Imperial Zenith: The Twenty-One Regalia

Veliciah is a very good writer love all her books I have read so far

So for the available chapters, it doesn’t introduce anything groundbreaking in its general setting; it’s something many have seen in numerous novels. However, it stands out with its characters and their interactions. The dialogue is among the best in its genre. While the bar is low, it leaps over it, and I must give major props to the translator. It’s one of the first novels where the main character’s maturity genuinely matches his age, and his experiences from his first life carry over.

The novel integrates poetry frequently, often bringing enlightenment to several characters. There’s a lot of discussion about destiny and fate, and it seems the story will delve into philosophical themes.

**Spoiler**
It’s quite open when it comes to sexuality. It’s the third novel I’ve read in this genre that mentions a gay person, and here, there’s actual character interaction involving them. They might play a role in future plot lines, which is surprising and refreshing.

My only issue is that the pacing is a bit fast, but it’s understandable given the type of novel it is. Some tropes are subverted, but they exist for a reason. It’s good, but not a perfect 10/10. I’ll update this review if my thoughts change.

IZ feels more like a test of your familiarity with tropes and story beats in cultivation novels rather than an actual novel. It's very cliché, but it's not poorly written like some other clichéd cultivation novels; instead, it reads as if you've already encountered all its elements in other books.

The beginning is very standard: the main character (MC) from China gets reincarnated into a martial world, but it doesn't stop there. The MC is not only a genius but also gets stuck at the same cultivation realm for three years and is called a cripple. And the clichés don’t end there—can you guess there’s a minor villain who bullies him because he's a cripple? Oh, and the reason he was stuck is due to his hidden ability, which comes with a grandfather figure to guide him. Who would have thought?

It’s filled with these clichés and story beats in every nook and cranny, allowing you to predict what will happen next and how characters will react if you’ve read enough novels in this genre. It’s a shame because it isn’t poorly written, and it could have been quite good if it had its own identity. Unfortunately, it doesn’t.

If you’re new to this genre, you might find it interesting, but for those who have read a lot of these, it will likely be a boring and tedious read.

This novel can be described in one word: **Slow**.

Everything about it is slow. The world-building, the character development, the plot, and even the chapters themselves feel drawn out.

There’s so much exposition that sometimes it feels like I’m reading a generic cultivation wiki instead of a novel. At first, I started reading every word, but after around 80 chapters or so, I found myself skipping past a lot of parts and realized I could still keep up with what was happening without much trouble.

However, that’s not to say it isn’t good. As far as cultivation novels go, it hits all the marks. If you enjoy the genre, give it a try. If not, I’d say move on.

**tl;dr**

** Rating: ~3.5/5**

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### Writing Quality/Translation: 4.25/5

If we were to compare this novel to other cultivation stories, I’d say this one is a step above the rest. Yes, there are tons of exposition, info-dumps, and information that may not seem useful, but I find that the world is generally very interesting. It feels fleshed out and alive.

Despite all the information, the story flows naturally. It’s not like the author just dumps a bunch of information on you for no reason. Anything that’s brought up is usually for a reason and is referenced later in the chapter or the next one. For example, if the author introduces a city, he’ll talk about all the powers, families, struggles, etc., to set the stage, and then a mini-arc (5-10 chapters) will follow in that direction. It won’t just be, "Here’s the DingDing Clan, ChingChong Clan, BingBong Clan... Blah, blah, blah," and then move on to something else entirely.

After reading so many Korean novels lately, where it feels like the authors are doing their best to give as little information as possible, this is a breath of fresh air. We get to really delve into the world and its intricacies, the characters and their emotions/thoughts, the plot, and the MC’s backstory.

You get the feeling that the author put genuine thought and care into his novel. Sure, it’s very cliché. It’s filled with clichés, but it’s written very well.

There are a few parts that feel forced, like the MC’s devotion toward his clan and chapters 98+, but in terms of pure writing quality, it’s above average.

Lastly, I also enjoy all the poems and poetic messages interwoven within the story. The dialogue is beautifully written, probably some of the best I’ve read in a while. The MC gives eloquent answers, is sharp and witty, and is a joy to listen to.

, I have few bad things to say in this regard.

### Story Development: 3/5

**SLOW!**

The story is so freaking slow!

Don’t believe me? Let me put it this way: It takes about 6 chapters for him to reincarnate. And it doesn’t get any better in this regard. Up to chapter 120, those first 5 chapters (except anything about the MC's past life) aren’t all that relevant.

However, you should still read them, as there are hints and throwbacks to what happens in those first few chapters scattered throughout the novel. It’s just that I think it could be condensed into 1-2 chapters as it feels like a lot is being said with little substance. This isn’t unique to the beginning, either.

Clan Banquet? 10 chapters

Curing his "cripple" status? Another ~10 chapters

Even his tribulation is almost 10 chapters long.

