Forty years ago, the founding fervor of the Shuntian Dynasty had long faded, replaced by court corruption, rampant local tyrants, and displaced commoners. In the slums surrounding the capital, four youths were abandoned by society for different reasons—an orphan whose parents died, a farmer's son whose property was seized by tyrants, a former bailiff who escaped after being framed, and a woman who fled from a brothel.
The four met in a ruined temple in the capital's South City. They realized that fighting alone led only to death, but by joining forces, they might survive in this man-eating world.
Thus, they swore a blood oath: "The Heavenly Dao is unfair, so we shall forge our own Heavenly Dao. Do not bully the good, do not fear the wicked, rob the rich to feed the poor, and exact justice on behalf of heaven."
Thus, the "Tiandao Alliance" was born.
For the first ten years, the Tiandao Alliance was just a small gang in the capital's underworld, surviving on theft, scams, and robberies. But the four had complementary skills—the theft expert "Shadow" handled intelligence and infiltration, the scam artist "Thousand Faces" handled setups and negotiations, the robbery expert "Iron Fist" handled force and territory disputes, and the strategist "Ghost Hand" managed overall operations. Over ten years, they absorbed large and small gangs around the capital, becoming the masters of the capital's underworld.
Thirty years later, the Tiandao Alliance's influence expanded across the entire Shuntian Dynasty. They have branches in every major town and tens of thousands of members. Their business evolved from petty crime to a massive, intertwining chain of legal and illegal industries, including casinos, pawnshops, escort agencies, restaurants, and brothels.
However, as their power grew, the Alliance gradually strayed from its original intention of "robbing the rich to feed the poor." The current Chief Helmsman, "Ninth Master Shen" (Shen Jiuye), a disciple of the founding four, brought the Alliance to its peak but also turned it into an outright criminal empire. Disciples no longer rob only the rich, but anyone with money; they no longer feed the poor, but hand over most profits to the headquarters.
The Alliance's relationship with the imperial court is also extremely delicate. Although the court designated it an "officially recognized underworld" and sent troops to encircle it multiple times, the Alliance's influence has deeply penetrated every corner of the government—from minor clerks to officials in the Six Ministries, many are bought or threatened by the Alliance. Furthermore, because the Alliance controls all casinos and usury around the capital, many of the court's gray expenses must be handled through them.
Current Chief Helmsman Shen Jiuye once privately said something that perfectly captures their relationship with the court: "They call us the underworld, but without us, this court couldn't dig a single copper coin out of the ground."
ðŸ”ï¸ Geography and Main Locations
Capital South City: The headquarters of the Tiandao Alliance and the heart of the entire Shuntian Dynasty's underground forces. South City is the capital's slum; the alleys are narrow like mazes, houses are dilapidated, and sewage flows freely. This is the gathering place for criminals, beggars, and refugees, and the Alliance's most solid base. Government constables rarely step deep into South City—not because they don't want to, but because they don't dare.
Ruined Temple Headquarters: Located deep within South City, an abandoned temple where the four youths swore their blood oath forty years ago. The exterior remains dilapidated, and the Buddha statues at the entrance are incomplete, but the interior has been completely transformed. Three underground levels have been excavated, featuring a council hall, vaults, prison cells, secret passages, and a training ground accommodating hundreds of people. Behind the main hall's Buddha statue hangs the Alliance flag—a black flag embroidered with a white character for "Dao," beneath which are four red blood streaks symbolizing the four founding ancestors.
Nine Dragons Casino: One of the Alliance's most profitable businesses in the capital, located at the border of South and Middle City. It is a luxurious three-story building. The first floor is for common gamblers, the second for VIPs, and the third serves as one of the Alliance's council chambers. Secret underground passages connect the casino to various corners of South City.
Black Water Pier: One of three piers controlled by the Alliance, located in the southeast corner of the capital. Superficially an ordinary cargo pier, it is actually the main channel for Alliance smuggling, fencing stolen goods, and moving illicit funds. The dockworkers are mostly peripheral members of the Tianhe Gang.
