Chapter 663: The Same Obsession

Hello everyone, and happy August.

This story in White Paper Immortal City was intentionally designed. Qing Chi and Ning Zhu's contrasting actions in the branch of the River of Oblivion—one choosing to abandon, the other to persevere—are superficially different but, in essence, a resonance of their inherent tenacity.

There is also a significant hidden storyline within this narrative that will be revealed later. This is due to a structural optimization I made midway through the writing process.

As the book has progressed this far, some of my writing intentions have become evident: to tell a story of growth. The growth here is primarily focused on the inner self. Ning Zhu's proactive development, venturing out into the world, and seeking redemption are also reflections of my own life attitude and trajectory.

Sigh... It's been a long time since I've communicated with you all like this. In fact, over the past three or four months, I've had very little communication with my colleagues in the operations team. I'm truly exhausted!

When I started the new book in 2024, I basically wrote all day, often staying up until 3 or 4 AM. My only break each day was around 5 PM, when I'd go for a 30-minute walk to get some sunlight. (There's nothing I can do; I'm just a slow writer. I'm an embarrassment to this industry, I truly apologize! Haha.) At that time, I thought that was already a very demanding lifestyle.

By 2025, I had overturned my previous assumptions. It turned out there was an even more exhausting, busy, and stressful life! During this period, I dedicated myself to gaining social experience, communicating with talented individuals from various industries, and researching and planning solutions to "save the tree." It was like a piece of raw iron being forged in a furnace, struggling to adapt, with both my mind and body in a turbulent state. I've gained some new skills in the areas of business, management, and social interaction.

Some of you might have seen the video on Bilibili related to "The Strongest Restoration of Great Love Immortal Venerable." This video peaked at ninth place across the entire platform and currently has over three million views. This is just a small, visible result of my private efforts.

Sometimes I would be so exhausted I'd collapse into a chair, not wanting to lift a finger. Other times, anxiety would keep me awake all night. Throughout this process, I met all sorts of people and partnered with some like-minded individuals. Of course, I also paid a significant price! (If there's an opportunity, I'll talk about the many interesting things during a live stream.)

I discovered a major flaw in myself: I'm overly optimistic when estimating progress. (However, this optimistic spirit has also helped me navigate through many difficult situations.) Currently, I'm still struggling to adapt, and I can only try my best to maintain updates. Fortunately, as I've gained more skills, my adaptation is improving. For example, I've been able to maintain stable updates recently.

Here, I must be honest: there will still be times when I need to take leave. I accept all criticisms and misunderstandings regarding this. Since I chose to "save the tree," this is something I must bear. Thank you all for your support and corrections!

At present, the situation is slowly improving. Once certain structures stabilize, I will gradually have more time. This is also the general trend currently. There should be an opportunity for catch-up updates in the fourth quarter. (Going forward, I will make commitments carefully to avoid being overly optimistic.)

The second major volume is currently in its middle section. The upcoming content should be more in line with the style of modern web novels. To put it plainly, it should be quite satisfying for readers. Please don't have excessive expectations regarding the update volume! Thank you all for your unwavering support.

Oh, some readers have informed me that there haven't been any merchandise giveaway events for several months. Indeed, I've been too tired and haven't had the energy to organize them. Fortunately, I have my colleagues in the operations team!

In August, we will have two events. One is the previous monthly pass raffle for merchandise, and the second is the Central Continent Gu Refinement Competition. This competition has already been successfully held twice, and this will be its third iteration.

Details are as follows:

The prize for the August monthly pass raffle will be 100 units of the "Feng Jiuge vs. Qin Baisheng Themed Extra-Large Silicone Non-Slip Mouse Pad!"

**Eligibility:**From August 1st to August 10th at 8:00 PM, anyone who directly casts a monthly pass for this book will automatically be entered into the raffle. Please note that only monthly passes cast for this book within this specific time frame are eligible. (Your monthly pass number can be found in the "Monthly Pass Keepsake" in the upper right corner of the monthly pass voting interface.)

**Drawing Method:**On August 10th at 8:30 PM, we will draw the winning monthly pass numbers in the Immortal Craft VIP group and announce them in a separate chapter afterward.

**Redemption Method:**After the drawing results are released, I will publish a separate chapter announcing the winning monthly pass numbers. Winning readers should use their monthly pass stub and a screenshot of their Qidian personal homepage to join the prize redemption group, contact the administrators, and verify their claim. (The event prize redemption group will be announced after the drawing; the link to join the group can be found in the book's description. Click below the description to instantly join the group.)

**Redemption Period:**After the winning monthly pass numbers are drawn on August 10th at 8:30 PM, please join the group and contact the administrators to verify and claim your prize before August 17th at 8:00 PM. Failure to do so will be considered a forfeiture!!!

**Note:** Your monthly pass number can be found in the "Monthly Pass Keepsake" in the upper right corner of the monthly pass voting interface, or under "My Account" -> "Monthly Pass" -> "Monthly Pass Keepsake."

This event is limited to the Qidian platform, and the author reserves the right of final interpretation.