Xu Yan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xu Yan (徐阎)
Alias(es)	Young Master Yan; Little Yan; Brother Yan; Yan'er; Little Fourteen; Dragon Gate’s civil and martial top scholar; Martial Top Scholar; Marquis of Sea Suppression
Species/Race	Human; a transmigrated soul from a “blue planet” inhabiting a boy with the same name and appearance 1
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Prince Wu'an’s Residence; Shangyin Academy; Everlasting Heavenly Palace; Great Yin / Moat Dragon forces
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; Primordial Script interpreter; Shangyin disciple; Dragon Gate champion; defender against the Demon Race
Status	Active
First Appearance	Ancient Solar Record 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Spirit-aperture cultivation	7	Consumed five Earth Treasure Spirit Pills, each opening an aperture; realized that advancing his Formless Aperture required far greater resources.
Crystal Heart Realization	11	Achieved after more than a year of daily study and meditation amid the harsh yin energy of Plum Mountain Ravine.
Two Formless Apertures	27	Identified by Everlasting Heavenly Palace cultivators as an exceptionally rare Formless Aperture Opening.
Qi Exhalation Realm	41	Practiced the Li Clan Body Tempering Art inside the Taihao Emperor Bell, cleared twelve turbid-meridian segments, and entered the realm.
Three Formless Apertures / 20 meridian segments	46	His Formless Body had opened three apertures; meridian tempering reached twenty segments.
43 turbid meridians	53	Continued his daily body-tempering regimen while interpreting Primordial Script in Dragon City.
44 turbid meridians	59	Opened the forty-fourth meridian after consuming seven Origin Meridian Pills and practicing the Li Clan art.
54 turbid meridians	60	Reached after two months of cultivation and script-translation work.
55–56 turbid meridians	62 66	Continued advancing with Origin Meridian Pills shortly before Great Yin Martial Academy’s minor divine ability tournament.
First stage of Li Clan Body Tempering Art completed	76	Broke the final turbid-meridian barrier, completing Meridian-Penetrating Bone Tempering and gaining a transformed physical body.
Five Formless Apertures	87 92	Could employ the Eighteen Primordial Resonances and activate the Jade-Blood Ruler and Golden Crow Sword with the power of five apertures.
Qi-Expelling / Breath-Exhaling realm	95 96	Opened his dantian and condensed a strand of Profound Qi in one day through the Source Origin Heart Sutra.
Third layer of Breath Exhalation	98	Refined a third strand of Formless Mystic Qi while cultivating at a spirit lake in the Mountain-Sea Realm.
Sixth Formless Aperture — Tai Chong Aperture	104	Refined the Heavenfire Spirit Spear with the Taihao Emperor Bell’s help, then used Heavenly Fire to open and expand the aperture.
Second stage of Li Clan Body Tempering Art	105	Entered True Yang Bone Tempering; Solar Golden Patterns formed on more than a dozen bones.
Fourth–fifth layers of Mystic Qi	107 110	Reached the fourth layer in the Ancient Demon Grotto, then refined a fifth stream of Mystic Qi by draining spiritual marshes.
Seventh Formless Aperture	113	Used an Earth Spirit Pearl to open the earth-aligned aperture, bringing his spiritual reserves to a new level.
Eight strands of Mystic Qi	114	Cultivated in white-tower ruins after the Taihao Emperor Bell absorbed Geng Metal.
Ninth layer of Qi Exhalation	115	Left the Mountain-Sea Realm with nine streams of Mystic Qi circulating in his dantian.
Sea of Qi	120 121	Merged the nine streams of Profound Qi into a vast Formless Sea of Qi.
Spirit Bridge Realm, first layer perfected	121 124	Began forming a Spirit Bridge, then perfected its first layer after a month of seclusion.
Spirit Bridge Realm, third layer	128	Perfected the second layer amid the demon tide, then formed a chaotic glazed third Spirit Bridge in battle.
Peak perfected third-layer Spirit Bridge	131	Stabilized three hundred-zhang Spirit Bridges while helping establish the Void-Devouring Great Wall.
Mystic Treasury Realm, first layer	137	Stabilized a Formless Nascent Artifact above a thousand-zhang Spirit Lake.
Mystic Treasury Realm, third layer perfected	150	Tempered his foundation through half a year of battle and cultivation until his inner world reached perfect harmony.
Eighth Formless Aperture — Yellow Springs Hegu Spirit Aperture	156	Opened the aperture in the Yellow Springs Abyss, gaining command over Yellow Springs deathly aura.
Nine Formless Apertures reportedly opened	159	Cultivators in Hanging Sea City reported that his Formless Body had opened all nine apertures; later accounts still describe him seeking Heaven-Mending Qi to complete his method.
Wandering Beyond, first level	162	Opened the first Purple Mansion tower in Heavenly Bone Garden and tempered his divine sense by refining ancient battle souls.
Free and Unfettered, third level	174	Absorbed and analyzed Dao-law fragments leaking from Canglan Island’s vortex, breaking through from the second level.

