That's actually my problem with many cultivation story: I feel like cultivation is the mc, while characters remains without a soul...
I remember reading the beginning a while ago, but never got to read the following chapters to have more to read. I'll probably read it again, especially as it's re translated from the beginning it seems.
I'm not sure about whether it already got re-translated, but hypersheep is working on re-doing early chapters alongside releasing new ones. Go read it! It's great.
Yeah that's what I meant by retranslation. It's good to have a unified translation instead of many styles.
Yup, but if I recall correctly, the first translations were still of high-quality, so it shouldn't be a huge issue. And a couple more: Warlock of the Magus World is a nice one. You really won't see the usual childish behavior, but I can't say that this work prioritizes character development. At least almost everyone in this novel has a functioning mind, right? <It's actually emphasized a lot that Magi prioritize benefits over emotions, so it's mostly fine> Transcending the Nine Heavens is also a really nice read. I haven't read this one in like a couple dozen chapters (I like to binge!), but I remember liking it a lot. Except for a couple first scuffles, the author focuses on character development, humor, and strategy. I won't get too much into it, but it's a good release from the typical novel style. Have fun!
Reading comments, it seems like the MC is pretty much a binary computer, so no character development, no friendship, no enlightenment? I read a little of that one, but I can't remember if I stopped because I didn't like it or because there were no more chapters at the time. I guess I'll reread it.
Hmm... now that you put it in black and white, it sounds pretty bad... I've been struggling to type this for a while because I can't pinpoint what it is about the novel that makes me so interested. It doesn't have much character development and the MC has a strong trump card he can fall back on (his computer). I guess the world is extremely interesting. To the latest chapter, the author has mentioned (and developed to some point) five major worlds, each of them being really fascinating. Also, this novel avoids cliches like the plague. The MC doesn't go around fighting young masters, offending clans, and somehow getting power-ups from close calls. He is basically an anti-hero. Well, I rambled for a while, but I think it's a pretty good novel!
You could try any of the novels from Fengling Tianxia (Transcending the Nine Heavens, Otherworldly Evil Monarch, Legend of Ling Tian and Realms In The Firmament) as their MCs use their wits at least as often as their 'fists' ... And maybe you just want to get away from the Chinese novels but didn't realize it yourself - go read some Korean ones as they are refreshing different: Everyone Else is a Returnee Green Skin The Lazy Swordmaster Seoul Station's Necromancer Rebirth of the Heavenly Demon The Korean section on wuxiaworld.com or novels at kobatochan.com and many more ...
You could try lord xueying it had a really good 'follow along' cultivation system. the auther explains how the main is cultivating almost 90% of the time.
I'm already reading 2 of those, I didn't know they were from the same author How is Otherworldly Evil Monarch? It has 2 tags I learned to be wary against : Ruthless Protagonist (vendetta and killing all disagreeing voices and their families, or just a determined protagonist?), and Childish protagonist (refreshingly naive or complete idiot?) I've found more often than not that Korean WN/LN have a good mix between the too passive Japanese character archetype and the ruthless psycho Chinese character archetype... Reading it, it's great. We're near the end though Reincarnation as monster, not my cup of tea. Usually too barbaric for my tastes. Already reading it, but there is no cultivation here, more like the MC is already OP since the beginning and trying to overcome his PTSD. How is the mc in that one? Because for me, reading the synopsis, he smells more like the arrogant ruthless chinese mc than anything. But maybe I'm wrong? Reading that one, and it great indeed. The mc is wise and mature. I'll give it a try!