The temple guardian deity was tempted by the prospect of wealth, yet the thought of tackling Qianyun City made him balk. For a moment, he wavered in hesitation.
Xuan Zhao was an old turtle of a thousand years and a tortoise of ten thousand. He had long mastered the art of beguiling his superiors. He leaned in at once, expertly fanning the flames.
“Master, you are the temple god of the South Lord. According to the old almanac, this very journey counts as an imperial inspection. You carry Heaven’s mandate in your hands. What’s there to fear?”
He leapt to the ground and hauled up a trembling Xianghuo deity. She was a woman with hairpins askew, incense cloud shattered, beaten almost beyond recognition.
“These petty gods,” Xuan Zhao said dismissively, “are the remnants of the God-Slaying Clan. Worthless as weeds. There’s not a drop of profit to squeeze out of them.”
“But Qianyun City—ah, now there you’ll find proper evil gods. The real lineage. Wealthy deities who once made the God-Slaying List. Any scrap they cast aside would be enough to keep you and your brothers well pleased.”
“Unlike this one,” Xuan Zhao added, lifting the Xianghuo goddess by the scruff. “She pours all her divine power into subsidising the poor. Far too naïve. If she doesn’t bleed the mortals dry, doesn’t eat them, drink them. Where is she supposed to find the strength to save them? Completely back to front.”
He kicked the Xianghuo goddess away. She quivered on the ground. But to her astonishment, realised she had rolled into a blind spot. She might yet slip away.
Xuan Zhao grabbed the stone-faced Ying Xiao, jumped up, and struck him sharply on the knee. “Look at these muscles, this frame. He may not yet run a thousand miles a day, but raise him well and he’ll be a fine mount. One to ride the winds and cleave the waves.”
The temple god’s thoughts wavered, greed spreading across his face. A demonic mount was an attractive prospect. But would the Lord of Qianyun City truly hand one over?
Seeing his expression soften, Xuan Zhao seized the moment:
“In times like these, their arrogance cannot go unpunished. If one wishes to live, one must show proper respect to the righteous gods of Heaven and Earth.”
“If you doubt me, Master, allow me to take the lead. I’ll make sure the Four Heavenly Kings of Qianyun City come out to greet you with full ceremony… with fine wine, fine food, beauties and maids lined up to wait upon you.”
The guardian deity’s appetite stirred. “Is what you say true?”
“Truer than pearls,” Xuan Zhao declared instantly. “If I lie, may my brethren drop dead on the spot. Now surely you believe me?”
“Very well. In that case, let us inspect this Qianyun City and see whether any evil spirits lurk within.”
“Those who show generous tribute are good folk.”
“And if the tribute is meagre… we will simply report the facts.”
Xuan Zhao raised his thumb with a beaming grin, pottery-coloured flakes rattling down his face. “Master, your wisdom and might are unmatched!”
The other temple gods had long been itching for it. They thought:
That coward of a Qianyun City deity! For such a tiny scrap of land, he offers bribes that generous?
He doesn’t take us righteous gods seriously at all!
We’ll see about that. If we don’t get seventeen or eighteen boys and girls out of this, we’re not leaving!
Xuan Zhao, disgusted, pushed aside the few incense gods who had done no evil. “Skinny mules, starving horses! Don’t foul Master’s luck. Off with you. Go on, scram!”
The Xianghuo gods looked at one another. One stepped back, noticed none of the temple gods spared him a glance, and instantly burrowed into the earth to escape.
“Master, have mercy. Let me go too,” wheedled a dripping river-god, with a bridal skull hung round his neck.
He did not expect Xuan Zhao to slap him across the face.
Grabbing the river god by the collar, Xuan Zhao lifted his tiny three-inch body with the air of a man seven feet tall.
“Pei! Big brother, look at this fellow. Fat, plump, round-bellied. Why not tie him up and take him along to Qianyun City? That counts as courtesy first, force later. Those evil gods will be moved to tears!”
The golden-bodied temple god was delighted. Laughing, he clasped Xuan Zhao’s hands. “Divine-Abandoned Land God, you are truly a talent, always thinking ahead for me. Come, let us become sworn brothers and share our fortune together!”
He did not add “share our hardships”. Righteous gods with real efficacy did not lightly make such oaths.
