Yang Xiao

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Yang Xiao awakens in the corpse-collecting room of the Xiangyun County Yamen and receives the memories of the body’s original owner. He finds himself in a world where martial cultivation flourishes and demons prey upon humans. His immediate priority is survival rather than continuing the original owner’s neglect of cultivation 1.

Yang Xiao originally served as a Yamen Runner in Xiangyun County. His father, Yang Dayong, had been a renowned Head Constable and died protecting the people, allowing Yang Xiao to take his place through the County Magistrate’s support 1 66.

Before his rise, Yang Xiao financially supported the Hu family and allowed Hu Qingqing and Hu Kai to treat his belongings as their own. He ends that arrangement when Hu Qingqing attempts to take his heirloom Spring Embroidery Saber for Hu Kai’s Demon Suppression Division selection. Although Hu Kai is at the Fifth Stage of Body Forging and Yang Xiao appears to be at the Third, Yang Xiao defeats him with ease 2.

His Equipment Slot first manifests when he draws his father’s Spring Embroidery Saber. Equipping it grants perfected Basic Blade Technique, increased physical strength, and the blue Hundred-Refined Edge trait. Discovering that these effects can become permanent establishes the foundation of his subsequent cultivation strategy 1.

Yang Xiao’s first major achievements come during the Rat Calamity at Liu Family Village and the Dog Demon crisis at Wang Village. He kills demons far above what his apparent cultivation should allow, including a Ninth-Stage Dog Demon leader and a pack of thirty-seven Dog Demons. The feat earns him 460 Merit points and leads to his appointment as the Fourth Constable of Xiangyun County 4 9 11 13.

He soon eliminates the remaining demon threats around the county. He kills the Pig Demon at Li Family Hamlet, exposes Li Tie’s collaboration with the demons, defeats the Ape Demon during the attack on the County Yamen, and later kills the Bull Demon of Three-Demon Mountain. These victories transform him from an underestimated county official into the county’s leading demon slayer 26 30 35.

The Demon Suppression Division recruits Yang Xiao for service in Qingzhou. During his examination, he defeats the instructor Xiao with a restrained counterstrike and is appointed a Demon-Slaying Captain 36 38. His first mission with Xu Qingshan is the Painted-Skin case in Heishui County, where Yang Xiao kills the Painted-Skin Demon and uncovers the preserved skins of the victims 40 47.

Yang Xiao’s reputation expands during the Guanlan River campaign. He helps capture Jiang Chen, kills the peak Liquid Condensation Blackwater Mystic Flood Dragon, and strikes down the wounded Flood Dragon Lord. General Pei Xuance recommends him for promotion to Deputy General and gives him the Army-Breaking Spear 60 66 68 69.

As a Deputy General, Yang Xiao joins the Demon-Slaying Battalion and rapidly surpasses the expectations of veteran officers. He kills Bear Mountain Lord, White Ape Lord, and the peak Core Condensation Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord. His victories earn him the respect of officers who initially doubt his age and cultivation 91 96 108 116.

Yang Xiao later investigates the crisis surrounding Longwind Commandery and Black Miasma Ravine. He exposes Deputy General Han Dingshan’s failures, kills the Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord, and recovers the identity tokens of guards who died in the demon’s lair so their deaths can be recorded and their families compensated 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118.

At Sword-Hiding Mountain, Yang Xiao’s reputation earns him the honor of presenting the first weapon at the Hundred Swords Return to the Pool Gathering. The sword pool tempers the Army-Breaking Spear, while the Mind-Cleansing Cushion removes accumulated killing intent and grants him the golden Soul Cleansing trait 130 131 132.

After returning to Qingzhou, Yang Xiao exchanges 121 minor Merits for the top-tier Myriad Apertures Melt Heaven method. He uses it to form a black-and-gold Mystic Core, officially entering the Mysterious Core Realm in less than half a day 133 134 135 136 137.

His subsequent use of Demon Cores advances his physique to the late Pill-Pattern Realm. When he asks Li Hanguang for a Pill-Pattern Realm Demon King to hunt, Li refuses to authorize such a challenge and instead directs him toward the prolonged Demon Plague in Xunjiang Commandery 138 139 140.

