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Xianxia Encompassing the World! (Xianxia Rec Discussion and Idea thread)

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Blaflaix said:
So some Xianxia Theorycrafting:

Cultivator accumulates qi.
Cultivator opens meridians to use qi.
The more/wider meridians they open, the more/better spells they can use.

Then at a later stage, the qi they use become much more powerful for whatever reason.
If they have a few meridians a little bit open, they can now launch spells with good control.
If they have more meridians open further, they can blast out lots of spells, but it's uncontrolled and painful.
If they have all of them wide open, they explode.

This introduces a bunch of interesting ideas.

First is they can get a lot of power early, but at significant cost later.
They more privileged people can have guards early on and pick their goals, while someone more desperate has to push things.

A group could end up with some people carrying the weaker ones, then later the situation reverses.

The ignorant, underdog protagonist could launch ahead, then later discover this sword of Damocles hanging over him.
"What, what do you mean there's consequences for the reckless acquisition of power!?"

A medicine/artifact/technique that can restrict meridians would be immensely valuable.
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The overall concept is fine structurally... but having it be the meridians just feels weird. I might instead suggest... how much you stretch your dantian? Like, you can stretch and strain your dantian, and thus increase its size, and thus the amount of qi that you can hold at any one time... but you're literally stretching it. Every time you do that, it makes the walls thinner, and that pain you're fighting through is your body telling you that this is a terrible idea, and you should stop.

Or maybe it is the meridians, but the point is that they're supposed to be a certain thickness. At lower tiers, you can clean them out by main force - just shoving the impurities out. This stretches them, though. The thing you're *supposed* to do is wait until you have achieved enough enlightenments (or whatever) to cleanse it through (insert other method here) which *doesn't* stretch them.

Maybe both? You could have an MC whose MC cheat is that he's a dedicated cultivator who really, really doesn't like cultivation pain, so he keeps trying to find workarounds that will let him keep progressing without hurting himself.
 
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Sirrocco said:
At lower tiers, you can clean them out by main force - just shoving the impurities out. This stretches them, though. The thing you're *supposed* to do is wait until you have achieved enough enlightenments (or whatever) to cleanse it through (insert other method here) which *doesn't* stretch them.
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The corollary here is that stretching it is how you get power.
So you if you can go through the first few realms without enough power to make a gnat sneeze, then it works out, but if people start getting in to fights...

Basically anything that makes a Xianxia protagonist have second thoughts about any given power-grab makes for an interesting story.
"It's the Sword of Awesomeness! ...I better not touch it."
 
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Blaflaix said:
Basically anything that makes a Xianxia protagonist have second thoughts about any given power-grab makes for an interesting story.
"It's the Sword of Awesomeness! ...I better not touch it."
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Does it? I tend to find that any premise that centers around the protagonist not doing things (see: the sub-genre of "turtle protag who bluntly refuses to so much as leave his house until he's literally the strongest being in the local multiverse) tends to not be very interesting to me and only kinda works if it leans hard into parody and makes a lot of jokes out of the whole thing.

Which is kind of exactly what this setup encourages; a turtle protagonist who just refuses to interact with the plot until he's ground out 100 levels in seclusion somewhere.
 
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I said "second guess" not "refuse."
If the story can't incentivize the character to act, then that's a different issue.
Most settings require they leave their cave to make progress.

Mainly I find indiscriminate greed annoying.

"Look, an energy orb bigger than my head, filled with a mind-controlling parasite... I'll eat it. And there's a power-up that will react with it badly! ...I'll use it as a suppository. And here's a poison created by my enemy guaranteed to obliterate me... I'll inject it into my veins! Behold the Power!!!!!!!"
 
Leingod said:
Does it? I tend to find that any premise that centers around the protagonist not doing things (see: the sub-genre of "turtle protag who bluntly refuses to so much as leave his house until he's literally the strongest being in the local multiverse) tends to not be very interesting to me and only kinda works if it leans hard into parody and makes a lot of jokes out of the whole thing.

