The Story in 3 Sentences
Su Ming begins as a frail youth in a harsh tribal world, clinging to the impossible dream of becoming a Berserker despite his weak constitution and the near-zero odds of success.
His life shifts irrevocably when he discovers a mysterious artifact that unlocks hidden power, thrusting him into a cosmic struggle where identity, memory, and reality itself unravel across collapsing universes.
Driven by loss, betrayal, and an unyielding will to defy fate, he ascends beyond gods and devils, ultimately forging his own truth in a multiverse that seeks to erase him.
Why It Stands Out
1. A Symphony of Existential Dread
Er Gen crafts a narrative steeped in melancholy and metaphysical inquiry, where cultivation isn’t just about power but the desperate mending of innate flaws in one’s very being—each breakthrough a step toward self-annihilation or transcendence.
2. The Devil Who Was Never Meant to Exist
Unlike typical xianxia heroes who seek immortality or vengeance, Su Ming becomes a paradox: a devil born not of evil but of resistance, a figure who shatters cosmic order simply by insisting on his right to exist.
3. Poetry in the Collapse of Worlds
The prose blends lyrical despair with grand cosmic imagery—butterfly universes withering, ancestral spirits whispering through time, tribes vanishing under blood-red moons—turning every battle into a dirge for lost truths.
Characters That Leave a Mark
There’s Lei Chen – Su Ming’s childhood friend from the Dark Mountain tribe, a chatterbox with unwavering loyalty who swears to protect him even as the world fractures around them.
You’ll meet Ecang, who is not merely a clone but an Ancestral Spirit embodying Su Ming’s will across dimensions, a silent executor of fate in the Western Ring Nebula.
And Harmonious Morus Alba? They’re the one who manifests as a colossal butterfly universe with four wings, each carrying starry skies, serving as both a cosmic battleground and a tragic symbol of cyclical destruction.
The Flaws Fans Debate
Some readers criticize the novel for excessively prolonged fight sequences that disrupt narrative pacing, particularly in the mid-sections where philosophical depth gives way to repetitive combat descriptions.
Others note that secondary characters, despite strong introductions, often fade into the background as Su Ming’s journey becomes increasingly solitary and abstract.
A portion of the fanbase argues that the dense, poetic ambiguity—while artistically bold—can alienate readers seeking clearer emotional or plot resolution.
Must-Experience Arcs
Ch. 1–44: If Only Life Was as Beautiful as it Seemed at First Sight – Su Ming’s humble origins in the Uro tribe, his failed Berserker trials, and the fateful discovery of the strange debris that awakens his latent power.
Ch. 400–800: The Three Wilderness Calamity – Lei Chen’s survival and transformation amid apocalyptic chaos, as Su Ming confronts ancestral legacies and begins to question the nature of his own memories and identity.
Ch. 1200–1481: The Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse – The final confrontation across dying butterfly wings, where Su Ming faces the ultimate choice between erasure and self-creation, culminating in a finale that redefines divinity itself.
Killer Quotes
“What is important is that I exist! What is important is that I will exist forever! What is important is that I will tear apart this mystery with all my power!”
“Su Ming’s story was a story of a person who when he knew who he was, he was no longer himself, and when he no longer knew who he was, only then was he himself.”
“In a world where life and death are but fleeting illusions, the only truth is the will to defy them both.”
Cultural Impact
Pursuit of the Truth is frequently cited by fans as Er Gen’s most emotionally devastating and philosophically rich work, often compared to the existential weight of Renegade Immortal and the cosmic scale of I Shall Seal the Heavens.
The phrase “There was no Devil in the world before him, and neither will there be any other true Devil after him” became a viral tagline across xianxia forums and social media.
Its unique take on the “Berserker” archetype and the Harmonious Morus Alba concept inspired countless fan theories, artwork, and even philosophical discussions about identity in online cultivation communities.
Final Verdict
Start Here If You Want:
A protagonist whose defiance is not loud but absolute, carving his name into reality through sheer existential will.
A world where every mountain, moon, and memory carries sorrow, and power is born from the cracks in one’s soul.
A story that treats the cosmos as both prison and canvas, inviting you to witness the birth of a legend who refuses to be forgotten.
Study If You Love:
Narratives that blur the line between hero and antihero through metaphysical crisis rather than moral ambiguity.
Xianxia that uses cultivation as a metaphor for the human struggle against predetermined fate and cosmic insignificance.
Literary density in genre fiction—where every chapter layers myth, poetry, and ontological questioning beneath action.
Avoid If You Prefer:
Fast-paced, straightforward plots with clear-cut victories and minimal introspection.
Stories where side characters maintain consistent presence and development throughout the narrative.
Optimistic or uplifting tones; this novel dwells in tragedy, loss, and the beauty of resistance in the face of inevitable decay.
