Yao Lao

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yao Chen 241
Alias(es)	Yao Lao (药老); Medicine Venerable 239
Gender	Masculine
Occupation/Role	Eighth-grade Alchemist; former Nine-Revolutions Dou Venerate; Xiao Yan's master 6 12 24
Status	Active as a soul body, residing in Xiao Yan's Storage Ring 243
First Appearance	Chapter 9

Background

Yao Chen was once a renowned alchemist and powerful Dou Venerate. He raised the orphan Han Feng as his disciple and intended for Han Feng to inherit his legacies, but withheld the Flame Mantra while waiting for him to improve his character. 26 241 242

Han Feng instead colluded with the Soul Hall and attacked his master in pursuit of the Flame Mantra. Though Han Feng believed Yao Chen had died, Yao Chen's soul escaped and later remained concealed within Xiao Yan's Storage Ring, absorbing Xiao Yan's Dou Qi for three years. 9 26 241

Appearance

Yao Lao usually manifests as a white-haired, white-clothed youth despite his immense age. His soul form is ethereal and can remain unseen by weaker people unless he chooses to reveal himself. 9 63

• White hair and refined, youthful features. 9
• Often adopts an aloof posture with his hands behind his back. 10 21
• When possessing Xiao Yan, he changes the host's eyes and hair to silver-white. 72 167

Personality

Yao Lao combines a veteran powerhouse's caution with a teasing, unserious streak. He playfully needles Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan, shamelessly covets rare herbs and alchemy furnaces, and openly admires ingenious Dou Techniques. 9 13 17 67

Beneath that humor, he is pragmatic and protective. He willingly lends his strength to safeguard Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian, but his past betrayal by Han Feng left him deeply disappointed. When he finally confronts Han Feng, he is notably calm rather than enraged, choosing to end the matter decisively. 22 24 241 242

Abilities & Skills

Eighth-grade Alchemy

Yao Lao is an eighth-grade alchemist with extensive knowledge of medicinal ingredients, pill formulas, furnaces, and Heavenly Flames. 6 168

• Provided Xiao Yi Xian with handbooks spanning first- through eighth-grade alchemy, a pill-control method, and a map to the ruins of a former Calamity Poison Body user. 114
• Created the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill, which can temporarily raise a Dou Grandmaster's strength by up to three stars at the risk of adverse effects. 151
• Identified the Green Lotus Core Flame and distinguished its true aura from Queen Medusa's four decoy auras. 68 90
• Explained the properties of rare pills, including the Yin Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill. 238

Bone Spirit Cold Flame

Yao Lao controls the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Exotic Flame Ranking. 88

• Uses its extreme cold to freeze potent toxins into ice threads. 90
• Can manifest the flame through Xiao Yan while possessing him. 72 168
• Used it to completely destroy Han Feng's body and soul, preventing any revival. 243

Soul Body and Possession

As a soul body, Yao Lao can conceal his presence, observe with powerful soul perception, and take control of Xiao Yan's body when Xiao Yan relinquishes control. 63 72

• Possession allows Xiao Yan to wield Yao Lao's combat experience and flame-based techniques. 72 167 168
• Easily defeated the Dou King Xiao Ling'er with a finger and gravely injured Chi Han with an Earth-tier Dou Technique. 72
• Can lend power directly to Xiao Yi Xian; their combined strength briefly elevated her to the Dou Ancestor realm against Yun Shan. 169
• His soul power is not inexhaustible: borrowing Xiao Yi Xian's strength left him drained enough to enter a deep sleep. 24 25

Knowledge of Rare Physiques and Spirits

Yao Lao's experience allows him to identify unusual constitutions, bloodlines, and spiritual entities. 11 21 66

• Recognized Xiao Yi Xian's Calamity Poison Body and explained its poison-consuming cultivation and fatal risks. 11
• Proposed the Poison Pill Method, which requires three Heavenly Flames to control the Calamity Poison Body. 12
• Identified Xiao Ling'er as a Snow Spirit, a transformed Heaven and Earth Spirit. 21
• Explained Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. 66

Equipment / Items

• Xiao Yan's Storage Ring — Yao Lao's primary resting place and means of traveling with Xiao Yan. 9 243
• Bone Spirit Cold Flame — His signature Heavenly Flame and execution tool against Han Feng. 88 243
• Ancient alchemy furnace — Claimed from the City Lord's treasure vault due to his intense interest in its quality and possible pedigree. 17

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Master and disciple. Yao Lao restores Xiao Yan's path to cultivation, trains him, and repeatedly possesses his body to protect him. 12 72 167
• Xiao Yi Xian — Ally and informal protégé. He helps her understand the Calamity Poison Body and later entrusts her with his lifelong alchemical inheritance. 11 114 171
• Han Feng — Former disciple who betrayed him after colluding with the Soul Hall for the Flame Mantra; Yao Lao ultimately strips Han Feng's cultivation and kills him. 241 242 243
• Venerable Feng — A trusted figure who monitored Han Feng's conduct and informed Yao Lao of the disciple's wrongdoing. 242
• Xiao Ling'er — Identified her origin as a Snow Spirit and assessed the potential of her transformation-based cultivation. 21 26

Story Role / Major Arcs

Yao Lao emerges from Xiao Yan's ring after the Three-Year Agreement begins. He initially treats Xiao Yi Xian with suspicion after she addresses him by name, but accepts her proposal to cooperate once she proves she is neither affiliated with the Soul Hall nor seeking to ambush him. 9 10

He becomes Xiao Yan's master, promising to restore him to the Dou Practitioner level and guiding the alliance's early pursuit of resources, poisons, pills, and Heavenly Flames. 12 16 17

During Xiao Yi Xian's conflict outside Wutan City, Yao Lao lends her strength until he is nearly exhausted, eventually falling into slumber. After recovering, he supports Xiao Yan's journey toward the Green Lotus Core Flame and provides strategic guidance throughout the Tagor Desert events. 22 24 26 68 90

Yao Lao later gives Xiao Yi Xian his detailed alchemy inheritance and a method that could help her condense a Poison Pill. He awakens to protect Xiao Yan during the Three-Year Agreement and joins his students against the Misty Cloud Sect. 114 167 168

After reuniting with Cai Lin and Fu Ya, Yao Lao resumes the bearing of Medicine Venerable and leads the group toward Feng City to settle his conflict with Han Feng. Xiao Yi Xian captures Han Feng, allowing Yao Lao to confront, judge, and execute his former disciple personally. 239 241 242 243

Notable Quotes

“Han Feng, my disciple, it's been a while.” 241

“I want to personally clean up my own house!” 239