Hundred Treasures Pawnshop: The Alliance's nationwide chain of pawnshops. Ostensibly legitimate businesses, they are tools for money laundering and usury. The rule of the pawnshop is "dead pawn, no questions asked"—once the redemption period passes, the item belongs to the pawnshop, regardless of its origin.
Tianji Pavilion (Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets): The Alliance's intelligence center, disguised as a teahouse in South City. The owner, "Deaf Granny," seems like a confused old woman but is actually the Alliance's Intelligence Director. She commands over a hundred informants scattered across every corner of the Shuntian Dynasty.
âš”ï¸ Tiandao Alliance Skill System
The Alliance's skill system is entirely different from orthodox sects. Their martial arts are not learned from masters' manuals but naturally developed while surviving on the streets. Stealing develops nimble hands; thieving develops sharp eyesight and judgment; robbing develops brute force and momentum; scamming develops the ability to read people.
Skill upgrades mean growth—in the Alliance, status elevation doesn't depend on martial prowess, but on how much you can steal, scam, rob, and earn for the gang. However, improving these skills directly translates into combat ability growth.
The core of stealing is manual dexterity—striking fast, moving lightly, and targeting accurately. In combat, these abilities directly translate into unarmed fighting skills, particularly excelling at attacking enemy weak points (joints, acupoints, weapon-holding wrists).
Street Pickpocketing (Pickpocket)
The entry-level skill for Alliance disciples, practicing "brushing past" in busy markets—taking valuables from a target the moment they brush shoulders. This process hones strike speed and finger dexterity.
First Realm "Handy": Can steal exposed valuables from stationary targets. Combat Bonus: Slight increase in unarmed attack speed; can attempt to disarm ordinary enemies.
Second Realm "Shadowless": Can steal concealed valuables from walking targets. Combat Bonus: Significant increase in unarmed attack speed; can accurately strike enemy wrists and elbows, causing them to drop weapons. Unlocks skill "Sleight of Hand Armor Removal"—can remove enemy armor or weapons.
Third Realm "Empty-Handed": Can take all valuables from a target within three breaths. Combat Bonus: Unarmed attacks can precisely hit vital points (throat, temples, acupoints) for extra damage. Unlocks skill "Vital Strike"—unarmed attacks have a chance to ignore some enemy defense.
Burglary (Burglary)
Advanced stealing skill targeting wealthy households, merchant firms, and government treasuries. This process hones the understanding of mechanisms and locks—understanding structures, finding weaknesses, and precisely cracking them. In combat, these translate into armor-breaking and defense-breaking abilities.
First Realm "Wall Scaling": Can scale ordinary civilian walls and pick simple locks. Combat Bonus: Chance to break armor when attacking enemies with light or no armor.
Second Realm "Hall Passing": Can crack complex locks and mechanisms, moving freely in mansions with patrolling guards. Combat Bonus: When attacking heavily armored enemies, has a chance to find armor gaps, dealing armor-piercing damage.
Third Realm "Vault Entering": Can crack any lock and mechanism, entering the imperial silver treasury. Combat Bonus: Can read enemy defensive postures and find flaws. Unlocks skill "Armor Break"—unarmed attacks ignore a portion of the enemy's armor value.
Ultimate Steal Art | Swapping Flowers and Grafting Trees (Swap)
The highest realm of stealing—not taking things away, but "swapping" them. Combat application: Instead of attacking directly, "swapping" advantages between enemy and self. Unlocks skill "Redirect Force"—can transfer an enemy's attack force to another enemy or counter them using their own weapon.
The core of stealth-robbing is eyesight and decisiveness—observing guard routines, judging the time to act, and choosing retreat routes. In combat, these translate directly into dodging abilities, finding gaps in enemy attacks, predicting attack paths, and evading calmly.
Scouting (Scout)
The first and most crucial step of a robbery. Scouts observe guard numbers, shift changes, patrol routes, treasure locations, and escape routes. This hones observation and judgment.
First Realm "Lookout": Can observe guard routines from the periphery. Combat Bonus: Can anticipate enemy attack intentions; slight increase in dodge rate.
