Novels like Folk Taboos: I Cultivate Merit in the Mortal World
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Folk Taboos: I Cultivate Merit in the Mortal World, best match first.
- 1 The Taoist Corpse Slayer 道门斩尸人 When I was eighteen, everyone in my village died. I was born on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month, and some people said I had a yin fate. I didn’t believe in ghosts either, until strange events began happening to me. Corpse drivers, paper figures makers, corpse retrievers, curse casters, gu masters, and all kinds of zombies, vengeful ghosts, mountain spirits, and monsters. By chance, I learned various Taoist arts, and together with many friends, set out to uncover why Jiangjia Village 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Mysterious Resurgence: I'm Not the Ghost King 神秘复苏，我不是诡王 [Mild horror, somewhat Lovecraftian, no System, survival and growth, one female lead, not for the fainthearted] "This story is entirely fictional and does not reflect reality. Now, the mysteries begin to return..." Grandpa died with his eyes open. The day we carried his coffin up the mountain, I didn't dare look back, because the people carrying it... weren't human! A daily dose of occult weirdness: One ring of the bell, and all ghosts flee; one talisman stuck on, and evil spirits call you Dad 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 The Overpowered Heir: I Moonlight as a Ferryman in the Yellow Springs 超强继承者：我在黄泉兼职摆渡人 Our school has a famous apartment building. They say it was sealed off after the school was forced to close it because it was haunted. A few roommates and I were curious, so we went inside to investigate. To my dismay, some creature that was neither human nor ghost began following me! It claimed to be an official from the Underworld, commonly known as a ferryman, and had picked me to be its successor. Through schemes, sweet talk, and all kinds of tricks, I began walking the line between good and —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 The Cauldron Sect Seeks the Dao 鼎派寻道 Over the course of China's five thousand years of history, countless schools of the occult arts have emerged. This book follows Huang Youqing, who through a chance encounter grows from an obscure feng shui practitioner into a master who founds his own school. Drawn into the bureaucracy of the underworld, he begins a step-by-step quest to seek the Way between Heaven and Earth. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 Shamanism in the Northeast 东北出马 A small mountain village lies hidden deep in the forests of the Greater Khingan Range. On the surface, it seems like a paradise untouched by the world, but strange things happen there every day. Why did the ancestors build a village here? What secrets are the villagers deliberately concealing? Why do the villagers disappear all at once? And what is the true reason their families have lived in seclusion here for generations? As the village's only outsider, I can only follow Granny Shaman as she i 135Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 6 I Only Want to Solve Cases, Not Catch Ghosts 我只想破案，不想去捉鬼啊 [Fortune-telling and ghost hunting] + [Mystery-solving and crime investigation] + [No female lead] Li Caichen is a disciple of the Maoshan Taoist sect. One day, while telling fortunes at his stall, he predicts that Lu Chao will suffer a bloody misfortune that night. As a police officer, Lu Chao naturally doesn't believe him. But that evening, he receives an emergency call from a dead man and unexpectedly discovers a world of paranormal investigations. By chance, he joins Bureau 749, and from 85Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 The Strange Dao: From the Start, a Vengeful Spirit in the Marshal's Mansion 诡道，开局大帅府里的怨灵 [Supernatural + Suspense + Adventure] Yin soldiers crossing the border? I’ll draw talismans to trap them, borrow the incense offerings of the living, and force them to crawl back on their knees! Vengeful spirits haunting me? I’ll use copper coins to bind their souls and seal them in the earth’s ley lines. Feng shui curses? I’ll redirect the dragon veins and defy fate itself. In the chaotic Republic of China era, warlords carve up the land, yin soldiers march through, and living corpses roam by n —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 In This Life, I See My Past Life 我于今生观前世 The