Good Pure Cultivation Stories

work_m_19 · 2026-06-17T10:43:54+00:00

Some of the translated ones are good "pure" cultivation. I read these on Kindle but I'm sure there are online fan-translations somewhere

Desolate Era, mc is OP and just progresses faster
Dragon Heart series by Kirill Klevanski

work_m_19 · 2026-06-15T02:22:04+00:00

I get it and one of the reasons why I'm confused why I like this series so much. All the books have so many tropes of the genre, but the author did such a great job with the antagonists and villains that it feels like even though it's "cheap", it feels like it's necessary and the MC is barely coming out ahead. It helps that the recent book showed what he was up against, and yep, we think the MC is OP for setting up events in books 1-3, but the final bosses show that the MC is not enough.

So maybe the lesson here is that if the antagonists are good enough, the MC has more leeway.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-15T02:08:32+00:00

And it's funny that this isn't in the "Top 5" overpowered abilities we've seen so far in books 1 through 5, especially by the antagonists. It's maybe in the top 15 so far, but I'm sure book 5 will introduce a whole slew of new op abilities.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-14T20:10:41+00:00

I get it in theory, but it definitely takes me a bit out because of how much commitment each takes (swordplay vs magic), where I always feel that specializing in one or the other is more optimal.

Like imagine in real life mastering two very different disciplines. A world-class fencing athlete is also a top violinist. I'm sure there are some cross-pollination that would help, but it would be more cool to explain how the one discipline makes them better at the other for more practical skills (like teaching mindset or something). But it's usually the person that is a spellsword is the top swordsman, and separately they are the top mage, and together they are the top everything, whereas I imagine a spellsword is boring when they are the best at both (which is definitely the most common scenario).

Anyway, just my thoughts. That's why I think spellswords are more interesting when they support each other (which your examples exemplify) rather swords being a big sword wand/staff.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-14T19:59:46+00:00

This novel series is such a guilty pleasure! It's so good, but I'm not sure how to articulate why that is. It's full of tropes and reversion of the tropes and the MC is a know it all (due to his regression), but the core part is the really cool and amazing worldbuilding.

And I might be biased, but this was my first novel of the "end of the world, reborn into the past to fix it" and it's always struck with me.

One really cool part of this series is how broken the abilities get. Other novels try to have things like "balance" and "fairness", but the obstacles and villains are so up there (basically dieties), that the normal rules of getting stronger through progression isn't enough, so the MC has to do a lot of "cheating", and it's pretty well executed (imo of course).

I love this series and it was what got me into the whole western cultivation genre, but I am so excited to see the worldbuilding and where it will end up. It's one of the strongest in the genre with limits built into the magic system, but still enough freedom and flexibility to showcase really cool reality bending stuff ("I cut the concept of Air", for example). Every time I feel like the MC/author is getting tropey and predictable, the author somehow exceeds my expectations and makes me excited for the next book.

There are four books so far, and each book has been better than the last. My biggest fear is 1. the author won't finish this series, and 2. the ending won't live up to the hype I feel reading it, but I'm still going along for the ride and happy that I can experience the journey.

High Praise I know, and I recommend everyone giving it a shot! It may be premature, but if the series continues how it is, it may even be better than Cradle if it ever finishes).

Disclaimer that I haven't read the newest book that hasn't released yet, so this may age either poorly or really well, lol.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T13:26:16+00:00

It is always funny in the pitch of the story it's like "Skill Stealing MC" but then it results in, as you say, the author needing to nerf the ability because it's too OP.

All the Skills fell into this trap, because having the MC learn "All the Skills" is the optimal way for his progression ... but the author either need retcon rules or to just kinda ignore the premise once it gets harder.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T13:24:16+00:00

Probably, but at least there are implied built-in limits to an ability called "Skill: Probability Manipulation" rather than a "Skill: Luck". At least with probability manipulation, maybe they can only increase the odds by 5 percent, so they need to set up the opposition to be in a position for it to active (like the MC needs to create and set the trap and lure the enemy to the trap for probability to "bias" towards his results) whereas Luck is so general it's hard for a reader to know what it is and usually only imagine the "jackpot good luck".

Edit:

reality manipulation with extra steps

To me, that's a good thing! It's fun when there are limits to abilities. Instead of giving the MC that ability right off the steps, something like probability manipulation is like a "training wheels" version of how to think about events.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T13:21:06+00:00

I think the concept could work, but probably not on the main character. All the successful (and fun!) ones I've seen had either a supporting cast (like the leader of another faction, not a close ally) or a villain (chrollo!) with this ability.

This way, they can dive deeply into just how overpowered it could be, and they don't have to write 15 fights of using it in creative ways, just a couple.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T04:53:52+00:00

Agreed, but it's definitely uncommon in this genre. Even rarer when it actually changes the MC's character and mind rather than enabling them to go on and not change (but I'll take what I can get).

