Le Grand Maître de la Cultivation Démoniaque 2: Mo Dao Zu Shi

魔道祖师 [Mó Dào Zǔ Shī] #2

by Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù

Bien que Wei Wuxian essaie toujours de cacher sa véritable identité, Lan Zhan a déjà vu clair dans son jeu. 
Suivant la piste d'un cadavre démembré, Wei Wuxian et Lan Wangji arrivent aux portes de la ville de Yi : une vieille ville abandonnée enveloppée de brume et d'esprits agités. Dans l’ombre, un ennemi diabolique rôde, ne laissant derrière lui que chagrin et tragédie. 
Lorsque l'identité du mystérieux cadavre se révèle, Wei Wuxian se retrouve propulsé dans les profondeurs de la politique du monde de la cultivation. Un monde dans lequel il vaut mieux garder ses ennemis proches de soi. Et Lan Wangji plus proche encore .

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Queer, Historical, Fiction, Mystery

Paperback

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Associated Names:
* 墨香铜臭 (Chinese)
* Mò Xiāng Tóng Xiù
* โม่เซียงถงซิ่ว (Thai)
* 묵향동후 (Korean)
* Мосян Тунсю (Russian)

Reviews

[Marureviere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional damage Self-care is rereading the Yi City arc 😌

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yi city arc is the kind of trauma, I never want to recover from.

[Claudia Lomelí · Rating 4 out of 5]

!!!!!!

Not la guayaba!!!!!!

[anmol · Rating 5 out of 5]

someone stop me from alr starting it again the yi city arc hurts but i love this volume and chapter 9 sm and paperman wwx and wwx being a proud husband and tell me why i lowkey hated lxc in this volume man was highkey dumb for meng yao icl
_

When everyone was praising him out of fear, Lan Wangji rebuked him to his face. When everyone spat and hated on him, Lan Wangji stood by his side.

DID THEY REALLY FUCKING END IT THERE???? OMG THE WAY I WANNA LEAVE EVERYTHING TO GO START THE THIRD VOLUME RIGHT THIS SECOND JHHSJKSK

It took me longer to finish this book but that's bcs I was reading wangxian fanfics at the same time 🫣

The Yi City arc ohmygod it doesn't hurt any less no matter how many times I read or watch it. 😭😭😭😭 Also, I do not ship Xue Yang and Xiao Xingchen AT ALL but after reading 2HA, am I the only one who got Taxian-Jun and Chu Wanning vibes from them???

Also- CHAPTER 9 AND PAPERMAN WWX WITH LWJ AHSJAKAEYDHJSK CURED MY DEPRESSION, CLEARED MY SKIN, WATERED MY PLANTS WANGXIAN FLUFF GIVES ME LIFE AND IT DELIVERED. PLS WEI YING IS SO STUPID SOMEONE SMACK SOME SENSE INTO HIM PLSS 😭

The sluttiest thing a man can do is be Hanguang-Jun when he was fighting Xue Yang. I mean, when is that man not hot???? But that battle was something else plss the juniors weren't the only ones going crazy.

The way Wei Wuxian was so proud when Nie Mingjue complimented Lan Wangji and was literally shouting how much he is missing his husband Lan Zhan?? Ughhhh he is so fucking oblivious I love him. He literally calls him handsome and beautiful and all similar adjectives every chance he gets ffs 😭 He's been so in love since the beginning and he doesn't even realise omg

And Zewu-Jun paints!?? Why did I only notice this just now? (read: too busy simping for wangxian to notice anything else)

There wasn't much of my husband, the love of my life, the hottest man to ever exist- Jiang. Fucking. Cheng. - in this volume and I lowkey missed him but and its becoming redundant at this point , we got more wangxian so I couldn't really complain.

