Purgatory Thirteen Veins

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Purgatory Thirteen Veins (炼狱十三脉)
Alias(es)	Purgatory Realm; the Thirteen Veins
Affiliation	Thirteen constituent veins within the Purgatory Realm
Occupation/Role	Outer Region martial-arts faction; cultivator recruitment, training, and protection
Status	Active
First Appearance	192

Background / History

The Purgatory Thirteen Veins is a major martial-arts force of the Black Ruins, feared even by cultivators connected to a Tribulation Crossing expert. It is characterized as overbearing and difficult to provoke. 181

Its mountain gate, the Purgatory Realm, is a vast inner world created by an unknown powerful being. The realm moves through the Black Ruins rather than remaining in a fixed location, preventing non-members from locating it; it is more than ten times the size of the Barren Realm. 196

The faction uses Martial Dao Seals in selected inner worlds to identify exceptional martial artists. The thirteen stone monuments within a seal represent the thirteen veins; a successful candidate is accepted into the vein associated with their chosen monument. Passing the seal is considered proof that a cultivator is suited to become part of the faction’s future core. 192

Ji Qing’s defeat of Taotie and completion of the Martial Dao Seal brought him into the Purgatory Thirteen Veins as a core disciple, later affiliated with the Divine Fusion Vein. His unprecedented results elevated the faction’s reputation and gave it a decisive advantage in the struggle for the Fire Burning Secret Realm. 195 197 203

Organization

The Thirteen Veins

The Purgatory Thirteen Veins operates as a loose faction rather than a unified sect. Each vein controls its own territory within the Purgatory Realm and may compete internally, though they act collectively against outside forces. 196

The Upper Three Veins are:

• Divine Fusion Vein — renowned for the strongest combat power and for encompassing many paths rather than specializing in one. 197 200
• Nirvana Vein — known for exceptional longevity; its mountain gate, Nirvana Mountain, serves as the meeting place for major faction-wide decisions. 200
• Reincarnation Vein — possesses the Reincarnation Mirror and is known for producing cultivators with especially strong minds. 200

Although the Divine Fusion Vein was formerly regarded as the foremost vein, the Reincarnation Vein was later considered slightly stronger by common consensus. 197

Leadership

The thirteen Vein Masters govern their respective veins and coordinate on matters affecting the entire faction, including secret-realm expeditions, military action, and the Purgatory Realm’s defense. 200 201

In the Black Ruins, the Thirteen Veins have historically depended heavily on the Upper Three Veins. Before Ji Qing’s rise, the faction had produced three Great Emperors—one from each Upper Three Vein. 239

Membership and Rank

Rank / Status	Details
Core disciple	Reserved for prodigies who pass a Martial Dao Seal. Core disciples receive high status, free access to their vein’s techniques and cultivation grounds, and instruction from the Transmission Elder. 196 197
Outer-sect member / observer	Servants who reach the Divine Ability Realm or Void Comprehension Realm may be transferred into the outer sect. Observers are dispatched to oversee Martial Dao Seals in other worlds. 196
Servant / slave	Blood descendants of disciples and elders are retained for only five generations before being demoted to slavery. Formal disciples may take from or kill these slaves without criminal responsibility. 196

Core disciples are subject to strict advancement expectations: Martial Saints must reach Martial God within twenty years, while Martial Gods are given fifty years; failure results in demotion to the outer sect. 197

Recruitment and Cultivation

Martial Dao Seals

The Martial Dao Seal is a formation and trial system left by the faction’s founding ancestor. It selects unusual inner worlds according to an unclear pattern and identifies cultivators capable of cultivating the Purgatory Thirteen Veins’ methods. 192

The seals are central to the faction’s longevity because they identify candidates suited for Acquired Divine Body cultivation. Possessing an Acquired Divine Body gives a cultivator a strong foundation for advancement toward the Divine Ability Realm and beyond. 199

Core-Disciple Privileges

• Free access to the Divine Fusion Vein’s armory and cultivation techniques. 197
• Free use of special cultivation areas. 197
• The right to consult the rotating Transmission Elder on cultivation matters. 197
• Status exceeding that of ordinary outer-sect members and observers. 196

