Let me say this in advance. Today’s official chapter will be the first chapter released today. There will be a second chapter behind to compensate for this.
The previous chapter truly removed the stone weighing my heart down. All my enthusiasm and stamina were poured into my writings. Now, I’m feeling a little lazy and lack the motivation to continue writing any further. And yet, I can’t sleep either.
I’m not used to projecting myself onto the main character. After all, I feel that it affects my control over the overall plot.
As such, the thoughts and views of the main character don’t represent mine.
I do admit that some parts overlap with each other. However, it’s only a few parts.
As for which part, only I’m aware of it, hehe.
However, today’s an exception.
I’ll say this very clearly. Yan Zhaoge’s view towards the Great Sage Equalling Heavens was my view towards the Great Sage Equalling Heavens.
I’m proud to be a die-hard fan of the Great Sage.
For everyone that advised me to be more rational or even disdain me, I only replied with, “I don’t care, I don’t care!”
Sorry for presenting such a sorry state.
Today, I can’t continue writing the official chapters anymore, and yet I can’t sleep either. Some words continuously leaked out, making me want to converse with my readers.
The book had yet to finish, and talking about the conclusion is irrelevant.
Moreover, this volume hasn’t even completed yet, making it even more irrelevant.
However, I felt quite emotional after I finished writing the plots regarding the Five Elements Mountain.
After all, this was the very start of my inspiration for writing this book.
Yes, a plot that was only written after I wrote about three million words was my inspiration to write this book…
Please don’t laugh, everyone, it’s true.
The earliest inspiration for this book originated from Stephen Chow’s movies – Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons. The one that was acted by Huang Bo, Wen Zhang, Shu Qi, and the others.
It was around twenty twelve, I guess? At that time, I had yet to step into the career of writing officially. It was much earlier than my first book – History’s Strongest Number One Founder.
At that time, rather than calling it an inspiration to write, it was only an immature wild imagination.
Of course, it might not even be mature even by now.
After I finished writing the “Number One Founder” and thinking of what to write next, I thought about said imagination.
I’m ashamed. The books that I wrote originated from the expansion of my wild imaginations. Even my last book – History’s Strongest Number One Founder, was the same.
This book was written after I found the movie once more, and my imaginations slowly expanded, expanded, and expanded even more.
After adding in more imaginations, it continued expanding.
As such, if anyone felt like some settings were different from what you all knew, no need to be surprised. After all, most of them were my wild imaginations.
It’ll be strange if it was the same.
If someone felt that this was different from “Vast Flowing River” [1], different from the Journey to the West, different from the orthodox Daoism texts, different from the Investitures of the Gods, and different from other old mythical stories, please calm down.
Believe in yourself. What you felt was right. They’re truly different.
I want to tell my own story.
If someone truly cannot accept it, I do apologize.
Having said that, at the very beginning, the main character was supposed to be born in the Blessed Lands of the White Lotus, right in the Obscured Way World. Since he was young, he was supposed to have been influenced by everyone’s chanting of sutras and believes that everything was peaceful within the Blessed Lands’ world.
A fake and prosperous world.
Here, everything you knew was something that someone wanted you to know, which allowed you to obtain said information.
However, after traversing to this world, the main character remained doubtful towards this world. He felt fear, he rejected this world, and he was troubled by it.
He wanted to discover more truth, see the real world, and seek more truth.
As a result, he mistakenly entered the Five Elements Mountain and became the monkey’s successor. Then, a slight truth about this world was revealed to him…
Of course, if I were to write like that, many details and settings would require alteration. However, in the general direction, the framework, his view towards the world, and the world-building were fixed.
As such, without changing the general direction and the framework, this story might become a story with a depressing atmosphere. It would be depressing from the start and would continue on until a very long time ahead.
As such, I discarded that opening and reconsidered the way to write it.
After slowly thinking about it, I slowly had my current thoughts. Speaking of it, the current opening and my original idea’s inspiration seemed to be completely different?
As such, after nearing three million words, I finally walked back here, back to the very first imagination that I wanted to write.
Actually, it’s not.
Many plots resonated with my previous chapters. Many plots in my earlier chapters would be explained.
When writing this book, this was my method of experimenting and learning.
Only, there may be some plot foreshadowings that were buried too deeply. As such, some readers might feel like some plot holes had appeared during the previous chapters, making things unexplainable.
Everything would be explained in the later chapters.
I can still remember the questions raised by some readers in the book’s comment section.
Why did so many people from the Broad Creed Mountain join the Nine Underworlds?
