Chapter Eighty-Eight: What Is It [Fourth Update]

“I never imagined that Jie was actually Master Peach Blossom… and that such a thing would happen. It’s truly both laughable and exasperating,” Liu Ping murmured as he shook his head. At that moment, he was seated in a carriage, hurrying toward the academy.

Before long, he returned to the academy. As soon as he set foot in the dormitory, Zhu Yingtai appeared right behind him.

The two exchanged glances, both wearing wry smiles, at a loss for words.

Once back in their room, they swapped manuscripts. Zhu Yingtai said, “Fengchang, oh Fengchang, so you’re that Dragon Ao Tian. Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

Hearing this, Liu Ping realized Zhu Yingtai must have figured everything out. He replied, “You always acted like you had no interest in novels. What would I have to boast about? But you—turns out you’re Master Peach Blossom. Back then, you made it impossible for me to submit to Qingshan Press, and now you still want to blame me?”

Zhu Yingtai spoke with a hint of apology, “What happened back then was indeed my fault, but it wasn’t intentional. If you hadn’t reminded me, I almost would have forgotten to go to Qingshan Publishing Headquarters…”

Liu Ping replied, “Luckily, though my novel’s publication was a bit convoluted, everything’s gone smoothly in the end.”

Zhu Yingtai said, “More than smoothly! If you’d submitted to Qingshan Press, with their connections and reach, which are ten or even a hundred times greater than that of Youshu Press, you might already have caught up with me.”

Liu Ping answered, “Catching up is out of the question…”

Zhu Yingtai quickly asked, “Fengchang, do you still have ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms’? The other day, I was so eager to outshine you that I wrote in a hurry and didn’t read it. Now that I know you’re the author, how could I not read it?”

“Of course I have it. But you should let me see that ‘Green Robe and Bamboo Raft’ as well.”

Zhu Yingtai said with a smile, “Naturally.”

They each delved into the other’s work, quickly becoming engrossed. They finished reading and both let out a long sigh. Zhu Yingtai said, “Fengchang, your talent really makes me jealous. I used to think I was quite good, above average, but reading your masterpiece, I can’t help but feel utterly inadequate.”

“Inadequate? Aren’t you exaggerating a bit? By the way, your novel’s protagonist seems awfully familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Zhu Yingtai chuckled. “Because the character was modeled after you. Of course you’d find it familiar. By the way, Fengchang, is this really your first time writing?”

“Modeled after me?” Liu Ping’s expression was a bit odd, but he nodded at the question, “Yes, it is.”

Zhu Yingtai replied, slightly annoyed, “Really! Even if it’s your first time, can’t you at least pretend you’ve written a lot before?”

Liu Ping blinked. “But I’m telling the truth.”

Zhu Yingtai sighed helplessly, then said, “Do you know how many words I’ve written to reach this level? A full five million words, built up one by one, to achieve this style! But compared to you… sigh, best not to mention it, it’s too disheartening.”

Liu Ping laughed, “You make it sound as if you’re so hopeless. You’re the famous Master Peach Blossom—surely you’re not lacking in confidence?”

“Confidence? Before I met you, I was more confident than anyone. Don’t mistake my humility; I had plenty of confidence. But after meeting you, it all vanished.” Zhu Yingtai pouted, gazing wistfully at Liu Ping.

It was almost as if she were a little woman acting coy, and with her handsome features, it was enough to make one’s heart ache. But as there was no hint of seduction, Liu Ping felt no pity. Instead, he snorted and boasted shamelessly, “It’s not that I’m too strong—it’s that you’re too weak.”

“You really have a way with words!” Zhu Yingtai said, thoroughly exasperated. Then she continued, “Oh, by the way, after I gave your manuscript to the editors at Qingshan Press, and they learned I knew you, they wanted to invite you over.”

Liu Ping was taken aback. “And what did you say?”

Zhu Yingtai grinned slyly, “Of course I told them all about the treatment you received at Qingshan Press. The editor-in-chief’s expression was priceless! Hahaha! And there was another editor—named Wang Chang, I think—he looked as if he’d seen a ghost. It was hilarious.”

Liu Ping shook his head. Now that this had happened, Qingshan Press would likely refrain from bothering him in the future. He couldn’t slap them in the face directly, but now that he was successful and famous, he wasn’t so petty as to care.

After this farce was resolved, Liu Ping handed his manuscript to Youshu Press that afternoon.

Not long after, Youshu Press released the first edition of the second volume of ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms’. By then, its sales had finally broken the million mark—and that was not the limit. Sales were rising rapidly every day, forming a great storm that began to sweep across the Grand Xia Dynasty.

It was an unprecedented storm. Under its influence, a slew of novels emerged, all similar to ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms’—otherworldly war stories, and plenty of social novels set in the ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms’ universe. The most notable were ‘Peerless Qin and Han’, ‘The Great Han Dynasty’, ‘Unifying the World: Qin’, ‘Qin’s Allure’, ‘The Seven Dynasties Chronicle’—each sold quite well.

These works came to be known as the ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms Series’.

As time went on, more and more novels of this series appeared, forming a literary school of their own. By this point, nearly three months had passed since Liu Ping first decided to write a novel.

Two volumes of ‘Fengshen Three Kingdoms’ had earned Liu Ping a full sixty thousand taels of silver.

With this wealth, Liu Ping rebuilt his family home into a proper manor, hired several maids to care for his parents, took on some servants, and bought dozens of acres of farmland, employing people to tend them. It might have seemed a bit nouveau riche, but as long as life was comfortable, what did it matter? In short, Liu Ping was now a minor local tycoon.

By then, it was early May.

Summer had arrived.

At this time, his senior sister finally emerged from seclusion. As if sensing something, Liu Ping suddenly sprang up from his seat. The teacher at the lectern was startled, and the surrounding students all turned to look at him.

It was truly embarrassing. Liu Ping smiled awkwardly and sat back down.

“What’s wrong?” Zhu Yingtai whispered from behind.

“Nothing…” Liu Ping shook his head. He’d just felt a sudden pang in his heart—not of disaster, but as if some great opportunity was awaiting him. The feeling only grew stronger, his heart burning with anticipation.

“Senior sister has come out… what on earth is the magical legacy on that beast hide, that it can make me so restless?” Unable to endure it any longer, Liu Ping promptly asked for leave, cast an invisibility spell, and dashed straight towards his senior sister’s Daoist temple.

The closer he got, the stronger the stirring in his heart became.

“What could it be?” Liu Ping couldn’t help but widen his eyes, filled with curiosity.