The Calamity of Impermanence

Of all the xianxia and danmei novels I’ve delved into, The Calamity of Impermanence) by (Shui Qian Cheng) stands out as a particularly intense and memorable journey. If you’re familiar with this author’s work, you know to expect emotional turmoil, complex characters, and relationships that are as destructive as they are compelling. This story delivers all of that, wrapped in a captivating fantasy of gods, ghosts, and relentless fate.

Let me try to give you a sense of the story, without spoiling the major twists that make it so gripping.

The novel centers on Fan Wujiu (though he’s often known by another name, “Xiao Ba”), who isn’t your typical heroic protagonist. When we meet him, he’s the “Impermanence Lord,” a formidable ghost official in the underworld tasked with ferrying the souls of the dead. He’s cynical, powerful, and carries a deep-seated bitterness that has festered for centuries. The core of the story unravels *why*.

You see, Fan Wujiu wasn’t always a dreaded figure in the underworld. In a previous life, he was a noble and promising cultivator in the mortal realm. A massive, tragic betrayal led to his unjust and gruesome death. His soul, bound by immense resentment, was trapped in the role of the Impermanence Lord, forced to serve the King of Hell while his hatred for those who wronged him burned unabated.

The central, heart-wrenching conflict of the story is his entanglement with the people from that past life. The narrative masterfully weaves between the present in the underworld and flashbacks to his mortal days. We see how he was connected to them—as brothers, as mentors, and, most crucially, as lovers. The person he loved most deeply is often the one at the very center of the betrayal, creating a devastating paradox of love and hate.

This brings me to the other main character, let’s call him Jie Han (the specific name can vary, but he is the central love interest). Their relationship is the brutal, beautiful, and broken heart of *The Calamity of Impermanence*. This is a classic Shui Qian Cheng “toxic” pairing, a masterpiece of the “love-to-hate-you” and “mutual destruction” trope. Their bond is a tangled web of past vows, profound misunderstandings, and actions that have shattered both their lives. In the present, they are locked in a dance of revenge, manipulation, and a painful, unresolved longing that neither can escape.

What Makes This Story So Unforgettable

1. The Agony of Reincarnation and Fate: The novel uses the concepts of轮回 (lúnhuí, Samsara) and因果 (yīnguǒ, Karma) not just as a backdrop, but as an active, cruel force. The characters are trapped in a cycle where past actions dictate present suffering. It asks a haunting question: Can you ever truly escape the sins of a past life?

2. A Deeply Flawed and Complex Protagonist: Fan Wujiu is not an easy character to love, and that’s what makes him so fascinating. His centuries of suffering have made him ruthless, vindictive, and morally grey. Yet, through the flashbacks and his internal monologues, you understand the profound pain that drives him. You might not agree with his actions, but you *feel* his devastation.

3. Emotional Intensity and “Scum” Dynamics: Be prepared for a heavy, angst-filled read. The emotional stakes are always sky-high. The story pulls no punches in depicting the cruel things people who love each other can do. If you enjoy narratives where characters have to crawl through hell—both literal and metaphorical—for a chance at redemption or reconciliation, this is a masterclass in that genre.

4. A Plot Full of Secrets and Reversals: Just when you think you have a handle on what happened in the past, another layer of the mystery is peeled back. The truth behind the initial betrayal is slowly and skillfully revealed, constantly challenging your perceptions of the characters and their motivations.

A Word of Caution and a Strong Recommendation

To be completely honest, *The Calamity of Impermanence* is not a light read. The emotional tone is heavy, and the relationship between the main characters is fraught with manipulation, deep resentment, and significant power imbalances. It’s a story that thrives on high drama and psychological pain.

However, if you have a taste for this kind of narrative—if you love stories about obsession, karmic retribution, and love that survives even the depths of hell and betrayal—then this novel is an absolute must-read. It’s a powerful exploration of how hatred and love are often two sides of the same coin, and how the path to salvation, if it exists at all, is paved with unbearable pain.

It’s a story that has stayed with me long after I finished reading, a testament to its raw power and the unforgettable, tragic beauty of its central love story.