Tales of Herding Gods is a breath of fresh air in the cultivation genre. It features a truly unique plot that avoids the usual clichés. The story follows an orphan protagonist, and his mysterious origins create a constant sense of suspense. Who is he really? Where did he come from? Even as of January 4th and 64 episodes in, many of these mysteries remain unsolved, keeping the audience hooked. After researching the web novel (which is massive, with about 1,800+ chapters), I found that the author, Zhai Zhu, crafts a very deliberate world. While the MC's parents and the "Disabled Village" elders play huge roles throughoutthe story and survive for a long time to fight in a massive final war, the death of the Patriarch of the Heavenly Saint Cult serves as a major, philosophical turning point for the series.
The animation quality is top-tier. As a Nian Qing (Yearly) release, this show is built for the long haul. With the current pacing of 3–4 chapters per episode, this donghua could easily run for at least 10 years. The pacing is fast, the subtitles are high quality, and it never feels like it's dragging.
For those who dislike harem tropes: while there are romantic interests (about three prominent female characters), the focus remains very tight. His main partner and primary "cultivation companion" remains the Princess (Ling Yuxiu), and the romance doesn't distract from the plot.
The next 30 episodes are set to be some of the most important in the series. If you are reading this after episode 100, let me know how the payoff was!
Final Verdict: 8.8/10 — Definitely worth watching.