Vo Lian was a member of the Yuuzhan Vong species, specifically a warrior. He held the rank of subaltern and served under the command of Commander Tsaak Vootuh during the second year of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion. Lian accompanied Vootuh to Yavin 4, where Vootuh engaged with Captain Imsatad of the Peace Brigade. This organization collaborated with the Yuuzhan Vong and had attempted to capture Jedi on the moon. Upon Vootuh's signal, Lian used his amphistaff to assassinate Imsatad. Subsequently, Lian was tasked with securing the orbital defenses of the jungle moon, deploying a garrison, and overseeing the arrival of the first shaper damutek after the newly-conquered moon fell.
Born into Domain Lian, Vo Lian was a male Yuuzhan Vong who, by 26 ABY, had risen to the position of subaltern. In this role, he functioned as a lieutenant under Commander Tsaak Vootuh. During the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, Vootuh's fleet journeyed to Yavin 4 in the second year of the conflict. Their mission was to seize control of the moon and capture the Jedi rumored to have established their headquarters there.
However, upon reaching the Yavin system, Vootuh and Lian discovered that the Peace Brigade, a group collaborating with the Yuuzhan Vong, had already attacked the Praxeum. Their goal was to capture any Jedi present and deliver them to Warmaster Tsavong Lah, the military leader of the invasion, who had promised rewards for captured Jedi. Lian was present on the bridge of Vootuh's ship as the leader of the Peace Brigade forces, the Human Captain Imsatad, attempted to explain the situation to the commander. Imsatad attempted to assert some control by offering the Yuuzhan Vong the support of his troops and vessels, but the commander did not need the Brigade. Vootuh informed Imsatad that the Peace Brigade ships would be destroyed, and ordered the Human to take the Yuuzhan Vong to see Tahiri Veila, the one Jedi who had not escaped capture, Imsatad refused. With a subtle signal from Vootuh, Lian used his amphistaff to fatally stab the collaborator in the back.
Following this, Vootuh instructed Lian to secure the moon and its surrounding space, as well as to oversee the Yuuzhan Vong landing operations. Lian was also charged with ensuring the swift establishment of the damutek, which would house the shapers—the Yuuzhan Vong's biological engineers. These shapers were intended to experiment on any captured Jedi, seeking to understand the science of the Force and potentially bend a Jedi to the Yuuzhan Vong's will. Lian quickly carried out his superior's orders.
Vo Lian was known as an efficient and obedient Yuuzhan Vong warrior. He enjoyed the trust of his commander and was prepared to kill instantly when ordered. Lian demonstrated both speed and lethality in his assassination of Imsatad. However, his responsibilities extended beyond simply killing for Vootuh. Lian also displayed competence in large-scale administration and organization, as evidenced by his management of various security operations on Yavin 4, including its orbital perimeter and the deployment of its garrison.
Vo Lian's appearance in Edge of Victory I: Conquest is brief, spanning only a few paragraphs. He is introduced alongside Vootuh, a minor Yuuzhan Vong character in the novel. His association with Domain Lian is reminiscent of Deign Lian, a character from Michael A. Stackpole's The New Jedi Order: Dark Tide II: Ruin.