Xiao Yan

Biodata

Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Alias(es)	Child of destiny; chosen son of fate 12 43
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Falling Star Pavilion; Sacred City; Yao Chen's sect; later Canaan Academy 18 69
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; Yao Chen's second and final personal disciple 18
Status	Active 97
First Appearance	Chapter 10 10

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Dou Practitioner	12	Identified as an exceptional eleven- to twelve-year-old Dou Practitioner in Wu Tan City.
Flame Mantra — acquired	18	Chooses Yao Chen's dangerous, potentially evolving cultivation technique over the stable Red Flame Heart Sutra.
Two-Star Dou Practitioner; Flame Mantra — High Yellow Tier	19	Refines the Purple Crystal Lion Flame, Twin Snake Flame, and Earth Dragon Lizard Flame into the Huasheng Flame, then devours it.
Three-Star Dou Practitioner	29	Advances through rigorous daily training with the Profound Heavy Ruler.
Dou Master	45	Reunites with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li after two years away from Wu Tan City.
Great Dou Master	64	Has broken through by the time Han Feng returns to Sacred City.
Dou Spirit	74	Reaches the realm after a year and a half of pain-and-sweat training under Han Feng and Yao Chen.
Dou Wang; Flame Mantra — Middle Earth Tier	74	Devours the origin of the Fallen Heart Flame after Han Feng subdues it beneath Canaan Academy.
Five-Star Dou Wang	74	Reaches this level after more than a year of consolidating the Fallen Heart Flame.
Two-Star Dou Emperor	83	Returns from training having successfully subdued the Sea Heart Flame.
Dou Venerable	97	Breaks through amid the brutal fighting of the Ancient Wilds beast tide.

Background / History

Xiao Yan was a gifted youth of the Xiao Family in Wu Tan City, but his Dou Qi began to regress because Yao Chen's sleeping soul within his black ring was drawing upon it. Han Feng identified the ring's secret and used soul-nourishing medicine to stop the regression, restoring Xiao Yan's ability to cultivate normally 12 14.

Han Feng accepted him on Yao Chen's behalf and brought him to Sacred City alongside Xiao Xun'er. After Yao Chen awakened, Xiao Yan formally became Yao Chen's second and final personal disciple 15 16 18.

Presented with a safe Earth-tier fire cultivation method or the perilous Flame Mantra, Xiao Yan chose the latter despite being warned that gaining Heavenly Flames would require competing with powerful enemies. His first major refinement created the Huasheng Flame from three Beast Flames, establishing the foundation of his Flame Mantra path 18 19.

Appearance

Xiao Yan is a black-clad youth with clear black eyes, a composed bearing, and a pride beyond his age. During his training, he develops bronze skin and is frequently seen carrying an oversized black ruler on his back 12 13 29.

• Usually wears black clothing 12 45
• Carries the pitch-black Profound Heavy Ruler 29 45
• His appearance grows more mature and sharp after extended training and travel 83

Personality

Xiao Yan is resolute and willing to endure extreme pain in pursuit of strength. He accepts the Flame Mantra's risks, survives the refinement of the Huasheng Flame, and repeatedly commits himself to harsh training rather than relying solely on the advantages provided by his teachers 18 19 29.

He is also compassionate and grounded. He offers food to the incapacitated Hai Bodong despite not knowing him, and he later accepts the annulment of his engagement to Nalan Yanran without demanding compensation or creating conflict 42 75.

His alternate-path dreams initially leave him confused over the easier life Han Feng has given him, but he ultimately recognizes that he must still temper himself through effort and hardship 28 29.

Abilities & Skills

Flame Mantra

The Flame Mantra is Xiao Yan's central cultivation technique. It can devour and merge Heavenly Flames, evolving as it absorbs stronger fire sources; its ultimate potential may exceed Heaven Tier and reach Emperor Grade 18.

• Refines the Huasheng Flame from three Beast Flames, raising the technique to High Yellow Tier 19
• Devours the Fallen Heart Flame's origin, evolving the technique to Middle Earth Tier 74
• Successfully subdues the Sea Heart Flame during later training 83
• Requires Xiao Yan to compete for dangerous and heavily coveted Heavenly Flames 18
• Flame fusion inflicts severe pain and threatens both his body and soul during refinement 19

True Flame Controlling Art

Han Feng gives Xiao Yan the True Flame Controlling Art, a flame-control method specialized for refining and manipulating flames rather than direct offense 19.

