I Draw Talismans, and Anything Can Become a God

Wei Yan, an art student, awakens the power to make anything he paints come true. With every stroke, he creates a god, and belief becomes incense offerings. Divinity is stirring beneath the surface of the modern city. Anyone can become a god; temples aren’t necessary, and faith brings miracles. He paints a God of Food Delivery, doubling couriers’ efficiency; he paints a God of Wi-Fi, and the whole city’s network goes haywire. The Daoist Association moves against him, denouncing his teachings as heresy that misleads the public. An elder appears to warn him: divine powers must not be abused. Creating gods on livestream sparks an uproar. His followers surge, but so do the disasters, as ecological imbalance and social upheaval follow one after another. His attempt to paint a God of Peace fails. The paper bursts into flames, and the first backlash appears. The power of faith begins to spiral out of control. Ancient remnants of souls awaken, and a bronze compass points the way. The conflict between the old and new pantheons quietly begins. He hopes to reshape mythology with a charcoal pencil, unaware that he is heading toward the boundary between the divine altar and the abyss.