"What is Jianghu? There seems to be no single answer. Every person carries their own version of the Jianghu in their heart—each distinct, yet equally extraordinary. I never sought a definitive explanation. For me, the Jianghu is a realm that can only be felt, never fully described. To Gou'er, it might be an idyllic paradise—free from hunger, poverty, and deceit, a utopian sanctuary. Yet that remains but a wistful fantasy. The true Jianghu, as Pei Hongdie, Hua Chan, Yun Xuan, and Xiaoxi have discovered, is often a far crueler place..."

★When you feel the malice of the world, come and read “Tales of the Martial World”. Highly recommended by many martial arts novel masters!
★A martial arts novel that reveals the light and darkness in human nature, with zero nonsense, fast pace, and a divine ending throughout!
★ 9 legendary figures, 11 enigmatic martial sects, 100 intricate clues, and 1,000 exquisitely crafted details!
★ A riveting series of martial arts novellas set in a shadowy underworld—using the Jianghu as a veil to portray the myriad facets of society!

Is it rightous to kill an innocent person for the greater good?
When two people are trapped in dire straits, will they step on each other to survive—or lend a helping hand?
When the truth is too cruel, would you choose deception instead?
Nine poetic form names, nine extraordinary tales. These stories may wear the cloak of martial arts, but at their core, they lay bare the complexities of human society.

"The River All Red": Set against the backdrop of the resistance against the Jin dynasty, this story follows two villains who served tyranny. After falling into a swamp, their only chance of survival lies in cooperation—but mutual distrust leads to their mutual demise.

"The Jade Table": An assassin seeks vengeance for his father by targeting the noble master of the Jade Table. However, he soon discovers that his intended victim is a selfless leader beloved by the people, leaving him torn between duty and conscience...

"Butterflies in Love with Flowers": A woman who desires only a simple life is dragged mercilessly into the ruthless world of martial arts. Without ambition, she is crushed by those driven by greed—yet in the end, none of her tormentors escape retribution.

"Song of the Water Dragon": You Xuanji, the feared leader of the Youlong Bandits, is a name that strikes terror into the hearts of fishermen. When his uncle conspires with rivals to usurp his position and leave him for dead, he is saved by Xiaoxi’s father—only to kill his rescuer in a fit of paranoia. Fleeing to Xiaoxi’s home, he hides his identity, and love unexpectedly blossoms...

"The Golden Inlaid Blade": Yang Xiao, a man of ruthless cunning, murders his own master to obtain the Wuwei Sect’s supreme martial arts manual. Disguised, he manipulates Yun Xuan’s affections to infiltrate Wuwu Valley. After her father is slain by her most trusted senior disciple, he cruelly reveals the truth, driving Yun Xuan to her death in despair.

How complex the martial arts world is!

Originally named Zhang Runhua, Hua Fasheng is a leading figure in the New School of Lingnan Martial world Fiction. His writing is distinguished by its vigorous prose, intricate plotting, unique perspectives, and dynamic storytelling, earning widespread acclaim from readers. Primarily working within the Martial world genre, Hua skillfully blends traditional martial arts ethos with contemporary sensibilities, crafting a distinctive Jianghu universe that resonates with modern audiences.

Since 2004, his works have been published extensively in renowned martial arts publications, including "Martial World Stories" and "Martial World Fiction" (Mainland China), as well as Hong Kong’s "Martial World Magazine", amassing over two million words in print. Notable works include: "Arrow on the String", "The Straw Giant", "Tales of the Martial World", etc.

Preface to “Tales of the Martial World”

The River All Red / 001
The Jade Table / 018
Butterflies in Love with Flowers / 031
The Golden Inlaid Blade / 055
Breaking the Formation / 082
Halt the Horse and Listen / 113
Song of the Water Dragon / 142
Wanderings of Youth / 178
Ballad of the Immortal Grotto / 221

