Lan Yan

Biodata

Background

Lan Yan was born into the Lan Clan, a sorcerous family led by her father. Despite her youth, her mastery of the arts already rivals that of her uncles, earning her recognition among Liyue’s prominent families. Her upbringing was sheltered, but she possesses naturally strong perception that allows her to see things ordinary people cannot 16 23 25.

She grew up with Shen Luolun. They used her paper figures to exchange secret messages while skipping class, and both remember falling off a swing together years earlier. Shen frequently visited her family until her uncle, Lan Zhanye, began persistently trying to recruit him as a disciple 15 37.

Appearance

• Described as fresh and graceful, standing elegantly like a green lotus 15.
• Has crescent-shaped eyes that fill with smiles when she sees Shen Luolun 15.
• Frequently blushes during intimate or teasing exchanges with him 15 22.
• Wears a jade pendant recognizable as a distinctive token of the Lan Clan 25.

Personality

Lan Yan is playful and openly affectionate with Shen Luolun, but his obliviousness often leaves her embarrassed or exasperated. She hopes he will recognize her feelings, asks him to be more romantic, and defends him when Yelan criticizes their behavior. She also enjoys teasing him, including encouraging him to study under her uncle so that she could become his senior sister 15 18 37.

Her enthusiasm for Will of Fire makes advance chapters a particularly effective bargaining tool. She pesters Shen into drawing an unreleased volume, accepts three more as an apology for a prank, and later negotiates thirty volumes in exchange for taking responsibility for their trip 17 35.

In combat, she prefers a safe, calculated victory over unnecessary risks. Her treatment of prisoners is harsher: she considers killing Yinyue after perceiving the resentment surrounding her, strikes and threatens her, and uses a magical restriction during interrogation. Although she objects to Shen’s deliberate humiliation of Yinyue, she later suggests whipping the prisoner’s back instead, apparently unaware of how much more dangerous that would be 24 25 27 29.

Abilities & Skills

Anemo Shield

Lan Yan creates a cyan shield capable of protecting herself and nearby companions from repeated attacks 24.

• Blocks Yinyue’s barbed iron whip while sheltering Shen Luolun and Su Qing 24.
• Allows her to exhaust an opponent before counterattacking; she maintains this defense for more than half an hour against Yinyue 24.
• Has finite durability. Yinyue’s increasingly furious attacks deplete it faster, prompting Lan Yan to order her companions back before it disappears 24.

Ring-Blade Combat

Lan Yan fights with two ring blades, which she can coat in Anemo power and launch at an opponent 24.

• Attacks Yinyue from both sides as the exhausted Treasure Hoarder attempts to flee 24.
• Knocks Yinyue down in a single exchange after wearing away her stamina 24.
• Studies enemy movements while defending. After observing Yinyue, she believes she could defeat her within two exchanges in direct combat, though she chooses the safer approach 24.

Animated Paper Figures

Her small cyan paper figures move independently enough to wave, gesture, guide people, and deliver messages 15.

• Exchanges secret messages with Shen Luolun and sends advance notice of their arrival to Xiangling 15 19.
• Guides Shen to the Ye residence’s outer wall; the figure then burns into cyan smoke, signaling the next step of his escape 15.
• Is assigned to distract the Treasure Hoarder guards during the Cuijue Slope infiltration 39.
• Requires her attention and a viable route. She declines to send one into the crowded, closed restaurant while also protecting Shen 22.

Binding and Restriction Sorcery

Lan Yan uses both animated cord and conjured bindings to restrain targets 24 34.

• Commands the cord at her waist to fly out and bind Yinyue 24.
• Creates a cyan rope to stop Tang Hao from injuring himself and also binds Tsarevich 34.
• Places a magical restriction on Yinyue before interrogating her 26.
• States that the restriction monitors bodily reactions and lets her detect lies. Yinyue later abandons an escape-related scheme after noticing Lan Yan’s hand seal 26 34.

Supernatural Perception

Her sorcerous heritage gives her unusually strong perception 25.

• Sees a bloody, murderous aura and accumulated resentment around Yinyue 25.
• Interprets these signs as evidence that Yinyue has committed numerous killings 25.

Physical Capabilities

• Runs at great speed while carrying Shen Luolun and Paimon during their escape from the Cockroach Rat 22.
• Can leap into the air to launch her ring blades 24.
• Fails to catch Shen cleanly when he jumps from a four-to-five-meter wall, causing both of them to fall 15.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Twin ring blades — Her principal demonstrated offensive weapons, used with Anemo power 24.
• Catalyst — Readied when Alice and Zhongli approach the ruins, then put away once they are identified as allies 43.
• Binding cord — Carried at her waist and animated through sorcery 24.
• Lan Clan jade pendant — A distinctive family token that allows Yinyue to recognize her affiliation 25.
• Paper figures — Used for communication, guidance, and distractions 15 19 39.

