ValdenePatriarch

Xue Feng, once an immortal cultivator feared by all. But failing to reach the pinnacle of his cultivation, he perished, sacrificing his life to protect his only disciple and to pass on his inheritance, the Taiji Talisman Technique. 

Reborn as Darius Valdene in a world ruled by foreign magic, he seizes the chance to arise once again. In a land filled with ancient races, Chaotic Mana-Regions, and untamed Mana-Beasts, Darius must do everything in his power to adapt his past life's knowledge, and assemble a force to survive against the ruling Mage Towers and the corrupted Penitent Knights Union. 

Follow his journey from a fallen cultivator to the most powerful being in a world of turmoil and chaos—and delve into the pages of the Grimoire of Cultivation, where destiny, magic, and peril intertwine, and one man's will, changes the course of history for an entire world.

Grimoire of Cultivation

A Little Grimoire Update (and a New Frontier)

Hey y'all, Valdene Patriarch here. I wanted to check in since it's been a bit (okay, more than a bit) quiet over here.

First off, thank you to everyone who's stuck around during Grimoire of Cultivation's hiatus. I know it's frustrating when a story you enjoy suddenly stops mid-step. I haven't forgotten about Darius and his journey—I still go back and read old chapters when I need to remember why I started writing in the first place. The truth is, life got a bit louder than usual, and I needed time to find my footing again.

But that brings me to why I'm here.

After months of refining my craft, burning through outlines, and stubbornly rewriting everything at least twice, I finally launched my new light novel: Blood and Vapor: A Song of the West. It's gritty, grounded fantasy with a Wild West and steampunk twist—complete with bounty hunters, orphanages, prototype augmentations, and an angry kid with a knife and no hope left to lose.

If you enjoyed the world-building, pacing, or emotional grit in Grimoire, then I think Blood and Vapor will hit even harder. It's everything I've been working toward as a writer, and I'd be honored if you gave it a look.

I'm still fully intent on finishing Grimoire soon, but for now, this new project is where I'm putting my energy. If you're curious or just want to support me getting closer to full-time writing (and maybe commissioning art down the line), your early feedback on Blood and Vapor means the world.

Thanks for being here—and for reading this far. Seriously.

Author Note