The Founder of Diabolism

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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
Write a Review
540 Reviews sorted by


varsha.miffy
varsha.miffy rated it
September 29, 2020
Status: Completed
5/5

A true master piece for sure. A combination of humor, angst, violence, faith, love and many more. Wangji gets me emotional every time I think about this novel.
Spoiler

Such a love - unrequited and spanning over many years, could have killed anyone but wangji bore it with poise. He is always there for you, through thick and thin, no questions asked, wanting nothing in return, fighting life and death battles for you even though he believes he is being taken advantage of.... I'm emotional again

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sapphiresoulmate
sapphiresoulmate rated it
July 9, 2020
Status: Completed
MDZS is the novel that got me into reading novels actually and thus it has and will always have a special place in my heart. Although boasting itself to be from Danmei genre (BL), the story is actually a lot more deeper. Rather than having a very big BL focus, it feels more like a ancient detective dark fantasy mystery novel that happened to have a romance centered around two men which I feel is masterful in terms of writing as writing about queer people without overly focusing on their... more>> queerness and queer relationships had always been a Waterloo for many writers. The balanced mix of mystery, family drama, dark fantasy and romance is enough to get you hooked whether you like BL or not.

The story starts when Wei Wuxian, a deceased man said to be a demonic cultivator, is given a body to inhabit after fulfilling the grudges of the original owner of the body. A series of unfortunate but relevant events lead him to travel with an old acquaintance, Lan Wangji, who he later realizes might be harboring different intentions towards Wei Wuxian, aside from them solving a mystery and babysitting a bunch of young cultivators.

The novel is very engaging and the storybuilding is superb as the cultivation sects are pretty much held tightly by families and gives the importance of political alliances, similar to that of the nobles of the olden times. There are plenty of characters in the story and all the characters introduced had all played their part for us to reach a satisfying ending.

I think a really good point in the story is that, although the story was scarce in quantity as to female characters, the quality of the three characters had all been crafted quite nicely and relevantly in the story. What's great is that the author MXTX did not discredit nor antagonize these women for being close or even hateful to the lead as often BL genre does. They had all turned out to be characters who are pillars of important points in the story without them ever being a ~narrative foil~ to the BL couple. In all honestly, I hope more BL stories can also employ this method and not disrespect female characters in the future.

This novel is a good read, with just enough of everything to get you going. Would definitely recommend! <<less
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Shybreeze
Shybreeze rated it
October 27, 2019
Status: Completed
I tell you, instead of reading reviews, just start to read already. And join me in worshiping this novel that is close to PERFECTION.

What can I say? This is my fav novel of all time and I haven't seen any that can came close to this. Just how many times I cried while reading this novel? EVERY CHARACTER, I said EVERY CHARACTER in this novel is alive I tell you. My heart HURTS for everyone. Wei Ying and Lan Zhan is a cinnamon and must be protected at all cost.... more>> Oh, how I want to tell you the glory that is this novel but I'm afraid I will just write my own long praise for this. No wonder it has manga and drama adaptation. Each adding to the fans of this story. Each has it's own flavor. But definitely, each is precious.. <<less
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Rhia89
Rhia89 rated it
August 16, 2019
Status: Completed
I've read this book thrice over, watched the anime and the drama, read countless fanfiction over and over and I'm still thirsty for more. Lan zhan and wei ying hold my heart as the absolute best couple ever. Ugh... why is this so short. There should be a second part where they are just night hunting and hanging out with their kids and being domestic. A big big big thanks to exiled rebels for picking this up. You guys are lovely. ??

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KilaLuvenar
KilaLuvenar rated it
August 14, 2019
Status: c125
I...

this novel. Gods damn this novel, it's SO GOOD.

I originally started out with the Donghua and let me tell you: first episode was a jumble of "who the f*ck is this again?" and "at least they're wearing different clothes" to "the hell is going on, why are we doing this, is he possessed or possessing, what. The. Actual. f*ck"
And then the next episodes swept me away and I understood more and more about this world. I started caring about the characters and the plot A LOT more, I got... more>> so invested and I cried my heart out.

I found out about the novel.

Needless to say I now know almost everyone's courtesy and common name, have cried more than a thousand times and am neck deep into this fandom made out of crackheads and masochists (because truly, the only fanart I ever see is one of the two, we either love to torture ourselves with sad scenes or dead characters, or we just. Become Wei Wuxian. There is literally no in between)

This novel is amazing. The characters are BEAUTIFUL, the plot just keeps on getting more interesting and the way it's written is very refreshing. I just, I have way too many feelings about this and I cannot, for the live of me, say anything objective because I AM NOT OBJECTIVE OKAY?

I am in love.

