Around 2021, I started reading a lot of web novels. Some were classic works topping historical rankings on Qidian, others were filler novels I stumbled upon through a random Douyin video, and a few were books I abandoned after only a few chapters.

Perhaps it’s because I’m older now, but some novels took me two or three months to finish, causing anxiety and late-night binge-reading sessions. Others, I followed intermittently for two or three years as they serialized, squeezing out other joys in life. Some I dropped midway because the plot dragged or felt too derivative.

After finishing This Novel Is Very Healthy recently, I haven’t started any new reads.

Especially after diving into several works by the legendary author Chen Dong (Sacred Ruins, Perfect World, Covering the Sky), I’d often catch myself recalling certain plotlines in daily life—though sometimes my memories got jumbled, mixing up elements from different books.

To solve this, I’ve wanted to systematically organize the novels I’ve read. But the task felt too massive, so I never got around to it.

Even this weekend, when I finally had time, the thought of tackling these 6-7 million-word epics made me hesitate.

In the end, I turned to AI to extract the core world-building, characters, cultivation ranks, and storylines.

Fortunately, DeepSeek’s built-in knowledge base is extensive enough to cover most top-ranked novels.

But AI isn’t omnipotent. Most non-popular novels are absent from its database, and even its search function is useless here—it can only scrape a few dozen repetitive pages, helpless against thousands of chapters. I’ll have to fill in the gaps later.

Sacred Ruins – Chen Dong

Sacred Ruins was my first web novel obsession. It was during the mid-pandemic period when I had nothing to do and thought, Why not try reading something online?

Naturally, Sacred Ruins, then ranked #1 among completed works on Qidian, caught my eye.

I didn’t realize it was a sequel to Perfect World and Covering the Sky until around Chapter 1200. As a result, after finishing it, I went back to read those two and then re-read Sacred Ruins.

The whole process took about half a year.

During that time, my mind was filled with the characters and the expansive world-building.

Sacred Ruins starts on Earth, spanning the realms of yin and yang, weaving together Eastern mythology and sci-fi apocalypse. It delivers exhilarating battles—fists shattering stars—while also pondering the rise and fall of civilizations.

The latter half of the book is controversial, likely due to Chen Dong’s health issues at the time, leading to frequent hiatuses. The forced integration with Perfect World and Covering the Sky also created plot holes.

But overall, this gateway novel shattered my long-held biases against web fiction. The vast world-building and intricate cultivation systems left an indelible impression.

Sacred Ruins isn’t just about Chu Feng’s ascent—it’s a philosophical interrogation of evolution’s purpose. When the path itself is a trap set by higher beings, only self-immolation and rewriting the rules can break the cycle. The shattered abyss, blood-stained reincarnation roads, and weeping cosmos compose an elegy for civilizations defying their creators. The unextinguished ember in the stone jar is Chen Dong’s eternal tribute to relentless defiance.

Perfect World – Chen Dong

After Sacred Ruins, I backtracked through Chen Dong’s works in reverse order: Covering the Sky → Perfect World → Sacred Ruins.

I chose Perfect World first because the title was familiar—two college roommates played the Perfect World MMO for four years straight.

But the novel Perfect World is entirely different.

This is a landmark work in Chinese web fiction. The protagonist, Shi Hao (the “Fallen Immortal Emperor”), stands among the most iconic characters in the genre.

“Shi Hao’s life is a tragic epic—from a child drinking beast milk in the wilderness to the solitary sovereign severing eternity. Robbed of his innate bone as a boy, he grasped the truth of ‘using the body as a seed.’ He slaughtered Dark Lords across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths with his ‘Self-Derived Invincibility Technique,’ only to discover, at the peak of the Sacrificial Path, that he was but a variable in a grand scheme. Drifting through time in a bronze coffin, he forged a new dao with the cosmos as his furnace, burning all traces of himself to reverse annihilation—becoming an eternal ember of civilization.”

*(Continued in next section…)*Cutting Off the Shackles of the Old Self: Gaining enlightenment of one’s true nature, undergoing a transformation of the primordial spirit. Philosophical Metaphor: The cultivator begins to break free from the control of the Heavenly Dao.

13. Escape from Unity Realm (Dunyi Realm)
    Seeking vitality within the “escaped one,” deducing the secrets of heaven. Status: The strongest beneath the Supreme, eligible to be called a Domain Lord or Sect Leader.

14. Supreme Realm (Zhizun Realm)
    The pinnacle of the human path, where a single drop of blood can incinerate stars, with a lifespan of a million years. Tragedy: In the era of declining Dharma, immortality is unattainable—even Supremes wither and die.

[Immortal Stage: The Realm of the Immortal Path]

15. True Immortal Realm (Zhenxian Realm)
    The flesh becomes indestructible, the primordial spirit eternal, capable of annihilating entire worlds with a flick of a finger. Limitation: In the chaotic ancient era, the Great Dao is incomplete, requiring nine cycles of reverse living to break through.

16. Immortal King Realm (Xianwang Realm)
    Mastery over time and causality, capable of rewinding the river of history with a single thought. Subdivisions: Ordinary Immortal King → Peak Immortal King → Giant → Supreme Giant → Emperor-Light Immortal King.

17. Quasi-Immortal Emperor (Zhun Xian Di Realm)
    The Emperor’s Flame burns away all karmic ties, transcending the constraints of the river of time. Cost: Requires epochs of accumulation and enduring the erosion of darkness.

18. Immortal Emperor Realm (Xian Di Realm)
    The supreme existence of all heavens, capable of creation and destruction with a single thought. Truth: Even Immortal Emperors can be corrupted by the source of darkness, becoming puppets of the grotesque.

[Ultimate Realm: The Sacrificial Dao]

19. Sacrificial Dao Realm (Jidao Realm)
    Sacrificing all traces of one’s Great Dao, transcending the concepts of rules. Cost: One’s existence is forgotten by all heavens, leaving only an unyielding obsession.

20. Beyond the Sacrificial Dao (Jidao Zhishang)
    The highest realm in Chen Dong’s cosmology, capable of resetting the multiverse and defining new rules. The Only Ones: Shi Hao, Ye Fan, and Chu Feng, who fused the essence of the Sacrificial Dao to touch this realm.

Story Arcs

1. The Wilderness Arc: The Curse and Rebirth of the Supreme Bone (Chapters 1-300)
   The Bone-Stealing Calamity: Shi Hao has his Supreme Bone stolen by his cousin Shi Yi, but is reborn through drinking beast milk in Stone Village under the protection of the Willow Deity, awakening a second bone.
   Fame in the Void God Realm: Shattering extreme records, suppressing the Rain Clan’s prodigies, and exposing Shi Yi’s schemes involving his dual-pupiled eyes.
   Bloody Battle at the Kunpeng Nest: Competing for the legacy of the Ten Fierce, slaying a Venerable at the Cave Heaven Realm, and laying the groundwork for defying the karma of the Upper Realm.
   Deep Foreshadowing: The charred trunk of the Willow Deity hints at the tragedy of the Immortal Ancient War, while the ancestral sacrificial symbols of Stone Village foreshadow the rise of the “Seed Within the Body” path.
   Thematic Hook: The destiny of the Supreme Bone and the wild cultivation of the Primordial True Explanation define the foundation of Shi Hao’s path of defiance.

2. Upper Realm Arc: The Trial of Slaughter Across Three Thousand Provinces (Chapters 300-800)
   Imprisonment by the Celestial Clan: Yun Xi’s family covets Shi Hao’s Thunder Emperor Treasure Technique, but he breaks free using the Six Paths Reincarnation Heavenly Art.
   Immortal Ancient Secret Realm: Amidst the chaos of prodigies vying for dominance, he slays Ning Chuan, annihilates the Immortal Palace’s heir, and refines three strands of Immortal Qi.
   The Fall of the Six Crown King: Killing ancient freaks in the arena, his “Seed Within the Body” system takes shape, shaking the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
   Civilization Metaphor: The hunting games of the Upper Realm’s prodigies are actually a brutal mechanism for dark forces to screen “human elixirs.”

