Record; ascension	278	Cultivated the Primordial Sect art to completion and ascended, but was immediately targeted as a Primordial Sect remnant.
Golden Immortal; twenty-fifth heavenly cycle	300	After centuries of cultivation and accumulated merit, crossed the Heavenly Immortal threshold and became a Golden Immortal.

Background / History

Xiao Nan was a Five-Terrace Sect sword immortal who lived in seclusion near Egret Academy, where he was known as an instructor and admired by students for his swordsmanship. In his early years, he fought Old Demon Luo and suffered a minor defeat. Later seclusion healed his injuries and sharpened his swordsmanship enough for him to slay Luo. 6 10

He was originally Bai Yue's disciple and sought the hidden legacy of Red Staff Immortal in hopes of restoring the scattered Five-Terrace Sect. While searching Mystic Mountain, he found a sealed formation but lacked the means to open it. 21

Xiao Nan initially refused to take another disciple despite recognizing Wang Chong's unusual character and potential. When Sun Yougui brought Wang Chong to Mystic Mountain, Xiao Nan used the boy's selfless act as grounds to accept him as a registered disciple and remove him from the Heavenly Corpse Sect elder's control. Wang Chong's ability to wield all twenty-eight Heaven-Mixing Talismans after little more than ten days left Xiao Nan convinced that he had found a sword-path prodigy. 11 20

He later used the Great Circuit Marrow-Purging Art on Wang Chong, sacrificing some of his own cultivation to strengthen the boy's body, meridians, marrow, and true-qi foundation. He intended to formally accept Wang Chong once the latter completed the first circuit of the Great Five-Element Qi Refinement Art. 21

Appearance

Xiao Nan first appears as a young man in flowing white robes, standing upon a mountain peak after descending by sword light. 20 By the time he became a Golden Immortal, he was described as a bearded, middle-aged man in white. 300

• Often travels as a streak or sheet of clear radiance. 11 20
• Carries himself with the detached bearing of an otherworldly sword immortal. 20
• Later keeps a spiritually responsive mirror close at hand. 184 340

Personality

Xiao Nan is outwardly calm, refined, and protective. He takes responsibility for Wang Chong despite knowing Sun Yougui's cultivation exceeds his own, and he remains ready to intervene when Wang Chong is endangered by the Qianli Fire Serpent. 20 23 His concern for both Wang Chong and Zhu Ying makes him a committed, if occasionally overprotective, master.

His patience has limits. During the Qianli Heart-Refining Trial, he repeatedly fails court-life scenarios because of his stubbornness, bluntness, and inability to navigate political intrigue. His failures leave him increasingly desperate to enter the treasure cave, in sharp contrast to Wang Chong's composure. 23

He is deeply loyal to Bai Yue and initially rejects every effort to transfer him into another lineage after her retirement. Dao Shan Ancestor ultimately secures Bai Yue's written consent and takes Xiao Nan as his sixteenth disciple. 84 85

Xiao Nan is sensitive about his cultivation and status, particularly after Wang Chong rapidly surpasses him. He feels pressure when unable to answer his disciple's increasingly advanced questions, but continues to take pride in Wang Chong's achievements. 88 107 213 In later years, he becomes less affected by mockery, turning his mirror face-down rather than dwelling on its reports of insults. 340

Abilities & Skills

Swordsmanship

An accomplished Five-Terrace Sect swordsman, Xiao Nan's swordsmanship is his defining combat art.

• Slew Old Demon Luo after recovering from his earlier defeat. 10
• Severed White Spider Elder's arm with a flying sword; the lingering sword qi prevented the elder from restoring it permanently. 32
• Recovered his master's flying sword after losing it during the conflict over the Langhuan Celestial Stele. 33 37
• Fought Heaven-Reaching Dasha to a draw after becoming a Golden Immortal. 300

Great Circuit Marrow-Purging Art

A Five-Terrace Sect secret art used to rebuild a cultivator's physical foundation.

• Changes sinews, refines meridians, washes marrow, and purges bones. 21
• Strengthens the body, eliminates illness, and allows true qi to be cultivated several times faster than normal. 21
• Xiao Nan expended his own cultivation to perform it on Wang Chong, allowing him to progress through mortal martial training more quickly. 21

Profound Lantern Record

A Primordial Sect mental art acquired from the hidden Mystic Mountain treasury.

• Its highest mental art can cultivate up to thirty-three major cycles of magical power, rivaling Five-Terrace Sect's lost mountain-guarding method. 25
• Xiao Nan converted all of his magical power into this art after reaching its introductory stage. 86
• His cultivation of the Record ultimately led to ascension and Golden Immortal status, but also caused the Celestial Court to identify him as a Primordial Sect remnant. 278 300

Five-Terrace Sect Techniques

Xiao Nan possesses and teaches several arts of the Five-Terrace Sect.

