Earth Cave

Biodata

Background / History

The Earth Cave was shaped by the legacy of the Earth Emperor and Heaven Fighting Emperor. Its human inhabitants were revealed to be artificial, energy-based humans created primarily through Heaven Fighting Emperor's energy-path research, with the Earth Emperor and others also contributing to their creation 16.

Before the collapse of the Earth Emperor Divine Dynasty, the Earth Emperor Continent stood elsewhere. It later sank, and the Sea-Suppressing Mountain became a defining barrier of the region 16. Three thousand years ago, Li Zhu secretly built the World-Extinguishing Array across the Earth Cave's 108 Outer Regions and Sea-Suppressing Mountain; detonating it destroyed the mountain and allowed Forbidden Sea water to flood the Earth Realm 6.

The Earth Cave and Human Realm have fought for a century, leaving entrenched hatred on both sides. Earth Cave martial artists repeatedly target Human Realm prodigies, while Human Realm forces conduct raids, ambushes, and campaigns within the Earth Cave 28 37 48.

Geography

• The Earth Cave is entered through gates connecting it to the Human Realm; the Magic City Earth Cave gate leads to the Human Realm stronghold of Hope City 122.
• Its environment includes mountains, clear waters, and large native animals 122.
• Earth Cave cities are built over massive Energy Mineral Veins, making them strategically valuable targets 69.
• The 108 Outer Regions are part of the Earth Cave and were included in Li Zhu's World-Extinguishing Array 6.
• The Forbidden Sea is lethal even to high-level martial artists over prolonged exposure; ordinary martial artists can be corroded into ash immediately 6.
• The Land of King Battles, formerly the resting place of the Two Kings and the Divine Court Army, is a major ancient site within the Earth Cave 13 87.
• The Heavenly Grave Secret Realm is regarded as extraordinarily dangerous; King Huai believed that a single mistake there could leave no corpse behind 34.

Inhabitants & Society

Earth Cave humans have bodies filled with energy and possess energy hearts. Although artificial, they are described as physically comparable to ordinary humans and able to reproduce with them; however, their Great Dao is more difficult to cultivate 16.

The Earth Cave's society is dominated by powerful bloodlines, royal courts, and True Kings. Lower-ranked martial artists are often treated as retainers, slaves, expendable resources, or ants by the ruling class 57.

• The Earth Cave is governed through four major royal courts, including the Heavenly Fate Royal Court and Heavenly Plant Royal Court 16 77.
• The Two Kings once ruled the Earth Cave so completely that other kings were considered their slaves; their legacy later became the basis for expeditions into the Land of King Battles 87.
• The Earth Cave produced no powerhouse above Emperor level for eight thousand years, a limitation linked to the difficult path faced by its artificial humans 16.
• Only five Earth Cave prodigies were included in the Sky Screen's Earth Cave Ranking, prompting outside factions to disparage the region's martial potential 76.

Major Powers

• Heavenly Fate Royal Court — Ruled by King Ming's Ji Family; its True King Hall serves as a major gathering place for Earth Cave powerhouses 36 78.
• Heavenly Plant Royal Court — Formerly led by Li Zhu as King Lord; later revealed to be heavily infiltrated by figures from other factions 6 77.
• Divine Sect — A powerful faction connected to the Earth Emperor and Li Zhu; the Earth Emperor was present there after his exposure 6 13.
• Two Kings and Divine Court Army — Ancient forces that emerged from the Land of King Battles, altering the Earth Cave's balance of power 13.
• Earth Cave True Kings — The region's highest visible native leadership, including King Ming, King Feng, King Huai, King Pingshan, and others 3 16.

Role in the Story

Sky Screen Revelations

The Sky Screen repeatedly exposes the Earth Cave's hidden history and internal contradictions. It reveals King Ming's ambition to unify the Earth Cave and Three Realms, Li Zhu's identity as the Earth Emperor's son and the “Emperor/Demon of the Earth Cave,” and the artificial origin of Earth Cave humans 2 6 16.

These revelations destabilize Earth Cave society. True Kings such as King Ming, King Huai, and King Pingshan are shaken by the knowledge that their people were manufactured rather than naturally born 16.

Conflict with the Human Realm

The Earth Cave is the main external enemy faced by New Martial Arts humanity. Human martial artists establish fortified cities such as Hope City inside it, while Earth Cave forces organize raids, ambushes, city defenses, and efforts to kill or capture emerging Human Realm talents 32 46 122.

During the Three Realms Martial Arts Exchange Tournament, Earth Cave forces collaborate with King Xun and King Gen to turn the tournament into a trap intended to slaughter Human Realm prodigies. The plan fails when Human Realm participants win successive battles and ambush Earth Cave martial artists within the secret realm 46 47 48.

Earth Cave Ranking

The Sky Screen's Earth Cave Ranking identifies the region's leading prodigies and powerhouses. Ji Ming is ranked fifth due to his thousand-meter-wide Earth Emperor Dao, while King Huai is ranked first after rising from slavery to become the Earth Cave's strongest True King 76 78.

Trivia

• Earth Cave martial artists are sometimes called “God Continent martial artists” by their own side 48.
• King Huai briefly considers acknowledging Heaven Fighting Emperor as an ancestor or godfather after learning that Earth Cave humans were artificially created 16.
• Ji Yao, originally of the Heavenly Fate Royal Court, describes entering the Earth Cave as feeling like “returning home” while living under a Human Realm identity 122.