Yu Hongyan

Yu Hongyan is the matriarch of the Mo Qing Sect and the master of Qin Xinci and Xie Yan.

Personality and Traits
Yu Hongyan is a friendly and benign person. She is a gorgeous woman, as a consequence of practicing the Maiden's Scripture. Xie Yan considers her to be different from other women of the sect, and supports her whenever possible. Yu Hongyan is gifted in martial arts, achieving a high cultivation realm and becoming the Sect Master at a relatively young age, although she admits she isn't so good at managing the sect.

Yu Hongyan is very fond of Xie Yan, treating him as a friend rather than a servant. She has immense faith in Xie Yan's acumen and relies on him to compensate for her mediocre leadership ability.

Plot
Yu Hongyan was formerly the disciple of the previous matriarch of the Mo Qing Sect. Years ago, the matriarch's premature death threw the sect in turmoil and eventually, Yu Hongyan became the new matriarch. Since then, her master's elder martial sister, the Great Elder Wu Lingxian resented Yu Hongyan, blaming her for robbing her rightful position. At some point in time, Yu Hongyan took Qin Xinci as her direct disciple. Prior to meeting Xie Yan, the matriarch had sustained many internal injuries and was ill for a long time. She concealed the true nature of her injuries from everyone, and consequently her control over the Mo Qing Sect declined.

Yu Hongyan first meets Xie Yan when she is about to execute the latter for trespassing the ancestral shrine. Xie Yan correctly diagnoses her secret injuries and warns her that if left untreated, her cultivation will regress. He reveals his Finger Of Nirvana technique and claims that he obtained it from the sect founder Yu Xiuluo in a dream. The matriarch is amazed by the effectiveness of this ability and decides to protect Xie Yan. She deceives the sect by claiming that she castrated Xie Yan as punishment and takes him as her personal servant. In the following month, thanks to Xie Yan's medical treatment, Yu Hongyan completely recovers from her injuries and is able to improve her cultivation. She begins to trust Xie Yan, and grants him the Heavenly Guard and the Finger Of Flowery Swords techniques, making him an accomplished disciple of the Mo Qing Sect.

Eventually, Xie Yan forewarns Yu Hongyan and the other elders of the 4th Elder, Wei Rudao being a mole from the Blissful Temple and suggests staging an infighting to trap the Blissful Temple. The matriarch is furious with Xie Yan's accusations for Wei Rudao is her childhood friend. Nevertheless, she heeds Xie Yan's suggestion and is upset when his prediction comes true. The next day, when Dang Hongchen and her subordinates invade the Mo Qing Sect, Xie Yan helps Yu Hongyan replenish her energy. The elders trap the enemy in the Great Sect Formation while Yu Hongyan kills Huo Liangu, Bao Pugu, Wu Xiagu, and Huang Tingxian. With her plans thwarted, Dang Hongchen commits suicide while Yu Hongyan tearfully kills Wei Rudao.

Later, Yu Hongyan distributes Wei Rudao's properties among the other elders. She claims the branch at Qufeng city for herself and appoints Xie Yan as its branch master. Eventually, Yu Hongyan appoints Qin Xinci as the 4th Elder and sends her to assist Xie Yan in Qufeng.

The matriarch is surprised when Xie Yan returns to the Mo Qing Sect for a while. She is amazed to discover Cyany's existence and reveals that even without shamanic techniques, she can clearly perceive ghosts. As a reward for Xie Yan's achievements in Qufeng, Yu Hongyan gives him the Startling Rainbow Escape technique. Xie Yan eagerly requests for more techniques, but Yu Hongyan refuses, telling him to concentrate his efforts on ascending the Innate Realm.

Some days later, the matriarch insists Xie Yan to attend an emergency meeting conducted by the sect elders. She invites Bai Suyuan, interim High Priestess of the Blissful Temple to the Mo Qing Sect and requests her to explain her situation to Xie Yan. Bai Suyuan explains the unrest in the Blissful Temple, caused by the return of Liu Qingmei and the latter's stance of attacking the Mo Qing Sect. The High Priestess offers an alliance to the Mo Qing Sect, in exchange for helping her assassinate Liu Qingmei. Xie Yan prompts the matriarch to use a method on Bai Suyuan to prevent treachery. Yu Hongyan agrees to help Bai Suyuan and orders Xie Yan to accompany the High Priestess to serve as a liaison between the two sects until they formulate a plan to kill Liu Qingmei. The matriarch provides Xie Yan with her energy concealment pendant as well as a list of important contacts before sending him off.

After Xie Yan returns, Yu Hongyan is pleased to learn that he resolved the entire matter by himself. Days later, the matriarch permits Xie Yan to travel for a while, for the purpose of achieving the Innate Realm.

Trivia

 * Yu Hongyan shares her surname with Yu Xiuluo, the founder of the Mo Qing Sect, although it is unknown if she is a descendant. Her name, Hongyan means "beautiful lady".
 * Yu Hongyan's secret hobby is reading romance and porn novels, and her favorite author is Xie Yan.
 * According to Xie Yan, Yu Hongyan is a sublime beauty who could have improved his Finger Of Flowery Swords and helped him reach the Innate Realm. Xie Yan doesn't seduce her because she would see through his intentions immediately.