• Primordial Sword Formula — Taught to Wang Chong and Zhu Ying as their foundational sword art. 11 32
• Soaring-Cloud Technique — Taught to his registered disciples using halves of Old Demon Luo's shattered Black-Wind Baleful Cloud. 28
• Invisibility technique — Used to hide from Sun Yougui near Mystic Mountain. 22
• Secret aura-detection art — Used while investigating Little Cold Mountain and the Langhuan Celestial Stele. 32

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Flying sword — His primary weapon; once lost during the Langhuan Celestial Stele conflict and later recovered. 32 33 37
• Profound-Heaven Glazed Lamp — Used to destroy Old Demon Luo's Black-Wind Baleful Cloud and extract its Earthcore Sha Qi. 28
• Red flower — One of five treasures obtained from the Mystic Mountain vault; transforms into a powerful fire cloud and suits Five-Terrace Sect arts. 32
• Five Mystic Mountain treasures — Acquired alongside a Daoist scripture after Wang Chong passed the Qianli Heart-Refining Trial. 24 28
• Black Wind Bag — Old Demon Luo's unopened treasure bag, which Xiao Nan gave to Zhu Ying. 11
• Spirit mirror — A treasure that answers questions accurately, offers cultivation guidance, and repeatedly reports insults directed at Xiao Nan. 184 340

Relationships

• Wang Chong — Registered disciple turned formal disciple; Xiao Nan rescues him from Sun Yougui, strengthens his foundation, and remains proud of him despite being overtaken in cultivation. 20 21 88 213
• Zhu Ying — Formal disciple and Wang Chong's betrothed; Xiao Nan cared for her before accepting Wang Chong and later teaches both disciples together. 11 28 32 38
• Bai Yue — Original benefactor-master. Xiao Nan remains loyal to her after her retirement, though she eventually permits Dao Shan Ancestor to take him into another lineage. 84 85
• Dao Shan Ancestor — Later master who takes Xiao Nan as his sixteenth disciple, largely because of Wang Chong's exceptional talent. 85 86
• Tuo Tuo Ancestor — Senior sect patriarch who approves Wang Chong and Zhu Ying's entry into the Five-Terrace Sect and unsuccessfully attempts to recruit Wang Chong into his own lineage. 38 84
• Sun Yougui — Heavenly Corpse Sect elder and adversary. Xiao Nan saves Wang Chong from him and later views him as an obstacle to the Mystic Mountain treasure. 20 21 24
• Zhu Xiong — Zhu Ying's brother; Xiao Nan protects and restrains him from provoking Celestial General Sui Yin after Lu Xuansheng's death. 37
• Wang Lingguan — Fellow Five-Terrace Sect senior who later helps explain Xiao Nan's near-execution to Wang Chong. 76 298

Story Role / Major Arcs

Mystic Mountain and the hidden treasury

Xiao Nan becomes Wang Chong's master, strengthens his cultivation foundation, and investigates Red Staff Immortal's hidden treasure. Although Xiao Nan repeatedly fails the Qianli Heart-Refining Trial, Wang Chong succeeds and opens the way to a Daoist scripture and five magical treasures. 20 25

Little Cold Mountain

After refining his new treasures, Xiao Nan confronts White Spider Elder near the Langhuan Celestial Stele and draws the attention of nearby cultivators. He later faces Celestial General Sui Yin's massacre at Little Cold Mountain, unsuccessfully attempts to protect Lu Xuansheng, and is forced to carve Sui Yin's false memorial inscriptions. 32 37

Return to Wutai Mountain

Xiao Nan brings Wang Chong and Zhu Ying to Wutai Mountain to register them formally. Following Bai Yue's retirement, Dao Shan Ancestor transfers Xiao Nan into Moon-Hanging Peak's lineage and makes him his sixteenth disciple. 38 84 85

A master surpassed

Xiao Nan discovers that Wang Chong has mastered the Fire Dragon Sword Technique to three cycles and earned the office of Treasure-Seeking Immortal Boy, while Zhu Ying has become a Demon-Subduing Vanguard. The revelation forces him to confront that his disciples have surpassed him far sooner than expected. 88

Ascension and restoration

After completing the Profound Lantern Record, Xiao Nan ascends but is demoted for cultivating Primordial Sect arts. Wang Chong later helps secure his transfer to the Wind-and-Rain Office, where he becomes an idle Lingguan. 278 298 299

Golden Immortal era

Xiao Nan eventually becomes a Golden Immortal and fights Heaven-Reaching Dasha at Poyang Lake. In the restored Celestial Palace, he holds high authority alongside Dao Shan and Tuo Tuo Ancestors, and has grown indifferent to slander. 300 340

Trivia

• Xiao Nan's mirror frequently reports that someone has insulted him; its messages repeatedly provoke him despite its accurate guidance. 121 146 184
• The mirror predicted that he would break through to the sixth circulation when his disciple married, prompting Xiao Nan to briefly consider arranging Wang Chong and Zhu Ying's marriage immediately. 184
• Wang Chong later assigns Xiao Nan to preside over the reopened Splendid Peak and transfers his own status as one of the Ten Great Disciples to him. 255