Legend Says Heaven Has No Room for Idle Gods

A xianxia story born from a wild idea.

Blurb

Legend says the Celestial Court has no place for idle gods. Once the last stick of incense offered to a god burns out, a god without worshippers loses their divine status and falls into the mortal realm, where they await the refining flames of mortal fire. They may become divine weapons for the emperors of men, or spirit stones that hold down mountains and fill the seas.

There is a forbidden city in the mortal realm, where all the fallen gods awaiting refinement are imprisoned.

Having been locked up for so long, the fallen gods get bored. So, before their souls are extinguished, they take to fixing houses and building bridges for the mortals in the city.

There is only one disgraced water god who is lazy and useless, spending all day under the sun cursing more foully than anyone else.

He's so despicable even the dogs hate him. Nobody wants to provoke this unlucky god.

But he is afraid of the city lord, Jiang You.

Legend says Jiang You is the only mortal ever to ascend to the heavens. She has no magical powers, but her body can neither die nor be destroyed.

Her ancestors forged a massive furnace and made countless divine weapons and spirit stones for the mortal realm. To carry on their ancestral craft, Jiang You married once.

And wouldn't you know it, her spouse was that disgraced water god.

Five years ago, on their wedding night, Jiang You's groom ran away in his undergarments.

Five years later, after thunder and lightning struck, Jiang You's ex-husband fell into the forbidden city. Forced to take his true form as a dragon before the refining furnace, he was seen by Jiang You in all his naked glory...

Ling Ye: Why did I get sent down here? Because I'm the best god in the world! Pah! I can't get through to you people!

Jiang You: Shut up.

Ling Ye: Oh, sure.

Theme: Never give up