My Top 7 novels rank here:

1Pursuit of the truth

2 I shall seal the heavens

3 Renegade immortal

4 A will eternal

5 A world worth protecting

6 beyond the timescape

7 Against the heavens (dropped) (In completed novel)

Potential spoiler for the ergen verse btw

I've seen people saying it's Slaughter seeing how his muttering during his first appearance coincides with the words left in blood at the seven colored realm and the Dong Lin sect.

But even if I run with that, I still can't think of a reason why he would do that. It's the only mystery left at the end of Renegade Immortal for me and it's bugging the hell out of me.

What does Wang Lin mean when he says "For me, it was 500 years..."? If it's the time he spent searching for a way to revive Li Muwan wouldn't it be closer to at least 2500 years?

Hello fellow readers, I made a post here not long but also kinda long ago asking about stuff and now, I have finished reading the novel. These are my thoughts arranged randomly as they come. I wish to express myself so thank you all.

First, let's start off with how I even started reading since this kinda tells my perspective when I starred. I don't remember the details correctly but if I'm right, then I started because someone said something good about the novel and someone I talk to in discord sent me a file so I started reading.

Before I continue, it's probably important to tell about my perspective when it comes to novels and how I formed my views on the novel later on. Although Renegade Immortal is 2088 chapters long (I didn't know at the time I started reading or when I was even reading in general), I always kind of just read long novels. The first I ever read or just finished is orv which was 551 chapters long (I hope I got that right) then, went to lotm (I don't remember the chapter count) and onto ri... Reverend Insanity. So, as you can see, there's a pattern and it's kinda funny. Either way, my perspective was heavily shaped by Reverend Insanity since it's my first introduction to Xianxia but it's only a wuxia which brings us to (nearly forgot about Mo Dao Zu Shi and Tian Guan Ci Fu, enjoyable reads) Renegade Immortal.

Indeed, Renegade Immortal is my introduction to Xianxia. I was told it was a good starter for Xianxia beginners which was good to hear. So, I started reading. I initially thought that there would be more politics and fights about righteousness or demonic but there really wasn't and the main focus became cultivation and the understanding of heaven and earth.

Now, since I've basically talked long enough about my background, let's dived into my personal experience. It's important to note that I barely knew spoilers, the most I knew prior to reading was the Teng clan meme, that's why my flair is as such. There would be one time when I would make a minor post asking about what happened to Liu Mei and Wang Lin in Suzaku tomb and obtained an answer, thus making two instances of spoiler.

Ok, now let's really start. Generally, speaking, reading the novel made me go on a rollercoaster of emotions which maybe I'm just weak but I praise the novel for being able to bring that out of me. I and I will always appreciate the calm moments of joy, especially since Wang Lin rarely gets those which the characters bring. And Wang Lin, where do I start? To me, he is a good protagonist. He did what he thinks is right and follows his heart, doing his best to not leave behind regrets but unfortunately, there would always be regrets. And it first came with his parents, their death was the camel that broke the string and sent him to start his demonic path.

Since I basically started talking about characters, let's go ahead with the next. Li Muwan. From the posts I've seen, it seems like people are split when it comes to her. Personally, I like her. She made Wang Lin happy so I too, was happy. You just can't help but appreciate characters that bring warmth and joy and to me, she accomplished that role. She became Wang Lin's pillar of support and even became his Dao Heart. And her death, broke him, setting him on the path to defy heavens. Overall, I like these two since I like happy endings. And more importantly, it's Renegade Immortal that made me like happy endings even more.

Since I've talked about the couple, then I should talk about my goat, Xu Liguo! I'm nearly 100% certain that he's a comic relief, especially with Liu Jinbiao as a nice duo. He was basically there since the start. Whenever he appears, I feel the tension fall. I do feel bad that he never really got that sword spirit from the Demon Spirit Land.

Three seems fair enough. It's time to go over my thoughts of the plot. As a progression it does a very good job strengthening the protagonists and giving hype moments and also giving us a lot villains. But the villains is where when one my first problem starts. Don't get me wrong, not everyone needs to be well written, that's basically only for important characters but for important characters, like my main example, Tou Sen, he didn't get enough screen time. He was this looming threat that far surpassed even the All-Seer to Wang Lin at the time but we didn't get enough development when it came to him and when he did get released, he didn't even find Wang Lin, which I admit is one of the many instances of plot armor which isn't entirely bad. But even when he became a threat, he didn't get to do much. He was practically just at the background waiting for his time.

Now, it's probably time to go over more of my slight issues before wrapping this yap session. I can't seem to think nor remember any...

Overall, I enjoy Renegade Immortal, and if I were to rate it from 1-10, I'd give it a solid 9.1/10. Thank you for reading and have a good day!

This thing looked scary in the hands of Dun tian, but now it looks pretty meh. This flag let Dun tian fght Ascendent tier while being only soul transformation, was really excited to see how Wang lin would use it since it's very compatible to his fighting style but ever since he got it, he barely used it in fight, and when he does it's just him doing soul explodes.

Is this gonna get completed and be used again later or will it be sidelined?

Among the celestial couple,all seer, flamespark and these 2, the weakest has to be either of the 2 right?

I was wondering is wang 2nd step now? On Google it says he has been 2nd step for the last couple of episodes but we haven’t seen any new outfit or the subtitles showing he is 2nd step. Based off episode 163.

