About the Novel
Path. The concept of path is ironically arbitrary [1]. There is no fixed reason or rhyme. It is a notion, an ideal, a dream and a journey. In Chinese culture, the idea of path or "Dao" is the underlying truth pertaining the fundamental rules and workings of existence, of nature. Therefore, understanding path is in truth knowledge and understanding of the world around you. All forms of existence, living or otherwise come under path. The idea behind discovering and understanding path in Buddhism [2] is to reach enlightenment, Nirvana. This can be understood as rebirth, much like the mythological fire bird the Phoenix [3]. The Phoenix burns away its body, reducing it to ash, shedding away what it once was to experience new life.
Path can be achieved in an impossible to calculate manner of ways and in truth all people follow this concept unknowingly or otherwise. Each person has their own path and even if the structure is similar there are none truly the same. In simplistic terms, this can be considered the life's journey as well as the experiences and memories that have come with it. Through research I have come to understand that Buddhism takes the approach of detachment from secular thoughts and emotions, this is achieved usually through regular, isolated meditation. The form of meditation I have become aware of is practised through becoming aware of internal circumstances such as emotions and thoughts followed by external circumstances like sensory information. There is a large significance behind balance in Buddhism, the body must be relaxed yet have power and rigidity in the spine. Through achieving balance between these contrasts, you prevent these negative emotions and feelings you have from influencing you, you are able to ignore or abstain from their effects. Mental state is stressed upon as it allows you to calmly perceive the world around you, to follow Dao.
A more secular, or mortal example would be me, the author. My path is currently that of writing, the hope of furthering my understanding of the world around me through literary application of fantasy, of creation. However, it is important to know that path, much like in life, is subject to change. A loss of interest, cataclysmic events etc can lead to a change of mental state, of perceived understanding of the world in which we live in such as Love or Betrayal. Path is not fixed, I will reiterate, it is arbitrary [4].
Having expounded my understanding of path, this now leads me to the first word of the title of my novel "Pathless". The idea of being pathless is contradictory, a theoretical and actual impossibility. Being without a path is in essence the act of not existing in any form of manner. To clearly express this contradiction is the reasoning behind my preferred usage of the word in English terms rather than Dao. Path(s) as a literary meaning expresses the concept of a journey clearly to the reader. The reasoning behind my thus choosing to create a contradiction was to then link it to the pre-existing contradiction of the second word of my title, "Immortal".
The meaning of Immortality is a state of imperishable existence. It can also be considered a severing of what makes us mortal or even human. Humanity biologically exists for the sole purpose of reproduction. The purpose of reproduction is for the survival and continuity of our race. Nature can be seen as thus dictating individuality as redundant and unnecessary. Logically that means that we as an individual are meaningless. Therefore, life itself is meaningless [5]. Returning to my original statement, it can thus be understood that Immortality is in actuality a form of defiance against Dao, against fate, against the heavens. An Immortal is an existence above the natural order of creation, free from its rules. The flourishing of individuality in a world of conformity. In truth, it is a form of selfishness, the desire to remain alive born from a self-aware intellectual understanding of our inevitable demise. The Immortality genre is unique in that sense as it is an indulgence of desires beyond what normal fantasy is capable of.
Why then is being Immortal contradictory?
The reason behind it is simple. An entity existing outside of life, in truth is one without life. This is also one of the potential biggest faults in the Chinese Immortal Genre of writing. Due to the fact that the work is contradictory, how can we express a suitable ending that satisfies the masses of readers, whilst giving a sense of fulfilment. The answer is simply, we cannot. Through personal reading experiences, it can be seen that writers only really have one option. Continuity. Cultivation, which is the term used to express cumulative Nirvana until Immortality is obtained, is prolonged. It is conceivably impossible to escape the confines of life, resulting in path being never ending and thus logically Immortality is forever out of reach, even within the realms of our imagination. There is deep philosophical meaning behind this understanding. To be simply put into an English expression "It is the journey, not the destination". This holds true to all forms of novels.
Pathless Immortal. Having explained the individual and connected implied meaning of the novel's namesake, I shall now expand upon its intended purpose. As briefly mentioned, in my example of my personal path, I use writing as a device to express, interpret and find meaning in life. Pathless Immortal is therefore one of these many possible expressions. The shallower understanding of the title gives a foreshadowed representation of the path of the protagonist, Yin (Special spoiler, for people who read this prior to cannon). The meaning of Pathless in this instance thus is a symbolic expression for the confusion and changes in life, that people experience.
The Chinese Immortality Genre is bittersweet and the purpose of this novel is to forever linger in the hearts of the readers, in hope of aiding them in reaching Nirvana.
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[1] Arbitrary - The intended meaning behind this particular usage of the word was that it is random and based off personal whims.
[2] Buddhism - This was used as an example as Buddhism along with Taoism, are dominant in the scene of the Chinese Immortal Genre.
[3] Phoenix - A mythological bird found in both Western and Eastern cultures. The bird is known for being enveloped in flames and undergoing rebirth. An example can be seen from the film series of Harry Potter, with searchable clips on YouTube for Phoenix Rebirth.
[4] Arbitrary - Second form of its meaning, being unrestrained as it fit slightly better.
[5] Life is meaningless - If you are interested, I recommend looking at the works of Samuel Beckett, a playwright who was profoundly interested in this topic. Particularly one of his plays, "Waiting for Godot", will really help develop this understanding.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
BloodDemon
BloodDemon This was really fun to write and I may do something similar in the future as the story progresses.
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