Great Cang

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Great Cang
Alias(es)	Great Cang Kingdom; Great Cang Imperial Dynasty 227 507
Type	Kingdom governed by an imperial court 192 756
Founder	Ji Sheng, a cultivator from the Sword Sect 227
Ruling House	Ji Imperial Dynasty 954
Capital	Han City 658
Ruler	Ji Guang, formerly King Chen; successor to the deposed Ji Shang 752 777
Population	Five billion during Ji Shang’s reign 475
Administrative Divisions	Forty provinces before its later territorial expansion 385
Territorial Extent	Described as ten thousand li before the incorporation of Great Yu and other territories 765 1088
Status	Survives the Black Bone catastrophe, expands its territory, and later participates in the defense against the Great Calamity of Heartlessness 955 1088 1286

National Standing

Standing	Chapter	Notes
Middle Four Kingdoms; second-tier nation	371	Its Azure Lotus delegation initially aims to compete with the other middle-tier kingdoms rather than the Upper Three Kingdoms.
First overall at the Azure Lotus Dao Discussion	383 385	Wins 1,326 Azure Lotuses, including 1,300 earned by Lin Su, surpassing the participating kingdoms, provinces, and Sacred Families.
Recognized among three top-tier nations	1286	Ji Guang joins the monarchs of Ancient Nanyang and the Western Heaven Immortal Kingdom at Azure Sky City during preparations for the Great Calamity of Heartlessness.

History

Founding and the First Black Bone Invasion

Ji Sheng founded Great Cang approximately a thousand years before the main events. He came from the Sword Sect, then the most powerful cultivation sect, and two hundred Immortal Sects attended the founding ceremony. This early period is described as Great Cang’s historical peak of prosperity 227.

In the tenth year after its founding, the Demon Race broke through Blood Rain Pass. Its strongest core was the Black Bone Demon Race, whose immense strength and regenerative abilities devastated the defenders. Ji Sheng struck the Divine Bell of National Protection on Ascension Platform, mobilizing seven iron-blooded armies and eighty Immortal Sects. The conflict became known as the Founding Cataclysm 227.

Ji Sheng abdicated at forty, after taking the throne at thirty, and entered the Sword Sect to confront the invasion. His ambition to unite the cultivation world ended with his death through the demonic technique Moon Shadow 705 946. Dugu Shi and three thousand Sword Sect warriors subsequently remained sealed within Great Cang Mountain for a thousand years 953.

Incorporation of Cang Mountain

Sun Yiyang helped organize resistance to the Chi Kingdom through cooperation with the seventy-two tribes, particularly the Yuan Tribe. During the resulting struggle, the Head Tribe was driven out of Cang Mountain, and Qi Fu of the Xiang Tribe killed the tribe’s leader, unified the mountain, and brought its tribes into Great Cang. This incorporation established the Ningzhou of the present era 553.

Despite his contribution, Sun Yiyang was later branded a traitor by Ningzhou officials led by Lei Zheng, resulting in the destruction of his family 553.

The Jiangdong Crisis and Ji Shang’s Rule

Six years before the events described in the Jiangdong Old Case account, the Crown Prince was killed, the reigning emperor died, and Prince Ning—Ji Shang—ascended the throne. The King of Huainan rose in Jiangdong under the banner of restoring the rightful heir. Great Yu invaded while Great Cang was divided, and more than a hundred Great Confucians persuaded the King of Huainan to halt his armies for the country’s survival 324.

The official account concealed Ji Shang’s role in inviting Great Yu’s invasion. The Pact of Luocheng was a transaction: Great Yu created the external crisis that secured his throne, and the Four Garrisons of the North were its payment. Great Yu’s knowledge of his illegitimate succession subsequently gave it leverage over him 467 475 744.

Li Xiaotian recovered the Four Garrisons, but their restoration divided the court. Some officials celebrated the victory, while Ouyang Dong condemned it as an unauthorized invasion and provocation 323. Ji Shang continued attempting to return the territory to Great Yu, culminating in the Helan Massacre 752.

Deposition and Restoration

Reports exposing Ji Shang’s regicide, dealings with Great Yu, and responsibility for the deaths of northern defenders turned public anger against him. Citizens surrounded the Imperial Palace, while White Deer Academy, Wenyuan Pavilion, court officials, and Dark Fragrance’s Azure Dragon and White Tiger halls joined the opposition 741 744 745.