Xuan Zhao understood perfectly. He snorted inwardly, but outwardly put on a face of heartfelt joy. “Master.”
“Little Land God.”
The moment their eyes met, both felt queasy. They quickly let go, wiped their hands behind their backs, then put their smiles firmly back on and set off toward Qianyun City.
Ying Xiao, having drifted uselessly about until now, leaned close and whispered, “Master Xuan, the others haven’t acted yet.”
Xuan Zhao calculated inwardly and sent back a voice-transmission: No rush. By the time we arrive, the timing will be perfect.
The whole group swept across the sky in magnificent formation upon a golden immortal cloud.
Meanwhile, Xue Cuo and the others had caused havoc in the city and escaped precisely on schedule, giving the Four Gods no chance to retaliate.
Xue Cuo set down the paper effigy, surprised. “Master Xuan’s side has succeeded too. With tonight’s little clash, and another two or three rounds, they’ll be fighting for real.”
Gu Ruhui gave a faint nod. Yin Feixue, however, was visibly pleased. Folding his arms, he said, “These abominations have built ghostly divine kingdoms everywhere, sowing slaughter and calamity. They truly deserve to die.”
Xue Cuo nodded. “The Xianghuo Divine Dao heretics deserve no better.”
A muffled thunder rolled through the sky. Xue Cuo snapped his mouth shut, pretending he’d said nothing.
“We’ll stay here and await their signal,” Yin Feixue said.
Gu Ruhui: “Agreed.”
…
Inside Qianyun City
Blood ran in rivulets outside the temple of the fertility god.
The Shiliu God, ravenous, plucked up several babies to snack on. Bored, he slit open several blessed foetuses and devoured the fresh, tender flesh.
The citizens were terrified, unable to comprehend why Shiliu had suddenly become so monstrous.
But when one is the fish and the gods are the knife, even in the face of such horror, families barred their doors and prayed it would pass them by.
Shiliu, sated, leaned against the mountainside, chin in hand, drifting into a snoring sleep audible from a great distance.
The Fox God caught the scent and felt an itch of hunger. He transformed into a succession of fierce beasts, charging through homes, making a point of not using magic so that the mortals would awaken first. He ravaged at will, harvesting the energy of intercourse, then devouring them alive, eating his fill in savage delight.
The four gods slept deeply, as though sprawled drunk in a den of gold and silver. Whenever they were thirsty, they drank; whenever they were hungry, they ate; and an endless stream of incense offerings poured in besides. Truly, they lived in perfect comfort… days fit for immortals.
Suddenly.
Shiliu sensed an odd disturbance.
He opened his eyes. Below, his ghostly underlings were shouting as they dragged a three-inch-tall earth spirit into the shrine.
“Great Heavenly Lord!”
“Great God Shiliu, save me! Though I am but a humble land god, my heart is wholly loyal to the Heavenly Court. I have come especially to deliver a message to you venerable lords!”
Shiliu lowered his gaze. At once, the clay idol before him stirred to life, its eyes blazing in fury.
“What land spirit dares make a racket in my hall? Insolence! You deserve death!”
In terror, the little land god tore free of the ghost messengers, crawled forward on his knees, and clung to the table leg, weeping so hard he practically shed terracotta shards. “I live in Mount Qi-Lao. Though I am but a land god, my heart leans towards Qianyun. I revere the four great lords beyond measure. Tonight, I witnessed a temple god plotting to poison you, so I risked my life to seek audience and relay the warning!”
He spoke with such pitiful sincerity that he even swore an oath: “If there is even half a false word in my speech, let the land god of Mount Qi-Lao drop dead on the spot!”
At that, Shiliu believed him by three parts. After hearing the tiny spirit’s earnest explanation, he believed him three parts more. “You mean to say the South Lord’s Temple deity intends to seize Qianyun City?”
Xuan Zhao shrank back. “This little god… dares not say.”
Shiliu glowered. “Speak clearly! Miss even one word, and I shall smash your statue to dust and leave you damned for eternity!”
Xuan Zhao squeezed his eyes shut and steeled himself. “They said that once they reached Qianyun City, they would kill Shiliu, marry Chongming, have the Fox God dance attendance, drink wine from the Crow God’s severed head, and sire a child with Chongming, thus making Shiliu a splendid grandfather.”
