# Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy (九州·海上牧云记)
**Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy** (九州·海上牧云记, *Jiu Zhou · Hai Shang Mu Yun Ji*) is a 75-episode Chinese fantasy television series directed by Cao Dun, adapted from Jin He Zai's novel of the same name and set in the fictional Novoland universe. It streamed on iQiyi, [Tencent Video](https://www.edgepedia.org/tencent-video), and Youku from 21 November 2017 to January 2018.[1](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy) • [2](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original title | 九州·海上牧云记 (Jiu Zhou · Hai Shang Mu Yun Ji)[1](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy) |
| Episodes / run | 75 episodes, 21 November 2017 to January 2018, on iQiyi, Tencent, and Youku[1](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy) |
| Source | Novel of the same name by Jin He Zai (今何在)[2](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/) |
| Director / writers | Cao Dun; screenplay by Cao Dun, Wei Jingna, Tian Yanjuan, and Jin He Zai[2](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/) |
| Production scale | Investment over 300 million yuan; two years from preparation to wrap; up to 1,000 crew; over 12,000 prop weapons[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html) |
| Main cast | Huang Xuan (Muyun Sheng), Shawn Dou (Muru Hanjiang), Zhou Yiwei (Shuofeng Heye), Xu Lu (Su Yuning), Janice Man (Panxi)[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy) |
| Reception | Douban rating held above 8; views passed 4 billion within weeks of launch, alongside criticism of slow pacing and heavy flashbacks[5](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1213/c40606-29702569.html) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The story is set in the Novoland (九州) fantasy world during the twilight of the Duan Dynasty, whose ruling Muyun family is protected by the loyal Muru family of generals. An imperial astrologer delivers three prophecies: the sixth prince Muyun Sheng will bring chaos to the realm when he takes the imperial sword; Muru Hanjiang, third son of the Muru house, will one day seize the throne from the Muyun; and Shuofeng Heye, born of the eight tribes of Hanzhou, will draw the Iron King's sword and unite the nine provinces.[6](https://www.hulu.jp/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy)
Each prophecy shapes a life. Muyun Sheng, born to a spirit mother, is confined in the palace by his father, Emperor Ming, and becomes captivated by Panxi, a spirit locked inside an ancient painting, with whom he promises to seek the most beautiful places in the world. Muru Hanjiang is cast out onto the streets by his own father. Shuofeng Heye's tribe is destroyed by the Muru cavalry, and he grows from a narrow avenger into a claimant to the title of Iron King over both sea and land.[6](https://www.hulu.jp/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy) • [7](https://www.ctpia.com.cn/index/Activi/czhddetailseriesdetail/id/529.html)
The plot turns on the collapse of the alliance between the two great families. The eight tribes of Hanzhou, vassals of the Duan Dynasty, rebel and are crushed by the Muru iron cavalry; years later Shuofeng Heye defeats the Muru family, which the emperor exiles, and the Muyun and Muru houses turn against each other. When the tribal army reaches the capital, the only figure who can save the dynasty is Muru Hanjiang.[7](https://www.ctpia.com.cn/index/Activi/czhddetailseriesdetail/id/529.html) Around the three men, the female leads carry their own threads: Su Yuning, prophesied to become Muyun Sheng's empress though her heart belongs elsewhere; Panxi, the spirit in the pearl; and the warrior princess Muyun Yanshuang.[1](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy)
## Production
The series was produced by Novoland International Cultural Communication Ltd. (九州梦工厂) with NetEase Film and TV, with producers Wang Heran and Liang Chao.[2](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/) • [7](https://www.ctpia.com.cn/index/Activi/czhddetailseriesdetail/id/529.html) Reported production figures were unusually large for Chinese television at the time: investment exceeding 300 million yuan, two years from preparation to the end of shooting, a crew that peaked at about 1,000 people, more than 50,000 credited performer appearances, 60,000 square meters of set dressing, and over 12,000 weapons.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html) Early trailers drew praise for costume and production standards compared with feature films.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html)
The source novel is short relative to the series: the roughly 270,000-character book was expanded to many more episodes, with substantial additions of characters and scenes.[8](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml)
