Fanolan

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Fanolan (法诺兰)
Alias(es)	Deacon Fanolan; “Grandpa Fanolan”
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Spirit Hall; Notting City Spirit Hall branch 1 26
Occupation/Role	Former white-robed chief deacon of the Notting City branch; later appointed chief hall master and exceptionally promoted to Purple-Robed Deacon 1 26
Soul Power	Rank 49 Soul Ancestor 3
Status	Serving as chief hall master of the Notting City Spirit Hall branch 26 134
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Power Progression

Period	Soul Power / Rank	Details
Prior to and during Li Long's first soul hunt	Rank 49 Soul Ancestor	A four-ring Soul Ancestor with a standard yellow, yellow, purple, purple soul-ring configuration. 2 3
After Li Long became the Pope's personal disciple	Purple-Robed Deacon and chief hall master	Exceptionally promoted to Purple-Robed Deacon and appointed chief hall master of the Notting City branch, receiving prefecture-level branch-hall-master treatment and resource allocation. 26

Background / History

Fanolan served as the white-robed chief deacon of Spirit Hall's Notting City branch. Though he recognized Li Long's ordinary Iron Staff martial soul and low innate soul power as limitations, he also saw the boy's exceptional diligence over three and a half years of cultivation. After Li Long reached rank 10, Fanolan personally approved his soul-hunting application and chose to accompany him—treatment he did not ordinarily provide to other branch members. 1

In the Soul Hunting Forest, Fanolan advised Li Long to account for defense and speed alongside his intended strength-focused path. He initially opposed Li Long's attempt to absorb a five-hundred-year Mighty Vajra soul ring, warning that it exceeded the accepted first-ring absorption limit and could kill him. Once he verified Li Long's physique was comparable to that of a two-ring Great Soul Master, however, he accepted the risk, subdued the Mighty Vajra, and guarded Li Long throughout the absorption. 2 3

After witnessing Li Long succeed, reach rank 13, and obtain the powerful Mighty Vajra Staff soul skill, Fanolan resolved to report him to Spirit Hall's higher authorities for greater recognition and resources. He continued to manage Li Long's registration, secured an extra monthly subsidy for him, observed his training, and assisted with his probationary-deacon registration after Li Long chose the dangerous mission-based route over academy enrollment. 3 4 5

Fanolan remained Li Long's superior and supporter during his work in Notting City, approving of his completion of the basic missions and official probationary-deacon registration. When Li Long departed for Spirit City at rank 20, Fanolan provided a letter of introduction to Lin Xiuyuan at Spirit Hall headquarters, ensuring Li Long would have help with procedural matters upon arrival. 9 12

Following Li Long's acceptance as Pope Qian Shengyuan's personal disciple, Li Long personally requested recognition for Fanolan's early guidance and trust. Qian Shengyuan appointed Fanolan chief hall master of the Notting City branch, promoted him to Purple-Robed Deacon, and granted him the treatment and resource allocation of a prefecture-level branch hall master. The Pope further assigned Platinum Bishop Zhao Ze to personally deliver the appointment and conduct the appropriate chief-hall-master ceremony. 26

Years later, news of Li Long's coronation as a rank-94 Titled Douluo drew reporters, Soul Masters, and people claiming distant family connections to the Notting City branch. Fanolan handled their inquiries from his office until his voice grew hoarse. Among the visitors was Old Zhou, the apothecary who had sold Whale Rubber to Li Long as a child and hoped to claim some credit for his success. 134

Appearance

Fanolan is an elderly man who wore white robes while serving as the Notting City branch's chief deacon. 1

• Kindly smile and approachable manner toward Li Long. 1
• Carries a storage ring, including a soul-power testing orb reserved for chief deacons. 1
• Wields a sharp golden longsword in combat. 2

Personality

Fanolan is observant, practical, and supportive. He accurately identifies Li Long's shortcomings in innate soul power, martial soul quality, and speed, but values the boy's work ethic enough to invest personal time in him. 1 2 4

He is cautious when lives and cultivation foundations are at stake. Fanolan clearly explains the danger of absorbing an over-limit soul ring and offers to interrupt the process if necessary, even though doing so would injure Li Long's foundation. After confirming Li Long's physical condition and resolve, he supports the attempt rather than suppressing the boy's ambition. 2

Fanolan also recognizes talent's institutional value. He sees Li Long's successful first-ring absorption as both a chance for Li Long to access better resources and an achievement that would bring merit to Spirit Hall and himself. 3

