The Relics of Gods

By Yeyu

Between Heaven and Earth: Book One

What is worse: Being so broke you can barely afford food, getting hired for dangerous missions way out of your league, suffocating under mountains of unanswered questions—or wanting to sexually dominate someone who can kill you without lifting a finger?

Lu Delong is a mercenary who evaluates antiques most of the time and deals with the paranormal on rare occasions—even though it's supposed to be the other way around. When he joins a dangerous quest for an ancient artifact, he meets and becomes strongly attracted to a mysterious and powerful immortal named Cangji. Despite his friends’ warnings and Cangji's icy, unsociable demeanor, Delong is unable to resist befriending him. However, Cangji is deeply involved in a matter beyond mortals, and Delong is drawn into a chaotic struggle by both visible and invisible forces.

Always the pacifist who wanted to live a simple human life, Delong never imagined he'd end up involved in a conflict that will affect everything from the lowest insects on earth to the highest gods in heaven.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
• Release date: Jan 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781627987790

Book preview

PART I

THE ETERNAL LAMP

CHAPTER 1

AS USUAL, the market was bustling and crowded on a hot summer day. Chickens clucked, pigs snorted, and citizens of Great Ming screamed over one another at the top of their lungs, deep in heated bargaining battles. Naturally, Lu Delong was no exception.

"Fifteen wen for a bundle of sorry-looking water spinach? You must be joking! Delong complained as he examined the bunch of tasty greens with a disgusted look. The shop owner was likely from a village outside the city, since Delong had never seen her in the markets before. This is outrageous! he accused, staring straight into the woman’s eyes. You operate a blackhearted business here, madam—I daresay this bundle is only worth three wen."

The tall, muscular woman’s face turned a bright shade of red. What in the world are you talking about? She had a strong accent and was probably one of the refugees who had moved south to escape the drought up north. "Look at how green these plants are, how beautiful and flawless the leaves are—these vegetables are planted in the richest soil in these lands and are fed quality water. Fifteen wen is actually a bargain! Her gaze swept up and down Delong, and her lips thinned. I don’t know how a beggar like you grew this big, but if you can’t afford the price, go away! Don’t go off slandering my shop’s vegetables!"

Delong took a step back and glared at her. "Excuse me, madam. How rude of you to assume things from my attire! I am more educated than you think, thank you very much for the discrimination. He leaned closer and continued, Have you heard of the story of the Orange Seller before?"

What Orange Seller? the woman growled, but she was unable to hide the curiosity in her eyes. Delong snickered inwardly, pleased to find this woman a typical gossip-lover with nothing better to do with her time.

There once was this Orange Seller who was good at storing oranges so they did not spoil. The oranges were beautiful, with a golden color and jade texture. In the markets, they sold at ten times the price of average oranges, but people still fought to buy them because they believed the fruits to be of exquisite taste. However, when they brought the oranges home to eat, they realized the oranges were all rotten and dried inside. The moral of this story? Never trust appearances, Delong finished.

But I’m not selling oranges! the woman argued, exasperated. She pointed at the spinaches. You can cut these apart and they’re obviously not dried up and rotten!

How do I know you’re not selling poisonous vegetables? Delong inquired. They’re so green, I find it very suspicious! If someone dies in this village and they bought vegetables from you, we know who to blame, don’t we? So I’m being nice already to actually offer to buy your vegetables at all. Three wen for one bundle, and I’ll buy two. What say you?

By now the shop owner was pale. Fine, fine—but promise you won’t tell anyone else the story you just told me?

Delong grinned wide. Deal. He then proceeded to buy a few more vegetables at a great bargain, and with a basketful of beautiful, delicious vegetables, he hummed on the way back to his house. What a way to start his day—he only had fifteen copper coins in his purse, and he had bought five times his money’s worth.

He eventually arrived at the least organized section of the prefecture, where walled residences of not-so-great condition were squished closely together. Like all commoners with little money and no extended family to care for, Delong lived in a sishui guitang with a tiny courtyard cramped by one main building and two secondary buildings. He pushed open the creaky gates, stepped into the courtyard, and paused. He glanced at the building to his left, where the kitchen was, before he turned to stare ahead. It didn’t take long for him to figure out what to expect, so he continued whistling and walked into the main building.

