He changed Tiwat

She knew perfectly well that the Northern Bank was a scheme by the wealthy to bring it down, yet she never took any substantial countermeasures.

You know, it felt very real, like "someone is making a surprise visit, let's wait and see..." (even though this didn't happen in the real world at that time).

Therefore, these hidden elements become the foreshadowing of this book.

The same thing can have completely different meanings depending on the perspective and stance of different people.

For example, in the ritual of summoning immortals, we have seen Xiao Han's perspective, Gan Yu's perspective, and Zhong Li's perspective. Xiao Han is the perspective of the protagonist who makes a grand entrance as a time traveler, Zhong Li is the perspective of the director who is high above, and Gan Yu is the perspective of the detached supervisor.

—But we haven’t shown Ningguang’s complete perspective. What exactly was Ningguang, the female protagonist who guided Han into the “worldly seven ruling thought field”, planning in that scene? I previously summarized Ningguang’s actions in the first volume with “aim high and you’ll get somewhere in the middle”.

So what exactly does Ningguang want to "aim higher" for?

We finally learned about these things in Volume 3.

The Empress's coronation ceremony, a pretext for war, the path to godhood... This was originally Ningguang's script for an overpowered protagonist. She was actually the chosen one of Liyue—but unfortunately, meeting Han ruined her life. Haha.

There's a key chapter, very short, that you might have missed. But you can take a look at Chapter 93 of Volume 3, the chapter about who our enemies are. You'll find that Ningguang is involved in almost everything, not just in Han's life, but throughout Liyue.

Even in the daily life episodes, I've mentioned that Ningguang owns shares in Wanmin Hall (yes, this is a setting from the original work, not something I made up). Her influence and presence in Liyue today are actually comparable to, or even surpass, Zhongli's.

Our book actually has a rather dark art style, just like this picture:

We finally finished writing about the complex web of interests in Liyue in three volumes and two million words.

But there is still light within this dark art style.

As I mentioned in the article, the creation of Liyue as a "nation of contracts" is essentially "putting emotions into interests." Tianquan is in charge of law—and we know the famous proverb, "Law is no different from human sentiment."

Liyue is actually a country with a shining idealism. For example, we know that even though the Geo Archon knows the truth of this world, he still sacrifices himself for the people, right? Even if from the perspective of a god, these things are not worthwhile.

So demons aren't actually without emotions; they just might have different standards than humans.

The most relevant point is still what I wrote in the first volume: "Human relationships are the most valuable."

The reason Ningguang and Han were able to get together is ultimately because "human relationships are the most valuable." If there was a place where Ningguang gave her heart to Han, it was when Han still gave her control of the Northern Bank's vault and Liyue coins after their breakup at Luhua Pool.

We will find that none of the cooperation agreements Han has reached with Ningguang so far have been for his own benefit, not even when he was Ningguang's enemy. Even when he discovered that Ningguang was setting a trap for him with the exploration team and the Fatui in the Layered Rock Abyss, he still chose to follow the path he believed in, so that heroes would not shed blood and tears.

—Ningguang wouldn't want him to bleed and cry, right?

Their ways of thinking are actually quite similar, and their experiences are also similar (both are children from poor families who have climbed up the social ladder, with their own efforts as well as the course of history), and they can understand each other (after all, Ningguang is the older sister in Xiao Han's newbie village).

...Therefore, deep down, Ningguang believed that Xiao Han could bring her "infinite" possibilities, and in the end, she chose to walk the path with him.

Yes, congratulations!

Now that we've covered the serious stuff, let's talk about something less serious.

For example, someone asked me why Ah Qing, who is always being robbed and persecuted, is so miserable.

It's like this, I didn't mean to torment her, it's just because of her tsundere twin-tails trait, it's a hairstyle issue! (Serious face) Let's look at it from another angle, isn't Keqing the heroine who's the first to start preparing for the return of Little Hanmond? That's an advantage!

Ah, since a reader asked about Xiao Han's appearance, let me add a few more words. You see, in the original world setting, he had a girlfriend who was the most beautiful girl in the college (although it was a lesbian relationship), so his appearance wasn't actually that bad. He looked ordinary at first glance because office workers don't know how to take care of themselves, and mainly because he suffered from the trap of being a test-taker and didn't understand those tricks.

