Weeks ago.
After receiving the manuscript for "dragonfall: i am the dragon king," Shopkeeper Sun couldn't wait. He lit his oil lamp and meticulously flipped through the pages in the dead of night.
As the plot advanced, he sometimes held his breath in concentration, sometimes sighed softly with admiration. When he read the scene where Mr. Zhongli appeared during a crisis and calmly declared, "The three-year period is up, welcome back, Dragon King," he couldn't help but slam the table in applause: "Excellent! The concept is bizarre, the twist is brilliant, and the characters leap off the page! Especially this identity reveal—it truly shakes the heavens and possesses magnificent momentum!"
However, as he read the latter half of the story, where Zhongli recounted the past of Azhdaha, detailing how the Dragon King's erode was accelerated by excessive mortal mining, leading to him losing control and ultimately being sealed by Rex Lapis, Shopkeeper Sun's excitement gradually subsided, turning into a long sigh.
He rubbed the pages and muttered to himself, "This Azhdaha, wasn't he the ancient Geo Dragon Rex Lapis once brought to life and gave wisdom using the power of 'Dragon Creation Eye-Opening'? This narrative in the book... although fictional, the reasons and the ending, when you think about them closely, are incredibly tragic and truly moving."
Carrying these complex emotions, Shopkeeper Sun immediately arranged for publication, wholeheartedly hoping this extraordinary book would stir up a storm in Liyue Harbor, just like Mr. Lovia's previous unofficial history and anecdotes.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.
"dragonfall: i am the dragon king" was placed on Sanyu Bookstore's new shelf, but few people inquired about it. The pen name "Fictional Historian" was still unfamiliar to most Liyue readers. After several days, sales were worrying.
Shopkeeper Sun looked at the stack of new books on the shelf that hadn't changed much, and he felt incredibly anxious! It was like a pearl covered in dust or a treasured blade hidden in its sheath; he desperately wanted to recommend it to everyone he met.
And so, Shopkeeper Sun began his "secret" promotion.
To his regular customers who came to buy books, especially those tea drinkers who loved gossip and stories, he began to "casually" mention: "There's a new book recently, called 'dragonfall.' It's written with quite a fresh perspective, and it even incorporates several of our important Liyue figures. The plot, I tell you, is full of twists and turns and completely unexpected..."
When people were chatting, he would also "happen" to join the discussion: "Speaking of which, did you all know? There's a book that actually says that Mr. Zhongli, the knowledgeable gentleman from WangSheng Funeral Parlor, actually holds an earth-shattering secret..."
He also deliberately moved "dragonfall" to the most conspicuous position in the Bookshop and attached a small note he had personally written: "A unique book for all to enjoy. Uncovering Liyue's sealed secrets. Not to be missed."
Hard work pays off.
Thanks to Shopkeeper Sun's tireless "Amway," some curious readers finally bought it and took it home.
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One day, a young Shop Assistant from the Feiyun Commerce Guild, who often came to Sanyu Bookstore to browse, was accidentally drawn in by the imposing title of a book. He bought a copy with the mentality of just taking a look.
After returning, he intended it merely as a distraction, but he was immediately captivated by the dramatic, constantly twisting plot. The identity reversal and the climax of "welcome back, Dragon King" made him slam the table in appreciation, and he couldn't resist sharing it with fellow enthusiasts in the Guild.
"You guys have to check this out! It's so interesting! Much more exciting than other stories!" he excitedly promoted it.
Thus, word spread from one to ten, and ten to a hundred, and "dragonfall" began to circulate within the Feiyun Commerce Guild.
Gradually, "dragonfall: i am the dragon king" quietly became popular among a segment of readers in Liyue Harbor.
Over tea and meals, small discussions could always be heard.
By the docks, two sailors were talking while tidying their fishing nets.
Sailor A, while sorting the ropes, said to his companion, "Hey, did you read that 'dragonfall'? That The Wicked Dragon Andrius, impersonating Mr. Zhongli—that part was really insidious! If Conqueror of Demons hadn't been vigilant, the consequences would have been unthinkable!"
