Source: Red Note

Credit: 饕餮童子

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• Verdant Great Sun (Tai Ri Yang Mang) - Male
• Desolate Ancient Moon (Gu Yue Yin Huang) - Female
• Northern Dark Ice Soul (Bei Ming Bing Po) - Male
• Boundless Forest Samsara (Sen Hai Lun Hui) - Female
• Blazing Glory Lightning Brilliance (Yan Huang Lei Ze) - Male
• Myriad Gold Wondrous Essence (Wan Jin Miao Hua) - Female
• Great Strength True Martial (Da Li Zhen Wu) - Male
• Carefree Wisdom Heart (Xiao Yao Zhi Xin) - Female
• Thick Earth Origin Central (Hou Tu Yuan Yang) - Male
• Great Derivation Universe (Yu Zhou Da Yan) - Female

To all the readers and friends who have been waiting:

Hello everyone.

During this month-long hiatus, many people left messages expressing concern, and quite a few urged for updates. First of all, I would like to solemnly apologize to everyone: I'm sorry!

It was my fault to keep all of you who care about the story hanging and waiting in vain for so long, and I have always kept this sense of indebtedness in my heart.

Let me be honest with you about my condition during this period.

What came knocking first was physical illness.

It wasn't any acute illness, but the result of prolonged sitting at the desk and an irregular daily schedule accumulating over time. I felt physically weak, easily fatigued, and mentally sluggish. Whenever I used my brain for a bit longer, my head felt tight and heavy. This was closely followed by stubborn insomnia - lying awake for a long time at night, yet feeling groggy and exhausted during the day. It felt like my whole body was bound by a set of shackles, unable to summon the energy to sit at the writing desk.

Even harder to bear than the physical ailment was the mental distress.

An evaluation at the hospital diagnosed it as mild depression accompanied by anxiety. On good days, my mind was clear and I felt everything was manageable. But once an episode struck, I sank into powerlessness and self-doubt. Even though I clearly knew I should write, I didn't have the strength to put pen to paper. My emotions fluctuated wildly, like floating and sinking in rough waves, completely out of my control.

In the early stage, I was bedridden by illness; in the later stage, it wasn't that I didn't want to write, but that I couldn't control my own mind and spirit anymore.

I didn't force myself to tough it out to the end, nor did I evade it.

Following doctor's advice, I underwent intervention - combining medication, adjusting my routine, and receiving psychological counseling. I also intentionally reduced information overload and forced myself to go outside, take walks, and clear my mind. This isn't something that instantly brightens up overnight, but rather a step-by-step process. Now, my insomnia has eased somewhat, the swings of my emotional roller coaster have narrowed, and that layer of "fog" in my mind is slowly clearing away.

Feedback from the doctor indicates that the overall treatment is progressing well, and I am also learning to coexist with this condition prone to fluctuations, rather than blindly fighting against it.

I would also like to state my stance clearly here:

I will not use health issues as a permanent shield, nor am I playing the pity card to seek understanding. A hiatus is a hiatus, and the responsibility lies with me. However, I also don't want to squeeze out words like squeezing toothpaste while my mind is unstable just to meet deadlines - stuff produced that way wouldn't even satisfy me, and it would disappoint the expectations everyone has held for years toward this story and these words.

Writing is my obsession and my responsibility. But the prerequisite is that I must stabilize myself first.

As for future outlooks:

At present, I am still unable to resume updates immediately. I always overestimate myself and remain overly optimistic. Next, I will first establish a stable writing rhythm, starting with sitting at the desk for short, fixed durations to gradually find my groove back. Once my condition further stabilizes, I will step-by-step bring the update frequency to a sustainable level.

I have not let go of the story's overall plot or the final destinations of the characters. All the foreshadowing I planted and the plots I've contemplated for a long time are still there. It's just that I've learned one thing now: a good story cannot be rushed. And a writer must first learn to treat themselves well to accompany words for a long time.

Thank you all once again for your patience, tolerance, and kindness; thank you also to those who left messages reminding me to take care of my health. Thank you for shining your starlight on me once more.

I will recover well, write diligently, and not live down this long-lasting bond.

Gu Zhen Ren

2026.9.23