Background

Xu Yan was a mercenary on a blue planet who died on a battlefield at the age of forty. He then transmigrated into the body of a boy with the same name and appearance. The original body’s parents—former household soldiers under Prince Wu'an—had been killed by baleful spirits in the Ten-Thousand Mang Mountains. Recognizing the child’s unusual intelligence, Prince Wu'an, Xu Fei, adopted and raised him. 1

Xu Fei had adopted seven other boys alongside Xu Yan to serve as trusted support for his daughter, Xu Ling Sha. Xu Yan understood both the kindness and political purpose behind his upbringing, and remained conscious that he was an adopted rather than legitimate son of Prince Wu'an’s household. 1 47

Four years before the events of the story, Xu Yan found the Human-Snake Ancient Jade in the Taihao Ancient Temple. The artifact sharpened his mind, granted near-perfect recall, and allowed his consciousness to enter a boundless starry space where time passed differently. These advantages enabled his exceptional grasp of Primordial Script and other ancient writings. 2

He entered Shangyin Academy after deciphering its ancient imperial array and became Master Xun’s final closed-door disciple. At the academy, he combined scholarship with cultivation, eventually finding a path for his Formless Constitution through the Li Clan’s ancient body-refining inheritance. 9 40 86

Appearance

Xu Yan is a handsome, steady-faced young man usually seen in scholar’s or Daoist robes. His appearance shifts noticeably when he circulates his cultivation, becoming marked by golden force, glazed eyes, and an increasingly restrained but oppressive aura. 9 46 172

• Often wears blue-white scholar’s robes or Shangyin Academy’s black robes. 9 11
• Has black hair, typically bound beneath a crown. 83
• His eyes can become golden during body-tempering or glasslike when using the Glazed Heart State. 46 64
• At the completion of his first body-tempering stage, miniature golden suns appeared within his pupils and golden cyclones formed around him. 76
• After opening the Yellow Springs Hegu Spirit Aperture, his Formless Dharma power took on a dark-golden, deathly aura. 156 159

Personality

Xu Yan is composed, observant, and difficult to provoke. His former life as a mercenary left him adaptable to harsh conditions and wary of unnecessary risks; he abandons opportunities he judges too dangerous rather than gamble blindly for treasure. 38 95

He is ambitious about cultivation but pragmatic about resources. He refines pills, sells rare inheritances, accepts paid script-translation work, and frequently stakes Origin Meridian Pills in challenges to sustain the immense cost of his Formless cultivation. 48 51 68

Despite his practical streak, Xu Yan has a firm moral line. He refuses to abuse Prince Wu'an’s authority, frees the imprisoned Profound Yin clam spirit through a dharma pact, and destroys Chen Shengzhi’s soul-containing jar to release its victims. 4 24 27

As his strength grows, his combat style becomes increasingly decisive. He remains calm under pressure, but answers Demon Race hostility with lethal force and refuses to spare enemies he considers an ongoing threat. 111 114 163

Abilities & Skills

Formless Constitution

Xu Yan possesses the rare Formless Constitution and Formless Spirit Apertures. His spiritual power is exceptionally dense, heavy, and adaptable, allowing him to employ techniques associated with differing attributes and to sustain powerful artifacts beyond the capacity of ordinary cultivators. 87 96 113

• Can command spiritual energies associated with yin-yang, the five elements, Gang Qi, Yellow Springs Qi, and other forces. 96
• His spiritual reserves consistently exceed those of cultivators at comparable stages. 83 100 146
• Opened at least eight documented Formless Apertures, including the Tai Chong and Yellow Springs Hegu apertures. 104 156
• Requires extraordinary quantities of heavenly treasures, pills, and spiritual energy to advance. 7 48 51
• His final aperture status is inconsistent in surviving accounts: he is reported to have nine apertures, yet later still seeks Heaven-Mending Qi to complete his cultivation. 159 172

