"This groundbreaking work sparked a creative trend blending xianxia (immortal hero) fantasy with detective storytelling, expanding the horizons of contemporary web fiction."
—Chen Dingjia, Researcher and Director of the Theoretical Division, Institute of Literature, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

"A phenomenal blockbuster in 2021, this xianxia novel repeatedly topped web fiction charts. It skillfully merges a mundane court setting, traditional Chinese schools of thought, and immortal cultivation, interspersed with ingenious cases, presenting a captivating world of detection."
—Online Reviews

"As a detective-style novel, Guardians of the Dafeng excels in laying subtle clues and delivering well-crafted plot twists. The author masterfully creates numerous classic scenes with a brisk pace and clear logic."
—Qin Wen, Renowned Screenwriter

★ An highly innovative "Eastern Fantasy Mystery"! It ingeniously integrates the precise logic of "honkaku" (classic deduction) into an ancient Eastern world teeming with ghosts, gods, martial arts, and cultivators—akin to staging Sherlock Holmes-style investigations within the intricate political machinations of Game of Thrones!

★ A phenomenal work in Chinese web fiction, it set astonishing records: "Fastest to reach 100,000 average subscriptions per chapter", "First Xianxia novel to achieve 100,000 average subscriptions", "Record holder for highest single-chapter subscription on its platform"! It won four major accolades in 2021: "Annual Work," "Top 10 Male-Targeted Popular Works," "Annual Eastern Fantasy Work," and "Most Anticipated Film/TV Adaptation"! In 2023, it was selected among "100 Outstanding Web Literature Works" for collection by the Shanghai Library!

★ With this book, author Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun topped the "Chinese Web Literature Writer Influence Ranking" in both 2021 and 2022, cementing his status as a top-tier "Xianxia Master" in Chinese web literature. His unique style blends mystery, political intrigue, hot-blood and humor, precisely capturing the contemporary global young readers' demand for both "enthralling entertainment" and "substantial depth."

★ Its eponymous TV adaptation became a phenomenon in 2024, jointly broadcast by China's top streaming platform and the authoritative national TV channel CCTV-8, setting annual platform records in online engagement metrics. The drama has already aired in multiple Asian regions via international channels like Netflix and YouTube, garnering positive feedback from overseas viewers such as "addictive" and "a unique fusion of detective and fantasy."

Xu Qi'an, a modern police academy graduate, unexpectedly transmigrates into the "Dafeng Dynasty," a world resembling ancient China but where martial arts, sorcery, and Confucian正气 (righteous energy) exist. He finds his soul inhabiting the body of a young constable who has just been wrongly imprisoned.

Using modern chemistry knowledge, he creates "soap" to secure his release, only to be immediately drawn into a bizarre case of stolen silver. The court's 600,000 taels of tribute silver vanish under heavy guard, leaving only non-human claw marks at the scene. As the investigation stalls, Xu Qi'an applies basic forensic logic and scientific thinking. By analyzing evidence and interrogating witnesses, he meticulously reconstructs the crime, astonishingly revealing the possible involvement of cultivators behind the scenes. Solving this case not only clears his name but also attracts the attention of "The Nightwatch" (Da Geng Ren)—a secret agency directly under the emperor, tasked with monitoring officials and handling supernatural incidents.

Thus, Xu Qi'an joins the Nightwatch. His life is never peaceful again: the capital is plagued by a series of strange cases like the "Serial Molestation Case" and the "Copper-Skin Iron-Bone Corpse Case." Each seems independent yet subtly points to a deeper conspiracy. Relying on his anachronistic mindset, courage, and attention to detail, Xu Qi'an cracks one bizarre case after another, rising both in rank and personal cultivation.

However, he soon realizes each case he solves is merely a pawn on a grand chessboard. At court, hidden currents surge among imperial power, eunuch factions, scholar-officials, and regional princes. In the jianghu (martial world), complex dynamics exist among Taoist sects, Buddhist temples, the Witch God Cult, Gu (venom) magic, and other supernatural forces. An old case from twenty years ago involving the royal bloodline—the "Sangpo Case"—gradually surfaces, connecting him to contemporary power struggles, border wars, and even the awakening of ancient deities.

From initially just wanting to survive and protect his family, Xu Qi'an is forced step by step into the eye of the storm...

Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun

A top-tier Chinese web novelist, creator of the phenomenal work Guardians of the Dafeng. His pen name, meaning "Newspaper Delivery Young Gentleman," originates from his experience delivering newspapers during university, reflecting a touch of everyday life.

With Guardians of the Dafeng, he consecutively broke multiple historical records on his serialization platform, including being the first work to surpass 6 million total collections and achieving over 100,000 average subscriptions, establishing a benchmark in the industry. The book led him to top the "Chinese Web Literature Writer Influence Ranking" in both 2021 and 2022, and he received several annual major awards from institutions like the China Writers Association's Network Literature Center.

His writing style is characterized by grand world-building, intricate mystery plotting, vivid ensemble casts, and witty humor. He excels at integrating modern thinking into classical settings, creating highly tense and refreshing reading experiences. Mai Bao Xiao Lang Jun is widely recognized as a representative author in the Chinese web literature xianxia genre, a iconic figure embodying both commercial success and literary influence.

The 1st Chapter: the Calamity of Imprisonment
The 2nd Chapter: Evil Spirit at Work
The 3rd Chapter: Reasoning in the Xianxia World
The 4th Chapter: It’s time to Show the Real Technique
The 5th Chapter: Solving the Problem
The 6th Chapter: Confused Uncle
The 7th Chapter: A Beautiful Younger Sister
The 8th Chapter: Why do You Peep Me, My Younger Sister?
The 9th Chapter: Angry Aunt
The 10th Chapter: A Homicide Case of the County
The 11th Chapter: Slack Off
The 12th Chapter: Splendid Operation
The 13th Chapter: Interrogation
The 14th Chapter: Psychological Battle
The 15th Chapter: Evil Nature of Man
The 16th Chapter: Diary of Xu Qi’an
The 17th Chapter: Refuting Aunt Everyday
The 18th Chapter: Go Shopping with Younger Sister
The 19th Chapter: Poem for Send-off
The 20th Chapter: A Half Poem Shocks the Scholars
The 21st Chapter: Arrogant Bullies
The 22nd Chapter: Teach You a Lesson
The 23rd Chapter: Criminals Caught by the Ministry of Penalty
The 24th Chapter: Blue Book
The 25th Chapter: Relief Troops
The 26th Chapter: Virtue
The 27th Chapter: Save People
The 28th Chapter: Kill Me as an Ant
……