Shangchuan Sect

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Shangchuan Sect (上川宗)
Type	Martial sect specializing in internal cultivation
Affiliation	Ba Alliance, as an outer sect 162
Headquarters	Yunlan Mountain, in the western outskirts of Shangchuan Town; less than half a day's ride from Green Mountain City 161
Occupation/Role	Maintains an internal martial-arts inheritance; trains disciples and holds a Sect Grand Competition to select its Chief Senior Disciple 161
Status	Active but declined; leaders implicated in the Clear Wind Stronghold affair were sent to the execution block, but the Ba Alliance installed another elder as sect master and the sect continued operating. It still retains its martial heritage. 177 292
First Appearance	Chapter 51

History

Feud with Lianshan Martial Arts Hall

Several years before the Green Mountain Martial Tournament, Cheng Lianshan intervened when the son of a Shangchuan Sect elder was bullying women and children in Green Mountain City. The elder sought revenge, and Cheng Lianshan fought him until both were severely wounded; Six Gates ultimately mediated the conflict. Cheng suffered lingering internal injuries from the encounter. 51 71

Later accounts identify the elder as Elder Ma. Cheng Lianshan fought Elder Ma to a standstill, but Qin Sang subsequently entered the confrontation and defeated Cheng, preserving Shangchuan Sect's reputation and worsening Cheng's old injuries. 137 159

The elder who initially confronted Cheng Lianshan had opened eight Primary Meridians, making Cheng's ability to fight him to mutual severe injury despite relying on blood-and-qi cultivation particularly remarkable. 71

Li Dingfang later explained that the elder had intended to kill Cheng Lianshan to uphold the sect's prestige. Yin Zhengping personally handled the mediation when the confrontation threatened to become a fight to the death. 71

The hostility persisted. Shangchuan Sect refused to consider Lianshan disciples for recruitment even when they performed well at the Green Mountain Martial Tournament, while Cheng Lianshan regarded the sect as narrow-minded. 51

Despite this exclusion, Cheng Lianshan was willing to approach the sect on Zhang Chengji's behalf when Zhang's blood-and-qi cultivation reached a bottleneck, recognizing that access to internal cultivation could offer his disciple another path forward. 51

Chen Jing later concluded that Cheng Lianshan's formidable Dan-Holding fist force helped deter the sect from openly attacking the hall, encouraging it to rely instead on covert obstruction. 112

Green Mountain Martial Tournament

At the tournament, Elder Peng used the dispute between Lianshan and Iron Arm Martial Arts Halls to pressure Cheng Lianshan with veiled threats. 57

Peng's disciple, Xu Xingye, then publicly challenged Cheng Qingshi. Xu demonstrated internal-force palm techniques and swift lightness skill, winning nine consecutive matches while concealing much of his strength; however, he ultimately lost to Cheng Qingshi. 58 71

Throughout his preliminary matches, Xu repeatedly directed mocking smiles at Cheng Qingshi. Chen Jing interpreted this behavior as an attempt to undermine Cheng's confidence before their duel. 58

Xu Xingye had passed the qi-storing stage and opened at least two Primary Meridians. Li Dingfang later assessed that he was no weaker than Cheng Qingshi overall, but lost because of a moment of carelessness. 71

After the tournament, Elder Peng rejected all ten selected competitors as “crude, vulgar, wild sorts,” declining to recruit any of them. 64

Collusion with Clear Wind Stronghold

External Affairs Elder Ding Yunzhou was captured by Chen Jing while investigating a suspicious surge in Shangchuan Sect's medicinal-material purchases. Ding admitted that the sect occasionally cooperated with Clear Wind Stronghold and secretly transported medicinal herbs to it through Jinghe Medicine Shop. 119 121

Before his capture, Ding Yunzhou had intended to cripple Chen Jing during a nighttime encounter, ensuring that Chen would be unable to contest the Crimson Sun Snake Galls in their planned wagered ring match. 119

Ding maintained that Clear Wind Stronghold was not merely Shangchuan Sect's proxy, but he acknowledged that the North City Noble Families likewise funded the stronghold with money and grain in exchange for its handling of matters they could not openly conduct. 119

Ding justified these dealings as an attempt to prepare for the dynasty's possible collapse, arguing that powerful factions were placing bets on multiple sides rather than committing themselves entirely to the imperial court. Chen Jing rejected this explanation as an excuse for the sect's wrongdoing. 119

After Ding Yunzhou and his son disappeared, the sect became uncertain whether Six Gates had uncovered the full extent of its dealings with the stronghold. It sent Qin Sang to Lianshan Martial Arts Hall to trace the connection and pressure the hall for information. 135

Following the losses at Pine Forest Village, Clear Wind Stronghold suspected that Shangchuan Sect and the noble families had betrayed it to Six Gates. It severed contact with both parties, leaving the sect unable to determine what the bandits or authorities knew. Six Gates' prolonged inactivity further deepened the sect's uncertainty. 135

