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Coins of Destiny #1
Coins of Destiny Vol. 1
What’s the difference between ascension and death? Between mortal and immortal, human and other?
The coins of destiny may reveal heaven’s will—but it’s up to you to obey it… or defy it.
Once a revered name in the cultivation world, the Fuyao Sect has fallen into disrepair—until a group of misfit disciples breathe life back into its hollow halls. A narcissist, a mischief-maker, a sharp-tongued prodigy, an idiot, and a half-blood child: together, they forge a bond stronger than any spiritual root.
Among them are Cheng Qian, who joins the sect at age ten with nothing but a sharp mind and a guarded heart, and Yan Zhengming, the reluctant senior disciple who must grow into the role he never wanted. Through bloodshed, brotherhood, and bitter truths, their journey unfolds over the span of a century.
As these young cultivators rise through the ranks, they must face not only external threats but the ever-changing nature of their own hearts. Fate is cruel. Power is fleeting. And sometimes, the only thing more painful than failure... is surviving.
Coins of Destiny is a sweeping xianxia epic about defiance, devotion, and the families we choose—set against a world where the line between immortality and humanity is dangerously thin.
The coins of destiny may reveal heaven’s will—but it’s up to you to obey it… or defy it.
Once a revered name in the cultivation world, the Fuyao Sect has fallen into disrepair—until a group of misfit disciples breathe life back into its hollow halls. A narcissist, a mischief-maker, a sharp-tongued prodigy, an idiot, and a half-blood child: together, they forge a bond stronger than any spiritual root.
Among them are Cheng Qian, who joins the sect at age ten with nothing but a sharp mind and a guarded heart, and Yan Zhengming, the reluctant senior disciple who must grow into the role he never wanted. Through bloodshed, brotherhood, and bitter truths, their journey unfolds over the span of a century.
As these young cultivators rise through the ranks, they must face not only external threats but the ever-changing nature of their own hearts. Fate is cruel. Power is fleeting. And sometimes, the only thing more painful than failure... is surviving.
Coins of Destiny is a sweeping xianxia epic about defiance, devotion, and the families we choose—set against a world where the line between immortality and humanity is dangerously thin.
358 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2024
6 people are currently reading
1016 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
October 13, 2024
unhinged children wreaking havoc!!!!! i'll protect them with my life!!!
chinese-novels
October 3, 2024about to go find myself a man in finance to fund this 🫡
November 30, 2025
it was so good. thank you for good food.
August 23, 2025
3.5 ⭐️ this is a really good start to a series! I did find some parts to drag a little, but I am really excited to read more of this series!!
October 4, 2024
This is the published English translation of the web novel Liu Yao: The Revitalization of Fuyao Sect
Coins of Destiny is a cultivation tale about how a declining immortality sect was revitalised by a narcissist, a mischief-maker, a mean kid, an idiot and a little half-breed. If you're familiar with the xianxia genre, this is a slightly different take on it interspersed with musings like:
What's the difference between ascension and death? Mortal and Immortal? What does it mean to be human? Do you follow heaven's will, or defy it?
Join ten-year-old Cheng Qian and his unruly disciple siblings as they embark on a century-long journey to revive the once-glorious Fuyao Sect. Follow their laughter and tears, love and heartbreak as they explore the blurred lines between life and death, mortal and immortal, human and other.
The first book details their bickering, mischief-laden childhood and introduces the dysfunctional members of this found family. Like all priest books, tragedy will soon befall them, and they will roam the world, aimless and bereft, as they struggle to find their way.
PS. The main character, Cheng Qian, is the mean kid. And you'll love his narcissist, clean-freak, ridiculously pretty senior brother.
Coins of Destiny is a cultivation tale about how a declining immortality sect was revitalised by a narcissist, a mischief-maker, a mean kid, an idiot and a little half-breed. If you're familiar with the xianxia genre, this is a slightly different take on it interspersed with musings like:
What's the difference between ascension and death? Mortal and Immortal? What does it mean to be human? Do you follow heaven's will, or defy it?