That will be all <<less
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antiquesdoll
antiquesdoll
June 11, 2019
Status: c120
I've never read a better webnovel. This is not just gratuitous yaoi, but also heroic xianxia, adventure and action, various relationships, drama and tragedy, mystery, good character development, and just so entertaining. I'm so glad there is an animation and live drama being made. Mo Xiang Tongxiu really has done a great job. Although I like all the other novels, I still think this one is the best.
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MingMing19
MingMing19 rated it
February 25, 2019
Status: Completed
This story is just so damn good. I can't even express it in words. The love between the two main characters is absolutely beautiful, and their relationship is definitely the one of the most healthiest ones I have encountered. Of course, there is much more to this novel than the wonderful romance. The whole plot itself is an amazing read, it's the perfect amount of action, comedy, tragedy, fantasy, and romance. Most characters are likeable except for a few, and Wei Wuxian is the best protagonist I have come across.... more>> Everyone should read this even if they aren't fond of BL, because honestly it's so good that missing out wouldn't be worth it. <<less
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vinzha
vinzha rated it
February 11, 2019
Status: Completed
I made this account specifically for this book, so here we are.

First heard of it as a manga, but when there is an original novel out there, I'm definitely paying a visit. To be honest, I'm not very experienced in xianxia novels. I've only ever read one before Mo Dao Zu Shi, though I do watch a lot of xianxia dramas. But I do think I like this one just as much as the first, if not more. A lot of complaints and praises for this story, as with many... more>> things, are subjective tastes with viable reasons.

I genuinely do like the flashbacks, and even when they are at times confusing, I still enjoy them enough that it doesn't matter to me. Once I figure it out, it wouldn't ever bother me again, since I already know. The flashbacks are actually extremely important to me personally since it allows the mystery and suspense of the past to drive some parts of the plot, allowing more doors to be open, releasing information to be used at the right time, ect. I love not knowing what exactly happened in the beginning, wondering about all the relationships and motives of the characters, and letting the flashbacks show me at opportune times before getting out of the way as the present story line is progressed due to its unleashing.

Spoiler

Even more so, a good deal of the point of this story was following We WuXian's rebirth and figuring out the present using his spotty memories. The guy has the memory on par with a goldfish. The flashbacks are just such an important literary device that I love dearly in this book, especially when repeatedly implied past events are finally revealed. A good example would be the events of the Night before going into the present, directly referencing that mess of a past event by mentioning how some people presently in the Demon-Slayer Cave were either there during that massacre or were descendents of those in that massacre.

Another would also be Xichen revealing that Lan WangJi apparently confessed his feelings (? kinda, it was just very obvious even if he didn't say it directly) before in the past, but because Wei Ying didn't remember, it explained part of the past misunderstandings between the two.

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It's part of a style choice in my opinion, and I like it. I did have a rough time with the three names though, but since I'm patient, I learned it along the way, and if I needed help, I just used the character guide. It was slightly more off-putting than the flashbacks for me. It may not be enjoyable to some, so watch out for that if you may not like the story due to the influx of numerous names.

Anyways, beyond that, I thoroughly loved the story and the characters for the most part. I love mystery cases, and any attempt at a mystery done alright is a boost for me. I also think misunderstood done well relationships is my jam, and the main pairing is, unlike many other stories, my main focus in the story (not that the minor characters detract in any way in this. Its just most of the time I dont give a crap about the main chatacters, so its refreshing to like both the protagonists and the side characters, unlike how I usually only really care about the side ones). I do adore both Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, meaning I also occasionally make fun of them and their antics but definitely in a good-natured way. Slow burn is also my jam, and the little moments along the way builds to a sigh of 'finally' when they actually get together.

Spoiler

At very inopportune time what with them being at the complete mercy of end antagonist, but I digress.

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It has come to my attention that Lan Zhan can be a bit flat. And I generally agree. There are definitely parts of him that could be compelling, but was never really explored or shown all that much. His character development happened in his youth, the extent of it being shown as him being less of a stick in the mud when he met Wei Ying (it took a while, but point is that it was done mostly in scattered flashbacks and gray areas like the thirteen years where Wei Ying was dead, so really not actually shown) and I can only assume much of it was done behind the scenes, or rather simply unknown to Wei Ying. This does make Lan Zhan feel a little less real (because he's so goddamn perfect I guess), though being honest I still really adore him with a fondness I can only assume from adoption of him as my son.

