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Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) #3
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu (Novel) Vol. 3
“HE DOESN’T DESERVE TO DIE HERE, NOT LIKE THIS.”
Despite the sting of Yan Wushi’s betrayal fresh on his heart, Shen Qiao rushes to save him from certain death only to arrive a moment too late—or so it seems. As rumor of Yan Wushi’s demise spreads far and wide, the winds of change stir across the land. Meanwhile, Shen Qiao seeks to heal Yan Wushi’s grave injuries, and realizes that his understanding of the Demon Lord runs only skin-deep. Yet fate does not allow the pair to remain idle for long.
When an old friend reveals his true nature, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi have no choice but to aid him on a perilous mission. Only this time, humans aren’t the only monsters to fear.
Despite the sting of Yan Wushi’s betrayal fresh on his heart, Shen Qiao rushes to save him from certain death only to arrive a moment too late—or so it seems. As rumor of Yan Wushi’s demise spreads far and wide, the winds of change stir across the land. Meanwhile, Shen Qiao seeks to heal Yan Wushi’s grave injuries, and realizes that his understanding of the Demon Lord runs only skin-deep. Yet fate does not allow the pair to remain idle for long.
When an old friend reveals his true nature, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi have no choice but to aid him on a perilous mission. Only this time, humans aren’t the only monsters to fear.
460 pages, Paperback
Published January 2, 2024
About the author
Meng Xi Shi
62 books209 followersAssociated Names:
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
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October 16, 2023Wake up vol. 3 cover just dropped!
January 3, 2024
I genuinely don’t know how I’m going to be able to write down everything that I’m feeling right now. This volume made me laugh, scream, cry and I had to shut the book several times to gasp and make faces (you know how it goes).
The demon monkeys are, of course, an ingenious tidbit. (Too bad they didn’t manage to eat Chen Gong and co.) Xie Ling and A-Yan are so precious, I was sorry to say goodbye to them. Every interaction Shen Qiao had with yws was a rollercoaster, but there was a lot of growth between those two but also as people individually. Obviously, we’d all prefer for yws to grovel and cry and beg Shen Qiao for forgiveness, but it’s not in his nature, and it wouldn’t be realistic for his character to do that. He’s still callous and imperfect and refuses to regret handing Shen Qiao to the dogs but there is something buried under the mauve depths of his soul. We saw that when he parted with sq to draw sang jingxing away. He feels something for Shen Qiao (he literally gets jealous of himself when he’s Xie Ling).
The last 50 pages… everything went even further south. Crazily so. Shen Qiao was so busy with trying to keep both himself and Yan Wushi alive that he became completely disconnected from what was happening in the secular world, especially since they couldn’t risk sending word to Chang’an. But I was shocked and completely caught off guard when he got there and the Emperor had passed, leaving the good for nothing Yuwen Yun in charge. I was really not expecting Yuwen Xian to die like that— I thought there would be plans to rally behind the Prince of Qi to take back Zhou, but I suppose everything should be unfolding within Yan Wushi’s expectations (at least, I hope).
I will be perpetually screaming about Shen Qiao fighting off two elders from Hehuan Sect and Ungrateful Swine (also known as Chen Gong but I get so angry seeing his name that I must apologise and insist that a fitting moniker be used instead, otherwise I shall have a fitful night’s sleep plagued with the horror of knowing he’s still alive and bothering our A-Qiao) at the same time, whilst carrying a little girl in one arm and protecting a little boy behind him. He’s the most good, upright and tender-hearted person in the world and I would go to the ends of the world for him to find his happiness. (What will it take for people to leave him alone?! I know A-Qiao wants some peace and quiet so that his internal qi can catch up to his martial arts but alas, it looks like fate has other plans with our hero.)
The demon monkeys are, of course, an ingenious tidbit. (Too bad they didn’t manage to eat Chen Gong and co.) Xie Ling and A-Yan are so precious, I was sorry to say goodbye to them. Every interaction Shen Qiao had with yws was a rollercoaster, but there was a lot of growth between those two but also as people individually. Obviously, we’d all prefer for yws to grovel and cry and beg Shen Qiao for forgiveness, but it’s not in his nature, and it wouldn’t be realistic for his character to do that. He’s still callous and imperfect and refuses to regret handing Shen Qiao to the dogs but there is something buried under the mauve depths of his soul. We saw that when he parted with sq to draw sang jingxing away. He feels something for Shen Qiao (he literally gets jealous of himself when he’s Xie Ling).
The last 50 pages… everything went even further south. Crazily so. Shen Qiao was so busy with trying to keep both himself and Yan Wushi alive that he became completely disconnected from what was happening in the secular world, especially since they couldn’t risk sending word to Chang’an. But I was shocked and completely caught off guard when he got there and the Emperor had passed, leaving the good for nothing Yuwen Yun in charge. I was really not expecting Yuwen Xian to die like that— I thought there would be plans to rally behind the Prince of Qi to take back Zhou, but I suppose everything should be unfolding within Yan Wushi’s expectations (at least, I hope).
I will be perpetually screaming about Shen Qiao fighting off two elders from Hehuan Sect and Ungrateful Swine (also known as Chen Gong but I get so angry seeing his name that I must apologise and insist that a fitting moniker be used instead, otherwise I shall have a fitful night’s sleep plagued with the horror of knowing he’s still alive and bothering our A-Qiao) at the same time, whilst carrying a little girl in one arm and protecting a little boy behind him. He’s the most good, upright and tender-hearted person in the world and I would go to the ends of the world for him to find his happiness. (What will it take for people to leave him alone?! I know A-Qiao wants some peace and quiet so that his internal qi can catch up to his martial arts but alas, it looks like fate has other plans with our hero.)
January 29, 2024
I think if I could give this book 6 stars, I would.
From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat. I can't say it's actually any faster than the first two books, however every aspect of it kept me racing through the pages- it was physically painful to put it down.
To start with Shen Qiao, I've enjoyed his character since book 1, however the way in which he holds himself and the power he wields now makes me genuinely emotional. I feel like a proud mother watching him grow into what he is now, and how he stands so sure of himself and the greater good. Although I've always been fond of him, I feel so much closer to him in this novel. That last battle where he protected Dou Yan and Yuwen Song... I swear reading it was a magical experience.
Another aspect that kept me guessing the whole time is Yan Wushi. He feels so unlike any character I've read before because of how unpredictable he is, and how he defies all expectations of a ML.. Does he have a chance for redemption? I'm not quite sure, however the whole split personality ordeal makes me so curious about his backstory. And I'm just as weak as Shen Qiao because Xie Ling made me SOB... he's like the purest form of Yan Wushi, pre whatever trauma turned him into the untrusting person he is today. And that makes me have hope for some kind of redemption arc.
