Xie An

Biodata

Power Progression

Background / History

Xie An is the illegitimate son of the Xiao Family head and grew up outside the family. The Xiao Family specializes in pill refining and is one of the four great cultivation clans, each controlling a province 14.

His feud with Jin Pang stems from the poisoning of Xiao Yi, the Xiao Family’s gifted young master and Jin Pang’s cousin. Jin Pang’s parents and aunt died in the Land of the Fallen Phoenix while seeking medicine for Xiao Yi. Although Jin Pang’s maternal grandfather returned with the medicine, demons stole it from the Xiao estate after Xie An reportedly let information about it slip. By then, Xie An had become Yun Yao’s disciple, and both the sect master and Xiao Family protected him from retaliation 15.

Qin Chuan suspects that Xie An and the Xiao Family head were involved in a deliberate scheme rather than an accidental disclosure. He explicitly acknowledges that this is speculation; the supplied events do not establish who arranged the disaster 15 16.

Appearance

• Handsome face: Explicitly described during his injury at the martial competition 27.
• Later change in features: Qin Chuan notices that Xie An and Jiang Lin look more effeminate at the Cloud Province auction house; Gu Hao agrees that their features appear changed 50.

Personality

Xie An is intensely devoted to Gu Xiran. He enters the martial competition to protect her rather than pursue first place, promises to keep her safe even at the cost of his life, and later shields her despite being barely able to stand 6 7 26.

He is vindictive toward his enemies. After surviving the ambush, he asks Pei Xuan to kill Qin Chuan, then demands that Qin Chuan be made to suffer when outright killing appears impractical. His loyalty to his fellow disciples also deteriorates: he takes satisfaction in Pei Xuan suffering an injury like his own and grows resentful when Yun Yao repeatedly prioritizes others 22 30 32 34.

Abilities & Skills

Alchemy

• Recognized as an alchemy genius and intended to win the original plot’s pill competition 5 6.
• Receives specialized instruction from a Xiao Family alchemist sent to teach him 17.
• His injuries prevent him from entering the actual pill competition, leaving his anticipated victory unrealized 32.

Combat Cultivation

• Possesses Early Golden Core cultivation, though the narration describes his combat strength as inferior to Jin Pang’s under normal conditions 16.
• Successfully pursues and wounds Jin Pang while Jin Pang is still recovering and can use only about sixty percent of his strength 16.
• Cannot defend against Qin Chuan’s Heavenly Dipper Demon-Breaking Sword, which is powerful enough to kill False Nascent Soul opponents 16.

Heavenly Dao Protection

Xie An benefits from the Heavenly Dao’s intervention; this is external protection rather than a technique he consciously uses 17 18.

• Survives two Heavenly Dipper Demon-Breaking Sword strikes, multiple killing formations, and Jin Pang’s Mystic Yellow Heavenly Fire despite losing more than half his body 16.
• A mysterious voice prompts his Dao protector to enter the secret realm and rescue him 17.
• Divine punishment lightning targets Qin Chuan when he attempts to finish Xie An after the protector’s death 17.
• The protection does not prevent severe injury or public humiliation 27 33.

Relationships

• Gu Xiran — Junior sister and the focus of his devotion. He volunteers to protect her during the secret-realm competition and continues defending her while severely injured 6 7 26.
• Yun Yao — Master and protector. Yun Yao helps his Dao protector enter the secret realm and later keeps Xie An alive, but damages their relationship by giving regenerative medicine to Pei Xuan instead 17 32.
• Pei Xuan — Eldest senior brother, whom Xie An initially relies on to avenge him. Xie An later takes satisfaction in Pei Xuan’s comparable injury and directs concealed hateful looks toward him 22 30 50.
• Jiang Lin — Third junior brother. Jiang Lin restrains his outbursts but also blames him for drawing Gu Xiran into conflict with Qin Chuan. Their relationship later shows open strain 23 25 50.
• Qin Chuan — Enemy who targets him because of his role in Shen Qingyuan’s planned downfall. Their conflict includes a near-fatal ambush and public disputes over sect seniority 5 16 20 21.
• Jin Pang — Mortal enemy who blames him for the loss of Xiao Yi’s medicine. Jin Pang helps ambush him and later inflicts his genital injury during the arena brawl 15 16 27.
• Xiao Family head — Biological father. The Xiao Family shields Xie An from retaliation and supplies him with a powerful Dao protector 14 15 16.
• Yun Qian — His protection by Yun Yao becomes another source of resentment when Xie An is prevented from recovering spirit stones needed for regenerative medicine 34.
• Wang Sang — Participates in his public humiliation after Wang Sang’s dog swallows his severed flesh; Xie An threatens to kill him before fainting 27.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Role in the Original Plot

