Cao Ying

She was introduced when Xiao Yan came to the Pill Tower to not only save the Ye clan but to also try and get the Three Thousand Burning Flame. She was impressed when he won the first two test and before the last test, which was to test Spiritual Control against each other, she requested to make a substitute for her clan. She had directed her request at Xiao Yan and he accepted. She told him if he could withstand three attacks from her she will consider that he won the contest. She used soul skills during their fight , something Xiao Yan has never seen before. After he withstood her first two attacks, using his heavenly flame, he was able to see the hand seal she was using and when she attacked the third time she saw him use the same pattern as her. She was again amazed that he was able to use the skill after only seeing it two times when it took her a long time to master the skill. At the end he withstood her three attacks and won

She runs into a few days later when he comes to the Pill Tower to meet the three heads. When he leaves she tries to get him to wait so she can talk to him, but he rushes off saying he has things he needs to do and will talk to her in the future.[11][12] When they enter the Pill region she asks if he wants to join the group she is with and he declines. At this point Chen Xian shows up with two elders of the Profound Xuan Sect and tells them to kill Xiao Yan. She watches as Xiao Yan handles both elders and then destroys Chen Xian's cultivation. [1][13][14]Xiao then leaves again but is being watched by Old Mu Gu. As she continues in the Pill Region she and her group comes across a group of alchemist being attacked and killed by members of the Hall of Souls. The Hall has put up a barrier so no one can escape. Xiao Yan appears and she tells him she needs 5 minutes to destroy the barrier. He goes to hold Old Nu Gu off to give her the time. When she destroys the barrier they all flee, she flees with Song Qing and Xiao Yan. Old Mu Gu freezes space around her so she can't escape and when she calls for help Song Qing flees, but Xiao Yan send his Sky Demon Puppet to defend her. The puppet is almost split in half but it gives her the chance to escape and she thanks Xiao Yan as she flees.

During the Pill Tournament she watched in anger as Old Mu Gu attracted 4 color pill lightning and it looked like he was going to take first place. At that moment she turned to look at Xiao Yan and saw that he was deep in thought and yelled out " Xiao Yan if you are a man, you will go all out." She blushed after yelling this as Xiao Yan looked over at her.[15] With her encouraging words Xiao Yan took a chance and raised the spiritually of the pill to win the contest.[16][17][18] After the Pill Region trial is over she meets with Xiao Yan when they meet with Xuan Kong Zi, Xuan Yi and Tian Lei Zi. Song Qing is also there but she is ignoring him. The group make plans for stopping Old Mu Gu and the Hall of Souls. As the meeting ends she tells Xiao Yan she wants to walk with him, but he is hesitant and uses the excuse that he needs to make plans. She is incessant that he walks with her and when Song Qing says something about it she tells him"I don't want to be used as a sacrifice again". He tried to explain that he was pushed away , but she doesn't believe him and removes him from her heart and leaves with Xiao Yan. When they arrive at his residence she meets the Little Fairy Doctor and they exchange banter before leaving. After the door is closed she looks at the door and says "Xiao Yan you cannot escape from these hands of mine" and leaves. She would appear with Xiao Yan in the Star region to try and tame the Three Thousand Burning Flame, but would have to flee with the Heavenly Flame threaten to erupt. She like the rest of the people at the people at the Pill Tower believed that Xiao Yan must have been destroyed when the Three Thousand Burning Flame erupted Six months later when the flame erupted out of the Star region everyone was amazed that Xiao Yan not only had survived, but had refined the flame. After this she would not see him again till the end when he defeated Hun Tiandi.