But I have to admit, I like him so much as a character. Maybe it's cause he's so blunt and calls people the most ridiculous names, or it's the way he's the only person to get onto Shen Qiao's nerves, but I might be one of his biggest fans.
Also, I hate Chen Gong so much. I'm so sick of him, I groaned out loud when he didn't die. I do NOT want to see him again.
I can't believe I have to wait 2 months for the fourth book to come out!!!!
From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat. I can't say it's actually any faster than the first two books, however every aspect of it kept me racing through the pages- it was physically painful to put it down.
To start with Shen Qiao, I've enjoyed his character since book 1, however the way in which he holds himself and the power he wields now makes me genuinely emotional. I feel like a proud mother watching him grow into what he is now, and how he stands so sure of himself and the greater good. Although I've always been fond of him, I feel so much closer to him in this novel. That last battle where he protected Dou Yan and Yuwen Song... I swear reading it was a magical experience.
Another aspect that kept me guessing the whole time is Yan Wushi. He feels so unlike any character I've read before because of how unpredictable he is, and how he defies all expectations of a ML.. Does he have a chance for redemption? I'm not quite sure, however the whole split personality ordeal makes me so curious about his backstory. And I'm just as weak as Shen Qiao because Xie Ling made me SOB... he's like the purest form of Yan Wushi, pre whatever trauma turned him into the untrusting person he is today. And that makes me have hope for some kind of redemption arc.
But I have to admit, I like him so much as a character. Maybe it's cause he's so blunt and calls people the most ridiculous names, or it's the way he's the only person to get onto Shen Qiao's nerves, but I might be one of his biggest fans.
Also, I hate Chen Gong so much. I'm so sick of him, I groaned out loud when he didn't die. I do NOT want to see him again.
I can't believe I have to wait 2 months for the fourth book to come out!!!!
February 8, 2024
Definitely enjoyed it a lot more than the previous volume, mainly because Yan Wushi was a lot more present. I really liked getting to know his vulnerable, softer sides, though I doubt we'll see them again... Shen Qiao is still a wonderful protagonist too.
Luckily, there were fewer fight scenes here, but there were still part that I skipped (same issue with numerous inconsequential side characters).
Luckily, there were fewer fight scenes here, but there were still part that I skipped (same issue with numerous inconsequential side characters).
April 11, 2024
I wanna cry over how amazing this volume is. This was by far the best volume in the series.
The Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi content in this book? Unmatched.
I was genuinely not expecting the YanShen content to be this insane mix of amusing, sweet, and tragic, but what do you know? Yan Wushi’s multiple personalities appearing due to injury was a fun surprise, and I was lowkey suspicious of him at first. Because. Yan Wushi. Acting docile and clingy? No fucking way. But I have quickly adapted and developed such an emotional attachment to A-Yan and Xie Ling. They will be missed 🫡
(I can’t not add these long ass quotes to this review because they’re too goddamn hilarious) Don’t even get me started on how much I’ve loved this side of Shen Qiao in this volume. He was so sassy and done with Yan Wushi’s bullshit. And that long awaited scene. Of Shen Qiao finally giving Yan Wushi that well deserved slap in the face.
Don’t think I don’t see you Yan Wushi. I could sense that man’s jealous ass from a mile away. And the best part? He’s jealous of himself.
*plays jealousy jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo*
But seriously, I’ve loved loved loved the YanShen dynamic in this volume. And even if it’s not obvious, I can see Yan Wushi’s facade starting to break and he’s catching the feelings. Too bad Shen Qiao’s sick of his ass (as he should be). Shen Qiao is truly a better man than me, than everyone in this book, than everyone in the world. Because how he puts up with Yan Wushi is beyond me.
HE SAID THE THING 🫵
Shen Qiao’s absolute badassery in this volume??? Un-believe-able. He truly has progressed so much since volume 1. He really is making a name for himself. Watch out everyone, Shen Qiao is coming for you.
And that ending!! Yan Wushi actually sacrifices himself for Shen Qiao, the worsening situation in Chang’an, and Shen Qiao inadvertently adopts two new children???? I fucking love this volume.
The Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi content in this book? Unmatched.
He had no words to respond to that. Shen Qiao, who'd always been outstandingly good-tempered, suddenly had an urge. An urge to upend the other bowl of soup in his hand over that man's head.
Yan Wushi seemed to have sensed his thoughts and shrank back despite himself. Once again, he looked at Shen Qiao with that hurt expression.
Shen Qiao held his forehead and looked to the heavens, speechless.
I was genuinely not expecting the YanShen content to be this insane mix of amusing, sweet, and tragic, but what do you know? Yan Wushi’s multiple personalities appearing due to injury was a fun surprise, and I was lowkey suspicious of him at first. Because. Yan Wushi. Acting docile and clingy? No fucking way. But I have quickly adapted and developed such an emotional attachment to A-Yan and Xie Ling. They will be missed 🫡
After a long time with no reply, Yan Wushi raised his head to look at Shen Qiao, then said hesitantly, "Like last time... Kis."
If I knock him unconscious right now, will he wake up with a more normal personality? Shen Qiao contemplated this with all seriousness.
Yan Wushi seemed to have sensed the impending danger; he swallowed down the "kiss" that was halfway out of his mouth and huddled in a corner of the bed.
(I can’t not add these long ass quotes to this review because they’re too goddamn hilarious) Don’t even get me started on how much I’ve loved this side of Shen Qiao in this volume. He was so sassy and done with Yan Wushi’s bullshit. And that long awaited scene. Of Shen Qiao finally giving Yan Wushi that well deserved slap in the face.
But in Yan Wushi's eyes, whether it was Xie Ling or Yan Wushi didn't matter. Good or evil, painful or wonderful—he alone should be special to Shen Qiao. There was no need for some other random person to partake in that special regard.
Don’t think I don’t see you Yan Wushi. I could sense that man’s jealous ass from a mile away. And the best part? He’s jealous of himself.
"You're crying?" Yan Wushi was a bit stunned, thinking it incomprehensible. "What is there to cry about? Xie Ling was merely a fragment of my soul, not even a person."
Shen Qiao said dully, "He might have been a fragment to you, but to me, he was once a living person."
*plays jealousy jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo*
But seriously, I’ve loved loved loved the YanShen dynamic in this volume. And even if it’s not obvious, I can see Yan Wushi’s facade starting to break and he’s catching the feelings. Too bad Shen Qiao’s sick of his ass (as he should be). Shen Qiao is truly a better man than me, than everyone in this book, than everyone in the world. Because how he puts up with Yan Wushi is beyond me.
Yan Wushi suddenly began to laugh. "Foolish A-Qiao," he said gently. "When have I ever been good to you?"
