Unsheathed

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The boundless universe was filled with all sorts of wonders.

I, Chen Ping’an, only have one sword, to move mountains, turn the seas upside down, suppress demons, deal with gods, pluck stars, break rivers, destroy cities, and open the heavenly abode!

My name is Chen Ping’an, Ping’an* of Peace, and I am a swordsman.

The Midland world was full of wonders.

In the center of the world, there was a scholar who had once used a sword to slash out a waterfall of the Milky Way. This was the person he was the most proud of.

At the edge of the East Sea’s cliffs, there was a nameless Daoist who was unwilling to ascend to the peak of a mountain. He only wished for a cool breeze to brush against his face.

In the Western Pure Land, there was an old monk who liked to treat people with chicken soup and told stories.

In the southern border of the Wilderness, there was a blind old fogey who controlled golden-armored puppets that were as tall as mountains to move the hundred thousand mountains, creating an embroidered picture.

An impoverished youth who grew up in the north. One day, he saw tens of thousands of Sword Kinesis Immortals above him, like a swarm of locusts crossing the border.

He wanted to see for himself the scholar that the storyteller had mentioned, the surging tides of the East Sea, the vast swamps of sand in the west, and the majestic mountains of the Southern Wasteland.

Thus, one day, the youth picked up the wooden sword and began to descend south.

Notes:

* Ping’an means peace

** The four directions here are just the four sides of the map of China and the earth. As for the World of Righteousness, it was only one of the four “World”.

Associated Names
One entry per line
Jian Lai [Donghua]
Jiàn Lái
Kiếm Lai
Sword's Arrival
Sword of Coming
กระบี่จงมา
剑来
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Ze Tian Ji (2)
History’s Strongest Husband (1)
How to Live as the Enemy Prince (1)
Joy of Life (1)
Nightfall (1)
The Sword Dynasty (1)
Recommendation Lists
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  3. Good or Interesting Chinese Novel
  4. KINO list
  5. Great novels worth a read

Latest Release

Date Group Release
07/04/24 Wuxiaworld c50 part2
06/09/23 Wuxiaworld c50 part1
06/09/23 Wuxiaworld c49
06/07/23 Wuxiaworld c48
06/07/23 Wuxiaworld c47
06/06/23 Wuxiaworld c46
06/04/23 Wuxiaworld c45
06/03/23 Wuxiaworld c44
06/03/23 Wuxiaworld c43
06/02/23 Wuxiaworld c42
06/01/23 Wuxiaworld c41
06/06/23 Wuxiaworld c40
05/30/23 Wuxiaworld c39
05/28/23 Wuxiaworld c38
05/27/23 Wuxiaworld c37
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Review
32 Reviews


Mr.Mochi
Mr.Mochi
Jul 14, 2023
Status: --
It takes a lot of patience. The MC is really s*upid and innocent for a while and gets taken advantage of constantly. All the profound and complex matters fly over his head. He can't think for himself nor express his thoughts well, so a lot of pain is involved.

This story actually irritated me so much because the MC is so s*upid at the start. How s*upid? Remember how special needs kids get picked on by their "friends"? He's the special needs kid. Literally gets rocks thrown at him as a... more>> game while he sits still and just ignores it, because... friendship?

Also there a lot of people could help this character out... but no his talent sucks. You have to read that 50000000x times. Literally gets to the point where MC makes an Alpha move- but it's stopped because you don't have the talent to survive the consequences. Another example yeah you are under my protection but I let people take half your life and cripple you because I didn't want to deal with the trouble. But yeah now that you have the upper hand show mercy.

AND THE MC EATS ALL THIS UP. DOG MC. LITERAL DOG.

Despite all that that, it's really good. I think an editor could trim a lot of the fat- there's a lot of needless descriptions and verbose filler. All the other reviews have hit the nail on the head. <<less
18 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
CrIsI
CrIsI
Aug 17, 2022
Status: c651
Please give it a try, you won't regret it. Maybe you won't like it only if slow but solid plots aren't for you. But it is worth the wait man.

The romance is sweet and hidden, the MC seems naive between a simpleton and a saint, but don't be hasty to judge. Here every characters in-depth is amazing, unfathomable as the complex contraddictions of the human heart; the themes passed will be numerous from questioning morality, counting benefits to facing fate. Everything is intertwined in the river of time while ghostly... more>> beings overlook the work of intricated settings, we'll see both selfless humanity and sickening malice in the hands of powerhouses, noble gestures flowing in unexpected encouters, all while travelling through poor villages, big empires and legendary locations.