At Tangkou Township, Yang Xiao kills the Little Dragon King and takes the Canglan Water Pattern from his Flood Dragon Core. He then uses his new control over water to return the demons’ stolen water to the fields. The grateful villagers later commission a replacement River God statue in his likeness 148 149.

Yang Xiao returns to Guanlan Commandery and continues serving under Pei Xuance. Killing the Earthsplitter Stone Kui at Blackstone Ridge wins the respect of the other Deputy Generals. He subsequently chooses the windblown-sand crisis in Baisha Commandery over another assignment involving the Canglan River, seeking an opportunity to obtain a different kind of pill pattern 153 158 159.

His investigation in Baisha leads to Heavenwind Pass, where he kills the Wind Falcon Demon King. The victory earns him the respect of Feng Weibing, Han Chuan, and the local Demon Suppression Guards, while the newly acquired Sky-Rending Wind Pattern further develops his Mystic Core 161 171.

While traveling south, Yang Xiao learns the Qi-Reading Art and investigates mysterious burning deaths in Pinewind Town. His later hunts complete a five-pattern Mystic Core. Returning to Xunjiang Commandery, he kills another Flood Dragon Lord at Tangkou Township, whose villagers interpret his intervention as their River God’s manifestation 180 189 190 191.

After receiving Pei Xuance’s guidance, Yang Xiao enters the Core Illumination Realm with five-colored illumination extending a hundred zhang. He is subsequently appointed Qingzhou’s fourteenth Demon Suppression General 195 197 199 200.

In an audience with Qin Lie, Yang Xiao learns of the suspected connection between Lotus Flower Temple, Yellow Wind Mountain, and Qingzhou’s repeated demonic calamities. Qin then assigns him to accompany General Lu Zhengyi to Sanbao Commandery to investigate a Leopard Demon’s dealings with Yellow Wind Mountain. During the ensuing operation, Yang Xiao withstands the White-Foreheaded Giant Tiger’s heavy saber attack and begins turning its weapon aside with his spear 201 202 203 206.

Appearance

Yang Xiao is a youthful, handsome martial artist whose appearance often causes others to underestimate him. He is described as looking around eighteen or nineteen, while later encounters place him in his early twenties 52 74 133.

• Calm, composed expression even during dangerous battles.
• Often seen in the black uniform of the Demon Suppression Division 38.
• Carries the black Army-Breaking Spear, whose murderous aura contrasts with its initially plain appearance 66 130.
• His body becomes exceptionally resilient after practicing Vajra Hell-Prison Body and the Ten-Thousand-Forged Demon Body 70 71 95.
• His wounds can heal with extraordinary speed, puzzling companions who witness his recovery 60 66.
• During the Guanlan River campaign, his black hair is tied high, and his dark fitted clothing emphasizes his tall, straight figure 52.
• As a Deputy General, wears a black robe and black cloak, commonly with Shadowless at his waist and the Army-Breaking Spear on his back 180 190 199.
• His appointment as a Demon Suppression General is marked by mystic armor and a red cloak 200 202.

Personality

Yang Xiao is practical and direct. He evaluates people, missions, and cultivation methods according to their usefulness rather than prestige. He chooses partners because their abilities complement his own, seeks missions with high Merit rewards, and spends resources on techniques that address specific weaknesses 40 98.

He is highly independent and rejects obligations that might control his future. He refuses the Xu Family’s proposed marriage alliance because he does not want family ties to interfere with his cultivation path 135.

Yang Xiao is calm under pressure and rarely displays fear. He willingly confronts powerful demons alone when he believes delay would endanger civilians, though senior officers repeatedly criticize the danger of his decisions 31 35 112.

Despite his ruthlessness toward demons and traitors, he has a strong sense of duty. He organizes the Xiangyun County Yamen after the Ape Demon attack, protects civilians, and ensures that fallen Demon Suppression Guards are properly identified and compensated 30 116.

His public confidence conceals occasional discomfort with attention. During his procession into Qingzhou, he appears imposing to the crowd but privately feels awkward under so many stares 68. Even after gaining enough strength to impress veteran Deputy Generals, he remains unused to their prolonged scrutiny and redirects them toward their work 195.

