Seven years ago, Dugu Nian was imprisoned beneath the Seven Stars Tower, where, apart from him, four other criminals of extreme infamy were also held captive.
These four had been detained in the Seven Stars Tower for over fifteen hundred years; they were highly esteemed powerhouses from the three sects, only detained because of the atrocities they had committed, acts which the sects could no longer tolerate.
Originally, when Fang Lin shattered the Seven Stars Tower with his life on the line, not only did he release Dugu Nian but also set those four criminals of the three sects free.
Now, these criminals donned masks signifying their status as envoys of the Sky Swallowing Palace, becoming subordinates under Dugu Nian's command—they were the four mask wearers led by the Snake Mask Man.
As for why they would become Dugu Nian's subordinates, why they would join the Sky Swallowing Palace, and why they would follow Dugu Nian's commands, those reasons were known only to them.