3. Imperial Pass Arc: The Blood and Sin of the Seven Border Kings (Chapters 800-1500)
   The Otherworldly Invasion: Immortal Kings An Lan and Yu Tuo breach the Imperial Pass, staining the Celestial Abyss with Immortal King blood.
   Redemption of the Sinful Bloodline: Bearing the stigma of the Seven Kings’ descendants, Shi Hao, under the name “Huang,” slaughters the Imperial Clan’s Supremes.
   The Elegy of the Ten Fierce: The Heavenly Horned Ant fights to exhaustion, the True Dragon’s heir falls—the final song of the Immortal Ancient’s heroes.
   Epic Climax: Shi Hao fuses the techniques of the Kunpeng, Thunder Emperor, and True Phoenix, among others, forming the embryonic version of his “Self-Transcendence Art.”

4. Darkness Arc: The Burial Earth Plateau and the Truth of the World Sea (Chapters 1500-2000)
   The Corpse Immortal Emperor: The source of darkness is revealed to be the corrupted body of an Immortal Emperor, solving the mystery of the quasi-Immortal Emperor’s footprints from the Fallen Emperor Era.
   The Secret of the Immortal Refining Pot: The Otherworld originates as puppets of darkness, with all worlds serving as experimental cages.
   Severing the Eons Alone: Shi Hao cleaves apart the Perfect World and the Upper Sanctuary with a single sword strike, bearing all karmic backlash alone.
   Philosophical Reflection: The dark substance is revealed to be entropy pollution from a higher dimension, with civilizations struggling like prisoners in a heat-death cage.

5. Sacrificial Dao Arc: The Drifting Bronze Coffin and the Trilogy’s Closure (Chapters 2000-End)
   The Three-World Bronze Coffin: Carrying fragments of Shi Hao’s sealed Perfect World, it becomes the origin of the “Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin” in Shrouding the Heavens.
   Beyond the Upper Sanctuary: The grotesque tribes at the end of the plateau foreshadow the final war in Sacred Ruins.
   Sitting Alone in Eternity: The Heavenly Emperor Shi Hao guards the embankment alone, waiting for Ye Fan and Chu Feng to cross the annals of history to aid him.
   The Spark of Civilization: With blood and bone as sacrifice, Shi Hao nurtures the cultivation system of the Shrouding the Heavens era (the Secret Realm Method) from the ruins.

The ultimate question of Perfect World is not “how to achieve perfection,” but how to protect the perfection in one’s heart amidst utter devastation. Shi Hao’s solitude, the Willow Deity’s rebirth, and the fall of the Ten Fierce collectively embody the tragic beauty of “severing the eons alone”—true perfection lies in the resolve to act despite impossibility, in sacrificing all traces to leave future generations a sliver of hope. The eras swallowed by darkness, the shattered legacies of Immortal Kings, and the bloodstained ruins of the Imperial Pass ultimately forge the sharpest monument to humanity in Chen Dong’s works.

Shrouding the Heavens - Chen Dong

Shrouding the Heavens is considered Chen Dong’s breakthrough work and a milestone in the xianxia genre.

The novel introduced a plethora of innovative concepts, terminology, and world-building that became foundational for later web novels. Elements like “special physiques,” “cultivation systems,” and “cosmology” were widely emulated. Even the protagonist Ye Fan’s name became a template, elevating the surname “Ye” to the pinnacle of web novel naming conventions.

Cosmology

1. Burial Emperor Star (North Dipper Starfield)

   • Eastern Wasteland: Home to the Ji Family (Emperor of Void), the Seven Forbidden Life Zones, and the starting point—the Barren Ruins.
   • Northern Plains: The Wang Family (Emperor of Chaos) practices extreme cold body tempering; the Golden Family lurks here.
   • Western Desert: The Buddhist Mount Sumeru, source of faith power, suppresses the Demonic Sea Eye.
   • Southern Ridge: The Demon Emperor Hall, ancestral land of demons, preserves the Demon Emperor’s Sacred Heart.
   • Central Continent: The Qishi Mansion, cradle of prodigies and the chessboard for five regions’ power struggles.

2. Purple Micro Starfield
   The legacies of the Sun and Moon Emperors are severed, revealing the brutal decline of imperial lineages. Ye Fan obtains the Sun Scripture here, mending the Curse of the Sacred Body.

3. Eternal Starfield
   Treats cultivators as “human elixirs,” combining mechas and evolution fluid in a black-tech system. Ye Fan shatters interstellar warships with his bare body, deconstructing the arrogance of technological civilization.

4. Flying Immortal Starfield
   The chessboard of Emperor Zun and Immortal Emperor Bu Si, where the collapse of the Immortal Path triggers a war among Supreme Beings. Figures like Chuan Ying and the Woodcutter wage bloody battles against Forbidden Zone Supremes.

5. Immortal Realm Fragments
   An incomplete realm of immortality inhabited by descendants of true immortals (e.g., King Pan). Ye Fan refines the fragments with his Mother Qi Cauldron to rebuild the Immortal Realm’s gateway.

6. Strange World
   A layered space independent of the main universe, where Emperor Wu Shi and Immortal Emperor Bu Si confront each other for millions of years. The latter uses Five-Colored Altars to extract imperial Dao laws.

7. Inside the Nine Dragons-Pulled Coffin
   Holds a miniature Immortal Realm, a temporal beacon left by Empress Hun Dan for her “similar flower.” Murals reveal the karmic entanglement between Ye Fan and Empress Hun Dan across eras.

8. Flickering Mars (Mars)
   The ruins of the Great Thunderclap Monastery seal the Crocodile Ancestor in its eighteen hells. The Bodhi Seed sparks Ye Fan’s cultivation awakening. The Martian Sea Eye, where Shakyamuni suppresses the Sacred Body’s Divine Thought, foreshadows the Dark Rebellion.

9. Heavenly Court Ruins
   The mournful tolling of a broken bell and the Heavenly Court insignia on a green bronze fragment intertwine with Ye Fan’s destiny to rebuild the Heavenly Court. The lurking remnants of Emperor Zun’s faction reveal the conspiracies of the Mythical Era.

10. Sacred Cliff
    Emperor Wu Shi’s sealing ground for the Immortal Daoist Bu Si, the ultimate trial site for the “Word Secret.” The zombified golden-furred monster warns of the Sacred Body lineage’s tragic fate.

Cultivation System

Key Characters

1. Ye Fan (Emperor Ye Tian)
   “From an ordinary man in the Nine Dragons-Pulled Coffin to a Mortal Immortal severing the eons—the Curse of the Sacred Body was his pass to defy the heavens.”

2. Empress Hun Dan
   “The Devouring Heaven Vat holds the bones of all beings; the bronze ring locks the cycle of reincarnation. A single ‘similar flower’ bloomed for a million years.”

3. Emperor Wu Shi
   “His back turned to the world, suppressing time itself. The bell at the end of the Immortal Path is his sigh for future generations.”

4. Duan De (Cao Yusheng)
   “Beneath his grave-robbing shovel lie nine reincarnation seals. The fat Daoist’s laughter hides the tears of the Tribulation Transcending Heavenly Venerate.”

5. Black Emperor
   “The chain of imperial weapons in his mouth is Emperor Wu Shi’s legacy. The term ‘human pet’ carries his nostalgia for the Ancient Era.”

6. Jiang Taixu (Divine King)
   “Four thousand years trapped in Purple Mountain couldn’t extinguish the Divine King Physique. A single drop of blood burned out to protect humanity’s flame.”

7. An Miaoyi
   “The lotus of the Wonderful Desire Pavilion withered on the Immortal Path. That lifetime’s love tribulation became a crack in Ye Fan’s Immortal Platform.”

8. Ji Ziyue
   “The Void Bloodline was her shackles, yet the bamboo flute under the moonlight played the Mortal Immortal’s final lullaby.”

9. Gai Jiuyou
   “His ‘Tribulation Transcending Immortal Tune’ echoed across the starry sky. At the peak of Quasi-Emperor, stood an undefeated lone warrior.”

10. Hua Yunfei
    “A pawn of the Devouring Heaven Art, a moth struggling on the strings of a zither. The moonlight of Mount Tai Xuan could never bury him.”

