Ancient Desolate Holy Land

Biodata

Power Progression

The following milestones track the organization’s standing and collective strength, rather than an individual cultivation realm.

Organization and Hierarchy

Leadership

Recruitment and Succession

• Entrance assessment: Applicants undergo spiritual-root testing with a crystal pillar. The standards are strict enough that an orange light reaching two zhang is judged insufficient 1.
• Holy Son eligibility: An ancestral decree bars anyone without Saint potential from becoming Holy Son 5.
• Succession privileges: The Holy Son receives status and cultivation resources far beyond those available to the candidates 70.
• Restricted inheritance: Only successive Holy Lords, Holy Sons, and Holy Maidens may cultivate the Supreme Profound Scripture; passing it to others is forbidden 3.

Territory and Facilities

• Northern Eastern Wasteland: The holy land dominates the north, while Jade Lake controls the west and Carefree occupies the south. These territories initially form a three-way balance of power 285.
• Holy Lord Hall: Han Bingning’s seat of authority and the location where she explains the decision to seal the sect and send Ye Xuan away 304.
• Holy Son Palace / Holy Son Hall: Ye Xuan’s residence and cultivation site, situated beyond the inner and true disciple areas. Visiting outer disciples are struck by its grandeur and dense Spiritual Qi 16 156.
• Martial Technique Tower: Stores most of the techniques accumulated over tens of thousands of years. One expert guards it openly, two ancestors guard it secretly, and every floor has a floor master. Ordinary disciples, elders, and direct disciples normally cannot go above the fifth floor 13.
• Martial platforms: Host the Holy Son investiture challenges and contests involving the succession candidates 36 37 105.

Cultivation Heritage and Resources

Supreme Profound Scripture

The holy land’s secret cultivation method was created by its founding patriarch and formed the foundation of his historical achievements 3.

• Restricted to Holy Lords, Holy Sons, and Holy Maidens 3.
• Exceptionally difficult to begin cultivating: Han Bingning required three months, a result considered extraordinary within the sect 3.
• Ye Xuan reaches its second level shortly after beginning cultivation, astonishing Han Bingning and the ancestors 5.

Cultivation Records and Limitations

• Meridian-opening record: The founding patriarch was rumored to have opened 101 spiritual meridians. Ye Xuan surpasses this with 103 in one month 5.
• Spiritual Qi management: Ye Xuan’s absorption disrupts other disciples’ cultivation, prompting the ancestors to establish formations and supply additional resources 5.
• Incomplete higher inheritance: The declining holy land possesses no complete Lesser Divine Ability Technique 190 238.
• Resource depletion: It has no Saint at the time described in Chapter 401, and prolonged consumption has left few top-grade resources. Supporting its ancestors, elders, and disciples prevents it from directing everything toward Ye Xuan 401.

Transport and Defensive Assets

• Kunpeng: Carries the holy land’s prodigies to Xuanyuan City and later serves as Ye Xuan’s mount while leading the expedition against the Meng Clan 88 135.
• Han Bingning’s protective array: Left behind before her departure, it prevents the holy land from being overrun by outsiders who later destroy Jade Lake 617.
• Hidden protector: By the finale, an unidentified powerful existence resides within the sect. Visiting figures from the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands who seek its secrets vanish without exception 862.

History

Former Glory and Decline

The Ancient Desolate Holy Land once greatly surpassed its Eastern Wasteland rivals. Over ten thousand years, however, it declined until it stood alongside Jade Lake and Carefree rather than above them 5.

Han Bingning attributes much of this decline to repeated disasters in the Xuanyuan Mystic Realm and deliberate obstruction by the Carefree Holy Land. Across hundreds of openings, the sect lost numerous powerhouses and prodigies while obtaining few opportunities. One opening reportedly killed as many as eighty percent of its participating disciples 77 178.

Its prolonged restraint also reflected fear of He Wudi, the Carefree Holy Land’s First Ancestor, whose strength could occupy several of its ancestors at once 156 275.

Ye Xuan’s Recruitment and Investiture

Ye Xuan arrives during an open recruitment assessment and awakens the Chaos Sacred Body. The resulting phenomena draw powerful outsiders toward the sect. Han Bingning forbids anyone from approaching within ten thousand miles, while the ancestors prepare to repel intruders 1 2 3.

Han Bingning accepts him as her disciple, and the twelve ancestors provide resources and techniques. The leadership schedules his investiture three months later, publicly declaring his importance rather than attempting to conceal him 3 5.

The Ninth Ancestor personally presides over the ceremony. Eight elders escort Ye Xuan’s dragon-decorated golden sedan chair, emphasizing the sect’s investment in its successor. Challenges encouraged by Carefree turn the occasion into a public test of his strength 36 37 45 46.

Conflict over the Xuanyuan Mystic Realm

The Ninth Ancestor’s intervention against Ge Tian discourages clans considering an anti–Ancient Desolate alliance. When Ge Changhong attacks the arriving disciples’ Kunpeng, the Ninth Ancestor kills him and warns Carefree against harming the sect’s juniors 87 88.

