Novels like Painting Dreams of This Life
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Painting Dreams of This Life, best match first.
- 1 No. 4 Red Moon Street 赤月街四号 "Welcome to Red Moon Street." "Names and surnames belong to the past; only the marks of sin remain as a record." "Remember: when you gaze into sin, sin has already begun to shape you." The Red Moon descends, and the Ghost Realm opens. Ten cards containing the power of original sin gather here. They may be a glimmer of light in the darkness, or the keys to unlocking the abyss: Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Pride, Lust, Wrath, Deceit, Betrayal, and Delusion. Those who wield the cards can use the —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 ChocoStar A tough-on-the-outside, warm-on-the-inside band frontman and a warm-on-the-outside, cool-on-the-inside female mechanic How can they turn a little auto repair shop into a happy home? Two soulmates who complement each other make their sweetness even sweeter! Ever since she was little, her family called her a “jinx.” Her older brother died the day she was born, her father beat her, and her mother watched coldly. Later, she deliberately crashed a car. She wasn't trying to die; she wanted to kill th 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 3 The World Ends from the Start? The Demon King and I Have a Date 开局就灭世？我和魔王还有个约会 [No harem, no saintly heroine, no System, no mindless protagonist] In 2000, the “Miaoshan Prophecy” appeared out of nowhere. “When red skies appear in the mortal world, the land is covered in black vines, monsters run rampant, and the Demon King is born, the world will be consumed by the flames of karma at 3:14:35 p.m. on December 21, 2026. It will be reshuffled, and the apocalypse will bring rebirth. “Out of compassion for humanity’s suffering, Guanyin of the Pure World offers this warning: 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Wonderland in the Rabbit Hole 兔子洞里的仙境 A joyful world, one fascinating game after another, an experience that lasts forever. Wonderland Travel Co., Ltd. warmly invites you to come and see for yourself. Ladies and gentlemen, let the games begin... I'm a loser. This is my story. One ordinary night, I met the little blue man who would change my future, and I fell into the Wonderland down the rabbit hole. I fought my way through this den of horrors, desperate to stay alive and hoping I could escape this nightmare in the end. But one day, 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 The Final Paradise 终末乐园 [Lighthearted Comedy] [Infinite Flow] [Mind Games] [Mystery] I once thought death was the end. It wasn't until after I died that I understood: death isn't a release, but an eternal fall into hell. This is a breeding ground for deception, a hunting ground for slaughter, a furnace for sin. There is no mercy, no compassion, no redemption here. “Rest in peace” has become the most extravagant reward. Either fight for your life in despair, or... become someone else's food for good. A friendly reminder 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 Cultivating the Dao Through the Mind: Who'd Choose Death If They Could Live? 唯心修仙：能活谁想死啊？ [Slow burn, xianxia, pseudo-ensemble cast, transmigration and rebirth, I’m the weakest among a group of big shots, returning to the past, glimpses of the future, everyone in this group is one of my alternate accounts] Since the birth of qi-refining cultivation, it has evolved from seeking proof within oneself, to relying on nothing external, and then to borrowing the power of Heaven and Earth. Now that Heaven and Earth have changed, ancient cultivation techniques, and those from even earlier tim 38Reads—Score—14d adds
- 7 We Started a Club After Graduation. How Did We Become a Hit Squad? 毕业创建俱乐部，怎么成了杀手团 [Ensemble cast, team System, System grants skill points, friendship, level-up progression, plot-driven, stat-driven] “An Extraordinary like you, with no connections and no strength, should just go home and farm. Raising pigs would work, too.” “Oh, right, you're a Nature Mage. If you farm, you can even get a buff that increases your vegetable yield.” “As for the club league, I suggest you don't waste your time!” The interviewer dismissed Lin Yan with a mocking tone... At eighteen, Lin Yan awakene 44Reads—Score—14d adds
