'%3e%3cclipPath%20id='prefix__a'%3e%3cpath%20d='M0%200h1080v1080H0z'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3cg%20clip-path='url(%23prefix__a)'%3e%3cpath%20d='M1033.05%20324.45c-.19-137.9-107.59-250.92-233.6-291.7-156.48-50.64-362.86-43.3-512.28%2027.2-181.1%2085.46-237.99%20272.66-240.11%20459.36-1.74%20153.5%2013.58%20557.79%20241.62%20560.67%20169.44%202.15%20194.67-216.18%20273.07-321.33%2055.78-74.81%20127.6-95.94%20216.01-117.82%20151.95-37.61%20255.51-157.53%20255.29-316.38z'%20fill-rule='nonzero'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Great Liang
Midnight Upgrade: Mutating at Zero Hour
Biodata
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Great Liang (大梁) 85 |
| Type | Human imperial dynasty founded on martial might 86 143 |
| Ruling House | Ji Clan 42 |
| Founder | Ji Bi, the founding emperor 150 |
| Ruler | Emperor Hongwu, the world’s sole First Rank martial artist and the “Martial God” 47 |
| Status | Active; its imperial court remains the central authority in the capital 163 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 1 |
Background
Great Liang succeeded the Great Xia dynasty. Its founding emperor, Ji Bi, established the dynasty’s legacy, including the inherited greatsword Dragon-Suppressing Remains. 27 150
The dynasty has endured for 270 years and is explicitly built upon martial strength. The Ji Clan’s Sovereign True Dragon Heart Seal is described as the foundation by which it subdued the four seas; every emperor for more than two centuries has stood at the pinnacle of martial power. 42 86
Under Emperor Hongwu, Great Liang publicly promotes advancement by talent rather than birth, although access to elite institutions such as the Imperial Martial Academy remains highly restrictive. 16 163
Government and Institutions
| Institution | Function and standing |
|---|---|
| Imperial Court | Ruled by Emperor Hongwu from the Purple Zenith Hall. Princes may oversee external diplomacy, with the Crown Prince traditionally handling Eastern Yue affairs. 47 100 |
| Armament Hall | A powerful martial government office whose standing rose during the northern war. It is one of the few institutions able to confront the Shadow Pivot Court openly. 33 |
| Imperial Martial Academy | Great Liang’s premier martial academy under the Armament Hall. Admission requires exceptional backing in addition to meeting stringent standards. 16 |
| Shadow Pivot Court | The dynasty’s covert enforcement and intelligence organization. Its gray-clad agents carry out assignments unsuitable for public handling; Yan Jing serves as its director. 1 47 |
| Bureau of Celestial Observation | The capital’s sorcerous and astronomical institution, headquartered at the restricted Myriad Phenomena Tower. Access within the tower is controlled through graded Life Jades. 64 |
| Martial Alliance | Nominal organizer of the Nine Provinces Martial Tournament, though the Great Liang government openly supports the event. 85 |
Foreign Affairs and Defense
Great Liang’s ranked martial artists are divided between the northern front against the Great Wasteland Demon Race and the eastern border against Eastern Yue. This shortage of manpower makes external alliances and displays of martial strength politically urgent. 23
| Power | Relationship with Great Liang |
|---|---|
| Eastern Yue Kingdom | A hostile eastern rival viewed as ready to exploit any Great Liang weakness. Its delegation’s conduct during the Nine Provinces Martial Tournament and the Lin Beast dispute intensified tensions. 23 121 138 |
| Great Wasteland Demon Race | Great Liang’s principal northern military threat. The dynasty seeks to free forces for the northern frontier by restraining Eastern Yue. 23 100 |
| East Sea Dragon Palace | A prospective diplomatic partner. Great Liang sought to return the Eastern Sea Lin Beast and formalize relations to pressure Eastern Yue from another direction. 100 138 143 |
| Western Regions Buddhist Kingdom | A potential strategic partner against the demon race. Great Liang historically prohibited Buddhist preaching in the Central Plains, loosening restrictions only under northern-border pressure. 62 101 |
Nine Provinces Martial Tournament
The tournament serves as a public demonstration of Great Liang’s martial prestige. The main venue was built atop the Armament Hall’s Divine Might Martial Arena, and Great Liang uses a limited number of direct-entry places to field favored representatives without appearing dependent on numerical advantage. 85
- Great Liang may use up to five direct-entry slots, though it generally fields no more than three to project confidence in its broader martial community. 85
- Eastern Yue’s Hao Lang humiliated numerous Great Liang competitors, turning his eventual match with Xiao Fan into a matter of national dignity. 90 124
- Xiao Fan’s victory over Hao Lang was celebrated as washing away Great Liang’s shame. 126
- Xiao Fan later defeated Mu Sha, avenging the Armament Hall’s losses and restoring Great Liang’s honor before the capital. 152
- Emperor Hongwu rewarded Xiao Fan with a Class-A Shadow Pivot Court token and a formal position in the organization. 163
Eclipse Crisis
Following the tournament final, strange formations appeared across the capital and an eclipse darkened the city. 152
Xiao Fan’s blood activated a white-flame formation that destroyed the enormous black pupil obscuring the sun, restoring daylight to Great Liang’s capital. The event left the city dealing with the aftermath of supernatural corruption and disaster. 157 163
Policies and Customs
- Great Liang maintains strict state control over high-bloodline military horses; they are prohibited from private sale. 68
- The dynasty’s political identity is closely tied to martial honor, making public defeats by foreign fighters a matter of state prestige. 101 125
- The court considers the spread of Western Regions Buddhism politically sensitive and previously forbade its preaching in the Central Plains. 62 101