THE JUNIORS AHHHH THEY HAVE MY WHOLE HEART AND THEY'RE ALL MY KIDSS YESS BUT JINGYI STOLE THE SHOWW IN THIS ONEEE THAT KID IS FUCKING HILARIOUS 😭

*shaking, crying, sobbing, throwing up, wailing, screaming* I ALREADY MISS THEM
_

i was having wangxian withdrawals omgimissthemsm 😭

[ana ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

jiang cheng has yet to be in my bed with his hair down oiled up with nothing but a thong asking me to be his💔

[Justyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was torture and I loved every minute of it

[Lois Bujold · Rating 3 out of 5]

The star rating here is provisional, until I can get my head around the second half of the work, the remaining two volumes of which won't be completed in English translation till December.

The translation style remains at stretches workmanlike, at moments eye-jabbing, awkward or anachronistic. I will never find out what it would be like to read this prose as a fresh experience, because it has to work with, or against, the two visual media adaptations encountered earlier now lodged in my head. So I spent a good bit of my reading time trying to fit its sections in to the much-rearranged live action, for which I have increasing respect. (Albeit not for the added yin iron maguffin.) The live-action and animation "show", richly, but offer little explanation, thus are bewildering at times; the novel bluntly tells, with little immersion, but the explanations are very welcome. So taken together they do complement each other.

This volume covers the Yi City arc, hitting it much sooner than in the l-a when it occurs toward the end, goes through discovery of the identity of the dismembered corpse that our protagonists have been chasing down, likewise occurring at the end of Yi City, and all the way to the penultimate sequence at the conference with the paperman and the treasure room at Jinlin Tower. The empathy section with the severed head seemed to run much longer here; I believe (I'd need to cross-check) some of its flashback/remembered sequences were shifted forward in the l-a to when they actually occurred in the long (33 episodes!) "backstory" part, to the benefit of the l-a pacing on both ends of the exchange, so I see why they did that. I have read some fannish kvetching about the visual media censoring of the romance sections, but the one here seemed more embarrassing than erotic. Either something was lost in translation, or there are better scenes later on, hard to guess.

Still not enough Nie Huaisang -- given the parts that riveted me in The Untamed, the whole thing could be retitled "Grand Tragedy of the Nie Brothers" from my point of view. (Blame Ji Li?) Possibly not the focus the writer had, or hoped for, but it's how I've processed it, so.

Yes, I will buy and read the next two volumes, in due course.

Ta, L.

[[CLOSED.] · Rating 4 out of 5]

unpopular opinion: the yi city arc ain't that good.

well, the only part of yi city that i don't enjoy is the flashback story of song lan, xiao xingchen, and xue yang. i skipped that whole section. i'm also not a fan of the golden carp tower arc.

so basically, the only reason why this will be the only book in the series with a 4 star instead of a 5 is because it has two of my least favorite arcs. literally both in one book.

[Yari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't mind me, just drinking my tears, clutching my heart and staring in awe at the talent and power that is the author of this story. Just a few chapters and I am already needing more, needing to see more of Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji. They are incredible.
I just laughed so much reading this book. Also felt quite the amount of despair.
I find fascinating, the way the author can craft her characters. Watching the donghua and reading the manhua, I found Jin Guangyao strange at best or never really got why people liked him but now, while I still don't like him, he is so damn fascinating! The entire point of him is that you never know what he is thinking, when he is truthful or when he is lying, all his actions, all his words, everything about him is contraticting, so you can't never say if he is good or bad. And I adore that fact.
Also, not gonna lie, no matter what version it is, reading Wei Wuxian's reaction at the truth of the Lan Sect's forehead ribbon will always be gold in my heart. No matter how many times I come across it, it feels like the first and I deeply appreciate it.

[sofia ᝰ.ᐟ✮⋆˙ · Rating 5 out of 5]

wait guys this might sound a little crazy but stay with me for a second.. what if.. lan wangji is a little fruity/hj

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd Review:
I forgot how much flirting happens in this part of the story. I mean there are some great flirting scenes in here . I just love the headband with the juniors scene so much. I also forget how different the book is from the show. The timeline is different and several scenes were left out or added for the show. Both versions are great in their own way of telling the story.

No matter how many times I read this, the story strikes me as brilliant and genius. It's so good.

1st Review:
I love these characters. They are so complex in my mind and move the plot with self motivation.

