Chapter 70: Conception, Should We Delay His Royalties?

The noon bell for the end of class made the freshmen, who had spent the entire morning in military training, resemble a flock of ducks hearing their master’s call to feed; they cheered and skipped, heading toward the cafeteria in groups of three or five, a vast and mighty throng.

Their grass-green figures, full of youthful vigor, added a touch of vitality to the campus.

Cao Sheng followed a few of his roommates, walking toward the cafeteria at a leisurely pace.

His roommates chatted as they walked, while Cao Sheng remained silent, a smile on his face, though his mind was still occupied with the setting for *Divine Tomb*.

He vaguely remembered that the protagonist of Chendong’s *Divine Tomb* seemed to have slept in a divine tomb for ten thousand years.

By the time the protagonist walked out of the divine tomb, the world outside had long since undergone sea changes, and the people were no longer the same.

But no matter how hard he tried, Cao Sheng could not recall what kind of world that was.

He could only set out to create a new world himself.

So the question arose—what kind of new world should he set?

An ancient world? Or a future world?

An ancient low-martial arts world? An ancient high-martial arts world? Or perhaps an ancient immortal cultivation world?

A future post-apocalyptic wasteland? A future sci-fi world with dazzling technology? Or a future world where high-martial arts and superpowers are on the rise?

And so on.

On the way to the school cafeteria, he was still thinking about these things in his mind.

Different world settings result in completely different stories, and the distinctions would be immense.

Upon arriving at the school cafeteria, he queued for a meal, and when Cao Sheng carried his tray to a deserted corner to sit down, he finally had a preference in his heart.

—He wanted to write a fictional ancient high-martial arts world.

In this way, there would be some seemingly formidable characters in this world who could serve as the protagonist’s opponents.

Without some decent opponents, this book would just be an invincible-style novel with no suspense.

Aside from posturing and slapping faces, there would be nothing else to write about.

If the power levels between the righteous and evil factions were too far apart, it would significantly diminish the readers' sense of satisfaction while reading the book.

As for this high-martial arts world’s high-martial arts... just how high would it be?

He wanted to set it as an immortal cultivation world.

For example: this new world has many cultivation sects, with the goal of cultivating the Dao to become an immortal, and legends of predecessors ascending to immortality still circulate everywhere in the world.

But no one has become an immortal for ten thousand years.

The people here do not know that the legendary immortals and gods had long since fallen in the great war ten thousand years ago, that the immortal gates for ascension had long been closed, and that the path to immortality... was broken.

Against this world background, many great cultivators remained in the mortal realm; these powerful beings, who should have been able to ascend to immortality, were all lingering in the mortal world because the path to immortality was broken, each of them reflecting on whether their own cultivation had been wrong.

Some great cultivators were still reflecting; some had already exhausted their lifespans in the mortal world, their souls returning to the heavens and earth; others had already switched to the legendary demonic cultivation arts, hoping to head to the Demon Realm to become demons and gain endless lifespan.

Cao Sheng felt that setting it this way had several advantages.

First, it provided the protagonist with a group of decent opponents, which could increase the story’s level of excitement.

Second, such a high-level high-martial arts world could establish one or two or three cultivation systems, such as an immortal cultivation system, a demonic cultivation system, and so on, to increase the book’s appeal to readers.

Third, this immortal cultivation world setting could attract most of the readers of his *I Wish to Become an Immortal*, ensuring no waste.

"Hi! Great talent! Hello! We meet again, are you happy?"

Suddenly, a somewhat familiar voice entered Cao Sheng’s ears, pulling his train of thought back to reality.

Looking up, it was the girl who, when he was signing autographs for everyone at school two days ago, had extended a fair, white arm for him to sign on—Ren Xueyi.

Cao Sheng was a bit surprised.

He remembered that when she left that day, she had whispered to him: she would come to find him again.

He didn't expect her to find him in the cafeteria today.

"Hello!"

Cao Sheng squeezed out a smile and greeted her.

This Ren Xueyi was quite pretty, with skin as white and tender as could be, and eyes that were large and bright; although she wasn't tall, anyone would consider her a beauty.

Seeing Cao Sheng respond, she beamed, revealing two deep dimples, placed her tray in front of Cao Sheng, and sat down opposite him in her red dress.

Her large, watery eyes looked at Cao Sheng curiously, and she asked with a smile: "Hey! Great talent, do you still remember my name?"

Cao Sheng was silent for a few seconds, his gaze subconsciously shifting to her right forearm.

