Xiao Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Xiao Yan was originally a modern person who transmigrated in 2009 into the Dou Qi world. When the Heavens Chat Group appeared, he initially suspected a business scam and was baffled by Ye Fan’s claim of reaching another planet only a year after Xiao Yan’s transmigration. 1

After Su Lin revealed that the members’ lives corresponded to stories in another world, Xiao Yan accepted the possibility quickly. Su Lin uploaded Battle Through the Heavens and warned him not to use Buddha’s Fury Lotus against the Misty Cloud Sect, as it could bring disaster upon the Xiao Clan. Xiao Yan accepted the warning while remaining confident that he could defeat Nalan Yanran without it. 2

He became an active supporter of cross-world cooperation, contributing practical items for Su Lin’s first interworld journey and recognizing that Cross-Boundary Talismans could be used to escape danger, recover, and return stronger. 3 25 He later joined the Heavens Chat Group’s first in-person gathering at Water Mirror Peak, where he sampled familiar Earth snacks, experimented with immortal cultivation, and chose to remain on the path of battle qi. 29

When Yao Lao awakened during the gathering, Xiao Yan introduced him to the chat group but concealed the existence of Battle Through the Heavens. He and Yao Lao exchanged alchemy knowledge and medicinal resources with the other members, helping establish Water Mirror Peak’s medicinal fields. 30

By the time of his next visit to Water Mirror Peak, Xiao Yan had reached Two-Star Dou Ling and won the three-year agreement against Nalan Yanran while suppressing his strength to roughly her level. He returned to Wutan City afterward, prepared for possible retaliation from the Misty Cloud Sect and the Soul Palace’s involvement. 35

Xiao Yan subsequently expanded his pill-refining business with Han Li and Zhongli, selling a batch of pills for 700 million gold coins and distributing the profits according to their agreed 5:4:1 share. Although the trade made him extremely wealthy, the continuous refining left him exhausted and distracted from cultivation. 61

After defeating Yun Ling and three Dou Wangs who had investigated the Xiao Clan for the Tou She Ancient God Jade, Xiao Yan intended to confront the Misty Cloud Sect for an explanation. Han Li and the other group members cautioned him against allowing anger and his complicated feelings toward Yun Yun to cloud his judgment. 143

While attempting to fuse the Falling Heart Flame with the Green Lotus Core Flame, Xiao Yan lost his memory of the aftermath. He awoke to find Queen Medusa relentlessly pursuing him and hid the humiliating situation from the group for five days. 226 He later learned that Medusa, influenced by the Heaven-Swallowing Python during their underground encounter, had been the one to take advantage of him. He offered her and their unborn child the Origin-Devouring Divine Python Fruit and resolved to accept responsibility for them. 489

At a later barbecue gathering, teasing about his family destabilized Xiao Yan’s Heavenly Flames. He instinctively used the Heavenly Forgetting technique to enter an emotionally empty state and achieved enlightenment instead, demonstrating the exceptional comprehension associated with his protagonist status. 425

During the Soul Palace conflict, Xiao Yan’s many counterparts and projections became entangled with a drunken cross-world banquet. He confronted the Soul Clan as the “Flame Emperor,” used a Fire Lotus to destroy a death realm, and obtained the Elixir Fire Refining the Cosmos Art. In the resulting film-like scenario, he refined Soul Palace and Soul Clan experts—including Soul Heavenly Emperor—into medicinal pills. 554 555 557

The merging of several versions of Xiao Yan brought Xiao Xun’er, Cai Lin, Xiao Yi Xian, Yun Yun, Nalan Yanran, Yafei, and others into the same gathering. He was forced to confront the consequences of his aliases, past encounters, and the existence of his daughter Xiao Xiao. Xun’er ultimately defused the public confrontation by affirming her faith in him and insisting that the family matter be resolved privately. 557 558

Although Xiao Yan initially avoided his wives and daughter out of guilt and fear, Su Lin’s elaborate intervention eventually persuaded him to face his responsibilities. He chose to return to Cai Lin, Xun’er, and Xiao Xiao rather than continue running from the emotional consequences of his altered fate. 563

He later established the Pill Alliance in All-Heavens City, selling pills and Dou Qi techniques while using his foreknowledge of Battle Through the Heavens as a commercial advantage. The discovery of the Soul Heavenly Emperor Pill, however, caused many customers to fear his methods and damaged the shop’s reputation. 606

