He Family

Biodata

History

Founding and early legacy

The He Family originated in Hundred Herbs Valley, where an ancestor at Qi Refinement Great Perfection seized the valley and established the family line. His Star-Backed Black Turtle spirit pet remained after his death, accepting the family’s support and protecting them for nearly a century. 4

Originally a minor Qi Refinement family, the He Family concentrated its resources on the young He Sheng after he was found to possess top-grade dual water-and-earth spiritual roots. His rise to Foundation Establishment elevated the family into one of the Silver Sand River region’s Foundation Establishment clans. 1

Expansion under He Sheng

Under clan head He Sheng, the family seized Long Sun Mountain from the Xu Clan and expanded aggressively. He Sheng subdued several nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators, took control of Lower River Market, and made the He Family the dominant cultivation family along the Silver Sand River. 1

The clan’s prosperity was paired with widespread abuse. Following He Sheng’s example, disciples became arrogant and routinely oppressed other local families and even their own collateral branches. 1 14 31

Crisis after the clan head’s disappearance

After rumors spread that He Sheng had been killed, He Yiyang—his elder brother and the family’s external-procurement manager—fled Long Sun Mountain with Ji Yunlai after emptying the secret treasury. The theft stripped the clan of savings reportedly worth more than one hundred million low-grade spirit stones. 13 15 16

The apparent loss of its sole Foundation Establishment cultivator invited attacks from the Black Mountain Group and opportunism from rival families. The Liu Family later used Liu Yunxi’s claim as He Sheng’s “not-yet-widow” to enter the clan’s affairs and seize much of its business. 15 56

Reorganization

Grand Elder He Weixian established Green Bamboo Court to educate collateral-branch and distant-clan disciples, distribute cultivation opportunities more broadly, and cultivate future talent. 56 62 63

Following He Sheng’s later intervention against the Liu Family, the Liu Family withdrew from He Family affairs, returned seized properties, and sent an apology estate. 62 63

The family subsequently began separating immortals from mortals: mortal relatives were relocated from Long Sun Mountain to nearby secular cities, while the clan shifted toward selecting and training members by aptitude rather than bloodline status. 63 82

Structure and Holdings

Internal Politics

• Bloodline hierarchy — The family historically ranked members by closeness to the main branch; collateral disciples, spirit farmers, and live-in sons-in-law occupied much lower standing. 14
• Second Branch — He Sheng’s branch held exceptional influence during his tenure. After his disappearance, it lost power, then attempted to restore its dominance through Liu Yunxi. 56 58
• Main Branch and Grand Elder — He Weixian reclaimed authority after He Sheng’s disappearance and prioritized unity, education, and redistribution of clan benefits. 56 63
• Green Bamboo Court — Established as a school for collateral and distant-clan disciples; it provides instruction in cultivation and practical immortal arts. 56 63
• Immortal–mortal separation — Later reforms removed mortal main-branch dependents from Long Sun Mountain, ending the former practice in which mortal blood relatives could outrank cultivators. 82

Notable Members

• He Sheng — Former clan head, Foundation Establishment cultivator, and architect of the family’s rise; his reported death triggered the clan’s crisis. 1 15
• He Weixian — Grand Elder who preserved the family during its leadership vacuum, founded Green Bamboo Court, and advanced the aptitude-based reforms. 56 63 82
• He Weixiong — A prestigious but taciturn elder who acted as an intermediary between Long Sun Mountain and Longevity Pool. 56 58
• He Yiyang — He Sheng’s elder brother and external-procurement manager; fled with the secret treasury alongside Ji Yunlai. 13 15
• He Ziyang — A distant collateral disciple with strong metal, earth, and water spiritual-root aptitude and apparent sword-related potential; later became Guizang True Person’s registered disciple. 14 16 96
• He Linxue — A First Branch descendant whose son was restored to the family after suffering persecution by the Liu Family. 60 62
• He Jingxing — He Linxue’s son, formerly Liu Jingxing; recognized by the family after receiving a fire-element earth spirit root and established as a separate First Branch line. 62 91
• Liu Yunxi — A Liu Family member used by the Second Branch to contest control of the clan, enabling Liu Family encroachment into He Family businesses. 56 61

Relationships

• Star-Backed Black Turtle — Former spirit pet of the He Family ancestor; maintained ties with and periodically received offerings from the family, though it resented He Sheng’s attempt to make it a clan-guarding beast. 4 23
• Liu Family — Formerly oppressed by the He Family; later exploited the clan’s leadership crisis through Liu Yunxi before being forced to withdraw and return seized assets. 31 56 62 63
• Sheng Family — A regional rival bearing longstanding resentment over He Family abuses, but its ancestor discouraged rash retaliation amid the uncertain political situation. 31
• Wen Family — A neighboring Foundation Establishment family that sought a share of He Family assets during the Liu Family’s occupation; it adopted a deferential stance after the Liu Family was subdued. 61 91
• Zhou Family — One of the other Foundation Establishment families in the Silver Sand River region; attended He Jingxing’s recognition ceremony while privately fearing the family’s renewed potential. 91
• Celestial Sea Commerce Association — Its Lower River Branch, under Lin Wanrou, plotted against He Sheng and sought to destabilize the family to advance the Eight Scenery Dharma Coin scheme. 20 26

Trivia

• The family’s generational characters follow the sequence Wei, Tuo, Yi, Zheng, Hong, Chuang, Rui, Cheng; He Sheng abandoned his generational character after becoming clan head. 16
• Seven tolls of the Long Sun Mountain warning bell signal a major internal emergency; nine tolls signify a clan-destroying calamity. 14
• He Sheng removed his own life plaque from the ancestral hall after becoming clan head, for reasons unknown. 91