Mo Dao Zu Shi

Wei Ying (魏婴), courtesy name Wuxian (无羡) Voiced by: Lu Zhixing (audio drama), Zhang Jie (donghua), Shim Gyuhyuk (Korean dub), Tatsuhisa Suzuki (Japanese drama cd), Kimura Ryohei (Japanese dub)

Wei Wuxian is the protagonist of the series. He is the founder of the Demonic Path (鬼道), earning him the title Yiling Laozu (夷陵老祖). He is intelligent, optimistic, mischievous but good-hearted. Talented and infamous, his unorthodox methods and unrestrained nature put him at odds with the rest of the cultivation world. Orphaned at a young age and taken in by his parents’ friend Jiang Fengmian, Wei Wuxian is raised in the Yunmeng Jiang Clan, where he becomes head disciple and grows up with Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. During his education as a teenager, travels to Gusu to study at Cloud Recesses and meets Lan Wangji, with whom he develops a friendship, and later misunderstandings.

After the Qishan Wen Clan launches an aggressive campaign to subjugate all other cultivation clans, Wei Wuxian becomes a war hero through his use of demonic methods. Other clans covet and distrust his novel power; he further antagonizes them by protecting the survivors of the Wen Clan and dies an enemy of the cultivation world. 13 years later, he is resurrected into the body of Mo Xuanyu and must unravel a murder mystery alongside his old friend and enemy, Lan Wangji.

Lan Zhan (蓝湛), courtesy name Wangji (忘机). Voiced by: Wei Chao (audio drama), Bian Jiang (donghua), Ryu Seunggon (Korean dub), Satoshi Hino (Japanese drama cd), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Japanese dub)

Lan Wangji, titled Hanguang Jun (含光君), is the second young master of the Lan Clan. He has a cold, aloof and strict nature and is renowned for his skill in battle. During his youth, he developed romantic feelings for Wei Wuxian. At the beginning of the story, he is a teacher of Lan Clan disciples; when they are attacked by a mysterious demonic arm, he meets the resurrected Wei Wuxian whom he protects and grows closer to as they unravel the mystery.

Lan Clan of Gusu (姑苏蓝氏) is a cultivation clan based in the Cloud Recesses (云深不知处), a residence on a remote mountain outside the city of Gusu. All disciples wear a white band across their foreheads. Additional embroidery of the clan emblem adorns the headbands of inner disciples, who are also part of the Lan family.

Clan Motto: Upright; Righteous (雅正)

Clan Emblem: Rolling Clouds (卷云纹)

Lan Huan (蓝涣), courtesy name Xichen (曦臣). Voiced by: Wang Kai (audio drama), Jin Xian (donghua), Kim Youngsun (Korean dub), Morikawa Toshiyuki (Japanese dub, drama cd)

Lan Xichen is the leader of the Lan Clan. Titled Zewu Jun (泽芜君), he is one of the Three Zun (三尊) alongside his sworn brothers Nie Mingjue and Jin Guangyao, the latter of with whom he shares an especially close relationship. He has a warm and trusting personality.

Lan Qiren (蓝启仁) Voiced by: Song Ming (audio drama), Liu Cong (donghua), Lee Changmin (Korean dub), Shingaki Tarusuke (Japanese drama cd), Sakamaki Mitsuhiro (Japanese dub)

Lan Qiren is an elder of the Lan Clan, a strict teacher known for producing outstanding students. After his brother Qingheng Jun (青蘅君) went into seclusion, he acted acted as de facto leader of the clan. He also raised his nephews Lan Xichen and Lan Wangji whom he taught to tirelessly learn and obey the rules of the clan.

Lan Yuan (蓝愿), courtesy name Sizhui (思追) Voiced by: Qian Wenqing (audio drama), Chengzhang Taikang (donghua), Nam Doh-hyeong (Korean dub), Yūsuke Kobayashi (Japanese drama cd), Shimba Tsuchiya (Japanese dub)

Lan Sizhui is a teenage inner disciple of the Lan Clan. He is intelligent and even-tempered. He admires Lan Wangji whom he sees as a big brother or father figure and quickly takes a liking to “Mo Xuanyu” as Wei Wuxian. He is close friends with Lan Jingyi and later with Jin Ling.

