An Chen

Biodata

Power Progression

Background

An Chen was raised in Qingshi Village by An Dashan and Li Fang. At age six, he recovered memories from a previous life as a twenty-four-year-old office worker and recognized that he had transmigrated into the Douluo world. His foreknowledge made him unusually composed and practical from the beginning. 1

His Martial Soul awakening produced a seemingly worthless Big Iron Pot, drawing ridicule from the villagers. However, An Chen alone noticed the pale gray mist surrounding it. The revelation that he possessed innate full soul power immediately changed the village’s attitude and earned him recruitment by Spirit Hall. 1

He left Qingshi Village under Wang Gang’s escort to enroll at Tieyan Junior Soul Master Academy as a working student. There, the words “Start the pot” activated the Big Iron Pot System, which revealed that the pot could brew dangerous supernatural potions and that his future rewards depended on obtaining Shadow-attribute Soul Rings. 2

Elder Chen became An Chen’s principal mentor at Tieyan Academy. Under his guidance, An Chen chose the Shadow attribute over more conventional defensive options, gained his first Soul Ring, trained his body, and developed a combat style built around concealment, perception, timing, and blunt-force use of his iron pot. 4 6 8

Following six years of training, An Chen departed Tieyan City to seek Shrek Academy and the opportunities connected to Tang San. He later fled Shrek after becoming convinced that Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Li Yusong were affected by—or had become—dangerous abnormalities. 18 41 42

An Chen traveled to Xiangshi Valley seeking Youxiang Grass to ease damage to his Spirituality. There he encountered Edmond and learned that the valley’s dead villagers persisted as consciousnesses within an unstable Gray Fog. He refused Edmond’s request to inherit the burden of containing it. After the Fog vanished, An Chen concealed his connection to Edmond’s death and the incident from Spirit Hall investigators. 52 61 64 65

Elder Chen later called him back to prepare for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament. At Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy, An Chen learned that the versions of his teacher he had met were Clones and that Elder Chen’s true body remained in the Elder Hall. With Elder Chen’s protection, An Chen refined Immortal Herbs and pursued a ten-thousand-year fourth ring, though a place on Spirit Hall’s tournament team was not guaranteed. 66 80 81 82 84

After a later crisis in Spirit City, Elder Chen warned An Chen that several Elder Hall elders had died and Bibi Dong was missing. An Chen avoided the city, traveled in disguise, and sought ways to evade a winged pursuer known to him as the Birdman. During subsequent travels, he adopted the identity Zhang Jiao and helped villagers and impoverished children before hunting his fifth ring. 89 95 99 100 102 106

Appearance

At six, An Chen was slight and small-framed. By age twelve, he had grown taller and developed visibly defined arms and legs through sustained body-forging training, though he remained relatively thin. 4 18

• Usually carries or summons a pitch-black iron pot with a cold gleam around its rim. 11
• The pot is covered by faint gray mist that is almost imperceptible in normal light. 1 2
• Later wears custom inner armor made from the scales of the Shadow Two-Headed Wolf. 51 53
• His travels and continued cultivation leave him noticeably more mature and composed in appearance. 83
• Through Flesh Magic, he can reshape his face and body for disguises, though he cannot change his biological sex. His adopted appearances include the elderly Old Yang, the bearded Zhang Jiao, and a stocky merchant. 86 89 102 103

Personality

An Chen is observant, cautious, and highly pragmatic. He regularly conceals the System, the gray mist, his potion pathway, and the full extent of his abilities, preferring to gather information before acting. 6 15 42

He is also adaptable in battle. When Wu Lei countered his predictive use of Spirit Vision, An Chen abandoned reliance on it and used Black Fog to reclaim control of the fight. Elder Chen specifically praised this ability to change tactics without panicking. 11 12

Despite his secrecy and growing emotional detachment, An Chen protects those he considers his own. He defended Shitou against Wu Lei’s humiliation, sent his Soul Master subsidy home to support his adoptive parents, and freed captives held by Evil Soul Masters. 9 18 51