Xiao Yan continues to seek a peaceful life centered on Xun’er, Cai Lin, Xiao Xiao, cultivation, and pill refinement. He has also begun preparing a Supreme-realm physical body for Yao Lao as repayment for his teacher’s lifelong guidance and protection. 645

Appearance

At the first offline gathering, Xiao Yan appeared as a young man with ordinary but pleasant features. He carried a massive ruler across his back. 29

• Carries the Heavy Xuan Ruler. 2 29
• Has an outwardly unremarkable appearance despite a notably agreeable presence. 29
• Often wears black robes during combat, with the Heavy Xuan Ruler carried across his back. 489 554
• His Flame Emperor manifestation is accompanied by clouds of flame and a multicolored Fire Lotus radiating destructive force. 554

Personality

Xiao Yan is skeptical, blunt, and practical. His first response to the Heavens Chat Group was to assume it was a scam, but he adapted quickly once its reality became clear. He evaluates new tools by their usefulness in battle and survival, such as immediately recognizing the tactical value of escaping to another world through a Cross-Boundary Talisman. 1 25

He is confident in his own strength and willing to take aggressive measures against threats to himself, Yao Lao, or the Xiao Clan. Although warned not to use Buddha’s Fury Lotus against the Misty Cloud Sect, he remained certain he could defeat Nalan Yanran through his own abilities. He later jokingly proposed dropping a Fire Lotus on Zouken Matou and immediately fleeing back to his own world. 2 29

Xiao Yan is intensely loyal to Yao Lao and views reviving his teacher as one of his foremost goals. He is also deeply attached to Gu Xun’er; seeing his future self’s life with her makes him openly excited, jealous, and emotionally transparent. 27 44 47

He frequently teases other group members—especially Shirou Emiya—about romance, harems, and alternate futures. The same behavior makes him an easy target when the group exposes his own romantic history or alternate selves. 30 32 46

Despite his usual boldness, Xiao Yan can be deeply avoidant when confronted with the consequences of his relationships. The existence of Cai Lin and Xiao Xiao, together with the simultaneous appearance of Xun’er, Xiao Yi Xian, Yun Yun, Nalan Yanran, and Yafei, left him more terrified than any ordinary enemy. 557 558 563

He remains susceptible to emotional judgment where the Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Yun, and his family are concerned. However, he can also turn embarrassment, pressure, and adversity into opportunities for rapid enlightenment. 143 425

Abilities & Skills

Dou Qi Cultivation

Xiao Yan follows the battle-qi path and declined to replace it with Water Mirror Peak’s immortal cultivation system after briefly testing it. 29

• Advanced from Da Dou Shi to Two-Star Dou Ling. 3 35
• Defeated Nalan Yanran in the three-year agreement while limiting his displayed strength. 35
• Defeated Yun Ling and three Dou Wangs while still at the Dou Ling level. 143
• Reached the Dou Zong realm and could kill Battle Saints through his control of extraordinary flames. 554 555
• Fights with the Heavy Xuan Ruler. 2 29
• Possesses Buddha’s Fury Lotus, but was specifically cautioned against using it against the Misty Cloud Sect because of the danger to the Xiao Clan. 2
• Can channel power into the Dayan Pearl, activating its external projection mode. 46
• Uses the Three Thousand Lightning Movement to create numerous thunderbolt phantoms and move at extreme speed. 645

Flame Manipulation and Combat

Xiao Yan’s greatest combat specialty is his control of Heavenly Flames and increasingly diverse fire sources.

• Successfully employed an Azure Lotus attack to instantly kill a Dou Emperor, three Dou Wangs, and more than ten Dou Ling. 489
• Gained access to the authority of Bronze and Fire and sought to contain extraordinary fire sources from multiple worlds. 554
• Can combine Heavenly Flames, Divine Fire, and Dao Fire, then form destructive Fire Lotuses capable of destroying Battle Saint-level death realms. 554
• During the Soul Clan conflict, wielded True Phoenix Fire, multicolored Heavenly Flames, Light’s Flame, Eight Trigrams Fire, and Samadhi True Fire alongside his allies. 553
• Has displayed an Immaculate Fire Lotus capable of burning a universe and has been seen refining countless universes in a flaming pill cauldron. 645 650

Heavenly Forgetting

Xiao Yan possesses the Heavenly Forgetting technique, which suppresses emotional disturbances and permits an unusually calm state of mind. 425

