Another of my "How common is this/does this even exist" Threads. A thing that I have noticed in Cultivation Novels is that, excusing the MC, most of the males more powerful than the MC that the MC runs into are described or implied to look like "Old Men", with the youngest looking like they're in their 30's, some looking like they're in their 40's, most looking like they're about 50, and many, particularly early on, looking 60+. Many of the Females around the MC's level, or above it, however, are Peerless Beauties who's beauty only gets refined as their Cultivation Realm increases, with their apparent age, when mentioned, rarely surpassing their early 20's. I'm looking for Cultivation Novels without those traits. Male "Ancient" Master's two, three or even four Large Realms ahead of the MC at the beginning of the story who look to be in their 20's, if not their teenage years. Female Characters, of varying importance and love interest levels, who look plain or unattractive to the MC (without being scarred). Increasing Cultivation Realms that are consistent as to whether they improve a person's appearance or not, instead of just improving a male's body while improving a female's beauty. That sort of thing.
Hmmm.. * twirls beard* Then you have not understood the dao of cultivation... Whats the use if there are more handsome and powerful dudes than mc ? And can you even imagine our mc hanging out with old hags without a jade face ?!...hmph this is an insult to cultivation, pls put it down. Ps- XD joking, personally I don't know any, and I seriously don't think there are, you see the brains of the authors work in a very specific way when writing cn novels..
Also being rather stereotypical that shows how women bother to continue to look her best, iirc most xianxias I read had the men look old in order to instill authority. Those men that looks young are often the bad guys which the MC will kill off after netori-ing the poor bishounen's daughters, wives, maids and maybe spirit weapons, kick the dog moment when the bishounen aged until like old plum after getting defeated by MC.
Can’t think of any. I think the appearance falls down to it being a type of ‘ideal’ of how they should look The ‘older men’ stereotype, is quite common, but it makes a certain amount of sense. If cultivators had control over their appearance, who would want to look like a teenager for eternity? It also suggest a certain maturity and experience As for the ‘peerless beauty’ and ‘youth’, it’s pretty much the same. Hell, RMJI has Spoiler a pill which stops from people from changing appearance as they grow older, preserving a youthful appearance These are stereotypes of Xianxia, but they’re also pervasive that they’re ‘common sense’ of the genre
Uh, I just though of something that kinda fits part of the bill, World of Cultivation. It’s a bit nonstandard with regard to xianxia though
Renegade Immortal still falls to the beauty part, but definitely not all powerful people is an old man. Some is described as quite young.
I think Gate Of Good Fortune has a girl with a birthmark on her face (of course, she fixes that later and becomes a peerless jade beauty). every novel has powerful old men with long beards. er gen novels tend to have the MC peers look as young as him, even if their 2000 years old they still look early 20s.
A Record of a Mortal’s Journey to Immortality As far as I remember, in this novel people get old even if they do cultivation
Cultivation Chat Group. Plenty young handsome males ( most better looking than MC). Plenty female cultivators who aren't super beauties. Ofc cultivation in this does increase beauty for both male and female but nothing too outrageous. There like 3-4 females who are insanely beautiful.
Cultivation novels typically doesn't exist without elders and beauties. Most will be tagged harem. It's boring otherwise.