Novels like Born a Commoner
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Born a Commoner, best match first.
- 1 A Record of Splendor and Misty Rain 风华烟雨录 [Historical setting + light wuxia + lighthearted comedy + political intrigue] A handsome pavilion master who hides his true abilities, an exquisite divine physician who plays the pig to eat the tiger, a righteous young gentleman, and a wealthy heiress who spends lavishly. Four young people from very different walks of life meet and, each pursuing their own aims, set off together on a journey of their own. One step across the land, one step through the martial world. Conflict rages throughout the 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 Pure Wuxia: The Greatness of the Uncarved 纯武侠：大拙无锋 A Martial God has emerged from the jianghu of Jiangnan. They say his inner energy has reached perfection, its divine radiance hidden within. They say he can pluck a flower or leaf and use it to wound someone. They say one move, “Shadowless Through the Flowers,” shattered the century-old reputation of Flying Star Hall. Sect leaders from every corner are entranced by his plainspoken words, while the daughters of prestigious families revere him as the true god of martial arts. But only Chen Zhuo 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 The Heartburning Chronicles 焚心录 [Wuxia] [Ensemble Cast, Serious Drama] [Revenge, Political Intrigue, and Twists] [Mad, Cunning Characters] [Devoted Romantics] [Complete, With No Rushed Ending] On the day of the wedding, flames engulf the manor. The famed Xi Jian Mountain Manor is reduced to ashes overnight. A young man is forced to take up a sword, an orphan girl seeks vengeance in blood, and a mastermind behind the scenes stirs up the world. The fates of three people intertwine as the secrets of the battle in the Stone Fores —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 The Blade Has a Soul, and People Have Hearts 刀有魂，人有情 It turns out Jinghong was descended from the Quick Blade Sect, and could resonate with the sect's treasured legacy. Having mastered the Nineteen Generations of Jinghong, he was destined for greatness. Jinghong became a swordsman. His blade was ruthless, but he was warm-hearted. What path will he take, having known love but not hatred? That will be up to fate. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Don't Make Me Use My Past Life's Martial Arts on You 别逼我用前世武功打你 [No System + play the pig to eat the tiger + passion + wuxia] There’s more to this menial servant than meets the eye. The emperor says, “If we don’t kill him, I’ll never feel secure on the throne.” The eight great lords say, “If we don’t kill him, we won’t even be able to piss without bodyguards.” In his past life, he was a founding emperor with unmatched martial prowess, but a treacherous minister usurped his throne. Reborn into a new life, he has no strength at all. All he has to go on is a fo —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 Wuxia: A Soul-Reaping Yama Has Appeared in the Martial World 武侠：江湖上出现了一个索命阎罗 Written entirely by hand, with a slow build, no System, and pets. In the jianghu, everyone trembles at the mention of the life-taking King of Hell. Anyone he sets his sights on will be dead by midnight within three days. When the King of Hell says you will die at the third watch, he certainly won't let you live until the fifth. Rumor has it he's the disciple of Ghost-Fearing Sorrow, the king of assassins. Others say he's the young man in purple who uses the Reverse Sword Technique. Still more ru 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 7 A Lone Sword Wandering the Martial World 独剑行江湖 In the eighteenth year of the Hongxi era of Great Wei, the empire is prosperous and martial arts flourish throughout the jianghu. A strange case in the capital sets the jianghu in turmoil. Watch as a young man steps into this world, sword in hand, and roams the land. 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 Legend of the Greatest Swordsman 第一剑客传 Ye Chen was once a graceful young man from a family of martial artists. But when powerful enemies wiped out his family, he lost everything overnight. While fleeing, he was lucky enough to be rescued by a mysterious old man. Under the old man's guidance, he trained hard in martial arts, all so that one day he could kill his enemies with his own hands. Can he uncover the conspiracy and avenge his family? And can he hold on to his original ideals amid the tangled, chaotic world of the jianghu and f 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 I'm No Hero! 我不是大侠！ [Roadside Martial Arts] [Ensemble Cast] [Alternate World] “Dad, I want to be a great hero too, roaming the world and upholding justice!” “Thank you, great hero, for saving our lives!” Outside the dungeon, men and women, young and old, knelt together in the sunlight, bowing in heartfelt gratitude. The black-clad man slowly turned around. Red markings crept across his cheeks, and a crimson flame lotus on his forehead glowed like blood. “You’re thanking me too soon. I’m no great hero. I’m a blo 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 The Bright Moon of Yong 雍时明月 The Six Kingdoms have been pacified, and Great Yong has unified the realm. The nine sacred texts of antiquity lie shattered. The Confucians, Mohists, Daoists, Legalists, Diplomats, and countless other schools each hold fragments, their ideals at odds. Undercurrents surge through both the martial world and the imperial court, and conflict has never ceased. A boy from the streets was taken in as a child by a reclusive swordsman. In more than a decade, he learned only to recognize the warmth and co —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 Ink Painting of a Thousand Winds 墨画千风 Multiple storylines intertwine, and forces from all sides converge and collide in a traditional wuxia world with a clearly defined power system and a colorful cast of characters. There are scheming masterminds, unexpectedly adorable contrasts, clear-eyed figures who descend into darkness and go against the tide, powerful officials plotting for control of the realm, extraordinary people who calculate the mandate of heaven, and hidden actors who put themselves into the game. Protagonist Su Yan is —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 12 One Sheet of Yellow Paper Rules the World 一张黄纸定天下 That day, armies surged across the land, and the clash of weapons threw everything into chaos. That day, beacons blazed in the clouds as blood rained from the sky. From that day on, ghosts and monsters roamed the world, and the bizarre became commonplace... From that day on, every ruined temple and abandoned Taoist shrine became forbidden ground... From that day on, people became livestock, their true selves shackled... ...And so the world looked on as, with nothing but a sheet of yellow pap 27Reads—Score—Shelves
- 13 The Three-Five Tower, Wandering the Jianghu 云游江湖三五楼 In the martial world of ancient times, no weapons inspired more fear and renown than the Dragon Spring Blood Blade and the Wild Goose Feather Frost Saber. Heroes from across the land met in bloody struggles for fame and fortune, their flesh torn apart and their lives lost to the Yellow Springs. Why can the most ruthless and deranged villains repeatedly escape danger and continue to wreak havoc in the martial world, despite being hunted by so many righteous masters? What mysterious force helps a 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 The Inkstone Detective 砚探 In the spring of the Bingwu year, Lin Yan, a candidate from Jiangning, travels to the capital to sit the imperial examinations. In Hemp Rope Alley, he happens upon local bullies trying to seize property by force. When he steps in to help, he unexpectedly uncovers an old case from twenty years earlier: his father, Lin Ruhai, was falsely accused in the salt license scandal and demoted. To clear his father's name, Lin Yan abandons his hopes of earning distinction through the examinations. Starting —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 The Realm Is at Peace, the General Retires 山河稳，将军隐 (Content warnings: no golden finger, no wild fantasy, no transmigrate, no rebirth, no palace intrigue. A pure wuxia novel.) Lin Yuanyi thrives in the Embroidered Uniform Guard thanks to her unique skills, becoming, for a time, the man most feared in the Kingdom of Xiyan. Unfortunately, she falls for a man she shouldn't have. She uses every means at her disposal to win him, hoping to soften his heart with a lifetime of tenderness. In the end, however, they part ways, and their story ends in heart —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 The Strange Warriors of the Unorthodox Way 诡道奇兵 Eighteen years ago, a strange weapon nearly wiped out the Kongtong Sect. The sect leader was poisoned and left crippled, while the Second Elder and his wife were murdered! Eighteen years later, the Five Poisons have appeared once more, and the protagonist struggles to take revenge. Who is good and who is evil? It is impossible to tell. The martial world is once again awash in bloodshed... Where there are people, there is the martial world. Perhaps you and I are also great heroes of our generatio 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 17 Don't Let the Spring Thunder Startle the Wine 酒莫惊春雷 A low-budget version of The Blood of Youth + The Bad Kids, with tender jianghu romance and courtly intrigue. Tang Jinzhi only meant to wander the jianghu, but his wives push him step by step into inheriting the throne. Behind a shocking conspiracy lurks a mastermind he never would have expected. Who could it be? Let’s find out together! 93Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 18 Soul Broken at the World's End 魂断天涯 He had the ambition to make a name for himself in the martial world, but not the fate to become famous. He had a sword that could rule the martial world, but no path to walk it. Just as he saw through everything and let it all go, Heaven, by some strange twist of fate, placed it in his hands. 58Reads6.9Score—Shelves
