Yao Chen

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Yao Chen (药尘)
Alias(es)	Venerable Yao; Yao Lao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Formerly the Yao Clan of the Ancient Eight Clans; master of Xiao Yan, Huo Yuhao, and Xiao Yi Xian
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; artifact refiner; mentor
Status	Soul body; fell into slumber after exhausting his Soul Power 194
First Appearance	Chapter 3

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Strength lost; surviving as a soul body	3	Resides within Xiao Yan's ring and awakens by absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for a year.
Soul form substantially strengthened	8	His form becomes markedly more solid after cultivating the Spirit Condensation Formula.
Barely able to wield Dou Zong-level strength	29	This level allows the group to survive the core region of the Magic Beast Mountain Range.
Able to contend with a Dou Zun	192	The Spirit Condensation Formula, Xiao Yan's spiritual secret art, and a tailored sixth-grade spirit-tool set restore enough strength for him to fight Venerable Mu Gu.
Soul Power exhausted	194	His soul body becomes nearly transparent after protecting Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian; he falls into slumber.

Background

Yao Chen originated from the Yao Clan, one of the Ancient Eight Clans, though he considers that status a meaningless part of his past 8. He was once a Dou Zun and became renowned as “Venerable Yao,” claiming the title of the continent's number one alchemist 4 27.

Reduced to a soul body, Yao Chen slept within the ring later known as the Ancient Flame Ring. He unconsciously absorbed Xiao Yan's newly cultivated Dou Qi for a year, awakening in the process 3. After Huo Yuhao detected the soul within the ring, Yao Chen revealed himself, demonstrated his alchemy with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, and accepted both Xiao Yan and Huo Yuhao as disciples 3 4.

His immediate objective was to train disciples capable of helping refine a body for him, freeing him from his soul-body state 4. He later accepted Xiao Yi Xian as a third disciple after providing her with a suitable medicine cauldron 16.

Appearance

Yao Chen manifests as a translucent soul body, though his form becomes increasingly solid as he recovers 3 8.

• White hair and crimson-red eyes 3
• Handsome features and a pure white robe 3
• Usually emerges from the Ancient Flame Ring 14
• Can alter his projected appearance with spiritual power, including creating a blood-covered face to frighten Xiao Yi Xian 12
• Wore rune-covered spirit-tool armor and wielded a white, flame-patterned heavy ruler during his battle with Venerable Mu Gu 192

Personality

Yao Chen is proud of his reputation, alchemy, and experience. He expects admiration when introducing himself as Venerable Yao, becomes irritated when doubted, and regularly boasts about the value of his pills and knowledge 4. His confidence is often undercut by Xiao Yan and Huo Yuhao, who openly call him an old man or a strange old man.

He is playful, theatrical, and fond of provoking his disciples. He frightens Xiao Yi Xian as a “ghost,” teases Xiao Yan about his relationships, and once appeared in an elaborate stage costume to dramatize an alchemy competition 12 134 155.

Beneath this behavior, Yao Chen is a demanding but deeply protective teacher. He pushes Xiao Yan through harsh body-tempering, criticizes Huo Yuhao when he prevents his companions from facing danger, and worries that Huo Yuhao may rely too heavily on mental control rather than personal growth 6 14 43. He is willing to risk his remaining existence to protect his disciples 192 194.

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Yao Chen is an accomplished alchemist who uses the Bone Spirit Cold Flame to refine medicines with exceptional control. He can simultaneously manipulate separated portions of flame around multiple ingredients before condensing completed pills 4.

• Refined Meridian-Protecting Pills for Xiao Yan 4
• Prepared Mysterious Water Pills and Qi-Recovery Pills for the Xiao Clan 7
• Revised the Spirit-Restoring Pill formula to include ingredients for stabilizing and repairing Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Sea 16
• Refined the sixth-grade Spirit-Restoring Pill despite the burden it placed on his weakened soul state 48
• Trains Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian in alchemy 26 155

Bone Spirit Cold Flame

Yao Chen controls the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, a Heavenly Flame ranked eleventh. Despite being fire, it radiates bone-chilling cold 4 27.

• Refines medicinal ingredients and pills with fine multi-target control 4
• Supplies the flame needed for forging and refining operations 5 44
• Can become unstable when his soul force enters Xiao Yan during a Beast Flame fusion, threatening Yao Chen and everyone nearby 27
• Its pale white flame kills the fleeing Xie Hua after Yao Chen pursues him 32 33

Soul Power

As a soul body, Yao Chen uses soul power for perception, communication, concealment, and combat.

• Communicates directly with Huo Yuhao through mental transmissions that weaker alchemists cannot detect 21
• Creates a soul barrier before refining pills 34
• Conceals the group's presence with soul power while escaping Green Mountain Town 48
• Possesses Xiao Yan to pressure Hai Bodong into cooperating 38
• Breaks through Xiao Yan's rampaging Beast Flame to stabilize his Dou Qi 27

Artifact Refinement

Yao Chen possesses knowledge of artifact forging and a spirit-imbuing method originally developed while researching methods to improve pill quality 5.