Second Realm "Lurking": Can infiltrate targets and observe without being discovered. Combat Bonus: Can predict enemy attack paths; significant increase in dodge rate. Unlocks skill "Read Move"—can see through enemy move sets and has a chance to counterattack after dodging.
Third Realm "Mapping": Can draw precise maps from observed information. Combat Bonus: Can quickly assess terrain advantages in combat, using the environment to dodge. Unlocks skill "Terrain Use"—extra dodge rate boost in complex terrain.
Lockpicking (Lockpick)
A critical skill for robberies. Lockpicking requires immense patience and precision—feeling every turn of the lock core, judging spring positions, and applying force at the precise moment. In combat, this translates into grasping the enemy's attack rhythm.
First Realm "Spring Flicking": Can open ordinary padlocks and door locks. Combat Bonus: Can grasp the enemy's attack rhythm, dodging at the moment they strike.
Second Realm "Mechanism Breaking": Can open complex locks with traps. Combat Bonus: Can find dodge gaps during continuous attacks; increased dodge rate against multiple enemies.
Third Realm "Master Key": Can open any lock. Combat Bonus: Can perfectly read the enemy's attack rhythm, counterattacking the moment they strike. Unlocks skill "Counter"—the next attack after dodging is guaranteed to hit with increased damage.
Ultimate Rob Art | Deceiving the Heavens to Cross the Sea (Deception)
The highest realm of stealth-robbing—not sneaking things away, but moving them "openly." Combat application: Instead of dodging attacks, making the enemy "unable to see you." Unlocks skill "Blur"—temporarily prevents enemies from locking onto your position; all attacks have a chance to miss.
💪 Plunder (Charge / Speed Up Skill)
The core of plundering is brute force and momentum—charging at the target at top speed, suppressing the enemy with fierce attacks, and ending the battle as quickly as possible. In combat, these translate directly into charging and acceleration skills.
Ambush (Ambush)
Setting ambushes on remote sections of official roads to attack passing merchants. This hones explosive power and sprinting ability—charging out the moment the target appears and subduing enemies in the shortest time.
First Realm "Scattered Bandits": Groups of three to five attacking lone merchants. Combat Bonus: Temporary speed boost at the start of combat; first strike damage slightly increased.
Second Realm "Mounted Bandits": Dozens riding on horseback. Combat Bonus: Increased sprint distance; attack damage increased while sprinting. Unlocks skill "Charge"—sprints rapidly toward an enemy, dealing damage on impact with a chance to knock them down.
Third Realm "Road Blockade": Hundreds attacking government payroll escorts. Combat Bonus: Significant sprint speed boost; can knock back ordinary enemies while sprinting. Unlocks skill "Unstoppable"—immune to crowd control while sprinting; impact shatters enemy defensive postures.
Break-in (Break-in)
Robberies targeting wealthy homes or merchant firms, requiring forced entry. This hones brute force and destructive power—breaking the door in one strike, subduing the enemy in one strike.
First Realm "Door Ramming": Using battering rams or heavy hammers. Combat Bonus: Attacks can destroy enemy shields or armor; increased damage against defending enemies.
Second Realm "Wall Scaling": Entering over walls to subdue guards first. Combat Bonus: Can launch attacks from the enemy's weakest defensive direction. Unlocks skill "Shield Break"—attacks have a chance to directly destroy enemy shields.
Third Realm "Formation Breaking": Targeting locations protected by mechanisms or arrays. Combat Bonus: Can disrupt enemy formations, dealing area damage to multiple enemies. Unlocks skill "Intimidate"—attacks have a chance to briefly fear surrounding enemies, lowering their attack power.
Ultimate Plunder Art | Black Eating Black (Betray)
The highest realm of plundering—not robbing outsiders, but "robbing your own." Combat application: Launching a fatal strike when the enemy least expects it. Unlocks skill "Backstab"—attacks from behind deal massive damage, with a chance to instantly kill.
The core of scamming is reading people—seeing through their desires and fears, judging their personalities and weaknesses, and saying the perfect words at the perfect time. In combat, these abilities don't directly increase damage or defense, but they play a huge role in specific Quests—extracting intel from enemies, making them surrender, or even convincing them to switch sides.