11. Pang Bo
    “The awakening of his demon blood marked the oath before the Green Emperor’s tomb—an anchor of brotherhood spanning the Emperor’s Path.”

12. Li Ruoyu
    “The silent sweeping elder of Dull Peak. Within his Natural Great Dao lies an edge sharper than imperial weapons.”

13. Old Madman
    “The madness of the Heavenly Xuan Sect’s destruction birthed the Six Paths Reincarnation Fist. His howl at the Sacred Body’s grave was the Ancient Era’s final lament.”

14. Victorious Fighting Buddha
    “Buddhist robes couldn’t contain the Holy Ape’s battle blood. On Mount Sumeru, his iron staff still points toward the Undying Mountain.”

15. Xia Jiuyou
    “The ‘Nine Hells Immortal Tune’ couldn’t save her from her own tribulation. Beneath her youthful face lay Gai Jiuyou’s unfinished regrets.”

16. Shaking Light Holy Son
    “The Hundred Scriptures refined in the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron. A puppet of Empress Hun Dan’s legacy finally found himself in chaos.”

17. Golden Crow Great Emperor
    “The most pitiful Great Emperor in history. Only at the end of his tribulation did he realize he was but a stepping stone for Ye Fan’s ascension.”

18. Chuan Ying
    “The longbow of Emperor Zun’s remnants shattered the dreams of Supreme Beings. Deep within the Netherworld lies the final loyalty of the Mythical Era.”

19. Immortal Emperor Bu Si
    “The end of the Immortal Phoenix Bloodline is a bloodstained Five-Colored Heaven-Slaying Blade. The myth of all races’ worship was but a vile hunter’s guise.”

20. Emperor of Void
    “A lifetime of war in the Forbidden Zones. His coffin bore the cracks of the Void Mirror—the backbone of humanity.”

21. Yan Ruyu
    “The destiny of the Demon Emperor’s descendant was to cradle a sacred heart. Where the Green Emperor’s blade pointed, she became her own emperor.”

22. Wang Teng
    “The title ‘Northern Emperor’ crushed the youth. Only when the Chaos Emperor’s Talisman shattered did he understand—prodigies are but sacrificial offerings to conspiracies.”

23. Divine Silkworm Princess
    “The Nine Transformations Divine Silkworm Robe wrapped around ancient vows. Her slumber in the Divine Source awaited the Victorious Fighting Buddha’s return.”

24. Fate-Seeing Master Zhang Lin
    “Amidst the red-furred curse of the Western Emperor’s ruins, the last Fate-Seeing Master burned away the ominous with Netherfire.”

Story Arcs

1. Earth Arc: Awakening in the Cage of Declining Dharma (Chapters 1-50)
   Core Events: Ye Fan and his classmates are drawn into the bronze coffin, crossing to the North Dipper Starfield. The encounter with the Crocodile Ancestor on Mars and the Nine Dragons-Pulled Coffin set the stage.
   Deep Foreshadowing: The “Eighteen Hells” suppressed by the Great Thunderclap Monastery’s plaque metaphorize the logic of Forbidden Life Zones. The Bodhi Seed hints at Ye Fan’s karmic ties with Empress Hun Dan.
   Thematic Hook: The contrast between Earth’s era of declining Dharma and the North Dipper as the cradle of cultivation lays the groundwork for the universality of the “longing for immortality.”

2. North Dipper’s Rise: The Sacred Body’s Curse and Power Struggles (Chapters 50-600)
   Sacred Body’s Tribulation: The heavenly punishment at the Four Extremities Realm—Ye Fan defies fate with the Barren Ruins’ sacred fruits.
   Sect Feuds: The Shaking Light Sect covets the Mother Qi Cauldron; the Ji Family hunts him for leaking Void Techniques.
   Fate-Seeing Calamity: Cutting open Divine Sources unleashes Ancient Royal Clans; the red-furred curse at the Western Emperor’s ruins foretells late-life doom.
   Narrative Significance: Through cycles of pursuit and counter-slaughter, Ye Fan deconstructs the jungle law of “the strong prey on the weak” in the cultivation world.Path of Emperors: A Bloody Saga of the Golden Age (Chapters 600-1200)
   Human Race’s Ancient Path: Supremes like the Overlord Cang Tian Body, Di Tian, and Qing Shi Fairy ambush Ye Fan.
   Eternal Star Domain: A sci-fi cultivation civilization’s “Human Body as Elixir” theory pits Ye Fan’s physical prowess against mecha fleets.
   Path to Immortality: Seven Forbidden Zone Sovereigns (Stone Emperor, Immortal Mausoleum Lord, etc.) awaken, triggering a Dark Turmoil to harvest all life.
   Ensemble Cast: Hua Yunfei and Yao Guang Saint’s “Hundred Scriptures Furnace Plan,” Gai Jiuyou’s quasi-emperor swan song, and Jiang Tai Xu the Divine King’s fall depict the myriad faces of the bloody emperor’s path.

3. Dark Turmoil: The Ultimate Test of Civilization’s Survival (Chapters 1200-1600)
   Shattered Void Mirror: The Ji Family’s ancestor wields an emperor’s weapon to block the Stone Emperor—the mirror’s shattering symbolizes humanity’s broken will to protect.
   Gai Jiuyou’s Sacrifice: At the peak of quasi-emperor strength, he trades his life to wound the Longevity Heavenly Venerate, his “Transcendence Tribulation Melody” echoing across the stars.
   Ye Fan Borrows Power: Merging with the faith of all beings in the Northern Dipper, he transforms into a War Immortal, while the ruthless figure from the Barren Wasteland ends the chaos with a single palm.
   Philosophical Core: Sovereigns prolong their lives by inciting turmoil—a reflection of the cultivation civilization’s uncontrollable backlash against the “Paradox of Immortality.”

4. The Era of the Heavenly Emperor Ye: Loneliness Beyond the Ages (Chapters 1600-2100)
   Defying the Great Dao: Ye Fan breaks the ironclad rule that Sacred Bodies cannot become emperors, suppressing the Golden Crow Emperor.
   Heavenly Court’s Might: Sweeping through the Netherworld and annihilating the Undying Mountain, Forbidden Zone Sovereigns either submit or flee.
   Nine Lifetimes in the Mortal World: Stripping his own cultivation to restart, he runs a small restaurant on a post-apocalyptic Earth to comprehend the path of a Mortal World Immortal.
   Temporal Scheme: The ruthless female emperor’s “Flower of Resemblance” plan spans millions of years, while Wushi turns his back to the world to suppress the Strange Realm—the trio ultimately becomes the menders of the Immortal Domain.

5. The Ultimate Cycle: The Truth Behind the Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin (Chapters 2100-End)
   Three-World Bronze Coffin: Contains a miniature Immortal Realm model left by the Desolate Heavenly Emperor (Shi Hao), repurposed by the ruthless female emperor as a spacetime coordinate.
   Traces of the Pollen Empress: A prelude to Chu Feng’s rise in Sacred Ruins, hinting at the reflection system of all heavens.
   Beyond the Sacrificial Path: The trio burns away their traces to restart the universe, completing the ultimate convergence of Chen Dong’s cosmology.
   Thematic Elevation: The Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin marks both the beginning and the end—all battles ultimately point to the eternal quest of “breaking the dimensional cage.”

The true essence of Zhetian is not Ye Fan’s ascension to emperorhood but a trial of the cultivation civilization’s ultimate dilemma: When immortality-seeking cultivators become the greatest threat to civilization’s survival, only the fusion of mortal world vitality with the immortal path can shatter the eternal cycle. The fallen emperors, blood-stained emperor weapons, and collapsed forbidden zones together compose a Starry Moments of Humanity for the cultivation civilization.

Summary of the Coffin-Pulling Trilogy

Chen Dong constructs an Eastern fantasy universe spanning ancient history and shattered dimensions through Perfect World, Zhetian, and Sacred Ruins. Its spacetime system revolves around “civilizational cycles” and the “dimensional cage,” forming a closed-loop narrative.