Relationships

• Shen Luolun — Childhood friend and romantic interest. She protects him and seeks greater intimacy, while he repeatedly interprets her affection as friendship between “bros” 15 18 37.
• Lan Zhanye — Her uncle, who wants Shen as his final disciple. Lan Yan encourages the idea and offers to teach Shen herself 37.
• Her father — Head of the Lan Clan. Lan Yan insists that even his intervention would not justify easily releasing Yinyue 25.
• Yelan — Fellow protector of Shen and an investigative ally. They clash over how freely he should be allowed to travel, but cooperate against the Treasure Hoarders 35 37 39 44.
• Madam Xiao — Knows Lan Yan’s reputation and trusts her strength enough to permit Shen to leave the Ye residence under her protection 16.
• Xiangling — Friend whose Cuisine Machine Test appearance motivates Lan Yan and Shen’s journey. Lan Yan contacts her ahead of their arrival 15 19.
• Su Qing — A fellow ship passenger whom she saves from Yinyue. She questions his captor and promises to help rescue his missing crew 24 26 28.
• Yinyue — Enemy turned prisoner. Lan Yan defeats, binds, and interrogates her, while sometimes intervening against Shen’s humiliating treatment of her 24 26 27.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Leaving the Ye Residence

After finding Shen’s home sealed and learning that he is staying with Yelan, Lan Yan uses a paper figure to reach him despite the residence refusing visitors. She helps him climb over the wall and reminds him about the approaching Moonchase Festival and Cuisine Machine Test. Before departing, they obtain Madam Xiao’s permission 15 16.

They travel toward Chenyu Vale aboard a tea merchant’s ship. During the journey, Lan Yan reads Shen’s comics and warns him about increased Treasure Hoarder activity, passing along her uncle’s suspicion that the organization is gathering something 17 18.

Yilong Wharf and Yinyue’s Capture

At Yilong Wharf, Lan Yan helps Lumine restrain Paimon, who has become uncontrollably hungry after eating the suspicious noodles. They learn that Xiangling is still inside the restaurant and move to help her 19.

While waiting outside, Lan Yan invents a Cockroach Rat to frighten Shen—only for a real one to appear. She flees with Shen and Paimon clinging to her. Their retreat leads them to a pavilion, where she notices Su Qing’s confrontation with his employer 22 23.

Lan Yan subsequently saves Su Qing from Yinyue’s whip, defeats Yinyue, and places her under a magical restriction. Her questioning uncovers the captive crew’s location and details of the medicinal-herb conspiracy 24 26 27.

Exposing the Noodle Scheme

Lan Yan accompanies Shen and their prisoner back to the restaurant, where Yinyue is revealed as Tang Hao’s estranged wife. As the investigation develops, she and Shen connect the noodle operation to Su Qing’s stolen shipment 29 33.

She restrains Tang Hao to prevent further self-injury and binds Tsarevich. When Yelan arrives, Lan Yan accepts Shen’s offer of thirty Will of Fire volumes to take responsibility for their outing, while explaining that Madam Xiao had approved it 34 35.

Cuijue Slope Infiltration

Lan Yan agrees to help Yelan and Lumine capture the mastermind. At Cuijue Slope, Yelan assigns her to distract the guards with paper figures and remain outside to provide cover 38 39.

She later meets Alice and Zhongli alongside Paimon. After exchanging information, the group identifies the mastermind as Alice’s escaped Miniature One-Eyed Tyrant and enters the ruins together 43.

Once the mind-controlled Xiaoyue is subdued, Lan Yan confirms that the girl is alive. While the others pursue the fleeing Tyrant, she stays with Yelan to summon the Millelith, bind the Treasure Hoarders, and release the young men who guided Alice to the hideout 44.

Notable Quotes

“Yelan’s right. You can never be too careful around people.” 16

“What C6? Do you think I’m an adeptus? I only have one life.” 24

“Talk all you want, but don’t hurt yourself. You still have to stand trial. Nothing can happen to you here.” 34

Trivia

• Her usual drink order is sweet flower tea 23.
• She enjoys Will of Fire particularly for its battles and bonds 17.
• Despite her combat ability, she is terrified of the Cockroach Rat and expects its appearance to give her nightmares 22.