Lan Jingyi (蓝景仪) Voiced by: Cao Xupeng (audio drama), Wang Chenguang (donghua), Jeong Joo-won (Korean dub), Hiro Shimono (Japanese drama cd), Saito Soma (Japanese dub)

Lan Jingyi is a disciple of the Lan Clan. He is short-tempered and dislikes rule breakers. He is close friends with Lan Sizhui and later with Jin Ling.

Jin Clan of Lanling (兰陵金氏) is a cultivation clan based in Golden Carp Tower, Lanling.

Meng Yao (孟瑶), legitimized as Jin Guangyao (金光瑶) Voiced by: Jiang Guangtao (audio drama), Yang Tianxiang (donghua), Lee Hosan (Korean dub), Ishida Akira (Japanese dub, drama cd)

Titled Lianfang Zun (敛芳尊), Jin Guangyao is the leader of the Jin Clan and the first Chief Cultivator (仙督), the leader of all cultivation clans. Initially illegitimate, he was formally recognized by his father Jin Guangshan and accepted into the Jin family due to his wartime accomplishments. He is Jin Ling’s paternal uncle and also one of Three Zun alongside his sworn brothers Lan Xichen and Nie Mingjue. He is an intelligent and competent ruler, but many look down on him due to his status as the son of a prostitute. He shares an especially close relationship with Lan Xichen due to the latter’s nonjudgmental nature.

Jin Ling (金凌), courtesy name Rulan (如兰) Voiced by: Li Lanling (audio drama), Su Shangqing (donghua), Lee Kyungtae (Korean dub), Murase Ayumu (Japanese drama cd), Kaji Yuki (Japanese dub)

Jin Ling is a disciple of the Jin Clan and the heir to the Jin clan. He is the son of Jiang Yanli and Jin Zixuan and the nephew of both Jin Guangyao and Jiang Cheng. He has a spiritual dog named Fairy, given to him by Jin Guangyao. He is prideful and short-tempered and initially has troublegetting along with his peers and he doesn't have many friends his age. He takes a liking to Wei Wuxian when he returns as "Mo Xuanyu." He also becomes close friends with Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi.

Jin Guangshan (金光善) Voiced by: Xiao Tan (audio drama), Li Longbin (donghua), Park Sanghoon (Korean dub), Hayami Sho (Japanese dub, drama cd)

Jin Guangshan was the former leader of the Jin Clan whose ambitions rivaled Wen Ruohan's. He viciously punished the remainder of the Wen Clan after the war and clashed with Wei Wuxian over their treatment. A womanizer, he had three known children from affairs: Meng Yao, Mo Xuanyu, and Qin Su. Jin Zixuan was his only legitimate son until he legitimized Meng Yao.

Jin Zixuan (金子轩) Voiced by: Liu Mingyue (audio drama), Gu Jiangshan (donghua), Kim Hyunwook (Korean dub), Hiroki Takahashi (Japanese drama cd), Kenji Akabane (Japanese dub)

Jin Zixuan was Jin Guangshan's son and heir to the Jin Clan, as well as Jiang Yanli's husband and the father of Jin Ling. He initially clashed with Wei Wuxian due to his brash personality.

An outstanding talent, Jin Zixuan initially disdained the betrothal he had to Jiang Yanli, whom he viewed as unremarkable, but he gradually grew to love her after understanding her true character. He died when Jin Ling was still a toddler.

Qin Su (秦愫)

Qin Su is the wife of Jin Guangyao and the daughter of Qin Cangye, the leader of the Laoling Qin Clan, a subsidiary of the Jin Clan. They married after Jin Guangyao saved her life during the war.

Mo Xuanyu (莫玄羽) Voiced by: Tong Xin (audio drama), Zhang Jie (donghua), Shim Gyu Hyuk (Korean dub), Nakayama Kazuhisa (Japanese drama cd), Kimura Ryohei (Japanese dub)

Mo Xuanyu was one of Jin Guangshan's illegitimate sons and a former disciple of the Jin Clan. He sacrificed his soul to summon Wei Wuxian to exact revenge on the Mo family for abusing him. In his living days, he was seen as a lunatic and "cut-sleeve."