Which is kind of exactly what this setup encourages; a turtle protagonist who just refuses to interact with the plot until he's ground out 100 levels in seclusion somewhere.
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So you make it so that that's not an option. Quietly cultivating in a corner won't work.

How about this, for example: Protag starts his cultivation journey. Usually, the process of cultivation involves consuming powerful materials to give you the surging energy to blow the gunk out of your meridians. There's a fair bit of skill involved, as it's generally known that doing it too forcefully will damage you in ways that will hamper your further cultivation, so for most people long-term cultivation "talent" involves having the skill and control over your own qi to control the flows precisely, and therefore be able to use weaker cultivation materials more effectively to do the actual cleaning, rather than brute-forcing it. The raw brute force gives you the pill dragon effect, though - great big meridians and a distended dantian that gives you lots and lots of space to wield your gaseous qi. You'll never survive making it to liquid, but if you weren't going to make it to liquid anyway? You've got a lot more power to throw around, and it's possible for a maxxed-out pill dragon to still punch up tiers for a while before the cultivator who's actually doing things "properly" manages to develop to a point that he can no longer reach.

Anyway, protag is poor as dirt, but he manages to convince someone that he's worth initiating as a cultivator. They give him some spirit grass that's only expensive to a mortal's purse, and he uses it. He pours qi into his dantian, he starts to try to clear out a meridian... and it hurts. It hurts badly enough that he's like "Nope. This is clearly not the right answer. I'm going to do something else." Basically, his control is absolutely terrible, and his sensitivity is sky-high. The kid's a huge wiseass, though, and he simply cannot keep his mouth shut, and he says things the wrong way, and one of the older kids starts trying to beat him down. He does a decent job of dodging, for a little while, and pissing the guy off further with various comments, and then misses a dodge and gets utterly plastered into a wall... This also hurts, though not in the same way, but with his sky-high sensitivity he notices... the fight actually wound up cleaning out his meridians a bit, without forcing them open at all.

Further experiments determine that, yes, he has found a way to clear out his impurities... it just requires that a more powerful cultivator (preferably one of those all-power no-finesse pill dragons) be actively enraged at him, and trying to cause him severe harm, so that he can melt the gook off with the fires of their rage. That's his cheat. That, I think, should deal with any impulses the kid might have towards turtling.
 
One idea I had on reading a couple of the "check in at X location daily to get a reward" stories is a gimmick based around exploration.

The Dao is everywhere, in everything. However, in some places it's disturbed by the actions of cultivators - similar to footprints in sand. Like footprints, it's likely to gradually erode away without something reinforcing it, but in the meantime it bears the shape of those actions. These could be the sites of battles between cultivators, the grounds of sects where they cultivate, the cave-abodes they meditate inside, etc. There may even be traces found upon their long-time possessions, although those would disappear faster.

The protagonist has an abnormal sensitivity to these traces. Whereas many cultivators might be able to sense something about these traces, particularly when arriving upon the scene right after, the protagonist can to a minor degree gain insight into some relevant aspect of the Great Dao from them. They are otherwise sub-average in their ability to comprehend and cultivate (or even to gain from medicines and precious materials), and any given trace only (1) lasts for so long and (2) has so much to 'teach'.

Thus they're incentivized to wander - finding reasons to visit important sites, a wide range of sects, hunt down hermit cave abodes... all the normal things you see happen in xianxia. But they don't really have much of a use for the treasures found or the scrolls and other standard teaching materials, so they don't have such a frantic need to compete with others (not that those others necessarily know that, of course).

The effect is similar to the whole "check-in system" (absent the conjuring of actual objects that often happens) sub-genre, but without some of the more... mechanical... aspects.
 
CircleTheSkies said:
Whereas many cultivators might be able to sense something about these traces, particularly when arriving upon the scene right after, the protagonist can to a minor degree gain insight
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A similar idea would be a form of post-cognition.

They go to a location of a great battle or lecture and can "look back" into the past, allowing them to gain insights and copy moves.
The problem is that most people practice the best stuff in their inner sanctums, or at some random location in the wilderness.