I see you haven’t changed much, Delong, said the lady at his table, who had already helped herself to a cup of alcohol. Unlike the other guest who sat humbly beside her, Yaqin easily garnered attention. Her robes were made of orange silks lined with beige-colored fur, scantly covering her lithe body and leaving her pale breasts and thighs exposed. Her reddish dark hair was arranged in a complex knot secured by an intricate golden hairpin, and fox fangs dangled from her ears. Any average man would be taken by her stunning beauty and sensual allure, but her charms had little effect on Delong.

Yaqin glanced around the room, her gaze sweeping past the shelves that somewhat divided the place to contain a living room and sleeping quarters, his uncomfortable bed, his study table, and the broom next to it. Still, your house depresses me, she sighed. Only cheap alcohol and less than a catty of rice left? The rest of your belongings are merely old tattered books! You even have a building stuffed full of useless pieces of paper! What in the world have you been doing for the past few months?

Nothing, Delong admitted with a shrug. Hey, it is not easy finding work, he said in his defense when Yaqin shook her head with disapproval. It’s not as though people run into paranormal problems all the time! Even if they do, they’re probably just going to ask for help from prestigious Daoist sects that deal with those problems instead of a freelancer like me. My sole income is from being Old Li’s assistant…. His voice became smaller when Yaqin gave him a pointed look.

Well, of course I have you and Zhaoyang to thank, he added hastily while he nodded at the thick-browed man sitting on the chair beside Yaqin. Old Li always talks fondly of you two, and he takes care of me because he knows we’re good friends. Still, I’m not that bad myself—I helped him greatly with evaluating the goods people like you sell him to give the prices a competitive edge. I have to say, those history books I’ve read paid off!

Evaluating antiques, are you? Yaqin said, unimpressed. Listen to yourself. All the skills your master taught you, the art you’ve learned at Cloud Fortress Sect—wasted. She got to her feet and crossed her arms, examining Delong with narrowed amber eyes. Old Li isn’t going to be around forever, Delong. You know how short human lives are! Do you really plan to spend the rest of your life cooped up in this pathetic shed?

Delong shrugged. Hey, it is not nice to call my house a shed! And what is wrong with being an antique seller? You need someone to sell your spoils, don’t you? Old Li already told me that he wants to hand the shop to me, since he has no sons, he finished proudly.

That’s— Yaqin stomped her fur-lined boot, her hands balled into small fists. "Argh! I have never heard of a half-yao selling antiques! You should be out there training to become an immortal xian, causing problems for humans, or exploring the world—not selling antiques, wasting time and money on useless books, and being satisfied with some measly grocery bargain!"

Now, now, Yaqin, calm down, chuckled He Zhaoyang as he raised a hand and patted her thigh. Unlike Delong, who chose to tie half his coarse brown hair up only to keep it out of his face, Zhaoyang had his black hair combed into a neat, tight bun, which accentuated his sharp jawbone. Like all who were in his profession, however, his skin was on the pale side. "There are benefits to knowledge, and not every shifter has to lead extraordinary lives, never mind training to become celestial beings, hmm? You know how few mortals, human or yao, can actually succeed in transcending mortality. Besides, we actually could use Delong’s help in our next case."

Smelling money, Delong straightened his back. How can I help you two?

A warm smile spread across Zhaoyang’s face. Yaqin and I have been invited to participate in what will perhaps be the biggest operation in history, and we need someone who we can trust to come with us and watch our backs.

Wait—what? Delong’s great smile faltered. He wasn’t too comfortable with doing what the couple before him did for a living, even though he was perfectly fine with selling what they brought back. Well, if you ask, of course I’ll help, but I hope I won’t drag you two down…, he said carefully. I have never fought in that sort of… environment. I don’t know what to expect.

You’ll be fine, Yaqin said, waving her hand in dismissal of Delong’s protest. You’re not exactly human, either.