Yang Xiao deliberately guards against complacency. After entering Qi Gathering, he reminds himself that stronger people and higher realms remain beyond him. Pei Xuance’s overwhelming strength and the dangers surrounding Qin Lie likewise reinforce his conviction that no breakthrough is sufficient reason to stop cultivating 18 92 138.

He prefers straightforward demon hunting to complicated social dealings. Nevertheless, his pragmatism does not exclude practical compassion: after saving Tangkou Township, he uses his newly acquired water powers to restore the villagers’ fields rather than treating the demon’s death as the end of his involvement 110 149.

Abilities & Skills

Equipment Slot System

Yang Xiao possesses a mysterious Equipment Slot ability that converts manuals, weapons, Demon Cores, corpses, and other items into immediate cultivation or combat benefits.

• Instantly masters compatible martial arts and cultivation methods.
• Grants traits or prefixes associated with equipped items.
• Can permanently solidify effects after specific periods or by killing qualifying demons.
• Equipment capacity increases as Yang Xiao’s cultivation realm rises.
• Prefix Synthesis combines three compatible prefixes of the same grade into a stronger prefix.
• Analysis examines cultivation methods and incomplete martial arts, revealing ways to complete or improve them.
• Plunder can seize the Pill Pattern from a suitable Demon Core, bypassing years of cultivation.
• The system has limits: some items cannot be equipped until Yang Xiao reaches a sufficient realm, and fixed slots may require stronger demon kills to unlock 6 18 49 50 72 138.
• Initially possesses one slot, gains a second upon entering Qi Gathering, reaches four at the Aperture-Penetration stage, and unlocks a fifth after entering the Mysterious Core Realm 1 18 72 138.
• Can equip certain nonphysical influences: the pure sword intent encountered at Sword-Hiding Mountain becomes the golden Soul Cleansing trait 131.
• Can extract a compatible Demon Core’s pill pattern while the Heaven-Melting Treasure Furnace refines its remaining power. This process transfers the Little Dragon King’s Canglan Water Pattern onto Yang Xiao’s own Mystic Core 148 158.

Demon-Slaying Combat

Yang Xiao’s combat style combines perfected martial arts, refined spiritual energy, and traits optimized against Demons.

• Demon-Slaying Blade Technique reveals Demons’ vital points and increases damage against them.
• Demon-Slaying Crystal Edge improves weapon sharpness, grants a 50% bonus against Demons, and allows him to release powerful saber aura.
• Monument Splitting Palm and Mountain-Crushing Strength let him shatter bones, seal meridians, and reduce backlash from powerful strikes.
• Qi Condensation Crystal provides a sharp ranged attack formed from refined spiritual energy.
• His combat ability allows him to defeat opponents several major stages above his displayed cultivation, including the Bull Demon, White Ape Lord, and Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord 7 18 39 50 96 116.
• Demon-Subduing Soul-Calming Saber is an advanced art built upon Demon-Slaying Blade Technique. Its three forms suppress demonic power, accumulate demon-subduing baleful force, and attack the opponent’s spirit 51.
• The purple Demon-Subduing Soul-Calming trait briefly stuns demons when he draws his blade and weakens their protective Demonic Qi and healing 51.
• Later prefix synthesis produces the golden Demon-Slaying Soul-Extinction enhancement 92.

Spear Techniques

Yang Xiao uses Pei Xuance’s Army-Breaking Spear together with Mountain-Suppressing Spear Art.

• The spear can be wielded as naturally as one of his limbs.
• Mountain-Subduing gives his thrusts immense stability and force.
• The art contains five forms: Mountain-Subduing, Army-Breaking, Dragon-Pinning, Mountain-Shattering, and Sun-Piercing.
• The Army-Breaking Spear is tempered by the Sword-Hiding Mountain sword pool and becomes heavier, sharper, and more refined 66 70 72 130.
• His foundational Wind-Breaking Spear grants the white Rapid Stab trait, increasing spear attack speed by ten percent 20.
• Against the White-Foreheaded Giant Tiger, he supports the demon’s descending Azure Dragon Saber with his spear, withstands its full pressure, and rotates the shaft to guide the blade aside 206.

