Yan Ruyu

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Xin Mo Sect
• Ge Huaiyu (Acquaintance)

Mo Qing Sect
• Xie Yan (Acquaintance)

Yan Ruyu is a former member of the Chongling Dao and one of the Five Beauties and Five Princes. She is revealed to be an orphan of the extinct Liu family, the former imperial family of the Han Empire.

## Personality and Traits

Yan Ruyu is a devious and attractive woman who does not trust anyone, even her own sect. Consequently, she tends to exploit people before discarding them. Yan Ruyu forms a mutually beneficial alliance with the Magical Dignified Prince, Xie Yan, although the latter keeps her guessing about his true identity. Xie Yan is wary of Yan Ruyu's dishonesty and greed.

## Plot

As a newborn, Yan Ruyu was adopted by Du Xi when the Chongling Dao massacred her village. She survived the cruel training and became the first of her generation to reach Acquired Realm - 9th Layer. Later, she met Ge Huaiyu of the Xin Mo Sect, and the two discovered a secret cave in Yudu, where they found three martial arts left behind by the deceased Kong Kong. Ge Huaiyu claimed the Mantra Of Formlessness and the Mantra Of Disguise, while Yan Ruyu claimed the Five Elements Escape.

About two years before the Great Gathering of the Nine Sects, Yan Ruyu and Ge Huaiyu travelled to the Xilan Kingdom and massacred the pursuers of Princess Xilan Wei; but Xilan Wei was fatally wounded and made the duo swear the Great Inner Demon Oath to save her mother, Empress Saiya, from the rebel leader, Turanzhe. The task turned out to be too difficult, so Ge Huaiyu and Yan Ruyu returned to the Han Empire. Despite the Oath suppressing her cultivation, Yan Ruyu advanced to the Innate Realm, albeit with great difficulty; but Ge Huaiyu died in a duel against Xie Yan, who stole his identity. At some point in time, Yan Ruyu killed a handsome youth named Yu Ruyan.

Many months later, Yan Ruyu, Zhao Shi and Tu Wangsheng compete for the Mysterious Yin Fruit growing on the Xiaoba mountain. Just then, Xie Yan (disguised as Ge Huaiyu) defeats Zhao Shi, steals the fruit, and disappears. Yan Ruyu kills Zhao Shi and frames Ge Huaiyu. Zhao Shi's father, Zhao Xuantan (Chongling Dao's Daoist Master) orders Yan Ruyu to confirm whether Ge Huaiyu was indeed the true culprit, because the latter was a notorious master of disguise.

Days later, Yan Ruyu watches Ge Huaiyu/Xie Yan enter the secret cave in Yudu and visits him. After a rough meeting, Yan Ruyu tells Xie Yan about her plan to steal the Zombie Blood Leeches from Xu Min's vault and use them to obtain Xilan Wei's blood. While discussing her plan, Yan Ruyu notices many inconsistencies in "Ge Huaiyu" but deliberately overlooks them, because she is desperate for his help to remove the Inner Demon Oath. One week later, Yan Ruyu and Xie Yan pose as lovers to attend Xu Min's soiree. Eventually, the duo successfully complete the heist and leave. Yan Ruyu informs Xie Yan that they will leave for Xilan after participating at the upcoming Great Gathering of the Nine Sects. Xie Yan requests Yan Ruyu to falsely testify to Zhao Xuantan that Ge Huaiyu actually murdered Zhao Shi. He also insists that the Chongling Dao should target only Ge Yi and Ge Huaiyu.

After listening to the strange request, Yan Ruyu realizes that the man before her is impersonating the dead Ge Huaiyu. However, she accepts XIe Yan's request and leaves. Five months later, Yan Ruyu and other Chongling Dao members participate at the Great Gathering of the Nine Sects. During the event, Yan Ruyu approaches Shi Taipu on Xie Yan's behalf to ask for help in killing Ge Yi. After convincing Shi Taipu, Yan Ruyu receives an Advanced Dao Harmony Room from Xie Yan, but unfortunately, she loses the room to a stronger Innate Realm expert.