Li Clan Body Tempering Art

Xu Yan practices the complete Li Clan Body-Refining Method, recovered from the Taihao Emperor Bell. The art gives him overwhelming close-quarters strength and a body capable of suppressing spiritual power at early cultivation stages. 40 57

• Meridian-Penetrating Bone Tempering — completed after clearing every turbid meridian; grants iron-like bones, stone-shattering palms, and resistance to ordinary weapons. 46 76
• True Yang Bone Tempering — uses the sun’s fiercest power to forge Solar Golden Patterns into his bones. 105
• Solar Power replenishes beneath direct sunlight, allowing extended combat with little fatigue. 105
• His force can shatter opponents’ spiritual defenses, disrupt their ability to form hand seals, and overpower cultivators with more conventional apertures. 56 57 82

Source Origin Heart Sutra

The Everlasting Immortal Lord gave Xu Yan the Source Origin Heart Sutra, a method suited to his Formless Constitution. It allowed him to open his dantian and enter Breath-Exhaling cultivation in a single day. 95 96

• Condenses extremely heavy Formless Mystic Qi in his dantian. 96
• Supports the formation of his Sea of Qi and the later cultivation of Spirit Bridges. 120 121
• Provides the foundation for his Formless mana and later Mystic Treasury development. 124 137

Glazed Heart State

Xu Yan’s Glazed Heart State is a perception technique developed through study and cultivation. It allows him to sense spiritual fluctuations, hidden threats, formations, and weaknesses in techniques or opponents. 64 98

• Detects nearby demons and hostile intent. 98 170
• Allows him to analyze formations and identify their key nodes. 99 172
• Helps him perceive otherwise concealed apertures and spiritual signatures. 92
• Enables tactical responses to ambushes and coordinated attacks. 170

Ancient Script and Formation Mastery

Xu Yan is a prodigy in Primordial Script, Yanwen, edict script, evolving script, and derivative formations. His Human-Snake Ancient Jade grants him perfect memory and accelerated study, while his own insight lets him reconstruct damaged or scrambled texts. 2 5

• Deciphered the Myriad-Character Stele after only a few glances. 16
• Translated thousands of Yan-script characters in half an hour and later condensed thirty thousand characters of edict text into eight thousand. 5 60
• Broke ancient imperial arrays and Hunyuan Sect formations. 9 22
• Helped construct and link the Void-Devouring Killing Formations forming the Southern Vast Sea defense line. 130 131
• Derived key weaknesses in Canglan Island’s restriction, impressing two Red-Dust Guest grandmasters. 172

Divine Arts and Martial Techniques

Xu Yan uses a mixture of ancient Daoist arts, physical techniques, and Formless spiritual power.

• Eighteen Primordial Resonances / Primordial Palm — palm-force technique whose higher resonances consume immense spiritual power; he has used six resonances to defeat elite Dragon Gate contenders. 46 90 91
• Formless Hand Seal / Formless Great Hand Seal — projects and reshapes Formless power to grasp, suppress, redirect, or slow enemies and attacks. 96 140
• Three-Fold Cloud Dragon — high-speed movement technique used for aerial movement and combat pursuit. 91 92
• Eight-Step Kanlong — evasive footwork that allowed him to avoid Qin Shan’s attacks before counterattacking. 56
• Void-Devouring Killing Formation — can be deployed as a formation or adapted into an offensive technique. 122

Formless Spirit Artifact

Xu Yan’s natal Formless Artifact began as a Nascent Artifact in his Mystic Treasury and can transform freely in accordance with his will. 137

• Can become bells, swords, spears, shields, mirrors, ropes, seals, flying blades, and other forms. 137 143 146
• Its adaptability lets Xu Yan counter different enemy types and attack patterns without changing weapons. 143
• Was strengthened by refining Suanni Essence, gaining suppressive power against Demon Race opponents. 143 147
• Its continuous use is supported by Xu Yan’s immense Formless mana and Spirit Lake. 146