Why don’t I see any internal dispute within the opposing sects, like the Sacred Sun Clan or the Heavenly Thunder Hall? Why does it only happen within the Broad Creed Mountain? Wasn’t this setting purposely making trouble for the main character? It’s already reached the degree where it ignores reality.
Why can the main character casually read through so many top-notch secret texts within the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace’s Martial Repository?
And many other questions.
However, these questions were all answered later in the plot.
Why do so many people of the Broad Creed Mountain join the Nine Underworlds? Because the Decimating Abyss Group’s leader was of the Broad Creed Mountain. That’s equivalent to the source of contamination existing within the Broad Creed Mountain. While there’s this saying, “rabbits do not eat the grass around their burrows,” there’s also the principle that one takes the behavior of one’s company.
Why didn’t we see the internal disputes happening within the opposing forces like the Sacred Sun Clan or the Heavenly Thunder Hall? Why was it only limited to the Broad Creed Mountain? Because the main character was a Broad Creed disciple. As such, the main character’s viewing point had always remained by the Broad Creed Mountain. Even if the opposing forces had an internal dispute, no one would easily be able to tell.
I’ve mentioned a little about it as well. For example, within the Heavenly Thunder Hall, the battle between Lin Zhou’s father and Yan Shan’s master. As for the Sacred Sun Sect, if anyone’s interested, how about looking back towards when the Broad Creed had undergone their first tribulation? Which Sacred Sun Sect’s martial art practitioners had died beneath the Broad Creed Mountain?
Pan Botai, the World Illuminating Lord, and the others were all internal members of the Sacred Sun Sect and weren’t on the same side as clan leader – Huang Xu. In that battle, the one that won was Huang Guanglie, while the one that suffered casualties weren’t Huang Xu’s underlings.
The Sacred Sun Clan’s internal relations weren’t peaceful as well.
Why can the main character casually read through so many top-notch secret texts within the Heavenly Court’s Divine Palace’s Martial Repository? The readers that read through volume twelve should know it by now.
Alright, I’ll admit it. The suspense left during the first volume only being revealed within the twelfth volume was indeed a long period of suspense.
Some readers might ask whether I had never thought about it from the start and only started thinking about how to connect them together behind? That it’s too hard to connect them together, which was why I took such a long time?
Actually, it’s not.
For example, some readers questioned why the Sacred Sun Clan dared to treat their internal members imperiously even when facing the enemies of the Flame Devil and the Nine Underworlds? Wasn’t that a little too stupid for them?
Why was the Earthly Sovereign so weak-willed? Wasn’t he a little too stupid?
How could the Roving Jade Heavens and the World beyond Worlds still exist even when the Immortal Court and the Blessed Lands of the White Lotus were so strong? Either the Immortal Court and the Blessed Lands of the White Lotus were too idiotic, or they treated the Roving Jade Heavens and the World beyond Worlds quite decently as well.
Until the thirteenth volume, most of the questions had been answered.
However, before revealing the answers, there was quite a bit of foreshadowing.
Why did the Sacred Sun Sect still dare to remain imperious towards their members even when facing the Flame Devil and the Nine Underworlds? Because the Sacred Sun Sect had already contacted the World beyond Worlds’ Radiant Light Sect.
Even if things turned for the worst in the end, the Sacred Sun Clan wouldn’t even receive any calamity. After all, they could request someone from the Radiant Light Sect to help them. To the Sacred Sun Clan, the worst-case scenario would merely be them leaving a useless impression on the Radiant Light Sect. The Radiant Light Sect might even intervene in the Eight Extremities Worlds’ matters and reduce their autonomy.
This foreshadowing was already mentioned in the conversation between Tang Yonghao and Huang Jie in Chapter 289: Vanquishing evil for the Eight Extremities World.
Also, there was some other hidden information. However, it seems like they were too hidden.
Huang Jie claimed that he would do something major every recurring year.
The first major action that happened when he was twelve was to unintentionally come in contact with Purple Sun Martial Saint – the Sacred Sun Saint – Zhang Chao when said Martial Saint was being held back from transcending from the Eight Extremities Worlds and the World beyond Worlds. Then, he was unintentionally discovered by the Radiant Light Sect’s elder, which allowed the Sacred Sun Sect to ride the Radiant Light Sect’s coattails.
Why was the Earthly Sovereign so weak-willed?
Why could the Roving Jade Heavens and the World beyond Worlds exist even when the Immortal Court and the Blessed Lands of the White Lotus were so strong?
The answers to these were the same – the existence of the Elder Lord.
The Earthly Sovereign – Jiang Shen, didn’t want to face any risk. Even if the Elder Lord did not do anything after the Great Calamity, he still held his hopes towards the Elder Lord. While he was very conservative, I don’t feel that he was stupid.
