The Outcast Writer of a Martial Arts Visual Novel

I declared it boldly: writing an extraordinary book wasn’t my intention.

What was ‘Tao’, and what was ‘heroism’?

I was not aiming to profoundly explore these concepts.

The essence of the novel I intended to write was ultimately an entertaining story.

However, my goal wasn’t just to write a fun tale. I planned to build a story upon the pillar of heroism, to write a wuxia novel that everyone could enjoy and genuinely call ‘martial arts fiction.’

So, what made a wuxia novel entertaining?

“Obviously, it’s all about nailing the clichés first,” I mused.

Wuxia clichés.

If you opened a wuxia novel in a rental shop, seven out of ten books would contain these clichés. They were so overused that many authors now avoid them for fear of criticism.

If I were to write this in reality, I’d probably be told,

“If you’re going to write such clichéd martial arts fiction, why not stick to your usual genre?”

But why were clichés used? They’re predictable but they effectively generate interest. Novels starting with clichés sold better than those without during the rental shop era, and there was a reason for that.

And I had no qualms about using wuxia clichés here.

“Because in this world, I’m the first,” I declared.

I would be the first to use wuxia clichés in this world.

Though now clichéd, these storylines initially sparked immense interest.

I shall infuse this book with new and exciting elements.

Let’s start with the clichéd protagonist setting.

“The quintessential wuxia protagonist is always an orphan,” I noted.

The protagonist.

Yunhyeon, a third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect.

He lost his parents to bandits as a child and was taken in by a Wudang Taoist.

Among his peers, he learned and internalized Wudang swordplay faster than anyone.

His talent for the sword was significant, but more importantly, he had a goal.

The path of a righteous hero.

To protect the oppressed commoners, to hunt down villains, and to confront evil sects, he decided to venture into the martial world.

But when he expressed his desire to his master, he faced strong opposition. Disheartened, Yunhyeon wandered Mount Wudang in contemplation.

Suddenly attacked by a member of an evil sect, he fell off a cliff.

“Of course, the protagonist starts his journey from a cliff.”

The cliché of a cave in the cliff with a fortuitous encounter was trite, but it provided an interesting start for the first volume.

The protagonist chewed over and relished the encounter, gradually growing stronger.

Having reached his desired realm, the protagonist saved a woman being chased by villains as soon as he entered the martial world…

As I wrote, I realized how clichéd it was.

But what did it matter? Here, I was the pioneer.

With that thought, I continued writing the first volume of ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes.’

“Hello.”

I went to a bookstore in a corner of the Chilgok County market with the wuxia novel I had written.

“Eh? A foreigner… Ah! Now that I see, you’re that famous storyteller these days. What brings you here?”

“Do you purchase books here, by any chance?”

“We do. Coming to sell a book? If it’s a foreign story, I’ll consider buying it.”

“It’s not a Joseon story. I have a book I recently wrote. It’s a very entertaining story, and I was hoping to sell it.”

I handed over the book I was carrying to the bookstore owner.

“‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’, eh? A story about martial artists?”

“Yes. I’ve written a story about a Taoist from the Wudang Sect.”

“Hmm, a Taoist’s story. Those aren’t very popular. Don’t you have a Joseon storybook? That might sell better.”

The bookstore owner looked at the book cover with a lukewarm response.

“If you read the content, you’ll find it much more engaging than any Joseon story.”

I had written it, but I filled it with clichés to make it interesting. I was sure people would get hooked.

“People who sell books always say that. Have you ever seen a merchant admit their goods are inferior?”

“Still, if you read it, you’ll definitely be captivated by my book.”

“I don’t plan to read it. If I read every book that comes into this store, I’d be a successful civil service examinee, not a bookstore owner. But since it’s written by the famous storyteller these days, I’ll buy it.”

“Thank you.”

I had wanted the bookstore owner to read and promote my book, but his reaction was less enthusiastic than I had expected.

Still, it was fortunate he didn’t refuse to buy it just because it was a foreigner’s book. My reputation in Chilgok County from my storytelling must have helped.

“The paper is weed paper, the ink is blurry, and the quality isn’t good, so the book looks too old. How much should I price it at…”

The bookstore owner was setting the stage to haggle down the price of my book.

I had expected this. The content might be interesting, but the quality of the book was poor.

In such cases, it’s best to make the first move.

“I’ll sell it for 1 silver.”

“Eh? You’re selling the book for 1 silver? Isn’t that too cheap?”

The bookstore owner was surprised. Right, that was enough for three bowls of premium hangover soup with 10 coppers to spare. Even with cheap materials, that didn’t cover the cost.

“Could you buy it not for sale but for rental instead?”

This was my reason for coming to the bookstore. This store didn’t just sell books; it also acted as a rental bookstore (貰冊店).

“Huh, why sell it for just 1 silver? I was planning to haggle down a few coppers, but I didn’t expect such a low price.”

