Shushan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Shushan (蜀山)
Alias(es)	Shushan Holy Land; Mount Shu Sect
Affiliation	One of the Ten Great Sacred Lands of the righteous path; described as foremost among them 49 95 830 972
Occupation/Role	Righteous cultivation sect and sword-cultivation holy land
Status	Active; protected openly by Tribulation Immortal Daoist Wuzhen and by the Shushan Nine Elders, whose revealed experts include fifth-level Tribulation Immortal Daoist Qingyuan and sixth-level Tribulation Immortal True Lord Qingxiao. Tianyuan Patriarch has also attained the ninth tribulation immortal stage. Chen Changqing has been formally confirmed as the next Sect Master, with Chen Yuan retaining acting authority until he is ready 830 946 947 964 973 982 986 987
First Appearance	Chapter 28 (as Mount Shu Sect) 28

Background / History

Shushan is a major righteous cultivation power whose foundation includes the Seven Great Peaks, an Inner Sect and Outer Sect, forbidden inheritances, and numerous high-level cultivators. Though ruled nominally by its Sect Master, important decisions are jointly discussed by the Sect Master and the Peak Masters of the Seven Great Peaks 104.

The sect’s internal power structure became especially visible after Chen Changqing’s rise. After defeating Bai Hao, he attracted recruitment offers from six major peaks before Sect Master Chen Yuan accepted him into his lineage 110 111. Chen Yuan’s proposal to establish him as the eleventh Sequence Holy Son was resisted by the Seven Great Peaks and their ancestors; Chen Changqing earned formal recognition only after passing the Heavenly Trial 121 125.

Chen Changqing’s subsequent achievements repeatedly stirred the sect. He became the top-ranked cultivator on the Azure Dragon Ranking, gained recognition from every sword in the Sword Tomb, drew the Thunderflame Sword, won the Seven Peaks Grand Competition, and was named Sect Master successor 201 221 222 647.

Daoist Wuzhen’s successful ascent to the Tribulation Immortal realm transformed Shushan’s standing further. His breakthrough strengthened the sect’s fortune and gave Shushan a living Tribulation Immortal capable of confronting external threats directly 830.

Shushan’s true foundation was revealed during the Eastern Sea crisis. Beyond Wuzhen and the publicly known elders, the sect possesses the Shushan Nine Elders: nine legendary Tribulation Immortal-level sword cultivators invited by Shushan’s founding patriarch to guard Ten-Thousand Swords Cliff. They remain outside the ordinary sect hierarchy and traditionally intervene when Shushan faces the danger of annihilation 946 947. Later events show that they also protect exceptional disciples considered vital to Shushan’s future: Qingyuan approved Qingxiao’s intervention on Chen Changqing’s behalf after divining his extraordinary fortune 963 964.

Shushan has stood in the Nine Provinces for hundreds of thousands of years and is described as ranking first among the ten righteous sects 830. Its concealed strength includes Daoist Qingyuan, Wuzhen’s master and a former Sect Master from two generations earlier, and True Lord Qingxiao, fifth among the Nine Elders. Qingxiao previously emerged four thousand years before the present events during an all-out war with the Blood God Sect, destroying three branch altars with one sword strike 964 970.

Chen Changqing’s victory in the Heavenly Void Grand Tournament brought Shushan control over thirty percent of the Heavenly Void Secret Realm’s output and an exclusive one-hour opportunity in the Heavenly Void Divine Pool 957. The victory also intensified hostility from rival powers, culminating in an ambush on the returning delegation and another intervention by Shushan’s ancient guardians 963 964 968 970.

The succession was accelerated amid the approaching Great Tribulation of Heaven and Earth, unrest among the Demonic Sects, conflict among the dynasties, and threats from the Otherworldly Race. Wuzhen chose Chen Changqing for his accomplishments, judgment, decisive temperament, spiritual gifts, and inheritance of the Immortal-Slaying Sword, rather than seniority or cultivation alone 972 973 986. Chen Yuan formally announced his resignation after more than two thousand years of leadership and named Chen Changqing as his successor. The arrangement leaves Chen Yuan exercising acting authority until Changqing is ready to govern, with Wuzhen identifying the Heavenly Lord realm as the intended threshold for Chen Yuan’s retirement 973 982 986 987.

