Welcome to adventure!
Pearl of the Cultivators invites you into a world of ancient mystery, gritty Chinese noir, and high-stakes tomb raiding with deadly dangers and rich rewards. Set in an alternative Earth with a secret history, conspiracies abound as figures from the past through to our present fight for control of, or against, the strange powers and influence of golden orbs from beyond our understanding.
Come along, and see for yourself. Delve into jungles and fight giant centipedes like the best 1950s pulp about the 1920s. Face down Chinese gangsters and warlords during the lawless periods of the Republic of China. Keep on the run from nefarious corporations of present-day doing what they do, which is trying to exploit powers they hardly understand. The story intends to take you far and further with a rich plot, interesting characters, and settings that will inspire your imagination while still remaining familiar and marketable for a wide, general audience.
Pearl of the Cultivators is a stylish, fun, and fast paced serial adventure that is just starting. Read along from the beginning, and enjoy each concise installment that is sure to progress the story and end on a cliffhanger. Take part in the community, and encourage the author, or even influence him. When characters come to difficult choices, it may be your voice that decides their fate.
With a twice-weekly schedule, Pearl of the Cultivators is geared to develop rapidly and provide a world of deep lore that is easy to grasp. The narrative will favor telling complete and individual stories which link together to form a whole, meaning it is easy to start at any point without feeling lost or overwhelmed. Read everything for the full experience, or take a break from your routine for some mindless fun.
But that's not all. Characters will reveal a fantastic history as installments are released and readers come to learn more of the world, reinterpreting what we know of historical figures and older myths. It is not only a battle between strong wills, but across time, with the children of heroes and villains taking on the mantle of their ancestors, or forging their own paths for better or worse. Even the spirits of the past return, complicating the choices of the present. What is a parent to do when their son is the reincarnation of a great evil, or the man that was once their fiercest rival in another life? Can these transgressions be overcome, or will they tear a family apart?
Only time will tell.
What to Expect?
Estranged brothers Li Wei and Alex are reunited by more than fate. Not only are they given the opportunity to make some money, but they are practically forced to it by Boss Yaun of the Shanghai Historical Society. Embarking on a perilous journey, they seek to uncover the location of a forbidden tomb that history cannot explain. Their backer, the mysterious Professor Zhang is a source of his own intrigues, fighting off Russian spies and warlords, while remaining elusive about the tomb and its legendary relic, the Golden Pearl.
When our heroes eventually arrive at the tomb, they discover more than they ever expected, not only encountering traps and treasures, but ancient threats that might border between science and magic. Can they trust new friends, their own brotherly bonds, or even their own senses? Will they be able to find a way to the Pearl, and more importantly, find a way to escape? These questions may be answered, but it is only the start of something bigger.
Li Wei
The scholarly Wei styles himself as a Taoist magician, which--by his own description--is a collection of tricks to fool the easily impressed, a deep knowledge of esoteric lore, with just enough wisdom to wind up in trouble.
Suffering unresolved issues with his half-brother and step-father, Wei has survived the dynamic streets of Shanghai, making money and losing it all in the same night. No stranger to gambling, questionable deals, and odd jobs, he has acquired various skills, and a reputation. His suave smile and quick wit have saved him from almost as many troubles as they got him, which has left a path of broken promises and broken hearts in his wake. Not too bad for a monk, and not too good, either.
Li Ming (Alex)
The rare mix of academic and athlete, Alex left China for the United States, joining his father to receive an intensive education. Where his brother has spiritual insight, Alex relies on logic, science, and sometimes good German steel. The stronger of the two, he is also the younger brother, and finds it hard to speak out against Wei. A natural, if inexperienced leader, he has the drive to see their mission through, and though smarter when it comes to people, is far too trusting. Alex does not understand the hate or disapproval he feels from Wei, and wants to be brothers, even if Wei is uneasy with the idea.
Of course, there is more below the surface. Alex is aware of hidden truths about Professor Zhang, their father, and even the Golden Pearl. What he has heard, and what he believes, may be two different things, but it is clear something is at work behind the scenes, with the Great Powers all interested in the tomb, and what it may contain.
Professor Zhang
He's still spry. And he will tell you. Zhang is a knowledgeable scoundrel, but don't be mistaken. At first look, he may seem like an academic on the verge of a failed career, eager to make a break in the field of archeology, but that is only to disarm the gullible. Shrewd, keen, and capable of violence when necessary, he has exactly what it takes to find the Golden Pearl, and is willing to commit vast resources to that very end. Even the lives of innocents are a price worth paying.
You can see him in his iconic hat and black-tinted spectacles, nose in his journal. But don't look too closely, or he might get paranoid. And he wouldn't be wrong, with agents and worse of many nations after him and what he knows.
About the Author
NKvM is a former ghostwriter who has been resurrected from the dead. Now, instead of completing the novels of famous authors way past their deadlines, he is off on his own journey, hoping to become the least successful critically acclaimed newcomer to the world of fiction.
But who is the man of mystery? Maybe some things are best left unanswered. What we can say for certain is he graduated from the best small ivy league university in the US, with a degree in rhetoric, and has spent a good portion of his time plumbing the depths of meaning in the field of semiotics. As a semiotician--and he swears he didn't make that up, since someone else did--he advanced the idea that symbols are probably, kinda important, and did other "groundless" breaking science that did much to set back the world of English and language studies. Of course, there is also his writing of books for others, maybe some you have read, but you'd never know it, and the NDA is pretty much ironclad so you never will.
If you are looking for highlights, NKvM once wrote a book so pretentious it collapsed under the weight of its own allegory. He learned everything there was to know about his least favorite poet, just to criticize him harder and be right about it. He even met Chuck Norris in person, which is not, in point of fact, the first part of a Chuck Norris joke.
As for dimly glowing personal references, look no further than these gems:
"Who are you? What are you doing in my office?"
--Glen Levine, Chief Editor of the Millsworth Sabbatical
"You are the worst author I never read."
--Neighbor Dave
"Is this a paid advertisement?"
--Gary
"I'm not speaking with you. Address anything you say to my lawyers."
--Kelsey Delacroix
But if none of that is enough, I invite you to make up your own mind, and read Chapter 0 of Pearl of the Cultivators!