Nie Clan of Qinghe (清河聂氏) is a cultivation clan that resides in the Unclean Realm.

Nie Huaisang (聂怀桑) Voiced by: Qi Sijia (audio drama), Liu Sanmu (donghua), Kim Myungjoon (Korean dub), Matsuoka Yoshitsugu (Japanese drama cd), Natsuki Hanae (Japanese dub)

Nie Huaisang is the current leader of the Nie Clan and the younger half-brother of Nie Mingjue, as well as an old school friend of Wei Wuxian with whom he often slacked off. Known for his incompetence, he is widely called Head Shaker (一问三不知, literally: one question, three “don't know”s).

Nie Mingjue (聂明玦) Voiced by: Feng Sheng (audio drama), Guan Shu'ai (donghua), Lee Hyeon (Korean dub), Tsuda Kenjiro (Japanese drama cd), Hiroshi Shirokuma (Japanese dub)

Titled Chifeng Zun (赤锋尊), Nie Mingjue was the former leader of the Nie Clan and the older half-brother of Nie Huaisang. He is one of the Three Zun alongside his sworn brothers Jin Guangyao and Lan Xichen. He was strict with a bad temper and an intolerance for anything deviating from his definition of morality. He publicly experienced a qi deviation, common in his clan, and disappeared soon thereafter. He is presumed dead at the beginning of the novel.

Wen Clan of Qishan (岐山温氏) is a cultivation clan based in the Nightless City (不夜天城). The clan was destroyed during the Sunshot Campaign, where some survivors, specifically Wen Ning and Wen Qing's family branch, were taken under the wing of Wuxian.

Clan Emblem: the Sun, meaning to compete with the sun and to live as long as the sun (与日争辉，与日同寿)

Wen Ning (温宁), courtesy name Qionglin (琼林). Voiced by: Teng Xin (audio drama), Shao Tong (donghua), Kim Jiyul (Korean dub), Hoshi Soichiro (Japanese drama cd), Nobunaga Shimazaki (Japanese dub)

Wen Ning is a branch family member of the Wen Clan and Wen Qing's younger brother. When he was alive, he was a stutterer and shy around people. In his youth, he met Wei Wuxian during an archery tournament, and later protected both him and Jiang Cheng during the Siege of Lotus Pier. After the downfall of the Wen clan, he was sent to one of the Jin Clan’s forced labor camps and murdered. Wei Wuxian later resurrected him as a fierce corpse, and he became known as the Ghost General (鬼将军).

Wen Qing (温情) Voiced by: Shan Xin (audio drama), Qiao Shiyu (donghua), Kim Yul (Korean dub), Ayako Kawasumi (Japanese dub)

Wen Qing was a branch family member of the Wen clan and Wen Ning's older sister. She was the greatest physician of the Wen Clan. When Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng were on the run, after Wen Ning's insistence she sheltered them at the risk of being punished for betrayal to the main Wen Clan.

Wen Ruohan (温若寒)

Voiced by: Chen Siyu (audio drama), Yan Ming (donghua), Kim Jinhong (Korean dub), Miyake Kenta (Japanese dub)

Wen Ruohan was the previous clan leader of the Wen Clan, and father to Wen Xu and Wen Chao. He was a known megalomaniac with an unpredictable temper.

Wen Xu (温旭)

Wen Xu was the eldest son of Wen Ruohan. He burnt the Cloud Recesses during the Wen Clan’s aggressive expansive campaign. Eventually, he was decapitated by Nie Mingjue.

Wen Chao (温晁) Voiced by: Hao Xianghai (audio drama), Liang Xiaoqiang (donghua), Kim Jinhong (Korean dub), Hiroyuki Yoshino (Japanese dub)

Wen Chao was the youngest son of Wen Ruohan. He enjoyed harassing women and clashed with Wei Wuxian who protected Mianmian (绵绵) from him. He laid siege to Lotus Pier, successfully occupying it and killing Jiang Fengmian, Yu Ziyuan, and many other cultivators. This forced Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli into hiding. He later hunted down Wei Wuxian and threw him into the Burial Mounds (乱葬岗).

