Yao Lao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yao Lao (药老)
Alias(es)	Yao Chen; Venerable Yao; Medicine Venerable; Medicine Saint; Saint Yao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Starfall Pavilion (Pavilion Master); Xiao Clan (elder); formerly the Yao Clan 270 386 389
Occupation/Role	Ninth-tier alchemist; mentor to Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi
Status	Alive; resurrected in a new body 230 231
First Appearance	Chapter 19

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Heaven Realm soul; peak eighth-tier alchemist	19	Xiao Xuan identifies his soul realm and alchemy attainment upon their first meeting.
Peak ninth-transformation Dou Venerate (in life)	230	His original cultivation before death; his revived body far exceeds this former realm.
One-star Dou Saint	230, 231	Resurrected using the Soul Hall Great Venerable's one-star Dou Saint body, a Bone-Melting Blood-Replenishing Pill, Dragon Emperor essence blood, and Dragon Island dragon qi.
Late Heavenly Realm soul	254, 256	Fully refines the Golden Soul Infant Fruit; this soul strength enables him to jointly refine the ninth-tier Yin-Yang Bone-Rebirth Pill with Xiao Yi.
Ninth-tier alchemist	299	One of the Xiao Clan's two established ninth-tier alchemists alongside Xiao Che.

Background

Yao Chen was born to a branch family of the Yao Clan without the clan's prized Dou Di bloodline. Direct-line members mocked and bullied him, leading his parents, Yao Huo and Yao Qing, to move him away from the clan's core territory. When Yao Huo was grievously injured in a Soul Clan ambush, the Yao Clan refused to provide the sixth-tier pill needed to save him. Yao Huo died from his injuries, Yao Qing later died in despair, and the clan denied them burial in its cemetery. Yao Chen was stripped of his clan registry and abandoned. 270

He cultivated and developed his alchemy to return to the Yao Clan on his own terms and restore his family's honor. His path led him to the Fallen God Icefield in pursuit of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. During his first attempt to subdue the sentient Heavenly Flame, his master Han Shanshan sacrificed herself to save him after the flame sealed within her body escaped. Years later, after becoming a Dou Zong, Yao Chen returned to the Icefield and successfully refined the flame. 234

Yao Chen eventually won the Pill Gathering of his generation through the Spirit Ascension Technique and became the publicly acknowledged number-one alchemist of the Central Plains. He also raised the orphan Han Feng as a son and imparted his alchemy knowledge to him. 131 264

Appearance

As a soul body, Yao Lao appears as an elderly man in white robes with a translucent form. Following his resurrection, his body takes the appearance of a refined, handsome young man with long white hair and elegant white robes. 19 230

• Translucent soul body prior to resurrection. 19
• White robes in both his soul and revived forms. 19 230
• Long white hair after obtaining his new body. 230
• Carries the pale-white Bone Spirit Cold Flame. 19 132

Personality

Yao Lao is meticulous, patient, and deeply serious about alchemy. He evaluates aptitude through practical tests, emphasizing the need for compatible fire-and-wood Dou Qi and refined soul perception rather than simply accepting talent at face value. 21

He is protective and paternal toward Xiao Yan, whom he personally raised as a disciple. Despite his reputation and former standing, he shows great humility before Xiao Xuan and readily accepts Xiao Xuan's arrangement to teach Xiao Yi. 19 20

Han Feng's betrayal remains his deepest regret. Yao Lao accepts responsibility for having misjudged his former disciple, but ultimately acts without hesitation to end Han Feng himself. 131 132

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Yao Lao is a peak eighth-tier alchemist when first introduced and later becomes a ninth-tier alchemist. His knowledge of pill formulas, rare ingredients, Heavenly Flames, and resurrection methods makes him essential to Xiao Xuan's revival plan. 19 231 299

• Refined the fourth-grade Meridian Spirit-Rhyme Pill for Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan. 21 31
• Identified the Yin-Yang Twin Flame as indispensable to refining the ninth-tier Yin-Yang Bone-Rebirth Pill. 232
• Investigated the locations of ingredients needed for Xiao Xuan's resurrection, including the Nine Yang Fire Ganoderma and Nine Nether Cold Dragon Tendon. 234 237
• Jointly refined the ninth-tier Yin-Yang Bone-Rebirth Pill with Xiao Yi. 255 256
• His advancement to Dou Saint greatly raises Starfall Pavilion's standing in the Central Plains. 234 237

Bone Spirit Cold Flame

Yao Lao possesses the eleventh-ranked Heavenly Flame, the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. It is both his principal alchemy flame and a weapon capable of destroying souls. 19 132

• Used it to refine the Meridian Spirit-Rhyme Pill. 31
• Annihilated Han Feng's soul after confronting his betrayal. 132
• Its shared origin with the Nine Netherworld Frost Dragon allows Yao Lao to identify the Fallen God Icefield as the location of the Nine Nether Cold Dragon Tendon. 234
• Formed a flame pill cauldron from it during the refinement of the Yin-Yang Bone-Rebirth Pill. 255

Soul Perception and Soul Control

Yao Lao possesses Heaven Realm soul power and exceptional perception suited to high-level alchemy. 19