I actually wrote it based on Gongsun Ce from Young Justice Bao. After Han Xin gained his immortal powers, he wore nice clothes... Just imagine Ren Quan's Gongsun Ce reciting poetry; it's not surprising that girls liked it, yeah. (Those born after 00 probably haven't seen this drama, so here's a picture.)

And then I have to complain to you guys... You guys are so quiet! It's so frustrating! Every time a volume is finished, a bunch of people pop up, but normally hardly anyone says anything...

Other authors have told me that I should encourage readers to post more comments and messages, so it will seem more lively and people will feel that more people like the show. So I'm mentioning this to you all.

Just imagine how I felt seeing less than 20 people posting out of over 4000, and then a lot of the ones who did comment were newbies who were criticizing me...

Look at this subscription list, look at this number of posts, people are asking me if I have two hundred subscribers...

Finally, I'll announce that the female lead in the Mondstadt campaign is Yura. When Han goes to Mondstadt, he'll be tricked into going on blind dates by street hustlers and drunkards (laughs).

Of course, Yingmei and various other girls will make appearances.

By the way... why didn't any of you guess Mona? Even Klee got guessed, why not Mona? Mona is furious!

Writing Reflections

Because some readers in the group are trying to write and hope to gain some experience from me, and I don't really have the time to read and explain each chapter to you, I'll just share some of my personal experiences.

1. Mindset

The first point, which must be mentioned separately, is the author's mindset.

This is called "doing your job well in your position." As an "author," you must recognize that your identity is that of an "author," and nothing else.

This is the foundation of everything, the most important thing, more important than anything else.

There are two types of writing: "self-expression" and "catering to the audience".

Our goal has always been to balance these two aspects, which is commonly known as making ourselves and the audience happy.

This is a balance that every author has to face, and many people may never truly understand what this balance means in their entire lives.

Many people deceive themselves by saying they are simply expressing themselves while complaining that the audience doesn't appreciate it. This is incorrect. As an author, you must be clear-headed. Just like in business, I need to understand my clients' needs to succeed. A lack of positive feedback over a long period will lead to a loss of motivation to write, just like consistently losing money in business.

This is also why cat websites are commonly known as "pigeon nests," and why many people impulsively write about them only to find themselves in a vicious cycle of failure.

You can see that many authors will write things like "I'll finish writing even if nobody reads it" before publishing their work, but then they actually cut it off. That's the point.

However, even on this basis, you cannot ignore the author's own position. You must still have your own ideas when you write—to put it bluntly, do not accept writing guidance from the audience.

(This excludes commissioned writing that's paid for; those are "the master's tasks" and have nothing to do with the writing we're discussing.)

You absolutely must understand that the author's perspective is truly different from the reader's. If you are an author but have the mindset of a reader, then you, as an "author," are already dead.

We welcome friendly discussions, but the focus should remain on exploration and your own perspective. Those who are bossy and condescending should go away. An author who lacks self-confidence will never produce good work.

We write works of art, not commissioned products for money. It's important to understand this.

Many readers nowadays have a "boss mentality," treating reading like visiting a brothel. They want you to pose in various positions they like, and if you don't comply, they'll verbally abuse you and get their pleasure from you. Once they're satisfied, they'll pull up their pants and leave without taking any responsibility.

You care about them? What do you think of your readers who support you? How can you face those who silently support you? Do you understand?

The chances of a writing guru falling from the sky and guiding you to wealth are zero, including what I'm writing here. Even top-tier experts can't express many subtle things in words; you could even say that many people are just lucky enough to catch a trend, knowing the "what" but not the "why."

If there were standard templates, AI would have replaced humans in writing long ago. Yuewen is developing such a thing, but the actual effect... well, let's just say it's not great.

There are too many people who only think about catering to readers and the market to make money, and end up losing themselves and giving up self-expression. In the end, they will be abandoned by the market. There are so many that they are indistinguishable among millions of authors. Isn't this a kind of AI writing?

To put it more academically, this is actually a kind of "alienation".

As authors, we are first and foremost human beings; we must have our own personalities. Writing begins with being a good person.

The author can make appropriate adjustments based on the feedback from readers, but must never change their core writing stance, which is what we commonly call "a firm belief in the Way".

