Liu Family

Biodata

Background and Influence

The Liu Family was one of Red Rock County's three dominant Inner City clans. It leveraged wealth, martial resources, and affiliated organizations to expand into the Outer City, bringing martial artists and martial halls under its influence. Its recruitment efforts were publicly generous but increasingly coercive, particularly toward the River-Breaking Martial Hall. 30 34 69 75

History

Expansion into the Outer City

The Liu Family initially expanded through subsidies and recruitment. Xiang Lingfei registered under the family for a monthly stipend of sixty taels of silver and exotic beast meat, while Liu Chuzhou publicly offered Chen Jing a lucrative position to signal that the family would reward useful talent. Chen Jing refused, judging that service to the Liu Family would make both him and his family dependent on its will. 30 34 36

Liu Chuzhou renewed the offer at Chen Jing's housewarming banquet and later sent head steward Liu Zhong with an even more generous proposal: the family would double what the Zhuang Family offered and supply resources and connections unavailable in the Outer City. Chen Jing again refused out of loyalty to Zhuang Tao. Liu Zhong left three bottles of Longevity Blessing Paste despite the refusal. 58 62

Longevity Blessing Paste Scheme

The family distributed Longevity Blessing Paste as both an inducement and a means of domination. Xiang Lingfei became addicted after obtaining it through Auntie Hong of Drunken Spring Pavilion, a person under Liu Chuzhou's control. Before dying from the paste's backlash, he revealed that Liu Chuzhou used it to control numerous Outer City martial artists. 66

The Liu Family attempted to bring the River-Breaking Martial Hall into its fold through Fei Feng. Liu Zhong offered Fei Feng an affiliation and a box of paste, but Chen Jing and Zhuang Tao warned that the gift concealed a trap. Fei Feng forbade his disciples from using it while he considered the proposal. 69

As the family intensified its lobbying, disciples led by Pu Shaojie supported joining it and promoted the paste within the martial hall. Chen Jing's opposition prevented the family from establishing control there, prompting Liu Chuzhou to retaliate against Zhuang Tao's restaurant. 75 81

Destruction of the Family's Operations

Chen Jing and Zhuang Tao raided the Liu Family's dockside granary, destroyed its paste supply, and killed Liu Meng, a Third Blood Martial Artist guarding the operation. The loss severely damaged the family's finances and exposed divisions within its leadership. 78 80

Chen Jing later infiltrated the Black Wind Valley cultivation site, where the Liu Family kept abducted farmers working the Soul-Absorbing Grass beds. He killed the guards and defeated Liu Xiao, a peak Third Blood Martial Artist and Liu Meng's elder brother. Liu Xiao died from the backlash of his own Limit-Breaking Technique. 81 82 83

With its supply chain broken, the family prioritized finding a new Soul-Absorbing Grass cultivation site. Liu Wujiu and Liu Chuzhou considered the paste the foundation of the family's control over the Outer City; without it, they feared their influence would collapse. 83 84

Conflict with the Fang and Lin Families

Chen Jing and Zhuang Tao spread the claim that the Fang Family had destroyed the Liu Family's cultivation site, worsening existing tensions between the two Inner City clans. Liu Wujiu did not immediately launch a direct attack, instead ordering an investigation and demanding that the Fang Family explain itself. 83

The Liu and Fang families met at Clear Breeze Tea House to negotiate, but a Lin Family assassin disguised as a server attacked Liu Chuzhou and framed the Fang Family. Their guards began fighting outside the tea house, turning the staged incident into open conflict. 86

The Lin Family then launched its planned ambush against both weakened clans. Liu Wujiu led the remaining Liu martial artists in a desperate resistance, but the family suffered catastrophic losses. Chen Jing killed Liu Chuzhou during the battle, while Liu Wujiu was left severely wounded as the Liu Family's power in Red Rock County collapsed. 87

Notable Members

• Liu Wujiu — Family head. He directed the investigation into the destroyed granary and cultivation site, then led the Liu Family's final resistance at Clear Breeze Tea House. 80 83 87
• Liu Chuzhou — Liu Wujiu's son and a principal recruiter. He oversaw the Longevity Blessing Paste scheme, sought to control Outer City martial artists, and competed with Liu Xingzhou for succession before Chen Jing killed him. 34 66 80 87
• Liu Xingzhou — Core figure of the second branch and a Third Blood Martial Artist. He was Liu Chuzhou's rival for the future family-head position. 80 84
• Liu Zhong — Head steward of the main branch. He delivered recruitment offers and Longevity Blessing Paste to Chen Jing and Fei Feng. 62 69
• Liu Meng — Third Blood Martial Artist guarding the dockside paste granary; killed by Chen Jing during the raid. 78 82
• Liu Xiao — Peak Third Blood Martial Artist and Liu Meng's elder brother. He guarded the Black Wind Valley cultivation operation and died after the backlash of his Limit-Breaking Technique. 82

Relationships

• Eight Desolations Academy — Effectively aligned with the Liu Family through Liu Chuzhou; its leader Hu Duanzhuo was pressured with the threat of losing his paste supply. 58 80
• Blood Gang — Subservient to the Liu Family and used to abduct Ren Zhining and other pharmacists for the Soul-Absorbing Grass operation. 71 72
• River-Breaking Martial Hall — A major recruitment target. The Liu Family failed to secure Fei Feng and faced direct opposition from Chen Jing and Zhuang Tao. 69 75 81
• Fang Family — Rival Inner City family whose conflict with the Liu Family was exploited by the Lin Family. 83 86
• Lin Family — Fellow Inner City family that manipulated the Liu–Fang dispute and ambushed both sides at Clear Breeze Tea House. 85 87
• Beast God Sect — The Liu Family's cultivation and refinement of Soul-Absorbing Grass interfered with the sect's interests and drew its attention. 74