Chapter 725: The Nine-Sided Tea Party 6 Concludes

Thank heavens, I've finally finished this immense task!

Before I was even halfway through Volume Two of The Demon's Ideal Kingdom, I had a strange feeling I wouldn't be able to finish it. While the character Young Master He was still contemplating 'riding the waves,' I, the author, felt myself sinking and couldn't resurface. It was truly incredibly difficult.

If each major character represents a storyline, then this volume featured over a dozen interconnected plots, advancing simultaneously before gradually converging to propel the grand climax. The interactions and entanglements of these numerous storylines, along with the destinies of more than a dozen important characters, all required clear beginnings, ends, and resolutions. I couldn't leave any of them hanging as unresolved mysteries. Firstly, some characters don't reappear after their exit. Secondly, with each character offering a unique perspective—a dozen characters providing a dozen viewpoints—I could fully depict Begas and Lingxu, both internally and externally, from every angle. This approach allows readers to truly grasp the "reality" of the Imperial City and Heavenly Palace over six centuries.

Honestly, since the completion of "Ning Xiaoxian's Divine Record" seven years ago, I haven't tackled a plot so challenging to manage. Day and night, whether eating or drinking, my mind was constantly consumed by the storyline. The period from mid-May to early June, when I was finalizing and polishing, was particularly grueling. I was dazed during the day and couldn't sleep at night; my mind was constantly on the plot. I even found myself drifting off mid-sentence while talking to my family. They all said I was obsessed.

The most daunting part was cutting nearly a hundred thousand words of my existing draft. However, this section isn't just the conclusion of The Demon's Ideal Kingdom; it's also the culmination of the entire first half of the book. I didn't want to shy away from challenges or take shortcuts, only to be left with regrets later. Since you've all been diligently following the book for months, I wanted to ensure you had a peak reading experience. Such an experience is rare and hard to come by.

I revised over a hundred thousand words six or seven times, and even then, I reread it twice before each daily update. After gritting my teeth and pushing through, I finally finished it, though my energy reserves are completely depleted. What I want most now is to collapse into bed and sleep for two days and two nights straight, without getting up.

I've noticed some readers weren't entirely happy with the pacing, feeling it was too slow or drawn-out. This might be partly due to the impatience of reading daily updates. However, it's also my habit to be thorough and explain everything clearly. This isn't necessarily a strength or a weakness; at most, it's just a characteristic.

Regardless, this volume has concluded, and with it, the first part of the entire book. I'd rate the plot a seven, and add an extra point for my own effort. I hope to have opportunities to reach nine or even ten points in the future.

Jiufang also suggests that readers with leisure time might consider rereading The Demon's Ideal Kingdom from the beginning. The experience of reading it straight through is often better, and I've embedded many foreshadowing clues and details for you to discover.

I also need to take a break. I plan to go on vacation to relax and, incidentally, replenish my draft reserves. This book truly can't be written without a solid backlog of drafts. So, for now, the daily updates will be set at 4,000 words. Once I'm back in form and my draft reserves are more substantial, I'll increase the word count again.

The plot of the next volume will be relatively lighter, and the main storyline isn't complex, so the pace will be faster than Volume Two of The Demon's Ideal Kingdom. Feel free to follow daily or stockpile chapters as you prefer.

I originally had much more to say, but my mind is completely numb and I'm out of sorts right now. So, I'll leave it at that for now.

Love, Little Jiu!

June 9, 2023