Compared to traditional literature, a novel of 1.3 million Chinese characters would be considered rather lengthy. However, in the world of web novels, a work of 1.3 million characters occupied an awkward middle ground—neither particularly satisfying nor worth abandoning. Just as rice went through stages from seedlings to fully ripened grain, 'Battle Through the Heavens' was like a stalk of rice that had yet to fully mature.
Its length wasn't particularly impressive, especially in the fantasy genre, where lengthy novels were everywhere. Nevertheless, an ordinary webnovel author would probably need an entire year to write over a million characters.
'Battle Through the Heavens' had accomplished in just over half a month what would normally take an ordinary author a year, setting a new record for update speed in the webnovel industry.
Tang Yuanchao naturally assumed that the author of 'Battle Through the Heavens' must have an enormous stockpile of completed chapters. If someone could publish over a million characters in half a month, it wouldn't be surprising if they had more than three million characters saved up.
However, accumulating such a massive backlog and uploading it all at once wasn't exactly a clever strategy in the webnovel industry. In fact, doing so before officially signing a contract with a website could only be described as downright foolish.
The risk was simply too great.
No matter how lengthy a novel was, if it couldn't capture readers' interest, it was no different from something written by rolling one's face across a keyboard.
With a normal serialization schedule, an author could generally determine a novel's potential within a month. If its performance was poor, they could simply stop updating it. At worst, they would have wasted a month's effort.
But what if someone spent three to five years accumulating millions of characters, only for the novel to perform poorly?
Who could bear watching three to five years of hard work go completely to waste?
"This author is either incredibly stubborn or extremely confident in his novel. Judging from the fact that he hired an illustrator, the latter seems more likely. He probably isn't short on money, and there's a good chance he's already reached some sort of agreement with the website."
Tang Yuanchao browsed through the forum thread.
Sure enough, most of the replies came from people attracted by the exquisite illustrations, which were filled with the charm of traditional Eastern aesthetics.
Following the link in the thread, he arrived at the Fantasy Book Alliance website and habitually clicked on the novel's information page.
"Not contracted!? What the hell is going on with this novel?"
Tang Yuanchao stared at his computer screen with wide eyes.
He rubbed his eyes, wondering whether he was seeing things. After checking several times and confirming that the novel really hadn't been signed, he was completely baffled.
With so many characters already published, the idea that the author had reached some agreement with the website was probably baseless.
Without a contract, a novel wasn't even eligible for promotional spots on the website, much less any deeper cooperation.
'Battle Through the Heavens' — Written by Don't Eat Tomatoes
1.372 million characters — 279,000 total views · 102,000 weekly member views — 91,000 total recommendations · 44,000 weekly recommendations
Novel Information — Table of Contents (541 Chapters) — Reviews (10,197)
This is a world belonging to Dou Qi. There is no dazzling, elaborate magic here—only Dou Qi, developed to its absolute pinnacle!
Author-defined novel tag: Hot-Blooded
...
Did Fantasy Book Alliance not think it was worth signing?
That was Tang Yuanchao's first thought.
Indeed, no matter how many chapters a novel had published or how beautiful its illustrations were, if the writing was terrible, nobody would care about it. Such a novel would have absolutely no value as a potential contract.
However, looking at the results 'Battle Through the Heavens' had achieved so far, he quickly dismissed that possibility.
This novel's situation was somewhat unusual.
Logically speaking, with the support of those illustrations and such respectable view counts, even if the author were a complete newcomer, the novel should still be worth signing.
Let's see what the other readers think.
Tang Yuanchao clicked on the reviews section.
Despite having been published for only a little over half a month, the novel had already accumulated more than ten thousand reader comments.
Even some novels that had achieved premium status didn't necessarily receive that many comments.
There might be plenty of people reading a novel, but a large portion would be lost to piracy. Membership restrictions would eliminate another group. And even among readers willing to pay for the legitimate version, perhaps not even one in ten would bother leaving a review.
[Great book! Already added it to my favorites! — Zhan Fengliu]
[Holy shit, that update speed! One chapter every hour! Incredible! — Book Friend 16178...]
[Daily check-in. — Love Runs Deep]
[I've thrown in all my recommendation votes! Getting a new chapter every hour feels amazing! — Doudou Is a Good Baby]
[Xiao Xun'er\~ Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Which master illustrator drew this? I feel like it's even better than those Japanese animations. Xun'er's eyes are especially captivating. You can practically tell her entire personality just from her gaze. After reading the novel's descriptions, she really does have exactly that personality! Amazing illustrations! Even better novel! Keep it up, author! — Xiao Qi Fan]
[Speaking of which, why hasn't such a great novel been contracted yet? I've got dozens of monthly votes waiting! — Morning Flowers, Evening Memories]
[I'm an author myself, and I spent three days reading over a million characters. Damn, this book is seriously incredible! The pacing is clear, and reading it all in one go feels unbelievably satisfying. The plot makes sense while still having plenty of highlights. Even without the illustrations, the characters have incredibly distinct personalities. And the author's writing skills are genuinely admirable. The prose isn't pretentious, but it isn't overly plain either. The atmosphere he creates is just... — Tianming]
[It's been ages since I've read a novel this good. If the website won't sign it, that's fine! Time to become an Alliance Leader! I'll donate enough for an Alliance Leader every month from now on. Hope the author keeps going! — parkourman]
...
