Yao Lao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Yao Lao
Alias(es)	Yao Chen; Medicine Venerable
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Master of Fallen Star Pavilion; Xiao Yan’s teacher 7 191
Occupation/Role	Eighth-Rank Alchemy Master; soul mentor and protector 7 191
Status	Active; exists as a soul body residing in the Bone Flame Ring while restoring his strength 7 62
First Appearance	Chapter 7

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Damaged soul body; formerly limited to Peak Dou Emperor-level power	7 62	Awakened within the Bone Flame Ring after severe past injuries and continued absorbing Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi to sustain himself.
Four-Star Dou Zong soul power	62	Recovered after absorbing the Nine-Soul Restoration Fruit; could employ stronger soul techniques, alchemy, and combat support.
One-Star Dou Venerable	156	Recovered to this level after refining a restorative pill, allowing him to easily shatter attacks from Soul Hall Guardians.

Background

Yao Lao was once Yao Chen, the Medicine Venerable: a Peak Dou Venerable, Eighth-Rank Alchemy Master, master of Fallen Star Pavilion, and an alchemist regarded as the continent’s foremost. His former disciple Han Feng betrayed him, leaving him without a body and bound to life as a remnant soul within the Bone Flame Ring. 167 191

While concealed in Xiao Yan’s ring, Yao Lao absorbed the boy’s Dou Qi for three years to nourish his severely damaged soul. After awakening, he remained hidden for another year, observing Xiao Yan’s character and exceptional fire-and-wood affinities before revealing himself. 7

Xiao Yan confronted him directly, demanded discipleship rather than compensation, and accepted the dangerous Flame Mantra partly to help Yao Lao eventually forge a new body. The sincerity of this choice began to heal Yao Lao’s distrust after Han Feng’s betrayal. 7 8

Appearance

Yao Lao appears as a transparent elderly soul with white hair and beard. Though visibly aged, he retains a spirited face and sharp, hawk-like eyes; his soul body commonly manifests in milky-white radiance. 7

• Usually emerges from the Bone Flame Ring as an incorporeal figure.
• His expression is typically watchful and composed, though Xiao Yan’s progress often leaves him openly astonished. 40 45
• Wields the pale-white Bone-Chilling Flame, which is cold rather than conventionally hot. 60 61

Personality

Yao Lao is cautious, perceptive, and initially slow to trust. His former disciple’s betrayal made him wary of Xiao Yan’s secrets and motives, yet he consciously refuses to pry once Xiao Yan proves dependable; he considers respect for personal boundaries essential to trust. 7 21 48

As Xiao Yan’s teacher, he is demanding but deeply protective. He rebukes impatience, insists on mastering fundamentals, and takes visible pride in Xiao Yan’s astonishing talent. His affection often appears through practical support, understated praise, and teasing remarks rather than sentimentality. 8 40 45 55

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

An Eighth-Rank Alchemy Master, Yao Lao possesses exceptional flame control, ingredient knowledge, and pill-refining ability. 191

• Refined nineteen bottles of Foundation-Building Elixir from eighteen batches of materials in four hours, eventually handling several batches simultaneously. 21 22
• Created the Foundation-Building Elixir formula, a Second-Rank medicine that accelerates Dou Zhi Qi cultivation without damaging the meridians. 21
• Treated Nalan Jie’s Burning Poison by possessing Xiao Yan and burning it away strand by strand over three hours. 60
• Refined high-grade pills with ease after recovering strength, including Emperor’s Extreme Pills and Soul-Nourishing Dew. 97
• Passed his Eighth-Rank alchemy insights to Xiao Yan after refining Soul Hall Protectors into Soul Origin. 164

Soul Power and Possession

Despite lacking a body, Yao Lao retains formidable Soul Power and can act through Xiao Yan when necessary.

• Perceives distant events and examines people, materials, and cultivation states through Soul Power. 39 88
• Possesses Xiao Yan’s body to apply his own combat and alchemical expertise. 60
• Uses spatial techniques such as Spatial Lock to isolate and crush dangerous attacks. 46
• His soul pressure can intimidate high-level cultivators; after recovery, his presence helped secure Hai Bo Dong’s submission. 62 102

Bone-Chilling Flame

Yao Lao’s signature pale-white flame possesses an icy nature and is suited to precise refining, purification, and treatment. 60 61

• Burned away Burning Poison from within Nalan Jie’s meridians without harming the patient. 60
• Refined medicinal ingredients and pills with fine control despite Yao Lao’s soul-body condition. 21 22
• Used in conjunction with Xiao Yan’s body during possession. 60

Mentorship

Yao Lao’s knowledge, judgment, and resources form the foundation of Xiao Yan’s early growth.

