Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Species/Race	Human; descendant of the Xiao Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Clans 106
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Imperial Prison; formerly/also associated with Jia Nan Academy's Pan Gate 107 123
Occupation/Role	Cultivator and eighth-grade alchemist 180

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Second-tier Alchemist	82	Passed the second-tier alchemist assessment after also clearing the first-tier assessment.
Da Dou Shi	102	Reached the Da Dou Shi realm by the Three-Year Agreement, having risen from Dou Zhe in three years.
Three-Star Da Dou Shi	105	Recovered after the battle with Nalan Yanran and advanced two minor levels from one-star to three-star Da Dou Shi.
Dou Wang	136	Reached the Dou Wang realm after absorbing the Sea Heart Flame and evolving the Flame Mantra.
Eight-Star Dou Emperor	155	Emerged from magma seclusion at the eighth star of the Dou Emperor realm.
Peak Dou Zong	168	Had reached Peak Dou Zong by the time of the Pill Gathering.
Eighth-Grade Alchemist	180	Refined an eighth-grade pill that escalated from three-colored to five-colored pill lightning.
Peak Seven-Star Dou Zun	221	Entered the Sky Tomb at the peak of the seven-star Dou Zun level.
Nine-Star Dou Venerate	225	Awakened his Xiao Clan mark and advanced from seven-star to nine-star Dou Venerate under Xiao Xuan's guidance.

Background

Xiao Yan is the surviving descendant of the Xiao Clan's declining branch. Jia He reveals that the Xiao Clan was once among the Ancient Eight Clans and possessed a fragment of the Tou She Ancient God Jade, making Xiao Yan's family a target of the Soul Hall. Gu Xun'er had likewise come to the Xiao Clan because of the jade, though she formed a close bond with Xiao Yan instead 106.

He was once derided as a cultivation cripple, but spent three years training and travelling under Venerable Yao's guidance. By the time of his agreement with Nalan Yanran, he had risen from Dou Zhe to Da Dou Shi and developed extensive combat experience against magical beasts and mercenary groups 102.

Appearance

Xiao Yan is a handsome young man who commonly wears black robes and carries a massive black ruler across his back 101.

• Black robes, giving him a sharp and mysterious bearing 101
• Massive black ruler used as his primary weapon 101 102
• Pale-purple, fire-attributed Dou Qi 102

Personality

Xiao Yan is intensely determined, particularly when his family, teacher, or future with Gu Xun'er is involved. He accepts risks that can improve his strength, including refining the bone wings of a Heavenly Demon Phoenix despite Yao Chen's warning of the clan's likely retaliation 143.

His confidence is tempered by practical judgment. He refuses to surrender possessions already bought merely because a stronger faction demands them, yet he generally avoids needless conflict unless provoked 167 172. He also places deep trust in Yao Chen, repeatedly seeking his teacher's advice on cultivation, Heavenly Flames, and alchemy 100 108.

Abilities & Skills

Flame Mantra

Xiao Yan cultivates the incomplete Flame Mantra, a technique that evolves through the absorption of flames. With Yao Chen's aid, he used five beast flames to raise it to low Xuan rank, then later absorbed the Sea Heart Flame 108 128.

• Uses absorbed flames to strengthen his cultivation technique and Dou Qi 108 136
• Pursued both Falling Heart Flame and Three Thousand Burning Flame to further evolve the technique 124 170
• Requires dangerous flame-devouring attempts; even Yao Chen treats high-ranking Heavenly Flames as major risks 210

Fire Lotus Techniques

Xiao Yan can combine multiple flames into destructive lotus-shaped attacks.

• Used a multicolored fire lotus made from five beast flames as his decisive attack against Nalan Yanran 102
• Prepared and deployed more than a dozen Buddha's Fury Lotuses against Soul Hall Dou Zong experts in the Pill Realm 176
• Uses the technique to delay stronger opponents so allies can break barriers or escape 176

Alchemy

Xiao Yan displayed exceptional pill-refining talent early, earning a second-tier alchemist badge while still young. His alchemy later advanced to the eighth grade during the Pill Gathering 82 180.

• Refined an eighth-grade pill that produced five-colored pill lightning 180
• Possesses an Intermediate Soul State and uses soul strength to support alchemy 168
• Assisted Yao Chen in training Ye Xinlan and exchanged alchemical knowledge with Jia He 139 140
• His future potential is regarded highly by Yao Chen, who believes eighth rank is achievable and ninth rank depends on fortune 138

Combat Experience

Xiao Yan's fighting style is built around practical experience, decisive strikes, and thoroughly mastered Dou Techniques.

