Best Short Chinese Novels (Under 500 Chapters)

天官赐福 · Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Xie Lian, a martial god who ascended and fell three times, meets the mysterious ghost king Hua Cheng. A sweeping tale of devotion, redemption, and 800 years of unwavering love, set in a richly imagined celestial world.

魔道祖师 · Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Wei Wuxian, the feared Yiling Patriarch, is reborn 13 years after his death and reunites with Lan Wangji to uncover a dark conspiracy. The source material for 'The Untamed', it is the most internationally famous danmei novel.

琅琊榜 · Hai Yan

Mei Changsu, a brilliant strategist hiding behind a frail exterior, orchestrates an intricate plan to clear his father's name and place the rightful heir on the throne. Source material for the acclaimed TV drama.

撒野 · Wu Zhe

Jiang Cheng, a boy abandoned by his adoptive family, meets Gu Fei in a run-down neighborhood. A painfully realistic coming-of-age danmei about two boys healing each other.

将进酒 · Tang Jiu Qing

Shen Zechuan and Xiao Chiye, two men bound by enmity and political intrigue, become entangled in a fight for survival as their empire collapses. One of the greatest political danmei novels.

小心那只鸡 · Casualfarmer

Jin Rou, a transmigrator in a xianxia world, decides to just farm instead of cultivating. His farm animals accidentally become the most powerful beings. An English xianxia that took the genre by storm.

末日之后的开始 · TurtleMe

King Grey, the strongest king, is reborn as Arthur Leywin in a magical world. While originally English, it draws heavily from Chinese web novel cultivation conventions and is massively popular on the same platforms.

重生之将门毒后 · Qian Shan Cha Ke

Shen Miao, an empress betrayed and killed along with her family, is reborn at age 14 and plots meticulous revenge. A masterful historical rebirth novel with a brilliant female lead.

二哈和他的白猫师尊 · Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Mo Ran, a tyrannical emperor who destroyed the world, is reborn as a young disciple and must face the master he once killed. An epic, emotionally devastating danmei with one of the best redemption arcs.

杀破狼 · Priest

In an alternate Qing Dynasty powered by a mysterious fuel called violet gold, two men navigate war, politics, and forbidden love. A steampunk danmei masterpiece.

小蘑菇 · Yi Shi Si Zhou

An Zhe, a mushroom who has gained sentience, infiltrates human society in a post-apocalyptic world. A hauntingly beautiful danmei about identity, humanity, and love between species.

黄金台 · Cang Wu Bin Bai

Two men in a political marriage discover genuine affection while navigating court conspiracies. A beloved comfort danmei praised for its healthy, supportive relationship.

余污 · Rou Bao Bu Chi Rou

Mo Xi, a righteous general, and Gu Mang, a fallen war hero, are trapped in a web of betrayal and lost memories. A tragic, war-torn danmei with incredible emotional weight.

隐形之龙 · Durandal

A legendary web novel that is intentionally badly written and has become a cult classic for its absurdity. Often cited as the most entertainingly terrible novel ever created.

人渣反派自救系统 · Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Shen Yuan transmigrates into the scum villain of a cultivation novel he hated and must prevent the protagonist from killing him. A hilarious meta deconstruction of web novel tropes with genuine emotional depth.

千秋 · Meng Xi Shi

Shen Qiao, a blind Daoist sect leader, is pushed off a cliff and rescued by the demonic sect leader Yan Wushi. A beautifully written wuxia danmei about contrasting philosophies.

天涯客 · Priest

Zhou Zishu, a spy master who sacrificed his own lifespan for freedom, meets the eccentric Ghost Valley master Wen Kexing. Source material for the drama Word of Honor.

烈火浇愁 · Priest

Sheng Lingyuan, an ancient emperor sealed for millennia, awakens in the modern world and meets Xuan Ji, a fire-wielding bureaucrat. A danmei that blends ancient mythology with modern urban fantasy.

余烬 · Priest

In a world where witches' magic is fading, Zhu Zhao and the young witch Sheng Lingyuan navigate a crumbling world order. Another masterwork from Priest with stunning world-building.

地牢防御 · Yoo Heon-Hwa

A genius manipulator becomes the weakest demon lord and must scheme his way to survival. While Korean, it's a legendary villain-protagonist novel on CN/EN platforms.

我想成为影之强者 · Daisuke Aizawa

Cid Kagenou pretends to be a shadow mastermind but accidentally becomes one. A Japanese isekai phenomenon that dominates CN/EN web novel platforms.

斗罗大陆 · Tang Jia San Shao

Tang San, a prodigy from the Tang Sect, reincarnates into a world where everyone possesses unique martial spirits. He combines hidden weapon techniques with his new spirit abilities to become the strongest Spirit Master.

小说的额外 · Jee Gab Song

Kim Hajin wakes up inside his own novel as an extra character with knowledge of the plot. While Korean, it's hugely popular in the CN web novel community and shares the same platforms.

