★ This work boasts impressive credentials on major Chinese digital platforms: it holds a high 9.2/10 rating on the Qimao Novel Platform and has garnered recommendations from over 800,000 readers on the Jiuyu Literature platform, accumulating a staggering 60 million reads.

★ The novel has received a strong recommendation from renowned Hong Kong director Lai Shui-ching, a legendary figure known for helming numerous classic and popular wuxia television drama adaptations.

Sixteen years ago, the Northern Capital's Emperor Wen conquered the lands. His strategist, Yang Juxu, aided by his martial brothers from the Jiuxiao Sect, clashed with the Grand Priest of the Southern Mound Kingdom in a legendary two-day battle. Yang ultimately slew the priest with his sword, enabling the emperor to crush the Southern Mound. Now, sixteen years later, Yang Juxu—ennobled as the "Duke Who Calms the Seas"—is mysteriously assassinated by a flying dagger wielded by a lone youth.

The assassin is Nan Fusheng, a surviving scion of the Southern Mound royal line and disciple of the Duanhun Lodge. Burdened with the mission to restore his homeland, he enters the martial world. His master, Yun Xueji, has bestowed upon him a set of nine demonic blades, each named after a deity from the ancient "Nine Songs" (Xiang Jun, Xiang Furen, He Bo, Shan Gui, Dong Jun, Yun Zhong Jun, Shao Si Ming, Da Si Ming, Dong Huang Tai Yi). Engraved on each blade is a name Nan Fusheng must kill—one of the "Ten Killer Generals." He must also race to gather the six legendary "Dharma Artifacts" to summon the "Heavenly Master's Secret Record." This will support the Southern Mound loyalists who have infiltrated the imperial court, paving the way for rebellion.

Nan Fusheng's quest pulls him into the turbulent waters of the jianghu: the entangled love tribulations spanning three lifetimes of the Changge Sect Master; the mysterious assassination of the master of the Qijian Dao; the epic confrontation between the world's greatest physician and its deadliest poison master; the Northern Capital court's conspiracy to suppress martial arts; and the relentless expansion and annexation of powerful martial factions. As the six Dharma Artifacts—the Wooden Sword that Breaks Formations, the Starry Sky Soldier Token, the Jade Goblet and Scepter, the White Jade Pearl, the Pure Yang Inner Elixir, and the Flowing Spring Jade Hairpin—each with unique powers, emerge one by one, Nan Fusheng's battles with the Ten Killer Generals intensify. Love, duty, and friendship constantly test his resolve.

Through this odyssey in a chaotic world, this wandering youth experiences the shifting winds of power, the changing tides of era, and profound love and hatred. Yet, he strives to hold onto his innate kindness and burning passion for truth and justice. His journey becomes one of transcending personal vengeance, where compassion ultimately confronts hatred, leading him to comprehend a deeper wisdom and achieve a universal love that surpasses the cycle of violence.

Lai Ji

A well-known Chinese writer and screenwriter, he holds a postdoctoral degree in law and serves as a graduate supervisor. As a contracted writer at the Ba Jin Academy of Literature under the Sichuan Writers Association (a provincial-level professional literary institution in China), Lai Ji is deeply engaged in literary creation and film/TV adaptation, excelling at balancing storytelling with market appeal.

A highly prolific and versatile writer, Lai Ji has published 15 full-length novels and 6 collections of short and medium-length stories, covering a wide range of genres including espionage, suspense, legal thrillers, science fiction, adventure, and cultural fantasy. His works are renowned for their gripping plots, profound themes, and strong adaptability to film and television. Widely regarded in the industry as one of the leading writers in terms of film and TV adaptation success, 11 of his novels have already been adapted into films and TV series.