I’m still half-human, Delong argued. Unlike you, fox lady! There is nothing wrong with me wanting to live an ordinary life as a human!

Yaqin merely yawned. Spare me the cliché. How many times have you used your otherworldly abilities to get your way? How many times have you used your powers during… say, sex? Don’t tell me you don’t use them to boost your stamina.

Wh—How can you be so direct and say such things without a shred of embarrassment? Delong said with disbelief, feeling a little hot now.

Shrugging, Yaqin smirked like the fox she was. Why should I be embarrassed? she inquired, looking up at Delong as she poked the center of his chest. Still, I hit the target, didn’t I? Her smile widened when Delong felt the heat spread from his cheeks to his neck. Despite how harmless and upright your face tends to fool people into thinking you are, with your thick eyebrows, large eyes and all… I knew someone who got kicked out of Cloud Fortress Sect for breaking the celibacy rule would use his powers during sex. But still. Stop using your human lineage as an excuse. She lifted her hand and placed it on her human husband’s shoulder. Zhaoyang here leads a far more interesting and extraordinary life than you do!

As though taking her cue, Zhaoyang added, Anyway, Delong, I’m asking you to come with us also because I caught wind that, ten years ago, your master was investigating our destination. This may have something to do with her disappearance.

Are you serious? Delong’s eyes widened. "Why would my master investigate tombs? It definitely does not seem like a mission from Cloud Fortress Sect, since defiling the dead is not exactly the best way to become immortal. Even though my master already became a xian and isn’t stuck-up like the rest of the daoshi out there, I can still hardly imagine her barging into some noble’s tomb without good reason."

Perhaps, Zhaoyang said in a lowered voice. But this tomb she was investigating isn’t by any means an ordinary tomb. He licked his lip. This tomb… belonged to a god.

You’re planning to rob the tomb of a god?

CHAPTER 2

CLICKING HIS tongue, Zhaoyang shook his head with disapproval. Must you word it in such a way? We are simply going to… pay our respects.

Knees weak, Delong grabbed a chair to sit down and stared blankly at the crazy couple. But you’re still going to… lift a few objects, I assume?

Zhaoyang laughed and propped his elbow on the old table so he could lean onto it. Naturally. But don’t you think the gods would find it insulting if you assumed they were stingy and closed-minded instead? He held Delong’s gaze and continued with a vibrant, strong voice. Relax. My family has been looting tombs for generations, and we are still perfectly fine.

It took Delong a few more blinks to finally absorb everything, especially since Zhaoyang’s reassurance was as good as useless. But why would my master investigate a god’s tomb? he mused, rubbing his chin. You don’t think— He snapped his head up, eyes wide with horror. The gods eliminated her for learning something she shouldn’t know?

How long has it been since anyone has heard of the gods actively interfering with the mortal world? Zhaoyang said. A thousand years? Two?

You never know if they decided to interfere or not… but count me in anyway. Delong was standing now. And thank you for telling me about this. He knew Zhaoyang would have probably declined the invitation to such a risky operation if not for the rumor about Delong’s master. After all, angering a god was not a good idea, especially if Zhaoyang already had the bad karma of disturbing the dead.

With a bright smile, Zhaoyang stood as well and bumped shoulders with Delong. Sticking up for each other is what brothers are for!

Hey, don’t forget the female here, Yaqin reminded them, handing Zhaoyang and Delong a cup each.

How can we? they immediately said in unison. They then toasted to their cooperation, and after his tongue tasted the alcohol, Delong realized Yaqin had filled the cups with quality liquor. He smiled a little, and they sat around his table.

Still, just thinking about infiltrating a god’s tomb makes me tingle with excitement, Yaqin purred while Zhaoyang refilled everyone’s cups.

I have to ask: which god are we uh… paying our respects to, though? Delong said before taking another sip.

Yaqin eyed him and answered lightly, Oh, just Zhurong’s tomb.

Delong immediately spat out his alcohol and began coughing uncontrollably. His lungs burned as he wheezed pathetically for air whenever he could, and finally, he gathered enough strength to say, What do you mean, ‘just’? We are ‘just’ going to barge into the god of fire’s tomb and… take things?

