- #1
10/10The story itself is 10/10, but beyond that I really wanna speak about its philosophical implications. Unlike the usual cultivation novels based on Daoism. This author clearly has a stronger inclination towards Zen Buddhism, which is rare in Xianxia novels. And you can see the difference in philosophies as you progress through the LN. Instead of Wu-Wei, effortlessly mowing through everything, the main character only gradually progresses through enlightenments over years. The main character challenges the notion of fate, the key element in Daoism. The representation of the Buddhist idea that you gain enlightenment and become free from the cycle of reincarnation is also ingrained in this novel (pretty much the main idea and motivation of the MC to escape this world). I see the author continuously and subtly challenging the beliefs of the Taoists (In the form of the cultivators). Instead of going with the flow as traditional taoists believe. The author believes that constant effort can shake even the heavens and even fate can be overcome. This novel really puts the topics of fate, free will, effort and fatalism to light.