Chapter 90: Looking Back Ten Thousand Years

The onlookers witnessed a peculiar sight.

A man was holding nine strings of cotton candy, unsure of how to handle them, with an uncomfortable expression on his face as he walked along the road.

By his side was a long-haired beauty, cradling a cotton candy and happily licking it.

The scene looked comical, yet unexpectedly heartwarming. Many people turned their heads, unintentionally revealing a delighted smile.

“I want to eat cotton candy too.” As a couple passed by, the girl tugged at the boy’s sleeve and said, “I want as many as he has.”

The boy replied, “Don’t think that guy is being kind. He’ll probably use a few of those cotton candies to make small balloons when he gets home. Do you believe it?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The girl said, “Isn’t that a good thing? If you can do the same with ten, why not?”

The boy was struck silent by her remark and quickly shut his mouth.

Qiu Wuji’s ears twitched, but she kept her gaze straight ahead. “What are small balloons?”

Chu Ge pretended not to hear. In his heart, he wished he could squeeze the life out of that man. To judge a noble person’s intentions based on one’s own pettiness!

Did I ever mention using small balloons? I never intended to use small balloons.

Qiu Wuji didn’t probe further. If you don’t tell me, do you think I won’t go back and ask Baidu? After finishing one cotton candy, she naturally took another one from Chu Ge’s hand and continued eating.

Chu Ge couldn’t help but ask, “It feels like you’re turning your sorrow and anger into an appetite…”

Qiu Wuji was hit right at the sore spot. Suddenly, she remembered something and glared at him with a dangerous look in her eyes. “Is it your will that’s interfering and causing no one to read my book?”

Chu Ge pondered for a moment, holding his cotton candy. “Um… My will is observing, but I didn’t mean to make you fail. It shouldn’t have caused any influence.”

“Maybe it’s your subconscious! You want me to fail!”

Chu Ge thought for a while, still holding the cotton candy. “I don’t think my subconscious has such intentions. My observation is simply to understand the impact of your book… Though, maybe my subconscious thinks it would be better if it didn’t cause any influence? I’m not sure… But if the subconscious can influence reality like that, it would be quite exaggerated, right? After all, I haven’t done anything.”

Qiu Wuji remained silent, bowing her head and eating the candy.

It’s probably not related to his subconscious. I must have really failed naturally, sob sob.

In frustration, she swallowed one cotton candy in one gulp, then took another one and muttered indistinctly, “Is writing a book really that difficult?”

“Whether it’s difficult or not, those big shots say that as long as you have hands, you can do it. But this thing still requires talent,” Chu Ge said. “If you’re really bothered by it, I can add a setting for you, saying that you have a talent for storytelling, and that’s it.”

“I don’t want that!” Qiu Wuji said. “What I want is to break free from influence, not rely on your influence for everything! And don’t do things like giving me cultivation techniques in the future…”

Chu Ge smiled helplessly. “Well, what about the things you comprehend and the breakthroughs in your cultivation that were originally planned in the plot?”

For a moment, Qiu Wuji didn’t know how to respond. After a while, she said, “I want to have something different from what you’ve written. Does writing count?”

“Of course,” Chu Ge thought. ‘I think you devouring ten cotton candies is already enough… Writing it like that would ruin the character in the eyes of readers.’

But maybe it’s not enough.

Qiu Wuji then said, “So, will you continue teaching me how to write?”

Chu Ge hummed, “Call me Master.”

Qiu Wuji glared at him.

This time, Chu Ge remained firm, looking up at the sky and ignoring her.

She stared at him for a long time, finally relenting and softly saying, “Master~”

Chu Ge nodded slowly, “I will teach you. I’ll teach you when we get back!”

…………

“With these 20,000 characters, the writing is indeed excellent, surpassing many authors. But do you understand why no one is reading it?”

Back at home, the two sat in front of the computer, leaning their heads together, reading the document.

Qiu Wuji had forgotten how close this position was with him. Her thoughts were entirely focused on the matter at hand. “I used my spiritual sense to eavesdrop on some comments from the mortal world, and they said it was like a running account?”

“Yes, it’s too straightforward. For example, when the protagonist appears and encounters a monster, the protagonist immediately fights and defeats it. Then they continue walking and encounter another monster, and another fight ensues… If it were you, would you enjoy reading such a story?”