Ji Shang abdicated, and King Chen, Ji Guang, restored the legitimate line. The Great Cang News explained the succession and the preceding scandals, helping stabilize the capital 750 752.

Great Yu, the Chi Kingdom, and Yelang immediately tested the new regime’s defenses. Ji Guang answered the northern threat by enfeoffing the former Great Jin prince Li Qingquan as Prince Jin, granting him the former Jin territory to reclaim for Great Cang 753 756 757. The Northern Expedition crossed the Helan defense line for the first time in Great Cang’s history and reached Lingdingyang before Ji Guang’s coronation 760 774.

The Second Black Bone Catastrophe

The Black Bone Demon Race broke its seal while Lin Su was away. Dugu Xing died activating the Sword Sect’s Ten Thousand Kill Monument, while the demon Ding Yi assisted Ji Shang’s attempt to reclaim Great Cang. Ji Guang remained in the capital and rallied scholars and cultivators to defend it 934.

Most of the country fell. The principal surviving resistance centers were the capital, the Haining Lin Family, Xizhou, Ningzhou, and Jin Territory 946 950. Ji Guang sent out all his Hidden Dragon Guards to save Lin Su’s family, sacrificing his own protective force in the hope that Lin Su would still have a reason to return and fight 946.

Lin Su returned, killed Ji Shang in Western Capital, and destroyed Medicine King Mountain after its leadership collaborated with the demons 950 951. He then possessed Dugu Shi’s body and fought alongside the three thousand Sword Sect undead. Their campaign eliminated Hei Youhuang and the invasion’s senior commanders, at the cost of the undead warriors’ final destruction 953 954.

To make the army’s counteroffensive possible, Lin Su and Zhou Mei crossed Great Cang by flying shuttle. He killed 470 Origin Heaven experts in ten days, clearing obstacles for five armies. The surviving demons were eventually driven back into the Demonic Realm 955.

Reconstruction and Expansion

Nearly a year after the catastrophe, reconstruction had restored Great Cang’s rapid development. New buildings rose along the Yangtze River, and the population regarded Lin Su’s intervention as the country’s rebirth 1011.

War with Great Yu resumed. The Flying Dragon Legion crossed Lingdingyang, Great Cang’s army conquered Chu territory in three days, and Zhou Yi opened Lu territory’s gates to it. Great Yu’s imperial dynasty ultimately ended, and its lands became territory under a prince of Great Cang 991 994.

By the Western Expedition, Great Cang included the former Great Yu, the southwestern Demonic Realm, and nineteen provinces from the divided Southeast Buddhist Kingdom 1088.

Geography and Territory

Location	Significance
Han City	Imperial capital; contains the Imperial Palace, Purple Gold Pavilion, and the capital’s Confucian Temple 658 777 946.
Great Cang Mountain / Cang Mountain	Homeland of the seventy-two tribes and base of the Cangshan Army. Contains Moon Ridge and the Land of Conferred Gods 342 629 953.
Ningzhou	Province formed through Cang Mountain’s incorporation; defended by the Cangshan Army against both the Chi Kingdom and the Black Bone demons 341 553 950.
Qingpan River	Border with the Chi Kingdom. Its loss and restoration are central to the southern campaigns 341 901.
Qing City	Formerly a prosperous border-trade city on the Qingpan River; converted into a military stronghold during Chi occupation 348.
Four Garrisons of the North	Northern territory ceded through Ji Shang’s dealings with Great Yu and later recovered by Li Xiaotian 323 475.
Helan City	Northern defensive position held by Li Xiaotian against the Wilderness Wolf Regiment; the subsequent expedition advances beyond its defense line 750 760.
Jin Territory	Former Great Jin lands incorporated into Great Cang through the Northern Expedition 756 774.
Lingdingyang	Natural defensive boundary used by Li Xiaotian after Jin Territory’s recovery; later crossed in the invasion of Great Yu 808 991.
Haining	Lin Su’s hometown. Its Saint Tree shelters refugees during the Black Bone catastrophe 886 951.
Xizhou	Resistance center defended by the Merfolk Tribe during the second Black Bone invasion 950.
Fog Gate Pass	Southwestern position subjected to Yelang’s probing attacks after Ji Shang’s deposition 753.
Blood Rain Pass	Breached during the Founding Cataclysm; later commanded by Lin Zheng and rebuilt after the second catastrophe 227 958.

