The Founder of Diabolism

Description

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As the grandmaster of demonic cultivation, Wei Wuxian roamed the world, hated by millions for committing acts of necromancy. Overthrown by the powerful clans he had attempted to subjugate, Wei Wuxian is supposedly killed by his shidi in order to save the cultivation world.

Restored to life in the body of Mo Xuanyu, the local cut-sleeve lunatic, in order to exact revenge on his abusive relatives, Wei Wuxian quickly finds himself spiralling back into his old life when he’s taken away by the cold-hearted, stern, and ultimately quite boring Lan Wangji – who might be harbouring warmer feelings than contempt. Perhaps of the…romantic kind?

But despite his new beginning, Wei Wuxian begins to unravel a decade and a half long mystery that is set to undo the very fabric of the cultivation world as they know it.

A mysterious, action-packed thriller of a ride, this is a journey you won’t want to miss!

Associated Names
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Related Series
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Recommendations
Heaven Official’s Blessing (27)
The Scum Villain’s Self-Saving System (25)
The Reader and Protagonist Definitely Have to Be in True Love (13)
Every Day the Protagonist Wants to Capture Me (10)
The Legendary Master’s Wife (9)
Pulling Together a Villain Reformation Strategy (9)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Highly Recommended Danmeis (Best Reads!)
  2. BL + GL
  3. Read it
  4. Plan to read
  5. "Vamos partilhar a vida boa juntos"

Latest Release

Date Group Release
02/06/24 Glows Flower Love c6
02/06/24 Glows Flower Love c5
02/06/24 Glows Flower Love c4
02/04/24 Glows Flower Love c3
02/02/24 Glows Flower Love c2
02/02/24 Glows Flower Love c1
05/23/17 enxiao c11
05/13/17 enxiao c10
04/26/17 enxiao c9
03/26/17 enxiao c8
02/28/17 enxiao c7
02/04/17 enxiao c6
01/23/17 enxiao c5
01/15/17 enxiao c4
01/08/17 enxiao c3
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540 Reviews sorted by


New Bl_23 rated it
March 28, 2024
Status: --
I really love this story I swear I watched and read every version of this and the MC is just so badass in one of the arc and I really like the MC personality like how much he can sacrifice for other's and the relationship between the MC and his partner is bitter and sweet but I love it so much.
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Mang_kott
New Mang_kott rated it
March 27, 2024
Status: c120
MDZS is a leap up from Scum Villain (and I say that as a Scum Villain Apologist). It houses a complex and well fleshed out universe, with a intriguing, although somewhat complicated at points, plot and three dimensional characters. MXTX's writing style improves greatly from Scum Villain, as well as her ability to create filled out side characters, alongside a solid main cast. The plot advances in an engaging although not always linear manner, with more plot twits than you can shake Bichen at.

Highly recommend MDSZ for any xianxia/cultivation fans,... more>> fans of her other works, or any of the novel's various adaptations, or, anyone simply looking for a satisfying fantasy escape (bonus points if you're interested in solving mysteries or have past experiences questioning corpses and spirits (walking and otherwise) !!) <<less
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Aniise
Aniise rated it
September 7, 2016
Status: c30
I'm the translator and here's why I picked up this novel.

It's really, really, good and this isn't an exaggeration. Chinese fans have called it an epic and even if you aren't into bl, the story is mainly an action-adventure xianxia story. First, think of a detective story, then throw in xianxia elements like flesh-eating ghosts, undead, spirit haunting and you've got The Founder of Diabolism.

The story starts off with a bang as readers are immediately thrown into a case of "What's killing off everyone?" in chapter 2. I mean I... more>> came for the pretty boys but I stayed for the plot holy shit. The author doesn't waste her words, yet each chapter no matter the word count feels jam-packed with content and action.

The main character, Wei Wu Xian is a hilariously shameless guy who takes things as they come. He's in the body of a homos*xual guy who everyone sees as crazy? Ok, I'll be shamelessly gay and chase my pursuers away by throwing myself at them! Think the MC of The King's Avatar or Legend of Sun Knight. He's so blatant and shameless at times I feel like he isn't even putting in effort to concealing his past hated identity, which makes for HILARIOUS one liners. An important thing to note is that none of the cast are idiots. If we, the readers can see something, they definitely can. This shows the effort the author put into developing each character. This isn't one of those reincarnation wank stories. It's an adventure, and the MC has to work for what he wants.

As the story progresses, the author reveals to us his backstory and connections to the rest of the main cast. It will tear your heart out. As the MC is a take-it-easy guy, we as the readers see emotional connections that the cast has with him that HE DOES NOT SEE. You will cry alot, and you will also laugh alot. (Cus HE'S A LITTLE sh*t WITH NO SHAME.)

The romance is natural and not forced at all, seriously, I feel a sense of frustration at how slow things are going. (As a bl-lover haha!) BUT THATS NOT THE CASE! Within the first 20 chapters the love interest is already a mainstay in the story, there is no useless wasting of time in this novel. By chapter 10 alot of plot relevant characters have already been introduced, its a beautifully paced novel, and you won't even feel it.

If you've read The Legendary Master's Wife, another xianxia adventure focused bl story, the bl is even less un-intrusive than that. Seriously they don't even confess till damn late. I urge you to give it a try, this novel leaves no regrets and only tears.

For those BL fans who want to know the exact stage of how fast the relationship progresses here you go:
Spoiler

Around chapter 10 we see their super cute past. After this flashback they basically go alone, the both of them together on a ghost hunt. Hashtag couple goals with cute worrying about injuries and everything. They bang in the last few chapters and only confess like 90% into the novel.

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For BL fans who don't want to know the above but want to know how the love interest is like, here you go:
Spoiler

He is elsa, tsundere ice king. DAMN CUTE. He used to be those stuck up, up and coming pride of the clan cultivator. (His sect is super strict and rigid.) Then Wei WuXian crashes into his life in a study exchange programme and annoys the heck out of him. The hall monitor he is can't STAND the MC. Yet after towards the reborn MC, he is super tolerant. It gets a bit heartbreaking when we see clues all around that he missed the MC very very dearly.

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K.san
K.san rated it
June 21, 2017
Status: Completed
---Review Update---

Here are a few more specific details in regards to why I give this novel a 5/5 and a response to some confusion.

A lot of people have been concerned about the number of flashbacks in this story. Well, all I can say is that you'll end up loving the flashbacks more than the present. The flashbacks tell stories of when they were still young, when none of that awful sh*t happened, when the world was much simpler. The point of this novel is not only to find out the... more>> mysteries of the present time but also about uncovering the MC's past. How exactly did the MC die? Why did he die? Why was he revived? Why is the ML suddenly so nice to him? And before you say "oh the novel already said that so-and-so killed him", let me tell you that things are not what they may seem. This is not the average xianxia novel. It's just not. It's set in a cultivational world, yes, but the plot is very, very different from the "MC reincarnates with a ton of golden fingers and sets off to be the man at the top of the world" type, which is how most xianxia novels proceed. It starts with the MC already at the top but having fallen down. And it's not about getting back up or seeking revenge. It's about uncovering truths, mending relationships, and that one final opportunity to be what they could've been when they were young. In the first smut, the MC thinks to himself, "... I can't believe it. Why the f*ck did I not do this with Lan Zhan when we were fifteen?"

Speaking of Lan Zhan, people are also confused about the number of names, aren't they? There are three names for each person because it is part of Ancient China's tradition, not just because the author wants to confuse the readers. Each name holds a significant meaning in the personality and life of the character. The birth name is similar to a nickname, what their parent gave them at birth and what close friends call them by. The common name is the name most people call them by, given to them at coming-of-age. The title is one that they name themselves, what people use to indicate respect. I am a hundred percent certain that these have been explained in the translations already.

