Yao Lao

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Yao Chen 8
Alias(es)	Yao Lao (药老); Venerable Yao; Medicine Saint 8 192
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Starfall Pavilion; formerly the Yao Clan; supports the Flame Alliance 97 106 227
Occupation/Role	Alchemist; Pavilion Master of Starfall Pavilion; Xiao Yan’s teacher; former Pill Gathering champion 97
Cultivation	Late Two-Star Dou Sheng, also called Dou Saint 173 193
Alchemist Rank	Ninth-Rank Alchemist 192 227
Status	Alive; resurrected in a body refined from the North Dragon King’s corpse 173
First Appearance	Chapter 1, “Dou Qi, Tenth Stage” 1

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Peak Dou Zun — former cultivation	1 106	His cultivation before losing his body. His damaged soul initially leaves him asleep much of the time.
Soul-power restoration	47	Refines Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva to recover soul power; no exact post-refinement strength is stated here.
Four- or Five-Star Dou Zong-equivalent soul power	76	His soul has been tempered by Seven Illusory Azure Spirit Saliva and the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame. Xiao Yan borrows this power against Han Feng.
Eighth-Tier Alchemist — confirmed rank	97	Identifies himself as an eighth-tier alchemist and former Pill Gathering champion.
Nine-Star Dou Zong combat strength	106	Can produce this level of strength in soul form, while retaining spatial mastery from his former Peak Dou Zun cultivation.
Late Two-Star Dou Sheng	172 173	Resurrected using the North Dragon King’s body, Heavenly Beast Saint bone essence, a Bone-Growing Blood-Melting Pill, and a Soul Infant Pill. The result exceeds his expectation of merely reaching Dou Sheng.
Ninth-Rank Alchemist	176 192	Discusses ninth-grade refinement with Xiao Yan before later being identified as one of Starfall Pavilion’s two ninth-rank grandmasters. The exact breakthrough is not shown.

Background / History

Exile, Renown, and Betrayal

Yao Chen was expelled from the Yao Clan after Yao Wangui framed him for stealing medicinal herbs. Although he once hoped to return, his eventual reason for revisiting the clan was to fulfill his parents’ final wish: having their names inscribed on its stele 226 227.

Outside the clan, he won the Pill Gathering championship in Sacred Pill City and became renowned as Venerable Yao. He also became the Pavilion Master of Starfall Pavilion, though he habitually left its administration to others 97 177 186.

Yao Lao treated his former disciple Han Feng like a son. Han Feng’s betrayal nearly destroyed him; Yao Lao later recounts falling into the Hall of Souls’ hands and escaping through luck. His surviving soul took refuge in Xiao Yan’s ring, gravely damaged and frequently dormant 1 75 189.

Teaching Xiao Yan

Xiao Yan’s unusually condensed Dou Qi rekindled Yao Lao’s desire to teach. Wary after Han Feng’s betrayal, he observed Xiao Yan’s character before approaching him and initially accepted him only as a nominal disciple. By Chapter 7, Xiao Yan had become his full disciple 1 2 3 7.

Yao Lao created the Origin Transformation Seal to let Xiao Yan practice cultivation methods despite remaining at the Dou Qi stage. He then offered a safe Low Earth Tier method or the potentially evolving Flame Mantra. After warning that the latter’s success rate might be below twenty percent, he supported Xiao Yan’s decision to take the risk 3.

His instruction combined body tempering, combat techniques, alchemy, and medicinal support. When conventional realm-advancing pills could not meet Xiao Yan’s needs, he developed the Energy-Gathering Pill specifically to increase his stage-level Dou Qi 5 6 13 21.

Revenge Against Han Feng

In the Black-Corner Region, Xiao Yan chose Han Feng as his first target and borrowed Yao Lao’s power to kill him. Xiao Yan fought personally because he understood how painful it would be for Yao Lao to attack the disciple he had once loved 74 75 76.

Han Feng’s death brought Yao Lao sorrow as well as revenge. He wondered whether noticing the danger earlier could have prevented Mu Gu from leading Han Feng astray 77.

From Soul Form to Resurrection

Yao Lao fought alongside the Flame Alliance while still a soul, severely wounding Earth Demon Old Ghost and preventing his escape with spatial techniques. He also negotiated Heavenly Fire Venerable’s service and refined the pill needed for that fellow soul’s resurrection 97 106 108 112.

