Chapter Text
Great Nine
1 - Changsha Zhang. The main family is secretive, seclusive and unwelcoming to outsiders as they guard the Bronze Gate to Heaven. Current Guardian, titled Zhang Qiling, is called "Xiaoge." Zhang Qishan "Foye" and Zhang Rishan used olive green as their color, a sun as their symbol. All family members have a Qilin tattoo. Zhang Foye was the first Zhang to get involved in sect politics; Rishan was his heir to the seat on the Sect Council.
2 - Er. A sect focused on the arts of music and dance. Most of their cultivators prefer to use flutes or fans, but they are trained with swords. Colors are bright red and white. Symbol is a red dragon.
3 - Li. An aristocratic sect weakening in size and strength. Colors are gold and tan.
4- Guangxi Chen. Not the original 4th Sect, the current Sect Leader Chen Pi Ah Si killed the former Sect Leader and took over. Though he did leave the wife and daughter alive, their status is unknown. Chen Sect's signature weapon is the 9 finger claw, which is also their symbol. Colors are slate blue and grey.
5 - Hangzhou Wu. A sect known for breeding, raising and training elite spirit dogs and hellhounds of all sizes. Sect colors are a bright, light blue and brown. Symbol is a dog's paw print. Leader is Wu Laoguo's second son, Wu Erbai, heir is Wu Xie.
6 - Hei. Little is known about this sect other than they wield bright silver swords too fast to challenge. Colors are tones of grey and black.
7 - Huo. The only matriarchy of the Nine. Colors are ivory and white. Signature of their weapons is the ability to conceal them. Symbol is a vixen. Leader is Huo Jinxi/Xiangu. Her heir is granddaughter Xiuxiu.
8 - Ba. A scholarly sect dedicated to the art of astronomy and divination. Colors are plum purple and dark blue. Symbol is that tool Ba-ye uses in Mystic Nine, the gold wheel compass thing. (If anyone knows the name, please help this author)
9 - Beijing Xie. The wealthiest of the Nine. Known to be great strategists and philosophers. Colors are cream and pale pink. Symbol is a chess piece. Current leader is Xie Yuchen, the youngest sect leader in the history of the Nine.
Other Sects
Tianjin Yin - a smaller sect, newer than the Great Nine, but have grown increasingly important due to crafting of high level spiritual weapons. A matriarchy. Colors are silver and pink. Current leader is the daughter of Yin Xinyue's brother. Yin Nanfeng is the heir.
Wang - symbol is the phoenix, colors is faded scarlet and burnt orange. Practice a form of dark cultivation.
Terminology
Rogue - a lone cultivator who does not belong to a specific sect. May have been born to rogue parents, left their birth sect or learned to cultivate on their own. A born rogue may join a sect, a born sect member may become rogue later in life. Examples; Wang Pangzi, Hei Yanjing, Liu Sang.
Apprentice - a student of a sect. Some live on sect land, some travel from town for lessons.
Spirit Animal - Animals bred for sensitivity to spiritual activity and trained to assist in night hunts. Skills may include tracking, herding, trapping, retrieving. Most common are dogs. Birds can be trained to alert to spirit activity. Cats, while not practical to bring on a night hunt, are exceptionally talented at guarding a home from spirit activity. A hellhound is a spirit dog with the unusual sense for dark cultivation.
Dull sword - a sword belonging to someone who is not a cultivator, just a regular fighter. As opposed to a cultivator's spiritual sword which gleams.