protagonist encounters his past lives in a dream. Only after unraveling the mystery of his time in the womb does he discover that he is nothing but an empty shell. Once his three souls return to his body, three powerful spirits press against his own will. He has no choice but to deal with monsters and outside intruders to strengthen himself, all while withstanding the weight of karma and fighting to stay alive! Whether it's a black dragon stirring up trouble, a corpse-nurturing ground in the —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Chronicles of Daoist Ghostly Affairs 道门鬼事录 When I was fourteen, my father passed away. At the same time, something strange happened: a tattoo appeared on my father’s face. By the next day, his body had vanished. The police investigated for a long time but found no answers, and the case became a mystery. Our family had lost its pillar overnight, so I had no choice but to go to Guangdong to find work. Four years later, my mother fell seriously ill. Since it was also the anniversary of my father’s death, I boarded a train home and met a str 861Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 10 The Guardian of Qin Shi Huang's Tomb 秦陵守墓人 A college student driven by financial hardship unexpectedly steps into the world of night shifts at a funeral home. From then on, he begins a legendary life out in the world, carrying the bloodline of the Qin Mausoleum's guardians. 103Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 Decoding the Spirits 解灵 Do you believe that souls really exist in this world? Have any of you ever encountered one? If you truly came face to face with a soul one day, would you be afraid? There are many strange and unusual things in this world. If you ever encounter a soul, please believe me: don’t be afraid. All things have a spirit; even grass and trees have feelings. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 My Undying-Bone Ancestor Is Neither Good nor Evil 我的不死骨老祖宗亦正亦邪 My Undying-Bone Ancestor Is Both Righteous and Evil Phoenix blood, the soul of a qilin, an undying bone, the Art of Immortality... A thousand-year-old conspiracy stirs once more, sending the world into turmoil. See how young Master Feng meets every move with a counter of his own! 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 In the Northeast, Everyone Has a Spirit Medium 东北都是出马仙 [Humorous and hilarious] + [Spirit-medium investigations] + [Mystery and the supernatural] + [No heroine] A weasel spirit seeks a heavenly title from Xiao Nan: "Do I look like a human or a god to you?" Xiao Nan replied, "You look like Zhu Bajie to me!" The weasel spirit froze, thinking, What an idiot. But a moment later, the weasel suddenly burst out laughing, saying: "I did it! I successfully got my heavenly title! Zhu Bajie is a god! Zhu Bajie is a god! He said I look like Zhu Bajie, which m 6.2kReads7.0Score39814d adds
- 14 Strange Tales of the Corpse Retrievers 捞尸诡闻 My grandfather was a corpse retriever. When he died, the waters of the river churned all night. In a single night, every chicken in the village died... 17Reads5.3Score—14d adds
- 15 Northeastern Spirit Medium: The Yellow Weasel Mourns the Dead 东北出马仙：黄仙哭丧 My dad beat a weasel to death. That night, outside our house, ghosts wailed and countless yellow weasels mourned... A three-foot red sash draped over the body, four beams and eight pillars forming a ladder to heaven. Three great roads meet in the center; nine sticks of incense honor the immortals and gods. The sky grows dark, chaos reigns in every direction. Whenever an age falls into turmoil, demons and evil spirits emerge, wearing human faces and worming their way into the halls of power. Some 156Reads6.4Score—14d adds
- 16 The Heaven-Mandated Ghost Tamer 天命驭鬼人 [Traditional · Supernatural · Suspense] I was born from a corpse, and the day I was born, my parents died because of me. Yin and yang clash, and my fate is marked by the Seven Killings. An orphan's grave, a green-clad sky lantern, Qin Mao shadow puppets, a portrait of a blood-eyed beauty… All the ghosts bow before me. Clad in a yellow robe, I wield wondrous powers. 253Reads5.9Score—14d adds
- 17 Grandma's Yin-Yang Eyes 奶奶的阴阳眼 When I was little, I didn’t understand anything. I just thought it was fun. I remember when Second Grandma died, even Second Grandpa, who slept beside her, didn’t know. But Grandma woke Dad up and told him to go pay his respects... 672Reads7.8Score10314d adds
- 18 The Heavenly Master Descends the Mountain: Others Read Faces, I Read Fate 天师下山：别人看相，我窥天命 The Netherworld infant Xiang Ling is born, delivered by underworld officials, with Black and White Impermanence guarding the gates and the Ten Great Nether Marshals patrolling the streets! The feng shui Xiang family suffers a devastating calamity and nearly faces extinction! Xiang Ling survives against all odds, finds shelter on Longhu Mountain, and becomes an heir to the Celestial Masters. Twenty years later, having mastered the mystic arts, Xiang Ling descends from Longhu Mountain to break evi 141Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 19 The Carefree Way of the Heavenly Master 逍遥天师道 Born to be a calamity, with a pure Yin body, Qiyue was coveted by evil spirits from the moment he was born, like the fabled monk Tang Sanzang. Fortunately, a Celestial Master from Longhu Mountain used the Golden Light Mantra to seal away a hundred ghosts and defy fate on his behalf. Eighteen years later, he is no longer a baby in need of protection. His mastery of thunder magic is taking shape, and he descends the mountain with a peachwood sword in hand, heir to the Orthodox Celestial Masters. 1Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 20 A Taoist Priest’s Guide to Exorcising Evil in the City 道士之都市驱邪 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Most Absurd Spirit Medium in History 史上最无厘头的出马仙 A modern urban ghost-hunting novel. Lighthearted and not scary, with a touch of madness, plenty of laughs, and a stress-relieving vibe. Perfect reading for after your mom, teacher, boss, or anyone else has chewed you out. The shameless protagonist doesn’t play by the rules when hunting ghosts. All sorts of outrageous, unexpected antics. 13Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 22 This Chuma Immortal Is Too Vicious 这个出马仙太凶狠了 My father had never once imagined, even as an adult, that he would have a child. Then one day, I came into the world and shattered that age-old belief for good. The thing is, I was born frail and sickly. It was only thanks to Chang Er Ye taking possession of me that I survived in this world. This is my extraordinary tale of spirit-medium tricks and supernatural dealings... 76Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 I Am the Heaven-and-Earth Spirit Medium 我乃天地出马仙 Handsome Fu Fei once lived an ordinary life, but fate had other plans: destined to become a spirit medium, he was forced onto a wondrous journey full of the unknown. Around the same time, strange events began happening one after another: eerie dreams, mysterious symbols appearing out of nowhere, and phenomena that science could not explain... Lost and afraid, Fu Fei met several companions who shared his unusual abilities. Together, they set out to uncover the secrets behind spirit mediums, unawa 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 A Collection of Strange Tales of Immortal Feuds 仙仇诡事集 [Comedy] + [Mild horror] + [Two male leads] + [A different story in each episode] I’m not a professional writer. I’m mainly here to tell stories, so please bear with my writing! Other people form bonds with immortals. I’m different. I made enemies with immortals… When I was thirteen and didn’t know any better, I killed a snake with a hoe. Later, while playing with my friends, I went catching rats in the rice paddies and accidentally caught a weasel worshipping the moon. As luck would have it, I 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 Feng Shui Master by Fate: Commanding Yin and Yang with the Five Thunder Palm 天命风水师：五雷掌阴阳 [Supernatural Ghost-Hunting | Feng Shui and Taoist Arts | Five-Thunder Righteous Technique | Hardcore Talisman Drawing | The Protagonist Won't Take Things Lying Down] The Lin family was once the world's foremost feng shui clan, able to alter fate and determine fortune, with kings and nobles vying for its favor. As the years passed, the family dwindled. Lin Tiancheng, the last heir of the Lin family, learned the clan's secrets from his grandfather at the age of six. Evil spirits emerge and strang 2kReads—Score12714d adds