Organization

Leadership

Position	Holder / Structure	Notes
Next Sect Master / appointed junior Sect Leader	Chen Changqing	Previously designated successor after the Seven Peaks Grand Competition; formally confirmed at the succession ceremony with the backing of Wuzhen and the First Ancestor. Chen Yuan retains acting authority until he is ready to take charge 647 972 973 982 986 987 989
Former Sect Master / Acting Sect Master	Chen Yuan	Leads the Sect Master’s lineage and accepted Chen Changqing as a personal disciple. Formally announced his resignation after more than two thousand years in office, but continues administering Shushan during the transition 110 111 973 982 986
Ancestor	Daoist Wuzhen	Shushan’s foremost publicly known stabilizing figure; became a Tribulation Immortal after crossing heavenly tribulation. A first-stage Tribulation Immortal and disciple of Qingyuan, he directed the succession arrangement 583 830 964 972 973
Shushan Nine Elders	Nine ancient Tribulation Immortal experts	Guardians associated with Ten-Thousand Swords Cliff and the Ninefold Heavenly Palaces; stand above Shushan’s ordinary ranks. Their interventions include existential defense, protection of Chen Changqing, and witnessing his succession 946 947 963 964 970 987
Former Sect Master / First Heavenly Palace elder	Daoist Qingyuan	Wuzhen’s master and Shushan’s Sect Master from two generations earlier; a fifth-level Tribulation Immortal who approved seeking Qingxiao’s aid 963 964
Fifth of the Nine Elders	True Lord Qingxiao	Sixth-level Tribulation Immortal residing in the Fifth Heavenly Palace; escorted the returning delegation and witnessed Chen Changqing’s succession under the First Ancestor’s decree 964 970 987
Patriarch	Tianyuan Patriarch	Attained the ninth tribulation immortal stage with the help of Chen Changqing’s Tribulation Immortal Pill; supports Changqing’s succession and rewarded him with powerful treasures 982
Second Elder	Daoist Wuxing	A Heavenly Lord-level elder who leads a faction distinct from Chen Yuan’s and supports the Sword Repository Peak disciple Chen Yuan 896 897
Seven Great Peaks	Peak Masters, Helmsmen, and Peak Disciples	Each peak has its own leadership and interests; the Helmsmen are the true powers behind their respective peaks 321 444
Sequence Holy Sons	Eleven documented by Chen Changqing’s appointment	Holy Sons may command independent peaks, recruit subordinates, and receive top-tier sect resources; Chen Changqing later became Shushan’s foremost, or First, Holy Son 112 125 820 940

Major Divisions

• Outer Sect — Includes multiple courtyards, such as the Seventh Courtyard, where Chen Changqing and Ran Hua once served as Mountain Gate guards 69 210.
• Inner Sect — Provides denser spiritual energy, formal registration, assigned cultivation grounds, and access to compulsory Shushan methods 40.
• Seven Great Peaks — Burning Heaven, War Dome, Zhenyue, Void Breaking, Jade Void, Azure Luan, and Cloud Perch Peak; Cloud Perch Peak accepts only female disciples 110 150.
• Sect Master’s lineage — The highest-status lineage within Shushan; formerly based around Seven Stars Peak in Chen Yuan’s administration 111 112.
• Changqing Peak — Chen Changqing’s independent Holy Son peak, founded after his recognition as the eleventh Sequence Holy Son. Before his investiture, 136 peaks and halls sent gifts to the peak; Changqing assigned some resources to core disciples and entrusted Willow Wood with managing the remainder 125 126 985.
• Sword Repository Peak — The lineage of the younger Chen Yuan, Daoist Wuxing’s disciple and a hidden cultivator of the Supreme Sword of Forgetting Emotion 897.
• Thirty-Six Main Peaks and Seventy-Two Spiritual Peaks — The broader mountain divisions across which the succession bells resound 986.
• Enforcement Main Peak — Commands the Sword Guards. The Qingxiao Sword Token grants Chen Changqing authority to direct them 987.
• External assignments — True Disciples and stewards serve in major cultivation cities and at distant frontier posts, as well as training away from the sect. Those stationed abroad returned using Cross-World Talismans for the succession ceremony 986.

