Ancient Domain

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Ancient Domain (古域)
Type	Neutral character / realm
Affiliation	Tong Pass Prefecture; Martial Saint City; Ancient Pool Village
Status	Active; ruled by Lin Yi as Domain Lord; the Supreme Demon Domain has been pacified, while the Southern Domain is nominally under the same ruler. 649 652 671
First Appearance	270

Power Progression

Period / Advancement	Development
Founding era	Gu Xianhe established the Ancient Domain with assistance from the ancestors of the Eight Great Families. Using the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures and the Heaven and Earth Domain, he mobilized Earth Vein Power and reshaped the surrounding world into a defensible human sanctuary. 368 535
Post-founder consolidation	The Ancient Domain survived a near-catastrophe after the dragon and phoenix once accepted by Gu Xianhe betrayed it and joined Outer Realm Monsters; both were eventually suppressed. 457
Secret Realm-supported martial era	The Ancient Secret Realm became a crucial foundation for the domain's upper-level Martial Saints, with its loss projected to reduce the number of Domain Realm Martial Saints by more than half. 483
Second Tong Pass defense	Lin Yi's use of the Qiankun Real Domain and the combined Tong Pass Treasures enabled the Ancient Domain to repel the Supreme Demon Domain's invasion and suppress multiple Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods. 529 537
Pacification of the Supreme Demon Domain	Under Lin Yi's command, the Ancient Domain launched an offensive that completely pacified the Supreme Demon Domain, greatly expanding its resources, prestige, and strategic security. 637 649
Restoration of the Domain Lord	Lin Yi formally received Martial Saint City's imperial seal and the Tong Pass Prefecture Mansion Master Token, restoring unified authority over the Ancient Domain after the position had been vacant for tens of thousands of years. 652
Institutional reform and regional expansion	Lin Yi established the Martial Arts Pavilion to break the Martial Families' monopoly over inheritances, while his later accession as Southern Domain Lord placed both major human domains under his nominal rule. 659 671

Background / History

The Ancient Domain is a martial realm whose residents preserve higher martial-arts inheritances. People of barbarian ancestry living outside Tong Pass seek recognition as true residents because such inheritances are available within the domain. A scattered tribe of roughly ten thousand people remains trapped outside the pass amid surrounding forbidden lands. 306

Before Lin Yi's arrival, the Ancient Domain was already recognized as a gathering place for Martial Artists and Martial Saint-level experts. It was regarded by many outsiders as humanity's last pure land, protected from the Monsters and Ghost Spirits that filled the surrounding regions. 270 312

Its martial system is closely tied to the cultivation of Domains. Martial Saints may enter the Domain Seventh Realm either by using Martial Dao Principles to open a Domain or by refining the power of Heaven and Earth; the latter method spread after Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods began using refined natural powers as Domains. 392 424

The realm was historically hostile toward Born Ones. Its leadership ordered the interception and elimination of Born Ones approaching the Ancient Domain and prohibited Ancient Domain External Skills from being passed to them. 420

After Lin Yi's identity as a Born One became public, this policy began to change. His strength and role in pacifying the Supreme Demon Domain caused some Tong Pass cities to admit Descenders, although prejudice among several Martial Dao Aristocratic Families persisted. 579 649 700

Foundation and Martial Heritage

Gu Xianhe founded the Ancient Domain after bringing more advanced martial inheritances to a world where the highest known level had previously been an incomplete form of Martial Saint. The ancestors of the Eight Great Families assisted him in establishing the realm. 368 661

The Eight Great Families corresponded to the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. The Kan, Gen, and Dui Families later vanished, leaving the Qian, Zhen, Xun, Li, and Kun Families among the surviving major lineages. 368

Gu Xianhe used the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures in conjunction with the Heaven and Earth Domain to mobilize Earth Vein Power, reshape the land, and establish the Ancient Domain's defensive foundation. 535

Later discoveries suggest that the Ancient Domain's Domain-based martial path is connected to the Ancient Clan's Domain Law, a top-tier inheritance recognized beyond Apocalypse World. The deeper origin of that inheritance may in turn be related to the Battle Ancient Palace of the Heavenly Palace. 719 1083

Relations with Other Civilizations

The Ancient Domain and the Southern Domain are the two principal human civilizations with comparatively intact inheritances on Apocalypse World. The Ancient Domain follows martial cultivation, while the Southern Domain preserves the Shaman path. 465

The two domains fought several major wars after the Shaman Small Realm merged into Apocalypse World. Neither side could decisively eliminate the other, leading the Witches to establish the Truth Southern Domain on the coastal islands. 696

