While I praised author's ability for build-up and creating suspense, in this novel at least, it's a double-edged sword. When he does it well, he does it really well. However, when he doesn't, everything, from pace to enjoyment, just collapses faster than you could imagine. While things that happen seemed to have been pre-planned, it appears to me more that the author simply jotted down a few main points (k this char meets MC here, they battle for this, this faction reacts this way, etc.), and then decided to write around those points without actually having planned how to properly write about them.

Building tension is a hallmark of horror stories; they live and thrive on it. However, when writing action stories - especially ones involving supernatural elements - tension becomes a tool to use with great care. Again, author has pretty decent grasp on how to build it, but has absolutely no clue as to how to pace it. The only way I sucked some enjoyment out of this novel was by practically skipping more than quarter of it. While that may seem dishonest and makes my review seem a bit skewed, I do have my reasons.

First, pointless chapters where MC upgrades or whatever. If you've ever read xianxia, you'll obviously be skipping them because it's basically the same thing. Anyway, even if you skip it, you'll be constantly reminded what each and exact realm does, so you don't have to worry about being in the dark. These chapters are more frequent than you think, and I don't even mention paragraphs weaved in nearly every 5-6 chapters that refer to the realms and just repeat the same sh*t author already described before.

Second, chapters featuring nothing. And I don't mean no plot progression where characters talk with each other. I mean nothing. It's just bunch of words, referencing some history (again), with absolutely no tie-in to what is going on at the present time. While these chapters aren't as commonplace as cultivation ones, they are marked as some of the most blatant page count attempts I've seen.

As an example, at one point of the story, we're told of the history behind MC's sect. Great, some backstory never hurts. We learn of these major two figures that propped his sect up, and how they did it, and why they are so renowned. But wait. Then we hear the exact same story, again, with author trying to vaguely connect it with present times. But wait. Here it is again. This time, you're slightly annoyed, so you just skip it because it's the same sh*t. Oho but wait, what do we have here? An entire chapter dedicated to the backstory we've heard before, again?

I know that xianxia, as a genre, thrives on repetition, as authors have to drill some details into reader's minds. Much of it has to do with cultivation, but also with endless stream of side characters, and sometimes backstory. But, author here goes far beyond repetition, as he clearly just takes a chapter to bait readers into expecting the main story to actually restart.

The author is a competent writer. As I've stated before, characters in HSSB are much better developed than in majority of other xianxia. Even if there are your generic spoiled princes and whatnot, of those characters that stay, most are written well enough. In addition, he's really good at building up tension, but has absolutely no clue as to how to pace it and properly release it. This isn't a horror story. No reader will enter this world expecting 12 chapters of build-up that could have been done in about 2. By the time the release of tension comes, you don't go "wow, that was epic!", but rather "oh for f**ks sake, finally!". So, again, and I STRONGLY IMPLORE THIS, unless you can comfortably skip literal chapters and countless paragraphs, HSSB will be absolute chore to read.

One more knack against the author is how he purposefully conceals information from the viewer than the MC already knows. Although the type of narration is omnipotent, we spend most of our time with MC, and author simply hides things from us that should be easily explained mostly to just bolster that 'look how smart my non-MC who's totally MC character is'. It's cheap, because we can't operate on the same level as MC as we don't have the same information he has, so when he suddenly reveals something that should shock us and make us go "wow, that's really clever! I never would have thought of that!", we don't because we never stood a chance in the first place. Also, weaving mysteries in the background isn't author's strong suite either. He just presents a mystery and then leaves it blank for readers, while making MC's thoughts and dialogue extremely vague making it so we can't even infer anything that would help us decipher whatever the f**k MC would.

All in all, HSSB has some really great moments, and when it's at it best, it eclipses majority of other novels. However, it's so rarely at its best that it's simply not worth mentioning. In addition, besides the gimmick of 'totally not MC' character, author can't pace out tension, dragging on things for far too long whereas the climax of the story arc simply isn't as satisfying as it could have been.

Thanks for reading.

Still, for a xianxia (double) reincarnation plot, it is still well-written, though if I might say, the Senior Brother thing actually makes it kind of odd. Odd that was interesting at first, but as the story progresses that plot hook just becomes an oddity.

I like the fact that the MC involves the cast in his problem-solving.

Mooks bothering juniors? No problem, my henchmen will handle it. Slightly above cultivation antagonist? No problem, my higher level right hand will handle it. One step higher cultivation antagonist? No problem, I will break through the level gap in a second! High above cultivation antagonists and multiple factions ganging on me? No problem, I can humbly lower my head and request help from my own faction!