Chapter 132 Author's note

Writing for 66 days, with over 270,000 words, we are finally approaching the moment of being officially published.

I want to express my gratitude to everyone for their continuous support throughout this journey, especially during the Three Rivers recommendation period.

Let's talk about some of the issues encountered during the creation process.

Some readers find it unrealistic that ancient knowledge could lead to the creation of firearms and the development of technology, or question why firearms can't be used in the cultivation world.

I didn't anticipate these concerns. I don't know how long everyone has been reading novels, but over a decade ago, there were many novels about transcending technology and dominating the world. No one questioned their feasibility. I simply omitted certain processes.

As for why firearms can't be used in the cultivation world, every cultivation novel can provoke such a soul-searching question.

Why? Because I'm writing a cultivation novel. I set it up this way. If advanced technological weapons could be used in the cultivation world, it would turn into a story where Li Fan constantly reincarnates, creating a torrent of steel and challenging the cultivation world. That's a different story.

There were many similar minor issues, perhaps due to my lack of consideration. It seems that readers these days can raise objections to such an extent.

However, overall, these are not significant issues.

What truly had a fatal impact on the structure of this book was the process from Li Fan's first arrival in the cultivation world to the discovery of the Cong Yunhai's transformation, which was too short and rushed.

My original outline was as follows:

Li Fan arrived at the Luli Island after numerous hardships, joined a fleet, and then engaged in a battle of wits with Zhang Haobo. Using the treasure hidden in the sea in advance, he seized the position of the captain. Later, after washing away the mortal aura in the Lingchi, he arrived at Wanxian Island after a few years.

On the island, after performing tasks for some time and accumulating enough contribution points, he exchanged for a water attribute cultivation technique. He thought that from then on, the cultivation path would be smooth. However, not long after, he found that the water aura in the world was becoming scarcer.

The speed of cultivation became slower, and the entire Cong Yunhai was sealed, with no entry or exit allowed. Panic spread among the cultivators, and killings gradually began.

Li Fan had to escape from Wanxian Island and hide on a remote island. Later, as the seawater dried up, revealing the seabed, Li Fan finally woke up and understood the reason for the difference between the two worlds.

...

Originally, I planned to write at least over a hundred chapters for this part, similar to the first volume of The Lord of the Mysteries, to provide enough foreshadowing before revealing the twist. However, I had to change my focus midway.

Because when the word count reached 100,000, there were only a little over a hundred collections. I couldn't even get a trial recommendation.

If I continued with the original outline, it would be a dead end.

So I had to speed up the progress, and the twist was completed in about forty chapters.

After that, although the results improved, there was still some dissatisfaction.

As I said, it was too rushed.

And inevitably, there were many forced elements, such as the underwater treasures being too new and not resembling treasures hidden in the sea.

But I could only try to make it work.

The second problem was that the time reduction of the "True Return" Heart Refining Mantra was too significant. When I initially set it up, I was inexperienced, so I directly reduced 11 years of time.

This also led to the need to fill in these 11 years before continuing the plot of the previous life.

It also caused the issue of a slow progression that many readers have raised.

Because I'm not just writing about this life; I also have to consider setting up plotlines for the next life.

These are the two issues that I believe had a relatively significant impact on the structure of this book.

Other things are minor details and have little impact.

Now, let's talk about some of the issues that readers have given more feedback on.

1. The protagonist's cultivation progress is too slow.

This book is not a traditional leveling and monster-fighting novel. Additionally, the protagonist's cultivation method is the "Hundred Generations Law," so the cultivation progress in the first life is basically useless for him.

2. The protagonist is too overpowered.

I have one question: with the current skill configuration of the protagonist, is he an opponent of the True Transmission Heavenly Sovereign when his realm is raised to the Eternal Life? You don't even cultivate your own Dao, how can you fight against him?

So the cheat still needs to be more significant; it still needs to be expanded.

3. Issues with the "True Return" Foundation Building.

The "True Return" is beyond the world, involving the aspect of the law of time, so it is impossible to use it for Foundation Building in the early

 stages. How the protagonist uses "True Return" for Foundation Building remains to be seen.

...

Now, let's move on to some explanations.

I am indeed a newcomer and not someone's alternate account, so there are some immature aspects in my writing, for which I seek your understanding.

I will strive to improve myself and hope for your encouragement.

My job is decent, so I won't play the pity card.

I write mainly for my interest.

Being a part-timer and a newbie, writing over 4,000 words a day already feels quite challenging.

Perhaps my writing speed will increase in the future as my brain processes speed up.

As the saying goes, "Art carries the Dao." On the day when Zheng Hao cultivated for the first time, there was a passage:

"Some peaks, seemingly towering, are already destined to never advance further, unable to take another step. Some, like a small mound now, who knows if it will grow into a towering mountain after several years?"

"Just like this Mount Shaowei underfoot, seemingly insignificant in the past, but after decades, it has already become a prominent peak overlooking the world."

"Of course, more are like the countless peaks under this sea of clouds, forever destined to serve as a backdrop, silently looking up at the peaks above the sea of clouds."

"Mountains are like this, what about people?"

These words were also for my own encouragement.

At that time, this book had not yet broken a hundred collections. Meanwhile, other books of the same period had already reached several thousand.

I could only encourage myself in this way.

Now, with everyone's support, the performance of this book is already better than most books of the same period.

Thank you again.

Thanks to everyone who has voted and rewarded.

Also, thanks to the editor for the continuous help.

It will be officially released at twelve o'clock tomorrow, with a slight delay of a few minutes.

The first three chapters will be released together, and a couple more chapters will be added later in the evening.

If you find this book well-written, please consider giving it an early subscription.

See you all tomorrow!