Meng Yao

Jin Guangyao is described as having an advantageous face, with fair skin and distinct pupils. His features are clean, attractive, and ingenious, with the shadow of a smile playing on the corners of his lips and brows. His figure is a bit small.

He wears the standard Lanling Jin Clan uniform embroidered with a white peony motif and bears a vermilion mark on his forehead. He additionally wears a signature black gauze cap on his head.

Jin Guangyao (金光瑶, Jīn Guāngyáo), born Meng Yao (孟瑶, Mèng Yáo) was the leader of the Lanling Jin Clan after the death of his father Jin Guangshan and the predecessor of his nephew Jin Ling. Due to the power of the Lanling Jin Clan, he becomes the first Chief Cultivator. Titled Lianfang-Zun (敛芳尊, Liǎnfāng-zūn), he is also a member of the Venerated Triad. He was the only son of Meng Shi, the paternal half-brother of Jin Zixuan, Mo Xuanyu, and Qin Su, Jiang Yanli's brother-in-law, the father of Jin Rusong, and the stepson of Madam Jin.

On the surface, Jin Guangyao has a caring, humble and calm demeanor. He proposes the construction of watchtowers to watch over common people, and allows his deceased half-brother's murals to exist alongside his own in equal glory, despite the precedent that he should make Jin Zixuan seem less impressive.

Underneath his gentle facade, Jin Guangyao is deeply insecure about his roots. Despite his deep love towards his mother, he repeatedly demonstrates distress at being called "the son of a prostitute”. Moreover, he is desperate to earn Jin Guangshan's approval; in his own words, as long as his father commanded him, "no matter how foolish it was, no matter how hated I'd be, I'd obey regardlessly”. As a result, Jin Guangyao commits many violent acts, revealing a ruthless side to his personality. He even kills his sworn brother Nie Mingjue after Jin Guangshan deems Nie Mingjue a political inconvenience. After realizing that Jin Guangshan will never love him, Jin Guangyao retaliates against his father by murdering him in a deeply embarrassing manner.

Although Jin Guangyao does not kill needlessly, he is willing to kill or endanger many to save himself. In his own words, he has killed "his father, brother, teacher, wife, son, and friend" by the end of the book. However, his ruthlessness is not without his own brand of mercy: he elects to save his mother's friend Sisi, choosing to imprison her instead of killing, despite the fact that she was a witness to his murder of Jin Guangshan, and to marry his own half-sister because she had already become pregnant before he knew of their relation.

Has two sworn brothers: Lan Xichen (Er-Ge) and Nie Mingjue (Da-Ge). He is a really close friend to Lan Xichen, despite the lack of sincerity as Jin Guangyao doesn't reveal his true intentions to anyone. Never once thought to hurt his Er-Ge, though he still can threaten him if its necessary. Meng Yao has far more complicated relationship with Nie Mingjue. In the past he was a servant in Qing He Nie sect, but he betrayed Nie Mingjue's trust which lead to unpleasant changes between them. After that they became sworn brothers and their friendship was recovered. (Although Jin Guangyao kept his antipathy towards Nie Mingjue)

Hensheng (恨生, Hènshēng): Jin Guangyao's flexible "soft sword," capable of cutting any object it wraps around into pieces with the application of spiritual power. It is easily hidden on his body by wrapping it wrapped around his waist or arm.