CHAPTER 1151: FINAL WORDS OF THE VOLUME: AMBITION AND CHOICES

Summary: Volume Four [Yiding Heavenly Gate] ends, and now I’ll take a long break until May 15th to recuperate, refine the outline, and update Volume Five [Venerate Saints and Show Power] at noon on May 15th.

Venerating Saints means honoring Heaven. King Wen was imprisoned by Shang and created Zhou Yi, venerating the ancient saintly kings and, through the path of the Saint, declaring Zhou as the ’Heavenly Mandate’s chosen.’

Showing Power means waging war against injustice. The saintly path opposes injustice; this is Heaven’s Will, which is the virtue of Heaven. Those who offend Heaven cannot be prayed for and are bound to face its wrath.

Venerating Saints and Showing Power is to [Borrow Heaven’s Will, Wage War Against Injustice, Follow Saintly Virtue, and Exhibit Great Power].

In this volume, having surpassed the tribulation, An Jing, standing at the center of attention among the All Heavens Sect’s Upper Gate, is about to truly step into the core of the continent’s authority and fulfill the divine might of his Heavenly Mandate.

Since it’s been a long time without updates, there’s no need to ask for monthly tickets now. Here, I recommend my brothers’ books; they are all excellent, and everyone can check them out!

Bu Qi Shixian’s "Shepherd’s Secret Continuation," Gu Xinxuan’s "Only Monsters Can Do This," and Demon City Listening Day’s "Messenger of Natural Disasters."

Book Eating Demon’s "From the Apocalypse," Who Will Play My Long River Song’s "Starting to Sweep Across All Heavens from the Great Ming Dynasty," and Meng Mengren Quan Zhilang’s "Chat Group: My Beidou Divine Fist Won’t Lose!"

Warm Tea and Rice Wine’s "Devouring Evil, Demonic Exorcism in All Heavens," Cosmic Dove’s "Reborn Demoness, Resurrected Lady Saving the World," Hu Yan’s "After Work, I Turn into a Magical Girl," and Writing Book’s Meow "Setting Sail, Are You the Deep Sea Ruler?"

Summary ends.

Volume End Thoughts: Ambition and Choices

Readers familiar with me know, I actually really enjoy operas, music, and stage plays. In my past stories, many lines and scenes have echoes of classic operas. Some say this complements my stories, while others feel it may be somewhat juvenile. But that is the effect I wanted.

At the same time, I also love reading poetry. Ancient poetry and modern poetry, I love both. Ancient poets were as stars shining in the sky, and if I had to choose a favorite, it’d be hard to decide, while modern poets also have many that I love. But the one most closely associated with "Heavenly Destiny is Ashes," is Haizi’s "Wheat Field and Poet," "Inquiry" and "Answer."

"Inquiry"

Running across the green wheat field

The light of snow and sun

Poet, you are powerless to repay

The kindness of the wheat field and light

A wish

A kindness

You are powerless to repay

You are powerless to repay

A star emitting light

Lonely burning above your head

"Answer"

Wheat Field

Others see you

And find you warm, beautiful

I stand at the center of your painful questioning

Burned by you

I stand on the painful radiance of the sun

Wheat Field

Mysterious questioner ah

When I stand painfully before you

You cannot say I have nothing

You cannot say I am empty-handed

Wheat Field, ah, the pain of humanity

Is the poetry and radiance he emits!

The poem is simple, yet its meaning is profound; the blessings of heaven and earth, the suffering of the human world, the turning of seasons, maturity and harvest, human resolve and response... Over the years, every time I read this poem, I have different feelings.

Having written for ten years, most readers say I am suited to write fantasy, unique worldviews and settings, and grand epic stories, which is my comfort zone.

But I must admit, I have such burgeoning ambition, not content to be an author of just one genre. I’ve written Xianxia, games, light novels, fantasy, most with some success, except for Xianxia, my first work, which was fairly dismal. So after regaining confidence, I tried once more to write Xianxia fantasy, stepping out of my comfort zone again, to write the stories in my heart.

"Heavenly Destiny is Ashes" was initially meant to write about [Heaven’s Will] and [Pain].

With sun and moon shining across the heavens and earth, amidst the flux of human affairs, how many sorrows and joys are regarded as Heaven’s Will? In times of frustration, people think of It and strive to resist.

"Heavenly Destiny is Ashes" contains stories of resistance. Not only the protagonist, but every supporting character also has something to resist, a [compulsion to endure, resolve to bear and transcend] their will.

Bai Qinghan has it, Gu Yeqi has it, Nian Quan has it, Huo Qing has it... For every character whose name I’ve written, I’ve actually conceived their background stories. Some were crushed by Heaven’s Will and chose to sink, others took another path, standing on others’ paths.

The intersection of paths is ’Tribulation.’

And An Jing? As An Jing of the Seven Fiend Tribulation?

An Jing, instead, is the most gentle one.

Throughout his journey, An Jing fought against Frost Calamity, against the Demon Sect, against the peering Heavenly Demon and court, against factions, against the Taiming Sect and Holy Demon—his rebellion was the fiercest and most resolute, but in truth, he always had a choice.

No matter which path he chose, he could have lived happily and contentedly; no matter which way he leaned, he could have lived comfortably and freely.

Truth be told, among all my protagonists, An Jing is not one with strong subjective initiative, because as a former post-war retired soldier, having gone through true hell, he doesn’t mind living in a flawed world, as long as life is bearable, he’s willing to accept and compromise.

By rights, he originally wouldn’t have rebelled.

But precisely because An Jing had seen a world of peace and happiness, unlike others who only saw their suffering and couldn’t see anything beyond, what he sees is always [the whole world].

And a world that causes most people pain is one that must be ignited.