100,000 Years of Qi Refining (also known as Lian Qi Shi Wan Nian) is a Chinese webcomic that has been adapted into an ongoing donghua.
The series has been a popular martial arts-themed donghua since it began streaming in February, 2023 with its current episode total at 179, and with 260 total episodes planned before it ends.
The premise of the story has pulled in fans of all kinds of donghua genres, as it is both unique and humorous, as it focuses on one man’s cultivation journey that defies typical expectations
Main character of 100,000Years of Qi Refining
Xu Yang the protagonist, and later known as Ancestor Xu, is a cultivator who, due to some bizarre twist of fate or cultivation technique, finds himself stuck at the Qi Refining stage for an extraordinarily long time—90,000 years.
Despite reaching an absurd age, his cultivation level remains at the middle stages of the cultivation path. That is why he goes into seclusion in a sealed cave, and does not come out for another 10,000 years.
When he does emerge, not only has his beloved Tianlan Sect fallen into ruin and is about to be taken over by the head of another sect, but his powers are now even stronger than before.
Setting of 100,000 Years of Qi Refining
The world is filled with various sects — some good, many bad — magical creatures, and other cultivators, all of whom are progressing through their cultivation stages in a more conventional timeframe.
This backdrop serves as both a comedic and dramatic contrast to the protagonist who, from outside appearances, seems to be only in the lower stages of QI refining.
That is, until his enemies decide to take advantage of his supposedly lowly status, only to discover looks can be very very very deceiving.
The plot of 100,000 Years of Qi Refining
The core plot revolves around this Ancestor Xu’s daily attempts to progress or at least find meaning in his seemingly endless early stage of cultivation.
His experiences are a mix of mundane daily routines, interactions with other characters who often find his situation either bewildering or amusing, and occasional adventures that promise a way out of his cultivating predicament.
As the story progresses, Xu meets various other characters (mainly beautiful women!) who join him and his now growing Tianlan Sect.
As the sect expands, the truth of Xu Yang’s stagnant cultivation begins to be revealed, and a secret that involves all three realms –human, devil and immortal — emerges.
Themes and humor
100,000 Years of Qi Refining does a brilliant job using humor to explore themes like perseverance, loyalty, the nature of time, and the journey versus the destination in cultivation.
The absurdity of being stuck at the beginning stage for so long while witnessing the world change around him provides a unique lens through which to view the typical cultivation narratives.
The humor also adds to the enjoyment and unpredictability of the donghua as, when you expect another battle culminating in the destruction of Xu Yang’s latest enemy, something laugh-out-loud funny happens instead.
Despite his cultivation level, Xu Yang also often finds himself in situations where his extensive experience and occasional stroke of luck or ingenuity allow him to deal with challenges that might seem beyond his capabilities, providing both funny and insanely action-packed moments.
Xu Yang’s character development
While the protagonist’s cultivation level doesn’t advance as quickly as Xu Yang would like, his character definitely does.
As the series progresses, and as he interacts with the new members of the Tianlan Sect, he begins to develop wisdom, patience, and a unique perspective on life and cultivation that others, despite their higher cultivation levels, might not possess.
He even grows close to the disciples in his sect. Even though his outward demeanor, and the way he speaks to them, make it seem as though he is distant and uncaring, in reality he is not.
As Xu Yang learns more about his master’s true actions and intentions, this also begins to color his view of the world and of the true goals of cultivation itself.
Xu Yang’s interactions with others
Xu Yang’s interactions with other characters, whether they are Tianlan sect members, fellow cultivators, mystical beings, or even mundane humans unaware of the cultivation world, often revolve around misunderstandings due to his peculiar situation or his attempts to find a solution to his endless Qi Refining.
Not exactly a warm or effusive person, even his Tianlan sect members sometimes have to guess at why he is doing what he is doing.
As they become used to him, however, and as each sect member becomes insanely powerful themselves due to help from Xu Yang, they also learn more about his personality.
This enables them to become the perfect partners to help him make Tianlan Sect one of the most powerful in the world, and Xu Yang a cultivator that, it seems, even the gods cannot destroy.
100,000 Years of Qi Refining is an entertaining and quite thought provoking donghua, as it stands out for its satirical take on cultivation stories, where the usual focus on power, immortality, and rapid progression is turned on its head.
The series uses its main character’s situation to comment on human (or cultivator) nature, the value of patience, and the unexpected joys of an otherwise monotonous life, while also serving up a host of characters you quickly begin to love.
100,000Years of Qi Refining is beautifully animated by Suoyi Technology, and is streaming now on Tencent Animation’s YouTube channel where, along with individual episodes, they are also releasing videos featuring many episodes in a block.
You can get started with this wonderful donghua series by watching Episodes 1-20 below.
Entertainment journalist covering Japanese and Chinese anime industry for a decade.
Favorite donghua — World of Immortals, A Will Eternal, The Demon Hunter, Perfect World, Battle Through the Heavens, Fabulous Beasts, Spy x Sect, Soul Land, Tales of Herding Gods, Heaven Officials’ Blessing