Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Han Li; “Old Devil Han”
Species/Race	Human; a transmigrator from Blue Star who reincarnated into the Dou Qi Continent 1
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Founder and Alliance Leader of the Flame Alliance; allied with Canaan Academy 151 185
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; Seventh-Grade Intermediate Alchemist; formation master 103 185
Status	Alive; active in Canaan Academy’s affairs after saving it from Mu Venerable 193
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
First Stage Dou Qi	4	Began cultivation at age four and sensed Dou Qi within a single day.
One-Star Dou Fighter	4	Condensed a Dou Qi vortex at age nine.
Eight-Star Dou Fighter	4	Reached this level at age eleven through an obsessive routine of cultivation, study, and body tempering.
Third-Stage Dou Zhi Qi	4	His cultivation declined after the Bone Flame Ring began absorbing his Dou Qi.
Four-Star Dou Practitioner	15	Revealed his recovered strength during Nalan Yanran’s visit; defeated a Five-Star Dou Practitioner with one punch.
One-Star Dou Master	44	Broke through while aiding the Xiao Clan’s commercial struggle against the Galie Clan.
Two-Star Dou Master	48	Reached after absorbing five Third-Order Beast Flames and one Fourth-Order Beast Flame.
Five-Star Dou Master	48	Absorbed the Seventh-Tier Yama Flame; the Heaven-Burning Divine Art advanced to Quasi-Earth Tier.
Late Mortal Realm Soul	61	Consumed Yao Lao’s soul-enhancing pill, greatly improving perception and alchemical potential.
Six-Star Dou Master	61	Refined a Sixth-Rank Beast Flame with the Heaven-Burning Divine Art.
One-Star Great Dou Master	74	Manifested Great Dou Master-level Dou Qi Armor before killing Mu Li.
Peak Late Mortal Realm Soul	77	Perfected the first level of the Great Evolution Divine Art and gained minor mastery of Soul-Binding Chain.
Seven-Star Great Dou Master	93	Reached this level less than a year after being at Third-Stage Dou Zhi Qi.
One-Star Dou Zong (temporary)	94	Borrowed Yao Lao’s Soul Power to subdue the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Eight-Star Great Dou Master	96	Consumed a Purple-Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill during three days of consolidation.
Nine-Star Great Dou Master	96	Took a second Purple-Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill.
One-Star Dou Spirit	96	Broke through with a Spirit-Breaking Pill; formed an Urchin Dou Crystal.
Two-Star Dou Spirit	107	Had reached this level by arriving in Stone Desert City.
Three-Star Dou Spirit	109	Advanced through desert cultivation supported by a Fourth-Rank Spirit-Gathering Formation.
Peak Five-Star Dou Spirit	122	Reached after three months of dedicated cultivation in the Tagore Desert.
Peak Dou Spirit	124	Advanced after refining the Earth-Core Pill.
Four-Star Peak Battle King	124	Refined the Green Lotus Core Flame, crossed an entire major realm, and gained Dou Qi wings.
Two-Star Dou Emperor	132	Refined the Wind-Rage Dragon Flame and crossed from Battle King to Dou Emperor.
Seven-Star Dou Emperor (temporary)	146	Used the Azure Nether Transformation of the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformations.
Eight-Star Dou Emperor	162	Reached after refining the Calamitous Poison Flame.
Nine-Star Dou Emperor	164	Advanced while resolving Little Doctor Fairy’s Calamitous Poison Body.
Spirit Realm Soul	176	Reached the Spirit Realm through Soul Origin refined from Soul Hall Protectors.
Three-Star Dou Zong	177	Achieved after taking the Azure Nether Dragon Transformation Pill.
Six-Star Peak Dou Zong	188	Subdued Fallen Heart Flame through dual cultivation and absorption.