Government and Reforms

Imperial Authority

• Noble titles and offices are distinct. Prince Nan’s military authority comes from his appointment as Cangshan Army commander, not his princely title; he has no regional administrative authority 343.
• Lin Su becomes the One-Character King Side-by-Side and Literary King. Ji Guang accepts that the nation and people take precedence over the ruling surname and explicitly permits Lin Su to replace him if he abandons those principles 777 852.
• The Hidden Dragons are an imperial secret force. Lin Su discovers their connection to White Deer Academy; the Hidden Dragon Guards later protect his family during the invasion 659 946.
• Sacred and imperial authority are intertwined. The Confucian Temple Night Watchman delivers the final congratulatory address at enthronement, and the Sacred Hall’s recognition is important to the new emperor’s legitimacy 775 777.

Ji Guang’s National Policies

Policy	Measures
Agricultural water conservancy	Develops water infrastructure to stabilize livelihoods and strengthen the country’s popular foundation 815.
Tax reform	Regulates taxation, including goods belonging to privileged scholars and officials. Lin Su commits his own family’s goods to taxation at the prescribed rate 815.
Military and administrative streamlining	Reorganizes the military around six major legions and approximately three million professional soldiers, selecting the best personnel and providing resettlement payments to discharged troops 815.

• Before reform, Great Cang maintains ninety-seven large armies plus provincial armies, with more than twenty million soldiers 815.
• By the second Black Bone catastrophe, reorganization has reduced the army to three million soldiers 958.
• Ji Guang’s willingness to adopt unconventional proposals and face resistance is identified as the essential condition enabling Great Cang’s reforms 887.

Military

Major Forces

Force	Commanders and role
Cangshan Army	Commanded by Prince Nan Qi Fu, with Qi Dong and Qi Yao as key leaders. Great Cang’s strongest legion; defends the southern frontier and Cang Mountain 343 950 1083.
Flying Dragon Legion	Led by Li Xiaotian; secures the northern frontier, supports territorial expansion, and defends Jin Territory during the demon invasion 774 950 991.
Blood Rain Legion	Associated with Lin Zheng and Blood Rain Pass. Uses Lin Su’s strategies and formations to overcome comparatively weaker individual strength 958 1048 1083.
Azure Dragon and White Tiger Legions	Former Dark Fragrance forces that emerge publicly and march north to reclaim Great Jin territory 745 757.
Imperial Guards	Led by Duan Xingtian during the confrontation at the Imperial Palace 745.
Western Expedition contingent	A combined force of 300,000: 80,000 each from the Cangshan, Flying Dragon, and Blood Rain legions, plus 60,000 selected from three other legions 1083.

Tribal Military Specialties

Tribe	Documented specialty
Hand Tribe	Exceptional physical strength; adult men can kill a wild bull with one punch 342.
Foot / Zu Tribe	Extraordinary running speed, supporting hunting and rapid movement 342.
Eye Tribe	Night vision and detection of enemy movements from a hundred li away 342.
Ear Tribe	“Wind-listening” abilities; forms scout squads with the Eye Tribe 342.
Xiang Tribe	Bloodline-awakening abilities 342.

• Tribal tradition traces these abilities to a heavenly god who fell upon Cang Mountain three thousand years earlier. The seventy-two tribes developed largely from nine original tribes through intermarriage, division, and merger 342.
• The Head Tribe defected to the Chi Kingdom. Its intelligence, scheming, and spiritual-power techniques subsequently became threats to Great Cang 342 350.

Strategy and the Western Expedition

• Formations: Peerless killing, repelling, and trapping formations allow Great Cang’s weaker forces to match the progress of upper-tier nations 1048.
• Integrated warfare: Lin Su teaches that water, fire, weather, food, and other environmental conditions can become military resources 1083.
• Institutional training: Over three days and nights, he fully explains the Thirty-Six Stratagems, troop training, military purpose, and the concept of Military Soul to Great Cang’s generals. His stated aim is to reduce the country’s dependence on him personally 1083.
• Mo Xie Pass: The Great Cang Legion captures the first city reclaimed from the Demon Race during the expedition. Lin Su establishes a Confucian Temple there 1086.
• Civilian support: The expedition combines land distribution, medical treatment, and food assistance with military advances. Female soldiers from Hundred Flowers Valley and Cang Mountain treat the population 1088 1090.