This is mostly set in the Ghost city or Yi City and having watched the show 'Untamed' and now having read it, it is one of my least favorite parts of the story. There is so much back story here on side characters and Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan are separated much of the story.

I enjoy the first book more. This one does develop the characters. I am amazed at the things they changed and how they changed them in the show to keep them. It's an amazing story.

I am heartbroken that I have to wait until August for the next book to come out. I want the next volume now! There is still so much story left to tell, like the monster turtle, the death of Wuxian and then the ending. So much more story to tell. I can't wait to be able to read it. I can see myself reading this story more than once. I just love the story. (there is another show on Netflix called 'word of honor' that I'm watching and loving as well. I want to read it, but that story is not yet translated into English yet - so sad.)

I will say, one of my favorite scenes from the whole series is not in the show and happens here in this book. It's one of my favorite moments so far.

somewhat Spoilery ahead - about the relationship.



So, Wei Wuxian enjoys teasing Lan Zhan as Lan Zhan is so boring, proper and has little personality. He loves to annoy him and get under his skin. One night Lan Zhan has a drink and he's out and when he comes to, he find Wuxian and uses his forehead ribbon to tie his hands up and leads him through the Inn and shows all the students there that he has Wuxian tied up and they go upstairs. Wuxian doesn't know what the ribbons really signify.

The next day, some of the students are mad at Wuxien for corrupting the virtuous Lan Zhan and Wuxian doesn't get it. He finds out what the ribbons mean and he can't believe it. The ribbons are sacred and only the person you consider your soulmate is allowed to touch the ribbon. Wuxian can't believe Lan Zhan would do that in front of the students even drunk. He still doesn't get what it really means.

I love that whole scene. It's wonderful. It keeps the whole volume from being only 3 stars.

[lucy · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was brilliant from start to finish. the Yi City arc is a masterpiece of a self-contained tragedy. the three zun brotherhood is a masterpiece of an ongoing tragedy, god. there are some truly delightful romance scenes, fun creepy times with the juniors, and exciting plot advancements. the translation also reads significantly more smoothly than in the first volume!

it’s a little bewildering how intimately we get to know the histories of so many tertiary characters while still only skirting the edges of The Everything that Wei Wuxian and co. (LWJ, JC, JYL, WN, and as-yet-unmentioned!! WQ) accomplished and suffered. but i actually came to love that choice in this volume. seeing Wei Wuxian through Nie Mingjue’s periphery was so fun, and i think finally delving into his past at a higher stakes point in the story could be really epic. it’s also much clearer now that Wei Wuxian’s glib attitude post-resurrection is a deliberate character choice—we’re not getting into the deep stuff yet because, emotionally, he’s avoiding it entirely. he has nothing to say when Wen Ning speaks their loss aloud.

i’ll probably end up redoing my reviews for real once i’ve finished all five volumes, and i might have to bump volume 1 down to four stars to reflect how much more i loved this one. wow.

[Linh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me when I got to the sentence

The story continues in Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Volume 3

If you didn't know, this is the absolutely fabulous light novel that inspired the Netflix series "the Untamed", and is also what sparked my eternal love for danmei and Asian literature. You do have to read from Volume 1; check it out here: Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation: Mo Dao Zu Shi (Novel) Vol. 1.

[Dilushani Jayalath · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am trying my best to recall if the story had such a YA feeling or is it just the translation making me feel like this? Then again when I look back at my other danmei reviews, I see that I have a much more positive outlook on danmei authors such as Priest so it could just be the book.

This is in no way a negative review of the book. It is as entertaining as it gets. It’s just currently I am craving a story that would make me really ponder upon it as time goes by.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ No doubt, The Yi City Arc and specifically Xiao Xingchen's story is one of the best things I have read recently.

[Teal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The pacing here wasn't quite as slick as in Volume 1, which is why it gets 'only' 4 stars instead of 5. But I reserve the right to update all my ratings when I've finished the series.