The Babble and repeated contact with abnormal entities increasingly strain his mental stability. He has experienced violent impulses and intrusive desires, but consciously resists them rather than accepting them as his true nature. 48 50

While acting as a Hermit, An Chen increasingly favors secrecy, restraint, and observation without intervention. He refuses Edmond’s proposed inheritance and later allows a scam to proceed rather than expose it, completing the Hermit Potion’s digestion through that detached choice. 61 65 66

His Rose Bishop acting brings out a more protective, instructive side. He gives Shitou cultivation medicine, supplies inexperienced villagers with money and training materials, and responds to a child’s theft by investigating the poverty behind it. He favors giving people the means to protect themselves over accepting them as dependent followers. 95 100 102

Abilities & Skills

Big Iron Pot Martial Soul

An Chen’s Tool Martial Soul is a black iron pot shrouded in pale gray mist. Though initially dismissed as useless, it is highly durable and serves as both shield and close-range bludgeoning weapon. 1 5 33

• Deflected weapons, blocked Soul Skills, and endured direct impacts from stronger opponents. 16 25 33
• Used to smash the Shadow Leopard’s skull, securing An Chen’s first Soul Ring. 5
• Enables the brewing of pathway potions through the Big Iron Pot System. 2 6
• Can also refine multiple Immortal Herbs into a purified medicinal liquid, reducing the violence of their effects. An Chen used this liquid to reach the fourth-ring bottleneck and shared some with Elder Chen. 82
• Developed three differently colored cracks that later became patches of mist contending with its original gray fog. An Chen suspects outside influences contributed to subsequent mutations of his Soul Skills, but their precise cause remains uncertain. 82 83 84

Black Fog

An Chen’s first Soul Skill releases dense black fog from the iron pot. It conceals him, obstructs vision, weakens enemies’ senses, and enhances his own perception within its range. 6

• Becomes denser and covers a wider area at night or in shadow-rich environments. 6
• Can conceal potion brewing and suppress the sound produced by the process. 6
• Allows An Chen to sense breathing, movement, and Soul Power circulation within the fog. 6
• Consumes substantial Soul Power and is less effective against overwhelmingly stronger opponents. 17 25
• Later mutates to include pink mist capable of drawing out a target’s concealed desires and emotions, at a considerable additional Soul Power cost. 84

Shadow Mark and Detonate

An Chen’s second Soul Skill came from a 700-year Netherworld Wolf. Targets covered by Black Fog or struck by his iron pot receive a Shadow Mark; An Chen can detonate the mark to briefly stun them. 25 34

• Used to create brief openings against Zhao Wuji despite the immense Soul Power gap. 25 28
• Can interrupt or disorient opponents trapped in Black Fog. 34
• Its stun effect is greatly reduced against opponents with much higher Soul Power. 25
• After mutating, Detonate can also cause Babble in a target’s mind during the stun. 84

Shadow Tomb

An Chen’s mutated third Soul Skill was gained from the 5,000-year Shadow Two-Headed Wolf. It manifests living shadows that drag targets into a void. 50 51

• After advancing to Hermit, An Chen discovered that Shadow Tomb connects to a dangerous shadow world inhabited by terrifying creatures. 52
• He can drag enemies into that realm rather than summoning its inhabitants himself. 52
• Cannot forcibly pull in opponents whose Soul Power vastly exceeds his own. 52
• The skill later mutates further, gaining the possibility of banishing a target to a dimensional space other than the shadow world. Its stronger effects increase An Chen’s Soul Power consumption. 84

Shadow Servant

An Chen’s fourth Soul Skill, gained from a ten-thousand-year Shadow Demon Wolf, creates a duplicate that looks like him. He and the servant can exchange positions. 84

• The servant can move through shadows and act as a substitute or scout. 84 99 105
• An Chen can infuse it with flesh through Flesh Magic, making it resemble a living person more closely. 86

