What is the appeal of 'System' novels, and how do they differ from traditional cultivation novels?

System novels, often found in genres like fantasy and action, draw a significant portion of their appeal from a clear, often gamified progression path. The 'System' itself acts as a guide, a source of power, or a set of rules that the protagonist must follow or exploit. This can provide a sense of immediate gratification as the protagonist gains levels, skills, or items in a structured manner. It introduces an element of external control or guidance, which can be comforting or a source of conflict depending on the System's nature. Protagonists in these stories often have specific quests, tasks, or objectives laid out by the System, making their journey feel purposeful and trackable.

Traditional cultivation novels, on the other hand, focus more on the internal journey of the protagonist. The progression is usually tied to understanding and manipulating the natural energies of the world, often referred to as Qi or spiritual energy. The path to power is typically more organic, involving meditation, understanding dao, and facing challenges that test one's character and resolve. While both genres involve growth and increasing power, cultivation novels emphasize self-discovery and the mastery of internal forces, whereas System novels often rely on an external framework to facilitate that growth. For instance, "Inventors system" clearly falls into the System category, implying a structured, perhaps technological or rule-based approach to power acquisition, while a novel focused purely on cultivation would likely detail the protagonist's internal struggles and breakthroughs in mastering spiritual energy without a guiding 'system'.