Renegade Immortal

Renegade Immortal
Cover of the Renegade Immortal web novel
AuthorEr Gen[1]
Original title仙逆
LanguageChinese
GenreXianxia[2]
Published2009–2012[1][3]
Publication placeChina
Media typeWeb novel
Renegade Immortal
仙逆
Based onRenegade Immortal by Er Gen[4]
Directed by
  • Shi Touxiong (石头熊)
  • Feng Yi (冯毅)
[5]
Country of originChina[4]
Original languageMandarin Chinese[4]
Production
AnimatorBuild Dream Animation (铸梦动画)[4]
Production companyTencent Penguin Pictures (企鹅影视)[4]
Original release
NetworkTencent Video[4]
Release25 September 2023 (2023-09-25)[4] –
present

Renegade Immortal (Chinese: 仙逆, romanized: Xiān Nì) is a Chinese xianxia web novel by Er Gen. It was serialized on Qidian beginning in June 2009 and concluded in 2012 with its 2,088th chapter.[6][7]

The novel follows Wang Lin, a young man of ordinary aptitude who enters the cultivation world and gradually develops into a powerful cultivator. His journey is shaped by sect conflicts, personal loss, revenge, relationships and encounters with increasingly powerful supernatural beings.[4]

Renegade Immortal became one of Er Gen's most widely read works. In 2015, the China Writers Association reported more than 40 million clicks, more than 300,000 collections and more than 700 million legitimate views for the novel on Qidian. The following year, The Paper reported that it had surpassed 800 million legitimate views.[8][9]

The novel has been adapted into a manhua, a animated television series, an animated feature film and video games. The animated television adaptation premiered in 2023, while the animated feature Renegade Immortal: God's Arrival Battle was released in May 2025.[4][10]

Creation

Er Gen, the author of Renegade Immortal, cited Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Investiture of the Gods among the classical works he enjoys and described the spirit of classical Chinese culture as an important element of xianxia fiction.[11]

Renegade Immortal was written by Chinese web novelist Er Gen (耳根) and began serialization in 2009. Before becoming a web novelist, Er Gen worked as an English teacher in Mudanjiang. He began writing Renegade Immortal in 2009, and the novel subsequently established his reputation among Chinese web-fiction readers.[12]

Renegade Immortal began on Qidian around the same time as Er Gen's earlier novel Tian Ni. Contemporary publishing information states that Er Gen had initially placed greater hopes on Tian Ni, but Renegade Immortal quickly attracted greater attention, leading him to concentrate on the latter.[13]

Er Gen's xianxia fiction draws on traditional Chinese mythology and earlier Chinese literary traditions. A scholarly article published in Zhongzhou Academic Journal discusses his use of mythology, zhiguai tales, Tang-period legends, and later classical fiction in his xianxia works, placing Renegade Immortal within the development of his fiction.[14]

Er Gen described a regular writing routine, saying that he typically wrote about 6,000 Chinese characters a day. He also recalled that while writing Renegade Immortal, he could have ended the story earlier, but continued after readers expressed a desire to read more. He eventually concluded the novel when he felt that the story could no longer be extended without compromising it.[12]

Er Gen has also cited Romance of the Three Kingdoms and Investiture of the Gods among works he enjoys reading, and has described imagination and elements of traditional Chinese literary culture as important aspects of xianxia fiction.[12]

Er Gen later recalled that he wrote the novel over a period of about 31 months, or nearly 1,000 days, beginning when he was still a relatively new web novelist.[15]

The novel was completed on January 8, 2012. Qidian's official listing records the completed work at more than 6.5 million Chinese characters across more than 2,000 chapters.[16]

Plot

Wang Lin is the son of a poor farming family who dreams of becoming a cultivator. Although he possesses little innate talent, he remains determined to enter the cultivation world. After failing to join a cultivation sect, he obtains the Heaven-Defying Pearl and encounters the cultivator Situ Nan, whose knowledge gives him an opportunity to begin cultivating.

Wang Lin's early experiences expose him to a world dominated by powerful cultivators, competing sects, and supernatural dangers. His limited natural aptitude makes his progress difficult, and he gradually learns to compensate through persistence, experience, and caution. As he becomes stronger, he is drawn into conflicts that force him to confront cultivators far more powerful than himself.