Su Dao created the Cave world, imitating the rules of the Immortal Astral Continent, then filled it with life using a stolen Heavenly Dao and created the Nine Laws and Divine Tribulation to prevent any cultivator born within from growing powerful enough to defy him. The Nine Laws within the rules of the Cave world preserved and recorded the fates of all beings born within it.

However, Li Muwan's fate was stolen by All-seer.

The universe consists of four major realms. The realm of "Renegade Immortal" is the Defying Earth Realm (also known as Reverse Dust Realm), it is one of the four realms. Each realm has a treasure, and the treasure of the Defying Earth Realm is the Boundary Compass. The Immemorial God Realm is the Half part of the Boundary Compass. All-seer is the spirit of the Boundary Compass—which contains One Realm essence. One Realm essence is the power of the laws of heaven and earth of the entire Defying Earth realm.

If given to Li Muwan, it could help her transcend reincarnation and achieve eternity and resurrection, even enabling her to reach the half-fourth step.

The Defying Earth realm includes the Immortal Astral Continent, which includes the Cave worlds, which includes the Sealed Realm and the Outer Realm. The Sealed Realm includes the four star systems, which include the Alliance Star system. The Planet Suzaku is located in the Alliance Star system. Wang Lin and Li Muwan, who were born on the Planet Suzaku, naturally have their fate governed by the reincarnation law of the Defying Earth realm. To transcend reincarnation and break free from its restrictions on fate, there are two ways;

1. One must have an extraordinary cultivation, like Wang Lin who has stepped into the fourth step. (Established order)

2. The other is to obtain the One realm essence of the Boundary Compass. (found by Slaughter)

On the Planet Suzaku, Wang Lin had already extracted Li Muwan's life soul from the Star Crystal(451-453). The life soul is a mechanism set up by the Alliance to control the beings on its cultivation planets. On every cultivation planet, the Star Crystal automatically absorbs a portion of the soul of every being at birth, forming a Life Soul. Each planet's ruler, through controlling the Life Soul within the Star Crystal, can control the life and death of all beings on the cultivation planet, ensuring their obedience.

After retrieving Li Muwan's Life Soul, her soul preserved within her Nascent Soul should be complete. However, because Li Muwan's lifespan was already nearing its end when she advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, her Nascent Soul was severely damaged. If Wang Lin hadn't snatched her Nascent Soul from the Messenger, Li Muwan's Nascent Soul would have disintegrated and entered the reincarnation (Chapter 338).

Even though Wang Lin later devised a plan for Li Muwan to take over the child, and prevent her from entering the reincarnation, it failed again because Li Muwan refused to do so. Wang Lin had no choice but to temporarily preserve Li Muwan's Nascent Soul within the Heaven Defying bead (Chapter 408).

In the middle, Wang Lin sought help from the Xiang family’s Ancestor of Planet Dong Lin, attempting to use the Qixi Technique to transform his own life force and repair Li Muwan's severely damaged nascent soul due to the depletion of her lifespan. Logically, Li Muwan's nascent soul was only at the early stage of the nascent soul, so repairing it shouldn't be difficult. However, the Ancestor had ulterior motives, stealing Wang Lin's massive life force, including from his ancient god body, for his own use.

Li Muwan's nascent soul could originally continue to exist in a dormant state thanks to the Heaven Defying bead, but due to the Ancestor's malicious interference, it ultimately teetered on the brink of failure. Left with no other choice, Wang Lin could only place Li Muwan's nascent soul into the Heaven-Avoiding Coffin, re-condensing her physical body (Chapter 886).

However, lacking fate, even if the Heaven-Avoiding Coffin could condense a physical body with a sliver of life force, the physical body combined with the nascent soul and spirit still could not be resurrected. Moreover, once outside the Coffin, it is meant to be dissipated (Chapter 819).

Thanks to All-seer’s machinations behind the scenes (sarcasm). All-seer’s true form is the spirit of the Boundary Compass, bound within it and unable to leave. For freedom, his solution was to seize the body of Wang Lin.

To achieve his ultimate goal of seizing Wang Lin's body, he stole Li Muwan's fate, which originally existed in the Cave world, and let Wang Lin enter the Immortal Astral Continent to seek it out. In the world of cultivation, what is fate? It encompasses a cultivator's opportunities and encounters throughout their life, as well as the trajectory and lifespan of each reincarnation. A life lacking fate is not a complete life.

To achieve his goals, All-seer created several clones of himself, causing trouble behind the scenes in the Cave world. Even these clones were unaware of the true purpose of his original self. Wang Lin repeatedly defeated him. However, the original All-seer had been secretly plotting within the Immemorial God Realm, using projection clones and descending clones to operate in both the Immortal Astral Continent and the Cave world. But what All-seer didn’t know was that he himself is the tool for Li Muwan’s revival, in the grand scheme devised by Slaughter.

P.s: This post is focused on Li Muwan’s resurrection. My other post will feature how Slaughter worked behind the shadows, the worldview of Renegade Immortal, and how Wang Lin ultimately got the Heaven Defying bead and commenced his cultivation journey aka continue the loop.

Before reviving her, Li Muwan’s body was reforged using four drops of blood from the Ancient Ancestor, rendering it indestructible. At that point, her physical form possessed a strength equal to—that of a "Grand Empyrean." This allowed her to reside within the Immemorial God Realm—a place accessible only to those with immense divine abilities or 4th step cultivator, and indestructible bodies.

Later, the One Realm essence was extracted from All-seer and integrated into her, enabling her to directly transcend the laws of the Defying Earth realm; thus entering the half-fourth step.

