Tianyang Sect

Biodata

Power Progression

System levels below refer to Zhang Qingyuan’s Sect Prosperity System, not cultivation realms possessed by the sect itself 1 2.

History

Founding and Decline

Venerable Tianyang founded the sect more than eight centuries before Zhang Qingyuan’s succession. It survived three dynasties and once held enough influence to shake the martial world. Its surviving estate included more than a dozen training grounds and at least a thousand rooms 1.

Its decline unfolded over centuries. The Xiongnu conquest of the Central Plains weakened it roughly six hundred years earlier, followed by the Golden Fire Cult’s upheaval a century later. Competition from emerging factions after the founding of Great Qian further reduced its position. Despite its shrinking strength, the sect continued to regard defending the orthodox martial world as its duty 1.

Three months before the opening chapter, its sect master, Zhang Jing’an, and two elders died in the orthodox assault on the Heavenly Principle Cult at Kunlun. Zhang Jing’an had been third rank, while the elders were fourth rank. Their deaths left only seven martial brothers to protect a valuable estate and an intact martial inheritance 1 15.

Zhang Qingyuan’s Succession

With the White Dragon Gang seeking the sect’s property and the East Sea Sect proposing absorption, Zhang Qingyuan persuaded his six senior brothers to appoint him sect master. His succession ceremony took place the following morning 1 2.

Rather than rebuild through traditional master-disciple recruitment alone, he introduced departmental management, hired outside instructors, repaired the estate, and established a newspaper. His larger plan was to use modern education to turn the sect’s extensive facilities and martial library into the foundation of an academy 2 7 8 18.

Conflict with the East Sea Sect

The Tianyang Daily publicized Zheng Jianxin’s victories, making an openly unjustified annexation politically dangerous. The East Sea Sect instead arranged an assassination attempt, intending to remove Tianyang’s strongest defender and later seize its inheritance under the pretext of avenging it 11.

Zhang Qingyuan used newspaper coverage to rally public support and led a procession to demand an explanation. When the East Sea Sect attempted to place all blame on its fifth elder, Zhang Qingyuan manipulated the confrontation into a justification for battle. Zheng Jianxin reached third rank during the fighting; the East Sea Sect’s experts died, and its surviving disciples prepared to disband 14 15 16.

The victory and its coverage gave the public the impression that Tianyang had become Yu Province’s foremost sect—an image stronger than its actual overall strength. Zhang Qingyuan then turned that recognition toward academy recruitment 17.

Organization and Leadership

The Tianyang Sect is the parent organization, while Tianyang Martial Dao Academy, the Tianyang Editorial Department, and Tianyang Newspaper Industry are subordinate units. Academy students and hired instructors are not automatically formal sect members 17 23.

• Council of elders: The six senior brothers retained their sect positions during the academy’s later administrative reform 39.
• Security force: Twenty fifth- and sixth-rank contract workers were recruited on three-year terms, separately from the teaching staff 20.
• Personnel oversight: Anyone coming to study or work had to undergo Li Moran’s vetting and have their personal information recorded 20.

Tianyang Martial Dao Academy

Establishment and Membership

• First intake: All 2,000 places filled in one day, in year 157 of the Great Zhou calendar. Students were organized into ten classes 20 23.
• Admissions: Recruitment welcomed boys and girls aged seven to fifteen 19.
• Student status: Enrollment did not make a child a member of the Tianyang Sect. Students were required to study, not share the sect’s battles or fate 23.
• Formal discipleship: Outstanding university-division students could enter the sect, receive organizational posts, and assume the obligation to strengthen and defend it 24.
• Early recruitment into the sect: Zhang Qingyuan accepted Ma Shou as his disciple and assured him that Liu Sidao would also be chosen 46.

Teaching and Student Support

Staffing and Educational Philosophy

• Teaching ability over rank: First-year instructors were selected for their understanding of foundational techniques and ability to fight above their cultivation rank. Second-year assessments emphasized teaching skill and knowledge of internal cultivation 18 28.
• Contractual protection: Lu Guying signed a ten-year teaching contract without an obligation to fight for the sect. He could leave if the sect faced destruction 7.
• Specialist leadership: Lu Guying later became head of the first-year teaching group; Yun Qingqiu became temporary head of the second-year group for three years 39 40.
• Technical education: Recruitment for vocational teachers imposed no restrictions on age, gender, background, or cultivation, prioritizing practical skill and willingness to teach 41.
• Motto: “The greatest heroes serve their country and its people” 24.