- 19 Defending the Frontier: A Legendary General 靖边：一代名将 She won the title of poetry champion at the Lantern Festival Poetry Gathering, yet turned down a position at the Hanlin Academy. One long-buried case after another leads to a grand conspiracy from ten years ago. Wulin heroes, Confucian strategists, civil officials, military generals, and every other faction join the fray. Amid the flashing blades of the imperial court and the martial world, watch Lin Jing grow step by step into a famed general, hardened by countless battles and blood-soaked batt —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 20 Heavenly Wolf Blade 天狼刀 The legendary divine weapon, the Heavenly Wolf Saber, has reappeared in the martial world. It is said that whoever possesses it will rule the land. For a time, hidden currents stirred, and ambitious schemers began to make their move. Meanwhile, a vast conspiracy surrounding the dragon vein was quietly closing in on both the martial world and the imperial court. 84Reads—Score—Shelves
- 21 Tales of the Great Ming Heroes 大明豪侠传 Young women have been mysteriously disappearing from villages near Fukai Temple. Rumors spread, and fear grips the people. The renowned martial hero Hu Libang resolves to uncover the truth, and a baffling case begins to come to light. 39Reads—Score—Shelves
- 22 The Tale of Chongsheng 崇晟传 [No System, No Golden Finger, Not a Power Fantasy, Traditional Martial Arts, Mystery] He is the heir of the Southern Marquis, and should have grown up surrounded by wealth and privilege. But disaster strikes his family. His father is framed, his mother goes missing, and he is forced to roam the martial world. As he searches for his family, his sword pierces the throats of one enemy after another. His sword is so fast that his opponents can't even see what it looks like. But this time, he isn't u 1Reads6.5Score—Shelves
- 23 Devouring Demons 啖魔 A thousand-year-old legend of gods and demons, and an eternal struggle between good and evil. A mighty imperial dynasty teeters on the brink of collapse. Swordmasters whose martial arts approach the divine lie hidden in the darkest reaches of the martial world and among towering mountain peaks. Yet there are beings even more powerful than they: the Demon God of antiquity. Though his body was destroyed, his consciousness remains, sealed in slumber beneath the Nine Hells as he awaits awakening. Hu 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 The Youth Chu Xing 楚行少年 A sword rests on his back, bearing countless stories. The one who carries it, too, steps into the story of that sword. A simple, kindhearted young man wanders through a martial world that is not all that chaotic. Everything from the past has already been destroyed. The young man should not bear the burden of hatred, but put an end to this old feud. A boy who repays hatred with kindness is sure to reap even greater rewards. 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 25 The Legendary Heroes of the Central Plains in Wuxia Novels 武侠小说中原侠侣传奇 Introduction to Wolong Sheng's wuxia novel, The Legend of the Heroes of the Central Plains: The Legend of the Lovers of the Central Plains: Ximen Yushuang, leader of the evil martial arts sect Plum Blossom Gate, intends to unite the martial world, but is thwarted by Bai Xixiang, a brilliant young woman suffering from a terminal illness. Ximen Yushuang hates her to the core and wants her dead, yet Bai Xixiang's cleverness fools her time and again. The two women match wits across the martial world 26Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 The Great Hero 大侠 A Hero —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 27 Sword Dance Amid the Flames of War 剑舞烽火 More than ten years ago, the righteous and evil factions fought a great battle. The righteous side suffered heavy losses, and the leader of the evil cult was killed. An infant and the cult's Grand Elder plunged to the bottom of a cliff together. Years later, a young man made a name for himself with a single fight at the Sword Appreciation Gathering. After learning the truth about his origins, will he avenge his father, or stay true to himself? All the grudges and passions are decided by the swor —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 28 Drunk on the Wu Hook 醉吴钩 [Court politics × Martial arts world × Alternate history × Powerful male and female leads × Ensemble cast × Everyday lives of ordinary people × Serious drama] “Seven years, and you've come back. But your name is already infamous. Do you still hope to become someone's sword and try to rewrite the verdict in the history books?” “History is told about the past, experienced in the present, and retold in the future. It never speaks for itself. We have different stances, different methods, different p —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 The Martial Path Is Hard? I Can Raise My Cultivation Without Limit! 武道维艰？但我能无限提升修为啊 [Court and jianghu + crushing superiority in cultivation + no mindless power fantasy + traditional fantasy with a slow pace + expansive worldbuilding] In his previous life, Yu Yan was an unremarkable office drone. After transmigrating to the high-martial Great Zhou, he became a ten-year-old top scholar, hailed throughout the city as a literary prodigy. But in this world, Confucians can calm mountains and rivers with a single word, Daoists can refine qi and seek immortality, and Buddhist monks ca 164Reads—Score159Shelves