Qiu Wuji was unconvinced. “I’ve read Journey to the West, and it’s all about journeying, encountering demons, and fighting them. Isn’t that interesting?”

“It’s not just that. Firstly, they established a long-term expectation for the Journey to the West, making you anticipate the difficulties and challenges they would face along the way. Secondly, each event is not simply a direct encounter, but it has its own small story and plot.”

“For example?”

“Take the story of the true and false Monkey King. What happened there, who is the real one, and how the truth is revealed—this is a complete process of suspense. Classic works not only have depth, but their narrative techniques are also top-notch. The story needs to be interesting to become widely known.”

Qiu Wuji’s eyes began to wander in circles.

“And then, the story needs ups and downs and contrasts. If you fight and win against every opponent you encounter, it becomes dull.”

“So, I should lose and then find a way to win? That’s ups and downs, but what do you mean by contrasts?”

“Um… For example, people love to see innocence in someone seductive, and sensuality in someone pure. They find it memorable when a pure character becomes corrupted and a virtuous character falls. If your protagonist remains the same throughout and all the monsters they face are vicious and malicious, it becomes uninteresting…”

Qiu Wuji pondered for a while and softly said, “If I write 10,000 words a day, will I collapse?”

Chu Ge: “?”

Qiu Wuji: “…”

The two of them stared at each other for a while, and Chu Ge covered his face.

Qiu Wuji hugged her pig-shaped pillow and remained silent.

Both masters felt that their disciples were idiots, tit for tat.

“Here’s an idea.” Chu Ge thought for a long time and hesitantly said, “Don’t worry about how to create a story. Really, try describing things that have already happened, how about that?”

Qiu Wuji sighed, “Write a memoir, huh?”

“Close enough. I know you don’t want to be just a complement to the world in the book; you want to create your own world. But for now, as an exercise, it can be a good start. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right? You’ve been practicing for ten thousand years, and you’re just missing one book?”

Qiu Wuji sighed softly, “That kind of thing can only be a side story for you. How will it make money?”

“I’ll give it to you,” Chu Ge reiterated a topic discussed earlier. “Working for a capitalist is no different from working for me. It’s all work!”

“But that’s being a housewife…”

“No, a writing studio is a legitimate job! You can call me boss.”

Qiu Wuji couldn’t help but laugh and cry. I should call you boss or master?

But on second thought, in ancient times, apprentices working for their masters was a common practice. When considering it from that perspective, learning to write from him and working for him on side stories to improve oneself seemed quite normal and an acceptable solution.

Besides, he seems to be getting richer now. It’s not like before when he was struggling to make ends meet. There’s no need for me to desperately find a way to support myself anymore…

But he is also my disciple. How come he doesn’t need to work?

Qiu Wuji asked, “If you’re learning cultivation, why don’t you help me with tasks?”

Chu Ge scratched his head. “What cultivation tasks do you want me to do?”

Qiu Wuji insisted, “Even if it’s just showing filial piety to the master, you should help with tasks! There’s always something to do, even if I haven’t thought of it yet!”

“Uh…” Chu Ge cautiously said, “Then… should I give the master a shoulder massage?”

“Get lost!”

After a moment, Chu Ge was sprawled on the ground with his head covered in bruises, while Qiu Wuji swung her ponytail and went out to buy groceries. What an S&M relationship.

But… writing my own memoir?

Thinking seriously about it, it seems quite interesting. After all, in his books, there’s no mention of my past.

As Qiu Wuji slowly walked, her thoughts plunged into distant memories.

In the early days of cultivation, many senior brothers pursued her… she also had encounters while wandering the world. At that time, she was solely focused on the Dao and didn’t pay attention to them.

Time flies, and looking back on ten thousand years, they have all passed away.

She thought she had already seen through these matters…

But now… Chu Ge wants to be with Qiu Wuji.

Will you still be here in the next ten thousand years?

“If it weren’t for wanting to figure out how we can be together forever, I wouldn’t even bother thinking about abilities.” Chu Ge’s words resurfaced in her mind.

Perhaps… he will be here.

While others cultivate for longevity, he is the only one cultivating for the sake of Qiu Wuji.

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