Street Scam (Street Scam)
Scams targeting ordinary citizens and foreign merchants. This hones the ability to read body language—instantly telling if someone is gullible, what they care about most, and what they fear most.
First Realm "Petty Scam": Setting up simple cons. Quest Bonus: Can extract intel from ordinary NPCs, lowering the difficulty of some quests.
Second Realm "Setup": Setting up complex cons requiring multiple people. Quest Bonus: Can extract vital intel from key NPCs, unlocking hidden quest options.
Third Realm "Chain Con": Setting up sequential cons, making targets willingly hand over money. Quest Bonus: Can completely control ordinary NPC behavior, making them act according to your wishes.
Gambling Cheat (Gambling Cheat)
Collaborating with accomplices in casinos to cheat gamblers. This hones psychological warfare—judging what cards the opponent has, what they will do next, and how to make them raise their bets.
First Realm "Card Sharp": Cheating in card or dice games. Quest Bonus: Can cheat to win in gambling-related quests.
Second Realm "Coordination": Coordinating setups with accomplices. Quest Bonus: Can see through scams set by enemies, avoiding being swindled.
Third Realm "Control": Controlling the flow of an entire gambling game. Quest Bonus: Can manipulate key NPC decisions, making them choose options favorable to you.
Official Scam (Official Scam)
Advanced scams targeting government officials. This hones insight into power structures—identifying real decision-makers, who can be bought, and what their weaknesses are.
First Realm "Impersonation": Impersonating low-level officials or merchants. Quest Bonus: Can enter restricted areas (government offices, noble estates).
Second Realm "Infiltration": Penetrating officials' social circles. Quest Bonus: Can directly influence low/mid-level official decisions, gaining official protection or intel.
Third Realm "Manipulation": Manipulating official decisions. Quest Bonus: Can directly influence high-level official decisions, altering the story path.
Ultimate Scam Art | Shedding the Golden Cicada Shell (Escape)
The highest realm of scamming—not getting the money, but "escaping unscathed after the con." Quest Bonus: When exposed or cornered, can escape any predicament (usable once per day).
âš”ï¸ Weapon Skills
The Alliance's weapon skills are deeply tied to their criminal skills. The nimble hands honed by stealing are perfect for daggers. The eyesight and judgment from stealth-robbing complement a long blade's armor-breaking ability. The brute force and momentum from plundering perfectly suit axes.
Dagger Technique (Dagger) — Tied to "Steal"
Daggers are hidden in sleeves, boots, or behind the back, used for close-range surprise attacks, sealing the throat in one strike. The technique emphasizes "fast, accurate, ruthless," perfectly aligning with Steal's attack speed and vital strikes.
First Realm "Sleeve Blade": Can draw instantly from the sleeve. Combat Bonus: Scales with Steal level; higher level means faster draw. Stacks with "Vital Strike."
Second Realm "Hidden Edge": Can hide the dagger anywhere on the body. Combat Bonus: Can launch unpredictable surprise attacks; significantly increased first-strike hit rate.
Third Realm "Shadowless": Draw speed is too fast for the naked eye. Combat Bonus: Can continuously attack multiple vitals, dealing rapid multi-hit damage. Unlocks "Combo Backstab"—can consecutively attack multiple enemies from behind.
Long Blade Technique (Long Blade) — Tied to "Rob"
The long blade is about three feet long, the primary weapon in street brawls. It emphasizes "cleaving, chopping, sweeping," perfectly aligning with Rob's eyesight and armor-breaking abilities—seeing through enemy defenses to break them in one strike.
First Realm "Cleave and Chop": Proficient in basic moves. Combat Bonus: Scales with Rob level; higher level means higher armor-piercing chance. Stacks with "Armor Break."
Second Realm "Combo Slash": Can unleash three slashes instantly. Combat Bonus: Can continuously attack the same target, each slash heavier than the last.
Third Realm "Clean Cut": Can cleave an enemy and their weapon in half. Combat Bonus: Ignores a portion of enemy defense, dealing massive damage. Unlocks "Armor Break Slash"—guaranteed armor-break effect.
