Who Is Er Gen?
Er Gen (耳根, meaning "ear root") is one of the most influential and beloved authors in the Chinese web novel ecosystem. Writing on platforms like Qidian, he has produced a series of enormously successful xianxia and cultivation novels that have earned him a devoted global following — particularly as English translations became available through projects like Wuxiaworld and Xianxiaworld.
What separates Er Gen from many of his peers is a commitment to emotional storytelling within the cultivation genre. Where other authors focus almost purely on power progression and combat, Er Gen consistently delivers stories with genuine heart.
His Major Works
Renegade Immortal (仙逆)
Often considered Er Gen's breakthrough work, Renegade Immortal follows Wang Lin, a boy from a poor family who lacks natural talent for cultivation but refuses to surrender to fate. The novel is darker and more emotionally heavy than Er Gen's later works, dealing with themes of loneliness, sacrifice, and the toll that the pursuit of immortality takes on a person's humanity.
Pursuit of the Truth (求魔)
A deeply philosophical cultivation novel, Pursuit of the Truth follows Su Ming and his search for the nature of existence itself. This is widely considered Er Gen's most ambitious and artistically daring work — though it is also the most demanding for readers.
I Shall Seal the Heavens (我欲封天)
Possibly Er Gen's most popular work globally. I Shall Seal the Heavens follows Meng Hao, a failed scholar who enters the world of cultivation. It's considered a masterpiece of the genre, praised for its humor, emotional depth, and a finale that left readers speechless. If you read one Er Gen novel, many fans would point you here.
A Will Eternal (一念永恒)
A lighter, funnier companion to Er Gen's heavier works. A Will Eternal features Bai Xiaochun, an endearingly cowardly protagonist who stumbles into greatness while desperately trying to avoid danger. It's an excellent entry point for new readers.
Er Gen's Signature Style
- Emotional resonance: Relationships — with family, masters, rivals, and loved ones — carry as much weight as battles.
- Long-form payoffs: Er Gen plants seeds early and pays them off hundreds of chapters later, rewarding patient readers.
- Philosophical undertones: Questions of identity, fate, and what it means to be human recur across his bibliography.
- Memorable secondary characters: Supporting cast members feel like real people rather than props for the protagonist.
Reading Order Recommendation
- Start with A Will Eternal — accessible, funny, and emotionally satisfying.
- Then read I Shall Seal the Heavens — the full Er Gen experience.
- Then tackle Renegade Immortal — darker and older, but deeply rewarding.
- For the dedicated: Pursuit of the Truth — demanding but profound.
Er Gen's novels are lengthy commitments — each runs into the thousands of chapters — but readers who enter his worlds rarely regret the time spent. He remains one of the few authors capable of making a reader genuinely emotional about the fate of an immortal cultivator.