The Origin Story Behind Theavens: How My Love for Fang Yuan Inspired an App
The Origin Story Behind Theavens: How My Love for Fang Yuan Inspired an App
Sometimes the most unexpected inspirations lead to the most meaningful creations.
A Developer's Confession
I have a confession to make. While Theavens might appear to be just another subscription management app on the surface, its creation was driven by something much deeper and more personal - my profound admiration for a fictional character named Fang Yuan from the web novel "Reverend Insanity" (Gu Zhen Ren).
Yes, you read that correctly. This iOS app that helps you manage your Netflix, Spotify, and Adobe subscriptions was born from my love for one of the most complex and fascinating characters in Chinese web fiction.
Who is Fang Yuan?
For those unfamiliar, Fang Yuan is the protagonist of "Reverend Insanity," a cultivation novel that has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. But he's not your typical hero. Fang Yuan is what many would call an anti-hero - ruthless, calculating, and absolutely determined to achieve his goal of eternal life.
What makes Fang Yuan so compelling isn't his power or his schemes, but his unwavering perseverance and his refusal to be bound by conventional morality or societal expectations. He embodies a philosophy of self-reliance and determination that resonates deeply with anyone who has ever felt constrained by the world around them.
The Philosophy That Changed Everything
One of Fang Yuan's most profound quotes has stayed with me throughout my development journey:
"Even if the black coffin luck on him intensified, even if powerful enemies surrounded him and the wind veil of assimilation isolated everything from the world, heaven would never seal all of one's paths! There was no absolutely desperate situation in this world, there were only people who despair. The answer to resolving problems will always be in our own hands; when we inspect our inner hearts, we will find that the miraculous heavenly power was in ourselves all along! To discover oneself, to recognize oneself, and to rely on oneself!"
This philosophy of self-reliance and finding solutions within ourselves became the driving force behind Theavens' development.
From Longing to Creation
I'll be honest - I miss these characters terribly. Fang Yuan, with his complex motivations and unbreakable will, became more than just a fictional character to me. He represented a way of thinking, a approach to life's challenges that I found deeply inspiring.
As Fang Yuan himself said:
"Only eternal life, this majestic and unattainable target, could make the journey of his life become more interesting. This was the meaning he gave to this life!"
Here's something I've never shared publicly: I too am constantly thinking about eternal life as my ultimate goal. While I don't consider myself to be like Fang Yuan - I'm still just a cultivator in words rather than deeds - that same burning desire for immortality occupies my thoughts daily. Perhaps that's why his philosophy resonates so deeply with me.
The creation of Theavens itself has an even deeper connection to the world of Reverend Insanity than I initially let on.
The True Origin of the Name "Theavens"
When I first started conceptualizing this project, I wanted to create something with the name "Thieving Heavens" - a direct homage to Thieving Heaven Demon Venerable, one of the legendary Ten Venerables from the Gu world. Thieving Heaven was known for his incredible ability to steal and his mastery over theft path methods.
The idea felt perfect: just as Thieving Heaven could steal anything, my app would help users "steal back" control over their subscriptions from the chaos of modern digital life. But as development progressed, I realized "Thieving Heavens" was too long for an app name. It needed to be shorter, more memorable, yet still carry that connection to the world that inspired it.
That's how "Theavens" was born - a shortened form that still carries the essence of "Thieving Heavens" while being practical for an iOS app. Every time someone opens Theavens, they're unknowingly connecting to the world of Gu cultivation and the legendary Venerables who shaped it.
The Connection to Theavens
You might wonder: how does a character obsessed with immortality relate to a subscription management app? The connection lies in both the underlying philosophy and the very name itself.
Fang Yuan's approach to challenges resonates throughout Theavens:
Self-Reliance
"To discover oneself, to recognize oneself, and to rely on oneself!"
Theavens puts the power back in your hands. No data collection, no external dependencies - everything stays on your device, giving you complete control.
Perseverance Through Difficulties
"I had once screamed, gradually, I lost my voice. I had once cried, gradually, I lost my tears. I had once grieved, gradually, I became able to withstand everything. [...] All I have left is an expressionless face, my gaze is as tough as a monolith, only perseverance remains in my heart. This is my own, an insignificant character, Fang Yuan's — Perseverance!"
Every late night of coding, every bug that seemed impossible to fix, every feature that took weeks to perfect - I channeled that same perseverance.
Refusing to Accept Limitations
"Not wanting to be trampled on, there are two ways. One is to become strong, strong until no one dares to step on you. Another is to turn into dog shit, something no one would want to step on."
Instead of accepting the mediocre subscription apps that existed, I chose to build something better, something that would stand out in the crowded App Store.
The Emotional Journey
Creating Theavens became my way of processing the emotions I felt about these beloved characters. Every line of code was infused with the lessons I learned from Fang Yuan's journey:
"If I lack even this bit of ambition, what's the point of being human? Failure is fine, just try again several times. Even if I cannot achieve my goals in the end, so what?"
This quote kept me going through the darkest moments of development, when features wouldn't work, when the design felt wrong, when I questioned whether anyone would even use the app.
A Personal Philosophy
Fang Yuan taught me that:
"What truly stalls a person's success is not talent, but mindset."
Building Theavens wasn't just about creating an app - it was about adopting a mindset of relentless improvement and refusing to be satisfied with "good enough."
Every day, as I work on improving Theavens, I'm reminded of my own ultimate goal - eternal life. While I may be just a cultivator in words for now, the discipline and perseverance I've learned from Fang Yuan's journey guides every line of code I write. Perhaps this app is my first small step on a much longer path toward something greater.
The Result
While Theavens may not be directly related to cultivation or immortality, it embodies the same principles that make Fang Yuan such a compelling character:
- Independence: Your data belongs to you
- Strength: Powerful features that put you in control
- Perseverance: Continuous updates and improvements
- Ambition: Not just another app, but a tool that truly serves its users
A Message to Fellow Fans
To my fellow readers of "Reverend Insanity" who might stumble upon this app: you'll understand the passion that went into every pixel, every animation, every carefully crafted feature. This is what happens when someone channels their love for a fictional character into something real and tangible.
As Fang Yuan said:
"Humans only live for a hundred years, it is as unreal as a dream that ends in an instant. What is the point of a person living in this world? No more than just being on a journey, and witnessing interesting things."
Creating Theavens has been my way of making this journey more interesting, both for myself and hopefully for you.
The Future
Just as Fang Yuan never stopped pursuing his goals, I won't stop improving Theavens. Every update, every new feature, every small improvement is driven by the same relentless pursuit of perfection that defines my favorite character.
"In my youth I knew the hardships of the world, Yet I still aspired to soar above the clouds. [...] Today my sword aims beyond the clouds, Refine Gu! Refine Human! Refine Heaven!!"
While I may not be refining Gu, I'm refining code, refining user experience, and hopefully refining the way people manage their digital subscriptions.
Thank you for taking this journey with me. Whether you're a fan of cultivation novels or just someone who appreciates a well-crafted app, I hope you'll find something meaningful in Theavens.
With perseverance and determination,
Great Love
P.S. - If you're a fellow fan of "Reverend Insanity," I'd love to hear from you. Sometimes the most unexpected connections lead to the most interesting conversations.