- 8 The Gods’ Wicked Game 神明的恶趣游戏 [Infinite Flow + Rule-Based Horror + Intangible Cultural Heritage + Urban Supernatural Powers] The gods use the human world as a chessboard and inheritors of intangible cultural heritage as their pieces. I refuse to lose this twisted game. Gu Yuanzhou never imagined that half of a Peking opera mask left behind by his missing grandfather would become his ticket into a divine wager. A blood-red invitation pulled him into the A-rank instance "Shadow Puppet Village." There, he teamed up with nine —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 9 Everyone Mocks My Weak Priest, Then I Awaken the Thunder God and Serve Up a Face-Slapping 世人笑我牧师弱，觉醒雷神猛打脸 The male lead is a priest and a lightning mage. An overwhelmingly satisfying power fantasy! By the second chapter, it’ll make your scalp tingle! “Xiao Chen, you’re a useless priest! How can you still have the nerve to stay with me?” Liu Ruyan sneered. “Brother Kun is an S-rank earth warrior. Crushing you would be as easy as crushing an ant!” “Setting aside the fact that I cheated, don’t you have any blame in this?” After draining Xiao Chen of all his money, Liu Ruyan had the gall to put all —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 10 I Was Supposed to Be Reborn, But Is This a Mission Anyone Can Accept? 说好的重生，这任务是人能接的？ (No System, not invincible, no mindless power fantasy. Read with caution if that bothers you.) I died for no apparent reason, only to discover I still had a chance to be reborn. When I embarked on a series of challenges, hoping to make my way back by overcoming them one by one, I realized this path was doomed to fail. I have no interest in becoming a lofty god. All I want is to return to the world I came from… 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 11 I Will Turn the Inverse String into Abundance 我将逆弦为盈 The Crescent Moon Descends Is it hope, or destruction, or a complete and utter deception? When the scattered moons reunite, when the radiance of the 27 gods shines across the earth, the twin crescents gleam together, shaking the universe. O world! A dreamlike illusion. I seek redemption for redemption’s sake; you live for survival. Take up the pen, and the lives of all appear in words. Turn back time, and find new life. Hello, my name is Lu Li. This world is still calm and peaceful, lovely, 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 The Game of Fate: Unlocking the Fate Realm 命运游戏：开启命运空间 [Mild Horror + Mind Games + Strategic Rivalry + Infinite Flow] A game of fate, a paradise capable of conferring godhood. Shen Miao never imagined that one day he would face a trial of life and death. Every day, someone around him dies. Shen Miao must not only find a way to survive, he must also unravel the clues and confront the enormous secret pulling the strings behind everything. The school, the office, the cafeteria, the stairs: any place could conceal a deadly trap. [The Game of Fate has be 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 Ainar 艾伊纳尔 [Western fantasy + passionate action + slow pace + epic scale + magic + swordsmanship + coming of age] War, betrayal, regicide, plague, and conquest unfold in Aiyinaer. Peace, trust, loyalty, health, and unity unfold in Aiyinaer. The day Lokasi left Qinshu Village, he could never have imagined all that lay ahead. A fantasy world forged from magic and the sword. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 Chasing the Light With a Fiery Face: A Beloved at My Side, Peace for Home and Country 炽颜逐光：良人伴，家国安 Chasing the Light of Radiant Beauty: A Beloved Companion, Peace for Home and Country 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 In My Past Life, I Was Pierced by Ten Thousand Arrows. This Time, I'll Be Emperor 前世万箭穿心，这次要当皇帝 In my previous life, I was pierced by countless arrows. This time, I’m becoming emperor. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 N Ways to Put Your Awful Teammates to Work 论缺德队友的N种用法 [Superpowers + ensemble cast + various series + sequences] Every one of them is a villain. This is a peculiar and complicated “family,” made up entirely of people who have been abandoned. The gentle yet short-tempered Qin Hao is both the class monitor and, in everyone's eyes, an exceptionally kind older brother. Zhou Hao lives for fun. He seems carefree, but he too is afraid of being abandoned. Zhao Lei loves candy. Perhaps each piece hides his longing for a family. Sharp-tongued but soft- 26Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 Modern Cultivation Theory 现代修仙理论 [Smart Protagonist] + [High-Octane Action] + [Urban Cultivation] + [Future Technology] + [Interstellar Universe] + [High-IQ Mind Games] In 2052, a 372-year-old Chinese American at the Golden Core stage is murdered. When an AI investigation yields no results, low-ranking police officer Qi Yu takes on the mission of uncovering the truth behind the crime. The deranged world of cloning, The power struggles among the great families, The madness of interstellar conglomerates, The original sin of the d —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 Paranormal Investigation Bureau: Blackthorn Security Company 诡异调查局：黑荆棘安保公司 [Bizarre plot] + [mild horror] + [749] + [coherent story, no convoluted loops] + [high-stakes mind games] + [no female lead] When I was very young, I witnessed those things. They took away the happy childhood I should have had. As time passed, I gradually began to realize that my past might have come from some kind of [recovered object]. [It] fabricated the false past I remembered. Years later, I finally became a Level One investigator at the Bureau of Paranormal Investigations. I recovered one 1.3kReads8.7Score19714d adds
- 19 The High God Loves Me to the Bone: Saving You for Ten Lifetimes to Continue Our Fate 上神宠我入骨：十世救你续前缘 Above the Three Realms lies the Divine Realm of Lingxi. The High God Zhaohua, who governs "protection," and the Goddess Wanning, who governs "empathy," were two sides of the same emotional law. Their divine essences relied on one another, and their bond ran deep. The ancient evil spirit Mo Chen, seeking revenge for being cast out, shattered the boundaries between realms and gravely wounded them. As he died, he laid a curse: their divine essences would be damaged and they would fall into the cycl 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 20 A Billion Battles Made Me Famous 亿战成名 (Infinite worlds * quick transmigration * ensemble cast * no romance * independent worldbuilding * not a power fantasy) Cheng Ming, a champion at slacking off in the bathroom, transmigrates to another world where people are ranked according to the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches. Mouthy, carefree, and easygoing, he doesn’t realize at first how serious things are. “Get through the levels and go home? I know this stuff!” Until... Someone he has just met suddenly drops to their knees in front o 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Chosen Game: I Only Wanted to Be a Doctor 神选游戏：我本来想当个医生 The gods initiate a selection, and Luo Yan, a second-year medical student, is trapped in a classroom surrounded by a gray barrier. Along with 180 classmates, he is thrown into a deadly solo survival trial. Monsters keep coming, and the rules are cruel and cold: the longer you survive, the later you return to the classroom. When Luo Yan opens the classroom door as the last person in his class to return, only 43 of the 180 students are still alive. On the surface, he is gentle and modest, a relia 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 22 The Cursed Livestream: The Seventh Taboo 诅咒直播间之七的禁忌 Cursed Livestream: The Seventh Taboo 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 23 National Fate: General, Take Off Your Armor! 国运：我请将军卸甲！ A thrilling national-fortune story: one man turns the tide, livestreamed around the globe. Fast-paced, ruthless, and never a frustrating or saintly protagonist. If you’re interested, add it to your library and follow along. Updates come fast! Lin Yan transmigrates into the National Fortune Battlefield and opens his eyes to a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood. The Great Xia Ninth Legion has been wiped out, all its territory lost, and the countdown stands at 364 days! Other nations watch Grea 15Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 Divine Card Game 神牌游戏 A god descended in my dream and demanded that I take part in a game to deceive all of humanity. Win, and I rule the universe. Lose, and I face eternal ruin. Between eternal life and annihilation, what should I choose? 21Reads8.2Score—14d adds
