Chapter 27
Translator: uly
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: The Romance Fantasy Barbarian Writer - 1
I shouted boldly, but it's not about writing a great book.
What is chivalry?
What is righteousness?
This isn't about conducting a profound philosophical inquiry.The essence of the novel I want to write is, ultimately, an entertaining story.However, I don't intend to write just any entertaining story.
I will build the edifice of the story upon the pillar of 'righteousness'. That's why I want to write a fun novel that anyone can call a 'martial arts story'.
Then, what is an entertaining martial arts story?
"Of course, I should start by packing in the clichés."
Martial arts clichés.
Those clichés found in seven out of ten martial arts novels if you opened the first volume at a rental bookstore. Storylines that authors nowadays refrain from using for fear of being criticized because they've been used too often.
If I had written this in reality, I might have been told, "If you're going to write such a clichéd martial arts story, you should just stick to your original genre."
But why clichés? Aren't they used because, while predictable, they are a good way to pique interest? There's a reason why novels starting with clichés sold better than those without them back in the rental bookstore days.
Moreover, I have a reason for having no hesitation in using martial arts clichés.
"Because I'm the first one in this world."I will be the first to use martial arts clichés in this world.
Stories that, although they've now become clichés, were incredibly intriguing to people when they first appeared.
Let's cram a bunch of things that are seen for the first time here.
Let's use clichés starting from the protagonist's setting.
"For a martial arts protagonist, an orphan is still the best."
Protagonist.
Mount Hua Sect's third-generation disciple, Yun-hyeon.
He lost his parents to mountain bandits as a child and was taken in by a Mount Hua Taoist priest.
He learns and masters the Mount Hua sword faster than any of his peers.
While talent is important in mastering the sword, it was because he had one goal above all else.
The path of a righteous warrior.
To go out into the martial world to protect the oppressed common people, hunt down villains, and confront evil demons.
However, when he tells his master he wants to embark on this path, he meets with strong opposition. Deeply disappointed, Yun-hyeon wanders around Mount Hua in contemplation.
During this time, he is suddenly attacked by a demonic person and falls off a cliff.
"Of course, the protagonist starts with a cliff."The cliché where there's a cave in the cliff with a fortuitous encounter inside. A clichéd but interesting start for Volume 1.
The protagonist begins to grow stronger by thoroughly chewing, tearing, tasting, and savoring this fortuitous encounter.
Once the protagonist, having reached his target level, steps into the martial world, he immediately saves a woman being chased by a villain...
Writing this, it feels too clichéd.Well, so what? I'm the first one here, right?
And so, I continued writing "The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior," Volume 1.
"Hello."
A bookstore in a corner of the marketplace in Chilgok County. I went there carrying the martial arts novel I had written.
"Huh? What's a barbarian... Ah! Now I see, you're the famous storyteller who's been making waves lately. What brings you here?"
"By any chance, do you purchase books here?"
"I do. Have you come to sell a book? If it's a story from a foreign land, I'll buy it."
"It's not a story from Joseon. I have a book I wrote this time. It's a very entertaining story, so I came wondering if I could sell it."I handed the book I was holding to the bookstore owner.
"'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior.' Is it a story about martial artists?"
"Yes. I tried writing a story about a Mount Hua Sect Taoist priest."
"Hmm, a story about a Taoist priest. Such things aren't very popular. Don't you have any Joseon storybooks? Those would probably sell better."The bookstore owner looked at the book cover with a lukewarm reaction.
"If you read the contents, you'll find it much more engrossing than a Joseon story."Even though I wrote it, I made it fun and packed with clichés. If you read it, you'll get hooked, I'm sure.
"Every bookseller says that. Have you ever seen a merchant who says the goods they're selling are rubbish?"
"Still, if you read it once, you'll definitely get hooked on my book."
"I have no intention of reading it. If I read every book that comes into this store, I'd be a civil service exam passer, not a bookstore owner. Still, since it's a book written by the famous storyteller lately, I'll buy it."
"Thank you."I had hoped to make the bookstore owner read the book first and do some promotion, but the reaction is less enthusiastic than I thought.
Still, it's fortunate he didn't refuse to purchase it just because it's a barbarian's book. It must be thanks to my reputation rising from doing the storyteller work in Chilgok County.
"The paper is cheap straw paper, the print is blurry, and the quality is poor, making the book look too old. How much should I price it..."The bookstore owner drew a breath, preparing to lowball the price of my book.
I expected this. Even if the content is fun, the book quality is just too poor.
In such a situation, you have to strike first.
"I'll sell it for 1 silver."
"Huh? You'll sell the book for 1 silver? Isn't that too cheap?"The bookstore owner asked back in surprise. That's right. It's enough money to eat three bowls of top-grade hangover soup and have 10 copper left over. Even with the cheapest materials, I wouldn't even recoup the cost.
"Instead, could you purchase it not for sale, but for rental use?"This was the reason I came to sell the book to this bookstore. This place not only sold books but also functioned as a rental bookstore.
"Oh? Is there a reason to sell it for just 1 silver? It's true I was thinking of haggling down a few copper, but I didn't expect you to offer such a low price."
