Facing Heaven Pavilion

Biodata

Background / History

Facing Heaven Pavilion originated as the Heaven Department of the Previous Dynasty's Heaven Sea Wing Three Departments. The Heaven Department recruited cultivators throughout the Nine Provinces, stationed them across the realm, and specialized in driving out evil spirits. After the Previous Dynasty fell and the He Luo Dynasty was established, it entered the service of the imperial clan and became the Central State Imperial Court Facing Heaven Pavilion. 59

By the present era, it is one of the Twelve Immortal Sects and bears the Imperial Court's banner for the righteous path of the human race. Its responsibility is to enforce the law against evil spirits throughout the Human Realm. 174 381

Organization and Authority

• Facing Heaven Pavilion is ordered to exclusively manage cases involving ghosts and spirits. Its personnel may act first and report afterward when dealing with evil entities. 12
• Even junior guards are cultivators with substantial cultivation; ordinary government officials generally treat them with deference. 12
• Its disciples are distributed across all seventy-two prefectures of the Nine Provinces, giving it unusually broad reach even among major sects. 53
• Its prefectural forces can be comparatively limited where local cultivation sects are numerous and able to assist with exorcisms, as in Hangzhou Prefecture. 53
• The organization maintains both Black-Clad and Purple-Clad Guards, white-robed officials, commanders, and high-ranking Mangpao officials. 12 125 155 217 323

Detention and Enforcement

• Facing Heaven Pavilion operates prisons for supernatural offenders, including facilities where demonic energy can be suppressed with steel needles. 132
• Its feared Hundred Terrors Chamber is known throughout the jianghu as a place of severe punishment. 137
• The Iron Prison outside Divine Luo City holds major criminals with powerful divine abilities. It is one of only three prisons of its rank in the He Luo Dynasty and was forged from a single piece of Ancient Meteorite Iron. 283
• The Pavilion took custody of the rescued claimant to the title of Prince of Jiangnan and other survivors of the Strange Demon Sect, then conducted an identity verification process; it later confirmed the current prince's identity. 173 176

Stations and Deployment

• Hangzhou Prefecture station — A local base with relatively few top experts due to the prefecture's many available sect allies. 53
• Divine Luo City branch — A large eastern-city complex spanning several streets, described as nearly palace-like. 217
• Qiniu Mountain — Pavilion forces guarded the opening of Gourd Grotto-Heaven, secured nearby passes, and restricted access before powerful cultivators forced entry. 187

Known Personnel

• Li Xinyi — A guard stationed in Hangzhou Prefecture. She introduces herself as a Purple-Clad Guard, though she is later identified as a Black-Clad Guard. 12 125
• Chen Huaji — A Pavilion disciple and Black-Clad Guard who uses the Five Elements Evasion Technique. 132 353
• Zhan Liuming — The Pavilion's youngest commander; wielder of the Black Saber and White Sword, and possessor of the Born Immortal Body known as Seven Stars Guiding Fate. 155
• Duan Geng — A white-robed official stationed in Divine Luo City. 217
• Duan Lulong — Leader of Facing Heaven Pavilion. 289
• Duan Zhang — A Pavilion member associated with Hangzhou Prefecture and the younger brother of Duan Geng. 217

Relationships

• He Luo Imperial Court — Facing Heaven Pavilion serves the imperial clan and acts as its principal institution for handling supernatural threats. 59 174
• Local government offices — Constables and officials defer to Pavilion authority in ghost-and-spirit cases. 12 125
• Li Chu — The Pavilion repeatedly cooperates with and relies on the Virtuous Cloud Temple Daoist in major incidents, while also detaining him in Iron Prison during an investigation. 173 217 283
• Virtuous Cloud Temple — A frequent ally in exorcisms, criminal transfers, secret-realm incidents, and supernatural investigations. 132 145 222
• Strange Demon Sect — An adversarial demonic faction whose prisoners and activities are investigated by the Pavilion. 154 173

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Hangzhou investigations — Li Xinyi investigates supernatural incidents in Hangzhou Prefecture and collaborates with Li Chu on cases involving vengeful spirits, zombies, and Liu Qinglian's imprisonment. 12 125 132
• Xuling County pursuit — Facing Heaven Pavilion and the local Yamen lock down Xuling County while searching for Ma Liang and the ghosts and monsters created by his Divine Brush. 154
• Gourd Grotto-Heaven — Pavilion forces secure the secret realm's entrance; Zhan Liuming and Pavilion personnel later explore its dangers alongside Li Chu. 187 193 205
• Divine Luo City cases — The Pavilion processes evidence, frees Wang Longqi after Li Chu presents a ghost witness's statement, and responds to incidents at Youlan Pavilion. 217 222
• Iron Prison incident — The Pavilion imprisons Li Chu under unusually high security and later responds to the prison's breach by demonic forces. 283 286
• Tiannan Province deployment — Chen Huaji remains stationed in Qitian City and joins the exploration of a newly opened secret realm. 351