Ze Tian Ji

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To pick is to choose. This is a story about choices. Three thousand worlds full of gods and demons, with a daoist scroll in your hand, you are able to control the entire universe…

At the beginning of time, a mystical meteor came crashing down from outer space and scattered all over the world. A piece of it landed in the Eastern Continent. There were mysterious totems carved upon the meteor. Through viewing these totems, mankind comprehended the Dao and established the Orthodoxy.

Several thousand years later, the fourteen years old orphan Chen Changsheng left his master to cure his illness and change his fate. He brought a part of a marriage vow with him to the capital, thus beginning the journey of a rising hero…

Associated Names
One entry per line
Fighter of the Destiny (TV series)
Trạch Thiên Ký
Way of Choices
ZTJ
择天记
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
World of Cultivation (9)
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality (8)
Transcending the Nine Heavens (5)
Nightfall (4)
Joy of Life (4)
Pivot of the Sky (4)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Novels That I Have Read Over The Years
  2. Novels I have read
  3. The Mt. Tai of Chinese Novels
  4. Light Novel list
  5. Timeless Masterpieces - the Best Novels Ever

Latest Release

Date Group Release
07/17/16 Novel Saga c196
07/10/16 Novel Saga c195
07/06/16 Novel Saga c194
07/02/16 Novel Saga c193
06/29/16 Novel Saga c192
11/27/15 Ze Tian Ji Translation c107
11/27/15 Ze Tian Ji Translation c106 part2
11/26/15 Ze Tian Ji Translation c106 part1
11/26/15 Ze Tian Ji Translation c105 part2
11/26/15 Ze Tian Ji Translation c105 part1
Write a Review
205 Reviews sorted by


GabeZhul
GabeZhul rated it
March 27, 2017
Status: c401
Great story, but it is really slow. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as that pace is what allows the author to really flesh out the main cast. The first 100 chapters barely contain any action, and the protagonist doesn't actually fight until around chapter 200; there is a much greater focus on cultivation, philosophy and character-interactions than power-levels and combat.

That said, the slow pace also causes a number of annoyances, such as
... more>>
Spoiler

a freaking imprisoned dragon being introduced early on, the protagonist promising to return to it so that they might be able to communicate, and then not doing so for a hundred chapters. Same deal with the romance: the author sets up this frankly hilarious misunderstanding between the characters that results in both of them falling for the other without any preconceptions, and then he yanks the rug out of under them and does something completely different for a hundred chapters without resolving the misunderstanding.

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So, you might ask: If I don't think the slow pace is a detriment and I love the characters, why do I give it only 4 stars? I am not going to beat around the bush: It's the action. I can read dozens of chapters detailing how the protagonist contemplates the meaning of some carvings on an obelisk, but the moment the fighting starts, it just completely loses me. It is overwrought, verbose and more often than not outright boring aside of maybe the big final confrontation of the arc. Aside of those though, I would say one can safely skip 90% of all the combat without losing any information, flavor or enjoyment.

That said, if you can tolerate the combat and the tension of the setup and the payoff of certain plot-elements having hundreds of chapters between them, this is an amazing read, with a very likable protagonist and cast. If you don't have the patience, it's better if you read several hundred chapters in one big chunk and then put it aside until more translated chapters come out, as reading this one chapter at a time is tantamount of trying to quench your thirst using drops from a leaking faucet. <<less
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cstrife
cstrife rated it
February 27, 2017
Status: c368
4-star. This novel COULD have been one of the greats (4.5+ rating here) if it wasn't for the filler. The novel is slow paced, but that's not a fault of it's own. The fault lies in the verbosity of the author. He doesn't want to appear to be milking his chapters, but he writes so much stuff that has no added value that it drags down the novel. There are big payoffs when stuff finally happens and the world/plot is very interesting. With a good editor, this could easily be... more>> 5-star. In comparison, The Grand Master Strategist (4.8 rating) or Release that witch (4.8) are examples of slow paced novels that do it right. <<less
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Joses
Joses rated it
February 10, 2017
Status: c131
This is novel is very good but it is just too detailed. It is too detailed that is feels like the author did it on purpose for the preperation of an anime adaptation. Because of this novel (or the translator), I am starting to hate the word "akin".
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MangoGuy
Mango Guy rated it
February 8, 2017
Status: c350
Currently my fav. And for a reason. Because I made a choice. The choice to endure the slow start. The choice to endure seeing the MC get called weak.. because he REALLY is weak!! But.....I am now suffering from withdrawal. Yup.

A solid 5/5. AND, One of the best slow romances I have ever seen. And I have seen my fair share of these books. And now we got an amazing TL as well!!This MUST be recommended!!

Edit: currently read over 550 chapters if this, and I feel my 5 star... more>> rating is still valid. Been hearing a lot of things about it's ending, but idc. So far it is 5. I can update my rating later on. This is Mango approved.

Edit: I have completed reading this.

