A Will Eternal — the manhua
A Will Eternal was also adapted into a full-colour manhua published online on Chinese comic platforms. It brings Bai Xiaochun's first misadventures in the Spirit Stream Sect to life, with a style that pushes the novel's humour even further.
Origins and publication
The manhua is part of the wave of adaptations of Qidian's big hits. The novel's comic tone lends itself particularly well to comics: funny faces, failed pills exploding and chases with stolen chickens. Online publication in vertical format lets readers follow the story chapter by chapter.
How it differs from the donghua
The manhua goes all in on comedy, with very expressive faces and chibi-style distortions in funny scenes. It stays faithful to the novel for the early arcs but moves more slowly than the donghua. The 3D donghua is more spectacular in fights, while the manhua is more at ease with gags.
Reception and success
The manhua has a smaller audience than the donghua, but readers who enjoy Bai Xiaochun's comic side appreciate it. It is a gentle way into the story without tackling the novel's 1,314 chapters.
Trivia
- Scenes of Bai Xiaochun making pills that explode are among the manhua's best.
- The manhua uses Bai Xiaochun's design as a round-cheeked young disciple, far from the serious hero of the novel's ending.
- The Spirit Stream Sect is split between rival south and north banks, one of the engines of the early arcs.
- The donghua and manhua launched a few years apart and coexist on Chinese platforms.
My take
A light, likeable manhua that makes you smile and reads quickly. It replaces neither the novel nor the donghua, but it conveys Bai Xiaochun's comic energy well. I recommend it to webtoon readers who want an easy-going cultivation story.
Who is it for?Comedy and webtoon fans, and Bai Xiaochun fans.
— Spidermas, for Donghua Fan
The authorEr Gen 耳根The melancholy poet of xianxia