HE SAID THE THING 🫵
But at this time, all eyes were on him as he fought against heavy odds, single handedly overcoming greater numbers.
With this battle, his name was destined to shake the world itself!
Shen Qiao’s absolute badassery in this volume??? Un-believe-able. He truly has progressed so much since volume 1. He really is making a name for himself. Watch out everyone, Shen Qiao is coming for you.
And that ending!! Yan Wushi actually sacrifices himself for Shen Qiao, the worsening situation in Chang’an, and Shen Qiao inadvertently adopts two new children???? I fucking love this volume.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
I love this book more every time a new volume comes out. It's so good.
At this point, I can't be surprised that Shen Qiao steals the show--he's coming into his own & because he is, in many ways, on his own he has to make a lot of tough decisions. At the beginning, when he was blind and weak and poor, he had to find his inner strength, find his Dao, and then rebuild. Now, he's embroiled himself in imperial politics & he's trying to balance smart political choices against his personal morality.
Shen Quao reflects to himself, at one point, "Saving one family was easy. Saving all the people of this world was hard," and yeah, that seems obvious, but the application here is fairly sophisticated and the way Shen Qiao treats Yan Wushi is the perfect example. Shen Qiao sees Yan Wushi clearly; he remembers every betrayal and every insult; but he believes that Yan Wushi has the strength and the smarts to keep the empire safe and prosperous. Yan Wushi's enemies might be individually righteous (the biggest threat here is a Buddhist monk), but they're offering their support to a Crown Prince who's a political liability. Shen Qiao sees the bigger picture, so he saves Yan Wushi and fights the monk.
In the end this volume in particular ends up being a really compelling and really relatable story about Shen Qiao becoming a better person while also, somehow, becoming more politically savvy. He's constantly thinking about what he can learn from Yan Wushi--and applying his lessons, which can be pretty cold and calculating--while holding onto his core of goodness, refusing to be blinded by resentment or bogged down by personal grievances.
Yan Wushi himself is badly injured for most of this volume, which leaves him dependent on Shen Qiao. It's nice because it gives Shen Qiao the aforementioned opportunities for growth, but also because the author indulges in some pure tropey goodness. Yan Wushi's got a head injury which manifests itself in multiple personalities & some of them are very sweet. Super fun.
At this point, I can't be surprised that Shen Qiao steals the show--he's coming into his own & because he is, in many ways, on his own he has to make a lot of tough decisions. At the beginning, when he was blind and weak and poor, he had to find his inner strength, find his Dao, and then rebuild. Now, he's embroiled himself in imperial politics & he's trying to balance smart political choices against his personal morality.
Shen Quao reflects to himself, at one point, "Saving one family was easy. Saving all the people of this world was hard," and yeah, that seems obvious, but the application here is fairly sophisticated and the way Shen Qiao treats Yan Wushi is the perfect example. Shen Qiao sees Yan Wushi clearly; he remembers every betrayal and every insult; but he believes that Yan Wushi has the strength and the smarts to keep the empire safe and prosperous. Yan Wushi's enemies might be individually righteous (the biggest threat here is a Buddhist monk), but they're offering their support to a Crown Prince who's a political liability. Shen Qiao sees the bigger picture, so he saves Yan Wushi and fights the monk.
In the end this volume in particular ends up being a really compelling and really relatable story about Shen Qiao becoming a better person while also, somehow, becoming more politically savvy. He's constantly thinking about what he can learn from Yan Wushi--and applying his lessons, which can be pretty cold and calculating--while holding onto his core of goodness, refusing to be blinded by resentment or bogged down by personal grievances.
Yan Wushi himself is badly injured for most of this volume, which leaves him dependent on Shen Qiao. It's nice because it gives Shen Qiao the aforementioned opportunities for growth, but also because the author indulges in some pure tropey goodness. Yan Wushi's got a head injury which manifests itself in multiple personalities & some of them are very sweet. Super fun.
January 21, 2024
Are Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao's personalities rubbing off on each other? Unexpected tenderness from Yan Wushi and sassy Shen Qiao?
S a s s y?
A Qiao? Give. Me. More.
I love Meng Xi Shi's writing, it transports you into this cinematic experience filled with falling petals, rising suns and raging winds. I will say though that this volume sees Shen Qiao through sky-shattering, ocean-parting leaps and bounds with his martial arts, and the purple prose got me a little cross-eyed towards the end.
I love Meng Xi Shi's writing, it transports you into this cinematic experience filled with falling petals, rising suns and raging winds. I will say though that this volume sees Shen Qiao through sky-shattering, ocean-parting leaps and bounds with his martial arts, and the purple prose got me a little cross-eyed towards the end.
January 2, 2024
“This venerable one is waiting for you to make good on your promise one day. Become a worthy opponent. Then perhaps this venerable one will deem you worthy of a second look.”
4.25 stars - aha I loved this so much. Shen Qiao is just amazing and I loved reading about the different personalities of Yan Wushi whilst he was injured. I’m still very convinced that in chapter 67 that was actually Wushi and not Xie Ling to some extent. Bai Rong was funny to read when she appeared too, probably my favourite secondary character. Also praying on Chen Gong’s downfall he irritates me so much TvT. All in all, very excited for the next volume!
4.25 stars - aha I loved this so much. Shen Qiao is just amazing and I loved reading about the different personalities of Yan Wushi whilst he was injured. I’m still very convinced that in chapter 67 that was actually Wushi and not Xie Ling to some extent. Bai Rong was funny to read when she appeared too, probably my favourite secondary character. Also praying on Chen Gong’s downfall he irritates me so much TvT. All in all, very excited for the next volume!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2024
This arc will definitely always be one of my favourites, so much character development happens in it and we finally get a real glimpse of how Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao have changed each other!!
Seeing Yan Wushi’s softness for Shen Qiao slip through the cracks and noticing how he’s slowly starting to put trust in him and his character now perfectly portrays how much of an impact Shen Qiao’s refusal to change for the worse had on him. He’s finally starting to believe in his genuine kindness!!
And Shen Qiao’s development also cannot be ignored, he’s lost all of his initial naivety now, even uses some strategies Yan Wushi used out in the world, but he still persistently believes in the good in people. It was especially refreshing seeing him be spiteful with his words and telling people what he actually thinks instead of keeping up appearances!!
Seeing Yan Wushi’s softness for Shen Qiao slip through the cracks and noticing how he’s slowly starting to put trust in him and his character now perfectly portrays how much of an impact Shen Qiao’s refusal to change for the worse had on him. He’s finally starting to believe in his genuine kindness!!