This will be the story of our MC's, Chen Ping'An, growth in character, self awareness, knowledge, power but also of every person he'll meet during his journey. It's like reading of a real parallel world. Beautiful and exiting. Strange and intimidating. <<less
16 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Diazblo
Diazblo
Jul 02, 2019
Status: c585
I must write a review for this novel.

Firstly, I read it to c585 in vietnamese and very appreciate the team to translate it to English too. One chapter is always longer than one in another novel and it is harder to translate it to E which have different culture.

Secondly, The novel is hard to read at beginning with less dramatic climax but the more you read the more you fond of it. It is like a best wine, the longer the better.

Chen ping an is one of the best main,... more>> he isn't strong at first time, he is special and characteristic, he isn't perfect but he is only him among many other main that are similar and are just copied without different.

The story is very deep but slow at first part, it start in a small town in a small world, Chen ping an is only a weak child. In his mature, he travel a lot, meet many people, each of them also special with their our story, emotions, characteristics has good has bad but will satisfy your emotions. The fighting scenes are also stylish and satisfied.

My E isn't good enough and I don't want to spoil too much. So enjoy yourself and support the translation team. <<less
15 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
luckymorris
luckymorris
Aug 13, 2023
Status: c316
A refeshing take on xianxia!

This novel managed to escape a LOT of tropes that I grow tired of :

-The seniors are not all a bunch of dickheads, they're capable of seing the big picture

... more>> -Not everyone is ennemy with MC, a lot of them are indifferent, some are helping him against the bigger fish

-Not MC centrist, the world doesn't revolve around him, plenty of things happens without him being a part of it. And there is plenty of story dedicated to secondary characters, i'd say it's around 50% MC, 50% side characters.

-Nuances, goodbye young master N°14526 that wanted to kill MC because "muh jade beauty", hello antagonist that had good reasons to mess with MC. That goes for MC too, he is not a wimp, but he also won't commit a genocide against a sect because one of their member was a c*nt.

-You know those xianxia where "lvl 5" is said to be super uber rare but when MC achieve that lvl, everyone and their grandmothers are lvl 5? None of that here. You'll see characters that have achieved the peak in the first arc of the novel, as well as low level and middle level people, the hiearchy is clearly setup and I don't see a way to ruin that later on the novel.

There are plenty of other good point, but others have already mentionned it so i'll refrain and end my review here.

Edit : I do have a big complain about this novel, it's the HUGE amount of filler, MC is going to go to a specific place but somehow it's important that there is 3 filler arcs that really doesn't bring much to the story before he get to his destination. I don't care about the backstory of secondary characters that won't appear in the story later on, having full chapters dedicated to them is just straight out boring, I'm not talking about the more important side characters that are surely going to keep being relevant to the story. <<less
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Daoist Ghoul
Daoist Ghoul
Mar 13, 2022
Status: --
This novel starts slowly but ages like a fine wine. It's an absolute blast to read.

The characters, the progression, the world-building, the philosophies of Buddhism and Taoism - everything is woven intricately into a fine masterpiece.
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Reinefleur
Reinefleur
Jul 16, 2024
Status: c800
This novel is a masterclass, deserving a perfect 10/10. Contrary to some negative reviews, I believe many of the cited drawbacks are actually strengths. The frequent tangents away from the main character's perspective contribute to the world-building. You may notice that many if not all the non 5 star reviews ended their reading journey very quickly. So I highly encourage you to keep reading (especially past the first arc). A recurring theme is the exploration of moral dilemmas: for instance, if you save someone who then causes harm later, have... more>> you ultimately done more harm? The novel questions whether one should investigate the past actions and consequences of others before intervening. While many characters avoid entangling themselves in such karma, the protagonist often endures these complexities, seeking reasonable solutions despite the challenges.

Admittedly, the protagonist appears naive and easily exploited at the beginning - to a frustrating extent. However, this is understandable given his background as an uneducated, poor orphan. GOD damn, have some sympathy. It is reasonable for mothers to desire the best opportunities for their children. It is reasonable to feel powerless against the schemes of cultivators with centuries-long lifespans. Enduring all that, the main character's development is particularly commendable, especially in a world dominated by personal interests.

If you seek a story featuring complex characters with competing interests and a main character who deeply reflects on their actions, then I am delighted to share this journey with you. <<less
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ws1719
ws1719
May 09, 2023
Status: --
Really enjoyed it as the author takes his time to actually build a world and a story. This is definitely not for the impatient and is not a junk-food novel where you skim through quickly just for regular minor dopamine hits from feel good self-insert story beats.

