Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Yan Xiao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Family; disciple of Yao Chen (Medicine Elder)
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; Dou Qi cultivator
Status	Alive 193
First Appearance	Chapter 24

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Dou Master	26	Meets the cultivation prerequisite for the Second-grade Alchemist assessment; his youth and Dou Master cultivation astonish the Black Rock City Guild.
Second-grade Alchemist	28	Passes the Ice Condensation Pill assessment alongside Su Heng; his pill loses on quality because the Ice Jade Marrow shell was unnecessarily fused into it.
Nine-Star Dou Wang	86	Returns to the Jia Ma Empire after the Xiao Family crisis, far stronger than expected.
Peak Sixth-grade Alchemist	114	Refines a Sixth-grade pill in the Black-Corner Region and is identified as having reached the peak of the Sixth Grade.
Five-Star Dou Emperor	114	Reunites with Su Heng after more than a year apart.
Four-Star Dou Zong	143	Refines the Fallen Heart Flame's young flame and breaks through to the Dou Zong realm.
Early Spirit Realm soul strength	143	His soul strength reaches the Early Spirit Realm.
Eighth-grade Alchemist	153	Refines an Eighth-grade pill that draws Four-Colored Pill Lightning, matching Venerable Mu Gu's alchemical limit.
Dou Venerable	163	Absorbs Three Thousand Burning Flame and uses the Star Domain's stellar energy to break into the Dou Venerable realm.
Quasi-Heaven Tier Flame Mantra	163	The Flame Mantra evolves after he absorbs Sea Heart Flame and Three Thousand Burning Flame.

Appearance

Xiao Yan first appears as a tall, slender black-clothed youth with delicate features and a demeanor that strikes Su Heng as immediately familiar. 24

• Usually dresses in black while traveling, partly to avoid attracting attention as a high-grade Alchemist. 54
• Carries a massive black ruler on his back. 24
• Wears a black ring that houses Medicine Elder's soul for much of his early journey. 25 97
• Uses the identity Yan Xiao and a mask to conceal his aura during the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Competition. 45

Personality

Xiao Yan is competitive but notably fair-minded. His rivalry with Su Heng begins at the Black Rock City assessments, yet he accepts defeat when Su Heng's Ice Condensation Pill proves superior and later concedes the Imperial Capital competition despite their identical scores. 28 53

He is fiercely loyal to those he considers family or friends. He worries about Xiao Ding and Xiao Li upon learning of Su Heng's connection to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, helps Su Heng obtain the Soul-Melting Pill, and repeatedly treats Su Heng as a brother. 24 57 169 His devotion to Xiao Zhan drives him to confront the Hall of Souls and eventually demand his father's return from Hun Tiandi. 98 193

Although capable of killing intent in battle, Xiao Yan does not seek needless bloodshed. After Xiao Yi Xian and Yun Yun clear an ambush route out of Black Emperor City, his first concern is whether they killed anyone. 117

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Xiao Yan is an exceptional Alchemist whose rapid growth is supported by powerful soul strength, Heavenly Flames, Yao Chen's instruction, and high-grade cauldrons.

• Passed the First-grade assessment by refining a Strength-Accumulation Pill, then immediately challenged the Second-grade examination. 26
• Refined four ingredients simultaneously during the Ice Condensation Pill assessment, displaying fire control that even Otto and Frank found difficult to match. 27
• Refined a Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill with a score of 498/500 during the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Competition. 53
• Reached the peak of the Sixth Grade by the Black Emperor Sect auction. 114
• Produced an Eighth-grade pill with Four-Colored Pill Lightning at the Pill Gathering. 153

Heavenly Flames and Flame Mantra

Xiao Yan cultivates the Flame Mantra and uses multiple flames in both combat and pill refinement.

• Initially displays the Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame during the Black Rock City assessment. 25
• Uses the Azure Heavenly Flame against Su Heng in the Imperial Capital competition. 50
• Temporarily employs Yao Chen's Bone Chilling Flame for a second attempt at the Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill. 52 53
• Refines Sea Heart Flame after Han Feng's death, gaining his second Heavenly Flame. 87
• Refines the Fallen Heart Flame's young flame, gaining a third Heavenly Flame. 143
• Absorbs Three Thousand Burning Flame in the Star Domain, advancing the Flame Mantra to quasi-Heaven Tier. 163

Fire Lotus Techniques

Xiao Yan can fuse flames into destructive lotus attacks.

• Uses the Eight-Colored Fire Lotus to destroy the Misty Cloud Sect's gate and devastate its ambush force. 95
• Previously defeats Nalan Yanran during the Three-Year Pact with a fused flaming lotus before burning their marriage contract. 60

Dou Techniques

• Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations — Raises his cultivation from Four-Star Dou Zong to the level of Seven-Star Dou Zong in battle. 150
• Emperor Seal Technique — Stacks the Mountain Splitting Seal and Sea Flipping Seal against Venerable Mu Gu. 150
• Lion-Tiger Gold-Shattering Chant — A High-Profound Tier soundwave Dou Technique given to Su Heng in exchange for Blood-Feather Soul Devouring. 89

Equipment

• Massive black ruler — His signature weapon, carried across his back. 24
• Black Demon Cauldron — A cauldron from the Heaven Cauldron Ranking, revealed during the Imperial Capital Alchemist Competition. 49
• Myriad Beast Cauldron — A Heaven Cauldron Ranking cauldron acquired from Han Feng; Xiao Yan lends it to Su Heng for Sixth-grade pill refinement. 88
• Black ring — The vessel in which Yao Chen resides before separating from Xiao Yan. 25 97

