Wang Yan

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Connection to the Coiling Dragon Sect

Wang Yan’s family shares the Coiling Dragon Staff hereditary martial soul with the Coiling Dragon Sect. Any blood relationship lies perhaps a dozen generations or more in the past; the families have had no dealings for many years. After learning that Evil Soul Masters had devastated the sect, Wang Yan visited its ruins, but Chen Ping had already fled 29 32.

Chen Ping initially sought Wang Yan as a possible route around Shrek Academy’s recommendation requirement. Knowing their families shared a hereditary martial soul, he planned to present himself as Wang Yan’s distant nephew 7 21.

Taking in Chen Ping

Bei Bei and Tang Ya helped Chen Ping find Wang Yan in the library’s Plant-type Soul Beast subsection. Chen Ping’s introduction as a Coiling Dragon Sect disciple shocked Wang Yan, who moved their conversation to the shore of Sea God Lake. Seeing the boy’s scars, calluses, and cracked hands left him nearly unable to speak 29.

Wang Yan treated the three youngsters to a meal at Hongyue Tower. After hearing how Chen Ping had obtained his first soul ring and evolved his martial soul by devouring a soul bone, he offered him the spare bedroom in his staff quarters until enrollment. He also asked permission to study the self-evolving Willow Wood Staff 30.

He bought Chen Ping everyday necessities and bedding, then invited him to use “Second Uncle” in private while retaining “Mr. Wang” at school. He explicitly said he would not have let Chen Ping go hungry even without their family connection 31 34.

Studying the Manuscripts

Wang Yan discovered Chen Ping’s martial soul parameter tables, training manual, and damage-dilution research in his bamboo basket. He mistook them for the Coiling Dragon Sect’s inherited teachings, an explanation Chen Ping accepted, and promised to keep their contents secret 31 32.

Although he could not fully understand the damage formulas, Wang Yan considered the theory comparable in importance to human soul core condensation theory—and potentially broader in application because it could benefit every Soul Master. He envisioned using the manuals to cultivate Chen Ping’s reputation, then publishing the techniques only with Chen Ping’s consent. His hoped-for outcome was an eventual exceptional invitation for Chen Ping to become a prospective Sea God Pavilion elder 32.

His attempt to imitate Chen Ping’s ability to move while meditating failed immediately. A small strand of soul power ran wild through his meridians, causing severe pain but no irreversible damage 33.

Martial Soul Research and Xuan Zi

Wang Yan warned Chen Ping that other people at Shrek were interested in his soul-bone-devouring martial soul. He later discussed researching its evolution with Xuan Zi, hoping the findings might help transform Xiaotao’s Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul. This remained a proposed research direction, not an achieved treatment 36 37.

While handling academy work, Wang Yan regularly brought Chen Ping meals. He became increasingly eager to taste the boy’s Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, but Xuan Zi detected the aroma and followed him home. Wang Yan introduced the elder to Chen Ping, and both praised the finished dish 36 37 38.

Appearance

• Apparent age: Looks twenty-eight or twenty-nine, possibly in his early thirties; his actual age is not stated 29.
• Glasses: Wears pale-purple, square-framed glasses 29.
• Clothing: Appears out of uniform at the library and habitually dresses simply 29 30.
• Bearing: Gives an impression of tranquility and gentleness, particularly while absorbed in reading 29.

Personality

Wang Yan is gentle and considerate. He responds patiently when students interrupt his reading, lets hungry youngsters eat before questioning them, and avoids remarks that might revive Chen Ping’s painful memories. His sympathy produces practical help: food, housing, necessities, and plans for the boy’s future 29 30 31 36.

He is an intensely curious scholar who can become so absorbed in a text that he forgets the person beside him. Unfamiliar discoveries excite him, but he also recognizes the ethical limits of his interest: he apologizes for reading what he believes are family teachings and does not intend to publish them without permission 31 32 33.

He has little interest in material comforts and spends his salary on books. Despite his normally restrained habits, Chen Ping’s cooking leaves him distracted and unusually eager to return home for dinner 30 37.

Abilities & Skills

Soul Master and Soul Beast Theory

• Reportedly Shrek Academy’s youngest senior teacher and an expert in Soul Beast and Soul Master theory 20.
• Recognizes the value of detailed martial soul growth parameters and targeted physical training methods 31.
• Identifies the potential significance of damage-dilution theory despite being unable to follow all its mathematical operations 32.
• Proposes investigating Chen Ping’s martial soul evolution as a possible approach to Xiaotao’s evil-fire problem 37.

Soul Power and Spiritual Perception

• Uses soul power to pull out chairs in the library 29.
• Uses spiritual power to inspect the contents of his Storage Ring 29.
• Can detect soul power circulating inside Chen Ping’s body while the boy performs other tasks 33.
• Cannot maintain meditation while moving; his experiment causes a painful loss of soul-power control 33.

Academy Administration

• Handles paperwork delegated by Xuan Zi, including sorting graduating students’ files 37.
• Works overtime for several consecutive days and sometimes sleeps at the academy rather than returning home 37.

Equipment / Items

• Storage Ring — Stores his belongings and money; he checks his remaining Gold Soul Coins before treating Chen Ping’s group 29.
• Books — His principal personal expenditure and a source of constant scholarly interest 30.
• Staff quarters — Academy-provided accommodation with two bedrooms, a private bathroom, a small kitchen, and Unranked Soul Guidance Lamps 30 31.

Relationships

• Chen Ping — Accepted distant nephew, houseguest, and intended protégé. Wang Yan admires his courage and independence while supporting him materially and studying his discoveries 30 31 32.
• Bei Bei — Shrek student who brings Chen Ping to him; Wang Yan thanks him for helping locate the surviving sect disciple 29.
• Tang Ya — Shrek student whom he addresses as “Xiao Ya.” She helps introduce Chen Ping and explain his martial soul evolution 29 30.
• Xuan Zi — Senior elder who delegates administrative work to him and supports his proposed evolution research. Wang Yan introduces him to Chen Ping as an elder of his own 37 38.
• Xiaotao — Potential beneficiary of his research into martial soul evolution; he hopes it might resolve the problems associated with her Evil Fire Phoenix 37.

Notable Quotes

“Even without that connection, I couldn't possibly let you go hungry. Once you're at school, keep calling me Mr. Wang.” 31

“Look at me, falling into that old habit again. The moment I see a book, I can't tear myself away...” 33