This novel is not a light read. I would argue that most of the BL novels translated into English are relatively light reads, with cute moe-blob ukes and domineering semes having a fluffy, loving relationship together (correct me if I'm wrong), but this is not the case. When all of you click on this novel, you're probably expecting a quick read with characters that are quickly introduced and a romance that starts in the early stages. You're probably expecting to fangirl all over how cute the couple is the second they appear. You're probably expecting something to read before you sleep to dream about rainbow unicorns. Well, that's not what you're going to get—you're getting something way better. Why else did you think this is the number one trending BL in China? Just because it's cute? Of course, it's extremely cute, but that's not all there is to it. People are not what they seem—that's the one single thing you should keep in mind as you read.

Lastly, I do have to make this clear—the author does not like it when either the MC or the ML is shipped with other characters or "reversed". She has explicitly stated that "everyone can like and write whatever they want, as long as the main ship is not separated or reversed". So, there.

---Original Review---

First of all, I know that some people read yaoi/boy's love just because of the smutty parts, but for FoD/GoDC, there are none. From Chapter 1 all the way to the ending, they don't do anything more than holding hands and kissing. Sure, the uke teases the seme a lot about doing all sorts of things, but nothing more than that happens, until...

The few awesome "extras" that the author wrote, at the end of the story.

If anyone ever considers dropping this novel because there are no hot scenes, don't worry and please wait until the end. The author's smut writing skills are one of the best that I've seen (I personally prefer it over LMW). The only thing I'm hoping for is that the new translator doesn't drop out halfway and end up not translating the last few chapters.

Story-wise, I have to say that the plot is awesome. Aside from the confusion of all the characters, and not to mention that all of the characters have two names, and also how a bunch of them have the same surnames, everything is great. It is unusual for yaoi/bl novels to have such an intriguing plot. I am the type of reader who gets bored of ultra-deep or super-simple plots quickly, but I really enjoyed this one and made it through without any trouble. There is an appropriate suspense-versus-romance ratio, if you know what I mean. Everything is flushed out smoothly, with a storyline that is clear and easy to follow, which is especially important for stories that involve reincarnation. The romantic development is slow, but it's gonna compel you to read more and more, trust me on that one.

As for characters, I love all of them. From the main character, to the main lover, to the "big-bads", there is a part to love about every single character (except for one, which I believe everyone hates). The MC, Wei WuXian, isn't the typical yaoi/bl uke. He is hilariously shameless, independent, and strong enough to protect his seme, which results in a very power-balanced relationship. And, no, he's not the type who blushes as the seme hits him with a kabe-don. He's the type to kabe-don and flirt with the seme, but eventually gets it hard (-wink-). The seme, on the other hand, is more of a distant, cool type. Although this sounds stereotypical, Lan WangJi, the seme here, actually blushes. That's right. A seme who does both blushing (especially in his cute teenage years) and giving it hard. Everything about these two is just so cute. The way they interact with each other brings tears to my eyes, like seriously—why is my relationship not like this? Or, more like, why am I still single??

Another thing to take into consideration is that, yes, FoD/GoDC is getting an anime and, according to rumors, a movie/drama as well. Lucky for us, the movie will be done by the same studio that did The King's Avatar, with the awesome art, similar voice actors, and such. Because it is an anime format and the control on anime is quite loose compared to other media, it will probably involve the boy's love parts (but most likely not the *cough* at the end). However, if they make a movie/drama, they are probably going to make it a bromance (the drama for Addicted was the absolute most that SAPPRFT could take). My point is—if you want to show off to your friends that you read the novel before the anime, read it!

This concludes my rant about how awesome this novel is. The new translation team seems to update at a fast speed, with 8 chapters in less than a month, especially considering how long the chapters of FoD/GoDC is, compared to most other online novels that I've read. What about the quality of the translations? I'm not gonna comment on this, so check it out for yourselves ٩ (๑>◡<๑) ۶. <<less
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Attica
Attica rated it
June 26, 2018
Status: Completed
If there is one aspect that I admire most about the Founder of Diabolism, it is the sheer ambition of the author. Mo Xiang Tong Xiu does her best to weave an astonishing number of plot threads and details together into this novel. Overall, I would call Founder of Diabolism "flawed, but a masterpiece nonetheless."

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1) Story

I honestly find it quite hard to give a concise description of the story of Founder of Diabolism. The novel spans so many genres: fantasy, romance, comedy, tragedy, drama, action, adventure... I guess if I... more>> had to summarize it, Founder of Diabolism is the tale of a man who previously met a tragic end, but has now been given a second chance to mend his mistakes.

The main character in question is Wei WuXian (WWX), a cheerful and mischievous cultivator who turns to dark forbidden magic out of desperation from being horribly oppressed. He makes countless mistakes and inadvertently finds himself harming/alienating everyone he ever cared about. In the end, the other cultivators unite to kill this deranged founder of an evil necromantic path. The end.

... But wait, that's not the end after all. In fact, the story starts the moment Wei WuXian is resurrected from death. Alongside his longstanding frenemy (the uptight and righteous Lan WangJi), he ends up roped into solving a mystery/conspiracy affecting both the past and the present. Having learned and grown from their experiences in their "first life", WWX and LWJ now find a second chance at hope, redemption, justice, and... yes, love.

All in all, the story's ideas and premise are just superb. Still, ideas aren't enough to carry a novel--you need good execution of those ideas.

On one hand, I believe Founder of Diabolism delivers its recurring themes with immense skill. (Oh boy, I could gush about the themes of FOB for days, and in fact kind of do that in just a bit.) The climax in particular ties up every single major plot thread and character arc in a downright beautiful manner.

On the other hand, the writing is definitely not impeccable. It especially has trouble with pacing and tonal consistency.

  • The first half of Founder of Diabolism is rather episodic, kind of like a "mystery-of-the-week" format. Characters drop in and out of each plot arc without any obvious ramifications for the overall story. This means there isn't really "one single goal" driving the story forward so the start can feel somewhat slow. The Big Bad only shows his hand around the halfway point of the novel. That's when the threads of a common conspiracy really start to coalesce.
  • The story frequently bounces between past and present. We are often treated to lengthy flashbacks from WWX's past or from other characters' experiences. Don't get me wrong, those flashbacks have extremely interesting content. They have tons of foreshadowing and dramatic irony, reveal previously hidden secrets, and truly flesh out the living world of Founder of Diabolism. However, no matter how nicely I can try to spin it... It's still disconcerting when one chapter ends on a "present-day cliffhanger!!" and then the next 10+ chapters are spent in an "enormous flashback without any advancement of the present-day story". This type of storytelling, while tolerable and fun for me, is definitely not for everyone.
    • (I will note that the pacing is fine whenever the story is consistently staying in "just the past" or "just the present". It's just the transition points that can be awkward.)
  • The mood of the story changes frequently at the drop of the hat. The story can jump from depressing tragedy to hilarious comedy to heartwarming sentimentality to thrilling action within just one chapter! These rapid mood changes can feel abrupt and dizzying. However, IMO this writing style does fit WWX as a protagonist given his forgetful, flighty, passionate, and "sad clown" personality.
  • I'm going to be honest... some parts of the story are very depressing, even horrifying. Lots of people meet tragic ends in this story. The flashbacks of Wei WuXian's downright hellish first life and death were especially painful. As someone who prefers lighthearted comedy, it got pretty tough to read at some points.
Still, in my subjective opinion, these flaws do not ruin the story. In fact, these "flaws" are natural extensions of this novel's unique strengths and themes. How much the past inevitably affects the present, vs. how you can choose to learn from history and avoid repeating it. The power of a second chance. The potential for change and growth that comes from just lending a helping hand to another person. The strength and courage you can find deep within yourself when you have someone you love by your side. The importance of continuing to find joy in life and persevere onward, no matter how tough times are right now. Yes, life can seriously suck, but what can we humans do besides move forward one day at a time to earn a happy future. :'-)

(NOTE: The donghua is going to reshuffle the story, so I have hope that the adaptation will smooth out the pacing of flashbacks and fix that particular flaw at least!)