Known Members

• Chen Yuan — Former Sect Master and continuing acting administrator; Chen Changqing’s master and a major supporter of his succession 110 647 973 982 986.
• Daoist Wuzhen — Revered ancestor and Shushan’s first-stage Tribulation Immortal; selected Chen Changqing for the next Sect Master’s position 830 972 973.
• Chen Changqing — Eleventh Sequence Holy Son, later Shushan’s foremost Holy Son and designated Sect Master successor; formally confirmed as the next leader during the succession ceremony 209 647 820 986 987.
• Jian Zhenzi — Former First Sequence Holy Son and Chen Yuan’s eldest surviving disciple; later joined Changqing Peak. Luofu Tian defeated him and took the First Holy Son title before Chen Changqing’s later rise to foremost Holy Son 211 448 468 820.
• Lu Tian — Daoist Wuzhen’s personal disciple and a Tribulation Crossing cultivator; selected as one of Shushan’s representatives for the sect Grand Tournament 583 903.
• Mo Tianji — Chen Yuan’s attendant and an elder of the Sect Master’s lineage 111.
• Willow Wood — Elder who supports Chen Changqing and assists with Changqing Peak’s recruitment efforts; later entrusted with managing gifts and resources received before the succession ceremony 126 400 985.
• Bai Wuya — A senior Shushan cultivator who consistently supports Chen Changqing and stood with Chen Yuan during the Eastern Sea confrontation 896 940.
• Daoist Wuxing — Shushan’s Second Elder, a Heavenly Lord-level powerhouse and the master of the Sword Repository Peak disciple Chen Yuan 896 897.
• Chen Yuan (Sword Repository Peak) — Daoist Wuxing’s disciple; a hidden early Tribulation Crossing cultivator who mastered the forbidden Supreme Sword of Forgetting Emotion and was selected for the sect Grand Tournament 897 903.
• Shushan Nine Elders — Nine ancient Tribulation Immortal guardians of Ten-Thousand Swords Cliff; one drunken, gourd-riding elder intervened in the Eastern Sea crisis and severely wounded the Fourth Tribulation Immortal Kongwu 946 947.
• Daoist Qingyuan — Wuzhen’s master, former Sect Master, and fifth-level Tribulation Immortal associated with the First Heavenly Palace 963 964.
• True Lord Qingxiao — Fifth among the Nine Elders, a sixth-level Tribulation Immortal who has lived for twelve thousand years. Protected the returning Shushan delegation and presented Changqing with his sword token at the succession ceremony 964 970 987.
• Tianyuan Patriarch — Ancient patriarch whose breakthrough to the ninth tribulation immortal stage was enabled by Chen Changqing’s Tribulation Immortal Pill 982.
• Luofu Tian — Sequence Holy Son who awakened a Witch Tribe Bloodline and defeated Jian Zhenzi; later accompanied Changqing’s delegation and appeared in his succession procession 448 970 986.
• Ji Changkong (Shushan Holy Son) — Originally the Tenth Sequence Holy Son; later received swordsmanship guidance from Chen Changqing and accompanied his succession procession. Distinct from the Ji Clan elder of the same name who attacked Changqing in the Eastern Sea 104 940 985 986.
• Zhao Wuji — Peak Master who advocated compromise with rival powers, then acknowledged Chen Changqing’s authority after being overwhelmed by his domain pressure 985 987.
• Changqing Peak core followers — Include Qing Yang, Shi Tian, Wang Yang, and Lin Yuan, who joined the procession supporting Chen Changqing at his investiture 986.
• Mo Yuan — Chen Changqing’s powerful attendant and subordinate; accompanied him at the succession ceremony 428 986.

