Xiao Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

• Entries follow in-world chronology. Chapter 89 recounts several achievements preceding the three-year agreement.
• Advances made by Hun Changqing while occupying Xiao Yan’s body are not Xiao Yan’s personal cultivation achievements 350.

Background / History

Past Life and Declining Talent

Xiao Yan retained the mindset of a modern person from a previous life. Hun Changqing later confirmed this background when searching his soul and encountering memories of a modern city 30 129.

Before recovering his talent, Xiao Yan endured three years of ridicule and humiliation. Gu Xun’er remained beside him throughout this period, and he promised to become strong enough to protect her 29.

Broken Engagement and the Stolen Ring

When Nalan Yanran sought to end their engagement, Xiao Yan answered with a letter of divorce, declaring that he—not she—was severing their relationship. After he withdrew to the Xiao Clan’s back mountain, Hun Changqing attacked him from behind, knocked him unconscious, and stole the storage ring hanging around his neck 18.

Yao Chen nevertheless left a contingency for him: the Flame Mantra, imprinted on a nearby boulder as compensation. Xiao Yan and Gu Xun’er memorized it, after which she destroyed the stone to prevent the method from being exposed. She also explained Heavenly Flames and their importance to the technique’s evolution 29 129.

During this period, Xiao Yan clashed with Jia Lie Ao over Gu Xun’er. She chose Xiao Yan’s inexpensive blue necklace over Jia Lie Ao’s costly gift, but the confrontation later escalated when Jia Lie Ao punched Xiao Yan through market stalls and into a stone wall 25 26.

Hun Changqing’s Sworn Younger Brother

Introducing himself as Lin Changqing, Hun Changqing claimed that an evil soul in Xiao Yan’s ring had drained his Dou Qi and would eventually have devoured him. Xiao Yan accepted his offer of sworn brotherhood, believing that an expert capable of destroying the Xiao Clan had little reason to scheme against him 30.

Hun Changqing gave him a storage ring containing medicinal pills and Xuan-tier Dou Techniques, using possessions taken from Yao Chen. He also secretly attached Supreme Yin True Qi to one of Xiao Yan’s hairs. Xiao Yan subsequently concealed his practice of the Flame Mantra from his new elder brother, following Gu Xun’er’s warning not to reveal it 30 41.

Independent Training and Heavenly Flames

Unwilling to rely on comfortable cultivation at home, Xiao Yan requested two years of leave from Ruo Lin and entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range alone. He feared both failing to defeat Nalan Yanran and falling increasingly far behind Gu Xun’er 47.

Without Yao Chen accompanying him, he befriended Xiao Yi Xian, obtained treasures from a cliffside cave, and trained against low-tier magical beasts. Later, Qing Lin’s fire serpent retrieved the Green Lotus Platform from beneath magma. Xiao Yan followed evidence of Medusa’s involvement to Snake People City and collected the Green Lotus Core Flame after her lightning-struck evolution 57.

He also inherited the legacy of a deceased Dou Zong and sixth-tier alchemist surnamed Xiao. The inheritance included the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, alchemy notes, and the first layer of Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations. Xiao Yan bowed before the remains and promised to seek the restoration of the man’s name to the Xiao Clan genealogy 88 89.

Alchemy Competition and the Three-Year Agreement

Under the name Yan Xiao, Xiao Yan won the Jia Ma Empire’s alchemy competition and treated Nalan Jie’s persistent ailment. His success earned the goodwill of major families and attracted Jia Xingtian’s interest in recruiting him as a grandson-in-law. Xiao Yan declined because he remained committed to Gu Xun’er 89.

At the Misty Cloud Sect, Xiao Yan confronted Nalan Yanran over their past grievances and the humiliation of the Xiao Clan. He overwhelmed her in close combat, survived her strongest sword technique unharmed, and temporarily raised his strength to Three-Star Dou Ling. Yun Yun intervened when his final attack threatened Nalan Yanran’s life 86 87.