- 30 The Greenwood Paths of the Jianghu 江湖绿林道 Driven mad by love, he flew into a rage and robbed a golden carriage. Fleeing to the mountains of the south, he became entangled in yet more love and hatred. When the Southern Heavenly Kingdom rebelled, Di Qing led a southern campaign and the young generals of the Yang family went to war. Tens of thousands clashed, leaving rivers of blood and mountains of corpses. After the battle, just as he was about to return home, he was beheaded... 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 31 The Iron Swallow: A Sequel to the Wuxia Novel Brocade Silk 武侠小说铁燕锦绫续集 Synopsis of the wuxia novel Sequel to Iron Swallow and Brocade Silk: This novel tells the story of love and chivalry among its four protagonists: Tie Shouhua, Li Yanhong, Ye Yanjin, and Ji Ling. It is called a “romantic wuxia tale” because the author's portrayal of love is tender and intricate, heartrending and bittersweet, quite unlike the styles of Jin, Gu, and Liang. In a word, it's tragic. But the novel offers more than tragedy; it also has its chivalrous side. Tie Shourong earns the name “W 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 The Hanging Coffin and the Precious Sword 悬棺宝剑 A dream of swordplay shared by an ordinary person, and a swordsman who must endure hardship before achieving greatness. One finds the martial world as deep as the sea, while the other finds the court as deep as the sea: such is their helpless lot. Perhaps every one of us has dreamed of becoming a swordsman. 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 Blood-Red Candles 红烛饮血 [Wuxia] [Revenge] [Schemes] [The Jianghu] [Multiple Heroines] I, Chu Chen, swear to heaven: if I do not avenge this grudge, I am no true man. But who destroyed the Chu family army? Who ruined my family and killed my wife? The truth emerged one step at a time, as the killing continued and blood kept flowing. It turned out the matter ran far deeper than I had imagined. 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 34 The Lone Hero of Mountains, Rivers, and Seas 山河江海孤侠 A hero is a person caught between two sides: benevolence on the left, righteousness on the right, with the sky above and the earth beneath. Love gives rise to hate; compassion gives rise to sorrow. Since victory crowns kings and defeat brands villains, we aid the weak and support the downtrodden. Since the world has strayed from the Way, we take up arms against its laws... If you missed Jin Yong and Gu Long, then you must not miss this sweeping ensemble tale of wuxia. —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 35 The Mad Beggar's Heir: The Whole Martial World Kneels When He Draws His Blade 疯丐传人！拔刀那刻全江湖跪了 [Classic Wuxia | Play the Pig to Eat the Tiger | Decisive and Ruthless | Vengeance and Passion] On a snowy night at Yan Pass, a broad blade smashed through the door of a family home. His sworn father died in the snow, and his childhood sweetheart fell in a pool of blood. Xiao Yunfan, a young man from a border town, carried the forbidden book The Mysterious Strategy of Mountains and Rivers, powerful enough to overthrow a dynasty, and was forced into the deadly struggle between the imperial court 2.9kReads7.5Score400Shelves
- 36 The Swordsmith: My Blade Can Cut the Moonlight 铸刀师：我这一把可斩月光 Swordsmith: This blade of mine can cleave moonlight 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 37 Max-Level Iron Shirt from the Start, with the System Refreshing Every Year 开局满级铁布衫，系统每年刷新 Shen Mo woke up to find that he had transmigrated into a wuxia world, and a new System would appear every year. Year One: [Bounty Hunter System]. Kill wanted criminals to obtain peerless martial arts manuals, miraculous pills, rare treasures, divine weapons, and more. [Killed the thief Windchaser Rat, reward: Iron Shirt at max level] Year Two: [Escort Agency System]. Successfully escort a shipment to receive rewards. [Escort mission successful, reward: Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms at max level 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 Traditional Wuxia: The Northeastern Bandits 传统武侠东北响马 Synopsis of Gu Long’s traditional wuxia novel The Northeastern Bandits: In the first month of spring in the fourth year of the Jiaqing reign, the Retired Emperor dies in the Hall of Mental Cultivation! Censor Guang Xing, Ministry of Personnel Secretary Wang Niansun, and others jointly impeach Heshen, accusing him of ten grave crimes of treason and sixteen capital offenses, each character a blade! Jiaqing orders Prince Cheng and Prince Yi to lead the Imperial Guards in arresting Heshen. Fearing 5Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 A Vast World 天地宽 I'm a guy who absolutely loves traditional martial arts. There's a saying: "Jin Yong laid down his pen and Gu Long passed away; only Heroic Aspirations remains in the jianghu." I've waited year after year for Heroic Aspirations to finish. Even my family knows that Master Sun, nicknamed "Wild Dog," has yet to complete it. One day I said, why not write a wuxia story myself? Fewer people may read them these days, but doesn't everyone have their own great hero in their heart? My writing may not be v 12Reads—Score—Shelves