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Human-Snake Ancient Jade — ancient jade pendant that grants Xu Yan perfect memory, mental clarity, a time-dilated starry space, and later merges into his body as a Human-Serpent Evolution Pattern. 2 37
• Taihao Emperor Bell — damaged ancient bell housed in the jade’s space; contains an artifact spirit and guides Xu Yan in cultivation, formations, and artifact refinement. 46 95 104
• Literary Gold Shuttle — high-grade natal artifact formerly belonging to Third Senior Brother Luo Yujing; entrusted to Xu Yan by Yan Qing and used for flight, formation-breaking, and combat. 16 22 24
• Golden Crow Sword — innate spirit treasure gifted by Qin Nishang; engraved with Primordial Script and imbued with Taihao golden energy. 46 92
• Jade-Blood Ruler — innate spirit treasure wielded during the Dragon Gate Heavenly God Battle. 88 92
• Heavenfire Spirit Spear — Spirit-Born Artifact refined after the Taihao Emperor Bell suppressed it; used to kill powerful demons and ancient variants. 104 111
• Golden Yin Battle Armor — imperial reward bestowed after Xu Yan won the Dragon Gate martial championship. 92
• Formless Nascent Artifact / Formless Spirit Artifact — his evolving natal artifact, nurtured in the Mystic Treasury and empowered by Suanni Essence. 137 143 146

Relationships

• Xu Fei — Adoptive father and Prince Wu'an. Xu Fei raised Xu Yan after the death of his parents, supports his cultivation decisions, and relies on his judgment during the Demon Race conflict. 1 92 131
• Xu Ling Sha — Adopted sister and Xu Fei’s daughter. Xu Yan acts as her childhood guardian and companion; their reunion in Dragon City shows enduring affection and familiarity. 1 73 92
• Xu Wei Dao — Adopted elder brother and Dragon-Tiger Dao Academy disciple. Their relationship is friendly and teasing. 2
• Xu Weiying — Adopted elder brother and Moat Dragon military figure. He assists Xu Yan at the Mountain-Sea Realm and warns him about the Demon Race bounty. 115 124
• Master Xun — Master, Shangyin Academy headmaster, and Xu Yan’s final closed-door teacher. His guidance made Xu Yan’s Formless cultivation possible. 9 47 86
• Yan Qing — Senior brother and mentor. He entrusted Xu Yan with the Literary Gold Shuttle and later worked with him on the Void-Devouring Great Wall. 16 17 131
• Qin Nishang — Great Yin’s Third Princess and close companion. She encourages Xu Yan’s martial path, gives him the Golden Crow Sword, and frequently draws him into training and adventures. 29 46 63
• Tuoba Yuer — Zhuxi Kingdom princess, rival, and later fellow disciple at Everlasting Heavenly Palace. Their relationship begins in conflict over his body-refining art and develops into mutual respect. 68 95 105
• Jiang Huai and Jiang Ke — Everlasting Heavenly Palace disciples who recruited Xu Yan and later support him against spies and hostile forces. 71 72 92
• Everlasting Immortal Lord — Master at Everlasting Heavenly Palace who gave Xu Yan the Source Origin Heart Sutra and guided his entry into Breath-Exhaling cultivation. 95 96
• Taihao Emperor Bell — Ancient artifact guide and protector. It advises Xu Yan, suppresses dangerous artifacts, and protects him during difficult refinements. 104 143
• Little Sky Hound — Demon cub and loyal companion bound to Xu Yan by bloodline. It guards him in seclusion, assists with formations, and fights alongside him in war. 121 124 131
• Xue Tianjia and Hui Ming — Mountain-Sea Realm companions who travel, cultivate, and battle alongside Xu Yan. 98 101 113
• Yan Xuan — Divine Seclusion Palace cultivator who becomes a cooperative ally during the Mountain-Sea Realm expeditions. 92 112 113
• Wei Ying — Descendant of the Wei Kingdom and Nangong Wenqiu’s disciple. She hires Xu Yan to decipher ancient script and comes to respect his abilities. 52 59

Story Role / Major Arcs

Huanglong City and Shangyin Academy

• Lives as Prince Wu'an’s adopted son while secretly studying ancient Daoist texts and practicing the Li Clan Crossing method. 1
• Uses the Human-Snake Ancient Jade and his Script mastery to become known as Huanglong City’s prodigy. 2 5
• Enters Shangyin Academy by deciphering the Dragon Spring imperial array and becomes Master Xun’s disciple. 9
• Achieves Crystal Heart Realization, wins the Myriad-Character Stele debate, and receives the Literary Gold Shuttle. 11 16

