Michelle Topham 
The ongoing action fantasy donghua Spy x Sect (aka Zongmen Li Chule Wo Dou Shi Wodi) premiered on October 14th with its first six episodes, and has been releasing a new episode twice a week ever since — every Monday and Saturday.
The 7-minute-per-episode animated series is very similar to the long-running 100,000 Years of Qi Refining, up to and including the protagonists in both shows looking incredibly similar.
That being said, Spy x Sect is well-written, nicely animated and voiced, and both entertaining and funny, which is why donghua fans who can’t afford a subscription are often looking for a place to watch the donghua for free.
And legally.
Spy x Sect‘s release schedule
Every new episode of Spy x Sect is first released on Bilibili’s streaming platform for their VIP subscribers, and also on the Made by Bilibili YouTube account for paying subscribers.
But, as soon as the next episode in the series comes out, Bilibili’s streaming platform opens up the previous episode for anyone to watch for free. That also happens on the Chinese company’s YouTube channel, but usually a few days after a new episode releases.
In other words, where can you watch the Spy x Sect donghua free, and legally?
On both of Bilibili’s streaming services. You will just have to wait a few days after a new episode is released to be able to do so.
Their YouTube account has even created a handy playlist for you to do just that, with 20 episodes already available and Episode 21 available to watch for free in four days.
What is Spy x Sect about?
Here’s how Bilibili describes the plot of the cultivation-themed donghua (translated):
Spy x Sect tells the story of Chen Ning, a talented hacker who sacrifices his life after the AI system that is running everything completely takes over. But, to his surprise, he is then reincarnated as the leader of a powerful sect in a realm of immortal cultivation.
In this new world, however, Chen Ning must keep a low profile while managing his new responsibilities and defending against spies within his sect (pretty much everyone in the sect) while completing missions sent to him by the AI so he can continue to ‘level up’.
With the help of the mysterious and extremely cute and funny system agent Jiang Que, Chen Ning begins to navigate his way through a landscape filled with martial arts, mystical powers, and political intrigue.
As he does so, he combines his superb hacking skills with his newfound abilities to prevent an apocalypse, striving to protect this new world from destruction.
Like the very similar looking 100,000 Years of Qi Refining, Endless God Realm and I Annoyed Millions of Cultivators (which is getting a second season this week), Spy x Sect is animated by Chinese studio Suoyi Technology.
Yes, the studio keeps regurgitating the same style of donghua with the same type of MC but, oddly, they all seem to perform well and millions of us keep watching them. Go figure, eh?
Watch the first episode of Spy x Sect below, and you may be able to figure out why.
About the Author
Steven Reynolds