← 百炼成仙

后记

Opening his computer, his fingers hovered over the keyboard. The first word was a blank; he didn't know how to type it.

His heart felt hollow. He barely slept last night, not because of any pretense—really, he just couldn’t sleep.

Unwillingness!

"Trial by Fire" was published on February 11, 2009, on起点. That made it over six years. Six years—that’s hard to believe. Back then, I never imagined that this book would be so long; at twenty-something, now I feel like an old man.

Is this a bit of a pretense? But it is the truth. In these six years, I went through two marriages.

The first one was a bad match, and we quickly divorced. I remember crying as I updated that day—every detail still vivid in my mind. At the time, I told myself that I had failed in love but must not fail in career.

Fortunately, I succeeded. With everyone's support over these six years, while I can’t claim to be a great author like 幻雨, at least I became someone with some recognition.

I don't have to work from nine to five; the income from "Trial by Fire" is enough to support my family. Thank you all for everything you've given me and 幻雨.

I also want to specially thank 雨亭 and 追风筝的男孩, who followed this story from beginning to end.

And 臣魂主, 紫月亮盟主, 轻轻, 重生之水葫芦, and other leaders—beyond the donations you've given me, I am grateful for your encouragement, joy, and excitement during these years.

After my divorce, I was depressed. Remember that "Trial by Fire" was one of the reasons that kept me going. Fortunately, I met my current wife later on, which reignited my hope in love. Now our child is in kindergarten; can you believe it? All this happened while writing "Trial by Fire."

I just checked—over a million words have been written for "Trial by Fire." Of course, considering the time span, 幻雨 wrote slowly, even too slowly.

Was I lazy?

No!

Perhaps I didn't write quickly, but I never considered myself lazy. Over six years of writing, there were times when updates were sparse, but complete breaks in updating were rare—counting on one hand.

Honestly, to reach over a million words in six years is already an effort.

In the vast internet world, not many can maintain such a long run. This is known by all fellow daoists.

Six years have passed; 幻雨 has grown from a young man into a husband and father, experiencing much.

To be honest, writing for so long is exhausting.

If it were a new book, ideas would flow like a spring, making the writing process swift. But as time goes on, complex character relationships and plot entanglements diminish along with the author's enthusiasm. Essentially, to continue writing requires effort that may not always yield rewards.

This is why many authors stop after a certain point; it’s hard work for little gain.

My friends in the industry often laugh at me for taking so long on one book. If I were to start a new one, I could earn more easily and quickly, but I spend my time on just this one.

Do I not understand?

Of course, I do.

Especially recently, as the plot became more complex, it took me much longer to write each chapter than before.

That's why "Trial by Fire" is updating slower. It’s not because of laziness; writing gets harder as you go on.

Many authors can relate—most books slow down in updates as they progress, and this isn’t due to laziness but the natural course of things.

After all, who doesn't want to earn more? If I write a bit more for "Trial by Fire," it means earning a bit more. I’m not stupid; you get what I mean?

But this is hard, especially when writing over a million words. It’s even harder.

And while I write, my life isn’t just about that. Who hasn’t had health issues or unexpected events?

Many think these are excuses, but they’re not.

Do you know how 幻雨 has been dealing with things in the past year?

Many of you remember when 幻雨 took his father to see a doctor. This year was filled with suffering as I watched my father pass away due to lung cancer last month!

You can imagine how hard it must have been for me—crying while typing, comforting my mother, and taking care of the baby.

It was tough, but I had to be strong because I’m the only man in the house now. I need to hold things together, so that’s what I told myself.

Even with few updates, I didn’t stop writing during such a difficult time. How many can say they’ve done that?

At least, 幻雨 has tried her best.

Every family faces its own challenges. So when 幻雨 updates slowly, please understand. Think about the ups and downs in your lives; 幻雨 is no different.

Enough with the complaints.

All this just to tell everyone that writing "Trial by Fire" was a real effort. I have no regrets.

Of course, 幻雨 isn’t just defending herself but also acknowledging areas where she could improve. Even though you don't say it, I know there are still some unresolved plot points in the end.

I apologize for not thinking through certain aspects of the story more thoroughly. I will be more careful moving forward.

Moreover, while much has happened at home, 幻雨 hasn’t updated as frequently as she would have liked. That’s my fault. I’ve already explained the difficulties, but they aren’t excuses; as an author, slow updates are still on me.

I also want to address the criticism about the word count per chapter in "Trial by Fire." It will be adjusted moving forward.

In summary, 幻雨 knows she made mistakes with "Trial by Fire," including overly long and convoluted plots. She promises to improve, but words alone aren’t enough; you’ll see her efforts in action.

Six years have flown by. I’ve grown accustomed to opening my computer each morning to write "Trial by Fire." Now that it’s over, I’m unaccustomed to the change.

Do any of you feel the same way? Whether you loved or hated it, those who followed this story became a part of me.

I can’t help but feel sad about its conclusion.

It feels like losing a child I raised for six years, a treasure I cherished for so long…

Unwillingness!

But as they say, every good thing must come to an end. 幻雨 hopes to meet you all again in the future.

A new book is already signed and will be released on起点中文网. It should start uploading by July at the latest, possibly August. The exact date hasn’t been set yet; so, don’t rush to take down "Trial by Fire." I’ll notify everyone through VIP chapters or public ones when it happens.

You can also add 幻雨’s WeChat by searching “百炼成仙幻雨” or “hchy1982.” Or follow me on 新浪微博 using the same name, where I will keep you updated about my new book and personal life.

The new story is still a fantasy novel but with some differences. I aim to add new elements and make it stand out from existing ones.

I’ve been preparing for this for a long time; while not as meticulously planned as "Trial by Fire," the new book will be much more exciting.

Updates will be consistent, at least 6000 words per day after starting a new book.

However, I won’t write it as long as "Trial by Fire." The plot will be tighter.

In conclusion, 幻雨 hopes you’ll support her in this new journey. After all these years, I really miss you. Six years of growth and friendship because of "Trial by Fire," and the thought of losing touch with some of you is hard to bear.

I hope we can meet again when the new book starts.

幻雨 will work hard, making up for the shortcomings and regrets of "Trial by Fire."

Every good thing must end, but I believe we’ll reunite soon with more exciting stories, tighter plots, and fresh elements.

Enough said. With a heavy heart, 幻雨 will take some time to rest before preparing for the new book. Let’s meet again in the near future, when we can continue our fantastic journey of cultivation together… (to be continued)

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