Great Shun

Biodata

History

Great Shun was founded by the Shun Martial Emperor, a Supreme Martial Saint who used his cultivation to suppress the dynasty's national fortune. He has not been seen for several centuries, leaving his ultimate fate unknown. 209

During the thirtieth year of Shunjing, reports indicated that more than two years had passed since Lin Qing entered the Bronze Divine Palace, while Great Shun had suffered major territorial losses to the Gold Tribe. 216 Great Jing later raised its wolf-head banners over You, Bing, Tang, Qing, Cloud, Ji, Jin, Ming, and He Provinces—nine provinces in total. 241

Jin Province became a central front of resistance. Roughly sixty percent of the province had fallen, while Jiangyang Prefecture City and a few other cities remained in Great Shun hands. 293 The conflict devastated civilians, forcing refugees to survive in hidden mountain caves on wild vegetables, trapped animals, and scavenged grain. 293

Government and Institutions

Imperial Court

The Shunchang Emperor rules Great Shun from Divine Capital. His authority is closely tied to the dynasty's national fortune, but military command is weakened by provincial forces and powerful clans holding substantial independent authority. 241 316

The court has at times accepted political compromise rather than risk a catastrophic war between Supreme Martial Saints. After Eldest Prince Zhu Ci was crippled, the emperor endured the humiliation because direct retaliation against Great Jing could endanger millions of civilians. 351

Martial Temple

The Martial Temple is Great Shun's highest martial institution. Though presented as a sacred land for martial cultivation, its master is appointed by the imperial family and its resources are allocated by the imperial court. 352

Its stated functions include:

• Organizing rogue cultivators. 352
• Preserving and advancing martial inheritances. 352
• Facilitating the exchange of cultivation resources. 352
• Cultivating peerless martial prodigies for Great Shun. 352
• Exercising imperial influence over Martial Saints and major martial clans. 352

The Temple maintains the Hidden Dragon List, Dragon Transformation List, Saint Ascension List, and Hundred Beauties List. 148 Its Saint Ascension List recognizes Martial Saints under fifty whose potential ranks among Great Shun's top hundred. 214

Dragon Court Secret Realm

The Dragon Court Secret Realm opens once every three years as a royal training ground and selection venue for exceptional talents. 316 Participants are bound by three imperial iron laws: they must unite against foreign enemies, avoid internal conflict, and abide by the expedition's restrictions. 316

Blood-Soul Jade pacts allow allied entrants to sense one another's positions and exchange simple information within the secret realm. 316

Martial Saints and National Pillars

Military Situation

Great Shun's forces remain concentrated on the Jin Province front, where they contend with Great Jing's elite armies and high-ranking demon Martial Saints. 241 293

The dynasty's strategic weakness is not merely a shortage of individual experts. Great Jing can deploy organized legions, multiple Martial Saints, heavy weapons, and coordinated sieges—threats that even powerful lone cultivators may struggle to withstand. 293

Lin Qing's interventions have become an important source of morale. While acting as the masked “Righteous Man Niu,” he broke a Great Jing formation and rallied trapped Great Shun soldiers into a successful counterattack. 296

Recognition of Lin Qing

Lin Qing's rise became a major national event:

• He reached the top of Great Shun's Dragon Transformation List after entering the Martial Saint realm. 214
• His name subsequently entered the Martial Saint Ranking, making him one of Great Shun's youngest recognized Martial Saints. 214
• The Martial Temple granted him the title Sea-Calming Martial Saint; his ranking later rose to twenty-eighth, then twenty-second on the Martial Saint Ranking. 276 350
• The imperial court elevated him to a hereditary vassal king of another surname, charged with guarding Western Reef. 277
• Yue Shanhe and the Shunchang Emperor later considered recruiting him as a Martial Temple active representative, the same type of state-backed prodigy once represented by Lu Longxiang. 352

Foreign Relations

• Great Jing — Great Shun's principal wartime enemy; its armies occupy major northern territories and its Crown Prince Jueluo Taiji killed Yuan Huan along with one hundred thousand Great Shun troops. 241 293
• Gold Tribe — Its southward advance contributed to Great Shun's territorial losses; its High Priest grievously wounded Lu Longxiang. 209 216 293
• Great Bear Kingdom — Competes with Great Shun for opportunities within the Dragon Court Secret Realm. 316
• Great Yue — Sends Martial Saints and major clans into the Dragon Court Secret Realm, where its factions have clashed with Great Shun cultivators. 316 327
• Shadow Moon Tower — A hostile assassin organization that targeted Great Shun prodigies, including Eldest Prince Zhu Ci. 348 351