Northern Wei

Biodata

Background / History

Northern Wei was portrayed as a militarily powerful state with vast territory and a strongly martial populace, surpassing Great Yan in both national strength and military might. The gap was nevertheless costly to overcome in a full conquest, making the conflict a high-stakes gamble rather than an easy invasion 51.

Its initial invasion of Great Yan began while its aged emperor was reportedly nearing death and seeking “one last desperate gamble.” Before the main offensive, Northern Wei inserted powerful scouts through Yingmen Pass into Baiyue County; these agents assassinated county magistrates, including Martial Master Realm officials, and sought to undermine local morale and defenses 26.

Northern Wei’s early covert operations extended beyond reconnaissance. Its Sky Net Division dispatched Luo Nantian to recruit bandit strongholds throughout Beiyuan Prefecture, promising officials’ posts and benefits in exchange for creating internal chaos after Northern Wei’s occupation 70.

After using an exotic-beast tide to bring down Yingmen Pass, Northern Wei sent a 200,000-strong force into Beiyuan Prefecture. Under King Pingnan, its army conducted feigned daily assaults against Beiyuan Prefecture City, ambushed Great Yan reinforcements, and captured the city after a three-day siege. Governor Wang Youwei died in battle, while the remaining defenders were executed and displayed publicly 87 103 107.

King Pingnan’s death at Lu Feng’s hands turned the conflict into a broader war. Murong Hai responded by ordering full mobilization, sending the Shadow Guard and Sky Net Division after Lu Feng, and dispatching Great Grandmaster experts alongside an 800,000-man campaign under Great General Jiang Kui 115 118.

Strategy & Conduct

• Infiltration and sabotage — Scouts penetrated Baiyue County ahead of the invasion, assassinating magistrates and threatening county-level defenses 26.
• Use of proxy forces — Sky Net Division agents attempted to unite local bandits in Beiyuan Prefecture to destabilize Great Yan from within 70.
• Exotic-beast warfare — Northern Wei was reported to have used evil sorcery to drive an exotic-beast tide toward Yingmen Pass, contributing to the pass’s fall 87.
• Deception and ambush — King Pingnan used limited, repeated attacks on Beiyuan Prefecture City to lure Great Yan reinforcements into a prepared ambush 99 103 107.
• Logistical occupation — Beiyuan Prefecture City served as a major logistics hub; Northern Wei stationed at least 100,000 troops there during its later occupation 162.
• Diplomatic pressure — Northern Wei sought to force Great Yan into ceding Beiyuan Prefecture, paying an enormous indemnity, and surrendering Lu Feng for execution 141.

Forces & Institutions

Northern Wei Army

Northern Wei fielded large conventional armies alongside specialist formations. Its first major force in Beiyuan numbered 200,000, while its later campaign mobilized 800,000 troops, with more than 300,000 entering Great Yan as the vanguard 87 118 130.

• Black Armored Army — The force responsible for ambushing Great Yan reinforcements and participating in the capture of Beiyuan Prefecture City 107.
• Black Armored Cavalry — A cavalry formation that attacked Green Wind Valley and attempted to capture Lu Feng 103 104 106.
• Northern Wei scouts — Infiltrators and assassins active before and during the invasion; several possessed at least Martial Master Realm strength 26 49.
• Commanders
  • King Pingnan — Murong Hai’s younger brother and commander of the initial Beiyuan campaign; killed by Lu Feng 98 114.
  • Jiang Kui — Great General who led the later large-scale expedition against Great Yan 118 161.
  • Jiang Huai — Innate Realm Great Power who sought revenge for his brother, Venerable Jiang 172 175 177.

Sky Net Division

The Sky Net Division is Northern Wei’s court intelligence agency. It gathers intelligence across the realm and conducts assassination missions 70.

• Luo Nantian — A Sky Net Division member captured at Kutou Mountain while recruiting Beiyuan bandits for Northern Wei 70.
• King Pingnan later ordered the division to pursue Lu Feng and capture him alive after identifying him as Hu Yanbo’s killer 103.
• The division was mobilized again during Murong Hai’s full-scale campaign against Great Yan 118.

Shadow Guard

Northern Wei’s Shadow Guards are masked operatives dressed in black. They were deployed to protect King Pingnan and were later ordered to join the hunt for Lu Feng 114 118.

• Three Shadow Guards intervened to block Lu Feng’s attack on King Pingnan 114.
• Lu Feng killed three Shadow Guards before reaching and executing King Pingnan 114.

Innate Realm Great Powers

Northern Wei possessed at least two Innate Realm Great Powers before Venerable Jiang’s death. One brown-haired elder confronted Lu Feng at Beiyuan Prefecture City, using saber energy and poison during their battle 156 163 166.

After Venerable Jiang’s death, Murong Hai and Venerable Li sought outside support through Jiang Huai’s connections. Northern Wei assembled six Innate Realm Great Powers, including Jiang Huai and Venerable Li; five later confronted Lu Feng above Beiyuan Prefecture City 172 177.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Relationships

• Great Yan Dynasty — Principal enemy state; Northern Wei invades its territory, occupies Beiyuan Prefecture, and attempts to impose punitive peace terms 26 107 141.
• Murong Hai — Northern Wei Emperor who escalates the war after King Pingnan’s death and authorizes the deployment of elite experts against Great Yan 115 166 175.
• King Pingnan — Murong Hai’s younger brother and initial invasion commander; his death becomes the direct cause of Northern Wei’s intensified war effort 98 115.
• Lu Feng — Primary opponent responsible for killing Hu Yanbo, King Pingnan, Venerable Jiang, and five Innate Realm Great Powers; Northern Wei repeatedly orders his pursuit, capture, or execution 103 118 141 179.
• Sky Net Division — Northern Wei court intelligence and assassination organization 70.
• Shadow Guard — Northern Wei covert combat force deployed against Lu Feng and in defense of King Pingnan 114 118.
• Jiang Kui — Great General tasked with commanding Northern Wei’s 800,000-man expedition 118 161.
• Jiang Huai — Innate Realm combatant who mobilizes allies to avenge Venerable Jiang 166 172 177.