He remembered that when she asked him to sign her arm last time, she had said she guaranteed she wouldn't wash this arm for a month.

But...

At this moment, her right arm was clean and fair, not a single character remaining.

Ren Xueyi was very observant; following Cao Sheng’s gaze, she looked at her own right arm, blinked, and laughed: "Hey! You didn't really think I would go a whole month without washing this arm, did you? Hehe."

Cao Sheng: "Is there something you need?"

Ren Xueyi frowned slightly, tilting her head to look at Cao Sheng sideways, "What? Did you forget? I said it last time, I like you! You thought that sentence was a lie too? No! That sentence was real!"

After saying this, she even raised her eyebrows at Cao Sheng.

Cao Sheng smiled and asked in return: "What do you like about me?"

Ren Xueyi leaned in a bit closer, her eyes smiling as she whispered: "Does that even need asking? You’re so handsome and so talented! Isn't it normal for me to like you? How about it? Consider dating me?"

She was very confident.

She seemed to have no doubt that she could win Cao Sheng over.

And her conditions did indeed look quite good.

Not only was her skin fair and tender, and her appearance pretty, but looking at her attire, she was like a little princess; her family background should be quite good.

The label of "rich, white, and beautiful" was probably tailor-made for a girl like her.

Unfortunately, her flamboyant personality was not the type Cao Sheng liked.

Therefore, he asked: "Can you cook?"

Ren Xueyi was surprised, "Cook? You like girls who can cook?"

Cao Sheng nodded.

Ren Xueyi frowned, "Why? We’re just dating! It’s not like we’re getting married, why do I need to know how to cook? Besides, even if we get married in the future, we can just hire a nanny! My mother doesn't know how to cook either, but precisely because she doesn't, my family can frequently change nannies who can cook various dishes, and we eat even better!"

Cao Sheng: "..."

There’s a nanny at home?

Is she really a "rich, white, and beautiful" girl?

"What are your hobbies?"

He changed the question.

Ren Xueyi chuckled, "There are so many! Reading, surfing the internet, ice skating, dancing, shopping, playing golf, tasting red wine..."

She listed over a dozen in one breath.

After she finished, Cao Sheng, like a heartless interviewer, spoke with a smile but said something very cold: "Then we aren't a good match."

"Why?"

Ren Xueyi was puzzled.

Cao Sheng: "I only like staying home."

Ren Xueyi blinked, seemingly unwilling to give up, "I can take you out to play! If you’re with me, life will be very exciting! Don't you like writing novels? Writing novels requires experiencing life, right? Just consider it me taking you to experience life, isn't that good?"

Cao Sheng shook his head slightly.

The old saying goes: at forty, one has no doubts.

This means that when a person reaches forty, they will no longer feel confused among many choices; they will clearly know what they want and where they should put their time and energy.

And this Ren Xueyi before him, who said she could take him out to play, would only disturb his originally peaceful life and disrupt his rhythm.

It was of no benefit to the writing he wanted to focus on.

Therefore, he did not think she would be his ideal partner.

Around the same time.

Guangzhou.

Huachengchubanshe, in a private room of the cafeteria.

General Manager Xu Zhiwen was eating with several department heads.

They chatted while eating.

Someone said: "The 200,000 additional copies of *Days of Living with a Stewardess* are selling very fast! It’s a pity that the new book by that Zhongyuan Yidianhui isn't of this type anymore, otherwise we could have collaborated once more."

Someone said: "I heard his *I Wish to Become an Immortal* was signed by Changjiang Literature and Art, I wonder how the sales will be."

Suddenly, the head of the finance department asked: "Hey! Manager Xu, look, Zhongyuan Yidianhui’s new book is no longer collaborating with us, should we delay paying his subsequent royalties?"

Once this was asked, the others went quiet, and all eyes turned to Xu Zhiwen.

Xu Zhiwen looked at the head of the finance department and frowned: "No! Do not delay it!"

Head of the finance department: "But, his new book hasn't been signed with us..."

Xu Zhiwen: "So what? Does that mean he won't write other works in the future? You want to delay his royalties just because one book didn't collaborate? If this *I Wish to Become an Immortal* of his still sells very well, then we must definitely strive to solicit manuscripts from him in the future. If this book doesn't sell well, his next book might return to the romance genre, and he will still be someone we need to strive to collaborate with. At a time like this, you want to delay his royalties? What are you thinking? Do you have a brain?"

Head of the finance department: "..."