Under Lin Yi, the Ancient Domain later reached a political settlement with the Southern Domain. Lin Yi became its Domain Lord as well, nominally unifying the two human domains without a full-scale war. 671 673

Governance and Defense

• Domain Lord Lin Yi — the officially invested ruler of the Ancient Domain. He holds Martial Saint City's imperial seal and the Tong Pass Prefecture Mansion Master Token, placing both Martial Saint City and Tong Pass Prefecture under his jurisdiction. 652
• Venerable Saint and Tong Pass Prefecture Mansion Master Gu Chaokuang — former senior authorities who supported Lin Yi's succession and transferred their institutional authority to him. 650 652
• Tong Pass Prefecture Prefect — summons the Twelve Town Guardians and directs major military decisions, including campaigns against hostile Demon Domains. 420
• Twelve Tong Pass Garrison Commanders / Town Guardians — regional military leaders gathered at Martial Saint City under the Domain Lord's authority. 419 420
• Martial Saint City — a heavily guarded administrative center placed under martial law during the commanders' assembly. It remains the political center of the Ancient Domain. 419 652
• Tong Pass — a defensive frontier whose surrounding settlements include communities excluded from full Ancient Domain residency. 306
• Twelve Tong Passes — a system of fortified passes linked to the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures. They isolate the Ancient Domain from surrounding Monsters and Ghost Spirits while drawing upon Earth Vein Power for defense. 535 637
• Martial Arts Pavilion — an institution established by Lin Yi to control and distribute External Skills, martial arts inheritances, and secret techniques rather than leaving them monopolized by Martial Families. 659

The enormous Tong Pass walls are the principal defense of the realm. Even the Barbarian God could not force its way through Tong Pass and retreated after a powerful Ancient Domain expert intervened. 306 307

The Twelve Tong Pass Treasures are most effective within the Ancient Domain because of their connection to its terrain and Earth Veins. This limitation prevented the leadership from immediately pursuing an invasion of the Supreme Demon Domain after the Second Tong Pass battle. 537

Cultivation and Inheritances

Domains

Domains are classified by quality. First-class Domains include Wither and Bloom and Li Fire, while Great Accomplishment Domains include Life and Death and Heaven and Earth. 391

The Heaven and Earth Domain can mobilize the eight natural forces of Heaven, Earth, Mountain, Marsh, Water, Fire, Wind, and Thunder. Superior Great Achievement Domains include the Sun, Moon, and Star Three Talents Domain and the Yin Yang Domain. 422

• Domain secret techniques are rare and valuable cultivation resources. 391
• Power of Heaven and Earth is fiercely contested because it offers a faster route into the Domain Seventh Realm. 424
• Demon Gods traditionally lack the comprehension to master Domains, though Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods have developed Domains by refining powers of Heaven and Earth. 424
• The Ancient Secret Realm is a vital cultivation resource for Domain Realm Martial Saints. Its Profound Yellow Qi and other opportunities are important to advancement into the highest Martial Saint realms. 483 561
• The Chaos Domain is a rumored Great Accomplishment Domain comparable to the Heaven and Earth Domain. It may be formed by fusing numerous ultimate weapon Domains. 505

External Skills

Ancient Domain External Skills are protected inheritances; the Prefecture specifically forbids their transmission to Born Ones. 420

Following Lin Yi's accession, the Martial Arts Pavilion began distributing External Skills and secret techniques under centralized authority. This reform directly challenged the old Martial Family monopoly over martial inheritances. 659

Divine Sacrifice Legacy

Ancient Pool Village preserves a Divine Sacrifice inheritance. Its elders retain knowledge of ancient Divine Sacrifice script, Divine Talismans, and Divine Arts, distinguishing the village from the Ancient Domain's predominantly martial culture. 312 523

Major Conflicts

Dragon and Phoenix Betrayal

After Gu Xianhe founded the Ancient Domain, he spared and accepted a dragon and phoenix that had become Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods. Following his death, they betrayed the realm and joined Outer Realm Monsters in devouring several hundred thousand Ancient Domain residents. The dragon and phoenix were eventually suppressed, ending the crisis. 457

Endless Fire Domain Campaign

The Tong Pass leadership organized an operation to annihilate the Endless Fire Domain and its three Demon Gods. The Five-clawed Dark Dragon was identified as responsible for breaching Tong Pass and slaughtering its people. Success in the operation would also determine the final recipient of a trial Secret Realm quota. 420

