Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Original Identity	Xiao Fan, an Earth office worker who transmigrated into Xiao Yan's body after dying at his workplace 1
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Xiao Clan; disciple of Yao Lao; admitted to Jia Nan Academy but granted extended leave 5 23
Occupation/Role	Dou Qi cultivator; alchemist; wielder of the Flame Mantra 15 20
Status	Alive 40
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Three-Stage Dou Qi	1	Tested as Rank: Low after inheriting Xiao Yan's body.
Late Mortal Realm soul	2	Reached after consuming a Third-Grade Soul Fruit, greatly improving his perception and cultivation efficiency.
Four-Stage Dou Qi	7	Broke through after half a month cultivating in Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid.
Five-Stage Dou Qi	8	Reached following prolonged Dou Qi Whipping and medicinal-bath cultivation.
Seven-Stage Dou Qi	9	Reached through repeated whipping, meditation, and practice of three Dou Techniques.
Nine-Stage Dou Qi	9	The narration states that his Dou Qi became fully saturated, preparing him to condense a Dou Qi Vortex.
Seven-Stage Dou Qi (official test)	11	The Magic Stone Tablet records Seventh Stage, allowing him to pass the Xiao Clan examination.
Eight-Stage Dou Qi	12	Revealed at the coming-of-age ceremony, stunning the Xiao Clan and its guests.
One-Star Dou Zhe	14	Condensed a Dou Qi Vortex without Qi Gathering Powder after four months of extreme training.
Early Spirit State soul	14	The system repeatedly rewarded Soul Strength during the vortex-condensation process.
Five-Star Dou Zhe	20	Advanced through three months of intensive pill refinement; received an S-Grade potential rating at Jia Nan Academy.
Six-Star Dou Zhe	27	Advanced after cultivating overnight in upgraded Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid.
Seven-Star Dou Zhe	30	Natural breakthrough during a month of Wood Stake Formation training.
Second Tier, Level One physical body	30	Achieved by spending injury-earned skill points during Wood Stake Formation training.
Eight-Star Dou Zhe	31	Reached after a month of waterfall training and Burning Blood treatment.
Second Tier, Level Eight physical body	35	Raised with stored skill points while fighting the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Peak Nine-Star Dou Zhe	36	Reached after a month of continuous battles in the Magic Beast Mountains.
Dou Master	38	Broke through after roughly half a month cultivating in the secluded valley with Xiao Yi Xian.

Background

Xiao Fan died on Earth after collapsing at work, then awakened in the body of Xiao Yan, inheriting the former owner's memories and three years of humiliation as a fallen genius. Although he initially considered himself separate from Xiao Yan, he gradually chose to assume Xiao Yan's identity, family duties, and grudges 1 4.

Upon awakening, he was bound to the Xiao Yan Must Die System, which mistakenly identified him as Xiao Fan and demanded that he kill “Xiao Yan” for a reward of Dou Emperor cultivation. He manipulated the system into adding a weaker side mission—weakening Xiao Yan for random rewards—then exploited its confusion through social encounters, intercepted opportunities, and even self-inflicted harm 1 4 6 8.

The system eventually recognized that its host was Xiao Yan and ordered him to kill himself. After declaring the mission failed, it unbound from him, leaving behind a residual interface that converts damage into skill points for improving marked attributes 26.

Appearance

Xiao Yan is a black-haired youth whose punishing cultivation has given him a heavily conditioned, muscular physique. His body is described as jade-white and resilient enough to endure attacks that should incapacitate an ordinary cultivator of his realm 14 21 22.

• Carries the enormous black Heavy Xuan Ruler across his back during training and travel 25.
• Develops black eagle-wing tattoos on his back after cultivating Purple Cloud Wings 30.
• His Dou Qi gains a faint purple coloration after absorbing Amethyst Companion Source 36.
• Can manifest tangible purple flames outside his body after refining his control of the Purple Flame 38.

Personality

Xiao Yan is calculating, opportunistic, and unusually composed under humiliation. He treats his foreknowledge and the system's loopholes as resources to exploit, but he does not blindly follow the system's demand to murder himself 1 3 6.

Despite his pragmatism, he is deeply protective of those he accepts as his own. He publicly defended Xiao Zhan during Nalan Yanran's annulment, supported the Xiao Clan through its commercial crisis, rescued Xiao Yi Xian from house arrest, and repeatedly places long-term security ahead of immediate personal gain 4 18 23 36.

He is intensely ambitious and willing to endure pain, injury, and isolation for power. However, he also shows restraint: he conceals the system and Myriad Flame Emperor Body from Yao Lao, avoids exposing his full cultivation when unnecessary, and postpones revenge when it would distract from greater goals 15 25 31.

Abilities & Skills

Xiao Yan Must Die System Residual Interface

After the system unbinds, Xiao Yan retains an interface that allows skill points to improve attributes marked with a plus sign 26.

