Chronicle of Heavenly Punishment

Tian Xing Ji (Chronicle of Heavenly Punishment) is a long-form classical xianxia novel by the Anhui author Yeguang, following his previous work Wu Xian (Without Immortals). Serialized on Zongheng Chinese Network starting September 8, 2015, the completed work runs to roughly 4.98 million characters across more than 1,500 chapters, making it one of Yeguang's longest representative works. The title evokes "the rules of heaven and the inheritance of civilization from one era to the next." The novel is divided into two parts: the first set in Shenzhou, the second shifting overseas, each structured around an unexpected conclusion. The story unfolds through the eyes of the scholar Wujiu—once the son of a general, he fell on hard times and settled in Qijia Village in Fenghua Valley, scraping by as a teacher. A chance encounter with Zi Yan, a female cultivator from Lingxia Mountain, draws him into the world of cultivation, and from there he is repeatedly deceived, hunted, and dragged into sect conflicts, enduring bitter training to survive against desperate odds while drifting back and forth between the mortal realm and the immortal path. Unlike the somber, reflective tone of Wu Xian, this book deliberately takes a light, lively approach: the protagonist is down-to-earth, free-spirited, and occasionally feigns madness or foolishness, and through his voice the author shares his views on human nature, loyalty, and the way of heaven, letting readers draw their own conclusions while enjoying the ride. The book introduces three original tiered systems—cultivation (Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Human Immortal, Earth Immortal, Flying Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, Dao Ancestor), the ghost clan (first- through ninth-life ghost shamans), and the demon clan (nine orders of demonic arts). The scope is expansive, with the plot driven mainly by wandering adventures and a leveling-and-flight storyline.