Zhao Zhuliu (赵逐流), renamed as Wen Zhuliu (温逐流) Voiced by: Wang Minna (audio drama), Hu Yajie (donghua), Keikō Sakai (Japanese dub)

Wen Zhuliu was a servant of the Wen Clan and adopted into the Wen family. He was one of Wen Chao's protectors. He was a formidable cultivator and commonly known as Core-Melting Hand (化丹手) due to his ability to melt a Golden Core.

Wang Lingjiao (王灵娇) Voiced by: Yan Mengmeng (audio drama), Qiu Qiu (donghua), Gang Sihyeon (Korean dub), Asumi Kana (Japanese dub)

Wang Lingjiao was a former maid of Wen Chao's official wife and later his favorite lover. She was arrogant and pompous. She vindictively tried to sacrifice Mianmian after seeing Wen Chao flirt with her and later tried to intimidate Yu Ziyuan.

Jiang Clan of Yunmeng (云梦江氏) is a cultivation clan located in Yunmeng's Lotus Pier (莲花坞).

Clan Motto: Knowing it's impossible, attempt to achieve it (明知不可为而为之)

Clan Emblem: Nine petal lotus (九瓣莲）

Jiang Cheng (江澄), courtesy name Wanyin (晚吟), Voiced by: Peng Yao (audio drama), Guo Haoran (donghua), Jang Min-hyeok (Korean dub), Midorikawa Hikaru (Japanese dub, drama cd)

Titled Sandu Shengshou (三毒圣手), Jiang Cheng is the current leader of the Jiang Clan. He is the brother of Jiang Yanli, the martial brother of Wei Wuxian, and the maternal uncle of Jin Ling. He is an arrogant and ruthless man. Though quick-tempered and volatile, he is protective of his nephew Jin Ling. He grew up close very close to Wei Wuxian and his older sister Jiang Yanli being raised in the Jiang family house together and taking their meals together. After the fall of Lotus Pier, he became the new clan leader early and played a major role in the Sunshot Campaign. After the war, he grew apart from Wei Wuxian who defected to protect members of the Wen Clan. At the start of the novel, he obsessively hunts for Wei Wuxian, who he believes will find a way to return to the world of the living, looking for revenge, as he blames Wei Wuxian for his sister’s death.

Jiang Yanli (江厌离) Voiced by: Qiao Shiyu (audio drama), Li Shimeng (donghua), Kang Eun-ae (Korean dub), Taketatsu Ayana (Japanese drama cd), Saori Hayami (Japanese dub)

Jiang Yanli was the daughter of Jiang Fengmian and Yu Ziyuan, the older sister of Jiang Cheng, and the martial sister of Wei Wuxian. She was known to be of average looks and weak at cultivation, but was a very kind person and a good cook. Her younger brother Jiang Cheng, and Wei Wuxian idolized her. She was initially smitten with Jin Zixuan but asked her father to break off the engagement after she realized that he did not like her. After the war, Jin Zixuan developed feelings for her, and they were wed. They had a son, Jin Ling, but she died when he was young during the First Siege of the Burial Mounds.

Jiang Fengmian (江枫眠) Voiced by: Zhang Zhen (audio drama), Tang Shuiyu (donghua), Seo Wonseok (Korean dub), Kenji Hamada (Japanese dub)

Jiang Fengmian was the former leader of the Jiang Clan, the husband of Yu Ziyuan, and the father of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. He was friends with Wei Wuxian's father, Wei Changze, who was a servant of the clan. He was also familiar with Wei Wuxian's mother, Cangse Sanren whom he once had wanted to marry. When he heard that both parents had died on a night-hunt, he dedicated himself to finding their son. He eventually found Wei Wuxian on the streets of Yiling and fed him a piece of melon before carrying him home to Yunmeng. Because he treated Wei Wuxian very well and brought him to live in the family house, he and Yu Ziyuan often argued over his perceived favoritism. Along with his wife, he died at the Wen Clan's hands during the invasion of the Lotus Pier.