• Gives Huo Yuhao fragments of ancient artifact-forging techniques 4
• Helps forge the trio's first Spirit Artifact, a short blade 5
• Uses compression, purification, and spirit imbuement to make refined steel comparable to rare metals with spirituality 5
• Assesses the flying Spirit Artifact's Black Grade-level power and high energy consumption 18

Teaching and Cultivation Guidance

Yao Chen tailors methods and techniques to each disciple's needs.

• Teaches Xiao Yan the Black Grade High Level Dou Technique, Eight Extremes Collapse 5
• Oversees Xiao Yan's body-tempering regimen and use of medicinal liquid 6
• Gives Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yan the movement technique Explosive Step 9
• Guides Xiao Yan in converting his Dou Qi to cultivate the Burning Incantation 8
• Provides Soul Skill scrolls to Huo Yuhao, Xiao Yan, and Xiao Yi Xian 15
• Refuses to let Xiao Yan and Huo Yuhao use pills that directly increase their strength, prioritizing their future potential 50

Equipment / Items

• Ancient Flame Ring — his residence while in soul form; carried by Xiao Yan 14
• Bone Spirit Cold Flame — his Heavenly Flame 4
• Black Demon Cauldron — used for pill refinement 34 48
• Ancient artifact-forging manuals — fragments given to Huo Yuhao 4
• Sixth-grade soul-form spirit-tool armor — rune-covered armor tailored for his soul body 192
• White flame-patterned heavy ruler — weapon used alongside the spirit-tool armor 192

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Disciple. Yao Chen initially drains his Dou Qi to awaken, then trains him in alchemy, cultivation, and combat; their relationship is marked by constant bickering and mutual trust 3 4 8 134.
• Huo Yuhao — Disciple. Yao Chen recognizes Huo Yuhao's unusual maturity and ability, supports his artifact refinement, and tries to guide his morality and state of mind 4 17 43 104.
• Xiao Yi Xian — Third disciple. He provides her with a medicine cauldron, accepts her as a disciple, and later personally trains her for the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Convention 16 155.
• Gu He — Fellow alchemist. Yao Chen secretly retrieves the Peach Blossom Flame core while Gu He retrieves the Poisonwood Flame core 24.
• Hai Bodong — Temporary ally. Yao Chen assures Huo Yuhao that Hai Bodong will remain controllable even after recovering his strength 38.
• Han Feng — Former disciple. Han Feng becomes a seventh-tier alchemist and Dou Zong, later aligning with Soul Hall forces against Jia Nan Academy 135.
• Venerable Mu Gu — Enemy. Yao Chen confronts him directly after regaining enough power to contend with a Dou Zun 192.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Awakening and Apprenticeship

Yao Chen awakens from Xiao Yan's ring after absorbing his Dou Qi, reveals himself to Xiao Yan and Huo Yuhao, and proves his alchemical skill by refining Meridian-Protecting Pills 3 4. He accepts both boys as disciples, intending to train them while eventually having them help refine a new body for him 4.

Magic Beast Mountain Range Training

Yao Chen leads Xiao Yan, Huo Yuhao, and Xiao Yi Xian through practical training in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. He imposes rules against Huo Yuhao solving every danger for the others, teaches the group about Soul Skills and Heavenly Flames, and accepts Xiao Yi Xian as his third disciple 12 14 15 16.

During Xiao Yan's fusion with a Beast Flame, Yao Chen loses control of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame and is briefly overwhelmed by fear that he will be unable to save his disciples 27. He later supports the group with his barely recovered Dou Zong-level strength while they gather ingredients for Huo Yuhao's soul repair 29.

Separation and Remote Guidance

Yao Chen travels with Xiao Yan toward the Tagor Desert while Huo Yuhao and Xiao Yi Xian attend Jia Nan Academy 51. Despite the separation, he continues advising Huo Yuhao through the Communication Spirit Device, particularly when the Soul Hall becomes a concern 104.

Conflict with Han Feng and the Soul Hall

Yao Chen's past becomes directly relevant when Han Feng is revealed as his disciple and allies with Soul Hall forces 135. Later, when Venerable Mu Gu seeks to capture the group and extract their souls, Yao Chen fights to protect Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian using his recovered strength and specialized spirit tools 192.

Final Stand Against Venerable Mu Gu

Yao Chen abandons his fight with Mu Gu to stop Xiao Yi Xian, leaving himself open to a sneak attack 193. After the battle's aftermath, his soul body is nearly transparent; he apologizes to his disciples before his Soul Power runs out and he falls into slumber 194.

Trivia

• Yao Chen is afraid of heights despite being a soul body 34.
• He considers Huo Yuhao's cooking the best on the continent 4.
• He once mockingly suggested that Xiao Yan might prefer Hai Bodong romantically, provoking Xiao Yan into attacking him 134.
• He reacts dramatically to Xiao Yan and Gu He's prospective alchemy competition, treating it like a fight to the death over love 155.