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Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire #2
Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire Vol. 2
Manifesting fire. Seeing through walls. Stopping time. Abilities like these separate metahumans from ordinary people. Some metahumans serve as secret protectors, while others use their power for cheap gains. Some only wish to live quietly. And some seek to upend the world.
3,000 years ago, the world looked very different, populated by beings from mythology’s pages. But when the yao of old brought humanity to the brink of annihilation, Emperor Wu was forced to seal away the source of spiritual power, gifting the world to those without abilities. Now, someone is plotting to break that seal in a bid to reclaim what once was.
When easy-going fire user Xuan Ji takes a job at the Anomaly Regulation Bureau to escape his mounting debt, he’s forced into a confrontation with the ancient demon Sheng Lingyuan. Enigmatic, aloof, and deeply broken, Sheng Lingyuan seems to have a connection with the seal—and with Xuan Ji himself. Together with a team of quirky metahumans, they must uncover both present-day conspiracies and sorrows from millennia past—and perhaps stop trying to kill each other.
Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire is a haunting urban fantasy with biting humour, exploring the lines people draw between each other—and the ones they’ll cross to be together.
3,000 years ago, the world looked very different, populated by beings from mythology’s pages. But when the yao of old brought humanity to the brink of annihilation, Emperor Wu was forced to seal away the source of spiritual power, gifting the world to those without abilities. Now, someone is plotting to break that seal in a bid to reclaim what once was.
When easy-going fire user Xuan Ji takes a job at the Anomaly Regulation Bureau to escape his mounting debt, he’s forced into a confrontation with the ancient demon Sheng Lingyuan. Enigmatic, aloof, and deeply broken, Sheng Lingyuan seems to have a connection with the seal—and with Xuan Ji himself. Together with a team of quirky metahumans, they must uncover both present-day conspiracies and sorrows from millennia past—and perhaps stop trying to kill each other.
Drowning Sorrows in Raging Fire is a haunting urban fantasy with biting humour, exploring the lines people draw between each other—and the ones they’ll cross to be together.
400 pages, Paperback
Published September 20, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
April 11, 2026
I was captivated by the first volume, loving it so much that I adored every page and became obsessed with it. I still consider this danmei one of Priest's best works. However, volume 2 left me feeling very confused and puzzled. Throughout my reading, my emotions fluctuated wildly, I loved it, then hated it, liked it, disliked it, all over again. Ultimately, I remain uncertain about what exactly I am feeling towards this volume or whether I loved it more than the first one.
The pacing of this volume was notably slow. In the first volume, everything happened at a faster pace, while here, it felt as though nothing was progressing, even after reaching 400 pages. That’s not to say the plot was stagnant, it did move forward, but at a snail’s pace. The story was further complicated by the fact that the two protagonists were separated for most of this volume. The plot of this danmei is incredibly frustrating yet compelling. It has moments that make you love it wholeheartedly, but also moments that test your patience because they can be quite dull.
Xuan Ji endured immense suffering in this volume, and when I think about his entire life, it’s heartbreaking. He regained some of his memories from the past, but at what terrible cost? Knowing what he now knows makes me feel even more sorrow for him.
Sheng Lingyuan, on the other hand, is quite a character, an absolute piece of work. Despite my instincts warning me against liking him, I find myself somewhat drawn to him. However, he really challenged my patience in this volume. Because he doesn't remember significant parts of his past life involving Xuan Ji, he comes across as cold, detached, and even ruthless. Most of his focus in this volume was on understanding the modern world and searching for the mastermind who awakened him.
Currently, their relationship is nonexistent. They are practically strangers. When I say this is a slow burn, I mean the slowest burn imaginable. The author hasn’t fully revealed their shared past, which makes everything even more complicated and frustrating.
Sheng Lingyuan initially appears to be a very cold and indifferent jerk towards Xuan Ji, largely due to his memory problem. I need him to recover his memories and fill in the gaps left by what Xuan Ji cannot remember clearly, so that their relationship starts to look like a relationship.
In conclusion, reading this volume has been an incredibly complex and emotionally taxing experience. I am eagerly looking forward to volume 3, hoping it will finally provide some clarity and reveal more answers that can help make sense of this complicated story.
The pacing of this volume was notably slow. In the first volume, everything happened at a faster pace, while here, it felt as though nothing was progressing, even after reaching 400 pages. That’s not to say the plot was stagnant, it did move forward, but at a snail’s pace. The story was further complicated by the fact that the two protagonists were separated for most of this volume. The plot of this danmei is incredibly frustrating yet compelling. It has moments that make you love it wholeheartedly, but also moments that test your patience because they can be quite dull.
Xuan Ji endured immense suffering in this volume, and when I think about his entire life, it’s heartbreaking. He regained some of his memories from the past, but at what terrible cost? Knowing what he now knows makes me feel even more sorrow for him.
Sheng Lingyuan, on the other hand, is quite a character, an absolute piece of work. Despite my instincts warning me against liking him, I find myself somewhat drawn to him. However, he really challenged my patience in this volume. Because he doesn't remember significant parts of his past life involving Xuan Ji, he comes across as cold, detached, and even ruthless. Most of his focus in this volume was on understanding the modern world and searching for the mastermind who awakened him.
Currently, their relationship is nonexistent. They are practically strangers. When I say this is a slow burn, I mean the slowest burn imaginable. The author hasn’t fully revealed their shared past, which makes everything even more complicated and frustrating.
Sheng Lingyuan initially appears to be a very cold and indifferent jerk towards Xuan Ji, largely due to his memory problem. I need him to recover his memories and fill in the gaps left by what Xuan Ji cannot remember clearly, so that their relationship starts to look like a relationship.
