A Thousand Li

The Sundering Blade: A Thousand Li World Novel by Tao Wong follows Cheng Zhao Wan, a renowned sword prodigy newly raised to Elder status in the Verdant Green Waters sect, as he is compelled to repay an old debt. Summoned by a gravely injured benefactor to track down an unknown attacker, Cheng must navigate the politics and secrets of a small, unfamiliar sect where loyalties and motives are uncertain. Set in a xianxia-inspired world of cultivation, martial arts, and Daoist reflection, the story emphasizes both intense magical combat and Cheng’s growing awareness that insight and judgment can matter as much as sword skill. This standalone prequel offers a younger Master Cheng in an earlier era of war, monsters, and karmic consequences.

The First Step (A Thousand Li, #1) by Tao Wong follows Wu Ying, a young man from a rural village in historical China, who is unexpectedly conscripted into the army. Presented with the chance to join the Verdant Green Waters Sect, Wu Ying faces a choice between his simple farming life and the demanding path of a cultivator. This fantasy novel explores themes of martial arts training, cultivation, and encounters with spirit beasts within an Asian-inspired setting. The story marks the beginning of Wu Ying’s journey toward immortality in a world shaped by action and adventure.

The First Stop by Tao Wong continues the story of Long Wu Ying, now an inner sect disciple of the Verdant Green Waters, as he confronts the practical and philosophical demands of immortal cultivation. Faced with choosing a secondary occupation among alchemy, blacksmithing, medicine, and martial specialization, Wu Ying must decide how his skills and ambitions align with his developing dao. At the same time, rising tensions between rival states draw his sect toward open war, forcing Wu Ying and his friends into dangerous preparations that test their training, loyalty, and resolve. Blending progression fantasy, martial arts, and Chinese-inspired cultivation, this second volume in the A Thousand Li series follows a young cultivator learning to define his place in a world of spirit beasts, powerful elders, and escalating conflict.

The First War by Tao Wong continues the xianxia cultivation saga of A Thousand Li as armies from Wei advance on the state of Shen, placing Wu Ying’s rural home directly in their path. As winter ends and open conflict looms, the young cultivator is urged to avoid the fighting and focus on his path toward immortality, yet his loyalty to family and village pulls him toward the battlefield. Martial arts, spirit beasts, and immortal techniques unfold against a backdrop of large-scale war, forcing Wu Ying to weigh destiny and personal advancement against the immediate dangers facing those he cares about. This progression fantasy volume deepens the series’ themes of duty, power, and the cost of cultivation in a mythic China-inspired setting.

In The Second Expedition, Tao Wong continues the A Thousand Li series with Wu Ying facing a more personal and urgent trial. A winter meant for quiet cultivation ends when his master returns poisoned by the rare and lethal Three Seasons toxin, forcing Wu Ying to join Elder Yang on a hazardous mission to secure the scarce ingredients for an antidote. Their route through the State of Wei is already perilous, but hidden enemies and an impending sect conflict turn the expedition into a test of martial skill, spiritual growth, and loyalty. Blending progression fantasy, Chinese-inspired cultivation, and young adult adventure, the novel deepens its world of spirit beasts, magic, and war-torn alliances.

In The Second Sect, Tao Wong continues the A Thousand Li series with Wu Ying recovering from a devastating injury that has altered his body, awakened his bloodline, and disrupted his cultivation. Sent away from Verdant Green Water to a different sect in search of healing, he faces both new opportunities for advancement and renewed threats from the dark sect that once targeted his master. As war spreads and rival factions maneuver for power, Wu Ying and his companions must weigh their pursuit of immortality against the demands of loyalty, politics, and survival. This installment deepens the progression fantasy elements of cultivation, martial arts, and spirit beasts within a Chinese-inspired setting.

