Chapter 2239: Mist and Reality

The tea party is finally back, and everyone has waited for a long time.

There wasn't a tea party when the *Blazing Gold* volume concluded, and that wasn't because I was lazy. It was because the *Azure Dusk* volume actually marks the end of the second major arc, signifying the complete unveiling of all past “mysteries” in the story, and it required a very serious and formal summary.

Just a few days ago, I received another private message from a reader. It was long, sprawling, and filled with enthusiasm—exceeding my daily word count. The message focused on analyzing various images, references, and metaphors in the novel, with the reader firmly believing that all of them have real-world prototypes.

For instance, he suggested that Panlong City symbolizes “history.”

It’s invisible and intangible, yet you clearly know it exists because it imparts knowledge, instills courage, and even bestows the power of faith upon you.

It allows you to witness the lessons learned by previous generations, strengthens your convictions, shapes your character, and fosters consensus among countless strangers.

Isn’t that precisely what history is?

I must say, your idea is excellent and quite close. However, if I, as the author, were to unveil Panlong City, its true identity would be:

Civilization.

Because in addition to those characteristics, it also places demands on you.

It requires you to inherit, to redeem, and to carry it forward.

It demands that you wholeheartedly and with all your might strive for the great rejuvenation of this civilization!

Therefore, Panlong City within the Great Square Pot changes due to He Lingchuan's resolve and efforts. But what about history? History is in the past, irrevocably so.

All suffering is unavoidable, and all regrets are irrecoverable—that is history.

Civilization encompasses history. Just as I repeatedly mentioned in the text how memory shapes personality, our history also shapes the spirit of our civilization.

Of course, everyone is free to hold different opinions.

There was much more in that reader's private message, and I was truly delighted because he paid close attention to details, thought deeply, and indeed understood a great deal.

In fact, you can often see many similar discussions in the book review section.

For example, many readers repeatedly discuss Beijia America and Mou Nation Big Goose.

Others believe that the ancient era ruled by the Immortals represents a slave society, while the era ruled by the Sky Demons and Beijia is…

There are countless other discussions, some amusing, some serious, because everything in *Immortal* seems so strikingly similar to reality.

I appreciate every reader who thinks deeply, just as you appreciate a diligent and hardworking author.

However, in this work, these are not simple one-to-one symbolic relationships. Your inferences are merely based on surface-level “features” that seem familiar.

But there are several fundamental essences hidden beneath these features, which are the core points. I will now tell you directly, without beating around the bush:

The Sky Demons and Ling Mountain correspond to colonizers of different eras and forms.

Beijia and Mou Nation do not specifically refer to any single country but represent hegemons of different identities.

The Qingyang Imperial Advisor once repeatedly questioned He Lingchuan: What exactly is he rebelling against?

Considering these two core essences, the answer should be obvious, shouldn't it?

Yes, our protagonist came to this world to do just one thing:

To oppose colonialism, oppose hegemony, and oppose oppression!

He wants these nine characters to echo throughout the human world.

He wants these nine characters to be more than just slogans.

He wants these nine characters to truly become reality.

Why can he oppose the Sky Demons yet cooperate with Beijia? Why does he cooperate with Ling Mountain yet oppose Mou Nation?

Because He Lingchuan deconstructs colonialism and hegemony into systemic entities that can be guided, divided, and precisely targeted, rather than rigid, physical enemies.

With clear objectives, methods can be flexible and efficient.

Simply put, he targets actions, not nations. As long as it's an act of colonialism or hegemony, He Lingchuan will not compromise, regardless of who the perpetrator is.

Connecting all of the above, this is actually the core concept and framework of this article (key point):

“As a nascent force and the greatest variable in this world, He Lingchuan, at a time of unprecedented change in a millennium, leads all beings in a struggle against colonialism and hegemony, while also striving for the great rejuvenation of Panlong Civilization.”

I'm giving you this sentence upfront so you have a handle when reading, which you can use to fully enjoy the pleasure of critical thinking.

Of course, I have also meticulously woven many other clues and hidden threads throughout the text, making everything seem familiar. The previous reader was right; these elements are indeed drawn from reality, which is why everyone is always eager to seek confirmation from me. However, I apologize, but from this point forward, I will no longer provide definitive answers, nor should there be any.

