Great Li Dynasty

Overview

The Great Li Dynasty (大骊王朝) is the paramount mortal empire and ruling hegemon of the Eastern Aquarius Continent (宝瓶洲). Originally derided by the rest of the continent as a nation of "northern barbarians" (北方蛮夷), the dynasty underwent a meteoric rise under the guidance of its National Teacher, Cui Chan (崔瀺), and the martial supremacy of its military leader, Song Changjing (宋长镜). Characterized by its fiercely disciplined Iron Cavalry (大骊铁骑), a pragmatic and often ruthless legalist approach to statecraft, and a complex intelligence network, the Great Li Dynasty achieved the unprecedented feat of uniting the entire continent into a single nation. It later served as the primary bulwark defending the Haoran Heaven from the monster invasion of the Manhuang Heaven.

History / Founding

Rise from Vassal State

In its early history, the Great Li Dynasty was merely a minor vassal state subjugated by the powerful Lu Dynasty (卢氏王朝), which dominated the northern reaches of the Eastern Aquarius Continent. The turning point in Great Li's history occurred with a devastating military victory over the Lu Dynasty's elite cavalry, effectively erasing the Lu Dynasty from the map and establishing Great Li as the undisputed northern power. Over the course of fifty years, Great Li expanded its territory drastically from an initial 70 commanderies and 800 cities to 140 commanderies and 1,500 cities.

Continental Conquest

Driven by an ideology of "Practicality" (事功) instituted by National Teacher Cui Chan, Great Li embarked on a massive, systematic southward conquest. The dynasty employed a mix of overwhelming military force, espionage, and political subversion to topple neighboring states—ranging from the peaceful Huangting Country (黄庭国) to the formidable Zhuying Dynasty (朱荧王朝). During this era, Great Li collaborated with the Mohist and Yin-Yang schools to construct a devastating Imitation White Jade Capital (仿白玉京) to deter and assassinate high-level enemy cultivators. This conquest ultimately unified the continent under the Song surname, an achievement colloquially summarized as "one continent, one nation" (一洲即一国).

The Haoran-Manhuang War & Aftermath

When the Manhuang Heaven breached the Sword Qi Great Wall and invaded the Haoran Heaven, the Great Li Dynasty bore the brunt of defending the Eastern Aquarius Continent. The empire functioned as a massive war machine, conscripting cultivators, shifting mountain ranges to form defensive lines, and deploying floating Sword Boats (剑舟) to hold off the apocalypse.

Following the successful repulsion of the monster race, Great Li honored a wartime promise: it voluntarily relinquished its complete hegemony over the southern half of the continent, allowing dozens of conquered vassal states to restore their nations. Great Li retreated its borders to the north of the newly excavated Qi River (齐渎), cementing its legacy not as tyrants, but as the saviors of the continent.

Territory & Location

The Great Li Dynasty is anchored in the northern half of the Eastern Aquarius Continent. Its geography and political centers underwent significant restructuring post-war:

• The Northern Capital (京城): The historical heart and political center of the empire, heavily fortified by imperial arrays and home to the Six Ministries.
• The Auxiliary Capital, Luojing (陪都洛京): Established in the continent's central region near the Qi River, Luojing was governed by Prince Song Mu (宋睦). It functioned as the frontline command center during the war and retains a complete set of Six Ministries, creating a subtle north-south political balance within the empire.
• The Five Mountains (大骊五岳): To stabilize the continent's destiny, Great Li completely overhauled the traditional mountain deities. The newly appointed Five Mountains include the Northern Mountain Piyun Mountain (披云山), the Middle Mountain Chezi Mountain (掣紫山), the Western Mountain Ganzhou Mountain (甘州山), the Eastern Mountain Qishan (碛山), and a new Southern Mountain presided over by Fan Junmao (范峻茂).

Hierarchy & Members

The Great Li Dynasty blurs the line between the mortal court and the cultivation world, strictly enforcing secular laws upon mountain cultivators.

The Imperial Family

• Emperor Song Zhengchun (宋正醇): The ambitious former emperor who partnered with Cui Chan to lay the groundwork for continental conquest. He died prematurely after an encounter with the swordsman A Liang (阿良).
• Emperor Song He (宋和): The current young emperor who successfully navigated the empire through the apocalyptic war and the subsequent post-war political reconstruction.
• Song Changjing (宋长镜): The Emperor's brother, an unparalleled 11th-realm martial artist (武夫), and the supreme commander of the Great Li military.
• Song Jixin / Song Mu (宋集薪 / 宋睦): The Prince of Luo (洛王), stationed in Luojing. He proved his administrative and strategic brilliance during the continental defense.
• Empress Dowager Nan Zan (南簪): The secretive mother of Song He and Song Mu, originally hailing from the powerful Lu Clan of Middle Earth (中土陆氏).

