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Having lingered in this field for so long, as the least professional of writers, perhaps I have earned such a title. From "The Way" to "The Gate of the Way," I have essentially returned to my starting point, much like my own life.

Whenever I do not know what to write, I escape. Like an ostrich in the desert, I bury my head in the sand, ignoring everything and turning a blind eye—that is when I have hit a bottleneck. Everyone faces such hurdles, but my choice has always been to leave, to disappear; this is my greatest failing and my greatest immaturity. Because I do not wish to churn out what I consider garbage just to fill space when my state of mind is poor, I believe that a writer should possess a degree of integrity and backbone. Although I am not a professional author, I strive to be one with principles: I will not cheat, I will not deceive, and I will not compromise the interests of my readers by a single cent. I do not want you, on this official platform, to spend your money only to read rubbish; that would be the height of irresponsibility toward you.

From a commercial perspective, consistent updates bring economic value, but how is quality to be defined? I believe only I can gauge that. I am a dull person; I have never known how to pander to my readers, or even my editors. I simply want to tell a story, following the thread wherever it leads. Do these stories have a source? Are they grounded in logic? Is there internal consistency? These are the things I use to measure my work.

Today, a reader wrote: "Look at the click rates, recommendation votes, and fan counts of the top-ranked authors... then look at Count's... how much of this is inflated? Xia Yi’s writing is not fluff, and we are not a paid cheering squad... If you have ever been moved by Old Cha, written by the Count, please support the official version. Respect the author's hard work, register an account, become a VIP, and cast your daily vote for the Golden League! Let the Count be recognized as the Golden Writer he deserves to be!"

I saw this message. To be honest, whether I am a "Golden Writer" or not does not matter. Truly. Your willingness to vote for me is a mark of your trust, and I know many people read pirated versions anyway. What is the essence of the Way? It is nature, a return to simplicity, a return to the origin—to achieve through non-action. If I were to beg for votes every day, I think you would be annoyed, and I would be too; I would simply become a beggar with a bit of literary pretense. I like to think I still have some backbone, though perhaps it is this very stubborn, poverty-stricken pride that has left me in such a strange state, as I have never once asked for votes.

Yet, many have told me that I should not be silent, that I should speak up and tell the readers what I need. I think what I need is not just votes, but to slowly find the self I have lost—the self that was once fearless and held true to its original intentions. I have said before: I am an ordinary person. I have no team to hype me up, no capital to advertise everywhere, and I do not know how to promote myself. I am merely a storyteller. I believe that one's mindset defines them. The Way, by nature, should be about purity of heart and few desires, letting things develop according to their own course.

I insert this note today because I want to say: if you have votes to spare, please consider casting one. I do not want the continuation of "The Way" to leave me feeling this ashamed. Once again, I apologize to everyone; the state I was in recently made me feel disgusted with myself.

Additionally, there are a few reader groups, and I am in them as well. You are welcome to join:
Tian Zheng Daoist Temple: 199984401
There is also a VIP group for VIP users: 309932940
Discussion group for "Past Events of the Daoist Gate": 385380551
I am present in these, and I chat with everyone from time to time. I will set up a WeChat account another day so we can communicate more easily.

Okay, I wish you all a wonderful start to 2015, and may your families be happy, healthy, and safe!

Xia Yi
March 1, 2015, Hangzhou