I actually ended up skipping a chunk of the story from the first extended flashback. Given WW's gift of accessing the life experiences of the now-dead, it's inevitable that things will sometimes take a grim and/or depressing turn. Being in the POV of a sympathetic character while knowing in advance that they were going to be brutally manipulated and murdered was easy for me to say "no thanks" to. I got the gist of what happened just fine without needing a blow-by-blow account.

As I write this I'm already more than halfway through Volume 3, which is turning out to be another 5-star installment.

[avni · Rating 4 out of 5]

“When everyone was praising him out of fear, Lan Wangji rebuked him to his face. When everyone spat and hated on him, Lan Wangji stood by his side.” Oh my wangxian😭

[Linda ~ they got the mustard out! ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread review Aug 2025:

I'm being reminded again how horrible the Jin clan is, and how amazing Sizhui is. Not that I really need to be reminded about either, but I've picked up different things this time around that highlight those facts.

Wen Ning has the worst timing ever though.

Reread review Oct 2023 (BR w/ Teal, Rosa, Elena):

I'm paying attention to the parallels between WWX and XY and JGY this time around. There are so many ways their lives and circumstances were similar, but they chose very different ways to deal with them.

Reread review Aug 2023 (BR with Teal):

I'm picking up so much more of the subtext and subtleties that I missed the first time around. It adds so much to those scenes. I especially like how Zewu Jun is the number one WangXian shipper. I don't think I realized how much he meddled until vol 5, but the show makes it clear he was onto Wangji from the start, lol. First and second mate of this ship: Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi. Those two cracked me up all over again, and Jingyi has clearly read too many books.

Some updates looking at my original review: I like the Empathy sessions now, even if they are long and limit Wangji's page time. Thanks to the show, I now understand how Xue Yang was "storing" his sword up his sleeve. (Ok, I just made some minor edits to my original review to make things more clear, lol.)

Original review 2022:

This is going places I didn't expect, and I'm enjoying it, but also wondering how it's going to all come together. I'm not sure I really like the storytelling device of Wuxien being possessed by ghosts to learn all the necessary background information to solve the mystery of who the dismembered body belongs to that they're piecing together, mostly because it really limits how much page time Lan Wangji gets. He's barely in this one, though drunk!Wangji makes up for a lot. 🤣

Still, the stories here are very imaginative and in depth, if extremely warped, and fascinating in their own right. And tragic. Poor Xiao Xingcheng and A-Qing, getting played by Xue Yang all that time. Yang is truly twisted and maniacal. The way he used Xingcheng's blindness to get him to kill innocent people was so messed up. Though I did have to wonder why there were no rumors or news of villagers around the area getting killed en masse. I was also constantly distracted trying to figure out how Yang was hiding a long sword up his sleeve.

Then there's the story about the dismembered ghost as we finally find out the head belongs to Nie Mingjue, who was killed by Jin Guangyao, who is one of those oily evil bastards who always finds a way to appear totally innocent to everyone else. Like how he squirreled out of being held accountable for all those Nie cultivators he killed when he was "undercover" to kill Wen Ruohan - and met Xue Yang there. Those two couldn't be a worse influence on each other if they tried. As for Mingjue, I do wonder if Guangyao was playing that Purification Tone correctly or purposely changing it to make Mingjue more paranoid. His aggravation levels certainly went off the charts after his little playing sessions began. And now Guangyao has maybe killed his son, and then somehow controlled his wife into killing herself to cover up whatever she discovered (although someone out there still knows since she got that letter from someone) and he's exposed Wuxien, who can't hide behind his new body's previous identity anymore.

That's a cruel place to end it, but I'm going to be good and wait for my library to acquire Vol 3 before continuing. After that, I may just have to turn to the unofficial translation, lol.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more I read of MDZS, the more impressed I am by the casting of The Untamed. Truly incredible. Volume 2 features the intensely tragic Yi City arc, which is very faithfully adapted in the show. Knowing what would happen did not reduce the impact of positively Sophoclean events. Perhaps the most chilling moment is this exchange after Xiao Xingchen has just been tricked into murdering Song Lan:

