Xiao Teng

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xiao Teng (萧藤)
Alias(es)	Innate Gourd Vine; Father; Daddy
Species/Race	Soul from another spacetime who possessed the Innate Gourd Vine, one of the Ten Great Innate Spirit Roots; later took human form 1 15
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Three Immortal Isles; Mount Kongtong household
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; guardian and father of the Seven Calabash Kids
Status	Active 50
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Early Primordial Unity Golden Immortal	15	Takes human form after many kalpas of cultivation; his transformation frees him from the fate of remaining a harvestable spiritual root. 15
Peak Primordial Unity Golden Immortal	18	Reaches the realm’s peak after the fall of the three clans, but encounters a bottleneck before Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal. 18
Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal / Great Luo	21	Establishes the Nurturing Great Dao, gathers the Three Flowers and Five Qi, and condenses a Great Luo Dao Fruit. 21
Late Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal	50	Advances after ten thousand years of cultivation on the Three Immortal Isles; also deduces the Five Elements Formation. 50

Background

Xiao Teng was originally a soul from another spacetime who possessed the Innate Gourd Vine on Mount Buzhou. Knowing that the Seven Gourds would be divided among powerful figures and that Nuwa would later use the vine and its surrounding Nine Heavens Breathing Soil to create humanity, he cultivated to escape that fate. He drew in spiritual energy across a hundred-mile radius and encouraged the seven developing gourds to cultivate alongside him. 1

The gourds awakened early and initially called him “Mother,” prompting Xiao Teng to insist that they call him “Father.” Though he began as a frightened spiritual root, he became deeply invested in their growth and safety. 1 When Seventh Gourd could not transform because his body contained dense Primal Chaos Qi, Xiao Teng studied the Creation Great Dao, sculpted a replacement body from Xirang Divine Soil and Three Lights Divine Water, and helped Seventh Gourd take form. The achievement earned him Great Dao Merit. 13 14

Soon afterward, Xiao Teng himself transformed into a handsome young man in a green, seven-colored robe. The remains of the Calabash Vine were refined into his natal God-Striking Whip. 15 After the Dragon-Han Tribulation, he abandoned Mount Buzhou, rebuilt his household on Mount Kongtong, and later claimed and refined the Three Immortal Isles as a refuge against future calamities. 17 37 38

Appearance

After taking human form, Xiao Teng appears as a handsome young man in a green robe decorated with seven-colored hues. 15

• His robe’s seven colors reflect his origin as the father of the Seven Calabash Kids. 15
• Before transformation, he existed as the Innate Gourd Vine rooted in Nine Heavens Breathing Soil atop Mount Buzhou. 1
• His original vine body withered after his transformation and was refined into the God-Striking Whip. 15

Personality

Xiao Teng is cautious, pragmatic, and strongly survival-oriented. He avoids provoking enemies whose strength or influence could endanger his family, choosing to spare Kunpeng for the Profound Origin Water-Control Banner rather than risk injury and karmic repercussions. He similarly avoids a needless confrontation with Bixi despite the latter’s Dragon Clan connections. 13 37

As the Calabash Kids’ father, he is protective but frequently exasperated by their treasure hunting, impulsiveness, and tendency to provoke powerful factions. He felt genuine remorse after realizing that Liu Wa had been neglected because of his concealment ability, and he consistently tries to limit the children’s karmic burdens. 6 27

He is also calculating when opportunities are involved. He encouraged White Lotus to repair the Western Lands partly to advance her Grand Dao of Healing and partly to deny Jie Yin and Zhunti the merit that could support their rise. 25 Despite this strategic side, he avoids unnecessary slaughter, allowing weaker innate beings to remain on Mount Kongtong’s lesser peaks rather than driving them away. 17

Abilities & Skills

Innate Spiritual Root Physiology

As the Innate Gourd Vine, Xiao Teng possessed extraordinary vitality and spiritual-energy absorption.

• Drew in and absorbed the spiritual energy within a hundred-mile radius shortly after possessing the vine. 1
• Extended his roots into a pool of Three Lights Divine Water, using it to refresh his mind and increase his cultivation speed. 6
• His connection to the Seven Calabash Kids allows him to act as their father, protector, and source of guidance. 1 15

Nurturing Great Dao

Xiao Teng’s personal Great Dao is founded on nurture, development, and the progression of all things from simplicity into complexity. 21

• Established the Nurturing Great Dao to attain Great Luo. 21
• Views nurturing as a principle underlying life, matter, energy, cultivation, spells, and divine abilities. 21
• Later chooses to pursue Proving the Dao Through Force by perfecting the Law of Conception rather than relying on Primordial Chaos Purple Qi or the Three-Corpse Severing Method. 50

Creation Great Dao

Xiao Teng developed an understanding of creation while seeking to save Seventh Gourd from his untransformable original body.

• Created a new Calabash Kid body by combining Xirang Divine Soil and Three Lights Divine Water. 13 14
• Infused the body with the power of creation, allowing Seventh Gourd’s true spirit to transfer successfully. 14
• Earned Great Dao Merit for creating a unique living being, bringing his own transformation closer. 14

Heavenly Dipper Thirty-Six Transformations

After realizing that his realm lagged behind the Calabash Kids’, Xiao Teng focused on divine abilities emphasizing survival and mobility. 16

• Studies Earth-Crossing Golden Light as a primary escape technique. 16
• Also specializes in Cloud Riding and Mist Driving and Great Five-Elements Escape. 16
• Shares deductions with White Lotus, allowing each to specialize in complementary techniques. 16

Star-Absorbing Art

Xiao Teng developed the Star-Absorbing Art by studying Mosquito Daoist’s ability to consume the essence of spirit treasures. 27 33

• Extracts the origins of mid-grade spirit treasures. 33
• Cannot convert extracted origins into his own cultivation, unlike Mosquito Daoist. 33
• Required Mosquito Daoist’s repeated demonstrations and extensive experimentation to develop. 27 33

Formations

Xiao Teng relies on formations to compensate for gaps in direct cultivation and to defend his territories.

