Yao Chen

Biodata

Power Progression

The documented changes concern recovery of his soul rather than a confirmed cultivation-realm breakthrough.

Background / History

Yao Chen came from one of the Ancient Eight Clans and spent years traveling the continent, encountering Dou Sheng experts. During one journey, he discovered the Flame Mantra in an Ancient Cave Mansion. He also acquired and refined the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, an ordeal painful enough to cause nightmares years afterward 2 5 43.

His beloved disciple, Han Feng, betrayed him. Xiao Yan later identifies the Hall of Souls as the faction that plotted against and killed Yao Chen, while Yao Chen recalls escaping pursuit by two of its Half-Saints. After losing his body, he survived inside a black ring, carrying few of his former possessions 2 19 42 49.

For three years, Yao Chen absorbed Xiao Yan’s Dou Qi while remaining concealed. He deliberately prolonged his silence to test how the boy handled adversity: had Xiao Yan become consumed by bitterness and hatred, he intended to seek another host. Xiao Yan’s resilience convinced him that he had found a suitable disciple who might eventually rebuild his body 2 4.

Appearance

Yao Chen manifests outside the Black Ring as an elderly, translucent soul figure 2 4 9.

• Wrinkled face: His broad smile visibly deepens his wrinkles 2.
• Floating manifestation: He can appear in midair beside Xiao Yan 5.
• Visible soul condition: Fear, excitement, and injury can make his form dim, waver, or weaken 2 9 38.

Personality

Han Feng’s betrayal makes Yao Chen intensely cautious about accepting disciples. His test of Xiao Yan places the boy’s cultivation future at risk, revealing how strongly his fear of another betrayal governs his decisions. Nevertheless, when he believes Hun Tiandi has come to capture him, he asks that Xiao Yan be spared 2 4.

As a teacher, he combines confidence, teasing, and practical concern. He enjoys Xiao Yan’s embarrassment around Xiao Yi Xian, praises genuine achievements, and scolds recklessness. His protection is not indiscriminate: he sometimes allows danger to expose Xiao Yan’s overconfidence, provided he believes he can prevent a fatal outcome 9 17 25 27.

Yao Chen is also pragmatic about his own survival. Promises of a powerful resurrection body turn his reluctant cooperation with the Hun Clan into enthusiasm. By the time he joins the Hall of Souls, he openly treats adapting to the strongest faction as a lesson in worldly wisdom 9 49.

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

An eighth-tier alchemist during his lifetime, Yao Chen retains extensive medicinal knowledge and the ability to refine medicine as a soul 9 19.

• Refines healing pills that treat Xiao Yan’s hidden injuries and restore his mobility 19.
• Provides pills used to revive Xiao Clan members after Xiao Yi Xian’s poisonous refinement accident 22.
• Assesses prospective disciples through their soul power and cultivation aptitude 2 9.
• Explains that Xiao Yi Xian’s fire-poison Dou Qi contaminates refined medicine, and recommends a beast flame or Heavenly Flame as an alternative 22 23.

Bone Spirit Cold Flame

Yao Chen controls the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Its appearance is ghastly white, and its release can lower the surrounding temperature enough for snow to fall 30.

• Uses the flame for pill refinement 19.
• Coats Xiao Yan’s body and Heavy Xuan Ruler with it while fighting through him 30.
• Overwhelms the Amethyst Winged Lion King’s purple flames and helps break through its defenses 30.
• Knows firsthand that absorbing a Heavenly Flame can severely damage meridians, muscles, and blood vessels without adequate preparation 43.

Soul Power and Body Control

His soul power supports perception, communication, physical intervention, and control of Xiao Yan’s body.

• Detection and tracking: Identifies the Jia Lie Family’s auction party, recognizes an alchemist by his stronger soul power, and places soul imprints on targets 11.
• Spiritual communication: Speaks directly into Xiao Yan’s mind and communicates with the traveling group through soul power 12 26.
• Storage-ring access: Erases Liu Xi’s lingering soul imprint so Xiao Yan can inspect his ring 12.
• Protection and transport: Absorbs part of an enemy’s impact on Xiao Yan and carries Xiao Yan, Xiao Yi Xian, and Qing Lin through the forest 17 26 27.
• Body control: Takes command of Xiao Yan’s body to wield the Bone Spirit Cold Flame and Flame Splitting Wave Ruler against the lion king 30.

His soul-form strength is limited. He says he can fight an ordinary Dou Emperor, but can only guarantee the group’s survival against an uninjured Amethyst Winged Lion King. Tong Xuan’s Half-Saint attack overwhelms his defense and leaves him near dissolution 26 31 38.

Cultivation Instruction

Yao Chen guides Xiao Yan’s early training as well as his alchemy.