Conflict with Lianshan Martial Arts Hall

Transmission Elder Qin Sang visited Lianshan Martial Arts Hall while Cheng Lianshan was absent. He defeated Zhang Chengji with one palm, challenged the hall's disciples, and sought Ding Yunzhou's whereabouts. 134 135

Qin had also come to gauge the talent responsible for Shangchuan Sect's loss of face at the Green Mountain Martial Tournament, while using the disappearance of Ding Yunzhou and his son as a pretext to probe Lianshan Martial Arts Hall. 133 135

Mei Qinghe also attempted to defend the hall but was unable to overcome Qin Sang's strength. Chen Jing returned to find both her and Zhang Chengji injured. 135 136

Chen Jing returned and defeated Qin Sang, revealing his Blood-Qi Dan-Holding strength. Qin Sang was subsequently taken into Six Gates custody. 135 137

Six Gates Arrest of Luo Congnan

Following the destruction of Clear Wind Stronghold, Six Gates used Ding Yunzhou's testimony to publicly target Shangchuan Sect. Chen Jing was ordered to arrest Sect Master Luo Congnan during the sect's Grand Competition, both to pursue the case and to pressure other hidden collaborators into reacting. 161

Although Shang Youyan had been captured alive, he had refused to reveal the list of infiltrators despite extensive torture. Yin Zhengping and Li Dingfang therefore chose Shangchuan Sect as a target against which they already possessed evidence. Yin warned Chen Jing to treat the arrest as official business rather than use it to settle his personal grudge. 161

Luo Congnan and the elders had spent the preceding days discussing the crisis, with meetings in the council hall often lasting until dawn. Their established mountain headquarters offered no practical means of escaping the investigation. Luo sought Ba Alliance mediation by inviting its young disciples to the competition, and its envoy accepted a gift and agreed to arrange a meeting with Yin Zhengping afterward. 162

Chen Jing arrived with four Blue-Clad Officers and one hundred Clove-Clad Constables. Shangchuan Sect's Chief disciple Meng Shuwen and two enforcement elders attempted to stop him but were swiftly defeated. 162 163

Most ordinary disciples had not known about the sect's dealings with Clear Wind Stronghold and initially reacted with confusion. When resistance developed, Chen Jing warned that obstructing the arrest could bring military intervention and treated the elders' attack on an imperial official as equivalent to rebellion. 162 163

Luo Congnan, who had opened eleven Primary Meridians, confronted Chen Jing personally using the sect's Crossing Water on Duckweed lightness skill. Chen Jing defeated him with a single punch, sealed his qi channels with breath-sealing needles, and carried him away under arrest. 164

Ba Alliance external elder Tian Yang intervened on Shangchuan Sect's behalf but failed to prevent Luo's removal. Tian struck Chen Jing with a powerful palm in an attempt to stop the arrest, but Chen withstood the attack and continued his mission. Luo was imprisoned alongside Qin Sang and the Ding Yunzhou party. 165 166

Tian Yang's intervention concerned the Ba Alliance's reputation as well as Shangchuan Sect's survival. Although he was aware that affiliated sects sometimes dealt privately with outlaws, he considered the public removal of a sect master by a young Green-Clad Officer a humiliation for the entire alliance. After the arrest, he demanded that the remaining elders give a complete account of the collusion, warning that concealing it would also provoke the alliance's punishment. 165 166

Use of the Arrest Against Other Collaborators

After Luo Congnan's imprisonment, Yin Zhengping ordered Li Dingfang to secretly spread the false claim that Shang Youyan had named Luo in exchange for a chance to survive. The intended effect was to convince the remaining collaborators that their identities might already be exposed, forcing them to act despite uncertainty over whether the report was genuine. 167

At a clandestine meeting, other collaborators discussed Luo's public arrest and Tian Yang's inability to stop it. Some suspected a Six Gates deception, while another interpretation held that Shang Youyan had sacrificed Luo as a bargaining chip to pressure them into arranging his rescue. 167

Organization

Person	Position	Notes
Luo Congnan	Former Sect Master	Led the sect during its dealings with Clear Wind Stronghold; arrested by Six Gates at the Sect Grand Competition. He had opened eleven Primary Meridians. Later sent to the execution block for his involvement in the collusion. 161 164 177
Unnamed replacement elder	Sect Master	Selected by the Ba Alliance to replace Luo Congnan after the Clear Wind Stronghold case. 177
Ding Yunzhou	External Affairs Elder	Oversaw external matters and was implicated in the medicinal-herb transfers to Clear Wind Stronghold. 119
Qin Sang	Transmission Elder	Sent to Lianshan Martial Arts Hall to investigate Ding Yunzhou's disappearance; defeated and captured by Chen Jing. He had opened ten Primary Meridians. 134 137
Elder Ma	Affairs Elder	Responsible for receiving and seeing off guests; held a long-standing grudge against Cheng Lianshan and previously fought him during the original feud. 162 137
Elder Peng	Elder	Antagonized Lianshan Martial Arts Hall at the Green Mountain Martial Tournament. 57
Meng Shuwen	Chief Senior Disciple	Won the Sect Grand Competition shortly before being defeated by Chen Jing; had opened six Primary Meridians. 163
Xu Xingye	Elder Peng's disciple	Internal-force practitioner who challenged Cheng Qingshi during the Green Mountain Martial Tournament. He had passed the qi-storing stage and opened at least two Primary Meridians. 58 71
Two unnamed elders	Enforcement Elders	Attempted to jointly stop Chen Jing during Luo Congnan's arrest and were swiftly defeated. 163