For authors, readers' opinions are mostly: "Oh, so that's how some people see it?" "Should I express myself more precisely in some aspects?" "Should I adjust my writing style to make it easier for readers to understand?", and "This person is just a jerk."

Just like when I was writing "Teyvat Economics," I specifically asked in the group if everyone could understand the explanation of the Fisher formula in macroeconomics, and they said they couldn't. No problem, I'll replace it with an economics lecture that even Shen He could understand, right? Later, we'll do a "Let the Bullets Fly" version of transfer payment fiscal theory; I'm aiming for clear and concise expression.

But you say you don't like reading economics? Sorry, I'm going to write it anyway. I feel uncomfortable if I don't. I just happen to want to write this kind of book. (laughs)

What can be changed? Things that don't involve the core of the work.

For example, if readers don't like the character's ponytail and want it changed to long, flowing hair, that's fine; if it's changed, everyone's happy. If the character can die or not, and the audience says they want her to live, okay, if she lives, she lives, everyone's happy.

But if you say that this character tied her hair in a ponytail because the work is called "Ponytail JK Exorcist Club," and that she died tragically because the worldview is "exorcist priestesses are playthings of demons," then you can't change it no matter how much the readers criticize you.

Just like how Squid's "Mystery 2" is constantly being criticized, with many accusing him of arrogance and refusing to accept reader feedback, his core pursuit as an author remains steadfast. He's not going to change his ways; he's sticking to his principles. He's genuinely pursuing something called online "literature."

In today's world where online literature is becoming like toilet paper, his pursuit of this is truly commendable.

He might fail, but his failure will be after participating in the competition, whereas most of those who criticize him will never even qualify to compete. Furthermore, he's pushing the boundaries between personal pursuit and market pandering. At his level, he could easily replicate his success and make a fortune, yet he continues to strive for improvement. His successes and failures are all about learning from mistakes for his peers. From the author's perspective, I have great respect for him.

Only people like this can become masters.

Which author doesn't get criticized?

To put it bluntly, even if your book ultimately falls apart and your writing isn't great, it's still a complete book, a complete expression of an author's thoughts. If you keep revising it because it's been criticized, then you've been stuffed into a custard puff by readers and thrown in the trash, or you've been brainwashed and reprogrammed, understand?

An author's control over their work is absolute; this is the dividing line between author and reader. Many readers who become authors are always trying to avoid any "toxic aspects," fantasizing that everyone will love them—this shows a lack of clear thinking. You've known the principle of "different strokes for different folks" since childhood, but if you don't dare to stand up when faced with disagreements, then all that knowledge has been wasted.

An author without conviction will not create characters with conviction. How can you move readers if your characters can't even uphold their own beliefs?

Why do people often say that "full-time writing is a dead end"? Because some people are "good at nothing but pretending to be writers, since all they can do is type." These people are not "authors," they are "gamblers," they treat writing as gambling.

Therefore, I don't recommend that students who have nothing to do or can't find a job make a living by writing online. Such people are gambling when they type, not writing.

A true "author," even if they don't "pursue" anything in their work, must at least have a "theme," and their expression should serve that "theme."

For example, the saying "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; never underestimate a young man's potential" is a cliché, but it still conveys a message.

As a work, it must have a theme or purpose. Don't remove it just because readers criticize it as vulgar.

We can accept failure, but it has to be a work of art, not a piece of trash.

This is the difference between having a penis and not having one.

Remember this.

2. The "Way" of Writing

In my opinion, writing novels can be divided into "principles" and "techniques".

Personally speaking, the "Tao" I write about is actually quite clearly expressed in the first two parts of the summary.

Please be sure to carefully read through the summary of Volume 3 that I wrote earlier.

If you can write a book's "timeline" (script outline) and "plot and characters" (character development) like I do, then you can make a living as a writer, really, I guarantee it.

That's the essence of a novel: story and characters. That's it.

Once you understand these two things, the plot will naturally unfold. For example, Xiao Han and Ning Guang are different people; when faced with a flood, one advocates against flood diversion, while the other insists on it—that's how the plot conflict arises. The same principle applies to all kinds of characters.

Different choices made under the same conditions are the easiest way to reveal a character's personality.

