Close Modal

The First Stop

Author Tao Wong
Hardcover
6"W x 9"H | 19 oz | 12 per carton
On sale Jul 14, 2026 | 368 Pages | 9798217188444

A young man searches for his own path to immortality—while grappling with the looming threat of war—in this compelling novel in the A Thousand Li epic progression fantasy series. Includes a bonus short story exclusive to this print edition.

Long Wu Ying’s studies at the Verdant Green Waters Sect, an exclusive school of cultivation, are at a turning point. It’s time for him to choose what secondary occupation to pursue—alchemist or blacksmith, physician or martial specialist. Yet Wu Ying struggles to decide which focus will best define and contribute to his dao, his personal path of cultivation. And what happens if he chooses wrong?

But beyond the walls of Verdant Green Waters, the drums of war beat as the sect is pulled deeper into the battle for supremacy between states. The Sect Elders thrust Wu Ying and his friends into a desperate gamble to prepare for the upcoming war—a risky assignment that will put to the test everything Wu Ying has learned.

As pressure builds from within and without, Wu Ying must find his place in this new martial world, or he may not survive the trials to come.
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

“The worldbuilding and magic system impress."—Publishers Weekly

"Delivers a satisfying sense of progress without pretending that the journey ahead will be short. For readers who enjoy long-running fantasy series with slow, deliberate build-ups, The First Step offers an appealing foundation."—Game Vortex

“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

A young man searches for his own path to immortality—while grappling with the looming threat of war—in this compelling novel in the A Thousand Li epic progression fantasy series. Includes a bonus short story exclusive to this print edition.

Long Wu Ying’s studies at the Verdant Green Waters Sect, an exclusive school of cultivation, are at a turning point. It’s time for him to choose what secondary occupation to pursue—alchemist or blacksmith, physician or martial specialist. Yet Wu Ying struggles to decide which focus will best define and contribute to his dao, his personal path of cultivation. And what happens if he chooses wrong?

But beyond the walls of Verdant Green Waters, the drums of war beat as the sect is pulled deeper into the battle for supremacy between states. The Sect Elders thrust Wu Ying and his friends into a desperate gamble to prepare for the upcoming war—a risky assignment that will put to the test everything Wu Ying has learned.

As pressure builds from within and without, Wu Ying must find his place in this new martial world, or he may not survive the trials to come.

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

“The worldbuilding and magic system impress."—Publishers Weekly

"Delivers a satisfying sense of progress without pretending that the journey ahead will be short. For readers who enjoy long-running fantasy series with slow, deliberate build-ups, The First Step offers an appealing foundation."—Game Vortex

“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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