镇魂 · Priest

Zhao Yunlan, the chief of a special investigations division, works alongside the enigmatic Professor Shen Wei to solve supernatural cases. The source material for the hit drama.

地球上线 · Mo Chen Huan

When a mysterious game forces all of humanity to participate in deadly scenarios, Tang Mo teams up with Fu Wenduo to survive. A survival-game danmei with clever puzzle-solving.

重生之嫡女祸妃 · Qian Shan Cha Ke

Jiang Ruan, betrayed and murdered in her first life, is reborn and masterfully orchestrates revenge against those who destroyed her family while winning the heart of an unexpected ally.

大谋士 · Shui Qian Cheng

Jiang Zhe, a talented scholar, becomes embroiled in the wars of succession between princes and uses strategy and political acumen to survive. A well-written historical military novel.

赞美兽人 · Lee Jungmin

A warrior-type player chooses the orc race and lives by the orc creed in a virtual reality game where NPCs are sentient. A touching Korean game novel about honor and identity.

七爷 · Priest

A prince reborn seven times finally decides to live for himself instead of the throne. A contemplative historical danmei about breaking free from fate.

六爻 · Priest

A ragtag group of disciples tries to rebuild a fallen cultivation sect. A heartwarming, humorous danmei about found family and perseverance.

上仙请留步 · Yue Xia Die Ying

Kong Hou, an optimistic cultivation sect disciple, stumbles through the cultivation world with infectious positivity. A heartwarming female-lead cultivation romance.

教程太难了 · Gandara

Lee Ho Jae chooses hell difficulty in a mysterious tutorial and becomes absurdly overpowered. A Korean survival-game novel popular across CN and EN platforms.

千里之行 · Tao Wong

Wu Ying joins a cultivation sect and navigates political intrigue while genuinely cultivating step by step. A slower-paced, realistic cultivation series published in English first but deeply rooted in CN tradition.

我家徒弟又挂了 · You Qian

Zhu Yao, a woman transmigrated into a cultivation world as the disciple of a powerful master, keeps dying and being reborn into different bodies. A hilarious deconstruction of cultivation tropes.

顶级管理 · Long Umbrella

Jung Sunwoo, a struggling entertainment manager, gains the ability to see future news headlines. A Korean showbiz novel that's hugely popular across CN/EN platforms.

反派想活下去 · JANG Woo-yi

Deculein transmigrates as the villain of a novel destined to die. Using his analytical mind, he navigates the story while trying to survive. A well-crafted villain transmigration story.

低维游戏 · HJQS

Lu Zhiyu creates a pocket dimension and watches as civilizations develop within it over thousands of years. A unique, contemplative story about godhood and creation.

回归者使用说明书 · Bread Joo

Instead of the regressor, the story follows his cunning companion who manipulates everyone for personal gain. A hilarious take on the regression genre with a scheming protagonist.

小说的恶党 · Taxi

Jin-woo possesses the body of a villain in a novel and decides to use his cheat-like abilities for a comfortable life, accidentally becoming beloved by everyone.

星级猎人 · Chen Ci Lan Tiao

Cillin, a hunter in a vast galaxy, discovers he has a unique gene that allows him to adapt to any environment. A well-crafted space opera with pet companions and exploration.

我是星际帝国的恶役贵族 · Mishima Yomu

Liam, reincarnated as a noble, decides to be evil but accidentally keeps doing good. A hilarious Japanese light novel hugely popular across CN/EN platforms.

回归者 · Toika

Yi Ji-Hyuk returns from another world after thousands of years, just wanting to be lazy. But monsters keep invading Earth and he's forced to help. A hilarious Korean web novel popular across platforms.

全球进化 · Tao Yuan Hua Zhu

When all life on Earth suddenly evolves and becomes deadly, a young man with enhanced vision struggles to survive in a world where even grass can kill. A uniquely terrifying take on apocalypse fiction.

绝对选项 · Pear Lands in the Autumn Spring

Shi Xiaobai is forced to make absurd choices by a mysterious system, leading to hilarious and dramatic situations. A fun comedy that parodies cultivation and hero tropes.

回归的魔王很善良 · Hungry Pebble

A demon lord who regresses decides to be kind this time around, but his version of kindness is still terrifying. A fun subversion of regression and villain tropes.

反派只想当咸鱼 · Bi Ge Lai Zi Xing Xi

A villain transmigrator just wants to slack off but everyone misinterprets his laziness as unfathomable depth. A fun misunderstanding comedy.

光之子 · Tang Jia San Shao

Zhang Gong Wei, a lazy light mage, reluctantly becomes the prophesied Child of Light destined to save the world. A charming, shorter novel with Western fantasy elements.

狂神 · Tang Jia San Shao

Lei Xiang, a half-human, half-fallen angel, is raised by the beastmen and becomes a bridge between the warring races. Tang Jia San Shao's debut novel, historically significant.