Join ten-year-old Cheng Qian and his unruly disciple siblings as they embark on a century-long journey to revive the once-glorious Fuyao Sect. Follow their laughter and tears, love and heartbreak as they explore the blurred lines between life and death, mortal and immortal, human and other.
The first book details their bickering, mischief-laden childhood and introduces the dysfunctional members of this found family. Like all priest books, tragedy will soon befall them, and they will roam the world, aimless and bereft, as they struggle to find their way.
PS. The main character, Cheng Qian, is the mean kid. And you'll love his narcissist, clean-freak, ridiculously pretty senior brother.
March 18, 2025
Honestly I wasn't sure how much I was going to like this, but I am a fan of Priest so I decided I wanted to expand my horizon and read more of their works.
The first few chapters were admittedly rough, and slow, feeling like a strange slice of life centered around a bunch of misfits. Up until the seventh chapter I wasn't even sure I'd be able to recommend it. But once I hit chapter seven, a landslide of events began to happen that quite literally pulled me in. I'm not sure what changed, but by the eighth chapter I felt like someone punched me with a fistful of onions. And now I'm left curious about where the kids all go from here.
I'd say if you did decide to pick up the book, at least read through chapter seven before deciding if it's worth your time or not. So much time is spent building up the characters, their relationships with one another, and setting up the plot, that the later chapters really just take you on a landslide to the end.
Now to wait on Rosmei to deliver the rest. QuQ
The first few chapters were admittedly rough, and slow, feeling like a strange slice of life centered around a bunch of misfits. Up until the seventh chapter I wasn't even sure I'd be able to recommend it. But once I hit chapter seven, a landslide of events began to happen that quite literally pulled me in. I'm not sure what changed, but by the eighth chapter I felt like someone punched me with a fistful of onions. And now I'm left curious about where the kids all go from here.
I'd say if you did decide to pick up the book, at least read through chapter seven before deciding if it's worth your time or not. So much time is spent building up the characters, their relationships with one another, and setting up the plot, that the later chapters really just take you on a landslide to the end.
Now to wait on Rosmei to deliver the rest. QuQ
January 6, 2026
oh…. what an unexpected delight… love these chaotic gremlins
March 5, 2025
I am very happy with the first volume of Liu Yao and I look forward to the next!
This is a great book if you'd like to expand your knowledge on practices of cultivation and Taoism. Especially being a western fan with no background on this subject it helped me understand it a lot more.
I really enjoyed the translation by Rosmei. The terms used made the text feel more poetic.
I have read reviews about this book before and was worried about the slow pacing. However, the characters and story kept me entertained!
I can feel it's definitely slow burn as there isn't much mentioned in term of romance. However, I very much enjoyed reading how the bonds between sect members grows stronger as the story progresses.
I definitely recommend if you're a fan of period danmei and would like to expand your knowledge on the culture.
This is a great book if you'd like to expand your knowledge on practices of cultivation and Taoism. Especially being a western fan with no background on this subject it helped me understand it a lot more.
I really enjoyed the translation by Rosmei. The terms used made the text feel more poetic.
I have read reviews about this book before and was worried about the slow pacing. However, the characters and story kept me entertained!
I can feel it's definitely slow burn as there isn't much mentioned in term of romance. However, I very much enjoyed reading how the bonds between sect members grows stronger as the story progresses.
I definitely recommend if you're a fan of period danmei and would like to expand your knowledge on the culture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2024
I really enjoyed this first installment. Following Cheng Qiang as he becomes attached to the other boys and sees them as his new found family and wants to protect them is very sweet. Priest's works are always a joy to read, but this is the first one I've read so far of hers that has that found family focus (albeit I've only read 3 so far and plan to read more!). She always makes me laugh out loud and also root for the characters. Looking forward to the next translated volumes!
"His ties to his natal family were weak. Now, with Muchun gone, all he had left were these unreliable fellow disciples who were like his brothers. His emotional bonds were as deep and invisible as a sharp knife slicing through tofu; the surface remained unmarked, but the cuts were deep."
"His ties to his natal family were weak. Now, with Muchun gone, all he had left were these unreliable fellow disciples who were like his brothers. His emotional bonds were as deep and invisible as a sharp knife slicing through tofu; the surface remained unmarked, but the cuts were deep."
