Yao Chen

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yao Chen (药尘)
Alias(es)	Pill Venerate; Venerable Yao; Medicine Saint; Old Yao
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Pill Tower; Little Pill Tower; co-founder of Starfall Pavilion
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; cultivator; mentor to Xiao Yan
Status	Active; physical body lost, existing as a soul within a Storage Ring
First Appearance	Chapter 77 (mentioned); Chapter 103 (physical appearance)

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Control of the Bone Chilling Flame improved	104	Entered enlightenment after Zhao Li's lecture and gained significantly finer control over his Heavenly Flame.
Pill Convention Champion	113	Refined a pill that drew four-colored Pill Lightning and was named champion; became the youngest champion in decades.
Two-Star Dou Venerate	207	Faced the Scorpion Demon Three Ghosts while protecting his companions.
Half-Saint	289	Reached the path of Transcending to Saint after relentless cultivation; his Soul Heaven Realm was nearly perfected.
Heaven Realm Perfection Soul	355	Reached this level in his soul state, but initially stagnated before the Emperor Realm.
Emperor Realm Soul	355	Repeatedly split his Soul Power into Yin-Yang Primordial Spirits, cultivated them, then fused them until he broke through.
Primordial Spirit condensed	346	Successfully condensed a Primordial Spirit within the Storage Ring; the Bone Chilling Flame surged toward his brow during the process.

Background

Yao Chen was regarded as the Pill Tower’s most talented junior long before his return from the Godfall Ice Plain. During his search for a Heavenly Flame, he fell into a deep sleep after the flame erupted. He awakened with completely white hair, the Bone Chilling Flame, and the sense that he had forgotten something important on the ice plain. 103

Upon returning, he intended to win the Pill Convention, gain continent-wide renown, and use that fame as his first step toward returning to the Yao Clan. His ambition was tied to having his parents’ names engraved upon the clan’s Stone Tablet. 103

He won the convention and later established Starfall Pavilion with Feng Xian, leaving its management to Feng Xian while he cultivated and searched for Han Shanshan. After reaching Dou Venerate, he earned the title Pill Venerate by defeating every alchemist who challenged his standing. 207

During his later travels, Yao Chen provided guidance to individuals and sects across the continent while pursuing the chance to Transcend to Saint. His obsession with becoming strong was driven by Han Shanshan’s sacrifice and his determination to resurrect her from the Abyss. 289 355

A mysterious explosion in the Heavenly Star Mountain Range destroyed his body and left only a wisp of his soul. Rumors of his death triggered searches across the Central Plains and attacks on Starfall Pavilion. 289 290

His soul ultimately entered the Storage Ring later acquired by Xiao Yan. Rather than weakening toward dissipation, he used Zhao Li’s Soul Cultivation Method to recover and advance far beyond his former limits. 345 354 355

Appearance

Yao Chen is a handsome young man whose entirely white hair sharply contrasts with his apparent youth. His eyes carry world-weariness and a stubborn fixation beneath his composed bearing. 103

• Wears a loose, light-purple robe upon his return to the Pill Tower. 103
• Has completely white hair after awakening from his sleep in the Godfall Ice Plain. 103
• His Bone Chilling Flame is pale white and carries harmonized extreme cold and heat. 105
• In soul form, he can manifest a body that appears no different from a living person. 398

Personality

Yao Chen is ambitious, disciplined, and deeply focused on self-improvement. Despite his exceptional talent and growing reputation, he remains willing to seek instruction, carefully organize his questions, and learn from Zhao Li. 103 247

He is also resilient and purposeful. His desire to return to the Yao Clan, advance toward Dou Di, regain a suitable body, and rescue Han Shanshan drives many of his decisions. 103 355

As a mentor, Yao Chen can be teasing and flippant, especially toward Xiao Yan, but he takes the boy’s development seriously. He pushes Xiao Yan toward training, limits what dangerous information he shares, and adapts his teaching to Xiao Yan’s progress. 355 359 374 431

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

Yao Chen is one of the continent’s foremost alchemists, known for both technical brilliance and the ability to attract Pill Lightning.

• Won the Pill Convention through a pill that drew four-colored Pill Lightning. 113
• Refined Eighth Grade pills capable of attracting five-colored Pill Lightning before the age of thirty. 228
• Later refined pills that drew Eighth Grade eight-colored Pill Lightning. 246
• His reputation as Pill Venerate lets him command extraordinary respect, though his fame does not guarantee aid in direct combat. 207

Bone Chilling Flame

Yao Chen possesses the Bone Chilling Flame, a Heavenly Flame ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. 103

• Combines extreme cold and extreme heat. 105
• Became increasingly nimble under Yao Chen’s control after his enlightenment. 104
• Used in battle against Hun Fenghao, together with healing pills, to temporarily match a stronger opponent. 108
• Remains wrapped around him in soul form as the Forest White Flame. 345

Soul Cultivation

After losing his body, Yao Chen transformed his setback into an unprecedented cultivation opportunity through Zhao Li’s Soul Cultivation Method.