At the confrontation with Six Gates, Luo Congnan led a group that included twelve men wearing elder robes. The sect's ordinary disciples were largely uninformed about the leadership's covert cooperation with Clear Wind Stronghold. 162

Martial Heritage and Customs

• Shangchuan Sect is an internal-school sect near Green Mountain City, possessing qi-refining methods unavailable to most common-born martial artists. 51
• It was identified as the internal-school sect closest to Green Mountain City and was admired by numerous commoner martial artists seeking access to a sect inheritance. 51 161
• Its cultivation inheritance includes force-enhancing palm techniques and lightness skills; Xu Xingye's palm art combined internal force with rapid, nearly soundless movement. 58
• Xu's palm techniques alternated between continuous, flowing attacks and fierce, torrent-like strikes, combining hardness and softness. His opponents ranged from advanced Body Tempering practitioners to Blood-Qi Marrow Refining martial artists, yet he defeated all nine preliminary opponents within a few moves. 58
• The Azure Wave Palm is among the palm arts practiced by the sect's disciples. 161
• Sect Master Luo Congnan used Crossing Water on Duckweed, the sect's pinnacle lightness skill. 164
• The Sect Grand Competition tests disciple cultivation and selects outstanding talents. Its champion receives pills, cultivation techniques, and the title of Chief Senior Disciple. 161
• During the competition in which Luo was arrested, more than a thousand Shangchuan Sect disciples gathered in Yunshan Square. 161 162
• Luo Congnan invited young disciples from other Ba Alliance sects to the competition as part of an effort to seek the alliance's support and mediation against Six Gates. 162
• Although affiliated with the Ba Alliance, Shangchuan Sect was only an outer sect and lacked access to the alliance's inner circle. 162
• Despite its decline after the Clear Wind Stronghold case, the sect remains sufficiently established and retains enough martial heritage that Chen Jing advised the newly legitimized Lianshan sect to develop cautiously rather than confront it directly. 292

Relationships

• Lianshan Martial Arts Hall — Long-standing hostile relationship originating from Cheng Lianshan's intervention against an elder's son and the ensuing duel with Shangchuan Sect elders. Qin Sang later challenged the hall while investigating Ding Yunzhou's disappearance. After Lianshan received approval to establish a sect, Chen Jing advised its members to develop steadily while allowing the still-heritage-bearing but declined Shangchuan Sect to bear the brunt of outside pressures. 51 71 135 292
• Six Gates — Investigated the sect's connection to Clear Wind Stronghold, captured Ding Yunzhou and Qin Sang, and arrested Luo Congnan. It also used the public arrest to pressure other hidden collaborators through a false report that Shang Youyan had betrayed Luo. 119 137 161 167
• Clear Wind Stronghold — Occasional covert partner; Shangchuan Sect used Jinghe Medicine Shop to transfer medicinal herbs to the bandits. Following losses at Pine Forest Village, the stronghold suspected betrayal and severed contact with the sect. 119 121 135
• Jinghe Medicine Shop — Its master was Shangchuan Sect; the shop helped procure and transport medicinal materials connected to the stronghold operation. 121
• North City Noble Families — Fellow supporters of Clear Wind Stronghold according to Ding Yunzhou; the families provided the bandits with money and grain in return for covert services. 119
• Ba Alliance — Shangchuan Sect is an outer sect of the alliance; the alliance sent Tian Yang to mediate during Luo Congnan's arrest and later selected a replacement sect master. 162 165 177
• Thousand Mechanisms Palace — Leads the Ba Alliance, the martial-sect coalition to which Shangchuan Sect belongs as an outer sect. 162
• Red Flame Sect — Tian Yang, a Red Flame Sect elder serving as a Ba Alliance external elder, intervened in support of Shangchuan Sect. 165 166

Aftermath

The court did not dissolve Shangchuan Sect after the Clear Wind Stronghold case. Luo Congnan and the elders involved in the collusion were sent to the execution block, but the Ba Alliance retained the sect's standing and appointed another elder as its new sect master. 177

This outcome reflected a political compromise and the balance of power between Six Gates and the Ba Alliance: removing the implicated leadership punished the proven wrongdoing while allowing the sect itself to continue operating. 177

By the time Lianshan Martial Arts Hall received its official patent to establish a sect, Shangchuan Sect was described as having declined, although its accumulated heritage remained intact. 292