Epochal Shifts: The Spiral Staircase of Civilization’s Survival

Spatial Dimensions: Nested Civilization Laboratories

1. Low-Dimensional Cage (Breeding Layer)
   • Nine Heavens and Ten Earths/Lower Realm Eight Domains: The main battleground of the Immortal Ancient and Chaotic Ancient epochs, where Shi Hao rises. Seen as a primary testing ground by the Upper Realm.
   • Earth/Minor Netherworld: A “civilizational sandbox” in an era of dwindling spiritual energy, where Chu Feng awakens and exposes the truth of low-dimensional harvesting.
2. Mid-Dimensional Oversight (Management Zone)
   • Immortal Domain: A broken world of longevity substances, temporarily repaired by the Zhetian trio as a sanctuary.
   • Other Shore/Burial Mound Plateau: Intermediate dimensions corrupted by dark matter, tasked with executing harvests (e.g., the Other Shore’s invasion of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths).
3. High-Dimensional Source (Control Layer)
   • Above the Upper Realm: The ultimate battlefield of Perfect World, the origin of dark matter, a forbidden realm severed by Shi Hao’s sword.
   • Plateau Ancestral Land: The ultimate dimension revealed in Sacred Ruins, where the ten progenitors of the eerie race dwell, transcending spacetime.
4. Trans-Dimensional Vessel (Spark Repository)
   • Three-World Bronze Coffin: Shi Hao’s sealed fragment of the Perfect World → Ye Fan’s Cauldron of All Things → Chu Feng’s Stone Jar, carrying civilization’s spark across epochs.
   • Stone Jar/Pollen Path: The legacy of the Pollen Empress civilization, the only key to breaking eerie corruption.

Core Causality Chain: Artifacts and Figures Across Epochs

1. Nine Dragons Pulling the Coffin
   Origin: Shi Hao’s vessel for sealing the Perfect World fragment (end of Chaotic Ancient) → Ye Fan’s spacetime coordinate for nine lives (Zhetian) → Chu Feng’s tool for transporting the new epoch’s spark (Sacred Ruins finale).
2. Cycle Seal System
   Duan De (Cao Yusheng) links the trilogy through nine reincarnations: follower of Shi Hao in Chaotic Ancient → tomb-raiding path to divinity in Zhetian → awakening memories of the Tribulation Heavenly Venerate in Sacred Ruins.
3. Path of Dark Corruption
   Perfect World: Corpse Immortal Emperor’s corruption → fall of Immortal Ancient.
   Zhetian: Forbidden Zone Sovereigns → Dark Turmoil.
   Sacred Ruins: Plateau Will → eerie race’s blood sacrifices.
4. Trio’s Causal Loop
   Desolate Heavenly Emperor Shi Hao: Pioneers the Secret Realm Method, severs the Upper Realm.
   Heavenly Emperor Ye Fan: Perfects the Secret Realm Method, mends the Immortal Domain.
   Jar Heavenly Emperor Chu Feng: Purifies the Pollen Path, burns his path to restart the world.
   Connection: Ye Fan and Shi Hao confront An Lan across time (Sacred Ruins); the trio battles the Plateau Progenitors (finale).

Ultimate Battles: The Four Stages of Dimensional War

1. Isolation War (Perfect World)
   Shi Hao severs the link between the Perfect World and the Upper Realm, bearing all karma to buy time for future generations.
2. Mending War (Zhetian)
   The trio repairs the Immortal Domain, suppresses the Undying Heavenly Emperor in the Strange Realm, and temporarily halts dark infiltration.
3. Purification War (Sacred Ruins)
   Chu Feng uses the Stone Jar to cleanse the Pollen Path, exposing the trap of the evolution system and breaking the eerie breeding scheme.
4. Restart War (Finale)
   The trio burns their sacrificial bodies, seizing the right to define rules from the Plateau Will to create a corruption-free new universe.

Core Logic of Spacetime

1. Heat Death Metaphor: Dark matter and eerie blood sacrifices represent irreversible entropy increase, while cultivators’ breakthroughs are localized entropy reversals.
2. Civilizational Cycle: Low-dimensional development → high-dimensional harvest → spark escape → new epoch restart, forming a closed loop.
3. Dimensional Supremacy: The Upper Realm/Plateau Will holds absolute rule control over low-dimensional worlds—only those beyond the Sacrificial Path can rewrite the underlying code.

The Ultimate Question of Chen Dong’s Universe

The trilogy explores a brutal yet grand theme: In a universe destined for harvest, does civilization have the right to define its own future?

• Shi Hao answers with the loneliness of severing eternity—even at the cost of eternal solitude.
• Ye Fan proves with mortal world vitality—perfection lies not in immortality but in human traces.
• Chu Feng declares with the Stone Jar’s spark—hope forever hides in the humblest dust.

This is not just the pinnacle of Eastern fantasy but an epic metaphor for the survival struggles of human civilization.

Da Feng Da Geng Ren (Night Watchman of the Great Feng Dynasty) - The Seller of Newspapers

Da Feng Da Geng Ren was another novel I read after finishing Chen Dong’s Coffin-Pulling trilogy, likely right after its serialization ended. Later, I also followed the author’s Spirit Realm Walker on Qidian, though it felt far inferior to Da Feng Da Geng Ren.

Overall, Da Feng Da Geng Ren masterfully blends xianxia, mystery, and the lively atmosphere of the streets, weaving together court intrigue, chivalry, and detective reasoning into a tapestry of a Great Feng Dynasty teeming with both treachery and warmth.

The protagonist, Xu Qi’an, navigates this world with modern thinking and a chivalrous spirit, delivering both the thrill of an underdog’s rise and profound insights into human nature.

The most delightful surprise was the book’s cheeky misuse of countless idioms—though undeniably vulgar, it was undeniably brilliant.

Worldview

Geographical Framework

Centered on the Great Feng Dynasty, surrounded by the Western Regions’ Buddhist Kingdom, Northern Demon Tribes, Southern Border’s Gu Clan, and the Northeastern Witch God Cult, with hidden lands like Penglai Immortal Island scattered overseas. Within the dynasty, provinces and counties sprawl, with the capital as the political heart, while Yunzhou conceals rebellion.

Faction System

1. Court and the Night Watchmen
   • The Great Feng Dynasty mimics Ming bureaucracy, with six ministries and a cabinet, but secretly harbors supernatural forces.
   • The Night Watchmen, directly under the emperor, serve as both a secret police force (like the锦衣卫) and supernatural enforcers, tasked with hunting demons and suppressing dark practitioners.
2. Cultivation System
   • Confucianism: Rooted in “words as law” and moral education, with sages overseeing academies, yet constrained by dynastic fortune.
   • Taoism: Practices the Golden Core Great Dao, split into Heavenly and Human sects, secretly clashing over “Heavenly Dao” vs. “Human Dao” ideals.
   • Buddhism: Cultivates golden bodies and reincarnation secrets, with the Western Regions expanding faith under the guise of salvation.
   • Martial Artists: Aim for physical apotheosis, boasting immense combat power but limited by “unrefined souls.”
   • Other Schools: Witchcraft, alchemy, sword cultivation, etc., each unique—e.g., the Supervisor uses alchemy to manipulate dynastic fortune.
3. Supernatural Forces
   • Transcendent beings (e.g., Witch God, Buddha) seek to devour fortune and break rules, opposing the mortal world.
   • The Northern Guardian King and Wei Yuan collude with cultivation factions, hiding ambitions to overthrow the dynasty.

Core Conflicts

1. Heaven vs. Humanity: The Taoist sects’ ideological clash mirrors the philosophical struggle between “rules” and “humanity.”
2. Fortune Gambit: Dynastic fortune is coveted by many—the Supervisor’s schemes, royal secrets, and the protagonist’s origins intertwine.
3. Modern Thought vs. Ancient Systems: As a transmigrator, Xu Qi’an solves supernatural cases (e.g., the Silver Tax Case, Sangpo Case) with scientific logic, using internet memes to deconstruct politics and satirize feudal flaws.

