The Sage Who Transcended Samsara

The theme of Jianghu and martial arts is pretty much everywhere nowadays, be it in Chinese novels or Korean ones, but few execute it as well as this one does. The reason being that this novel is very reminiscent of the works that started the genre of Wuxia itself, works such as Jin Yong's The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, and Legend of the Condor Heroes. However, Cuttlefish sprinkles into it his own creative genius as well, which imo makes it up there with the classics. Onto the novel itself, the main character is both steady as well as adventurous, and he's quite smart too, he's a character that grows as you read more into the story. Not much need be said about the side characters either, I've read this novel quite a while ago, and I can still vividly recall each and every character of relevance. I mean, it's a cuttlefish novel, even a passing dog would be well-written. As for the romance, it's peak to say the least, very slow, but very well-written. The female lead is one of the most interesting ones you could come across as well, Cuttlefish himself says that she's the best female character he's written by the end of the novel. I won't go in-depth, but she's a character that could easily have her own novel and thrive. In terms of action and fights, this novel is also top-tier. The fights are described vividly and they span across many aspects. They're psychological, philosophical, and physical. It's not just 'I punch, you cough blood'. The plot is very well-rounded as well, the conclusion was quite satisfactory in my opinion, and there is a level of suspense and mystery throughout the entire story that constantly keeps one at the edge of one's seat. Unfortunately. . . all those positives must grovel and kneel before the one, singular negative that this novel has. Extremely dogshit translation. It's pretty alright for the first 700+ chapters, but gets really bad afterwards. I persevered through it because I really like this novel, but it's quite difficult because you can't even adapt to the dogshit translation as it keeps switching terms. Thus, this is the best martial arts novel that you probably shouldn't read unless you can read Chinese, or if you're experienced in reading bad translation. It is worth it, though, in my opinion.

I must warn that the genre makes this one a bit too tedious for me as the book requires certain understanding of cultural context, literature and overall familiarity with Chinese folklore. If you pass this you'll find another gem worthy of contemplating. With Meng Qi as our contact point we tackle the question of fate and its predestination. The characters are frequently faced the consequences of it and each such struggle sheds some light onto possible answers. With time we will become acquainted with how different philosophies view it and where following them may take us. The plot is not lacking either, it was diverse enough to sustain even my half-interest though, again, weighted down by my incomprehension.

Indepth Martial Arts and Qi, great plots, amazing characters.
As expected of Cuttlefish that loves diving, all his works are top notch.
This is not inferior to his other book, Martial Arts Master at all.