Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Future Flame Emperor 38
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Household; Jia Nan Academy
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; disciple of Yao Chen; aspiring Alchemist
First Appearance	Chapter 38

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Third-Stage Battle Qi	38	His cultivation had previously vanished overnight; he remained at this stage while standing up to Jia Lie Ao in the Xiao Household Market. 38
Sixth-Stage Dou Qi	146	Reached after four months of cultivation with Yao Chen's Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid. 146
Eight-Star Fighter	186	His cultivation immediately before refining the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame. 186
One-Star Battle Master	186	Advanced directly after refining the young Myriad Beast Spirit Flame with Yao Chen's assistance. 186
Da Dou Shi	223	Had reached the Da Dou Shi realm by his Three-Year Agreement match with Nalan Yanran. 223
Dou Ling	257	Broke through following secluded cultivation. 257

Background

A year before Qin Yu's arrival in Wutan City, Xiao Yan had been the Xiao Household's celebrated young genius before losing all of his Dou Qi overnight. His cultivation then stagnated at Third-Stage Dou Qi for two years despite his continued efforts. 1 41

Qin Yu first saw Xiao Yan in the Xiao Household Market, where the black-clad youth shielded Xun'er from Jia Lie Ao and his group despite being heavily outnumbered. Xiao Yan remained composed and used the market guards' presence to force Jia Lie Ao to withdraw. 38 39

After learning of Qin Yu's extraordinary rise in strength, Xiao Yan initially rejected it as unbelievable. He later attempted to eavesdrop on Qin Yu, was caught, and suffered a humiliating beating from Xiao Yu. The following morning, he sincerely sought Qin Yu's guidance, explaining that his Dou Qi kept vanishing; Qin Yu declined to reveal the cause but told him to continue cultivating. 39 40 41 42

Yao Chen awakened within Xiao Yan's ring shortly afterward and offered to teach him alchemy if Xiao Yan accepted him as his master. With Yao Chen's guidance and Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid, Xiao Yan resumed making rapid progress. 110 115 146

At the Ten Thousand Beasts Bone Pit, Xiao Yan successfully refined the young Myriad Beast Spirit Flame. The process required Yao Chen's Bone Chilling Flame, a fifth-tier pill, and Xiao Yan's own endurance of the Heavenly Flame's pain, but it elevated him from Eight-Star Fighter to One-Star Battle Master. 186

Three years after Nalan Yanran privately ended their engagement, Xiao Yan faced her in a formal match overseen by Yun Yun. Both had reached the Da Dou Shi realm, and the battle was intended to settle their past grievances. 223

Appearance

Xiao Yan was first described as a handsome black-clad youth of roughly fourteen or fifteen, with eyes carrying a steadiness beyond his age. 38

• Initially wore black clothing while defending Xun'er in Wutan City. 38
• Later appeared in gray clothes, with refined features and a lingering gloom between his brows. 109
• Carries the Heavy Xuan Ruler across his back in combat. 180 223
• Uses a pair of brown flying wings after acquiring a flying technique. 252

Personality

Xiao Yan is proud and sensitive to the humiliation caused by his lost cultivation, initially refusing to believe that Qin Yu could have advanced so far in a single year. 39 Despite this, he does not retreat from stronger opponents and was willing to confront Jia Lie Ao's group while protecting Xun'er. 38

His prolonged stagnation leaves him desperate for answers, but it also strengthens his perseverance. Even when convinced that his newly cultivated Dou Qi would vanish again, he resolves to keep cultivating for as long as necessary rather than accept being useless. 41 42

Under Yao Chen's tutelage, Xiao Yan becomes more mature and purposeful. He recognizes Qin Yu's overwhelming lead without surrendering his ambition, instead treating it as motivation to work harder. 224 257

Abilities & Skills

Myriad Beast Spirit Flame

Xiao Yan possesses a young seed of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, a Heavenly Flame ranked twenty-second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking and condensed from the souls of myriad beasts. 186

• Refined it with Yao Chen's assistance, enduring its flames personally. 186
• The refinement immediately raised his cultivation to One-Star Battle Master. 186
• Its presence makes Xiao Yan a target of comparison with Qin Yu, who possesses two stronger Heavenly Flames. 224

Alchemy

Yao Chen identifies Xiao Yan as having the qualifications to become an Alchemist and accepts him as a disciple. 110

• Uses Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid refined by Yao Chen to aid cultivation. 115 146
• Studies the Flame Manipulation Formula, which Yao Chen believes could help him combine the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame with other Beast Flames. 251 253
• Relies on Yao Chen's instruction and resources while developing his own abilities. 110 220

Combat Techniques

• Flame Splitting Tsunami — one of Xiao Yan's Earth Tier offensive techniques. 257 276
• Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus — a powerful offensive trump card, though it does not replace his need for mobility. 257
• Six Directions Wandering Body Ruler — an Earth Tier Mid-Rank ruler technique traded to him by Qin Yu; he later uses it in the Inner Academy's Strong List tournament. 266 276
• Flying technique — grants him brown wings for aerial travel. 252
• Movement technique — Yao Chen teaches him an additional Earth Tier Low-Rank movement technique after his Dou Ling breakthrough. 257

Equipment

• Heavy Xuan Ruler — his primary weapon, carried diagonally across his back. 180 223
• Storage Ring — the ring inhabited by Yao Chen. 110 185
• Myriad Beast Spirit Flame — a young Heavenly Flame seed refined into his body. 186

Relationships

• Yao Chen / Yao Lao — Master and mentor. Yao Chen trains Xiao Yan in cultivation, alchemy, and combat techniques, while frequently using Qin Yu's accomplishments to motivate him. 110 146 257
• Qin Yu — Initially an intimidating senior figure whose growth Xiao Yan struggles to accept; later a friendly rival and benchmark for his own progress. Qin Yu trades him high-tier techniques, while Xiao Yan increasingly addresses him as “Brother Qin Yu.” 39 224 266
• Xun'er — Close companion and Xiao Yan's “little girlfriend.” He protects her in Wutan City, while her family background remains a source of pressure motivating his cultivation. 38 257
• Xiao Yu — His cousin. Their relationship is strained by Xiao Yan's earlier treatment of her and her loyalty to Qin Yu; she beats him after he is caught eavesdropping. 40 41
• Xiao Zhan — His father and the Xiao Household's clan leader. Xiao Zhan is distressed by Xiao Yan's earlier inability to progress and remains concerned for his future. 42 110
• Nalan Yanran — His former betrothed. Their private broken engagement leads to a Three-Year Agreement, culminating in a Da Dou Shi-level match intended to end their grievances. 111 223

Notable Quotes

“If two years were not enough, then five years. If five years were not enough, then ten.”

— Xiao Yan, refusing to abandon cultivation despite his disappearing Dou Qi 42