Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Xiao Yan (萧炎) 330 |
| Gender | Male 330 |
| Affiliation | Xiao Household 333 401 |
| Occupation/Role | Third young master of the Xiao Household; student of Yao Lao 401 418 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 330, “Xiao Yan’s Birth” 330 |
Power Progression
| Stage / Realm / Level | Chapter | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Three-Stage Dou Qi | 397 | Reached at age six; Xiao Lin rewarded him with a high-grade Storage Ring. |
| Ninth Stage of Dou Qi | 401 | Reached at age nine, setting a Xiao Household record. |
| Three-Stage Dou Qi | 401 403 | Yao Lao secretly drained his Dou Qi, causing his first regression. |
| Ninth Stage of Dou Qi | 403 | Recovered in a little over a year. |
| Three-Stage Dou Qi | 404 | His cultivation fell a second time after he regained the Ninth Stage. |
| Ninth Stage of Dou Qi | 413 | Recovered in one year, before turning twelve. |
| Three-Stage Dou Qi | 413 414 | A third decline left him unwilling to continue training. |
| Ninth Stage of Dou Qi | 418 | Recovered in about half a year with Yao Lao’s guidance and Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. |
Background and History
Xiao Yan is the youngest of Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue’s three sons, and Xiao Lin’s grandson. He is a transmigrator with memories of a previous life. As a child, that perspective made it difficult for him to accept his new family as his own, despite their affection for him 330 332 337 338.
A flight with Xiao Lin using Dou Qi Wings awakened Xiao Yan’s determination to cultivate and see more of the world. He repeatedly sought lessons from his grandfather, who insisted that he wait until age four to begin training 334 339.
Concerned by Xiao Yan’s emotional distance from his family, Xiao Lin asked Yao Lao to teach him. Yao Lao observed Xiao Yan in secret and concluded that his growing talent was reinforcing his pride and isolation. From within a Storage Ring Xiao Lin had given the boy, Yao Lao drained Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi three times, forcing him to rebuild his cultivation after each loss 396 398 401 404.
After the third setback, Xiao Yan learned the cause of the regressions. He acknowledged his weak sense of family, thanked Yao Lao, and accepted his guidance. Yao Lao began teaching him the basics of medicine refining, but withheld a promised cultivation method until Xiao Yan reached the Dou Zhe realm 417 418.
Personality
Xiao Yan is ambitious and intensely curious about cultivation. His early success made him proud and increasingly distant from his parents, brothers, and clansmen. When his cultivation first fell, their encouragement helped him feel a sense of belonging among them for the first time 334 401 403.
Repeated setbacks frightened and frustrated him, but he recovered his lost progress twice through persistence. After briefly giving up following the third decline, he resumed training and became more willing to recognize both his own flaws and the help others had given him 413 414 418.
Abilities & Skills
Dou Qi Cultivation
- Reached the Ninth Stage of Dou Qi at nine years old, then regained it after three separate regressions 401 403 413 418.
- His recoveries accelerated: the second took one year, and the third took about half a year with Yao Lao’s help 413 418.
Medicine Refining
- Began learning the basics under Yao Lao after their teacher–student relationship began 418.
Equipment and Items
- High-grade Storage Ring — A gift from Xiao Lin for reaching Three-Stage Dou Qi at six. It housed Yao Lao’s remnant soul, allowing him to observe and eventually teach Xiao Yan 397 398 401.
Relationships
- Xiao Lin — His grandfather, who encouraged his interest in cultivation and arranged for Yao Lao to guide him 334 387 396.
- Xiao Zhan and Yang Xiyue — His parents; they supported him through his unexplained cultivation losses 338 405.
- Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — His older brothers, who expressed concern during his setbacks 332 405.
- Yao Lao (Yao Chen) — His mentor, who caused the three regressions to test his character before helping him cultivate and study medicine refining 401 418.
- Nalan Yanran — His childhood fiancée. He initially resisted the arranged engagement, but the two grew closer; her challenge and later visit motivated him to keep training 338 393 395 410 416.
- Xun’er — A close companion whose meridians he secretly nourished with his Dou Qi. She developed feelings for him, while he regarded her as a younger sister 390 391 395.