• Recovered fully within a few years of becoming a soul. 355
• Reached Heaven Realm Perfection, then later Emperor Realm through Yin-Yang Primordial Spirit cultivation. 355
• Can separate his soul into a yin-aligned illusory body and a solid, righteous yang-aligned body. 345
• His Emperor Realm Soul allows perception beyond what a typical Dou Venerate-level soul can achieve. 425

Combat and Leadership

Yao Chen is a capable combatant and a composed leader under pressure.

• Led survivors in the Pill Realm while they hid from Soul Clan forces and waited for possible Pill Tower intervention. 108
• Fought Hun Fenghao for half a day despite severe casualties and injuries, then chose retreat over needless loss. 108
• Protected companions against the Scorpion Demon Three Ghosts and offered to refine an Eighth Grade Mid-Level Pill in exchange for assistance. 207
• Can take over Xiao Yan’s body when necessary to confront enemies beyond Xiao Yan’s current ability. 395

Equipment / Items

• Storage Ring — His refuge after the fall of his physical body; later carried by Xiao Yan. It contains extensive books, cultivation methods, pill formulas, and records. 345
• Bone Chilling Flame — His Heavenly Flame and primary flame-based asset. 103
• Earth Tier Mid-Grade Fire-Attribute Cultivation Technique — Given to Xiao Yan as compensation for absorbing three years of the latter’s Dou Qi. 356
• Body-tempering technique scroll — Also given to Xiao Yan during their apprenticeship negotiation. 356

Relationships

• Zhao Li — Mentor and later acknowledged teacher. Zhao Li’s guidance greatly improved Yao Chen’s alchemy and Soul Cultivation; Yao Chen formally asked to serve him after his rebirth. 240 246 398
• Xiao Yan — Disciple. Yao Chen accidentally absorbed three years of Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi, then accepted him as a disciple and guided his cultivation, alchemy, and training. 355 356 359
• Han Shanshan — Beloved. Her sacrifice activated Yao Chen’s Bloodline power, and Yao Chen’s pursuit of resurrection is centered on finding and saving her. 123 355
• Feng Xian / Wind Venerate — Brother and Starfall Pavilion associate. Feng Xian searched tirelessly for Yao Chen after his disappearance and defended the pavilion from opportunistic attacks. 289 290 301
• Xuan Yi — Admirer who spoke warmly of him as “Brother Yao Chen” and believed he would return from his travels to make a name for himself. 77
• Old Huang / Huang Wen — Pill Tower senior who recognized Yao Chen on his return and introduced him to Zhao Li. 103
• Yun Shan — Long-time acquaintance who later recognizes Yao Chen’s advancement and addresses him as Medicine Saint. 400
• Han Feng — Former disciple whose actions are linked to Yao Chen’s disappearance. 289

Story Role / Major Arcs

Return to the Pill Tower

Yao Chen returns from the Godfall Ice Plain with white hair and the Bone Chilling Flame. He meets Zhao Li through Old Huang, respectfully seeks his guidance, and resolves to begin rebuilding his reputation through the Pill Convention. 103

Pill Convention and Pill Realm Crisis

He gains finer command of the Bone Chilling Flame, wins the Pill Convention, and becomes a Pill Tower candidate. During the Pill Realm crisis, he leads a retreating group, battles Hun Fenghao, and survives with serious injuries. 104 108 113

Rise of Pill Venerate

After founding Starfall Pavilion with Feng Xian and reaching Dou Venerate, Yao Chen becomes known across the Central Plains as Pill Venerate. His alchemy wins him fame, but the Scorpion Demon Three Ghosts expose the limits of reputation when no one answers his call for help. 207

Disappearance and Soul Rebirth

Having reached Half-Saint while seeking to Transcend to Saint, Yao Chen loses his body in the Heavenly Star Mountain Range. His surviving soul later resides in Xiao Yan’s ring, cultivates to the Emperor Realm, and condenses Yin-Yang Primordial Spirits. 289 345 355

Mentor of Xiao Yan

Yao Chen reveals himself to Xiao Yan, admits that he absorbed the youth’s Dou Qi, and offers a path to recover and surpass Nalan Yanran. He becomes Xiao Yan’s master, teaches him cultivation and alchemy, and guides him toward increasingly dangerous training grounds. 354 355 359 374 431

Reunion with Zhao Li

Yao Chen meets Zhao Li again and credits him with the grace of rebirth. Although Zhao Li initially rejects the title, Yao Chen insists that Zhao Li possesses the substance of a teacher; Zhao Li accepts him as a disciple. 398

Trivia

• Yao Chen’s fully white hair appeared after his unexplained sleep in the Godfall Ice Plain. 103
• His white hair and pale flame are repeatedly noted as unusually harmonious in appearance. 105
• He initially planned to use the Pill Convention championship to make the Yao Clan acknowledge him. 103
• Despite his later fame, he was once introduced simply as the Pill Tower’s most talented junior. 103