November 1, 2024
First half of the book: 😁😆😮
Second half of the book: 🙂🥲🙁
Second half of the book: 🙂🥲🙁
November 26, 2024
I loved every single syllable of it.
July 14, 2025
Wow. This feels like the start of a true masterpiece by Priest. My only slight hesitation surrounds whether I think Priest can pull off a continuation of a fantastic beginning. I've been tricked in the past, specifically with Guardian, which also had the best start of any Priest series, only to have a slow slide into a not-great read over the next two novels. So, I hope this doesn't.
Yes, this book is slow to begin. In fact, I would argue this book reads the most like a classic children's series than any other danmei I've read previously. This is not any kind of criticism, in fact I think it's a very difficult genre to write in successfully. I find the focus on the childhood of the characters (which was leveled as a criticism from some other reviewers) a huge part of why Priest's characters are so strong. The growth the cast of characters experiences over the course of the first volume is beautifully written and feels realistic. I love the perspective this novel has on the cultivation genre - we're seeing it from a child's eyes who isn't certain what is actually true and what is fiction before seeing things with his own eyes. I think this is, so far, a fantastic introduction to the genre if you haven't read any previously.
Sure, there isn't any romance yet. And I personally love that - there's barely even a hint of the future relationship that will develop. That being said, for someone who comes to danmei purely because of the romance I would not recommend this book. Thus far the story feel first and foremost a hero's journey, and secondly a found family journey of interwoven relationships - I don't think romance is really going to overshadow either of those even when it inevitably does appear. But, I am also looking forward to the romance, as I haven't really seen much representation of this kind of relationship [spoiler] growing up together [/spoiler] in danmei or indeed LGBT+ representation. Maybe Frenemies, the Korean manhua, but even that doesn't have the breadth of sect-life characters that Coins of Destiny has.
The plot is really interesting, following essentially the lives of five sect disciples whose task is to renew the long-faded glory of their sect amidst a world of chaos. Each disciple is massively flawed, yet endearing in their own way, brought together to stay together by circumstance. The action doesn't start to truly pick up until around chapter 7 or so, a good two thirds of the way through the first volume. By the time the action does occur you are so invested in the lives of these characters that otherwise minor setbacks feel more stressful because you know how they target each characters weakness or strength. On a personal note, this "found family" genre is fairy new to me and hitting me squarely as I've been developing my own found family. It's just super well done and I'm excited to read the next volume.
On some more nitpicky things, aesthetically I wish this was in five volumes instead of four. The whole book is structured (seemingly) to take you through the five different sword techniques of the sect - each one gets it's own large Part. It's odd then when around 4/5ths of you way through volume 1 you hit Part 2 of 5. Really minor but I'd prefer it. Rosmei, while I find their translations overall better than most of Seven Seas, really slacks on the footnotes. I think there are two the entire novel, you might as well not bother. One thing that really *did* need a footnote was that Demonic path = path of the ghost = heretical cultivation. I only knew that Demonic cultivation is supposedly really "ghost" cultivation and is a translation difference because of Reddit arguments about Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Personally, I think Demonic cultivation sounds significantly better than "ghost" cultivation, and matches better with the Western view of demonic than ghost would, but it definitely needed a footnote. Additionally, some of the proverbs don't always make a lot of sense when translated, these could also use a footnote (the most memorable was "you can't train a dog to not eat shit" which...you absolutely can? lol). But again, overall the translation was fantastic and of the higher quality I've generally come to expect from Rosmei.
All in all, this very much has the potential to be my favorite Priest novel!
Yes, this book is slow to begin. In fact, I would argue this book reads the most like a classic children's series than any other danmei I've read previously. This is not any kind of criticism, in fact I think it's a very difficult genre to write in successfully. I find the focus on the childhood of the characters (which was leveled as a criticism from some other reviewers) a huge part of why Priest's characters are so strong. The growth the cast of characters experiences over the course of the first volume is beautifully written and feels realistic. I love the perspective this novel has on the cultivation genre - we're seeing it from a child's eyes who isn't certain what is actually true and what is fiction before seeing things with his own eyes. I think this is, so far, a fantastic introduction to the genre if you haven't read any previously.