Yaqin snorted and narrowed her eyes. She then crossed her legs and took a sip from her cup with leisure. "Well, we did say one of the biggest operations in history," she pointed out.

Frankly, Delong was amazed at how calm Yaqin was. It was not easy for animals to chance upon the opportunity to gain sentience, much less accumulate enough magic to shift into human form. He decided not to remind her that angering the gods might cost her all her centuries of training and turn her back into a mere fox. What does the person who organized this operation want from the tomb? he said instead.

Zhaoyang’s eyes sparkled with approval of the question, and he reached inside his robes to take out a scroll. "When Zhurong was still human, his last invention was the Changming Lamp. We see a lot of so-called eternal lamps in tombs, but they don’t burn with sacred fire and aren’t made by Zhurong, so they are of no worth. He spread the map over the table. Our sponsor is a collection enthusiast, and he wants an object that has been crafted by a god. He is hiring the best grave robbers and mercenaries to complete the task and offering a hefty reward to the one who brings back the relic. Best of all, we can keep a few souvenirs of our own—if we survive the operation, that is."

Souvenirs, Delong mentally repeated, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry at the absurdity. Nonetheless, he needed to find out why his master had been investigating a god’s tomb, of all things. He knew his master and knew she would not make such a choice lightly.

With great concentration, he studied the map on the table. Zhaoyang pointed at one of the mountains. "We all know that Zhurong was buried somewhere on Mount Heng, though no one has found his tomb before. I suspect it has been hidden with magic, but our patron—let’s call him Wang Wu—has hired an expert feng shui master to find the entrance to the actual burial grounds." He looked up and caught Delong’s gaze.

Now, it’s actually not the creatures in the tomb or the wrath of the gods that concern me, he said, "but our ‘companions.’ There are a lot of ruthless, greedy, and dangerous bastards in our line of business, and they will not hesitate to backstab people to get their way. I worry the most about the mercenaries, since they know nothing about the ways of grave robbing and might really anger the gods—I don’t want to be dragged down with them. If anything happens, we break away from the group and operate independently."

Do we need to wait until ‘something’ happens? I prefer that we break away from the group as soon as we infiltrate the tomb, Yaqin chimed in. It will be too late when this ‘something’ happens, dearest.

We still have to determine if we can handle this alone or not, Zhaoyang disagreed. Who knows what is waiting for us? He rubbed Yaqin’s hand gently. Still, if things turn for the worse, we drop the mission altogether. No treasure is worth losing our lives over, right?

No matter what, I will protect you, Yaqin said, her eyes burning with simple determination. You won’t die, not under my protection.

With a soft sigh, Zhaoyang squeezed Yaqin’s hand. Please, Yaqin. Don’t be reckless—I don’t want to lose you, either.

Excuse me, a third wheel is sitting right here, Delong interrupted, waving his hand frantically between the two. Can you save the love talk for some time private? I am feeling mighty awkward here.

Cheeks reddening, Zhaoyang coughed a little and let go of Yaqin’s hand.

And Yaqin, Delong continued, may I remind you that, even though you are over four centuries old, the beings residing in Zhurong’s tomb are probably over four thousand years old? And that Zhurong is a god? Maybe… you won’t be a match for them?

Yaqin scoffed and pouted, acting nothing like her age. "Perhaps. But I don’t need a half-yao not even half a century old telling me this."

Zhaoyang cleared his throat. At any rate… if possible, I would like us to meet up at this temple if we happen to be separated. He pointed to a building icon on the tallest peak of Mount Heng. This is where we are all meeting up before the operation, so it’s a suitable place to group together and uh… apologize to Zhurong.

Why is Zhurong a god again? Yaqin asked, cocking her head.

Grandaunt Yaqin, Delong said, unable to believe she could ask such a stupid question, Zhurong discovered how to light fire through sparks and found many ways to use and manage flames, making life much better for society. Because he was so great, people worshipped him after he passed, and he was recognized by the gods in the Heavenly Court to join their ranks.

Hmph. Why do you respect him so much? Yaqin said, clearly unimpressed. I bet the first animals the humans cooked were deer. How much do you want to bet they cooked deer first?

