At the remote edge of Hōutiān (轰天) – Heaven's Thunder, where the world's known boundaries faded into vast, wild lands, stood Huǒmáng Chéng (火蟒城) – Flame Python City. Here, in this distant yet bustling haven for traders and cultivators, five powerful families shaped the city's economy and culture. Though these families held no formal political rule, their influence, wealth, and expertise in various trades positioned them as key players in the city's affairs. Huǒmáng Chéng, isolated from the core realms of Hōutiān, had grown self-sufficient, with its own unique traditions and values forged by these families' presence.
The Five Powerful Families of Huǒmáng Chéng
1. The Bo Family (博家族) – Known for their mastery in ancient artifact refinement and the trade of rare cultivation resources, the Bo family was a foundation of subtle power in Huǒmáng Chéng. Unlike the more public pursuits of the other families, the Bo family maintained an aura of mystery. They specialized in locating, refining, and preserving rare items and materials from the remote regions of Hōutiān, including spiritual stones, precious metals, and legendary qi-infused artifacts. Their disciplined, introspective training methods created powerful yet unassuming cultivators, who often surprised opponents with their depth of knowledge and resilience in battle. The Bo family's wealth allowed them to provide essential resources for cultivators, and their deep connections within the city made them a formidable family in both business and alliances.
2. The Lóng Family (龙家族) – The Lóng family, proud descendants of a lineage tied to dragons in Hōutiān lore, dominated the transportation and security industries of Huǒmáng Chéng. Their main business was providing protection for merchants and travelers through the city's borders, where the surrounding wildlands were fraught with danger. Members of the Lóng family specialized in martial techniques that emphasized speed, strength, and powerful aura projections, making them excellent fighters and protectors. The family's business of securing safe passage through these treacherous areas earned them substantial influence, as well as gratitude and alliances with traders, foreign merchants, and city officials. They were respected for their loyalty and honor, with many viewing them as Huǒmáng Chéng's unofficial protectors.
3. The Huǒ Family (火家族) – With a reputation for producing the finest weapons in Huǒmáng Chéng, the Huǒ family was known for its mastery of metallurgy and weapon crafting. Their forge techniques were unique, imbuing weapons with enhanced qualities through high-temperature flame tempering, which gave their products durability, sharpness, and unique flame qualities. Cultivators from across Hōutiān would often seek out Huǒ family weapons for their craftsmanship, power, and reliability in battle. Fiercely competitive, the Huǒ family prided themselves on their work ethic, believing that only through intense training and discipline could one achieve true mastery in cultivation. Their members were known for their fiery tempers and intense loyalty to their craft, making them both feared and admired within the city.
4. The Shé Family (蛇家族) – Specialists in herbal medicine and poison crafting, the Shé family occupied a unique role in Huǒmáng Chéng's society. They controlled vast networks of rare herbs and medicinal ingredients, which they traded to the city's healers and apothecaries. But their knowledge extended beyond healing; they also created potent poisons, earning them a reputation both as skilled healers and as potentially deadly enemies. Their members were known for their agility, cunning, and precision, often mastering techniques focused on pressure points and stealth attacks. Other families respected the Shé family for their unique expertise but treated them with caution, knowing they had access to both antidotes and toxins that could sway any fight. Their business empire made them essential to the city's economy, even if their reputation as dealers of poison inspired a wary respect.
5.The Yán Family (炎家族) – The Yán family, renowned for their work in construction and mining, had established a reputation as the city's foundation-builders. They specialized in gathering rare minerals from deep mines, often located in hazardous regions of Hōutiān, and used their resources to build fortified structures for the city's cultivators, training arenas, and sometimes even luxurious homes for other influential families. Their expertise lay in stone-crafting and body-hardening techniques, making them a family known for endurance and strength. Members of the Yán family were resilient cultivators, trained to withstand great physical challenges, and their structures were celebrated for their durability and quality. The family's hard work and dedication made them a respected force, and their vast supply of raw materials and minerals formed the backbone of Huǒmáng Chéng's infrastructure.
The Bo Family and Bo Jian's Journey
At the edge of Hōutiān, in this city where power came not from ruling but from influence, Bo Jian (博剑) grew up in the Bo family, known for their quiet strength and subtle tactics. His family trained its members with discipline and patience, teaching them to channel their qi in ways that allowed for hidden strength, precision, and mastery of energy manipulation. Yet Bo Jian, while respecting his family's traditions, was filled with dreams of glory that extended beyond Huǒmáng Chéng's familiar boundaries.
Raised on stories of legendary cultivators, Bo Jian was drawn to the idea of greatness, of reaching heights that would earn him a name in the wider realm of Hōutiān. He yearned to explore and cultivate new strengths beyond his family's teachings, to one day take his place among the most powerful cultivators.
Bo Jian's journey was just beginning, leading him beyond the city's borders and into the mysteries of Hōutiān. The forces of thunder and flame, which shaped the world, seemed to call to him, promising a destiny greater than anything he had known.