In life, one must have a clear sense of purpose.

Take things one at a time.

Firstly, the setting of the Kowloon Walled City Boxing Ring in this volume draws inspiration from the esteemed Boiling the Sea into Wine's work "Rebirth of the Great Hero" (a truly remarkable piece, to which I, a newcomer, cannot hold a candle).

In fact, the inspiration for this volume, including the action design and the backdrop, is also influenced by a number of films. The Mai Brothers' "Provincial Hong Kong Flag Soldiers," Johnnie To's "Underworld," the martial arts drama "The Master," and the Wolf Slayer series (would I dare to mention Bagua Palm elements in the fight choreography between Zhang Jin, Wu Jing, and Tony Jaa without cause?) and "Mysterious Legends of the Nine Dragons Walled City Ghost Mother Cooking," among others. Those who are fans of Hong Kong cinema will surely understand my references.

However, as a fellow web novelist, I am particularly sensitive to these matters and wish to state explicitly that I have no intention of offending Teacher Cang. As for any similarities in the plot, that is for the readers to decide. Comments in the review section, please refrain from stirring up controversy (expressionless face).

Secondly, I am grateful, deeply grateful, to the numerous readers from Dragon Sky who have recommended me, not just once, but many times. Thank you, truly.

I am also thankful to the curator of the Starting Point reading list for including my book, where the renowned Yang Chenkong's reputation precedes him. I see this luminary's comments on every book review at Starting Point. Is he really a young lady? (eyes sparkling)

I appreciate every comment from the review section; each one brings me the joy of writing. Thank you, sincerely. I'm grateful to every reader who has pointed out the shortcomings of my book. Although for various reasons I may not have made revisions or responded, I have seen them, and I appreciate every piece of genuine advice. Special thanks to Mo Shou Cheng Gui for 'The Pile of Old Papers'; it's something I struggle to write (having not read many books), but it has sparked some inspiration. Lastly, are you a young lady? (hopeful face)

Thirdly, in life, one must have a clear sense of purpose.

The gap between books becomes apparent during the writing process. Before writing the Weapon Battle between Li Yan and Xu Tianci, I revisited "Rebirth of the Great Hero."

How should I put it? I am ten thousand *** behind Teacher Cang.

In terms of story pacing and attention to detail, there's a vast difference. Whenever readers say my work reminds them of "Great Hero," I feel somewhat embarrassed.

The gap is wide...

But I will do better in the future.

When this book hit a hundred thousand words, the reviews on You Shu Net were not low, far exceeding the actual level of the book.

Perhaps it's due to the collective yearning for Teacher Cang's writing, a case of loving the house and its crow as well, or perhaps because there haven't been many works of this type on Starting Point lately.

If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

However, there is one thing I must be clear about in my mind.

Moreover, this book is not just about martial arts and Hong Kong. At least, it's not only about them.

The reason I write about martial arts, aside from the initial emotional connection, is mostly because my last book, "The Wandering Stones," accumulated a vast amount of traditional martial arts material, which I can use without waste...

4 Miscellaneous

Please don't flog a dead horse over the Cantonese issue; I won't make the same mistake again. Even if dialects are involved, their presence will be greatly reduced.

There are many issues with this volume, such as the excessive number of plot threads I've laid down. Although most of them do have beginnings and ends (are there any holes I haven't filled?), it's still a mess! This is due to my lack of writing skill, the pacing is not well-managed, especially in the section "Consecutive Victories," where I lost my grip on the narrative. This is not the writing style of a fast-paced, limitless genre!

This is a serious problem, and I will correct it in the following stories.

Secondly, character development and the exhilarating moments are insufficient, I feel. There is more to be explored, but I haven't dug deep enough, and the character portrayal is dragging. Many characters could be written more concisely and powerfully.

Thirdly, the rush of time has led to erroneous narratives.

For instance, I arranged for Li Yan to bamboozle Prince Le. This should have been an explosive scene, but due to certain reasons, I cut down these characters' roles and replaced the explosive scenes with more narrative ones. I also didn't dare to involve Li Yan in the Chaotic Battle. Looking at articles from Author's Academy today, I realize there was no need to write it this way, which is quite regrettable.

But in the narrative scenes, many readers misunderstood that Li Yan was truly planning to defect.

This has been revised, and such misunderstandings should no longer occur. Some also thought Li Yan intended to kill Ah Xiu . This is not the readers' fault, but mine. They come to the book for enjoyment, and if I ramble without explaining clearly, of course, I'm to blame.

As for the protagonist's character, I believe Li Yan's personality is quite clear, but after reading it myself, I feel it hasn't come across well. I won't belabor the point about my writing skills but will answer some readers' questions.

That is about the concepts of chivalry, martial virtue, and evil.

My view is that to write the character for 'chivalrous,' one must first harbor a touch of wickedness!

I don't quite agree with Mr. Jin Yong's idea of chivalry as "for the country and the people" (this is a rational discussion, no need for name-calling).

If a chivalrous person is for the country and the people, then what's the point of being an official? Did Guo Jing and his wife guard Xiangyang while the Imperial Court did nothing?

The greatness of chivalry doesn't need the weakness and incompetence of those in power as a foil. Instead, chivalry often faces the ruthless crushing of systems and the ways of the world. The chivalry that is for the country and the people is too steeped in Confucian flavor.

The word 'chivalry' is not grand enough.

It involves being fierce and aggressive, generously righteous, and unyielding until death. One can be used by others, become a pawn. It's not something perfect, but rather a melancholic undertone beneath the system and the grand scheme of things. Yet, it is the most humane essence throughout China's five thousand years of history.

I've digressed, but this is just a casual essay, letting the reins go where they may. Li Yan is not a chivalrous hero; just take it with a smile.

For other issues, they are addressed in the book. Ask more questions; if something is unclear and you ask, then I know where I need to make clarifications. It helps me improve, and it saves you frustration. Please be understanding.

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Feel free to check more free following-up chapters here: https://www.readgates.com/article/7956ef