Body Tempering and Recovery

Yang Xiao’s body is strengthened through several overlapping methods.

• Vajra Hell-Prison Body refines Demons’ blood essence and Killing Intent into physical strength.
• Demon-Suppressing Prison allows him to absorb the essence of slain Demons and grow stronger through battle.
• The Ten-Thousand-Forged Demon Body brings his physique to the level of, and eventually beyond, Mysterious Core body cultivators.
• Flesh Cloak provides exceptionally tough flesh and rapid healing.
• His body can convert the poisonous miasma of Black Miasma Ravine into nourishment.
• He can withstand attacks that would seriously injure other cultivators and has survived wounds deep enough to expose bone 49 60 70 71 95 104 113.
• Perfected Iron Cloth Technique and Iron Armor strengthen his skin and fascia. At Body Forging Ninth Stage, a forceful strike from an ordinary saber breaks the weapon while leaving only a shallow white mark on his arm 12.
• Floating Cloud Shattering Hands grants Force Dissipation, reducing the force of impacts and internal shock injuries 26.
• The sixth transformation of the Ten-Thousand-Forged Demon Body brings his physique to the late Pill-Pattern Realm before his spiritual cultivation enters that realm 139 140.
• Equipping the Earthsplitter Stone Kui’s Demon Core grants the blue Sinking Stance prefix 158.

Movement and Tracking

• Astonishing Swan Steps grants Shadow Swoop, improving agility and producing afterimages.
• Wind-Treading Wandering Dragon Steps grants Wind Riding, allowing him to borrow the wind’s force, move rapidly, briefly remain airborne, and change direction in midair.
• Wind-Chasing Scent Tracking enhances smell, tracking, movement speed, attack speed, bursts of movement, and endurance.
• Sinking Foot stabilizes his lower body and makes him difficult to knock back 7 20 50 98 99.
• Grass-Gliding Steps grants Light Body, slightly increasing movement speed and allowing him to tread across grass without leaving traces 26.
• Equipping the Qi-Reading Art grants Qi Observation and Tracking, allowing him to detect, follow, and collect Demonic Qi. He practices the ability while traveling south and uses it during his investigation of Pinewind Town’s charred corpses 180.

Senses and Infiltration

• Spiritual Olfaction allows Yang Xiao to detect faint blood, herb, and demonic scents.
• Thousand Faces lets him copy the appearance and physique of a human he has seen; at the time of acquisition, it cannot imitate Demons.
• Howling Shriek briefly disrupts an opponent’s sight and perception.
• His enhanced senses help him detect Li Tie’s suspicious scent, track Gu Han in the Spider’s Lair, and follow fleeing Demons 20 30 49 125.
• Shadowless grants the purple Breath Concealment trait, concealing his aura and greatly reducing his presence when still 139.
• The golden Soul Cleansing trait strengthens his Dao heart, resists corruption of the soul and illusions, and permanently prevents qi deviation 131.

Lotus Platform Foundation

The Lotus Platform Mystic Body Method creates a white lotus platform within Yang Xiao’s dantian.

• Expands his Aperture network to 216 and later 360 Apertures.
• Accelerates spiritual-energy circulation by more than 50 percent.
• Strengthens his physique and vitality.
• Helps ward off evil.
• Evolves into the Greater Celestial Circuit Lotus Platform Body-Forging Method, allowing his body to refine surrounding energy with extraordinary efficiency 85 108.

Pill Patterns and Elemental Control

Yang Xiao develops his Mystic Core by seizing pill patterns from suitable Demon Cores. By the completion of his Pill-Pattern cultivation, he possesses five patterns 148 190 197.

Core Illumination

Upon entering the Core Illumination Realm, Yang Xiao coordinates his five pill patterns to produce five-colored illumination. The light tempers his body internally and extends outward, enabling him to perceive and influence the surrounding world 197.