Spoiler

Like, look. I can feel that Lan Zhan has so much potential in complexity, not just in his obligatory tragic backstory, but his present actions as well. His sides are just not shown well through the novel itself and partially due to perspective, and from Wei Ying's point of view:

  • Yeah, Lan Zhan is basically perfect by the time they grow up. Wei Ying praises him endlessly, even in their youth, and more so in the present day because Lan Zhan by then apparently already finished his character development.
  • Even more so, Wei Ying himself understood Lan Zhan's character so late that for most of the novel, there was a lack of real comprehension of his character other than being "a bit boring" or "fuddy duddy". A little less so in the future but still. that was Wei Yuing's basic understanding of Lan Zhan (other than being beautiful and talented and smart and perfect in every single way other than not smiling much).
  • Lan Zhan is so deep in love with Wei Ying (and Wei Ying not getting that until like 90% of the way into the book) that honestly, the majority (bascially all?) of his actions were done all in favor of Wei Ying. And because this book is in the latter's perspective, there is a big lack of well, negative effects. Like, sure one time he sided with Wei Ying and people got suspicious and accused him and stuff, but that wasn't a mistake, nor anything to grow from. It was the right choice. I genuinely can't think of any of Lan Zhan's actions present day (not drunk) that can be considered a mistake or something to grow from. Which uh... is okay. Because he's still a good character and honestly, I think it's reasonable because of how the story turned out: Wei Ying proving he was right to everyone (about some things lol).

I actually think that their relationship development itself is fine. It's not anything complex and dynamic like with Wei Ying and Jiang Cheng, but I think that that's... also fine. Them having a relatively chill relationship after the initial ups and downs in their youth is completely good for me. I genuinely don't really have as much of a problem with that as others do. To be honest, it's slow burn more on the confirmation of mutual feelings than "push and pull" which was pre-novel stuff. Some people are stuck in the pre-relationship part of a relationship rather than the actual relationship... if that makes sense. I think it's important to note that a character doesn't need to complete their arc simultaneously with getting romantically involved. The "not wanting a character being defined by who they end up with" would ultimately become useless if they just, y'know, actually get into a relationship before they complete a character arc... anywho, semantics. I just think that them having a stable, mutually loving, simple relationship after finally getting their heads out of their asses is a good thing.

I just mostly wish that we got to actually witness Lan Zhan's struggles and mistakes and growth, especially in his youth and within those thirteen years. Like his chosen drunk adventure leading to nearly hurting himself and others (possibly even sober), regrets, the realization of missing his chances and getting used to grief. I want to SEE THAT. But the story really isn't his and Wei Ying's story, it's mostly just Wei Ying's, Which may negate everything I'm saying but, anyways. And by the way, Wei Ying is a dumpster fire of emotional instability and extreme PTSD from all sides. So uh, Lan Zhan being perfect in comparison (in his point of view) is valid because Lan Zhan is at least more stable mentally and by pure nature than he is.

Now, disregarding all of that... I also think that even though Lan Zhan is portrayed less compellingly than others, he's a good character. More importantly, I freaking love him even with him being not as "relateable". To be honest, my biggest gripe is simply I want to see more of him outside of Wei Ying. Not necessarily meaning "without Wei Ying there" but more "him doing something in the presence of Wei Ying that doesn't relate to him at all, but is still Lan Zhan through and through, and is not something perfect like his writing posture or something". I think that he did indeed go through some changes and self-reflections, but we weren't able to see it that well. And the reason for that is actually pretty simple (and I also already said this multiple times already but this is the main point) : he's completed his character arc before the novel. By the novel, he has already become a (reasonably) stable adult. His personality has already evened out by then. Which makes him flat by novel story standards, but a normally functioning human adult by real life standards (not his high level cultivation stuff, but personality wise). He didn't NEED to go through any major character development because he's already completed it off screen, and what happens next for him most importantly is Wei Ying. Which is fine. He's still a good character, and he fulfills his purpose within the story about Wei Ying.

If you watched the dongman... the first season has the majority of Lan Wangji's character development, all in the younger days. And I really loved it. As I thought, his character really does have so much potential, even though it was used mostly unseen or in flashbacks in the novel. The dongman does a good job of showing the depth and conflict in his character, so I greatly recommend it.

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Now, being honest here, I don't think I love ALL the characters as much as many of the fans do. Granted, many I do find merit in, and those who are meant to be sympathized with are on some level. They are mostly fleshed out and they genuinely hold a place in my heart. And beyond that, I find all of the relationships, especially the familial ones, to be very interesting and well done. I also think the balance of romance/plot/character development/character interaction is especially good (personal taste of minimal romance with a focus on mystery and action). I would consider a relatively short version of an epic, and because I don't like needlessly long stories, I don' t think it necessarily had to be any longer. It did it's job, and that's what makes me like it. No value to derail constantly in classic epic style, no one-off episodes that don't do much for the actual story it was trying to tell. Everything wrapped up fairly nicely, with most things relating to each other cohesively. The characters remembered and grew and changed. That's what's most important.