Tang Yuanchao flipped through several pages of reviews with his mouth hanging open.
He couldn't find a single comment criticizing the novel's shortcomings.
The overwhelmingly positive reviews and the continuous stream of red-highlighted Alliance Leader donations nearly dazzled him.
He scrolled down with his mouse wheel to examine the reader donation rankings displayed beside the page.
Sure enough, the entire top ten had been occupied by readers holding the highest ordinary donation rank, Alliance Leader.
The person ranked first was even a Silver Grand Alliance Leader, having donated more than two million book coins.
Converted into RMB, that amounted to twenty thousand yuan.
A genuine big spender.
A sudden realization struck Tang Yuanchao, and an astonishing thought flashed through his mind as he stared at the novel.
"Could it be that the author of this novel is the one who doesn't think Fantasy Book Alliance is good enough?"
Novels with excellent results that remained unsigned weren't unheard of. There were even several with over a million characters.
However, not a single one had demonstrated the same boldness as 'Battle Through the Heavens'.
As a longtime reader, Tang Yuanchao had heard about Fantasy Book Alliance's unfair contracts.
The fact that the author could afford to hire a top-tier illustrator already proved that money wasn't an issue.
And if the author wasn't short on money, why would he sign a contract and sell off his own "child" just for subscription revenue?
With such excellent writing quality, if the author also had access to the right promotional channels, it was only a matter of time before this novel became popular.
"The novel must be pretty good. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gone through several pages without finding a single reader criticizing it. I wonder what Xiao Xun'er is actually like in the story."
After finishing his examination of the reviews, Tang Yuanchao found himself growing increasingly interested in 'Battle Through the Heavens'.
He shut down his computer, picked up his phone, and began reading the novel in earnest.
What interested him most was how Xiao Xun'er would be portrayed in the story.
The illustration had left far too deep an impression on him.
Illustrations served as a supplement to novels. A character whose appearance remained vague in the reader's imagination could have their distinctive features brought vividly to life through a single illustration.
That was the greatest value illustrations brought to a novel.
...
"Third stage..."
Staring at the number glowing brightly—almost painfully so—on the testing stone, the young man's face remained expressionless.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in a bitter, self-mocking smile.
His hands were clenched into fists, trembling faintly. He was gripping them so tightly that his skin had turned a pale bluish-white, and his normally blunt fingernails dug deep into his palms.
Waves of piercing pain spread through both his palms and his heart...
"Xiao Yan, Dou Qi, third stage! Classification: Low!"
Beside the testing stone, a stern-faced middle-aged man announced the result in an indifferent voice.
Seeing the young man's ashen expression, a trace of satisfaction appeared in the corners of his eyes.
The family genius whom even he had once been forced to look up to had now completely fallen into the ranks of the worthless.
His own talent was limited, and watching someone else fall from such great heights filled him with heartfelt satisfaction.
"Pfft!"
Quite a few youths of similar age had gathered around.
Amid the oppressive silence, someone suddenly burst into laughter.
Nobody knew who started it, but mocking remarks soon rose and fell throughout the crowd.
It was almost as though they were deliberately raising their voices to ensure that the person they were discussing could hear every word.
...
"Nalan Yanran, out of respect for Old Master Nalan, I will agree to this annulment, just as you wish. But I, Xiao Yan, have one final piece of advice for you. Fortune changes with time. Never look down on a young man simply because he is poor!"
Xiao Yan's voice rang out with strength and conviction, but the coldness contained within it made Nalan Yanran's delicate body tremble.
"Well said! That's exactly the kind of ambition my son should have!"
Seated in the place of honor, Xiao Zhan's eyes flashed like lightning.
To support his son, he slammed his palm against the table.
A teacup toppled over, and as the crisp sound rang out, the atmosphere in the room suddenly became confrontational.
"You...!"
Looking at the young man before her, whose gaze was calm yet unyielding, Nalan Yanran felt an inexplicable anger rising within her.
She was a true daughter favored by the heavens. Since when did she need some worthless trash lecturing her?
Nowadays, everyone revolved around her.
Xiao Yan's words were nothing less than a blatant slap in the face.
Having been pampered and spoiled for years, when had she ever suffered such treatment?
Her face immediately turned livid, and anger clouded her mind.
Without thinking, she blurted out her true feelings in a sharp, childish voice.
"What right does someone with only third-stage Dou Qi have to lecture me..."
...
Beyond the windowsill, the setting sun sank toward the horizon.
