Zi Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Zi Yan became separated from her father, Zhu Kun, when he fell into Tou She Ancient God's trap. He managed to send her out before being imprisoned himself. Growing up without either parent, she fought magical beasts for food and medicinal materials while trying to improve her cultivation and discover her origins. Su Qian found her alone in the forest, frequently bruised from those fights, and took pity on her 110 115 116.

At Jia Nan Academy, she became the Inner Academy's strongest ranked student. Her strength frightened other Strong Ranking students, while her habit of raiding medicinal stores troubled the academy's elders. Despite her royal ancestry, she did not know she was an Ancient Void Dragon until Xiao Yan identified her bloodline 107 108 109.

After taking Xiao Yan's specially prepared Dou Ling Pill, she was caught and restrained by his poisonous flames. He released her after she promised to behave. She asked to follow him because his pills tasted good and her instincts told her she would feel comfortable around him. Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian agreed to let her stay, and Xiao Yan invited her into the Dao Sect 107 108.

While guarding Xiao Yan during his three-month cultivation in the Lava World, Zi Yan heard a voice claiming to be her father. Initially dismissive, she became hopeful when it recognized her race. Once Xiao Yan finished cultivating, they descended to investigate 110 111.

They eventually found Zhu Kun chained near Tou She Ancient God's Cave Mansion. Zi Yan angrily defended Xiao Yan when Zhu Kun admitted that, without fear of Xiao Yan's backing, he might have killed him. Nevertheless, seeing her father's imprisonment moved her to ask for his rescue. At Xiao Yan's request, the Old Lord freed Zhu Kun, who then left to reunify the divided Ancient Void Dragon Clan while entrusting Zi Yan to Xiao Yan 115 116.

Appearance

• Initial human form: A petite, childlike girl with fair skin, pale-purple eyes, purple hair, and short limbs. This appearance resulted from accidentally eating transformation grass too early 107 108 136.
• Mature human form: A young woman with a slender, curving figure, purple eyes, and purple hair reaching her hips. She first appears in this form wearing a purple-and-gold robe 136.
• Dragon form: A huge Ancient Void Dragon covered in pale-purple scales. Her first revealed body measures several dozen zhang long; at the Four Pavilions confrontation, she becomes a dragon nearly one hundred meters long 136 165.
• Visible tail: Her dragon tail can emerge while she is otherwise humanoid, often swishing or wagging when she is excited 138 148.
• Preferred appearance: After spending time in her mature form, she voluntarily returns to her childlike appearance and states that she can change her size whenever she wants 144 149.

Personality

Zi Yan is outspoken, proud of her ancestry, and quick to retaliate against insults. She boasts about her strength, objects fiercely to Ancient Void Dragons being discussed as mounts, and attacks an auction attendee who dismisses her appearance. Her attempts to look intimidating are frequently undercut by a childish roar or Xiao Yan's teasing 136 138 152 165.

Pills are both her favorite food and a powerful incentive. She changes from protesting a shoulder massage to enthusiastically cooperating when Xiao Yan threatens to halve her supply. She also uses feigned tears to persuade him to refine medicinal materials and steals ingredients through space to obtain more pills 118 152 160.

Beneath her stubbornness, she longs for affection and fears being unwanted because of her appetite. She claims to resent her absent father but asks Xiao Yan to save him once she understands his circumstances. Before returning to her clan, she tearfully thanks Xiao Yan for taking her in and feeding her without rejecting her for eating too much 110 115 166.

Her loyalty is explicit: she refuses to abandon Xiao Yan while the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan threatens him. She also mischievously ranks his companions in a mock “harem contest,” placing herself and Qing Lin jointly fourth until Xiao Yan interrupts 156 159.

Abilities & Skills

Spatial Manipulation

Her Ancient Void Dragon bloodline grants unusually advanced control over space even at Dou Wang cultivation 107.

• Opens a spatial slit to take a pill without entering Xiao Yan's pavilion conventionally 107.
• Moves across a courtyard with a spatial ripple, startling Xiao Yi Xian into briefly mistaking her for a Dou Zong expert 108.
• Sends her fist through the void to strike a distant auction attendee, then pulls him back before her 138.
• Removes medicinal ingredients from a storehouse through space and attempts to escape into the void when confronted 160.
• Xiao Yan judges her early spatial control superior even to Cai Lin's at that time. He expects her to be capable of crossing the void bodily once she reaches Dou Zun; this is a projected ability, not an achieved realm 107.

Physical Strength and Close Combat

Zi Yan primarily demonstrates her strength through punches, grappling, and direct attacks 109 138.

• Beats numerous Strong Ranking students so thoroughly that they fear her name 109.
• Previously leaves Lin Yan bruised and unwilling to challenge her beyond arguing 118.
• Sends an insulting auction attendee flying with one spatially delivered punch 138.
• Strikes a whip-wielding Luo Family woman in Tianya City 151.
• Remains outmatched by Xiao Yan, who can restrain her attacks and prevent her escape 136 160.

Royal Dragon Bloodline

Her bloodline belongs to the royal line of the Ancient Void Dragon Clan 116.