Even if "slow" (And by that I mean that the MC did not becoming a holy god emperor/ destroy all bullies super man in 30 chapters), every chapter is well thought out, interesting and adds to either the characterization of the cast or the... more>> world in which the story takes place. <<less
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bakaemon
bakaemon
Feb 01, 2026
Status: c110
This novel is a slog.

There are the main grievances of why I couldn't appreciate the story, despite multiple recommendations and glowing reviews:

    • Diffused narrative focus without a coherent hook: the story treats the world as the main character, focusing on the grand picture and orphaned the protagonist of most screentime without a narrative hook to justify diverting attention from the main character. The story constantly demands you focusing on side characters, even those who may exists for a single time of the scene. Some may considers this as a selling point, but personally, I think this would only work if the story established either an overarching goal or an escalating tension towards an end point to act as a hook. The story has none, thus leaving readers adrift between sea of context without a narrative vessel to inhabit.
    • Power creeping hierarchy: the goalpost of hierarchy keep moving in just a dozen of chapters. At first we are provided that rank 9 is very powerful and rank 10 is godly and rank 5 is strategic resources of a nation. Then rank 11 characters became numerous and those below rank 12 is worthless and deserved to be massacred. And rank 13 appears out of nowhere, then rank 14 is about to appear in the horizon. Cheeky little world building, am I right?
    • Show over tell: the most annoying of them all, using the omniscient third person perspective to depict a scene between unrelated characters who will literally tell you the history of the world, the political relations and world building mechanics. You have to read the wall of dialogues to not miss anything essentials.
In other world, it's a slog of a novel, a chore to read and it's bank on the reader's expectation of a grand payoff. I don't have much patience dealing with all of the nonsense like that. If you personally have no problem with that, then good for you.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
LightNvL
LightNvL
Jul 20, 2025
Status: c470
I like it. Rather than a story about leveling up and saving face, typical cultivation journey. It's a story of connecting with people, someone's way of life, values, and principles. There's quite a bit of machinations behind the scenes. The protagonist is always thinking, ruminating his actions and a strong conviction to follow his principles.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
9jaWeeb
9jaWeeb
Jun 26, 2023
Status: c50
It's interesting but alot of it is unnecessarily convoluted and confusing due to what seems to be foreshadowing/background for future events. It gives the feeling that it will spin us an epic tale but the confusing writing is a turn off. The feeling that it will eventually become something great doesn't excuse what feels like unnecessary confusion of readers especially when you consider other novels (like lord of the mysteries for example) that spins you epic tales with a lot of early foreshadowing and hints without confusing the heck out... more>> of you. <<less
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felix851
felix851
Aug 08, 2024
Status: c26
Recommended, nivel cut above usual xianxia novels.

MC is hopelessly naive, he has weird bakugo and deku type dynamic with 2 guys. Like they bully him and he still considers one of them his friend.

MC is naive, nice. He is like tree who was s**ked dry by parasites.

It has whole kindness and stuff, which I just detest.
Spoiler

there is point in story where he gets trees leaf, its like bpessing so now he has taken oath that that he wl save peoplw from yao clan to best of his abilities, even if he has to die, basically self sacrificial mc

[collapse]

I just dont like MC whole nature, its irritaring to extreme, if I wanted to see wet noodle I could have seen myself in mirror,

aside from that story is good and as said before cut above rest,
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Daoistsacredinfinity
Daoistsacred
Oct 07, 2023
Status: c130
Do NOT read it if you're looking for regular power fantasies. This novel focuses more on the world around the protagonist rather than his power progression, at least this is the case till the latest translated chapter. Here, the growth of his cultivation is a secondary concern, and author often invests a huge amount of focus on creating an impactful conversation or scene rather than fights or dramatic climaxes.

This is a very distinctly different type of xianxia story. Very little of traditional cultivation settings have been borrowed in this story.... more>> Rather, the author has gone through much pains to establish a fresh world that feels realistic and unique, sophisticated.

The MC is also different from regular CN novel protagonists. He's perhaps the most morally relatable and respectable Chinese protagonist I've seen in this genre so far. But he's not so naive to as to be unbearable either.

Overall, I would recommend it if you're not impatient and appreciate it when an author focuses on creating a complex, impactful story rather than cliched wish-fulfillment routes.

