Yang Jian

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Yang Jian (杨锏)
Alias(es)	Boss, Brother Yang, Little Jian, Old Yang 1 2 11
Gender	Male
Age	Fifteen; one month older than Dai Mubai 2
Affiliation	Shrek Academy 1 5
Occupation/Role	Soul master; Flender’s disciple; informal leader of Shrek’s students 2 3 11
Martial Souls	Xiaotian, an external golden puppy martial soul; a second martial soul whose identity is unrevealed 1 16
Innate Soul Power	Level 0.5 14 16
Current Soul Power	Level 51, with only four soul rings; cannot fully unleash his accumulated power without a fifth ring 26 29
Status	Alive 29
First Appearance	Shrek Academy’s dormitory clearing 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Level 36 — Soul Elder	3	Reached at age twelve. Flender states that Spirit Hall’s subsidy records can verify the achievement.
Level 40 — Quasi-Soul Ancestor	1 2	Reached before the opening confrontation. Still needs a fourth soul ring to become a Soul Ancestor.
Accumulated level-44 soul power	1 2 4	Yu Xiaogang’s anger grants four levels in total. Yang uses Mysterious Heaven Skill to control the sudden influx; his existing rings also receive substantial age increases.
Accumulated level-45 soul power	4	Gains another level while bringing the previous surge under control.
Accumulated level-46 soul power	3 4	Another reward from Yu Xiaogang raises his reserves to level 46. Yang begins taking dragon-blooded whale glue to strengthen his body.
Temporary level-79 Soul Saint power	11 12	Uses a Soul Power Experience Card lasting ten minutes, allowing him to attempt Tsukuyomi against the Three-Headed Flood Dragon Wolf King.
Purple–purple–black ring configuration revealed	13 16	His companions previously knew his rings as yellow–purple–purple. System rewards genuinely increased their ages; an additional reward grants his first martial soul a trace of draconic nature.
Fourth ring acquired — Soul Ancestor; level 48 confirmed	17 18 19 20	Absorbs the Wolf King’s ring, later described as slightly over 47,000 years old. Unlocks Sacred Dragon Tail Sweep and withstands level-71 pressure without summoning Xiaotian.
Level 49	25 26	A further soul-power reward follows Yu Xiaogang’s anger during the Peerless Dragon Snake confrontation.
Accumulated level-51 soul power	26 29	Emotional rewards during the battle raise his reserves to 51. He remains a four-ring Soul Ancestor until he obtains a fifth ring.
Further ring and overall-strength enhancements	27	Meng Shu’s desperation adds 1,000 years to every current soul ring. Zhao Wuji’s joy subsequently grants a 10% increase in Yang’s overall strength.

Background / History

Yang Jian has lived two lives and retains memories of stories and characters from his previous life. His recollections also let him recognize changes to the course of events: he knows that his presence prompted Flender to invite Yu Xiaogang to Shrek earlier than otherwise expected 4 7 27.

Flender originally kept Yang beside him despite his level-0.5 innate soul power, partly because of his unusual external martial soul and the academy’s need for land in his village. Yang developed into a level-36 Soul Elder by twelve, but largely educated himself through books rather than relying on Shrek’s theoretical instruction. The academy’s principal practical contribution was helping hunt dragon-blooded soul beasts for Xiaotian 3 5 14.

For three years, Yang could no longer obtain rewards from the people around him after repeatedly exhausting their emotional responses. His cultivation slowed to approximately four levels over that period, prompting rumors that he had depleted his talent. Yu Xiaogang’s arrival reactivated a lucrative source of system rewards 1 5 17 21.

Appearance

• Handsome teenage youth: Ning Rongrong finds his looks and slightly wicked manner attractive 22.
• Mischievous grin: His companions recognize it as a warning that someone is about to fall victim to his schemes 6 17.
• Jade-colored hands: Mysterious Heaven Skill produces jade-colored soul power around his hands; Heavenly Mystic Jade Hand makes them resemble exceptionally hard jade when activated 2 4.

Personality

Yang is sharp-tongued, irreverent, and unwilling to accept authority on reputation alone. He challenges Yu Xiaogang’s explanations, mocks Flender openly, and deliberately provokes strong reactions because they can produce system rewards. He conceals the system’s existence, even offering misleading explanations for his improved soul rings 1 6 16 23.

His confidence is backed by preparation. During his slow cultivation period, he trains nearly all day; before pursuing an unusually old fourth ring, he strengthens his body with whale glue. In battle, he coordinates support, considers retreat, and avoids exposing himself unnecessarily even when victory appears assured 4 6 11 27.

