The Side Door of the Sword Sect

Chou A ChouQidian2020

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Word count: 2.2M words

Summary

The Heaven-Rending Sword Sect dominates through its swordsmanship. Su Li, an eight-year-old novice Daoist, accidentally activates an old ring, and under the guidance of the soul Elder Chi within it awakens the memories of a doctor from Earth in a previous life. Though he belongs to the sword sect, his talent for swordsmanship is dreadful, so he turns to talismans and other side paths. With a mature, steady temperament and a gift for talismans, Su Li becomes the disciple of Old Daoist Gu Zhaozi, whose time is nearly up, and makes his way through the cultivation world using support techniques, getting caught up in the demon calamity, the divine-way legacy, and other upheavals—even being taken by mortals for a peerless fiend when he gathers sword wings. In the end he steers the sword sect away from the traditional sword way and founds the Sword Cliff Sect, becoming a legend after ten thousand years.

Editor's review

This is a light, trope-defying xianxia novel in which the protagonist rises not through swordsmanship but through talismans and support abilities, paired with the mindset of a middle-aged uncle, which makes for an entertaining read. It suits readers who enjoy light cultivation, sect management, and side-path settings. The weaknesses are a slow-burn growth path for the protagonist, a weakened orthodox sword-sect line, combat that is less immediately satisfying than pure sword-cultivator fiction, and a pace that loosens somewhat once the divine-way and heavenly-realm plots unfold later on.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers who like light, humorous cultivation novels
Those who prefer talismans, formations, and other side-path settings
Readers who enjoy sect-focused development and management
Web novel fans who want a trope-defying protagonist

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking pure sword-cultivator wish-fulfillment
Readers who dislike slow-burn setup
Readers who prefer serious, weighty cultivation worldbuilding

Reading tips

Read the first ten chapters to get a feel for the protagonist's middle-aged outlook and the fun of the talisman path before deciding to finish it
Pay attention to the details of the talisman system and sect development—this is the book's core distinction from ordinary sword-cultivator fiction
The pace picks up in the later divine-way and heavenly-realm sections; skim the transitional chapters and hold on to the main thread

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 sword-cultivator novel?

Nominally it is set in a sword sect, but the protagonist has poor sword talent and mainly follows the side path of talismans.

Is the protagonist a transmigrator?

Yes, he is a novice of the sword sect who awakens the memories of a doctor from Earth in a previous life and cultivates with an adult's mindset.

Is the book complete?

Yes, 810 chapters, about 2.17 million characters.

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About the author

Chou A Chou Author

Chou A Chou is a web-fiction author whose publicly available information is limited; details such as birth and death years and nationality are not known. The library currently holds eight of the author's works, including Jian Zong Pang Men, This Demon Sect Is No Place to Stay, Xuanmen Bu Zhengzong, Peerless Star Rider, Transfinite Irregulars, and The World's Expedition. These titles show that the author writes across fantasy, xianxia and wuxia, and science fiction, mainly for male readers and often in the categories of premium fiction and quality web novels. Terms such as "sword sect," "demon sect," and "mysterious gate" in the titles point to a preference for traditional cultivation and sect themes, while Peerless Star Rider, Transfinite Irregulars, and The World's Expedition suggest an extension into science fiction. Overall, Chou A Chou is an author who writes across genres and works mainly through online serialization.