Cultivation Methods

Shushan’s Inner Sect requires disciples to cultivate three core methods, described as the sect’s “true Shushan transmission” when united 40.

Method	Purpose	Documented Principles
Shushan Sword Technique	Sword cultivation	“The sword is the blade of the heart. Where the heart points, the sword shall cut.” 40
Shushan Heart Method	Spiritual-power circulation	Uses the dantian as a furnace and meridians as conduits, emphasizing continuous circulation without leakage or stagnation 41
Shushan Body Technique	Movement and body cultivation	Includes techniques such as Treading Snow Without Trace, Flowing Cloud Phantom, and Shrink Ground into Inch 41

Other documented inheritances include:

• Ten Forms of Sword Annihilation — Created by a previous-generation Shushan sword immortal and passed to Chen Changqing by Chen Yuan. Its Sword Annihilation Ten Directions form calls down a rain of sword-guided divine lightning 220 637.
• Supreme Sword of Forgetting Emotion — A legendary forbidden sword art mastered by Daoist Wuxing’s disciple Chen Yuan. Its inheritance is separately sealed rather than stored among the materials Chen Changqing scanned at the Pill Repository Pavilion; Wuxing’s decision to teach it without reporting to the Sect Master drew criticism 897.

Important Locations

• Shushan Sword Tomb — A forbidden repository where fallen Shushan powerhouses leave behind inheritances and swords. It contains divine swords and Immortal Artifacts, and is guarded by two Tribulation Crossing elders. Entry is restricted to Sequence Holy Sons, Tribulation Crossing cultivators, and those who have made significant contributions to Shushan 218 220.
• Changqing Peak — Chen Changqing’s Holy Son peak; a quiet, spiritual-energy-rich mountain with ancient trees, waterfalls, and spiritual mist 125 126.
• Dao Seeking Platform — The venue for major sect gatherings and the Seven Peaks Grand Competition 580 581.
• Immortal Burial Cliff — Site of Shushan’s dragon vein and Daoist Wuzhen’s secluded cultivation ground 826.
• Celestial Pivot Peak — Shushan’s central main peak and the residence of the Sect Master 825.
• Seven Stars Peak — Associated with Chen Yuan’s lineage and the earlier location of the Sect Master’s hall 111 165.
• Wuzhen Peak — Daoist Wuzhen’s mountain and the location where Chen Changqing first met his grandmaster 464.
• Ten-Thousand Swords Cliff — Shushan’s deepest ancestral forbidden ground, associated with the Nine Elders’ ten-thousand-year guardianship. Their seclusion is not wholly uninterrupted: Qingxiao previously emerged during the war with the Blood God Sect four thousand years earlier 946 947 970.
• Ninefold Heavenly Palaces — Rear-mountain sanctuary of Shushan’s ancient experts. Qingyuan is associated with the First Heavenly Palace, Qingxiao with the Fifth, and Tianyuan Patriarch receives Chen Changqing within the palace complex 963 964 970 982.
• Rear-Mountain Forbidden Grounds — Restricted ancestral area to which Wuzhen summons Chen Changqing; includes a spiritually dense cave-heaven used for their meeting concerning the succession 972 982.
• Taiji Main Peak and Taiji Martial Arts Plaza — Central venue for Chen Changqing’s succession ceremony. The plaza is carved from an enormous white jade spirit stone and surrounded by eighty-one Coiling Dragon Jade Pillars; the peak’s bell rings nine times for a new leader’s appointment or an existential crisis 986.
• Sect Treasuries and Scripture Archives — Repositories accessible through the Qingxiao Sword Token granted to Chen Changqing 987.
• Mountain Gate — Arrival point for returning delegations and a guarded entrance to the sect. Crowds gathered here when the tournament delegation returned under Qingxiao’s escort 69 210 970.