After defeating Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan left for the Black-Corner Region with White Fang, looking forward to finding Gu Xun’er and continuing his cultivation 89.

Jia Nan Academy and First Death

Unable to find Gu Xun’er at Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan assumed her family had forcibly taken her away. He resolved to become strong enough to visit her family openly and ask for her hand in marriage, training obsessively and fighting repeatedly in the academy’s arena 117.

After entering the Inner Academy, he discovered the Fallen Heart Flame beneath the Heaven-Burning Qi Refining Tower. He fed it energy from his two Heavenly Flames, helping it break its seal. Its rampage killed students and threw the academy into chaos; Xiao Yan then used the Flame Mantra to begin refining it inside the cage of light 117.

Gu Xun’er approached him from behind and decapitated him with a sword of dark golden flame. The lingering fire burned his head and body to charcoal 117.

Reconstruction and Captivity

Hun Changqing found Xiao Yan’s remains by sensing the Supreme Yin True Qi he had planted earlier. An ancient black stone among the remains preserved a trace of Xiao Yan’s soul, making reconstruction possible 123.

After searching the damaged soul’s memories, Hun Changqing had Yao Chen create a new body using Bone Spirit Cold Flame and precious materials. He then suppressed its returning life energy with death qi and Supreme Yin True Qi, leaving Xiao Yan in a controlled, living-dead state inside a black wooden coffin. He kept him as leverage against Gu Xun’er and later considered exchanging him for Dou Sheng-level puppet materials 129 227.

Revival and Final Death

Hun Changqing eventually restored Xiao Yan’s soul to his strengthened body. Xiao Yan awoke confused by his death and new cultivation, believed Hun Changqing’s claim that he had saved him without identifying his killer, and knelt in gratitude. Hun Changqing promised to take him to find Gu Xun’er while privately intending to kill him eventually 382.

Upon meeting Gu Xun’er again, Xiao Yan struggled to reconcile her domineering presence with the gentle girl he remembered. He challenged Lei Dong over her despite the difference in their strength and endured a one-sided beating rather than submit 386 387.

Hun Changqing later controlled Xiao Yan’s mind and sent him toward Gu Xun’er as a self-detonating weapon. An illusion gave Xiao Yan the experience of a long, triumphant life while the attack began. Gu Xun’er broke free of Feng Qing’er’s disorienting secret art, snapped his neck, and destroyed his soul with Supreme Yang True Qi. She later explained that she had killed him because her obsession had shifted to Hun Changqing 393 401.

Appearance

• Face: Described as handsome and immediately recognizable to Gu Xun’er upon their reunion 386.
• Hands: Callused; he raises a callused fist against Lei Dong after his revival 386.

Personality

Years of ridicule hardened Xiao Yan’s resolve. He remained deeply sensitive to humiliation and preferred risking death to accepting submission, even when his opponent overwhelmingly outmatched him. Lei Dong, despite insulting him, came to respect his willingness to continue fighting 29 387.

Xiao Yan combined ambition with practical judgment. He readily accepted a powerful sworn elder brother without feeling ashamed of taking a subordinate position, yet kept the Flame Mantra secret even from that apparent benefactor. His cheerful disposition and alchemical ability also helped him form close connections with Lu Man and White Fang 30 41 89.

His devotion to Gu Xun’er drove major decisions, including refusing an imperial marriage and obsessively pursuing greater strength. That devotion also distorted his understanding of her absence: he imagined her struggling against her family to remain with him, unaware that she had already abandoned her attachment to him 49 89 117.

Abilities & Skills

Flame Mantra

An initially Yellow-tier cultivation method that evolves by devouring Heavenly Flames. Xiao Yan obtained it from Yao Chen’s inscription on the back-mountain boulder 23 29.