• Establishes a hundred-zhang illumination range during his initial breakthrough.
• Stops expanding when his Mystic Core begins to strain, choosing to stabilize it rather than force a greater range.
• His five-colored light and unusually broad initial range astonish Pei Xuance 197.
• Continues studying the Core Illumination Domain after returning to Qingzhou 199.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Spring Embroidery Saber — Yang Xiao’s father’s heirloom and a symbol of his independence from the Hu family. Originally awarded to Yang Dayong for demon-slaying merits, it is the first item Yang Xiao equips and grants perfected Basic Blade Technique and Hundred-Refined Edge 1 2.
• Army-Breaking Spear — Pei Xuance’s former weapon, given to Yang Xiao after the Guanlan River campaign; later tempered by Sword-Hiding Mountain 60 66 130.
• Shadowless — A famed saber acquired during the Sword-Hiding Mountain journey. Its jet-black blade reflects almost no light, cuts without sound, and is exceptionally light compared with the Army-Breaking Spear. Equipping it grants the purple Breath Concealment trait 131 132 139.
• Qi-Gathering Bottle — Records and stores Demonic Qi used to document demon kills and calculate Battalion Merit 96 105 133.
• Old Yellow Dog’s Demonic Core — Opens three Apertures and grants Spiritual Olfaction 18.
• Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord’s core — Grants Nine-Poison Demon Essence and advances Yang Xiao’s body to the Core-Pattern Stage 116 138.
• White Ape Lord’s core — Grants Spirit Ape Mimicry and raises Yang Xiao’s body to Perfected Core Condensation 108 138.
• Myriad Apertures Melt Heaven — A top-tier Core Condensation method that forms a Mystic Core and grants Heaven-Melting Treasure Furnace 134 135 136.
• Little Dragon King’s Flood Dragon Core — Supplies the Canglan Water Pattern, enabling Yang Xiao’s entry into the Pill-Pattern Realm 148.
• Earthsplitter Stone Kui’s Demon Core — Grants the blue Sinking Stance prefix; its remaining demonic power replenishes the Heaven-Melting Treasure Furnace 158.
• Flood Dragon Lord Prince’s core and Old Flood Dragon’s core — Two cores he takes out while preparing for his Core Illumination breakthrough after receiving Pei Xuance’s advice 195.
• Mystic armor and red cloak — The official attire marking his appointment as Qingzhou’s fourteenth Demon Suppression General 200.

