Thousand Autumns

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Yan Wushi had walked a path full of blood and corpses.

He did not believe in the good nature of humanity. Even more so, he did not believe that there could be someone with great kindness and sense of justice, who would be so considerate of others without asking anything in return.

One day, Shen Qiao, who was the sect leader of Mount Xuandu, the number one Daoist sect under the heavens, was challenged to a duel but somehow fell off the cliff.

Yan Wushi happened to pass by down there.

Seeing Shen Qiao who was seriously injured to the point of dying, he suddenly came up with a perfect idea…

After thousands of autumns, who could stay eternal?

Associated Names
One entry per line
Qian Qiu
Thiên Thu
พันสารท
千秋
山河剑心 [Animation]
천추
Related Series
Peerless (Shared Universe)
Recommendations
Peerless (13)
Record of the Missing Sect Master (9)
The Founder of Diabolism (8)
Faraway Wanderers (8)
The Fourteenth Year of Chenghua (7)
Heaven Official’s Blessing (7)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Mature Relationships
  2. Read it
  3. TBR - fila de espera
  4. All BL Novels I've Read Part (1)
  5. Male Yandere List ^^

Latest Release

Date Group Release
01/02/18 Ainushi Translations c10
12/11/17 Ainushi Translations c9
11/22/17 Ainushi Translations c8
11/15/17 Ainushi Translations c7
11/08/17 Ainushi Translations c6
11/01/17 Ainushi Translations c5
10/31/17 Ainushi Translations c4
10/25/17 Ainushi Translations c3
10/18/17 Ainushi Translations c2
10/11/17 Ainushi Translations c1
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180 Reviews sorted by


MzBond
MzBond rated it
February 16, 2021
Status: c69
Firstly, I didn't want to leave a star rating yet as I have not finished the book and the remaining chapters are not yet translated. So that's subject to change. Secondly, thank you to

Snowy Codex

for a fantastic translation job.

I am somewhat about halfway through the book. So far, there is very little intentional romance between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. From what I'm told that comes more in the second half. I am only mentioning this to say that if you're looking for that instant gratification, you won't find... more>> it here. However, the writing is very beautiful. There is a lot of political intrigue happening in the landscape of this book along with Shen Qiao's own personal journey. He does get swept up into the ongoing political schemes however because of Yan Wushi. Shen Qiao's inner voice and character are extremely beautiful and kind. He firmly believes in his understanding of the Dao and it guides the way he sees the world as well as his deeds. The writing sometimes becomes very poetic because of this but in a tasteful way. Yan Wushi is Shen Qiao's polar opposite, the Yin to his Yang and often challenges Shen Qiao with the hopes he will abandon his somewhat untainted view of humanity. I think they are meant to be sort of avatars of goodness and wickedness. So some of the scenarios may leave the reader frustrated. This novel is well crafted, though. There are the main events that bring our two MCs together and keep throwing them together, but then there are the themes that pervade the story, sprinkled with some Taoist principles.

Is humanity completely salvageable or completely impure? Are you able to find yourself unchanged when the universe reveals another side of itself to you? Are you capable of loving someone you deem to be philosophically or morally flawed? For that matter, are we as completely cynical as we believe ourselves to be?

I hope we get new chapters soon or that I can find the others well translated because I'm really excited to read the conclusion.

I'm updating this to add that I have been also listening to the audio drama which has added another depth of appreciation for this writer's skill. I can't reiterate enough how much of a beautiful work this story is.

