Mortal Cultivation That Can Be Imitated, Godly Cultivation Extra That Cannot Be Copied

A Mortal Cultivation Imitation, a Divine God Legend Unreproducible

by: Heavenly Dao Xiao Hua, with this work, I pay tribute to the two great masters, Wang Yu and Tan Hua!

It is with great pleasure that I hear both "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend" have opened their Immortal Realm arcs. As a reader of both series, I feel a mix of anticipation and trepidation for these continuations. After all, history is replete with examples of adding unnecessary elements. Fortunately, the Immortal Realm arcs of "Mortal" and "Divine God" have only just begun, with a few chapters released. Wang Yu might be employing a strategy of building tension before a dramatic reveal, as Han Li has yet to fully appear. Little Brother Tan Hua, on the other hand, has laid out his narrative with vivid descriptions, hinting at Xiao Hua's continued flight. From their summaries and prefaces, one can discern their paths, but the limitations of the text prevent a more detailed discussion. This article, from the perspective of an enthusiast, will discuss my reading experiences with "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend." Before diving into the main text, I must clarify that this represents only my personal views; please refrain from harsh criticism if you disagree.

"A Mortal Cultivation" is a phenomenal work in the cultivation novel genre. It follows in the footsteps of Xiao Qian's "Mysterious Journey" and "Path to the Sky," and stands shoulder-to-shoulder with "Covering the Heavens" and "Perfect World." It is undeniably a classic of cultivation fiction. It was this novel that propelled Wang Yu to become a platinum author on Qidian, and he is the only one to have received a hundred endorsements for a single, unfinished book.

The author of "Divine God Legend," Little Brother Tan Hua, is far less famous than Wang Yu. His fan base, subscription numbers, and influence pale in comparison to Wang Yu's. The reason I draw a parallel between Little Brother Tan Hua's "Divine God Legend" and Wang Yu's "A Mortal Cultivation" is that, at present, Tan Hua may be benefiting from Wang Yu's popularity. However, in the long run, "Divine God Legend" will undoubtedly become a renowned work of cultivation fiction; it is merely a hidden gem for now.

I. Story Synopses of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend"

1. The story synopses of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend" differ. "A Mortal Cultivation" tells the story of Han Li's journey from a mere mortal to ascension into the Immortal Realm. One could say "A Mortal Cultivation" is Han Li's personal epic of struggle.

2. "Divine God Legend" is a magnificent epic of cultivation. It encompasses the turbulent martial arts world of the mortal realm, the surging currents of the Four Great Continents in the cultivation world, the unpredictable shifts in the Primordial Immortal Realm, and the schemes and calculations from billions of years ago in the Primordial God Realm. Its main storyline follows Xiao Hua's cultivation from a mortal to the Origin God of the Primordial God Realm. The supporting plotline involves the Great Sealing of the Star Domain, and the ancient alliance of Dao, Demon, and Buddhist to destroy the Wu; and the medieval alliance of Confucian cultivators, Buddhist cultivators, demon races, and dragon races to destroy the Dao.

If "A Mortal Cultivation" is a standalone novel, then "Divine God Legend" is akin to Wen Ruian's "Who is the Hero Among Heroes," which is a series. In other words, while Wang Yu spent seven years writing "Demon Heaven" and "Gate of Xuanjie," Little Brother Tan Hua has only completed the first three volumes of "Divine God Legend." To put it simply, "Divine God Legend" contains content equivalent to at least six volumes of "A Mortal Cultivation." Little Brother Tan Hua spent seven years completing the adventure story of True Person Xiao in the cultivation world (equivalent to three volumes of "A Mortal Cultivation"). Now, with the recently released Immortal Realm, the soon-to-be-conceived Primordial God Realm, the story of Ye Jian, the sole cultivator on Earth in the Xuanyuan Space, and the story of Ming, the new king of the Wu tribe, Little Brother Tan Hua is set to spend nearly 20 years crafting a monumental series. This is unprecedented in cultivation fiction!

II. Cultivation Systems of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend"

1. "A Mortal Cultivation's" cultivation system, including alchemy, formations, talismans, and weaponry, is less complex than that of "Divine God Legend." After all, in "A Mortal Cultivation," Han Li cultivates as an immortal, following the Dao path.

2. Xiao Hua's ultimate cultivation goal is to become the Origin God. Therefore, in "Divine God Legend," Xiao Hua's various avatars are all cultivating: his bloodline (corresponding to demonic cultivation), meridians (corresponding to dragon cultivation), soul (corresponding to Wu cultivation), Nascent Soul (corresponding to the Dao cultivator's primordial spirit and Nascent Soul), liver (corresponding to Confucian cultivation), bones (body tempering), karma (corresponding to the Great Dao of Karma), Heavenly Dao (corresponding to the Heavenly Dao starry sky), and the demonic stone statue (corresponding to the Lord of the Underworld). The novel blends numerous cultivation methods from Wu, Demon, Confucian, Dao, and Buddhist traditions, making its system grand and its structure complex, a rarity in cultivation fiction.

