Xiuzhen Shijie is an unusual tale of a man without a care at all about power and only wishing to be rich as a poor sect farmer, seeking a life of comfort. But how could a Xianxia novel be about a man without any fighting kills and no desire to acquire them ? That's what makes it great.
What I would like to call the prologue part, which is about two hundred chapters, is extremely slow without anything major happening and only the transition of our protagonist being a farmer to a full fledged combatant. It's actually misleading as to how the novel really turns out to be, but nonetheless a good introduction to the life of our poor farmer and how he climbs the stairs to become a cultivator. Many events still happen although mostly unimportant and the story is a mix of comedy and cultivation. That part is different from most stories as there's only a few fights with more focus on other things such as farming and trading, but even with only these two hundred chapters I consider this among the best xianxias I've read for its protagonist is unique. Zuo Mo is by far the best main character of any xianxia novel, with as strong a personality as you can get, and a confused mix of ruthlessness and empathy in a mere weak human. Atypically of his age, he acts on a whim and is egoistical, but as the story progresses he evolves into a better human, a smart leader and a strong willed warrior.
However, what makes this novel ranks even higher is when the story really picks up. At first, I wondered how the author would ever manage to solve all the plot's mysteries in only nine hundred chapters, but the pace suddenly changes and the novel takes a different turn. This is where the author really shows its talent. Unlike previously, the secondary characters start having real impact and are getting even more exposition than the protagonist himself. The latter also changes, focusing more on war and battles than making money and the novel isn't about a lone cultivator but a group of people fighting for their lives.
The battles and operations of Zuo Mo and his companions are really interesting and great, often being extremely low and slow paced but not boring at all and way more well thought than any other novels. Instead of focusing on individuals fights, most combats are solved through tactics just like the main character's solo battles at the beginning, but now with more characters, each of them being interesting in their own ways.
So far, this novel is the most enjoyable and satisfying I've ever read. Following the adventures of Zuo Mo's and his fellows has been a long trip I wouldn't forget and I would only wish to read more. Sadly, the novel is only nine hundred chapters long and we're already halfway through. As much as I would like it to be a longer travel even if it were meaningless, the author seems to not want to drag it at all unlike his fellows writers, and also unexpectedly contrary to his slow paced writing.