“Rot!”
“I shall explode with rage!”
Shiliu erupted in fury. At that very moment, a bank of immortal cloud drifted outside the city, bearing upon it a gleaming, golden-bodied temple deity. The leader cleared his throat twice and proclaimed at the top of his voice, “Evil god within. Come forth to present yourself!”
“Should you show the slightest disrespect to heavenly officials, you shall be executed by law!”
Shiliu’s expression darkened to pitch. That damned South Lord Temple. How dared they humiliate him and his siblings to this extent!
Very well. Why not raise the banner of rebellion and slaughter those dog-spawned gods!
He summoned his weapon on the spot, transformed into a six-armed, fish-headed warrior, and led his ghost troops charging towards the temple deities.
Ying Xiao stayed on the cloud, following old Master Xuan’s instructions to keep the gods distracted. The Golden-Body Temple God leaned forward and asked, “Why is there such a wave of wrath surging through this city?”
Ying Xiao said solemnly, “That is my lord. He resenting that he did not discover the Imperial Envoy sooner, so he might have come out to welcome you.”
The Golden-Body God, secretly delighted, maintained a calm façade. With a leisurely wave, he said, “Your lord must endure great hardship managing his incense trade. I quite understand.”
Another temple god remarked, “Brother, those incense clouds are thick, and there are so many weapons!”
Ying Xiao kept a stiff face. “They are treasures from my lord’s private vault, displayed for inspection, for the honoured lords to select at will.”
The Golden-Body God coughed modestly. “Oh, no need to be so courteous. I am not one to covet riches.”
Just then, Shiliu arrived, spear flashing. He drove a strike straight at the Golden-Body God’s face.
The god recoiled in horror. “Qianyun fiend! Is this the gift you present to me?!”
Shiliu only roared louder, rage igniting afresh. “Prepare to die!”
The two sides clashed instantly, the battle utterly ferocious.
As for the eagle, he was “accidentally” struck. He died without a single word, and fell from the cloud into the sea, his corpse neatly disposed of.
At that moment, on a mountain outside Qianyun City…
Three young cultivators stood frozen, staring at the spectacle as the opposing forces fought with such intensity that their artefacts lit half the city like a festival.
The sheer violence of it… the words “to the death” hardly seemed sufficient.
Yin Feixue rubbed his ear. “Xue Yinbing, is that three-inch-tall friend of yours the reincarnation of a calamity spirit? We blew up a shrine and couldn’t stir up even a rumour, yet he steps out once and the gods are at each other’s throats.”
Xue Cuo said, “…”
The battle ended in utter defeat for the Golden-Body Temple God. His group was beaten senseless, armour dropped, banners lost, and they fled with all dignity abandoned.
Supporting their big bro, the gods retreated to the sea, lamenting, “Brother, our losses are heavy, and those wicked spirits even plundered our treasures!”
The Golden-Body God, head bowed, suddenly lifted it again, teeth grinding. “Return to the South Lord Temple. Raise the troops!”
…
Meanwhile, somewhere in the South Sea…
A sea of crimson lotus flames roared. Trapped wraiths and monsters cried for mercy, kneeling and kowtowing until their foreheads bled, swearing they would hereafter devote themselves to Buddhism, live as vegetarians, and never again commit sin.
“Amitābha. Such repentance is a great virtue.”
A pale, jade-white hand touched a demon’s head. Then with a light tap shattered it into four pieces.
The face was striking as blossom in spring, yet cold as frost, towering as a mountain. He wore white robes; his expression held neither sorrow nor joy. It was compassionate and detached. “I shall send you to the Western Paradise to meet Buddha.”
He rose to his feet. The red-lotus inferno consumed the last of the evil miasma and slowly died down.
The blood-stained prayer beads in his hand, and the broken sword upon his back, made it clear this monk had a story carved into him.
A single feather drifted down.
Beside him, a tall slender figure materialised, arms folded, suspended in the air. “Xue Cuo is in Qianyun City.”
The monk inclined his head, smiling faintly. It was a smile like spring wind brushing a balustrade. “Thank you for telling me, benefactor. It is time I paid an old friend a visit.”
The peacock sniffed. “Suit yourself. I’m going on ahead.”
