Xiao Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Early Genius and Decline

Xiao Yan became a Dou Zhe at twelve, making him a celebrated prodigy. His subsequent loss of Dou Qi left him languishing for three years, during which admiration gave way to ridicule and rejection. Xiao Mei, who had admired him as a child, distanced herself from him during this decline 3 7 12.

His memories of another world allow him to recognize the auction house’s unusual spiritual plants as familiar vegetables. He knows Spicy Jade as white radish and recognizes potatoes under names unfamiliar to the people around him 13 38.

Broken Engagement and Three-Year Agreement

Nalan Yanran visited the Xiao Clan to break off their engagement. Xiao Yan responded by publicly repudiating her as his wife, and the confrontation resulted in a three-year agreement. Their dispute became widely discussed in Wutan City 7.

About a year later, Xiao Yan recognized that his own public retaliation had endangered his clan by provoking the Nalan Family and Misty Cloud Sect. He privately acknowledged that his conduct had not been much better than Yanran’s, although his pride prevented him from admitting his gratitude toward her 37.

Recovery Under Yao Lao

Under Yao Lao’s guidance, Xiao Yan cultivated in Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid while eating Spicy Jade. The liquid stimulated cultivation from outside the body, while the radish nourished Dou Qi from within; their effects reinforced one another 10.

To finance further training, he proposed selling the spirit liquid through the Mittel Auction House. Yao Lao agreed after some teasing, and Xiao Yan obtained the initial capital from Xiao Xun’er. Their product competed with Xia Kong’s spiritual produce, prompting Xia Kong to introduce potatoes with stronger medicinal effects 10.

At his sixteenth-birthday coming-of-age ceremony, Xiao Yan tested as a One-Star Dou Zhe. The result restored his standing, astonished visiting guests, and left Xiao Ning envious and Xiao Mei regretful. Afterward, Xiao Zhan introduced him to Ya Fei and Xia Kong while seeking closer ties with Mittel 12 13.

Auction-House Dispute

After becoming a Dou Zhe, Xiao Yan continued selling Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to fund purchases of spiritual produce. Although the liquid no longer benefited his own cultivation, its inexpensive ingredients and strong demand made it a useful source of income 37.

When Lei Le seized a consignment, Ya Fei offered to have Mittel buy it outright for 40,000 gold coins. She subsequently agreed to sell Xiao Yan a level-two potato for 60,000 gold coins. His use of the word “spud” prompted questions about how he knew the unfamiliar term; he concealed his transmigration by attributing the knowledge to a childhood dream 37 38.

During Lei Le’s assault on Ya Fei and Xiao Qin, Xiao Yan offered assistance in exchange for priority access to future medicinal-herb supplies. Ya Fei declined. He then witnessed Xiao Qin’s rapid recovery with a tier-three blueberry and Xia Kong’s arrival on a flying magical beast 39 40.

Appearance

• Build and features: A handsome youth who stands tall and straight 12.
• Clothing: Wears black robes, including when conducting auction-house business in disguise 12 37 39.
• Disguised presentation: Conceals his figure beneath a black robe and uses Yao Lao’s voice to present himself as an elderly, reclusive alchemist 11 37.

Personality

Xiao Yan is proud of his talent and determined to reclaim the dignity lost during his decline. Xia Kong’s superior cultivation briefly undermines his confidence at the coming-of-age ceremony, but he recovers by considering how far he might have advanced without his three lost years. Xun’er’s praise of Xia Kong’s appearance also provokes a brief, playful bout of jealousy 12.

His setbacks have made him more restrained without removing his competitiveness. During the auction dispute, he worries that antagonizing Mittel could endanger the Xiao Clan. Later, despite feeling overshadowed by Xia Kong’s cultivation and soul strength, he keeps his resentment to himself 37 40.

He is resourceful and willing to bargain for cultivation opportunities. He persuades Yao Lao to support his spirit-liquid business by invoking their impending contest with Nalan Yanran, and he offers Ya Fei help on terms that would secure future resources for himself 10 39.