• Requires fire-attribute Dou Qi 23.
• Has the potential to evolve beyond Heaven-tier methods, although fusing Heavenly Flames produces extremely violent energy 23.
• Allowed Xiao Yan to withstand the Fallen Heart Flame’s assault and begin refining it using his two existing Heavenly Flames 117.

Flame Control

Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations

A flame-supported secret technique that temporarily increases cultivation strength. Xiao Yan inherited only its first layer 88.

• Raised him from the Da Dou Shi range to Three-Star Dou Ling against Nalan Yanran 87.
• Gu Xun’er later took the technique from his storage ring 131.
• The technique originated with Xiao Xuan and the former Xiao Clan; Gu Xun’er’s later access to all three transformations was not an achievement of Xiao Yan 331.

Alchemy

Xiao Yan developed his alchemical skills through inherited sixth-tier notes, a powerful soul, and Heavenly Flame support rather than direct instruction from Yao Chen 89 129.

• Reached fourth-tier alchemist status 89.
• Won the Jia Ma Empire’s alchemy competition as Yan Xiao 89.
• Treated Nalan Jie’s persistent ailment 89.

Combat Techniques

• Close combat and footwork: Evaded Nalan Yanran’s Wind Spirit Split-Form Thrust and countered with a powerful abdominal punch 86.
• Dou Qi armor: Withstood Extreme Wind: Setting Sun Radiance without injury while covered in condensed armor and red-and-green flames 87.
• Post-revival limitations: His unstable realm, empty storage ring, and lack of trump cards left him unable to overcome Lei Dong despite possessing Dou Zun cultivation 382 387.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Original storage ring — Worn around his neck and stolen by Hun Changqing; Yao Chen was associated with the ring 18 30.
• Gifted storage ring — Supplied by Hun Changqing with medicinal pills and Xuan-tier Dou Techniques 30.
• Green Lotus Platform — Retrieved by Qing Lin’s fire serpent and used to collect the Green Lotus Core Flame 57.
• Inherited storage ring — Contained medicinal ingredients, sixth-tier alchemy notes, and the first layer of Heavenly Fire Three Mysterious Transformations 88.
• Ancient black stone — Preserved a trace of his soul after his first death 123.

Relationships

• Hun Changqing / Lin Changqing — Sworn elder brother, apparent benefactor, and actual manipulator. Stole his ring, secretly marked him, reconstructed and confined him, and ultimately used him as a weapon against Gu Xun’er 18 30 129 393.
• Gu Xun’er — Childhood companion and the woman Xiao Yan hoped to marry. Initially supported him through his decline, but later abandoned her attachment and killed him twice 29 49 117 393.
• Nalan Yanran — Former fiancée and opponent in the three-year agreement. After losing to him, she sought a rematch following her own inheritance and advancement 18 89 249.
• Yao Chen — Indirect source of the Flame Mantra and some gifted resources. Did not accompany Xiao Yan’s independent rise, but later reconstructed his body 29 30 129.
• Xiao Yi Xian — Friend from the Magical Beast Mountain Range who spent years searching for him. Her later reunion at the Netherworld Hall was with Hun Changqing’s impersonation, not the real Xiao Yan 57 376 381 457.
• Qing Lin — Assisted him in obtaining the Green Lotus Platform; later sought him at Jia Nan Academy with Heavenly Snake Mansion elders 57 258.
• Lu Man and White Fang — Friendly Heavenly Snake Mansion experts who supported his journey to the Misty Cloud Sect. White Fang subsequently transported him toward Jia Nan Academy 89 117.
• Ya Fei — Provided conveniences for his business at the Mittel Auction House because he was Hun Changqing’s sworn younger brother 249.
• Lei Dong — Rival over Gu Xun’er who overwhelmingly defeated him but acknowledged his fighting spirit 386 387.

Impersonations and Illusory Achievements

Notable Quotes

“Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river, do not bully a young man into poverty!” 18

“Xun’er... thank you! Thank you for everything you’ve done for me these past three years! I will definitely become a powerhouse, and I will definitely protect you well!” 29