The destruction of Wang Lin's family becomes a major turning point. Seeking revenge, he devotes himself to becoming strong enough to confront those responsible. His pursuit of power takes him through a succession of conflicts and alliances, while his experiences gradually change his understanding of cultivation and the cost of survival.

Wang Lin also forms relationships that shape his personal life. Li Muwan becomes particularly important to him, and their relationship develops as his cultivation progresses and the dangers surrounding him increase. His personal attachments increasingly come into conflict with the demands of his pursuit of power.

As Wang Lin advances, the scale of his journey expands beyond the conflicts of his early life. He encounters increasingly powerful cultivators, ancient forces, and wider realms of existence. The consequences of his earlier choices continue to follow him as he seeks greater understanding of cultivation and his own destiny.

The novel traces Wang Lin's transformation from an ordinary young man with little cultivation talent into a powerful cultivator. His journey encompasses the pursuit of strength, family and personal loss, revenge, relationships, mortality, and reincarnation, while progressively widening from a personal struggle into conflicts involving the larger cultivation world.

Publication

Serialization

Renegade Immortal was first serialized on Qidian in June 2009.[7] The official Qidian listing identifies the work as a thirteen-volume novel and lists chapter 2088, titled "蓦然回首" ("Looking Back Suddenly"), as the conclusion.[6]

The novel was completed in 2012. Contemporary reporting published in March 2012 stated that the serialization had already accumulated more than 35 million clicks and described it as one of the most popular Chinese cultivation web novels at the time.[7]

A Chinese print edition of Renegade Immortal was published by Yunnan Education Press. WorldCat records the first volume, Xian Ni. 1: Tian Ni Zhu Zi, as a Chinese-language publication issued in Kunming in 2012.[17]

An English translation of the novel has been published online by Wuxiaworld under the title Renegade Immortal.[18]

Reception

Commercial reception

The novel attracted substantial readership during and after its serialization. In 2015, the China Writers Association reported more than 40 million clicks, more than 300,000 collections and more than 700 million legitimate views for Renegade Immortal on Qidian.[19]

In April 2016, The Paper reported that the novel had surpassed 800 million legitimate views. The same article reported that the work was more than 6.5 million Chinese characters long and discussed Er Gen's rise to prominence through his xianxia fiction.[9]

The commercial development of the property subsequently expanded beyond web publication. In 2019, People's Daily discussed Renegade Immortal as an example of a Chinese web-fiction property being developed across comics, games and animation.[20]

In January 2025, Renegade Immortal was selected for the 2024 Web Literature "Masterpiece List" (2024网络文学神作榜), a reader-selected list organized by Qidian Reading. The selection process involved two rounds of voting, with nearly 10,000 works receiving nominations and more than one million votes cast; Renegade Immortal was among the 20 works ultimately selected.[21]

In February 2025, Renegade Immortal was also included among the "20 Glorious IPs" selected for Yuewen's tenth-anniversary IP honors. The selection included several of Yuewen's major Chinese web-fiction properties, including Renegade Immortal.[22]

Literary analysis

Scholar Chen Dingjia has examined Er Gen's xianxia fiction through the concepts of rewriting and intertextuality. Writing in Zhongzhou Academic Journal, Chen discusses Er Gen's use of traditional Chinese mythology and earlier literary forms, including zhiguai tales, Tang-period legends, and later classical fiction.[23]

Although the article focuses primarily on A Will Eternal, Chen also discusses Renegade Immortal in the context of Er Gen's earlier xianxia fiction. He describes the novel's cultivation world as a setting characterized by conflict and intrigue, and highlights Wang Lin's experiences as a mortal and his pursuit of understanding the Dao. Chen particularly notes the novel's use of foreshadowing and suspense in these passages. He also discusses the characterization of Wang Lin and the supporting cast, observing that some secondary characters contrast with Wang Lin while others complement his personality.[23]

Reader reception

The novel has received mixed but generally favorable responses from readers. Douban's listing for the print edition records more than 3,000 user ratings, with an average rating of 7.1 out of 10 as of August 2026. The listing describes the novel as having attracted reader support for its distinctive writing style and plot, and highlights its treatment of cultivation as a notable feature within the xianxia genre.[24]

On Novel Updates, the novel has a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from 1,196 votes and has received 176 reader reviews. Readers have praised its worldbuilding, storyline, character development, and portrayal of Wang Lin's progression, while some reviews have criticized its pacing and romantic subplot.[25]