Update 04/07/2021 - spoilers ahead

I have completed this entire book at this point. I was not disappointed. This book is more show than tell and as I got into the second half of it, I began to realize a few things.
Spoiler
  • Shen Qiao really already had tender emotions toward YWS before he was turned over to San Jinxing (I still want to beat YWS bloody for that). The author never says it except to mention the pain he felt in his heart at this betrayal.
  • In contrast with the donghua, YWS really is this kind of as*hole who measures and categorizes people and if they don't measure up, he has no use for them. This person who cares for SQ from the shadows that's in the donghua, does not exist in the book. I think I prefer this though, because the notion of him caring for him and then putting him in that sort of situation as a test, is anathema to me. I'd rather believe that at the point he gave him to SJX, he was still unmoved by the kind of authentically kind person SQ is.
  • This thought for me is underscored by the next time YWS leaves him, but this time it was to protect him from SJX. It is around this time we begin to see the change in YWS' feelings for SQ. We're these feelings always there? The only inkling we have is from the personalities that emerge when his soul/personality is fractured due to qi deviation. We know Xie Ling loves him in the most basic but childish way and Ah'Yan loves him as a man. It is never confirmed whether these were parts of himself he locked away and ignored. However YWS believes once absorbed back into the whole, they no longer exist.
  • By the end of the book, there are no declarations but you get to witness SQ silently but definitely reveal to the world that he loves YWS. After a very significant duel, thinking he is efforts to save YWS were for nought, he is overcome with grief. This happens in front of several spectators.
    Again, this is all show and no tell. I don't know how I feel about that in every instance, but in this book it works, considering the pace of the novel and the way the characters are developed.
  • If you read the extras however, you'll get what you're looking for in terms of a defined CP, including their first time together, the implication of domesticity and longevity in their relationship and YWS declaring his feelings and his desire to marry his A'Qiao if he could. At one point he even refers to himself as his husband. You even get to hear his inner voice speak of loving SQ from the bottom of his heart and how only this person and his smile could soften him and help him whether any storm.
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Of course a whole lot more happens that I have not included regarding the actual plot. I don't want to completely

ruin

things. Overall, I loved this story. I know it's probably not everyone's cup of tea but I certainly enjoyed it.

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aoiPunch
aoiPunch rated it
February 12, 2021
Status: c69
It's so good that I feel bad there's no one continue to translate this, I just hope someone come up and help. The donghua already reach up to ep.3 as well, I would be thankful if someone continue to translate this great novel.
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https_huacheng
https_huacheng rated it
January 9, 2023
Status: c45
I saw quite a few people say they didn't like the ML because of a certain scene/his betrayal or they dropped the novel because of it. I just want to clarify that ML was acting in line with his personality, that's who he is, and that's how he's always been. He is not a good person and you can't just expect him to suddenly treat someone differently, he is staying true to his character. It's heartbreaking, I know. I spent hours recovering from reading that chapter, but you can't blame... more>> him and you can't blame him for feeling unremorseful or having a lack of apology towards the MC because that's literally who he is as a person. People can change but we have to remember that this is a man who treats people like ants. <<less
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Ireadbl
Ireadbl rated it
October 31, 2022
Status: Completed
I don't understand why people like the romance in this story. ML is a scumbag should be a tag.

The ML basically just pushes MC to accept his feelings by making him feel bad for all the things ML gave and does for MC towards the end. MC has every right to not accept ML's feeling because ML took his heartfelt feelings and threw that on to the ground and stepped on it. ML claims that he doesn't need to apologize because MC knows what a scumbag ML is. So pissed.... more>> So then MC forgives him because he owes him and a daoist like him must pay if off that whole spiel with daoists repaying their debts. I don't think MC owes him at all after all MC has done and gone through with ML. MC can't even chase off ML because he's weakened and it's also ML's fault. It annoyed me because of the power gap in that moment.

Anyways yes like another reviewer said MC is wholesome really well written imo, relationship/romance is garbage. +2 stars for MC and translator, -2 for the relationship what are other readers even thinking? Don't read if you don't want to reach the end waiting for ML to apologize, he never does! I feel like he could have forgiven a side villain but he doesn't because whatever plot and to contrast the treatment between ML and another person. Honestly ML did the same sort of thing.

There are people defending ML in the comments, "That's just his nature". NO
NO ONE has to accept abuse from this jerk. MC can just leave him. I even doubt he's even in love with ML. I just, why?