• Tested Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan's ability to track soul-light trails and distinguish medicinal herbs through soul perception. 21
• Uses soul force to manipulate pills and guide their movement after refinement. 31
• Reached the late Heavenly Realm after refining the Golden Soul Infant Fruit, allowing him to precisely harmonize unstable yin-yang energy during ninth-tier pill refinement. 251 256

Mentorship

Yao Lao is Xiao Yan's direct teacher and also introduced Xiao Yi to alchemy. 20 21 231

• Taught the requirements, fundamentals, and soul-perception techniques of pill refining. 21
• Recognized Xiao Yi's perfectly balanced fire-and-wood Dou Qi and his ability to resonate with medicinal herbs as extraordinary alchemy talent. 21
• Guided Xiao Yan through the Life-and-Death Gate and promised to address the instability of his rapidly gained Dou Qi. 140 145
• Took Xiao Xiao as an alchemy student after recognizing her fire-and-wood Dou Qi constitution. 310

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Direct disciple. Yao Lao guides Xiao Yan's cultivation and alchemy, while Xiao Yan regards him as a father and risks everything to rescue him from Soul Hall. 20 215 228 231
• Xiao Yi — Alchemy student and later collaborator. Xiao Yi considers Yao Lao “half a teacher,” rescues and resurrects him, and works beside him to prepare Xiao Xuan's resurrection pill. 20 231 256
• Xiao Xuan — Respected senior and ally. Xiao Xuan arranges for Yao Lao to teach the Xiao cousins, later supports Yao Lao's return to the Yao Clan and offers the Xiao Clan as his backing. 20 271
• Han Feng — Former disciple and adoptive-son figure who betrayed Yao Lao for the Flame Mantra and Bone Spirit Cold Flame. Yao Lao personally annihilates him. 131 132
• Han Shanshan — Former master whose sacrifice saved Yao Lao during his first encounter with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. 234
• Yao Huo and Yao Qing — Parents. Their deaths and the Yao Clan's refusal to help them shaped Yao Lao's lifelong grievance against the clan. 270
• Yao Dan — Yao Clan Chief. He recognizes Yao Lao's past genius and agrees to inscribe Yao Chen's name on the clan monument. 392
• Yao Wangu — Yao Clan Punishment Hall elder associated with Yao Lao's expulsion; he repeatedly insults Yao Lao upon his return to the Yao Clan. 345 386
• Xuan Yi — Pill Tower leader and old acquaintance who recognizes traces of Yao Lao's alchemy style in Xiao Yi. 182

Story Role / Major Arcs

Teaching Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi

Yao Lao emerges from Xiao Yan's storage ring when Xiao Yi discovers Xiao Yan's identity. He is intimidated by Xiao Xuan's presence but gains Xiao Xuan's approval after revealing that he has taken Xiao Yan as a disciple. Xiao Xuan then requests that he teach Xiao Yi as well. 19 20

He begins formal alchemy lessons for both cousins, testing their soul perception and identifying Xiao Yi as an unusually gifted pill-refining talent. 21

Reckoning with Han Feng

After Xiao Yi captures Han Feng's soul, he gives Yao Lao the choice of how to handle his former disciple. Han Feng attempts to excuse his betrayal before blaming Yao Lao for denying him the Flame Mantra and Bone Spirit Cold Flame. Yao Lao accepts that he misjudged Han Feng and destroys his soul with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame. 131 132

Soul Hall Captivity and Rescue

Soul Hall captures Yao Lao on the direct orders of its Hall Master and imprisons him in Human Hall under Dou Saint-level protection. 210 215

When Xiao Yi and Xiao Yan reach Human Hall, they find him unconscious, weakened, and bound to an altar by Soul Hall chains. Xiao Yi severs the chains, while Xiao Yan carries his teacher to safety. 228

Resurrection

Yao Lao's soul is merged into the body of Soul Hall's Great Heavenly Venerable. The process requires the Bone-Melting Blood-Replenishing Pill, Dragon Emperor essence blood, Dragon Island dragon qi, and Xiao Yan's Heavenly Flames to destroy the body's residual soul. 230

He survives the painful fusion and awakens as a one-star Dou Saint, regaining a physical body and strength beyond his former peak. 230 231

Xiao Xuan's Resurrection Plan

After returning to life, Yao Lao becomes the principal alchemy expert assisting Xiao Yi's plan to revive Xiao Xuan. He identifies the required Yin-Yang Bone-Rebirth Pill, necessary Heavenly Flame, and rare medicinal ingredients, then refines the pill alongside Xiao Yi after restoring his soul power. 232 234 251 255 256

Return to the Yao Clan

Xiao Xuan promises Yao Lao the Xiao Clan's full support in confronting the Yao Clan. Yao Lao chooses the Yao Clan's Medicine Ceremony as the proper setting to reclaim his dignity through alchemy. 271

He returns as Starfall Pavilion's Pavilion Master but faces harassment from Yao Clan guards and Yao Wangu. After Xiao Yi wins the ceremony's alchemy contest, Yao Dan acknowledges Yao Chen's talent and agrees to place his name on the clan monument. 386 392

Notable Quotes

“My mistake was taking in a beast like you back then! I misjudged you then. Now, I will make up for that mistake and personally end you!” 132

“The Xiao Clan—this Xiao Xuan shall be your support!” 271