Relationships

• Yang Dayong — Deceased father of the original body and a renowned Xiangyun County Head Constable. His service secures Yang Xiao’s entry into the County Yamen, while his Spring Embroidery Saber becomes the first source of Yang Xiao’s Equipment Slot enhancements 1.
• Hu Qingqing — The original owner’s childhood sweetheart, who formerly treated Yang Xiao as a source of money and resources; their relationship ends when he refuses to surrender the Spring Embroidery Saber 1 2. She later witnesses his celebrated return to Qingzhou while working at an eatery, recognizing the gulf that has opened between their positions 68.
• Hu Kai — Hu Qingqing’s younger brother and Yang Xiao’s former rival. Yang Xiao defeats him despite appearing to be two cultivation stages weaker, later leaving Hu Kai unable to close the gap between them 2 17 35.
• Zhang Hu — Head Constable of Xiangyun County and an early mentor. He recognizes Yang Xiao’s potential, guides his advancement, and supports his promotion 2 6 11 13.
• Wang Dagui — Third Constable of Xiangyun County. Yang Xiao saves him during the Wang Village crisis, earning his lasting respect and gratitude 9 10 35.
• Xu Qingshan — Former mission partner and trusted friend. Xu provides cultivation advice and institutional knowledge, while Yang Xiao treats him as an equal despite their widening difference in rank 38 39 40 47 70 98 135.
• Shen Qingyang — Flag Officer who recruits Yang Xiao for the Qingzhou Demon Suppression Division and later helps organize a rescue mission when Yang Xiao enters Three-Demon Mountain alone 31 35.
• Shen Jingxian — Azure Mist City’s deputy commander. He recognizes Yang Xiao’s unusual 360-Aperture foundation and warns him that his future breakthrough will require an exceptional method 104 108 109.
• Pei Xuance — General who recommends Yang Xiao for Deputy General, gives him the Army-Breaking Spear, and gifts him the Mountain-Suppressing Spear Art 60 66 69 70. Later receives him in Guanlan Commandery, arranges opportunities for him to establish authority among the Deputy Generals, advises his Core Illumination breakthrough, and recommends him as a Demon Suppression General 153 158 195 202 203.
• Zhou Zheng — Deputy General and battlefield companion. He advocates for Yang Xiao’s recognition and promotion after witnessing his defeat of the Blackwater Mystic Flood Dragon 60 69. Rather than resenting Yang Xiao’s rapid advancement, he develops a sense of shared pride and anticipation about how far Yang Xiao may rise 140 200.
• Yan Tieyi — Demon-Slaying Battalion officer and frequent companion. He is protective of Yang Xiao but increasingly regards him as the stronger fighter 87 96 112 116 132.
• Li Tie — Second Constable who secretly cooperates with Demons and delivers villagers to them. Yang Xiao kills him after defeating the Ape Demon 20 30.
• Qin Lie — Governor-General of Qingzhou. After Yang Xiao reaches the Mysterious Core Realm, Qin mistakes him for General Pei and briefly attempts to protect him 137 138. Later briefs him on the suspected origins of Qingzhou’s Demon Plague and assigns him to investigate Sanbao Commandery alongside Lu Zhengyi 201 202 203.
• Li Hanguang — Senior Demon-Slaying Battalion official who assigns missions and handles Yang Xiao’s advancement. He refuses Yang Xiao’s request to hunt a Pill-Pattern Demon King, directs him toward Xunjiang Commandery, and later informs him of his promotion to General 140 199.
• Lu Changgeng — General who sends Yang Xiao and Yan Tieyi to Sword-Hiding Mountain with a treasured sword. He later reassesses Yang Xiao’s talent as comparable to Pei Xuance’s and witnesses his strength during the events involving the Hundred-Footed Golden Centipede King 119 186 189.
• Shao Tianheng — Sword-Hiding Mountain leader who regards the mountain’s gifts as payment rather than a settlement of his personal gratitude. He promises Yang Xiao that the mountain’s gates will remain open to him and offers future aid 132.
• Lu Chenyue — Ally during the battle with the Jade-Ridge Silkweaver Spider. She assists Yang Xiao and thanks him after he defeats it 125.
• Xu Mingting — Xu Family direct descendant who seeks a closer relationship with Yang Xiao. Yang Xiao’s growing reputation causes him to reassess the family’s approach and decide that Xu Qingshan should be treated better 121 132 201.
• Lü Heng and Han Chuan — Deputy Generals whose respect Yang Xiao earns through his victories at Blackstone Ridge and Baisha. Han Chuan’s later deference contrasts with his earlier doubts, while Lü Heng increasingly places Yang Xiao alongside Pei Xuance in his estimation 158 171 190 195.
• Feng Weibing — Baisha Commandery officer who initially doubts the young Deputy General. Yang Xiao’s defeat of the Wind Falcon Demon King wins his recognition and that of the local guards 161 171.
• Tangkou Township’s villagers — Civilians Yang Xiao frees from the Little Dragon King and helps by restoring water to their fields. They erect a River God statue in his likeness and later interpret his defeat of another Flood Dragon Lord as divine intervention 148 149 191.
• Lu Zhengyi — Veteran Core Illumination General assigned to accompany Yang Xiao to Sanbao Commandery. He accepts the arrangement but explicitly intends to assess whether Yang Xiao deserves Pei Xuance’s recommendation 202 203.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Xiangyun County

Yang Xiao breaks from the exploitative Hu family, joins the Demon Suppression Division selection, and begins accumulating Merit through demon hunts. His victories over the Rat Demons, Dog Demons, Pig Demon, Ape Demon, and Bull Demon establish him as Xiangyun County’s strongest protector 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35.

His rise begins with the discovery that equipping his father’s saber provides permanent martial benefits. He develops a repeatable cycle of killing demons for Merit, exchanging Merit for manuals and resources, solidifying their effects, and then seeking stronger demons 1 7.