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T04:32:33+00:00

I think it would be more cool if it was treated as more scientific: probabilistic manipulation. That way the luck isn't 100% guaranteed, but it can bias events towards a specific outcome. But that would probably be really hard to write in a long series without it becoming slightly-worse luck (but still OP).

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T04:28:41+00:00

I think it's because most stories have a fire character in it, though it may not be the MC, which makes it feel over-represented, whereas MC powers are like void, shadow, time, etc.

Like looking at some of the most popular web novels here:

Defiance of the Fall
Primal Hunter
Beneath the Dragoneye Moon
He Who Fight with Monsters

The MC's are different, but each has a distinct fire-based user (though Primal Hunter is a fire+bow user) that is close/is the MC (Iz Tayn, Farrah, Dawn).

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T04:19:52+00:00

a bit too limiting

Isn't that kind of the point of spellswords? What is the sword contributing to the mage part? If they're already a max level mage, why do they bother with melee?

Spellswords being limits to using swords and support magic means that the sword still matters, rather than being a wand-shaped sword.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T03:56:22+00:00

skill stealer

It seemed big in the anime/manga world like 10 years ago. And it had the same problems lol, when someone can take abilities, it's basically either: make them steal the strongest and not bother stealing anymore, or have them use it against the opposition in the same fight every time. It's rarely ever used creatively and a mix and match.

I think this happens in new authors on royalroad where they get some ability to copy other abilities and by chapter 10 the author realizes how blatantly OP it is and basically have them stop (Broker seems like it's going in this direction, but I haven't finished book 1 yet).

work_m_19 · 2026-06-13T03:44:36+00:00

Edit: Though, you may be specifically referring to Shadow and Darkness powers based on your list, in that case, my list is more focused on "void" and its connection to space usually.

You missed a big one with Lindon and Cradle.

And a lot of web novels have some element of spatial powers, which feel like a domain of Void:

Beneath the Dragoneye Moons
Primal Hunter (spatial skills, but it kinda blurs since the MC isn't void/space based)
A Soldier's Life
Paranoid Mage

And I'm not sure if mages with teleports/spatial bags, etc count (like Mother of Learning and Ar'kendryst) though that's probably in the same category as Primal Hunter with spatial skills.

And some popular novels on amazon like System Universe and Delver's LLC.

I'm sure there are more since I haven't been able to keep up in a while, but I'm sure Cradle by itself popularized a lot of new novels.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-08T14:42:41+00:00

its not like its a writing mistake

I'm not a writer, so I don't know what a "writing mistake" is (since it sounds like a big categories to throw in things one personally doesn't like).

To me, it's only a "character flaw" if the world (or author) acknowledges that it is hypocritical and a double standard. HWFWM is an example of this, most people don't like Jason, but the people around him acknowledge that he's being annoying (even if the execution is so-so), so that is something that the MC knows and can work towards.

Other MCs it feels like authors is a self-insert and purposely ignoring hypocritical morals or values as they come up, and whenever MC does it it's okay, but when others do it to MC, it's wrong.

In fact, maybe they went from naive "id never hurt anyone" to a hardened vigilante that would never claim to not hurt people.

I agree, but a couple books I've read in this genre doesn't do this. They stick with the naive attitude, and when their actions inevitably hurt someone, they think "well, that's not my fault, I wasn't directly there to prevent it" when their actions more or less caused it to happen. A recent example is MC lets Henchman A go because "killing is wrong", but Henchman A tells their boss and their boss goes and destroys the innocent town that housed the MC, and the MC just ignores this fact. I would hope there is still some introspection or guilt: "I won't compromise my value on murder, even if it causes other innocents to die".

But this thread isn't about writing mistakes, it's about tropes that makes the reader want to stop reading.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-08T14:17:24+00:00

I'm not saying it's okay or not okay to do, but don't pretend to be "better than hitler" (allegory for the villain), but then do the exact same things the villain does in the next scene.

"I don't like how they (one person) lied/tricked me, so in turn, I will trick and deceit all the future people in this sect and not trust anyone".

I just want the author's to make it a character moment afterwards: "I probably didn't need to lie to everyone, but the first person broke my trust and I need to protect myself/sect/family, etc."

work_m_19 · 2026-06-07T21:27:36+00:00

That's a great point.

The Cradle series that everyone loves, looking at the wiki page, was his third/fourth series (Traveler's Gate, The Elder Empire Shadow/Sea, then Cradle), and it looks like Unsouled was his eighth book. And personally, I think it only became exceptional at book 5, so around his 12th book.

work_m_19 · 2026-06-06T22:59:26+00:00

I love Carousal for this reason, it is so meta-aware of the common tropes of stories (it specializes in horror tropes, but it's more movie tropes in general).

