Lu Xi’an’s jealousy when he realizes Yao Wei might have a car is so petty and real. He goes from “I’m being generous with water” to angle for a ride instantly. The way he offers snow cream as trade makes me laugh—who thinks of skincare in an apocalypse? But I get it—that car is gold.
The author's descriptive style for the cultivation world is solid. It's not bogged down with excessive exposition. We learn about "Tianji Continent," "Broad Cold Palace," and "Soul Refining Stage" organically through dialogue and context. The description of the wedding hall, with its carvings and sandalwood, is vivid without being overwritten. The world feels lived-in and established. We get the sense of a vast, ancient society with its own rules, politics, and dangers. This is a sign of a confident writer who trusts the reader to pick up on the details of the setting without having everything spelled out in a prologue.