Axe Technique (Axe) — Tied to "Plunder"
The axe weighs dozens of pounds; one swing can cleave a person and their weapon in half. It has no flashy moves, only "cleaving" and "swinging," perfectly aligning with Plunder's brute force and momentum.
First Realm "Axe Swing": Proficient in basic moves. Combat Bonus: Scales with Plunder level; higher level means higher impact damage. Stacks with "Charge."
Second Realm "Armor Break": Can cleave through iron armor or shields in one strike. Combat Bonus: Attacks have a chance to directly destroy enemy shields or armor.
Third Realm "Mountain Cleaver": Can cleave through city gates or stone walls. Combat Bonus: Attacks have a chance to cause AOE concussions, slowing surrounding enemies. Unlocks "Sweep"—horizontal axe swing attacking all enemies in front.
📖 Inner Arts and Heart Sutras
The Tiandao Alliance lacks profound heart sutras like Shushan or Wuxiang Temple. Their inner arts are patched together from scattered martial world inheritances, simplified by ancestors into practical methods. These sutras don't aim for immortal ascension, just "being able to hit, take hits, run fast, and live long."
Hunyuan Qi (Hunyuan Qi)
The Alliance's basic inner art, reportedly traded by founding member "Ghost Hand" from a destitute traveling doctor. The method is crude but easy to learn, requiring no profound Buddhist or Daoist cultivation. Anyone can grasp the basics quickly.
This sutra has three realms:
First Realm "Gathering Qi": Gathers inner energy in the Dantian, temporarily boosting strength in combat. Cultivators can take a few more punches in street brawls and run a few more blocks when fleeing.
Second Realm "Channeling Qi": Channels inner energy to the limbs, infusing attacks with inner force. Cultivators punch harder and strike faster, capable of matching entry-level disciples of orthodox sects in gang fights.
Third Realm "Protective Aura": Distributes inner energy across the skin, forming a thin protective aura. Ordinary blades only cut the flesh, not the bone. Only top experts like Iron Lion and Ghost Blade Liu have reached this realm.
Self-Created Heart Sutras of Top Experts
Based on Hunyuan Qi, Alliance experts developed unique heart sutras suited to themselves. These are never taught to outsiders, sometimes not even to disciples, acting as their core secrets.
Iron Lion's "Lion Roar Force": Concentrates inner energy in the chest; an angry roar stuns enemies. Originated from his youth as a dockworker, building incredible lung capacity.
Ghost Blade Liu's "Ghost Breath Art": Suppresses breathing and heartbeat to extreme lows, completely hiding his presence during assassinations. Originated from his early days as an executioner, learning the secret from death row inmates.
Su Xiaotang's "Thousand Faces Art": Can alter voice, aura, and even body shape to disguise as anyone. Inherited from her grandmother "Thousand Faces"—said to be a secret art altering bones and muscles.
Little Monkey's "Monkey Breath Art": Quickly recovers stamina during extreme fatigue, self-taught while chasing and playing on South City rooftops.
Iron Shirt (Iron Shirt)
The Alliance's body-hardening art is much cruder than Wuxiang Temple's Vajra Indestructible Body, but highly practical. Practitioners rub medicinal wine on their bodies and use special breathing to toughen skin and muscles. It requires no profound Buddhism, just the "ability to endure hardship"—getting beaten with wooden sticks daily and soaking wounds in medicinal wine, year after year.
This art has three realms:
First Realm "Thick Skin": Skin becomes rough and tough, resisting ordinary punches. Cultivators are called "Thick Skins," able to take extra hits in street brawls.
Second Realm "Hard Meat": Muscles become hard as stone, resisting sword slashes (but not thrusts). Cultivators are called "Hard Meats," serving as meat shields in gang fights.
Third Realm "Solid Bone": Bones hard as iron, resisting heavy weapons without breaking. Cultivators are called "Iron Bones," a realm reached only by Iron Lion. He once face-tanked a Wuxiang warrior monk's Arhat Staff; though internally injured, the battle made him famous.
The mantra for Iron Shirt is very plain: "Take a hundred stick strikes a day, soak in medicinal wine for an hour. Three years later, you can take two hundred strikes."