Background

Xiao Yan was originally a young man from Blue Star who died after tapping a deceptive pop-up in a Battle Through the Heavens mobile game. He reincarnated as Xiao Zhan’s newborn son in the Xiao Clan, retaining knowledge of the original story and his previous life’s memories 1.

Knowing that Yao Lao would eventually awaken within the ring left by his mother and drain his Dou Qi, Xiao Yan began cultivating at four years old to build the deepest possible foundation before the predicted setback. His unusually strong Soul Power gave him exceptional perception, comprehension, and control from the beginning 3.

He became Wutan City’s celebrated young genius, reaching Eight-Star Dou Fighter at eleven. When the Bone Flame Ring began absorbing his power, he knowingly endured three years of decline rather than discard the ring, choosing Yao Lao’s future guidance and the Flame Mantra over his public reputation 4.

After recovering his strength, Xiao Yan rejected Nalan Yanran’s attempt to end their engagement on her terms, publicly issued her a divorce letter, and defeated her. He then punished the Xiao Clan elders and younger members who had exploited his decline, refusing to follow the original story’s path of forgiving them 15 19.

Appearance

Xiao Yan is described as a robust, well-proportioned young man with broad shoulders, a lean waist, swordlike brows, starry eyes, and sharply defined features. His maturity and composed bearing contrast with his age 52.

• Usually wears dark robes and carries the Black Heavy Ruler on his back 47.
• Possesses azure-purple Wind-Thunder Wings for flight 133.
• His body developed into the Nine-Stripe Flame Spirit Body after refining multiple flames 124.
• The Azure Nether Dragon Transformation Pill granted him azure dragon scales, horns, claws, a tail, and a trace of Ancient Azure Dragon Bloodline 177.

Personality

Xiao Yan is intensely disciplined, pragmatic, and future-oriented. Even as a child, he structured every day around body tempering, cultivation, study, and rest; he treats time as a resource he cannot afford to waste 3 4. He also values self-reliance, refusing to let Yao Lao resolve threats that he believes he should overcome himself 37.

His outward calm often conceals detachment and calculation. He endured ridicule without reacting because he viewed his fall as a temporary investment, and he frequently uses concealed strength, aliases, or plot knowledge to control a situation before revealing his hand 1 18 147.

Xiao Yan is protective and generous toward people he accepts as his own, investing pills, techniques, protection, and personal attention into his family, disciples, allies, and lovers 108 151 165. Conversely, he is ruthless toward enemies and betrayers, using Soul Search, executions, and public humiliation when he considers them necessary 74 136 149.

Abilities & Skills

Flame Cultivation

Xiao Yan cultivates the Heaven-Burning Divine Art, an evolving fire-attributed cultivation method that refines absorbed flames and purifies violent energy.

• Uses the Undying Divine Flame to neutralize the backlash of devouring Beast Flames and Heavenly Flames 37 48.
• Refined the Myriad-Beast Spirit Flame, Green Lotus Core Flame, and Wind-Rage Dragon Flame to fuel major breakthroughs 87 124 132.
• Formed the Azure Nether Myriad-Forms Flame by merging the Green Lotus Core Flame, Myriad-Beast Spirit Flame, and Wind-Rage Dragon Flame 146.
• Possessed five Heavenly Flames by the time he became a Dou Zong 177.
• Can create destructive fire-lotus attacks, including Buddha’s Fury Fire Lotus and Two-Colored Fire Lotus 74 147.

Soul Power and Alchemy

Xiao Yan’s innate Soul Power is unusually strong due to his two lives, making him exceptionally perceptive and quick to master cultivation methods and alchemy 3 12.

• Registered as a Fourth-Grade Alchemist under the alias Han Li at sixteen 58.
• Publicly demonstrated High Sixth-Rank alchemy by refining a Supreme-Grade Sect-Breaking Pill 141 142.
• Reached Seventh-Grade Intermediate Alchemist status by the time he negotiated with Canaan Academy 185.
• Can perform Soul Search, Soul-Binding Chain, and long-range Soul Power detection 77 136 149.
• His Spirit Realm Soul allows him to suppress powerful spiritual entities and comprehend high-level techniques 176 177.

