This Xianxia novel is really refreshing, something new and yet unseen among all the other translated novels. First of all, we have here something that's really pleasant to read and not just bland. The writing style is simple without being too short, and rich enough to be real light literature thanks to the detailed writings. This comes with a slow pacing and rich story telling with an excellent world building, which I can only say are welcome as they make the novel's quality.

The novel starts, unlike many other, with a really weak protagonist. But although he has no power, he's got a brain and, for once, a personality. Childish at times, smart at other, we see here a really detailed and complex character of fourteen years old evolving into a hostile world which might as well have been ours, as he's just a human being, a realistic one at that, and neither a twenty something transported to another world or the reincarnation of a mysterious elder. Not only is he great, but every other character around him is either likeable, be it his friends or his enemies, instead of being one-dimensional like many other novels, and this is what makes it really a worthy read.

The background is rich in details and tells of many stories, which later turn out to actually be part of the plot, or add deepness to already existing / new characters who are kept evolving alongside our main character. The plot is great, interesting and original, full of actions although not of combats, which are pretty rare but important and greatly detailed, often lasting through several chapters of fully explained although sometimes hard to comprehend battles.

Zetianji is, unlike many Xianxia novels, a work full of richness that's worthy of being a real book, and simply does not compare to his fellow fight grinding compatriots. It doesn't focus on fighting and cultivation but instead builds a world with its own issues, mysteries and characters which each have different goals and evolve along each other. Chen Chang Sheng is among if not the greast Xianxia protagonist and his evolution is certainly the most interesting, being a frail human with actual difficulties in cultivation instead of a lucky go happy finding treasures at every corner of a street.

... Last updated on August 4th, 2016, 7:59pm

Read up to ch 89.

Its pretty good, but there are some small things worth noticing.

The pacing of the story is very slow.
The English translation is a bit of mixed quality sometime.
Has massive info dumping about uninteresting things.

... Last updated on September 1st, 2015, 7:36am

... and that's awesome!
I was getting tired of reading only about brainless psychopaths in xianxia/wuxia, but this one is polite, not full of himself, and actually seems to be fairly knowledgeable, although nerdy.
Nothing much to say, apart from that, for now.

... Last updated on August 17th, 2015, 10:01am

If you're a Big Bang Theory fan for sure you will like the MC. The MC's lack of knowledge regarding social interaction, OCD, and his encyclopediatic brain reminds me of Sheldon Cooper of BBT. Still reading the starting chapters of this story and I'm now hooked.

P.S. Ifs only there are trains. Wut wut.

... Last updated on August 14th, 2015, 5:07am

Do I like it -Yes
Is the story good?-Yes ,in my opinion is good even if it's slow in the beginning.Additionally the story does become quick paced and interesting(I'm at CH71 currently)
Why to like male/female lead? -Cool/interesting male lead that is out of the ordinary.Also he has drive a purpose and the female lead isn't a complete waste in the story line
Why else ...-(You will understand if you read it but) -That black/ice Dragon !

... Last updated on August 10th, 2015, 6:36pm

He got a brain. A real brain instead of power after some concidence.

It's so hard to find a nerd MC in Wuxia novel. LoL
Which make this refreashing!!

Even though there still no action from the mc yet but his character is good enough to make me hook.

The other characters aren't just there to make the MC look strong or don't have any develop in them like other wuxia. There're many back story and some kind of circumstance in their characters.
Which make me hook to this novel too.

... Last updated on August 8th, 2015, 7:12am

This is pretty good. The translation isn't as good as, say, that of Against The Gods and could benefit from some editing, however so far the protagonist seems to be more interesting and not as one-dimensional as they are in most light novels. The setting features three races: Humans, Yao (which seem to have the same appearance as humans) and Demons (bad guys with horns). There are hints of upcoming Romance and either a love triangle or harem.

He's a nerd, suffers from OCD, very mature (mentally) and has a godlike patience.

The story pace is slow and steady but so far there's no chapter that I don't enjoy. Not a single "draggy" part. And it's not in any way "dull". The overall story telling "make sense". I guess some people are used to story that doesn't make any sense that when thing's actually make sense they reject it outright. It's not like the other popular novel where the MC are like a game character that levels up and fight enemy (repeat). This one actually has a REAL deeper story to tell. Even without exaggerated battle's with god's and demon's (at least not yet...) the story itself is enough to keep the readers intrigued. I wish there's more translated chapters available so I can binge read it.