This has the added benefit of turning them into a detective.
Want to discover who killed mook #10? They can probably find out!
Perfect for spy and mystery plots in addition to the cultivation.
 
CircleTheSkies said:
One idea I had on reading a couple of the "check in at X location daily to get a reward" stories is a gimmick based around exploration.

The Dao is everywhere, in everything. However, in some places it's disturbed by the actions of cultivators - similar to footprints in sand. Like footprints, it's likely to gradually erode away without something reinforcing it, but in the meantime it bears the shape of those actions. These could be the sites of battles between cultivators, the grounds of sects where they cultivate, the cave-abodes they meditate inside, etc. There may even be traces found upon their long-time possessions, although those would disappear faster.

The protagonist has an abnormal sensitivity to these traces. Whereas many cultivators might be able to sense something about these traces, particularly when arriving upon the scene right after, the protagonist can to a minor degree gain insight into some relevant aspect of the Great Dao from them. They are otherwise sub-average in their ability to comprehend and cultivate (or even to gain from medicines and precious materials), and any given trace only (1) lasts for so long and (2) has so much to 'teach'.

Thus they're incentivized to wander - finding reasons to visit important sites, a wide range of sects, hunt down hermit cave abodes... all the normal things you see happen in xianxia. But they don't really have much of a use for the treasures found or the scrolls and other standard teaching materials, so they don't have such a frantic need to compete with others (not that those others necessarily know that, of course).

The effect is similar to the whole "check-in system" (absent the conjuring of actual objects that often happens) sub-genre, but without some of the more... mechanical... aspects.
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This fits well with the classic wuxia trope of "prodigy swordsman is so good that he can learn new sword moves just by seeing the marks a technique left when someone used it during practice/a fight."
 
CircleTheSkies said:
One idea I had on reading a couple of the "check in at X location daily to get a reward" stories is a gimmick based around exploration.

The Dao is everywhere, in everything. However, in some places it's disturbed by the actions of cultivators - similar to footprints in sand. Like footprints, it's likely to gradually erode away without something reinforcing it, but in the meantime it bears the shape of those actions. These could be the sites of battles between cultivators, the grounds of sects where they cultivate, the cave-abodes they meditate inside, etc. There may even be traces found upon their long-time possessions, although those would disappear faster.

The protagonist has an abnormal sensitivity to these traces. Whereas many cultivators might be able to sense something about these traces, particularly when arriving upon the scene right after, the protagonist can to a minor degree gain insight into some relevant aspect of the Great Dao from them. They are otherwise sub-average in their ability to comprehend and cultivate (or even to gain from medicines and precious materials), and any given trace only (1) lasts for so long and (2) has so much to 'teach'.

Thus they're incentivized to wander - finding reasons to visit important sites, a wide range of sects, hunt down hermit cave abodes... all the normal things you see happen in xianxia. But they don't really have much of a use for the treasures found or the scrolls and other standard teaching materials, so they don't have such a frantic need to compete with others (not that those others necessarily know that, of course).

The effect is similar to the whole "check-in system" (absent the conjuring of actual objects that often happens) sub-genre, but without some of the more... mechanical... aspects.
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I would extend that to natural phenomena, and in fact probably focus on that. Find a cool hidden waterfall to gain insight into the nature of water. Find a 1000 year ginsing, and learn about vitality. They're still interested in natural treasures, but without a need to take them. And some that aren't of any use for 'standard' cultivator. I guess it would go more in the direction of a exploration/travelogue story, so there's a different flavor.
 
Made it to chapter 905 of "Oh My God! Earthlings are Insane!", and hm, not sure how to feel right now.

Obviously I liked the story in general up to this point since I kept reading it for so long. Certainly I really like the setting, and the conflicting philosophies aspect.

