What do you think?
Rate this book
A Thousand Li #2.5
The Favored Son
A Cultivation Short Story
Winter is a time of reflection and cultivation for the Verdant Green Waters Sect. For Wu Ying, this peaceful interlude is interrupted by a new assignment that pits him against the mortal world’s conventions of class and privilege.
A short story in the world of A Thousand Li by Tao Wong.
Winter is a time of reflection and cultivation for the Verdant Green Waters Sect. For Wu Ying, this peaceful interlude is interrupted by a new assignment that pits him against the mortal world’s conventions of class and privilege.
A short story in the world of A Thousand Li by Tao Wong.
30 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 30, 2020
32 people are currently reading
158 people want to read
About the author
Tao Wong
146 books965 followersTao Wong is the author of the A Thousand Li progression fantasy series and the System Apocalypse LitRPG series, among others. His work has been released in audio, paperback, hardcover, and ebook formats, and translated into German, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and several other languages. He was shortlisted for the UK Kindle Storyteller Award in 2021 for A Thousand Li: The Second Sect. In 2026, the first three books in the A Thousand Li series will be republished in hardcover by Ace Books.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
When he’s not writing or working, he enjoys practicing martial arts, reading, and dreaming up new worlds. He lives in Toronto, Canada.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 28, 2020
Overpriced but a good sample of the authors work.
I say the price because it cost it about $2.50 for basically a chapter worth of story. I believe that his actual full-length stories are set just under $5. The story should be read just after book 2.
The story self is not a bad sampling of what the author does throughout the series. He has fairly transparent pros but does get a little thesaurus happy at times with a couple hundred dollar words thrown in each story. It is told in a third person point of view and is very short. Literally feels like a cut chapter with a simple introduction of characters and an event to cover. not really sure if Wong threw this out just to make a quick buck and to test the waters.
I think this would have worked better if it was grouped together in a bunch of short stories that could have been just little events in our heroes life in between books.
Looking forward to the next book coming out.
I say the price because it cost it about $2.50 for basically a chapter worth of story. I believe that his actual full-length stories are set just under $5. The story should be read just after book 2.
The story self is not a bad sampling of what the author does throughout the series. He has fairly transparent pros but does get a little thesaurus happy at times with a couple hundred dollar words thrown in each story. It is told in a third person point of view and is very short. Literally feels like a cut chapter with a simple introduction of characters and an event to cover. not really sure if Wong threw this out just to make a quick buck and to test the waters.
I think this would have worked better if it was grouped together in a bunch of short stories that could have been just little events in our heroes life in between books.
Looking forward to the next book coming out.
March 3, 2021
Tao Wong did a great job turning a short story that had so much action it would take other writers a lot more than a short story. This is all action and I loved it. One short story like this is enough to satisfy your love of Martial Arts for a day or two.
September 2, 2020
Ripped off for this short of a story
A very good little short story. Cost too much for this short tale. Should have been $0.99. I would not pay $2.99 for A story this short again
A very good little short story. Cost too much for this short tale. Should have been $0.99. I would not pay $2.99 for A story this short again
September 27, 2020
A nice interlude, if short.
March 29, 2022
All these are on Scribd. Just basic short stories
July 14, 2025
🏮 “Between Duty and Destiny: A Prince in the Shadows” 🏮
Book Review: The Favored Son (A Thousand Li #2.5) by Tao Wong
Plot Overview
Prince Hui, a minor royal and martial talent, navigates the treacherous politics of the imperial court.
Despite his royal blood, Hui is constantly caught between factions—his martial prowess seen as both an asset and a threat.
As an imperial mission involving Wu Ying draws closer, Hui must choose between his family's expectations and his personal code.
Character Exploration: Prince Hui
Complex and layered: Hui is both privileged and pitied—a skilled cultivator who is never trusted, a prince with influence but no peace.
Duty vs. Identity: The novella shines when it shows Hui questioning the role he’s expected to play: a loyal son, a weapon for the court, or something more human?
Foreshadowing: His storyline subtly intersects with Wu Ying’s arc, enriching the larger themes of agency, destiny, and rebellion.
Writing Style & Tone
Measured Prose: The writing is elegant and slightly more formal, matching the courtly environment.
Atmospheric Worldbuilding: Tao Wong crafts a tense, ceremonial world where words cut deeper than blades.
Emotional Resonance: Despite its brevity, the novella lingers with emotional weight—loneliness, power, and the cost of being "favored."
Who Is This For?
Fans of A Thousand Li who want deeper lore and alternate perspectives.
Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with political intrigue.
Those curious about the world beyond Wu Ying’s boots and battlefields.