Supreme Demon Domain Invasion

The Supreme Demon Domain later invaded the Ancient Domain. During the assault on the Second Tong Pass, the Second Tong Pass Guardian, Qian Xuan, fell; defenders suffered severe casualties as organized monster forces and Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods pressured the pass. 523 525

Lin Yi intervened with his Qiankun Real Domain over a fifty-li area, countering the Demon Gods' Domains and suppressing six Heaven-Piercing Demon Gods before confronting the Three-Dragon-Head Envoy. 529

His subsequent use of the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures and control over strange beasts from Profound Wind Treasure Valley broke the Monster army's offensive. Five Envoy-level Demon Gods were later suppressed, with several forced to provide intelligence on the Supreme Demon Domain. 528 537 538

Pacification of the Supreme Demon Domain

After the Ancient Secret Realm expedition, Lin Yi organized a voluntary domain-wide campaign to pacify the Supreme Demon Domain. He offered war contributions exchangeable for resources and treasures, drawing support from the Ancient Domain's major Martial Families and Martial Saint forces. 637 638

The campaign succeeded in eliminating or suppressing the Honored Demons and Yao Gods across the Demon Domain. The Ancient Domain plundered its resources and killed nearly every Monster King at Three Stars and above, greatly increasing Lin Yi's prestige. 649

Lin Yi did not formally annex the territory into the Ancient Domain. Instead, he ordered that its surviving Monsters be prohibited from eating humans and retained the region as a dangerous trial ground for the younger generation while personally controlling important resources. 656

Southern Domain Standoff and Unification

Lin Yi's visit to the Southern Domain provoked a confrontation with several Great Shamans, who surrounded him after he killed the experimenter Halint and rescued imprisoned Descenders and Witches. 665 669

The Great Shamans reconsidered open war after Lin Yi demonstrated the power of the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures and reminded them that the Ancient Domain possessed twenty to thirty Ninth Realm Martial Saints. 669

Lin Yi ultimately became the Southern Domain's Domain Lord under an agreement with its Great Shamans. The Southern Domain retained its distinct Shaman inheritance but became nominally aligned beneath his rule. 671 673

Notable Locations

• Martial Saint City — center of the Tong Pass commanders' gathering and a city guarded by Four-star Martial Artists during martial law. It later became the site of Lin Yi's Domain Lord Ceremony. 419 652
• Ancient Pool Village — a village associated with the Divine Sacrifice inheritance; it celebrates Lin Yi's return shortly before news of the Supreme Demon Domain invasion arrives. 523
• Profound Wind Treasure Valley / Black Abyss Cave — an area of the Ancient Secret Realm where Black Abyss Cave began producing monsters rather than Profound Wind, causing Martial Saint casualties. 483
• Second Tong Pass — a major defensive pass attacked during the Supreme Demon Domain invasion. 525
• Ancient Secret Realm — a foundational cultivation site whose opportunities sustain much of the Ancient Domain's Domain Realm Martial Saint population. 483
• Southern Domain — formerly a neighboring and politically independent Shaman region. It is now nominally ruled by Lin Yi alongside the Ancient Domain. 671
• Supreme Demon Domain — the former major Monster power bordering the Ancient Domain. It was pacified by Lin Yi's forces and converted into a controlled trial region. 649 656
• Black Mountain Secret Realm — a dangerous secret realm associated with the Black Magnetic Mountain Divine Artifact. Its corruption could threaten the West Mountain Southern Domain and, by extension, the Ancient Domain. 682

Equipment / Treasures

• Twelve Tong Pass Treasures — Ancient Domain divine artifacts that can be stimulated with Source Qi; together, they emit an aura described as capable of destroying heaven and earth. Gu Xianhe originally used them to mobilize Earth Vein Power and create the Ancient Domain's defensive foundation. 535 669
• Twelfth Tong Pass Treasure — one of the Twelve Tong Pass Treasures, damaged during the Black Abyss Cave incident involving the Yin Fire Altar and controlled strange beasts. 510
• Martial Saint City's imperial seal — one of the regalia transferred to Lin Yi during his Domain Lord Ceremony. 652
• Tong Pass Prefecture Mansion Master Token — the second regalia transferred to Lin Yi, symbolizing his authority over Tong Pass Prefecture. 652
• Great Sun Golden Crow — a Sequence Divine Artifact stolen from the Ancient Domain by Kongming Mountain tens of thousands of years ago. Lin Yi reclaimed it after negotiating Kongming Mountain's relocation into his Spirit Vine World. 698
• Trial Secret Realm quota — a coveted opportunity awarded through the Endless Fire Domain operation. 420