• Offered Xiao Yan the Ninefold Heart-Scorching Art and the evolvable Flame Mantra. 7 8
• Taught Eight Extremes Collapse, Explosive Step, and Flame-Congealing Sword Art. 8
• Later provided the Flame Splitting Flowing Wave Ruler and the Black Heavy Ruler after Xiao Yan reached Dou Master. 44 45
• Personally demonstrated alchemy fundamentals, including flame stabilization through wood-attributed energy and the refinement of Blood-Coagulating Powder. 39
• Supplied cultivation methods and Dou Techniques tailored to Qing Lin’s Three-Flower Jade Serpent Eyes. 108

Equipment / Items

• Bone Flame Ring — Yao Lao’s residence while in soul form; he returns to it to rest and absorb Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi. 7 41
• Black Demon Cauldron — A prized medicinal cauldron ranked eighth on the Heaven Cauldron Ranking, said to increase pill-refining success rates. 97
• Bone-Chilling Flame — His pale-white, cold-natured flame used for alchemy, healing, and combat applications. 60 61

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Master and disciple. Yao Lao initially observes him cautiously, then comes to regard him as the disciple who restores his faith after Han Feng’s betrayal. 7 8 45
• Han Feng — Former disciple and betrayer. Han Feng’s treachery cost Yao Lao his body and remains the central wound of his past. 167
• Heavenly Flame Venerable — Fellow soul-body cultivator who treats Yao Lao with great respect after learning his identity and accomplishments. 191
• Qing Lin — A beneficiary of Yao Lao’s knowledge; he provides her specialized cultivation inheritance through Xiao Yan. 108
• Little Doctor Fairy — Yao Lao identifies her Calamitous Poison Body and explains the Poison Pill Method needed to save her. 79

Story Role / Major Arcs

Awakening and Acceptance of Xiao Yan

Yao Lao awakens in the Bone Flame Ring and is confronted by Xiao Yan, who already knows a soul resides within it. After Xiao Yan chooses discipleship and commits to the Flame Mantra, Yao Lao accepts him as his disciple and begins teaching him cultivation and combat skills. 7 8

Alchemy Instruction

Yao Lao demonstrates the Foundation-Building Elixir and later teaches Xiao Yan the basics of Blood-Coagulating Powder refinement. Xiao Yan’s rapid, near-flawless progress repeatedly shocks him and convinces him that he has taken in an unprecedented genius. 21 22 39 40

Recovery of Soul Strength

Xiao Yan obtains the Seven-Colored Green Spirit Saliva and Nine-Soul Restoration Fruit to help restore Yao Lao. Although Yao Lao uses part of the available resources to improve Xiao Yan’s Soul Power, he recovers to Four-Star Dou Zong shortly afterward. 60 61 62

Support Against Major Threats

As his strength returns, Yao Lao provides increasingly direct aid: he helps treat Nalan Jie, protects Xiao Yan during dangerous breakthroughs, and later counters Soul Hall Guardians with Dou Venerable-level power. 60 99 156

Han Feng Revenge

Upon recognizing the Yin-Yang Profound Dragon Pill as his own creation, Yao Lao confirms that Han Feng is active in the Black-Corner Region. Xiao Yan promises to pursue both the Pure Lotus Demon Flame map and vengeance for his teacher. 167

Notable Quotes

“First, thoroughly master what is already in your hands. Once you have mastered all of these, your teacher will teach you others.” 8

“Little Yan, you still remembered to let your teacher out?” 164

Trivia

• Yao Lao’s true name is Yao Chen. 191
• He prefers others to call him “Yao Lao” rather than “Mr. Yao.” 191
• He considers Xiao Yan’s willingness to share the formation inheritance a profound sign of trust. 104
• Xiao Yan periodically seals the Bone Flame Ring with the Undying Divine Flame for privacy, much to Yao Lao’s annoyance. 164