Afterword / 248

Suddenly, the ground beneath his feet felt soft and unstable!
Tao Wangji cursed inwardly, “Damn it!” He had stepped into a swamp! His feet were unable to exert any force on the ground, and the large patches of dark, muddy sludge seemed like the gaping mouth of a monster, tightly sucking his body in. Poor Tao Wangji, despite his formidable skills, found himself helpless in this seemingly bottomless swamp. His abilities were as useless as “dragon-slaying techniques” here—he couldn't break free.
He looked around. This was a desolate wilderness, rarely visited by humans, where venomous snakes and jackals often roamed. Even if he shouted at the top of his lungs, no one would come to his rescue.
The black swamp blended seamlessly with the surrounding land, with some dead branches and fallen leaves on its surface, making it look no different from ordinary land. That was why, when chasing the Red Masked figure, he had followed without hesitation after seeing the figure leap down from a height. However, in mid-air, a flying rope suddenly lunged at the Red Masked figure, who grabbed it and climbed to the ground tens of feet away. Tao Wangji, on the other hand, landed in the swamp, his feet deeply mired in the mud, unable to extricate himself, and could only watch helplessly as the Red Masked figure disappeared into the distance.
The Red Masked figure had clearly planned this in advance, deliberately luring him into the black swamp, letting him slowly sink into the mud and gradually feel the terror of death approaching. In this situation, whether you were a martial artist with unparalleled skills or a scholar with no strength to bind a chicken, there was only one way to escape...
“Help! Help!” Tao Wangji shouted desperately, regardless of his dignity, hoping that a hunter or two might appear and rescue him.
“No one will come here. Save your strength. You might live for another two hours at most,” someone spoke not far from Tao Wangji. Tao Wangji's heart leaped with joy, thinking that a savior had arrived. As long as there was another person in this place, it would be easier to escape. But upon seeing the actual situation, his heart sank. It turned out that about ten feet away, there was another person stuck in the swamp just like him! This person's face was covered in black mud, and his eyes were dark, blending in with the sludge, making it really hard to distinguish. If the person hadn't spoken, Tao Wangji would have had a hard time noticing him.
“The more you struggle, the faster you'll sink to the bottom of the swamp. If you keep still and don't move or shout, you won't sink as quickly,” the man continued. Tao Wangji knew it was true, but he couldn't believe he would meet his end in such a place. For a moment, he didn't know what to say and just let his body sink bit by bit. Although the sinking was slow, Tao Wangji was extremely anxious. He felt as if there were countless vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts beneath the swamp, grabbing his feet and slowly pulling him into hell.
After a brief silence, Tao Wangji realized he couldn't just wait to die. He thought for a moment and then greeted the man, asking, “I am Tao Wangji. May I ask the esteemed sir's name?”
Upon hearing his name, the man showed no reaction and replied, “I don't know you. You can call me Xiao Ke.”
Tao Wangji was a rising star in the martial world, renowned throughout the land. At the age of twenty, he had swept away a group of demons in Dinghu Mountain, after which all the heroes bowed their heads and honored him as a “great hero.” At twenty-five, Tao Wangji married the daughter of Guo Nan, a famous general in the court. A year later, Guo Nan was assassinated, and Tao Wangji suddenly found the affairs of the martial world to be dull and uninteresting. He then followed the example of the Jin Dynasty scholar who cultivated bamboo and chrysanthemums, and chose to live in seclusion. The name “Tao Wangji” was truly “household” in the martial world. This man, however, had never heard of his name, which meant he must be a novice just entering the martial world.
Tao Wangji smiled slightly and asked, “Do you practice martial arts?”
Xiao Ke replied, “I started learning martial arts at the age of eight. I've just come out and haven't yet made a name for myself. I chased that damn hare and ended up falling into this wretched place with a flying leap!” After a while, he started complaining again, cursing loudly, “Sick old heavens, thieving old heavens!” The more he cursed, the angrier he became, and he couldn't help but curse his own parents, until he was hoarse and parched. Suddenly, Xiao Ke began to cry softly. Tao Wangji faintly heard him saying things like “I haven't even tasted strong liquor or eaten fragrant meat, and I haven't lived a life of any value.”
After all, Tao Wangji was an experienced veteran of the martial world. By this time, he had already come up with a plan to escape, but he kept silent. It wasn't until Xiao Ke was completely disheartened and hopeless that he took out a stack of banknotes from his bosom and said, “Brother Xiao Ke, look at this.”
Xiao Ke glanced up, his heart pounding and his eyes gleaming with an unusual light. The banknotes were from the Dachang Money House, which was accepted in nine provinces, each worth five hundred taels of silver. He could never earn that much money in his entire life. However, in just a moment, the light in Xiao Ke's eyes dimmed again, and he said with a bitter smile, “Now that we can't get out of here, whatever you give me, I won't be able to enjoy it!”