Abilities & Skills

Dou Qi Cultivation

• Recovered from third-stage Dou Qi to Dou Zhe in approximately one year under Yao Lao’s guidance 10 12.
• Reached Three-Star Dou Zhe shortly after his coming-of-age ceremony through combined medicinal treatment and spiritual produce 37.
• Maintained a solid Dou Qi foundation despite advancing rapidly 37.

Soul Power

• Possesses innate soul power more than twice that of an ordinary person 40.
• Assessed by Yao Lao as being in the early Mortal Realm, with a substantial hurdle before the middle stage 40.
• His spiritual strength remains well below Xia Kong’s, despite being a source of personal pride 40.

Cultivation-Resource Synergy

• Spicy Jade and Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid: Complementary internal and external effects accelerate cultivation 10.
• Level-two potato and Burning Blood Elixir: The potato tempers flesh and nourishes meridians, reducing the elixir’s normally agonizing effects while enhancing its benefits 37.
• Works with Yao Lao to obtain more produce for cultivation and research into new pill formulas; the proposed formulas have not yet been demonstrated 37.

Commerce and Concealment

• Uses sales of Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid to finance medicinal ingredients and spiritual produce 10 37.
• Conducts business under a concealed identity, with Yao Lao supplying the elderly voice 11.
• Believes his disguise has fooled Ya Fei, although she has already identified him and quietly maintains the pretense 11 13.
• Protects his transmigration secret with an invented account of dreaming about another world 38.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Ring housing Yao Lao — Allows his teacher to remain concealed and communicate with him privately 12 40.
• Black robe — Used to hide his identity during auction-house transactions 11 37.
• Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid — Yao Lao’s preparation, initially used for training and later retained as a commercial product 10 37.
• Spicy Jade — Spiritual white radish that enhances his early cultivation when combined with the spirit liquid 10.
• Qi Gathering Powder — Assisted his restored breakthrough to Dou Zhe 37.
• Burning Blood Elixir — Fourth-rank preparation used with a level-two potato for his breakthrough to Three-Star Dou Zhe 37.

Relationships

• Yao Lao / Yao Chen — Teacher and cultivation adviser. Supplies medicinal preparations, supports Xiao Yan’s business, and uses Xia Kong’s achievements to temper his disciple’s impatience 10 12 37 40.
• Xiao Zhan — Father and Xiao Clan patriarch. Supports his cultivation and proudly promotes stronger business ties after his recovery 10 12 13.
• Xiao Xun’er — Close companion who provides startup funds, teases him affectionately, and plans to investigate the spiritual plants because they interest him 10 12 13.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée and opponent in the Three-Year Agreement. Their public confrontation becomes a major motivation for his training 7 10 37.
• Ya Fei — Auction-house intermediary. Protects Xia Kong’s identity as the produce supplier and compensates Xiao Yan after his consignment is seized 13 37 38.
• Xia Kong — Fellow transmigrator and cultivation benchmark, though Xiao Yan does not know his background or role as the spiritual-produce supplier. Xia Kong’s strength repeatedly provokes admiration, jealousy, and insecurity 12 13 40.
• Xiao Yu — Clan member with whom he repeatedly argues over an earlier incident involving her bath 12.
• Xiao Ning — Envious clan peer who lacks the confidence to challenge him after his return to Dou Zhe 12.
• Xiao Mei — Former childhood admirer who scorned him during his decline and regrets her behavior after his recovery 12.

Notable Quotes

“Today, I'll reclaim every shred of dignity I lost over those years! I'll show everyone what a true genius is.”
— Internal declaration before his coming-of-age test 12

“Teacher, could you really bear to watch me lose to Nalan Yanran three years from now and let outsiders think your ability to teach a disciple is inferior to that of a mere Dou Emperor?”
— Persuading Yao Lao to help finance his cultivation 10