Li Ancient Secret Repository

• Encounters the Hunyuan Sect ruins, frees the Profound Yin clam spirit, and escapes Chen Shengzhi’s attempt to coerce him into breaking treasure-pavilion formations. 24
• Becomes trapped in the Taihao Emperor Bell, where he discovers the complete Li Clan Body-Refining Method. 40
• Uses the method to enter Qi Exhalation and establish the basis for his overwhelming physical strength. 41

Dragon City and the Dragon Gate Examination

• Funds his cultivation by selling the Hunyuan Great Method and operating a Primordial Script interpretation stall. 50 51
• Defeats numerous Great Yin Martial Academy disciples, earning Origin Meridian Pills and revealing his combat ability. 56 57
• Wins the Spirit-Cang Dharma Assembly by climbing more than thirty formation-lined jade steps without borrowing the temporary Glazed Heart State. 64
• Completes the first stage of the Li Clan Body Tempering Art and becomes the first contestant to cross Dragon Gate Lake and ascend the Dragon Gate. 76 77
• Wins both the Dragon Gate martial and literary examinations, receiving the title of civil and martial top scholar. 92

Everlasting Heavenly Palace and Mountain-Sea Realm

• Travels to the Northern Vast Sea with Jiang Huai and Jiang Ke, joining Everlasting Heavenly Palace to seek a viable path for his Formless Constitution. 92 95
• Opens his dantian through the Source Origin Heart Sutra and learns the Formless Hand Seal. 95 96
• Enters the Mountain-Sea Realm with Xue Tianjia and Hui Ming, advancing rapidly through its abundant spiritual resources. 98
• Refines the Heavenfire Spirit Spear, opens his sixth and seventh Formless Apertures, and helps seize Spirit-Born Artifacts for his companions. 104 113
• Leaves the realm at the ninth level of Qi Exhalation after becoming a feared enemy of its Demon Race factions. 115

Moat Dragon Defense and Southern Vast Sea War

• Returns to Prince Wu'an’s territory, forms a Sea of Qi, and cultivates three hundred-zhang Spirit Bridges. 117 121 131
• Defends Rock Camp against the demon tide, killing several powerful demon generals and becoming a symbol of morale for the soldiers. 127 128
• Helps establish the Void-Devouring Great Wall along the Southern Vast Sea. 130 131
• Advances into the Mystic Treasury Realm and forges his Formless Nascent Artifact. 137
• Defeats Demon Race royal prodigies, refines Suanni Essence into his artifact, and slays more than a dozen Demon Kings during the sea war. 140 143 147
• Is enfeoffed as Marquis of Sea Suppression after the human victory. 148

Southern Frontier and Beyond

• Perfects the Mystic Treasury Realm, then enters the Southern Frontier seeking Yellow Springs Qi for his eighth aperture. 150 156
• Opens the Yellow Springs Hegu Spirit Aperture, defeats the Drought Demon, and escapes the combined pursuit of several Demon Race powers. 156 157
• Returns to the Mountain-Sea Realm, massacres ambushing royal-clan demons, and enters Heavenly Bone Garden to cultivate his Purple Mansion. 159 162
• Reaches Canglan Island, gains the respect of Tuoba Wan'er and Jiang Qingke through his formation deductions, and uses leaked Dao laws to advance further. 172 174

Notable Quotes

“Those who block me die.” 163

“I do indeed need it, but since you arrived first, Fellow Daoist, I shall not disturb you.” 113

“Rice had to be eaten one bite at a time, and roads had to be walked one step at a time.” 156

Trivia

• Xu Yan retained the habits of his previous life and is described as a night owl who often trains late into the night. 1
• His Human-Snake Ancient Jade caused other spirit treasures to avoid him during the emergence of the Li Ancient Secret Repository. 37
• His cultivation is exceptionally resource-intensive; he routinely earns or wagers for spiritual materials rather than relying entirely on Prince Wu'an’s Residence. 51 59 68
• Before committing fully to cultivation, Xu Yan was widely regarded first as a literary prodigy rather than a martial one. 5 57