Lai Ji has been deeply involved in screenwriting and project planning, with notable works including:
"The Hidden World", which was adapted into the film "Absolute Loyalty: For the Sake of the Nation" (2021). This film, a key tribute production marking the centenary of the founding of the Communist Party of China commissioned by China’s National Radio and Television Administration, won awards at the Beijing International Online Film Festival and other events.
Novels such as "Dawn" (endorsed by forensic expert Qin Ming) and "The Master Defender" (highly praised by author Chang Shuxin) have both been secured for film and TV adaptation.
He served as a script planner for "Kunlun Shrine" and "The Return to the South China Sea" (starring Pan Yueming and Zhang Yuqi), a series that has been streamed globally on Netflix.
He also served as a literary consultant or chief editor for major TV series such as "Joyful Faces" (starring Dong Zijian and Zhang Yi) and "No Man’s Land" (starring Jin Dong and Wang Zhiwen).
He wrote the screenplay for the theatrical film "Fortress of Money" (directed by Pang Fa, starring Wang Qianyuan and Feng Shaofeng, released in 2024).

1) Night of the Full Moon
2) Duanhun Yunxue
3) King of Ten Thousand Formations
4) The Heavenly Master's Secret Record
5) Mystery of the Master's Legacy
6) The Nine-Word True Mantra
7) First Meeting in Life
8) Qijian Chongyang
9) Young Master of the Vermilion Bird
10) An Instant, Falling to Darkness
11) No Mountain Can Obstruct
12) Sound of the Lotus
13) Why Grieve for Life
14) Breaking Formation, Breaking the Stalemate
15) Tribulation of Three Lifetimes
16) Sword Fight in the Void
17) The Martial Patrol Commissioner
18) The Green Jade Poison Gang
19) The Benevolent Healer of the Medicine Hut
20) Realm of the Flying Sword
21) A Hundred Sorrows, Hard to Resolve
22) Chixiao Slays the Serpent
23) Joy and Sorrow, Parting and Reunion
24) The Martial Alliance Conference
25) The Immortal Master Returns
26) Battle of Fated Rivals
27) My Name is Yan Ji
28) Meeting for the Rest of Our Lives
29) The White Jade Pearl
30) The Pure Yang Inner Elixir
31) A Sword Like the Abyss
32) Sweet Dreams of the Southern Kingdom
33) Illusory Swords Crisscrossing
34) The Zen Dharma of the Mortal World
35) My Name is Le Ling
36) The Flowing Spring Jade Hairpin.

Character Profiles (Key Figures):

Nan Fusheng - Male Protagonist
Nan Fusheng is the last surviving royal descendant of the fallen Southern Mound Kingdom, embodying 'the hatred born of a destroyed world'. He survived the war, possessing an inherently kind nature and a heart yearning for a carefree life of poetry and wine, yet he was moulded into a cold-blooded assassin. His destiny was burdened with revenge from the very beginning. After training under Yun Xueji, a legendary master of the secretive Duanhun Lodge, and acquiring peerless skills, he enters the martial world (jianghu). His explicit mission is to assassinate the ten core generals (the 'Ten Killer Generals') of the imperial court's Secret Strategy Department, while simultaneously racing to gather the six ancient and powerful 'Dharma Artifacts' to summon the legendary Heavenly Master's Secret Record. All of this is to coordinate with Southern Mound loyalists who have infiltrated the imperial dynasty, paving the way for the restoration of his homeland. After enduring the storms of the jianghu, the shifts of power, and the turmoil of love and enmity, Nan Fusheng's journey ultimately leads him back to his original self. He finds liberation from his vengeful mission, achieving true freedom for his soul.

Changge - Female Protagonist
Changge is the new sect master of the premier martial arts sect, the Changge Sect, a young grandmaster (master of the second rank). After mastering the supreme martial art, the 'Jade Song of Cloud and Snow', she becomes only the third contemporary master to reach the 'Immortal Master' level, following the legendary 'Old Master Fandao' and 'Old Master of Blades and Swords'. She represents 'the duty to protect the world'. Her exterior is resolute and decisive, yet her heart remains kind and tender. The core mission she inherits with her position is to seal the set of 'demonic blades' that bring calamity to the world. She and Nan Fusheng are lovers, their bond destined across three lifetimes. However, Nan Fusheng, wielder of the demonic blades, stands in complete opposition to the common people and the path of benevolence she is sworn to guard. To fulfil her duty, Changge constantly suppresses and evades her feelings for Nan Fusheng during her pursuit of him. In a drastic move to sever their emotional ties and gain the power to defeat him, she marries Yin Yangsheng, the master of the Vermilion Bird Valley. After 'forgetting love and erasing past bonds', she finally masters the supreme, emotionless martial art, the 'Jade Song of Cloud and Snow', and engages in a final, climactic battle of righteousness against evil with Nan Fusheng. Yet, the outcome of this battle completely defies the expectations of the entire martial world.

