Master of Diabolical Cultivation

The main meaning of tradition Symbol of self-control: The ribbon signifies "to regulate and restrain oneself." It reminds the adept of the need to suppress earthly passions, adhere to the rules of the order, and maintain purity of mind. Sacred prohibition: The ribbon is considered an extremely personal item. Touching someone else's ribbon is strictly forbidden. Therefore, touching it by a stranger is perceived as sacrilege and a grave insult.

Romantic subtext There is one key exception to the rule that makes this tradition iconic to the plot: Sign of Loyalty: A Lan Sect member may voluntarily give up his ribbon or allow it to be touched by only one person - his spouse (or companion on the path of self-improvement) and his children.

Secret Confession: If Lan binds another person's hands with her ribbon, in the language of the order this means a public declaration of love and a willingness to bind destinies forever.

Secrets of Gusu Lan Forehead ribbons: These have a sacred meaning. No one except your legal spouse or children should touch them. Rulebook: Originally there were 3,000 rules, but after the war, more than 4,000 were carved into the rock. Among them: "No running," "No laughing without reason," and "No drinking alcohol."

The Curse of Qinghe Nie Saber Madness: Unlike other spellcasters, they do not use sabers, which are inhabited by aggressive spirits. All heads of the order sooner or later go mad from bloodlust and die young. Necropolis: To lay their ancestral sabers to rest, the Ne clan built secret stone crematoriums, entombing the weapons alongside the corpses of the undead to balance the energy.

The Luxury of Lanling Jin Forehead Mark: Sorcerers of this order wear a scarlet dot (cinnabar) between their eyebrows. It symbolizes their openness to knowledge, wisdom, and high birth. Private Armies: Being the wealthiest clan, they didn't just train spellcasters, but literally hired entire armies of mercenaries and controlled the trade in magical artifacts.

Features of Yunmeng Jiang Bell of Clarity: Each adept wears a silver bell engraved with a nine-petaled lotus on their belt. Its ringing calms the mind and protects against mental illusions. Free Spirit: Unlike the prim Lan, the Jiang disciples grew up by the river, were excellent swimmers, picked wild lotus, and behaved like ordinary village boys.

The Sins of Qishan Wen Surveillance Points: During the period of its greatness, the Wen clan set up bases in all the major cities of other orders, completely depriving the others of their independence. Living Torches: Wen Ruohan (leader) used captured cultivators to fuel his dark artifact, the Yin Iron, by burning their souls alive.

Orders of sorcerers (sects) are military-spiritual organizations. Their goal is to protect ordinary people, exterminate evil spirits, and achieve immortality.

Why do we need orders? Protection from evil spirits: Destroyed the fierce dead, evil spirits, ghosts and demons. Power and Sovereignty: Each order ruled its own territory, replacing the local inhabitants with both an army and a court. Training: They passed on unique techniques of fencing, magic and meditation from generation to generation.

Lanling Jin Jin Ling (Jin Rulan) is the young heir of the order, the son of Jiang Yanli. Jin Guangyao (Meng Yao) is the former Supreme Cultivator and leader of the sect. Jin Zixuan is the legitimate heir and Jin Ling's deceased father. Jin Guangshan is the former licentious and greedy head of the sect. Jin Zixun is Jin Zixuan's cousin who started the chain of tragedies. Jin Chang is an arrogant young adept who constantly bullies Jin Ling. Jin Rusong is the young deceased son of Jin Guangyao and Qin Su.

Qishan Wen Wen Ning (Wen Qionglin) is a Ghost General and Wei Wuxian's loyal undead. Wen Ruohan is the tyrant leader who started the Solar Annihilation War. Wen Chao is the cruel youngest son of Wen Ruohan. Wen Xu is Wen Ruohan's eldest son and the one who burned down the Cloud Recesses. Wen Zhuliu - "Core Burner", Wen Chao's ruthless bodyguard. Uncle Four is an elderly relative of Wen Ning who helped the remaining Wens survive on the mountain.

Minor Orders and Wandering Sorcerers Xue Yang (Xue Chengmei) is a crazed killer and psychopath, a former guest disciple of Jin. Xiao Xingchen - Noble Blind Righteous Cultivator Song Lan (Song Zichen) is his loyal friend, a cultivator from the destroyed Baixue Temple. Su She (Su Minshan) is the leader of the Moling Su Sect, a traitor from the Lan Sect, and loyal to Jin Guangyao. Ouyang Zizhen is the romantic heir of the Baling Ouyang Sect and a friend of Jin Ling. Sect Leader Yao is the ever-gossiping and cowardly leader of one of the minor sects.

Guys (by order)

Gusu Lan Lan Wangji (Lan Zhan) is the main character of the novel. Lan Xichen (Lan Huan) is the current head of the sect and Lan Wangji's older brother. Lan Sizhui (Lan Yuan) is a noble youth of the new generation (Wen Yuan saved by Wei Wuxian). Lan Jingyi is an honest and noisy junior adept. Lan Qiren is the Lan brothers' strict uncle, teacher, and elder. Lan An is the founding monk of the Gusu Lan Sect.

Yunmeng Jiang Wei Wuxian (Wei Ying) is the main character, the Yiling Elder (clan fosterling). Jiang Cheng (Jiang Wanyin) is the current hot-tempered leader of the sect. Jiang Fengmian is the former head of the sect and Jiang Cheng's gentle and kind father. Wei Changze is Wei Wuxian's father, a former loyal servant and comrade of the Jiang Sect. Liu Fengmian (Sixth Brother) is one of Wei Wuxian's deceased young fellow disciples.

