I Became an All-round Artist

The wave of Zhuxian was now unstoppable. By noon, the internet was flooded with discussions:

· "Chu Kuang’s new book is incredible!"

· "So this is what real Xianxia is!"

· "I feel ashamed for doubting Chu Kuang’s abilities. Even though he’s not writing sports anymore, he’s still this amazing!"

· "This story gave me goosebumps."

· "I bought the book this morning and was reading it during class. My teacher confiscated it, and now they’re more engrossed in it than I am. Can I get my book back?"

Though readers had only just started the book, it was enough for them to declare Zhuxian a classic.

How could they not?

Most had never read Xianxia before, and it was just too addictive. Chu Kuang’s fans, in particular, were extremely enthusiastic, posting recommendations everywhere. Seeing the flood of recommendations, even those who initially weren’t interested in the book couldn’t help but feel curious:

· "Is it really that good?"

· "Is it even better than The Prince of Tennis?"

Driven by curiosity, these people flocked to bookstores in the afternoon, eager to see what Zhuxian was all about. But everywhere they went, they got the same answer: “Sorry, we’re sold out. We’re restocking soon, so please check back in a few days.”

Sold out?

That could only mean one thing—the book was selling like crazy! Bookstore clerks delivered this news with a mix of sadness and resignation.

For many readers, the initial urge to read Zhuxian wasn’t that strong. But after hearing that it was sold out everywhere, they were hooked. If it’s selling so well, it must be a must-read, right?

Some even ran to multiple stores, only to find they were all out of stock. Fortunately, kind-hearted netizens offered a tip: "There’s only one bookstore left in all of Qinzhou that has stock—Jingan Bookstore. Hurry up, or you’ll miss out!"

Of course, they wouldn’t actually miss out. Jingan Bookstore had stocked 700,000 copies. Knowing that other stores were sold out, Jingan capitalized on the situation, heavily promoting their remaining stock: “We’ve still got copies! Come to Jingan Bookstore, the only place in Qinzhou where you can still buy Zhuxian!”

Readers rushed to Jingan Bookstore in droves.

Meanwhile, other bookstores were scrambling, desperately urging Silver Blue Publishing to send more copies. Silver Blue’s response: “We’re working around the clock to print more. You’ll have stock in three days at most!”

“...”

Three days? That delay could be disastrous. The golden window for sales was within the first three days, and by the time the other bookstores got their stock, countless readers would have already bought their copies at Jingan.

This hurt. Jingan Bookstore was making a killing. And yet, the other bookstores couldn’t blame them. They had been too conservative in their initial orders. Now that Zhuxian was selling like hotcakes, it was too late for regrets.

Even Silver Blue Publishing hadn’t anticipated such explosive sales for Zhuxian. They had printed a million copies for the first run, yet now it seemed like they’d be gone in no time. Even Jingan Bookstore, which had the largest stock, had already placed an additional order for 300,000 more copies!

Is this really Xianxia?

Can Xianxia even be this popular?

Silver Blue’s chief editor, Lu Bei, was over the moon. Judging by the current trend, Zhuxian’s sales this month were going to be astronomical, far surpassing Chu Kuang’s previous book.

It wasn’t long ago that people had speculated Silver Blue would suffer after the conclusion of The Prince of Tennis. Many doubted whether Chu Kuang could reach the same heights with another sports series.

But look at him now!

Not only did Chu Kuang not continue writing sports novels, but he had also created something even more sensational—a book that was shattering the industry’s expectations and putting smiles on the faces of everyone at Silver Blue Publishing.

Of course, Lu Bei didn’t mind being proven wrong. If he had known Chu Kuang’s next book would be even bigger, his competitors would have hoped The Prince of Tennis would never end.

Now, as the literary world watched Zhuxian’s success unfold, everyone was left dumbfounded.

Sure, the publishing houses hadn’t lost money like the bookstores, but watching Silver Blue Publishing gain a new best-seller—one that was even more popular than The Prince of Tennis—was hard to swallow.

· "How is this even possible?"

· "Can Xianxia really be this popular?"

· "No wonder Silver Blue pushed the marketing so hard. They weren’t just flattering Chu Kuang—they really believed in this book."

· "Who would’ve thought? And we all thought it’d be another flop like The War of Immortals and Demons."

· "Come on, Zhuxian isn’t The War of Immortals and Demons! The tagline said it was redefining the genre!"

· "Didn’t you say the tagline was just hype?"

· "Shut up!"

· "Do you think we jinxed the bookstores? Maybe they were cautious because we said the book wouldn’t be any good."

· "Shh..."

Meanwhile, at Ding Sheng Publishing.

Chief editor Lu Kaiyue slapped his forehead in frustration. "I knew it! I freaking knew it!"

A bomb had dropped, and Lu Bei from Silver Blue had hidden it perfectly. This was killing the competition!

It made sense. Lu Bei was a shrewd man. If Chu Kuang’s new book wasn’t top-tier, there was no way Silver Blue would have allocated such massive marketing resources.

Lu Kaiyue had seen it coming, but it was no use. He couldn’t fathom how Chu Kuang had revived a dead genre like Xianxia!

Xianxia? Seriously?

The last big Xianxia hit, The War of Immortals and Demons, was years ago!

"Chief."

Several editors entered the room, catching sight of Lu Kaiyue’s exasperation. They exchanged glances, confused.

Was this about Chu Kuang?

Seeing Zhuxian’s success must have been hard for Ding Sheng, Silver Blue’s

rival in the industry.

One of the editors cautiously tried to comfort him. "There was nothing we could do. Who could’ve predicted Chu Kuang would break the mold and succeed twice with such an obscure genre?"

"Why are you all just standing there?" Lu Kaiyue glared at the group.

The editors exchanged nervous looks. "What should we do now?" one of them asked hesitantly.

"Follow the trend! Follow the trend!" Lu Kaiyue banged on the table. "Get your authors to start writing Xianxia novels!"

From the moment Chu Kuang burst onto the scene, the market had already begun to shift its direction.

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