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Heads Up (=`ω´=)

Welcome! If this is your first time reading one of my uploads, just a heads-up—I'm only the translator ヾ( `ー´)シφ__

English isn’t my native language, so I apologize in advance if you come across the occasional grammar mistake, odd wording choice, or awkward phrasing. I do my best to keep the translation smooth and natural, but I’m still learning and improving with every project (´･ᴗ･`)

A Note on Titles Blurbs and Chapters

If you've already read a few of my projects, you might have noticed that I often use my own 'adopted' English title rather than a direct translation. There's a lot of thought behind this! Often, a direct title can be too generic, overly long, or just not capture the story's soul.

My goal is always to grab your attention with a title that's catchy, readable, and reflects the story's heart. And this philosophy doesn't stop there! I also write my own versions of the story blurb and chapter titles. If an original chapter title feels uninteresting or doesn't capture the chapter's essence, I'll craft one that does.

But don't worry—I'm always transparent about this. For the main title, I always include the original English title (the one you'd find on NU or other sites) right under my blurb with a note like: "Title adapted for tone and readability while preserving the story’s core themes." So if you're curious, it's just a quick scroll away.

As for the original Chinese title and author, you can find that listed on my Patreon, which is linked in my Carrd.

On My Translation Style & Notes

Like my other projects, this translation isn't word-for-word. I take creative liberties where needed—expanding scenes, drawing out subtext, and interpreting tone or context rather than always sticking to the literal meaning. My goal is to make the story flow smoothly in English and capture the emotions of the original.

Let me be perfectly clear: this means my translation is a subjective interpretation, not a 100% identical copy of the original. The way I expand scenes, interpret subtext, or convey tone might differ from the author's original intention because it's filtered through my own perspective.

And sometimes, I take it a step further. This can include:

• Writing and inserting entirely new, original chapters or extra scenes that don't exist in the source material.

• Changing a side character's gender.

• Interpreting a platonic relationship as having romantic potential and steering their interactions to have that nuance—or even developing it into a full-blown subplot.

In short: anything can happen. I see translation as a creative collaboration with the original text. While I will never change the main plot or the core heart of the story, the journey there will be uniquely shaped by my choices. So yes, it's fair to call it 'faithful' to the spirit of the story, but always remember it's the story as seen through my lens. Or, to put it another way: the main journey is the author's, but the color commentary, the scenic detours, and the lens through which you see the characters' relationships are mine.

Translation is an evolving craft. Each novel and chapter teaches me something new. You might notice my translation style shift and refine over time—not just from one completed project to the next, but sometimes even within a single novel.

Let's say a novel has 800 chapters. The early chapters might feel a bit rougher, as they were my first steps in translating it. Then, by chapter 200 or 300, I might have developed a new preference for handling dialogue. By chapter 500, I might refine how I convey internal monologues and the general narrative style. Since I'm usually juggling multiple projects, a stylistic refinement that happens in one novel can also immediately influence a new project I start, making the newer one feel more polished from the get-go.

However, even as the surface-level style evolves, the core of my translation philosophy remains constant. If you read a few of my different projects, you'll probably start to recognize my distinctive 'voice' and approach underneath it all. The heart of how I interpret and connect with a story is the one thing that doesn't change.

You’ll also see translator notes sprinkled here and there—usually for cultural context, terminology, or background info. Sometimes, I also make deliberate changes in the translation. This might be something small, like using a different English term, or it might be larger, such as rewriting a sentence or even adjusting the meaning of an entire paragraph if I feel it reads more naturally in English. When that happens, I'll usually include what the author originally wrote and explain my choice.

For readers who know my style, you've probably also noticed that I like giving nicknames to contracted companions or pets (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧. I usually do this when the author only refers to a pet by its species name. Whenever that happens, I'll add a footnote explaining the original wording and the nickname I chose.