Physical Strength and Dragon Bloodline

Xiao Yan tempers his body alongside his Dou Qi, using flame refinement and body-tempering arts to maintain combat strength beyond his visible cultivation.

• His Flame Spirit Body reached the Nine-Stripe stage after refining the Green Lotus Core Flame 124.
• The Azure Nether Dragon Transformation Pill granted Ancient Azure Dragon Bloodline and five inherited Azure Dragon Clan techniques 177.
• Flame God Nine Revolutions reached its third revolution, giving him physical strength comparable to a Peak Dou Zong 177.
• Immovable Wisdom King Art reached its seventh level, reinforcing his body-tempering foundation 177.
• Can manifest an Azure Dragon Claw capable of shattering powerful enemy techniques 179 191.

Dou Techniques and Movement Arts

Xiao Yan has mastered numerous techniques through the Martial Dao Space, where he can train against a projection of himself under extreme time dilation 11 12.

• Eight Extremes Collapse — close-range explosive fist technique used to defeat stronger opponents 15 16.
• Flame Burst Fist — Intermediate Mystic Tier fist technique effective against defensive arts 9 15.
• Lingxi Sword Fingers — invisible, silent finger aura capable of piercing stone and bypassing conventional detection 16.
• Yama Palm — Mid Earth Tier nine-layer palm technique capable of manifesting an Eight-Armed Yama Avatar 44.
• Flame Splitting Flowing Wave Ruler — Low Earth Tier ruler technique paired with the Black Heavy Ruler 44 145.
• Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformations — secret art that temporarily raises his cultivation by drawing upon strange flames 146 192.
• Three-Thousand Lightning Movement — Low Earth Tier movement technique he mastered in the Martial Dao Space 167.
• Nearness at Hand, Vastness Between — High Earth Tier movement technique granting pre-Dou Zong spatial applications and immense escape speed 167.

Formation Mastery

The system granted Xiao Yan a complete Ninth-Rank Formation Master inheritance, including theory, formation patterns, hand seals, and material knowledge 103.

• Created a 365-Star Sword Formation that slaughtered more than ten Battle Kings and captured Yun Leng 134 136.
• Established the Four Directions Formation with four flame-aligned divine beasts at Dou Zong level 147.
• Uses formations for territory defense, cultivation support, battlefield control, and force projection 108 158.
• Can deploy the Azure Dragon Spirit-Calling Formation through a control token entrusted to Yao Ye 158.

Borrowed Power

Through Yao Lao’s Soul Power, Xiao Yan can temporarily display strength far above his true cultivation.

• Reached One-Star Dou Zong temporarily to overwhelm the Amethyst Winged Lion King 94.
• Used the same method to intimidate Queen Medusa and Hai Bo Dong 102 117.
• Conceals this power behind the explanation that his master left a secret technique within him 94.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bone Flame Ring — ring left by his mother; houses Yao Lao’s soul and serves as the foundation of their master-disciple relationship 4 21.
• Black Heavy Ruler — massive Flamefall Mysterious Iron ruler that suppresses Dou Qi; later reforged into a Sixth-Grade treasure weapon 44 145.
• Sea Heart Armor — defensive inner armor gifted by Yun Yun, made from metal found within a Three-Tailed Blue Whale 94.
• Wind-Thunder Wings — flying Dou Technique that enables high-speed aerial travel 133.
• Heaven-Concealing Ring — storage treasure used to empty Flame Demon Valley’s treasury 183.
• Four Directions Formation Flags — four flags used to summon the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise formation spirits 147.