4.7/5 for me. <<less
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Ritu
Ritu rated it
December 22, 2018
Status: c84
This novel lived up to all the expectations I had for it. Its a slash novel yes, but extremely slow burn. Its plot is god level. Honestly I'm reading this novel now more for its plot and less for its romance lmao. The characters are so well developed. The author depicts their pain and life so well. You can connetterti with each one of them. Reading this you understand human nature. I didn't expect to get hooked into as I did. 1000/10 recommended. Gorgeous Novel.
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comradeguorong
comradeguorong rated it
August 4, 2018
Status: c54
I love the main character so, so much. He's such a spirited, happy-go-lucky, and shameless person, and there's pain under that but boy do I love his shenanigans. He alone already makes this novel worth reading, and like him it has such humor but there's also sadness.

I also love the ML and the hints of how deep his feelings for the MC flows, while the MC is meanwhile intensely dense. They have very cute scenes and many cases of each protecting the other.

The drawbacks - Not going to lie though,... more>> there's often long stretches of flashbacks and I nearly rage quit during one of them because it was too tragic.

Spoiler

The fog city flashbacks...I had a tough time believing Xue Yang could deceive Xiao Xingchen for so long, because Xingchen had other senses even if blind but I guess there had to be maximum death and tragedy

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I definitely want to see this through to the end, because I want to see justice happen... <<less
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Rinmoyi
Rinmoyi rated it
December 23, 2021
Status: Completed
My ratings are based on favoritism. Cause I loved it no matter, if it was danmei, donghua, manhua, or live-action.
(っ≧ω≦) っ

It is 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 TA-DA you got Grandmaster of demonic cultivation.✨_✨

My humble request is that 1st finish the novel, before reading or watching the manhua or danmei & live-action. If those are mountains then... more>> novel is the deep sea. It definitely won't spoil the fun rather would increase it by tenfold.
(ꈍ⌓ꈍ)

(MC) Wei WuXian was a hilariously shameless & fun loving guy who takes things as they come. A very overwhelming character. Yeah, he has his difficulties & shortcomings; sometimes he is also wrong. He is not evil but not a saint also, but I literally felt adoration for him.
(╥﹏╥)

(ML) Lan WangJi was a tsundere ice king. DAMN CUTE. He used to be those stuck up, up and coming pride of the clan cultivator. Then Wei WuXian crashed into his life and annoyed the heck out of him. But all of these just made him fall in love with Wei WuXian. Lan WangJi's silent devotion to love was truly mesmerizing.
(*^*)

The character that left deep impression was Jiang Cheng. I think he was the most misunderstood character. Can be said he was also someone who cared but couldn't show. His wording was harsh, but in heart he was sincere.
(༎ຶ⌑༎ຶ)

You really can't judge the characters without knowing their full backstory. Can't hate them even if you can't like them.

I wish I can be like Lan WangJi in virtue and Wei WuXian in character. O (╯□╰) o

At the end of this novel you will also feel that "Thousands of words were left unspoken, in exchange for some endless satisfactions."

இ﹏இ <<less
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LIYSTEA
LIYSTEA rated it
September 22, 2021
Status: Completed
3.5/5 (purely novel) 2.5/5 (including fan response)

I finally went back to reread mdzs.

To be honest, when I reread mdzs there were parts of the novel that I had noticed the first time but didn't bother me before. Maybe because I was pretty young when I first read it in 2016-2017 so I was a bit s*upid.

I don't really like the ML, he is okay but a bit bland in my opinion. The MC I quite like his personality till towards the end of the novel - I feel like... more>> the author was positioning the readers to be too sympathetic towards him and too harsh against the other characters. (author and readers basically forget how not nice/insane the MC was as the yiling patriarch)

I can only describe it as favouritism, the author is like God. Although there are difficult parts of the MC's life, he is ultimately favoured by God. Despite the fact that he is not a good person (doesn't mean he is a bad person, but definitely not some pure never-wrong person that the author seemed to portray towards the end, and a lot of fans see him as this pure good person as well)

Spoiler

MC too self sacrificing, it gets a bit repetitive, the author makes it so that the readers are to forgive him; but I think she should have reminded us that he wasn't a pure good person either

Another reason why the self sacrificing nature is annoying, because a lot of Chinese MC in all media is like that. It's because of our cultural values and historical heroes as well (they always end up k*lling themselves)

however, mdzs MC takes it too far. Instead of actually fixing the mess that he triggered, he tries to fix it in a selfishly unselfish ways and ends up causing the death of his brother in law and less directly his sworn sister. AND THEN K*LLS HIMSELF ACCIDENTALLY-ISH and mess still not fixed and tbh made worse by the MC. like his sense of responsibility is Wack. A lot of people forgive him because he lost control of his demonic cultivation but he still used it knowing that it is impossible to fully control, arrogantly believing in the moment that he had it under control. Which he didn't...

The ML, where do I start? He is probably the worst character in the novel. He blames Jiang Cheng for not saving/helping the MC, when the ML wasn't strong enough to either. Literally doesn't make sense unless it's some sort of projection.