• Skill points are earned when he takes damage, retaining the original system's perverse “Xiao Yan Must Die” mechanic 26.
• He has used points to improve physical strength, recovery, and physical-body realm rather than visibly accelerating his Dou Qi cultivation 8 30 35.
• His one-use Dou Qi Horse Transformation can summon a Dou Qi horse capable of escaping even a Dou Di's pursuit 4.

Peerless Comprehension

A system reward gained upon becoming Yao Lao's disciple, granting exceptional ease in learning skills and knowledge 5.

• Allowed rapid mastery of Suction Palm, Fire-Blowing Palm, Eight Extremes Collapse, Burst Step, and alchemical basics 7 9 17 37.
• Lets him apply techniques creatively rather than relying on their standard forms, such as combining pulling and pushing force in combat 9 13 22.

Myriad Flame Emperor Body

A god-tier fire constitution awarded when he intercepted the Flame Mantra; he later fused with it after concealing the process from Yao Lao 15 16.

• Grants immunity to fire damage and permits movement through flames 15.
• Gives overwhelming control and suppression over fire-based forces 15.
• Enables perfect mastery of fire-controlling techniques and effortless control of alchemical flames 15 17.
• Allowed him to absorb the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King's Purple Flame through the Flame Mantra without suffering fire damage 35.

Flame Mantra

An initially Low Yellow-tier fire-attributed cultivation method that evolves by devouring Heavenly Flames 15.

• Chosen over a safer Low Earth-tier cultivation method because of its limitless potential 15.
• Its evolving nature can increase his Dou Qi reserves, cultivation speed, and combat potential 15 24.
• Absorbing Purple Flame advanced it to Mid Yellow Tier 36.
• Its original danger—refining destructive Heavenly Flames—is greatly reduced by the Myriad Flame Emperor Body 15.

Suction Palm

Originally a Low Profound-tier technique found within a black iron shard; the system upgraded it to Low Earth Tier after Xiao Yan intercepted it 6.

• Pulls objects and opponents toward Xiao Yan; at high mastery, it can affect massive objects 6.
• At perfection, its suction force can pull at souls 6.
• Combines effectively with Fire-Blowing Palm to draw enemies or debris in before blasting them away 9 13 22.
• Is dangerous to use alone against stronger opponents, as it may pull them into close-combat range 9.

Fire-Blowing Palm

A pushing technique taught by Yao Lao and upgraded by the system from Low Profound Tier to Low Earth Tier 9.

• Can release force from any part of Xiao Yan's body, including his hands and feet 9 22.
• Enables brief low-altitude movement and aerial evasions 9 22.
• Can redirect powders, launch drawn debris, disrupt enemies, and neutralize poison through Purple Flame 27 29 36.
• Forms a complementary pair with Suction Palm by providing the opposing outward force 9.

Eight Extremes Collapse

Originally a High Xuan-tier close-combat technique given by Yao Lao; the system elevated it to High Earth Tier 7.

• Uses explosive layered force delivered through fists, elbows, shoulders, knees, feet, or other body parts 8.
• At major mastery, can stack sixty-four layers of force; at perfection, seventy-two layers can rival a Low Heaven-tier battle skill 7.
• Its delayed internal force severely injured Mu Li and shattered Xiao Ning's arm after his drug-enhanced sneak attack 13 29.
• Requires exceptional physical strength and can rupture an unprepared user's muscles 7.

Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler

An Earth-tier ruler technique taught by Yao Lao for use with the Heavy Xuan Ruler 31.

• Has four stages: gather qi and draw fire; build power and raise the ruler; swing and strike; erupt and devour 31.
• Becomes stronger with greater Dou Qi and can be empowered further by Heavenly Flames 31.
• Used to kill Mu She and Gan Mu during the destruction of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group 37.

Purple Cloud Wings

A High Xuan-tier flight Dou Technique recovered from the cliffside cave 28.

• Uses the subdued soul of a Purple Cloud Vulture to form tangible wings from tattoos on Xiao Yan's back 30.
• Required the painful creation of new branch meridians in his back 30.
• Provides brief flight and ravine-crossing ability, but sustained use quickly drains his Dou Qi 30 31.

Alchemy

Xiao Yan trained under Yao Lao and displayed extraordinary fire control, soul perception, and medicine-refining talent 16 17.

• Successfully refined Blood Coagulation Powder during his first attempt under Yao Lao's instruction 18.
• Reached the level of a second-grade alchemist through sustained refinement, though he did not seek formal certification 20.
• His Blood Coagulation Powder outperformed the Jia Lie Clan's Rejuvenation Powder and helped restore the Xiao Clan's marketplace 18 19.
• Refined large quantities of first- and second-grade pills to support the Xiao Clan before departing for training 20.