Tiling Steps (Tiling Steps)
A movement skill specifically designed for urban alley warfare. The body is agile, weaving freely across rooftops, walls, and narrow alleys. It doesn't aim to fly high or far, only to move freely in complex terrain—a skill naturally developed by disciples playing tag on South City roofs.
This skill has three realms:
First Realm "Scaling the Roof": Easily vaults onto roofs, walking on tiles without breaking them. Cultivators are "Roof Cats," roaming South City roofs freely.
Second Realm "Threading the Alley": Darts rapidly through narrow alleys, ricocheting off walls to change direction. Cultivators are "Alley Rats," easily escaping pursuers.
Third Realm "Silent Treading": Sprints across roofs without making a sound. Cultivators are "Snow Treaders without Traces," a realm reached only by Little Monkey. He can run from one end of South City to the other on a pitch-black night without night watchmen noticing.
The training method is simple: chase someone through the streets or roofs, or be chased. Do it enough, and it comes naturally.
Chief Helmsman | Ninth Master Shen (Shen Jiuye)
The current Chief Helmsman of the Tiandao Alliance, about fifty years old, average height, plain-looking, plainly dressed, looking like any wealthy old man on the street. But those who know him understand that this seemingly harmless middle-aged man is the uncrowned king of the Shuntian Dynasty's underworld.
Shen Jiuye is the closed-door disciple of founding member "Ghost Hand." He joined at sixteen, rising from a lowly street pickpocket to Capital Branch Master, and took the Chief Helmsman seat at thirty. Over twenty years, he expanded the Alliance to every corner of the dynasty, building a complete criminal chain from theft and smuggling to casinos and usury.
His greatest weapon is not martial arts, but his brain and political maneuvering. He understands the rules of both the government and the martial world, knowing when to be hard and when to be soft. He has secret dealings with many powerful court figures, trading money and intel for the Alliance's survival space.
He once told his confidants: "We are the underworld, not bandits. Bandits just rob, and once it's robbed, it's gone. We want long-term business, so we must learn to deal with the government."
His weapon is a slender dagger named "Snake Tongue" hidden in his cane. He rarely strikes, but his blade is said to be lightning-fast, sealing throats in one strike, never leaving survivors.
Chief Guardian | Iron Lion (Iron Lion)
The Chief Guardian in charge of martial affairs, about forty years old, built like an iron tower, muscles bulging. A descendant of founding member "Iron Fist," his "Plunder" skill has reached the "Road Blockade" realm, and his "Axe Technique" the "Mountain Cleaver" realm. He is recognized as the Alliance's top fighter.
He uses a pair of eighty-pound mountain-cleaving axes, capable of splitting a man and his horse in two with a single swing. His "Iron Shirt" is at its peak; ordinary blades only leave white marks on his skin. He famously tanked Wuxiang Temple's Arhat Staff with his body.
Iron Lion is bold and straightforward, contrasting sharply with Shen Jiuye's gloom. He fondly remembers the Alliance's "rob the rich to feed the poor" tradition, often privately giving alms to South City's poor. This gives Shen Jiuye headaches, but Iron Lion's combat prowess is crucial, so Shen turns a blind eye.
Intelligence Director | Deaf Granny (Deaf Granny)
Director of the Tianji Pavilion, about sixty years old, wrinkled and seemingly senile. This is all a disguise—her hearing is sharper than anyone's; she can hear conversations in every corner of a noisy teahouse. Her eyes are equally sharp, deducing a person's identity and origin from their clothes, demeanor, and accent.
Deaf Granny is the disciple of founding member "Shadow," inheriting the stealth and intelligence skills. In her youth, she was the Alliance's top "Shadowless Hand," reportedly able to steal an official's seal in a crowded market without them noticing.
Now she works behind the scenes, managing the Tianji Pavilion. Her informant network covers the entire dynasty, from street vendors to court officials. Her famous quote: "There are no secrets in this world that can't be uncovered, only prices you can't afford."
