Lin'an City

Biodata

Appearance

Lin'an City is a small, subdued city compared with Great Qin's capital, but it retains its essential amenities and has busy streets and local commerce. Shen Changqing considers it less prosperous than the capital yet distinctively charming. 12 13

• Ancient Moon Village lies roughly ten li east of the eastern gate. 12
• A mass graveyard stands east of the city; it is a suspected future site of the demon essence blood's emergence. 49
• The city contains a yamen, inns, the Zhao Family estate, and Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop. 12 36 37
• Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop covertly serves as the local base of the Skywatch Guard. 29 36

History

Lin'an City suffered repeated demon and specter calamities during Zhao Fang's nearly twenty-year tenure as magistrate. Zhao Fang and chief constable Zhang Long initially presented themselves as experienced officials who had relocated villagers, sealed off the affected area, and contained the threat around Ancient Moon Village. 12 13

The supposed containment was a deception. Ancient Moon Village's residents had already been slaughtered, while the city reported only a few deaths to draw a relatively weak trainee Demon Slayer to the area. Zhao Fang and Zhang Long intended for the specter Blood Soul to devour such cultivators and advance into a Grievance-rank specter. 15 The plot was part of Zhao Fang's collaboration with Zhuang Mingyuan and the Eternal Life Alliance; Zhuang even urged Zhao to sacrifice all of Lin'an City's hundred thousand residents to create a Baleful-rank specter. 21

Shen Changqing uncovered the conspiracy, killed Zhang Long and Zhuang Mingyuan, and forced Zhao Fang to confess. Zhao Fang later committed suicide after providing information on the Eternal Life Alliance. 23 27 28 Great Qin subsequently ruled that Zhao Fang's crimes warranted the extermination of his nine kin. The Zhao Family was arrested, its property confiscated, and its members publicly executed, an outcome widely supported by the city's residents. 32 42 48 49

After the Zhao Family's fall, the Demon Suppression Bureau appointed Shen Changqing as Lin'an City's temporary magistrate. His primary charge is maintaining stability and protecting the populace while demon essence blood is expected to emerge near the city. 30 32 36

Administration and Security

Yamen

• Acting county magistrate: Shen Changqing, appointed by the Demon Suppression Bureau until a new magistrate arrives. 32 36 37
• Registrar: Shi Qingsheng, who handles yamen affairs under Shen's authority. 37 38
• Constable chiefs: Hong Cheng was initially appointed temporary chief constable; Zhang Yue later received the position after the Zhao Family's execution. 28 49
• The yamen became understaffed after many runners were assigned to guard the Zhao Family during the investigation and sentencing. 37

Skywatch Guard

The Skywatch Guard maintains an intelligence post in Lin'an City under the cover of Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop. Situ Bei, the pawnshop's shopkeeper, serves as the local Skywatch Guard captain and provides Shen Changqing with information on martial artists, demonic threats, and the demon essence blood. 29 33

• The Guard was ordered to investigate all forces and experts above the Meridian Opening Realm in the city. 30
• Shen later ordered it to search within fifty li of Lin'an City for unusual activity connected to monstrous evils. 33
• Following an attack on the yamen by fiends, Shen demanded that the Guard locate any Eternal Life Alliance stronghold in the city. 49

Notable Locations

• Lin'an City Yamen — The administrative center of the city and Shen Changqing's residence after his appointment as acting magistrate. 37 38
• Everlasting Fortune Pawnshop — A pawnshop that secretly operates as the Lin'an City Skywatch Guard station. 29 36
• Ancient Moon Village — A nearby village where the initial false report of a Nether-level specter concealed a mass killing and Blood Soul's cultivation. 13 15
• Zhao Family Estate — The residence of Lin'an City's former ruling family; it was raided after Zhao Fang's crimes were exposed. 40 42
• Eastern Mass Graveyard — The burial site of the executed Zhao Family and a suspected location for the emergence of demon essence blood. 49

Major Threats

• Blood Soul — A specter cultivated through the slaughter of Ancient Moon Village and intended to consume Demon Suppression Bureau trainees. 15 21
• Eternal Life Alliance — The organization connected to Zhao Fang and Zhuang Mingyuan's conspiracy; it continued to threaten the city through fiend activity after their deaths. 27 49
• Demon essence blood — A sealed remnant expected to emerge in the Lin'an City region, attracting martial factions, demons, and evil spirits. 30 32
• Visiting martial factions — The Seven Luminaries Sect, Burning Heaven Manor, Wave-Cleaving Gate, Origin-Returning Sword Sect, and Heavenly Blade Gate arrived to contend for the demon essence blood. Their known forces included eighteen Meridian Opening Realm martial artists. 33

Relationships

• Great Qin — Lin'an City is a Great Qin city in Vast Source Prefecture and remains subject to imperial judgment and administration. 12 32
• Demon Suppression Bureau — The Bureau investigates supernatural incidents in the region, assigned Shen Changqing to safeguard the city, and directs its Skywatch Guard presence. 11 30 36
• Shen Changqing — The Demon Suppression Bureau operative who exposed Zhao Fang's conspiracy and became the city's temporary magistrate. 23 32 36
• Zhao Fang — Former magistrate of Lin'an City; he colluded with demons and the Eternal Life Alliance before committing suicide. 21 27
• Zhang Long — Former chief constable; he assisted Zhao Fang's scheme and was killed by Shen Changqing. 15 23
• Situ Bei — Local Skywatch Guard captain and Shen Changqing's chief intelligence contact in the city. 29 33
• Zhao Family — The former prominent clan of Lin'an City; its members were executed and its assets were seized following Zhao Fang's crimes. 42 43 49