Good food is good food, Delong argued. I’m still half-human, and I like eating cooked food much more than I like eating grass.

With a smirk, Yaqin said, You still only eat grass to me. Is there a difference between cooked grass and uncooked grass?

Delong stared at her, making sure to look as offended as possible. Is there a difference between cooked meat and uncooked meat for you?

Wriggling happily, Yaqin licked her lips and folded her fingers. "Well, no denying that cooked food does taste better. I love cooked meat! I love dumplings! I love human food very, very much indeed." She was almost whining now.

Zhaoyang chuckled and rolled up the map, then tucked it back into his belongings. Well, then, what are we waiting for? He stood up, and Yaqin leapt to her feet almost in the same beat. Let’s go eat lunch at a nice restaurant. I’ll treat.

Feeling his stomach rumble loudly at the suggestion alone, Delong flashed a bright smile and immediately accepted the offer. You’re too kind.

CHAPTER 3

A THICK sea of fluffy clouds surrounded the evergreen mountain, engulfing the area—only a few mountaintops were visible from the tallest peak where Delong stood. The dark, misty temple up the stairs near him was in ruins, abandoned after years of constant repairs. Since he wanted to make himself more familiar with the area first, he had arrived early, but now he was here, he found exploration pointless with all the fog. He had actually climbed all the way up here through the mist in hopes some people would have already arrived at the meeting point, and now he regretted it wholeheartedly.

It was eerily quiet—with no animals and no ghosts. He could understand why there were no ghosts, since this was still a god’s temple, but no animals?

A cold gust of wind swept by; Delong blinked and stiffened. A black-robed figure who had not been there moments ago appeared out of thin air. When he felt the individual’s icy gaze, the blood in his veins froze.

The newcomer, however, shifted his sight indifferently and examined the ruined temple instead.

It took all the courage Delong could muster up to say, Are you here to pay your respects to the god of fire?

He was answered by chilling silence.

Well, all he could be sure of was that the person before him was a xian, since he knew the individual was no mortal human and no yao. After he felt more certain that the celestial being held no malicious intent, Delong’s muscles began to relax. He coughed to clear his throat. I’m sorry to not have introduced myself beforehand. My name is Lu Delong, he began. If you’re a guardian spirit around here, I apologize, but I need to find out why my master, Zhou Ruyan, was investigating this place.

Since the stranger did not respond, Delong began to blabber on about his master and about how they should renovate the temple, mentioning Zhaoyang and Yaqin favorably from time to time, just in case. He talked so much his throat became painfully dry and the fog began to clear.

After the mist no longer obscured everything, Delong could finally take a good look at the xian’s face, and he felt his heart skip a beat. Or maybe more than a beat.

The stranger was male, with untied black hair that reached the point where his hips were the narrowest, and despite the constant wind, the strands seemed to be perpetually untangled. His flawless face seemed to have an ethereal glow, and even his eyebrows seemed drawn by a steady hand, their shape stoic and serene, as though nothing in the world concerned or worried him. Yet it was the stranger’s cold amber eyes that truly enthralled Delong now they were clearer to his view. Their outer corners extended in an upward curve, as though they had been elongated by an ink brush where the lines stretched and faded into a single point at the ends, giving them an unspeakable allure.

It was as though his impassive eyes could see through everything and yet remain impartial to the profane vices in the world, as though nothing could so much as cast a ripple through the depths of his steady gaze.

Delong fell silent and stared in awe, not even noticing that more people had shown up at the meeting point. Well, at least now he was quite certain the stranger was a celestial being, since it was impossible for a mere mortal to give off such an otherworldly vibe. Even yao, who were on average much more attractive than humans, would be intentionally lascivious like Yaqin in order to lure men or women into their wily charms. The xian before Delong, however, seemed like a mystery detached from desire, an existence that mortals could not touch.

A hard pat on his back finally snapped him out of his daze. Delong! What are you spacing out for? Yaqin said playfully as she peered over his shoulder. Her grip tightened and her fingers dug into his flesh.