Capital Branch Master | Ghost Blade Liu (Ghost Blade Liu)
The master of the capital branch, managing daily affairs, about forty years old, thin, with a cold face. His weapon is a three-foot goose-quill saber. His saber techniques are unpredictable and silent, like a ghost, earning him the name "Ghost Blade."
He is Shen Jiuye's confidant and one of the few who knows all of Shen's secrets. He handles "communication" with the government—bribing officials, threatening disobedient ones into silence, and assassinating threats to the Alliance.
Ghost Blade Liu leaves no survivors; his blade is said to be stained with hundreds of lives. But he has one rule: he never kills women or children. This earns him some respect within the Alliance but makes Shen Jiuye slightly wary of him.
Thousand Faces | Su Xiaotang (Su Xiaotang)
The Alliance's top scam artist, about thirty years old, with an ordinary face but a highly adaptable aura. She plays different roles flawlessly—a noblewoman before officials, a shrewd manager before merchants, a bold heroine before martial artists, and a fierce street woman before thugs.
She is the granddaughter of founding member "Thousand Faces." She doesn't need masks or makeup; altering her aura and posture makes her unrecognizable. She once disguised herself as an official's wife, living in his home for three months to extract top-secret intel without the official ever noticing. Her "Scam Skill" is at the "Manipulation" realm, making her the only one capable of manipulating high court officials' decisions.
Su Xiaotang objects to Shen Jiuye's management, feeling the Alliance has strayed from its roots. Powerless to change it, she does what she can to help the poor oppressed by the Alliance.
Rising Star | Little Monkey (Little Monkey)
The most promising young disciple, only sixteen, short and plain-looking but agile as a monkey. An orphan from South City, he grew up on its rooftops, mastering the peerless "Tiling Steps." His stealing skills are exceptional, called a "once-in-a-century genius" by Deaf Granny.
His weapon is a short willow-leaf blade hidden in his sleeve, drawn incredibly fast. However, he is impulsive and lacks composure, making Shen Jiuye both appreciate and worry about him.
Little Monkey dreams of becoming the Alliance's "Shadowless Hand," stealing unrivaled across the world like Deaf Granny in her youth. But he doesn't know his background is far more complex—his father was actually an imperial spy embedded in the Alliance whose identity was exposed and who was executed by Ghost Blade Liu.
With the Shuntian Dynasty: "Mutual exploitation, mutual suspicion." The court designated the Alliance an "officially recognized underworld" and tried to eradicate it, but the Alliance's influence has penetrated everywhere. Moreover, the Alliance handles many of the court's gray expenses via casinos and usury. The Alliance also regularly "pays tribute" to certain nobles for protection.
The Emperor's attitude is extremely contradictory. He knows the Alliance threatens his rule, but their roots are too deep to be solved by simple encirclement. Furthermore, the Alliance's intelligence network is useful—through them, the court can monitor the martial world's every move. Shen Jiuye privately said: "The court needs us like people need toilets—dirty, but indispensable."
With Wuxiang Temple: "Well water doesn't mix with river water." As an orthodox sect, Wuxiang's stance is naturally opposed to the underworld Alliance. But Wuxiang operates in the Central Plains heartland, while the Alliance operates in the urban underbelly; they rarely clash directly.
Warrior monks occasionally have friction with Alliance disciples during missions. Wuxiang views the Alliance as "society's tumor," while the Alliance views Wuxiang as "the court's lapdogs." Xuanbei publicly states the Alliance should be eradicated, but Duchen is more pragmatic, knowing force won't solve the social issues driving the Alliance's existence.
With Shushan Sect: Almost zero interaction. Shushan focuses on slaying demons and cares little for human crime. The Alliance avoids provoking such a behemoth.
With Liaoyuan Spear Fort: Indirect business relations. The fort needs supplies, and the Alliance's smuggling network bypasses the court blockade to deliver them. Shen Jiuye's attitude is "business is business," keeping out of politics.
With Blood God Sect: Mortal enemies. The Blood God Sect needs massive amounts of living human blood, targeting low-level Alliance disciples and South City refugees. The Alliance has clashed with them repeatedly, suffering heavy casualties. Shen Jiuye once placed a 100,000-silver-tael bounty on any Blood God Sect elder's head.