This is a “mist” novel, where what you see is what you get. The author's only responsibility is to sketch the world's outline, and tell you the key structural points and underlying logic. For more fascinating content, please use that handle and explore on your own.

A thousand people might have a thousand perspectives, a thousand hypotheses, a thousand experiences—isn't that where the fun lies?

Furthermore, a good piece of writing should not only give readers enjoyment and inspiration but also, as times change, be enriched with more meaning and deeper implications by the readers themselves.

I cannot use the author's perspective to constrain its development.

So, please feel free to explore, imagine, deduce, and elaborate. Use your thoughts to enrich and expand this work alongside the author.

Many people have asked me why I chose to write a book like this.

Online literature doesn't need to be this profound. I've never lacked good stories and could have easily written them in a simple, more widely accepted manner, instead of constantly exhausting my brainpower and toiling tirelessly every day as I do now.

What's wrong with writing a conventional online novel and making money effortlessly?

The problem is, I prematurely drew a grand vision for myself.

This book began in May 2022. Since then, how many major events, domestic and international, have occurred either consecutively or simultaneously? Can anyone count them all on their fingers?

To describe the past few years, perhaps a few imprecise words would be:

Turbulent, facing internal and external difficulties, breaking the old and establishing the new, with crises coexisting.

The domestic and international situations are complex and intertwined, the destinies of nations and individuals have been completely altered, the speed at which old ideas and structures are collapsing is unprecedented, and the rise of the East and decline of the West has become an irreversible trend.

It is truly a great change unseen in a thousand years.

For a creator, isn't this the best theme for a novel?

Aren't the turbulent waves of the era the best source of inspiration and material?

Why would I ignore all this to write formulaic, face-slapping stories or pretentious, sentimental essays?

When outlining *Immortal*, I set a grand vision—no, a lofty aspiration!

What if I imbued *Immortal* with the grand national perspective, developmental mindset, and philosophy of struggle pertinent to our current era? What if I gave it a contemporaneity aligned with our own?

In doing so, it could closely connect and deeply resonate with the real world, allowing those who understand it to view our reality and nation with new eyes.

If my readers gain even the slightest insight or realization, that would be my greatest merit.

As soon as this thought emerged, I felt I was ill, gravely ill.

It's too difficult; it's not suitable for me.

Let whoever wants to write it, but it shouldn't be me.

Honestly, I'm not a stubborn person; I'm very adaptable and skilled at reconciling with myself.

But this idea relentlessly haunted me for months. I thought about it day and night, even in my dreams, as if it had taken root in my mind.

If I didn't write this novel, it probably wouldn't let me go.

In the end, I had no choice but to comply.

Why does the book state that the Great Square Pot, with the help of all powerful beings from both realms, broke through numerous obstacles to emerge?

Because in reality, *Immortal* itself is equally stubborn, insistent on breaking through the shackles of illusion and reality, manifesting in the human world through my hands.

What could be done? Write it.

Of course, the reason I used “lofty aspiration” (鸿愿) instead of “grand aspiration” (宏愿) is “because at that time, the wish was too ethereal and distant, like a lone swan—both impractical and misunderstood.”

Now you know why He Lingchuan would say that, don't you?

My state of mind is the same as his. We both ultimately chose the most difficult path, but one we believed to be the most correct.

Setting such a lofty aspiration and grand vision for oneself also requires the ability to execute it. It's like signing a military order; you must be capable of winning the battle.

Otherwise, you'd be executed.

I know many authors directly copy history and theories into their books, making it easy for themselves to write and for readers to enjoy. It’s effortless for both sides—how great is that?

But I refuse to do that.

I cannot parrot facts or preach.

After all, this is a xianxia novel. I want the stories I write to have a fresh, spiritual flavor, not an earthy, stale one—I want the essence, not just the events.

It needs to retain its mysterious and enigmatic fantasy exterior, while being filled with the long history of civilization and serious, dialectical thought.

It must trigger associations, allowing readers to instinctively understand, yet be like a gazelle's horn—leaving no trace—otherwise, it would be inferior, and not worth writing at all.

This also means that what we are writing is not a self-indulgent or pretentious novel.

Many people have given feedback that the immersion in this book is problematic. I believe there's a misalignment here.