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2) Characters

Yet again, I can only applaud Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's ambition. Pretty much every single named character in Founder of Diabolism has a 3-Dimensional personality, backstory, and motivation. (The aforementioned frequent flashbacks actually help a lot for this purpose.) Even seemingly one-shot unnamed side characters reappear later in the story and show themselves to have changed from their previous experiences. This makes the world of FOB truly feel alive <3

First, let's look at our main character Wei WuXian. Obviously he's the most popular character in the novel, and for good reason. He's first and foremost an absolute joy to be around, a hilariously shameless troll with the intellect and ability to back up his chatter. But he has a ridiculous number of other sides and faces: coldly furious, kind and gentle; loyal and responsible to a fault, disloyal and irresponsible to a fault; brave and just, merciless and cunning; crude and vulgar, adorably innocent and romantic; an endless well of optimism, a tired man who has given up on life. The best part is, all of those faces don't feel disjointed. Instead, they make up a coherent whole, just like the "sad clown" archetype I compared him to earlier. WWX feels like a real living, breathing person, which is the highest praise I can give a character.

Now onto the other main character, Lan WangJi. You might say, "I'd recognize that classic Kuudere gap moe stereotype anywhere." You wouldn't be wrong, he does belong in that category. But LWJ never once feels like a tropey character. His thoughts/motivations/emotions/character growth all feel natural. Even though LWJ is a stoic person whose perspective we never get to see directly, the writing manages to delicately convey the complexities of his thoughts behind that emotionless facade. The observant reader can track how much character development Lan WangJi goes through: how his initial annoyance becomes mixed with attraction, how he slowly starts to open up and become less stuffy, how much he grows to respect/admire/worry for WWX, how much he struggles to convey his deep sentiments into words even as an adult. It's a testament to Mo Xiang Tong Xiu's skill that we can feel LWJ's struggles just as powerfully as WWX's (heck perhaps even more powerfully at times).

WWX and LWJ are definitely opposites, but they complement each other perfectly and are even more fun together than they are apart. Even then, they actually share some similar traits in their sense of justice, their kindness and compassion, their deep sentimentality, etc. Their romance is on the slow burn side but that just means it makes perfect sense in-character.

As you can tell, I love both main characters. But the supporting cast also has its share of wonderfully 3-Dimensional people, each with their own badass/touching/heartwrenching/funny moments. Even the villains have complex backstories that explain their present-day actions/motivations. (Come on... I just wanted to hate a scumbag, but this novel wouldn't let me : ()

My favorite major side character is probably Jiang Cheng, who has a fascinatingly complex and heartbreaking dynamic with WWX. I also love Jin Ling, Wen Ning, Lan SiZhui, Nie MingJue, Nie HuaiSang, Xiao XingChen, Song Lan, Xue Yang, A-Qing... Never mind, I give up, it would legit be easier for me to name which side characters I didn't find interesting.

All in all, I honestly have absolutely no complaints about any of the characters. Oh wait, I guess I do have one complaint--I wish the story was longer so we could get more time with all the characters :P

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3) Overall Enjoyment

This is of course entirely subjective. But from my personal perspective... reading the Founder of Diabolism was a wild ride beyond compare. It made me laugh and cry. It made me cheer and get mad. It tore my heart apart with its tragedies and carefully glued it back together with its heartwarming ending.

Again, even though Founder of Diabolism has its problems, I can only applaud MXTX for how valiantly she strove to make a genuine and earnest story, despite knowing herself how difficult it is to write something with such a heavy focus on the past vs. present. And what a story it is! A story that uses a vibrant fantasy world to delve into realistic human emotions and situations. A story with a character cast so diverse and fun that you could probably ask 20 different people who their favorite character was and you'd get 20 different answers back. A story with too many powerful themes and messages to count.

There is one wonderfully bittersweet message in particular that I am glad to have learned from Founder of Diabolism: not everything in life can be fixed completely, and that's okay. A wound can heal but it will always leave a scar. A villain can pursue redemption but he will always carry the burdens of his sins. A mystery can be solved but there will always be lingering secrets and ambiguities. Old friends can start to reach back out to each other but they will never be able to return to their nostalgic past.

In the same way, this story may have its flaws, but it will always be dear to my heart.

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[Miscellaneous Comments: Since the author of Founder of Diabolism also wrote a Scum Villain's Self-Saving System, a comparison is inevitable. I do love both works, especially how each fulfills its own unique niche! Founder of Diabolism is definitely written to be on a more epic scale than Scum Villain. FOB's side characters are more fleshed out, its plot is more complex and ambitious, it literally has a higher word count, etc.

I will say that on a personal level, I find Scum Villain more enjoyable to read. Its humor and fluff is relaxing/easy to digest and pretty much everyone gets a happy ending, while MDZS sometimes ventures into depressing/horror/tragedy territory. Though that's just my own preference for comedy/optimism showing :P] <<less
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MadamKhaos
MadamKhaos rated it
October 12, 2017
Status: c111
This entire Review will be a Spoiler for those who can't patiently wait for new releases or can't understand the raws quite well. I'd like to note that some things may not be completely accurate because when I read Chinese it's the literal translation of their words and my brain scrambles it to fit the scene accurately.

I'll begin with our MC's childhood and progress to where I'm currently at. Which means that instead of in the book where we constantly switch from past tense to present, this will be in... more>> chronological order. And I'd also like to lament that the names will be changed because... well I'm just to lazy to remember every character's full name. I'm sure you can guess who the individuals are though by my descriptions. If not I'll add a side note at the end.

Spoiler

Our Main Character starts off life like many children with two loving parents, although to be honest I am still unsure how exactly they died. We only get a brief description of a flashback where he's riding on his dad's shoulders on top of a donkey with his mother looking on. After his parents died he was left to wander the streets but even so he still held a smile on his face while eating scraps of orange peels and such. He's absolutely terrified of dogs because while living on said streets, the dogs would constantly bite him fighting over the meager scraps of food he could get his hands on. So as the story progresses and things change, the one thing that's always the same is that he becomes a blubbering baby whenever he hears a dog bark. Which is another telling factor that he is in fact the 'Yiling Ancestor' in his 'brother's' eyes.

The Jiang Patriarch, Jiang Cheng's father, found our MC on the streets after looking for him a long time, before bringing him back home. Of course his wife never liked our MC because Jiang Cheng, her child, was often overlooked in favor of this seemingly spawn of all disasters child. I'm not joking when I say this Lady Yu was a real debbie downer and constantly attacked our MC. Blaming him for things that had nothing to do with him.

When our MC first arrived at their residence, the Patriarch told him to sleep in Jiang Cheng's room. Unbeknownst to him of course. Which made for a very angry child who had just been forced to give up his loved dogs because of said child. MC was kicked out of the room but he was scared dogs would attack him after J.C. threatened to have dogs bite him, so he ran to the Lotus dock and climbed a tree to pass the night. During the night J.C.'s older sister came to find MC and MC fell from the tree which made him break a leg. So older sister carried him on her back. On their way back to the room they heard weird noises coming from the side and discovered that J.C. had fallen and was also injured.

Older sister found that both her little brothers were funny and decided to carry them both with difficulty. One in front and one on her back. (This is a very telling sign on how close the two were with this sister of their's) . When they reach J.C.'s room and she sets them down, we can see that J.C. is worried that MC will tell his father he kicked him out of the room. J.C. is very fickle about how his dad sees him because he always tries to get the affection of his parents. MC already knows he is worried about this and has never wanted to cause trouble for anyone so he tells J.C. he'll tell 'Uncle' that he wanted to climb a tree and fell all by himself. (One of his many characteristics which is often overlooked because of the things he does. Our MC is very compassionate, too compassionate. To the point that he takes all the burdens onto himself and doesn't voice out many grievances. Especially for those he cares for.) In turn, J.C. says that from now on he'll scare away any dogs that come after MC.