Sure, there isn't any romance yet. And I personally love that - there's barely even a hint of the future relationship that will develop. That being said, for someone who comes to danmei purely because of the romance I would not recommend this book. Thus far the story feel first and foremost a hero's journey, and secondly a found family journey of interwoven relationships - I don't think romance is really going to overshadow either of those even when it inevitably does appear. But, I am also looking forward to the romance, as I haven't really seen much representation of this kind of relationship [spoiler] growing up together [/spoiler] in danmei or indeed LGBT+ representation. Maybe Frenemies, the Korean manhua, but even that doesn't have the breadth of sect-life characters that Coins of Destiny has.
The plot is really interesting, following essentially the lives of five sect disciples whose task is to renew the long-faded glory of their sect amidst a world of chaos. Each disciple is massively flawed, yet endearing in their own way, brought together to stay together by circumstance. The action doesn't start to truly pick up until around chapter 7 or so, a good two thirds of the way through the first volume. By the time the action does occur you are so invested in the lives of these characters that otherwise minor setbacks feel more stressful because you know how they target each characters weakness or strength. On a personal note, this "found family" genre is fairy new to me and hitting me squarely as I've been developing my own found family. It's just super well done and I'm excited to read the next volume.
On some more nitpicky things, aesthetically I wish this was in five volumes instead of four. The whole book is structured (seemingly) to take you through the five different sword techniques of the sect - each one gets it's own large Part. It's odd then when around 4/5ths of you way through volume 1 you hit Part 2 of 5. Really minor but I'd prefer it. Rosmei, while I find their translations overall better than most of Seven Seas, really slacks on the footnotes. I think there are two the entire novel, you might as well not bother. One thing that really *did* need a footnote was that Demonic path = path of the ghost = heretical cultivation. I only knew that Demonic cultivation is supposedly really "ghost" cultivation and is a translation difference because of Reddit arguments about Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation. Personally, I think Demonic cultivation sounds significantly better than "ghost" cultivation, and matches better with the Western view of demonic than ghost would, but it definitely needed a footnote. Additionally, some of the proverbs don't always make a lot of sense when translated, these could also use a footnote (the most memorable was "you can't train a dog to not eat shit" which...you absolutely can? lol). But again, overall the translation was fantastic and of the higher quality I've generally come to expect from Rosmei.
All in all, this very much has the potential to be my favorite Priest novel!
April 7, 2025
This story has a lot of humor in it. I enjoyed it. I think this is a love story, but you can't tell from the first volume of it. They are all kids and the main character is 12. Nothing happens on that front. This is the second time Priest has done this. She also did it in Sha Po Lang. I don't get why she doesn't have them age up sooner. I've read this whole volume and I have a clue about any couples forming. I don't think there was even a hint of romance, so maybe it isn't a love story. I must wait for the next volume.
We follow Cheng Qian, a poor farmer whose parents sell him to a cultivator for some silver since they are starving. Cheng Qian is almost heartless and driven. He doesn't want to be a nobody and a farmer. He is taken to Mount Fuyao to try with the grand masters other charges. They are a motley crew. The vain peacock Yan Zhengming or the is-he-or-isn't-he evil Li Yan with his toad potions and then Han Yuan who was also picked up along with Cheng Qian who is a little beggar. None of them go together and all of them are weird. Cheng Qian is the only one serious about cultivation. The others care about life.
Everything changes when they leave to go to a cultivation market. The story begins to really move along and that's where it ends.
I like the characters and the tone has been light and humorous. I have no idea what is going to happen. Still, Priest is able to get in there and make there characters suffer. She always does that. She knows how to do it.
I am looking forward to the next volume.
We follow Cheng Qian, a poor farmer whose parents sell him to a cultivator for some silver since they are starving. Cheng Qian is almost heartless and driven. He doesn't want to be a nobody and a farmer. He is taken to Mount Fuyao to try with the grand masters other charges. They are a motley crew. The vain peacock Yan Zhengming or the is-he-or-isn't-he evil Li Yan with his toad potions and then Han Yuan who was also picked up along with Cheng Qian who is a little beggar. None of them go together and all of them are weird. Cheng Qian is the only one serious about cultivation. The others care about life.