If Song Lan had passed his sword to Xiao Xingchen, he would know who he was. He'd recognise his dear friend's sword with a single touch. But that was no longer an option for Song Lan. How could he give his sword to Xiao Xingchen, and in doing so, tell him who he had just killed with his own two hands?
Xue Yang was betting on this and didn't feel the slightest bit of fear. "C'mon, let's head back and make dinner. I'm hungry," he said idly.
"The shopping is done?" Xiao Xingchen asked.
"Shopping's all done," Xue Yang confirmed. "Too bad I had to run into that thing on the way back. How unlucky."
Xiao Xingchen left first. Xue Yang gave the wounds on his own shoulders and arm a pat, then picked up the basket again. As he passed in front of Song Lan, he smiled lightly and lowered his head to murur.
"You're not invited."

Fucking hell, Xue Yang! During the Yi City chapters the juniors in general and Lan Jingyi in particular are a light amid dark times. Wei Wuxian in teacher mode is also delightful, there and later when instructing Jin Ling to get into fights while he's young enough to get away with it.

Turning to divergences that The Untamed made from MDZS, the scene with drunk Lan Wanji goes a bit differently. The TV version is cute, but the novel's is better. Wei Wuxian gets tied up with Lan Wanji's forehead ribbon and has the effrontery to ask, "Hey, do you not want this forehead ribbon anymore?" Then they play tag and Wei Wuxian kisses Lan Wanji tenderly, whereupon Lan Wanji knocks himself out! After these romantic shenanigans, we return to the plot and learn a lot more about the difficult dynamics of 3zun (Jin Guangyao, Nie Mingjue, and Lan Xichen) over the years. I enjoyed the little glimpse that Wei Wuxian gets of his past self while exploring Nie Mingjue's memories:

He saw himself, dressed in all black, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. A black flute with a bright red tassel hung at his waist. He was not carrying his sword with him. He stood side by side with Jiang Cheng and nodded in greeting. His body language was arrogant, his demeanour so awfully enigmatic and disdainful of everyone present. Seeing this cringe-worthy posturing, Wei Wuxian had the sudden urge to charge up to his younger self and beat the hell out of him.

I found the second volume as much of a joy as the first and read it as soon as it arrived. The translation is fluid and readable, the edition beautifully presented, and the art really lovely. That said, the first colour illustration juxtaposing Xiao Xingchen and Xue Yang with Lan Wanji and Wei Wuxian (which is also on the cover) is painful! Mercifully on the next page there's Lan Wanji gazing with incredible softness at Wei Wuxian, which is very soothing.

[panna ཐི❤︎ཋྀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book series is the only thing keeping me sane rn

[siu · Rating 4 out of 5]

xiao xingchen's storyline hurt me so much MY POOR BABY😭😭😭

[ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

in all honesty, when i started this arc i thought i wouldn't enjoy it but instead found myself invested really fast. the first half was genuinely so painful and emotional to read i felt my heart ache😭
some more backstory was also interesting to read!! ngl i was not surprised with the events since i accidentally spoiled myself before lol but i appreciated more nie mingjue lore 🙏
on the other hand i adored all of the lighthearted moments, i love how this novel is Truly a rollercoaster of different emotions. especially seeing drunk lan wangji made me so happy 😌

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me screaming, sobbing and simping. Five stars (THE KISS SCENE?! The hottest, most chaste, shit. My god)

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this volume just as much as the previous one, but—maybe due to the way the book spans over just 3 chapters of the entire story or the fact that I had trouble finding time to read as much and as often as I wanted—it felt a bit more disjointed, the pacing didn’t work as well. As you can see from my rating, it wasn’t a big issue, it just was.
I’m still enjoying the story and getting to know these characters; the constant humor is especially helpful to balance the harsh and sad parts of the plot and I love how I have no idea what’s going to happen next at any given moment.
Wei Wuxian is so smart about some things, so clueless about others, and always entertaining, I’m really curious about all the things I’ve still to find out about him. I’m just as curious about Lan Wangji, but one thing I already know for sure: he’s awesome.
Now excuse me while I start the next volume, my BR friends have already showed admirable restraint waiting for me to finish the book.