- 40 The Heroic Chronicles of Jingming 惊溟侠记 In the final years of the Tang Dynasty, the Twelve Jingming Sacred Steles, which celebrated the empire’s founding heroes, were destroyed. A prophecy soon spread among the people: “When Jingming appears again, the Tang will fall.” From then on, the martial world of the Tang was no longer at peace, and the imperial court and the jianghu became intertwined through Jingming. The orphaned boy Jiang Yunque has no desire to enter the jianghu, but is swept into its conflicts all the same. At the Mount T —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 41 The Sword Falls in the South 南花落剑 [The feuds and grievances among the four great families] And the rise of the dark Murong family... Ten years ago, as the great families fought bloody battles for dominance in the martial world, no one expected the Murong family to rise to power and seize control, becoming the undisputed number one in the world of martial arts. Ten years later, a young man emerged from nowhere, only for his family to suffer annihilation. With danger pursuing him, he presses on, bearing the burden every step of th 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 42 I Taught Myself to Become a Sword Immortal, but Nobody Said There'd Be Eighty-One Trials! 自学剑仙，没说还要八十一难啊？ [System + martial arts adventure + comedy + passion + iconic moments] Li Ergou happens upon an unparalleled secret manual while rescuing a beauty: How a Sword Immortal Is Made. Bro, isn’t this manual a little too modern? But why do I have to endure eighty-one trials to become a Sword Immortal? [System Reply: Steel has to be hammered a thousand times to take shape. You only have to endure eighty-one trials to become a Sword Immortal. What are you complaining about?] Fine, but... The rewards this 13Reads—Score—Shelves
- 43 After the Car Accident 车祸之后 After the Car Accident —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 44 Dog 狗 Dog 10Reads—Score—Shelves
- 45 Uncle Mu's Happiness 穆大爷的幸福 Uncle Mu's Happiness —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 46 The Cold Sword Breaks the Azure Edge 寒剑破青锋 A youth leaves the depths of the mountains and sees all the ways of the martial world. As the tides of fate shift, he raises his sword and challenges the heavens. Beneath the wavering lights of countless homes, he draws a sword from the people. Its edge is forged from courage and blood, its blade from the common folk, its spine from heroes, its hilt from mountains and rivers, its scabbard from the smoke of hearths. It embraces the world and enfolds the four seasons, enough to make even immortals —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 Liu Ji, the Crouching Dragon Hero 卧龙侠刘基 Introduction to The Complete Collection of Wuxia Novels, Volume One: This collection was created to help wuxia novel fans find the books they love. It is divided into three volumes: upper, middle, and lower. It includes hundreds of outstanding works by renowned wuxia novelists from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, with each novel presented in a single volume. Readers can find the novels they want by searching for the corresponding title and author. 1. Traditional Wuxia Novel: The Hero Liu —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 48 Snowfall in the Mortal World 人间挽雪 Everyone says Baiyujing is wonderful: the far shore of eternal life, the pinnacle of martial arts. Only I know it is an abyss that devours people, a grave that buries humanity. She is Ye Baiyi. The greatest Snow-Listening Sword Immortal under heaven, her body transformed into crystal, her feelings severed and her heart closed. She sat alone on the frozen plains of the far north for twenty years. One step more, and she would become a lofty deity, nothing more than an ornament on Heaven’s desk. He 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 49 The Legend of the Golden Jade Swordsman 金玉奇侠传 [Wuxia, in the style of a storytelling performance, suited to listening] [Inspired by The Legend of Tong Lin] During the Shunji era of the Great Yan, the street thug Shi Jinyu joined the Boundless Sect by a twist of fate and learned astonishing skills. On his first trip down the mountain, he struck an Arhat with his palm and swept away a Vajra with his staff, earning the fearsome reputation of the "Sea-Calming Hero Who Shakes the Blue Seas"... [I'm a huge fan of The Legend of Tong Lin, which is —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 Wuxia: Slay Enemies to Gain Cultivation, and Get the Dragon-Elephant Skill from the Start 武侠：杀敌爆修为，开局得龙象功 [Revenge] + [Decisive and Ruthless] + [Rapid Leveling] + [Wuxia] + [Xianxia] + [A Touch of Mystery] Chu Sheng had barely transmigrated when his entire family was wiped out. Hunted by assassins, he awakened a System that rewarded him with cultivation every time he killed... Ding! Congratulations, Host, you killed a First-Realm cultivator and gained five years of cultivation. Ding! Congratulations, Host, you killed a Fifth-Realm cultivator and gained thirty years of cultivation... Thirty years of 1.1kReads5.5Score106Shelves
