Fengzhou

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Fengzhou
Classification	One of the Nine Provinces
Political status	Initially lacked local Immortal Sects and noble families; outside Immortal Manors controlled its resources and collected tribute. Ji You later established the Ji Family as Fengzhou's first indigenous noble family. 154 160
Status	Inhabited and developing; repeatedly contested by external Immortal Manors, noble families, and refugees. 156 350
First Appearance	136

Geography and Setting

Fengzhou is a remote, vast province with a sparse population. It was long regarded as barren and resource-poor compared with provinces such as Yunzhou, whose wealth rests on spirit-stone production. 155 171

• Fengzhou historically had few people competing for its limited resources, despite its large territory. 155
• Its grain production was once extremely low, while small spirit mines and spirit-seedling fields provided only limited cultivation resources. 157 161
• The province has no local Immortal Sect and formerly had no local noble family. 154 156
• Fengzhou borders Yunzhou and the Central Continent. 171
• It has been considered a potential battlefield and fallback line should Cold Iron Pass fall to barbarian or demon forces. 168 202

Notable Locations

Location	Description
Yuyang County	Ji You's home county; once a neglected grain-growing area unable to nurture spirit seedlings. 159
Fengzhou Prefecture	Provincial center where Ji You signed the registry and Great Xia documents establishing the Ji Family. 159 160
Night City	A strategic mountain-backed city on the route to Fengzhou Prefecture; cultivators gathered there to witness or obstruct Ji You's establishment of a noble family. 156
Fuyan Mountain Villa	Ji You's residence after establishing the Ji Family. 162
Danshui County	A transportation hub linking the four directions of Fengzhou and a key site in the road-repair program. 202
Ji Village	Settlement associated with the Ji Family and the administration of Fengzhou's grain reserves. 162 280

History

Rule by Outside Immortal Manors

Before the Ji Family's establishment, Fengzhou's resources, spirit mines, and cultivation opportunities were divided among outside Immortal Manors. These manors were often backed by collateral branches of larger noble families from other provinces. 154 159 322

The province's lack of local cultivation powers made it vulnerable to exploitation. Common people feared cultivators, with local belief holding that Immortals captured children to refine medicine. 157

Fengzhou had only three cultivation spots from the Northern Garrison, while several children of local officials cultivated through nearby Immortal Manors. 150

Establishment of the Ji Family

After entering the Celestial Academy's Inner Court, Ji You obtained the qualification to establish a noble family. Under the Qingyun Immortal Regulations, a local noble family would control Fengzhou's resources, taxes, and cultivation quotas, requiring external Immortal Manors to either leave or accept its jurisdiction. 152 154

Outside manors opposed this change. In the conflict at Night City Mountain, Ji You and his allies defeated the Five Great Immortal Manors; twenty-three of their members, including five Dao Integration Realm cultivators, were reported dead. 159 160

In the early years of Taiyuan, before tax and tribute collection, Ji You signed the official documents in Fengzhou Prefecture and established Fengzhou's first indigenous noble family. 160

Agricultural Reforms and Development

Following the conflict, Ji You rejected the manors' offered spiritual treasures and instead required cultivators to learn his sword arts and provide agricultural labor. 161

He introduced techniques including Combine Cultivation and organized cultivators into fieldwork teams. Lower-realm cultivators could receive reduced tribute and magical artifacts in exchange for participation. 161

Fengzhou subsequently pursued agricultural growth, road construction, land reclamation, and trade rather than relying on spirit-stone resources. 171 202

Economy and Infrastructure

Agriculture

Fengzhou's development focused on farming because it lacked Yunzhou's spirit-stone wealth. Ji You sought to stabilize the province through improved grain production, cultivator labor, and practical magical tools. 171 297

• Cultivators used spiritual energy and nine-foot immortal wheels for large-scale land reclamation. 202
• Spirit stone-powered plows and harrows were ordered to assist farmers. 297
• Cultivators also repaired roofs, tilled fields, and performed other public labor. 171
• The autumn harvest became significant enough that Ji You left the Heavenly Dao Gathering to return and harvest wheat. 248
• Favorable weather, land reclamation, and improved seed selection later produced a substantial grain surplus. 250

Trade

Fengzhou became a major exchange hub for Demon Race caravans after Great Xia changed trade routes. Its crops were especially valuable to the Snow Region, and the high purchase prices offered by demon merchants increased provincial tax revenue. 204

The Wulü Merchant Guild was established to distribute affordable grain and aid poor farmers across the Nine Provinces. It also brought migrants to Fengzhou for work. 250 260

• Incoming workers received housing, food, clothing, and assignments in fields or pastures. 260
• Working hours were limited, and workers had time to attend classes. 260
• Fengzhou's grain and its Demon Race trade route later became valuable enough for outside noble families to attempt to divide its resources. 314

Roads and Accountability

Ji You personally inspected road-repair materials in Fengzhou and exposed corrupt officials who had supplied defective stone. Multiple officials were arrested after his inspections. 202

The road through Danshui County was treated as essential to Fengzhou's future economic circulation and connection between its regions. 202

Society

Fengzhou's common people had endured severe poverty, oppressive tribute systems, and fear of cultivators. Its villages were described as containing mud huts, thatched cottages, and fences made from bundled dead branches. 157 171

Under the Ji Family's administration, the province became a destination for migrants and rogue cultivators seeking work and stability. 202 203

• Rogue cultivators were explicitly told that they could earn a living through farming in Fengzhou. 202
• Tie Xiong and his companions chose to remain after seeing cultivators and commoners working together. 203
• Refugees from neighboring provinces entered Fengzhou through informal routes, often fleeing poorer or more restrictive conditions elsewhere. 171
• By the New Yuan era, Fengzhou was described as peaceful despite broader instability following war and occupation in other provinces. 363

Fengzhou came to be viewed as representing commoners in contrast to the cultivator-dominated human states, Demon Race-held Yunzhou, and barbarian-held Youzhou. Its reduced tribute system challenged the traditional economic foundation of noble families and cultivators. 363

Conflicts and External Threats

Fengzhou's status as a sparsely defended border province made it strategically vulnerable. Some cultivators considered sacrificing the province as a battlefield to protect wealthier Yunzhou in the event of war. 168

Outside Immortal Manors and noble families repeatedly sought to reclaim control over its tax revenue, grain, spirit stones, and Demon Race trade route. 280 314 355

After the loss of influence in Youzhou and Yunzhou, refugees and displaced noble families entered Fengzhou. The Lan, Bian, Yue, and Xiang families attempted to seize local supplies and authority while Ji You was believed to be incapacitated. 350

Ji You returned, killed the Lan Family Head, and expelled the occupying refugee noble families from Fengzhou. 350

Associated Organizations and Figures

• Ji Family — Fengzhou's first indigenous noble family, founded by Ji You after his Inner Court qualification. 160
• Wulü Merchant Guild — Merchant guild established to sell low-cost grain, provide relief, transport workers, and support Fengzhou's trade network. 250 260
• Five Great Immortal Manors — Major outside cultivation powers defeated during Ji You's establishment of the Ji Family. 159 160
• Immortal Affairs Supervision Bureau — Cooperated with Ji You on spirit-stone circulation and monitored threats connected to Fengzhou's trade and border position. 196 202
• Kuang Cheng — Ji You's ally in Fengzhou's development; assisted with administration, recorded Ji You's biography, and discussed agricultural and social policy with him. 171 203
• He Zhang — Prefect associated with Fengzhou's administration and grain logistics. 161 280
• Qiu Zhong — Appointed steward of the Ji Family and involved in managing Fengzhou's grain reserves. 162 280