Distress-Signal Obligation

Any cultivator of the Purgatory Thirteen Veins who receives an observer’s distress signal must immediately respond. Failure to do so can result in severe punishment or expulsion. 210

Facilities and Institutions

• Purgatory Realm — the moving inner world that serves as the faction’s mountain gate and is divided among the thirteen veins. 196
• Spirit Merging City — headquarters of the Spirit Merging lineage. 196
• Nirvana Mountain — mountain gate of the Nirvana Vein and site of faction-wide deliberations by the Vein Masters. 200
• Purgatory Battlefield — combat trial ground with ranked levels and evaluations: Ordinary, Excellent, Prodigy, and Perfect. Each level pits challengers against ten peak opponents of the corresponding realm; combatants are not killed, but may be severely injured and expelled. 198 199
• Heart Questioning Platform — a platform that tests and publicly displays a cultivator’s mental-state attainment; it has become a means of comparison between the veins. 198

Major Conflicts

Fire Burning Secret Realm Competition

The Purgatory Thirteen Veins repeatedly struggled against the Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect for control of the Fire Burning Secret Realm, where the enemy’s fire-oriented advantages had previously secured it seventy percent of the realm’s authority. 200

The thirteen Vein Masters chose Ji Qing to lead a force of 130 Martial Saints. In exchange for securing the secret realm, they agreed to provide him with Realm Stabilizing Stones. 201

Ji Qing killed the Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect’s Imperial Son, Di Cang, and annihilated dozens of its Martial Saints. The Purgatory Thirteen Veins then occupied all thirteen secret-realm hubs and connected them, taking complete control of the Fire Burning Secret Realm. 202 203

War with the Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect

After Ji Qing was ambushed, the Purgatory Thirteen Veins mobilized against the Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect. The campaign inflicted heavy losses on the enemy’s Divine Power, Dharma Aspect, and higher-ranked cultivators, forcing the sect to retreat into the Heavenly Fire Realm and seek peace. 226 227

Nirvana Forbidden Zone Crisis

The thirteen Vein Masters entered the Nirvana Forbidden Zone seeking opportunities to advance further, leaving Ji Qing to guard the Purgatory Thirteen Veins. 227

They became trapped at Heavenly Cavern Mountain and began petrifying. Their loss adversely affected the faction’s stability and even caused a decline in Ji Qing’s luck, demonstrating their importance as the organization’s visible pillars. 228 229

Later Condition

Following the arrival of Immortal Realm cultivators in the Black Ruins, the Purgatory Thirteen Veins declined significantly. Its three Great Emperors pledged allegiance to a True Immortal to preserve the faction, yet Void Immortals still threatened its territory in pursuit of its ancient heritage. 263

Ji Qing later arranged for Lingxi True Immortal to protect the Purgatory Thirteen Veins in exchange for future assistance to the Lingxi Sect. 264

After Ji Qing’s return as an Immortal Lord roughly 1,200 years after his ascension, the Purgatory Realm had changed greatly: many younger cultivators had adopted Immortal Realm cultivation paths, though the basic structure of the Thirteen Veins remained intact. Ji Qing retained the status of Supreme Elder and could enter or leave the Purgatory Realm freely. 283

Relationships

• Divine Fusion Vein — one of the Upper Three Veins; Ji Qing’s affiliated vein and a factional center of combat power. 197 200
• Nirvana Vein — one of the Upper Three Veins; hosts major deliberations at Nirvana Mountain. 200
• Reincarnation Vein — one of the Upper Three Veins; possesses the Reincarnation Mirror and is associated with mental cultivation. 200
• Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect — longstanding rival; defeated by the Purgatory Thirteen Veins in the struggle over the Fire Burning Secret Realm and subsequent war. 201 203 227
• Heavenly Light Alliance — participated in the ambush against Ji Qing, but the Purgatory Thirteen Veins focused its retaliation on the Heavenly Fire Emperor Sect rather than escalating directly against the alliance. 226 227
• Lingxi True Immortal — agreed to safeguard the Purgatory Thirteen Veins after Ji Qing’s ascension. 264