This agreement between the two boys cemented a bond. Although J.C. is a grumbly sort of Character and often snarks at our MC, the MC doesn't take it to heart. To be honest, I'm almost sure that J.C. is a Tsundre. I'm going to skim a bit here about their growing up. Basically it goes over times where they did s*upid things like stealing chickens, grafiti on walls, shooting arrows at kites made to look like Monsters and Ghosts. Many of these flashbacks aren't very interesting but in turn informational. It gives you an outlook on the relationships that were formed between our MC and the many people who in the end, surrounded him and killed him in his previous life.

As the story progresses, it skips to when MC and J.C. are teenagers and enter the Lan Sect. To be honest, I don't know if this is correct but I do know it's a school with over 3000 rules which drives our MC insane. Not literally but he hates the rules so much that he goes out of his way to defy most of them. I can't agree more with his actions though. Some of the rules are rather ridiculous to the point that others find it baffling as well. Of course the person our MC later falls in love with is the epitome of those rules. He's a stickler for them and tries to enforce them on our MC at every turn.

This leads to large amounts of fun for MC because who wouldn't want to tease an ice like person who only knows how to follow about a million silly rules. The first time our ship sails is when MC goes out to buy alcohol, Emperor Smile I believe it was called, and tries to jump the wall back into the school. Lan Wunji (I could be spelling his name wrong so I'm just going to call him L.W.) just happened to come out of closed door training when he sees our MC with one leg over the wall and alcohol in his hand.

Of course MC, the jokester that he is, teases L.W. and offers him a jug of wine if he just lets this matter go. L.W. is stone faced and tells him the rules. MC retorts that there are too many rules and he's yet to actually read all of them so just let him go. He then goes on to say he'll just drink it right there since technically he's not on school grounds and drinking. When he finishes the wine, L.W. begins to fight him. Another rule broken for both of them since Fighting is also prohibited on school grounds.

MC's crowd of friends flock around him and joke about his misfortune later on. MC is always stirring up trouble and J.C. snarks to him about how he's foolish and should stop giving trouble to those around him. Later our MC is forced to repeatedly write the rules and other things as punishment and what do you know, L.W. is the one to overlook that he actually finishes it.

In the Lan family, there is a sort of curse they can use to shut people's mouths for about 30 minutes. So anytime our MC is off talking nonsense to L.W. instead of writing the rules, L.W. simply shuts his mouth. Our clever MC decides to write notes to L.W. and by the end of the day the floor gets littered with tr*sh. This goes on constantly until MC gets any kind of reaction from L.W. such as anger over the fact that MC replaces his book with a p*rno.

During this time, it looks like L.W. hates our MC but there's many things that cue us off that in fact he really likes our MC. For one, he's caught sometimes staring at him and many of MC's friends joke that he's thinking of ways to punish MC. Of course anyone who loves the ship knows that couldn't be far from the truth irregardless of the fact that L.W. has a stone face. L.W.'s brother is often seen talking to L.W. about how 'you look worried' 'you seem happy' and many other things that give us pause since of course L.W. has no different facial movement from previously.

There's many more scenes of how MC and L.W. constantly interact. MC is a jokester and is constantly saying things like 'aren't we close. Just let it go' or many other jokes like when he hands over two bunnies who start humping one another. In the end they're both male as pointed out by L.W. and MC finds this hilarious because he wanted to know what L.W. was looking at to know such a thing. L.W. is still stone faced but he throws MC out the window and I can only assume it was in embarrassment rather than anger.

I've realized I'm leaving out the 'horror' aspect in this but that's because I'm not very good at describing such amazing scenes that the author wrote. This is simply me trying to sum up key parts for those who really want to know and not to substitute for a summary done by a professional or a translation.

Many key characters seen later are among the teenagers who attend school with MC. MC's character is constantly flirting with women, rather shameless in the things he says, he really just doesn't have a filter and it's hard not to love him. Time is going to skip a bit again. MC went monster hunting with a large group of people and L.W. as well as J.C. were a part of it. Needless to say everyone in the group got out of a bad situation except for L.W. and MC who were trapped in a cave with a rather scary Monster. In the end the both of them teamed up to kill this thing otherwise they'd both become chow.

When they were finally saved, MC was scolded by J.C.'s mom about how it was his fault and put the blame on him about pretty much every inconvenience. Then word began to spread that a person from the Wen family had killed the monster and L.W. went on to say it was MC who killed it. MC refuted saying it was mostly thanks to L.W. Well the Wen family guy who had taken credit was rather upset about this and in order to not have them attack L.W. MC decided to take on the responsibility.

In doing so he took on the wrath of the Wen Family. Unfortunately, he implicated the Jiang family in the process. At first they beat MC severely as recompense to them but when the Wen family tried to have them hurt J.C. as well, Miss Yu lashed out in anger. This caused a major fight to take place which unfortunately happened during the time that the Jiang Patriarch wasn't home. Miss Yu locked both J.C. and MC together on a boat at the lotus dock and repeatedly berated MC about how it was his fault so he'd better use his life to take care of J.C. Before shipping them off she hugs J.C. and says he's a good boy which is the first time we've seen her show any kind of compassion towards anyone.

J.C. is practically foaming at the mouth in anger to break free and on their way they see the light when the Jiang Patriarch releases them and asks whats happening. Unfortunately, once he finds out he locks them back up again and heads off to battle while shoving them down stream. By the time they break free, they both know nothing good happened. MC repeatedly tries to keep J.C. next to him and go find help since they're not strong enough. While MC is getting food, J.C. runs away and heads back to the dock. (It's taken a while to write this review and so periodically I've continued reading. I recently found that in fact J.C. didn't run to the dock but saw the Wen family people searching for the both of them so he ran out to distract them from finding MC. Which is why he was taken back to the Wen Family for torture.)

MC in his fervourous haze, runs back as fast as he can but there's no one there not even J.C. and he's about to freak out. Wen Ning shows up and calms him down. Saying he can help him get J.C. back. MC met Wen Ning a while back at a competition and was the only person who was kind to him when he was shooting arrows. Even though Wen Ning is part of the Wen family he'd rather defy them and help MC then be on his bad side. He returns with an unconcious J.C. and takes both of them back to his house.

He does this because the Wen family is looking for MC and what better place to hide than in the Wen family place. Wen Ning's sister is good with medicine and even though she is mad about them bringing trouble to her brother she still helps J.C. with medicine.
J.C. is unresponsive though because his parents are both dead and his cultivation was destroyed by the Wen family. What use is there in living if he can't even seek revenge. So he refuses to eat or drink and at his wits end, MC makes up a story for J.C. saying that at the foot of a mountain if he wears an eye cover and doesn't peek, but says that he's actually the MC and tells the person his mother is MC's mother, the person there will heal him.

Of course this reawakens the urge to live for J.C. so he begins eating. (This is kind of said in chapter 100 instead of about 50 when this part took place but since I'm going chronological than I'm just going to put it here instead). J.C. didn't know that in actual fact our MC had gone to Wen Ning's big sister and asked her for a way to save his cultivation and in fact she did but it wasn't anything tested yet and might actually just destroy both their cultivation in the end. He agreed to it and on that mountain it wasn't just J.C. but Wen Ning, his older sister, as well as MC that were there. In order for J.C. to recover his cultivation, MC gave up all of his cultivation to transfer to his body.
That is why later our MC is seen never wanting to use his sword anymore and why in the end he changed his cultivation path to follow to 'Evil' path. He didn't have the ability to cultivate and it really caused a heavy blow to him, a child who had basically nothing going for him aside from being really good at cultivating. He found ways to manipulate sound and control evil spirits as well as the dead.

Of course this brought him a lot of trouble especially after he mu*dered a lot of the Wen Family who had killed the Jiang people. The way he killed them was rather brutal though so it's understandable why people were apalled. One of the guys was forced to eat his own leg meat repeatedly. So you can understand why people were terrified of MC.