The Second Storm by Tao Wong continues the A Thousand Li series in a war-torn fantasy version of ancient China, where the conflict between Shen and Wei has only grown more brutal. Wu Ying, now a more seasoned cultivator, is driven to act when his martial sister Fairy Yang is abducted in a targeted strike against the Verdant Green Waters Sect. His pursuit draws him into dangerous sect rivalries, hidden schemes, and a carefully laid trap that tests both his cultivation and his principles. Blending progression fantasy, martial arts action, and spirit beasts with the darker costs of war, this installment deepens the series’ exploration of power, loyalty, and the price of choosing one’s path.

The Third Kingdom by Tao Wong continues the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series as Long Wu Ying faces exile from the Verdant Green Waters Sect after disobeying its Elders. Cast out into a wider world of rival cultivators, shifting court politics, and unfamiliar kingdoms, he must refine his martial skills and spiritual path without the support of his former sect. As he revisits places from his past and confronts new threats, including hostile sects and dangerous spirit beasts, Wu Ying struggles to stabilize his dao and advance toward immortality. Set against a backdrop inspired by historical China, this young adult-leaning cultivation novel blends adventure, magic, and war with the methodical growth typical of wuxia and xianxia traditions.

The Third Realm by Tao Wong continues Wu Ying’s cultivation journey as he leaves the familiar borders of the kingdom of Shen and encounters a wider, more complex world. Traveling through distant lands, he observes contrasting systems of rule in villages, kingdoms, and powerful immortal sects, each shaped by its own understanding of order and authority. While tracking the elusive Heaven’s Wind and the mysteries it represents, Wu Ying is forced to reconsider his beliefs about power, destiny, and his relationship to the heavens themselves. This progression fantasy blends martial arts, magic, and political nuance in an Asian-inspired setting where personal advancement is inseparable from the conflicts shaping the realm.

In The Third Cut, Tao Wong continues his xianxia cultivation saga as Wu Ying travels south into the troubled kingdom of Nanyue to investigate a spreading spiritual blight. Spirit stones across the region have been tainted by warped daos, threatening the balance of the wider world if the corruption is not contained. Guided by the wind of heaven and accompanied by allies both familiar and newly met, Wu Ying must test his cultivation, martial skills, and understanding of dao against increasingly dangerous foes and distorted powers. Set against a backdrop of war-touched lands and magical creatures, this ninth volume in A Thousand Li deepens the series’ focus on progression, moral choice, and the cost of power in a richly imagined Chinese-inspired fantasy landscape.

A Thousand Li: the Fourth Stage: An Epic Progression Fantasy Novel by Tao Wong follows Wu Ying as he returns to the Verdant Green Waters sect after exile. Now an Elder without the usual credentials, Wu Ying faces rivalry and uncertainty about his role within the sect. Struggling with lingering cultivation injuries, he must rely on the sect’s resources to recover and solidify his position before pursuing further ascension. The story explores themes of change, power dynamics, and the challenges of immortality in a fantasy setting.

The Fourth Fall by Tao Wong continues Wu Ying’s path toward immortality as politics, cultivation, and war collide. Summoned for his strength and reputation, the former farmer turned Head of the Wandering Gatherers finds himself navigating uneasy alliances between the kingdoms of Wei and Shen as they confront the aggressive kingdom of Cai amid a devastating drought. As martial cultivators, rulers, and rival factions maneuver for advantage, Wu Ying must weigh moral conviction against harsh necessity in a world where power often speaks through the sword. This eleventh volume in the xianxia progression fantasy series deepens its Chinese-inspired setting with escalating conflict, intricate diplomacy, and the mounting costs of pursuing the dao.

In A Thousand Li: the Fourth Wall, Tao Wong concludes his long-running xianxia progression fantasy with Wu Ying facing the aftermath of victory that has cost him nearly everything. The tyrant of Cai lies defeated, but Wu Ying’s cultivation is ruined, his body gravely damaged, and his path to immortality seemingly closed. Forced to rely on allies and hard-won experience, he retraces the stages of his martial and spiritual growth, testing old assumptions about power, duty, and destiny. Set against a backdrop of war, magic, and dangerous monsters in a fantastical vision of ancient China, this final volume follows a young cultivator’s struggle to rebuild himself before his injuries end his story for good.