Everything changes when they leave to go to a cultivation market. The story begins to really move along and that's where it ends.
I like the characters and the tone has been light and humorous. I have no idea what is going to happen. Still, Priest is able to get in there and make there characters suffer. She always does that. She knows how to do it.
I am looking forward to the next volume.
August 29, 2025
It was very slow for the first half/two thirds, establishing a well needed setting with mere hints of the plot. The characters are children with very marked personalities. So that part of the book was a bit boring to me.
Yet, past a specific event around the 2/3 or 3/4 mark, it all comes crashing down and definitely picks up. It kept my breath for the remainder of the book, it tore at my heart and brought me near tears at times. So I definitely understand the slow setting, otherwise the emotional impact wouldn't have been the same. Still, I'm unsure what rating to give it (edit: decided on 3.75 lol). Let's also take into account that the writing style of this translation is very engaging.
In the end, it had me say I will keep reading this series, something that I had decided against around the middle mark. Good job on making me invested again, Priest... I definitely thought this one wouldn't get me!
Yet, past a specific event around the 2/3 or 3/4 mark, it all comes crashing down and definitely picks up. It kept my breath for the remainder of the book, it tore at my heart and brought me near tears at times. So I definitely understand the slow setting, otherwise the emotional impact wouldn't have been the same. Still, I'm unsure what rating to give it (edit: decided on 3.75 lol). Let's also take into account that the writing style of this translation is very engaging.
In the end, it had me say I will keep reading this series, something that I had decided against around the middle mark. Good job on making me invested again, Priest... I definitely thought this one wouldn't get me!
January 25, 2026
I love this!
I went in with zero expectations, and was so surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Cheng Qian is sold by his family to Muchun, who takes him as his disciple to Mount Fuyao to join his sect.
We follow his and the other three discples’ adventures. There’s some angst, but a lot of humor as well (I especially enjoyed chapter 5).
I can definitely recommend this, and can’t wait for the next volume.
I went in with zero expectations, and was so surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Cheng Qian is sold by his family to Muchun, who takes him as his disciple to Mount Fuyao to join his sect.
We follow his and the other three discples’ adventures. There’s some angst, but a lot of humor as well (I especially enjoyed chapter 5).
I can definitely recommend this, and can’t wait for the next volume.
June 12, 2025
I wish I could give this a higher rating, but I just didn't find it that engaging. I didn't really care about any of the characters (though I hope that changes), and I found my mind wandering while reading. It wasn't terrible, and I will be buying and reading the next one, but I was a bit disappointed.
January 16, 2025
Wow, both first danmei and first Priest novel i didn't really care for...and I love cultivation novels and I love Priest, like Stars of Chaos is one of my faves amongst all danmei🫠
Idk, maybe I should wait for vol 2, but so far, I was forcing myself to keep reading (
Idk, maybe I should wait for vol 2, but so far, I was forcing myself to keep reading (
May 8, 2025
I loved this so so much.
What beautiful writing.
Some scenarios were funny to the core thanks to how everything’s been set up.
Very beautiful, suddenly sad. Yet hopeful in all that.
Can’t wait for volume 2 to release in English!
I will definitely be getting them all.
What beautiful writing.
Some scenarios were funny to the core thanks to how everything’s been set up.
Very beautiful, suddenly sad. Yet hopeful in all that.
Can’t wait for volume 2 to release in English!
I will definitely be getting them all.
January 23, 2025
I think this one had a rough start. Very willing to read more and see this chaotic group grow into a family but it didn't blow me away at volume 1
July 26, 2025
this family means everything to me!!
December 25, 2025
"His emotional bonds were as deep and invisible as a sharp knife slicing through tofu; the surface remained unmarked, but the cuts were deep."
