So...that's it. That's volume 3 huh.
I hope anyone who actually read all the way through has enjoyed the journey so far. There's so much more to learn and explore, a few mysteries yet to resolve.
I'm hoping it's all been enjoyable despite the quality. I'll leave future-talk here because this is going to be a sort of two-parter.
This first part you're reading is me, the author, talking to you, the reader. I want to go through some parts of the previous three volumes and just talk about my thoughts process.
First and foremost, this was my first novel (as you could probably tell). And with it being my first novel, I've changed my style of writing and quality a lot. If you want a story by me with my latest level of quality then I've started a new novel called "World Hopping Academy Representative"
Volume 1
And with that out the way, let's begin with volume 1. Volume 1 span 54 chapters from chapter 0 to 53. And in that first volume, it's a completely different story than what's going on now.
In volume one I worked on a western base, trying to create a rich mythology and a more restricted power system.
I created the system of evil miasma and good sunlight: parasites and symbiotes. That was my first idea and it was good but very quickly I decided to shift.
By chapter 4 or so I decided this isn't what I wanted and I changed courses. I turned the restricted power system and the good and evil gods and turned it into cultivation posing as a different system.
I explained the parasites as using spirits which controlled domains, that was my first idea for cultivation. I had QI and spirits and using qi to activate spirits.
Then I took an idea from 'Infinite mage, the "spirit zone". I made it so cultivators could only use their abilities within that zone.
Then later on around chapter 15/6~ I added something more. I made the way to get those spirits, and in hindsight I probably wasn't influenced by Shadow Slave directly but it has similarities.
I made it so you have to break your spirit zone and let in a spirit, and in doing so you would experience a dream.
Then as it progressed, for a steady streak I continued with that system. There were parasites and symbiotes which weren't godhood powers but simply spirits trapped by cultivators.
But then that changed with one arc, chapter 45 (2nd dream), it started basic. It was a western world with knights and magic, nothing revolutionary.
However, in needing to explain how magic works in that world I brought myself into a standstill. I had two options:
1. Gain an enlightenment to cultivation with magic
2. Make magic a tool MC can use...in doing so completely overhauling the system
Ultimately, I chose the second option and once again added to the system. Now above even spirits were laws and spirits were merely a set of laws: while magic controlled laws directly.
Then for the next chunk of chapters I focused on just expanding on what MC learned. I tried to develop MC by adding companions and creating a sect. Then I tried to create characters in that Sect.
My favourite was Hamar, he reminded me of what Arm was supposed to be. I really like his character, that virtuous best friend. A teacher but also a disciple. Older and experienced yet not spiteful.
And that led me to the last few chapters of volume 1...it ends with a ritual which brought everyone important back in time, reuniting MC with his family. Honestly this felt like a waste because of how I handled it in volume 2.
Volume 2
Volume 2 starts with some of my favourite chapters which I think really inspired me to take a step back sometimes.
Particularly chapter 56/57, the daily life of Hamar pt.1 and 2. These two chapters were something that let me focus entirely on characters and slow the constant growth and info dumping.
And the next few chapters kept that momentum, it was slow though...and that slowness caused me my biggest mistake I think.
The whole of volume 1 built up to the finale of travelling back in time and growing the Hou sect. But then...in 10~ chapters it was gone. I did one thing which led to another and everything escalated way too quick.
And by the time I knew it, all that was gone and MC was alone again. Though this led to what I think was the best 'arc' yet.
The real 'cultivation arc'. This was where I introduced the Nine Clouds Sovereign Sect, 'true cultivation' with absorbing laws, techniques, mythology (Zhou Tian).
It was all there and it was introduced in a semi info dumping manner yes but to defend myself I kept characterisation.
I made MC be suspicious but ultimately knows this is what's best for him and he wants to get stronger. He wants to get stronger for two main reasons.
1. The thrill, the fun
2. To protect others, but not just everyone. To protect those he loves.
There were some standout points with worldbuilding that this arc stood out on. I honed in on creating a world, creating characters, creating plot and not just info dumping.
There could be info dumping still but I made sure that it HAD TO also have some sort of meaning. Thai was especially true in MC's characterisation.
He was a bit of a contradiction. He was old but so very young and inexperienced. He was a leader, but also a student. He was high status but ultimately the lowest of lows. He had so much knowledge that was hidden but so little common knowledge. He was witty but shy at points.
Overall volume 2 was very much the best one. It didn't have any big moment but it was all the best done and none of it makes me too particularly regretful of how I wrote it.
Volume 3
The newest volume now. This volume is very much the best bits of volume 3 but also the worst parts of volumes 1 & 2.
Up to the latest few chapters it was great. It really focused on characters this time, showing a heavy emphasis on dialogue.
I really wanted to create a cohesive longer story and not just plan single chapters ahead. I wasn't planning anything really but in my head I had a larger plan ahead about the overall structure.
I introduced the academy, more cultivation, explaining cultivation, showing cultivation. I even added a few quick things to the way of how techniques work based on something said earlier.
Before, in cultivation I talk d about your impression of a law changing it's expression. This morphed into 'intention' and how it needed to be exact to create the right effect when using a technique.
Where this volume fails is the end. I couldn't feel how to continue the academy arc without getting boring and so I did a time skip.
But then I introduced too much and eventually it spiralled way out of control. And in doing so I created the ending that it became.
Xiao Ye ran away scot free. Hou is trapped, painting his life with a third of his consciousness.
His other two thirds he sealed within two dragons which he beseeched to his friends Jin and Hamar.
And that brings me to where I want to go... I won't go in detail. I want to leave that for later today where I will write a recap chapter and explain a little more.
But in summary, I want these three volumes to be a prologue. Something unnecessary to understand the plot but useful to know.
I want to have Hamar be the MC with Jin as supporting cast (crucially no romance between these two). I want to start it off with Hamar being in a different sect.
After the incident at the end of volume 3 I want another timeskip and star Hamar's story. One about learning the mysteries of swordsmanship, putting that together with his cultivation and also...
His yearning to re awaken his old friend, exacerbated by the split persona of Hou's he has sealed within the dragon. It won't be able to talk fully but it will be able to help with cultivation.
I don't know if this was any good, but I hope of you read this you stick around to see where volume 4 will take us.