Chapter 81: The Master Is About to Release a New Book (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The uproar over the tragic ending of Breaking the Battle had only grown worse. Liu Da negotiated with Li He multiple times, hoping he would rewrite the finale. The pressure from readers was relentless.

Finally, three days after the disaster, the Breaking the Battle side story was released.

The side story was free; no paid subscription required.

As soon as the new chapters went live, countless readers flooded in. Upon reading the latest installment, their excitement nearly burst forth.

[Spirit Realm]: "The scoundrel finally gave in and rewrote the ending."

[Just Sleep]: "Damn, this bastard is too much. His habit of killing off popular characters is all because we let him get away with it!"

[Sleep Already]: "After finishing this book, I swear I won't follow the next novel by this so-called master."

[Award Chance]: "The master has definitely gotten too cocky."

The review section surged rapidly; readers cursed the author while happily devouring the new chapters.

At first, they read with delight, but gradually sensed something was off.

It was supposed to be the grand finale—Xiao Yan had defeated the Emperor of Souls—so why hadn't Little Medical Fairy or Yun Yun appeared yet?

They finished the last chapter, but neither Little Medical Fairy nor the Sect Leader of Clouds showed up.

The readers were furious. The early chapters had portrayed Little Medical Fairy and Yun Yun so vividly, especially their intimate interactions with Xiao Yan.

Readers had come to view them as the heroines, yet in the end, Xiao Yan ended up only with Xiao Xun’er and the Queen.

Infuriating!

Just as readers prepared for another outcry, the Fantasy Editorial Department of Hundred Reads Literature called an emergency meeting.

Hundred Reads Literature.

The chief editor of the Fantasy Department was about to clock out and meet the Urban Department editor for a movie, when Liu Da rushed into his office.

"What’s the matter, barging in like this?" The chief editor frowned, though he wasn't truly angry.

Liu Da couldn't bother with formalities; he sank into the guest chair, gasping, "The master is about to release a new book."

"That’s great news!" The editor smiled.

The master was now the prized asset of the Fantasy Department. At the annual Hundred Reads Literature conference, his promotion to grandmaster was almost guaranteed.

He’d read the book signed by Wang Ke under the pen name 'Big Boss.' The skill was on par with the master. But Big Boss was still young, needing time to grow. The master was different—Breaking the Battle had concluded, and its readers were eagerly awaiting a new novel to feast on.

"Not quite," Liu Da rephrased, "The master’s new book isn’t fantasy—it’s cultivation."

"What? Cultivation!" The editor sprang from his chair.

He fumed, "Is the Cultivation Department poaching our talent?"

Hundred Reads didn’t prohibit internal poaching, but poaching across major genres was outrageous. The Cultivation Department was overstepping.

Liu Da hurriedly explained, "It’s not poaching. The master himself decided to write cultivation for his next novel."

Upon hearing this, the editor slammed his desk. "Absurd! Why isn’t he sticking to fantasy? Why write cultivation?"

Breaking the Battle was the pioneer of the 'underdog' genre, and all readers expected the master’s new book to continue in that vein. Even if it didn’t match Breaking the Battle’s brilliance, readers would still subscribe and pay.

But if the new book was cultivation, the outcome would be entirely different.

Fantasy and cultivation were two distinct genres, appealing to vastly different tastes.

The master’s current readership supported him because of Breaking the Battle. If he switched to cultivation, no one could predict how many would follow.

"I tried to persuade him, but he wouldn’t listen," Liu Da lamented.

After finally coaxing a rewritten ending for Breaking the Battle, he learned the master’s next book would be cultivation.

Had I known, I wouldn’t have asked for a rewritten finale.

I admit defeat, alright?

Driving readers mad was better than driving myself mad.

The editor calmed himself, sat back in his chair, fingers tapping the desk, his mind consumed by the thought: ‘The master’s new book is cultivation.’

The movie date with the Urban Department editor was thoroughly forgotten.

If the master got lured away by the Cultivation Department, who could focus on a film?

"Has the master sent the manuscript?" The editor’s tapping suddenly stopped.

"Not yet, but he says he’s already written a hundred thousand words," Liu Da replied.

A hundred thousand words, and the master didn’t even pause for breath… The editor’s mouth twitched.

Breaking the Battle had daily updates of over twenty thousand words, and it had only ended three days ago. In those three days, he’d rewritten the finale.

Now, a new book with a hundred thousand words had already appeared.

Master, are you even human?

His writing speed was monstrous.

"Tell him to send over all one hundred thousand words," the editor decided. He planned to read it, then find a reason to reject it, claiming it wasn’t suited to the current cultivation market and would never succeed.

Soon, Liu Da received the manuscript from Li He.