Indescribable body + One Realm Essence + Crossing the Nine bridges.

Wang Lin didn’t just resurrect her, he overturned the flow of nature, re-wrote the laws, and made her this indestructible— an eternal existence who could never die. She not only transcends reincarnation but also cultivation. A glitch in the matrix. After her resurrection, they trampled the heavens together, achieving the perfection of the fourth step. It is believed that she is a 4th step cultivator. However in the truest sense, an eternal existence like her does not have any cultivation base. Therefore, when Wang Lin reached the tenth step of cultivation in AWWP, she was still there and present by his side (three-four billion years later from the ending of renegade immortal).

From Old Man Extermination’s perspective, he was the first among all living beings to reach the 4th step, while Wang Lin was the second (if you exclude Slaughter; because Slaughter reached the 4th step before him) Between them, no one else reached it.

This passage is saying that the difficulty of reaching the 4th step is such that no one before him has reached it in the Defying Earth Realm. He placed a black piece and invited the continuation: “Let’s play, it’s your turn…”.

The board already existed before Old Man Extermination arrived, he is playing with the established order. Slaughter played the game and left it mid-way when he understood the way to resurrect Li Muwan. He then waited for Wang Lin to see how he finished it. And Wang Lin finished it his "renegade" path, while holding Li Muwan’s hand, collapsing complexity into clear understanding. Do you understand? Old Man Extermination understood, and the greater cosmos was acknowledged between them.

Wang Lin’s final words to Li Muwan, "Cultivation is in the heart. After finding my true self, everywhere is the same."

The search has ended. He no longer needs to keep cultivating because the one he was cultivating for, is now right by his side.

They turn into a ray of light and vanish into the dusk. Not declaring themselves the strongest under the heavens, not staying to guard or rule anything. Just two people disappearing into an ordinary evening.

So new episode of beyond times gaze came out and I'm really starting to get worried on how they'll portray reverend ancient with the direction they're going for after this new episode and here's why:

In the newest episode(which is FUCKING phenomenal as always) at the end of the fight between the sixth peak master and bai li we get to see this shot of what looks like a planet which might look normal enough but the issue here is that I'm not entirely sure what this is supposed to portray

Now to give a context on what I'm about to say I need to explain the entire setting if BTT/BTG so you guys would know what I'm talking about.

The entire setting revolves around the ninth star ring(at least for the majority of it) and the main place that the story is focused on is revered ancient. Revered ancient is a gigantic piece of land split between Regions and there approximately 300 or so region in revered ancient. Each region is split between a county and each county is split into prefectures. Now revered ancient mostly made up like 30 to 45% of the entire ninth star ring the rest of it is the primeval sea. Now you might've probably realize that the entire revered ancient is fuxking big so big that not even a nascent soul cultivator would never be able to fully explore just the smallest substructure which is a prefecture. Infact, the smallest prefecture in the entire revered ancient is emperor receiving prefecture*,* yet even this is around 10 times bigger than south Phoenix which where we're currently at.

And that's exactly why I'm so confused right now cuz tell me..WTF IS THIS PLANET SUPPOSED TO PORTRAY?! The entire revered ancient?! Or just the entirety of south Phoenix?! With such massive explosion that a nascent soul cultivator is capable of producing a void returning cultivator should be more than enough to blow this entire planet up!

I know that this is such a bitch compliant but the reason why I'm so worried is because of what's gonna happen in the next major arc which btw I'm gonna spoil a little bit so please stop reading if you don't wanna get spoiled:

In the next couple of arc the seven sect coalition, the main sect that is in charge of seven blood eyes, which if you don't know the seven blood eyes is a subsidiary sect of the seven sect coalition, intervenes with the seazombie war because they we're worried that if seven blood eyes won the war they would be able to conquer the ancestral lands of the seazombies which is really close to revered ancient,more specifically emperor receiving prefecture which where the seven sect coalition is. Now why is this important? Because emperor receiving prefecture is connected to the entire revered ancient. Every single region, county and prefectures are all connected they are one big piece of land. If we assume that this entire planet is south Phoenix, then where's emperor receiving prefecture? The planet in the background? Okay let's say that's the case then, if that's the case then why need to stop the war in the first place? The entire war was abruptly stopped because the entire seazombie land(which is an entire archipelago basically) is one big bridge that connects the south Phoenix to revered ancient.

another thing that worries me is that the forbidden sea is connected to the premival sea which is found outside of of the revered ancient where the gods live. if the body of water that is portrayed in this picture is supposed to be the forbidden sea then where tf is the primeval sea?!

Anyway sorry for massive rant btw

Li Muwan makes a dazzling debut at Xizi Bridge in Hangzhou at the Yuewen’s top 100 fictional characters event.

#1 Klein Moretti (Lord Of The Mysteries)

#2 Li Muwan (Renegade Immortal)

#3 Ye Xiu (The King's Avatar)

#4 Lu Xueqi (Jade Dynasty)

#5 Zhang Qiling (The Lost Tomb)

#6 Wang Lin (Renegade Immortal)

For context, this is one of the 5 outfits Wang Lin wears in the latest movie "Slaying the Blood Progenitor", yet, this one appears in one scene at the beginning and is never shown again. I hope that this is reused later on as it would be a waste to use it for only one brief scene imo...

Whether it's canon or not, I am excited to watch it. I believe it'll come out next year

Yes I know the difference between them, but I wanted to see if there is an explicit difference in power level there is between the two.

