The Road Less Traveled

[Opening in 2027]

The cultivation world was in decline, and spiritual energy grew increasingly scarce.

No one in the entire cultivation world could ascend anymore. Most cultivators found it difficult to advance their realms, and ordinary people could hardly ever embark on the path of cultivation.

Just as the major sects fretted over the next generation of cultivators, the two genius sword cultivators Xie Huaixue and Yu Liuguang burst onto the scene.

They were heaven's favored children, the pride of the cultivation world and the focus of everyone's attention.

But one day, a voice appeared in Xie Huaixue's mind.

The voice claimed to be a screenwriter. After a celebrity with industry connections brought their own writing team onto a production and clashed with the screenwriter over forcibly changing the script, the screenwriter died in bitterness and was granted the chance to enter the world of the show as a voice.

The screenwriter told Xie Huaixue that his world was nothing more than a xianxia drama.

The leads were him and his senior brother, Yu Liuguang. Together, they would travel across the cultivation world, find the source of the dwindling spiritual energy, and solve the problem that had plagued the entire realm.

But an industry-connected celebrity had parachuted into the production and added scenes for their character, Sang Yu, taking many of Xie Huaixue's shining moments and bonds with others and giving them to Sang Yu instead.

The original pair of sword cultivators had been meant to explore the world together. But the celebrity's involvement distorted the story until Yu Liuguang and Sang Yu became confidants, and Sang Yu was the one who saved the cultivation world alongside Yu Liuguang.

Xie Huaixue became little more than a background character, and was even forced to break with Yu Liuguang.

Xie Huaixue couldn't bear to see this happen, so he followed the screenwriter's guidance and stopped it all from coming to pass.

Yu Liuguang also sensed the force trying to forcibly alter his perception, and fought back with all his might for his junior brother.

In the end, Xie Huaixue and Yu Liuguang found a way to sever the connection between the cultivation world and the real world once and for all.

They were no longer controlled by the celebrity's script changes. At last, they understood their own feelings and became cultivation partners, joining hands to save the cultivation world.

Reader's guide:

Mutual first loves, childhood friends who were forced apart, senior and junior brothers

The author's idea came from having scripts changed through outside interference at work, so there's a lot of resentment

A spirited young sword cultivator top x an ethereal, beautiful sword cultivator bottom

Cover art credits (non-exclusive license):

Character art: Muhange - Culi (left), Shuimo Danqing - Qishier Yin (right)

Lighting: Mantingfang - Xiyu Zheng Yuming

Typography: Zhi Tao, Source Han Serif

Theme: Take charge of your own life.