Dragon-Raising Temple

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Dragon-Raising Temple
Alias(es)	养龙寺; sacred place of the Buddha (former designation)
Affiliation	Great Wasteland Dragon God / True Dragon Daoism; formerly Buddhist cultivation
Occupation/Role	Cultivation institution; guardian of the Snake Abyss; center of True Dragon worship and Dragon Dao cultivation
Status	Active; reformed and expanded into a holy land for cultivators 118 219
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

The temple was founded around the jointly discovered Snake Abyss. Because traveling monks and nuns discovered only one abyss, the institution developed a shared East–West structure: monks governed the East Temple, while nuns governed the West Temple. Yuanhui served as abbess, while Yuanming managed the monk lineage 5.

During its earlier rise, drought-ending torrential rain created an abundance of water-attribute Spiritual Snakes across the Great Desolation. The temple gathered, enlightened, and released these snakes into the Snake Abyss; its cultivation strength surged after it acquired dozens of such Spiritual Snakes 41. At its peak, it possessed multiple upper third-rank Bodhisattvas and Arhats, and was said to have had the future, present, and past Buddhas appear in the world 41.

The temple’s decline began with the events surrounding a ten-thousand-year Spirit Lord and the Bodhisattva’s Dragon Transformation research. The Bodhisattva and three Arhats descended into the Snake Abyss to kill the allegedly maddened Azure God; a year later, Blood Rain fell over the temple during the Insects Awakening. Monks died or went mad, three Arhats were lost, the Bodhisattva disappeared, and the Snake Abyss was sealed 41 142.

Later revelations established that the Bodhisattva had obtained a Dragon Transformation Technique after reaching the First-Rank God-Demon Realm. She experimented on Spiritual Snakes within the third layer of the Snake Abyss, leaving their skeletons and a Dragon Transformation Pool behind; the technique’s spread and corruption contributed to the catastrophe 152 167.

Organization

East and West Temples

• East Temple — The monks’ branch, historically managed by Yuanming 5.
• West Temple — The nuns’ branch, led by Abbess Yuanhui 5.
• The two branches remain distinct in residence and administration, but together constitute the Dragon-Raising Temple 5.

Snake Abyss

The Snake Abyss is the temple’s central guarded site and the foundation of its historical purpose.

• The temple stationed eminent monks in its depths to kill evil demons, prevent them from escaping upward, protect the Dragon Bone and its meridians from corruption, and guard dangerous Spirit Ruins 29.
• The second layer is a vast underground world centered on a Dragon Bone, with countless tunnels, dense Evil Remains, and reawakened evil devils 26.
• The third layer was historically restricted to third-rank temple cultivators and above, including Arhats and Bodhisattvas 152.
• For three centuries, Muna’s guardian lineage was bound to protect the entrance seal, even if the temple itself faced destruction 36 47.
• Yuanhui’s reform began by reopening the Snake Abyss and ending the guardian lineage’s old obligation 117 118.

Reform and True Dragon Daoism

Yuanhui abandoned the temple’s exclusive reliance on Buddhist dharma after concluding that its old path could not resolve the institution’s centuries-long decline. She declared that the temple would honor the True Dragon, cultivate the True Dragon’s methods, and discard rules that obstructed its survival 117.

The reform made cultivation of the True Dragon’s Spiritual Light the temple’s mainstream practice. Monks increasingly identified themselves as disciples of the True Dragon rather than disciples of the Buddha, while some Buddhist teachings and precepts were abandoned or altered 118.

Under the Great Wasteland Dragon God’s teachings, Dragon Daoism was divided into three branches:

Branch	Function	Temple’s Role
Dragon Raising	Eliminates demons through True Dragon Spiritual Light, divine abilities, and cultivation methods	Holds the upper method; practitioners may see the True Dragon and develop Dragon Bodies 132
Golden Body	Spreads faith through the Eight Divisions of the Dragon Law	Controlled by the Dragon-Raising Temple as the Divine Realm 132
Netherworld	Hunts evil spirits and establishes the Netherworld Ghost Realm	Administered by Dragon King Temple attendants 132

Facilities and Grounds

By the Dragon Emperor’s seventh year, the temple covered hundreds of thousands of mu, encompassed dozens of mountain peaks, and contained no fewer than one hundred thousand pavilions and towers 219.

