One Million Words (Author's Rambling)

Author's Note: This chapter contains the author's random thoughts and musings, please read with discretion.

As a new author with a new book, I've finally reached one million words, which feels quite remarkable. It's like climbing a steep and tall mountain - when you look up from the foot of the mountain, you feel intimidated and want to retreat. But once you gather the courage to take that first step forward, then another, and another, suddenly you realize you've climbed so high. That's exactly this wonderful feeling.

How did this book begin? An idea popped into my head - it would be interesting to write a love story set in a cultivation world. Having these immortal cultivators who can move mountains and seas, who can defy the heavens, experience an ordinary, mundane romance - ordinary cultivators having ordinary love stories and trying to survive in the cultivation world. I showed the initial draft to my editor, who said it had potential, so I started writing.

So this book started with a simple idea, and then I gradually added more elements to it: an ordinary relationship between a man and woman wouldn't be interesting enough, so I needed to add some taboo and ethical elements. It could have been between senior and junior disciples, but that wasn't necessary - a master and disciple relationship would obviously be more interesting. The main characters could be casual and laid-back, but that wouldn't be enough flavor. The cultivation world needed its essential elements: there had to be geniuses, there had to be mediocre talents, there had to be the classic sect competitions, the dark jungle rules, the dangerous treasure hunting and killing. While the main characters could live peacefully, all the major events typical of a cultivation world had to be present. The main characters needed some interaction, so I created a mature, steady, and secretly cunning master alongside a carefree genius who acts like a fool.

Yes, that's how it went - writing and adding elements as I went along, adding whatever I found interesting. That's how it evolved into its current form.

Most readers seemed to enjoy the plot, but there were some parts that made people uncomfortable. Particularly the sword-forging section, which I roughly estimate caused this book to lose one-third of its readers. Let me share some thoughts about these various aspects.

Regarding the sword-forging section, there are things that can be said and things that can't. What can't be said is that when I look back at that plot myself, I also feel it was too idealistic and the plot was a bit rough. What I can say, or rather my excuse is, firstly, when I started writing this book, I never imagined many people would read it. I thought only one friend plus maybe one or two new friends would read it, I never expected more than ten people would see this book, so I wrote quite freely. I wrote whatever I found interesting, without considering if the plot made sense. A chunni little snake girl? Interesting, so let's not kill her. The protagonist would kill her, but as the author, I said no, you don't want to kill. Camping? Interesting. Let's have the brother-in-law see it and misunderstand? Interesting. So I just wrote it without thinking too much. The protagonist says "I'm not that kind of person," but as the author, I say, "No, you are." The female lead shouts "Starlight, blast them!" - playing with memes, interesting. Being too idealistic? What's that? The author didn't think that far.

Another thing I can say is (with a serious face), this plot arc is called sword-forging, forging both the physical sword in her hand and the metaphorical sword in her heart. The physical sword is the Lifebound Sword, the tangible blade; the sword in her heart teaches her the survival ways of the cultivation world, an intangible blade. She's a fifteen or sixteen-year-old privileged young lady, and transforming her into a Sword Immortal who wields sword energy requires a process. Think about it - what are fifteen or sixteen-year-old modern girls doing? They're in their third year of middle school or first year of high school. Getting them to take up a sword and kill isn't something that happens easily.

Besides this, there are many who criticize the female lead for being too stupid, too idiotic, needing the male lead to teach her everything. About this, I want to say, if the female lead started out being cunning, sophisticated, intelligent, calm, and decisive, what would we need the male lead for?

There are also those who criticize the male lead for being sneaky and sleazy, and for having a fear of heights... well... Whether it's being cautious or stable, it's playing on Li Changshou's character trait, and the fear of heights is playing on Song Shuhang's trait. I thought it was fun and added it, but when readers seriously point out these as flaws, I don't know what to say. Actually, except for the sleaziness which I wrote seriously, the fear of heights was purely for fun and had zero impact on the plot.

There are also those who criticize the male lead for being a simp and the female lead for being too idealistic. One comment section was full of such criticism, which made me feel quite dejected. From Qin Ran's character perspective, he probably never imagined in his life that he would be called a simp... What I can say is, whether it's about this book or my personal life experience, never just look at what someone does on the surface. Don't just listen to what someone says, look at what they do and what their purpose is. For someone like Qin Ran, his initial kindness to Li Shiyin clearly had impure motives. If, if Li Shiyin wasn't this naive personality, and I've hinted at this before, if it was Tian Wenjin who became Qin Ran's disciple, things would have been very different... When Qin Ran kills people, he doesn't even flinch.

There are also those who apply worldbuilding concepts from other worlds... like having the Qi Condensation stage before Foundation Establishment, or having Spirit Movement and Fasting stages after Foundation Establishment, or concepts like Merging with Dao and Void Return, or what the status of alchemists should be in the cultivation world, or what makes a qualified sect leader, patriarch, parent, etc.

Of course, besides the criticism, there are more people who like this book. This makes me very happy. It's truly a joyful and honorable thing when something you've written is enjoyed by others.

Some say the plot logic is good, some say the pacing is comfortable, some say the story is gentle and smooth, some enjoy the sweet moments... In short, you all are really too kind, always able to find good points in this story. You really... I'm crying!

Actually, I know the writing isn't that good, the writing style is immature, the plot is rough - it's your great tolerance and excellent reading comprehension that found some points of interest and merit to keep reading. I'm very moved.

In particular, I've seen some readers' comments that make me feel like I've found kindred spirits and teachers. They say this story has good pacing, being calm when it should be calm and intense when it should be intense; they say the story has a good core, showing ordinary people and ordinary cultivators against the backdrop of an era of natural and human disasters; they say the character building is good, showing both the competition between geniuses and the struggles of ordinary cultivators in the cultivation world; they say it captures the true mentality of transmigrators; they say it shows what should be done after transmigrating, and so on. There are many very thoughtful and wonderful friends.

How should I put it? I'm a bit embarrassed. Because I did want to write the things you mentioned in your reviews, but due to my poor writing skills, insufficient philosophical understanding and life experience, these things weren't written clearly. In other words, I only intended to write this way and tried to move in this direction, only managing to write something vague, and your discerning eyes have already seen through my little thoughts.

Above are some author responses to everyone's reviews of this book. Whether good or bad, praise or criticism, I've quietly read them all. Except for those that are purely abusive or emotional venting, most criticism, although I'm not happy about it, I actually know these are problems with the book. So I still thank them, without them (them, because they probably won't read this far) pointing these out, I wouldn't know about these problems. Just like I never expected someone like me would write an idealistic female lead.

Then what you need to know is, this isn't a book about leveling up by fighting monsters, it's not about completing the expanded map, it's not about the main characters reaching the peak of the world. Many friends have said this is a romance novel. When does a romance end? When the main characters get married. So... you understand.

Finally, I'm very happy that people are reading this book, and I hope you're happy while reading it and happy in your life. Without doubt, I will work hard to learn and make sure your reading experience is always positive.

Love you all! Here's wishing you an early Happy New Year!!