These "translator notes" usually appear right within the chapter text, marked with a clear divider (===) so they're easy to spot. I'm just so used to this system, and I find it's much clearer for readers, especially when the notes get long. Sometimes I might also use AO3's 'Notes' section for extra comments, but the main footnotes with cultural explanations or translation choices will almost always be in the chapter body with my trusty divider.

A Peek Into My (Chaotic) Process

As for my general workflow... it might be a bit unconventional, but it works for me. I'll be the first to admit that for casual reading, I usually rely on a Google Translate browser extension.

Yeah, that one. We all know how cursed it can be (ಥ﹏ಥ)

For translation, my process is a little more involved. I always have two browser tabs open for the same chapter: one with the original text and another with a machine translation. When I hit a wall or need a second perspective on a tricky sentence, I peek at the auto-translation to compare.

To keep myself consistent, I use a simple notepad to jot down terms, names, or specific phrases I've translated. I have to confess, my system isn't perfect. Sometimes I delete an entry thinking a word was a one-time use, only to find it becomes important chapters later. The worst is when I simply not write it down at all.

This is especially true when I return to a novel after working on others, as I usually juggle multiple projects at the same time, which can get chaotic. In those cases, it's hard to remember the exact word I used, and I often end up making a new choice, which leads to inconsistencies. Of course, sometimes I just suddenly want to change a term I already used. For that, I sincerely apologize.

On the Tricky Subject of Names

I also have a specific weakness I want to confess: figuring out names that aren't standard Chinese ones. Whenever a character has a Western name, or one from another Asian country like Japan or Korea, I tend to struggle.

The original text writes these names in Chinese characters, and localizing them back to their "original" language is... tricky, to say the least. I even double-check with AI tools sometimes, and they often give me different suggestions!

A perfect example is from the novel 'My VR Games Terrify the World': I initially translated the character 杰明·沃克 (Jié Míng · Wò Kè) as something like "Jemin Walker." But after digging deeper, I realized the intended name was "Benjamin Walker," since the Chinese characters are a phonetic representation.

It gets even trickier when the author doesn't specify a nationality. For instance, in 'Reborn as the Fallen Idol, I Leaned Into the Chaos!', there's a character named 利贵勋 (Lì Guìxūn). Is he Japanese? Korean? I ended up with a few variations like Li Guixun, Lee Gwi-hoon, and others because there was no clear answer.

So, if you notice some inconsistency or a name that feels a bit off for a non-Chinese character, that's the main reason! (Well, that, and my sometimes-forgetful notepad system). I'm always working to improve this, but it will probably remain one of my weak points. Thanks for your understanding! (＞﹏＜)

A Quick Note on Posting Schedules & Offline Reading

I originally thought AO3 had a scheduled publishing feature like Webnovel… turns out it doesn’t (╯▽╰ )

So, my update rhythm here will be a bit different. On Webnovel, I can stockpile chapters and set a regular timer. Here, since I'm juggling multiple active projects, my AO3 updates might be more chaotic. Sometimes I might do a “chapter dump” with a lot of updates at once, then go quiet for a few days or maybe more than a week before dropping another batch. (´･ω･) It really depends on which project I'm hyper-focused on at the moment. I hope you’ll understand!

Also, for those who prefer offline reading, I upload the completed translations for each novel on Gdrive and Terabox. You can find the links on my Carrd.

And for a super detailed, behind-the-scenes look at all my projects, you can check out my public Notion page! It's my personal hub where I keep a full catalog of everything I'm translating, complete with summaries and—of course—my own rambling opinions and notes on each one. Consider it the ultimate, constantly-updated guide to my translation world!
➡️ Reiya's Translation Catalog

Let's Chat on Discord! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

Oh, and before I forget, I recently made a Discord server! It's still a bit of a ghost town right now, but I wanted to create a cozy corner where readers and fans of my work can hang out.