Unique Mechanics

• Night Watchmen Duties: Night patrols aren’t just about keeping order but involve suppressing spirits and balancing yin-yang—a supernatural core.
• Manifestation of National Fortune: The dynasty’s rise and fall materialize as dragon veins and fortune dragons, tied to the ruler’s virtue and people’s hearts.
• Transcendent Taboos: High-level cultivators face heavenly retribution for direct mortal interference, creating tension between “chessmasters” and “chess pieces.”

The worldview unfolds through case-driven arcs, using investigations to expose factional strife and cultivation to deepen political layers, ultimately debating “the dragon-slayer becoming the dragon” versus “humanity defying heaven.”

Abused Idioms

1. “Arranging Flowers and Fondling Jade” (插花弄玉): From Xu Qi’an’s diary: “Year Huaiqing 2, March 27—Arranging flowers and fondling jade!” Meaning: Dual cultivation with the National Teacher Luo Yujun and the “Flower Goddess” Mu Nanzhi.

2. “Shaded Path” (林荫小道): After returning from slaying demons at Dahuang Mountain, Xu Qi’an tells Song Tingfeng (who laments only visiting pleasure houses): “Even the shaded path you yearn for is covered in morning frost every dawn and dusk.”

3. “Broad Daylight” (光天化日): At Qinglong Temple, Xu Qi’an says to Chu Caiwei while eating vegetarian food: “Lady benefactor, don’t just eat alone—this monk is here to beg alms.” But what he’s begging for isn’t food—it’s “broad daylight.” The simple-minded “foodie” Chu Caiwei doesn’t catch his innuendo.

4. “Imparting All One Knows” (倾囊相授): Xu Qi’an tells his cousin Xu Xinnian about love: “A man’s love for a woman is measured by his willingness to impart all he knows.”

5. “Guan-Bao Friendship” (管鲍之交): After deep exchanges with courtesan Fu Xiang, Xu Qi’an sighs about their “Guan-Bao friendship”—and with other courtesans too.

6. “In-Depth and Simple” (深入浅出): Xu Qi’an tells the eager-to-learn Chu Caiwei: “Alchemy is complex. Verbal explanations won’t suffice—it requires in-depth yet simple teaching to take root.” The “flat-chested beauty” Chu Caiwei misses his vulgar subtext.

7. “Unfathomable” (深不可测): Xu Qi’an describes Princess Huaiqing as “her chest holds chasms, unfathomable.” Early on, he dares not provoke her abyss—later, the abyss only blushes.

8. “Orderly” (井井有条): Xu Qi’an says pleasure houses are “packed with guests, orderly.”

9. “Tight Fit” (严丝合缝): To verify if the deceased palace maid Huang Xiaorou was a virgin, Xu Qi’an has old matrons check for a “tight fit.” Later, he personally inspects female corpses, lamenting: “Though his middle and ring fingers have trekked muddy paths, they’ve never suffered such indignity.”

10. “Preaching and Teaching” (传道授业): Song Tingfeng’s “preaching and teaching” sounds are heard by Xu Qi’an in pleasure houses.

11. “Hit the Nail on the Head” (一针见血): Xu Qi’an scoffs at 14-year-old brides—“breasts unripe, hips unformed, hitting the nail on the head—ridiculous!” Yet pities unwed women in their 20s—“paths unvisited by guests, where to teach flute-playing?—pitiful!”

12. “Illiterate” (目不识丁): Xu Qi’an muses that 25-year-old Huaiqing and slightly younger Lin’an are “illiterate.”

13. “Like-Minded Companions” (同道中人): The book states: “Smoke loosens men’s tongues, money hooks their hearts, but sharing seafood makes you like-minded companions.” Have you shared seafood with like-minded companions?

14. “Warmhearted” (古道热肠): Xu Qi’an describes courtesans—Fu Xiang excels at the qin but shines with the flute; Ming Yan dances peerlessly with a supple body; Xiao Ya is well-read yet “warmhearted.”

15. “Good and Evil Rewarded” (善恶有报): Pleasure-house trio Zhu Guangxiao and Song Tingfeng visit a pleasure house, appearing “eel-hungry for abalone,” utterly satisfied.Speaking Too Frankly Despite a Shallow Friendship
    Xu Qi’an once told his colleagues in the Nightwatch at the Jiaofangsi (Pleasure House): “Lady Fuxiang fell for me because of a poem. But what truly made her unable to leave me wasn’t the poem—it was speaking too frankly despite a shallow friendship.” He added, “In the end, was it possible? Later, I made it happen.”

16. Nine Yin Manual
    The nine top courtesans of the Jiaofangsi all coveted Xu Qi’an’s body. Xu Qi’an sighed inwardly, wondering if they were planning to perform the “Nine Yin Manual” on him. These nine courtesans were all his intimate friends—his “Guan-Bao” companions.

17. A Son Inheriting His Father’s “Business”
    High-ranking officials and nobles frequently took concubines, often with significant age gaps. Once the master died, these concubines had only two choices: either work like maids or attach themselves to the new heir. It was common for sons to inherit their fathers’ concubines.

18. Knowing Each Other Inside Out
    Xu Xinnian studied at the White Deer Academy and often competed in poetry with his classmates. After years together, they might not know each other inside out, but they were well aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Every woman Xu Qi’an had dual-cultivated with knew him inside out.

19. Wielding Spears and Sticks
    The book mentions a princess of the Great Yang Dynasty who, exceptionally talented, ignored arts like music and calligraphy, preferring instead to wield spears and sticks. The author adds in parentheses: “No hidden meaning here—or do you think there is?”

20. Lining the Path to Welcome
    “Whether a woman truly loves a man depends on whether she’s willing to line the path to welcome him.”

21. 69
    To cheer up the “Double-A Beauty” Chu Caiwei, Xu Qi’an accompanied her shopping, buying whatever delicacies she fancied. He mused to himself: “There are 70 ways to please a girl—one is shopping, and the other 69 are… well, you know.”

22. Shen Gongbao
    Xu Qi’an likened the restless urges he couldn’t suppress within himself to “thinking about Shen Gongbao every single day.”

23. Hesitant and Mumbling
    Xu Qi’an earnestly advised his younger cousin, Xu Xinnian: “Erlang, a real man doesn’t hesitate or mumble. Speak your mind directly.”

24. Boys Grow Up to Be Clowns, Girls Grow Up to Be Troublemakers
    When explaining gender differences to the little troublemaker Xu Lingyin, Xu Qi’an kept it simple: “Boys grow up to be clowns, girls grow up to be troublemakers.”

25. Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained
    During a magical duel in the capital with the Duhuo Arhat, the latter warned, “The allure of women is fiercer than a tiger.” Xu Qi’an retorted, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” The Arhat couldn’t refute this simple yet profound truth.

Power System

1. Warrior Path (Physical Ascension)

• 9th to 7th Tier: Bronze Skin and Iron Bones, Strength Beyond a Thousand Pounds
  Representative: Early-stage Xu Qi’an (8th Tier at the start)
• 6th to 4th Tier: Refining Essence into Qi, Blood and Qi Like a Dragon
  Representative: Nan Gong Qianrou (4th Tier, Golden Gong of the Nightwatch)
• 3rd Tier: Indestructible Body, Limb Regeneration
  Representative: Prince Zhenbei (Peak 3rd Tier, Border Warlord)
• 2nd Tier: Merging with Heaven and Earth, Fists That Shake Mountains and Rivers
  Representative: Shen Shu (Buddhist Warrior Monk, Transcendent Physique)
• 1st Tier: Physical Ascension, Unrivaled Combat Power
  Representative: Xu Pingfeng (Son of the First Imperial Astrologer, Dual Cultivator of Warrior and Astrologer Paths)

2. Daoist Path (Golden Core Great Dao)

Heaven Sect (Path of Detachment) / Human Sect (Path of Mortal Desires)

• 9th to 7th Tier: Qi Refining and Foundation Building
• 6th to 4th Tier: Core Formation and Nascent Soul
  Representative: Li Miaozhen (Human Sect Saintess, 4th Tier Golden Core, “Flying Swallow Heroine”)
• 3rd Tier: Yang Spirit Realm (Soul Projection, Traveling a Thousand Miles)
  Representative: Golden Lotus Taoist (Human Sect 3rd Tier, Daoist Leader)
• 2nd Tier: Tribulation Crossing (Tempering Body with Heavenly Lightning)
• 1st Tier: Earthly Immortal (Unity of Heaven and Man)
  Representative: Earth Sect Leader (Demonic 1st Tier, Keeper of the “Merit Book”)