At Mulan Valley, he surrendered the Bone Spirit Cold Flame to Xiao Yan, weakening his own soul in the process. Xiao Yan supplied a Soul Restoration Pill, and Yao Lao subsequently refined a juvenile Myriad Beast Spirit Flame. They also recovered material from the Heavenly Beast Saint’s bones for Yao Lao’s future body 143.

Xiao Yan ultimately fulfilled his promise to restore his teacher using a Dou Sheng’s corpse. The resurrection took approximately a month, during which Xiao Yan destroyed the North Dragon King’s lingering consciousness and administered a Soul Infant Pill. Yao Lao emerged with a physical body and Late Two-Star Dou Sheng cultivation 112 172 173.

Return to Public Life

Yao Lao accompanied Xiao Yan to Sacred Pill City, where Elder Han Li recognized the long-missing Venerable Yao. Xiao Yan’s Pill Gathering victory reunited Yao Lao with acquaintances who learned of his betrayal, survival, and resurrection 178 188 189.

He then returned to Starfall Pavilion as the Medicine Saint. When four factions attacked the pavilion, he revealed his Late Two-Star Dou Sheng strength and fought two Late One-Star Dou Sheng opponents 192 193.

Yao Lao later gave Xiao Yan the final Purifying Lotus Demon Flame map fragment and informed him of the Bodhi Ancient Tree’s appearance 215.

Revisiting the Yao Clan

At the Yao Clan, Elder Wanhuo apologized for Yao Lao’s treatment and offered him Yao Wangui’s position as chief elder of the Punishment Hall. Yao Lao declined, asking only that his parents’ names be added to the clan stele; Wanhuo agreed 227.

Before Clan Chief Yao Dan, Xiao Yan demanded justice for Yao Wangui’s false accusation. The provided account ends with that demand rather than a verdict or punishment 227.

Appearance

• Elderly features: A wrinkled face and beard, which he frequently strokes while speaking 2 3.
• Soul form: An illusory, transparent or translucent figure capable of floating above or emerging from Xiao Yan’s ring 2 5 47.
• Bearing: Xiao Yi Xian sees him as having the air of an immortal sage 46.
• Restored body: During resurrection, the North Dragon King’s corpse gradually changes to match Yao Lao’s appearance 173.

Personality

Yao Lao is proud of his accomplishments and enjoys admiration. He adopts an inscrutable manner, teases Xiao Yan, and readily boasts about his disciple before outsiders—even slightly overstating Xiao Yan’s alchemy to impress Old Ancestor Huoyun 2 3 160.

His demanding teaching is tempered by concern for Xiao Yan’s welfare. He adjusts medicines to suit his disciple’s constitution, worries about unnecessary suffering, and insists that Xiao Yan develop independent alchemy skills rather than rely on him indefinitely 7 13.

Han Feng’s betrayal makes him cautious about accepting disciples, but Xiao Yan’s sincerity restores his trust. He openly calls Xiao Yan his proudest disciple and credits him with saving both his body and soul 1 21 97 189.

He is also a calculating negotiator. When Heavenly Fire Venerable seeks help, Yao Lao uses the opportunity to secure both a valuable technique and a future Dou Zun-level ally 97.

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

A former Pill Gathering champion, Yao Lao possesses extensive knowledge of formulas, refinement techniques, and medicinal effects 97.

• Produces enhanced Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid and Tiger Bone Body-Tempering Pills for Xiao Yan 5.
• Revises the Tiger Bone Body-Tempering Pill formula three times as Xiao Yan’s body improves 7.
• Creates the Energy-Gathering Pill, which purifies magic-core energy and causes no drug resistance 21.
• Refines the mid-grade seventh-rank Yin-Yang Life Soul Pill used to resurrect Heavenly Fire Venerable 112.
• After resurrection, can refine eighth-tier pills with little difficulty 174.
• Despite his expertise, cannot initially cure Old Ancestor Huoyun’s lingering ailment 159.

Origin Transformation Seal

Yao Lao creates this secret technique to filter the volatile elements out of Dou Qi, allowing Xiao Yan to cultivate a method without becoming a Dou Zhe 3.

• The filtered violent energy attacks the practitioner’s flesh instead of disappearing.
• Its use causes extreme pain, making endurance essential 3.

Heavenly Flame Control

Yao Lao originally possesses the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Absorbing it nearly killed him 3.