Criticisms: some fillers, even though they are well written, can annoy the readers sometimes. And often author changes the flow of incidents to appear unpredictable, which rather instills a bad taste in my mouth because the apparent climaxes don't happen. Problems and dangers that we're looking forward to bloom into focus get solved by random chains of incidents and characters beyond the mc's scope of comprehension. It makes for an underwhelming experience if you're used to explosive climaxes that are usually found in this genre. <<less
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Kimari07
Kimari07
Jul 25, 2022
Status: c1036
I read all the way to the latest chapter via mtl haha. It's rare to find something that suit my taste so I was able to read through it without skipping through pages.

Every character has their own unique story, motivation and goals that they pursue.

I especially love that most young people that embark through the path of cultivation has their guardians or dao protectors that will watch over them either openly or in the dark till they reach a higher level so that they will not die so easily.

There are... more>> many overpowered characters including villains (though I don't see them as such coz the reasons for their actions are justifiable) that sometimes I feel suffocated for the Chen Ping'an who works really hard so that he will not become a mere chess piece in someone else's chessboard.

I love love love certain characters such as the pe*verted Cui Dongshan who has so many crazy and funny antics that annoys everyone around him though he can really be a cruel psycho sometimes, the clueless heavens favorite Li Huai who is really lucky to the point of envy, the straight forward Ning Yao who is very lovable that I can't wait for her to really be with Ping'an, Xiao Mili who is the definition of adorable, Cao Qing Qing who is close to Ping ans heart and many many more.

Though I felt it's tediously long at one time, now that I finished all available chapters, I feel so empty and can't wait for more.

I just hope that some one will translate this one coz it's a really worthy read. <<less
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MyRAMEN
MyRAMEN
May 02, 2024
Status: c18
The story is about a very unlucky protagonist who gets all his fortune taken away. It takes place in a mysterious town full of Mysteries, had slow world building, and unravlement of secrets. You gradually learn this world isn't so ordinary, and that there are also Cultivators. The main character is a nice serious altruistic stubborn guy surrounded by mostly shallow and realistic people.

However... The main character has also broken his character a few times. Especially in forcefully moving the plot. He who his character went against everything written so... more>> far, kept provoking a person like a true Chinese cliche plot. This in turn made him lose all his Lifespan. There was also a random crying scene at one point. All of these are tried to be beautifully written... but the MC's actions are against what is being built upon.

The writing is great, but there is a significant drawback. The plot is going nowhere. It's been 18 chapters, and all the chapters have been doing is world building, side character building, and filler. The Mysteries are nice but it is overdone to the point where the plot can't progress. It is an absurdly slow paced novel. The word count is also high so don't expect to see the plot progress anytime soon when you start reading on arcs.

It was too slow and frustrating to keep reading for hours on end for the plot to still go nowhere and being stuck in a prologue arc... this is why I dropped this, and likely why others also did, else this story would've been pretty popular <<less
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Lined
Lined
Jan 09, 2024
Status: --
I normally don't write any reviews but I love this novel so much and I feel like it is very underrated. This is one of the only novels where I have read the MTL. Compared to other novels on this website it is very slow paced. It might also be a little frustrating to read at the start because it feels like the MC continuously gets f*cked over by his overall situation and he/others does nothing about it. However as the novel progresses we learn more about why everything is... more>> happening and things start going well for the MC. The novel has everything from romance, action, philosophy, politics and slice of life. While the novel is slow paced, when action happens, it is well written and there are several amazing moments in this novel. My favorite part of the novel is the characters. Every character gets developed even those you might hate in the beginning. All of their actions have reason and are eventually explained. <<less
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Vanzallius
Vanzallius
Mar 03, 2026
Status: c156
A genuinely a brilliant novel that I cannot blame people for hating. Where most WN's are, in their approach of providing entertainment, practically shoving a funnel into your mouth and pouring down coca-cola, this one here is like a senile old man in his rocking chair incoherently babbling concepts and feigning wind-ups to a grand story you have no idea is even worth listening to. And I think it's where most people give up, especially those who have the wrong expectations going into this.

Every other arc or sub-arc I'd ask... more>> myself: "Where is this leading to?", or "When is the main character going to be useful?", and time and time again I always ended up being amazed at how well everything came together in the end. Yes, this author has an unorthodox writing style, often being rambly and heavy on exposition that will go over your head the first moment. And make no mistake, this novel is jam-packed with cultivationslop clichés that you either love or hate. But his ability to write deep character relationships, often established ones that are explored as the series goes on, are some of the best I've seen in Xianxia. The emotional highs of this novel are really great and often recontextualize a lot of the babbly word salads you've failed to see the purpose of initially. I genuinely love that kind of stuff.