And Shen Qiao’s development also cannot be ignored, he’s lost all of his initial naivety now, even uses some strategies Yan Wushi used out in the world, but he still persistently believes in the good in people. It was especially refreshing seeing him be spiteful with his words and telling people what he actually thinks instead of keeping up appearances!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2024
Thousand Autumns, the story of Shen Qiao, the pure and good Daoist cultivator, and Yan Wushi, the leader of the demonic cultivation sect, set in imaginary 6th century Chinese empire has reached its third volume. It continues where the previous one left, Shen Qiao rushing to save Yan Wushi from an ambush he couldn’t possibly survive—only to arrive too late.
Yan Wushi’s enemies learn that they and Shen Qiao are on opposing sides politically too, no matter what Shen Qiao thinks of Yan Wushi personally. Reluctantly, they give his body to Shen Qiao who has now made powerful enemies. But Yan Wushi is not dead.
Tides have turned for the two men. It’s now Shen Qiao’s turn to nurture Yan Wushi back to health. It’s not an easy task and comes with a curious twist. A head injury surfaces multiple personalities in Yan Wushi, most of whom are more likable than the man himself. Some tender feelings rise, but those hoping for a proper romance are again disappointed. In the end, the original personality returns and Yan Wushi pulls yet another shitty move, leaving Shen Qiao to deal with the political ramifications of what his alleged death has caused.
This was a great volume. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi spent most of it together, and even though there weren’t many scenes from the latter’s point of view, there were some insights into him. Mostly though, it’s still the story of Shen Qiao growing to become the most powerful martial artist in the realm. There were even more battle scenes than before where he fights against an overwhelming enemy, surprising them with his skills. The volume ends after one such scene, not quite with a cliffhanger but leaving everything open-ended. It’s impossible to tell where the story is going from here, but I’ll definitely read on to find out.
Yan Wushi’s enemies learn that they and Shen Qiao are on opposing sides politically too, no matter what Shen Qiao thinks of Yan Wushi personally. Reluctantly, they give his body to Shen Qiao who has now made powerful enemies. But Yan Wushi is not dead.
Tides have turned for the two men. It’s now Shen Qiao’s turn to nurture Yan Wushi back to health. It’s not an easy task and comes with a curious twist. A head injury surfaces multiple personalities in Yan Wushi, most of whom are more likable than the man himself. Some tender feelings rise, but those hoping for a proper romance are again disappointed. In the end, the original personality returns and Yan Wushi pulls yet another shitty move, leaving Shen Qiao to deal with the political ramifications of what his alleged death has caused.
This was a great volume. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi spent most of it together, and even though there weren’t many scenes from the latter’s point of view, there were some insights into him. Mostly though, it’s still the story of Shen Qiao growing to become the most powerful martial artist in the realm. There were even more battle scenes than before where he fights against an overwhelming enemy, surprising them with his skills. The volume ends after one such scene, not quite with a cliffhanger but leaving everything open-ended. It’s impossible to tell where the story is going from here, but I’ll definitely read on to find out.
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January 4, 2024im tempted to just find the entire unofficial translation online instead of waiting for the english ones. this story is so complex and layered and slow that waiting several months between volumes kind of takes me out of the story.
fight scenes in this are so much more gratifying than in mxtx books hahaha. even though i still cannot picture sword heart like what am i supposed to be imagining.
yan wushi still hasn’t redeemed himself to me so next time they meet he better have a different perspective…
fight scenes in this are so much more gratifying than in mxtx books hahaha. even though i still cannot picture sword heart like what am i supposed to be imagining.
yan wushi still hasn’t redeemed himself to me so next time they meet he better have a different perspective…
March 5, 2024
Although, I've already gone through the whole novel, I'm still reading Seven Seas Entertainment edition of Thousand Autumns. One reason is that I was unsatisfied with the translations I found on the internet and would like to read an official, edited and professionally made translated version of the original novel. The other reason is the illustrations which are part of every danmei novel published by Seven Seas Entertainment. The ones included in Thousand Autumns are of my favourites.
Thousand Autumns got the same charm as those epic fantasy novels in the western literature like The Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire with martial arts similar to supernatural abilities. Of course, that's not the case. It's historical fiction and lacks supernatural elements but the martial artists in it are so great that they gave sense that they're truly beyond the reach of ordinary human beings.
The first two volumes felt lacking in terms of plot constructing. It was like the novel consisted only of different happenings seemingly unrelated to each other except the participating of the main characters in them. It wasn't clear where the plot was heading if it was heading somewhere at all. In this volume this finally changes. Here the direction of the plot could finally be seen. There are also some of my favourite moments in the whole novel like the battle in the last chapter included in this volume .
Thousand Autumns got the same charm as those epic fantasy novels in the western literature like The Lord of the Rings or A Song of Ice and Fire with martial arts similar to supernatural abilities. Of course, that's not the case. It's historical fiction and lacks supernatural elements but the martial artists in it are so great that they gave sense that they're truly beyond the reach of ordinary human beings.
The first two volumes felt lacking in terms of plot constructing. It was like the novel consisted only of different happenings seemingly unrelated to each other except the participating of the main characters in them. It wasn't clear where the plot was heading if it was heading somewhere at all. In this volume this finally changes. Here the direction of the plot could finally be seen. There are also some of my favourite moments in the whole novel like the battle in the last chapter included in this volume .
May 2, 2024
The best thing about this was the cover if Yan Wushi wasn't on it.
March 1, 2024
4/5stars
I'm really loving this series! I just think the characters are so fun and interesting and I feel like the author wasn't afraid to lean into the "sort of ridiculous" and fun/funny parts of this genre. And, paired with some really intense, emotional scenes, this just has a really great balance to it. Can't wait for volume 4!!
I'm really loving this series! I just think the characters are so fun and interesting and I feel like the author wasn't afraid to lean into the "sort of ridiculous" and fun/funny parts of this genre. And, paired with some really intense, emotional scenes, this just has a really great balance to it. Can't wait for volume 4!!
January 6, 2024
5 ⭐️
The battles! The epic martial arts! O. M. G. I’m devoted to this series at this point — I’m so invested in the political scene both secular and martial. Everyone in this world has complex motivations and beliefs, the characters stand distinct and intriguing. Meng Xi Shi does a great job explaining without overdoing it, and we learn to be suspicious and think ahead just as Shen Qiao is learning the same from Yan Wushi.
And the multiple personalities! The vulnerability! Shen Qiao and I both miss Xie Ling. You can’t tell me there’s not something more starting up between YW and SQ, because that goodbye in the temple was both on brand and EMOTIONAL.
And then we end with an amazing epic stupendous fantastic finale battle, Shen Qiao at his finest! He’s grown so much as a person and I hope he continues to accidentally get involved in world peace.
