Is Way To Be The Evil Emperor Worth Reading? Review & Where to Read
Quick Answer
If you want cultivation-adjacent xianxia power fantasy with a genuinely cunning, morally grey lead instead of a secretly-good-guy-in-disguise, Way To Be The Evil Emperor delivers a fast, actively updating manhua that's hugely popular in its home market, even though the plot leans heavily on familiar genre beats.
Quick Verdict
“Cunning, morally grey cultivation power-fantasy that earns its 'evil' branding instead of just wearing it as a costume.”
Best for: Readers who want a xianxia/cultivation power-fantasy with a genuinely ruthless, scheming protagonist rather than a soft-hearted hero pretending to be a villain.
Not for: Readers who want their power-fantasy lead to be a clear-cut hero rather than someone who manipulates and kills his way to the top.
- Type
- Manhua
- Genres
- Fantasy, Action
- Status
- Ongoing
- This review
- Minor Spoilers
- Author
- Shidai Man Wang
- Publisher
- Tencent Comics
- Platform
- MangaToon (English, as 'Evil God')
| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Format | Manhua (seinen), 570 chapters |
| Run | 2019–present · ongoing |
| Community score | AniList 7.6 · MangaUpdates 7.4 |
| Where to read | MangaToon (English, as 'Evil God') — official |
Overview
Way To Be The Evil Emperor follows Xie Yan, a transmigrator who crosses into a new world and immediately finds himself trapped in a demoness's domain, forced to fight for survival from the very first chapter. To keep from being drained dry, he starts cutting down 'chosen one' rivals and repelling invading forces from across the realm, clawing his way up through a mix of cunning, manipulation, and raw power. The story tracks his rise from a man just trying not to die into a figure feared and whispered about as an evil god in his own right.
What it does well
The series' sharpest choice is refusing to soften Xie Yan into a secretly-noble hero. He schemes, manipulates, and kills his way forward, and the manhua treats that as a real character trait rather than a costume he's wearing until the 'real him' shows up, which gives the usual cultivation power-fantasy shape a more morally grey edge than most of its peers. The pacing moves briskly between realms, rival factions, and large-scale conflicts, so the power progression and scheming rarely stall out, and the full-color art keeps the comedic, self-aware 'manliest evil god in history' tone legible even as the stakes escalate. It's also a certified hit in its home market, with a massive, enthusiastic Chinese readership backing up its momentum.
Where it falls short
None of the individual pieces here are new: transmigration into immediate danger, rapid power growth, a harem of loyal female allies, a rise built on betrayal and manipulation, these are all extremely well-worn xianxia and cultivation manhua beats, and the series doesn't do much to reinvent them structurally. English-language reception reflects that familiarity, sitting in solid-but-unremarkable territory compared to the Chinese original's outsized popularity. And practically speaking, most of the official English chapters are locked behind MangaToon's coin system, so reading past the free opening stretch requires a real investment.
Verdict
Way To Be The Evil Emperor delivers exactly what its title promises: a protagonist who earns his villainous reputation through genuine ruthlessness rather than wearing it as a disguise, wrapped in a fast-moving, full-color cultivation power fantasy. It won't surprise genre veterans with new ideas, but as a currently-updating, officially translated manhua with real momentum behind it, it's a solid pick if you want your power fantasy with a sharper moral edge.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths
- Xie Yan is a genuinely cunning, ruthless protagonist rather than a secretly-noble hero playing dress-up as a villain, which gives the power fantasy a sharper, more morally grey edge than most cultivation/transmigration manhua.
- The story moves fast between realms, rival factions, and invading forces, giving the scheming and power progression plenty of room to escalate without stalling out.
- It's a genuine hit in its home market, with a 9.6/10 rating from over 65,000 Tencent readers, and the official English translation on MangaToon is actively caught up to near-current chapters.
- Full-color art and a comedic, self-aware tone keep the 'manliest evil god in history' premise from taking itself too seriously.
Weaknesses
- The core shape, transmigration into danger, rapid power growth, a harem of female allies, a rise through betrayal and manipulation, covers extremely familiar xianxia/cultivation ground.
- English-language reception is noticeably more muted than the Chinese original's, with aggregator scores sitting in the solid-but-unremarkable range rather than standout territory.
- Most of the official English chapters on MangaToon are locked behind its in-app coin system, with only the first stretch free to read.
Similar Titles
Similar transmigration power-fantasy structure, though with a more conventionally heroic lead.
Shares the Chinese web-novel-to-manhua cultivation/power-system escalation and a large cast of allies.
A much darker take on the same 'protagonist as a genuinely ruthless, scheming figure' premise within a cultivation setting.
Where to Read Officially
| Platform | Format | Pricing | Region notes | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MangaToon (English, as 'Evil God') | Webtoon chapters | Free + Paid | Region availability varies | Open |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Way To Be The Evil Emperor finished?
No, it's ongoing, with the official MangaToon English translation actively caught up to over 390 episodes as of this review.
Where can I read Way To Be The Evil Emperor in English?
MangaToon publishes the official English translation under the title 'Evil God,' with the first stretch of episodes free and the rest unlocked through its in-app coin system.
Is Xie Yan actually evil, or is it just a nickname?
He genuinely earns the reputation: the story leans into manipulation, ruthless scheming, and violence as real character traits rather than framing him as a secretly good person in disguise.
Is there a donghua or drama adaptation?
Not currently. As of this review it's available only as a manhua, with no animated or live-action adaptation.
Is this a romance or BL/GL story?
It has a heterosexual harem element around Xie Yan with one or more female love interests, but no same-sex romance content appears anywhere in the series.