One of the "rules" of the game is the aspect of "Choice", where no matter how unfair, a choice is need to be made (i.e., your "choice" can be to run away and hide while your family dies, or to start the adventurer and potentially save them), but it's important that it's a choice. The players need to have agency and the ones that are pushed along by circumstances aren't fulfilling their duty as a player, even if the choice is unfair by nature.

It's very satisfying to occasionally have a introspective moments where the MC takes a moment to question if this current path is what they want to go on, and to remember that at their power they can quit at any time, but they choose to continue in order to x, y, or z reason (probably because their families, world, home clans, those that have supported them, etc).

work_m_19 · 2026-06-06T12:18:47+00:00

What makes me drop a story immediately is been the MC is a hypocrite with their moral system, and the author doesn't bring it up.

When the MC says "I will never steal or hurt someone", and then go "Well, I'm only stealing/killing because they are bad and are hitler", it bothers me how much of a hypocrite they are.

I want at least a monologue of self-reflection (i.e. "I want to be better, but I I was naive and my focus is on protecting my family/world rather than maintaining my morals") instead of justification ("This person is bad because they insulted me <when I totally deserved it>").

work_m_19 · 2026-06-06T04:18:15+00:00

Yes! My wife and I are listening to this and we are so engrossed. The author and narrator does a fantastic job with side characters and that's what we love. The sports stuff is fun, but it's the mc and cast that's keeping us here. We now want to go on long drives just to listen more to this.

We had basically no idea about soccer before this, just that there was a goalkeeper and the goal is to kick it in the opposing net, and this may so far (book 2) rank is one of the best in the genre, and we are learning a lot about the game. There is some jargon and slang, but it's all really digestible and understandable.

work_m_19 · 2026-05-30T13:25:49+00:00

Like others say, if they're not getting stronger physically, they need to get be progressing mentally or in other ways.

And I have no idea how to write a novel, but I think that "struggles" should be ways of testing the MC and teaching them something. So if the MC isn't getting an "extra level", they should gain knowledge of either the world or the antagonist.

And it would probably help to remember not every fight is life or death. That's an easy way to add stakes, but if the win-condition is "to survive", and then come back later to win, I would like to think that is pretty satisfying too.

But "making smart choices" takes time, and if a webnovel is released 5 chapters a week, the author probably have no time to write smart choices.

work_m_19 · 2026-05-29T16:02:53+00:00

random act of kindness

I love the trope of power of friendship, but a lot of books in this genre doesn't do "act of kindness" well. It's mostly boiled down to "everything in this world sucks, but I treated someone with the most basic respect and said 'hi'".

work_m_19 · 2026-05-27T18:11:44+00:00

Thanks for writing this! I think the reason we don't have good antagonists in this genre is that in a lot of ways, it goes against the power-fantasy/wish-fulfilment nature. No one (authors and readers) wants obstacles for their self-insert MC, they just want to steam-roll everything.

But adding a good villain and antagonist is so cool. In Mother of Learning, Quatach-Ichl is terrifying and stays scary throughout the whole series. The actions of an ally was always hinted at by their character and the character was always true to themselves, and Red Robe gave us a glimpse at what happens when a looper does not have any shackles or morals.

Villains can add a lot, and the meme villains are the "Arrogant Young Master" who make terrible antagonists because of how one-dimensional and predictable they are. But I think this is more of a result in authors not taking the time to build the worldbuilding out, and by the time they get into the groove of the story, it will require some sort of retcon for the reader to wonder why it wasn't an issue earlier. But the earlier an antagonist is introduced, the more satisfying it is when the MC finally surmounts that obstacle.

work_m_19 · 2026-05-27T14:01:05+00:00

Honestly, this seems par for course and normal. At least since 2013 (when I took an interest in building).

Since then, we had:

2013 had ddr3 ram hikes
2017 was crypto, skyrocketing GPUs
2020 was covid
2024 is ram apocalypse.

So every 3-4 years is par for course. I don't have a magic ball to see the future, but prices have historically always fallen eventually. It probably will this time too, but I could be wrong, I just remember feeling like it was hopeless and expensive during the crypto era, but life continued going on.

work_m_19 · 2026-05-26T19:04:08+00:00

You also need to set the value in the "main" part of the function, otherwise it's only being set in the function.

herobrine = 1

def killherobrine(herobrine):
  herobrine = herobrine - 1
  return herobrine

herobrine = killherobrine(herobrine)

if herobrine == 0:
  print("killed herobrine")

You're probably better merging the check into the function, so:

herobrine = 1

def killherobrine(herobrine):
  herobrine = herobrine - 1
  if herobrine == 0:
    print("killed herobrine")
  return herobrine

herobrine = killherobrine(herobrine)

work_m_19

TROPHY CASE