Drawbacks
Minimal cultivation action—those expecting explosive techniques and realm breakthroughs may be disappointed.
Being a novella, it ends just as you get fully immersed in Hui’s world—though perhaps that’s the point.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟✨✨
Book Review: The Favored Son (A Thousand Li #2.5) by Tao Wong
This is not Wu Ying’s story—but it’s one that echoes across the cultivation world like the whisper of a silk robe in a quiet hall.
Nestled between Book 2: The First War and Book 3: The Third Realm, The Favored Son is a side novella that expands the A Thousand Li universe by stepping away from Wu Ying’s path and turning the spotlight onto another character: the enigmatic Prince Hui.
More court drama than cultivation epic, this novella dives deep into the political, familial, and personal pressures of royal life. While other entries in the series focus on martial growth and Daoist philosophy, The Favored Son is a rich character study of a man born with everything—except freedom.
Plot Overview
Prince Hui, a minor royal and martial talent, navigates the treacherous politics of the imperial court.
Despite his royal blood, Hui is constantly caught between factions—his martial prowess seen as both an asset and a threat.
As an imperial mission involving Wu Ying draws closer, Hui must choose between his family's expectations and his personal code.
The plot is tight and purpose-driven, offering just enough action to keep momentum while focusing more on internal conflict and moral ambiguity. The novella gives us a rare view into the empire's elite, contrasting sharply with Wu Ying’s humble roots.
Character Exploration: Prince Hui
Complex and layered: Hui is both privileged and pitied—a skilled cultivator who is never trusted, a prince with influence but no peace.
Duty vs. Identity: The novella shines when it shows Hui questioning the role he’s expected to play: a loyal son, a weapon for the court, or something more human?
Foreshadowing: His storyline subtly intersects with Wu Ying’s arc, enriching the larger themes of agency, destiny, and rebellion.
What makes Hui compelling is that he is not a hero in the traditional sense—he is calculating, isolated, and torn. Yet his inner conflict makes him one of Tao Wong’s most nuanced characters.
Writing Style & Tone
Measured Prose: The writing is elegant and slightly more formal, matching the courtly environment.
Atmospheric Worldbuilding: Tao Wong crafts a tense, ceremonial world where words cut deeper than blades.
Emotional Resonance: Despite its brevity, the novella lingers with emotional weight—loneliness, power, and the cost of being "favored."
“It is no great gift to be born into power, if one’s life is spent earning the right to wield it.”
Who Is This For?
Fans of A Thousand Li who want deeper lore and alternate perspectives.
Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with political intrigue.
Those curious about the world beyond Wu Ying’s boots and battlefields.
Drawbacks
Minimal cultivation action—those expecting explosive techniques and realm breakthroughs may be disappointed.
Being a novella, it ends just as you get fully immersed in Hui’s world—though perhaps that’s the point.
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟✨✨
A quiet, potent tale of political suffocation and personal rebellion that adds depth to the world of A Thousand Li.
If Wu Ying shows us how to climb the mountain, Prince Hui reminds us of those who live trapped at the summit—unable to rise, unable to descend.
October 31, 2022
I got this book for free from the publisher.
Memang lama dah follow series ni, I suka wata utama Wu ying di mana dia bukan dari orang yang punya apa2. Mula dari bawah then slowly become one of the stronfest cultivator. This is a short story between book 2 and book 1 kalau tak salah. Really recommended.
Memang lama dah follow series ni, I suka wata utama Wu ying di mana dia bukan dari orang yang punya apa2. Mula dari bawah then slowly become one of the stronfest cultivator. This is a short story between book 2 and book 1 kalau tak salah. Really recommended.
January 30, 2024
This short was well written and shows politics from the outside world reaching into the sect. I did not understand the motivation of the two teens, though, other than for some reason trying to embarrass some of the people.
August 29, 2020
Not worth it
First of all i am going to say my bad for not checking the books length before buying. That being said for 30 pages it is not worth the 2.99 cost.
First of all i am going to say my bad for not checking the books length before buying. That being said for 30 pages it is not worth the 2.99 cost.
September 9, 2020
Way too short
A good short story, but heavily overpriced for wanna it is. I would expect router there times the length or one third the price.
A good short story, but heavily overpriced for wanna it is. I would expect router there times the length or one third the price.
May 13, 2024
Great short story that delves into the politics and former life of Li Yao, Wu Ying’s girlfriend. The action sequences in this short story were great and left me ready to continue the series
July 11, 2022
Nice short story, its serve to understand the relationship between the nobles and cultivators from a renown sect. It is refreshing the world the author has build.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews