Refining the Dao into Godhood: A Tale of the Jie Sect

Honest thoughts after Chapter 1: I went into this with some curiosity because the synopsis sounded intriguing, but after reading the first chapter… I’m just not feeling it. I usually give new novels a fair shot—even if the beginning is slow or a bit confusing, I’ll keep reading a few chapters before deciding. But this time, something about it made me lose interest right away. I just couldn’t find a reason to keep going. Translation Quality – 6.5/10 The writing is understandable, but it doesn’t flow well. Some sentences feel awkward or overly formal, like they were translated too literally. One example that stuck with me was a line that tried to sound deep but ended up just sounding strange in English. It kind of pulls you out of the story, especially during moments that are meant to feel emotional or meaningful. Story Development – 5/10 The pacing in the first chapter is really slow and packed with exposition. There’s a lot of setup, but not much actually happens. I get that it’s trying to lay the groundwork for a bigger story, but it felt more like reading a background summary than the start of a novel. There wasn’t much tension or momentum to make me excited for the next part. Character Design – 5.5/10 The main character comes across as decent and likable, but not particularly memorable—at least not yet. The side characters don’t stand out much either. It’s hard to feel invested in anyone when the chapter is mostly focused on explaining things instead of showing real interaction or conflict. World Background – 7/10 The worldbuilding is clearly detailed and thought-out, but it’s also very dense. There are a lot of unfamiliar terms and concepts thrown at you right away, and for someone like me who doesn’t usually read cultivation-heavy stories, it felt overwhelming. I found myself re-reading sections just to try and keep up. If you enjoy deep lore and complex systems, you might find this part interesting. But if you’re new to this kind of setting, it could feel like too much too soon. Final Thoughts: This just wasn’t the right fit for me. I came in with some interest, but by the end of Chapter 1, I already felt checked out. It didn’t hook me, and I wasn’t curious enough to keep going—even though I normally give new stories a few chapters before deciding. That said, if you’re into detailed worldbuilding, serious tones, and heavy cultivation themes, this might be more up your alley. But if you’re looking for something more character-driven or emotionally engaging from the start, you might want to look elsewhere.