Blood Oath

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After graduating, Bian Du returned to his hometown to run a bookstore and newsstand for a busy friend.

Not long afterward, conflict from the north shattered the peace. Deprived of protection, the paradise-like Dongzhou once again descended into civil unrest.

"The Radiant Sanctuary seeks rebirth through destruction, lighting a new beacon atop the ruins where the old order burned away.

"The deity worshiped by the Church of Nature has returned to the ocean. Its mutated followers roam the forests, hunting travelers who pass by.

"The Eclipse Organism Experimental Base is devoted to splitting heaven and earth in two, escaping endless warfare to build a pure land beyond the world.

"The Clown Party adores innocent children. Amid the deepest calamities, it sets blessings and joy free.

Bian Du picked up specks of dust from the river, moving against time, and searched ancient ruins for an ark of survival.

Some sailed toward the future, while others became ash in an age past.

Some struggled to climb the spider silk in the abyss, while others willingly threw themselves into the flames.

"He became a wax shell and invited me to go with him, to melt away just before dawn."

In Qiao Qian's final memory, her teacher left behind two bones from his little fingers, like the cocoon left behind after a butterfly hatches.

Couple: A forthright, honest vampire × a weapon dealer who lies through his teeth

Quick summary:

Find a way out of the great calamity X

Cause a calamity, then escape from it √

Reader's Guide:

◎ A Western fantasy adventure about saving the world, set in an alternate universe. The protagonist is a fragile priest with a tiny mana pool who relies entirely on items for healing.

◎ The romance serves the plot. "Achieving one's ideals and making up for regrets" can be a fulfilling happy ending, one that leaves no regrets even in death, right?

◎ One of the main reasons this book exists is to fill in the worldbuilding of my previous novel, Stealing a Divine Throne. It involves a lot of "Jian," a moderate amount of "Phoenix," and very little "Hede," as well as a riddler-like style.

Premise: People are born free, yet are everywhere in chains.