His loyalty has limits. He protects Ning Rongrong from Tang San’s needles and treats Ma Hongjun’s Evil Fire, but initially refuses to risk himself merely to preserve Oscar’s soul beast or Shrek’s reputation. He describes much of his relationship with the academy as mutually beneficial rather than an unconditional obligation 2 7 24.

Yang can also be ruthless. He prolongs Meng Shu’s final moments to collect emotional rewards, rejects his pleas for mercy, and does not object to Flender killing Meng Yiran to prevent future retaliation. Conversely, he accepts Oscar’s sincere apology after briefly teasing him 27 28 29.

Abilities & Skills

Emotion-Based System

Yang receives rewards when other people’s emotions meet the system’s criteria 1 2.

• Reward types: Soul power, older soul rings, techniques, physical enhancements, consumables, weapons, and special items 1 4 9 20 25.
• Emotional triggers: Anger, jealousy, admiration, excitement, fear, and desperation can all qualify 1 9 20 27.
• Diminishing returns: Familiar reactions may cease to register after repeated exploitation. Yang experiences a three-year reward drought and later finds ordinary surprise insufficient to reward him from Dai Mubai 1 19.
• Particularly valuable targets: Yu Xiaogang and Tang San repeatedly provide useful rewards; Yang deliberately plans to cultivate their reactions 20 25.
• Guaranteed soul-bone drop: One reward ensures that his next soul-beast hunt produces a powerful, appropriately suited soul bone 6 10.

Xiaotian and Draconic Soul Skills

Xiaotian is a separately manifested golden puppy martial soul. Yang privately identifies him as a Golden Sacred Dragon cub, rather than the dog-like equivalent of Yu Xiaogang’s Luo Sanpao 1.

• Dragon-blooded diet: Yang feeds Xiaotian dragon flesh, blood, and other suitable resources despite Yu Xiaogang’s objections 1 3 5 28.
• Detection: Xiaotian locates powerful dragon-blooded soul beasts, including the Three-Headed Flood Dragon Wolf King 10.
• Communication: Yang understands Xiaotian’s vocalizations, unlike the other students 19.
• Draconic development: Xiaotian develops increasingly prominent golden scales and dragon hair as Yang advances 4 18 19.

Skill	Effects and documented use
Holy Light Baptism — Second Soul Skill	Xiaotian fires an enormous holy-light projectile. Repeated cannonballs overwhelm the retreating Meng Shu’s defenses 26 27.
Holy Dragon Impact Cannon	Used with temporary level-79 soul power against the Wolf King. Xiaotian’s attack obliterates its upper body 13 14.
Sacred Dragon Tail Sweep — Fourth Soul Skill	Enlarges Xiaotian and produces a dragon tail several meters long. Knocks targets back and stuns them for two and a half seconds, potentially two and a half minutes with luck; sends Flender flying during its first demonstration 18 19.

Yang also possesses a second martial soul. Yu Xiaogang guesses its existence but incorrectly uses it to explain away the genuinely increased ages of Yang’s rings as a simulation 16.

Mysterious Heaven Skill

An upgraded internal cultivation method that maintains an ongoing cycle of vitality 1.

• Continuously restores soul power 1.
• Gradually heals injuries that do not kill the practitioner in a single blow 1.
• Helps Yang regulate dangerous surges of newly acquired soul power 2.

Heavenly Mystic Jade Hand

An upgraded hand technique received through Tang San’s negative emotions 4.

• Makes Yang’s hands exceptionally hard and immune to fire and poison while active 4.
• Allows him to catch attacks stronger than himself barehanded; he intercepts all five needles aimed at Ning Rongrong 4 7.
• Combined with his hidden-weapon knowledge, enables extremely fast throws of the Dragon-Subduing Nail and Leifeng Pagoda 25.

Ten Thousand Sounds Enter the Heart

An enhanced sensory technique acquired after saving Ning Rongrong 7.

• Detects direction, heartbeats, internal energy flow, footstep weight, movement trajectories, and object shapes amid noise 7.
• Yang relies on exceptional hearing to direct Xiaotian after Tsukuyomi leaves his vision impaired 13.

Tsukuyomi

An eye technique that draws a target into a mental world whose passage of time Yang can manipulate 9.

• Temporarily immobilizes the Wolf King and interrupts its sonic attack, creating an opening for his allies 12 13.
• Learning it strengthens his mental power, improving his resistance to the Wolf King’s lingering soul during ring absorption 17.
• Each use damages his eyes. Prolonged control of the Wolf King causes bleeding and threatens permanent injury 9 12 13.
• His normal three-ring strength is insufficient for safely attempting it against that opponent; the temporary Soul Saint power makes the attempt possible, not effortless 12.