• Used to draw in, temper, compress, and merge the three Beast Flames that form the Huasheng Flame 19
• Serves as a supporting art for Xiao Yan's Flame Mantra cultivation 19

Heavy-Ruler Training

Xiao Yan trains with the Profound Heavy Ruler, forged from Heavenly Flame-Meteor Profound Iron. Its immense weight and suppression of Dou Qi circulation continuously temper his physical foundation and improve the purity of his Dou Qi 22 29.

• Carries the ruler during daily Dou Technique practice 29
• Builds endurance through repeated weighted training 29
• Develops enough close-range force to defeat Mo Xing with a single palm strike 47

Equipment / Items

• Profound Heavy Ruler — An enormous black ruler used for weighted training and foundation tempering 22 29
• Black ring — Originally contains Yao Chen's sleeping soul and causes Xiao Yan's early Dou Qi regression; it is returned to Xiao Yan after Yao Chen awakens 13 15
• Pure Lotus Demon Flame Fragment Map — A hidden parchment fragment obtained from Hai Bodong's map, recognized by Yao Chen as part of a map connected to the Pure Lotus Demon Flame 43
• Yin-Yang Profound Dragon Pill — A seventh-tier pill gifted by Han Feng to aid Xiao Yan's cultivation and serve as a life-saving resource 38 68

Relationships

• Yao Chen — Teacher; Xiao Yan becomes Yao Chen's second and final personal disciple, receiving the Flame Mantra from him 15 18.
• Han Feng — Senior brother and primary early mentor; accepts Xiao Yan on Yao Chen's behalf, restores his cultivation, provides flame-refinement resources, and arranges much of his training 14 19 29.
• Xiao Xun'er — Childhood companion who leaves Wu Tan City to accompany him to Sacred City and on later journeys; Han Feng openly teases them about marriage 15 16 68.
• Xiao Zhan — Father; encourages Xiao Yan to leave Wu Tan City and later entrusts him with an ancient jade heirloom bearing his soul imprint 15 75.
• Xiao Ding — Eldest brother and leader of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group; supports Xiao Yan's search for the Green Lotus Core Flame 45.
• Xiao Li — Second elder brother and vice leader of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group; warmly reunites with Xiao Yan and joins the desert expedition 45.
• Yaoxin — Fellow disciple and traveling companion; accompanies Xiao Yan during training expeditions 38 45.
• Qing Lin — Fellow disciple and traveling companion; fights alongside Xiao Yan against the Sand Mercenary Group 38 47.
• Yao Tianhuo — Dou Venerable protector assigned to accompany Xiao Yan and Xun'er after Xiao Yan reaches Dou Wang 74.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Recruitment in Wu Tan City — Han Feng discovers Xiao Yan's connection to Yao Chen, stops his Dou Qi regression, and recruits him for Sacred City 12 14 15.
• Formal apprenticeship and Flame Mantra choice — Xiao Yan becomes Yao Chen's final disciple and chooses the dangerous Flame Mantra over the Red Flame Heart Sutra 18.
• Huasheng Flame refinement — He survives the fusion of three Beast Flames, gaining the Huasheng Flame and advancing to Two-Star Dou Practitioner 19.
• Foundation training — Following unsettling dreams of an alternate life, he recommits to cultivation with the Profound Heavy Ruler 28 29.
• Tagor Great Desert expedition — Travels with Yao Chen, Xun'er, Yaoxin, and Qing Lin; aids Hai Bodong, obtains a Pure Lotus Demon Flame map fragment, reunites with his brothers, and confronts the Sand Mercenary Group 42 43 45 47.
• Fallen Heart Flame inheritance — Han Feng secures the Fallen Heart Flame's origin for Xiao Yan, allowing him to become a Dou Wang and evolve the Flame Mantra 74.
• Return to Wu Tan City — Handles the annulment of his engagement to Nalan Yanran peacefully and receives a warning jade from Xiao Zhan 75.
• Sea Heart Flame expedition — Is sent to seek the Sea Heart Flame and returns as a Two-Star Dou Emperor after subduing it 76 83.
• Ancient Wilds beast tide — Breaks through to Dou Venerable while fighting alongside Qing Lin and other young cultivators against the beast tide 97.

Notable Quotes

“Disciple Xiao Yan greets Teacher!” 18

“We're already here, after all. I have to see it for myself before I can be satisfied.” 45