MC found out that people killed Wen Ning and so resurrected and rehabilitated him. Wen Ning killed a lot of the people who mu*dered him when he woke up. After this, for a time, MC and some members of the Wen family who were on good terms with Wen Ning and his sister, decided to build a home on the mountain. It was rather calm living even though many of the families were greedy for the symbol MC created that could control the undead. But MC ignored the outside and lived peacefully with the people there.

All things don't last though and MC soon found out his sister was going to marry someone who he hated. But seeing as she loved him, he didn't object. During this time, since there was so many objections to his way of 'cultivating', MC had already broken off ties with the Jiang family in order to not implicate them. So his sister and J.C. snuck over to see him before she was to get married and she made him a bowl of porrige that she frequently made him growing up.

Her husband and a few other people go to confront MC over something that had nothing to do with him and Wen Ning loses control and kills his Sister's recently married Husband. This starts off a chain of horrible events that turns everyone against MC. Wen Ning and his older sister go to offer themselves up to be killed in exchange for the death of this guy and in the process more people are killed. MC was paralyzed for three days because of W.N.'s sister so he couldn't move and didn't know what was going on. Anything that has to do with W.N. though, ultimately goes back to MC and he gets implicated.

The families now had an excuse to surround and kill him but MC shows up and confronts them before they can go to his mountain. Some teenager shoots MC with an arrow and everything goes to hell from there because he sends the arrow back. People begin trying to attack him and so he raises the dead and has them fighting all the people in the yard. Unfortunately, his sister runs in and calls his name but his mind is a mess and can't control the zombies. One stabs her in the back before J.C. or MC can get to her. She's still alive when they kneel next to her and she says 'You left before I could say anything to you..' because the day before he went to see her sneakily but found the husband's mom there with her and his baby nephew. The mother in law saw him and called for people to come arrest him/kill him so he left before he could say anything to his sister.

She then goes on to say that she had something to say to him but before she can finish she pushes him away and a sword goes through her throat. Someone had tried to kill him but she protected him and instead was killed. MC loses his mind and joins the symbol together because it was too powerful and he split it in two. (This is the symbol everyone wants. Honestly it's called Tiger but saying it's the 'Tiger Symbol' that is used to control undead just seems wrong to me. lol)

He doesn't have any memories about what happened after this, at least none that I've caught up to. Aside from Lin XiChen, L.W.'s brother, yelling at him about how he's pretty much an as*hole for not remembering that L.W. stayed with him and protected him inside of a cave but MC just kept telling L.W. to leave. Technically 'Roll' is the word he used. Which to me sounds worse than just leave. So to be honest, I really don't know how the hell he died yet because as of right now it seems he didn't initially die from being surrounded and unleashing a swarm of zombies.

Now then, I'll continue from the point where he is now in possession of another's body.

MC is as shameless as he was previously. Although, as he had grown from his teenage years that shameless personality warped into a sort of anger at people who were unjust. But to others it seemed he was killing indiscriminately. So now he's in this new body and seems to have forgotten everything that happened in his previous life that was bad and is just his usual shameless happy person.

L.W. realizes who he is immediately and we've still not been given a reason as to why he knows. Maybe the flute? Wen Ning? Or the fact that he says that L.W. is his type and not Jiang Cheng? Who knows at this time.

An arm is found and it's rather unruly, so both L.W. and MC team up to tame it with their music and 'go on a journey' to search out the rest of the body parts to figure out what the hell is going on. At one point MC sucks a curse into his body from Jiang Ling's which is his nephew, sort of. You get to see his interactions with the younger generation but you don't realize who these people are until later. Such as one of the kids from the Lan School who he first meets, is actually the little 2 year old child that was constantly clinging to his legs in his previous life. One of Wen Ning's cousin's children, who had lived with them and 50 others on that mountain before MC was killed. Of course, the kid doesn't remember anything except L.W. who had bought him toys when he was a kid while eating with MC and the kid got attached to L.W.

So as you can see, there are people that were initially a part of MC's life but don't recall it or simply forget the things he had done for them. Jiang Cheng still hates him and blames him for his parents as well as sister's death. For some reason, he blames Wen Ning for his sister's death and so does the nephew. But as I've stated before it was some person trying to kill MC that stabbed her in the throat. Granted, a zombie stabbed her in the back prior but she wouldn't have died.

MC notices things but thinks they're just hilarious hypocritical details about L.W. Such as, the Emperor's Smile Wine he has hidden in the floor. Or the loads of bunnies running around the fields, or the scars he has on his body that much MC's from the previous life. There's things he kind of overlooks and doesn't put it into his mind as curious. But as you go along you realize how much L.W. loved MC. When MC first sees L.W. when he's reborn he remarks on how L.W. is straight up wearing mourning clothes as if his 'wife' died. MC says this in a purely joking manner and doesn't realize how spot on he was.

When L.W. takes MC back to the school the first thing L.W. does is take a bath and change into regular school clothes even though he was previously wearing mourning clothes for who knows how long. Yet, no one actually remarks about his sudden change in clothes... Oddly enough.

There's a lot of things I'd like to go over in detail, mainly the fighting and creepy scenes, but it's too much and difficult. So, the two go on this journey to find the other body parts and of course there's struggles along the way. MC gets L.W. drunk a couple of times and thinks it's funny at first because L.W. acts like a spoiled child, but L.W. actually begins to show signs that he wants more from MC and MC thinks he's the bad person for taking advantage of L.W. Such as him kissing L.W. while L.W. is drunk or at one point L.W. is in the bath tub drunk and pulls MC in and they begin to get really hot and bothered. L.W. ends up waking up when MC says thank you to him though. It get's rather awkward because previously L.W. forgot everything that happened while he was drunk and this time they're pretty much both naked.

At this point everyone and their mom knows that MC has taken possession of this body. Of course the 'bad guy' was the one to leak out the news. Jiang Cheng had already known though because of MC's fear of dogs. The bad guy who's portrayed in this.. I really don't know his name to be honest since he uses three different ones. He's surnamed Jin as well as Meng. Jiang Ling refers to him as Uncle as well. So there's a close relationship to the Jiang family. But his mother was a prostitute and thus everyone would talk badly behind his back.

He's not really a typical bad guy though. I mean, is any of them? Yes they do bad things but usually they have a reason. Granted, he ended up killing a lot of people and ultimately it was wrong, but he has that morose background story where you kind of want to feel bad for him? Then we find out that the person who brought MC's soul back is quite possibly the brother of the person who had been chopped up. One of the MC's friends from school, which was overlooked since he seemed to be a scaredy-cat. MC knows that everything was put in place by this friend in order to take revenge for his brother but he has no evidence so he doesn't call him out on it.

Lan XiChen ends up killing the 'bad guy' kind of accidentally on purpose when the ^^ scaredy-cat shouts at him to watch out. The 'bad guy' was already injured at this time and hadn't even moved but Lan XiChen stabbed his sword backwards to prevent any action to him. Which shocked the hell out of everyone except the 'scaredy-cat'.

I forgot to add this in but it was really hilarious so I can't leave it out. Prior to this battle with the bad guy, the MC gets caught and L.W. shows up, this just so happens to take place about an hour after the whole bathtub shindig. So the MC in a kind of panicked state shouts 'Lan Zhan I really want to go to bed with you' basically professing his love in front of all the villianous people as well as L.W.'s brother XiChen. _-_ L.W. is still stone faced but this time he's thoroughly tongue tied. It's really cute. L.W. even laughs when MC says that 'I'm not afraid to die, I just don't want to die. I still haven't checked Lan Zhan's lower body yet, I've only checked the top half.' MC says this in a rather serious manner and L.W. is behind him at the time. Who knew he'd laugh at one of MC's joke. This laugh really throws everyone in the room as well, since everyone knows L.W. is an iceberg.

Everything is all settled after they lock up the severed corpse and the bad guy into a coffin together since the corpse was too strong and violent. MC and L.W. leave without really talking to anyone. This is where I'm at currently. Hope this was a bit curbing on some people's appetites. Yes there's no s*x as of yet, not even to 2nd base really. But the story line and plot are amazing so I don't really mind.

