Acknowledgments to the Readers: Thank you all for your support—“The Path of Sorcery” has now been officially signed and launched!

After more than a month of serialization, “The Way of Arts” has finally been contracted and officially launched. I’m not sure if I’m describing this accurately, but as a newcomer to storytelling—especially someone whose reading habits are still rooted in physical books and Kindle—I’ve only had the Qidian app installed for less than two months.

In truth, I might be a rather traditional person.

Like many readers, I work during the day and can only write in my spare time. After some time, I realized that writing is a true test of perseverance, a constant battle against my own laziness.

As for why I started writing “The Way of Arts,” it all began with a simple urge to tell a story. I think many people have felt this way before: sometimes, after finishing a movie, a novel, or even reading a trending news story, you feel a compelling impulse to tell a story of your own.

Of course, these movies or novels aren’t always masterpieces; sometimes they’re works with a rating lower than three stars. Yet, they still ignite that creative spark in you—which, if I’m being honest, I prefer to call “storytelling” at its root.

When chatting with friends, I often say that storytellers carry a certain responsibility. When you write a story, a reader spends their time on it. And time is life—it means you are consuming a part of someone else’s life.

So, as someone telling stories, I feel a sense of mission: to do my utmost to tell a good tale.

This has nothing to do with whether people subscribe or reward me; for they have already given something far more precious than money—their time.

To write with care is, at its core, a form of respect for the reader, an awe for the portion of their life they have chosen to dedicate.

For that, I am deeply grateful for every reader. In the short breaks between my daily work, I read every comment thoroughly, striving to listen to your thoughts and improve my work.

Perhaps there exist “prodigy” or “genius” writers in this world, but I do not count myself among them. I believe that good works are never achieved in one stroke; they require careful plotting and the polishing of every sentence.

Of course, the pace of web fiction updates may not allow for endless refinement, but I will do my best.

I sincerely hope that “The Way of Arts” is not just another formulaic web novel, not one where readers can predict the plot after two pages, sigh “Just another typical story—boring!” and put it down.

On the contrary, my wish is to tell a true “story,” and to do my utmost to make it a “good story”—like those we listened to as children, sitting in the classroom, hanging onto every word from the teacher. Back then, nearly every story felt magical.

I often ask myself: how long has it been since I last read something that brought back that childlike sense of wonder?

That, truly, is the driving force behind my writing.

To be honest, I am quite thankful to Qidian. It allows anyone with a story to tell to find an audience, and gives everyone the right to create.

The power to create, like the power to read, is something everyone deserves—whether one is a professional or an amateur, full-time or part-time.

What fascinates me most is that, thanks to the internet, writers and readers can now converse with every line—something unimaginable in the days of paper books.

All in all, I will do everything I can to ensure that “The Way of Arts” does not let you down. My abilities are limited, and I still have a day job, so I ask for your understanding if there are shortcomings.

Above all, I take your feedback very seriously. I believe that to make the world of “The Way of Arts” truly captivating, I cannot rely solely on my own strength.

An author can only write part of a world’s story; to make it richer and more real requires everyone’s ideas.

In gratitude for your attention, I’ll do my best to send out more red envelopes in the future!

And finally, no matter what the collection numbers, read counts, or recommendation votes for “The Way of Arts” may be, in my heart, I write for only one person.

I labor over every word, battle through creative slumps from dawn to dusk.

All of this is for just one person.

That person is the one right now, on the other side of this screen, reading my words—

You.