Cleansing the Heart, Asking the Sword 2
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Summary
By now Dunhuang, the gateway to the Western Regions, has become the front line in the struggle between Tang and Tubo for dominance in the Hexi Corridor. Storms are gathering, and dark clouds loom. Just as Ye Ying waits at Leiyin Temple outside Dunhuang for his contact, a Tubo detachment launches a surprise attack on the place.
Ye Ying is drawn unwittingly into a battle between mysterious swordsmen from the Western Regions and Balhae over an ancient secret treasure. Mired in treachery and broken promises, he can resist only with a pure heart; the gifted swordsman from Jiangnan begins a new stage of his life's training in this remote land.
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers who admire Yan Leisheng's cold, profound style and seek depth in wuxia literature
- Readers weary of conventional wuxia formulas and eager for more psychological portrayal and philosophical reflection
- Readers who appreciate slow-burn storytelling and enjoy layered plotting and character complexity
- Those interested in the fusion of classical Chinese cultural imagery with modern narrative techniques
Not a good fit for
- Wuxia fans seeking fast pacing, high-intensity continuous combat, and simple good-versus-evil oppositions
- Casual readers looking for light entertainment and complete relaxation
Reading tips
- It is recommended to start with the first volume, Washing the Heart, Asking the Sword, to better understand the character relationships and story background.
- While reading, pay attention to the symbolic meanings of "sword" and "heart," which are key to understanding the themes.
- Yan Leisheng's prose is dense; slow down and savor the wit in dialogue and the atmosphere built in scene descriptions.
About the publisher
New Star Press focuses on classic works, mystery and detective fiction, science fiction, history, foreign literature and art, and its 602 titles in the library show a balance between popular reading and humanistic depth. Representative books include The Complete Works of Shakespeare: Illustrated Collector's Edition, And Then There Were None, Murder on the Orient Express, The Player of Games, Local Government in Qing China, A Good Man Is Hard to Find and A Collection of Fine Ukiyo-e Prints, spanning classic literature, detective fiction, science fiction, local history and visual art. Its authors and contributors include William Shakespeare, Agatha Christie and Iain M. Banks, as well as translators such as Zhu Shenghao and Su Fuzhong and illustrators such as John Gilbert and George Cruikshank. Known for the detective series Midnight Library and for social-science and humanities titles, the press emphasizes edition design and reading experience; public information is limited, so this profile highlights the publishing features reflected in the library's books.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 序
- 一
- 二
- 三
- 四
- 五
- 六
- 七
- 八
- 九
- 十
- 十一
- 十二
- 十三
- 十四
- 十五
- 尾声
FAQ
Can I understand the second volume without having read the first?
Is this book's wuxia style closer to Jin Yong or Gu Long?
How many volumes are expected in this series?
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About the author
Yan Leisheng, whose real name is Zhang Jian, was born in 1970 in Linping, Hangzhou, Zhejiang. A contemporary Chinese author, he writes mainly fantasy, wuxia and science fiction. His novel series Tian Xing Jian is among his better-known works, and he has also written the Dao Zhe Wuxin series and Zhen Guan You Ming Tan, while exploring such genres as otherworldly continents and suspenseful mystery. Twelve of his works are carried in the library, including Tian Lei Wu Wang: Selected Science Fiction by Yan Leisheng, Yan Lei Guai Tan, Alien Invasion, and the official novel series for the wuxia online game Jian Wang 3. His short story Plague received a Galaxy Award readers' nomination, and since 2014 he has served as vice chairman of the Zhejiang Internet Writers Association. His writing combines the narrative rhythm of traditional wuxia with the imagination of science fiction and fantasy, spanning a wide range of subjects with a style that leans toward the bizarre and the suspenseful.
The Sword Net 3 Project Team (Jianwang 3 Project Team) is the official team behind the 3D wuxia MMORPG Sword Net 3 (Jianwang 3), developed by the Xishanju studio of Kingsoft and launched in August 2009. Under this institutional byline, the team is credited with the official Sword Net 3 novel series, including Cui Qiang Wen Shei, Xi Xin Wen Jian and Feng Xiao Chang Ning, produced in collaboration with writers such as Yan Leisheng. Drawing on the game's worldview, these works belong to the otherworld-continent and wuxia fiction genres, centering on jianghu conflicts, sect figures and weapon-related stories; ten titles are currently held in the collection. Public information is limited: the name denotes not an individual author but a collective byline responsible for the writing and publication of official tie-in fiction. The writing continues the game's wuxia tone, emphasizing sect settings and character threads, offering novelized supplements to the game's background lore for readers familiar with the title.
