Never Unfurrowed My Brow—The Final Author's Note Before Completion
I should have talked with everyone about this long ago.
But before a stretch of plot was fully written, saying too little would have been meaningless, while saying too much would have meant spoilers.
Now that part of the plot has reached a provisional completion, with the combat side more or less written out, the important foreshadowing yet to be resolved is all a matter of wrapping things up...
I feel that it is time to talk.
I want to talk with everyone about my writing during this period, whether from the perspective of readers in all walks of life, or friends who write as well.
We might as well discuss together what would have been the better way to handle it.
The intensity of public sentiment during this time has been plain for all to see.
Regardless of whatever considerations lay behind it, some readers' feelings were genuinely hurt, and the author truly needs to bear responsibility for that.
Those saddened by Jiang Shu's death are also people who sincerely love this book.
I must earnestly say sorry to everyone.
Now, let us talk about writing.
Looking back, Jiang Shu's death was a plot point decided when I first began this book. Now that the story has developed to this point, I believe everyone can agree on that.
Jiang Wuliang himself, along with every person who appeared alongside him—Qiu Ji, Song Yao, Guan Dongchan...—had all been foreshadowed repeatedly before.
He was not a character who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
At this point in the entire book, there are only a handful who chant "Amitabha." Hanging Temple speaks of Shakya. Mount Sumeru speaks of Maitreya. Moon-Washing Nunnery speaks of Dipankara. The Demon Realm has Demon Master Tathagata and Light