Locations
HUBEI
Burial Mounds (乱葬岗)
A foreboding mountainous ridge located near Yiling. It is said to be the spot where an ancient and most terrible battle was waged. It is heavily ravaged by resentful energy and packed to the brim with walking corpses and vengeful ghosts. It has proven to be extremely resistant to any attempts at purification from top cultivation sects, and as such it was sealed off with magical barriers and written off as a lost cause. That is, until the dreaded Yiling Patriarch claimed it as his base of operations.
Lotus Pier (莲花坞)
The residence of the Jiang Clan of Yunmeng, located on the shores of a vast lake rich with blooming lotuses. The picturesque scenery is a perfect setting for a myriad of outdoor activities, such as boating, kite-flying, and playfully roughhousing with one’s martial siblings.
Lotus Pier is always bustling with cultivators and common folk alike, which is in stark contrast to other sects. Merchants line the piers to hawk food and wares, and local children scamper about to gawk in awe as the disciples of the Jiang Sect do their daily training.
Yiling (夷陵)
An area located near Yunmeng. While Yiling itself is bustling with life, it is most infamous for its proximity to the Burial Mounds.
Yunmeng (云梦)
A county in the Hubei area. Its many lakes and waterways make it a prime juncture point for trade.
JIANGNAN
Cloud Recesses (云深不知处)
The residence of the Lan Clan of Gusu, located on a remote mountaintop. The Cloud Recesses is a tranquil place constantly shrouded in mist. Beside the entrance there looms the Wall of Discipline, carved with the three thousand (later four thousand) rules of the Lan Clan.
The Cloud Recesses is home to the Library Pavilion where many rare and ancient texts are housed, the Tranquility Room where Lan Wangji resides, and the Orchid Room where Lan Qiren hosts lectures. There is also the Nether Room, a tower in which spirit-summoning rituals are performed, as well as a cold spring for bathing. On the back of the mountain is a secluded meadow where Lan Wangji keeps his pet rabbits.
The Cloud Recesses’ name translates more literally to “Somewhere Hidden in Clouds” (云深不知处) and is a reference to a line in the poem “Failing to Find the Hermit,” by Jia Dao:
I asked the young disciple beneath the pine;
“My master is gone to pick herbs,” he answered.
“Though within this mountain he is,
The recesses of clouds hide his trail.”
Gusu (姑苏)
A city in the Jiangnan region. Jiangnan is famous for its rich, fertile land and its abundant agricultural goods. Its hazy, drizzling weather and the soft sweet dialect make it a popular setting in Chinese romance literature.
HEBEI
Qinghe (清河)
A county in the Hebei region. Qinghe is the home territory of the Nie Clan and is where their residence is located.
Impure Realm (不净世)
The residence of the Nie Clan of Qinghe. Its name may be a reference to Patikulamanasikara (in Chinese, written as 不淨觀 / Impure View), a set of Buddhist sutras meant to help overcome mortal desires. It thus serves both as a goal for the Nie Clan to aspire to and a reminder of their background as butchers.
SHAANXI
Qishan (岐山)
A county in the Shaanxi region. Qishan is the home territory of the Wen Clan and is where their residence is located.
Nightless City (不夜天城)
The residence of the Wen Clan of Qishan. Its name is derived from the fact that the expansive complex is vast enough to be comparable to the size of a city, as well as the brazen declaration of the Wen Clan that the sun never sets upon their domain—since it is their clan crest. The Scorching Sun Palace is the seat of Wen Ruohan’s power, and the Inferno Palace is where he stores and demonstrates his vast collection of torture devices on unlucky guests.
Mount Muxi (暮溪山)
A mountain in Wen Clan territory. Streams criss-cross the forested landscape. Surrounded by red maple trees and the gentle sound of flowing water, it’s a perfect spot for observing the local wildlife, and you might even wind up being inspired to compose a song for the one you love.
SHANDONG
Lanling (兰陵)
A county in the Shandong region.
Golden Carp Tower (金麟台)
The residence of the Jin Clan of Lanling, located at the heart of the city of Lanling. The main road to the tower is only opened when events are being hosted, and this grand avenue is lavishly decorated with murals and statuary. Upon reaching the tower base, travelers must scale the numerous levels of steep staircases that lead to the tower proper. These staircases are a reference to the legend from which Golden Carp Tower derives its name—it is said that if an ordinary carp is able to leap to the top of a waterfall, it can turn into a glorious dragon.
Once the arduous journey to the top is complete, one will find themselves overlooking the city of Lanling from on high and vast gardens of the Jin Clan of Lanling’s signature flower: the cultivar peony, Sparks Amidst Snow. The Jin Sect’s wealth and influence, as well as current leader Jin Guangyao’s position as Cultivation Chief, sees Golden Carp Tower hosting frequent symposiums and banquets with VIP guests from the cultivation world’s most powerful sects.
MISCELLANEOUS
Dongying (东瀛)
The name used for the country of Japan in ancient China.
Mount Baifeng (百凰山)
A densely forested mountain that is a popular spot for Siege Hunts due to its large endemic population of monsters and demons—so popular, in fact, that large hunting competitions are often hosted there. Cultivators and non-cultivators alike flock to these contests to spectate from the luxury (and safety) of observation towers. If you find yourself among those cheering crowds, toss a flower to your favorite hero before they ride off to the hunt. Perhaps they’ll spare you a glance, or if you’re lucky, return the favor by surprising you with a kiss.