Adaptations

Manhua

A manhua adaptation of Renegade Immortal was authorized in 2012. Contemporary reporting stated that Hubei Daily Media Group's magazine Tebie Youman obtained authorization from Qidian to adapt the novel into a long-form serialized comic.[7]

The first installment was completed for publication in the magazine's April 2012 B edition. The adaptation was assigned to Beicheng Studio, a comics studio based in Jilin.[7]

The report described the comic as an adaptation of the novel and stated that Beicheng Studio studied the original work during preparation of the adaptation.[7]

Information about the comic's later publication history is less consistently documented in reliable independent sources; consequently, this article does not give a definitive completion date or chapter count.

Donghua

A donghua adaptation of Renegade Immortal premiered on Tencent Video on September 25, 2023. The series was produced by Tencent Video and animated by Zhumeng Animation, and was adapted from Er Gen's novel.[4]

The first broadcast consisted of three episodes. Contemporary coverage described the opening episodes as following Wang Lin's attempt to enter Hengyue Sect, his rejection because of his limited aptitude, and his subsequent acquisition of the Heaven-Defying Pearl.[4]

The television adaptation has continued in annual-format installments. As of 2026, the animated series remained in production and distribution rather than having reached a final conclusion.[26]

Reception to the adaptation has included discussion of changes from the source novel. Viewer reviews have variously commented on alterations to the story, animation quality, action sequences and visual presentation.[27]

Awards

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2024 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors Member's Favorite Animation of the Year Renegade Immortal Won[28]
2024 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors Most Acclaimed Animation of the Year Renegade Immortal Won[28]
2024 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors Best Animation Screenwriter Ma Hua Won[28]
2025 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors Animation of the Year Renegade Immortal Won[29]
2025 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors Most Acclaimed Animation of the Year Renegade Immortal Won[29]

Animated feature

An animated feature, Renegade Immortal: God's Arrival Battle (仙逆剧场版：神临之战), was released on May 30, 2025.[10]

CCTV's China Movie Report reported that the film became available on May 30, 2025.[10]

Tencent Video also promoted the feature as an expansion of the animated Renegade Immortal adaptation.[30]

Video games

The Renegade Immortal intellectual property has also been developed into video games. People's Daily included games alongside comics and animation when discussing the property's multimedia development.[31]

A mobile game titled Xian Ni M (仙逆M) has been distributed through Google Play. Its store listing identifies it as an authorized adaptation of the Renegade Immortal property.[32]

