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The First Step

Author Tao Wong
Hardcover
6"W x 9"H | 19 oz | 12 per carton
On sale Mar 10, 2026 | 352 Pages | 9798217188420

In a spectacular world of immortals, spirit beasts, and mystical martial arts, the young farmer Wu Ying’s life will be changed forever when he is unexpectedly invited to join an elite school of cultivation.

Now with a bonus story exclusive to this print edition!


It is said that a journey of a thousand li begins with a single step. . . .

Long Wu Ying never expected to become a real cultivator, never dreamed of having the chance to train and develop wondrous martial arts skills and magic of his own. As a farmer’s son in a rural village, his days were spent studying, planting rice, and spending time with his friends. Fate, however, has different plans for him.

Conscripted into the army and taken from everything he knows, Wu Ying’s chance observation of an incoming ambush prevents a bloody rout—and brings him to the attention of the powerful Verdant Green Waters sect, an elite school of cultivation. Invited to join the sect as a novice, Wu Ying is thrown into a world he is utterly unprepared for, one filled with demonic beasts, haughty nobles, and, most of all, the very real possibility of reaching immortality—if he’s brave enough to seize it.
Tao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. When he’s not writing and working, he’s practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada. View titles by Tao Wong
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Praise for Tao Wong’s A Thousand Li series:

"Tao Wong is a magician. A Thousand Li is an expertly wrought foundation for one the most epic English-language cultivation book series of all time. This book is infused with magic and wonder and some of the most kick ass, heart-pounding action sequences I’ve ever read."—Matt Dinniman, New York Times bestselling author of Dungeon Crawler Carl

“A Thousand Li more than lives up to its name—a grand journey from the humblest of beginnings to a heavenly ascent. Tao Wong skillfully blends xianxia action, political intrigue, quiet poetry and fascinating historical details into a superlative cultivation epic.”—Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Legends & Lattes

A Thousand Li is one of the best English-language cultivation series out there, written with obvious love for the genre. If you’ve heard about cultivation but don’t know where to begin, this is a great place to start.”—Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

“A Thousand Li: The First Step is engaging and immensely satisfying, a classic underdog story rich with martial arts, strange monsters, and the sort of power progression that has you reading on the edge of your seat.”—Andrea Stewart, author of the The Bone Shard Daughter and The Gods Below

“Fast-paced, intriguing, and highly addictive. Adventure—and immortality—awaits!"—Andy Peloquin, author of the Darkblade and Heirs of Destiny series

"Leap into what's going to be your first, and new, xianxia obsession. Tao Wong masterfully leads readers into an adventure full of martial arts, supernatural abilities, and immortals, drawing from a rich Chinese tradition he proves he's no stranger to writing in. Whether it's your first time or not, Taos tale confidently ticks all the boxes of what makes a great xianxia novel. The spirit of early Shaw brothers to the modern Black Myth: Wukong, all shine through in A Thousand Li. So, what are you waiting for, take The First Step."—R.R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The First Binding

"The First Step launches classic xianxia progression fantasy into the mainstream in a display as thrilling as Chinese fireworks! This is the fantasy adventure you didn't even know you wanted, but you do. You REALLY do!"—Dyrk Ashton, author of The Paternus Trilogy

About

In a spectacular world of immortals, spirit beasts, and mystical martial arts, the young farmer Wu Ying’s life will be changed forever when he is unexpectedly invited to join an elite school of cultivation.

Now with a bonus story exclusive to this print edition!


It is said that a journey of a thousand li begins with a single step. . . .

Long Wu Ying never expected to become a real cultivator, never dreamed of having the chance to train and develop wondrous martial arts skills and magic of his own. As a farmer’s son in a rural village, his days were spent studying, planting rice, and spending time with his friends. Fate, however, has different plans for him.

Conscripted into the army and taken from everything he knows, Wu Ying’s chance observation of an incoming ambush prevents a bloody rout—and brings him to the attention of the powerful Verdant Green Waters sect, an elite school of cultivation. Invited to join the sect as a novice, Wu Ying is thrown into a world he is utterly unprepared for, one filled with demonic beasts, haughty nobles, and, most of all, the very real possibility of reaching immortality—if he’s brave enough to seize it.

Creators

Tao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. When he’s not writing and working, he’s practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada. View titles by Tao Wong

Praise

Praise for Tao Wong’s A Thousand Li series:

"Tao Wong is a magician. A Thousand Li is an expertly wrought foundation for one the most epic English-language cultivation book series of all time. This book is infused with magic and wonder and some of the most kick ass, heart-pounding action sequences I’ve ever read."—Matt Dinniman, New York Times bestselling author of Dungeon Crawler Carl

“A Thousand Li more than lives up to its name—a grand journey from the humblest of beginnings to a heavenly ascent. Tao Wong skillfully blends xianxia action, political intrigue, quiet poetry and fascinating historical details into a superlative cultivation epic.”—Travis Baldree, #1 New York Times Bestselling author of Legends & Lattes

A Thousand Li is one of the best English-language cultivation series out there, written with obvious love for the genre. If you’ve heard about cultivation but don’t know where to begin, this is a great place to start.”—Will Wight, New York Times bestselling author of the Cradle series

“A Thousand Li: The First Step is engaging and immensely satisfying, a classic underdog story rich with martial arts, strange monsters, and the sort of power progression that has you reading on the edge of your seat.”—Andrea Stewart, author of the The Bone Shard Daughter and The Gods Below

“Fast-paced, intriguing, and highly addictive. Adventure—and immortality—awaits!"—Andy Peloquin, author of the Darkblade and Heirs of Destiny series

"Leap into what's going to be your first, and new, xianxia obsession. Tao Wong masterfully leads readers into an adventure full of martial arts, supernatural abilities, and immortals, drawing from a rich Chinese tradition he proves he's no stranger to writing in. Whether it's your first time or not, Taos tale confidently ticks all the boxes of what makes a great xianxia novel. The spirit of early Shaw brothers to the modern Black Myth: Wukong, all shine through in A Thousand Li. So, what are you waiting for, take The First Step."—R.R. Virdi, USA Today bestselling author of The First Binding

"The First Step launches classic xianxia progression fantasy into the mainstream in a display as thrilling as Chinese fireworks! This is the fantasy adventure you didn't even know you wanted, but you do. You REALLY do!"—Dyrk Ashton, author of The Paternus Trilogy

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