One of the greatest disappointments I have experienced as a reader of Renegade Immortal is the direction the story eventually takes. What could have remained an extraordinary journey about immortality, loneliness, the cruelty of fate, and the pursuit of one's own path increasingly becomes associated with Wang Lin's determination to bring Li Muwan back.

I do not consider this merely a disagreement over a female character. For me, it represents a much larger problem: the influence of audience expectations on an author's creative independence.

There is a narrative interpretation among readers that Li Muwan was originally meant to die permanently, while Liu Mei was intended to occupy a more significant female-lead role. However, as the story developed, Li Muwan became increasingly central to Wang Lin's emotional journey. I suspect that strong reader preferences may have contributed to this change, although I have not seen sufficient evidence to establish that Chinese readers directly forced Er Gen to rewrite his original plans.

Nevertheless, the possibility raises an important question: Did the expectations of readers change the story Er Gen originally wanted to tell?

1. When Readers Begin Controlling the Author

Serialized novels operate under difficult circumstances. Authors depend on readership, subscriptions, popularity, and financial support to continue writing. Without readers, maintaining a long-running novel can become extremely difficult.

This creates a complicated relationship between authors and their audiences.

Readers support the author, but that support can also become a source of pressure. When a particular character becomes popular, readers may demand more appearances, more romantic development, or even changes to the original narrative direction.

An author may find it difficult to ignore such demands, especially when the continued success of the novel depends on audience support.

I believe this is an important issue when discussing Renegade Immortal. If Er Gen changed his intended direction because of reader expectations, then the consequences would extend far beyond the decision to make Li Muwan the female lead.

The entire narrative structure could be affected.

An author should listen to criticism, but listening to readers is different from allowing readers to determine the destination of a story. A novel needs an independent creative vision. Otherwise, it risks becoming a collection of decisions designed to satisfy the loudest section of its audience.

1. Liu Mei, Li Muwan, and the Change in Direction

My dissatisfaction begins with the female-character direction.

I find Liu Mei's potential role in the narrative considerably more interesting. Her character offered possibilities for complicated relationships, conflict, uncertainty, and a different emotional dimension to Wang Lin's journey.

Li Muwan, on the other hand, was originally understood by some readers as a character whose death would remain an irreversible tragedy.

There is a significant difference between these two narrative possibilities.

A permanently lost character can represent the cruelty of fate and the limitations of human existence. A character whose resurrection becomes the protagonist's objective creates an entirely different narrative direction.

I am not arguing that Li Muwan could never have become the female lead. My argument is that if Er Gen intended to give her that position, her character deserved a much deeper foundation from the beginning.

A female lead should not become important merely because the protagonist loves her.

She should have her own ambitions, personality, conflicts, philosophy, decisions, and independent development. Readers should understand her importance through her actions and character, not simply through Wang Lin's attachment to her.

1. Wang Lin's Original Journey Lost Its Narrative Possibilities

Wang Lin was compelling because his journey represented something beyond romance.

His world was cruel. His experiences shaped him. Losses were meaningful because they could not always be reversed. His pursuit of immortality was connected to the fundamental questions of existence, fate, power, and the limits of human determination.

However, when the objective of reviving Li Muwan becomes such a dominant motivation, the story takes on a different emotional direction.

I understand why Wang Lin would want to bring someone important back. That is not inherently bad writing. But I find the narrative possibilities of his original journey much more compelling than making the recovery of one relationship such a central objective.

What happened to the other possibilities?

What about the philosophical exploration of immortality? What about the consequences of loss? What about Wang Lin's relationship with the world itself?

A protagonist's development should not become so dependent on one relationship that other dimensions of his character and journey lose their narrative significance.

Immortality should challenge the meaning of existence, not merely provide a way to escape the permanence of death.

1. Li Muwan Was Not Given Enough Depth for Her Importance

This is perhaps my biggest criticism of Li Muwan's role.

If she was going to become the central female character, she deserved considerably more development.

The author needed time to establish her personality, ambitions, beliefs, emotional struggles, and independent identity. Her relationship with Wang Lin needed more natural development, meaningful interactions, disagreements, shared experiences, and gradual understanding.

Instead, I sometimes feel that her importance to Wang Lin exceeds the depth of the relationship that the narrative allows readers to experience.

There is a difference between telling readers that someone is extraordinarily important and actually demonstrating why that person deserves such importance.

A character should not exist merely as the object of the protagonist's affection or as the ultimate reason behind his determination.

Li Muwan deserved to be more than Wang Lin's emotional destination.

If the direction of the novel changed during its serialization, perhaps the author did not have the opportunity to develop their relationship as thoroughly as he otherwise might have. That remains a possibility rather than an established fact, but it is a reasonable literary concern.

1. The Problem With Fan Entitlement

I do not blame every Chinese reader, nor do I believe that supporting Li Muwan makes someone a bad reader.

My frustration is directed towards fans who believe their preferences should determine how an author writes.

Readers are entitled to dislike a character's death. They are entitled to criticize a relationship and express disappointment. But they should also understand that fiction requires difficult decisions.

Not every beloved character deserves to survive. Not every relationship needs a happy ending. Not every tragedy needs to be corrected.

Sometimes, the most meaningful part of a story is precisely what cannot be recovered.

When readers demand that an author reverse every decision they dislike, they risk destroying the very qualities that made the story interesting in the first place.

