Van Veen averaged north of 105, outscoring and out-finishing his opponent across every key metric, and making a mockery of the rankings gap.
Both players landed double-figure maximums, but Van Veen's 55.17 per cent success rate on the doubles told the real story, repeatedly halting any Humphries revival before it could take root.
The opening set set the tone. Van Veen pinched it 3-2 with back-to-back ton-plus checkouts, including a ruthless 124 on the bull, edging a set where both players hovered around the ton average. Humphries responded in the second, briefly imposing himself with sharper set-up play and efficient finishing to level the match, but it proved to be a temporary correction rather than a turning point.
From there, the contest tilted decisively. Van Veen stormed the third set with a pristine 170 checkout, the Big Fish delivered without reaction, before following it with an 11-dart and a 10-dart leg to suffocate Humphries. Even a superb 158 from the Englishman merely delayed the inevitable, as Van Veen closed the set with clinical precision.
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The pattern hardened in the fourth. Humphries created chances, but misses at double 16 were punished instantly, Van Veen responding with heavy scoring bursts and an 11-dart decider to move within a set of victory. By now, Humphries looked unsettled, chasing finishes rather than dictating terms.
A trebleless opening visit from Humphries in the fifth handed control straight back to the Dutchman, who never relinquished it. Van Veen flooded the treble 20 bed, corrected calmly on the doubles and sealed the match with an 11-dart leg on double 16, completing a 5-1 victory that felt as emphatic as it was symbolic.
It marked Van Veen's fifth consecutive win over Humphries and lifted him to world number three, a rise powered by performances of rare clarity and control. Humphries averaged over 101 and still found himself outgunned, a reflection not of failure, but of the standard he was facing.
Littler hammers Ratajski
Luke Littler delivered another emphatic statement win, sweeping aside Krzysztof Ratajski 5-0 to reach the World Championship semi-finals for the third consecutive year.
The scoreline scarcely reflected the quality of the contest, particularly early on. Ratajski played his part, throwing everything he had at the teenager and even producing a set in which he averaged north of 113. Littler absorbed the pressure, survived the storms and struck with brutal timing whenever the moment demanded it.
Ratajski opened strongly and even had the darts to steal it after Littler missed chances on tops and double 10. Both players arrived at the finish line together, Littler on 170 and Ratajski on 117. The Pole blinked. Littler did not. Treble 20, treble 20, bull. A savage Big Fish to take the set 3-2 and ignite Alexandra Palace.
From there, control shifted decisively. Littler dominated the second set without ever appearing hurried, punishing Ratajski's missed doubles and closing with clinical efficiency for a 3-0 lead.
The third followed a similar pattern, heavy scoring, relentless pressure and a crowd rising as Littler threatened nine-darters before calmly tidying up on tops. Seven legs in a row belonged to the teenager.
The fourth set was the most unforgiving. Ratajski found his best level, landing big scores and pushing Littler hard in a decider, but still could not break through.
Littler scrambled at times, missed chances he would usually expect to take, yet always recovered first. Double 10, his favourite bed all night, shut the door again. Four sets up, and the outcome felt inevitable.
The finish was fitting rather than flashy. Ratajski was offered fleeting chances to extend the match, including looks at 161 and 117, but Littler's composure never wavered. With 74 left, he stepped in and pinned double 10 cleanly to seal a 5-0 win that spoke more about control than spectacle.
'I didn't feel comfortable'
"Obviously a win is a win," Littler told Sky Sports afterwards.
"When I went 2-0 up, I asked the guys in the back what I am averaging, they said '101', and I was just like, ' What are you talking about?
"Maybe because I have had two days off, but I didn't feel comfortable.
"The way I was holding my dart I was spinning it, I was changing it.
"Now I am playing day after day, hopefully I play better tomorrow."
Littler averaged 100, landed 10 maximums and converted 55.56 per cent of his doubles, numbers that underlined his command without telling the whole story.
He survived Ratajski's best spell, dictated the pace thereafter and closed with the assurance of a player who already understands this stage.
It sends the teenager into the semi-finals once again, where he faces in-form Ryan Searle.
Gary Anderson awaits Gian van Veen in the other semi-final.
Quarter-final results:
Luke Littler 5-0 Krzysztof Ratajski
Luke Humphries 1-5 Gian van Veen