Spirit Vision

Secrets Suppliant Potion granted An Chen Spirit Vision, which reveals both the Ether Body and Astral Body of living beings. 7 8

• Ether Body — reveals physical condition through colored auras. 8
• Astral Body — reflects emotions and mental states. 8
• Can identify subtle shifts in an opponent’s intentions and Soul Power circulation, allowing An Chen to predict attacks and expose defensive flaws. 11 28
• Prolonged use exhausts his Spirituality and can expose him to unsettling presences. 9

Listener Abilities

After fully digesting the Listener Potion, An Chen gained enhanced hearing, sharper intuition, and the ability to hear whispers from mysterious entities. 18

• His intuition can warn him of imminent threats, such as Zhao Wuji’s underground shockwave. 25
• The ability is dangerous because the whispers may connect him to powerful unknown entities. 18
• He later identifies an ability he heard as Ignite Desire, which appears capable of inflaming emotions and desires until a target loses judgment; its full nature remains uncertain. 49

Hermit Abilities

As Sequence 7 Hermit, An Chen gained a broad range of shadow-based supernatural abilities. 52

• Hide within shadows and travel between connected shadows. 52
• Summon and shape shadow matter into weapons, including a dagger that leaves blackened, bloodless wounds. 52
• Cast Shadow Curses. 52
• His advancement increased both Divination and Clown Warning from two uses to four. 52
• Can shape shadows into limbs or other constructs; he later uses shadow birds to intercept and redirect arrows and shadow arms to seize multiple attackers. 79

Rose Bishop Flesh Magic

The Sequence 6 Rose Bishop Potion greatly enhanced An Chen’s body and Spirituality and granted him Flesh Magic. Its consumption dissolved his skin and flesh before his body regenerated. 86

• Liquefy and reform his flesh, recover from severe bodily damage, and reshape his appearance. 86 106
• Create a Crimson Cloak that blocks some magical attacks, including spell-type Soul Skills. 86
• Hide inside another person’s body, though emerging can kill the host. 86
• Detach and regenerate body parts; detached flesh can be used for surveillance, servants, or destructive, corrosive explosions. 86 89 95
• Flesh Magic requires a continuing supply of flesh. Insufficient nourishment limits its power and risks loss of control. 86

Divination and Clown Warning

The Big Iron Pot System grants limited uses of Divination and Clown Warning. 6 32

• Divination can reveal locations, identify abnormalities, or answer specific questions, though it is explicitly not omnipotent. 6 25 32
• Clown Warning interrupts mental corruption and hallucinations; it saved An Chen from Mokai’s mind-affecting vine fragrance. 46
• Clown Warning later alerts An Chen to an imminent scythe attack while he is preparing to drink the Shepherd Potion. 108

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Storage Soul Tool Ring — gifted by Elder Chen; contains Combat Insights and Soul Skill Compendium. 15
• Black Card — an exclusive supplementary card associated with a Spirit Hall elder; its status intimidated Fu Lei and enabled An Chen to escape scrutiny. It later secured his entry to Spirit Hall Advanced Soul Master Academy. 18 50 80
• Shadow Two-Headed Wolf inner armor — custom armor made from the wolf’s exceptionally hard black scales. 51 53
• Three-Thousand-Year Whale Glue — recovered from Mokai’s storage tool and used, after purification, to strengthen An Chen’s body for his third-ring absorption. 48 50
• Youxiang Grass — sent by Elder Chen to repair An Chen’s damaged Spirituality; it motivated his journey toward Xiangshi Valley. He continues using it to ease the Babble. 51 52 103
• Gray-White Staff — Edmond’s staff, acquired after the Xiangshi Valley incident. It can produce Babble-inducing mist, create a zone that restores Spirituality, and force hidden knowledge into a target’s mind. Its side effects include intensified Babble, hallucinations, and temporary memory loss after its strongest ability. 65
• Immortal Herbs and refined medicinal liquid — received several boxed herbs from the monocle-wearing man and combined some in his iron pot. The resulting liquid substantially increased his cultivation, and he gave Elder Chen a portion. 80 82
• Spirit Hall academy token, uniform, and badge — provided by Elder Chen; the token grants academy access and monthly contribution points, while the badge provides discounts. 81
• Soul-power-suppressing stone bracelet — made from the ore of stolen prisoner-sealing shackles to conceal his Martial Soul and Soul Power from a pursuer. 89
• Gravity Bracelet — a copper bracelet that stores objects, manipulates gravity within ten meters, and fires destructive green rays. Its active powers draw nearby objects, and potentially its user, toward it. 99
• Rock Style One mask — a worn mask given to An Chen by San Gou as a parting gift. 103
• Bone scythe — formed from the Monster’s remains after An Chen obtained his fifth ring; he stored it in a jade box without determining its nature. 106