Entry into the Demon Suppression Division

After entering Qingzhou, Yang Xiao passes the Demon-Slaying Captain examination and gains access to superior manuals, missions, and cultivation resources. His partnership with Xu Qingshan begins during the Painted-Skin case 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49.

During that investigation, Zhao Peng leads him into an ambush by Straw-Cloak Ghosts at the Black Water River. Yang Xiao destroys the ghosts, recognizes the trap, and returns to the County Yamen, where he and Xu Qingshan continue uncovering the Painted-Skin Demon’s operation 42 43.

Guanlan River Campaign

Yang Xiao captures Jiang Chen and helps kill the Blackwater Mystic Flood Dragon and Flood Dragon Lord. The campaign earns him the highest Merit and leads to his promotion to Deputy General 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69.

Before departing, he spends 500 Merit on Demon-Subduing Soul-Calming Saber. Its suppression of demonic defenses and healing becomes an important addition to his combat methods 51 59.

Demon-Slaying Battalion

As a Deputy General, Yang Xiao joins the Demon-Slaying Battalion and establishes his authority over veteran Captains. He later kills Bear Mountain Lord, White Ape Lord, and the Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord, gaining both recognition and powerful cultivation materials 74 75 86 96 108 116.

His first assignment after subduing the Captains concerns Golden Buddha Temple, which is suspected of spreading disease and exploiting the sick. Resolving that case helps establish his standing before Zhou Zheng introduces him to the Demon-Slaying Battalion 75 86 87.

Longwind Commandery and Black Miasma Ravine

Yang Xiao helps expose Han Dingshan’s negligence and enters Black Miasma Ravine, where he kills the Nine-Poison Scorpion Lord and recovers the identity tokens of fallen Demon Suppression Guards 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118.

His ability to absorb and refine poison neutralizes the ravine’s chief environmental danger. During the final confrontation, his body withstands the Scorpion Lord’s stinger, and he drives the Army-Breaking Spear through its heart before collecting its core and Demonic Qi 115.

Sword-Hiding Mountain

Yang Xiao participates in the Hundred Swords Return to the Pool Gathering, where Sword-Hiding Mountain honors him as the first weapon bearer. The sword pool tempers the Army-Breaking Spear, while the Mind-Cleansing Cushion clears his accumulated killing intent 130 131 132.

The journey also includes his defeat of the Jade-Ridge Silkweaver Spider with Lu Chenyue and Yan Tieyi assisting. His detection of Gu Han’s scent in its cave raises suspicions concerning Xu Qinglan’s absence 125.

His rewards include the golden Soul Cleansing trait and the famed saber Shadowless. Before he leaves, Shao Tianheng offers him continuing personal assistance beyond the mountain’s formal payment 131 132.

Formation of the Mystic Core

After rejecting the Xu Family’s marriage proposal, Yang Xiao obtains Myriad Apertures Melt Heaven. He merges his 360 Apertures into a black-and-gold Mystic Core and enters the Mysterious Core Realm, then begins exploiting Demon Cores to acquire Pill-Pattern-level power 134 135 136 137 138.

Further refinement advances the Ten-Thousand-Forged Demon Body to its sixth transformation and gives him a late Pill-Pattern Realm physique. Equipping Shadowless also supplies Breath Concealment, addressing the increasingly conspicuous aura produced by his cultivation 139 140.

Xunjiang Commandery and Tangkou Township

Li Hanguang directs Yang Xiao toward Xunjiang Commandery’s persistent Demon Plague after refusing his request for a Demon King hunt 140.

Yang Xiao kills the Little Dragon King at Tangkou Township and seizes the Canglan Water Pattern, formally entering the Pill-Pattern Realm. Rather than departing immediately after the battle, he uses his new elemental control to restore the fields’ water. The villagers subsequently replace their River God idol with a statue modeled on him 148 149.

Guanlan Commandery and Baisha’s Sand Crisis

Returning to Pei Xuance’s command, Yang Xiao faces renewed scrutiny from veteran Deputy Generals. His defeat of the Earthsplitter Stone Kui at Blackstone Ridge establishes his strength and wins their respect 153 158.