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There's this thought I keep having, that Jiang Cheng as ML route would have been a pretty common troupe as well. I would have definitely liked the novel better.

Spoiler

The MC and Jiang Cheng's relationship discord isn't even angst, it's just annoying because it's really dumb. Like just talk to each other 🙄. And MC can be really dumb/unrealistic despite being a prodigy.

Even though Jiang Cheng cares for his sworn brother (they aren't even pseudo brothers they are like pseudo-semi-adopted brother), he has an inferiority complex. And the reason for it is basically his father Jiang Fengmian who favours the MC, and dislikes Yu Ziyuan his wife and Jiang Cheng his son.

And a lot of fans hate on Yu Ziyuan (Jiang Cheng's mother) but honestly her actions are normal in the circumstances. Like she physically disciplines both Jiang Cheng and the MC but that's what all sect leaders/sect elders do. Like the ML got whipped so many times he could have died. Even the MC admits she didn't really harm him.

Yu Ziyuan deserves better!!

Also fans act like Jiang Cheng's feelings and actions are weird. They are definitely over the top but not that unusual. Like if a random kid, who's mother was the person that Jiang Fengmian was in love with, becomes the favourite kid, I would develop a complex too. Especially since JC isn't even weak he is average strong for a sect heir, the MC is just a prodigy.

Additionally, many readers response to JC is exactly what the author was going for in regards to the MC's skewed reputation. Basically a man vilified for doing normal person 常人 常理 actions. While the MC instead of normal actions he does s*upid unrealistic actions. So I cannot even pity him, he not only brought his own downfall but the downfall of people around him.

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I think I would have liked the novel more if Jiang Cheng and Lan Wanji's characters were merged.

Spoiler

Jiang Yanli's character is a bit annoying and badly written. She isn't a cultivator and isn't a healer like Wen Qing. The only thing she can do is be nice, favour the MC over her own brother and make one dish (and it's lotus rib soup literally so easy to make).

Her character is also very illogical. How is she so weak if her mother is such a badass and her father is a strong sect leader? Like any person even weak people like Su She can cultivate so it doesn't make sense. The author is just slightly sexist she doesn't give a f*ck about female characters despite their potential, all but one of her female characters are killed off.

jiang yanli would have been much better as a cultivator (over healer cos Wen Qing has that spot not all women have to be healers). With her temperament but way more strength as the Yunmeng Jiang Sect Leader (literally as she is the eldest child, with a mother like Yu Ziyuan as if she would be deterred from being strong) a lot of stuff would be better, esp since Jiang Cheng's was still immature and like a teenager at the time.

Jiang Yanli always needs protecting when she could have easily been written as a 女强人 with a mild temperament. It would have been way better especially since there are no female sect leaders (and it will also reflect Chinese history more, with the only officially in power female emperor Wu Zetian). But make it interesting about how a sweet mild tempered girl can consolidate power.

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the author is also inconsistent/not realistic/not making sense in some details:

1. arranged marriage (basically only for two pairs, doesn't make sense basically back then all the way to mid 20th century, it was the norm for a form of arrangement for nearly all people)

2. Where are the multiple lovers? Especially for Sect Leaders they are rich it would be more normal to have one wife and multiple concubines or even a male lover. The author sets up so many ot3 relationship hints in her novels but never actually commits 😢

3. Lan Sect being prudes/monogamous with a Taoist origin. Yeah no, Chinese dual cultivation and s*x manuals and legendary orgies + basically using young virg*ns as cultivation s*x tools are Taoist origin/influenced...

Still a good novel though, romance when you need, mu*der mystery when you need. Most of my issues with it are canon novel points that are exacerbated by some fans.

I think it's also a must read because of how popular it is in China. It has become part of the mainstream media despite it being a BL novel.

The drama does not do the original novel justice, changes in some relationships ahem Jiang Cheng and wen qing change some of the characters.

I do recommend the same name anime or manga AFTER THE READING THE NOVEL, superb animation and art but shortened plot. <<less
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Prakruti000
Prakruti000 rated it
September 12, 2021
Status: Completed
3.8/5.0

I am a newbie to the novel world. This is my first ever novel. I feel it's a very good starting. I just want to mention the things I am confused/dissatisfied with. No offense. Iam not a good describer. Sorry for my bad English.

I liked the plot, world building, all the 3D characters (including villain), characterisation and development of the characters, comedy and writing style very much. MC's past life is revealed slowly relating to the present plot. I had no problem with that writing style. Description of scenes, characters,... more>> emotions, and so on are also good. Most of the characters are well used. I liked Jiang Cheng the most. Overall, I am satisfied with these. But, a few things left me with confusion and disbelief.

