Chen Xia

After dinner, I settled onto my bed, fatigue gradually enveloping me. The extra food distributed by others had transformed the meal into a small celebration.

The others had been ecstatic to know we had got in, and it seemed most of them were warned up to me, as I could no longer sense their hostility like before.

Amidst my tiredness, a plan had been brewing since my arrival – to record everything I knew and remembered.

Capturing these details while they were fresh, as an immortal with endless years ahead, recording my work and the story was crucial to prevent their fading. I wanted to make sure to record a list of all the supporting characters and lead characters and even extras I could remember.

I made a plan I'd do this every night until I'm finished, I also plan to record a timeline of my whole novel so I can keep track of how far Li Wei goes.

I had asked Luo Luo about the current year during dinner, learning it was Year 146, the third month, fifteenth day – confirming we were both fifteen. It wasn't anything strange, but yet filled me with pointless thoughts and theories.

Suppressing any rising optimism, I dismissed the thought about to emerge.

My focus now was to document the unfolding events and trace my brother's path at my current age. At fifteen, Li Wei had transitioned to the State of Martial Practitioning.

Known for his exceptional abilities, he had even completed all ten stages of the State of Mortality by age fourteen – a remarkable feat, as twenty-five was the norm.

During our childhood, Li Wei often shared his dream of excelling in an alternate realm. He was drawn to narratives where protagonists outshone others.

Seeing his aspirations realized was immensely satisfying. Although he wouldn't remember, I hoped his path might mirror mine.

Regardless, the prospect of reuniting with his face, and witnessing his smile, was deeply meaningful. Despite his likely lack of memory, I held onto the hope that his journey might parallel mine.

Huddled in my room, clad in comfy pajamas, penning thoughts, my black hair brushed against the page.

1. Li Wei already attended a Sword art school specifying in early martial arts, and currently as of now, resides in the State of Martial Practitioning. I need to get there quickly. However, by the time I do, he might have moved to the State of Master Cultivator, typically – which in my novel he achieved at twenty-five.

Given my role as the author, I'm familiar with how to make ingredients for elixirs and pills. This is no easy task. Elixir-making takes time, and pills require meticulous ingredient gathering.

Some stages need venturing into domains with strong creatures to acquire abilities for crafting, like a strengthening pill.

A creature's level of strength influences pill potential to be a low, medium, high or even Ultra level as it is also an ingredient though low and medium grades are often found as plants. Yet this reminded me of the fact that I needed a way to do all of this extremely quickly if I wanted to be able to meet him, at any point.

Especially before he reached the third state as that is when he started to acquire many threatening enemies, and at that point it was him against the world.

2. Another detail – my unfinished novel. Protagonists often wonder about the story's end. But what if it has none?

The last chapter I wrote spoke of Li Wei's Immortality achievement.

However, what comes after is unknown. Unfinished narrative threads reflect an unfulfilled destiny. I, as the author, am responsible. If the outcome falls short, it's on me. Anxiety rippled through me as I thought about it.

I decided to also write down the main events of my novel. I wanted to note down that the Martial Festival in the State of Martial Practitioning was going to be a major event, which I needed to attend in the year 153. That is 5 years from now.

Recalling Li Wei's journey, I remembered that he would return to the State of Martial Practicioning at this festival to seek a specific character who held the knowledge of the legendary sword of Icelyn. This sword, a magnificent work of art, shimmered with silver and bore intricate designs of snowflakes and ice. It was an ancient relic passed down through generations of Ice elementals.

The sword lay hidden deep within treacherous mountains, concealed within a cave inhabited by monstrous creatures of unparalleled strength. This specific character he sought was none other than the female lead in my novel.

She was meant to be a mysterious beauty, possessing a kind and honest heart. In the novel, she and Li Wei embark on a journey together, forming a close and unbreakable bond.

However, my original plan for the novel did not involve a female lead. It was a memory of a charming kind girl from our neighbourhood, called Chen Xia, whom my brother once had a childhood crush on, that prompted me to introduce her as the female lead.

This bond wasn't entirely a creation of my imagination; it was based on a real-life friendship that had blossomed between us. You see, the three of us, Li Wei, the girl, and I, were all good friends in our childhood. We shared countless adventures, secrets, and dreams.

In the novel, I had taken the liberty of exploring the possibility of her liking him back since I knew she only doted on him as a friend.

Her character harboured unrequited love for him, a feeling that was painfully evident in her actions and words in the novel.

She had hidden her emotions behind a facade of friendship, secretly longing for something more. I often wondered if I should make my brother ever suspect her true feelings, or if he should remain blissfully unaware.

Although my brother had been firmly in the friend zone with her, I saw an opportunity in my story to perhaps fulfil what never came to pass in real life – a chance for their relationship to evolve beyond friendship.

I had planned to gradually nurture their relationship, allowing it to evolve beyond friendship's boundaries. Unfortunately, this storyline was never completed, as my life was cut short before I could weave the tale to its conclusion.

I only hoped I would be able to meet her by chance, or any of the supporting characters of the novel. Like the alchemist Guo Yan who I had written to be a very humorous and cheerful character, who was a very close ally to Li Wei.

As I finished writing about the Important events I needed to remember, I then finally succumbed to sleep.