Equipment

• Heavy Xuan Ruler — A unique Flame Meteoric Iron ruler with five seals, ranging from 3,000 jin to one million jin. It suppresses Dou Qi, conceals Xiao Yan's true cultivation, and functions as both weapon and training burden 25.
• Black ring — The ring that houses Yao Lao's soul and serves as the foundation of their teacher-disciple relationship 2 5.
• Storage Rings — Used to carry medicinal ingredients, alchemical materials, money, and recovered treasures 17 18 20.
• Purple Gold Cards — Used to manage the large sums Xiao Yan earns through alchemy and recovered wealth 20 23.
• Map fragment to the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame — Taken from Hai Bodong; Xiao Yan agreed to refine medicine for Hai Bodong in exchange for the remaining half 40.

Relationships

• Xiao Zhan — Father. Xiao Yan accepts the responsibility of being his son, vows to erase his humiliation, and repeatedly strengthens the Xiao Clan before departing 4 20 23.
• Yao Lao — Teacher and mentor. Yao Lao initially drained Xiao Yan's Dou Qi to sustain his soul, then became his alchemy instructor, cultivation guide, and emergency protector 2 5 22.
• Xiao Xun'er — Closest childhood companion and romantic interest. She remained at his side during his decline, lends him support and resources, and offers to help him defeat Nalan Yanran 1 3 20.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée and opponent in the Three-Year Agreement. Xiao Yan publicly condemned her conduct during the annulment and vowed to defeat her at the Misty Cloud Sect 4.
• Xiao Yi Xian — Trusted companion from Qingshan Town. They cooperated in the cliffside cave, escaped the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, lived together in a secluded valley, and Xiao Yan promised to seek a way to refine the Calamity Poison Pill for her 27 29 38.
• Yun Yun — Misty Cloud Sect leader who initially calls herself Yun Zhi. Xiao Yan treats her injuries after the Amethyst Winged Lion King battle; they later cooperate to obtain the Purple Spirit Crystal 32 33.
• Ya Fei — God-sister and Mittel Auction House ally. Their god-sibling arrangement secures institutional support for the Xiao Clan 23.
• Little Zi — The Little Amethyst Winged Lion King. Defeated, spared, and accepted as Xiao Yan's pet in exchange for obedience and Amethyst Crystal Source 35 36.
• Hai Bodong — Former Dou Emperor and map-shop owner. Their conflict over a Heavenly Flame map fragment becomes a deal based on Xiao Yan refining medicine to address Hai Bodong's Snake Seal 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Return of the fallen genius — After transmigrating, Xiao Yan fools the system, gains soul power, confronts Nalan Yanran's annulment, and accepts the Three-Year Agreement to restore Xiao Zhan's honor 1 2 4.
• Yao Lao's disciple — He exposes Yao Lao's role in his lost Dou Qi, becomes his disciple, gains Peerless Comprehension, and begins rebuilding his cultivation through ruthless training 5 7 8.
• Xiao Clan resurgence — Xiao Yan defeats Xiao Ning, becomes a Dou Zhe without Qi Gathering Powder, learns alchemy, and helps the Xiao Clan defeat the Jia Lie Clan commercially 13 14 18 20.
• Jia Nan Academy leave — Identified as an S-Grade potential student, Xiao Yan survives twenty exchanges with Instructor Ruo Lin to secure leave for outside training 21 22 23.
• Magic Beast Mountains training — He trains with the Heavy Xuan Ruler, obtains Purple Cloud Wings, survives the system's unbinding, and enters the hidden cave with Xiao Yi Xian 25 26 28 30.
• Amethyst Winged Lion King conflict — Xiao Yan treats Yun Yun, infiltrates the Lion King's cave, obtains Purple Spirit Crystal and Amethyst Companion Source, then recruits Little Zi 32 33 35.
• Qingshan Town reckoning — He rescues Xiao Yi Xian from the Ten Thousand Medicine House and annihilates the Wolf Head Mercenary Group with her support 36 37.
• Desert journey — After reaching Dou Master, Xiao Yan travels to Desert City, confronts Hai Bodong over a map fragment, and seeks access to the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's location 38 40.

Notable Quotes

“Father, three years from now, your son will ascend the Misty Cloud Sect and wipe away the humiliation you suffered today!” 4

“Wu Tan City, Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan!” 33

Trivia

• The system initially lists its host as Xiao Fan and treats “Xiao Yan” as a separate target, allowing Xiao Yan to manipulate its objectives for rewards 1 6.
• Xiao Yan's former cultivation history includes reaching Nine-Stage Dou Qi at ten and Dou Zhe at eleven before falling to Three-Stage Dou Qi between ages twelve and fifteen 21.
• He refuses to use skill points to directly raise his Dou Qi realm because sudden visible breakthroughs could make Yao Lao suspicious 30.