Shen Yan was an outer-sect servant of the Qingxiao Sect, at the third level of Qi Refining. He had spent five years sweeping the attic.
In a pile of discarded books, he found an old volume. Four words were pressed into its cover: Keep the Title Short.
Write down someone's name, and the Book of Heaven will automatically fill in that person's fate: title, synopsis, and memorable lines, all included. He helped his timid roommate finally tell an inner-sect disciple, "Get out of my way." He helped a servant who chopped wood set foot on the sword path. He helped the dining hall manager make dishes famous far and wide.
He laid out the steps to ascension for everyone, then sat in the attic, watching dust settle on row after row of empty chairs.
He had written many people's lives. He had written them well.
Only his own page remained forever blank.
Sitting in the attic, watching dust settle on row after row of empty chairs, he finally understood:
There was only one thing he could do in this life: write the best possible fate for others, then personally send them on their way.
This is the story of a writer of fates. He wrote many people's lives, and wrote them well. He simply left himself out.