Don’t worry. I don’t think he’s here to exorcise us, Delong whispered in a tone only she could hear.

Without answering, Yaqin grabbed his wrist and dragged him away; Zhaoyang soon followed after he had finished reporting to the person who seemed to be in charge. They descended a few steps and sidetracked to stand in the woods, where the pine trees were oddly short.

Of course I know he’s not here to exorcise us! Yaqin said at last. "That xian is called Cangji, and he’s an expert grave robber."

What? Immediately, Delong felt like a complete idiot for assuming the xian was some sort of guardian spirit. "Why would a xian be robbing graves?"

"If he’s here, that means your master did investigate Zhurong’s tomb, Zhaoyang said, grinning. I feel so much safer already with Cangji around."

I don’t. Yaqin crossed her arms. I never know what he is thinking. He never takes anything, never helps anyone, and almost always works alone.

And that, my dear, is enough for me, Zhaoyang said. We just have to follow him, and we’ll be safe.

You’re not going to be the only one thinking that, Yaqin pointed out. Who knows if he’ll let us follow? No one has ever successfully tailed him before!

Why don’t you let me ask him if he’ll let us tag along? Delong chimed in, feeling a strong preference for Zhaoyang’s suggestion. We’ll simply say that we want to investigate my master’s disappearance and we can take care of ourselves on the way. How about it?

Yaqin hummed for a while. You can try, she said with reluctance. But I don’t think he’ll respond.

Thinking about Cangji’s behavior up until now, Delong decided she was probably right. However, it was still worth a try. "Tsang-ji," he whispered, liking the way the sound of the name rolled off his tongue.

They took the gray stairs back up to the meeting point, and Delong counted around thirty-six heads, including their own. It was a lucky number, which wasn’t surprising. Most participants were humans, though there were nine nonhumans, including Yaqin, Delong, and Cangji. Again, a good number.

Like Delong and his friends, many members seemed to have signed up in groups. There were eight humans in identical red robes, and they definitely knew how to use magic, though Delong could not get a good grasp of the extent of their power. The six other nonhuman yao seemed to be a team as well, especially judging from the style of their clothes—the narrow sleeves, bright colors, and furred hats indicated that the group had come from the lands north of the Great Wall.

While the participants of the mission stood at the center of the temple grounds and listened to the organizer, Lin Shaofan, explain their operation, Delong glanced at Cangji, who was leaning against a small stone tower and did not seem to be paying attention at all. No one stood near him. Frankly, Delong could not understand why everyone unanimously kept their distance from him, as though they were afraid of angering him. Was Cangji that frightening?

After the briefing concluded, joss sticks were passed around, and everyone was required to pray and apologize for trespassing on Zhurong’s sacred territory. Unsurprisingly, Cangji was the only one who did not bother with the ceremony.

Perhaps a ke of praying later, they stuck the joss sticks into the incense burners. By now, the skies had cleared into a brilliant blue, which made the sea of clouds stand out more against green forests. They picked up the supplies provided by Wang Wu, and followed Master Yang, a thin old lady in expensive-looking purple robes. According to Zhaoyang, Master Yang was currently the most skilled feng shui master in the empire, and her grandfather had helped direct the construction of the Forbidden City itself.

While they diverted from the stairs into the woods, the feng shui master explained they were heading in that direction because of her calculations based on divination, but Delong could not understand a word. He was pretty sure that over half the individuals present did not comprehend her cryptic theories either, but Master Yang seemed content to ramble on like most old people do.

Delong opted to walk as close to Cangji as possible instead. He lowered his voice and began, "I apologize for mistaking you for a guardian spirit. I hear you investigate tombs like my master, and she’s a xian too. Can we follow you? I want to find out why she disappeared, and if possible, complete her work. I promise we won’t be a burden."

Naturally, he received no response.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Yaqin shake her head and flash him an I-told-you-so look. He gave her a frown and turned to face Cangji again. I’ll take your silence as a ‘yes,’ he said, which earned him an emotionless glance at best.

