Manhuang Heaven

Overview

The Manhuang Heaven (蛮荒天下), often translated as the Wild or Barren Heaven, is one of the primary worlds in the universe, located directly south of the Haoran Heaven (浩然天下). It is the ancestral home and exile territory of the Monster Race (妖族). For ten thousand years, the Manhuang Heaven was physically and metaphysically separated from the Haoran Heaven by the impenetrable Sword Qi Great Wall (剑气长城).

Unlike the Haoran Heaven, which is governed by Confucian moral laws and scholarly academies, the Manhuang Heaven operates on a brutal, uncompromising principle of survival of the fittest. It is a world where absolute strength dictates authority, and resources are fiercely contested among various monster tribes, ancient remnant deities, and powerful demon lords.

Geography & Notable Sites

The geography of the Manhuang Heaven is characterized by vast, harsh landscapes, ancient battlefields, and dense miasma.

• Tuoyue Mountain (托月山): The absolute center of power and the holy land of the Monster Race. It is the domain of the Great Ancestor and serves as the strategic heart of the Manhuang Heaven. Following the breach of the Sword Qi Great Wall, the Great Ancestor attempted to refine the captured half of the wall into Tuoyue Mountain to mend the world's Great Dao.
• Hundred Thousand Great Mountains (十万大山): An expansive and perilous mountain range domain overseen by the Old Blind Man (老瞎子). A 14th-realm human cultivator who participated in the ancient heaven-scaling war, he grew disillusioned with humanity's infighting and chose to reside here in self-imposed exile. He maintains strict neutrality, refusing to assist either the Haoran or Manhuang forces.
• Yeluo River (曳落河): A massive, spiritually dense river system within the Manhuang Heaven, co-ruled by the Throne Great Demon Fei Fei (绯妃), who wields supreme water-attribute abilities.

Ruling Factions & Hierarchy

The power structure of the Manhuang Heaven is pyramidal, culminating in a handful of supreme entities who sit on the "Thrones."

• The Great Ancestor (大祖): The supreme ancient ruler of Tuoyue Mountain and the spiritual leader of the Monster Race. He possesses 14th-realm cultivation and has spent millennia planning the invasion of the Haoran Heaven.
• Wen Hai Zhou Mi (文海周密): Originally a human scholar from Haoran Heaven known as Jia Sheng (贾生), he defected to the Manhuang Heaven and became its ultimate strategist. He invented the "Shuiyun Script" (水云书) for the Monster Race and orchestrated the apocalyptic invasion before ultimately ascending to the ancient Heavenly Court ruins.
• Fourteen Throne Great Demons (十四王座大妖): The absolute pinnacle of combat strength in the Manhuang Heaven. Notable members include:
  • Bai Ying (白莹): The master of the Bone Throne, capable of raising massive armies of the undead.
  • Fei Fei (绯妃): The co-lord of the Yeluo River.
  • Yuan Shou / Zhu Yan (袁首 / 朱厌): A gargantuan ape demon possessing unparalleled physical strength.
  • Yang Zhi (仰止): A powerful demon with a human head and dragon body.
  • Liu Cha (刘叉): A human sword cultivator who defected to Manhuang and reached the 14th Realm.
  • Xiao Xun (萧愻): The former Hidden Official of the Sword Qi Great Wall who betrayed humanity to become a 14th-realm Throne Great Demon.
• The Military Tents (军帐): During the war, the Manhuang forces were organized into elite command tents, most notably the Jiazi Tent (甲子帐), which served as the supreme command center, and the Jiashen Tent (甲申帐), which housed the most exceptionally talented younger generation of sword cultivators and prodigies, including Mu Ji (木屐), Bei Qie (背箧), Li Zhen (离真), Yu Si (雨四), Tun Tan (涒滩), and Liu Bai (流白).
• Feiran (斐然): A peerless genius sword cultivator. Following Zhou Mi's departure to the Heavenly Court, Zhou Mi altered his original plan and designated Feiran to remain in the mortal realm as the new Co-lord of the Manhuang Heaven (蛮荒天下共主).

History & The Great War

The Invasion of Haoran

After ten millennia of failed sieges against the Sword Qi Great Wall, Zhou Mi and the Great Ancestor successfully breached the defenses. Half of the Great Wall was dragged into the Manhuang Heaven, while the other half was preserved by the Haoran forces. Millions of demon soldiers flooded into the Haoran Heaven, devastating the Tongye, Fuyao, and Jinjia continents before their momentum was finally shattered by the Great Li Dynasty at the Eastern Aquarius Continent.

The Haoran Counter-Offensive

Following the repulsion of the Monster Race, the Haoran Heaven launched a massive counter-invasion. Under the direction of the Confucian Temple, Haoran forces utilized four major Guixu (归墟) portals—named Tianmu (天目), Qingji (黥迹), Shenxiang (神乡), and Rizhui (日坠)—to transport troops, mountain ferries, and cultivators directly into the Manhuang Heaven. Haoran forces established forward operating bases and ferry cities (such as Bingzhu, Zouma, and Dimai) to systematically suppress the remaining Manhuang resistance and claim territory.

References

• 剑来22：原挽天倾, 第一章 — 鱼游碧水: Supports the existence of the Jiashen Tent (甲申帐) and its elite young members, including Mu Ji, Bei Qie, Li Zhen, Yu Si, and Liu Bai.
• 剑来24：新酒等旧人, 第一章 — 自由和远游: Supports the Great Ancestor of Tuoyue Mountain refining the captured half of the Sword Qi Great Wall.
• 剑来26：人间最得意, 第五章 — 饮者留其名: Supports the identities and terrifying combat forms of the Throne Great Demons, including Bai Ying (Bone Throne), Wu Yue, Yuan Shou, and Yang Zhi, during their assault on the Haoran Heaven.
• 剑来29：左中皆好剑, 第九章 — 河畔议事: Supports the historical shift where Zhou Mi chose to leave Feiran in the mortal realm to become the new co-lord of the Manhuang Heaven instead of taking him to the Heavenly Court.
• 剑来30：一剑破万法, 第一章 — 备战: Supports the Haoran Heaven's counter-offensive strategy, utilizing the four Guixu portals (Tianmu, Shenxiang, Qingji, Rizhui) to invade the Manhuang Heaven.
• 剑来47：隐者谪魔敢, 第三章 — 将进酒: Supports the lore of the Old Blind Man residing in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains, his history as a participant in the ancient scaling-heaven war, and his decision to remain neutral.