Old Lord

Biodata

Background / History

The Old Lord watched Xiao Yan for years from within his Storage Ring. When Xiao Yan finally confronted him, he mistook him for Yao Chen and offered to help him obtain a new body and take revenge. The Old Lord corrected him, revealed that he knew Xiao Yan was a transmigrator, and accepted him as a disciple after judging his character sound 4.

His incarnation has grown weaker because this world cannot sustain it, rather than because he was wounded. He therefore gives Xiao Yan tools and instruction suited to his current strength instead of handing over his greater treasures 4 5.

Appearance

• Manifests from the ring as pale green smoke that gathers into an old man, often seated cross-legged in midair 4 11.
• Has a beard and carries a horsetail whisk 4 7.

Personality

The Old Lord is generous with instruction but quick to tease Xiao Yan’s impatience and modest requests. He insists that mastery of the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts must come step by step, and he measures Xiao Yan’s achievements against powers far beyond the continent’s usual ranks 7 11 32.

Abilities & Skills

Cultivation instruction

• Transmits the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts to Xiao Yan, initially giving him the Vajra Art and Darksteel Staff Technique rather than its more demanding abilities 5.
• Explains that Xiao Yan must develop Qi Fire into Essence Fire and Divine Fire before uniting the three to master the complete art 11.
• Gives Ling Ying a brief explanation of Shadow Art that profoundly deepens his understanding of his cultivation 5.
• Warns that a Heavenly Soldier battle formation would require tens of thousands of carefully chosen people training as one 28.

Alchemy and fire

• Demonstrates pill refining with the Eight Trigrams Furnace and gives Xiao Yan a strand of Qi Fire drawn from the Samadhi True Fire 7.
• Teaches Xiao Yan how the furnace’s eight positions provide different kinds of heat for refinement 44.
• Refines a pill for Queen Medusa’s bloodline using the enormous furnace and multiple fires. The pill develops rudimentary intelligence and tries to escape before he seals it 44 45.
• His demonstration leaves a spreading fire in the northern Tagor Desert that even Dou Emperors cannot extinguish 45.

Perception and control

• Reads Xiao Yan’s thoughts and detects a nearby expert whom he estimates to be a Peak Dou Sheng by the continent’s ranks 5 17.
• Recognizes traces of an ancient Poison Marsh beneath Xiao Yi Xian’s valley, then gathers spiritual energy to rekindle the conditions from which a Netherworld Poison Flame forms 22.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Eight Trigrams Furnace — his alchemy furnace; he also gives Xiao Yan a smaller black sub-cauldron for practice 7 44.
• Mystic Staff — a smaller ruler forged by Yu the Great, given to Xiao Yan as a weapon he can handle 4 5.
• Marrow-Cleansing Pill — given to Xiao Yan to rebuild his body and establish a cultivation foundation 5.
• Rainbow Flight Art — an improved flying technique he makes for Xiao Yan using a drop of Ancient Golden Crow blood essence; it grows stronger with its user 23.
• Banana Leaf Fan — given to Xiao Yan to stoke the furnace; a single sweep produces immense winds 44 45.

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — disciple whom he equips, trains, protects, and regularly teases 4 5 32.
• Ling Ying — Xiao Yan’s secret watcher; the Old Lord tests his intentions, then offers guidance in Shadow Art 5.

Notable Quotes

“If you can master the Cultivation Methods I gave you, you’ll be unbeatable among your peers, perhaps even able to fight above your level.” 21

“When you go out, don’t tell anyone you’re my disciple. I’d be too embarrassed.” 32