Compared to other novels, the focus of immersion in *Immortal* has never been about pleasure, showing off, or catharsis. Instead, it's about exploration, contemplation, analysis, and decision-making. It's about entering He Lingchuan's perspective, experiencing his plight from being on the brink of death to becoming the Blazing Gold's co-lord, feeling his journey from helpless and isolated to unwavering and resolute, as he solves one complex problem after another.

From the author's perspective, it's not just limited to the thrilling “hero in troubled times” plotline; it emphasizes using our contemporary mindset to build the framework, construct the story, and resonate with reality.

From the protagonist's perspective, the wisdom, strength, courage, and responsibility cultivated through a series of events are far more important than the events themselves, or even the rewards gained. Events will always pass, but these excellent qualities are an inexhaustible treasure for a lifetime, and moreover, a “golden finger” to overcome future formidable enemies.

From the reader's perspective, a significant portion of the enemy and ally strategies have real-world parallels, allowing for specific interpretation and deeper reflection.

And precisely because there is so much content to present and express, the pacing and progress of *Immortal* are naturally slower. The author can honestly admit that my writing techniques from the past decade are largely inapplicable to this book; there's simply no precedent to follow.

Alas, for over a thousand days since I started writing, not a single day has passed where I wasn't groping forward in a fog.

I can't even categorize this book myself, which is why I gave it the title “Mist Novel.”

It's said that the most tragic thing isn't someone else drawing a grand vision for you, but drawing one for yourself and then perfectly closing the loop by consuming it yourself.

Fortunately, up to this point, *Immortal* has a very high degree of completion.

Let me reiterate once more: although the characters, events, causes and effects, and even the logic you see in the book may seem familiar and almost tangible, they are absolutely not a one-to-one correspondence with reality!

Reality, through the author's pen and paper, projects itself into your eyes as a vibrant, kaleidoscopic illusion.

If you see through the vast world we inhabit, then the mist in *Immortal* cannot obscure your vision at all.

Because, no matter how bizarre, exaggerated, or absurd this kaleidoscope appears, every color, every ray of light, originates from our real world.

The *Azure Dusk* volume is drawing to a close. Most of the old mysteries have been resolved, the core and framework of the story have become clear, and discussions in the review section are increasing.

The end of this volume signifies that the mist covering the earlier stages has largely receded, and the progress within the book has finally synchronized with reality.

And a new mist is about to envelop us—its name is “The Future.”

The future has arrived, what is to come is here.

Whether it's He Lingchuan or ourselves, we all face a great change unseen in a thousand/hundred years. This is the mist no one can clearly see. The only thing I can be certain of is that the future will be earth-shattering, and old experiences and methods may no longer be effective.

This will be faithfully reflected in the next major arc, which is also the final volume of the entire book.

I will completely dismantle the ecosystem, structure, and logic that took over five million words to build in the preceding text, significantly increasing the proportion of xianxia and fantasy elements, elevating the intensity of battles and the dimension of warfare, and once again changing the methods of struggle.

No breaking, no establishing!

To be honest, to resonate with reality, I've held back my strength throughout the previous thirteen volumes, cautious and hesitant to go too far, suppressing myself for over three years.

But in this final volume, I can finally unleash myself and fully unleash my imagination and creativity.

Because no one truly knows what the future will be like.

I want to free my thoughts and let my imagination run wild, to write a truly romantic, passionate, and optimistic xianxia fantasy novel.

Wasn't all the detailed groundwork laid over five million words for the fervent unfolding of this very volume?

In the final volume, all mysteries will be resolved, and all suspense will conclude.

The truth of the Great Square Pot, the meaning of elemental power, the future of Panlong City, the power of destiny, and the protagonist's emotional destination;

Moving and heroic stories, and yet another dramatic upheaval of the world;

Naturally, the biggest highlight will undoubtedly be the ultimate individual power of the Great Sky Demon and True Immortals versus the collective power of all beings led by He Lingchuan.

Ideals, passion, battles, progress.

Our opponents are formidable, and the future is unpredictable, but we are certain to win, right?

Alright, this “cake” I'm holding is a bit big, too much for me to eat alone, so let me share it with all of you.

Come on, come on, one slice for everyone, don't be shy.

Fengxing Shuiyun Jian / Jiufang Ye