Basically, once new information starts to roll in, don’t expect that arc, no matter how small, to end in anything less than 7-8 chapters. Even if it’s just resting at a simple village that the MC is passing through, he might be stuck there for 10+ chapters for a somewhat arbitrary reason.

Thinking about it more, I almost want to lower my score to 2.5/5.

At some point, it’s a little frustrating. You just want the MC to get to where he needs to be, but he’s always caught up in something useless. I get that it’s actually pretty realistic, but as a reader, I just want things to get moving. As much as I enjoy reading about all these different characters, their backgrounds, and these towns/cities, it’d be a bit more enjoyable for me if it didn’t take so long to get anything done.

I know it sounds a bit contradictory compared to what I said about the writing quality, but you’ll have to read it to understand. I don’t exactly enjoy reading a 6-chapter-long prologue. Nor do I enjoy reading 25+ chapters of "traveling" just to get to where he’s going to start training. All of this could be condensed. Way too much information. Too many annoyances. Too many distractions.

### Character Design/Development: 2/5 (4/5)

I’m conflicted here. On the one hand, all the characters are fairly unique. They all have their peculiarities, their good and bad points. However, on the other hand, it feels like the world is full of geniuses, or at least, above-average intelligence. Somehow, the female leads just know what the MC is thinking without him having to say anything. New characters are wary of everyone and everything. Everyone talks in riddles. All words seem to have a hidden meaning.

We only really see "idiots" a few times, but it kind of feels weird to see in a world full of smart people.

In terms of the uniqueness and enjoyability of the dialogue, I’m almost inclined to give this section a 5/5. I’m sure some of you would even do that, but there are a few points that bother me.

That is, EVERYONE is interested in the MC. Sometimes, for literally no reason. He’ll just open his mouth, and everyone turns their heads. No, sometimes, he doesn’t even need to open his mouth. He could have on a cloak with his head down, but everyone’s eyes are still like hawks, watching his every move. It’s actually insane.

I know this isn’t new for these kinds of novels, but it’s particularly strange here. If the MC were placed in any other cultivation world, full of arrogant idiots, it’d make sense. He’s a very refined and well-spoken man. If he were a real person, I wouldn’t doubt he could charm most women, even men, with his words. He’s very likable.

But here, where everyone seems smart and can talk in circles, it’s not as amazing. Yes, he can pump out Buddhist quotes like it’s nothing, but others aren’t exactly stupid.

Second, it also feels like there’s something seriously wrong with the female leads. Like, they all have some sort of mental illness or something. That may or may not be a bad thing, but let’s just say, the most recent female character is a HUGE pain. She, by herself, drops my score a whole point. Every chapter she’s in feels like a waste.

This is just my opinion, but her presence (for me) kills the story. As soon as she popped up, I wanted to drop the novel but kept reading to see if things got better. They don’t (for now).

On the other hand, the growth and devotion of the characters around the MC are quite remarkable.

It’s a bit hard to get a read on the MC, but it’s fun to read the thoughts of the female leads and how they’re growing, trying to get closer to the MC.

However, what brings down my score in this regard is that the MC IS STILL 11! Why?!

No matter what his relationship is with the heroines, they’re weird. Either he’s a pedo, or they are.

Again, this goes back to the slow pacing.

In 100+ chapters, only ~2 weeks go by.

My complaints would drop in half if he was just an adult, but it’s way too freaking slow.

### World Background: 3/5

Lots of information about the world. Most of it is either not important or could be condensed. For example, during the Lightning Tribulation, it’ll explain the reason behind why the lightning strike is named that way, its history, strength, properties, and all sorts of things.

Yeah, it’s a bit interesting, but is it really that important? Do we need to know the history behind the name of a lightning strike? So much so that it’ll take up 1/4 to 1/2 of a chapter, each?

This is what most of the novel is like.

Bring up an auction house? We need to know who owns it, their background, the personalities of those in charge, their servants, their reputation, their conflicts, upcoming events, past events, how they got famous/in decline, why the shop is set up so well, the layout, and all sorts of random things.

It’s a little interesting, but it’s really too much information. Sometimes, it feels like I’m reading a wiki or the author’s notes, rather than a story. There’s just way too much exposition.

The world is great and feels alive, but it’s really boring to read lines of text that bring almost 0 meaning to the plot. I can look past it, to an extent, if the information is used to get closer to a character, but it’s still way too much. We might just get walls of dialogue, with the MC explaining his head off about manipulative modern selling tactics.

### :

It’s good. If you can look past the walls of text, intermittent with useful information, then you can enjoy a beautifully written novel. The characters are generally fun (except Hung Yu Fei), the plot is cliché but interesting, and the MC is extremely well-spoken but also a good fighter. He’s not overpowered right off the bat, and the author does a good job of making the cultivation world feel realistic without it being dull or outrageous.

Give it a try.

Thanks for reading!