ZTJ is the most excellent xianxia I have ever read, for the lack of a better word. It has some truly philosophical moments, and also some amazingly romantic moments. The characters are very well flushed out. This is in no way a novel without flows, as the presence of plot armor can be felt. But the way it shows the human nature and schemes in the grand nature is AMAZING.

I have heard a lot about the ending of this one. I can say that among the completed CN I have read, it has the best one. NO DOUBT. The female MC is also simply amazing, and this is the one novel where I was actively hoping for a harem end because of how many well flushed out and just loveable female characters are present. There is no good or bad person in this novel, it is just good and bad choices.

ZTJ is declared a must read CN, and I vouch my reputation.

This is Mango approved.

PS: I know that the start will seem excessively slow, but trust me it is worth it. Because this one has NO filler.

PPS: I do agree that the ending war could have been better handled, by stretching it to at least 10 more chapters. But I am happy with the current result.

ZTJ is not flawless, but it is still one of the most complete series out there. <<less
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Jin Mori
Jin Mori rated it
February 1, 2017
Status: c341
As many before have said, this story has an incredibly slow start and pacing. However, in return you get a far more detailed world and characters than most other current Xianxia/Wuxia that are currently being translated. I feel as if I know quite a bit more about ZTJ's main characters on the personality and backstory side than other novels like Desolate Era and such. My knowledge of the world is a bit less, but that's more because of the layers and mysteries involved in the backstory as opposed to plot holes.

You can see the characters evolve through their times with each other, the characters of ZTJ are certainly not your ordinary cookie-cutter MC's that so frequently populate today's selections. Instead of the arrogant, rushing-into-action choices, you have a guy who carefully weighs his every move before taking action, always doing whatever benefits his moral compass and end goal.

Spoiler

His end goal is changing his fate and extending his lifespan. He's fated to die around the age of 20.

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A bit later in the beginning, he actually begins to question his decisions and how his end goal has changed throughout his adventures. This is a character you can really cheer for, empathize with, and watch grow.

One con (nothing to do with the story itself, just something that some like to know) though is the translation pace. The story is a bit slow in progression and relatively slow translation doesn't really help too much with that. However, better to have translation than have none, and I know I've gotten hooked to ISSTH's speed.
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grrman
grrman rated it
January 30, 2017
Status: c709
First written @c338

The biggest trait this story has is slow, but thorough world building. It's very similar to WoC minus any sort of teacher figure to the MC. Otherwise both stories feature a MC with a mysterious origin, considered relatively untalented especially when everyone around the MC is talented, slower pace and intelligent MC. On the other hand, the MC couldn't have a different personality if he tried from WoC (closer to SYWZ).

The story has a lot of dialogue, but the action is mostly worth the wait in my opinion,... more>> and it is spread out around the cast instead of having the MC do everything.

If there is a major complaint I have, it is how drawn out scenes can become. It may be bias from the recent/current arcs, but the author seems to like to stack the deck against the protagonists. It might aid in making the story seem unique/realistic, but I think it is hard to resolve these situations without making the MC unnecessarily OP or having some plot armor take place. I'm not saying the writing is bad, but the story can get frustrating at times (although it probably won't be as much in a single read).

Overall, there is a likable cast, good world creation, deep backstories and character motivations, and plenty of spotlight on the side characters. On the other hand the MC seems to manage to be the center of everything, and the pacing could be better (sometimes slow buildups, drawn-out conflicts, or POV changes that don't add anything). There is some romance, but not anything concrete enough to form an opinion about yet.

Edit: Having gotten this far, I would re-rate this to a 5. I think the author has greatly improved his pacing, and I think this is one of the few novels that has gotten me more interested as its gone on. What really stands out is the author's ability to foreshadow, as well as his excellent character development. Every character has a backstory, and that backstory is important. This novel is like the WN version of GOT in that regard. It's not a fast read, but that speaks more to the excellent writing than the author putting in fluff <<less
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icjingshi
icjingshi
September 2, 2016
Status: c181
So glad Gravity picked up this novel when it was dropped by the original translator. This is definitely one of the best novels I have read. The writing is superb and the characters are characters and not plot devices. Even the antagonists have their reasons for what they do and are not simple cannon fodder to feed MC's ego (the MC from PMG comes to mind here). My only regret... it was so good that once I caught up with the translation I could not wait and read the forums... more>> for spoilers. You do not want to read the spoilers as this is a story well worth reading at its own pace. Now all I can do is let the chapters accumulate so I can binge read it.
Story wise it is great but also on a writing perspective it holds such a high standard. I definitely hope that more people discover this novel and push up its popularity. <<less
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niax
niax rated it
June 20, 2016
Status: c65
Fairly decent, but as been stated, very slow. Which in of itself isn't the problem for me, the problem is the massive amount of bullying against the MC. It's constant and every time the MC barely comes through, the next chapter has the exact same people bullying him in a different but more vicious way. Couldn't take the bullying anymore so stopped around ch65. Those out there who are into S&M would prolly like it.
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nikhil
nikhil rated it
June 13, 2016
Status: c184
Good novel with slow pacing and lots of background story. Every aspect is fleshed out and characters are in shades of black and white but Dropping it for now cause slow releases and slow pacing driving me mad. Will stack up the chapters IF THEY EVER get released
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Karimka
Karimka
April 8, 2016
Status: --
I admire and hate this novel. The plot is good but its so slow that

Spoiler

I can wait for my grandchildren to tell me that a chapter when he will cure his disease is translated and I will read it

[collapse]
So I can say that if you want to read a slow developing novel where are whole chapters about some useless people its for you.
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Mr J
Mr J
March 9, 2016
Status: --
A bit slower pace then what I usually read, but I'm enjoying it. Not very violent, but still with enough action mixed in so it doesn't feel too slow.

