Martial Saint Academy

Biodata

Background / History

Yuan Dehai arrived during An Qi’s struggle against the Great Zhou Dynasty while still an inner disciple of the Martial Saint Main Academy. He and his followers killed Great Zhou’s emperor and supreme military commander, allowing An Qi to launch a victorious offensive. Great Liang and Great Yu also withdrew after learning of Yuan Dehai’s affiliation. He subsequently established the Great Xia branch on Martial Saint Mountain 23.

An Qi supported the Martial Saint Academy to prevent Wendao Academy, also called the Dao-Seeking Academy, from becoming the sole dominant power. Imperial and academy pressure drove Wendao Academy into decline within a hundred years, and the two institutions became mortal enemies. Their fighting eventually threatened Capital City and killed numerous experts, forcing the imperial family to impose restrictions on their conflicts 23 27.

By Xia Yu’s arrival, imperial policy had shifted toward supporting the weakened Dao-Seeking Academy as a counterweight to the Martial Saint Academy. The imperial family sought balance rather than either institution’s destruction 33 46.

Organization and Recruitment

Disciple Hierarchy

Admission

• Annual recruitment: Recruitment takes place on Martial Saint Mountain and draws applicants from varied backgrounds. More than ten thousand people witness Elder Jiao’s defeat during the recruitment event 23 25.
• Entrance assessment: Outer sect elders oversee the assessment at the academy gates 24.
• Sacred Martial Token: Serves as a recommendation for admission, not an entitlement to unrelated assistance. An elder invokes this limitation when Xia Yu requests treatment for Xia Yao 24.
• Recruitment information: Shen Yuxuan sells examination guides and information about elders’ preferences and specialties outside the academy, despite belonging to its rival 23 27.

Known Members

Leadership and Elders

Disciples

Martial Strength and Resources

• Emperor Realm elders: Yuan Pingtian brings more than a dozen peak Emperor Realm elders to confront the Dao-Seeking Academy. Their combined offensive overwhelms its defenders despite poison pills, formations, and exploding weapons 44 45.
• Legacy disciple reputation: Rumor credits the strongest legacy disciple with killing an Emperor Realm rogue cultivator while still in the King Realm 26.
• Saint Weapons: Exceedingly rare even within the academy. Two elders turn their attention to Xia Yu after another elder identifies his spear as a Saint Weapon 45.

Documented Martial Techniques

Relationships

• Martial Saint Main Academy — Parent institution in the Central Divine Continent; Yuan Dehai’s affiliation helped deter Great Liang and Great Yu from continuing their campaigns 23.
• Dao-Seeking Academy / Wendao Academy — Long-standing rival. The Martial Saint Academy’s suppression contributes to its decline, but its remaining experts make an outright conquest costly 23 31 41.
• Great Xia imperial family — Initially supports the academy against Wendao Academy, later strengthens its rival to preserve a balance of power and enforces restrictions on inter-academy fighting 23 33 46.
• Xia Yu — Becomes an enemy after seeking emergency treatment for Xia Yao. Zhang Xinyi regards his exceptional talent as a threat that must be recruited or eliminated 24 42.

Inter-Academy Conflict Rules

• Private fighting is forbidden; formal battles require a signed contract in the Battle Arena, or an accepted challenge at the opposing academy 27.
• A challenged disciple may refuse. Attacking despite that refusal permits retaliation without intervention from the attacker’s elders 29.
• Disputes between juniors must be settled without elder interference. The rules for the younger generation apply to cultivators below the Emperor Realm 31 42.
• The imperial family acts as witness and enforcer of these restrictions 27 46.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Recruitment-Day Conflict

• An Qing directs Xia Yu to seek Ming Yue at the academy for help with Xia Yao. Xia Yao’s condition worsens upon their arrival during annual recruitment 19 23.
• After the gate elders refuse assistance and order his capture, Xia Yu defeats outer disciples and Elder Jiao, severs Gu Qingfeng’s hand, and defeats Wang Yilun 24 25 26.
• Xu Weilin orders four inner disciples to attack together; Xia Yu kills all four. Faced with further reinforcements, Xia Yu accepts Shen Yuxuan’s invitation to join the Dao-Seeking Academy 27 28.
• Xia Yu defeats Bao Yijian and kills four additional attackers. Qi Huang intervenes, but Su Deyu arrives and confronts her and Yuan Pingtian over the conflict rules 29 30 31.

Xu Weilin’s Death and Open Battle

• Jiang Yuqi’s attempt to capture Xia Yu escalates into another confrontation. Zhang Xinyi arrives, and An Qing secures a duel between Xia Yu and Xu Weilin rather than an immediate academy-wide battle 39 40 41.
• Xu Weilin initially gains the advantage with his gravity domain. Xia Yu learns to control its forces and kills him 43 44.
• Zhang Xinyi attacks despite the agreed restrictions and orders the elders to kill Xia Yu. During the ensuing battle, Xia Yu kills Elder He and severs another elder’s arm 44 45.
• An Youguo arrives with more than a dozen Emperor Realm experts, halts the fighting, and reiterates the prohibition on elders interfering in junior disputes. The Martial Saint Academy withdraws 46.

Renewed Challenges

• While Xia Yu is in seclusion, academy challengers injure Su Xiang’er and Shen Yuxuan. Su Deyu subsequently forbids further acceptance of challenges 50.
• Many challengers believe Dao-Seeking Academy teachers killed Xu Weilin; the Martial Saint Academy’s leadership does not publicize the humiliating circumstances of his death 50.
• Xia Yu returns to the gates and kills a provoking King Realm disciple with Mystic Heaven Finger. A senior brother identified by the disciples as “Senior Brother Lu” then arrives and claims responsibility for injuring Xia Yu’s senior siblings 50.