1. MC and ML's relationship.

Spoiler

From childhood, ML is forcibly raised to become a monk (cultivator) in a secluded atmosphere. As there were "none" who truly cared for him, he becomes a kinda tsundere. MC's life is also described almost in the same way, there were "none" who truly cared for him. But because of his "easily forgiving nature" and "pure heart", he becomes a lively and carefree character. But in my opinion both MC and ML are not at all lonely stars. There were some people who supported them and truly cared for them. But they were either dominated or thrown away by author to highlight MC and ML.


MC lives in ML's hometown for three months for educational purpose. In those three months, he annoys and flirts with ML without leaving a single chance. And they survive through life and death situation "together". Nothing more, nothing less. But even before that life and death situation comes, within those three months, ML falls in love with MC ! That too devoted love ! Even considering ML's mental and emotional state and his "lonely" life, this is a hype for me. Like if a person annoys you in a vague but cute way, flirts with you and gives a few gifts to you, then it is not necessary to fall in love with him ! I can't believe ML just devoted his life to MC. He waited for him, cared for him, pampered him like an infant, gave everything he wanted (which felt like spoiling to me at some cases), violated his sect's rules, suffered unbearable pain and at last, he even got ready to leave his family and everything only for MC. I can't understand what kind of love is this ?! Even MC falling in love with ML is somewhat sensible. Because at his most difficult times, ML blindly trusted him and supported him. Later, MC finds out that ML fell in love with him a long ago and he always felt guilt for not supporting him wholly and was unable to prevent his death. But sorry, for me, ML's so called "devoted love" is only a teenage unmatured and unreasonable obsession but not mature love or "eternal love". Perhaps, it's just not my cup of tea.
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2. Extras. For those who completed the novel, if you are oversatisfied/satisfied with extras, it may not be worth reading.

Spoiler

Most of the extras are filled with smut scenes. Okay, I am not offending. But, instead of unnecessary smut, if author had mentioned the stories of some side characters like Lan XiChen, Wen Ning, Song Lan and his companions, like what were they exactly doing after encountering and surviving such miserable traumas, I would have been satisfied. Because I loved them and was worried about them. Nevertheless, without leaving the smut, if more extras were added, I would have been satisfied. It's only that I wanted to know about them some more. They truly suffered a lot like MC. But I think, most of the people are fully satisfied with extras.

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3. Lan QiRen.

Spoiler

For a cultivator and a decent master who is only focused on cultivating one's self ignoring worldly matters, it's not surprising to expect the same from his pupils especially from those who satisfied him everytime. Lan XiChen and Lan Wangji were Lan QiRen's pupils from their childhood and LanQiRen was their only guardian. They were none other than like adopted sons for Lan QiRen. Okay, let me give an example.

Let's consider your child is intelligent and passes all the grades with excellent points without disappointing you even for a single time from childhood. He never ignores your word, never disagrees with your selection and never exposed himself infront of you. But at degree, if he suddenly, fails in entrance exam and loses the only opportunity to build his career only because of a love affair, wouldn't you be disappointed ? Every parent gets, every master gets. Lan QiRen is no exception. Because he was unaware of his pupils' inner feelings and desires. But after realizing, either relucantly or angrily, he let them go in there own desired paths.

He is a monk cultivator, his two extraordinary pupils were his proud at first but after reaching a decent stage in cultivation, they suddenly ignored the sect's cultivation path and exposed to mortal desires and emotions. He must feel disappointed. He felt. He only wanted them to return to immortal cultivation path. To become the real "twin jades" of Gusu, the real twin heirs of their monk cultivation sect who were capable of passing on their sect's own traditional method of cultivation regarding themselves as solid examples. This cannot be unreasonable and irritable from his perspective. But in this novel, he was described as a funny "unsatisfied father-in-law" because he was described from MC's point of view. This is a great misunderstanding and insult for his character. He deserves more. He deserves more respect and understanding. I respect his character. I feel extremely sad for him.

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If you find these senseless, then please ignore and leave this review.

Okay, I'm done. Other than these, I can say I loved this novel now. These are my personal views and opinions. If you find these unreasonable or if you got frustrated and annoyed, then this novel is for you. This will definitely does satisfy you to a certain extent. You will be ridden by an emotional roller coaster. <<less
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Misa07
Misa07 rated it
May 26, 2021
Status: Completed
I'd actually rate it a 4.5 out of 5 but because we don't have that option let's just keep it to 4. Please bear in mind that this was my first danmei and I have sentiments attached to it, and thus the review is a teeny tiny bit biased, but I'll try my best to keep it as low as I can.

The Plot:

Like I said, this was my first danmei. I had never read plots this complicated before, and needless to say I was overwhelmed (in a good way). In... more>> retrospect, I have read more complicated plot novels (for eg there's Qiang Jin Jiu by Tang Jiu Qing and apparently 2ha is also more complicated but I haven't read it so I cannot say).