Abilities & Skills

Soul Ancestor Physiology

Fanolan is a rank-49, four-ring Soul Ancestor, possessing four standard soul rings: yellow, yellow, purple, and purple. 2 3

• Releases his aura to deter ten-year and hundred-year soul beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest. 2
• Easily subdued a five-hundred-year Mighty Vajra by striking its weak point. 3
• His soul power substantially exceeded Li Long's, allowing his defensive skill to withstand a rank-13 Li Long's empowered strike despite being breached. 3

Golden Longsword

Fanolan fights with a sharp golden longsword. 2

• Used the weapon to critically wound the Mighty Vajra so Li Long could deliver the final blow and claim its soul ring. 3

Sword Qi Body Protection

Fanolan's second soul skill creates a protective layer of sword qi around his body. 3

• Activated it after judging that Li Long's Mighty Vajra Staff could not be safely received head-on in his normal state. 3
• The barrier was torn open but not fully shattered by Li Long's rank-13 attack. 3

Administration and Soul-Hunting Guidance

As a chief deacon, Fanolan handles branch documentation, soul-power verification, soul-hunting approvals, Soul Master registration, and probationary-deacon procedures. 1 4 5

• Personally verified Li Long's rank-10 and rank-13 soul power using a testing orb. 1 3
• Gave practical advice on soul-ring selection, including the need to balance strength with defense and speed. 2
• Filed the report that brought Li Long's unprecedented five-hundred-year first ring to Spirit Hall headquarters' attention. 3 4
• As chief hall master, handled the letters, visitor registrations, and inquiries that followed news of Li Long's coronation. 134

Relationships

• Li Long — Mentor-like superior and early benefactor. Fanolan personally escorted him on his first soul hunt, trusted his decision to attempt a five-hundred-year first ring, handled his branch-hall advancement, and gave him a letter of introduction before his journey to Spirit City. Li Long later sought official recognition for Fanolan in repayment after becoming the Pope's personal disciple, and subsequently rose to become Spirit Hall's Holy Son. Years later, Li Long's coronation brought crowds seeking information about him to Fanolan's branch. 1 2 5 12 25 26 33 134
• Qian Shengyuan — Pope of Spirit Hall who approved Fanolan's appointment as Notting City's chief hall master and his exceptional promotion to Purple-Robed Deacon at Li Long's request. 26
• Ling Su — Spirit Hall special envoy who arrived in Notting City after headquarters received Fanolan's report on Li Long's first ring and soul skill. 4
• Zhao Ze — Platinum Bishop ordered by Qian Shengyuan to personally deliver Fanolan's appointment decree and arrange the ceremony for his installation as chief hall master. 26
• Old Zhou — Notting City apothecary who visited Fanolan after Li Long's coronation, hoping to claim credit for having sold Whale Rubber to Li Long during his childhood. Fanolan greeted his claim with bemusement. 134

Story Role / Major Arcs

Li Long's First Soul Hunt

Fanolan acts as Li Long's guide and protector in the Soul Hunting Forest. He identifies the five-hundred-year Mighty Vajra as too old by conventional standards, but ultimately enables Li Long's successful attempt by defeating the beast and standing guard during absorption. 2 3

Notting City Probationary Deacon Period

He oversees Li Long's formal Soul Master registration, arranges his subsidy, watches his sparring, and processes his decision to become a probationary deacon. Fanolan supports the choice while bluntly warning that the mission path can get him killed. 4 5

Departure for Spirit City

As Li Long leaves Notting City to enter the Youth Soul Master Tournament, Fanolan provides a recommendation letter to facilitate his dealings with Spirit Hall headquarters and watches him depart from the branch hall. 12

Recognition by the Papal Palace

Li Long's first request after becoming the Pope's personal disciple is for Fanolan to be rewarded. The Pope answers by elevating Fanolan to Notting City's chief hall master and Purple-Robed Deacon, with Platinum Bishop Zhao Ze assigned to personally deliver the decree. 26

Li Long's Coronation

After Li Long's coronation as a Titled Douluo, Fanolan manages the surge of visitors and correspondence at the Notting City branch. He receives Old Zhou, who hopes his past sale of Whale Rubber to Li Long will earn him a share of the credit for Li Long's rise. 134

Trivia

• Fanolan considered Li Long the most outstanding young Soul Master in the small Notting City branch. 1
• He believed Li Long's successful absorption of a five-hundred-year first ring could become the first such miracle in the soul master world. 3
• Li Long's first empowered strike forced Fanolan to use a defensive soul skill, despite Li Long having only just reached rank 13. 3