## Broadcast history and the Hunan TV rejection
The series was originally slated for Hunan TV, but the station did not air it, and reports of a "returned tape" (退片) circulated before the drama premiered online instead.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html) Director Cao Dun said the original 40-episode story had been expanded to 80 episodes at investors' insistence, and industry sources reported that Hunan TV had repeatedly asked for a re-edit without agreement.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html) Producer Liang Chao gave a different account, saying post-production took so long that the series missed its delivery window for television, and that the drama suited younger audiences on new-media platforms anyway.[8](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml)
Novelist Jin He Zai, the original author, offered a third explanation on Weibo: the first eight episodes follow the characters as youths, with the adult leads appearing only afterward, and in a market where a channel's first-day ratings decide a purchase, no station dared keep the slow opening.[9](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1127/c40606-29668452.html)
## Reception
Audience response was sharply divided. The Douban rating stayed above 8, and viewers praised the detailed world-building, refined cinematography, and careful costumes, props, and makeup; some called it a "Chinese *A Song of Ice and Fire*". The main complaints targeted pacing and editing: long stretches of flashback, uneven narrative rhythm, and disconnected scene switches, summarized in viewer quips such as "only Muyun, no sea" and "only flashbacks, no progress". Some viewers suspected the 75-episode length of padding.[5](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1213/c40606-29702569.html) • [8](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml)
The creators defended the structure. Liang Chao said the many flashbacks were meant to help viewers absorb the vast Novoland setting and its peoples, comparing the layered setup to *A Song of Ice and Fire*, and acknowledged that the approach could not match every viewer's reading habits. Cao Dun said he had been "too greedy" in giving minor characters substantial scenes, and that flashbacks were included for viewers joining mid-run.[8](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml)
Commercially, the drama passed 3 billion views within two weeks of launch across iQiyi, Tencent, and Youku, and passed 4 billion shortly after.[8](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml) • [5](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1213/c40606-29702569.html) The final episode aired in January 2018; DramaWiki lists the broadcast period as ending 5 January 2018, while TVmaze and Moviefone list the last episode on 11 January 2018.[1](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy) • [10](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/33464/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-the-prophecy)
## The Novoland setting
Novoland is a shared fictional universe created in 2001 by seven online writers including Jiang Nan and Jin He Zai. Over the following decade it grew into more than forty novels and over a thousand shorter works, described by Jiemian News as China's largest and most completely designed fantasy IP group. Screen adaptations from the universe, including *Novoland: Castle in the Sky* and *L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties* era projects such as *Jingzhu*, had underperformed in ratings and reputation before this series, a pattern the article attributed to Chinese production capacity not yet matching the demands of fantasy rather than to the IP itself.[3](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html)
## Cast
The principal cast includes [Huang Xuan](https://www.edgepedia.org/huang-xuan) as Muyun Sheng, Shawn Dou as Muru Hanjiang, Zhou Yiwei as Shuofeng Heye, Xu Lu as Su Yuning, Janice Man as Panxi, Karlina Zhang as Muyun Yanshuang, Jiang Qinqin as Nanku Mingyi, Wan Qian as Nanku Yueli, and Wang Qianyuan as Muyun Luan.[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy) • [2](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/)
## References
1. [Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy, DramaWiki](https://wiki.d-addicts.com/Tribes_and_Empires%3A_Storm_of_Prophecy)
2. [Tribes and Empires: Storm of Prophecy, CPOP HOME](https://www.cpophome.com/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy-huang-xuan-shawn-dou-zhou-yiwei/)
3. [《海上牧云记》被退片，"九州"IP改编的作品为何处境尴尬？, Jiemian News](https://www.jiemian.com/article/1729199.html)
4. [九州·海上牧云记, TheTVDB](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy)
5. [《海上牧云记》褒贬不一 制片人回应观众"吐槽", People's Daily Online](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1213/c40606-29702569.html)
6. [海上牧雲記 ～3つの予言と王朝の謎, Hulu Japan](https://www.hulu.jp/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-prophecy)
7. [《九州·海上牧云记》, 中国电视剧制作产业协会](https://www.ctpia.com.cn/index/Activi/czhddetailseriesdetail/id/529.html)
8. [《海上牧云记》大量闪回为照顾观众 成最大槽点, 中新网/北京晨报](https://www.chinanews.com/yl/2017/12-06/8393917.shtml)
9. [北青报：收视率就是命？该死的"第一天"定生死, People's Daily Online](https://media.people.com.cn/n1/2017/1127/c40606-29668452.html)
10. [Tribes and Empires: Storm of the Prophecy, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/33464/tribes-and-empires-storm-of-the-prophecy)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › East Asian web and streaming serials › Titles Sp to Z*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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