3. Buddhist Path (Samsara Golden Body)

Ranks: Novice → Warrior Monk → Chan Master → Bodhisattva → Buddha

• 4th Tier Chan Master: Words as Law (Partial)
  Representative: Heng Yuan (Warrior Monk of Azure Dragon Temple, 4th Tier “Ascetic Monk”)
• 3rd Tier Arhat: Indestructible Golden Body
  Representative: Duhuo Arhat (Envoy of Western Buddha Kingdom)
• 2nd Tier Bodhisattva: Palm as a Buddha Realm
  Representative: Crystal Bodhisattva (Avatar of Western Buddha)
• 1st Tier Buddha: Transcending Samsara
  Representative: Buddha (Supreme Deity of the West, Seeker of Fortune Devouring)

4. Confucian Path (Words as Law)

Ranks: Scholar → Confucian Disciple → Noble Scholar → Grand Scholar → Sub-Sage → Sage

• 4th Tier Noble Scholar: Tongue as Sword, Words as Blade
  Representative: Zhang Shen (Grand Scholar of White Deer Academy, 4th Tier “Life-Establishing Realm”)
• 3rd Tier Grand Scholar: Enlightening a Region
  Representative: Zhao Shou (Leader of Confucianism, Peak 3rd Tier)
• 2nd Tier Sub-Sage: Words That Shape a Nation’s Fate
• 1st Tier Sage: Words as Divine Edict, Legislating for Heaven
  Representative: First-Gen Sage (Deceased, Left Behind the “Sage’s Engraved Blade”)

5. Astrologer Path (Alchemy/Fortune Manipulation)

Ranks: Apprentice → Qi Practitioner → Star Observer → Fate Master → Imperial Astrologer

• 5th Tier Alchemist: Crafting Magical Artifacts
  Representative: Song Qing (Eccentric Talent of the Astrologer Bureau, Obsessed with “Human Alchemy”)
• 3rd Tier Fate Master: Peering into Heavenly Secrets
  Representative: Xu Pingfeng (Disciple of the First Imperial Astrologer, Mastermind Behind the Scenes)
• 1st Tier Imperial Astrologer: Controlling a Dynasty’s Fortune
  Representative: Imperial Astrologer (Modern Fate Master, Playing the World as a Chessboard)

6. Other Paths

1. Witch Path (Southern Border): Focused on Gu Poison and Toxins
   Representative: Li Na (Saintess of the Power Gu Tribe, Mountain-Shattering Fists)
2. Sword Cultivator Path: Unity of Man and Sword, Severing Karma
   Representative: A Su Luo (Sword Cultivator of the Asura Clan, Later Turned to Buddhism)
3. Demon Path: Bloodline Inheritance, Supreme Physique
   Representative: Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox (Queen of the Ten-Thousand Demon Kingdom, 1st Tier Combat Power)

Transcendent Beings (Beyond Rules)

• Witch God (Northeast): Slumbering Deity, Seeking to Devour Central Plains’ Fortune
• Gu God (Southern Border): Lord of the Abyss, Sealed by the Confucian Sage
• Daoist Ancestor (Heaven Sect): Incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, Indifferent to Mortals

Power Comparison

• 1st Tier: Peak of Each Path, Capable of Destroying a Nation Single-Handedly (e.g., Imperial Astrologer, Buddha)
• Transcendent Beings: Near-Incarnations of the Heavenly Dao, Requiring Collective Mortal Resistance (e.g., Witch God, Gu God)
• Special Existence: Xu Qi’an (Warrior, Buddhist, Confucian Triple Cultivator, Later Merging with Fortune to “Cheat”)

This system ties personal cultivation to the rise and fall of dynasties through “fortune,” creating a grand dynamic where “cultivators vie for national fortune, while emperors balance the factions.”

Main Characters

1. Xu Qi’an
   “A paradox of modern thinking and chivalrous passion, using keyboard politics to unravel schemes and charm to mask loneliness.”
2. Xu Pingfeng (Disciple of the Imperial Astrologer)
   “A cold-blooded chessmaster who murdered his master and stole national fortune, only to be shackled by familial bonds.”
3. Imperial Astrologer
   “A heavenly chessmaster treating mortals as pieces, a dishealed old man skewering candied hawthorns, yet also a guardian deity protecting the nation for six centuries.”
4. Princess Huaiqing
   “A rose of the empire woven from icy authority and patriotic duty, outwitting ministers with her intellect and pointing her sword at the world.”
5. Princess Lin’an
   “A spoiled yet sincere jewel of the royal family, shielding a cunning mind behind naivety.”
6. Li Miaozhen (Flying Swallow Heroine)
   “A rebellious saintess dancing between chivalry and Daoist detachment, ruthless in battle yet falling to mortal desires.”
7. Wei Yuan
   “A tragic loyalist whose devotion was repaid with a corrupt world, a lone minister who trampled the martial world for twenty years, only to perish at Shanhai Pass.”
8. Mu Nan Zhi (Reincarnation of the Flower Goddess)
   “An incarnation of divine beauty who adored mortal life, capturing youthful hearts with a pot of green chrysanthemums.”
9. Shen Shu
   “A mad monk fused of Buddha and demon, challenging heaven with his fists, laughing at mortal folly even with a severed head.”
10. Li Na (Saintess of the Power Gu Tribe)
    “A southern warrior who could topple mountains yet bowed to delicacies, her fists splitting skies and her appetite swallowing seas.”
11. Song Qing (Alchemist of the Astrologer Bureau)
    “A mad scientist obsessed with human alchemy, a zealot preaching ‘Sutures are the art of life.’”
12. Heng Yuan (Warrior Monk of Azure Dragon Temple)
    “A simple exterior hiding burning loyalty, a guardian monk repaying friendship with his life and cleansing Buddha’s name with blood.”
13. Chu Caiwei (Star Observer and Foodie)
    “A naive astrologer whose stomach ruled her life, mastering celestial observation yet descending for grilled fish.”
14. Yang Qianhuan (Disciple of the Astrologer Bureau)
    “The king of pretentious entrances, always seizing the spotlight—only to be humbled by reality.”
    (Iconic line: “Holding the sun and moon, plucking the stars—none in this world compare to me.”)
15. Zhong Li (5th Tier Geomancer)
    “A walking misfortune emitter, a slack-off mascot who surfed gossip waves and turned lightning strikes into occupational hazards.”
16. Chu Yuanzhen (No. 4 of Heaven and Earth Society, Former Top Scholar)
    “A master of humblebragging who traded brush for sword, wielding both blades and savage wisdom to cure martial hypocrisy.”
17. Miao Youfang (Grassroots Hero)
    “A blunt-tongued rebel whose motto was ‘The martial world isn’t about killing—it’s about doing what I damn well please.’”
18. Yuan Protector (Spy of the Ten-Thousand Demon Kingdom)
    “A mind-reading tool forced into service, a social terror whose brutal honesty annihilated gatherings.”
    (Notable scene: Blurting to Wei Yuan, “Lord Wei, isn’t hiding a knife in your pants uncomfortable?”)
19. Wang Zhenwen (Prime Minister)
    “A lone minister bearing infamy to prolong the nation’s life, a poker-faced gambler in politics who died holding the torch before dawn.”
20. Fu Xiang (Top Courtesan of Jiaofangsi)
    “A clear-eyed soul trapped in red dust, weaving schemes with zither notes and parrying blades with tenderness.”
21. Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox (Queen of the Ten-Thousand Demon Kingdom)
    “A fox queen blending allure and dominance, whose catchphrase was ‘I despise love-struck fools’ as she prioritized ambition.”
22. Emperor Yuanjing
    “An obsessive ruler seeking immortality, a thief of national fortune who burned his people as fuel, ultimately abandoned by heaven.”
23. Li Lingsu (Saint Son of Heaven Sect)
    “A playboy’s downfall, hunted by lovers across the world, a comedic Bodhisattva trading looks for power.”

