Heaven Official's Blessing: Tian Guan Ci Fu (Novel) Vol. 2(109)
His title Xianle is a multi-layered nickname. “Xianle” is Xie Lian’s official heavenly title and also the name of his kingdom. “Xianle” itself can translate to “Heaven’s Delight,” which ties into Xie Lian’s “Four Famous Tales” moniker, “The Prince Who Pleased God.” Jun Wu referring to Xie Lian as “Xianle” sounds professional and businesslike on the surface (as Jun Wu generally refers to gods by their heavenly titles only), but it deliberately and not-so-subtly comes across as an affectionate term of endearment.
Hua Cheng 花城 “FLOWER,” “CITY”
Four Calamities Title:?Crimson Rain Sought Flower A fearsome king of ghosts and terror of the heavens. Dressed in his signature red, he controls vicious swarms of silver butterflies and wields a cursed scimitar known as Eming. His power and wealth are unmatched in the Three Realms, and for this he has as many worshippers as he does enemies (with considerable crossover between categories). He rules over the dazzling and otherworldly Ghost City in the Ghost Realm and is known to drop in at its infamous Gambler’s Den when he’s in a good mood. But it’s hard to imagine anyone would be foolish (or desperate) enough to bet against the house when Hua Cheng is infamous for his supernaturally good luck.
In spite of all this, when it comes to Xie Lian, the Ghost King shows a much kinder and respectful side of himself. He will sleep on a single straw mat in Xie Lian’s humble home or get his hands dirty doing household chores at Puqi Shrine without a moment’s hesitation. From the very start, his secret identity as San Lang seemed to be no secret at all to Xie Lian, but Xie Lian still calls him by this name at Hua Cheng’s request.
Honghong-er 红红儿 “RED,” “RED,” FRIENDLY DIMINUTIVE
A young street urchin who Xie Lian saved from certain death long ago, when Xie Lian was a prince in Xianle. Honghong-er is tiny, emaciated, and hardly looks like the ten-year-old child that he is, nor does he act like it. He is constantly on guard and quick to attack, though he strangely seems to become tame—and quite bashful—when Xie Lian is around. He bears immense shame regarding his supposedly ugly appearance and refuses to remove the bandages he wears to cover half his face.
Honghong-er’s life has clearly been one of immense suffering and hardship, and he clings to every one of Xie Lian’s fleeting acts of kindness toward him as if he has never experienced anything like it before.
The name “Honghong-er” is clearly a nickname—it can be roughly translated to “Little Red.”
HEAVENLY OFFICIALS & HEAVENLY ASSOCIATES
Feng Xin 风信 “WIND,” “TRUST/FAITH”
Heavenly Title:?Nan Yang, “Southern Sun” (南陽) The Martial God of the Southeast. He has a short fuse and foul mouth (especially when it comes to his longstanding nemesis, Mu Qing) but is known to be a dutiful, hardworking god. He has a complicated history with Xie Lian: long ago, in their days in the kingdom of Xianle, he used to serve as Xie Lian’s bodyguard and was a close friend until circumstances drove them apart.
Jun Wu 君吾 “LORD,” “I”
Heavenly Title:?Shenwu, “Divine Might” (神武) The Emperor of Heaven and strongest of the gods. He is composed and serene, and it is through his power and wisdom that the Heavens remain aloft—quite literally. Although the Heavens are full of schemers and gossipmongers, Jun Wu stands apart from such petty squabbles and is willing to listen to even the lowliest creatures to hear their pleas for justice. Despite this reputation for fairness, he does have his biases. In further contrast to the rest of the rabble in Heaven, he shows great patience and affection towards Xie Lian to the point that many grumble about favoritism.
Lang Qianqiu 郎千秋 “YOUTH,” “THOUSAND AUTUMNS”
Heavenly Title: Tai Hua, “Magnificent Peace” (泰华) The Martial God of the East. He was the crown prince of the Kingdom of Yong’an prior to his ascension. He is naive and prone to black-and-white thinking. Combined with his determination to be the hero, this often results in him barreling headlong into confrontations, regardless of whether his presence is welcome or helpful.
Ling Wen 灵文 “INGENIOUS LITERATUS”
Heavenly Title: Ling Wen The top civil god and also the most overworked. Unlike the majority of gods, she is addressed by her colleagues and most others by her heavenly title. She is one of the rare female civil gods and worked tirelessly (and thanklessly) for many years to earn her position. Ling Wen is exceedingly competent at all things bureaucratic, and her work keeps Heaven’s business running (mostly) smoothly. She is the creator and head admin of Heaven’s communication array.
Ming Yi 明仪 “ILLUMINATE/UNDERSTAND,” “INSTRUMENT/CEREMONY”
Heavenly Title: Earth Master The elemental master of earth. Taciturn, sullen, and always looking for a reason to go home—even so, he is often seen out and about with Shi Qingxuan. Shi Qingxuan calls Ming Yi their closest friend and exclusively uses the nickname “Ming-xiong.” Ming Yi claims to not enjoy the Wind Master’s company.
Mu Qing 慕情 “YEARNING,” “AFFECTION”
Heavenly Title: Xuan Zhen, “Enigmatic Truth” (玄真) The Martial God of the Southwest. He has a short fuse and sharp tongue (especially when it comes to his longstanding nemesis, Feng Xin) and is known for being cold, spiteful, and petty. He has a complicated history with Xie Lian: long ago, in their days in the kingdom of Xianle, he used to serve as Xie Lian’s personal servant and was a close friend until circumstances drove them apart.