Since my hobbies are split between translating and making character bots on C.ai, this server is the "home" where both of those worlds come together. It's a shared space for us all to interact, chat about the novels, share memes, or just talk about random stuff. It's also the perfect place to connect with other readers since my projects are spread across different platforms.

I'd love to see you there! You can join the server using the link below:
➡️ https://discord.gg/75sprU6DdD

My Handbooks - Your Reading Companions! (´･ᴗ･`)

To help everyone (and myself!) navigate the often complex worlds of these novels, I've put together a series of handbooks. They started as my private glossaries, but I've officially published them on Webnovel so they're easy to find and reference. Think of them as your personal cheat sheets for cultivation terms, historical titles, and webnovel slang. I keep them updated as I go!

A quick note on access: I've just finished migrating The Xianxia Handbook here to AO3! My plan is to eventually move all the handbooks over. For now, the others remain on my Webnovel account, but AO3 will be my main site for all new projects and completed works, including these resources.

✨ New & Improved on AO3! ✨

The Xianxia Handbook: A Guide to Cultivation and Beyond

This is your go-to guide for all things Cultivation. Entries cover key concepts like world hierarchy, the Heavenly Dao, the evolution of cultivation systems, the Dao, Laws, realms and stages, sect structure, and terms like 'Luck' and the often misunderstand 'Dual Cultivation'.

If you've read the Webnovel version—or found it a bit too dense—I highly recommend checking out this new AO3 version! I've not only made some changes and added information, but I've also reformatted it with bullet points and clearer headings to make it much easier to digest and use as a quick reference.

I personally feel this handbook now encompasses the core and most important elements of the Xianxia genre. Future updates will likely be minor, focusing mainly on adding more cultivation stages or formal titles, as the foundational knowledge is all there!

Still on Webnovel (For Now!):

• The Imperial Handbook: A Practical Guide to Ancient Chinese Society
  In short: for historical topics, harem system, courts, bureaucracy, nobility, titles, and common institutions. Expect concise explanations of offices and ranks, and how local government worked.

  A quick note: For now, the entries are heavily focused on the nobility and imperial family, reflecting the current themes of the novels I'm translating. I'll be steadily adding more about the lives of common folks and merchants once I pick up a project where they take the spotlight as the MCs!

• The Webnovel Handbook: A Guide to Slang, Tropes, and Inside Jokes
  In short: for community slang, memes, running jokes, and fan culture. Such as "Golden Thigh," "Eating Melon," “Rainbow Fart,” “Green Hat,” and other fun terms. Note: This one is just starting out, but I'll be steadily adding more fun terms and tropes!

If these resources help you, please consider adding my Handbook Series to your library! Your ratings, reviews, and shares mean the world. Your comments also help me refine examples and fill gaps, making these guides better for everyone!

Final Housekeeping

Originally, I started uploading my translation project on my Webnovel account, but I reached the maximum number of projects allowed. So now I’m sharing it here on AO3 to make sure everyone can keep reading without interruptions! If you’d like to know more about my projects or how to support my work, you can find all the details on my Carrd. Everything here will always stay free to read!

Disclaimer: This is an unofficial fan translation. I do not own the rights to the original story. All credit and ownership belong to the author. This is a non-profit, fan-created translation shared for the purpose of introducing this wonderful story to a wider audience. If you enjoy this work, the best way to support the author is by accessing it through official channels.

Regarding the Nature of This Translation: This project is best understood as a "Creative Translation." It is not a word-for-word conversion, but a subjective interpretation intended to capture the soul of the story in a new language. I act as both a translator and a creative partner to the text, which means I may expand, interpret, or slightly alter elements to serve the narrative's flow and emotional impact in English.

Consequently, the text you are reading is a hybrid work. It is fundamentally the author's story, but it is also distinctly my version of it. It exists in the space between direct translation and fan adaptation, faithful to the spirit but shaped by my creative choices.

Thank you so much for reading, and I truly hope you enjoy this novel as much as I did when I first discovered it (｡•ㅅ•｡)♡