On a side note, anyone know if the anime is being subbed?
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OnePunchKO
OnePunchKO rated it
March 6, 2016
Status: --
A unique story which focus more on politics, characters are very interesting with nice world building and setting. Writing style is very poetic and slow but dramatic. I highly recommend this.
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Love4NovelGuy
Love4NovelGuy rated it
March 4, 2016
Status: --
The best part of this novel is not it's action, but the interaction between characters. The main character isn't wild and reckless because he's got an illness that will kill him at the age of twenty, (or at least I think it was twenty?) he's down to earth and doesn't offend anyone yet is still so interesting that the lack of action is actually a good thing. The side characters aren't idiots and even the most idiotic ones thinks of his decisions over smartly before acting. The MC is... more>> strong willed and although the world stands against him he still has the courage to tell them he has done nothing wrong. He doesn't whine nor does he brood over things for too long because of his habits which makes it read less tragic than it actually is. In this story he doesn't use only his fist to display actions and the story isn't complex even though there are so many lively and interesting characters around him both friend and foe. The best xianxia with less action than usual I've ever read. <<less
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tanzmoon
tanzmoon rated it
March 3, 2016
Status: --
Slow but absolutely love it! No complaints at all. It's better to let the chapters accumulate before reading.
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mukkaar
mukkaar rated it
February 22, 2016
Status: --
I like it. Story is really good but storytelling is slow. I don't mind slowness that much but author explains and lingers too much on unimportant stuff for my taste. Tough you could put that on "drama", I still think there are lot of parts that could be omitted without affecting story any way. I think if 150 chapters of novel could be condensed to 100 this would be lot better.

But generally good novel calm and mature (not in erot*c way) atmosphere and still contains some excitement as battles and... more>> struggle. Be prepared to wait for MC to power up for long time tough :D <<less
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ninish
ninish rated it
February 17, 2016
Status: --
up to ch: 143

Beautiful story, however slow it may be. There's no romance so far, and it is indeed very slow. BUT I'm enchanted by it. If you are an impatient person this may not be your story. But if you're one to enjoy the things you read for the way they are "crafted", then I recommend this one. i love the world, I love the people, I love dragons, I love the star stuff, and I like this honest MC. It's one of my favourite novels nowadays.
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Starvenus
Starvenus rated it
February 17, 2016
Status: --
Chen Chang Shang, our MC is stoic, smart (walking encyclopedia), and tenacious.
He's been living with his master and senior brother since baby, social interaction only with these two, hence he's socially awkward when he set out to cure his illness.

He is the most calm MC I have ever encounter. At some point even I wish someone smack down these jerks from jeering him but he's either just taking it in or talk to them logically. I'm at chapter 143 we can finally see him in action after long suffering... more>> of ridicules and threats.

Romance, so far we have 2 girls, 1 is his arranged marriage partner, the other is student from the same academy. But his stance on romance is neutral for now though since he's more concentrated on getting rid of his illness first.

There is political schemes working in the shadows and our MC got drag in.
Downside, you need to get used to the new terms/lingo when the series switched translator. <<less
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ththth12
ththth12 rated it
January 23, 2016
Status: --
This story is beautiful, like poetry. Characters are real, they have their own personalties and motives. Main character is capable of mature conversations. If he is treated unjustly, he talks back and calls out on their bullshit. He does not rage like a little kid. He shows that you can be awesome without any OP powers. There are no powertrips, harems or ego pandering here. After this story, other CN feel like they have written by immature kids. 5/5
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Jush
byrmztrk77 rated it
January 20, 2016
Status: --
This is the first novel I have not skipped even 1 word. Other novels might repeat the same words over and over again in the same chapter to show off MC's power, uniqueness, etc. From other characters but in this novel there is nothing like that.

Story might be slow but it has its own beauty.I'm sure that if you start reading this novel, you will realise the difference between this and the others. Highly Recommended!
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khanh
khanh rated it
January 5, 2016
Status: --
this is a good story, but it one of those you bench read cause there are a big wait until the climax. Man this story slow pace comparing to the other Chinese xinxa story (I read up to 100 chapter and it just finishing up introducing all the main player in the story, and it just starting to the training part of the story), cause it more like an book then a web novel. Man I dont know how this is a web novel with it pacing.
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