But there's a couple troubles I've been having, and and another new larger one now. The first is that while the philosophical debates were rather interesting the first time, and still kind of interesting when it came up again the second and third time showing how deeply rooted this problem was in the society. they kind of lose their luster when it's like the fifth and sixth time. Especially when it's basically just the same problem/conflict being brought up again and again just said slightly different. Now, that wouldn't be too terrible on it's own, but the second problem is that author really likes long winded monologues. When I'm reading roughly the same monologue for the seventh time with each time taking half a dozen chapters my brain starts dribbling out of my ears.

The new problem I'm having now is that the upcoming arc seems to crib from the arc styles of the author's previous work, 40k. MC is doing great at home, super respected, powerful, but we can't just have him sitting at home, so now we have to find a way to send him off somewhere new for the next few hundred chapters. That was something that rather bothered me in 40k, since the setting and characters of that story (and this story) meant that the MC actually has a connection to his home instead of the usual hobo xianxia character that just wanders around aimlessly. The MC having built a connection with home also means the reader builds a connection with the home and I really hate leaving it for such long stretches and starting again with no rep or power base.
 
I've noticed that cultivation advancements tend to look cool and dignified, with only the occasional antagonist being forced to look bad.

I want to see a world where the strongest resources look terrible.
A Clown Wig of Spiritual Power.
The spell that requires sticking your finger up your nose.
The Tiger Claw technique that forces them to run around on all fours, without making it look like anything but an adult on all fours.
 
Blaflaix said:
I've noticed that cultivation advancements tend to look cool and dignified, with only the occasional antagonist being forced to look bad.

I want to see a world where the strongest resources look terrible.
A Clown Wig of Spiritual Power.
The spell that requires sticking your finger up your nose.
The Tiger Claw technique that forces them to run around on all fours, without making it look like anything but an adult on all fours.
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To be fair, if these things are at all common, then people will treat them seriously. If clown wigs are powerful, then people will be afraid of someone wearing one, and probably think it looks cool too.
 
Or the protagonist.
Their cheat is a collection of overpowered techniques that completely destroy their dignity.

"If I want to live, I have to use it... but If it use it, I'll never live it down."
 
It feels a lot like you're asking for something like Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear, the xianxia romp. Teddy onesie of ultimate power, bear handpuppets of destruction, etc.

... and, like. I'm here for it? I don't see anything wrong with this idea. Folks have worked in stuff like that just fine over the years.
 
of course, now im thinking of the opposite. A completely normal clown that everyone is afraid of because that is what ultimate power looks like.
 
I'm slowly working my way through Ave Xia Rem Y, and Liu Jin is a cute kid, but I remember reading a spoiler that there's a drastic change in the story around Chapter 100 or so. Apparently, there's a demon invasion, and the prologue ends. Can someone please tell me whether most of the characters in the prologue die? I'm getting attached to them, and it makes me nervous that I might read 60-70 more chapters just to read about everyone dying.
 
Not everyone dies, but most of the younger generation end up scattered and the MC is pretty much starting over as far as friends goes.
 
It's not quite demons, but yes. One guy probably dies. Another definitely dies, and that's a big reason why the tone shifts, because it hits him hard. Then there's one who ends up in deep shit, though it seems they'll make it out alive if not unchanged. One just wasn't there.

All of them are Sir-Not-Appearing-Here from then to right now, except for maybe an interlude. New cast is pretty good too though.
 
Sirrocco said:
A number of important people do die, though. Also, there is a significant tone shift.
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That event and the relevant tone shift is/was pretty divisive. Key point where many quit the story.

Seems the intro of Lu Mei and the confirmation that yes, it is what it says on the tin, may have also driven some away. Always thought people advertising it as if there will never be a harem were jumping the gun.
 
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Veritas97 said:
That event and the relevant tone shift is/was pretty divisive. Key point where many quit the story.

Seems the intro of Lu Mei and the confirmation that yes, it is what it says on the tin, may have also driven some away. Always thought people advertising it as if there will never be a harem were jumping the gun.
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Ok, that spoiler has killed my interest in the story. I was hoping that since the author didn't include "harem" in the expanded title, they had changed their mind.
 
Currently, I personally don't find whether or not a fic has a harem to be by itself predictive of the fic's quality/enjoyability.
 
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