War Hero Yi Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Yi Yan had led the Ninth Division for three years by the time of its Southern Islands expedition. Under his leadership, a poorly performing division of barely eight hundred members became one of the War Hero Family’s most profitable divisions. It also supplied talented players to headquarters’ elite teams, earning him recognition throughout the guild 37 42.

Despite those results, Ninth Branch leader War Hero Ninth Brother did not particularly like him; the reason is left unspecified. When the War Hero Family entered Chronicles of the Sky, Yi Yan’s division received the difficult assignment of pioneering the Dragonkin starting region with the smallest exploration budget among the branch’s nine divisions. He publicly presented the assignment as evidence of Ninth Brother’s confidence in their abilities 29.

Personality

Yi Yan is patient and diplomatic, particularly when dealing with his hot-tempered deputy, Kuang Dao. He often defuses arguments without publicly undermining his old friend’s authority. His preference for negotiation also reflects practical priorities: prolonged fighting interferes with leveling, territorial expansion, and earning money 35 36 37 41.

He personally dislikes the War Hero Family’s bullying and territorial monopolies, but does not consistently oppose them. He initially tries to stop Kuang Dao from threatening outsiders, then allows the raid to proceed rather than challenge the guild’s usual behavior. Later, he permits apparently harmless gatherers into the area because he sees no reason to make unnecessary enemies 31 45 46.

His concern for fair conduct coexists with a willingness to manipulate public opinion. To protect the division’s reputation, he proposes turning One Leaf Windwalk’s fans against their opponent and, if necessary, portraying the conflict as a famous player bullying weaker opponents 42.

Yi Yan favors longtime comrades when distributing opportunities, but explicitly distinguishes that loyalty from favoritism that would damage the division. He also hopes that developing an exceptional recruit could advance his own guild career 37 38.

Abilities & Skills

Division Management and Talent Development

Yi Yan’s strongest documented achievements are organizational rather than individual combat feats 37 42.

• Profitable leadership: His division’s strong earnings support attractive monthly pay and draw skilled applicants 37.
• Recruitment judgment: He includes outstanding newcomers despite preferring to work with veterans 37.
• Training support: He makes Xiao Xiaoxian a core raid priest, overrides objections to his inclusion, and assigns him excellent Warrior and Mage teammates 37 38.
• Limits: He is an experienced online gamer, not a professional player; he cannot assess professional potential as quickly or confidently as Ye Fengxing 39.

Raid Command

Yi Yan coordinates squads, responds quickly to threats, and encourages capable subordinates to contribute tactical ideas 38 41 47.

• Calls the raid together as soon as Xiao Xiaoxian’s squad is ambushed, before its members finish reporting the attack 38.
• Orders pursuing Assassins to stay near the main group rather than risk being isolated 39.
• Sends three squads back toward Kuang Dao once Xiao Xiaoxian identifies the enemy’s diversion 41.
• Maintains suppressive fire against the cave to contain Ye Fengxing’s companions, even if the Mage himself can escape with Blink 47.
• Invites Xiao Xiaoxian to devise a solution and endorses his two-stage healing formation 47.

Player Assessment and Intelligence Gathering

Yi Yan uses observed performance, game information, and guild hierarchy to evaluate opponents 30 36 49 50.

• Identifies an observed Mage’s likely wind/fire dual specialization and estimates that his damage suggests at least three blue-quality equipment pieces 30.
• Takes Cold-Hearted’s report seriously because he knows the Assassin is capable of admitting defeat 36.
• Orders additional Assassins to investigate the guild ranks of approaching Cloud Pavilion members 49.
• Recognizes that Yun Qianshuang’s personal arrival is disproportionate to an ordinary clash involving a division-level officer 50.

Relationships

• Kuang Dao — Deputy division leader, old friend, and former subordinate. Kuang Dao respects Yi Yan’s seniority and regularly relies on his judgment when anger or tactical frustration gets the better of him 29 35 41 47.
• Xiao Xiaoxian — A nineteen-year-old Light Priest whom Yi Yan recruits into the raid’s core. Yi Yan protects him from Kuang Dao’s temper and authorizes him to make urgent tactical calls without waiting for approval 35 37 41.
• War Hero Ninth Brother — His branch leader. Ninth Brother dislikes Yi Yan despite the division’s strong results and assigns it the smallest pioneering budget 29.
• Cold-Hearted — One of the division’s top Assassins. Yi Yan listens to his account of the enemy Mage’s stealth detection rather than dismissing it as an excuse 36.
• Invincible Sword of Overwhelming Might — A veteran follower close to both Yi Yan and Kuang Dao; delivers lookout reports and carries out reconnaissance instructions 49 50.
• Ye Fengxing / One Leaf Windwalk — The opponent his raid confronts near the Donar River. Yi Yan initially rejects the possibility that the Mage is the famous player, but later considers it the most likely explanation without confirming it 35 42 50.
• Yun Qianshuang — Leader of the rival Cloud Pavilion guild. Yi Yan respects her management ability and treats her personal intervention as a significant clue about their opponent’s importance 49 50.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Southern Islands Expedition

• Leads the Ninth Division’s Dragonkin exploration alongside Kuang Dao, despite their unfavorable assignment and limited budget 29.
• Forms a thirty-person raid for the Donar River area, bringing the division’s twenty-odd elite players who have completed their class quests 31.
• Tries to restrain Kuang Dao’s demand that outsiders leave, but ultimately allows the group to attack so they can return to leveling quickly 31.

Conflict with the Unidentified Mage

• Judges the Mage’s technique to be exceptional before the first attackers are defeated 34 35.
• Prefers a peaceful resolution, but joins the pursuit when Kuang Dao frames the encounter as a matter of guild reputation 37.
• Responds to the Mage’s ambushes and supports Xiao Xiaoxian’s developing tactical judgment. His order to return to Kuang Dao comes too late to prevent the deputy’s death 38 41.
• Persuades Kuang Dao to abandon the costly chase, offers to cover occasional losses, and proposes a publicity strategy to divert attention from the division’s setbacks 42.

Cave Siege and Cloud Pavilion’s Arrival

• Allows Brick and Sky Wanderer into the territory as gatherers; after they attack a guild member, he sends two teams to investigate whether there has been a misunderstanding 45 46.
• Directs the siege against Ye Fengxing and his companions, retaining ranged suppression while Xiao Xiaoxian develops a healing formation for the advancing melee fighters 47.
• Investigates reports of roughly 150 approaching Cloud Pavilion members, focusing on who is leading them and their guild ranks 49.
• Reconsiders the Mage’s identity after learning that Yun Qianshuang has arrived personally. He agrees that the opponent is probably One Leaf Windwalk, but cautions that receiving Cloud Pavilion’s assistance does not establish guild membership 50.

Notable Quotes

“The capable get more work, after all. Giving us the toughest assignment just shows how highly he values our group.” 29

“Next time something like this happens, don't be afraid. Make the call first. If anyone complains, tell them I authorized it.” 41