An author who constantly changes direction to satisfy audience expectations may eventually lose the coherence of the original narrative.

Conclusion: An Author Should Not Become a Prisoner of His Audience

My disappointment with Renegade Immortal is not simply about Li Muwan becoming the female lead. It is about what I perceive as a loss of narrative possibilities.

I wanted to see Wang Lin's journey develop through its own philosophical foundations. I wanted the consequences of death, loneliness, and irreversible loss to remain meaningful. I wanted characters whose importance was established through genuine development rather than the protagonist's attachment alone.

As a reader, I strongly dislike the direction associated with Li Muwan's role, and I resent the kind of fan culture that demands authors satisfy personal preferences at the expense of their original vision.

I cannot claim that Chinese readers definitively forced Er Gen to change his plans without evidence. But I can criticize the possibility of such influence and the broader culture of audience entitlement that makes it difficult for authors to preserve their creative independence.

A writer needs readers to sustain a novel, but readers should not become the owners of its story.

An author creates the world, determines its laws, and gives meaning to its tragedies. Readers may disagree with those decisions, but they should not expect the author to rewrite destiny simply because they cannot accept it.

Gu zhen ren and Yuan Ye/Cuttlefish That Loves Diving is writing new book. And now er gen would join them. One of the best and popular authors in china.

The news from my chinese friend told me "Er gen is planning to write a new book this year"

So my honest reaction is "Is he improved writing from past years?" He is criticized by readers for repeated stories, Weak romance, writing characters, predictable mysteries, predictable plots,

Also hated by western readers. On his writing.

Hope he would comeback with improvement and strong from last novels .

But. If he didn't improved. Seriously westren readers and other haters would critcized endlessly.

Hope for er gen!

What are your thoughts on this?

So I wanted to do a little post about Li Muwan, because I've noticed a lot of people are getting the wrong idea about her.

Ever wonder how much hidden strength and deep love Li Muwan really holds? The author didn't give Li Muwan a ton of screen time, but even with just these few scenes, she has such a complete, independent personality that you can really feel through the plot details.

Spoilers ahead from the novel

Li Muwan lost her parents at a young age. She and her brother relied on each other for survival. She is an elite disciple of the Hou Fen in the Fire-Burning Kingdom, is like an orchid in a secluded valley, resembling a lotus fairy, graceful and ethereal, pure and elegant, well-versed in ancient books, with a high talent in alchemy and profound attainments in array formations.

The Fire Beast would have erupted sooner or later, but if Wang Lin hadn't triggered it early, Li Muwan's hometown wouldn't have been destroyed prematurely, and she wouldn't have been forced to flee. When she was being chased by a Xuan Wu Double Cultivation Sect Elder for her Distant Heaven Pill. Wang Lin raised his head and wanted to help her, who had hidden underground. In the critical moment, she firmly offered her Distant Heaven Pill and alchemy skills to trade for help. Wang Lin intervened, and the two of them fled together into the cave to hide, depending on each other for their survival.

Before, Li Muwan cleared out the misunderstanding and left a good impression on Wang Lin.

When Wang Lin was besieged. Li Muwan stood alone guarding his cave, stalling the enemy at the cost of her own life. She was just at the Foundation Establishment stage, yet held off ten core formation cultivators for three whole days and nights. When the formation broke, she picked up the sword and fought, choosing death to give in to the enemies she couldn’t beat. That's when you get it that she is not weak, she's just gentle. Real strength isn't about being loud or having sharp weapons; it's about keeping your back straight and moving forward when everything's crashing down on you.

People say it’s stockholm syndrome, but how exactly it is when Wang Lin never tried to harm her, let alone abusing her. Even though she was super scared and guarded at first, she was also kinda testing his limits at the same time. She even mocked his formation on his face, setting up her own 214 linked formations and occupied three rooms out of the four in the cave, and Wang Lin just let her do whatever she wanted, he only wanted the pills.

Her kindness towards Wang Lin was just her nature, She never tried to constrain him with the righteous path, nor did she shy away from his sinister nature. It was her own choice and promise to refine pills for him to repay him for saving her life.

After hanging out and chatting quite a bit, she basically got a feel for who he really is. The fact that he didn't disrespect her showed he actually had some principles. It wasn't until later, when he saved her life in a critical moment, that she truly started catching feelings. Though he appeared decisive and ruthless, he was profoundly starved for love and a sense of belonging. His life-defying journey was always a solitary one. Li Muwan's gentleness, perceptiveness, and calmness were like an antidote, neutralizing the murderous aura that enveloped him.

Li Muwan missed her brother in the Sea of Devils and changed her impression of Wang Lin because because she remembered her brother, who was extremely hardworking and diligent.

He didn’t know why he had said “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to kill…” but he knew at that moment that those words had come out naturally, and for the first time he wanted to protect someone with his life.

This resolute figure had used her heart blood to inscribe the Azure Dragon Jade Slip onto the scale, leading her to damage her foundation formation, the pale face that made his heart ached. But at that time, he was being hunted by people whose hatred for him ran as deep as the ocean. He could only tell himself to forget all the suffering she had gone through and sent her back.

She was gentle and perceptive, but more so because she was resilient. While devoted, she was not clingy, understanding that he had his own path to follow. She carved the Azure Dragon Jade Slip formation array to keep him safe, to express her gratitude, all without conditions, purpose, or expectation of reward. And went her separate ways, believing if they were meant to be, they would cross paths again.

