Zenku

"The Good Nine" is a long philosophical novel about human nature, morality and growth. The protagonist Lu Li accidentally obtains a Guangxu Tongbao, which activates the power of "goodness" - a mysterious ability that can sense and respond to the good thoughts of the world. As his power awakens, he learns that there are nine steps in the practice of "goodness", and each step is a profound inquiry into human nature. From the first encounter at the ancient port of Huangpu in Guangzhou, to the experience of life and death in Liangshan, Sichuan; from the salvation of the obsession in the Mohe ice house, to the exploration of the source of rules in the Shanghai underground; from the loneliness and suspicion after becoming a "god", to the letting go and inheritance after completing the nine steps - Lu Li has gone through a complete arc of doubt, loss, awakening, and reconciliation. This book draws on Confucian benevolence, Taoist inaction, Buddhist compassion, and the modern philosophies of Nietzsche, Foucault, and Sartre to conduct a multi-faceted critique and reconstruction of "goodness." The final reveal: "Goodness" is not a superpower, but a way of being - you don't need to have power to do good, you just need to be good. The whole book has about 1.41 Million words, nine volumes and nine steps, one step at a time.