The Swordsman Lady Takes Her Time

The Swordsman Lady Takes Her Time is a long Eastern fantasy novel by the web author Guan Guan Gongzi, serialized on Qidian from October 1, 2022 to its completion on March 1, 2024, totaling roughly 3.03 million Chinese characters. The protagonist, Ye Jingtang, is reborn in the body of an infant in the Great Wei dynasty as the son of the last Tianlang Prince and the adopted son of the escort Pei Yuanfeng; from childhood he hones an extraordinary physique through the secret methods of the Yechi clan, and a snow eagle is his constant companion. With astonishing aptitude he creates his own martial art, the Nine Phoenixes Facing the Sun, and wanders the jianghu while holding multiple identities, including deputy commander of the Black Court and guardian of the Pingtian Sect, maneuvering along both the court and the martial-world fronts. The core of the story's worldview is the legendary Minglong Scroll: a wondrous book obtained by the founding emperor of Wu a thousand years earlier was split into nine parts scattered across the jianghu; the first six correspond to sinew, bone, skin, and vital essence and spirit, while the last three lead to the realms of refining qi into spirit, refining spirit back to void, and refining void into the Dao, and the various factions scheme openly and secretly to obtain them. In pursuing the scrolls and uncovering his origins, Ye Jingtang meets many captivating women, including Luo Ning, wife of the Pingtian Sect leader; Pei Xiangjun, head of the Red Flower House; and the Empress of Great Wei, and with the Chi Dragon Saber and the Minglong Spear he earns a place on the world's martial rankings. The book recounts gratifying vengeance in a brisk, humorous tone, with expressive fight scenes and warm everyday moments, and ends with the protagonist giving up ascension for the women he loves and quelling a chaotic age. It is one of Guan Guan Gongzi's representative works after The Notorious Heir and The Notorious Fairy.