The battles! The epic martial arts! O. M. G. I’m devoted to this series at this point — I’m so invested in the political scene both secular and martial. Everyone in this world has complex motivations and beliefs, the characters stand distinct and intriguing. Meng Xi Shi does a great job explaining without overdoing it, and we learn to be suspicious and think ahead just as Shen Qiao is learning the same from Yan Wushi.
And the multiple personalities! The vulnerability! Shen Qiao and I both miss Xie Ling. You can’t tell me there’s not something more starting up between YW and SQ, because that goodbye in the temple was both on brand and EMOTIONAL.
And then we end with an amazing epic stupendous fantastic finale battle, Shen Qiao at his finest! He’s grown so much as a person and I hope he continues to accidentally get involved in world peace.
January 11, 2024
”This venerable one is waiting for you to make good on your promise one day. Become a worthy opponent. Then perhaps this venerable one will deem you worthy of a second look.”
yan wushi saying these words, when each & every time the two are apart, shen qiao’s development soars even higher. and in this volume, it went beyond everything :’)
what had been a solid 4.75 for a good while quickly slid into an outstanding 5-star rating. and just because of how much i admire the author’s ability to create tension at every point of the novel without letting the reader slip. i constantly find myself gripped by the actions of these characters and have from the very beginning.
to have the experience of meeting a full ensemble cast and be able to distinguish them in every scene each character appears, it’s so exciting!! you can’t get distracted by your negative feelings on one character, because on the one hand, they are a menace. but on the other, there’s such a huge mount of respect you have for their abilities and their role in the story as well. this is as seen with chen gong especially, a character i would’ve never thought to become who he is now, and yet here he is, and i’m loving every appearance he makes.
i will admit, this series has marked itself a favorite because of how intensely i felt while reading this volume. i felt so overwhelmed with emotion because of how much i was enjoying it; it’s like my love for reading aspired to another level, if that makes sense? just like shen qiao haha
like this is why i love it, this is what i chase after sometimes. the messy court politics and intense martial arts scenes + estranged familial relationships (yu ai & shen qiao’s strained sibling relationship will be the death of me) + strong character development; it’s all so mystifying. i think having the chapters be shorter is a huge benefit from this entire translation because it’s what effectively makes all the scenes seem so gratifying without feeling like too much.
i’m in it for the long haul (even though i can understand how the story might possibly reach its conclusion soon), and im very thankful towards the cover artist, m.a. lewife, for creating such a beautiful cover. it was this cover that motivated me to finally pick this series back up again after stalling on it for a couple months. just look at how radiant it is!!
i can’t wait for the next volume, it only gets more tense from here.
yan wushi saying these words, when each & every time the two are apart, shen qiao’s development soars even higher. and in this volume, it went beyond everything :’)
what had been a solid 4.75 for a good while quickly slid into an outstanding 5-star rating. and just because of how much i admire the author’s ability to create tension at every point of the novel without letting the reader slip. i constantly find myself gripped by the actions of these characters and have from the very beginning.
to have the experience of meeting a full ensemble cast and be able to distinguish them in every scene each character appears, it’s so exciting!! you can’t get distracted by your negative feelings on one character, because on the one hand, they are a menace. but on the other, there’s such a huge mount of respect you have for their abilities and their role in the story as well. this is as seen with chen gong especially, a character i would’ve never thought to become who he is now, and yet here he is, and i’m loving every appearance he makes.
i will admit, this series has marked itself a favorite because of how intensely i felt while reading this volume. i felt so overwhelmed with emotion because of how much i was enjoying it; it’s like my love for reading aspired to another level, if that makes sense? just like shen qiao haha
like this is why i love it, this is what i chase after sometimes. the messy court politics and intense martial arts scenes + estranged familial relationships (yu ai & shen qiao’s strained sibling relationship will be the death of me) + strong character development; it’s all so mystifying. i think having the chapters be shorter is a huge benefit from this entire translation because it’s what effectively makes all the scenes seem so gratifying without feeling like too much.
i’m in it for the long haul (even though i can understand how the story might possibly reach its conclusion soon), and im very thankful towards the cover artist, m.a. lewife, for creating such a beautiful cover. it was this cover that motivated me to finally pick this series back up again after stalling on it for a couple months. just look at how radiant it is!!
i can’t wait for the next volume, it only gets more tense from here.
April 20, 2024
Meng Xi Shi, I was not familiar with your game. This one was so fun! Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao have such polar opposite energies, and it creates a lot of funny situations but also a lot of thought provoking moral and philosophical debates. This one particularly had some really interesting thoughts presented around religion, sword fighting, and forgiveness.
Also the combat is insaaaaane in this— sword fighting, spiritual energy, flying /qinggong, martial arts— it’s all described so well.
Also the combat is insaaaaane in this— sword fighting, spiritual energy, flying /qinggong, martial arts— it’s all described so well.
January 19, 2024
I liked this a lot more than the last one since it was more action filled. The last book was really boring and very slow to read but even though this was still slow paced it was at least fun to read. The characters get to spent more time together and things are finally happening that make the story more enjoyable.
Also that cover!!!
Also that cover!!!
January 6, 2024
Lots of wuxia, politics, and angst! Loved the book but the ending felt abrupt- like they forgot to include a few more pages or another chapter. Shen Qiao remains one of my favorite protagonists and I need him protected at all costs. This slow burn is the slowest of all slow burns…
April 28, 2024
this novel was unfortunately incredibly boring.......it just really dragged there's only sm of the yw split personality storyline i could take and it wasn't till the last 18% that anything really moved me.
January 7, 2024
shen qiao is THAT GIRL. He is It girl core ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️💗💗💖💗
February 7, 2024
“this is the dense history and politics danmei” baby girl this is the smash bros danmei with some vague intrigue thrown in between boss battles
March 3, 2024
We stan Shen Qiao in this house.
April 13, 2024
I mean Shen Qiao is a glutton for punishment isn’t he!
Karma came for Wan Yushi yet he still helped him again with no thanks.
This pairing is definitely frustrating, amusing, and unpredictable.
Karma came for Wan Yushi yet he still helped him again with no thanks.
This pairing is definitely frustrating, amusing, and unpredictable.
Read
January 10, 2024yan wushi is my type of guy let me tell you
February 8, 2024
Such a good series so far! Although I'm glad for the glossar about every ten pages 😅
March 25, 2024
2+ stars, rounded up to 3 because I love the overall series so much and I'm just nuts about Shen Qiao.
This particular installment was really frustrating for me and I did not care for it as much as I did the previous books or book 4 (which I’ve also just finished). There were a variety of reasons why this one didn’t resonate with me, which I’ll go over below.