Many hours later, Xie Yan helps Yan Ruyu search for an Advanced Dao Harmony Room. They peek on two disciples from the Bai Lian Xie Sect and the Chi Liang Cult, and they learn that the two sects are fighting over the Xilan Royal Treasury. Later, Yan Ruyu completes her Anointment in an Advanced Dao Harmony Room, but her Great Inner Demon Oath hinders the effect,

Fifteen days after the Gathering, Yan Ruyu meets Xie Yan in Hulu town and gives him the scout report on the Xilan Kingdom. After one month, Yan Ruyu and Cyany arrive at the Imperial City of Xilan Kingdom, while Xie Yan disguises himself as Princess Xilan Wei and arrives at Xiliu city in Xilan. Few days later, Yan Ruyu impersonates Yu Ruyan and approaches Xie Yan on behalf of Turanzhe. The two pretend to be a couple and demand that Turanzhe arrange a meeting with Empress Saiya. Later, on Xie Yan's orders, Yan Ruyu ambushes Turanzhe's aide, Zhang Ye, and although her assassination attempt is thwarted by a mysterious stranger, Zhang Ye's incapacitation delays the Bai Lian Xie Sect's progress. That night, Yan Ruyu lures Du Xi to the Imperial City to protect her from Xie Yan in case he attempts to kill her. Later, Yan Ruyu and Xie Yan attempt to trace the location of Empress Saiya, but Yan Shigu (Bai Lian Xie Sect's deputy patriarch) reveals that Saiya was killed by Turanzhe two years ago. The original Xilan Wei had witnessed her mother's murder, which is the reason Turanzhe and Yan Shigu noticed right away that the current princess is an imposter. Yan Ruyu realises that the original Xilan Wei tricked her and Ge Huaiyu into swearing the Great Inner Demon Oath to save Saiya.

Later, the mysterious stranger (Zhou Yanping in disguise) approaches a dejected Yan Ruyu with a solution. Yan Ruyu is shocked to learn that she is a descendant of the extinct Liu family, the former imperial family of the Han Empire that was overthrown by the Di family. Zhou Yanping abruptly leaves after noticing Du Xi's presence. Du Xi attempts to kill Yan Ruyu after learning about her true heritage, but Xie Yan drives her away. Later, Xie Yan watches some of Yan Ruyu's childhood memories using the True Art Of Mara and afterwards, he gives his Enhanced Spirit Nurturing Technique to her.

Few days later, Xie Yan helps Yan Ruyu improve the recipe for the Progenitor of Mysterious Yin and performs the ritual to help Yan Ruyu manifest her guardian spirit- a blue fennec fox. Later, Zhou Yanping visits Yan Ruyu and gives her a strange fruit which immediately raises her cultivation to the Innate Realm - 2nd Layer. He assures to remove Yan Ruyu's Great Inner Demon Oath in exchange for betraying Xie Yan. Yan Ruyu informs Xie Yan about everything, including her status as an orphan of the Liu family and the plot to trap him on Xikun Mountain. However, Zhou Yanping fails to capture Xie Yan. Many days later, Yan Ruyu, Xie Yan, and the Chi Liang Cult enter the treasury through the Moon Gate. Xie Yan and Yan Ruyu arrive at the centre of the ancient city, where they discover an array left by the Great Light Cult. Yan Ruyu attempts to fuse Mei Leng with her guardian spirit, but she fails. Xie Yan suggests that they should awaken Mei Leng's intelligence before merging her with the guardian spirit. Yan Ruyu and Xie Yan visit the mausoleum of the first emperor of Xilan to train Mei Leng. There, the group tumbles into an undiscovered grotto heaven. Mei Leng and Cyany discover a ghost cultivation technique and learn it.

Later, Cyany performs a ritual on Mei Leng, who begins to speak. Suddenly, the space collapses and the group returns to the mausoleum. Later, it is revealed that Yan Ruyu is still working for Zhou Yanping. She had received a part of the Sublime Vermillion Mantra Of Mysterious Yang in exchange for Xie Yan's body samples. Using this technique, Yan Ruyu transfers her Inner Demon Oath to Mei Leng and sacrifices the ghost to dissolve the Oath. However, Yan Ruyu feels remorse when Mei Leng reveals that she awakened her intelligence long ago. Yan Ruyu summons her Guardian Spirit and the two spirits become one. Mei Leng and Yan Ruyu happily reunite and they visit Xie Yan. Yan Ruyu confesses everything to Xie Yan and reveals that Zhou Yanping secretly planted tracking devices on them. Yan Ruyu removes the tracking device on Xie Yan and advises him to leave the treasury as soon as possible. She thanks Xie Yan for all his help and parts ways with him. However, Xie Yan secretly plants a mental peg on her before she leaves. Yan Ruyu secretly helps Xie Yan escape by luring Ge Yi to the Sun Gate. In the aftermath, Yan Ruyu discovers her injured master and presumably kills her.

## Trivia

* Her name roughly translates to "Jade-like face". Her surname "Yan" comes from Du Xi's late husband.
* Yan Ruyu is noted to have terrible luck.
* Even though she was a newborn at that time, Yan Ruyu clearly remembers how Du Xi adopted her, and how her parents were willing to sacrifice each other to survive. This is the reason for her belief that no one can be trusted.