Lord of Mysteries — Cuttlefish That Loves Diving's novel
At a glance1,394 chapters · completed
Lord of Mysteries (诡秘之主) is often called the best Chinese web novel of its generation. Serialized on Qidian from 1 April 2018 to 14 May 2020 by Cuttlefish That Loves Diving (爱潜水的乌贼), it follows Zhou Mingrui, a young man who wakes up in the body of Klein Moretti, in a Victorian-inspired city where magic comes from drinking potions and risking madness.
Origins and publication
The author, whose pen name means "the squid that loves to dive", was already known for fantasy novels such as Throne of Magical Arcana. With Lord of Mysteries he left xianxia codes behind entirely: no mountains or sects, but steam engines, churches, secret societies and an original power system, the 22 Pathways and their Sequences, from Sequence 9 to Sequence 0. The novel runs to 1,394 chapters across eight volumes, the first of which is titled "Clown".
In Taiwan, publisher Feiyan releases a collected edition that has passed 27 volumes, with covers illustrated by A Chan. The novel also has a direct sequel, Circle of Inevitability (宿命之环), launched in 2023, and an official English translation on Webnovel.
Volume covers
The first 12 volumes of the print edition, out of 28 released.
Vol. 1
Vol. 2
Vol. 3
Vol. 4
Vol. 5
Vol. 6
Vol. 7
Vol. 8
Vol. 9
Vol. 10
Vol. 11
Vol. 12
How it differs from the donghua
B.CMAY Pictures' donghua, released in June 2025, adapts the first volume with remarkable faithfulness, but it has to turn a very internal story into images. In the novel, much of the suspense runs through Klein's thoughts, his doubts, his step-by-step divination rituals and his calculations to keep from losing control. The animation conveys these through staging and atmosphere and tightens some investigations. The text also spends more time on daily life in Tingen, which many readers love.
Reception and success
The novel dominated the "monthly ticket" rankings on Qidian, the vote of paying readers, and stayed at the top of the rankings throughout its serialization. In November 2024 it was one of ten Chinese web novels added to the British Library's collections, alongside The King's Avatar and Joy of Life. Internationally, its reputation preceded the donghua: English-speaking forums recommended it as the ideal gateway to Chinese fiction.
Trivia
- The city of Backlund is inspired by Victorian London, with its fog, factories and slums.
- The novel draws on Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos and on the collaborative fiction of the SCP Foundation, two influences fans point to.
- The Tarot Club, the secret society Klein founds, gathers members named after cards: the Fool, Justice, the Hanged Man and more.
- Before the British Library, the novel had already entered the collections of the National Library of China.
My take
This is my favourite web novel by far. The world is incredibly rich, the Pathway system is one of the smartest in the genre and Klein is an endearing hero, cautious, funny and often terrified. The opening is slow and requires patience, and some descriptive passages drag. But once you understand the rules, every revelation hits like a thunderclap.
Who is it for?Fans of mystery, cosmic horror and steampunk, including people who do not like xianxia.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
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The authorCuttlefish That Loves Diving 爱潜水的乌贼The master of Lovecraftian steampunk