[janice ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lan Wangji you have to stop. your heart too big, your soul too pure, your yearning too strong. they’ll kill you…

[Maria Drago · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead.

I did not remember the Yi City arc being this early in the game.
I also did not remember the KISS.
This book has some of my favourite scenes. I mean, the first kiss, of course. Wei Wuxian getting stabbed (I just love the drama, and also Lan Wangji saving him is when Wei Wuxian really realizes he's in love). Paperman Wei. All those brief instances of Lan Wangji getting jealous. Even Lan Wangji briefly smiling when the juniors were discussing how the flower goddess absolutely hates Wei Wuxian.
Also, I just want to say, Xue Yang apologists are insane.
I sort of get it, because he does have a mildly "tragic backstory" that people think excuse his actions. But he was really a shitty guy. Just all around. I never particularly liked him (and yes, even after seeing his cute live-action version because the actor who plays him is quite adorable).
Also, I hate to say this but... I wasn't really a fan of any of the art pieces within this copy. They never chose to draw the scenes I wanted to see, and I'm not a big fan of the art style. I liked the Heaven Official's Blessing interior art so much better, although my favourite art is in Scum Villain's Self-Saving System.
Aside from the interior art, all the books have stunning cover art, though. I have stared at all of them for far too wrong, stroking those glossy covers and admiring the beautiful colours and expressions of my beloved characters.

September 2025, Third(?) time read (or, in this case, audiobooked via livestream):
Great volume, but there's also so much 3zun stuff. Lowkey I don't care about Nie Mingjue or Jin Guangyao. I used to glaze MDZS so hard, but I do think I'm definitely more of a TGCF fan. I rarely ever skip any TGCF scenes, whereas in MDZS I've definitely skipped both the Yi City Arc and all the Jin Guangyao flashbacks.

[Brigi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know it was possible, but the Yi City arc was even more painful than in The Untamed/the donghua. ;__;

I also loved reading about 3zun as I think their dynamics are absolutely fascinating. Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao are perfect foils of each other and Lan Xichen stands in the middle between them. What an amazing trio, and how heartbreaking to see them fall apart! Also Lan Xichen protecting his A-Yao to the very end just made my xiyao shipping heart break.

Jiggy is one of my big favourites anyway, but his monologue to Nie Mingjue about social status was exquisite. What a great morally grey cast of characters!

A side note to say that this volume is definitely better translated and edited, so all the wird things that bothered me in v1 have been fixed, no more "~!" in the text, for example!

[aura ❀ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yi city arc destroyed me like nothing ever had

Wei ying and lan zhan’s small interactions are too cute.

‘When everyone was praising him out of fear, lan wanji rebuked him to his face. When everyone spat and hated on him, lan wanji stood by his side’ I think he learned his lesson, not gonna let his wife go again. This line is so sweet it makes my heart warm

[Alice Poon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This xianxia series is so much more than just male/male romance (or danmei).

While reading this volume, the scenes of "The Untamed" kept coming back to my mind.

The complicated relationships between Xue Yang, Xiao Xingchen, Ah Qing and Song Lan, with attending betrayals and chicanery, was really heartrending. But the exposition of the love-hate relationship between Jin Guangyao and Nie Mingjue had just as much a bone-chilling effect.

The author has clearly shown herself to be extremely adept at characterization and descriptions of human relationships.

I had never planned on reading this translation series. Now that I've finished Vol. 1 & 2, I'm hooked. The novel series is at least as good as the wildly popular web drama adaptation "The Untamed" (which I've watched twice already), if not better.

[Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is so complex and intense! And I'm loving the journey a lot, but this being this so complex, it's difficult to write a proper review. This is one of those stories that need a reread, because while some of the surprises would be lost, there's too much information to understand everything in the first tiem around.
I liked to learn first person a piece of the puzzle Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian are trying to solve. That empathy thing was useful but scary in a way. And finally, the corpse identity is revealed (so much tension in that scene when Wei Wuxian is a paper figure) and we're closer to the truth behind this whole mess and the motives about Wei Wuxian resurrection. Can't wait to learn the whole story!