From the 2023 extra Part 2:

Spoiler

"Shen Qiao thought to himself, 'I fear that if you lose, you will feel more inclined to seek revenge by taking it out on me. Given Yan-zongzhu's unforgiving nature, you always conjure strange and twisted notions that other people cannot fathom. It makes it rather difficult to be cautious with you.'

But in the end, Shen Qiao could not bring himself to say any of this, because such honest words would drive Yan-zongzhu to anger, which would only spell more suffering for Shen Qiao."

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Just why... <<less
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RajaAntara
RajaAntara rated it
June 26, 2022
Status: Completed
Neither can deny the other's existence and yet, no one can bear to take on the color of the other.

I read this comment (I forgot who, sorry) and I think this perfectly describes their initial relationship.

Their core values and principles are opposite of one another and I like that neither of them changed much. Shen Qiao is still as kind as ever and Yan Wushi is still the devil he is. Despite the glaring difference, they learned to respect and admire each other, accept without changing the other.

They demonstrated how... more>> people who seems incompatible can actually make the best pair. I loved it and I'm sure you would too. <<less
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DiavoloDigitale
DiavoloDigitale rated it
November 2, 2021
Status: Completed
Oh, how my heart aches. How it aches for this beautiful story. I'm going to immediately say that it's 10/10, but you can choose to read the full review in case you for some reason are interested in my insights.

There aren't many stories that, despite giving off the impression of a light read, are actually able to engross the reader completely, and, what's more, make them reflect upon their own life and the way they choose to live it. For me, Qian Qiu turned out to be such a story,... more>> and I cannot find the words to describe how it surprised me and pleased. I now officially regard Shen Qiao as the best main character I have ever encountered in cultivation novels and continue to marvel endlessly at how his way of thinking made me reconsider my own choices and the viewpoints I hold (I fool you not, I am still shook by this).

Apart form that, let me mention that the plot is great, incredibly interesting to follow. I am usually pretty sceptical when it comes to background storytelling in cultivation novels, as for me it all looks and feels the same, disregarding only some minor details. I originally thought it would be the case here, and it kind of is, but the way focus of the story shift from usual things to completely different matters makes it fresh and worth immersing into. I would even go as far as to say that Qian Qiu's romance line is pretty secondary on the general scale of things. I sure did come for it, but later realized the relations between people, political intricacies, and Shen Qiao's character development were the things that really kept me reading. Even without love or devotion present, it would still be an incredible story to experience, one full of predicaments, turmoils, and quite a rare and appealing chemistry between the characters that influence each other and grow, as the world around them changes. It is also a story that is able to give reader an immense feeling of accomplishment and fulfilment, of justice being served, loose ends being tied, and satisfying developments in general.

Not to overpraise, I will mention one thing that mitigated my catharsis slightly as I was nearing the end of the story. As much as I loved the interactions between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi as well as their relations overall, I did not particularly like the way it all developed in the extras. Not to spoil anything, I will simply say that so many things were covered and said in main chapters, and one would righteously assume some "methods" would become different as a result, yet the means used to reach the set purpose remained the same. Surprisingly and kind of disappointingly (mind you, I am not lamenting about how it was in the middle of the novel and only mean the extras here). If I was to consider the way to avoid meeting this disillusionment head on, I'd say one should make a pause between finishing chapter 128 and starting the first extra. The end of the main story is simply perfect to stop at and give a thought or two to everything that one had experienced.

If you are extremely confused by my poor description of the only flaw I see in the story and are not afraid of some spoilers, read further.
Spoiler

I am talking about the forced kissing. I was not shocked by it in the main story as it was perfectly in line with Yan Wushi's personality, but after numerous passages dedicated to him "realizing that crude and forceful methods will not work on Shen Qiao" I was really upset to see it again. And the whole ploy planned by Yan Wushi for him to realize his affection... seriosly? The poor Taoist just needed some time, no need to overdo it, Yan-lang.

