Xiao Yan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Xiao Yan (萧炎)
Gender	Male
Age	Eleven at the Xiao Clan’s cultivation test 2
Origin	A modern man who transmigrates into Xiao Yan’s body in Wutan City 1
Affiliation	Xiao Clan; Yao Ling’s disciple 1 3
Occupation/Role	Cultivator; sixth-tier Alchemy Master; Daily Choice System host 1 22 29
Cultivation	One-Star Dou Emperor, also called Dou Huang 22 24
Status	Alive; leaves Qingshan Town for Stone Desert City 29
First Appearance	Chapter 1, “Transmigrating into Battle Through the Heavens, Choosing Yao Ling at the Start” 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
One-Star Dou Zhe / Dou Practitioner	1 2	His starting cultivation after transmigration, publicly confirmed by the Xiao Clan’s Testing Magic Stone Tablet at age eleven.
Heaven-defying comprehension	3	Selects a system talent granting exceptional insight into cultivation and alchemy; immediately benefits from formula analysis and improvement.
Three-Star Dou Zhe / Dou Practitioner	4	Advances from one star to three stars after consuming his improved Qi Gathering Pills and cultivating for approximately one hour.
Third-tier alchemy talent	4	The system announces this advancement after his first alchemy session; Xiao Yan understands it as reaching third-tier alchemist standing.
Seven-Star Dou Zhe	10	Reaches seven stars within a few days through heaven-defying comprehension and pill-assisted cultivation.
Four-Star Dou Shi	17	Breaks through from Seven-Star Dou Zhe after a night of cultivation in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
One-Star Dou Emperor	22	Selects cultivation as his daily system reward and advances immediately; initially keeps the breakthrough hidden from Yao Ling.
Sixth-tier Alchemy Master	29	Chooses alchemy advancement over Three-Star Dou Emperor cultivation or two million gold coins after completing the Xiao Yi Xian mission chain.

Background / History

Transmigration and Apprenticeship

A modern man awakens in Xiao Yan’s body before Yao Lao begins absorbing his Dou Qi. Knowing that the original Xiao Yan suffered three years of regression and humiliation, he intends to avoid that downfall. The Daily Choice System offers Yao Chen, Yao Ling, or Pill King Gu He as the soul residing in his Storage Ring; he chooses Yao Ling for her powerful soul, alchemy expertise, and Initial Half-Saint strength 1.

After the clan test confirms his One-Star Dou Zhe cultivation, Xiao Yan recognizes that local acclaim means little on the wider Dou Qi Continent. He accepts Yao Ling as his master and promises to conceal her existence. Their partnership also gives Yao Ling hope of obtaining a new body after the Soul Hall destroyed her original one 2 3.

Alchemy and the Auction House

Xiao Yan gathers ingredients in Wutan City and begins learning alchemy on the mountain behind the Xiao estate. His newly selected comprehension talent improves a first-tier recipe so dramatically that his early Qi Gathering Pills reach third-tier quality. Consuming them accelerates his cultivation, while continued practice quickly steadies his initially clumsy technique 3 4.

Seeking Clearheart Grass for Qi Condensation Powder brings him to the Mittel Auction House. Ya Fei gives him the ingredient on trust in exchange for a promised third-rank pill. Outside, Jia Lie Ao tries to seize it; Xiao Yan uses his newly comprehended sealing technique to disrupt Jia Lie Ao’s Dou Qi and defeats him 5 7.

First Magical Beast Mountain Range Expedition

Xiao Yan obtains the Amethyst Spirit Recovery Pill recipe, hoping to restore Yao Ling’s former strength temporarily. Although its ingredients require confronting a sixth-rank magical beast, he proceeds with her protection. Before leaving, he withstands the Xiao elders’ demands that he apologize to Jia Lie Ao, then defeats and kills a Jia Lie assassination party using the Forbidden Character Art 10 11 12 13.

In the mountain range, he finds Yun Yun wounded and sealed after her battle with the Amethyst Winged Lion King. He chooses the system’s treatment route rather than killing or abandoning her. Yao Ling takes control of his body, overwhelms the Lion King, and secures its submission; Xiao Yan spares it in exchange for loyalty and pill ingredients 14 15 16.

Yao Ling also refines the medicine needed for Yun Yun’s treatment through Xiao Yan’s body. Xiao Yan applies the accompanying ointment discreetly, successfully loosening the seal. After an overnight breakthrough to Four-Star Dou Shi, he leaves with Yun Yun’s gratitude and the Lion King’s service 16 17 18.