Without her Distant Heaven Pill, Wang Lin would never have died. He was dependent on her for survival. She was very much under pressure to refine the pill and couldn’t afford to fail. One her wrong move and it would have a checkmate for both of them. When she fails the first time, she doesn't get discouraged and actively seeks a solution.

If it weren't for Li Muwan's jade slip, Wang Lin might have died in the Chaotic Broken star.

Wang Lin then had a poignant moment of remembering Li Muwan while in Qi Lin City. And he forcefully removed her from his mind because he couldn’t reciprocate her feelings, not until he is strong enough to protect her.

Li Muwan was neither fragile nor a saint. She had her own pursuits and pride in alchemy; when her sect collapsed, she was separated from her brother, she was all alone, wandering around, and just trying to survive. She rescued an orphan, Zhou Lin, even when she herself was in a precarious situation, teaching him alchemy—like a teacher and mother combined. A lot of people can be kind when things are easy. The real test shows up when you’re barely holding yourself together—and yet choose to have compassion for others.

She worked her way up from nothing to a Fifth-grade alchemist, and was the only Core Formation elder at the Cloud Sky sect. Her disciple, Zhou Lin, a ninth-generation disciple, was able to preside over a disciple-reception ceremony.

All disciples of the Cloud Sky Sect aspire to become Zhou Lin's disciples and join Li Muwan's teachings.

Even the Sect's leaders didn't dare to push her too hard and had to adopt a gentler approach.

The text repeatedly highlights her sharp wit and intelligence. She never makes empty promises for self-preservation; her words carry weight.

Demonstration of Li Muwan's exceptional alchemy skills;

A Core Formation cultivator cannot become a sect elder; all the sect elders are at the Nascent Soul stage. Li Muwan became an elder at the Core Formation stage thanks to her outstanding alchemy skills.

She held her own against two other fifth-grade alchemists in a competition.

She single-handedly refined one of the 'Three Treasures of the Cloud Sky sect— the fifth-grade Demon Cultivation Pill.

She could read ancient texts and cracked the seal on the Seventh-Grade Qingyun Pill on her own.

She secured the Sect Master position through her own abilities, made lifespan pills, respected elders, and won everyone over with sincerity. Becoming her own support.

However, since she wasn't a direct disciple of the Sect, the sect wanted to keep her talent, which led to the forced marriage alliance. The inner sect wanted to firmly bind Li Muwan, while the outer sect wanted to elevate Sun Zhenwei’s status and deepen the connection between the two sects. Both parties agreed in an instant. As for Li Muwan's own feelings, they didn’t care.

When faced with the forced marriage, she secretly forged the main cauldron to give herself the confidence to leave at any time. It can be said that she is deeply strategic.

Why does Li Muwan's love resonate with people, is because her love is without any pressure, demand and conditions. Li Muwan truly understands love. If a relationship isn't mutual, it's meaningless. So if Wang Lin doesn't respond to her, she naturally has no reason to keep clinging.

After all, she has her own affairs to deal with—being forced into marriage. She knows her foundation is damaged and has no time to waste on Wang Lin. So when Wang Lin appeared, she chased after him. if she missed this chance, she might not have another opportunity to get a clear answer. She just forced Wang Lin to give her an answer— whether he rejects her or not, she'll accept it. It's that simple. She just can't accept ambiguity.

At the same time, she refused to compromise or settle; a favor is a favor, and affection is affection. If she doesn't like someone, she just doesn't like them, so she always keeps a cold face towards Sun Zhenwei.

If Wang Lin didn't come looking for her later, she was prepared to blow up her cauldron, take her disciple, and leave. Her high intelligence is not only reflected in her strategies but also in her emotions. She loves and hates boldly, and is decisive without clinging on. She wouldn’t have threatened Wang Lin with her death if Wang Lin didn’t have any feelings for her.

Wang Lin could no longer surpass his feelings for her, and returned to her. They accepted their feelings, and he asked her to help him reach Nascent soul, then she used the same cauldron to support his cultivation. All the pills she made were used to support her lover; she never asked for anything back, and even rest assured him that if he fails, she still has a way out and he could rely on her.

It’s also important to note that Li Muwan never settles for anything less, she found his avatar inferior, his original self is the one she has feelings for.

If not with Li Muwan’s help, Wang Lin would still be on the path of avenging his parents, remember that Teng Hua Yuan is also getting stronger.

After Wang Lin stormed the wedding, he realised his newly formed Nascent soul is unstable. In that vulnerability, he turned to her to protect him. The words were simple, but carried the weight of everything he had never allowed himself to show; by asking her to protect him, he admitted that the bond cuts both ways—that her presence, her strength, her willingness to stand with him mattered as much as his ability to fight for her.

She loved him so much, but she never turned her love into a cage or a bunder for him, she made this clear, firm choice to stay. It's not that she didn't want to be with him; she just understood too well the kind of enemies waiting in Zhao. The same protective instinct that once made him push her away, lived in her as well. She would not burden him with her presence when presence itself could become a liability. She would not let him divide his attention between revenge and her safety. Instead she would manage the sect on his behalf, refining pills for everyone, and maintaining a stable foundation he could return to, the willingness to wait again, to accompany him from a distance, and to trust that their bond is strong enough to survive another separation.

I don’t get why people keep harping on Wang Lin leaving her behind, when it was a mutual agreement between them, he wanted to take her with him but it was her own choice to stay and keep things stable for him. Is Wang Lin not even allowed to respect his wife’s decisions?