(I've come back to my review after completing the entire book which literally was only a few chapters after where I last wrote. In the end MC and L.W. end up going off to do the night battles in random places. They ended up 'marrying' one another and along the way they heard talk about how L.W.'s brother had locked himself away because of depression. L.W. and MC have s*x but of course it skims over these scenes so you honestly don't get any actual details. This novel is mostly soft in that regard. They both pack up and head back to the Lan School and MC is on his best behavior so that L.W.'s uncle can't say anything bad to him. The novel ends on a rather light note I guess. Everyone is in the place's they should be and aside from the foreshadowing of a possible second book it ends on a 'loving' scene.

To be honest though, a lot of things are unresolved in my opinion. It seems that the brother of the guy who was chopped up and sealed inside of the coffin, might eventually open that coffin. Or even some random person who wants that Tiger Symbol might possibly open up the coffin to retrieve it for power. It would've been a more clean break at the end had the MC destroyed that last half of the Tiger Symbol to abolish any further consequences from rising up.

I do have to agree with someone elses opinion though about the fact that Jiang Ling's the most sorry figure out of everyone. In the end both of his parents and grandparents were killed and he can't even get upset at the people responsible for it. He's got nowhere to actually vent that anger. Everyone in this book owes that child the most.)

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I was going to write the names and abbreviations but I figure if you've been reading the book then you should know the individuals I am talking about. Hope this was informational for those who had time deciphering the raws. I apologize about skipping over some things but honestly the entire novel is amazing so regardless of what I write it wouldn't be as good as the novel of course. <<less
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winter-t
winter-t rated it
February 1, 2017
Status: Completed
Where do I even begin, I could write pages and pages about all the parts I loved. This is an absolutely amazing novel. The plot is very, very captivating and the characters are interesting and wonderfully fleshed out. It's an action thriller set in a world with martial arts, reanimated corpses, and a lot of humor. The romance is cute and touching, and in my opinion, a very well-written development of enemies to friends to lovers.

MC is one of my favorite characters of all time. You can tell from early... more>> on that he has a unique, delightful voice on top of a carefree, mischievous personality. He's easily the funniest to read about, and the diverse yet distinct cast is definitely one of biggest pluses that makes the character interactions all the more enjoyable. With a plot that keeps you in suspense as the mysteries of both the past and the present get unraveled step by step, this is something that's hard to put down.

If you could, I strongly recommend reading this in its original language. Two things to keep in mind though:
1. It might be a bit confusing at the beginning getting everyone's names straight since many of the characters are referred to by multiple forms of address (given, courtesy, title, rank, nicknames, etc).
2. The world-building assumes the reader has basic knowledge of Chinese folklore beliefs about the dead, so not everything is explicitly explained in the text itself. <<less
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rhianirory
rhianirory rated it
January 29, 2018
Status: c88
Loving this MC. he's smart, funny, shameless and not at all the kind of evil monster his bad reputation says he is. he's on my top five favorites for BL transmigration/ rebirth novel MCs. I'm not a fan of the s*upid, naive, innocent type so WWX hits my happy zone (fun, wily, clever and hard to ruffle). I also love the MC and ML are equal partners and both make up for the others weaknesses.

I was misled by the title and kept putting this off because I thought he'd be... more>> a ice-cube bastard villain protagonist and I just finished renegade immortal (no BL) not too long ago so I wanted something with an MC that wasn't so... dark. I thought he would be some old monster devil cultivator, not a guy who made me laugh so hard I shot coke out my nose.

The flashbacks are interesting and the characters have both depth and growth as the story moves along. the mystery keeps you engaged in the novel and of course the MC and ML are adorable together. <<less
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lyn
lyn rated it
November 9, 2017
Status: c28
I give it two stars for now.

First, I got attracted to this novel since it has very nice reviews and many people seems to like it. It seems very promising. However, to be honest, this is one of the most confusing and hard to understand novels I have ever read. Even after I read the chapters released by exilerebelstranslation (which I assume has done quite a good job in translating), my comprehension of the story, the world building, the characters' relationships are very lacking. So I blame the author for... more>> this. The first 15 chapters, the characters are all thrown to the story without clear explanation while I am still figuring out how the world works. What's worse, 1 character has 2-3 names, without clearly explaining what and why. There are their own names, their common names, and their title. And the author use all of them in the story which triple the confusion. The translator did help by creating a characters list, but it is not helping me much. Aside from the names, I do think the author's writing style is hell confusing and not flowing quite well. The story goes current and then goes flash back, back and forth, which adds to my confusion. I am disappointed that I don't get the joy I expected to have when I read this. I have read so many xianxia novels, so I am not new to this genre at all, so I wonder why it happens with this novel that makes me very difficult to enjoy this. I put this novel into my pending list now and wait until it has sufficient chapters and let see if I want to continue reading. <<less
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Ars
Ars rated it
September 7, 2017
Status: c21
Founder of Diabolism is a humorous horror-mystery story set in a xianxia world. Intriguingly, the story has absolutely no cultivation (as the main cast are all high level cultivators) and instead focuses on a series of thrilling horror/mystery-solving subplots in which the protagonist, Wei WuXian, secretly uses his extensive occult knowledge to save people from evil spirits and bloodthirsty horrors whilst hiding his true identity. The story is similar to the Detective Conan series if Conan Edogawa were a slandered and vilified Chinese cultivator who had been killed and brought... more>> back to life in another body.

I highly recommend Founder of Diabolism to anyone who appreciates good writing, well-developed characters, mystery/detective stories, knee-slapping humor, and heart-aching romance. As of chapter 21 the main overarching focus of Founder of Diabolism is on the unraveling of the mystery behind the protagonist, Wei WuXian's, past and motivations. In the prologue we learn that he had been betrayed and killed and that the world is glad for it, as he had been an evil and tyrannical man who had gone down the path of devils. Yet when Wei WuXian returns from the dead, we meet a man who is altogether one of the most clever, curious, humorous, and altogether likeable protagonists of any Chinese novel.

Mystery is the strongest component of Founder of Diabolism. The author raises many questions with tantalizing possibilities. Why was Wei WuXian cast as an evil villain by society? Why had he been betrayed by his most trusted people? Why does he feel guilt upon seeing the arrogant child Ji Ling, and why does his former brother despise him? Though the main cast had all lived harmoniously together as schoolchildren in differing sects, why are they now so fragmented and conflicting as adults? All of these major character questions are slowly answered as the author travels through minor horror-mystery scenes involving zombies, haunted hands, and more.

A second component which I see as vitally important and incredibly well-done is the romance. Though as of ch21 the author has only laid the foundation and revealed a hint of a particular character's motivations, the various clues are enough to make me imagine the pain and tragedy this character had faced upon the protagonist's death, and the tumultuous emotions he must have now that he believes the protagonist has somehow returned despite Wei WuXian's best efforts to hide all traces of his reincarnated self.

What I will praise the author for most is their incredibly clever and loving development of the characters. The protagonist has a deep depth of personality - Wei WuXian on the surface, a carefree and comedic playboy; deeper, an intelligent and far-too-curious experimenter; and finally, a troubled man with a deeply-hidden loyalty and devotion to his loved ones that has transformed into guilt as a result of whatever incidents had lead to his death. The supporting characters are all people who had one way or another been affected by Wei WuXian's death, and the author cleverly does not tell the readers. Rather, the author weaves between the past and present, point A to point D in time, to let the reader analyze how the characters' relationships and emotions had changed in the unspoken time between these two points.

Vital personal information regarding the main cast is revealed in this 'trip to the past', but it still stretched quite long when what I wanted as the reader was to return to seeing Wei WuXian figure out how to escape his current predicament. This is the only time that I felt the pacing in the story was off, and my only criticism.