Though keeping all that aside, this is still one of the plot heavy novels out there, very well thought out and structured. MXTX likes playing with plot twists and sudden reveals a lot.
Spoiler

Like the golden core reveal thing, I nearly fell off my chair. I had not expected that.

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I remember somebody had mentioned that MDZS is a "character-driven" novel and I wholeheartedly support that. The plot doesn't seem to flow on it's own, rather moves according to the actions of it's characters, major and minor alike. And I love this type of smooth flow of the plot, it seems more natural and not a structured, calculated one. A solid 10/10

The Characters:

I could write an entire 7 page essay on Wei Wuxian himself. No seriously, this guy is one of the most well rounded characters I've ever seen. He has his perks, he's smart, kind, prodigy and whatever you need to get an OP protagonist. And then there's the flaws, he's arrogant, brash, and self-sacrificing. His entire personality seems like a jumble of contradictions, and yet somehow it works. He seems more human. He wants to do good, but all his decisions turn against him and he is indirectly involved in his own downfall, along with the people he strived to protect. I love how he learns from that and tries to remain low-key after his resurrection, and you can see his maturity through his actions and his attitude.

Lan Wangji on the other hand, is the typical ML. Loves the MC to death and will do anything for him. Honestly though, he still does have a bit of a character, he isn't totally flat. In fact, if he were in any other novel, I'd probably consider him a pretty rounded character. Except, in this novel, opposite to him is Wei Wuxian. And Lan Wangji pales in comparison to Wei Wuxian's character. This may also have been a result of the fact that the novel is only narrated through WWX POV but the fact remains that he's still not as deep as WWX's character is.

The side characters are also well written, the villain had a good motive and the side characters didn't always feel like just plot points. The relationship between characters is also executed perfectly,
Spoiler

especially the Yunmeng Trio and WWX and the Wen remnants in the Burial Mounds

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Whoever called it a "character-driven" story, they are absolutely true. 10/10

The cons of this novel:

aka the reason why I did not give this a complete 5 stars even though this is on my list of favourite novels. I actually have two points on it:

    • The first one is rather irrelevant. In fact if the second point didn't exist, I'd probably give the novel a full 5 stars. But one point of the story I don't like is, neither of the leads have any particular goal. It doesn't necessarily dampen the feel of the novel, but it certainly would've benefited the plot and character depth if they had a goal. Lan Wangji especially seems goal-less. At least WWX never intended to have a specific goal in his second chance at life, but Lan Wangji just hovering around seems kind of off. But that's just my opinion and honestly this point doesn't matter much either, I'm just nit-picking.
    • Second point though, threw me off quite a lot. And a lot of people will disagree with me. And honestly, you do you, everybody has opinions. The romance between the leads was kinda off. No don't get me wrong. I love WangXian. But I love the WangXian of fanfictions more than the novel versions. The romance is, well, not awkward, but not smooth either. I felt like one moment they were just friends, then the next moment WWX is suddenly in love with LWJ. It feels off somehow. I cannot describe it well, but the way I feel when I see other danmei couples whose romance was (in my opinion) very well developed (for eg CeZhou from Qiang Jin Jiu can you guess my fav novel by now? or YanFu from Golden Stage), WangXian's development was a bit rocky.
    • A third point would be that the s*x scenes make me real uncomfy but that's purely my opinion and I have no way to justify it so I am not going to make it a point here
Translations:

I have heard that the one translation group which has completely translated it did not fully explore the depth of it's writing, but I have no way of proving it myself cause I cannot read Chinese. I'd say read the full book first and then maybe if you wanna give a second read, check out other translators who have done a more thorough translations. All in all, they're all great translations, just some slightly better than others. But it depends on you whichever you choose to read anyways.

TL;DR: A really good plot with amazing characters, has it's flaws but still a must read book. A genuine example of a good novel. <<less
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Yuri1993
Yuri1993
September 30, 2020
Status: Completed
Among the BL novels that I've read, this was the first time that I ever like a BL novel. I always end up dropping a lot of them.. But this one is different, it's really good! Definitely, one of my favorites. I really love it. I fell in love with the characters. After the story ended, I was like, "that's it??", I think the author should have made it longer, ugh. I can't get enough of Lan Zhan.

I can't get Lan Zhan out of my mind, my heart and my... more>> entire system. How can I move on with my life without you Lan Zhan? <<less
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onepersonfandom
onepersonfandom rated it
September 14, 2020
Status: Completed
This is the OG of BL novels, idc what you say. This novel, donghua, and drama, brought BL into the limelight. It is wonderful and to this day I haven’t found a story quite like this one. I’m thankful everyday that I found this story and the fandom.
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StarPhia
StarPhia rated it
July 21, 2020
Status: Completed
This is my first BL novel haha. Anyways it is very well written, the characters are colorful and to die for, and the plot is incredible. I really gotta say, it is popular and it is very good.