Literary Way and Institutions

Major Institutions

• White Deer Academy — A major scholarly institution. Under Chen Geng, it declares war on Ji Shang and marches toward the palace 745.
• Wenyuan Pavilion — Its Great Confucians join the movement to depose Ji Shang and fight alongside other literary factions 745 747.
• Hanlin Academy — Includes the Academic Official Ouyang Dong, an influential Confucian scholar who opposes celebrating the Four Garrisons’ recovery 323.
• Confucian Temple — Connects Great Cang’s Literary Way to the Sacred Hall. Its Night Watchman can influence scholarly advancement, imperial recognition, and the country’s literary development 775 776 777.
• Great Cang News — Publishes explanations of Ji Shang’s crimes and Ji Guang’s legitimacy, helping stabilize public opinion during the succession 752.

Azure Lotus Dao Discussion

Milestone	Result
First day	Great Cang leads with 21 Azure Lotuses; Wang Chengnian earns eighteen through his discussion of poetry and Ci 370.
Second-day setback	Great Cang obtains no Azure Lotuses and faces ridicule 372.
Final result	First overall with 1,326 Azure Lotuses, of which Lin Su contributes 1,300 383 385.
Imperial response	Wei Xinyu receives a grand reward, while the other participants receive equal rewards; Lin Su is not singled out 385.
Examination allocation	Great Cang gains 1,560 Jinshi Great Confucian places per Imperial Examination: 360 Sacred Jinshi and 1,200 Bestowed Jinshi 896.

• Great Yu receives only 441 corresponding places—81 Sacred Jinshi and 360 Bestowed Jinshi—making Great Cang’s victory a long-term advantage in their rivalry 896.
• The victory does not represent an equivalent increase in the country’s underlying literary foundation: the text emphasizes that Lin Su personally reverses its otherwise poor result 383 385.

Foreign Relations

• Great Yu — Northern rival that exploits Ji Shang’s illegitimate succession, seeks to annex Great Cang, and repeatedly attacks its frontier. Its dynasty is eventually destroyed and its territory incorporated into Great Cang 475 726 765 994.
• Chi Kingdom — Southern rival whose forces cross the Qingpan River and threaten Ningzhou. Lin Su and the Cangshan Army restore the river boundary, but the Chi court, Wenxin Pavilion, and Fire Race later renew their plans for invasion 341 899 901 905.
• Yelang Kingdom — Probes Great Cang’s southwestern defenses during Ji Guang’s accession crisis 753.
• Ancient Nanyang Kingdom — Sends a 300,000-strong army that supports Blood Rain Pass during the Black Bone catastrophe 958.
• East Sea Dragon Palace — Through Lin Su’s relationship with Crown Prince Long Shang, provides a strategic partner against the suspected sea invasion backed by Great Yu and the North Sea Dragon Palace 855.
• Sacred Hall — Holds substantial influence over Great Cang’s literary institutions and imperial recognition, but refuses to intervene during the second Black Bone catastrophe 776 777 947.

Great Cang Kingdom and Great Cang Realm

• Great Cang Kingdom is the political state ruled by the Ji dynasty; the Great Cang Realm is the broader world whose endangered Heavenly Dao creates the Great Calamity of Heartlessness 1214 1262.
• The White Jade Capital Lord identifies the Great Cang Realm as a Great World and warns that its collapse will attract Supreme Manifestations 1262.
• Before the calamity, the realm’s highest native power reaches only Saint Level. A single invading Myriad Manifestations expert could cause a devastating disaster 1284.
• Ji Guang, Li Xiaotian, Lin Zheng, and Prince Nan join the concentration of rulers and military leaders at Azure Sky City to confront this wider threat 1286.

Notable Quote

“In the Great Cang realm, the nation comes first, the people come first, not the surname! You can replace me at any time!”
— Ji Guang to Lin Su 777