Storyline

“The Grand Secretary’s Nightwatch” weaves a multi-layered narrative of imperial intrigue, mystical battles, and patriotic duty through the thread of crime-solving.

Phase 1: Rise of a Petty Constable (Volumes 1-3)

• Key Events: Tax Silver Case → Sangpo Case → Buddhist Duel → Yunzhou Bandit Crisis
• Plot: Modern detective Xu Qi’an transmigrates into a lowly constable, using investigative skills to solve the tax silver theft, exposing a conspiracy between the Ministry of Revenue’s Vice Minister and the Witch God Cult. Impressed, Wei Yuan recruits him into the Nightwatch. Subsequent cases—Sangpo (a stolen Buddhist artifact) and Prince Zhenbei’s massacre—reveal Emperor Yuanjing’s quest for immortality at the cost of national fortune, drawing Xu Qi’an into a power struggle.
• Character Growth: Xu Qi’an rises from a commoner to Nightwatch Silver Gong, awakening warrior talents and forming bonds with key figures like Li Miaozhen and Huaiqing, setting up dual narratives of court and martial world.

Phase 2: Courtly Storm (Volumes 4-6)

• Key Events: Prince Zhenbei’s Rebellion → Shanhai Pass Campaign → Imperial Astrologer’s Death → Xu Qi’an’s Exile
• Plot: Prince Zhenbei allies with the Witch God Cult, masquerading as barbarians to slaughter civilians for blood pellets. Wei Yuan’s northern campaign ends in pyrrhic victory, unveiling the truth behind the Shanhai Pass battle (the first Imperial Astrologer’s demise). Inheriting Wei Yuan’s will, Xu Qi’an is framed for treason and exiled, rallying martial factions (Heaven and Earth Society) against imperial pursuit.
• Faction Clashes: The Astrologer and Xu Pingfeng’s master-disciple game surfaces, while Buddhist and Witch God forces invade, pushing the dynasty’s fortune to collapse.

Phase 3: Fortune Wars (Volumes 7-9)

• Key Events: Buddhist Invasion → Confucian Sage Statue’s Awakening → Overseas Arc → Transcendent Battles
• Plot: Western Buddhists exploit the “Buddha Child” crisis to infiltrate the Central Plains. Xu Qi’an awakens the Confucian Sage statue to repel Buddha’s avatar, uniting overseas demons (Nine-Tailed Fox) and southern Gu tribes against transcendent foes. The Astrologer is killed by Xu Pingfeng, scattering fortune. Xu Qi’an, empowered by national fortune, ascends to 1st Tier warrior, becoming a new player.
• Worldbuilding: Xu Qi’an’s origins (Xu Pingfeng’s son) and the first Astrologer’s schemes are revealed, highlighting “fortune as shackles” and the ultimate crisis of transcendent gods devouring mortals.

Phase 4: Final Battle (Volume 10 - Conclusion)

• Key Events: Witch God’s Escape → Heavenly Dao War → Slaying Transcendents → World Reforging
• Plot: The freed Witch God, allied with Buddha and Gu God, launches an apocalyptic war. Xu Qi’an fuses warrior physique, Confucian will, and astrologer fortune to slay transcendents with “mortal unity.” The Astrologer’s remnant soul becomes the new Heavenly Dao. Huaiqing ascends as empress, while Xu Qi’an retires with his lovers.
• Theme: Breaking the “dragon-slayer-becomes-dragon” cycle, the story affirms “humanity over heaven,” concluding with a values-driven message: “Cultivate strength, but cultivate heart more.”

Narrative Style

1. Episodic Mysteries, Grand Conspiracies: Each case (e.g., Sangpo, Prince Zhenbei) unlocks larger plots, with foreshadowing meticulously resolved.
2. Wish-Fulfillment with Real-World Critique: Court corruption mirrors bureaucratic decay; “fortune plundering” metaphors resource monopolies.
3. Subverted Tropes, Nuanced Arcs: The flirtatious protagonist hides lonely heroism; the Astrologer’s ruthless schemes mask sacrificial love for mortal joys.

“The Grand Secretary’s Nightwatch” elevates its narrative from “patrolling the night for the people” to “defying fate for all,” blending a nobody’s grit with epoch-shaking grandeur.

“Deep Space Beyond” - Chen Dong

“Deep Space Beyond” is the first of Chen Dong’s novels I’ve followed in real-time, listening to it daily during school runs.

Though unrelated to the “Coffin Trilogy”, its framework feels reminiscent of “Sacred Ruins”’ first 1,000 chapters.

This likely stems from Chen Dong initially not planning to link “Sacred Ruins” with “Perfect World” and “Shrouding the Heavens”. Only after falling ill did he forcibly merge them in “Sacred Ruins”’ later stages.

What stands out in “Deep Space Beyond” is its 95-tier power system—proof of Chen Dong’s mastery, as few could sustain such complexity without collapse.Zone: The universe contains numerous abandoned “Mythic Planets,” with anomalous spatial structures (e.g., gravitational chaos, dimensional folding). These are remnants of ancient battlefields where civilizations once fought against the “Land of Truth.”

7. Mystic Realms and Dimensional Seams
   Inner Landscape: A spiritual realm exclusive to cultivators, existing independently of physical space, where time flows extremely slowly (a century of cultivation inside may equate to mere days in the outside world). However, it requires the consumption of “True Matter” to sustain.
   True Matter Passage: Spatial rifts (e.g., the “Abyss of Heaven”) connecting the surface universe to the Land of Truth. Those who enter are assimilated by higher-dimensional rules, losing their self-awareness.

8. Spatial Collapse and Expansion
   When the tide of supernatural energy ebbs, spatial structures reliant on it (e.g., pocket realms, interstellar teleportation arrays) collapse. During resurgence, the universe’s boundaries expand outward, unveiling new explorable starfields.

9. Higher-Dimensional Domination
   The Land of Truth manipulates time loops (supernatural tides) and spatial rules (dimensional lockdowns), treating surface-universe civilizations as “livestock” to harvest their cultivation achievements for its own sustenance.

10. Time Loops and Free Will
    The protagonist, Wang Xuan, discovers that the rise and fall of all civilizations are predetermined in the “Land of Truth’s” script. He seeks to break the time loop, striving for an unknown future for the universe.

11. The Duality of Reality and Illusion
    The universe humans inhabit is fundamentally a projection of “True Matter,” while the Land of Truth itself is also decaying. The two mirror each other, and ultimate transcendence requires either spatial fusion or separation.

Power System

1. Mortal Stage (Pre-Cultivator)

• Qi Absorption: Sensing cosmic energy to strengthen the body (akin to martial arts’ “Ming Jin”).
• Internal Nourishment: Cycling internal energy to prolong life (akin to “An Jin”/“Hua Jin”).
• Quasi-Grandmaster: Peak physical form, capable of brief supernatural-level combat.
• Grandmaster: Tempered martial will, manifesting spiritual energy (e.g., sword aura projection).
• Great Grandmaster: Half-step into the supernatural, touching the edge of the “Life Soil Secret Realm.”