Relationships

• Elder Chen — mentor and protector. He trained An Chen at Tieyan Academy, provided cultivation methods and equipment, helped him obtain Soul Rings, and continued assisting him through letters after An Chen left. An Chen later learned that the bodies he knew were Clones and that Elder Chen’s true body remained in the Elder Hall. 2 8 15 51 81
• An Dashan and Li Fang — adoptive parents. They supported An Chen’s departure from Qingshi Village, and he later returned with his savings to help them. 2 18
• Wang Gang — Spirit Hall deacon who registered An Chen, arranged his academy admission, and remained concerned for his welfare. 2 8
• Shitou — roommate and close friend. An Chen protected him from Wu Lei, while Shitou became one of his most enthusiastic supporters and called him “Brother Pot.” They later reunited in Tieyan City, where An Chen gave him cultivation medicine. 9 11 95
• Qian Yiming — roommate and friend. He sought An Chen’s help when Shitou was threatened and later trained alongside him. He and An Chen reunited after enrolling at Tieyan City Intermediate Soul Master Academy. 9 15 95
• Wu Ming — respectful rival. Their sparring match forced An Chen to confront his limits against superior strength and technique. 16 17 18
• Tang San — ally and tactical partner. An Chen protected him during the Rose Hotel clash and later coordinated closely with him during Zhao Wuji’s entrance examination. 21 26 28
• Xiao Wu — traveling companion and Shrek peer. She quickly accepted An Chen after he intervened against Dai Mubai. 21
• Ma Hongjun — two-on-two partner in the Hot Pot Duo. Their Black Fog and Phoenix flames formed an effective arena combination. 33 34
• Dai Mubai — rival and fellow Shrek student. He nicknamed An Chen “the kid who lets out black farts,” but recognized his strength. 21 34
• Edmond — former Xiangshi Valley leader who contained its dangerous Gray Fog. He asked An Chen to inherit his power and mission, but respected An Chen’s refusal. An Chen later acquired Edmond’s staff and concealed his connection to Edmond’s death. 61 64 65
• Thorn and Hawk — companions during the Xiangshi Valley expedition. Thorn investigated the villagers alongside An Chen and remained concerned for him even after his alarming transformation; Hawk became wary of possible corruption. They parted ways after the incident. 58 59 61 64
• Yu Tianyao — Xiangshi Valley companion who suspected An Chen’s role in Edmond’s defeat and the Fog’s disappearance. He let An Chen leave but offered to be found near Sunset Forest if needed. 61 64 65
• Guan Yue, Dongxi, and Modili — figures connected to An Chen’s investigation in Arles City. An Chen worked with Guan Yue and Dongxi against the mystery surrounding XXX Club and negotiated Modili’s release. 70 73 74 79
• San Gou and A Gui — an impoverished child and his one-armed caretaker in Rock City. An Chen fed San Gou and supplied A Gui with money after learning about the children’s circumstances. San Gou later gave him a treasured mask. 102 103
• Monocle-wearing man — a powerful, unsettling figure connected in An Chen’s mind to the abnormalities at Shrek. He immobilized An Chen with a parasitic ability in Spirit City, gave him Immortal Herbs, and said he would continue watching him. 79 80
• Birdman — a winged pursuer from whom An Chen hid his Soul Power and laid flesh-based surveillance. She tracked him near Tieyan City despite those precautions. 89 95

