An anime series where the main character is overpowered may not be as bountiful as the fleeting clouds in the sky. However, they are not as rare as the phoenix feather or the unicorn’s horn. Thus, every once in a while, we could get struck by some phenomenal anime with the notoriety of having an overpowered protagonist.

In the Chinese anime industry, such a plot is quite a cliché. In fact, in our list of best Chinese action anime, majority of them revolved around an overpowered character: his life, journey and success. Among those Chinese anime that definitely sits in the top is Battle Through the Heavens (Doupo Cangqiong). An exciting action-adventure-fantasy anime that could contend against giant shounen anime from Japan. The anime is based on a novel with the same title. It also inspired a manhua (Chinese manga) adaptation as well as a live-action drama called Fight Break Spheres which is currently on air.

Our young hero, Xiao Yan

As stated in the plot, Battle through the Heavens (BBTH) main character is a young man named Xiao Yan. The story chronicle his life, struggles, journey into becoming a legendary figure in the BTTH universe. His journey isn’t as easy as walking on a completely concrete roads, instead it is a bloody rough path made of challenges that honed his skills, talent, and heart to become an exceptional youth of his generations that could startled old demons and immovable mountains. Throughout his journey, he met powerful allies, irreconcilable enemies, treacherous fiends, envious rivals and various complicated affairs with exceptional ladies.

In this post, I will discuss the various affairs of Xiao Yan that eventually become the grandest harem in the entire Dou Qi continent. I would like to share how this ladies contributed to his journey, affected his life, and became pillars that support Xiao Yan’s heart and almighty presence. As a novel reader of BTTH, I couldn’t stopped myself from being stuck in awe to the presence and contribution of these women on the plot of the story or possibly it’s just the feminist in me going on a rampage. Therefore, let’s meet these exceptionally beautiful and powerful women from this overpowered Chinese anime / novel / manhua called Battle Through the Heavens, that could captured the heart and win the favour of flame emperor himself, Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan and Medusa started as individuals with enmity towards each other with the former being fearful to the latter due to her fierce reputation. Medusa harbour a killing intent towards Xiao Yan in the beginning and unexpectedly fell for him as the story progress and accepted Xiao Yan as her equal in strength later on. She possessed a destructive strength that most men feared. Xiao Yan is the only man she protected with all her life although they’re relationship is one that sprung from an agreement for a mutual benefit.

Medusa is described to have a bewitching beauty and allure that no other woman could compare in the hearts of men.

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This mysterious lady with godly beauty and unfathomable background is the most overpowered woman in the story who could turn the tide in some of the most crucial situation in the novel although Medusa isn’t that far from her when it comes to strength. She’s the childhood sweetheart of Xiao Yan and his genuine girl in the story. Her loyalty towards Xiao Yan is as strong and hard as a crystalized gems where she’s even more willing to go against her powerful clan for the sake of Xiao Yan. She always display heavenly affection to our young hero while exuding a cold and indifferent façade towards everyone else. Being the princess of one of the most powerful clan in the story, she possessed the strength that could make the heaven and earth tremble while maintaining a graceful aura and a godly presence.

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Xiao Yi Xian or also known as Little Fairy Doctor is Xiao Yan’s first ever best friend. Similar to Cai Lin (Medusa), she had protected Xiao Yan a countless times against dangers, even risking her own life for our young hero. Behind her beautifully magnanimous appearance is a fearsome warrior. She’s an expert in using poison and widely fear for her woeful poison body. She harbour a haughty yet restraint affection towards Xiao Yan. However, due to the latter’s loyalty to Xun Er, she maintained a casual and intricate friendship with Xiao Yan.

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A very complicated relationship is what Xiao Yan and this middle-aged woman naled Yun Yun shared. Due to Yun Yun background as the former sect leader of Misty Cloud Sect, the faction that caused Xiao Yan some great hardship and trouble, their relationship is quite constraint and intimately painful. Nonetheless, despite of the complex circumstances between the two of them, Yun Yun couldn’t get herself to loath Xiao Yan although the latter had killed her teacher.

Moreover, despite of Xiao Yan’s animosity with Misty Cloud Sect, he couldn’t get himself to hurt Yun Yun more than destroying the latter’s faction.

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A lady who is few years older than Xiao Yan. She’s the current head of Primer clan and widely known as a great auctioneer. She possessed the beauty that won’t lose to a goddess and the wit that could defeat any men. Her relationship with Xiao Yan is quite simply intimate yet restraint. She fell for our young hero however she’s controlling her feelings just like the Little Fairy Doctor due to the fact that Xiao Yan’s heart already belong to Xun Er. Therefore, she silently supported Xiao Yan all this years, especially those times that the Xiao Clan were in great trouble and in the brink of extinction. Thus, Xiao Yan owed her a great favour and treat her as an irreplaceable ally and a genuine friend.

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Nalan clan's princess - Yanran

The one woman who started it all, the very existence that push Xiao Yan to take the path he currently led. Of all the woman in this list, Nalan Yanran possibly occupied a unique space within Xiao Yan’s heart. She’s the very reason why Xiao Yan struggled to become stronger, the humiliation that she brought towards our hero is a painful one yet she push him to become a force to reckon in the entire Dou Qi continent. Among these women, she’s also the most special of having the chance to almost become Xiao Yan’s legit wife but it all stuttered due to her stubbornness, recklessness, and impertinence. Nonetheless, Nalan Yanran is the embodiment of the greatest regret in BTTH universe as well as the catalyst that ignite Xiao Yan’s destiny to become great.

Aside from this six women who influenced Xiao Yan’s journey on a greater extend. There are also several ephemeral encounters that he had with other beautiful ladies such as Han Xue, Han Yue, Cao Ying, Empress Yao Ye, Xue Mei, Qing Lin, Xin Lan.

Nonetheless, even some of the female members of Xiao clan had some quite complex and intimate relationship with him such as Xiao Yu and his ambiguous connection with Xiao Mei. In the end, Xiao Yan is not just a hero who’s famous for being a manboy with extreme affinity towards women but with astonishing strength to back him claim, actions, ideals and reputation as one of the most overpowered Chinese anime character of all time.