The MC's progression is not for the faint of heart. He is easily the most fleshed out and interesting character in this novel, but as a side-effect, he is explored and progressed VERY slowly. If you're looking for a novel where the MC is aurafarming with cultivation cheats by chapter 30, you will want to avoid this novel. It will leave you disappointed. But if you're tired of instant gratification powerfantasy slop and you're willing to give this slow-ass novel a try, you might find something you'll like as much as me. <<less
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lightwind21
lightwind21
Nov 16, 2025
Status: c60
I've read 60 chapters, which is 180000~ words. The story has yet to finish its first story arc.

The main problem is MC, or the one author tries to portray as MC. He has no impact on the story, he just reacts.

There are also some problematic things with mc's self-sacrificial tendencies, which look weird, and out of place (considering his circumstances).

There are a few holes, like the girl (potential love interest) wanted to kill a scholar guy who looked at her because he was charmed by her looks but when MC... more>> did it she showed no reaction.

The power balance, despite the excuse that the town has a ban that seals the power of immortals...

The fact that a boy (16) who have not to mention cultivated, have never practiced martial arts in his life, but managed to kill a cultivator with his bare hands?

In a sense this novel reminded me of ZTJ. Beautifully written, yet if you strip away all of those superfluous descriptions, what remains?

Like, there was a fight scene where a mc's enemy recalled how he developed his agility with hands, and there we are forced to read a half page dump about the opponents childhood (in the middle of the fight scene) and how this character was alone and threw stones when he was bored. That's why many years later he has this skill, and now he is using this skill...

It was actually a first proper fight scene in this novel.

Lots of interesting characters. Sadly, MC is not one of them. <<less
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jiwa07
jiwa07
Nov 02, 2024
Status: c956
this novel is one of a kind, you can see character development not just the MC but others as well.

This novel is quite slow pace at the beginning, I don't remember which chapter it start to be really interesting.

Lots of philosophy taking place inside the novel. And the chapter is very long compare to normal novel.

... more>> one issue I have is the author likes to describe character but dislike using the character name, and you have to remember all those past chapter description about the character.

nevertheless, this is a really good novel, different from your typical cultivation novel out there. Some may like it but give it a try <<less
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D_Mango
D_Mango
Apr 10, 2024
Status: --
Absolutely sublime. Takes the concept of being a good person in a cruel world and pushes it to the limit... Good people suffer but does it justify someone being evil.... and what actually is just... what do you do when there's no clear answer or when you have to do something that goes against your conscience when someone you care about does evil... can evil people be capable of love... how much cruelty, hypocrisy and bloodshed can be justified when it is for an overall good outcome... do ends justify... more>> the means always or must you always think of the bigger picture... how much are you willing to sacrifice for the world when it constantly hurts you... but it does show you ultimate kindness from time to time... how to be a teacher... how to take revenge but not get engrossed in it?

This novel asks many questions... some of which it gives wonderful answers. Some become confusing cause of the writer trying too hard.... but all in all in this age of arrogant, self satisfied MC a genuine Good MC who does have a little bit of hero complex is a breath of fresh air... Side characters are vibrants and some times outshine the MC. Most of the biggest conflicts are actually solved by the said side characters... those who you think is a good guy might have evil intentions. And the most hated persons might be the greatest saint.... being mortal doesn't take away your power to move the world here... there actually one character deep in the novel who is absolutely mortal, climbs up the government rank, does some messed up sh*t but ultimately his such doings are what let's them defend against demons... the mountain god and river god system is good as it let's those meritorious mortal actually get a chance to pursue immortality then just let them rot... there's a lot of hypocrisy but honestly to run any government even the best ones you have to do some dark sh*t sometime

The best part of the novel for me is absolutely the MC and the relationships he makes... specially with his first deciple (happenes a little bit later) who was faced with similar dark circumstances like the MC but grew to hate the world... but gradually it was MC who let her love the world again by creating a world that loves her back... very few fights happen compared to other xianxias but when it happens they are epic. It's a very very slow burn so try to stick with it.

Also Qi Jingchun is the ultimate big bro and A'Liang is the ultimate chad <<less
3 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Waka
Waka
Mar 31, 2024
Status: c253
One of the best novels I've read, the author actually creates a realistic world for us to read about, the lives of the people in it their reasonings, actions and everything feel like real peoples.

It's as good as lord of the mysteries but in a different way. Well it's still not yet done so I don't know if the quality will keep up, but I have faith it will.
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