Ultimate Flame

Created when three system-rewarded wisps of Ma Hongjun’s Evil Fire fuse 9.

• Fueled by Yang’s soul power and does not extinguish while that supply persists 9 27.
• Described by the system as capable of burning all things 9.
• Used to kill Meng Shu; rolling in sand and dirt fails to smother it 27.

Movement and Hidden Weapons

• Snow-Treading Without a Trace: An upgraded movement technique used to approach Meng Shu through explosion-generated mist 26 27.
• Returning throwing knives: Yang wins the leaf-catching wager by revealing knives that have returned to his hands with the wager’s leaves attached 9.
• Needle targeting: Strikes one of the Wolf King’s eyes with thirteen silver needles to provoke eye contact before using Tsukuyomi 12.
• Divine Hidden Weapon Compendium: Gives him records of hidden weapons’ power, firing techniques, and manufacture 20 25.

Medicine and Physical Conditioning

• Acupuncture: Releases Ma Hongjun’s Evil Fire, removing his need to manage it through visits to pleasure houses 2 4.
• Whale-glue conditioning: Uses whale rubber and dragon-blooded whale glue to prepare his body for unusually old soul rings 4 10.
• Physical resilience: Resists level-71 Soul Saint pressure without revealing his martial soul 18.
• Later strength: After reaching accumulated level 51, believes his physical strength alone is sufficient to kill Chao Tianxiang 29.

Other System Enhancements

• Temporary Strength Amplification: Doubles the power of the current soul skill 9.
• Food God’s favor: Receives a trace of divine essence and the Food God’s attention following Oscar’s emotional collapse 19.
• Physical-strength increase: Receives a 10% increase from Ma Hongjun’s intense excitement and admiration 20.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Thirty-Six Heavenly Stems Jade Belt — Upgraded storage belt used to hold medicines, conditioning materials, and special items 2 4 11 27.
• Dragon-Subduing Nail — Impales Meng Shu and suppresses his available soul power to Soul Emperor level. Removing it does not immediately end the suppression 25 26.
• Leifeng Pagoda — Enlarges to imprison Chao Tianxiang. Zhao Wuji cannot move it with his attack; Yang initially does not know how long it can hold her 25 26 29.
• Persona Mask — Black-and-white, silk-like mask that imitates any human. Greater resemblance permits greater strength, capped at level 85 Soul Douluo; duration depends on Yang’s reserves, with extremely high consumption 27.
• Replication Mirror — Can perfectly copy an attack once 9.
• Level-79 Soul Saint Soul Power Experience Card — Consumed to grant ten minutes of Soul Saint-level soul power during the Wolf King battle 11 12.
• Wolf King Head Soul Bone — Crown-shaped, multicolored bone enhanced by the system to 60,000 years. Offered as Yang’s stake in his wager with Yu Xiaogang; its absorption is not documented 14 15 16 17.
• External Soul Bone Upgrade Card — Grants an external soul bone one comprehensive evolution and upgrade; no use is documented 13.
• Steal Card — Received during the Peerless Dragon Snake confrontation; its function is not explained in the supplied chapters 25.
• Recovery and healing pills — Includes pills given to Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, healing pills, and ten bottles of Rapid Soul Power Recovery Pills 11 13 20.
• Dragon-blooded resources — Whale glue, lesser-dragon blood essence, Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon flesh, and brain flesh from a mentally aligned lesser-dragon descendant 1 3 4 28.
• Two Godly Zhuge Crossbows — Rewards from Tang San’s emotions; Yang considers their power unimpressive 28.