- 25 A Hundred Ghosts at the Night Banquet 百诡夜宴 [Mystery + Mind-Bending + No System + Supernatural Horror + Murder-Mystery Game] “The true trick isn’t hidden in the shadows. It sits upon the throne, making everyone bow before it.” “It never deceives the eyes. It only fools the heart.” A human body hanging in the air, a head burned and charred to the bone, severed limbs abandoned on a rainy night: all seem like the final echoes of death. Four survivors and one overseer sit around the long table at a night banquet, whispering among themselves. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 Cursed Livestream: My Brother's Revenge 诅咒直播间之哥哥的复仇 The Cursed Livestream: My Brother's Revenge 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 The One Who Defies the World: The Hurdle to Breaking the Deadlock 残者逆世：破局之绊 New novel! The rating will come later. The best chapters are in the first four volumes. The final volume isn't romance; it's an ensemble story!!! No CP!!! No tomb raiding. [Dark Fantasy + Ensemble Growth + Epic Rebellion] They were the most insignificant footnotes in the script of fate: A transmigrator implanted by a System, a mute girl whose speech was sealed, an esper fighting for his younger sister, and a lame old servant who swept the floor. They were "cannon fodder," "background characters, 5Reads7.2Score—14d adds
- 28 Whispers of the Fallen Dragon Star 龙陨星的低语 [No instant kills, no golden finger, no leveling System, no transmigration] [Just steel, gunpowder, faith, the Warp, and cultivation magic colliding] Lin Lan, a cultivator at the Deity Transformation stage, was struck by a tribulation bolt while breaking through his heavenly tribulation and ended up in Warhammer 40K, on the Imperium's remote planet, Dragonfall. What happens when a weakened cultivator faces a boltgun at point-blank range? What will happen when his once-elegant spells clash with 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 29 The Half-Soul Wasteland 半魂荒原 Alive, he takes revenge with his own hands. Dead, he rules the underworld. Who says you can’t start a business in the land of the dead? His teammates hail from different eras, each with their own talents. As long as they’re not completely dead, this bunch can tear the underworld apart! A true male lead is a male lead wherever he goes. No romance, just conquest! [Strategic mind games] [Male lead and ensemble cast] [No harem] [Long-term foreshadowing] —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 30 The Haunted House Mystery: I Am the Killer 鬼屋谜案之凶手是我 The Haunted House Mystery: I’m the Killer 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 31 Selling Myself to a Rich Woman to Pay Off My Girlfriend's Debts 卖身富婆给女友还债 Selling Myself to a Rich Woman to Pay Off My Girlfriend’s Debt 9Reads—Score—14d adds
- 32 Sorry, I'm a Melee Mage 不好意思，我是近战法师 [No System + not a game + closed loop + wild imagination + unconventional fantasy + time travel] This novel isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for mindless wish fulfillment, don’t bother opening it. This is a serious web novel, and everyone who finishes it gives it a like. As the dust settled, it turned out that you and I were both links in the same chain. After all the schemes and calculations, everything came down to a single cycle. And as for defying fate, who could have guessed that the H 27Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 The Human Realm's Trial Grounds 人间试炼之地 (No harem, no formulaic plot, no invincible protagonist, no System, no power fantasy. Read with caution if any of that bothers you.) (Male-oriented + Infinite Flow) My name is Chen Mo. I failed at starting a business. I thought this was just an ordinary food delivery order, but then I realized I had entered “Hell” and become an inmate. I heard this place was originally called the “Human Trial Grounds,” but after the first Main God came into being, the Main God named it “Hell.” In “Hell,” the abs 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 I Awakened from a Dream of Becoming an Immortal Venerable and Gained the Strongest Cheat in All Worlds 觉醒仙尊梦，我拥有万界最强外挂 The protagonist awakens some of his memories from his dreams. From the start, he has a Nine Heavens Mystic Pagoda and the power of an earthly immortal. His golden finger keeps producing treasures: a Jade Purification Vase, a Primordial Sword, and countless other magical artifacts... Then one day, the world changed dramatically, and Blue Star exploded. The