Destruction of the Jia Lie Family

Upon returning to Wutan City, Xiao Yan learns that Jia Lie Bi demands one of his arms as compensation. The Xiao elders favor surrendering him, but Xiao Zhan refuses. Xiao Yan summons the Lion King rather than asking Yao Ling to intervene 19 20.

The beast kneels before him publicly, overturning the crowd’s assumptions about his power. Xiao Yan rejects Jia Lie Bi’s offers of techniques and submission, then orders the Lion King to kill the Jia Lie family. He subsequently instructs Xiao Zhan to take over their businesses and resources before departing again 21 22.

Xiao Yi Xian and the Treasure Cave

After receiving One-Star Dou Emperor cultivation from the system, Xiao Yan visits Qingshan Town to meet Xiao Yi Xian. Five linked missions direct him to earn her approval, eliminate the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, explore a treasure cave with her, defeat the Heavenly Snow Demon Ape, and help her obtain the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture 22 23.

He prevents her abduction, follows her to the mercenaries’ camp, and kills Mu Li, Mu She, and their forces. During the subsequent cave expedition, he orders the Lion King to kill the Heavenly Snow Demon Ape after it threatens them and insults Xiao Yi Xian. She then discovers the Poison Scripture, a cultivation method suited to her poison constitution 24 25 26 27 28.

The completed missions earn Xiao Yan a reward choice, from which he selects sixth-tier alchemy advancement. He leaves for Stone Desert City to visit his brothers and prepare for opportunities involving the nineteenth-ranked Green Lotus Core Flame. Xiao Yi Xian promises to seek him out after improving her cultivation 29.

Appearance

• Handsome youthful appearance: Xiao Yi Xian finds his looks and bearing exceptional when they first meet 23.
• Young enough to invite underestimation: His age repeatedly makes observers doubt that he could possess advanced cultivation or alchemy skills 2 8 26.
• Forehead summoning mark: The Amethyst Winged Lion King leaves a mark that Xiao Yan later taps to summon it 16 20.

Personality

Xiao Yan is strategic and opportunity-driven. His knowledge of the original story informs his mentor selection, travel plans, and pursuit of rare resources. He values lasting advantages: when offered cultivation, wealth, or sixth-tier alchemy, he chooses alchemy to move closer to creating a body for his teacher 1 29.

He treats Yao Ling with respect and practical gratitude, making soul-strengthening medicine for her and pursuing ingredients that could restore her former power. He also protects Xiao Yi Xian and handles Yun Yun’s vulnerable treatment without worsening her embarrassment 9 10 17 24.

His composure can become boastfulness or open contempt toward opponents. He refuses to defer to the Xiao elders and is ruthless toward enemies who attempt to kill him, rejecting pleas from the Jia Lie family and Mu She. His mercy is selective: he spares the Lion King because it can become a useful ally 11 13 16 21 26.

His efforts to change the original story’s romantic outcomes are deliberate rather than purely altruistic. He chooses a route promising Yun Yun’s favor and privately intends to bring Xiao Yi Xian into his harem, although their relationship remains without an explicit romantic commitment when he leaves Qingshan Town 14 23 29.

Abilities & Skills

Daily Choice System

Provides selectable mentors, talents, pill recipes, cultivation rewards, and mission-based rewards 1 3 8 22 23.

• Replaces the ring’s mentor with Yao Ling at Xiao Yan’s request 1.
• Warns him of the Jia Lie family’s planned retaliation through a random event 12.
• Offers choices that alter encounters, including whether to treat Yun Yun 14.
• Grants direct cultivation and alchemy advancements 22 29.
• Requires completion of all five Xiao Yi Xian missions before awarding their final reward 23 29.

Heaven-defying Comprehension

A system-granted talent that accelerates his understanding of cultivation and alchemy 3.

• Helps him grasp refinement procedures after a single demonstration 3 9.
• Enables system-assisted analysis and improvement of pill formulas 3.
• Allows him to comprehend a powerful sealing technique during overnight cultivation 5.
• Works alongside medicinal energy to accelerate cultivation; his early progress is not attributed to comprehension alone 4 10.

Forbidden Character Art / Sealing Art

A sealing Dou Technique introduced as the Sealing Art and subsequently called the Forbidden Character Art. The system identifies it as high Earth tier, while Yao Ling suspects its power approaches Heaven tier 5 8.

• Temporarily prevents opponents from using Dou Techniques; in combat, it is shown sealing or disrupting their Dou Qi 5 7 12.
• Lets Xiao Yan defeat opponents above his cultivation rank, including the Jia Lie family’s Dou Shi assassins 12 13.
• Consumes his own Dou Qi 5.
• Xiao Yan proposes pairing it with restorative pills to sustain an attrition strategy 5.