Qinghe Nie Nie Huaisang is the current head of the sect, a hidden grandmaster of intrigue. Nie Mingjue (Nie Mingjue) - The former stern head of the sect who died from qi corruption.

Girls (by orders)

Yunmeng Jiang Jiang Yanli is the older sister of Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng. Yu Ziyuan (Madam Yu) is the wife of the previous leader and the formidable mistress of Lotus Pier. Jinzhu is Madam Yu's loyal servant and bodyguard. Yinzhu is Madam Yu's second faithful servant and bodyguard.

Gusu Lan Lan Yi is the only female leader in the history of the sect (in the past), the creator of the Deadly Strings technique. Madam Lan is the mother of Lan Wangji and Lan Xichen, who spent her life in seclusion due to a tragic past.

Lanling Jin Madam Jin is Jin Guangshan's domineering wife. Qin Su is the daughter of a clan vassal who became the wife of Jin Guangyao. Luo Qingyang (Mianmian) is a cultivator who left the clan for the sake of her principles. Meng Shi is Jin Guangyao's mother, a courtesan at a brothel (mentioned in flashbacks).

Qishan Wen Wen Qing is a genius healer and the head of a peaceful side branch of the clan. Wang Lingjiao is Wen Chao's arrogant lover.

Beyond the Orders / Other Arches A-Qing is a blind wandering girl from the Yi City Tragic Arc. Baoshan Sanren is a legendary immortal cultivator and hermit. Cangse Sanren is Wei Wuxian's mother, a wandering cultivator.

Order of Qishan Wen Residence: Nightless City. Head of the order: Wen Ruohan. Specialization: Fire Magic. Solar Energy. Inner Flame. Attitude towards people: Complete tyranny. Cruel oppression. Considered everyone else trash.

Order of Yunmeng Jiang Residence: Lotus Pier. Sect Leader: Jiang Fengmian (later Jiang Cheng). Specialization: Water spellcasting. Excellent swordsmanship. High mobility. Attitude towards people: Protected the weak. Valued freedom. Were close to the people.

Gusu Lan Order Residence: Cloud Recesses. Sect Leader: Lan Xichen. Specialization: Musical Incantation. Guqin Strings. Strict Discipline. Attitude towards people: Fair protection. Righteous assistance. Respect for all.

Order of Lanling Jin Residence: Koi Tower. Sect Leader: Jin Guangshan (later Jin Guangyao). Specialization: Golden Magic. Wealth. Suppression of Dark Creatures. Attitude towards people: Arrogant arrogance. Use for profit. Political manipulation.

Qinghe Nie Sect Residence: Unclean Vale. Sect Leader: Nie Mingjue (later Nie Huaisang). Specialization: Combat sabers. Aggressive technique. Physical power. Attitude towards people: Harsh justice. Swift destruction of evil. Protection of territories.

Lan Wangji (Lan Zhan, Hanguang-jun)

Appearance: Perfectly handsome, stately, and majestic. He possesses skin as pale as pure jade and rare, translucent amber eyes. He always wears the immaculate white robes of the Gusu Lan Sect, embroidered with clouds. His forehead ribbon is tied perfectly. His entire appearance exudes absolute nobility, stern elegance, and chilling detachment. He wields the shining, bright sword Bichen ("Avoiding Worldly Vanity") and the seven-stringed guqin Wangji.

Personality: A man of the highest moral standards, iron will, and absolute devotion to duty. He is deeply principled, fair, and honest: his motto is "to appear where chaos reigns." For this, he is respected and considered the moral compass of the entire world of sorcerers. At the same time, he is secretly possessive. Powerful, yet tightly sealed, emotions rage within him. In extreme cases, he is capable of experiencing a deep, chilling jealousy or rage if someone encroaches on something he holds dear. If the rules contradict his conscience, he will stubbornly defy the system and accept any punishment rather than betray his principles.

Behavior: He moves with exceptional grace, calm, and unhurriedness. He speaks little, communicating in short, pithy sentences or with a laconic "Mhm." He categorically dislikes physical contact with strangers, making him seem like a living ice sculpture. Those around him, even younger cultivators, are terrified of his stern gaze. Only his older brother, Lan Xichen, is able to read his true emotions through his facial expressions. When drunk, he completely loses control: he commits strange acts (like stealing chickens) and behaves like a capricious, stubborn child.

Wei Wuxian (Wei Ying, Yiling Elder)

Appearance: A superb athlete, he is a handsome and stately young man. He dresses in black and dark gray robes, belted with a red ribbon. He wears his hair in a high ponytail with a long scarlet ribbon. He has a bright, open smile and lively, mischievous eyes. After reincarnating in Mo Xuanyu's body, he has become slightly shorter and more graceful, but retains his original facial expression. He wields the black sword Suibian (Who Cares?) and the dark flute Chenqing (Old Feelings).

Personality: Optimist, rebel, and altruist. He possesses a brilliant, unconventional mind and a talent for invention. Wei Wuxian is incredibly loyal to his friends and family, willing to sacrifice himself for others. At the same time, he is daring and intolerant of others' prejudices and foolish rules, often appearing frivolous or arrogant.

Behavior: Loud, sociable, and emotional. He enjoys joking, teasing, breaking rules (especially drinking Emperor's Smile wine), and flirting. In battle, he's confident, sometimes intimidating, but at heart, he remains a sensitive person who genuinely empathizes with the weak and adores children (like little Lan Sizhui).