Flipping page, flipping page, flipping page, flipping page...
This editor reads books faster than anyone else in the department. Now, he had reached an important chapter in the first volume of "Zhu Xian" where the Qingyun Sect's Seven-Sect Martial Arts Contest is about to start. But his mouse was at risk of breaking, and the still hadn't appeared, so he was anxious.
Did the first volume end here?
Chu Kuang is baiting me with an unfinished chapter!
However, just because this editor had finished reading, that didn't mean all the others were done too. Everyone else was engrossed in reading when they suddenly heard his rants and, irritated, stared at him threateningly:
"Don't you dare spoil it for us!"
Not daring to incite their wrath, the editor closed his mouth obediently.
However, his comments did serve as a reminder to the other editors who were still reading.
As they read, they were praying inwardly:
May the progress bar stay strong!
Everyone knows that the progress bar never holds up.
The editors read books considerably faster than regular readers.
Even if they tried to read more carefully, the progress bar would ultimately perform its legendary disappearing act.
So when everyone had finished reading the pitiful first volume of "Zhu Xian", the editorial department went into turmoil. The editors exclaimed:
"What the hell, it's over?"
"What the hell, it's over?"
"What the hell, it's over?"
It was as though they were not a group of editors but a collection of echo machines.
Perhaps the essence of humanity is to echo things.
The editor who finished reading first finally dared to speak: "Reading too fast is an occupational hazard for us editors."
Everyone wholeheartedly agreed.
The most troublesome thing was not the speed of their reading but the abrupt end of the first volume of "Zhu Xian", which left them very frustrated:
"Why is Chu Kuang's work so short!"
"How unreal to leave us hanging !"
"I want to see Zhang Xiaofan make a move!"
"Being stuck in the middle is torture!"
"Why did it suddenly finish when it was getting good!"
In fact, Chu Kuang's work wasn't short at all.
A 200,000-word update was quite substantial.
Most novels were published in volumes. Some novels were brave enough to be published as one volume after just over 100,000 words. A 200,000-word volume was undoubtedly conscientious in the industry.
Ultimately, everyone's frustration stemmed from the unfinished chapter.
The Qingyun Sect's Seven-Sect Martial Arts Contest was clearly a significant climax. Who would want to stop right before the climax?
"So what do you think?"
YangFeng spoke with a relaxed smile on his face.
Earlier, YangFeng had been more excited than anyone, but seeing everyone else's reactions, he suddenly felt a sense of superiority.
The editors had an awfully limited vocabulary of descriptive words. They were editors for crying out loud, and all they could come up with was "What the hell?".
Reason gradually returned to the editors: "This book has completely redefined the genre of immortal fantasy. Chu Kuang has started a new trend!"
"So this is how you can write an immortal fantasy novel."
"In 'Zhu Xian', I even detected a hint of martial arts, but its themes are obviously more sophisticated than that. Chu Kuang's work might lead the market trend again."
Martial arts novels once enjoyed great popularity.
Most of the old men in the Fantasy Department, over ninety percent, have fantasized about venturing in the martial arts world, so they had a soft spot for the genre.
Unfortunately, the era of martial arts novels had ended.
Just like with the Celestial Dynasty on Earth.
Martial arts books were once the pillar of the book market.
The popularity of the genre was even more exaggerated than the most popular genre today, otherworldly adventures.
But now, no one can stomach martial arts novels anymore. The level of excitement they offer is far from sufficient for today's readers!
This is the trend of the times.
You can't go against the flow. Even if Elder Jin traveled to the future, he wouldn't be able to change this inevitable conclusion.
But after reading "Zhu Xian" today, everyone felt the long-lost sensation of martial arts. Yet, this novel was not just a martial arts story; it elevated martial arts to a whole new level with its immortal fantasy elements.
"No wonder he didn't want to continue writing about sports competitions."
"So immortal fantasy is the true romance of men!"
"Chu Kuang really knows his stuff. This book totally slapped my face."
"Who could have imagined, Chu Kuang's immortal fantasy would look ."
"Though it's still an immortal fantasy genre, its content and structure are completely different from 'Immortal and Demon War'. This is an entirely new way of composing an immortal fantasy story."
The past 'Immortal and Demon War' simply rehashed various mythological templates, creating a story of conflict between the righteous and the evil.
It was really a martial arts story in disguise.
The author merely raised the level of power in martial arts.
But 'Zhu Xian', written by Chu Kuang, portrayed a vivid world of cultivation!
When everyone was reading this book, they even felt a sense of realism, as if this world truly existed.
Even though it was mystical, the worldview was self-consistent. The pursuit of cultivating the Dao was intricately profound.
This world emphasized serendipity, the cycle of cause and effect, and the mystery of magical treasures.
Especially, the occasional mention of the "Zhu Xian Sword Formation" added a touch of expectation!
Although Chu Kuang didn't delve deeper into how terrifying the Zhu Xian Sword Formation was, the two characters "Zhu Xian" alone were enough to make everyone look forward to it, feeling the vast grandeur!
The opening sentence "Heaven and Earth are unkind, treating all creatures as straw dogs" is not simple. It feels saying by the sage Lao Tzu was tailor-made for this story, and the more you think about it, the more burning it makes you feel.
Chief Editor Ol' Xiong entered. Seeing the editors whispering excitedly, he roared: "Stop goofing around and get back to work!"
Boonie Bears have appeared!
All the editors, shocked, abruptly closed their mouths and put on their serious working faces.
As the Chief Editor of the Fantasy Department, Ol' Xiong had quite an imposing manner.
Last time when Yu Rong from "Fun Reads" arranged for Chu Kuang's submission without his permission, Ol' Xiong made a big fuss at the magazine department. Many people still remembered it vividly.
"This is what happened."
At this moment, only YangFeng dared to speak: "Chu Kuang sent me his new book. I reckon we can start promoting it earlier, and directly publish it next month."
"Chu Kuang's new book?"
Ol' Xiong's face softened: "Is it still about tennis, or another sport?"
YangFeng replied, "He wrote about immortal fantasy this time."
Ol' Xiong's face stiffened for a moment: "You're joking, right?"
YangFeng wasn't surprised by Ol' Xiong's reaction and quickly replied, "You should read it first. I've sent the draft to your mailbox."
Ol' Xiong looked puzzled as he walked toward his office. Just before he closed the door, he couldn't help but turn back and question YangFeng once more: "Are you sure you're not teasing me?"
"Please read it first."
YangFeng said, smiling.
The others remained silent, sporting unusual expressions, observing Ol' Xiong, and secretly looked forward to Old Xiong's reaction after reading "Zhu Xian".
The answer was revealed.
Just as the workday was coming to an end, Ol' Xiong suddenly burst out of his office, sprinting like a man possessed and ignoring everyone. His heavy footsteps echoed through the room!
Without uttering a single word, he disappeared out of sight in the blink of an eye, leaving only the violently swaying door making creaking noises.
"That's the fastest I've ever seen Ol' Xiong run."
The editors were fascinated, sharing secret glances. This was truly a Boonie Bear in the wild.