Chapter 778: Tea Party 7 - The Coiling Dragon in Your and My Eyes

Jiu Fang has noticed that the controversy surrounding Panlong City has resurfaced in the comments section, so today we're holding another tea party to discuss it.

The significance of Panlong City has been discussed in previous tea parties. I likened the relationship between Panlong City and the current world to light and shadow because that's as far as the plot had progressed at the time.

Until the end of the first part of "Immortal," it was fine to view the Great Square Pot and Panlong City merely as He Lingchuan's cheat codes or training ground. However, as the plot progresses, their content and implications will undoubtedly expand further. Here are a few clues to consider:

Clue 1: When He Lingchuan first ascended to the Celestial Palace, the divine bone necklace urged him to climb immediately, but the Floating Life Blade stopped him.

I believe everyone already knows what the necklace and the blade represent. Why do they behave in completely opposite ways?

Clue 2: He Lingchuan once used the word "simulation" to describe Panlong City.

The book has long stated that Panlong City is not a dream, not a soul-land, nor the city of the dead as described by the mirror.

So what exactly is it?

Clue 3: Before the Great Square Pot could simulate a scene that never occurred in reality—Naraku and He Lingchuan conversing—a bug appeared. Naraku is the God of Fate, and the Great Square Pot attempted to simulate the God of Fate.

So what exactly is the Great Square Pot?

Clue 4: The Great Square Pot never directly communicates with He Lingchuan.

What does it want? Between it and He Lingchuan, who is truly the master?

Will it truly help He Lingchuan without hesitation, from beginning to end?

If so, how did Zhong Shengguang and Panlong City of that era fail?

And combining this with a long-standing mystery in this book, Clue 5: Why do the Heavenly Gods want the Great Square Pot?

Why did King Yuan want to destroy it, and Zhong Shengguang want to utilize it, both willing to stake millions of lives?

These are just a few examples; you can brainstorm other questions yourselves.

...

Without writing about Panlong City, answers to the above questions cannot be deduced.

Some readers always believe Panlong City is merely a cheat code or illusory history, and when I write about it, they accuse me of "padding" or say they won't read it.

In fact, Panlong City is incredibly difficult to write. You scrutinize every bit of its plot with a magnifying glass; if I were to "pad," I wouldn't dare do it here.

Wouldn't it be better if I just "padded" with things you enjoy, making everyone happy?

If I had initially designed the Great Square Pot and Panlong City simply as He Lingchuan's cheat codes, this book wouldn't be worth so much of my effort, nor would I have needed to give up copyright opportunities and my contract with a major platform to move to Qidian. Calculated by years and benefits, even sixty or seventy thousand average subscriptions might not surpass a single copyright income I received from my previous platform.

Jiu Fang doesn't want to argue with everyone, nor stubbornly insist on writing something just because you don't want me to. It's simply that the Great Square Pot and Panlong City are central to this book's core design. In fact, given the current plot, I still have time to change them into simple cheat codes, perhaps even bring out a wife character, and create an exciting journey of adventure and passionate action.

But is that all you want to see?

If Panlong City were removed, this work would just be a light, superficial "feel-good" story, like a paper airplane tossed into the sky. By adding depth and substance, it can actually fly higher and farther.

He Lingchuan is growing stronger day by day, beginning to showcase his talents in both worlds. Since Panlong City altered his predetermined tragic fate, could he, as a form of reciprocation, tackle an extra-credit problem—saving Panlong City within the Great Square Pot? Of course, this brings us back to Clue 2: What exactly is Panlong City?

People often ask me what the protagonist, as a transmigrator, brought to this other world, since he doesn't compose poems to shock others or build guns and cannons to sweep across dimensions.

In future plot developments, you might gradually discover the answer. I won't spoil it here, but I can only say, please look forward to it.

To those who dislike Panlong City, please give it another chance. Don't view it through the lens of illusion or dreams; you might discover a vast new world. If you genuinely don't enjoy reading it at this stage, you can claim some "free reads" on your own. If you find it worthwhile upon completion, please come back and support me with a full subscription.

As always, I will diligently present the meticulously designed story to everyone in the most perfect and refined way. I also ask for your continued patience.

Jiu Fang Ye, July 5, 2023