Shannan Dao

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Shannan Dao (山南道)
Affiliation	Great Zhou; administered and defended in part by the Shannan Dao Demon Extermination Division 86 370
Status	Restored to peace after the Incense Cult rebellion and the removal of hostile Five Families Seven Sects factions 570
First Appearance	Mentioned in Chapter 19 19

Geography

Location	Description
Kaiping Prefecture	Capital of Shannan Dao and site of the Demon Extermination Division headquarters. The headquarters predates the prefecture and retains formations accumulated over more than three thousand years. 90 519
Tiancang Mountain Range	Shannan Dao's largest mountain range; Li Yun Mountain is one of its branches. 93
Li Yun Mountain	A heavily forested mountain seldom entered except by Li Family Village hunters; it later served as a temporary refuge for retreating Demon Extermination Division forces. 93 511
Yanbo Prefecture	A border prefecture whose historical weakness allowed local sects to seize spirit fields and mines abandoned by demonic forces. 177
Dragon Gathering Cave	A complex of more than a thousand interconnected caves near the Tiancang Mountain Range, formerly associated with ancient ruins and later used as a bandit refuge. 124

• Shannan Dao is characterized by mountains and hills, with dense woodland creating environments where demons can potentially breed. 93
• It is one of Great Zhou's nineteen Dao-level Demon Extermination Division jurisdictions, though its overall strength does not rank in the middle tier. 370

Administration and Factions

Demon Extermination Division

The Shannan Dao Demon Extermination Division is headquartered in Kaiping Prefecture. Its central leadership historically includes the Commander, Garrison Captains, and administrative officials, while Black Armored Guards conduct local operations. 86 519

Figure	Position / Role	Notes
Yan Xuankong	Former Commander	A martial genius who killed three Demon Kings and subdued major sects, but vanished before the Black Mountain Old Demon's rise. 227 370
Chen Baxian	Commander during the Black Mountain Old Demon crisis	Defeated the revived Black Mountain Old Demon and later arranged Shannan Dao's personnel before departing for the Capital City. 405 415
Ren Tianying	Chen Baxian's appointed successor	His attempt to establish one-man rule provoked local backlash; he later vanished in a ruin while the Incense Cult resurfaced. 415 509
Xu Cunbao	Senior local leader	A longtime Shannan Dao official regarded as steady and trusted in restoring order. 86 570
Wen Tingyun	Chief administrator and formation expert	Managed the Division's affairs, maintained its hidden formations, and helped kill the Yama Heavenly Divine Venerable. 84 519

• The Division has suffered recurring personnel shortages, especially when Chen Baxian deployed most of its forces to Huainan Dao. 86 379
• A longstanding divide existed between the local faction, represented by Xu Cunbao and Wen Tingyun, and the Capital City faction, whose transferred Garrison Captains brought their own subordinates and interests. 250 369
• The Five Families Seven Sects are Shannan Dao's major Jianghu powers. Their opposition to the Division was the principal cause of the later regional rebellion, rather than the Incense Cult alone. 509 570

History

Yan Xuankong's Disappearance and the First Black Mountain Crisis

Yan Xuankong previously maintained order through overwhelming personal strength, killing three Demon Kings and suppressing Shannan Dao's major sects. His governance was nevertheless criticized for prioritizing his own cultivation and achievements over the Division's broader development. 227 231 242

After Yan Xuankong disappeared and became trapped in Thousand Buddha Village, the Black Mountain Old Demon first tested Shannan Dao's defenses through lesser forces. Once it confirmed the Commander was absent, it escalated its campaign and eventually ravaged the region for five years. 227

Chen Baxian later counterattacked, severely injuring the Black Mountain Old Demon and forcing it into the Tiancang Mountain Range. Sects that assisted against the demon's subordinates were permitted to retain captured assets, enabling many local powers to rise through seized spirit fields and mines. 99 177

The Black Mountain Old Demon's Return

The Black Mountain Old Demon resurfaced decades later amid large-scale demon rampages across Shannan Dao. Its plan was to absorb the primordial essences of earth, water, fire, and wind in order to reshape itself into the Golden Mountain Demon Body. 379 393

Success would have drained Shannan Dao's heavenly and earthly fortune, causing long-term disasters, disrupted spiritual energy, and widespread suffering. 393

Chen Baxian returned before the transformation could be completed and defeated the Black Mountain Old Demon, Patriarch Bai, and Yu Tiancheng with overwhelming force. 405 406

The Incense Cult Rebellion

After Chen Baxian left Shannan Dao, Ren Tianying's efforts to dominate local martial forces destabilized the region. The Incense Cult remnants exploited the ensuing unrest, while Ren Tianying disappeared inside a ruin. 509

The rebellion escalated until the Demon Extermination Division lost Kaiping Prefecture and retreated to Li Yun Mountain. Han Zheng returned as an Inspector and Jing'an Guard Grand Governor to support the local forces. 511 513

Han Zheng, Wen Tingyun, Xu Cunbao, and allied Jianghu forces ultimately defeated the Incense Cult's forces. Wen Tingyun activated the headquarters' hidden formations to help kill the Yang God Realm Yama Heavenly Divine Venerable. 519

Within approximately a month, the remaining hostile Five Families Seven Sects elements were removed or brought to the Division's side, restoring Shannan Dao to prosperity and order. 570

Major Threats

Threat	Impact on Shannan Dao	Outcome
Black Mountain Old Demon	Exploited Yan Xuankong's disappearance to devastate the region for five years; later attempted to consume Shannan Dao's fortune through the Golden Mountain Demon Body. 227 393	Driven off by Chen Baxian in the earlier crisis and decisively defeated upon its return. 99 405
Incense Cult remnants	Reestablished themselves amid Ren Tianying's failures, occupied Kaiping Prefecture, and used altars and forced worship to weaken regional fortune. 509 511 552	Their rebellion was crushed; two Nine Heavens Guardian Divine Venerables were killed and the survivors scattered. 519
Internal factionalism	Conflict between local and Capital City factions weakened the Division while demon activity increased. 250 369	The later restoration of order relied on local leadership, allied sects, and the removal of hostile factions. 570

Reputation

• Despite its comparatively limited institutional strength, Shannan Dao is noted for producing exceptional martial talent, including Yan Xuankong, Chen Baxian, Han Zheng, and Su Wuming. 370
• Its repeated periods of disorder have made its people and officials accustomed to rapid political and military change. 570
• Shannan Dao's long-term stability depends heavily on capable, steady leadership rather than personal strength alone. 509 570

Notable Quotes

“Shannan Dao is my starting point, but it is not a stepping stone.” — Han Zheng 416