This novel has many amazingly written characters. As those who are apart of the fandom or have read the other adaptations of this book, the other characters are very prominent and vibrant. Many books only focus on the main group, but this novel has like 20 characters (at least) that have some importance,... more>> and the fandom loves every one of them. Haha. Anyways the author does a very good job at writing truly amazing characters. Even the main characters, Wei Ying and Lan Zhan, don't fall short. I don't particularly like Lan Zhan, he ain't my type, but I can't deny that he is a very well done character. You want to cry for him because of all the emotional suffering he went through. Wei Ying is absolutely hilarious, but I always feel so bad for him. He even has a dark side, which he usually laughs away. He feels so bad about all the things he has done and I just want to hug him and tell him its not his fault. One of my other favorite characters is Nie Huaisang, he's hilarious as well and I love his idiotic personality. No spoilers, but I love the later stuff he does to. I also love the juniors, especially everyones favorite princess Jin Ling. The juniors are in general just a hilariously chaotic bunch.

THE PLOT IS AMAZING. The actual story is very good. The author tackles an interesting mystery and also weaves a tragic backstory with confrontations between old foes. I really appreciated the integrated flashbacks, although sometimes they were a bit much and I just wanted to get back to the main story line. I have little to complain about though. Everything is very interesting and the story is just incredible.

The romance is great too. I wish it was a bit more like Wei Ying always had a crush on Lan Zhan, he just never really though about it. Or like always held Lan Zhan above others in his heart. It almost feels like the romance came from nowhere, but I guess not really. I appreciate that it was almost 100% of the bottom doing all the work in getting the relationship together, even though he is a dense boy. Maybe he's a little too dense... Anyways I love Wei Ying, he is very funny. I don't really like reading smut... so I skipped it. But I love drunk Lan Zhan, IT IS SO FUNNY. 10/10 in the writing department for drunk Lan Zhan. I live for the funny moments in Mo Dao Zu Shi. I also just feel bad for Lan Zhan in having to wait a very long time for Wei Ying. I also feel that WY betrayed his trust before they got together, but at the same time I understand where the two were coming from, but WY was in the wrong on that one scene. Uh, I loved the ambiguous scenes between them, before they got together. Also just the chaos that is them after they got together.

This novel is a genuinely really good novel. I really deserves its praise. I also really like the other works of this author: SVSSS and TGCF. There really isn't much to complain about with this novel, the villain is impeccable and the main characters and side characters are great. Even the story is wonderful. Although I will say that this story isn't 100% my kind of story, I do love it, but its not my favorite. But I do completely recommend it to anyone who wants to read a dang good BL novel. It also has many adaptations, so you'll have a lot of content to explore if you so desire! <<less
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ForNovels99
ForNovels99
June 1, 2020
Status: --
My turning point in life. This book is my light and my heartache. I dedicated 1 hour daily to cry over everyday for a week. Peak devastation
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Kyria_Xia
Kyria_Xia rated it
April 19, 2020
Status: Completed
This is the first ever danmei I've read and it's absolutely epic.

It got me laughing, crying, screaming over every chapter and thinking what I'd do with my life when it ended.

The characters are well developped, almost feel alive while reading, each has their gifts and their flaws. I really liked the fact that the author gave background information on almost every single one of them, showing that no one is perfect for one and for two that the circumstances play a major role in growing a personality and behavior. I... more>> really couldn't hate on anyone in the end. Apart from Jin Zixun, he's a major as*hole who got what he deserved, which gets to my second point, that everyone gets what they deserve in the end as a result of their actions. Karma really is obvious in this book.

The romance is indeed slow but it's so worth it and the plot in overall is very well-thought and mesmerizing.

I literally loved this novel.

WWX and LWJ will always hold a special place in my heart. *Cries* <<less
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ayeduh
ayeduh rated it
February 19, 2020
Status: c126
I've finished this story quite some time ago, and then I went on to reading more danmeis. I have read the authors other 2 works, many other well-known authors of this genre, and checked out various other ones through recommendations. After these two years of immersing myself in the danmei world, I have to say MDZS is still my most favorite.

Previously, I have never found romance to be a must in any fictional work that I consume as it tends to be the factor that ruins the work overall, but... more>> this work is definitely an exception. Everything about this story and how it was written immediately grasped my heart in ways I have never felt before, but my most favorite aspect was the main character and the main lead, Wei WuXian and Lan WangJi. I have yet to find a CP of a work that I love to death nearly as much as WWX and LWJ. Each individual main is incredibly unique and fleshed out, and they both compliment each other so well. Like, yin and yang, these two individual characters fit each other so well and are yet so distinct.

I wish I could move on and find something new to pour this much love into, but alas, I don't think there will be another work that fits to my taste as well. After years and decades of reading so many different stories of other forms, MDZS has definitely engraved itself deeply into my heart. <<less
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