They walked for a while until they came to a stop near a huge, majestic waterfall. The old lady walked around with her luopan, though Delong had no idea what she saw in the compass, and she took such a long time studying the area that he began to wonder if she knew what she was doing. However, just when he was about to sit down on a nearby stone, Master Yang tucked the luopan back into her belongings and took out a wooden blade. She began to dance, which amazed Delong, since he hadn’t expected an old human lady to be able to move so lightly. Soon, Delong glimpsed a portal opening, and some eager mercenaries immediately fought to get through. Delong and his friends followed Cangji, which made them the last to go through the portal, just ahead of the feng shui master.

After stepping through the opening, Delong was immediately greeted by a strong, earthy scent. He had thought the evergreen Mount Heng was beautiful already, but this dimension was simply too breathtaking for words to do it justice. The ancient, huge trees seemed holy, and he would not be surprised if they all had spirits. He could barely see through the canopy, and thick mist beneath him reached his knees, giving him the illusion that he was walking on clouds, that he had reached some heavenly realm.

He was about to relax and enjoy the surroundings when the air filled with thousands of high-pitched shrieks.

Weapons flashed; the entire group ceased all movement, eyes on full alert and muscles tense with caution. The earsplitting cries grew louder, closer, echoing throughout the woods and making it impossible to determine where they were coming from.

Well, at least Delong was quite sure of one thing: whatever creatures were making those awful sounds were not going to be friendly.

I thought you said the gods weren’t going to be stingy, Delong complained to Zhaoyang, who stood next to him.

Zhaoyang chuckled. But it would be more insulting for them if their tombs were that easy to rob.

CHAPTER 4

FIGURED.

Sighing, Delong was just thankful the shrieking creatures were most likely mere beasts. Anything with a cry so ugly was unlikely to be a divine pet, after all, and Delong could handle beasts.

Where the hell are we? a hairy, muscular man demanded at last, which brought many pairs of eyes to the feng shui master. Delong remembered Zhaoyang telling him that the man was the leader of a gang of felons known as the Five Fiends, and he only knew the man’s surname was Huo.

How would I know? snapped the old lady, who had scaled a tree at some point with a paper and brush in hand. I have never been to this dimension before. She continued to draw on her paper, frequently checking her luopan as reference.

We can’t just stand here and wait to be attacked! protested another man from Huo’s gang.

Indeed, said Lin Shaofan, the man who was technically in charge of the operation. According to Zhaoyang, he was the leader of professional grave robbers from families like Zhaoyang’s, and his group had a direct trading relationship with Wang Wu. Shaofan then yelled at the top of his lungs, "Let’s split up and hide somewhere; we will regroup here a shichen later!"

Everyone dispersed immediately upon hearing the announcement, and Delong ran after Yaqin and Zhaoyang. He noticed Huo’s team was following in the same direction, but he did not have enough time to check where Cangji was.

By now, Delong could barely hear anything other than sharp screeches—he thought he was going to go deaf at this rate. They were running as quickly as they could, but Delong already knew they would not outrun the beasts.

Why did he know?

Well, because the creatures were already swooping down at them.

Huge flocks of giant brown birds with long, sharp beaks and even meaner claws attacked them, trying to tear at their tender flesh like starved monsters. It would not have been a problem if there were only five to ten birds, but there were practically a thousand of them, some the size of adult humans.

What the hell are these creatures? Delong asked after he stabbed his blade through one of the monsters’ chest. He had seen his fair share of beasts, but he had never seen malicious eagle-like monsters of this size.

Luoluo birds, answered Yaqin, her illusion magic confusing some birds into attacking each other. They’re carnivores with a taste for human flesh—I haven’t seen Luoluo birds in two centuries. She moved swiftly to avoid attacks, so light on her feet that she looked as though she was dancing with the creatures, her silks fluttering with each graceful movement as she scaled the trees.

Although Zhaoyang had no magical talent, he made up for it with his blade work and easily sliced his way through as they searched for somewhere to hide.

I lost him, Yaqin said all of a sudden, stopping on a branch.

Delong kicked away an attacking Luoluo bird and chopped its head off. Lost who?

