Book of Troubled Times

Ji ChaQidian2022

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Word count: 3M words

Summary

Modern college student Zhao Changhe has long been plagued by the same nightmare: fighting with a blade in a bloody era of chaos, only to have his throat cut by a bewitching woman every time. Seeking relief, he walks into a small fortune-telling shop called "Troubled Times House" on Student Street. Guided by the mysterious female proprietor, he draws a card and enters a dream, gains abilities such as "Eyes in the Back," and unexpectedly transmigrates into a martial-arts world where the Heavenly Dao is already dead. He lands right in the middle of a village massacre by the Blood God Cult, is rescued by the chivalrous woman Yue Hongling, and takes shelter at the Luo Family Manor, only to be dragged into a greater storm when the demon cult attacks. From then on, Zhao Changhe carries a long blade on his shoulder and a wine gourd at his waist, carving out his place amid the conflicts of the Four Symbols Cult, the Great Xia Imperial Court, the Qinghe Cui Clan, and other powers, rising all the way to the pinnacle of martial arts.

Editor's review

A mature work by Ji Cha, with concise, cold-edged prose that interweaves jianghu flavor and black humor. The opening builds a strong hook with the obsession of being throat-cut by a bewitching woman; the early survival-oriented oppression is palpable, and the pace accelerates once the ensemble cast and power struggles unfold in the middle-to-late sections, with brisk fights and vivid characters. Weaknesses: the romance line is heavy and plainly written, and some readers may find the harem development too dense; the book is long, and the mid-section shifts between factions can tire serial followers. Overall, suited to readers who like traditional jianghu flavor combined with xuanhuan progression.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like Eastern xuanhuan blended with jianghu wuxia
Readers who prefer decisive, ruthless protagonists and fast-paced growth
Readers who enjoy ensemble casts and multi-faction power struggles

Not a good fit for

Readers who dislike harem and multiple confidantes
Readers who prefer slow-paced literary narratives

Reading tips

Endure the survival-oriented oppressive atmosphere for the first twenty chapters; the pace picks up noticeably once the Luo Family Manor and Four Symbols Cult lines begin.
Watch for foreshadowing such as card drawing and the nine-page heavenly book; they run through the whole book, and rereading the opening will yield new insights.
If you dislike dense romance, focus on the martial-arts system and faction maneuvering; skipping daily interactions will not affect the main plot.

About the publisher

Qidian

Qidian is a platform whose catalogue brings together online literature, with about 45,000 titles in the library spanning categories such as male-oriented fiction, Eastern fantasy, xianxia and wuxia, science fiction, selected fiction and quality web novels. Representative titles include Reincarnation Paradise, War Soldier Leon, The Fairy Is Fierce (also known as Tai Mang), The Expert Is Right Beside Me, Dragon Herder, You Should Cross the Mountains Like a Hero, The Adventures of a Clever Girl and Summoning Heroes of All Ages in Another World, with themes extending from fantasy and xianxia to science fiction and adventure. Representative authors available in the library include Na Yi Zhi Wen Zi, Chi Gua Zi Qun Zhong, Guan Guan Gong Zi, Chenxing LL, Luan, Chen Mo De Ai, Piao Yi Dao Zhang and Dong Tian Bu Leng. Their works mostly appear as serialized web fiction aimed at readers who prefer long genre fiction. Public information on its founding background and scale is limited, so no inferences are made here; the description is based solely on the library's titles and categories.

FAQ

Is this a harem novel?

Yes. The protagonist has multiple confidantes, and the romance line takes up a significant portion; those who mind should be cautious.

Do I need to read other works by Ji Cha first?

No. This book's world and characters are standalone and can be read directly.

What is the protagonist's personality like?

Decisive and ruthless, with a bit of roguishness and humor; he values loyalty but is not pedantic, and shows no mercy to enemies.

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About the author

Ji Cha Author

Ji Cha is an author of online literature. Public information about the author is limited, and no clear records of nationality, birth or death are available; thirteen of the author's works are included in the collection. Judging from the existing works, the writing spans urban, xianxia and romance genres. These include entertainment-industry stories such as Han Yu Zhi Guang Ying Jiao Cuo and Si Nue Han Yu, xianxia titles such as Wen Dao Hong Chen and Xian Zi Qing Zi Zhong, and fantasy-tinged works such as Zhe Shi Wo De Xing Qiu and Luan Shi Shu. The works are often grouped under categories such as male-oriented fiction, urban fiction, xianxia fiction and female-oriented fiction, with some listed as premium fiction or high-quality web novels. Overall, Ji Cha tends to develop character relationships and emotional writing within genre frameworks, covers a fairly wide range of subjects, and has a certain readership on online reading platforms.