"It's just... I want many people to read my book."With no budget, I could only write one book. Even if someone bought my book because it's fun, it would just end up shelved in someone's study.
What's important to me now is fame.
I need many readers, not one loyal fan. To have many people read one book, selling it to a place that lends books is the right move.
"You must be a born storyteller! Selling a book cheap just to show people a story! Good! I have nothing to lose. I'll buy it for 1 silver!"The bookstore owner readily bought the book.
"Please promote it well."The bookstore owner readily showed his agreement and took the book into the store.
Now, I just have to wait for my book to become famous in Chilgok County.
The first day my book was sold.
My book stood proudly in the rental section of the bookstore.
The third day.
My book was carelessly placed in the rental section of the bookstore.
A week later.
My book was still just sitting there in the rental section of the bookstore.
"Hello."Finally, growing impatient, I visited to ask the bookstore owner.
"Huh? Aren't you the storyteller? What's the matter?"
"I've been passing by and looking, but it seems no one is borrowing my book. I wondered if there was some other reason."I spoke, holding onto the hope that perhaps someone had borrowed and returned it without me seeing.
"Ah! That 'Wind and Cloud' thing? As you said, I put it in a spot where people often borrow from, but no one's taking it. What can I say?"
"Why do you think that is?"
"Stories about martial artists aren't very popular to begin with. In rentals, erotic pictures and lewd novels are mainly popular. And that book you sold... It looks too worn out and the quality isn't good, right? After a few days, I noticed no one even touches your book."
So my book feels like the sci-fi genre in web novels now? Not a popular genre, and on top of that, it looks old, so no one picks my book—is that the situation?
"It's a book so fun that anyone who reads it once will get hooked. If word spreads, people will flock to it in an instant.""Among all the people who say that while selling books, the ones whose books are truly like that can be counted on one hand."
"If you leave it a little longer, it will definitely happen."There just hasn't been enough time yet. Even if it doesn't become a smash hit like a literary novel, word of mouth will surely spread.
"Don't be too disappointed. Occasionally, there are guys who come strutting around thinking the book they wrote will sell for a high price. I chase those guys out personally with a club. You're not that kind of person, are you? I'll leave it there for a few more days, so don't be disappointed."
"Please leave it for as long as possible."I bowed politely and left the bookstore.
"Brother! How have you been?"A traveling merchant carrying bundles of books arrived at the Chilgok County bookstore.
"Oh? You're here. Did you bring many good books this time?"
"I've brought the erotic pictures and lewd novels that are selling well in Wuchang, as you ordered."The traveling merchant unpacked his load, took out a book, and showed the lewd pictures.
"Good. These will sell well."The bookstore owner handed the prepared invoice to the traveling merchant.
"Thank you for always buying from me. I plan to rest a bit and then head straight back to Wuchang. Do you have any books you'd like to sell, by any chance?"
"Hmm... Books to sell."
"Even if they don't sell here, if you have any books that might do well in Wuchang, I'll buy them."
"Such a book for me... Ah! There is one."The bookstore owner handed 'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior', which no one had borrowed for ten days, to the traveling merchant.
"This doesn't seem to be a lewd book."The traveling merchant skimmed the book briefly and made a dubious expression.
"It's a book I bought from a Joseon Taoist priest."
"A Joseon Taoist priest?"
"Yes, a Joseon Taoist priest. A Taoist priest of divine grace and immortal bones urged me to buy the book. Even when he stood still, I could feel a mysterious energy. I wondered if an immortal had come to sell me a book."Although it was a book bought from Kang Yun-ho, the bookstore owner began to embellish the story, thinking the merchant wouldn't buy it if he told the truth.
"Hey. You must be bored lately. That's quite a joke."The traveling merchant laughed and teased back.
"Ahem. I don't know about mysterious energy, but it's true a Joseon Taoist priest sold the book. He said it was about some martial artists or something. Since only lewd novels and erotic pictures are popular in Chilgok County, wouldn't this fetch a decent price if sold in Wuchang?"
"I haven't been in business for just a day or two, but since you put it that way, I'll buy it."
"Good thinking. You won't regret it."The bookstore owner felt good for selling off bad stock cheaply to the merchant.
Kang Yun-ho's 'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior' was sold from the Chilgok County bookstore to a traveling merchant.
The traveling merchant headed for Wuchang, the largest city in Hubei Province.
The book merchant sold 'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior' along with other books to a bookstore in Wuchang.
Even in Wuchang, 'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior' didn't sell well and passed through the hands of several bookstores and merchants.
One day, a merchant briefly skimmed the contents of the bad stock.
And then sold it to another merchant heading northwest in Hubei Province.
And in the northwest of Hubei Province,
There exists the Great Mountain and Guiding Star of the martial world,
The revered Southern Mount Hua,
The Mount Hua Sect.
"Senior Brother Cheong-un, what book are you reading so intently? Let's hurry up and go."Cheong-un's junior complained to him, who hadn't moved from the bookstore for over two hours.
"What in the world is this book..."In the hand of Cheong-un, the third-generation disciple of the Mount Hua Sect, was Kang Yun-ho's 'The Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Righteous Warrior'.