He selects Baisha Commandery’s sand crisis because its conditions offer a better opportunity to gain a new pill pattern than another water-related assignment. Investigating buried outposts, he detects an unnatural flow of sand before Sand Crystal Rats ambush the party 159 161.

The operation culminates in his defeat of the Wind Falcon Demon King at Heavenwind Pass. Feng Weibing and the guards bring the corpse back to Baisha, where Yang Xiao receives two days of hospitality and tests his newly obtained Sky-Rending Wind Pattern 171.

Five Patterns and Core Illumination

Traveling south, Yang Xiao equips the Qi-Reading Art and investigates the unexplained deaths of more than a hundred Pinewind Town residents whose bodies have been charred 180.

His subsequent gains culminate in the Slaying-Edge Gold Pattern and a five-pattern Mystic Core. He returns to Xunjiang Commandery, where Pei Xuance is keeping watch over the Old Flood Dragon in the Canglan River. At Tangkou Township, Yang Xiao kills the Flood Dragon Lord after it threatens the villagers before their River God statue 189 190 191.

After the Old Flood Dragon’s defeat, Yang Xiao seeks Pei Xuance’s advice on Core Illumination. He then cycles all five patterns together, achieves five-colored illumination, and stabilizes its outward range at a hundred zhang 195 197.

Demon Suppression General and Sanbao Commandery

Yang Xiao’s Core Illumination breakthrough leads to his appointment as Qingzhou’s fourteenth Demon Suppression General, with mystic armor and a red cloak marking his new office 199 200.

Qin Lie’s subsequent audience reveals the suspected role of Lotus Flower Temple in nurturing Yellow Wind Mountain and provoking Qingzhou’s repeated demon incursions. Yang Xiao is then ordered to join Lu Zhengyi in investigating the Leopard Demon’s connection to Yellow Wind Mountain in Sanbao Commandery, an assignment that also tests his suitability for his new rank 201 202 203.

During the operation, the White-Foreheaded Giant Tiger attacks him with the Azure Dragon Saber bestowed by the Yellow Wind Demon King. Yang Xiao withstands the descending blade and begins redirecting it with the Army-Breaking Spear rather than being overwhelmed by the demon’s strength 206.

Notable Quotes

“From today on, the affairs of the Hu family have nothing to do with me.” 2

“I’m good at killing demons.” 52

“Cultivation is my own affair.” 135

“If I can’t even decide my own future, what’s the point of cultivating so hard?” 135

“It’s still not enough. This is only the beginning. There are always people beyond people, and heavens beyond heavens.” 18

Trivia

• Yang Xiao’s advancement from an ordinary County Yamen Runner to Deputy General occurs in less than a year 66 135.
• He keeps the source of his Equipment Slot ability secret, attributing his rapid growth to talent when questioned by Fatty Sun 66.
• His 360-Aperture foundation is far beyond the Demon Suppression Division’s standard 108-Aperture method 70 108.
• He often values Demon Cores and useful materials more than public recognition, even after killing powerful Demon Lords 96.
• The Xu Family’s marriage proposal is motivated by both his cultivation talent and Pei Xuance’s favor toward him 135.
• The original owner had spent much of his wages and family savings supporting Hu Qingqing and Hu Kai rather than cultivating 1.
• His first Equipment Slot reward can become permanent either after twenty-four hours or by killing a single Body Forging demon, encouraging him to seek combat rather than simply wait 1 3.
• He initially overlooks the Demon-Slaying Battalion’s practice of collecting Demonic Qi for Merit, requiring Bear Mountain Lord’s corpse, core, and witnesses to substantiate that kill 96.
• Shadowless’s permanent binding condition is one year of equipment time or the death of one Mysterious Core Realm demon 139.
• Tangkou Township worships a River God statue made in his likeness after he kills the Little Dragon King and restores water to its fields 149 191.
• Pei Xuance tells him to conduct his Core Illumination breakthrough farther from the encampment because his cultivation disturbances are too large 195.
• His initial Core Illumination already extends a hundred zhang and displays five colors, surprising even Pei Xuance 197.

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