So I have notice a common problem in face-slapping CN novels, is that the MC is never treated with basic respect or dignity, they are always the underestimated underdog that is treated unfairly until the final moment where the other party is face slapped. But the thing is that after the face-slap they received, people continue underplaying the MC. Rant end. I want to read a story where the MC is treated with respect and dignity. The example I really like is Leylin from WMW. He hides enough that he survive, but not enough that he is treated as trash and later on he is treated like the master he is. Even when he goes to a new area his rank is not treated as trash, there is still alot more people weaker than him. He get to the play around with others, instead of him getting played with. I do not mind if it is english, CN,KR, or JP as long it is free and easily accessible.
The problem you're describing is contrivance. Since most webnovels are written by random schmucks with no skills or creativity, they often force their main characters into an underdog role through extremely unnatural circumstances that make little sense. If you want to see a story that actually creates decent enemies who abide by basic rules and laws then Reverend Insanity has your number. You will never see some young master character blatantly try to kill the main character in broad daylight. Warning: This story will make every other read like crap.
Lord of the Mysteries' MC is literally treated as a god. Prayed to and everything. Doesn't get much more respectful than that. Hmm... I like to recommend City of Sin because it's one of my favorite novels around here, and I think it works for this, too. There are times when the MC is underestimated or treated poorly by people stronger than he is. But there are also many people who respect him, fear him, and so on. He's the head of a noble family and leads his own army. He has loyal subordinates, uneasy allies, and plenty of enemies that don't underestimate him.
KR novels generally have face slapping that ends in respect. Dungeon Defense - Kingdom building Reincarnator - Every few arcs after a villain defeat there is a resolution where general dignity and respect is shown Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Release The Witch - Same vein of Dungeon Defense, but alot of IRL technology references For CN and Xianxias Coiling Dragon - Slow/gradual Douluo Dalu - ^ Ze Tian Ji - veeery slow weak to OP, very fleshed out in shifting from underdog to overdog afterwards
I have read that story until the part where his brother got into the whatever crane sect and that detective girl swear vengeance upon him. At that point I got a little annoyed and having to wait for new chapters so i left it to stack.
I guess I will give Ze Tian Ji and Duoluo Dalu another chance. For Ze Tian Ji I was a little/very butthurt over the way his fiancee's family treated him so I stop reading there. For Duoluo Dalu I stopped reading because of the random rabbit little girl being as powerful as he is. Now that I know she is not some random princess that happens to be at an {orphanage?}, but demon that was reborn into a little girl, I will give it another chance. Also thank you for the recommendations.
Haha the mysterious love interest who is initially more powerful than the supposed cheat MC. Quite the ballbusting trope, can sympathize. On ZTJ: The injustice and disrespect is very well written early on, but it takes quite a 'few' chapters for retribution/reversal to start - its very well written.
I also really love Coiling Dragon, maybe because I think it is the first Xianxia I have read, it hold a special place in my heart. I looked at it with quite a rose colored lens. I even wrote a book report on it. At that time I was quite narrow-minded and nearly dropped the novel because of his first girlfriend "betrayal". The only complaint I remember I had about the novel is that the romance is very dry and little. I guess it is common in IET novels. Also Haerwho
This kind of story derives from dramatic irony rather than contrivance. The idea is that the reader knows a secret about the character in question that no one else does, and so can anticipate the clash between this lack of knowledge and what his real abilities can do. This was one of the favorite tricks of the modern wuxia novel, and reason we see it so much is because writers are borrowing ideas from the books they like. I do find it amusing how enthusiastic people get when they bring up Reverend Insanity though.
Translations reach around 1350 so there's plenty of material to play catch up. Our benevolent lord does not put these scum in his sights and neither should you. The OP is complaining about people continuing to underestimate the main character even after he displays his strength. That's not dramatic irony. It's stupidity to an immersion-breaking degree.
But that's still how people behave. We have built in prejudices are prone to hold onto them even in the face of evidence debunking it. If you already think that someone is a scrub, then when he performs well one time, the natural instinct to to assume that it was some sort of fluke. It's only in cases of overwhelming evidence that minds get truly changed. Besides, I wasn't stating that this was exactly what these xianxia writers are doing - I was pointing out how the trope developed and what it was meant to accomplish.