Yaqin sighed and leaped down from the branches, slashing her knife across the neck of a Luoluo bird on her way. Cangji. Didn’t you say that you wanted to follow him?

Wait. A bird almost pecked out Delong’s eye. Aren’t we regrouping later?

Shrugging, Yaqin said, I don’t think he needs Master Yang to find a suitable entrance to the tomb.

Then why does he sign up for group operations? Delong asked, trying not to panic.

Let’s talk about this later, shall we? Zhaoyang interrupted, since he was doing all the work in fending off the Luoluo birds.

Yaqin nodded and drew a large symbol in the air with her right index and middle finger, then finished off with a slash; white illusion magic exploded, and Delong dashed after Zhaoyang and Yaqin through the woods. Then Yaqin spotted a cave to hide in, and they stayed still inside it until the ugly shrieks of the Luoluo birds grew more distant.

Anyhow, Delong said after he finally caught his breath, "there must be some reason Cangji participates in group operations." He looked pleadingly at Zhaoyang for confirmation.

I think so, Zhaoyang said as Yaqin helped bandage a gash on his arm. "He usually sticks around, since he is hired to participate in group operations, which means that he needs to help in one way or another."

You forget that he usually disappears if we are forced to separate like this, Yaqin reminded, gesturing at their situation.

Well, let’s see if he will come back and regroup, Delong said hopefully. We haven’t even entered the tomb yet.

Retracing their steps to the meeting point was easy, since Zhaoyang had marked the trees as they ran. The forests were silent again, though the fog seemed to have grown thicker. They were perhaps only a few hundred steps away from the meeting point when they came face-to-face with Huo and his underlings. The disheveled men were grinning and leering at Yaqin, apparently oblivious to the fact that she was not even human. Delong noticed a glint of mischief in her eyes, and he swallowed a snicker while he prepared to watch a great show. Hey, said Huo, his grin showing yellow, crooked teeth. Nice girl you’ve got there, good brother.

Zhaoyang stiffened and Yaqin took a step back, trembling. Seeing their reactions, Delong did his best to follow along, but it was difficult not to laugh.

It’s not nice to keep such a great beauty all to yourself, however, the man continued, smiling wider. Why don’t you share? My boys and I would like to have fun with your gorgeous girlfriend too.

W-what? Over my dead body! Zhaoyang declared in an uneven voice as he stepped aside to give way to the men.

As though he felt a sense of loss, Huo sighed and shook his head. Wrong answer. He made a signal with his hand, and his underlings stepped forward in an attempt to attack Zhaoyang while some seized Yaqin.

Let go of me! Yaqin protested, her eyes wide with fear. The perverse men grinned wide when she screamed and struggled, no doubt egged on by her apparent helplessness. Delong had to say, if there was an award for most outstanding actress in the empire, it would definitely go to Yaqin.

Stop this! Delong yelped at the side as he watched the criminals immersed in their task of beating down any resistance. He had to shut his mouth and prevent himself from snorting out with laughter, however, since he had made the mistake

Reviews for The Relics of Gods

[bookstogetlostin · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Where to start? Maybe I'll first talk about the characters...Soo stereotypical! There is Delong, who is your typical uke. He is a nice guy, but rather weak and very naive. The only thing that's not so typical about him is, that he wants to be the dominating one the bedroom. Then there is his love interest Cangji, who - you won't guess it - is your typical seme, because he is cold, silent and very strong. You may wonder, why I'm using seme and uke instead of top and bottom. The reason is, that there characterization reminded me so much of the yaoi manga, I read when I was younger. So nothing new for me there.There are a lot of other different persons in this novel (seriously, A Lot!). A lot of mythological aspects, too, which I found interesting. But that was sadly not enough to hold my interest. I was often tempted to file it under dnf. To keep from doing so, I skimmed 'some' pages...The Relics of the Gods seemed more like a video game than a novel. Delong and Cangji go on different missions with different people, things happen, Cangji gets hurt. Rinse and repeat. The only thing that changes is, that the reader gets to know more about Cangji's secret.Trigger warning: dubious consent/rape, non safe sane consensual kinkDisclaimer: I was provided through NetGalley with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.