- 26 The Ghost Valley Corpse Scripture 鬼谷尸经 A corpse the police can't move, and a farewell letter no ordinary person can understand. These two seemingly unrelated things lead to a secret that has driven occult practitioners mad throughout history. The five magical arts of western Hunan, Daoist yin-yang divination, feng shui formations, and the long-lost art of reading the veins of mountains and rivers... Keep reading, and you may find it hard to believe, yet everything fits together perfectly. Remember: Heaven sees all, and fate is p 21Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 27 I Cultivate the Ghost Path in the City 我在都市修鬼道 When Shi Yaoyang opened the secret door in his ancestral home, the bronze demon mask swallowed the last ray of sunlight. The boy whom the girls jokingly called a “bad-boy heartthrob” was now pressing a bloodstained peachwood sword to his own throat. A fierce ghost leered from the mirror, his childhood sweetheart Teng Shiyun lay unconscious in the middle of a blood-red talisman array, and the faint sobs of twin sisters drifted from the shadows. The neon lights of the modern city collided with a t 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 Master of Exorcism 镇邪先生 These days, there aren't many people with real skills left. I've been in this line of work for more than ten years, dealing with the dead every day. Carrying corpses, painting faces, stitching skin, keeping watch, probing the water, digging graves, performing rites, guiding spirits, and sealing coffins. My grandfather told me I could retire at thirty. But I cast a fortune for myself, and learned that I only have thirty years to live. With what little time I have left, I'll tell you all about my 20Reads7.4Score—14d adds
- 29 Maoshan Occultist: Tales of the Underworld and Evil 茅山诡术师：幽冥话邪 Maoshan's arcane arts have returned to the world, as demons and evil spirits run rampant. What bloody storm will rise this time? In this cruel world, with its tumultuous lives, who will pay for each and every blood debt? Behind the layers of eerie schemes, who is righteous, and who is evil? I, Fang Gui, have a strange past. By chance, I was drawn into a spiritual calamity. How can I break free of this trap? How can I defy fate and change my destiny? Gather spirits, exterminate evil, and dispel c 362Reads7.0Score—14d adds
- 30 Notes of a Spirit Medium: I Set KPIs for My Spirit Hall 出马仙笔记我制定堂仙考核KPI [Humorous] [Supernatural] [Spirit Medium] [No System] [Not a Wish-Fulfillment Novel] [Treasure Hunt] [Growth] [Defying Fate] I died after falling for a beauty’s trap, but then I came back to life. I even got to experience a trip to the underworld. What’s it like down there? Look, there’s a young lady standing by a pink doorway up ahead, dressed in something so revealing it looks ready to burst. She’s waving at me. “Hey, handsome, wanna come have some fun?” But I’m a model young man. “Go have fun 28Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Yin and Yang Talent 天赋阴阳 [Supernatural + Mystery + Naturally Gifted with Yin-Yang Eyes] Ghosts are not quite ghosts, and immortals are not quite immortals. Everything changed after my grandfather died… The world knows the Five Arts of the Daoist tradition: mountain, medicine, fate, physiognomy, and divination. But what are the Gifted? They are the very source of the Five Arts. Yet times change, people are no longer what they once were, and the Heavenly Way has fallen into disorder as undercurrents surge… The Gifted went 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Daily Yin-Yang Eyes: Memoirs of a Spirit Medium! 天天阴阳眼，出马回忆录！ A childhood blood-brotherhood oath opened the door to a whole new world! I unexpectedly discovered that I had the Yin-Yang Eyes! A jade pendant took a calamity meant for me, then mysteriously shattered! My aunt brought a whole hall of immortals to recruit me as their spirit medium! A nine-tailed fox stayed by my side. Let’s see how I stay true to my original purpose! A collection of eerie tales from my years as a spirit medium! 519Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 33 The Ultimate Feng Shui Master 极品风水师 I'm a master of feng shui and esoteric arts, able to divine the secrets of fate. There's nothing I don't know, nothing I'm not good at! Smoking, drinking, eating, drinking, and having fun: it's not that I don't want to quit. Sigh, a person in this world has no choice but to go with the flow! 80Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 34 Ghost: This Vital Energy Packs a Punch 鬼：这真气有力气 Awakening in the middle of the night, Qiu Zhen discovered that he was sharing a bed with a blood-faced ghost, while his roommates had already been slaughtered. In desperation, he threw a punch and shattered the vengeful spirit. This is written in third person. The tags can't be changed after the contract is signed. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 The Northeast Ma Family 东北“马”家 Do you know what a spirit horse is? Do you know what a spirit hall is? Do you know who the guardian spirits of the Northeast are? Do you know the Four Beams and Eight Pillars? Do you know the Qingfeng spirits? Whether you do or not, this book will lead you through a strange doorway and introduce you to the world of spirit mediums in Northeast China. For the first twenty-five years of my life, I thought I was just an utterly ordinary speck of dust in this little county town. I never imagined that 51Reads9.1Score—14d adds
- 36 Maoshan's Greatest Celestial Master 茅山最强天师 [Supernatural + Urban Fantasy + Maoshan Taoist Arts + One Heroine] “Maoshan disciple Ye Qing travels the world alone, sweeping across the mortal realm with his mastery of Maoshan Taoist arts.” He slays wraiths, battles evil gods, destroys ghosts and monsters, and vanquishes corpse kings. Witness a generation’s Celestial Master of Maoshan wield secret Taoist arts with one hand, shaking the four corners of the world and reigning supreme beneath heaven. 1.4kReads—Score—14d adds
- 37 The Fox Immortal Seeks a Title: I Said You Look Like My Future Wife 狐仙讨封：我说你像我未来的老婆 The white fox who once snuggled under the covers with me came to ask me to grant her a human form. I said: “You look like my future wife: a tempting face and figure, a slender waist, soft breasts, peach-round hips, fair skin, stunning looks, and long legs. You're even more beautiful than a nine-tailed fox spirit descended to the mortal world.” 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 Six Relics to Banish Evil 六器渡邪 On a stormy night, the evil box passed down through my family shattered on its own, and I became a wanted fugitive accused of several murders. My only chance of survival was to recover the six cursed artifacts scattered across the Lin family. But they weren't treasures. They were instruments of torture, each one imprisoning the soul of someone our ancestors had tortured into becoming an artifact. Soul-harvesting rice from the Hungry Ghost Realm, a mending needle used to sew together a hundred —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 The Underworld Longevity Bureau 黄泉长生局 [Mystery + Tomb Raiding + Adventure + Ghost Hunting] They say the Yellow Springs are crawling with ghosts and demons. Once I raise my yellow talisman and form a hand seal, I'll wipe them all out. From three-eyed ghost lice and the Fish Kingdom tomb to the Ten-Thousand-Pearl Snake Woman... Li Que, a little nobody of the Daoist sect, and Fatty get caught up in a vast scheme for immortality. As the saying goes: “In paper shoes, I tread into the Yellow Springs; through the gloom of life and death, I 224Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 40 Notes from a Century-Old Spirit Medium’s Hall 百年堂口出马笔记 When I was seven, I accidentally discovered a secret that had been locked away in my grandfather's drawer for decades. From that moment on, my life was never ordinary again. The spirit hall passed down in my family for centuries chose me as its incense-bearing disciple. During those decades of silence, the world outside changed beyond recognition. But the story of me and all the immortals in the hall was only just beginning. How will these once-mighty immortals, with my guidance, accumulate meri 107Reads8.9Score—14d adds
- 41 The Daoist Arts Compendium: Flirting with Ghosts in the Underworld 道术灵册我在冥界调戏鬼 Supernatural and bizarre incidents keep happening, along with the use of all kinds of talismans, spells, and Taoist arts. Follow me, Lin Feng, as I promote traditional Chinese Taoism. Lin Feng was raised from childhood by his grandfather, Lin Yousheng, a renowned Taoist priest. The story takes place in a small town in the 1980s and 1990s. Before turning thirteen, Lin Feng had little interest in his grandfather's identity as a Taoist priest, but at thirteen, he began his journey down the Taoist p 3Reads—Score114d adds
- 42 The Great Master of the Ma Yi School 麻衣大相师 I was born on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month. My grandfather, a feng shui master, never let me go outside after dark when I was little. Then one day, he had to leave the house… 234Reads8.6Score—14d adds