Emotional resonance (or lack thereof)
I had a fairly good idea of how this book would open, but any preconceived notions about the initial events were way off the mark. Let’s put it this way – in a typical romance, the events at the beginning of the book would have evoked a lot of strong emotions and dialog between the MC’s (even if they still remained on the outs when it was over.) Unfortunately, the emotional fall-out in this book was completely different and, quite honestly, rather upsetting/disturbing in view of envisioning the MC’s having a romantic relationship, much less a HEA ending. Having now finished 4 books in the series, I am finding that emotions and interactions in this genre are never going to line up comfortably with Western romance 'norms' and that I have to accept that in order to fully enjoy the series. This isn’t easy, and this book in particular really challenged my stubborn misconceptions about how two people who are meaningful to each other (even if it’s in a toxic manner) would/should act and communicate.
This book opens with the assumed death of Yan Wushi at the hand of a group ambush which, while it would not be considered murder, is indeed counter to the societal norms of martial arts fighting (aka it is definitely not ‘fair play’). We know from the end of book #3 that Shen Qiao attempts to reach the scene of the ambush in time to keep Yan Wushi from fatal injury and that he is doing so for a very mixed bag of reasons, none of which are love/affection/friendship or anything remotely like that. Indeed, I feel that Shen Qiao himself doesn’t know the real reason he feels compelled to do this, despite the rationale he expresses. This seemingly uncaring rationale for getting involved is not really hard to understand (because I fully believe Shen Qiao doesn’t understand himself), but his actions and comments upon reaching the scene of the ambush feel completely at odds with a romance storyline arc; in fact, they feel at odds with how someone (even a complete stranger) would respond with basic human compassion. In fact, Shen Qiao says this when he arrives:
“I’m not acting out of personal feelings,”
Shen Qiao arrives after the ambush is done and finds Yan Wushi on the ground, apparently dead. He does NOT go to the ‘body’ to make sure there’s nothing he can do, nor does he display any apparent emotion or urgency around what is going on. Instead, he politely haggles with the person present at the scene (always with the f***ing politeness) about having the body released to his care, which takes a bit of time, time that could be spent checking on Yan Wushi and seeing if he really is dead, if there’s anything that can be done, or perhaps to even be present as a warm body while he draws his last breath. For me, this is so completely inhuman and unfeeling that it’s hard to wrap my brain around it. Once he does get to actually approaching the body and checking it out, he feels that Yan Wushi is indeed dead and utters these kind 🙄words:
Shen Qiao gave a sigh and whispered, “Very well. Take care of yourself on your way to the netherworld.”
Okay, I buy that Shen Qiao has been viciously screwed over by this guy and has good reason to actually wish him dead, but I don’t buy that this doesn’t impact him emotionally in some way. He doesn’t have to gnash his teeth (which he wouldn’t anyway, as that’s completely out of character) or carry on or even cry, but for f***’s sake, there should be some sort of gut reaction involved. The most we get from Shen Qiao at this point is:
The more Shen Qiao examined him, the lower his heart sank. Was there really no way to save him?
His “heart sank”? That’s right at a level with don’t cry for me Argentina, or perhaps even the employment of the Tiny Violin.🎻 In other words, a reaction that for me was completely inadequate for the situation.
Fortunately (for the series, not sure if Shen Qiao thought so at this point), Shen Qiao determines that Yan Wushi is not completely dead and actually starts taking care of his recovery while keeping his survival a secret to avoid any further attempts on his life (at this time, anyway.) As he is recovering, we find that this experience and/or his injuries cause him split into different personalities when he is conscious and so he goes all Sybil (Google it) on Shen Qiao. This causes Yan Wushi to act uncharacteristically, albeit his actions are completely believable based on his circumstances – while displaying some of his alter egos, he becomes clingy both physically and emotionally. Coupling this kind of desperate display with having almost died, you would assume that Shen Qiao, who is the most forgiving, compassionate and non-vengeful person on the planet, would react with at least some warmth, if only to give him a pat and go “there, there” while rolling his eyes, but instead we have exchanges like this, which occurs during a time when Yan Wushi is conscious:
the moment he (Shen Qiao) turned, someone suddenly wrapped their arms around his waist. Shen Qiao startled. Before he could push the hands away, he heard a voice from behind him, muffled and stilted. “Don’t…go…” Each word was forced out with great effort, as if his tongue were stiff in his mouth. If it hadn’t been for their closeness, Shen Qiao might have failed to understand him . . .
. . . But whether he was truly insane, or only faking insanity, none of that had anything to do with him. Shen Qiao flicked his finger, and Yan Wushi let go despite himself. He walked to the window side and lit his lamp before finally turning around.
And this:
Shen Qiao watched where Yan Wushi lay flat on the ground. The hand that had been about to reach over stopped in midair, then moved no further. “Are you all right?” asked Shen Qiao. “Don’t…go…” Yan Wushi only repeated these words. Shen Qiao stood there and watched him for a long time, then sighed. He went over to help the man up anyway.
It is incomprehensible to me that this would be Shen Qiao’s reactions, and unfortunately there’s no inner dialogue given that might clarify what he’s actually thinking and feeling during these times. In other words, a preface of something along the lines of “you goddamned rat bastard, after all you’ve done to me, I should let you just lay there and die” before reading this: “Shen Qiao stood there and watched him for a long time, then sighed. He went over to help the man up anyway.” would have made Shen Qiao’s actions seem more rational and based in human feelings, vs. acting like a completely heartless automaton.
I do think that this lack of exposition during scenes like this is perhaps a norm for the genre, but it’s so alien to me that it feels disturbing, and that negatively skewed my perception of the “relationship” and the interactions between the MC’s for most of the rest of this installment. I will give one final example, which was one of the most unsettling to me:
Right now, there was a millstone with the surname Yan waiting for him in the village
Calling Yan Wushi a "millstone" while he was still recovering feels uncharacteristically cold, callous and uncaring, especially coming from a well-established compassionate character like Shen Qiao.
Now, as Yan Wushi recovered (and became more ‘like himself’) we certainly did see obvious indications that there was some kind of emotional/psychological subtext going on between the two, such as in the following instance:
“This lady must be your wife, then? Is she also from Tuyuhun?” “She’s my younger sister,” said Shen Qiao. “Wife,” said Yan Wushi. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi’s eyes met.
As well as in the infamous tangren scene:
Shen Qiao said to Yan Wushi, “Since that silk piece can be used to repair the demonic core, you should…” Halfway through, he found himself unable to continue. Because Yan Wushi—veil already removed—had finished one tangren and was now licking the “head” of the other one. He licked until the head and face of the “Shen Qiao” tangren was glistening bright. “…What are you doing?”
“I’m a little full,” said Yan Wushi innocently. “So I’ll eat this one…slowly.” It wasn’t like Shen Qiao could say, “Can you not lick it?” Because that would sound even stranger.