• Uses it for medicinal refinement and combat 5 106.
• Forms a flame barrier against soul-targeting chains at Mulan Valley 142.
• Permanently transfers it to Xiao Yan by severing his own connection, temporarily weakening his soul 143.
• Subsequently refines a juvenile Myriad Beast Spirit Flame 143.

Soul Power and Power Lending

His soul power allows him to examine bodies, perceive hidden souls, and support Xiao Yan in battle 1 75 97.

• Detects Heavenly Fire Venerable’s remnant soul inside a skeleton 97.
• Lends Xiao Yan enough strength to reach Dou Zong-level power against a Soul Hall Protector 79.
• Can use his power more fully by controlling Xiao Yan’s body; Xiao Yan directing the borrowed power reduces its effectiveness 75.
• Cannot use many of his former abilities while confined to soul form 108.

Spatial Techniques

Yao Lao retains exceptional spatial understanding from his former Peak Dou Zun cultivation 106.

• Can seal surrounding space to prevent escape 76.
• Uses Spatial Lock against Earth Demon Old Ghost 108.
• His spatial mastery greatly exceeds that opponent’s despite his reduced soul-form strength 106 108.

Cultivation Instruction

Yao Lao teaches Xiao Yan Eight Extremes Collapse, the Hundred-Forged Golden Sun Body, and Flame Splitting Wave Ruler 6 21.

• Explains Heavenly Flame absorption and prepares Xiao Yan with medicines and repeated instruction 5 48.
• Identifies Qing Lin’s Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils 54.
• Recognizes and explains rare techniques, including the Ancient Saint Body Tempering Art and Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations 72 127.
• Acknowledges that Xiao Yan’s unprecedented cultivation path eventually exceeds what he can reliably guide 48.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Bone Spirit Ring / Bone Flame Ring — The ring housing his soul before resurrection; the supplied passages use both names 1 2 7.
• Black Demon Cauldron — Eighth on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking. Yao Lao used it to win the Pill Gathering; Xiao Yan later uses it in his own competition 186.
• Flame Mantra scroll — Obtained by chance years earlier and passed to Xiao Yan. Begins at Low Yellow Tier and theoretically can evolve to High Heaven Tier by devouring Heavenly Flames 3.
• Low Earth Tier cultivation scroll — Offered as the safer alternative to the Flame Mantra 3.
• Final Purifying Lotus Demon Flame map fragment — Given to Xiao Yan to complete the four-piece map 215.

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Disciple, avenger, and the person responsible for his resurrection. Yao Lao considers accepting him the best decision of his life 77 97 173 226.
• Han Feng — Former disciple whom he treated like a son; betrayed him and was later killed by Xiao Yan 75 77.
• Feng Xian / Venerable Feng — Close friend who managed Starfall Pavilion and searched for him throughout his disappearance 189.
• Xiao Xun’er — Initially challenges his painful training methods, then entrusts Xiao Yan to his care after learning his identity and hearing his explanation 8.
• Yao Tianhuo / Heavenly Fire Venerable — Fellow surviving soul whom he helps restore in exchange for a technique and service to Starfall Pavilion 97 112 113.
• Fa Ma — Former recipient of a few days of alchemy guidance. Yao Lao later asks Xiao Yan to help him progress further 127.
• Old Ancestor Huoyun — Old acquaintance with whom he exchanges teasing remarks; Yao Lao seeks support for Xiao Yan through the promise of treating Huoyun’s ailment 159 160.
• Xuan Yi — Pill Tower acquaintance whom Xiao Yan teases him about visiting. She takes a personal interest in his disciple’s performance 177 186.
• Yao Wangui — The clan elder responsible for framing him and causing his expulsion 226 227.
• Elder Wanhuo — Apologizes on the Yao Clan’s behalf and promises to inscribe Yao Lao’s parents’ names on the clan stele 227.
• Hall of Souls — Mortal enemy connected to his past ordeal; its protectors recognize the feud as one that can end only in death 118 189.

Notable Quotes

“He is the disciple I'm proudest of!” 97

“Little Yanzi, your talent for alchemy is unlike anything I've ever heard of. The eighth tier is by no means your limit, so I sincerely hope you'll take your gift seriously.” 13

“Thank you for your high regard, Elder Wanhuo. But after all these years, I no longer have any desire to return to the Yao Clan. My only remaining wish is to have my parents' names inscribed on the clan stele.” 227