- 43 The Eerie Coffin in Deep Waters 深水诡棺 When I was ten, I fell into a well. Deep in the water was a coffin. After I saw it, I was plagued by nightmares and fell ill. My grandfather gave me a piece of deadwood to protect my life, and I miraculously recovered! From then on, strange and supernatural events followed one after another, and all kinds of mythical beasts from the Classic of Mountains and Seas came after me! Even stranger, a mysterious neighbor moved in next door. He was fair-skinned, beautiful, and long-legged, with a mastery 191Reads8.8Score—14d adds
- 44 The Eerie Game: From the Start, I Picked Up a Top-Tier Star 诡异游戏：开局捡个顶流女星 [Horror game + dark tone + unscrupulous tactics + Infinite Flow + one female lead] Could the strange creature Gu Changqing brought out of a haunted villa really be a top-tier star and a high-level player in the horror game? And does she really need to form a "deep connection" with Gu Changqing and devour his "life essence" to maintain her human form...? 9Reads8.0Score—14d adds
- 45 My Years as a Spirit Medium, Part 2 我当出马仙的这些年2 A year after the calamity that struck once every thousand years had finally stabilized, who could have guessed that upheaval was quietly brewing in the shadows? As the order of the Heavenly Dao was reshaped, species that should never have existed began appearing in the human world. When a woman nearing the end of her lifespan came to seek help, a ten-year struggle officially began... An evil aura that devours lifespans, descendants of the blood-sucking zombie Jiang Chen, and eight books of curse 126Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 46 I Know a Few Ghost Tricks 我会点鬼术 A hundred years a ghost, ten years a good man. My name is Bai Yaoyao. In this world overrun by vengeful ghosts and monsters, all I want is to tend my little paper funerary shop and live in peace. But my meager ghostcraft seems to keep getting me into enormous trouble. With no other choice, if I want to survive, I’ll have to hone this little bit of ghostcraft to perfection! 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 Peering into Immortality: The Eye That Sees Through Illusions 窥仙：破妄之眼 Gu Xian, a college student, never imagined that his closest roommate would vanish completely from everyone's memories overnight. His classmates don't remember him, he's missing from the photos, and even their social media history has been erased. Gu Xian is the only person in the world who remembers that he ever existed. At that moment, a pale blue-white light blazed in Gu Xian's eyes. He saw another face of the world: the hidden realm of cultivation, concealed beneath ordinary cities and foreve —Reads—Score18214d adds
- 48 Unemployed from the Start, I Can Only Survive by Swallowing Ghosts Whole 开局失业，只能生吞鬼物维持生活 [Spiritual Qi Revival + Supernatural City Life + Leveling Up + Almost Invincible + Everyday Life] Spiritual qi has revived across the globe, and the world is no longer at peace. Demons and gods lurking in legends have appeared once more. Xie Wunan is an ordinary office worker, yet he was born with Daoist eyes that let him see yin and yang and communicate with ghosts and gods. A tiger-head jade plaque gave him a new title: [General Who Subdues Spirits]. From then on, however, he also encountered 162Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 49 A Lifelike Journey: Studying the Tao and Slaying Evil as an Apprentice 栩栩如生之拜师学道斩妖邪 Black mist swirls day and night at the mouth of the Ten Thousand Souls Cave, unleashing a supernatural catastrophe that throws both the mortal world and the underworld into turmoil. Lin Xu, a feng shui master, wields a bronze sword to ward off evil and uses a compass to detect danger. Along with the hapless Ma Mingyu, the spirit fox Bai Ling, the sentient Tanggao, and the jittery Maozaojing, he enters this forbidden place filled with vengeful spirits. The bone-corroding vines ensnare people and 189Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 The Delivery Guy's Guide to Changing His Fate 外卖小哥改命指南 By day, he’s a lowly delivery rider. By night, he reads fortunes. Amid the everyday hustle and bustle of the city, he helps gods, monsters, and ordinary citizens defy fate and rewrite their destinies, all while turning himself into a legend. —Reads—Score—14d adds
