🌸 The Golden Age of Murim

Murim Year 412 is an era where secret manuals and traditions scattered by the Great War between Good and Evil and sect wars have been restored, and exchange, dueling, and competition between sects have become active. Three masters of the Life-and-Death Realm and numerous masters of the Profound Realm exist in one era, and the level of the rising stars has approached that of past elders. With the growth of merchant groups and escort bureaus, transportation and information networks have developed, and it will be recorded by future generations as the Era of Universal Prosperity.

⚔️ The Ten Great Masters of the World (天下十大高手)

《The God-Sovereign Emperors (神尊帝皇)》

The unidentified number one in the world, the War God (武神), reigns alone in the position of the One God (一神). Below him, the absolute ruler of the Heavenly Demon Cult, the Demon Sovereign (魔尊), and the supreme martial artist of Shaolin, the Fist Sovereign (拳尊), form the Two Sovereigns (二尊) and look down upon the Murim.

The Blood Emperor (血帝), who established his throne with the blood of the Unorthodox sects; the Blade Emperor (刀帝), the leader of the Unorthodox Coalition who has reached the pinnacle of blade techniques; and the Sword Emperor (劍帝), who leads the Orthodox sects as the Murim Alliance Leader, are called the Three Emperors (三帝).

And the Poison Emperor (毒皇), who rules over poison and hidden weapons; the Battle Emperor (鬪皇), who completed the Hegemonic Way of fists and kicks; the Spear Emperor (槍皇), the master of the single spear that cleaves the battlefield; and the Sound Emperor (音皇), who shakes the soul with sound arts, form the Four Emperors (四皇) and support the Balance of the World (天下之均衡).

The hierarchy is clear.

One God > Two Sovereigns > Three Emperors > Four Emperors

However, there is no officially recognized ranking among the absolute masters belonging to the same title group. Only at the end of a life-and-death struggle is it proven who stands in the higher heaven.

⚪ Murim Alliance

The Murim Alliance is the largest coalition of Orthodox sects, formed around the Nine Great Sects and One Gang and the Five Great Clans. It emphasizes chivalry, righteousness, order, and justification, and is responsible for mediating disputes between sects, declaring subjugation orders, hosting martial arts competitions, and maintaining order in the Jianghu.

The Alliance Leader is generally the most powerful person in the Orthodox faction who has reached the Profound Realm. Most sect leaders and clan heads are in the Transcendent Realm, and major elders are in the Transcendental Realm. The Murim Alliance represents the legitimacy of the Jianghu, but internal interests and political conflicts between sects exist.

⚫ Unorthodox Coalition

The Unorthodox Coalition is the largest alliance of Unorthodox sects, integrating various unorthodox sects and forces. It emphasizes freedom, utility, and the Hegemonic Way, determining status based on skill and merit rather than origin or justification.

The Coalition Leader is an absolute powerhouse of the Profound Realm. Most subordinate force leaders are in the Transcendent Realm, and major executives range from the Peak to Transcendental Realm. Internal competition and secret feuds are fierce, but they rally quickly when a strong leader appears. Organizations responsible for intelligence, infiltration, tracking, and assassination can also be operated directly under the Coalition Leader.

🔴 Heavenly Demon Cult

The Heavenly Demon Cult is a massive religious organization centered around the Heavenly Demon. It regards strength, will, and loyalty as the highest values, inheriting unique martial arts and rules different from those of the Central Plains sects.

The Heavenly Demon is an absolute powerhouse of the Profound Realm, and the Left and Right Guardians and subordinate branch leaders are mostly in the Transcendent Realm. The cult strictly maintains internal loyalty and command systems, treating betrayal and disobedience as grave sins. While the Orthodox sects view them with fear and caution, the Heavenly Demon Cult is not a force that pursues only disorderly slaughter.

The Murim Alliance, Unorthodox Coalition, and Heavenly Demon Cult compete for hegemony in the Jianghu in different ways and with different values. If the balance between these three forces collapses, sects, merchant groups, cities, and civilians can be swept into a massive war.

🥋 Secular Realm System

Martial artists accumulate internal energy in their dantian through heart laws and perform martial arts using the accumulated true qi. As internal energy deepens, attack power, defense, recovery, and endurance increase. At higher realms, one can handle sword qi, blade qi, spear qi, and materialized astral qi.

The realms of secular martial artists rise in the following order:

Third-rate → Second-rate → First-rate → Peak → Transcendental → Transcendent → Profound → Life-and-Death

Third-rate are introductory disciples and new warriors; second-rate are general warriors and bodyguards; first-rate are first-generation disciples and sect executives. Peak refers to elite executives and top-class assassins, and Transcendental refers to elders of prestigious sects and heads of elite organizations.

Transcendent is the domain of sect leaders, clan heads, guardians, and core force leaders—super-masters who freely operate astral qi. Profound is the realm of the strongest humans who sway the balance of the entire Jianghu, such as the Murim Alliance Leader, Unorthodox Coalition Leader, and Heavenly Demon. Life-and-Death is considered the final realm of humanity, reached by only a very few in history.

Every martial art has proficiency stages: Entry → Mature → Ultimate. Entry is basic operation, Mature is free application, and Ultimate is the stage of fully realizing the true meaning of the martial art.

In the same realm, victory or defeat depends on proficiency, martial arts compatibility, talent, practical experience, weapons, and psychological warfare. However, as the realm gets higher, the gap between stages grows, and generally, it is difficult to overcome a difference of one stage or more.

⚖️ Survival Rules of the Martial World

To survive in the Jianghu, one must check the opponent's realm, title, sect, and martial arts lineage before their name. A difference of one stage or more in realm is generally absolute, and recklessly drawing a sword against someone stronger than oneself is closer to self-destruction than courage.

Poison and internal injuries must be dealt with immediately. Finding a physician, antidote, or wound medicine may be a priority over trying to endure with meditation. Spirit medicines and secret manuals of unclear origin may look like fortuitous encounters, but they can also be traps, bait, or causes of qi deviation.

Do not believe rumors heard at an inn as they are. An inn is both a tavern and a battlefield of information. The Beggars' Gang, the Hao Clan, assassination organizations, and Unorthodox information networks handle information for different purposes and in different ways. One must consider who said it, why it was spread, and what was hidden.

In the Jianghu, both favors and grudges always return. Loyalty and faith gather people and forces, but betrayal becomes the greatest disgrace and is tracked for a long time. Respect legitimate duels and promises, and judge carefully before taking actions that would turn the opponent's sect and lineage into enemies.

When meeting a strong person, judgment comes before the sword. Secure an escape route, use negotiation and stall for time, and do not provoke unidentified masters carelessly.

The most dangerous thing in the Jianghu is not knowing who is stronger than you.

The War God, hiding his identity, becomes a porter for his two disciples and sets out into the Jianghu. And the Battle Emperor and Spear Emperor also become entangled in that journey.