Chapter 113: Redefining Xianxia
Even though the previous work, "Tennis Prince," only serialized for a few months, not even half a year before concluding, Chu Kuang had accumulated a fanbase during this novel's serialization. These fans continued to follow the Silver Blue Library, eagerly awaiting news of Chu Kuang's new book. So, when they learned that Chu Kuang was releasing a new book, this group of people was quite excited and anticipatory.
"Faster than I imagined."
Since the conclusion of "Tennis Prince," not much time had passed. Normally, authors take a break for a few months after completing a book, but Chu Kuang seemed not to be planning any rest, promptly releasing a new work.
"Love Chu Kuang's unpredictability!"
"Because I developed a liking for sports novels after 'Tennis Prince,' I explored many similar novels after Chu Kuang's work concluded. Many in the market imitate him, but compared to Chu Kuang, I feel others' sports novels lack something."
"After all, Chu Kuang is the master!"
"Chu Kuang's new book is still sports-related, right?"
"Should we ask if Chu Kuang's new book involves BL?"
"Hahaha, it feels like you've all ruined the perfectly good Tennis Club of Seishun Gakuen. Always talking about BL when it's, in fact, a legitimate tennis sports novel (serious face)."
"..."
Because "Tennis Prince" is a male-oriented novel, it perfectly portrayed various characters in the Seishun Gakuen tennis club. Additionally, with some interesting daily life aspects, readers jokingly referred to this novel as a sports story wrapped in the attire of Boys' Love due to the daily interactions of a group of men sweating it out.
Due to this attribute, "Tennis Prince," despite being a male-oriented novel, surprisingly attracted quite a few female fans. These female fans didn't particularly care about the competitions in the novel but focused on the daily interactions of the characters, engaging in various fanciful imaginings, making their reading experience enjoyable.
However, in this world emphasizing copyright, without copyright disputes, "Tennis Prince" fan fiction would have likely been widespread. Never underestimate the creative abilities of fujoshi (female fans interested in Boys' Love), given the opportunity; they could easily sustain several novel websites that might not appeal to a typical male audience.
But it's worth mentioning that almost all fans thought Chu Kuang would continue writing sports-themed novels. After all, he pioneered this market himself. It seemed unlikely that he would abandon the success he achieved with "Tennis Prince."
This was the logical expectation.
And writers do care about the stability of their fanbase. Chu Kuang, under the pen name in the fantasy fiction domain and sports novels, was firmly linked. If he were to change his theme, fans might not buy into it.
It's not just the fans who think so.
Other publishing companies in the industry also share this view. After all, sports and athletics are no longer niche categories. While not as mainstream as other genres, this niche market can still support several bestsellers.
As long as he continues in this genre, even if Chu Kuang doesn't do exceptionally well, he can still achieve decent sales. Moreover, considering Chu Kuang's ability to write sports novels, no publishing company in the industry would underestimate him; everyone regarded him highly.
Maybe it's another "Tennis Prince"!
Some were even a bit anxious, especially the publishing companies that had fierce competition with the Silver Blue Library. Because the speed at which Chu Kuang announced his new book was a bit too fast. Who concludes an old book and immediately starts a new one without a break?
Are you an octopus monster?
If he produces another sufficiently popular work, the conclusion of "Tennis Prince" is not a bad thing for the Silver Blue Library. It's, in fact, a good thing because it means the library has added another high-quality work!
...
Indeed, Chu Kuang is a bit of an unpredictable figure. The industry didn't guess wrong about this. But everyone got one thing wrong—Chu Kuang's new book did not continue the sports theme but ventured into two somewhat unfamiliar genres:
Xianxia!
The Silver Blue Library didn't keep it a secret. The night they announced Chu Kuang's new book, the next day's website banners revealed the genre, and massive promotions were spread across various channels, leaving Chu Kuang's fans stunned for several seconds.
"What the heck?" "Xianxia novel?" "Not a sports-themed one?" "Why not continue with sports, especially when Chu Kuang has such talent in that genre? Even if not tennis, switching to basketball or football would be acceptable!" "The leap is too significant." "He's jumping straight from the passionate sports arena to 'Jade Dynasty.' But I really don't like Xianxia. Such an ancient theme has long been obsolete. What is Chu Kuang thinking?"
...
While indeed there's a lack of Xianxia novels, the influence of "Jade Dynasty" is undeniable. This novel even became a TV series, a childhood memory for many. People's concept of Xianxia is mostly derived from this work from many years ago.
Fans were puzzled.
Even within the industry, there was confusion. They carefully examined the banner promotion from Silver Blue Library, and it did state that Chu Kuang's new book is of Xianxia genre. The slogan was quite bold, with just two sentences:
"On July 1st, 'Jade Dynasty' releases!" "See how Chu Kuang redefines Xianxia!"
Many within the industry felt a bit uneasy. Silver Blue Library wasn't foolish. If Chu Kuang's writing was genuinely terrible, why would they invest so much in promoting his new book? They could have simply rejected the manuscript.
But how good could Chu Kuang's writing be?
How good could Xianxia novels be?
As for the so-called redefinition of Xianxia, those familiar with the industry knew that such statements are more for promotional purposes. Rarely does an advertisement claim anything less than groundbreaking, similar to how some movies claim to be revolutionary just before their release.
"I understand."
A certain industry insider speculated, "Perhaps this novel called 'Jade Dynasty' is written decently. You know, there are novels that fall in the middle ground—not great enough to reject outright, yet not easy to sell. Also, considering Chu Kuang is the author, Silver Blue Library probably doesn't want to offend him. After all, Chu Kuang's talent is evident. So, they're giving him a chance."
Best-selling authors have a say.
For non-bestselling authors, if the editor decides to reject their manuscript, it's done. But even if a bestselling author's writing isn't exceptional, editors are less likely to reject it, especially when the author insists on publishing. Publishers often give such authors a chance to avoid conflicts.
What if it becomes a hit?
An editor's judgment is not always accurate. Some manuscripts rejected by one publisher turn into bestsellers with another. Moreover, wasn't "Tennis Prince" initially doubted by the industry?
Chu Kuang seems to like challenges.
Most in the industry accepted this explanation, but the chief editor of Ding Sheng Publishing couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't that simple. The promotion by the Silver Blue Library was too grand. If it was just to appease Chu Kuang, it didn't need to be this elaborate.
"Is there a hidden bomb inside?"
It's not surprising that the chief editor of Ding Sheng Publishing was suspicious. Mainly because "Tennis Prince" had once embarrassed him. People of his caliber remember when they've been proven wrong. Unlike some who, even after being proven wrong, continue to view things from old perspectives, he believed that more than one person shared his concern.
"No, there's an issue!"
"Lu Bei isn't foolish!"
"He's hiding a bomb!"
The chief editor at Ding Sheng became increasingly convinced that his thoughts were reasonable. He paced around the room, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't fathom how Xianxia could become a bomb in the book market. So, his eyelid continued to twitch.
This feeling made him uneasy.
What on earth did Chu Kuang write this time?