• Used the technique when teasing disrupted his control over the Heavenly Flames during a barbecue gathering. 425
• Entered a state without sorrow or joy and achieved enlightenment while using it under pressure. 425

Pill Refinement

Xiao Yan refines medicinal pills under Yao Lao’s guidance and has become an important contributor to the group’s resource exchanges. 3 30

• His concentration while pill refining is significant enough that Yao Lao had to stabilize his flames when the chat group distracted him. 3
• Exchanged alchemy knowledge, pill formulas, and medicinal herbs with Ye Fan, Han Li, and Yao Lao. 30
• Refined a special commissioned medicinal pill for Ye Fan and Han Li beside Water Mirror Peak’s lake. 37
• Sought additional aged medicinal herbs after his existing supply began running low. 35
• Sold a later batch of pills for 700 million gold coins, sharing the proceeds with Han Li and Zhongli. 61
• Founded the Pill Alliance in All-Heavens City, where the fragrance of his pills could loosen weaker cultivators’ bottlenecks. 606
• Refined the Soul Heavenly Emperor and multiple Soul Clan Battle Saints into controversial Soul Heavenly Emperor Pills. 557 606
• Acquired and employed the Elixir Fire Refining the Cosmos Art, particularly its Returning to Void and Refining Soul Chapter, to treat souls, bodies, and flames as alchemical materials. 555
• Prepared Supreme-realm materials to refine a new physical body for Yao Lao. 645

Cross-World Cultivation Knowledge

Xiao Yan readily studies unfamiliar systems without abandoning his established path. 29 36

• Tested Water Mirror Peak’s cultivation method but found battle qi more suitable for himself. 29
• Received Zhongli’s Adeptal Power purification method alongside the other members. 37
• Discussed Heaven-and-Earth Flames and intelligent medicinal pills from his world during the group’s hotpot gathering. 43
• Uses the Myriad Worlds General Knowledge Talisman and has integrated cross-world flames, materials, and cultivation knowledge into his alchemy. 645 677

Equipment / Items

• Heavy Xuan Ruler — massive ruler carried on his back. 2 29
• Ring housing Yao Lao — the ring-bound elder is Xiao Yan’s teacher and most important companion. Although Yao Lao can now manifest a nearly solid soul projection, Xiao Yan continues to rely on the ring as his teacher’s residence. 30 44 425
• Dayan Pearl: Reflection — briefly used to observe parallel versions of himself; after his future self strengthened it, Xiao Yan passed the enhanced pearl back to Su Lin. 46 47
• Myriad Worlds General Knowledge Talisman — communication and information device used to connect Yao Lao with higher-level experts and discussion groups. 645
• Soul Heavenly Emperor Pills — pills refined from Soul Heavenly Emperor and large numbers of Soul Palace and Soul Clan experts; their ingredients made them commercially controversial. 557 606
• Supreme-realm body materials — rare hand and leg bones, along with special materials, gathered to create Yao Lao a body stronger than his former one. 645

Future Self and Parallel Counterparts

Soul Palace Xiao Yan

The Dayan Pearl revealed an alternate Xiao Yan dressed in black and addressed by Yun Ling as a Soul Palace Protector. This counterpart sought Heavenly Flames with Yun Ling’s assistance and displayed a villainous demeanor that embarrassed the current Xiao Yan. 46

Other projected counterparts included versions romantically involved with Xiao Yi Xian, interacting with Yun Yun, cultivating beneath a waterfall, and delivering dramatic villain-like lines. 46

Lord of the Endless Fire Domain

A future Xiao Yan appeared through the Dayan Pearl surrounded by countless Heaven-and-Earth Flames and immense spiritual power. He identified the Heavens Chat Group as the cause of an independent branch in his past timeline, though he believed all branches would eventually converge. 46 47

• He described himself as both “the beginning of the past and the end of the future.” 47
• He used Heavenly Flames to strengthen the Dayan Pearl, allowing it to endure longer instead of breaking after opening a passage once. 47
• He entrusted his younger self to Yao Lao, giving Yao Lao emotional confirmation that taking Xiao Yan as a disciple had left him with no regrets. 47
• In the Endless Fire Domain, he acknowledged that the Great Thousand World still held paths, dangers, and opportunities beyond his understanding. 48
• He suspected that the force associated with his younger self might be connected to existences beyond the Great Thousand World, but could not determine whether it represented opportunity or conspiracy. 48
• He had encountered a being beyond the Dominion Realm that existed simultaneously across possibilities, time periods, and identities. 48
• His future self is affectionate toward both Gu Xun’er and Cai Lin, openly embracing Cai Lin when she joins his conversation with Xun’er. 48

