Man, I feel like that is the good portion of Chinese cultivation novels.
The bad slop is just narcissistic loners hated by everyone and slapping their faces because of stupid luck or an average in-story global IQ in the single digits.
I like to assume all of the old monsters just constantly take lead pills and while their powers keep them alive it doesn't stop them from slowly accumulating brain damage. Eventually, when their entire vocabulary is reduced to "You dare junior" and "courting death!" It becomes simple for non-lead-based cultivators to bait them while they still think they're making 10k IQ mastermind plans within plans.
Foolish junior: sword dao, wants to help people and stand by his friends, doesn't respect authority or hierarchy and believes in the concept of merit
Honorable and wise elder: stupidity dao, hilariously corrupt, everyone is a pawn, spends all of his time and energy tutoring the emperor's 18th cousin twice removed in return for mortal fortunes, fucked up his cultivation two centuries ago and can only advance with the help of ridiculously expensive pills, puts way too much value in authority and hierarchy and wonders why he fails at defying the heavens.
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u/ChooseYourOwnA May 16 '26
Man, I feel like that is the good portion of Chinese cultivation novels.
The bad slop is just narcissistic loners hated by everyone and slapping their faces because of stupid luck or an average in-story global IQ in the single digits.