Sword Comes English

The focus of this new book is on 'constructing a bizarre yet reasonable and interesting world of immortal chivalry.' Much effort and thought will be devoted to the foundational building of a brand-new world—how humans coexist with spirits, demons, and ghosts. Of course, the 'traditional' tropes of immortal chivalry will also be present, as they are indispensable. However, one thing must be clarified in advance: I rarely read immortal chivalry or fantasy novels in the past because I held prejudices against concepts like 'cultivating power without cultivating the mind,' 'street brawls disguised as immortal chivalry,' and 'characters who have lived for centuries, bearing titles of ancient masters, yet are nothing but thugs at heart.' In fact, when I finally delved systematically into the worlds depicted in ancient notes, tales of the strange, and depictions of gods and demons, I discovered a fascinating phenomenon: 'Gods and demons all possess human emotions; spirits and monsters understand worldly affairs.' So my initial impression that cultivators must be 'immortal and ethereal' and 'transcendent in realm' was extremely one-sided. Whether in Buddhist scriptures or Taoist texts, various anecdotes, disputes, and koans are imbued with a human touch, sometimes even making you feel 'that is hardly celestial at all'—instead, it feels quite worldly. It is merely a matter of ordinary people chasing fame and profit, while sages vie for fortune (or incense offerings). This is especially evident in works like *Journey to the West* and *Investiture of the Gods*. Therefore, what I once considered 'seemingly vulgar and lacking in immortal aura' in many immortal chivalry stories is precisely what strikes at the heart of human nature. Far from being disconnected from classical tales of gods, demons, and the strange, they are in fact a continuation and transmission of that tradition.