Relationships

• Su Heng — Life-and-death friend and friendly alchemical rival. Their bond begins through the Desert Iron Mercenary Group connection, develops through repeated competitions and exchanges of help, and is later described by Su Heng as brotherhood. 24 53 169
• Yao Chen / Medicine Elder — Mentor and master. Yao Chen guides Xiao Yan's alchemy, lends him Bone Chilling Flame, and later reveals himself as the master of Starfall Pavilion. 25 53 97
• Xiao Ding — Elder brother and commander of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group; helps restrain Xiao Yan's anger during the Xiao Family crisis. 24 87
• Xiao Li — Second elder brother and second commander of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. His connection to Su Heng leads to Xiao Yan's first meeting with Su Heng. 24
• Xiao Zhan — Father. His capture by the Hall of Souls becomes one of Xiao Yan's central motivations. 98 193
• Yun Yun — Beloved and later wife. She prevents Yun Leng from detaining Xiao Yan after the Three-Year Pact and later travels, fights, and raises a family with him. 60 163
• Xiao Yi Xian — Beloved and later wife. Xiao Yan searches for a cure to her Woeful Poison Body and secures Bodhi Body Transformation Saliva for her Poison Pill Method. 114 116 163
• Gu Xun Er — Beloved who initially resents Su Heng's involvement in Xiao Yan's relationships, but eventually accepts Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian. 169
• Zi Yan — Jia Nan Academy classmate and powerful traveling companion who joins his mission to the Cloud Empire. 99

Story Role / Major Arcs

Black Rock City Alchemist Assessments

Xiao Yan arrives in Black Rock City without the required introduction letter for the Guild examination. Su Heng vouches for him after learning that Xiao Li is his brother, beginning their friendship. 24 He passes the First- and Second-grade Alchemist assessments, but loses the latter contest to Su Heng because his sophisticated method compromises the Ice Condensation Pill's purity. 26 28

Before leaving for the Tagor Desert, Xiao Yan exchanges a bottle of Companion Amethyst Source containing Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame for a portion of the Xuanjia Snake Emperor's Beast Flame. He promises to send Su Heng's regards to Xiao Li and the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. 29

Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Competition

Under the alias Yan Xiao, Xiao Yan competes for the Soul-Melting Pill Formula while Queen Medusa threatens him into securing it. 45 48 His first Three-Stripe Green Spirit Pill attempt fails when his cauldron explodes, but he continues with Bone Chilling Flame and ultimately matches Su Heng's 498-point result. 50 52 53

Despite the tie, Xiao Yan voluntarily concedes because he relied on Yao Chen's flame and cauldron advantages while Su Heng prevailed through his own experience and skill. 53

Three-Year Pact and the Misty Cloud Sect Conflict

Xiao Yan defeats Nalan Yanran during the Three-Year Pact, uses a fused flaming lotus, and burns the marriage contract. Yun Yun prevents Yun Leng from forcibly detaining him, avoiding an immediate wider conflict with the Misty Cloud Sect. 60

When the Xiao Family suffers catastrophe, he returns as a Nine-Star Dou Wang and joins Su Heng, Xiao Ding, and their allies in preparing to resist the Misty Cloud Sect and Hall of Souls. 86 87 During the final battle on Misty Cloud Mountain, Yao Chen possesses him to fight Protector Wu. 95

Cloud Empire and Black-Corner Region

Xiao Yan agrees to travel to the Cloud Empire to investigate the Hall of Souls, seek his father, and help avert war. Zi Yan accompanies him. 99 His travels reunite him with Xiao Yi Xian, lead to the discovery of the Nether Poison Fire, and end the long conflict between the Cloud Empire and Jia Ma Empire after the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect's defeat. 114

At the Black Emperor Sect auction, he obtains Bodhi Body Transformation Saliva with Su Heng's support, intending to use it in the Poison Pill Method for Xiao Yi Xian. 116 117

Jia Nan Academy and the Central Plains

When the Hall of Souls and Flame Demon Valley attack Jia Nan Academy for Xiao Yan and the Bodhi Body Transformation Saliva, he remains in seclusion with Xiao Yi Xian to refine the Poison Pill. 118 He later captures Fallen Heart Flame after Xiao Yi Xian defeats Blood-Eyed Venerable, then stays behind to remove the Devil Poison Mark. 120

After refining the Fallen Heart Flame's young flame, he reaches Four-Star Dou Zong and travels to Holy Pill City with Yun Yun, Xiao Yi Xian, Zi Yan, and Mu Qingluan. 143 At the Pill Gathering, he refines an Eighth-grade pill with Four-Colored Pill Lightning. 153

Star Domain and Fatherhood

Xiao Yan battles and ultimately absorbs Three Thousand Burning Flame in the Star Domain. Yun Yun and Xiao Yi Xian remain with him during the flame's eruption, and both later emerge pregnant. 156 162 The absorption elevates him to Dou Venerable and evolves his Flame Mantra to quasi-Heaven Tier. 163

He becomes father to a son, Xiao Yun, and a daughter, Xiao Xian'er, while continuing to seek a way to rescue Xiao Zhan from the Hall of Souls. 168 When Hun Tiandi presents Xiao Zhan as a hostage, Xiao Yan demands a trade and vows vengeance against the Soul Clan. 193