Martial Heritage and Research

Library and Inherited Arts

• Collection: Thousands of martial books accumulated over eight centuries, supplemented by Zhang Qingyuan’s system rewards. Its teaching resources were described as comparable to those of a top sect 18.
• Sword arts: The Tianyang Nine Swords, Tianyang Four Extremes Sword Art, and Blazing Sun and Clear Breeze Sword were among its inherited techniques 3 5.
• Defensive and movement arts: Its repertoire included the Tianyang Vajra Indestructible Body, Nine Yang Great Sun Golden Crow Art, and Flowing Cloud Steps 6.
• Employee access: Lu Guying was offered access to any sect martial art and permission to continue using it after leaving employment, provided he did not teach it to others 7.

Research Reform

Zhang Qingyuan rejected the practice of preserving outdated techniques through secrecy. He opened the sect library and encouraged members to pool their knowledge, improve existing arts, and create new ones with credited authorship 40.

• Cultivation arts group: Led by Chu Yunshen, with physician Gu Qianshan as deputy head 40.
• Open participation: Members with ideas could consult the group leaders; Zhou Lei was specifically encouraged to contribute 40.
• Creator recognition: New or improved arts would identify their contributors on the title page 40.
• Foundational curriculum: The Tianyang Origin-Nurturing Skill distilled cultivation methods from multiple internal arts manuals for student use 42.

Property and Finances

Estate

• Territory: Almost all of Phoenix Cry Mountain belonged to the sect 18.
• Buildings: More than a dozen training grounds and at least a thousand rooms, including residences, kitchens, a library pavilion, weapons pavilion, Dao comprehension pavilion, guest quarters, reception rooms, and halls 1.
• Farmland: Two hundred mu of fertile fields behind the mountain, cultivated by Phoenix Mountain Village tenants who paid annual rent 3.
• Early restoration: By Chapter 12, five training grounds had been repaired, half the dormitories refurbished, more than a thousand bunk beds delivered, and 300,000 jin of grain stockpiled 12.

Income and Publishing

The sect formerly received merchant patronage, held business shares, and earned money through martial work. Those connections disappeared during its decline, leaving farmland rent as its remaining established income 3.

• Tianyang Daily: Its first issue sold out in three cities. Early newspaper income helped finance the sect’s rebuilding 11 12.
• Printing infrastructure: Bian Zhenxuan arranged editorial and printing staff, acquired a workshop, and ordered paper 8.
• Advertising: Merchants sought newspaper advertising space as the academy’s enrollment campaign attracted public attention 19.
• Public influence: The newspaper promoted Zheng Jianxin, rallied support against the East Sea Sect, and explained the distinction between the academy and a traditional sect 11 14 35.
• Expansion: By the later academy reforms, the publishing business was spreading toward Song Province and Zhao Province 39.

External Relationships

• East Sea Sect — Enemy that sought Tianyang’s martial inheritance and arranged Zheng Jianxin’s attempted assassination. Its leadership was destroyed in the resulting conflict 11 16.
• White Dragon Gang — Initially coveted the sect’s property; its leader, He Zhen, became frightened of retaliation after Zheng Jianxin’s rise 1 11.
• Bright Moon Sect — Di Yunjie protected Tianyang’s interests because of his friendship with Zhang Jing’an, who had taken a blade for him at Kunlun. He later brought a Seven Stars Pill as a succession gift and sought advice on newspaper publishing 15 22.
• Listening to the Rain Pavilion — Agreed to employ certified academy graduates as assassins and welcomed direct recruitment at the academy 12.
• Phoenix Cry City businesses — Zhang Qingyuan negotiated employment arrangements for future graduates 12.
• Wang Lineage — Reached a preliminary agreement to recruit graduates as guards, escort guards, or disciples, with selection planned around the academy tournament 32.
• Moon Haze Sword Sect — Agreed to train and employ female academy graduates through Bai Shuyan’s negotiations with Liu Ruyan 33.
• Supreme Purity Palace — Xuanchengzi agreed in principle to support an academy Daoist department after reading the Nine Yin Manual. Practical arrangements remained to be negotiated 58.

Insignia and Uniforms

• Emblem: A rising sun designed by Zhang Qingyuan and attached to staff uniforms 20.
• Sect leadership: The sect master and elders retained their traditional robes 20.
• Teachers: Dark red uniforms 20.
• Security: Black uniforms 20.
• Other staff: Blue uniforms 20.
• Academy students: Loose blue-green outfits made from sturdy, inexpensive coarse hemp 26.