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shizunoticeme
shizunoticeme rated it
October 31, 2021
Status: Completed
Best BL story EVER! I'm now rotating between re-reading the novel, listening to the audio drama, and watching the donghua. Plot is a MASTERPIECE - I honestly couldn't stop myself from binging. I love both the MC and ML, their story is a unique one and all their interactions go from being comedic to sweet then comedic fluffy in the extras.

The contrast between Shen Qiao's kind and calm demeanor and his inner thoughts about Yan Wushi is golden. Yan Wushi's playful and flirtatious teasing is the only thing that can... more>> get this kind of reaction from the Daoist Priest.

I love how mature this power couple is - no unnecessary misunderstandings or drama. Over time, they come to understand each other on a deeper level and give their unyielding support for the tasks at hand.

It's funny to see the Demonic Sovereign ML become the biggest simp for the MC and
Spoiler

spoils him endlessly. One example - he asks Shen Qiao what his favorite animal is and gifts a cat to him in the chibi donghua extras. Pretty much sums up their relationship after they become lovers.

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Angelsoul399
Angelsoul399 rated it
October 5, 2021
Status: Completed
I always forget any novel I have read. But this one is crazy. I can't get it out of my head. This is the only novel that could make me like this. Most beautiful novel I have ever read. After all every novel by author Meng Xi Shi is amazing. So it is no surprise that another masterpiece was released. But I'm really wander how clever an author can be.....
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StarPhia
StarPhia rated it
October 4, 2021
Status: Completed
OK so its amazing. End of question. This story has to balance a lot of things and honestly, it is really good. I won't say that it is my favorite, but I really liked the story. There is some politics, fighting, OPness, romance, funny characters, etc what more is there to ask for. I have to applaud the author for skillfully balancing the more political stuff and the other story stuff.

Ok so for the plot. I love it. I actually had had trouble getting into the story and probably started... more>> it sometime last year or early this year, I'm not exactly sure. Anyways it is a little hard to start because there isn't too much happening at the beginning, but it really does start to pick up after maybe 20 chapters. I do really like the plot and how you follow the MC and ML to do various things and how the overarching story seems to just follow them. It's pretty good. I also think that the political aspect is interesting. They don't make too much sense since I'm not really a politic savvy person, but I do think there is an interesting little dash of the politics that bridges the secular and cultivation worlds in this novel unlike many other cultivation novels.

I love Yan Wushi. I'm sorry, he's great. IK he is an as*hole and kinda an awful person, but he's funny I guess. I also like the MC, unlike some MCs he isn't necessarily so optimistic and such, although he may internally be built like a cliche protagonist that has perfect morals and whatnot, but he doesn't really preach or anything and his goal isn't to be famous or anything. He is just quietly doing what he thinks is right and helping people along the way.
Spoiler

So I will address the thing. Yan Wushi was a total ass in the way he treated MC, but you have to give him some leniency cause he doesn't really know what being good is like and tries to change. He isn't even that awful of a person, maybe just really narsastistic. He certainly tries to be better to the MC and protects him. As someone who doesn't think there is any truly good will in the world and as someone that even distains it, he manages to at least fall in love with it.

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Honestly, the MC and ML relationship is so cute. I love how ML teases the MC, but also loves him. It is cute and MC loves him.
Spoiler

It was really funny when ML bullied the child MC and then was completely lost when he started crying. Also since MC confesses to ML first, you can see that he does really like him.

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One critique is that the romance could have been more a part of the actual story. They only got together in the extras, but there were a lot of romantic moments in the actual story. I mean it works with this kind of story, I just wish they had gotten together a little sooner.

All in all it is a great book. Love it <3 can't wait for season 2 of the donghuaaaa! <<less
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ukiiukii
ukiiukii rated it
May 11, 2020
Status: Completed
Thousand Autumns is a great read.