Now that sounds like a believable interaction between two people who feel some kind of way about each other, vs exhibiting a clinical dispassion. I would much rather have had more of this:
IF TALKING WITH Yan Wushi in the past had him raging himself to an early death, then talking to Yan Wushi right now was like raging to death and then being brought back to life by the force of that same rage.
The emotional disconnect at the start of the book and its resultant unbelievability/bizarreness (to me) does go away by book’s end, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth.
Wonky plotlines
The whole bit about going underground and battlingMorlocks strange nonhuman entities felt completely out of whack with the flavor of the rest of the series. It read like something that came straight out of H.G. Wells’ Time Machine and while it served to deliver a key plot point, it felt totally out of place.
I also did not care for the whole split personality subplot – while this is actually a pretty tried and true concept for a romance (particularly daytime soaps), it felt like a bit of cheat here because it was used to reflect different “sides” of Yan Wushi’s personalities. This led to Shen Qiao thinking “what if?” as he became attached to one of these alternate personalities, and that just feels too formulaic to me. These are two very complex, very strong, very clearly defined individuals/personalities and the struggle for an author to get them to mesh in a believable way while still remaining true to who they really are at the core is (for me) a big part of making a story like this a success. I don’t want Yan Wushi to love Shen Qiao because he (Yan Wushi) has a ‘soft side’, I want it to be unsettling and feel precarious. I also want Shen Qiao to go through an existential crisis trying to validate falling in love with such an egotistical, caustic, and brazen rat bastard. 😁 This mixing of two volatile and seeming incompatible substances is a huge part of what makes this series so compelling.
I will end by saying that the author continues to make Shen Qiao one of the most incredible MC’s I’ve ever read. Typically I always prefer the ‘bad boy’, but Shen Qiao is such an eclectic mix of exquisite beauty, boundless compassion, (seeming) fragility/naivete, supple strength, and a heart like a lion that my fascination for him just continues to grow with each book. He’s like a magnificent warrior archangel and I just love him. I will end with a quote that I think encapsulates the essence of Shen Qiao:
“If Sect Leader Yan is unwilling to discuss the important things, then I can just knock you unconscious and deliver you to Chang’an that way. It does not make a difference to me.”
Polite, succinct, non-judgmental and definitely able to kick your ass – now, that’s my Shen Qiao. 😈
This particular installment was really frustrating for me and I did not care for it as much as I did the previous books or book 4 (which I’ve also just finished). There were a variety of reasons why this one didn’t resonate with me, which I’ll go over below.
Emotional resonance (or lack thereof)
I had a fairly good idea of how this book would open, but any preconceived notions about the initial events were way off the mark. Let’s put it this way – in a typical romance, the events at the beginning of the book would have evoked a lot of strong emotions and dialog between the MC’s (even if they still remained on the outs when it was over.) Unfortunately, the emotional fall-out in this book was completely different and, quite honestly, rather upsetting/disturbing in view of envisioning the MC’s having a romantic relationship, much less a HEA ending. Having now finished 4 books in the series, I am finding that emotions and interactions in this genre are never going to line up comfortably with Western romance 'norms' and that I have to accept that in order to fully enjoy the series. This isn’t easy, and this book in particular really challenged my stubborn misconceptions about how two people who are meaningful to each other (even if it’s in a toxic manner) would/should act and communicate.
This book opens with the assumed death of Yan Wushi at the hand of a group ambush which, while it would not be considered murder, is indeed counter to the societal norms of martial arts fighting (aka it is definitely not ‘fair play’). We know from the end of book #3 that Shen Qiao attempts to reach the scene of the ambush in time to keep Yan Wushi from fatal injury and that he is doing so for a very mixed bag of reasons, none of which are love/affection/friendship or anything remotely like that. Indeed, I feel that Shen Qiao himself doesn’t know the real reason he feels compelled to do this, despite the rationale he expresses. This seemingly uncaring rationale for getting involved is not really hard to understand (because I fully believe Shen Qiao doesn’t understand himself), but his actions and comments upon reaching the scene of the ambush feel completely at odds with a romance storyline arc; in fact, they feel at odds with how someone (even a complete stranger) would respond with basic human compassion. In fact, Shen Qiao says this when he arrives:
“I’m not acting out of personal feelings,”
Shen Qiao arrives after the ambush is done and finds Yan Wushi on the ground, apparently dead. He does NOT go to the ‘body’ to make sure there’s nothing he can do, nor does he display any apparent emotion or urgency around what is going on. Instead, he politely haggles with the person present at the scene (always with the f***ing politeness) about having the body released to his care, which takes a bit of time, time that could be spent checking on Yan Wushi and seeing if he really is dead, if there’s anything that can be done, or perhaps to even be present as a warm body while he draws his last breath. For me, this is so completely inhuman and unfeeling that it’s hard to wrap my brain around it. Once he does get to actually approaching the body and checking it out, he feels that Yan Wushi is indeed dead and utters these kind 🙄words:
Shen Qiao gave a sigh and whispered, “Very well. Take care of yourself on your way to the netherworld.”
Okay, I buy that Shen Qiao has been viciously screwed over by this guy and has good reason to actually wish him dead, but I don’t buy that this doesn’t impact him emotionally in some way. He doesn’t have to gnash his teeth (which he wouldn’t anyway, as that’s completely out of character) or carry on or even cry, but for f***’s sake, there should be some sort of gut reaction involved. The most we get from Shen Qiao at this point is:
The more Shen Qiao examined him, the lower his heart sank. Was there really no way to save him?
His “heart sank”? That’s right at a level with don’t cry for me Argentina, or perhaps even the employment of the Tiny Violin.🎻 In other words, a reaction that for me was completely inadequate for the situation.
Fortunately (for the series, not sure if Shen Qiao thought so at this point), Shen Qiao determines that Yan Wushi is not completely dead and actually starts taking care of his recovery while keeping his survival a secret to avoid any further attempts on his life (at this time, anyway.) As he is recovering, we find that this experience and/or his injuries cause him split into different personalities when he is conscious and so he goes all Sybil (Google it) on Shen Qiao. This causes Yan Wushi to act uncharacteristically, albeit his actions are completely believable based on his circumstances – while displaying some of his alter egos, he becomes clingy both physically and emotionally. Coupling this kind of desperate display with having almost died, you would assume that Shen Qiao, who is the most forgiving, compassionate and non-vengeful person on the planet, would react with at least some warmth, if only to give him a pat and go “there, there” while rolling his eyes, but instead we have exchanges like this, which occurs during a time when Yan Wushi is conscious:
the moment he (Shen Qiao) turned, someone suddenly wrapped their arms around his waist. Shen Qiao startled. Before he could push the hands away, he heard a voice from behind him, muffled and stilted. “Don’t…go…” Each word was forced out with great effort, as if his tongue were stiff in his mouth. If it hadn’t been for their closeness, Shen Qiao might have failed to understand him . . .
