And So I Turn Toward the Mortal World

Gu Huaizhang had only meant to travel to the provincial exams, but an accident led him into the martial world. For the first time, he discovered that the principles in books, the moves in sword manuals, and even the rules of the world did not always have just one solution. From a dilapidated mountain sect to the world of riverboats, from the examination halls and riverbanks to the bustling capital, he met swordsmen, scholars, and merchants, and encountered more and more people and situations that could not be judged simply as right or wrong. He once believed that if he were clever enough, he could always find the answer. Later, he came to understand that the real challenge was never solving a problem, but making a choice when there was no perfect answer and accepting its consequences. This is a young man's journey of learning the sword, understanding the world, and learning to read people. It is also a long meditation on rules, freedom, and how one ought to live in this world.