Shushan’s mountain range stretches across the horizon, with its main peak piercing the clouds beneath a year-round ring of pale blue mist. Palace complexes and streams of traveling cultivators can be seen throughout the mountains 970.

Treasures and Defenses

• Haotian Mirror — Shushan’s sect-protecting treasure. Its power suppresses and shatters attacks from other Immortal Artifacts wielded by Heavenly Monarchs 572 574.
• Mountain River Qiankun Diagram — An Immortal Artifact scroll containing countless worlds; used by Daoist Wuzhen as the first trial ground for the Seven Peaks Grand Competition 583.
• Shushan Sword Array — The sect’s supreme mountain-protection array, activated by Daoist Wuzhen during his tribulation 829.
• Heaven-Slaying Sword Formation — A powerful Shushan formation invoked by Chen Yuan to deter outside forces from violating secret-realm rules or attacking the sect’s disciples 937.
• Sword Tomb arsenal — A vast collection of inherited swords, including Immortal Artifact-grade weapons such as the Haoran Sword, Azure Nether Sword, Soul Devour Sword, and the sword later obtained by Chen Changqing 673 674.
• Shushan Power — The foundational power condensed only by successive Sect Masters, with up to nine strands produced in a lifetime. Its life force can heal even fatal injuries so long as the target has not died 245 274.
• Heavenly Thunder Twin Swords — Thunderflame Sword and Heavenly Strike Sword, formerly wielded by a pair of Shushan sword immortals. Individually they are Quasi-Immortal Artifacts; combined, they form an Immortal Artifact 222 451.
• Qingxiao Sword Token — Presented to Chen Changqing by True Lord Qingxiao during the succession ceremony. Grants entry to Shushan’s Treasuries and Scripture Archives and command over the Enforcement Main Peak’s Sword Guards 987.
• Bronze warship — Transport for the tournament delegation, equipped with formations and a navigation array disk. Its distinctive Shushan banners bear a golden character for “Shu” 960 970.
• Sword-pattern distress signal — A lingering three-foot-long sword image formed in the clouds to summon aid from nearby Shushan disciples 150.
• Tianyuan Token — A personal safeguard granted to Chen Changqing by Tianyuan Patriarch. Its one-use invocation releases thirty percent of the patriarch’s power, sufficient to threaten formidable Heavenly Lords and even an early Tribulation Immortal 982.

Tournament Resources

Resource / Reward	Allocation	Significance
Heavenly Void Secret Realm output	Thirty percent assigned to Shushan	Collective resource reward secured by Chen Changqing’s tournament victory 957
Heavenly Void Divine Pool	One hour of exclusive access granted to Shushan	Contains Chaos Essence capable of strengthening and transforming the soul; Chen Changqing used the opportunity after passing its dangerous entrance restriction 957 960
Grand Void Illuminating Spirit Mirror	Awarded personally to Chen Changqing	High-grade Immortal Artifact that exposes illusions within three thousand li and refines the soul using solar and lunar essence 957