• Uses the Five-Element Spirit Pearls and Five-Element Formation with the Seven Calabash Kids’ Seven-Colored Primordial Unity Heavenly Dipper Formation to breach the protective mist around the Three Immortal Isles. 37
• Combines the Five-Needle Pine and Five-Element Spirit Pearls to defend the Three Immortal Isles from intruders. 38
• Deduces the completed Five Elements Formation after the battle with Taiyi, giving him a means to contend with the Eastern Sovereign Bell. 50

Equipment & Assets

• God-Striking Whip — Xiao Teng’s natal long whip, refined from the withered remains of the Innate Gourd Vine. It can tear open space and was used to capture hostile sea creatures in the East Sea. 15 16 35
• Godslayer Spear — Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasure formerly belonging to Luo Hou; granted to Xiao Teng at Treasure-Dividing Cliff. 47
• Five Directional Banners — A complete set of Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Treasures: Azure Lotus Treasure-Colored Banner, Earth-Leaving Flame-Light Banner, Plain-Colored Cloud-Realm Banner, Profound Origin Water-Control Banner, and Wuji Apricot-Yellow Banner. 32 49
• Five-Element Spirit Pearls — A five-element treasure set used to nourish the Five-Needle Pine and establish powerful formations. 38
• Three Immortal Isles — Fanghu, Yingzhou, and Penglai; Xiao Teng and the Calabash Kids refined the islands into their exclusive territory. 37 38
• Five-Needle Pine — A Supreme-Grade Innate Spirit Root on Penglai Island, cultivated using the Five-Element Spirit Pearls. 38
• Three Lights Divine Water — A crucial resource used in cultivation, healing, the creation of Seventh Gourd’s body, and the restoration of the Ginseng Fruit Tree. 6 14 44

Relationships

• Seven Calabash Kids — His children and closest companions. Xiao Teng raised them from their time as gourds, guides their cultivation, and repeatedly shields them from dangers created by their own mischief. 1 15 27
• White Lotus — Close ally and fellow cultivator. They exchange Dao insights, cooperate in rescuing the Six-Eared Macaque, and later she chooses Yingzhou Island as her residence. 16 25 50
• Queen Mother of the West — Ally and exchange partner. Xiao Teng traded Primordial Chaos Purple Qi for her Plain-Colored Cloud-Realm Banner, honoring their agreement despite the Purple Qi’s greater apparent value. 32 48
• Six-Eared Macaque — Rescued by Xiao Teng after Hongjun’s prohibition left him grievously injured. Xiao Teng suggested the Grand Dao of Stealing as a possible path, while White Lotus accepted the macaque as her disciple. 24 25
• Zhen Yuanzi — Fellow Great Luo cultivator and Dao-discussion partner. Their mutual respect deepened after Xiao Teng helped save the Ginseng Fruit Tree. 43 44
• Hongjun — A primordial authority who first inspected Xiao Teng’s formation at Mount Buzhou. Hongjun later offered him discipleship, which Xiao Teng declined, though Hongjun still granted him the Godslayer Spear. 1 47
• Nuwa — Xiao Teng’s transformation disrupts her expected opportunity to use the Innate Gourd Vine and Xirang Divine Soil to create humanity and gain immense merit. 31
• Di Jun and Taiyi — Major adversaries. Their attempt to seize Xiao Teng’s Primordial Chaos Purple Qi led to a battle against the Demon Race and a lasting karmic grudge. 48 49 50

Major Arcs

Escape from the Innate Gourd Vine’s Fate

Xiao Teng’s first objective is to avoid being harvested alongside the Seven Gourds. He cultivates through immense spans of time, assists Seventh Gourd’s transformation through creation, and finally gains a human form of his own. 1 14 15

Mount Kongtong and Purple Cloud Palace

After the Dragon-Han Tribulation, Xiao Teng relocates to Mount Kongtong and establishes a protected sanctuary. There, he reaches Great Luo through the Nurturing Great Dao and attends Hongjun’s lectures at Purple Cloud Palace. 17 21 23

Search for Allies and Opportunities

Xiao Teng rescues the Six-Eared Macaque, works with White Lotus, negotiates with Queen Mother of the West, and cultivates relationships with figures such as Houtu and Zhen Yuanzi. 25 28 32 43

Claiming the Three Immortal Isles

Following a ten-thousand-year search of the East Sea, Xiao Teng and the Calabash Kids locate Fanghu, Yingzhou, and Penglai. They break the islands’ formation, refine the territory, and construct a powerful defensive formation around it. 37 38

Primordial Chaos Purple Qi and the Demon Race Conflict

After receiving Primordial Chaos Purple Qi from Hongjun, Xiao Teng gives it to Queen Mother of the West in exchange for the final Directional Banner. Di Jun and Taiyi ambush him afterward, but Xiao Teng, White Lotus, and the Calabash Kids force the Demon Race to withdraw. 47 48 49 50

Notable Quotes

“Hahaha! I've taken form!” 15

“Heavenly secrets must not be revealed.” 24

Trivia

• Xiao Teng’s children took human form before he did, a circumstance he finds both affectionate and absurd. 15
• He initially planned only to search the Three Immortal Isles for treasures, but claimed them after recognizing their defensive value. 34 37
• He let the Calabash Kids handle Mount Kongtong’s renovations, reasoning that sons should do the work. 17