Yu Ziyuan (虞紫鸢) Voiced by: Zhang Kai (audio drama), Ji Guanlin (donghua), Jeon Suk-kyeong (Korean dub), Tanaka Atsuko (Japanese drama cd), Takako Honda (Japanese dub)

Yu Ziyuan was the wife of Jiang Fengmian, and mother of Jiang Cheng and Jiang Yanli. She was harsh on her family and clan’s disciples. Titled Violet Spider (紫蜘蛛), she is a formidable and famous cultivator. She had a poor relationship with Wei Wuxian whom she whipped and verbally castigated, as she saw him as a reminder of her Jiang Fengmian’s past love for Cangse Sanren and as a competitor with her son, Jiang Cheng. When the Wen Clan invaded Lotus pier, and Wang Lingjiao demanded Wei Wuxian’s punishment, she whipped him but ultimately refused to cut off his hand. She subsequently fought the invaders to the death. During her final moments, she told Wei Wuxian to protect Jiang Cheng with his life.

During Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's mission, they arrived at Yi City (义城) and bumped into Lan Sizhui, Lan Jingyi, Jin Ling and some other disciples from different clans during their night hunt. From there, they uncover the truth of Xiao Xingchen's death.

Xue Yang (薛洋), courtesy name Chengmei (成美). Voiced by: Hui Long (audio drama), Kondo Takashi (Japanese drama cd)

Xue Yang is a guest of the Jin Clan who recreated the destroyed half of the Yin Tiger Tally. He is found by Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing while injured and unconscious. As the two did not know his real identity, he used Xiao Xingchen's blindness to his advantage and ended up living with them for years through deception. However, he was exposed when A-Qing witnessed his fight with Song Lan. He then fought with Xiao Xingchen and revealed the truth. This caused Xiao Xingchen to commit suicide. As Xue Yang was unable to turn him into a fierce corpse, he stored his shattered soul in a spirit-trapping pouch. He later found A-Qing and killed her by digging her eyes and cutting her tongue out.

Xiao Xingchen (晓星尘) Voiced by: Chen Hao (audio drama), Shinnosuke Tachibana (Japanese drama cd)

Xiao Xingchen was one of Baoshan Sanren's (抱山散人) disciples who left the mountain for the mortal world. At some point he became blind, giving his eyes to his best friend, Song Lan. Xiao Xinghen first met A-Qing, then found an injured person, Xue Yang, lying unconscious on the street, and the three of them started living together. Due to Xiao Xingchen's blindness, he neither recognized the man he had saved as the criminal Xue Yang, nor that the latter had tricked him into killing people. When he found out that Xue Yang had tricked him into killing Song Lan, he committed suicide, shattering his soul.

Song Lan (宋岚), courtesy name Zichen (子琛). Voiced by: Wu Lei (audio drama), Miki Shinichiro (Japanese drama cd)

Song Lan is a cultivator from Baixue Temple and a friend of Xiao Xingchen. His eyes were blinded by Xue Yang when Baixue Temple was destroyed, but Xiao Xingchen dug out his own eyes, transferred them to him, and then disappeared. While searching for Xiao Xingchen after his sudden disappearance, he ran into Xue Yang first. Xue Yang cut out his tongue and tricked Xiao Xingchen into killing him. Xue Yang turned him into a fierce corpse, but Wei Wuxian managed to return his consciousness.

A-Qing (阿箐) Voiced by: Yang Neng (audio drama), Shitaya Noriko (Japanese drama cd)

A-Qing was a young girl who lived in the streets and pretended to be blind thanks to her white pupils. She encountered Xiao Xingchen and started living with him and Xue Yang. She eventually saw Xue Yang trick Xiao Xingchen into killing Song Lan, and ran away at Xiao Xingchen's request. Xue Yang found her and carved out her eyes and tongue, killing her. Her ghost later tried to warn Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and the juniors who had entered coffin city about Xue Yang. To learn more about her story, Wei Wuxian used a rite to see, feel, and hear her memories.