• Dragon-Snake Hall — Formerly filled with Buddha statues; after the reform, these were replaced by Dragon God sculptures and a central True Dragon Golden Body 128.
• Snake Abyss — The temple’s sealed subterranean complex, containing Spirit Ruins, Dragon Bone structures, evil remains, and the remnants of the Bodhisattva’s experiments 26 152.
• Scripture Library — One of the temple’s restricted important areas 219.
• Cultivation areas — Reserved for the temple’s cultivators 219.
• Public grounds — Most areas outside restricted locations are open to visitors and pilgrims; Spiritual Snakes, spiritual birds, rare treasures, exotic beasts, and Spiritual Races are common sights 219.

Story Role / Major Arcs

True Dragon rumors and Spiritual Rain

The temple’s name and proximity to the Snake Abyss made it the center of long-standing rumors that it raised a True Dragon. During the drought in Zhaoyang’s Great Wasteland, repeated Spiritual Rain fell only around the temple, intensifying public belief and drawing attention from Chiyang City, the imperial court, and outside factions 10 15.

Imperial plot and Great Asura Lord attack

Emperor Xuan Jing targeted the temple in pursuit of dragon blood and longevity. His plan involved using Xuan Ye to stall Yuanhui, infiltrating the temple with disguised agents, and drawing demonic forces to attack it 35. The Great Asura Lord assaulted the temple seeking Dragon Bone and dragon blood, overpowering its defenders until a Fire Dragon descended and swallowed the demon 36.

Refugee crisis and reopening

Hundreds of thousands of refugees converged on the temple during the Great Wasteland crisis, straining Yuanhui and the institution’s resources 54 55. After nearly three months of closure, the temple reopened as Spiritual Rain returned; pilgrims immediately flooded back 51.

Hundred-Eyed Devil’s Demon Tide

The Hundred-Eyed Devil attacked with dozens of Fourth-Rank demons, scores of Fifth-Rank demons, and thousands of lower-ranked demons. The temple’s defenders were overwhelmed; Muqiao used the Bodhisattva’s artifact to suppress the enemy temporarily, but was killed by the artifact’s backlash 88 89. The collective call to the True Dragon strengthened the monks and helped reverse the battle 89.

Reformation and resurgence

Following the crisis, Yuanhui initiated a decisive transition from Buddhist cultivation to the True Dragon’s path. The reopening of the Snake Abyss marked the symbolic end of the old temple and the emergence of a revitalized Dragon-Raising Temple 117 118.

Holy land and Heavenly Realm trial

By the seventh year of the Dragon Emperor’s rule, the temple had become a major holy land, receiving thousands of visitors daily. It hosted a broad trial open to cultivators of the twelve lineages, demonic cultivators, and Netherworld Demon Spirits to select talent for the planned Heavenly Realm 219.

Relationships

• Su Qingqiu / Ao Qing — The temple’s hidden True Dragon, later Great Wasteland Dragon God and Dragon Emperor; his Spiritual Light, protection, and teachings transformed the temple’s doctrine and role 50 117 132.
• Yuanhui — Abbess of the West Temple and chief architect of the reform toward True Dragon Daoism 5 117 118.
• Yuanming — Manager of the East Temple’s monk lineage; later associated with the temple’s reforms 5 116.
• Muna — Snake Abyss guardian bound by a three-century-old duty to guard its entrance seal 36 47.
• Muqiao — Elder monk who defended the temple against the Great Asura Lord and later sacrificed himself using the Bodhisattva’s artifact 47 88 89.
• Fa Temple — Arhat lost during the Bloodshed Incident; his remnant soul remained in the third layer of the Snake Abyss for three hundred years 152.
• Bodhisattva — Former temple powerhouse whose Dragon Transformation research corrupted the institution and precipitated its catastrophe 152 167.
• Hundred-Eyed Devil — Repeated enemy who attacked the temple, demanded the True Dragon’s appearance, and later sought to claim the institution itself 88 125.
• Fang Wenshan — Chiyang Prefecture official who repeatedly negotiated with and later observed the temple’s reforms 10 72 117.