I'm tired of these CN novels where the villains are all about some random guy offending or getting offended by the mc, followed by his father and grandfather and great-grandfather... You get the idea. I'm looking for something where the characters, the mc, the heroines, the sidekicks, and the villains, aren't 1-D characters. They're smart, as in they can think for more than 2 minutes, they have their own goals, motives, and emotions, and their enmity with the mc, if existing, is meaningful. It doesnt necessarily have to be one with lots of plotting and mind games (although I'd prefer that). I'm mainly looking for CN's.
If you are looking for those qualities then it is almost impossible in CN novels, I suggest you to look at western novels because there is way more than in CN novels
That's the first thing that popped into my head. Though with the whole thing about the rushed ending I've been put off by it lately
The Godsfall Chronicles Not that far into the translation yet but fleshed out pretty well and not a novel where you can tell the writer is trying to rack up the word count just to get paid more. Legend of the great saint.
Douluo Dalu has a compelling villain and the side characters are much more fleshed out compared to other Xianxia.
Considering that CN novels get paid by the word and them publishing 2-3 chapters a day, such things are kind of hard to find in CN. Any particular reason you are fixated on CN? If you are fine with non-CN, check out The Lazy King
Rokujouma no Shinryakusha!? - The characterization of this novel is a masterpiece. No dense moronic MC, no cardboard villain, no 1D heroines... Although the first 2 or 3 volumes can come as quite generic at first look, I assure you that this novel is anything but.
Anybody else feel that he's kind of shooting himself in the foot here? Besides Ze Tian Ji I can't think of any other Chinese action novel with character depth of more than a puddle. If you're willing to try something else, you could give A Practical Guide to Evil a go. It's still more-or-less light reading, but the antagonists are portrayed as people too. Not necessarily likeable people, but understandable and somewhat sympathetic at least. And honestly, I think the payoff in the end of Volume 2 is more exciting than anything I've read in a Chinese web novel at least.
Warlock of the Magus World. They only care about benefits not about face. Perfect World Korean novels
http://www.novelupdates.com/series/world-of-cultivation/ http://www.novelupdates.com/series/undefeated-god-of-war/ Added benefit of them both being hilarious.
Reverend Insanity - There was this one chapter where the MC had forcibly extorted money from each of the students in their class, beating them all up, including the sons of the respected families in their clan. The reaction of the normally protective head of the family - " Defeat and humiliation only serve as fuel for improvement. Without failure one can never develop and grow into a true, mature man." and then forbade his daughter to seek revenge on MC. MC is callous yet smart. Things just get more fleshed out further on. And I can guarantee, there's no endless cycle of "you have eyes yet fail to see Mt Tai", or "you dare not give my family face" type scenarios here Also, Sorcerer's Journey. The first 130 chapters or so are kinda cliche, but from time to time you can already see glimmers of how insightful the MC is. It's when he goes out from the limited confines of just his academy that the story takes a sudden turn for the better. Spoiler Sample scene from SJ : the MC is in a rush to prepare for THE most important trial he'll take as an apprentice, as it'll determine whether he can smoothly transition into an official sorcerer or if he'll need to put things down to luck, wisdom and time. He's still not ready a couple of days prior, but then he's struck by a realization : if he does pass the trial and become a sorcerer, his lifespan would no longer be limited to 300-400 years and be counted in the 1000s. While he has a good chance of getting through that pass ... his friends don't. He puts aside his studies, puts on good clothes, and attends a party / gathering of his classmates. He puts on his best behaviour for everybody, fully intending to make the best memories he can of that night. After he passes the trial and prior to his journey to where the next step will take place, his teacher asks him if he wants to meet up with his friends before leaving, since when he comes back it will be hundreds of years after; i.e., if his friends don't become sorcerers as well, when he comes back they'll be dead of old age. He replies : he'd rather that his last memories of them, in case they don't make it, be of that one magical night, then leaves without looking back further.