Honestly, I have no idea what the synopsis is talking about, which is also why I delayed writing this review.
I’ve read around 90 chapters so far, and the novel is fantastic. However, there’s been almost nothing resembling industrialisation, future technology, or anything similar to what the synopsis suggests. Instead, it’s currently a very well-crafted xianxia novel that uses familiar story elements but executes them exceptionally well.
The characters are surprisingly fleshed out, even the arrogant “young master”-type side villains. The author puts real effort into giving people believable motivations, and while I still don’t enjoy those characters’ screentime much, the novel maintains a solid balance between progressing the main plot and dealing with minor antagonists.
There’s also an ongoing mystery woven throughout the story, along with long-term goals that keep things engaging. Beyond the protagonist, there are several genuinely fun and memorable characters, and the MC himself is quite likable.
The pacing does slow down at certain points, but it’s bearable, and the payoff has absolutely been worth it so far, in my opinion. The chapter I’m currently on was the culmination of many previous plot threads, and it finally convinced me to leave a review because this novel genuinely deserves more positive attention.
At least so far, I’d recommend reading this as a high-quality xianxia first and treating the “industrial revolution” aspect as something that likely develops much later, for which I'm quite apprehensive.
ALSO!! The translator, Xuanhearts, is always a joy to see, very upbeat and responsive. They quickly fix any typos, are clearly well-versed in the story they’re translating, and often reply to comments and engage with the community. If there was a Wuxia-world translator power-rankings they would have my vote.
Honestly, I have no idea what the synopsis is talking about, which is also why I delayed writing this review.
I’ve read around 90 chapters so far, and the novel is fantastic. However, there’s been almost nothing resembling industrialisation, future technology, or anything similar to what the synopsis suggests. Instead, it’s currently a very well-crafted xianxia novel that uses familiar story elements but executes them exceptionally well.
The characters are surprisingly fleshed out, even the arrogant “young master”-type side villains. The author puts real effort into giving people believable motivations, and while I still don’t enjoy those characters’ screentime much, the novel maintains a solid balance between progressing the main plot and dealing with minor antagonists.
There’s also an ongoing mystery woven throughout the story, along with long-term goals that keep things engaging. Beyond the protagonist, there are several genuinely fun and memorable characters, and the MC himself is quite likable.
The pacing does slow down at certain points, but it’s bearable, and the payoff has absolutely been worth it so far, in my opinion. The chapter I’m currently on was the culmination of many previous plot threads, and it finally convinced me to leave a review because this novel genuinely deserves more positive attention.
At least so far, I’d recommend reading this as a high-quality xianxia first and treating the “industrial revolution” aspect as something that likely develops much later, for which I'm quite apprehensive.
ALSO!! The translator, Xuanhearts, is always a joy to see, very upbeat and responsive. They quickly fix any typos, are clearly well-versed in the story they’re translating, and often reply to comments and engage with the community. If there was a Wuxia-world translator power-rankings they would have my vote.