Major Events

• Recognition of the Eleventh Sequence Holy Son — Chen Changqing passed the Heavenly Trial and was granted Changqing Peak, overcoming opposition from the Seven Great Peaks 121 125.
• Myriad Swords Sing in Unison — Every divine sword in the Sword Tomb acknowledged Chen Changqing, an unprecedented phenomenon that shook Shushan 221.
• Heavenly Thunder Twin Swords — Chen Changqing drew the Thunderflame Sword from the Sword Tomb; it was revealed as one half of the Heavenly Thunder Twin Swords 222.
• Seven Peaks Grand Competition — Chen Changqing defeated Yue Qing, won the competition, and was announced as the Sect Master’s successor, provoking renewed political opposition 647 648.
• Wuzhen’s Tribulation Immortal Ascension — Daoist Wuzhen passed heavenly tribulation and became a Tribulation Immortal, greatly elevating Shushan’s power and prestige 828 830.
• Netherworld Sect confrontation — The Netherworld Sect’s Patriarch arrived to seek revenge against Chen Changqing, but Wuzhen suppressed the threat after his breakthrough 830.
• Sect Grand Tournament delegation — Shushan selected Chen Changqing, Lu Tian, and the Sword Repository Peak disciple Chen Yuan as its representatives for the Ten Great Sacred Lands Grand Tournament 897 903.
• Eastern Sea confrontation — Multiple righteous factions demanded that Shushan surrender Chen Changqing for soul-searching. Chen Yuan and Shushan’s elders refused, while the Jiuzhou Divine Dynasty, Tianyin Temple, and Medicine God Valley formed a deterrent coalition around Shushan 939 940.
• First Holy Son’s stand — Chen Changqing refused to shelter behind allied forces, challenged the attacking elders himself, and received the unequivocal support of Chen Yuan, Bai Wuya, and Empress Willow Leaf 940.
• Intervention of the Shushan Nine Elders — During the Eastern Sea crisis, one of the Nine Elders emerged from Ten-Thousand Swords Cliff and severely wounded the Fourth Tribulation Immortal Kongwu with a single sword strike, publicly confirming Shushan’s hidden foundation 946 947.
• Heavenly Void Grand Tournament victory — Chen Changqing defeated Sword Pavilion’s Lone Star in a single sword exchange and was declared champion of the Second Trial’s arena battle. His overall first-place finish secured Shushan’s share of secret-realm resources and access to the Divine Pool 957 960.
• Chaos Essence rumor campaign — After the delegation altered its route to avoid planned ambushes, the Ji Clan Supreme Elder arranged anonymous rumors that Chen Changqing retained Chaos Essence. Hundreds of cultivators mobilized to intercept him, prompting Wuzhen to request help from the Nine Elders 963.
• Netherworld Trench ambush — More than three hundred True Lords gathered around the returning warship, with numerous Heavenly Lords concealed behind them. Changqing initially approached alone to explain the situation; the confrontation escalated into a battle in which he killed more than eighty True Lords and an early-stage Heavenly Lord before suffering severe injuries. Chen Yuan explicitly condemned the Ji Clan, Great Chu, and Heavenly Demon Sect for the attack 964 968 969.
• Qingxiao’s intervention and escort — At Qingyuan’s approval, sixth-level Tribulation Immortal Qingxiao left seclusion to protect Chen Changqing. His aid helped repair Changqing’s injuries, and his escort deterred pursuers and dangerous beasts during the delegation’s safe return to Shushan 964 969 970.
• Tianyuan Patriarch’s advancement — Chen Changqing’s Tribulation Immortal Pill enabled Tianyuan Patriarch to reach the ninth tribulation immortal stage. In gratitude, the patriarch gave him the Tianyuan Token, Myriad Transformations Star Method, and star marrow essence 982.
• Succession arrangement — Wuzhen confirmed Chen Changqing as Shushan’s next leader while appointing Chen Yuan to continue acting governance until Changqing is ready, with the Heavenly Lord realm identified as the intended handover threshold 972 973.
• Submission of the Peak Masters — Chen Changqing rejected Zhao Wuji’s proposal to compromise with rival powers and overwhelmed him with domain pressure. Zhao acknowledged his error, and the other Peak Masters’ lingering disdain gave way to awe 985.
• Sect Leader’s Investiture Ceremony — Nine bell tolls summoned Shushan to Taiji Plaza. Chen Yuan announced his resignation, named Changqing as successor, and recounted his achievements before the assembly. No Peak Master objected; Qingxiao arrived under the First Ancestor’s decree and presented the Qingxiao Sword Token 986 987.
• Restrained ceremony and continuing transition — The investiture was kept within Shushan rather than made a grand public spectacle because of tensions across the Nine Provinces. Changqing was subsequently described as the newly appointed junior Sect Leader, while still identifying himself as First Sequence Holy Son and future Sect Leader during later travels 985 989 1005.