The Court & Pillars of State

The civilian and military administration is dominated by the "Upper Pillars of State" (上柱国), an elite tier of noble families that includes the Yuan (袁), Cao (曹), Guan (关), Yu (余), Ma (马), Zhao (赵), and Yan (晏) clans.

• National Teacher (国师): The highest non-imperial authority. Cui Chan was the architect of the empire's rise. Following his death, the title and its immense responsibilities were passed to Chen Ping'an (陈平安).
• Chief Enshrine (首席供奉): The military sage and master swordsmith Ruan Qiong (阮邛) holds this position, operating out of the Dragon Spring Sword Sect (龙泉剑宗).

Intelligence Agencies

Great Li maintains absolute control over its vast territories and vassal states through a tripartite intelligence network:

• Green Wave Pavilion (绿波亭): Primarily handles espionage and foreign intelligence across the continent.
• Ox-Horse Enclosure (牛马栏): Focuses on internal surveillance and domestic affairs.
• Copper Man Holding Dew Terrace (铜人捧露台): A highly secretive military intelligence agency strictly answering to Song Changjing.

Ideology / Statecraft

The Great Li Dynasty operates on the philosophy of "Shigong" (事功 - Practicality/Merit), originally proposed by Cui Chan. This ideology prioritizes systemic efficiency, concrete results, and collective survival over individual moral purity or traditional Confucian pedantry. Under this system, cultivators are stripped of their transcendent privileges and are treated as resources of the state; they must earn military merit to secure their sects' safety and status. This legalist, highly militarized approach allowed the dynasty to mobilize the entire continent's resources—human, material, and spiritual—into a single cohesive defense network.

Relationships

• Lizhu Grotto-Heaven (骊珠洞天): Originally an independent, secretive realm suspended above Great Li, it fell to earth and was incorporated into the empire as Longquan County (龙泉县). Great Li long monopolized its production of Natal Porcelain (本命瓷) to hoard talent.
• Confucian Temple (文庙): Great Li's relationship with the central Haoran orthodox authorities is complex. While frequently criticized for its aggressive expansion and ruthless methods, the dynasty earned the Temple's grudging respect and official recognition for its indispensable role in halting the Manhuang invasion.
• Mohist School (墨家): The dynasty owes much of its infrastructural and military success—such as the creation of Mountain-Moving Ferries and Flying Sword Boats—to heavy financial and technical collaboration with the Mohists.

Notes

• To combat the threat of enemy cultivators, Great Li instituted a unique unit called the "Earthly Branches" (地支一脉), a group of twelve highly trained, elite assassins and cultivators designed to coordinate and kill high-realm targets (such as Ascension Realm cultivators) within the dynasty's borders.
• The dynasty possesses a profound "martial luck" (武运), consistently producing exceptional pure martial artists within its ranks, earning it a reputation where its common soldiers are feared as "wild dogs" compared to the pampered troops of other nations.

References

• 剑来1：少年骑微马, 第六章 — 敲山: Supports the dynasty's history of expanding from 70 commanderies to 140 commanderies over fifty years under Song Changjing and Cui Chan, rising from a Lu Dynasty vassal.
• 剑来3：青梦压星河, 第三章 — 强者阿良: Supports the existence of the Imitation White Jade Capital, A Liang's devastating sword strike against it, and Emperor Song Zhengchun's resulting foreshortened lifespan.
• 剑来10：他乡遇故知, 第六章 — 棋盘上: Supports the existence and structure of the dynasty's three major intelligence agencies: Green Wave Pavilion, Ox-Horse Enclosure, and Copper Man Holding Dew Terrace.
• 剑来14：江清月近人, 第四章 — 剑气如虹人在天: Supports the restructuring of the continent's Five Mountains, including Piyun Mountain, Qishan, Ganzhou Mountain, Chezi Mountain, and the Southern Mountain overseen by Fan Junmao.
• 剑来22：原挽天倾, 第三章 — 朱敛问拳: Supports Cui Chan's organization of the continent's military defense against the Manhuang Heaven invasion and the mobilization of resources.
• 剑来52：无忧此乡甲, 第九章 — 合龙: Supports the post-war political landscape where Great Li honored its promise to return the southern half of the continent, retreating its borders north of the Qi River, and establishing the auxiliary capital of Luojing under Prince Song Mu.