Ling Le - Major Supporting Character
Ling Le is the second disciple of the Changge Sect, a highly skilled (third-rank) young martial hero. While investigating the mysterious assassination of his close friend and revered senior, 'Old Master Fandao', he discovers that the perpetrator, Nan Fusheng, uses martial techniques originating from the Changge Sect. Driven by suspicion and a desire to investigate, he deliberately befriends Nan Fusheng. Despite their opposing personalities—like water and fire, or mirror reflections—they unexpectedly become close friends. Ling Le is hopelessly infatuated with Yin Qing, the daughter of the Vermilion Bird Valley Master. When Nan Fusheng accidentally kills Yin Qing's brother, Yin Lie, Ling Le takes the blame for Nan Fusheng. As punishment, he is cast into a mysterious mystical artifact known as the 'Mirror of All Beings'. Within the next 'cycle of rebirth' triggered by the mirror, his consciousness is transmuted into that of Nan Fusheng, forcing him to personally experience and seek to understand the tribulations of love and hatred that Nan Fusheng endures. Through this extraordinary 'substitute life', he ultimately comes to a profound realisation: to dissolve his obsession for another (Yin Qing) is essentially to achieve the dissolution and transcendence of his own self.

Lü Chongyang - Major Supporting Character
Lü Chongyang is the direct disciple of the late martial arts grandmaster and sect leader of the 'Way of the Unorthodox Sword' (Qijian Dao), Old Master Fandao. He is introverted and a man of few words. Driven to uncover the truth behind his mentor's mysterious death, he meets Nan Fusheng, who is similarly entangled in the events. Their relationship evolves from initial confrontation and testing of skills to sharing dangers side by side, eventually forging a deep friendship. Lü Chongyang's heart is long troubled by the core philosophical conflict of his school's martial arts: the debate between the path of the 'Unorthodox Sword' (which pursues unpredictability and unorthodox, surprising techniques) and the 'Orthodox Sword' (which adheres to tradition and solid foundations). This internal struggle pertains not only to martial arts but also reflects his understanding of the world and morality. After experiencing the storms of the jianghu alongside Nan Fusheng and witnessing the complex reality where good and evil are often indistinguishable, Lü Chongyang finally attains enlightenment. He transcends the binary opposition of 'unorthodox' and 'orthodox', comprehending the supreme principle of 'neither unorthodox nor orthodox'—a state that transcends formal constraints and points directly to the essence. This breakthrough not only leads to his great advancement in martial arts but also makes him an indispensable and powerful ally for Nan Fusheng in facing the immense crises that follow.

Yin Qing - Major Supporting Character
Yin Qing is the eldest daughter of Yin Yangsheng, the master of the major martial arts power, the Vermilion Bird Valley, and the object of Ling Le's obsessive affection. Outwardly gentle and refined, she is inwardly resolute, decisive, highly shrewd, and formidable—a woman skilled in political strategy and manoeuvring. She firmly believes that in this chaotic jianghu, only by using overwhelming force to sweep away all obstacles and achieving the dominance of a single, supreme power can conflict be permanently ended and order established (the philosophy of 'using violence to end violence'). To this end, she actively assists her father, Yin Yangsheng, secretly allying with princely factions within the imperial court who are opposed to the reigning Emperor Wen, combining internal and external forces through careful planning. Her goal is not only to strengthen the Vermilion Bird Valley but to help her father ascend to the pinnacle of martial world power. Through a series of ingenious schemes, alliances, and conquests, she ultimately succeeds in helping her father consolidate numerous martial factions, enabling him to be recognised as the 'Alliance Chief of the Martial World', realising their ambition of unifying the jianghu landscape through an iron-fisted approach. She is a key strategist and ambitious power-broker who drives the transformation of the martial world's power structure within the story.