Shen Jiao is a wonderful MC, his growth and journey are very interesting to read. He's kind but not soft, naive but learns more about the world.

The ML, Yan Wushi is... well he's truly not a nice person, he does some pretty terrible things throughout the story but somehow he became my favorite character.

Even though they are complete opposites in many ways, they also complement each other quite well, and their journey and the way they impact each other is the core of the story... more>> and really fun to read about.

The thing that kept me from completely loving the novel is the constant barrage of side characters. The author will throw 5 or 6 new characters at us every chapter, give them no screen time or development and then not have them pop up again for another 50 chapters if at all. We also get side tangents about some of these irrelevant side characters that really interrupt the flow of the story and take away from the main journey and themes. It was really distracting and kept taking me out of the novel.

The more prominent side characters like Bai Rong and Yan Wushi's disciples are great, and I think a tighter cast with fewer but more fleshed out characters really would have added a lot to an otherwise great novel.

Overall I would highly recommend giving it a read. <<less
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dona
dona rated it
June 5, 2019
Status: Completed
This has a solid plot. Each character had their own purpose in the story. The politics is quite heavy in this one so I got often confused with all the names etc. Still it was a really interesting read however...

MC was too good-hearted. In yaoi we mostly get kind but weak MC´s. Here our MC is cool-headed and has strength to back it up but it just got too much with his innocence and always forgiving those who never asked for forgiveness. He kept trying to help people and everyone... more>> around him (including ML) kept betraying him so much so that I actually got shocked when there was finally a character that didn´t look down on him and treated him with the same kindness. He seriously suffers and it´s really unfair but that wasn´t my reason for giving this wonderful novel 3 stars.

At the end I was seriously disappointed at MC for not demanding a proper apology for the way ML treated him. MC pretty much became his loyal dog/friend and it just pissed me off. He should´ve given ML the middle finger when ML finally confessed his feelings but no, he never got a proper apology and the worst part is that he actually blames himself for all the times ML betrayed him. Calling himself too naive.. does that really justify getting treated like a rag doll by ML?

Point is, he was too much of a mary sue character, it´s okay to be kind but he let others walk all over him, and even when he managed to stand at the top again, it didn´t give me any satisfaction.

Despite my ranting, don´t let that stop you from reading it. The plot is quite good and there is proper character development in MC at the end, although quite a mild one. <<less
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pinkrainchild
pinkrainchild rated it
January 6, 2024
Status: Completed
So, let me start by saying that I did enjoy myself while reading this. It was a very compelling and well written/well translated story, there wasn't a moment where I wanted to put it down or read something else. I think Shen Qiao was a great MC, and I thoroughly appreciated his kindness and pragmatism. He absolutely carried the story for me, and if he weren't so great, I probably wouldn't have been as invested. However, the romantic elements of this story were pretty much nonexistent. There wasn't a single... more>> interaction where I felt like rooting for the MC and the ML and didn't find any of their interactions romantic. The ML really was pretty despicable, but my issue lied less with him being so unlikeable, and more with the fact that there just weren't enough scenes explaining or showing us WHY MC would take to the ML. It just felt like the author was telling us that they wanted to be together, and didn't really take the time to properly develop their relationship despite there being 140 something chapters. I will also say that I felt the ending was beyond anticlimactic and abrupt. Honestly, 10-15 additionally chapters fully fleshing out the events at the end would have served the story well.
Spoiler

Also, the reintroduction of Hulugu did absolutely NOTHING for the story, and felt so pointless, I struggled to understand why he was even brought up again at all.

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Leviathan.James
Leviathan.James rated it
October 2, 2022
Status: Completed
If I needed to summarize Thousand Autumns into a single word, it would be phenomenal. I haven't been this invested in a book in a very long time. Often, I couldn't bring myself to put it down and inadvertently stayed up all night reading only to go into work the next day without a wink of sleep. Despite the difficulties this caused, I never regretted reading in lieu of sleeping.