3. In terms of weaponry, "A Mortal Cultivation" also falls short compared to "Divine God Legend." Besides the Heaven-Controlling Bottle, the Five Elements Yuanhe Mountain, and the Gold-Devouring Insects, Han Li has few other notable weapons. Xiao Hua, on the other hand, possesses the Five Elements Ruyi Heaven-Piercing Rod, the Sea-Suppressing Seal, the Sea-Overturning Seal, the Soaring Dragon Scissors, the Heaven and Earth Pagoda, the Xuanyuan Sword, the Immortal Slaying Sword Diagram, the Myriad Annihilation Heavenly Dipper, the Pangu Axe, the Spirit-Destroying Primordial Light, and more. In terms of escape techniques, Xiao Hua has light escape, which allows him to achieve sainthood by defying light. Within the space behind his head, there are advanced realms similar to the Immortal Realm, such as the Immortal Realm, the Demonic Marsh, the Buddhist Kingdom, and the Dragon Domain.

III. Literary Styles of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend"

Strictly speaking, Wang Yu's cultural literacy isn't as high as Little Brother Tan Hua's. Compared to the works of so-called internet "great gods," Little Brother Tan Hua certainly has the potential to become one. However, Little Brother Tan Hua lacks certain qualities that Wang Yu possesses, such as excellent story-driving ability. Wang Yu's writing is concise and to the point, without unnecessary embellishments. In terms of story pacing, he definitely avoids filler: "Suddenly, it was truly Han Li," "Suddenly, it was merely Shi Mu" – these are the hallmarks of Wang Yu's writing style.

2. Little Brother Tan Hua, with his engineering background, is meticulous. However, his writing can be a bit drawn-out, and his grasp of story pacing is far inferior to Wang Yu's. Furthermore, Tan Hua's writing is often filled with hidden traps and foreshadowing. If you lack patience, composure, and attention to detail, Tan Hua's writing can be a torment for those with impetuous personalities. Tan Hua, known as "Director Duan," often employs "parallel montage" and "intercutting montage" in his writing, followed by a cinematic "last-minute rescue," weaving multiple plot threads together, which can be quite unsettling.

In a nutshell, Wang Yu's writing style is like a simple sketch; a few strokes capture the spirit of the depicted figure. Little Brother Tan Hua's style, however, is like a meticulous, detailed painting – rigorous and profound, but perhaps a bit stiff and rigid. For impatient internet readers, it can be a form of torture.

IV. Reader Bases of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend"

As is well known, for a web novel to succeed, it must garner widespread support. The majority of current web novel readers are young. This demographic tends to be passionate and hot-blooded, preferring decisive action and taking responsibility. Compared to Han Li in "A Mortal Cultivation," Han Li in "A Mortal Cultivation" appeals to a broader audience. In "Divine God Legend," Tan Hua's portrayal of Xiao Hua as overly kind is not well-received by some readers. In fact, "Divine God Legend" has always been a niche work since its inception. Readers need a deep cultural foundation, rich life experience, and the ability to read with composure, patience, and meticulousness to uncover the puzzles Tan Hua lays out. These puzzles might involve time-space knots, the Divine Continent Ruins, the Four Great Continents, or the Heavenly Prison.

V. The Immortal Realms of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend"

Currently, both "Mortal" and "Divine God" have, by a strange coincidence, opened the gates to the Immortal Realm for their fans simultaneously. Whether it's "Mortal's" flashback technique and the currently somewhat subdued atmosphere, or "Divine God's" extended narrative showcasing the grandeur and mystery of the Immortal Realm, both authors are sketching their own lines for their Immortal Realm dreams. However, since "Mortal" has largely concluded Han Li's story in the mortal realm, while there are still many exciting stories to come in the new realm, the overall divergent paths have gradually converged, bringing the conclusion almost in sight, which is somewhat regrettable. "Divine God," due to its grand initial layout, the previously criticized lengthy side plots, and the introduction of fresh cultivation systems, feels more aligned with reader expectations in its current portrayal of the Immortal Realm. Furthermore, its vast scope and numerous unresolved mysteries necessitate subsequent stories and content to enrich and explain them, making it difficult to predict the ultimate ending and the connections within.

In reality, both authors, during the time we were exposed to Xianxia novels, have used their respective techniques and charm to allow us to appreciate works of different styles and artistic conceptions, which is a source of great comfort. The future is long, and there may be many new stories, but a story that can accompany us throughout our lives is perhaps even more precious. May the "Immortal Realm" be filled with infinite immortal energy.

In conclusion, if I were to summarize the characteristics of "A Mortal Cultivation" and "Divine God Legend" in one sentence, I would say: "A Mortal Cultivation is imitable; Divine God Legend is irreproducible." The greatness of "A Mortal Cultivation" lies in its creation of the "Mortal" genre. Its success has pointed countless webnovel authors toward a new creative path: simply change the otherworldly setting, the cultivation method, or the protagonist, and you might have a new "Mortal"! "Divine God Legend is irreproducible" does not mean it cannot be copied, but rather that the cost of replicating "Divine God Legend" is too high. It requires not only rigorous planning and a vast framework but also over a decade of time to weave a cultivation dream for the protagonist, a dream that encompasses the author's youth, success, perseverance, and more!