The original novel was written by its author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu (Chinese: 墨香铜臭) from 2015 until 2016, and published on the online platform Jinjiang Wenxuecheng (Chinese: 晋江文学城).[19] The paper book was published by Pinsin Studio (Chinese: 平心工作室) in 2016 in Traditional Chinese, and then published by Sichuan Literature and Art Publishing House (Chinese: 四川文艺出版社) in 2018 in Simplified Chinese.

The English translation of the novel, titled Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation, was published in 2021 by Seven Seas Entertainment. It was listed on The New York Times Best Seller list on Dec 22, 2021.[20]

Mo Dao Zu Shi also has a manhua adaptation with the same name, officially published by KuaiKan Manhua (Chinese: 快看漫画).[21] The first chapter was published on December 8, 2017, with a new update releasing every Saturday (GMT +08:00), and subsequently changed to every Monday (GMT +08:00).

The manhua was awarded the silver award for Best Web Popularity Comic Adaption at the 16th China Animation Golden Dragon Award.[22] The manhua was awarded the Best Manhua award at the China Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival (1st Network Drama Awards).[23]

Mo Dao Zu Shi was adapted as an audio drama (Chinese: 魔道祖师广播剧; pinyin: Módào zǔshī guǎngbòjù), produced by Polar Penguin Studios and supervised by the original novel's author Mo Xiang Tong Xiu.[24] It consists of three seasons and is broadcast on the Chinese audio streaming website MissEvan.com (Chinese: 猫耳FM).[25] The first season aired from June 8 to August 24, 2018 with a total of 12 episodes along with some extras. The second season aired from October 5, 2018 to April 5, 2019 with a total of 16 episodes along with some extras.[26] The theme song is "何以歌" (pinyin: Héyǐ gē; lit. 'What To Sing'), and is performed by Aki阿杰. Starting from Season 2 Episode 11, the theme song changed to "忘羡" (pinyin: Wàngxiàn; lit. 'Forgetting Envies'). This is a duet between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji, and is performed by Wu En and Zhu Qiang. The third and final season aired from June 17 to December 29, 2019 with a total of 17 episodes along with some extras.[27] The theme song for Season 3 is "人间纵我" (pinyin: Renjian zongwo; lit. 'Untamed as I am'), and is performed by Wu En and Zhu Qiang (also known as Yu Xia).

The audio drama proved to be a critical and financial success, praised for its storyline, high production value, and the voice actors' performances. It has amassed hundreds of million playbacks across all three seasons, with each episode placing on top of the weekly rankings during their original run. All three seasons still remain as the website's top 3 most listened to series in the overall ranking. As of June 2021, the series has garnered 500 million playbacks.[28]

The Chinese audio drama's massive popularity led to it being brought over to Japan for a localized adaptation, produced by Brave Hearts and in close collaboration with the original Chinese audio drama team.[29] Known as Ma Dou So Shi (魔道祖師日本語版ラジオドラマ, lit. "Ma Dou So Shi Japanese Radio Drama"), it is simultaneously broadcast on the Japanese audio streaming app MiMiFM[30] and the Chinese audio streaming website MissEvan.com[31] every Friday at 6pm Japan Standard Time (GMT +09:00). The first season started airing on January 24, 2020.

Mo Dao Zu Shi was adapted for a live action web series titled The Untamed (Chinese: 陈情令; pinyin: Chén qíng lìng), produced by Tencent Penguin Pictures and New Style Media.[32] It stars Xiao Zhan as Wei Wuxian and Wang Yibo as Lan Wangji.[33] It aired in China on Tencent Video from June 27, 2019 to August 20, 2019 for 50 episodes; with two episodes every Thursday and Friday (GMT +08:00), but was changed to every Monday and Wednesday (GMT +08:00) starting July 1, 2019.[34] The theme song, sung by Xiao Zhan and Wang Yibo, was titled "忘羡" (pinyin: Wàngxiàn; lit. 'Forgetting Envies') before being renamed to "无羁" (pinyin: Wú jī; lit. 'Without Restrain').[35]