Thousand Autumns is the Lord of the Rings of danmei.

If you're looking for a novel filled with political machinations, jianghu... more>> schemes, love and betrayal, and rising from the ashes, then this is the novel for you.

Something that I found especially enticing about this novel is that it's historical fiction -- that is, there are many characters in this book who were real people. Knowing the fates of these people in real life, as well as some of their experiences that weren't mentioned in the book, added an additional depth to the tale that I found fascinating. That being said, there are a lot of characters. I needed to look up a character chart to keep them all straight. Luckily, these character charts aren't hard to find!

The sheer complexity of this novel means it's not a light read. I don't recommend reading it when you're tired or distracted as you'll have trouble keeping straight all the people, places, and events. There are three main plotlines the novel follows: the main character's journey (this includes the romance with the ML), the political situation of the world, and the situation of the jianghu. Each of these plotlines is complex and extremely well-written. They all tie together seamlessly and wrap up cleanly by the final page.

The novel follows Shen Qiao, the former sect leader of Mount Xuandu. At the very beginning of the novel, he is seriously injured in a battle and not only loses most of his martial arts but also becomes blind. The story follows his rise from the ashes as he experiences the world outside his sect not only for the first time but also as someone disgraced and disabled.

As a character, Shen Qiao is truly remarkable. I would not be able to persist as he does. Despite all the suffering and humiliation he experiences, he remains kind and compassionate. He never stops being himself, never breaks under the pressure. I admire him because, had I experienced what he did, I would not have been able to remain kind. I would have turned into a malicious revenge-driven villain. Yet, Shen Qiao is able to repay grievances with kindness and this is exactly what causes the ML to fall in love with him.

That said, this is a very very slow burn romance. The MC and ML start out as nothing more than acquaintances before slowly reaching the realm of friendship. One thing I really appreciated about this relationship was the way the author handled the betrayal. Partway through the novel, the ML betrays the MC is a very bad way. It's only after the ML has completely broken the MC's trust in him that he realizes he actually has feelings for the MC. Unfortunately, by this point, the MC wants nothing to do with him anymore. If this were a movie, the ML would make some grand gesture to show his love and the MC would immediately forgive him and the credits would roll. But that's not the way relationships work, and that's not how it plays out in this novel. The ML has to spend the rest of the novel working hard to regain the MC's trust and prove that he's worthy of being trusted. Only then is the MC willing to risk his heart in the ML's hands.

By the end of the novel, the MC and ML are not actually in a relationship yet. That occurs in the extra chapters. However, the author's decision to end the book where she did is actually quite artful. The book comes full circle, ending in the same place where it began. From a literary standpoint, it's a very sound choice and is quite satisfying. The extra chapters continue from the exact moment the main story ends, making them easy to read. However, the content of the extra chapters is extra. It's not needed in the grand scheme of the story and what the author was trying to portray.

Still, I strongly recommend reading the extras. Not only for the satisfaction of seeing the MC and ML finally get into a relationship, but also because the extras reveal a number of events that play out in the future. Given that this is historical fiction, we know some of the events that will take place. The extras give us a chance to see how the characters respond to these real-world events. Plus, it's extremely satisfying to see the MC and ML remaining steadfast in their relationship 30+ years after the book ends.

One thing I will note is that, although Novel Updates says there are 13 extras, there are actually 16 extras. The "missing" three are the exclusive extras that were included with the physical copies of the book that were released in China (that being the traditional, simplified, and revised simplified versions). I had the good fortune of being able to read these extras and I hope they are included in the official English release as they are well worth reading.

All this being said, I am extremely pleased that Thousand Autumns has been picked up for an official English release. This is a novel that deserves wide-spread recognition and appreciation. Even if you've already read an unofficial translation, I strongly recommend supporting the author by purchasing the official translation.

In conclusion: I cannot recommend this novel enough. Just be mindful that since it has been picked up for an official English release, the unofficial translations will be removed sooner or later. There are few things worse than being partway through a novel when the translations are taken down. <<less
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Invincible Cucumber
Invincible Cucumber rated it
April 22, 2022
Status: Completed
I haven't read anything so dry and uninteresting in a while...

Novel is 95% very boring political/martial art essay, 4% funny, smart and from time to time sassy flirtatious dialogues and maybe 1% of PG13 romance...i had to skipp and skipp so much, it honestly giving me ptsd just thinking about it again.

I honestly feel robbed and cheated cause I read the whole damn thing, thinking maybe in the next chapter we will get loooong expected satisfaction and a little bit of sweetness, but nooo, author "don't write about that stuff"... more>> (i would call it lazy and inexperienced writing, but that's just me)...

Also translation was great for maybe first half of novel, cause they also translated all the names and martial art terms, but then someone took over and started using literal Chinese terms for everything, so I got completely lost....i mean everything is, shiang..., shong..., sheng...

I have much more to say, but I don't want to waste any more time on this, I definitely don't recommend this to anyone, except maybe if you are retired politician or military strategist... <<less
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lilacwood
lilacwood rated it
November 20, 2021
Status: Completed
I've read this one twice now (I started while the final chapters were still being translated and it ended up feeling like a fever dream so I started over, lol).

It leans towards plot-heavy instead of romance-heavy but I still really love this one. Here's my selling points:

    • Great side characters (Bian Yanmei and Yu Shengyan are both adorable, how could anyone not love Bai Rong, Li Qingyu is a delight, Gu Hengbo my beloved??)
    • Good villains that are complex and distinct from each other! I love a villain that doesn't THINK they're the villain, and Thousand Autumns has more than one. The author gives us villains with motivations that are morally grey, villains that are cool and that you kind of like, AND villains that you hate because they're truly and profoundly f***ed up. If you love a villain like I love a villain, you'll like it here.
    • The plot is intricate and keeps you guessing. The double-barrelled politics (cultivation sect politics AND real world politics, based on historical events-ish) can be a lot to keep track of, but you can tell the author thought it all through in excruciating detail to make sure that everything makes sense and lines up. It's masterful.
    • The contrast between Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi is stunning, and what I love most is (minor spoilers ahead) that this is in no way a redemption story. After their initial stumbles with their preconceived expectations of each other, they just take each other at face value and don't give up.
It's great. :)
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Breadandbutter
Breadandbutter rated it
November 17, 2021
Status: Completed
My first novel. After seeing the donghua I needed to know more so I comes to her. I loved her.
The MC and ML make an excellent couple. They complement each other so well!
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ScarlettOhara
ScarlettOhara rated it
November 9, 2021
Status: --
Brilliant. This is what I’d call a masterpiece. Wonderful plot, brilliant characterization, and masterful writing. The writer brings verses of Taoism to life through her characters. Shen Qiao is a martial artist and the Sect Leader of one of the most revered Taoist Sects. He has never set foot outside of Mount Xuandu and was sheltered from worldly affairs. With no desire to throw himself or his Sect into political matters, he remains generally cut-off from everything. All of that changes when he falls off of Half-Step Peak in a... more>> compromised battle. After his fall, he loses his eyesight, his memory, his reputation, his prestige, and a majority of his martial arts skills. Also in a cruel twist of fate, no one seems to be looking for their fallen Sect Leader from Mount Xuandu. Someone invariably does find him though. That someone turns out to be Yan Wushi who is the Sect Leader of a Demonic fraction of martial artists. Yan Wushi, who believes that people are inherently evil, decides to test his theory. He throws Shen Qiao into situations that force him to make moralistic choices. Yan Wushi’s intentions are to taint this fine unblemished jade. To see if the Taoist remains good in a big bad world after his fall from Grace and after repeated betrayals. Boy does Shen Qiao surprise him.