Priest has an extraordinary ability to craft characters who defy conventional archetypes, and Coins of Destiny is no exception. I’m amazed by how Priest can write a character that I don’t fully understand but still feels so real, as if they exist beyond the page. Cheng Qian, for instance, isn’t your typical righteous protagonist with a good heart and sound judgment. He’s mean, selfish, and narrow in his focus. He cares deeply about a few things and almost nothing about others, and he’s undeniably pretentious. Yet, it’s this imperfection that makes him so fascinating. There are moments when his judgment is sharp and incisive, and others when it completely falters, leaving you both frustrated and deeply empathetic.
Yan Zhengming, on the other hand, is a delightful surprise. He’s not the hyper-masculine, overpowered male lead you might expect. Instead, he exudes a certain femininity and vulnerability, and he can be downright annoying at times. He feels like a younger, more narcissistic Feng Xiao from Peerless (Wu Shuang)—vain, theatrical, and exasperatingly full of himself. And yet, beneath all that flamboyant self-absorption, there’s a core of selflessness. He’s willing to set aside his ego for the sake of his sect brothers, showing a depth of care and responsibility that makes him impossible to dislike completely. These two characters, Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming, embody the idea that “there’s goodness in the evil, and there’s evil in the goodness,” a moral complexity that Priest handles masterfully.
The dynamics between the characters are another highlight. Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming’s relationship is fraught with tension, misunderstandings, and moments of begrudging camaraderie. Their flaws play off each other in ways that feel organic and compelling, making their interactions unpredictable and layered. The other sect brothers also add dimension to the story, with their own quirks and personalities rounding out the group. Priest excels at creating ensembles that feel like living, breathing entities.
The pacing, however, is a mixed bag. The beginning is slow—so slow, in fact, that I occasionally wondered if anything substantial would happen. But Priest uses this deliberate pacing to build a strong foundation for the characters and their world. By the time the plot picks up, it’s like a dam breaking: a flood of events rushes in, leaving you breathless by the end of the book. The slow start pays off, but it requires some patience. And by the time I finished, I found myself craving more, eager to see what the next volume will bring.
Date Read: 2024.12.18
Re-read: 2025.11.19
Priest has an extraordinary ability to craft characters who defy conventional archetypes, and Coins of Destiny is no exception. I’m amazed by how Priest can write a character that I don’t fully understand but still feels so real, as if they exist beyond the page. Cheng Qian, for instance, isn’t your typical righteous protagonist with a good heart and sound judgment. He’s mean, selfish, and narrow in his focus. He cares deeply about a few things and almost nothing about others, and he’s undeniably pretentious. Yet, it’s this imperfection that makes him so fascinating. There are moments when his judgment is sharp and incisive, and others when it completely falters, leaving you both frustrated and deeply empathetic.
Yan Zhengming, on the other hand, is a delightful surprise. He’s not the hyper-masculine, overpowered male lead you might expect. Instead, he exudes a certain femininity and vulnerability, and he can be downright annoying at times. He feels like a younger, more narcissistic Feng Xiao from Peerless (Wu Shuang)—vain, theatrical, and exasperatingly full of himself. And yet, beneath all that flamboyant self-absorption, there’s a core of selflessness. He’s willing to set aside his ego for the sake of his sect brothers, showing a depth of care and responsibility that makes him impossible to dislike completely. These two characters, Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming, embody the idea that “there’s goodness in the evil, and there’s evil in the goodness,” a moral complexity that Priest handles masterfully.
The dynamics between the characters are another highlight. Cheng Qian and Yan Zhengming’s relationship is fraught with tension, misunderstandings, and moments of begrudging camaraderie. Their flaws play off each other in ways that feel organic and compelling, making their interactions unpredictable and layered. The other sect brothers also add dimension to the story, with their own quirks and personalities rounding out the group. Priest excels at creating ensembles that feel like living, breathing entities.
The pacing, however, is a mixed bag. The beginning is slow—so slow, in fact, that I occasionally wondered if anything substantial would happen. But Priest uses this deliberate pacing to build a strong foundation for the characters and their world. By the time the plot picks up, it’s like a dam breaking: a flood of events rushes in, leaving you breathless by the end of the book. The slow start pays off, but it requires some patience. And by the time I finished, I found myself craving more, eager to see what the next volume will bring.
Date Read: 2024.12.18
Re-read: 2025.11.19
November 5, 2024
Really interesting and excited to see where it goes
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