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Awakening and Tieyan Academy — An Chen awakens innate full soul power, joins Spirit Hall’s working-student program, activates the System, and begins training under Elder Chen. 1 2
• First Soul Ring and Reader Advancement — He kills a Shadow Leopard, acquires Black Fog, brews Secrets Suppliant Potion, and begins facing the dangers of Outer Deities and spiritual contamination. 5 6 7
• Wu Family Conflict — An Chen protects Shitou, defeats Wu Lei through tactical adaptation, becomes Tieyan Academy’s top freshman, and spars with Wu Ming. 9 11 16 17
• Blood Moon Incident — He survives the Evil Soul Masters’ ritual and inadvertently fully digests Secrets Suppliant Potion through his near-submission to the “mother.” 14 15
• Shrek Academy — An Chen travels with Tang San and Xiao Wu, joins Shrek, works with the other students against Zhao Wuji, and forms the Hot Pot Duo with Ma Hongjun. 21 25 34
• Flight from Shrek — Disturbed by abnormalities surrounding Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Li Yusong, An Chen abandons Shrek after reaching level 30. 41 42
• Sanchao Post and Third Soul Ring — He investigates Mokai’s corrupt whale-glue operation, endures growing Babble, gains a 5,000-year third ring, and develops Shadow Tomb. 46 48 50 51
• Hermit Advancement and Xiangshi Valley — After using Youxiang Grass to repair his Spirituality, An Chen becomes a Sequence 7 Hermit and heads toward the sealed Xiangshi Valley for more of the plant. There he refuses Edmond’s proposed inheritance, survives the Gray Fog crisis, and conceals his involvement from investigators. 52 53 61 64
• Hermit Digestion and Arles City — An Chen comes to understand secrecy and detached observation as principles of Hermit acting, completes the potion’s digestion during his travels, and becomes involved with Guan Yue and Dongxi in an investigation of XXX Club. 65 66 70 73 74 79
• Spirit Hall Return and Fourth Soul Ring — Summoned back ahead of the academy tournament, An Chen receives Immortal Herbs from the monocle-wearing man, refines some in his iron pot, and absorbs a ten-thousand-year Shadow Demon Wolf ring with Elder Chen’s help. 66 80 81 82 84
• Rose Bishop Advancement and Pursuit — An Chen gains Flesh Magic, then disguises himself and avoids Spirit City after Elder Chen warns of a deadly crisis there. He returns briefly to Tieyan City and confronts the Birdman pursuing him. 86 89 95
• Guidance in Rock City — Acting as Zhang Jiao, An Chen helps villagers prepare to defend themselves and aids children in Rock City’s North District. His Rose Bishop Potion reaches full digestion. 99 100 101 102
• Fifth Soul Ring and Enforcer — An Chen hunts an unusual Monster and absorbs its strange fifth ring, reaching level 53. A Spirit Hall enforcer subsequently pursues and seals him; Clown Warning interrupts An Chen’s attempt to drink the Shepherd Potion when the enforcer attacks again. 103 106 107 108

Trivia

• An Chen’s System was activated by the phrase “Start the pot.” 2
• He repeatedly uses latrines, bathrooms, or isolated places to hide his System use, potion brewing, and prayers. 6 7 9 52
• Dai Mubai’s “black fart” insult refers to the appearance of Black Fog and irritates An Chen. 21
• The name Hot Pot Duo combines An Chen’s iron pot with Ma Hongjun’s flames. 33
• Before his fifth-ring absorption, the System specified an unusual condition for drinking the Shepherd Potion: An Chen must separate his soul from his body, make the body consume the potion while separated, and then return. 100 102 108