The New Pantheon

In the ruined temple of Shiwa Village, Qi Chen realized for the first time just how absurdly stupid the rules governing the gods of this world were.

When he was three, he pointed at a crack in a wooden statue of the God of War and said, “This part wasn’t carved properly. Someone could stab straight through it.” The moment he finished speaking, the statue split apart. At fifteen, during the village’s martial contest, a bully from a neighboring village showed off his half-baked divine arts and jeered at everyone. Qi Chen picked up a branch and made a stroke using a refined technique. The other boy’s spell shattered. “Too many flaws,” Qi Chen said. “Practice that and you’ll get stupider.”

In the Valley of Fallen Gods, he met Fuyao, a girl with no memories. She could sense danger and see through rules, and she had once been cast out of the Old Gods’ Register. When descendants of the old gods held up the Old Gods’ Register and berated them, Qi Chen tore apart the ancient book of bloodline privilege. Golden light rose from his palm as he wrote the first word: “Human.”

A hunter who died defending the village was enshrined as the “Mountain God,” and no more monsters appeared within a thousand miles.

An old farmer coaxed grain from drought-stricken fields and was enshrined as the “Grain God,” turning a land of famine into a granary.

A stray dog that saved a child was enshrined as the “Child-Protector God” and received offerings from countless households.

The old gods descended in a fury and roared, “How dare mere mortals create gods?!”

Qi Chen took Fuyao’s hand and swept his pen across the divine register. Its golden light blazed brighter and brighter.

When he wrote “Courage,” a woodcutter could shatter divine armor.

When he wrote “Wisdom,” a scholar could dispel divine powers.

When he wrote “Kindness,” a child’s tears could extinguish divine fire.

After the last old god vanished, Qi Chen added two lines to the end of the register:

“Supreme God of Order: Fuyao,” sharing the breath of Heaven and Earth.

“Keeper of the Pen: Qi Chen.”

He smiled at Fuyao. “Gods are made. This register will always save a place for those who deserve one, including us.”