. . . But whether he was truly insane, or only faking insanity, none of that had anything to do with him. Shen Qiao flicked his finger, and Yan Wushi let go despite himself. He walked to the window side and lit his lamp before finally turning around.
And this:
Shen Qiao watched where Yan Wushi lay flat on the ground. The hand that had been about to reach over stopped in midair, then moved no further. “Are you all right?” asked Shen Qiao. “Don’t…go…” Yan Wushi only repeated these words. Shen Qiao stood there and watched him for a long time, then sighed. He went over to help the man up anyway.
It is incomprehensible to me that this would be Shen Qiao’s reactions, and unfortunately there’s no inner dialogue given that might clarify what he’s actually thinking and feeling during these times. In other words, a preface of something along the lines of “you goddamned rat bastard, after all you’ve done to me, I should let you just lay there and die” before reading this: “Shen Qiao stood there and watched him for a long time, then sighed. He went over to help the man up anyway.” would have made Shen Qiao’s actions seem more rational and based in human feelings, vs. acting like a completely heartless automaton.
I do think that this lack of exposition during scenes like this is perhaps a norm for the genre, but it’s so alien to me that it feels disturbing, and that negatively skewed my perception of the “relationship” and the interactions between the MC’s for most of the rest of this installment. I will give one final example, which was one of the most unsettling to me:
Right now, there was a millstone with the surname Yan waiting for him in the village
Calling Yan Wushi a "millstone" while he was still recovering feels uncharacteristically cold, callous and uncaring, especially coming from a well-established compassionate character like Shen Qiao.
Now, as Yan Wushi recovered (and became more ‘like himself’) we certainly did see obvious indications that there was some kind of emotional/psychological subtext going on between the two, such as in the following instance:
“This lady must be your wife, then? Is she also from Tuyuhun?” “She’s my younger sister,” said Shen Qiao. “Wife,” said Yan Wushi. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi’s eyes met.
As well as in the infamous tangren scene:
Shen Qiao said to Yan Wushi, “Since that silk piece can be used to repair the demonic core, you should…” Halfway through, he found himself unable to continue. Because Yan Wushi—veil already removed—had finished one tangren and was now licking the “head” of the other one. He licked until the head and face of the “Shen Qiao” tangren was glistening bright. “…What are you doing?”
“I’m a little full,” said Yan Wushi innocently. “So I’ll eat this one…slowly.” It wasn’t like Shen Qiao could say, “Can you not lick it?” Because that would sound even stranger.
Now that sounds like a believable interaction between two people who feel some kind of way about each other, vs exhibiting a clinical dispassion. I would much rather have had more of this:
IF TALKING WITH Yan Wushi in the past had him raging himself to an early death, then talking to Yan Wushi right now was like raging to death and then being brought back to life by the force of that same rage.
The emotional disconnect at the start of the book and its resultant unbelievability/bizarreness (to me) does go away by book’s end, but it still left a bad taste in my mouth.
Wonky plotlines
The whole bit about going underground and battling
I also did not care for the whole split personality subplot – while this is actually a pretty tried and true concept for a romance (particularly daytime soaps), it felt like a bit of cheat here because it was used to reflect different “sides” of Yan Wushi’s personalities. This led to Shen Qiao thinking “what if?” as he became attached to one of these alternate personalities, and that just feels too formulaic to me. These are two very complex, very strong, very clearly defined individuals/personalities and the struggle for an author to get them to mesh in a believable way while still remaining true to who they really are at the core is (for me) a big part of making a story like this a success. I don’t want Yan Wushi to love Shen Qiao because he (Yan Wushi) has a ‘soft side’, I want it to be unsettling and feel precarious. I also want Shen Qiao to go through an existential crisis trying to validate falling in love with such an egotistical, caustic, and brazen rat bastard. 😁 This mixing of two volatile and seeming incompatible substances is a huge part of what makes this series so compelling.
I will end by saying that the author continues to make Shen Qiao one of the most incredible MC’s I’ve ever read. Typically I always prefer the ‘bad boy’, but Shen Qiao is such an eclectic mix of exquisite beauty, boundless compassion, (seeming) fragility/naivete, supple strength, and a heart like a lion that my fascination for him just continues to grow with each book. He’s like a magnificent warrior archangel and I just love him. I will end with a quote that I think encapsulates the essence of Shen Qiao:
“If Sect Leader Yan is unwilling to discuss the important things, then I can just knock you unconscious and deliver you to Chang’an that way. It does not make a difference to me.”
Polite, succinct, non-judgmental and definitely able to kick your ass – now, that’s my Shen Qiao. 😈
January 20, 2024
YANSHEN!! YANSHEN!!
shen qiao is THE QUEEN MOTHER MOM 🗡️🔥
YANSHEN!! YANSHEN!!
shen qiao is THE QUEEN MOTHER MOM 🗡️🔥
YANSHEN!! YANSHEN!!
January 7, 2024
Thousand Autumns has truly become one of my top danmei novels since vol 2 and I am grateful to Seven Seas for picking this amazing story up!
I was super excited to follow this arc and it did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the plot and, of course, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi's relationship and personal development advance. This volume has reminded me once again how much in awe I am about how no matter what happens to our characters that do not follow their morals and personalities, they still do not change their ways but their experiences do still shape them in some shape and form. I especially adore seeing Shen Qiao still be the same kindhearted person he is, and how much he improves in his abilities as well. Seeing some changes in Yan Wushi towards Shen Qiao is even more so interesting.
The setting and storyline is one of my favorite things about this book, and seeing the historical plot really picked up in the last few chapters of the book kept me intrigued to see what is going to happen.
I cannot wait to experience how the rest of the story unravels in the upcoming volumes!
I was super excited to follow this arc and it did not disappoint. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the plot and, of course, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi's relationship and personal development advance. This volume has reminded me once again how much in awe I am about how no matter what happens to our characters that do not follow their morals and personalities, they still do not change their ways but their experiences do still shape them in some shape and form. I especially adore seeing Shen Qiao still be the same kindhearted person he is, and how much he improves in his abilities as well. Seeing some changes in Yan Wushi towards Shen Qiao is even more so interesting.
The setting and storyline is one of my favorite things about this book, and seeing the historical plot really picked up in the last few chapters of the book kept me intrigued to see what is going to happen.
I cannot wait to experience how the rest of the story unravels in the upcoming volumes!
July 8, 2023
overall a v fun time to read!!
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