Alchemy

Begins as Yao Ling’s novice disciple and rapidly develops heat control, ingredient understanding, and consistent refinement results 3 4 9.

• Qi Gathering Pill: Improves a first-tier formula to produce third-tier-quality pills; a few approach fourth-tier quality 3 4.
• Qi Condensation Powder: Successfully refines the second-grade preparation on his first attempt, then produces consistently high-quality batches 9.
• Heavenly Spirit Pill: Refines a third-tier soul-strengthening pill from the same ingredients as Qi Condensation Powder, using intense heat to extract and preserve their soul power 8 9.
• Amethyst Spirit Recovery Pill: Obtains a recipe intended to let a soul-form expert use their former strength for one year; its required materials include Lion King blood and purple spirit crystal 10.
• Sixth-tier expertise: Receives sixth-tier Alchemy Master advancement as a system reward 29.
• Assisted refinement: The high-tier medicine used to treat Yun Yun is refined by Yao Ling through his body, not by Xiao Yan independently 15 16 17.

Yao Ling’s Possession

Yao Ling can take control of Xiao Yan’s body to fight or refine medicine. During the first mountain expedition, her remaining soul power can exert Dou Zun-level strength despite her inability to wield her full former Half-Saint power 14 16.

• Overwhelms the Amethyst Winged Lion King 15 16.
• Performs the refinement needed to remove Yun Yun’s seal 16.
• Causes witnesses to mistake Yao Ling’s power and expertise for Xiao Yan’s own 16 18 19.

Foreknowledge

Retains knowledge of the original Battle Through the Heavens story 1.

• Recognizes the cause of the original Xiao Yan’s cultivation regression 1.
• Knows about Xiao Yi Xian’s secret treasure cave without being told 26 27.
• Plans ahead for the Green Lotus Core Flame and the powerful figures expected to pursue it 29.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Storage Ring — Houses Yao Ling’s soul and allows her to emerge or communicate with him 2 3.
• Medicine Cauldron — Used for Qi Condensation Powder and Heavenly Spirit Pill refinement 9.
• Lion King summoning mark — Lets him call the Amethyst Winged Lion King from the mountain range 16 20.
• Clearheart Grass — Obtained from Ya Fei on credit for his alchemy training 7 8.
• Lion King blood and purple spirit crystal — Secured after the beast submits, for the recovery-pill recipe 10 16.

Relationships

• Yao Ling — Master and concealed protector. She teaches cultivation and alchemy; he strengthens her soul and aims to refine a replacement body for her 3 9 10 29.
• Xiao Zhan — Father and Xiao Clan patriarch. Defends him against the elders and the Jia Lie family; Xiao Yan seeks to protect him from retaliation and secure resources for the clan 11 13 20 22.
• Xiao Xun’er — Close childhood companion who addresses him as “Brother Xiao Yan.” Supports him, warns him about clan tensions, and defends him against Xiao Ning 1 11 19.
• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li — Eldest and second brothers, respectively. Founded a mercenary group in Stone Desert City, which Xiao Yan plans to visit 29.
• Ya Fei — Auction-house contact who trusts his promised alchemy despite Jia Lie Ao’s accusations. Later urges the Mittel family to establish ties with him 7 22.
• Yun Yun — Misty Cloud Sect Master whom he helps recover from the Lion King’s seal. Offers future assistance and warns her disciple against provoking him 17 19.
• Nalan Yanran — Fiancée who intends to dissolve their engagement. Yun Yun forbids the plan after witnessing Xiao Yan’s apparent power 18 19.
• Amethyst Winged Lion King — Sixth-rank magical-beast servant subdued through Yao Ling’s power. Provides ingredients, transport, and combat assistance 16 18 21 28.
• Xiao Yi Xian — Protected companion and treasure-cave partner. Becomes increasingly attached to him and resolves to seek him out after growing stronger 24 28 29.
• Jia Lie Ao and Jia Lie Bi — Enemies whose retaliation escalates into a clan confrontation. Both die when Xiao Yan orders the Lion King to destroy their family 7 12 21.
• Xiao Ning — Jealous clan rival who blames him for the Jia Lie dispute and mocks his apparent weakness 19 20.
• Mu Li and Mu She — Wolf Head Mercenary Group leaders killed during Xiao Yan’s mission to protect Xiao Yi Xian 25 26.

Notable Quotes

“Master, please accept your disciple’s bow.” 3

“Besides, this Amethyst Spirit Recovery Pill is far too important to you. The sooner I can refine it, the sooner you can recover your strength.” 10

“A misunderstanding? Why didn’t you call it a misunderstanding when your son tried to kill me?” 26