world split apart and recombined, ushering in an era of global high martial arts. Lin Chong: “I, Lin Chong, will take revenge on so 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Chronicles of the Future War: The Radiance of Mingmo 未来战纪，铭墨之辉 [Apocalyptic Zombies | Mutated Beasts | Chip-Powered Abilities | Tower Climbing | Time-Space Mystery | Hardcore Survival] The global ecosystem has completely collapsed. Cities have become zombie hellscapes, gigantic mutated beasts roam unchecked, and humanity is on the verge of extinction. Xing Yao, a low-level researcher nobody believes in, is mocked by everyone as a good-for-nothing. But in the depths of despair, he unexpectedly binds himself to a mysterious chip called Mingmo, unlocking a fu 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 36 The Apostle Returns 使徒再现 A thousand years ago, humanity first made contact with the gods. A thousand years later, those who made contact with the gods came to be known as Apostles. A year ago, a young Apostle who had never made contact with a god transferred to an academy dedicated to training Apostles. A year later, the world began to revolve around him. The young man’s name is Lin Xia, and everyone feels like they have seen him before. The boys and girls at the academy meet Lin Xia and embark on a journey to uncove —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 I Play for a Comeback in a Mind-Game 我在智斗游戏里玩逆转 [Original mind-game competitions + Deception + Reversals + No romance + Brain-bending, read with caution] This isn't a survival game, but a pure battle of wits. There are no supernatural horrors, only schemes. No scares, just the thrill of putting your brain through its paces. Deception, exposing lies, and wild gambling aren't enough. You need an unexpected trick to turn defeat into victory. I entered the [Mic Hog Game], where I have to outsmart my way to freedom. “Hahaha! You pathetic ants 351Reads—Score—14d adds
- 38 Becoming an Ancestor After Death 死后当祖宗 No heroine + Chinese-style ghosts and gods + history + a contest for national destiny + family clan Wang Laosan is dead. The dead should act like the dead and go obediently to be reincarnated. But which bastard lifted the lid of his coffin and bullied his wife and children? 2Reads—Score114d adds
- 39 Right and Wrong Have Nothing to Do with Me: The Otherworldly Demon Blade 对错与我何干，异面诡刃 I’ll send you into the underworld’s death coffin... [Urban High Martial Arts + Ensemble Cast + Villain Protagonist] The eerie blade bewitches the heart, bearing the world’s delusions. Killed from the start, he forges his bones in the dust; crosses the mortal realm and breaks Heaven’s sentence; devours flesh, breaks bones, shatters hearts... Slays the ruler, with evil lurking in his heart and Heaven’s malice at his side. Through the suffering of the empty abyss, the pain of oblivion, and the sorr —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Quit Showbiz to Open a Farmhouse, Billionaires Crowd the Door 退圈开农家乐，亿万富豪挤爆门 Top Michelin chef Lu Chen was framed by his celebrity ex-wife, who wanted to seize his shares, for "using inferior ingredients that gave customers food poisoning." The whole internet turned against him, and he was blacklisted. Lu Chen simply deleted his account, returned to his hometown village, and opened a shabby farmhouse that "only takes two tables a day, with a menu decided on a whim." He planned to fish and take it easy for the rest of his life, but unexpectedly got bound to the [Leisurely 17Reads—Score10014d adds
- 41 Strange Tales from the Tomb Passage 墓道诡事 Zhao Wenyu, heir to a family of antique experts, sets out with a group of disciples from the fields of civil engineering, logistics, and commerce in search of the Duke's Sword, which could change the Zhao family's fate. Along the way, they encounter a series of bizarre events and unravel many mysteries... 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 Yin-Yang Misjudgment 阳错阴查 If the old Heavenly Court collapsed along with the shattered earth during that age when countless people across China suffered, then the underworld became the last safeguard for the souls and continued existence of the Chinese people. Would you believe in ghosts and gods? What if foreign powers infiltrated and interfered with China's revival, while Japan provoked us at every turn? What would you do? Fight our way in! From the Sanzu River to the City of the Yellow Springs! From the old Heavenl 5Reads—Score—14d adds