• Shen Qingyuan’s false accusation: In the script Qin Chuan reads, Xie An identifies Shen Qingyuan as the murderer of mortals. Qin Chuan recognizes this as a false accusation contributing to her planned downfall 5.
• Pill competition victory: He is supposed to win first place and give Gu Xiran the prize furnace, which contains an alchemy grandmaster’s remnant soul 5 32.
• Human refinement: Qin Chuan recalls that Xie An uses people to refine medicine to save Gu Xiran, with the original narrative excusing his actions as love 14.

Secret-Realm Ambush

Xie An enters the minor secret realm as Gu Xiran’s protector. Jin Pang lures him into a hollow prepared with Qin Chuan’s sealing, trapping, killing, and defensive formations. Gu Xiran follows and becomes trapped, while Xie An suffers two full-powered sword strikes and a combined assault from the formations and Jin Pang’s fire 7 16.

He survives unconscious and catastrophically wounded. His Peak Soul Transformation Dao protector interrupts the finishing blow, but Shen Qingyuan kills the protector and the Xiao Family alchemy instructor. When Qin Chuan tries again, divine punishment lightning intervenes. During Shen Qingyuan’s confrontation with the Heavenly Dao, Yun Yao treats Xie An and keeps him alive 16 17.

Martial Competition and Public Humiliation

Still recovering, Xie An confronts Qin Chuan and Jin Pang. Qin Chuan invokes his higher sect seniority, turning the dispute into accusations of disrespecting an elder. Under pressure from the opposing elders, Yun Yao slaps Xie An and Pei Xuan, makes them kneel, and forces them to apologize 20 21.

During the later arena brawl, Jin Pang conceals himself among other disciples and kicks Xie An, destroying his genitals. He then exposes the injury to the crowd. Wang Sang’s dog swallows the severed flesh, and Wang Sang’s taunting causes Xie An to faint in rage and shame. The scene is recorded with an image-recording stone 26 27.

Exclusion from the Pill Competition

Xie An retreats to his cave abode as stories of the incident spread through the sect. Yun Yao gives his available regenerative medicine to Pei Xuan, leaving Xie An to request medicine from the Xiao Family. Unable to compete, Xie An loses his intended opportunity to win the pill furnace; Jin Pang takes first place instead 32.

Rift Within Yun Yao’s Lineage

A dispute over unpaid betting winnings brings another humiliation. Disciples storm Yun Qian’s residence, seize valuables, and strip and display Yun Qian, Xie An, and Jiang Lin at the mountain’s foot. Xie An’s still-unhealed injury becomes public knowledge again 33.

His resentment deepens because Yun Yao scolds him, saves Jiang Lin first, and protects Yun Qian rather than allowing Xie An to reclaim money needed for medicine. By the Cloud Province auction, Qin Chuan notices Xie An directing hateful glances at Pei Xuan and Jiang Lin and considers exploiting the division 34 50.

Notable Quotes

“Rest assured, Master. I'll protect little junior sister well. Even if I die, I won't let her suffer the slightest harm.” 7

“Then stab him hard a few times, Eldest Senior Brother. Don't let him off easy. I want to make him wish he were dead.” 22