2. Six Supernatural Realms (Each subdivided into 15 tiers)

Main Characters

1. Wang Xuan (MC): A youth from Old Earth who defies destiny with mortal flesh, carving his own “Path of True Cultivation” in a desolate era of supernatural decay.
2. Zhao Qinghan (FMC): A scion of a corporate dynasty, balancing logic and emotion, using scientific intellect to decode cultivation mysteries—Wang Xuan’s “anchor to humanity.”
3. Fang Yuzhu (Mystic Sage): A survivor of antiquity, dual-souled, embodying both a tragic fugitive of myth and a strategist resisting the Land of Truth.
4. Zhang Daoling (Old Earth Taoist): A seemingly greedy, worldly priest hiding profound wisdom, playfully exposing heavenly falsehoods—the MC’s “guide.”
5. Chen Yongjie (Mechanical Ascendant): A prodigy who uploaded his consciousness into machinery after bodily decay, retaining human warmth in steel—a symbol of “technology-soul symbiosis.”
6. Zhou Yun (Corporate Heir): An arrogant “elite specimen” chasing immortality, reduced to a puppet of capital and conspiracy, awakening through betrayal.
7. Lin Meng (Gene Warrior): A military ace concealing envy for cultivation beneath battle frenzy—a “torn soul” in a perfect body.
8. Zhong Cheng (Archaeologist): A scholar obsessed with myth decryption, whose mortal hands touch taboos, becoming a “civilization decoder” of ancient truths.
9. Calamity Lord (Final Antagonist): A higher-dimensional ruler of the Land of Truth, harvesting civilizations as crops—an emotionless eternal prisoner.
10. Overseer 033 (Henchman): An elegant, cruel executioner toying with lives, embodying higher-dimensional arrogance.
11. Red-Clad Immortal (Ancient Wraith): A desperate soul trapped in ruins, symbolizing the cyclic tragedy of cultivation’s collapse.
12. Yan Qingyan: A tragic guardian bound by blood oaths, imprisoning fragments of the Calamity Lord—a “bloodied epiphyllum” torn between ruin and redemption.
13. Jiang Qingyao: A peerless cultivator who abandoned flesh to become a sword spirit, her ruthless pursuit of Dao ultimately tempered by mortal bonds—the “Lone Swan Sword Immortal.”
14. Yun Shuhe: A starfaring idealist scientist driven mad by quantum attempts to reconstruct cultivation—a “cosmic bard” lost to truth.
15. Shang Yi: A hypocritical immortal of old, masquerading as a savior while harvesting lives—a “stitched monstrosity” of greed and divine hubris.

Plot Summary

1. Phase 1: Old Earth’s Latency
   New Star’s Ambitions: Corporate expeditions plunder Old Earth’s mythic relics. Wang Xuan allies with locals to expose New Star’s “tech-replicated cultivation” scheme.
   Supernatural Truths: Through the Inner Landscape, Wang Xuan discovers cultivation energy is a projection of True Matter—cultivators are but “livestock.”

2. Phase 2: New Star’s Conspiracy
   Interstellar Strife: Wang Xuan enters New Star, entangled in corporate, gene-warrior, and cultivator power struggles, uncovering the “Ember Project”—uploading human consciousness into machines to evade supernatural extinction.
   Ancient Revelations: Mythic figures (e.g., sages, immortals) were failed rebels against the Land of Truth’s harvest.

3. Phase 3: The Source of Supernatural
   Land of Truth: The “Distant Shore of Deep Space” is a lab of higher beings (e.g., Calamity Lords) who harvest civilizations via “supernatural tides” to sustain themselves.
   Wang Xuan’s Rebellion: Forging a unique “Life Soil-Inner Landscape-Outer Cosmos” path, he generates supernatural energy internally, defying the system.

4. Phase 4: Final Confrontation
   Ember of Resistance: Wang Xuan unites Old and New Star rebels, reshaping human evolution with True Matter to reject being “nutrients.”
   Shattering the Cycle: Facing the Calamity Lord, he exposes the supernatural tide as a ruse masking the Land of Truth’s decay, ending the harvest with mortal defiance.

Deep Space Beyond’s spacetime concept—multidimensional nesting, reality-illusion interplay, cyclical fate—retains the “cosmic grandeur” typical of Chen Dong’s works while reinventing xianxia logic with sci-fi thinking. This framework not only drives suspense (e.g., supernatural extinction) but probes philosophy: Can free will break predestined spacetime?

Simulating the Path of Immortality in the Chat Group - Nen Ling Ru Meng

A novel I stumbled upon via a TikTok clip—my first “golden finger” (cheat ability) genre entry.

Set in a Chinese xianxia-inspired multiverse, it follows Wang Ping, who joins a mysterious transmigrators’ chat group, unlocking a “Life Simulator” to navigate perilous worlds.

The power system borrows heavily from Chen Dong (inevitably—his frameworks are peerless). Character names also echo his style (e.g., Ye Chen, Ji Bingyan).

Worldbuilding & Power Tiers

1. Purple Spirit Realm: Body Tempering (Muscle, Skin, Bone, Meridians, Organs), Postnatal, Innate, Spirit Origin, Transcendent Realms (Spirit Sea, Spirit Embryo, Spirit Nurturing), Mystic Core, Yin-Yang, Life-Death, Nirvana, King, Emperor.
2. Upper Realm: Divine Realms (Pseudo-God, True God, Divine Monarch). Sage Realms (Sage, Sage King, Great Sage). Dao Attainment (Supreme, Quasi-Emperor, Emperor).
3. Immortal Domain: True Immortal, Mystic Immortal, Immortal King, Immortal Emperor.

Core Mechanics

• Transmigrator Chat Group: Members randomly jump worlds with unique golden fingers—but mortality is high.
• Life Simulator: Wang Ping’s cheat lets him preview futures to avoid pitfalls, stacking OP talents (e.g., “Gold: Sacred Body,” “Rainbow: Spacetime Dao Body”).
• Progression: From Skin Tempering to cosmic supremacy via simulated lives and resource farming (e.g., Spirit Grass).
• Group Dynamics: Allies like the unlucky “wealth beacon” Ye Chen and the “weirdness buster” Lin Yuanyuan add depth.

Notable Characters

1. Wang Ping (MC): An ordinary transmigrator turned “cheat overlord” via simulation spam.
2. Ye Chen: A walking tragedy whose misfortunes inexplicably benefit the MC.
3. Lin Yuanyuan: Starts weak but evolves into a key ally against supernatural threats.
4. Bai Tianhong: A sword prodigy recurring in simulations.
5. Cai Yonglong: A good-natured early carry, often “exploited” by the MC.

Great Sage Returns: I, Sun Wukong, Swear to Slay All Gods - Destiny Mayfly

Another TikTok find—this one reimagines Journey to the West with a dark twist: the Six-Eared Macaque replaced Sun Wukong, who remains imprisoned.

The cosmology layers Earth, Divine Realm, and hinted Immortal Realm, weaving Daoist pantheon lore (e.g., Jade Emperor, Erlang Shen) into a fresh mythos.

(Note: Limited AI coverage; manual synopsis abbreviated.)

Spiritual Realm Walker - Newspaper Seller

A follow-up to Night Watch of the Great Wind, but (disappointingly) fails to match its predecessor’s caliber.

Joy of Life - Mao Ni

A free Startorial grab. The political intrigue dragged midway—will revisit if completed.

Tang Dynasty’s Ultimate Crown Prince - Brother Bao

A TikTok-fueled time-travel romp where the MC, grandson of Li Shimin (Tang Taizong), rewrites history. Abandoned after 200+ chapters as the plot IQ plummeted.

The Qin Emperor Hears My Thoughts - Diviner Shen

Another TikTok time-travel bait—modern man in ancient Qin. Suffers the same mid-story nosedive as most in the genre.

This Novel Is Healthy - Canglan Waves

A TikTok rec that held me to completion. The MC, an author in a post-apocalyptic world, “writes” historical figures into reality (e.g., Three Kingdoms heroes) powered by reader engagement.

Worldbuilding:

• Perfect/Great/Central/Minor Worlds: A literary cultivation universe where creativity = combat strength.
• Tech vs. Humanity: Explores civilization’s fragility through rewritten history (e.g., Romance of Three Kingdoms 2.0).

Weakens in later arcs (blame Song Dynasty’s lackluster source material), but a standout blend of xianxia and metafiction.

*(Summaries truncated for brevity; some titles lack AI coverage.)*Grinding.

Boundless Night – Chen Dong

This is Chen Dong’s new book from last year. I only read the first hundred or so chapters and couldn’t endure the slow pace of daily updates, so I’ll wait until it’s fully completed before picking it up again.

Lord of the Mysteries – The Plagiarist

I bought this during Qidian’s event the year before last but only read the first few dozen chapters. The character names felt too convoluted, and I haven’t mustered the patience to continue yet.

There are also two more books I read in EPUB format on my computer, but I can’t recall their titles right now. I’ll mention them later if I remember.