Before darkness arrived, Tang Yuanchao switched on the light in his room.
Then, unwilling to waste even another moment, he picked up his phone and immersed himself in the novel once more.
The night gradually deepened.
At some point, the noisy traffic outside fell silent.
Looking out through his bedroom window, not a single light could be seen shining from the surrounding houses.
Completely absorbed in the novel, Tang Yuanchao had lost all sense of time.
To him, the only thing marking the passage of time was his progress through the story.
After more than half a day, the novel's length had grown from 1.3 million to 1.4 million characters.
Yet ever since he started reading, Tang Yuanchao had felt as though the novel contained only a little over a hundred thousand characters.
It seemed as though he'd only been reading for a short while, but whenever he came back to his senses, he discovered that he'd already read more than a million characters.
He grew increasingly restless.
Then, thinking about it again, he realized that since the novel was updating by seventy thousand characters every day, there was no need to rush through the rest.
A faint streak of pale white appeared along the horizon.
Light dispersed the darkness, bringing a touch of warmth.
Inside his room, Tang Yuanchao remained completely isolated from the outside world, concentrating intently on the phone in his hands.
"Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring!"
The piercing alarm shattered the silence of the room.
It also dragged Tang Yuanchao back from the world of the novel.
His mind was so muddled that he couldn't immediately understand what was happening.
Then he suddenly realized something.
Wasn't that the sound of his alarm clock?
Did that mean it was already the next morning, and time for work?
A powerful sense of reluctance welled up inside him.
He glanced at the alarm clock.
Sure enough, it was already 7:30 in the morning.
The window was now completely bright, and warm morning sunlight streamed into his room.
Despite having stayed awake all night, Tang Yuanchao didn't feel the slightest bit tired.
"I'll just take the day off today. Once I finish the novel, I'll get a good night's sleep."
He smacked his lips, still craving more, and muttered to himself.
Rubbing his stomach, he suddenly remembered that he hadn't even eaten dinner.
Waves of hunger washed over him, leaving his body feeling almost weak with exhaustion.
It was as though he'd returned to his teenage years, when he'd been utterly obsessed with web novels.
The feeling he was experiencing now was one he hadn't felt in a very long time.
92%
That was the reading progress displayed on his phone screen.
In almost an entire day, he'd nearly finished every chapter of 'Battle Through the Heavens' currently available.
Just as the reviews had claimed, it was a novel that was almost impossible to put down.
Its premise was remarkably fresh among contemporary fantasy novels. The plot conflicts were logical, and the story frequently offered moments that made his eyes light up.
The characters behaved naturally, and their personalities were vividly defined.
After reading so much, he could remember practically every character who had appeared.
There was Xiao Yan, the indomitable protagonist.
Xiao Xun'er, his childhood sweetheart, who showed her gentle and lovable side only to him.
Nalan Yanran, a favored daughter of heaven who nevertheless wasn't particularly likable.
And Xiao Zhan, calm and composed, who had always silently watched over Xiao Yan...
Viewing the story through Xiao Yan's perspective, Tang Yuanchao found his own emotions rising and falling alongside the protagonist's experiences.
He witnessed Xiao Yan's humiliation, his anger at being mocked and having his engagement broken off, and the strength and almost reckless determination buried deep within him.
The efforts Xiao Yan made were rewarded accordingly, and only through his own hard work could he overcome one obstacle after another.
As Tang Yuanchao read 'Battle Through the Heavens' and became completely immersed in Xiao Yan's character, he'd already felt warm tears welling up in his eyes several times, along with the sensation of his blood boiling with excitement.
Previously, only a few exceptional novels from his early days of reading web fiction had been capable of stirring such powerful, immediate emotions in him.
"Phew! I'll go donate enough to become a Helmsman later. It's been ages since I've come across such a good fantasy novel."
He rubbed his stomach and sighed.
Compared to satisfying his hunger, what he wanted more right now was to finish reading the novel.
...
'Battle Through the Heavens' had yet to sign a contract.
Every bit of its impressive performance came from genuine reader activity.
Thanks to its insane update frequency, one-of-a-kind illustrations, and excellent writing quality, 'Battle Through the Heavens' had already attracted considerable attention in the webnovel industry.
Although it couldn't be said that everyone knew about it, it had at least caught the attention of a group of veteran readers and quite a few authors.
This world had a webnovel author forum similar to Dragon's Sky from the previous world.
It was called Dragon's Slumber, with the word "slumber" carrying connotations of dreams and fantasy.
Although the forum's overall standards couldn't compare to Dragon's Sky during the same period, its unique nature had still brought together a community of readers and authors.
Now, 'Battle Through the Heavens' had become such a hot topic on the Dragon's Slumber forum that discussions about it practically dominated the entire board.
Both authors and readers had developed an enormous interest in the novel.
The readers came for the story itself, while quite a few authors were there either to learn something from it or simply to watch the excitement unfold.