Sailor B wiped his sweat and replied, "I read it, I read it! But my favorite part was when Big Sis Beidou swung her greatsword at The Wicked Dragon. It was so thrilling! And Director Hu's line about the overdue wages—that cracked me up!"
Meanwhile, near another pile of cargo, the focus of discussion among a few older workers was different.
Old Zhang took a puff from his pipe and slowly said, "The part in the book that really made me feel uneasy was about that Azhdaha. He was originally a hero protecting Liyue, but because we mortals mined without restraint, he was forced to lose his mind... and was finally sealed by the very Rex Lapis he served. Alas, that ending, thinking about it, makes him seem quite pathetic."
Master Li next to him nodded in agreement: "Yes, even though it's just a story, the concept of 'erode' sounds heavy on the heart. He protected The Chasm, yet suffered pain and descended into madness because of the very thing he guarded... There's a certain truth to that helplessness."
At the entrance of Wanmin Restaurant, diners waiting for their food were chatting with friends.
Diner A: "You know, the book says Mr. Zhongli is the Geo Dragon King, and talks about 'The three-year period is up.' Even though we know it's fake, it sounds so magnificent!"
Diner B laughed: "It is magnificent!! But I paid more attention to the part where Mr. Zhongli explained Azhdaha's past later on. Although there's a distinction between Adepti and mortals, are we mortals sometimes too reliant on the protection of the Adepti and lack respect for nature and the contract? The book managed to touch on that point through this fictional story."
Diner A: "Ah, that's true..."
Diner B: "Speaking of magnificence, I think, at that moment, Mr. Zhongli's face must have shown three parts disdain, three parts..."
Diner A shoveled rice into his mouth and vaguely finished the sentence: "Three parts disdain, three parts cold indifference, and four parts casualness, right—?"
Before he could finish, the Wanmin Restaurant suddenly fell silent.
Someone was standing at the entrance, who had appeared unnoticed. Zhongli-colored pupils swept over the room, and the previously noisy hall instantly became quiet enough to hear a pin drop... Inside a teahouse at Chihu Rock, several young scholars were discussing the book more deeply.
Scholar A: "What is particularly valuable about this book is that, under the guise of fiction, it vindicates Azhdaha, revealing the difficulties and the pain of erode that led to his sealing. Though not historical fact, it carries a strong allegorical flavor and is deeply thought-provoking."
Scholar B nodded: "Precisely. The word 'erode' encapsulates the tragedy of Changsheng species struggling against time. Rex Lapis personally sealing an old friend—the helplessness and pain involved probably far exceed our imagination. The ability of this book to provoke readers to contemplate such themes is already commendable."
After work, several young employees from the General Affairs Department gathered, laughing and chatting.
"Ningguang and Keqing's commanding presence and fighting prowess in the book were so cool!"
"Yeah, yeah!"
"I wonder what their real expressions would be if they saw this book?"
These discussions were often accompanied by enthusiastic chatter about the plot, as well as deep sympathy and reflection on Azhdaha's fate.
Readers clearly knew it was a fictional story, but this did not prevent them from finding enjoyment and prompting some reflection on history, legends, and even reality.
They were also keen to discuss which character was most vividly portrayed, which battle scene was the most exciting, and which line was the most memorable ("Jie Jie Jie" and "welcome back, Dragon King" were undoubtedly high vote winners).
With its intense tension and slight sense of humor, "dragonfall" won a group of loyal fans in small circles.
Storytellers even began trying to adapt exciting excerpts from the book into storytelling performances at the docks or tea stalls. Whenever they mentioned "The Wicked Dragon giving a Jie Jie Jie laugh" or "Mr. Zhongli calmly stating, 'This is the way of Heaven,'" it always drew knowing laughter or applause from the audience.
And when the story reached the point of Azhdaha losing control due to erode and Rex Lapis sealing him with pain, many audience members also showed signs of regret and sighed softly.
Shopkeeper Sun of Sanyu Bookstore, watching the sales of "dragonfall" go from deserted to having steady demand, even requiring a small reprint, smiled contentedly.
All these discussions and the quietly emerging trend naturally drifted into the ears of certain involved parties over time.
[Bonus Update Progress: 10%]
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