Relationships

• Yao Lao / Yao Chen — teacher and ring-bound mentor. Xiao Yan relies on his guidance in battle and alchemy, introduced him to the chat group, and vows to revive him in the future. He has gathered Supreme-realm materials to refine Yao Lao a new physical body in repayment for his teacher’s kindness. 2 30 44 47 645
• Su Lin — fellow chat-group member who supplied future knowledge, warned Xiao Yan about Buddha’s Fury Lotus, and hosted him at Water Mirror Peak. Su Lin repeatedly meddles in Xiao Yan’s love life but also pushed him to accept responsibility for his family. 2 29 46 563 927
• Gu Xun’er — Xiao Yan’s beloved. His feelings for her remain unchanged across past, present, and future versions of himself. She later defended him publicly amid the revelations surrounding Cai Lin and Xiao Xiao, though his actions caused considerable strain in their relationship. 32 47 48 557 558
• Cai Lin / Queen Medusa — Queen Medusa is the mother of Xiao Yan’s daughter, Xiao Xiao. Their relationship began amid the Falling Heart Flame incident, whose circumstances Xiao Yan initially could not remember; despite their mutual embarrassment and conflict, he accepts responsibility for her and their child. 35 489 557 563
• Xiao Xiao — Xiao Yan’s infant daughter with Cai Lin. Her existence forced him to confront his family responsibilities, and he ultimately chose to return to her, Cai Lin, and Xun’er. 557 563
• Xiao Yi Xian — longtime confidante whose Calamity Poison Body endangered both herself and those around her. Xiao Yan rescued her during a crisis and retains a deep concern for her well-being. 46 554 556 557
• Yun Yun — Misty Cloud Sect leader and Xiao Yan’s former acquaintance under the alias Yao Yan. Their past connection and his intervention in the Misty Cloud Sect left their relationship complicated. 46 143 556 557
• Nalan Yanran — opponent in the three-year agreement; Xiao Yan defeated her after reaching Two-Star Dou Ling. She later learned that the alchemist Yan Xiao, whom she admired, was Xiao Yan himself. 2 35 557
• Ye Fan — fellow chat-group member and frequent teasing partner; the two trade jokes about each other’s romantic histories and ambitions. 30 32 47
• Shirou Emiya — chat-group companion whom Xiao Yan repeatedly teases about romance and alternate “routes.” 30 32
• Ziyan — pill-loving Ancient Void Dragon who steals from Xiao Yan’s pill vault, calls him “Mistress” in jest, and continually exploits his romantic reputation to tease him. 645 927
• Gu Yuan — Xun’er’s father and Ancient Clan chief. He initially demanded that Xiao Yan reach Battle Saint before marrying Xun’er, but later became alarmed by Xiao Yan’s Flame Emperor power and universe-refining displays. 555 650
• Soul Clan and Soul Palace — longstanding enemies responsible for threats against the Xiao Clan and Yao Lao. Xiao Yan eventually refined Soul Heavenly Emperor and several of their upper-echelon members into pills. 35 555 606

Notable Quotes

“Every moment of mine is spent preparing to revive my teacher and cleanse my sect. I will quell the Soul Clan's chaos and battle through the heavens!” 44

“How can you lose with a fed Dragon right in your face?!” 48

“Xiao Yan himself, greetings to you all.” 554

Trivia

• Xiao Yan and Ye Fan both miss familiar Earth food; Xiao Yan specifically requested hotpot and soup dumplings from Su Lin. 24
• He jokingly claimed that, without the three-month restriction on interworld travel, he could simply cultivate elsewhere until reaching Dou Di and return “unrivaled.” 25
• “Soul Palace Xiao Yan” refers to an alternate counterpart shown by the Dayan Pearl, not Xiao Yan’s current timeline. 46
• A drunken cross-world gathering held an improvised Xiao Yan impersonation contest, whose participants copied his ruler, slogans, broken-engagement history, and signature mannerisms. 552
• Xiao Yan’s frightening Flame Emperor portrayal in the film-like Soul Clan incident caused even his relatives and loved ones to worry that he might become a ruthless villain, a suspicion he strongly resents. 677