“I just want as many people as possible to read my book.”

I couldn’t afford to write more than one book due to budget constraints. Even if someone bought it thinking it was interesting, it would just end up on someone’s shelf.

What was important to me now was fame.

I needed a wider readership, not just one loyal reader. If I wanted many people to read one book, it was right to sell it to a place that rents books out.

“You truly have the nature of a storyteller! Selling your book cheap just so people can hear your story! Alright! I’ll buy it for 1 silver since I’ve got nothing to lose!”

The bookstore owner happily agreed to buy my book.

“Please do promote it well.”

The owner nodded cheerfully and took the book into the store.

Now, I just had to wait for my book to become famous in Chilgok County.

The first day my book was on sale.

In the bookstore’s rental section, my book was prominently displayed.

The third day.

In the rental section, my book was casually placed.

One week later.

My book was still just sitting in the rental section.

“Hello.”

Eventually, feeling anxious, I visited the bookstore owner to inquire.

“Eh? Isn’t that the storyteller? What brings you here?”

“I’ve been observing, and it seems like no one is renting my book. Is there a specific reason for that?”

I hoped someone might have borrowed and returned it while I wasn’t looking.

“Ah! That ‘Wind and Cloud’ something? I’ve put it where people often rent books from, but no one seems interested.”

“Why is that?”

“Stories about martial artists aren’t very popular to begin with. In the rental section, erotic novels and racy stories are more in demand. Plus, your book looks too old, and the quality isn’t great. I’ve noticed no one even touches it.”

Was my book like a web novel in the SF genre right now? Not a popular genre, and it looked too old for anyone to pick it up?

“It’s an incredibly entertaining book. Once word gets out, people will flock to it.”

“People often say that when selling a book, but very few of those books are actually as good as they claim.”

“Just give it a little more time, and you’ll see.”

It was just a matter of time. Like an author’s work, it might not boom overnight, but it would surely spread by word of mouth.

“Don’t be too disappointed. Sometimes, folks swagger in here, thinking their book will fetch a high price. I chase those types out with a stick. You’re not like them, are you? I’ll keep it on display for a few more days, so don’t lose heart.”

“Please keep it as long as possible.”

I thanked him politely and left the bookstore.

“Brother! Good to see you!”

A peddler, his arms full of books, arrived at the Chilgok County bookstore.

“Ah, you’re here. Did you bring some good books this time?”

“I’ve brought the erotic novels and risqué tales you ordered, popular in Wuhan.”

The peddler unpacked his bundle and displayed books with racy illustrations.

“Good, these will sell like hotcakes.”

The bookstore owner handed a ledger to the peddler.

“Thanks for always buying from me. I’m planning to head straight back to Wuhan after a short rest. Do you have any books to sell?”

“Hmm… Books to sell…”

“If you have something that might not sell here but could be popular in Wuhan, I’ll buy it.”

“I do have one… Ah, here it is.”

The bookstore owner retrieved ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’, which had not been rented out for ten days.

“This doesn’t seem to be an erotic book.”

The peddler flipped through the book, his expression cooling.

“I acquired it from a Joseon Taoist.”

“A Joseon Taoist?”

“Yes, a Taoist from the Wind and Peach Valley came to sell this book to me. He exuded a mysterious energy, almost as if a celestial being were selling me the tome.”

The bookstore owner, who had purchased the book from Kang Yun-ho, started to elaborate on the story, suspecting the peddler wouldn’t buy it otherwise.

“Ah, you must be really bored these days. Your stories are improving.”

The peddler chuckled and ribbed him.

“Cough. I don’t know about mysterious energy, but it’s true a Joseon Taoist sold me this book. He said it’s a story about martial artists. Since erotic novels and risqué tales are the only things popular in Chilgok County, I thought I could sell it for a good price in Wuhan.”

“I’ve been in business for years, and if you say so, I’ll buy it.”

“You’ve made a good decision. You won’t regret it.”

The bookstore owner felt pleased, having sold off the unsellable stock cheaply.

Kang Yun-ho’s ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’ was sold from a bookstore in Chilgok County to a peddler.

The peddler headed to Wuhan, the largest city in Hubei Province.

In Wuhan, the peddler sold ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’ along with other books.

However, ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’ did not sell well in Wuhan and passed through the hands of several bookstores and merchants.

One day, a merchant briefly skimmed through the unsold stock.

He then sold it to a merchant heading northwest in Hubei Province.

And in the northwest of Hubei Province…

Resides the Wudang Sect, known as the North Star of Mount Tai and the Revered Wudang of the South.

“Senior Brother Cheongun, what book are you so engrossed in? We should get going.”

Cheongun’s junior complained, as Cheongun had been motionless in the bookstore for over an hour.

“This book is really…”

In Cheongun’s hands, the third-generation disciple of the Wudang Sect, was Kang Yun-ho’s ‘The Tale of the Martial Heroes’.