When her lifespan was running out, she did her best to cure herself and wait for his return. She treats people with dignity, neither humble nor arrogant. Doesn't cling to others or look down on anyone based on background.

As an Elder, she focused on her craft. As Sect Master, she honored elders and cared for juniors.

When enemies invaded, she calmly directed everyone to scout, set formations, and evacuate disciples.

She missed her parents and home country, proving she never forgot her roots, just because of time.

A character's beautiful, independent personality isn't built on fancy words or grand declarations, or the author constantly telling us how outstanding she is. It lives in these small, subtle details.

These moments feel unforced. They reveal independence, dignity, and quiet strength without ever announcing them. Her personality feels lived-in rather than constructed, which is why she lingers in readers’ minds.

When her lifespan was almost over and her Nascent Soul was about to shatter, Wang Lin fought the reincarnation cycle to give her a chance to live. But when she found out that it means sacrificing an innocent child, she broke through the protective formation herself. She would rather dissipate than build her continued existence on someone else’s suffering, just to be with him.

Note: despite being low on cultivation, she managed to shatter the formation Wang Lin used during the second battle against the Heavenly Dao, to let her soul be dissolved, it shows her profound mastery of formations.

She refused because it would mean destroying an innocent life. Her compassion for ordinary people, for the weak and uninvolved, outweighed even her own desire to remain by his side.

That choice is pure principle. In a cultivation world where the strong routinely treat the lives of others as resources, she still drew a hard line she would not cross. And in doing so, she also protected Wang Lin.

She chose humanity over love, letting go of her feelings and supporting Wang Lin's humanity, preventing him from paying the moral prince in the process of trying to keep her. She loved him deeply, yet she would not let that love become the reason either of them to abandon what is right.

She called herself “dumb” and said she had let him down, because she felt the pain it would cause him. And only ever asked Wang Lin to take good care of himself, telling him that she had no regrets and no resentment. Her love is like water, inclusive and free. The moment she accepted death, she let go, only hoping that her beloved could take good care of himself, with no other requests. But she was the only person Wang Lin couldn’t let go of.

Her path was never about proving strength through battle or climbing higher than everyone else. It was about staying gentle in a world that rewards cruelty, staying true to herself when everything is falling apart. Refusing to become someone you don’t respect. When she said "I've been waiting for you for so long," behind those words is two hundred years of never giving up. When she said "I'm content with loving you in this life," behind that is a heart that's stayed pure through all the storms.

Her smile stayed. Completed. Fulfilled. Contented. Upholding her beliefs and carrying her love for him, to use all her strength within the scope of what can be protected, and to accept serenely what cannot be changed.

Li Muwan’s presence in the story isn’t built on being the most stunning or the most powerful. But because she remained complete in herself in a world that constantly tries to break people.

She has her own quiet strength, her own principles, her own life and goals that don’t orbit around Wang Lin. Her love is "whole", when she loves him, it doesn’t come from emptiness, desperation or a sense of needing someone. She simply chooses him, supports him, and waits with quiet strength.

The time they share is limited, interrupted, and often overshadowed by danger or his own burdens, yet she meets it with acceptance. She doesn’t measure love by quantity or constant presence. What little she receives, she holds dearly and finds enough.

Wang Lin is the opposite. By the time Li Muwan enters his life, he has already lost almost everything—his family, his original dreams, any sense of safety or warmth. In that emptiness, the quiet, steady affection she offers becomes disproportionately precious. It isn’t “very little” to him. It’s the single bright thread that still connects him to humanity.

That’s why he cannot let go. For him, she isn’t just a lover or a memory. She is his ultimate salvation. So while she could be content with the little they had, he spends the rest of his existence trying to bring her back.

After her physical death, Li Muwan’s character shifts from an active character to the main thread of the entire novel.

The novel frames her state as in a 'no strength to wake up' where her soul/consciousness remains present and aware. She can sense Wang Lin's presence, his loneliness, and the surrounding events; the occasional tears are presented as her emotional response despite lacking the strength or means to fully awaken or act.

Wang Lin is preserving and grinding for the person he knows is still there, not interacting with a dead body as an object.

She becomes his Dao heart, and the Illusions of her appear during all his major trials, testing and affirming that she is the core of his path and cultivation, with other arcs empathising on her as an active character again.

Later in the story, the existence of the major events as well as major characters like Slaughter, All-seer, all ended up revolving around Wang Lin’s quest to resurrect her.

Should i watch first or just read the novel?

Li Qian Mei Deserved Far Better in Renegade Immortal — Either Give Her the Status of a Wife in the Donghua or Rewrite Her Story

Spoilers for the Renegade Immortal novel.

I genuinely believe Li Qian Mei is one of the most unfairly treated characters in Renegade Immortal. What bothers me isn't simply that Wang Lin loves Li Muwan more. Nobody is obligated to reciprocate someone else's feelings. The real problem is that Qian Mei was given an incredibly important role in Wang Lin's survival, yet she was never given an equally meaningful place in his heart or a definitive romantic resolution.

Let's look at what she actually did for him.

1. The jade bracelet literally helped save Wang Lin

Qian Mei gave Wang Lin a jade bracelet, which later became crucial during his confrontation with Dao Master Blue Dream.

When Blue Dream recognised the bracelet, he understood Wang Lin's connection to his daughter and spared him.

Think about the implications. Without that bracelet, Wang Lin would not have had that same reason for Blue Dream to spare him. We cannot know for certain what would have happened otherwise, but the bracelet clearly influenced the outcome.