I loved the writing the most. The wordplay, dialogues, humour, and the brilliant use of Chinese phrases. Additionally, the writer has interwoven slices of history and inserted historical characters into the fray. In terms of characterization, I loved Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi. Both of them are fundamentally so different and yet, the way they grow to accept, trust and love each other is the essence of Thousand Autumns. <<less
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fawx
fawx rated it
October 25, 2021
Status: Completed
I always have so much to say when reading a story but when I come to write a review, I feel like a blank paper. There are so many things I want to say, but I really can't seem to find the words to describe how much I loved this story. It has to be one of those novels that had the most conclusive and satisfying endings ever.
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juubee
juubee rated it
September 28, 2021
Status: c94
my only regret with this book is that I started it too early, when it was nowhere near being done for translations. Okay, not my only regret. The 2nd regret is that I didn’t read it back to back with the author’s other novel, peerless 无双, since that one is a sequel of this one.

shen qiao is way too lovable, and yan wushi is just absolutely shameless, and I do adore my shameless characters very much.

i also wished that I had made a character list as I read since by... more>> the time I came back to the book later, I forgot so many people that it does get a bit frustrating.

definitely recommend this, and also would recommend you to read peerless right after this one! <<less
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h1kar1
h1kar1 rated it
September 27, 2021
Status: Completed
Words can't describe how much I love this novel! I used to read it quite sometimes ago but then dropped it somewhere along the way, watched the donghua and picked up the novel again. I'm so glad I did it otherwise I'd have missed one of the best danmei novels I'd ever read.

The author Meng Xi Shi excels at building up the plot, so usually the plot is first and romance is second. The romance is slow-burn, so if you're looking for smut and fluffy stuffs then this is not... more>> for you. But just like wines, the more aging the better the taste lol.

Characters
From the description alone, Shen Qiao (MC) looks like a typical Mary Sue character, he's beautiful, gentle, kind and somewhat naive. But actually he's much deeper than that, as the story progress and he faces so many trials in his life, we can see that he's extremely strong and resilient, while still maintaining his morals and true self. He's also extremely adorable, while he's a master of martial arts, he's quite gullible and inexperienced in human affairs thus often fall victim to Yan Wushi's endless teasing and bullying.

Yan Wushi (ML).. Lao Yan, he's one-of-a-kind character, I've never seen any character in danmei stories who is more shameless than him lol. Leader of a demonic sect, he is morally ambiguous, neither good or evil, super arrogant, shameless and self-centered. He does what he thinks and wants, what other people think be damned. But I'm so fascinated by his character, he is very intelligent with deep insight not only on jianghu affairs but also on political affairs, not to mention that he is also one of the top martial art masters. And he can cook! Talk about the perfect malewife :)

Relationship
The CP relationship in this novel is one of the most complete and satisfying in my opinion. It is "enemies to lovers" (sort of) relationship, but it's actually more complicated than that. Both experience ups and downs many times together (albeit reluctantly), which allow them to get to know each other more and develop their characters along the way. The changes are also written well and realistically, allowing the readers to understand why and how the changes occur. It is also not the kind of "I'm so in love, I'll just abandon and throw everything away for the sake of my love" trope that is found in so many danmei stories, but by the time they get together they are pretty much in love and truly care about each other. I also love how they seem to be the polar opposite, but they grow to complement each other perfectly. Shen Qiao learns from Yan Wushi about the secular world and how to better adapt to it, while Yan Wushi's view of human characters changes (slightly) thanks to Shen Qiao. Due to the slow burn and quite realistic portrayal of their relationship, their interactions are very adorable and hilarious at the same time, with most of the time Shen Qiao being left speechless and dumbfounded in face of Yan Wushi's shameless teasing ^^ be sure to read the extras, they are the cream on the top!

I can't recommend this enough, the donghua and audio drama are excellent as well. The voice actor for Yan Wushi is sooooo amazing, I guarantee you will drool over his sexy deep husky voice (I envy A-Qiao for being able to hear this kind of voice everyday!!) <<less
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