The rivalry becomes a fight to the death during the qualification-token competition. Ancient Desolate disciples suffer casualties, but their resistance and Ye Xuan’s intervention strengthen his authority. He eventually commands fifty-eight elders and disciples, including eight peak Nascent Soul experts, with unquestioned obedience 89 103 106 109.

Within the mystic realm, Ancient Desolate assembles one of the five largest forces. Its surviving Heavenly Position cultivators later help prevent Carefree’s First Ancestor from freely attacking Ye Xuan or Han Bingning 218 243.

Retaliation and War with Carefree

After Carefree and its subordinate forces massacre lineages associated with Ancient Desolate, Ye Xuan leads an expedition against the Meng Clan. He orders its destruction while sparing maids and servants 130 133 135.

The holy land subsequently destroys the Wu, Zhang, Xing, Huo, and Dai Clans. Its targets are specifically those involved in the earlier slaughter, earning approval from some observing factions despite the severity of the reprisals 142.

Following further clashes, four ancestors—Zhan Wuji, Liao Sandao, Zhang Hengtian, and Xing Zongxuan—kill Zhao Xiao’er and move against Zhou Changsheng. Eight ancestors then invade Carefree, breaking its protective formation before it fully activates. Divine Emperor, Divine King, Spirit Transformation, and other cultivators follow them into battle. Carefree is subsequently confirmed destroyed 274 286 312.

Sealing the Sect and Outside Threats

Despite gaining resources from Carefree, the holy land seals its mountain. Han Bingning explains that Ye Xuan’s entry into the Human Ranking has attracted powers beyond the sect’s ability to oppose. He leaves after three days, forbidden from acting in the sect’s name within the Eastern Wasteland 303 304.

Distant powers subsequently arrive looking for him and nearly force their way through the sealed gates. An unidentified expert intervenes, persuading them to leave the holy land 305.

Some outsiders remain in the Eastern Wasteland and establish another faction. They eventually destroy Jade Lake and threaten Ancient Desolate, which survives behind Han Bingning’s array. On Heavenly Void Divine Island, Di Cangtian and the younger members are hunted; Ye Xuan later learns of their persecution and reunites with them 617 631.

Final Standing

By Ye Xuan and Han Bingning’s return, Qiu Yue has become sect master and Ancient Desolate stands without equal in the Eastern Wasteland. The finale describes its ancestor roster as having grown from ten to twelve through the addition of two women connected to Ye Xuan 862.

A hidden protector’s repeated elimination of intrusive visitors makes powerful outsiders unwilling to act recklessly in the region 862.

Notable Members

• Ye Xuan — Holy Son and principal hope for the sect’s revival; eventually becomes its universally respected chief senior brother 5 106 303.
• Han Bingning — Holy Lord, Ye Xuan’s master, and an ancestor-level combatant whose defensive array later preserves the sect 3 123 617.
• Qiu Yue — Holy Maiden who supports Ye Xuan during the qualification competition; later succeeds to the sect’s leadership 88 111 862.
• Di Cangtian — First Ancestor; rescues Qiu Yue, Chu Rufeng, and Huo Qingyi from pursuit on Heavenly Void Divine Island 617.
• Ninth Ancestor — Presides over Ye Xuan’s investiture, injures Ge Tian, and kills Ge Changhong while defending the younger generation 36 87 88.
• Zhan Wuji, Liao Sandao, Zhang Hengtian, and Xing Zongxuan — Ancestors who jointly kill Carefree’s Fourth Ancestor, Zhao Xiao’er 274.
• Huo Qingyi — Holy Son candidate and formidable Golden Core disciple; later reunites with Ye Xuan alongside Qiu Yue and Chu Rufeng 70 631.
• Luo Yuan — Disciple who accepts Zhou Suyi’s challenge to prevent her from drawing Ye Xuan out; is severely wounded in one move 170 172.

Relations with Other Factions

• Carefree Holy Land — Principal enemy and chief contributor to its decline. Their struggle escalates from covert suppression and attacks on disciples to the destruction of subordinate clans and open sect warfare 77 90 142 286.
• Jade Lake Holy Land — Fellow member of the Eastern Wasteland’s original three great holy lands. Its representatives attend Ye Xuan’s investiture; it is later destroyed by outsider cultivators 5 34 617.
• Nangong Clan — A friendly lineage targeted by Carefree to intimidate factions showing goodwill toward Ancient Desolate 130.
• Meng, Wu, Zhang, Xing, Huo, and Dai Clans — Carefree subordinate lineages destroyed for participating in attacks on Ancient Desolate’s affiliated forces 135 142.
• Outsider faction in the Eastern Wasteland — Established by cultivators who remain after Ye Xuan and Han Bingning leave. It suppresses the holy land and hunts its members 617 631.