As for why the Immortal Court and the Blessed Lands of the White Lotus didn’t massacre those of Daoism, they were merely wary of the Three Clear Grand Masters who had already transcended. God knows if the three would have a screw go loose and suddenly returns.
This foreshadow was first written in Chapter 1139: The tribulation beckon, in the conversation between the Earth Exalt – Wang Zhengcheng and his disciple – Li Junxin.
Although Li Junxin didn’t understand, he could only listen to his master’s teachings. The Earth Exalt – Wang Zhengcheng must have got some information from his master – the Earthly Sovereign – Jiang Shen.
There are no other reasons for me saying so much. I only wanted to say that some plothole-looking plots would be explained later on.
Maybe, some readers might remain unsatisfied when the truth is revealed, thinking that the explanation doesn’t suffice, and still felt like it was a plothole. However, please believe me; that problem is solely because of my own quality. While I might not be writing things well, I had given serious and thorough thought to the plot. I’ve designed them after comparing the front and back plots.
The readers who are familiar with me might know that I have OCD. If a plot hasn’t been thoroughly rationalized, even if the first half of the thought structure had been formed, and even the details had been listed out, I’d still be unable to write anything. I could only continue to work with it and continuously reshape the plot.
In fact, this was the reason.
Because when I read novels, I enjoy receiving a revelation upon reading a plot point. When the plot resonates with the previous story, it truly gave me a tremendous amount of enjoyment.
As such, in writing this book, I had consciously been using this method the entire time.
In my last book, History’s Strongest Number One Founder, I’ve done the same. Only, I did not apply it as much as this story.
However, looking back now, I feel like this wasn’t a suitable method.
Maybe it’s because my writing quality has its limits? I tend to bury the truth for too long and reveal the answers a little too late, causing my readers to forget about the clues I’ve left behind during my previous chapters. As a result, my readers might be confused when I finally revealed the answer.
Besides, when I buried the plot for too long, my readers would only be tired out.
I feel like this was something that hurts everyone’s reading experience, as well as everyone’s enjoyment.
I have many styles of writing that I’d like to try. However, I hope that my book will make my readers satisfied.
I want to tell the story in my mind to my readers – this part wouldn’t change. However, before my quality reaches a certain height, which causes unfriendly emotions to some of my readers, I feel like I should lessen the as much as possible.
Regrettably, many sorts of foreshadowings had already been buried within this book. So many plotholes are waiting for me to fill them up. As such, my style of writing for this book might continue for a long while.
If there’s a next book, I’ll try to change my habit and write some stories with more straightforward plot structures. I hope everyone would like it then.
Everyone knows how to tell a story. Only, how to tell a tale skillfully was something that I’ve always been learning and studying. I hope that I could find a more satisfying way of writing which my readers can enjoy.
I’ve gone on and ranted so much. I hope everyone doesn’t find it annoying.
Thanks to all the readers that continued reading Senior Brother until today.
While this is a summary, there are still many contents that I had yet to write. This isn’t an end-book summary or anything of that sort…
I hope everyone continues reading this book, and more readers will read my book.
Thank you, everyone.
[1] Stories with plots that are based on Investitures of the Gods, Journey to the West, and other Chinese mythological novels
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It’s really interesting seeing the author comment on the native critics of his work, and being a foreign reader to see simular critics pop up even for the translated work.
Just these past few chapters had people talking about the differences between the historic legends and the way the author has chosen to present them in his work. The story has really good reasons for why certain characters act the way they do, and you can see that’s it’s been planned far head with important information spread over many chapters.
Besides the insane wording, I think its a great novel. Far more detailed than most. Though the pace is slow, I enjoy it all the more.
I have seriously enjoyed the journey of reading this story. Love it. The main character is the sort of protagonist I like. His outrageous shenanigans and his clear intelligence is a marvel. For me, he is of the similar cloth as Peter Pan, That protagonist from The Condor Lovers, Zorro, and many other heroic characters…and yes, even Sun Wukong.
This latest revelations… i’ve enjoyed it as well. Although the wealth of Buddhist names and characters overwhelmed me a bit, slowing me down, a lot while i digest. But more importantly, when Great Sage Sun Wukong appear and we get to know this version of his story… I jumped with joy. I have to say, I share the author’s view of the Great Sage. Love him before That Monk came and convert him to buddhism. haha. Still love him after, but with a sense of loss as well, because it seems he lost, instead of gained, after he ‘ascended’ as Buddha, so to speak.
Anyway, love it. love it. love it.
Hey, glad that you enjoyed the story in-depth and share your words here.