Langzi

Boyish, loud, excitable like every child, Langzi is a very bright teen. He is cautious and cordial whenever he speaks his opinion- aware that the Preceptors have given him many biases in life. Langzi is more than happy to help others and great at pulling others' heartstrings whenever he needs money or a favor from them. He is surprisingly brave and selfless, considering how weak he is in combat. Langzi holds a very deep insecurity in not being the perfect reincarnation of the Preceptors' leader, although now bickers often with the people who have raised him.

In a previous life, Langzi was a female Vidyadhara named Zetian, the powerful combatant and leader of the Luofu's Vidyadhara Preceptors. When she was mortally wounded during the sedition of Imbibitor Lunae, the Preceptors forcibly put her into a molting rebirth to salvage her soul. However, this rebirth was clearly incomplete as Langzi was born after a very complicated egg gestation. He was a boy, and although talented in Cloudhymn arts, was not a fighter. He faced much difficulty in his early life- being referred to with female pronouns, his past life's name, and not being "good enough". Eventually the Preceptors caved and raised him as a boy and accepted he would not be a powerful combatant like his past life. They provided him with necessities but not an allowance, and kept him mostly isolated for most of his life.

Langzi met Yanqing in Central Starskiff Haven when he made a snide comment about Jing Yuan- which he'd picked up on from the Preceptors. Yanqing retaliated with a strike, causing a fight and scuffle which got them taken to the General. Cowed by his presence, Langzi was recognized by Jing Yuan who heartily laughed and told him not to take things from the Preceptors for so granted. He began to admire the General and befriended Yanqing. Langzi spent more time away from the Preceptors and began to ask citizens in the Luofu for money in exchange for chores, even dragging along Yanqing whenever he ran out of his own allowance. During the events of the Trailblazer mission in the Luofu, Langzi defied the Preceptors' orders to come to them and instead went with General Jing Yuan to where Yanqing was fighting with Blade and Imbibitor Lunae, whisking him away while Jing Yuan spoke to them. This fully earned the trust of Langzi from Jing Yuan. Langzi has considered quitting his job as a Junior Preceptor when he learned what they wanted to do with Lady Bailu, but Yanqing encouraged him to remain in the Preceptors so he could root out corruption himself and protect Bailu.