• His travels and battles against magical beasts and mercenary groups made his attacks lethal and difficult to predict 102
• Used the Eight Extremes Collapse to strike Nalan Yanran during their duel 102
• Faced opponents backed by Dou Zong and Dou Zun experts without surrendering under pressure 167

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Massive black ruler — Xiao Yan's usual close-combat weapon 101 102
• Heavenly Demon Phoenix bone wings — Given by Jia He alongside the Heavenly Goose Ninefold Flight Wings refining method; Xiao Yan chose to accept the danger of refining them 143
• Clan head jade pendant — Received from Xiao Zhan; later sought by the Soul Hall 168
• Sea Heart Flame — Extracted from Han Feng by Yao Chen and absorbed by Xiao Yan 128
• Spirit-Nurturing Dust — Obtained from a rusted copper sheet at the Sacred Pill City trade fair; can nourish the soul, though Yao Chen considers it only supplementary for Xiao Yan 168

Relationships

• Yao Chen / Venerable Yao — Teacher and mentor. Yao Chen guides Xiao Yan's cultivation, flame absorption, and alchemy; Xiao Yan is devoted to helping him reconstruct a body and return to the Yao Clan 100 105 204.
• Gu Xun'er — Xiao Yan's beloved. She is the daughter of the Ancient Clan leader, and Xiao Yan's desire to stand beside her motivates much of his pursuit of strength 106 124 170.
• Jia He — Ally, benefactor, and leader of Imperial Prison. Jia He reveals the Xiao Clan's history, recruits Xiao Yan into Imperial Prison, and supports his pursuit of Heavenly Flames and higher cultivation 106 107 170.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée and opponent in the Three-Year Agreement. Their battle ends with both injured and unconscious after exchanging ultimate attacks 101 102.
• Xiao Zhan — Father. He unwaveringly supports Xiao Yan, insisting that his son was never trash regardless of the agreement's outcome 100.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — Elder brothers. Both joined Imperial Prison before encouraging Xiao Yan to do the same 100 101.
• Venerable Feng / Feng Xian — Yao Chen's old friend and a powerful protector of Xiao Yan during his Central Plains journey 167 200.
• Xiao Xuan — Ancestor of the Xiao Clan. In the Sky Tomb, Xiao Xuan recognizes Xiao Yan's achievements and helps him awaken his clan mark 224 225.
• Ye Xinlan — Alchemical acquaintance and junior sister through Jia Nan Academy; later fought beside Xiao Yan during the Soul Hall's Pill Realm ambush 139 176.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Three-Year Agreement

After returning to the Imperial Capital, Xiao Yan commits himself to settling the agreement made after Nalan Yanran annulled their engagement. He enters the royal plaza as a Da Dou Shi and battles her with refined techniques, battlefield experience, and a multicolored fire lotus. Both collapse after their final clash, but Xiao Yan earns the respect of the spectators 101 102.

Following the battle, he recovers from one-star to three-star Da Dou Shi. Jia He then exposes Yao Chen's presence and the truth about the Xiao Clan's connection to the Tou She Ancient God Jade and Soul Hall 105 106.

Joining Imperial Prison

Xiao Yan agrees to join Imperial Prison after Jia He offers protection for the Xiao Clan and the possibility of becoming strong enough to pursue Gu Xun'er openly. In return, he and Yao Chen contribute to Pill Hall, with Yao Chen using Xiao Yan's body as a vessel to guide Imperial Prison's alchemists 107 139.

He is granted access to Pill Hall resources and learns that Jia He knows of the Flame Mantra's origins and his need for Heavenly Flames 107 108.

Jia Nan Academy and the Black-Corner Region

Xiao Yan leaves for Jia Nan Academy, where he becomes part of Pan Gate and continues seeking the Falling Heart Flame. Although Jia He reinforces the seal on one Falling Heart Flame, he assures Xiao Yan that another exists beneath the Heavenly Burning Flame Qi Tower 111 123 124.

During the conflict with Han Feng and Soul Hall, Xiao Yan captures Han Feng after Jia He gravely wounds him. Yao Chen extracts the Sea Heart Flame, which Xiao Yan absorbs to evolve the Flame Mantra and reach the Dou Wang realm 128 136.

Central Plains and the Pill Gathering

After emerging from magma seclusion as an eight-star Dou Emperor, Xiao Yan travels to the Central Plains with Jia He's group. He reunites with Venerable Feng, participates in the Pill Gathering, and displays eighth-grade alchemy by refining a five-colored-pill-lightning pill 155 167 180.

In the Pill Realm, Soul Hall forces target Xiao Yan, Cao Ying, and Ye Xinlan. Xiao Yan uses prepared Buddha's Fury Lotuses to hold off more than a dozen Dou Zong enemies while Cao Ying and Ye Xinlan attempt to break the soul barrier 173 176.

Ancient Clan and Sky Tomb

Jia He brings Xiao Yan to the Ancient Clan, where Gu Yuan restores the Xiao Clan's rightful Sky Tomb slot despite opposition from Ancient Clan elders 214. Xiao Yan accepts challenges from the Black Annihilation Army and enters the Sky Tomb at peak seven-star Dou Zun 214 221.

Within the Sky Tomb, he meets Xiao Xuan, awakens the Xiao Clan bloodline and clan mark, and advances directly to nine-star Dou Venerate 224 225.

Notable Quotes

“Fine. I have waited three years for this day!” 102

“Dou Sheng, though... I can still work toward that!” 107