Tao Wangji smiled and said, “Yes, in our current situation, no amount of money can be spent!” With that, he flicked his hand, and the banknotes fluttered like butterflies, scattering all over the swamp.
Xiao Ke watched helplessly as those things that could bring him endless joy were discarded like trash, making him feel even more miserable and on the verge of tears.
Tao Wangji said, “Brother Xiao Ke, there is plenty of money in this world. If you cooperate with me to get out of this wretched place, I promise you will have as much money as you want in the future!”
“Do you have a way?” Xiao Ke couldn't help but ask.
Tao Wangji nodded and asked in return, “Do you know lightness kung fu?”
“I've been learning it since I was a child.”
“Good,” Tao Wangji asked again, “Now that your luck is floating upwards, how high can you jump?”
Xiao Ke looked ashamed and said, “My skills are not yet refined. If I jump, I can only jump high but not far. So I can only jump off the surface of the swamp, but I can't reach the land. Alas, I will still fall down, and then I will sink deeper.”
“Excellent! That's more than enough!” Tao Wangji clapped his hands in delight, leaving Xiao Ke completely puzzled.
Tao Wangji said seriously, “Brother Xiao Ke, I have a way to get you out of here. I have practiced internal palm power for fifteen years, and my Cloud-Parting Palm is as powerful as a tidal wave, capable of striking objects from a distance. We are only ten feet apart. If I strike your back with the Cloud-Parting Palm the moment you jump off the surface of the swamp, the fierce palm wind will surely send you safely to the land!”
Xiao Ke was overjoyed, knowing that his savior had arrived. With a tone of reverence and a hint of ecstasy, he said, “If the elder brother can save me, you will be my savior. I would be more than willing to serve you as an ox or a horse for the rest of my life!”
Tao Wangji smiled and said, “I won't wrong you. On the contrary, I will give you a lot of money to let you drink strong liquor and eat fragrant meat!”
“Are you really that good?” Xiao Ke asked skeptically.
“If a person doesn't look out for himself, he will be condemned by heaven and earth. Brother Xiao Ke, I am naturally doing this for my own benefit,” Tao Wangji said bluntly. “When I use the Cloud-Parting Palm to send you to the land, it will inevitably create a backward thrust, causing my body to quickly sink into the swamp. So as soon as you reach the land, you must immediately break the branches of the tree by the edge of the swamp and extend them to me to pull me up!”
Xiao Ke immediately understood his intention. Tao Wangji, a stranger to him, had no relationship with him at all, and deliberately promised a large sum of money as a reward to lure him out of the swamp and then come back to save him. Both morally and logically, Xiao Ke had no reason to refuse to save Tao Wangji. Desperate to survive, he said, “If you use the Cloud-Parting Palm to send me to the land and I don't come back to save you, then I would be worse than a beast!”
Seeing his sincere words, Tao Wangji was pleased,but still felt a bit uneasy. After all, this method was too risky. He had pinned all his hopes on this stranger. If the young man ran away after reaching the land, he would immediately sink into the swamp and die, both frustrated and humiliated, with no guarantee at all.
“Brother Xiao Ke, ten thousand taels of silver. This is your reward for coming back to save me!” Upon hearing this, Xiao Ke became anxious and immediately swore by the heavens, exclaiming, “We are in the same boat. How can you still distrust me? I swear that if I don't save you, I will be struck by lightning, burned by fire, and fall into the eighteenth level of hell after death!”
Tao Wangji felt much more relieved after hearing such a dire oath. Suddenly, he noticed Xiao Ke's raised finger and his body trembled.
“Big brother, are you ready?” Xiao Ke looked at him with a smile. “There's no time to waste. You count one, two, three. When you say ‘three,’ I'll jump up, and as soon as I leave the surface of the swamp, you immediately use your palm force to send me to the land!”
Tao Wangji nodded and said, “Alright, get ready!” He extended both palms, assuming the posture for delivering a palm strike.
Without hesitation, Xiao Ke exposed his back to Tao Wangji, puffed out his cheeks, focused on the land ahead, gathered his energy in his lower abdomen, and prepared to jump.
“One!” Tao Wangji began to count.
“Two!” Tao Wangji counted again. Upon hearing this, Xiao Ke immediately gathered all his strength.
“Three!” Tao Wangji shouted loudly. Xiao Ke shouted in response, “Go!” He gathered his energy and leaped upward like a large fish, his feet leaving the ground and his entire body emerging from the surface of the swamp. In this brief moment of being airborne, Xiao Ke's heart raced and a thought flashed through his mind: he must thank heaven and earth for this escape from certain death!
However, there was no movement from behind. The fierce palm force had not been unleashed!
“Ah!” Xiao Ke let out a cry. With a “thud,” his body plunged straight into the swamp. Due to the rapid descent, he was quickly buried up to his chest. He struggled desperately but could not stop the sinking momentum, and his mouth was filled with a lot of mud.
Tao Wangji said coldly, “The more you struggle, the faster you will die!”
Tao Wangji's words brought Xiao Ke back to reality.