Another game, Renegade Immortal: Battle Against Heaven (仙逆：战天道), has been distributed through TapTap. Its official TapTap page records announcements and updates for the game.[33]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "仙逆(耳根)全本在线阅读-首发起点中文网官方正版" [Renegade Immortal]. Qidian (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  2. ↑ ""白金作家"耳根：网络文学大神是怎样炼成的？" ["Platinum writer" Er Gen: How is a web-literature star made?]. China Writers Association (in Chinese). November 5, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  3. ↑ "网络最热修真小说《仙逆》漫画版登陆《特别优漫》" [Popular cultivation novel Renegade Immortal comes to Tebie Youman as a comic]. Phoenix News (in Chinese). March 20, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "腾讯视频动画《仙逆》今日开播 与平凡少年王林共赴修仙路" [Tencent Video's Renegade Immortal animation premieres]. China.com (in Chinese). September 25, 2023. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  5. ↑ "仙逆动画片" [Renegade Immortal animated series]. Sina (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  6. 1 2 "仙逆(耳根)全本在线阅读-首发起点中文网官方正版" [Renegade Immortal by Er Gen]. Qidian (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "网络最热修真小说《仙逆》漫画版登陆《特别优漫》" [The popular cultivation novel Renegade Immortal comes to Tebie Youman as a comic adaptation]. Jingchu Net via Phoenix News (in Chinese). March 20, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  8. ↑ ""白金作家"耳根：网络文学大神是怎样炼成的？" ["Platinum writer" Er Gen: How is an online-literature star made?]. China Writers Association (in Chinese). November 5, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "仙侠第一IP作家耳根：我不会在创作时老想着IP" [The xianxia writer Er Gen: I do not think about IP while writing]. The Paper (in Chinese). April 21, 2016. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  10. 1 2 3 "[中国电影报道]新闻速览 动画《仙逆剧场版 神临之战》今日上线" [Animation Renegade Immortal: God's Arrival Battle released today]. CCTV (in Chinese). May 30, 2025. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  11. ↑ Luo Xin (April 21, 2016). "仙侠第一IP作家耳根：我不会在创作时老想着IP" [The Xianxia's Top IP Author Er Gen: I Don't Always Think About IPs While Creating]. The Paper (in Chinese). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 "仙侠第一IP作家耳根：我不会在创作时老想着IP" [The leading xianxia IP writer Er Gen: I don't always think about IP while writing]. China Jilin Net (in Chinese). July 31, 2017. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  13. ↑ "仙逆" [Renegade Immortal]. Douban (in Chinese). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  14. ↑ Chen, Dingjia (October 27, 2022). "仙侠小说的"重写"与"新编"——耳根《一念永恒》的互文性解读" [The "rewriting" and "new compilation" of xianxia novels: An intertextual reading of Er Gen's A Will Eternal]. China Writers Association (in Chinese). Zhongzhou Academic Journal. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Renegade Immortal – Postscript". Wuxiaworld. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  16. ↑ "仙逆" [Renegade Immortal]. Qidian (in Chinese). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  17. ↑ "仙逆. 1, 天逆珠子" [Renegade Immortal, volume 1: The Heaven-Defying Pearl]. WorldCat (in Chinese). 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Renegade Immortal". Wuxiaworld. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  19. ↑ ""白金作家"耳根：网络文学大神是怎样炼成的？" [“Platinum Writer” Er Gen: How Is a Web-Fiction Master Made?]. China Writers Association (in Chinese). November 5, 2015. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  20. ↑ "网文到影漫游全线联动 大IP《仙逆》的无限开发" [From web fiction to film, animation and games: the development of the Renegade Immortal IP]. People's Daily (in Chinese). August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  21. ↑ "网文"神作榜"出炉：超百万人选出《仙工开物》等20部作品" [Web Literature "Masterpiece List" released: More than one million readers select 20 works]. China Publishing & Media Journal (in Chinese). January 9, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  22. ↑ "阅文的2024：谷子GMV破5亿，IP运营收入大增10亿，离"东方迪士尼"还有多远？" [Yuewen's 2024: IP operations and the company's major properties]. Jiemian News (in Chinese). Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  23. 1 2 "仙侠小说的"重写"与"新编"——耳根《一念永恒》的互文性解读" [The "rewriting" and "new compilation" of xianxia novels: An intertextual reading of Er Gen's A Will Eternal]. China Writers Association (in Chinese). Zhongzhou Academic Journal. 2022-10-27. Retrieved 2026-08-10.
  24. ↑ "仙逆" [Renegade Immortal]. Douban (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Renegade Immortal". Novel Updates. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  26. ↑ "仙逆". ACGN (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  27. ↑ "影评（仙逆 年番1）剧评" [Review of Renegade Immortal annual season 1]. Douban (in Chinese). August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  28. 1 2 3 "62项行业荣誉！2024腾讯视频金鹅荣誉发布" [62 industry honors: 2024 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors]. Tencent News (in Chinese). January 4, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  29. 1 2 "首次全程直播，2025腾讯视频金鹅荣誉发布举行，70项荣誉揭晓" [2025 Tencent Video Golden Goose Honors held with 70 honors announced]. Tencent News (in Chinese). December 22, 2025. Retrieved August 10, 2026.
  30. ↑ "《仙逆剧场版•神临之战》定档5月30日！重返修魔海域，再启生死卷章" [Renegade Immortal animated feature set for May 30 release]. Tencent Video-ANIMATION (in Chinese). May 18, 2025. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  31. ↑ "网文到影漫游全线联动 大IP《仙逆》的无限开发" [From web fiction to film, animation and games: the development of the Renegade Immortal IP]. People's Daily (in Chinese). August 16, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  32. ↑ "仙逆M-官方正版授權". Google Play. Retrieved August 9, 2026.
  33. ↑ "《仙逆：战天道》官方公告" [Official announcements for Renegade Immortal: Battle Against Heaven]. TapTap (in Chinese). Retrieved August 9, 2026.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.