Founder of Diabolism has 5/5 writing style, 5/5 plot, 5/5 character development, 5/5 creativity, and 4.5/5 pacing.
Additional notes: Translation quality by Exiled Rebels is excellent and fluid, with natural and clear sentences which convey the author's vibrant writing style and witty dialogue.
Overall, if this were to be published, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
If you've read this review in the end, please just go and start reading the story! <<less
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Reitian
Reitian rated it
July 23, 2017
Status: Completed
Once I started reading, I could not put this story down. I feel like anyone can read it, whether they like BL or not. I read in Vietnamese, and there were a few blips in translation, but I could tell that the author put a lot of effort into the story. Every detail seems to have been resolved. Something that pops up in chapter 11 would be explained in chapter 111. It may be hard to get started if you don't know much about the setting and also because everyone... more>> has 2 or 3 names. I have a giant page of notes with everyone's names in both Pinyin and Vietnamese with relationships notes as well as a mock timeline (laughs).

The relationship between the MC and ML was very natural. I especially liked that they were on equal footing on each other with no power struggle. They looked out for each other with moments of both tenderness and hilarity. If you're looking for something spicy, you won't get it until the end. I had to stop myself from skipping ahead because I knew that the development of their characters would make it even more worth it (and it was TOTALLY worth it).

Spoiler

The confession scene was hilarious and after they finally acknowledge their feeling for each other, they start showing off so much PDA even the final boss gets distracted.

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The support cast was also really well fleshed out, to the point that I had to look at certain characters completely differently after learning certain details. I think rereading the story again with this fresh perspective could cause you to reinterpret whole scenes; that's how far ahead the author thought.

It was a beautiful story and a roller coaster of emotion. The suspense put me on the edge of my seat; the situations the characters experienced caused me to cry at least 4 times throughout the story; some parts even scared me out of my wits, but even in the most intense moments, the author could cause me to break out in laughter. Although it had a happy end, I was a bit sad to see it end. <<less
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earlgreyt
earlgreyt rated it
September 26, 2018
Status: c70
This was one of the first translated LN's I've ever read, and boy, it still maintains its spot as one of the best ones. There is almost nothing badly done in this novel. It's just top notch at everything: story, characters, MC, ML, relationship, EVERYTHING.

I can't believe how 3-dimensional all the characters are. From good to evil, practically every single side character, have their motivations, their conflicts, their own hopes and dreams.

Also, the romance is amazing. Like seriously amazing??? Even after reading a ton of other novels, I still find... more>> this MC and ML my favorite couple of them all. I think it's because their relationship was built on friendship, conflict, suffering, trust and faith. There is no 'super-possessive-jealous-overbearing-forceful' cliche ML in this story. Even better, the MC also isn't constantly being outshone by the ML, whether through abilities or intellect or status. It's a story about equals who make compromises but also stay true to their own beliefs.

I've never been so obsessed as to search for fanfiction of a web novel before. Seriously! And now I'm even keeping up-to-date with the anime and the newly drawn webcomic (beautiful art, highly recommend). <<less
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somegay
somegay rated it
January 16, 2018
Status: c39
I've lost track of time. I've missed sleep. I read it four times in a row.

I'm in love with this novel and everything about it.

The story doesn't wait before it hits, with things getting more intense with each passing moment. The plot is engaging - there is an actual plot! It's not just an excuse to throw the characters together. The humor is great, and there are light hearted moments, but it's just before the stakes get raised once more and I'm at the edge of my seat, waiting to... more>> see how things will develop this time.

The MC is shameless in a charming way, the ML is swoon-worthy, and their interactions keep making me smile. They have chemistry, and the small details of how they interact, and of how things progress sometimes evade the MC, but it makes my heart hurt. It's not rushed, and the development is subtle and feels natural.

The flashbacks added more information and a new point of view to the character and story, and it showed such a different point of the story that it just makes me want to know more about how things got where they are.

I had never read a novel like this before. I'm now obsessed. I blame it all on this, and I can't get enough content. <<less
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KimiKazoo
KimiKazoo rated it
March 24, 2017
Status: Completed
One of the most popular yaoi stories in China and for a good reason. First, just google the Chinese name of the book. Drools. The depictions/art of the two main guys are so hot.

What's good about this story is that aside from the romance is that it actually has a very solid plot. The plot contains themes of mystery, supernatural, tragedy, betrayal, mu*der, secrets, love..... It's like a detective conan case with a bit and pieces of revelation. And in between these revelations and actions there are also love... more>> progression and flashbacks.

Both the plot and romance really leaves you satisfied. You really feel the love between the two guys. Be patient and wait for the translations, or go ahead and read the raws.

Highly recommended! <<less
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Littlepho
Littlepho rated it
August 28, 2020
Status: Completed
I'll be honest, I HATED BL. It was to the point where everytime I saw a BL tag I would steer clear from it; and honestly it was because of a sheer turn of event that I even stumbled acrossed this treasure.

I'll have to thank Tencent for recommending Mo Dao Zu Shi to me after I finished watching The King's Avatar.

I didn't realize this was BL until the third episode after reading all the comments. When I did find out this was BL I almost stopped watching it, but... more>> the humor and mystery just kept me going, and I have to say, I'm super thankful for my semi-openmindness because after I finished watching the two seasons of Mo Dao Zu Shi, I couldnt help but to read the novel and after I finished reading the novel I couldn't help but to read the novels by the same author: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Heaven Offical's Blessing) and Scum System.

After reading those I just couldnt stop. And at this sudden obsession, I realized something: love isnt about the gender, a love between two males, or two females could and is just as beautiful and pure as the love between a girl and boy.

The reason I put all this in this review is because Mo Dao Zu Shi is a excellent example, along with Tian Guan Ci Fu.

The love between the two characters is so heartwarming, heartbreaking, and hearr-rending that I could barely compare or find another at the same level.

So consider this as a message: please, please, please dont turn away from this story just because of the BL/Yaoi/Shounen Ai tags. I really regret it myself when I realized how much I missed out just because of my narrow mindedness and I really so wanna smack myself.

Anyways sorry for my essay thingy that isnt even that much of a review but I just had to get it out. <<less
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Ezralva
Ezralva rated it
August 31, 2017
Status: c20
As someone who's only waiting for the english translation, other reviews already said it all...

Before GDC, the only Xianxia novel I've read was LMW but dropped pretty early since I couldn't really stomach all the new magic thingy lol. But for GDC, I find it pretty easy to digest, but I'm sure that's because the translators were being so kind to give detailed TN. When I first read the 1st two chapters back on Aniise's LJ, I immediately knew this one was out of the box. And now after reading... more>> all translated ch available, spoilers, and watched so many fmvs and even tried mtl-ing future chapters for myself *which I stopped before my head burst* It feels like I'm hooked for life on this one

For someone who grew up accustomed to westernized-withcraft adventure stories, everything about this novel is pretty new to me, I'm mesmerized by the world-building (I've never read anything about necromancer or evil magic being done the fluffy and cutesy way like this one ?), the layer upon layer of solid plot, and the character developments which have nothing 2D in it. It's not everyday I can find a BL novel that has superiority like GDC does.

We readers, aren't just being called to heed at the romance between MC and ML, but also the heartrending emotional entanglements from other characters, which could or could not always related to the MC.

For the Danmei part, which makes this already-superb-adventure-story totally perfect, is really slow build. Usually when I like the CP I want them to get into hot scenes early and get frustrated when they dont, But that's not the case for this one, almost every chapters hinted with BL romance thrown everywhere that always makes me giggling, cos the uke is a top-notch prankster and their 'courting' is cute beyond compare XD besides how the plots unravel are just too amazing that you can't help but focus on their adventure. And still, the love and devotion of ML towards the MC depicted in this novel, makes it one of the best love story I've ever known, they just happened to be two guys, that's it. Ofc Chinese BL novels are expert when it comes to power-balanced relationship between uke and seme,

Regarding the characters, I can't help but compare this masterpiece to Harry Potter, where you simply cannot just take everything at face value and that there is more to it than meets the eyes about all of them, good or bad, nothing like the typical flawless protagonists here or the complete as*hole of a villain.