Relationships

• Medicine God Valley — A fellow Ten Great Sacred Land; Shushan supported the valley through Chen Changqing’s relationship with Hua Yao and later strengthened their connection through Wuzhen’s gift to her. Heavenly Lord Hua Xing publicly recognized Chen Changqing as the valley’s future son-in-law and backed Shushan during the Eastern Sea confrontation 49 576 939.
• Daoist Sect — A major allied righteous sect; True Person Li Yuan informed Chen Yuan when Chen Changqing failed to emerge from the Qiankun Secret Realm 165.
• Great Thunderclap Temple — Another Ten Great Sacred Land of the righteous path, though tensions arose after its monks attacked Xiaoqian’s town. Several of its experts later joined demands to detain Chen Changqing, prompting Tianyin Temple’s Rujie to oppose them 392 939.
• Tianyin Temple — A Buddhist sect connected to the Great Thunderclap Temple. Through Rujie’s relationship with Chen Changqing, it supported Shushan during the Eastern Sea crisis and threatened to correct the Great Thunderclap Temple’s conduct 95 939.
• Jiuzhou Divine Dynasty — A powerful ally through Chen Changqing’s relationship with Xuanyuan Xiaoyu. Crown Prince Xuanyuan Hong publicly supported Shushan and identified Chen Changqing as the Divine Dynasty’s Imperial Son-in-Law 939.
• True Martial Immortal Sect — A hostile righteous faction whose elders joined the effort to force a soul-search of Chen Changqing after Lu Chengfeng’s death. Its attempts to challenge him in the tournament failed, and its delegation withdrew in humiliation 939 940 957.
• Netherworld Sect — Hostile demonic force whose Patriarch sought retaliation against Chen Changqing 830.
• Yin Yue Holy Dynasty — A hostile demonic dynasty that has repeatedly sought retribution against Chen Changqing, but has refrained from demanding his surrender directly because of Shushan’s power 870 883.
• Seven Great Peaks — Internal power blocs that have repeatedly opposed the Sect Master’s lineage over Chen Changqing’s advancement and succession. Their opposition had subsided by the investiture, when none challenged his nomination after his recent display of strength and Chen Yuan’s account of his achievements 121 648 985 987.
• Ji Clan — Hostile ancient clan involved in the Eastern Sea confrontation and later pursuit of the delegation. Its Supreme Elder arranged the Chaos Essence rumor campaign, and its Heavenly Lords participated in the Netherworld Trench attack 939 940 963 968.
• Great Chu Dynasty — Rival power whose tournament efforts failed and whose experts were subsequently named by Chen Yuan among the perpetrators of the Netherworld Trench attack 957 968.
• Heavenly Demon Sect — Named by Chen Yuan as one of the factions involved in the six-Heavenly-Lord attack on Chen Changqing at the Netherworld Trench 968.
• Blood God Sect — Historical enemy against which Shushan fought an all-out war four thousand years earlier. Qingxiao destroyed three of its branch altars with one sword strike. In the present era, Xue Wuhen’s Tribulation Crossing father declined to pursue Chen Changqing into Shushan after his son’s death because of the sect’s formidable foundation 343 970.
• Sword Pavilion — Represented by the honorable sword cultivator Lone Star, who accepted defeat and sincerely praised Chen Changqing’s sword dao in the Heavenly Void tournament 957.
• True Dragon Clan — Patriarch Long Gan sought an alliance with Shushan through Chen Changqing. Changqing stated that an alliance was possible but should be considered separately from the proposed marriage arrangement 817 819.
• Otherworldly Race — Frontier threat cited by Chen Yuan as one reason Shushan needed a new leader capable of facing the approaching Great Tribulation 986.

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