• Prepares Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid baths and explains the use of Pulse-Protecting Pills 4.
• Gives Xiao Yan the Earth-tier low-grade Flame Splitting Wave Ruler upon his advancement to Dou Zhe 17.
• Advises consolidating rapid gains through careful refinement, technique practice, or life-and-death combat 15.
• Explains the Fallen Heart Flame’s ability to continually temper its user’s Dou Qi 15.
• Starts Xiao Yi Xian with a simple, unranked healing medicine to build confidence through an achievable first success 21.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Black Ring — His soul’s dwelling. It survives Tong Xuan’s attack undamaged and protects him while he remains unconscious 38.
• Flame Mantra — A cultivation method he discovered in an Ancient Cave Mansion. Initially yellow-tier low-grade, it can evolve by devouring spirit flames or Heavenly Flames; Xiao Yan adopts it partly to fulfill his promise of resurrecting Yao Chen 5 19.
• Spirit Fusion Pill — A sixth-grade pill among Hun Tiandi’s supplied resources. Yao Chen identifies it as capable of healing soul injuries and restoring his soul power to its peak within three months; its consumption is not shown 4.
• Chen’s corpse — Gifted by Hun Tiandi as a prospective resurrection body. Chen was a Peak Four-Star Dou Saint, also described as Half-Step Five-Star, who lived a thousand years earlier 42.

Relationships

• Xiao Yan — Disciple, host, and intended resurrector. Their bond extends beyond mutual benefit: Xiao Yan remains deeply attached to him and wants to restore him personally 2 4 34 44.
• Xiao Yi Xian / Hun Xian’er — Alchemy disciple accepted through Hun Miesheng’s arrangement. Yao Chen initially praises her aptitude, then helps address the danger her fire-poison Dou Qi poses to pill refinement 9 21 22.
• Hun Tiandi — Xiao Yan’s co-master, supplier of restoration resources, and eventual benefactor. Yao Chen remains intimidated by him despite receiving protection and a future body 2 4 42.
• Hun Miesheng — Recruits him to teach Xiao Yi Xian and offers Five-Star Dou Sheng remains as compensation. By his Hall of Souls membership, Yao Chen has even adopted the faction’s characteristic laugh 9 49.
• Han Feng — Former beloved disciple whose betrayal leaves Yao Chen unwilling to risk another disloyal student. Yao Chen orders his execution when Hun Tiandi delivers him bound 2 4.
• Tong Xuan — Gu Clan Half-Saint whose attack overwhelms Yao Chen’s defenses and forces him into a protective slumber 31 38 42.
• Yun Yun — Temporary battlefield ally against the Amethyst Winged Lion King; afterward, Yao Chen disputes the division of its remains and secures its horn and magic core 30 31.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Joint Apprenticeship and Early Training

Hun Tiandi proposes sharing Xiao Yan’s instruction: Yao Chen will teach alchemy, while Hun Tiandi handles cultivation. After Han Feng’s execution, Xiao Yan accepts both masters. Yao Chen then uses Hun Tiandi’s resources to establish Xiao Yan’s training regimen and guards him during flame refinement 2 4 14.

Xiao Yi Xian’s Alchemy Training

Hun Miesheng draws Yao Chen out of hiding and arranges a second apprenticeship, sweetening the arrangement with the promise of Dou Sheng remains. Xiao Yi Xian’s first refinement instead releases poison gas throughout the Xiao Clan compound. Yao Chen explains the cause and recommends an external flame, leading the group to seek the Amethyst Flame 9 21 22 23.

Magical Beast Forest and Tong Xuan’s Attack

Yao Chen transports and protects the group in the Magical Beast Forest. Borrowing Xiao Yan’s body, he wounds the Amethyst Winged Lion King so Yun Yun can finish it. Tong Xuan subsequently attacks everyone aligned with the Hun Clan; Yao Chen cannot stop Xiao Yan’s bodily destruction and is himself critically injured 26 30 31.

Recovery and Pending Resurrection

After his own revival, Xiao Yan retrieves the Black Ring and stabilizes Yao Chen’s fading soul. Hun Tiandi later awakens him and supplies Chen’s corpse. Although Hun Tiandi could perform the resurrection directly, he leaves it as a trial for Xiao Yan, who agrees to seek another Heavenly Flame to complete the task 38 42 44.

Joining the Hall of Souls

Yao Chen becomes a guest Heavenly Venerable of the very organization associated with his death. When Xiao Yan questions the decision, he answers with a maxim about recognizing which way the wind blows 49.

Notable Quotes

“But please don't trouble this young brother. He knows nothing of this, and I've already absorbed his Dou Qi for three years. He shouldn't have to die such a wretched death.” 2

“That's what this thing called family is like. They seem to share the same roots and origins, but when they start scheming against one another, they're even more ruthless than outsiders.” 20

“A wise man knows which way the wind blows.” 49