This novel serves like a complete package for a fujo like me who loves good plot, well-developed characters, more than just some yaoi fanservice thrown to cater the readers' preferences.

And I greatly thank all the translators (current and previous) who bring this hidden gem to us international readers <3 <<less
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wistful
wistful rated it
February 4, 2019
Status: --
Without a doubt, one of the best webnovels I've read. MXTX is an amazing author who weaves a wonderfully tight story. It's clear she had the entire plot planned out from the start, and leaves tiny hints throughout for readers to pick up. It's one of the few books that improves upon re-reading, and leaves you marveling over how you managed to miss all these tiny details--that at first seem insignificant--but later blows up into something huge.

Every character has a unique and distinct personality, and everyone has clear motivations for... more>> their actions. You can feel frustrated at the protagonists, or even sympathize with the villains. You fall in love with side characters, even characters that are already dead and only explored through flashbacks. It's just one of those stories where everyone feels human. As cliche as it sounds, characters just jump off the pages.

This story doesn't end when you finish reading. It stays with you, it leaves you wondering a ton of "what ifs?". What if one single character had made a different choice? What if one thing was said earlier, or left unsaid at all? Would everything have changed? Are people set into paths from when they're born? Or is it a matter of choice?

These themes are all addressed in this story. And yes, MXTX has actual themes in her novel, straight from a literature class.

Yes it is a novel that contains BL elements, but don't mistake it for the tr*shy BL webnovels that abound. Yes, a gay relationship is central to the story and provides a lot of motivation for why ML behaves the way he does, but the rest of the story, the entire plot, is not dependent on romance between two characters.

If you're only reading to see two hot guys get it on, this is NOT the novel for you. If you only want some sort of short simplistic plot of overcoming adversary to live happily ever after with true love, this is NOT the novel for you. If you feel side characters only steal screen time from the main ship, this is definitely, NOT the novel for you. <<less
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castorl
castorl rated it
November 5, 2018
Status: c76
EDIT: The review I was talking about was deleted.

I'm writing this review because the reviewer below mine clearly has not read the novel at all, and I didn't want the most recent review on this series (and thus the first one people will see) to be one so uninformed. To be clear, the donghua that is based on the novel (which is what this NovelUpdates page links to, and is what is supposed to be the source for these reviews) follows a different timeline to tell the events of the... more>> story.

The novel opens with many mysteries. The prologue paints the MC out to be the biggest bad, and yet he clearly displays behavior that indicates everything but that. Judging from his behavior, MC is very much a good person, so where did that public perception come from? The entire novel thereout follows two concurrent paths: 1. Steadily unravels the mystery of the past of how and why MC got to this point, and 2. To solve the current, ongoing mystery in the present time. The two timelines are beautifully interwoven to create an emotional and compelling story, with reveals timed so that the two timelines (flashbacks to the past, and present events) very much compliment each other.

And that is only covering the story-telling style itself.

The major characters are quite compelling and go through personal development that is also consistent to character, and it's easy to see why they do what they do because their thoughts and actions are so human. The humor is absolutely on point, and the plot is so intriguing it keeps you hooked for the entire ride. It is very easy to be caught in the emotional flow of the story as you read. This novel is a classic example of showing you the story, instead of telling you, so I implore you to read with an open mind, as letting the implications of every event sink in will have so much greater impact on enjoyment & reading experience than expecting the answer to be directly dropped into your lap.

Some may find the timeline switcheroos throughout to be confusing, but it is actually not that difficult to tell what is happening when based on what has already been established. For example, if the MC is currently someplace, together with XX character where nothing has been said to indicate that the two are presently attending school, and the next chapter brings up the MC being in school with his schoolmates, then the story has shifted into a flashback.

This novel is honestly one of the best stories I've read. <<less
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Chewing
Chewing rated it
November 3, 2018
Status: c75
tldr: ABSOLUTELY GOLDEN. DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS NOVEL. IF I COULD TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO ANSWER THE 'What's your favorite book?' QUESTION IT'LL BE THIS ONE.

Plot

Rather than a BL novel, this is an epic xianxia adventure novel with a BL romance as one of its cores. The plot is rich, intriguing, heart-breaking, all in one. One of the most frequent complaints is its heavy use of flashbacks, and overabundance of characters. While the former indicates that a better understanding of the novel might require some... more>> rereading time, MXTX never neglects any details in her flashbacks and makes sure that they all have a purpose. Rather than thinking of them as flashbacks, it's better to think 'the past' storyline running parallel to the main storyline. As for the latter, you get used to the names very quickly.

Characters

Both the MC and ML are amazing; Wei Wuxian is not only a terrific MC, but character in general. His sense of humor, knowledge, and self-awareness is instantly endearing to the reader, all wrapped up under the weight of his epic, tragic past. He's very down to earth for someone who was essentially considered Xianxia Voldemort. WWX is incredibly funny and intelligent, with a concealed maturity that doesn't let him wallow in angst.

Lan Wangji oh Lan Wangji, probably one of the most loyal, endearing MLs ever. His character is deceptively stoic and flat at first-glance; not only in the readers' perspective but in-universe. It soon becomes apparent however, that LWJ's character shines through his actions; in every tiny detail present throughout the story, as someone righteous, honest, and rigidly loyal.
Spoiler

His long, unrequited love for Wei Wuxian is one of the novel's most famous aspects, and as the readers fall more in love with him, so does WWX.

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The other characters are also rich and entertaining, each with their own motivations, good points, bad points, though it never gets draggy. Jiang Cheng, Jin Ling, the disciples and even the villains are all dimensional.

just.... read Mo Dao Zu Shi. It's the good stuff. <<less
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alexfilia
alexfilia rated it
August 17, 2017
Status: c18
I dont really have anything more to say that hasnt been said already.....I really love this novel

What I liked most about it is that everything comes full circle in the end... Basically Karma is a b**ch and comes back to bite you

... more>>
Spoiler

The MC's actions by being overconfident and having a better than you attidute basically caused his own death.... Of course we had the main Mastermind behind the scenes faning the flames and causing trouble....

What I loved about this novel is that while the main mastermin's indirect actions led the MC to his death but it was also his actions that led to the MC's revival

Of course the true victim of this story was the MC's sister's child.... Several people had a hand on his parents death but in the end he couldnt bring himshelf to blame anyone since everyone had their own reasons and circumstances

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ResidentialPsycho
ResidentialPsycho rated it
September 23, 2017
Status: c24
This is a horror/supernatural/mystery/action/comedy series with all sorts of undead things crawling around and jumping on people! Definitely my kind of story. Even better than that, it is smartly written with clever plot development and cases to be solved.

To be noted, the MC is SHAMELESS. Absolutely SHAMELESS in all caps. This is important, so I am repeating it twice. I've seen the saying that so-and-so is shameless in other Chinese series before, but the MC here is the definition of SHAMELESS. He is always getting into trouble and is very... more>> active in it. He is a hysterical joker, who is always screwing around and messing with people. He makes me laugh so hard, I think I have fallen in love with him.

The other characters and their interactions with him are also great. I haven't seen any weaknesses in this story thus far.

If you are looking to read a supernatural ghost mystery series that makes you laugh until you cry, look no further. <<less
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Resplendor
Resplendor rated it
July 27, 2018
Status: c57
I'm obsessed with this novel.

I haven't fangirled over ANYTHING in a looooong while, but now I find myself hoarding fan art, hunting down spoilers, watching the anime episodes and re-reading the novel and manhua over and over again....

It's become a problem.

... more>> I crave listening to the opening and ending song now.

Why?

This thing has everything. Excellent plot, gut-busting humor, ridiculous character development and world building, mystery, adventure, exciting fight scenes, non-stereotypical romance, adorable fluffiness balanced with heart wrenching pathos. It damn near perfect.

The only thing bad I could say about it is the flash-backs are overused as a plot device, but even then you get s**ked in to the story they paint and are definitely necessary to the plot.

If an official english version came out, i'd buy it in a heartbeat. <<less
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