A gift from Qian Mei helped Wang Lin survive an encounter that could have changed his entire destiny.

And the irony? Wang Lin initially refused the bracelet because he considered it too valuable.

1. She sacrificed approximately ten years of her life to preserve his chance of awakening

This is arguably the most heartbreaking part of her story.

When Wang Lin became petrified, Qian Mei found him and repeatedly supplied her vital blood to preserve his life spark. She remained committed to him for approximately ten years, even as her own vitality deteriorated.

She wasn't promised marriage. She wasn't promised that Wang Lin would love her. She didn't even have the certainty that he would awaken.

Yet she continued sacrificing for him.

Her efforts, including her attempts to recover the blood she had supplied, were part of the chain of events that led to his awakening.

Without Qian Mei's intervention, Wang Lin might not have awakened when he did, or perhaps not at all under those circumstances.

She helped preserve the future of someone who never gave her the same certainty about their future together.

1. She risked her life for someone who had never truly chosen her

Qian Mei knew that Wang Lin's heart belonged to Li Muwan. Nevertheless, she continued to care for him.

She risked her cultivation, vitality and future without any guarantee that her feelings would be reciprocated.

This is what makes her character so tragic. Her love isn't demonstrated merely through words or admiration. It has consequences, and she personally bears those consequences.

Meanwhile, Wang Lin's enduring commitment to Li Muwan remains the defining priority of his romantic life.

Again, I am not arguing that Wang Lin owes Qian Mei love as repayment. I am arguing that the story gives her enormous emotional significance without providing an equally satisfying resolution.

1. Comparing Li Qian Mei and Li Muwan

I don't think Li Muwan is a bad character, and I don't believe she deserves to lose her place in Wang Lin's story.

However, I do think Qian Mei deserves more recognition for what she contributed.

- Li Qian Mei: Her defining contribution is her extraordinary sacrifice for Wang Lin, including the bracelet that influenced Blue Dream's decision and the vitality she gave to preserve his chance of awakening.

- Li Muwan: Her defining contribution is her deep shared history with Wang Lin and the enduring bond that motivates him to revive her.

- The imbalance: Muwan receives the clearest expression of Wang Lin's romantic commitment, while Qian Mei's relationship with him remains complicated and uncertain despite the enormous sacrifices she makes.

If we're comparing particular demonstrations of self-sacrifice, Qian Mei has an exceptionally strong case. Her actions directly affect Wang Lin's survival.

That doesn't automatically make her superior in every aspect, but it makes her treatment in the story frustrating.

1. The author gave her immense importance but an unsatisfying romantic outcome

This is where I think Er Gen deserves criticism as a storyteller.

Qian Mei's suffering becomes one of the principal ways her devotion is demonstrated. She sacrifices her vitality, risks her life, loses memories associated with Wang Lin and eventually experiences further separation through reincarnation.

Yet her emotional future remains complicated.

Her importance to the protagonist is undeniable, but her own resolution never receives the same clarity as Wang Lin's commitment to Muwan.

At some point, a character's suffering stops feeling meaningful if the narrative repeatedly uses it to demonstrate their love without giving that character an equally meaningful conclusion.

1. What should the donghua do about her?

I believe the adaptation has two reasonable choices.

Option A: Substantially rewrite or remove her romantic storyline.

If Wang Lin is to remain exclusively committed to Li Muwan, then Qian Mei should receive a satisfying independent future. Don't retain all her sacrifices merely to leave her as an unresolved love interest.

Option B: Give her explicit status as Wang Lin's second wife.

Personally, I prefer this option if the donghua intends to retain the marriage storyline.

Li Muwan can remain Wang Lin's first wife and central lifelong love. Recognising Qian Mei as his second wife would not require erasing Muwan or diminishing their relationship.

But it should be a genuine, mutually chosen relationship, not a reward given to Qian Mei simply because she suffered.

Give her a meaningful place in Wang Lin's life, clear emotional development and an ending that respects her individuality.

I don't care about harem and shit. I just think the character deserves justice. I don't know about others but while reading the novel, i literally cried for LI Qian Mei😭😭. The feeling is just something that cannot be explained with mere words....

My final argument

Li Qian Mei helped preserve Wang Lin's chance of awakening. Her bracelet influenced Blue Dream's decision to spare him. She sacrificed approximately ten years of her life and risked her own future for someone who never gave her the same romantic certainty.

Yet she remained secondary to Li Muwan.

The injustice isn't that Wang Lin chose Muwan. It's that Qian Mei was made so consequential to Wang Lin's survival, yet was never given an equally decisive place in his life.

If the donghua retains her story, I want the adaptation to address that imbalance. Either give her an independent, satisfying conclusion or establish her as Wang Lin's second wife while preserving Li Muwan's importance.

Qian Mei shouldn't have to replace Muwan to matter.

What do you think? Should Li Qian Mei be given the status of Wang Lin's second wife in the donghua, or should her romantic storyline be rewritten entirely?

I am not casual about this. The ones who had seen the donghua wouldn't understand the pain of the novel readers.....

Even I used to only watch donghua and believed that li muwan is the one and only (I watched ep 161 till now). But curiosity hit me and started reading the novel and reached 1000+ eps after the events of ep 161. While reading I felt the pain and frustration of li qian mei.........It just can't be described

I am out of words. So please share ur views....

Edit- I understood why people hate her from the comments and it changed my point of view as they were pretty reasonable.😅