Relationships

• Xiaotian — Martial soul and affectionate companion. Yang praises and feeds him; Xiaotian guards the Wolf King’s soul bone and obeys Yang’s combat commands 4 14 26.
• Flender — Teacher and longtime supporter. Their relationship mixes affection, mutual benefit, and irreverent banter; Flender protects Yang during the Peerless Dragon Snake confrontation and considers him his most promising successor 14 16 24 25.
• Ma Hongjun — Childhood friend and devoted follower. Yang treats his Evil Fire, while Ma repeatedly defends him and celebrates his achievements 1 2 4 20.
• Dai Mubai — Friend and former close rival, having befriended Yang through fighting. Yang is one month older and takes the informal position of Shrek’s student leader; Dai eventually accepts the widening gap between them 2 20.
• Ning Rongrong — Openly pursues him, calls herself his wife, and proposes immediate marriage. Yang rejects the proposal and remains wary of becoming entangled in her sect’s affairs; no accepted engagement is established 7 19 20.
• Zhu Zhuqing — Trusts his leadership and privately develops feelings for him. Her interest is quieter than Rongrong’s, and she shows affection toward Xiaotian 11 19 22.
• Oscar — Initially resentful and competitive. After Yang defeats Meng Shu, Oscar apologizes and thanks him for helping secure his soul-ring opportunity; Yang accepts 9 19 28.
• Zhao Wuji — Teacher and ally who admires Yang’s temperament and combat achievements. Cooperates under his direction against the Wolf King and Meng Shu 12 26 27.
• Yu Xiaogang — Principal antagonist in Yang’s disputes over cultivation and expertise, and a particularly valuable source of system rewards. Loses their wager and admits that his theories were copied and distorted 1 16 22 25.
• Tang San — Hostile rival whose loyalty to Yu Xiaogang drives escalating anger and jealousy. Yang intercepts his attack on Ning Rongrong and repeatedly benefits from his emotional responses 1 7 13 20.
• Ning Fengzhi — Approves of Yang as a prospective son-in-law after learning of his level-48 advancement and exceptional combat ability; authorizes sect support for Rongrong’s pursuit 21.
• Meng Shu — Enemy whose power Yang suppresses before pursuing and killing him. Yang refuses offers of wealth, resources, and Meng Yiran in exchange for mercy 26 27.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Shrek Academy Dispute

• Challenges Yu Xiaogang’s claim that Xiaotian should follow Luo Sanpao’s radish diet. His insults cause Yu to spit blood and collapse, while the resulting rewards accelerate Yang’s cultivation 1.
• Stabilizes his increased soul power and prepares to obtain a fourth ring in the Star Dou Great Forest 2 4.
• Rejects Yu’s demand for an apology and obedience as conditions for correcting his supposedly defective cultivation 5 6.

Forest Wager and Wolf King Hunt

• Saves Ning Rongrong from Tang San’s five silver needles, then turns a sensory demonstration into a wager that he wins with returning throwing knives 7 9.
• Correctly recognizes the approaching Three-Headed Flood Dragon Wolf King as more dangerous than Yu’s initial assessment. Coordinates the teachers’ support and the younger students’ safety 10 11.
• Uses temporary Soul Saint power and Tsukuyomi to restrain the beast, then finishes it through Xiaotian after the illusion becomes unsustainable 12 13 14.

Fourth Ring and Yu Xiaogang’s Defeat

• Stakes the Wolf King’s soul bone on successfully absorbing its ring. The written wager requires Yu to acknowledge his inferiority and confess the copied origins of his theories if Yang succeeds 16 17.
• Overcomes the beast’s lingering soul and acquires his fourth ring. Demonstrates Sacred Dragon Tail Sweep against Flender and confirms his level-48 advancement 17 18 20.
• Yu’s subsequent confession destroys much of his authority among the group. Reports of Yang’s achievements also persuade Ning Fengzhi to support Rongrong’s courtship 21 22.

Peerless Dragon Snake Confrontation

• Initially declines to risk himself over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent intended for Oscar, but later provokes the opposing family and gains specialized system weapons 24 25.
• Suppresses Meng Shu with the Dragon-Subduing Nail and confines Chao Tianxiang with the Leifeng Pagoda, preventing the couple from immediately combining their powers 25 26.
• Pursues Meng Shu with Xiaotian’s holy-light barrage and kills him using Ultimate Flame. Receives the Persona Mask and accepts Oscar’s apology afterward 27 28.
• By the latest supplied chapter, Chao Tianxiang remains trapped in the pagoda, Meng Yiran has been killed by Flender, and Yang still lacks his fifth soul ring 29.

Notable Quotes

“One correction: my martial soul is called Xiaotian, not Sanpao. Second, my Xiaotian is a dog, not a pig.” 1

“Just normal, below level fifty.” 19

“Out here, own your mistakes and stand straight for your beating!” 28

Trivia

• Yang’s name sounds the same as that of Erlang Shen, whom he remembers and often imitated in his previous life. He considers that resemblance useful for drawing out the Persona Mask’s maximum strength 27.
• The Wolf King’s 60,000-year soul bone does not establish that the beast itself was that old: Yang knows the system enhanced the bone, while Yu Xiaogang mistakes its age for evidence supporting his increasingly inflated estimates 14 15.
• Yang’s fourth ring is stated to be slightly over 47,000 years old, close to the commonly cited limit for a seventh ring 19.