- 43 A Rift in Time 逆时之隙 Tower of Illusions: I Wield the Bagua to Slay Pangu Outside the City of the Wrongfully Dead, Tianzhao’s golden-green Buddha light slaughters the city, turning a million heavenly soldiers into puppets. Beneath the starry sky, a five-colored divine stone seals away Pangu King Nonguda, while black-green corpse poison seeps through the cracks toward the Three Realms. And I, Wei Lan, reincarnation of Gonggong, have just slain Tianzhao, only to learn that my future self is fighting alone on Uranus’s 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 44 The Fallen Palace 倾圮的皇宫 Fictional history Ji Zizhen is the third daughter of Ji Xingyuan, emperor of Wu in a war-torn age. Her mother is Empress Li, and she falls in love with Xu Lin, her father's adopted son. When Xu Lin asks to marry her, the emperor considers the matter from every angle, revokes Xu Lin's status as his adopted son, and has him take the powerful minister Xu Ru as his adoptive father. He approves the marriage and holds a grand engagement ceremony for them. Just as Ji Zizhen is immersed in the sweetness 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 45 I Use AI to Slay the Gods 我用AI来屠神 [Ensemble cast + AI golden finger System + awakening genetic chains + divine race + adorable pets] Evil must be eradicated!!! On Blue Star, after the invasion of chaotic creatures, humanity gradually began awakening their genetic chains, and the world order collapsed as a result. The orphan Feng Yifan uses an AI System to steadily grow his own forces. Mech warrior Feng Yifan, alchemy master Wang Pangzi, sniper Chu Bin, blade sect master Piyong, holy knight Lin Miaoke, fire mage Mi Ling'er, Wucha 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 Beneath the Rules: A Survival Trap in a Supernatural World 规则之下：诡异世界的生存迷局 [Survival]+ [Rules]+ [No System]+ [Eerie]+ [Multiple Timelines]+ [Breaking the Deadlock]+ [Supernatural]+ [Spy vs. Spy]+ [Traditional Culture] A beautiful wife who knows pharmacology serves a soothing tonic hiding a deadly poison? Strange-behaving parents whose eyes hold not a trace of humanity? A mysterious neighbor, Lao Wang, while a sister far away secretly keeps watch? A shy, solitary outsider with no one to rely on... Xu Yang can only pretend to be mentally impaired, treading carefully amon 11.9kReads6.8Score5k14d adds
- 47 Blazing Heaven: The Young Mystic Spirit's Journey 焚天记之玄灵少年行 Blazing Heaven: The Journey of a Young Xuanling Cultivator follows Chang Hao, a young member of a branch family of the Chang clan in Dongzhou, on the Xuanling Continent. After his parents die while being hunted by the Bloodcloaked Tower, he grows up quietly within the clan. With fire as his blade and resilience as his armor, he forges his own path through the shifting currents and hidden dangers of the Xuanling Continent, uncovers the shocking secrets behind the Bloodcloaked Tower, and steadily 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 There's a Killer Outside the Door 门外有个杀人犯 There’s a Murderer Outside the Door 712Reads—Score1314d adds
- 49 The Forgotten, the Unwritten 被遗忘的人，不被书写的人 [A collection of linked stories. Read them one at a time, or follow the overarching plot.] There are always so many people in this world who are forgotten, whose stories are never told. The protagonist is a law-school underachiever who has failed the bar exam twice. Unable to find work, he turns to writing mystery novels just to make ends meet. By a twist of fate, he becomes entangled in one strange and baffling case after another. As he and his companions peel away layer upon layer of mystery a 10Reads—Score—14d adds
- 50 Master of Gold: The Rust-Blooded Orphan Girl’s Path to Godhood 掌金师：锈血孤女封神路 When the gods rewrite the timeline, the “villain” decides to kill a god to save herself [Author-cooked meals + a cast of geniuses + higher-dimensional invasion + fated cycles + yandere symbiosis + passionate ensemble cast + interstellar political intrigue] The fatal symbiosis of frost and machine A carefree mixed-blood knight conceals the pain of losing his entire people A quantum ghost prince, his soul bound to his mortal enemy Everyone starts out wicked, yet they all beg for a happy ending 5Reads—Score—14d adds