To expand on this further, what was Xiao Han doing when faced with Olympia? He was solving a problem, right? He was actually treating Olympia as a problem and solving it using the theory of elements. Xiao Han consistently displayed his problem-solving prowess in various situations—except for women. He couldn't solve problems in front of women because women were unsolvable for him, lol.

Ningguang, on the other hand, wanted to smash up the Jade Pavilion. She was using Oser as an actress to put on a political show. In various situations, she prioritized political interests, including showing goodwill to Keqing during the Lantern Festival and accepting the Rouran's surrender, right? But she is clearly a human being, and she shows various sides of herself, like being jealous of Keqing and indecisive towards Han. She is not the "political animal" Ningguang we know.

See, this is how the character's arc light is represented.

A person doesn't just spring from a rock; they have past experiences and social relationships, and that's where the story begins.

A person is not a stone; he has ideals and beliefs, joys and sorrows, and stories to tell.

Characters bring out the story, and the story shapes the characters; they complement each other.

3. The "Techniques" of Writing

Then there's "technique," which refers to skills and techniques.

If the "way" determines whether you can eat, then the "technique" represents how much food you can eat.

Since some readers are struggling with contract signing issues, we'll focus on how to write an article that at least gets you a contract.

Many people believe in things like the "Golden Three Chapters"... but that's all pure nonsense.

If you insist on saying it, then it's about grabbing your reader's attention from the very first glance, not about three chapters or so—making the reader anticipate the story you're about to tell, that's what's needed for the opening.

The format can be varied. For example, it's common to give the protagonist a predicament right from the start and ask them to break free. But the problem is, why should readers care about the predicament your protagonist is facing? Who is this protagonist? Readers don't know them.

For example, many people may have read *Thriller Paradise*. How is Feng Bujue introduced in the first chapter? He's twenty-four years old, a professional mystery novelist, and he plays this game to cure an illness. What illness? He can't feel fear. Then the book introduces him, such as his reading addiction, memory, and habitual actions. And in the horror world, the inability to feel fear is a cheat code.

Okay, this is where you introduce your main character and have them greet your readers, saying, "Hi, I'm the main character, let's get to know each other."

Is this enough for the first chapter? Yes, it is. It's enough to keep the reader reading and see what extraordinary things an extraordinary person encounters.

The formula is actually quite simple—clearly introduce your protagonist, get a certain number of readers to like them and anticipate the rest of the story. (Note that it's impossible for everyone to like them; just a portion of the audience is enough. Basically, avoid making things too anti-human that would make most people dislike them.)

The same principle applies to the female lead paired with the male lead. The biggest advantage of fan fiction is that the original work has already established the character of your female lead, and she already has fans who support her. Therefore, you can save some effort when creating the image of the female lead.

Then comes the creation of anticipation.

Take my book as an example.

Chapter One introduces the male protagonist, Xiao Han, whose life is tragic. Xiao Han dies and is transmigrated.

The reader's anticipation stems from the possibility that the male protagonist's time travel might bring him good fortune, and the fact that he, a virgin, embraces the beautiful girl Gan Yu. This is a very typical opening with a contrast structure.

If I say in my first sentence that he is miserable, then the reader will then start to wonder what happened to him and why he is miserable.

The more readers criticize the little Han Fei Yangyang in the first chapter, the happier I am. It means I've written well, written realistically enough, and can evoke emotional resonance, which creates anticipation for his future rise. Some people will leave after reading this point, cursing, but others will stay. We authors only need those who stay.

In Chapter Two, after being suspected by Gan Yu, Xiao Han did some reading comprehension exercises.

This is another contrast, which lets readers know that this male protagonist is something special, while also using the information gap of the time traveler to show off—to put it bluntly, it wants readers to know that this protagonist has a "promising future".

In this chapter, we solidify the label of a test-taker and introduce the protagonist's mindset. This will resonate with readers who are more inclined towards the test-taker's mindset.

Chapter Three: Making a Contract with Gan Yu.

This gives Xiao Han the motivation to do things. In the context of a system novel, Gan Yu is the "system," responsible for issuing tasks. At the same time, Gan Yu's influence allows Xiao Han to successfully show off for the first time. However, this success brings a problem: the price of showing off is becoming a wage earner. Gan Yu then assigns him the task of being a master.