Songshan Sect
Leader of the Six Great Sects of the Central Plains. The drained its vitality, and afterwards the rose. Monks and abbots of temples across the land returned to lay life, changed faiths, or left their temples to wander, and temples whose incense burned thin were abandoned, everywhere alike.
Songshan is split into the Henan Main Temple (Northern Temple) and the Fujian Branch Temple (Southern Temple). Both practice Buddhism, but since their founding they have each gone their own way, never crossing into one another's waters. Yet Jianghu folk often lump them together, thinking them one and the same. In the Supreme Bliss Cult war the Main Temple gave its life for righteousness, while the Fujian Branch Temple did little but still basked in much of the Main Temple's glory.
Fujian Songshan is rich, Henan Songshan is poor. The Henan Main Temple is held by the Jin people, its precious halls destroyed, and to this day it still raises funds to rebuild. Some even argue that Fujian Songshan is the true Songshan Sect of the Song Kingdom, and that Henan Songshan should long since have ceased to be honored as leader of the Six Great Sects.
Songshan Martial Arts
Songshan is the wellspring of the world's martial arts. The Golden Bell Cover, Lion's Roar Skill, Tendon-Changing Classic, Eagle Claw Hand, Vajra Leg, Iron Sand Palm and more are all famous peerless arts. But today Songshan's martial arts have scattered all over the Jianghu, and those with the luck can buy them at a roadside stall.
If one asks which is the mightiest, there is only the Four Supreme Techniques of All Time, the body-breaking formless energy force, the Songshan Sect's secret art, the "Vajra Divine Spear Finger." It is only that the Songshan Sect was overthrown in the Supreme Bliss Cult war twenty years ago. Whether this art is lost or not, or whether it ever truly existed, opinions differ; like the Kongtong Sword-Riding Technique it is a legend of the Jianghu, and most in the world today do not believe it. For that reason most people hold the Nayuta Calamity Finger to be the supreme martial art.
Beggar Sect Gang Leader Wang Erzhuang is a lay disciple of Songshan and heir of Master Chunmian. He mastered the Vajra Divine Spear Finger, and at the decisive battle of Jiangling one finger persuaded Rui Sheng to withdraw. of Woyun Ridge also once pierced through Gang Leader Shi's body-protecting Hard Qigong in a single blow, though in truth he used the Hidden Weapon "Formless Arrow."
Inner Demon of the Southern Temple
Many years ago, Shi Ming was a virtuous high monk who at a young age took charge of the Southern Temple of Songshan as Abbot. Out of a moment's compassion he sheltered an enemy of the Tang Clan, which provoked Tang Zhongling to pound on the temple gate dozens of times from outside. That night thunder and lightning came together, and with every flash the figures outside the window were cast in the shape of devils.
The monks all said evil spirits had descended and chanted scripture in unison. The Sect Leader's temperament was perverse, yet he revered monks and Buddha exceedingly and never ceased his chanting. He (Tang Zhongling) said not a word, and did not leave until dawn.
That day not one monk in the temple was free of an Inner Demon, and Shi Ming was no exception. He returned the Abbot's robe and Zen staff, renounced his post, and went out into the world to spread the Dharma. Yet in the blink of an eye decades passed and he still could not shake the nightmare. Instead, out of fear, evil thoughts grew in him, and he schemed with all his heart to destroy the Tang Clan.
Eighteen Bronze Men
"We eighteen are the most arduous journey of your lives!"
The Eighteen Bronze Men Luohan Formation, each man with a staff, forms up in front. Monks cannot walk out of the Wooden Man Alley, laymen cannot enter the Luohan Hall.
On the Western Wulin route, if Fu Yun's Affinity is 2★, the Songshan Eighteen Bronze Men appear. Each of the Eighteen Bronze Men excels with a different weapon: blade, spear, staff, sword, shovel. Fu Yun uses his mouth, and his mouth can move mountains and rivers; he is formidable indeed.
These golden monks do not kill, but their blows can hardly be called merciful. When all eighteen martial arts are visited upon your own body, you know these golden bald donkeys are truly not to be trifled with. Even one without an Inner Demon can be beaten into having one, and Songshan Disciples tremble at the mere mention of the Wooden Man Alley.
The Gold Lacquer is painted on to bolster courage and keep up appearances.