• Her presence in the Lava World allows Zhu Kun to recognize and contact her from his imprisonment 110.
• Her released aura frightens a Heavenly Demon Phoenix elder through the natural bloodline suppression between their races 155.
• Her lineage does not make her immune to stronger, otherworldly pressure: the sealed Nine Nether Sparrow leaves her barely able to withstand its aura 112.

Transformation

The Transformation Pill restores access to forms restricted by her premature consumption of transformation grass 136.

• Assumes her true dragon body and a mature human form 136.
• Can voluntarily return to her smaller appearance 144 149.
• Her initial childlike body is described as a restraint on her combat potential 136.

Medicinal Energy Absorption

Zi Yan consumes medicinal materials and pills to strengthen herself 107.

• Absorbs enough energy from one enhanced Dou Ling Pill to advance four Dou Wang stars 107.
• Briefly struggles with the pill's surging energy, becoming red and scorching hot before suppressing the reaction 107.
• Benefits from Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva and the concentrated energy of the Heavenly Eye Blood Pool 140 163.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Heavenly Demon Phoenix bone claws — Obtained from the peak seventh-rank corpse Xiao Yan buys at Black Emperor City's auction. Zi Yan proposes making its bone spurs into knuckle dusters; the bone claws are later identified as her newest weapons 138 140 148.
• Ancient Void Dragon cultivation methods — Given to her by Zhu Kun during their reunion 115.
• Spiritual fruits — Supplied by Zhu Kun while he is still imprisoned 115.
• Storage ring and pill bottles — Used to preserve her pill supplies. Before her departure, Xiao Yan adds another year's worth of pills, bringing her combined reserves to roughly three years 161 166.

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Protector, pill supplier, and the companion to whom she is most openly attached. He identifies her origins, helps reunite her with Zhu Kun, and promises to refine pills for her for the rest of her life 107 115 166.
• Zhu Kun — Father and Ancient Void Dragon Clan leader. Her resentment over his absence gives way to concern once she learns how he was trapped; she later agrees to return to the clan 115 116 159.
• Su Qian — Academy elder who took pity on her when she was alone in the forest. Their relationship includes frequent arguments over her behavior and appetite 109 116.
• Xiao Yi Xian — Affectionate older-sister figure who lets her stay, indulges her request to taste Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva, and provides refuge when Xiao Yan teases her 108 138 148.
• Xiao Xun'er / Gu Xun'er — Recognizes her race and agrees to her staying with Xiao Yan. Zi Yan later declares Xun'er the undisputed principal wife in her mock rankings 108 156.
• Qing Lin — Close friend and frequent conversation partner. Zi Yan places them jointly fourth in her mock contest 149 152 156.
• Hei Qing — Clan representative who addresses her as the young lady, relays Zhu Kun's instructions, and helps escort her home 159 163 166.
• Feng Qing'er — Member of the rival Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. Before leaving, Zi Yan promises not to eat her but warns her against divided loyalties or making Xiao Yan unhappy 166.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Transformation and Black Emperor City

Xiao Yan fulfills his earlier promise of a Transformation Pill, allowing Zi Yan to shed the restrictions on her body. By this point, the completed Inner Academy competition lists Xiao Yan first, Xiao Xun'er second, Zi Yan third, and Xiao Yi Xian fourth 118 136.

She then accompanies Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian to Black Emperor City. Her spatial attack draws the Black Emperor Sect's attention, while Xiao Yan purchases a Heavenly Demon Phoenix corpse for her future weapons. After processing it, he supplies her with Bodhi Body-Transforming Saliva to support a breakthrough 138 140.

Journey to the Central Plains

Zi Yan travels with Xiao Yan's party through Tianya City's Space Wormhole, gathering rare medicinal materials and persuading him to refine them aboard their ship. During the voyage, she publicly identifies herself as an Ancient Void Dragon after objecting to Ye Xinlan's discussion of the clan as mounts 151 152.

Heavenly Eye Blood Pool

After Hei Qing explains that Zhu Kun wants her to return for further development, she begins stockpiling Xiao Yan's pills for the separation. Xiao Yan takes her to the Heavenly Eye Blood Pool, where cultivating in its depths raises her to Peak Dou Emperor. Hei Qing and nearly a thousand Ancient Void Dragon Guards gather outside and kneel to welcome her 159 161 163.

Four Pavilions Confrontation and Departure

At Xiao Yan's signal, Zi Yan reveals her dragon form during the confrontation with the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. Hei Qing announces Zhu Kun's return and the defeat of the three rebellious Dragon Kings, making the clan's restored strength public 165 166.

Zi Yan then departs with more than a thousand Ancient Void Dragons. Her parting declaration that she dislikes the Yellow Springs Pavilion alarms its venerable, demonstrating the political weight of her position as the clan's Little Princess 166.

Notable Quotes

“I hate him, but I don't blame him.”
— Explaining why she wants Zhu Kun rescued despite resenting his absence 115.

“I've always stood by my friends. Abandoning him to enemies on every side and washing my hands of him is something I simply cannot do!!!”
— Refusing to leave Xiao Yan amid the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan's threats 159.

“Only you took me in, refined pills for me, and didn't mind how much Zi Yan ate...”
— To Xiao Yan before returning to her clan 166.