Relationships

• Xiao Zhan — father; personally introduced Xiao Yan to cultivation and remained fiercely proud of him through his decline and return 3 18.
• Yao Lao / Yao Chen — master and mentor whose soul resides in the Bone Flame Ring; teaches Xiao Yan alchemy, supports his cultivation, and entrusts him with vengeance against Han Feng 21 167.
• Xiao Xun’er — childhood confidante and romantic partner; their bond began after Xiao Yan saved and guided her as a child, though she grows jealous of his other relationships 4 134 185.
• Yun Yun — Misty Cloud Sect leader and romantic partner; Xiao Yan protects her sect because of her, while she eventually joins the Flame Alliance 93 144 151.
• Cai Lin / Queen Medusa — Snakefolk Queen and romantic partner; she joins the Flame Alliance and later becomes pregnant with Xiao Yan’s child 151 165.
• Little Doctor Fairy — rescued companion and romantic partner; Xiao Yan resolves her Calamitous Poison Body and travels with her to the Black-Corner Region 74 164 166.
• Ya Fei — Miter Clan ally and romantic partner; their relationship began through business cooperation and deepened as she supported his rise 33 138 165.
• Qing Lin — personal maid and disciple; Xiao Yan heals her, cultivates her Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes, and protects her from exploitation 107 108.
• Hai Bo Dong — former opponent turned loyal subordinate; initially agreed to thirty years of service, then swore lifelong allegiance after being rewarded 103 167.
• Nalan Yanran — former fiancée and rival; Xiao Yan rejected her engagement annulment, defeated her, and reduced their Three-Year Pact to a public reminder of their power gap 15 17 141.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Fallen Genius of the Xiao Clan

Xiao Yan begins as a publicly disgraced “cripple” at Third-Stage Dou Zhi Qi, but he secretly endures the decline caused by Yao Lao’s ring while preparing for his eventual recovery 1 4. His return begins with the defeat of Nalan Yanran and the punishment of the Xiao Clan members who abused him while weak 15 19.

Wutan City Consolidation

After obtaining Yao Lao’s guidance and system rewards, Xiao Yan develops pill businesses, secures combat techniques, and uses the Miter Auction House to fund his cultivation 9 21. He sets out to erase the Galie Clan through his own efforts rather than rely on Yao Lao’s possession 37.

Desert, Flames, and Faction-Building

Xiao Yan gains allies including Little Doctor Fairy, Qing Lin, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, and Hai Bo Dong while pursuing Beast Flames, Heavenly Flames, rare pills, and remnant maps 74 95 103 108. His intervention repeatedly changes the original timeline and allows him to seize opportunities before their intended owners 88 103.

Three-Year Pact and the Flame Alliance

After publicly revealing that Han Li is Xiao Yan, he becomes famous across the Jia Ma Empire as a Dou Emperor and High Sixth-Rank Alchemist 140 142. He defeats Yun Shan, exposes Soul Hall interference, absorbs the Misty Cloud Sect and other major factions, and establishes the Flame Alliance as the empire’s dominant power 145 147 151.

Black-Corner Region and Canaan Academy

Xiao Yan expands the Flame Alliance into the Black-Corner Region, gathers the Pure Lotus Demon Flame remnant maps, and avenges Yao Lao against threats connected to Han Feng 166 167. Rather than seize Fallen Heart Flame by force, he negotiates with Canaan Academy, later saves the academy from Mu Venerable, and becomes a figure revered by its students and elders 185 193.

Notable Quotes

“I am Xiao Yan, the Xiao Yan who reached Eight-Star Dou Fighter at eleven!” 15

“Give me ten years. At most ten years, and I, Xiao Yan, will possess the strength to break through everything.” 5

Trivia

• Xiao Yan uses the identity Han Li when dealing with the Alchemist Guild and other outsiders, allowing his reputation to grow separately from his Xiao Clan identity 58 90.
• He deliberately calls himself “Old Devil Han” when he wants his alias to take responsibility for his actions 90.
• His system rewards him for intercepting opportunities originally meant for the original Xiao Yan, effectively allowing him to “hijack” his own destined fortunes 44 93 167.