Lu Xiaofeng Series
#7453.74 adjusted 3.91 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 7 books Status Complete 1973–1981 Reading commitment High Gu Long Last reviewed 2026-11-02
Overview
The Lu Xiaofeng series is a set of seven wuxia novels by Gu Long, serialized between 1973 and 1981, the first of them commissioned by Jin Yong for the newspaper Ming Pao. The hero, Lu Xiaofeng, is a witty swordsman and detective known as Four Eyebrows, skilled in the Lingxi Finger technique and in light-footed movement. He is helped by friends including the blind Hua Manlou and the master thief Sikong Zhaixing, and he often works alongside the swordsman Ximen Chuixue. Each novel is a separate mystery in the martial world, and the books are read in order of publication. The last volume appeared in 1981.
Historical fantasy · For Adult
Core Canon: Reading Order (7 works) counts toward ranking
Lu Xiaofeng Series Gu Long
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng); Commissioned by Jin Yong for Ming Pao and published as a serial in 117 chapters; serialized from 1973. | 1973 | 1 | core | N/A | |
| 绣花大盗 (The Embroidery Bandit); Serialized 1973-1974; first published in Ming Pao's Wuxia and History as Phoenix Flies Southeast. | 1973 | 2 | core | N/A | |
| 决战前后 (Before and After the Duel); Serialized 1974-1975. | 1974 | 3 | core | 3.96 (45 ratings) | |
| 银钩赌坊 (The Silver Hook Gambling House); Serialized in Ming Pao from 1975 as the fourth part of the Lu Xiaofeng story. | 1975 | 4 | core | 3.71 (48 ratings) | |
| 幽灵山庄 (Phantom Manor); Serialized 1976-1977; the story was later split into two parts. | 1976 | 5 | core | 3.98 (49 ratings) | |
| 凤舞九天 (The Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens); Serialized 1978-1979; largely ghostwritten by Xue Xingguo, and two versions exist. | 1978 | 6 | core | 3.65 (37 ratings) | |
| 剑神一笑 (Laughter of the Sword God); Published 1981; possibly dictated by Gu Long due to illness. Adapted into a film the same year. | 1981 | 7 | core | 3.26 (35 ratings) |
Seven wuxia detective novels about the swordsman Lu Xiaofeng, serialized from 1973 to 1981.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Lu Xiaofeng Series? Lu Xiaofeng Series's Core Canon is 7 books.
- What is the reading order for Lu Xiaofeng Series? Publication order, starting with 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng). Full list and years in the Core Canon table above.
- Is Lu Xiaofeng Series finished? Complete (1973–1981).
- How much reading does Lu Xiaofeng Series take? High reading commitment (estimated from 7 Core Canon books).
- How is Lu Xiaofeng Series ranked? #745 in this site's official ranking, based on 214 reader ratings across 5 Core Canon books. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #745?
Ranked #745 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.74 across 5 core books.
- A smaller readership (214 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- Uneven reception: its books range from 3.26 to 3.98.
- 0.14 behind #744, The Book and the Sword.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
2 Core Canon books here don't have a recorded rating yet and aren't counted above: “陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng)” (awaiting ordinary reader-rating data collection. It will be folded back into this universe's ranking once its rating is recorded.); “绣花大盗 (The Embroidery Bandit)” (awaiting ordinary reader-rating data collection. It will be folded back into this universe's ranking once its rating is recorded.).
Why explore this universe?
Rated · 7 books · Complete · 214 ratings · Ranks #745 overall
Good choice if you want a long-running historical fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
Publication order (7 Core Canon books)
- 绣花大盗 (The Embroidery Bandit) (1973)
- 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng) (1973)
- 决战前后 (Before and After the Duel) (1974)
- 银钩赌坊 (The Silver Hook Gambling House) (1975)
- 幽灵山庄 (Phantom Manor) (1976)
- 凤舞九天 (The Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens) (1978)
- 剑神一笑 (Laughter of the Sword God) (1981)
Documented internal/story order
- 陆小凤传奇 (The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng) (1973)
- 绣花大盗 (The Embroidery Bandit) (1973)
- 决战前后 (Before and After the Duel) (1974)
- 银钩赌坊 (The Silver Hook Gambling House) (1975)
- 幽灵山庄 (Phantom Manor) (1976)
- 凤舞九天 (The Phoenix Dances in the Nine Heavens) (1978)
- 剑神一笑 (Laughter of the Sword God) (1981)
Awards (verified)
- No awards found for this universe.
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Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.74 across 214 ratings on 5 Core Canon books. 2 additional Core Canon books haven't been rated yet, so they aren't counted here. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 28 universes; 3 candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-02
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Wikipedia: Lu Xiaofeng Tier 2
- Wuxia Society: Gu Long novels Tier 2
- Wikipedia: Gu Long Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-02
Rule: Core Canon = the seven Lu Xiaofeng novels, from The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng (1973) to Laughter of the Sword God (1981).