Chapter 129: Regarding the Background of the Novel

"Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"...

Thunderous claps echoed amidst the howling gale and raging sea. On the island, although the fierce winds stripped away the earth layer by layer, the terrifying power of the lightning tribulation kept Liu Pan buried deep within a crater, sinking lower with every strike.

Liu Pan felt truly fortunate at this moment. The island was not at the heart of the hurricane and tsunami; while the wind's power was formidable, it had its limits. Had the entire island been swallowed by the center of the storm, he would undoubtedly have perished, even with the lightning tribulation driving him underground.

Yet, despite his life being preserved, Liu Pan felt far from comfortable. Many cultivators turn pale at the mere mention of a lightning tribulation, but only those who have truly experienced it understand that it is both a test from the heavens and a form of recognition. To prove one's strength, one must defy the heavens and face them courageously, fearing nothing. Only in this way can one firm their indomitable martial heart and travel further along the path of cultivation.

At this moment, although Liu Pan was facing the tribulation, the manner in which he did so felt agonizing. He was indeed facing it bravely, never once considering flight, but to be struck repeatedly while offering no resistance—and even shifting his body to ensure no single spot took too much damage—was, to say the least, absurd.

However, Liu Pan knew he had no other choice. The gale outside the crater, capable of peeling away layers of earth, was not something a novice who had just stepped into the Martial King realm could withstand. If he dared to step out, he would die instantly.

The tribulation for crossing from the Martial Master realm to the Martial King realm was the "Two-Nine Lightning Tribulation." Thanks to the storage ring he had seized from Li Tu, a high-level alchemist, this tribulation was noticeably easier than his previous one. He couldn't help but sigh: having medicine truly makes all the difference.

"Boom!"

Another bolt of lightning descended. Liu Pan lost track of how many fathoms deep he had burrowed, but he remembered this was the twelfth strike. He only needed to endure six more to succeed. Taking advantage of the interval between every three strikes, he used a thought to retrieve several bottles of pills from his storage ring and swallowed them.

He had to admire Li Tu’s wealth, and he was grateful he knew of Li Tu’s identity as a high-level water-element alchemist; otherwise, even if he hadn't been scoured by the winds outside, he would have surely perished under the tribulation.

As his physical injuries slowly mended, Liu Pan found himself thinking of the Nether Demon Flood Dragon. In the book he had written, such creatures were extinct, yet here it was...

In his novel, Liu Pan had set the background of the Tianfeng Continent quite simply: a world of martial cultivation where resources were on the verge of exhaustion. He chose this setting because of the inspiration he drew from reality on Earth. He didn't know exactly how many resources remained on Earth, but news reports and books made him realize that many were gradually being depleted. He could not predict Earth's future, but he knew that due to human activity, the ecological environment was being destroyed and many species were heading toward extinction. Because of this, he chose a setting where resources were nearly exhausted, as it felt closest to life.

In truth, although his protagonist, Liu Kuang, had reached the pinnacle of power, he often did things or said words that had little to do with the main plot. Liu Pan was no saint; he was just a miserable shut-in sitting before a computer every day. By chance, he had encountered web literature and started writing. Initially, it was just for fun, but as he wrote more, it became monotonous. He wanted his novel to have more meaning so that readers wouldn't just finish and move on. To him, if web literature was to be called literature, it shouldn't stop at mere entertainment—it needed depth. He didn't expect every reader to learn something, but at least he wanted to promote some positive energy.

Logically, a modern setting would have been best for reflecting reality, but Liu Pan was only capable of writing fantasy. After much deliberation, he chose the "depleting resources" background and charged into the literary scene with his keyboard. That was how he wrote "Supreme Mad God."

He realized later that incorporating themes like environmental and animal protection into a fantasy world was somewhat incongruous. Even though many readers commented that his book was "full of fluff," he still wrote with great joy. Just as he insisted on putting his protagonist through suffering despite readers' objections, he felt these elements were natural and justified.

He truly believed these descriptions gave his work meaning, and even if few readers remained, at least some had finished it. As long as there were readers who completed the book and left reviews, he considered it a good book. He remembered the reviews he saw before uploading the finale. While no one discussed the "fluff," it was clear they had accepted it. As long as they finished, he believed the "fluff" in his book would, at some point, influence someone's judgment.

He was no saint, but he possessed a heart that hoped for a better world. In fact, two weeks before finishing "Supreme Mad God," he had already decided that he would write his next book the same way, regardless of how many readers he had.

Looking up at the sky outside the crater and listening to the distant, painful roars of the Nether Demon Flood Dragon, Liu Pan was overcome by inexplicable emotions. Why did books record that the Nether Demon Flood Dragon was a vicious killer, while a wild horse could be tamed? Was this not merely the result of humans imposing their will upon other creatures?

But soon, Liu Pan shook his head. He knew his thoughts were going too far; after all, in the world of survival, there was a term called "natural selection."