Nine Provinces

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Nine Provinces (九州)
Alias(es)	Nine Provinces Small World; Huaxia's Divine Land
Type	Neutral Character (AI)
Classification	Small world
Affiliation	Azure Wind Domain, Dark Nether Wilderness Province; under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Unity Mystic Sect 377
Ruling body	Nine Provinces Council of the Great Wilderness lineage 395
Status	Active and rebuilding after the insect calamity; remains beneath the Civilization Kill Line despite its improved merit rank 402 462
First Appearance	Chapter 377, “The Truth”

Power Progression

Stage / Realm / Level	Chapter	Notes
Nineteenth from the bottom	378	During the Heaven Ranking reckoning over 300 years earlier, the world faced enslavement. Hongwu and Yu Qian sold themselves into indenture, earning enough merit to raise its standing by two places.
Seventh from the bottom	377	Its standing before the next reckoning; 150 years remained before the Heaven Ranking.
World Merit Rank 100	460	The Nine Provinces' total merit reached 2,558,193,910; Lu Zhen alone had contributed more than ten million merit points.
World Merit Rank 93	462	Lu Zhen's selection for Supreme Unity Mystic Sect special training granted a major potential bonus, raising Nine Provinces seven places.

History

Heaven Ranking and the Civilization Kill Line

Nine Provinces is one of more than a hundred small worlds in the Azure Wind Domain, all governed by the Supreme Unity Mystic Sect. The sect conducts a Heaven Ranking every 500 years: the bottom ten worlds are erased, while the next ten are enslaved. 377

At the prior reckoning, Nine Provinces ranked nineteenth from the bottom and was due to have its population seized and sold. Hongwu and Yu Qian, both Rushing River Realm cultivators, voluntarily became followers of Supreme Unity Mystic Sect inner disciples in exchange for merit, raising the world's ranking by two places and preventing its enslavement. 378

The world later fell to seventh from the bottom, with only 150 years remaining until the next reckoning. Its crisis was worsened by gray fog that sealed its world barrier, cutting it off from Azure Wind Domain resources and restricting travel to the Great Wilderness. 377

Internal Collaboration

Some Nine Provinces collaborators served the Sacred Blood Realm, hollowing out the world's dragon-vein fortune in return for a promise of “change of registration.” The arrangement would strip them of the Nine Provinces mark and relocate them to the Sacred Blood Realm before the killing line arrived. 377

Martial World

The collapse of the Mingwu Empire and the emergence of Spirit Cave Treasure Lands drastically altered the Divine Land's geography. 213

Traditional Martial Arts was historically organized around eight major sects. The three strongest—Mystic Sword Sect, Skyreach Sect, and Supreme Clarity Sect—were based around Kunlun's Three Sects City, while five other major sects were scattered across Nine Provinces. Northern Alienated and Mechanical Martial Arts factions, led by Heavenly Pool Treasure Land, stood as a separate power bloc. 202

Great Wilderness Lineage

Nine Provinces descendants established Nine Provinces Market outside Sumu City in the Azure Wind Domain. After roughly 850 years of development, the market became a major settlement of the lineage, though it remained among the weakest small-world communities. 395

The market is governed by the Nine Provinces Council, whose fifteen Rushing River Realm members are the lineage's highest fighting force and political leadership. A divide persists between elders who retain ties to the lower realm and Great Wilderness-born natives who prioritize the market's immediate interests. 395

• Nine Provinces Market — A settlement distinguished by spirit fields, rune-powered trams, wooden-kite vessels, and a large population of Nine Provinces descendants. 395
• Green Vine District — An academy-adjacent district within the market, populated largely by young martial artists and students. 405
• Lower-realm descendants — Most market residents are born in the Great Wilderness; abundant spiritual energy allows even minimally trained adults to naturally attain Dark Force. 395

Major Arcs

Mount Tai Debate and National Reorganization

Traditional Martial Arts' victory at the Mount Tai Debate enabled the National Government to suppress Alienation Serum factories and Western Battle Gear bureaus across the Divine Land. 378

Insect Calamity

The Sacred Blood Realm unleashed the Devouring Spirit Broodmother crisis against Nine Provinces. Lu Zhen remained behind to defend the world, instead of accepting Myriad Stars Tower's offer of safe passage for ten chosen people. 382

After the broodmother's defeat, the gray mist retreated and the world barrier reopened. Survivors emerged from hiding across the Divine Land, while Great Wilderness construction puppets arrived to rebuild devastated cities and farmland. 402

Rebuilding the Mingwu Empire

Liu Bowen called for the restoration of the Mingwu Empire, arguing that Nine Provinces could no longer remain politically fragmented. 402

The restored order spread upper-realm cultivation resources—including the complete Bright God Martial Canon and basic breathing techniques—among the populace. Foreign concessions in Ocean City were dismantled, and martial arts became accessible to ordinary citizens. 437

Hundred Realms League

Nine Provinces entered the Hundred Realms League with only ninety-nine participants and a history of eighty consecutive failures to reach the second round. 432 437

Lu Zhen's victories transformed public morale. His team reached the third round through open combat rather than concealment, becoming a symbol of Nine Provinces' renewed confidence in the Great Wilderness. 441

His later selection for special training at the Supreme Unity Mystic Sect elevated Nine Provinces to 93rd out of 108 worlds, bringing it closer to escaping the Civilization Kill Line. 462

Relationships

• Supreme Unity Mystic Sect — Governing power of the Azure Wind Domain; administers the Heaven Ranking and determines the fate of Nine Provinces and other small worlds 377 452.
• Hongwu Emperor — Historic protector who accepted indenture in the Great Wilderness to preserve Nine Provinces during the previous Heaven Ranking crisis 378.
• Yu Qian — Rushing River Realm cultivator who joined Hongwu in selling himself into service to save the world from enslavement 378.
• Liu Bowen — Council elder and leading advocate for rebuilding the Mingwu Empire, supporting Lu Zhen, and preserving the lower realm 395 402 463.
• Lu Zhen — Defender and public symbol of Nine Provinces; defeated the Devouring Spirit Broodmother crisis and raised the world's standing through his Hundred Realms League performance 402 462.
• Sacred Blood Realm — Rival small world that exploits Nine Provinces' crisis, recruits collaborators, and seeks to keep it beneath the killing line 377 462.
• Myriad Stars Tower — Offered Lu Zhen ten protected crossings through the world barrier in exchange for joining its lineage; he refused to abandon Nine Provinces 382.