In conclusion, reading this volume has been an incredibly complex and emotionally taxing experience. I am eagerly looking forward to volume 3, hoping it will finally provide some clarity and reveal more answers that can help make sense of this complicated story.
November 5, 2025
Words are just escaping me every time I try to write a review for this volume. There are just so many layers with excellent world building, fast paced storytelling (the reveals!) and an incredible cast of characters. I just adore everything about this story especially the ancient x modern aspect. Also, thank you Priest for giving me another favorite female character in danmei, Gu Yeuxi (at least through vol. 2😬).
🔥My favorite amnesiacs, Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan. Sigh. I love their chemistry so much. A slow burn with an unknown ancient history slowly revealed is one of my favorite tropes
🔥Deviant Control/Reparations team- the cutest and most lovable crew. Still trying to find their way under this new supervisor XJ
🔥The Wind God team- we get a lot more backstory and side character depth in this volume, side CP introduced
🔥Villains- every time we think we found one, there's someone else behind them
🔥Abilities- I love Priest's take on "metahumans" and all the different powers
🔥Weapon spirits- become a pretty important part of the story
🔥Humor- as always, witty and clever like the characters. SL discovering modern conveinences (pockets!) is 😂
🔥Tragic reveals- be prepared for some sad and also horrifying things
The story really hasn't stopped since the very first paragraph but in this volume we get so much more. The challenge for me is remembering details by the time the next volume is released. I think this will be a story that I reread every volume before the next release. I might just MTL the remaining chapters from jjwxc since I know the majority of the characters, locations, clans, etc and reread when the official version comes out!
🔥My favorite amnesiacs, Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan. Sigh. I love their chemistry so much. A slow burn with an unknown ancient history slowly revealed is one of my favorite tropes
🔥Deviant Control/Reparations team- the cutest and most lovable crew. Still trying to find their way under this new supervisor XJ
🔥The Wind God team- we get a lot more backstory and side character depth in this volume, side CP introduced
🔥Villains- every time we think we found one, there's someone else behind them
🔥Abilities- I love Priest's take on "metahumans" and all the different powers
🔥Weapon spirits- become a pretty important part of the story
🔥Humor- as always, witty and clever like the characters. SL discovering modern conveinences (pockets!) is 😂
🔥Tragic reveals- be prepared for some sad and also horrifying things
The story really hasn't stopped since the very first paragraph but in this volume we get so much more. The challenge for me is remembering details by the time the next volume is released. I think this will be a story that I reread every volume before the next release. I might just MTL the remaining chapters from jjwxc since I know the majority of the characters, locations, clans, etc and reread when the official version comes out!
October 31, 2025
4.25 ★
Chapter 17 of this book is where the donghua/animated show ends.
Chapter 17 of this book is where the donghua/animated show ends.
October 31, 2025
“Excessive love was like adding too much sugar—it would spoil the taste, breed anxiety, and eventually invite bitter hatred.”
The tension between Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan continues to be the beating heart of the story—sharp, chaotic, and impossible to look away from. Every interaction between them is charged, whether they’re clashing, circling, or simply standing in the same room. The emotional push and pull feels raw and lived-in, never overly dramatic but always on the edge of something explosive. It’s not just chemistry; it’s a collision of trauma, duty, and a stubborn kind of care neither of them knows how to express. Their connection isn’t tidy, and it doesn’t try to be. It works because it’s messy.
This volume tightens its grip without slowing down. The world feels deeper, more dangerous, and more personal, especially as past choices begin to echo louder in the present. Twists hit harder because the characters feel more exposed, even when they’re trying to keep their guards up. The writing sharpens too—cleaner, more focused, but still capable of hitting emotional high notes when it counts. Dialogue lands with more weight, and exposition never overstays its welcome. It's the kind of narrative confidence that makes you trust where the story is going, even when you don’t know what’s around the corner.
There’s also a subtle but undeniable shift as the emotional undercurrent turns into something more openly romantic. It’s still guarded and quiet, but the tension is no longer just subtext. Glances hold longer, touches linger, and a single moment—a maybe—suddenly feels like a turning point. Add in stronger side character arcs and cleaner pacing, and this installment finally feels like it’s living up to its potential. I liked the first book. This one? I’m fully hooked—and resisting the urge to binge the whole thing in machine translation. Also, shoutout to Rosmei’s dust cover art. It’s absolutely stunning.
Date Read: 2025.10.09
The tension between Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan continues to be the beating heart of the story—sharp, chaotic, and impossible to look away from. Every interaction between them is charged, whether they’re clashing, circling, or simply standing in the same room. The emotional push and pull feels raw and lived-in, never overly dramatic but always on the edge of something explosive. It’s not just chemistry; it’s a collision of trauma, duty, and a stubborn kind of care neither of them knows how to express. Their connection isn’t tidy, and it doesn’t try to be. It works because it’s messy.
This volume tightens its grip without slowing down. The world feels deeper, more dangerous, and more personal, especially as past choices begin to echo louder in the present. Twists hit harder because the characters feel more exposed, even when they’re trying to keep their guards up. The writing sharpens too—cleaner, more focused, but still capable of hitting emotional high notes when it counts. Dialogue lands with more weight, and exposition never overstays its welcome. It's the kind of narrative confidence that makes you trust where the story is going, even when you don’t know what’s around the corner.
There’s also a subtle but undeniable shift as the emotional undercurrent turns into something more openly romantic. It’s still guarded and quiet, but the tension is no longer just subtext. Glances hold longer, touches linger, and a single moment—a maybe—suddenly feels like a turning point. Add in stronger side character arcs and cleaner pacing, and this installment finally feels like it’s living up to its potential. I liked the first book. This one? I’m fully hooked—and resisting the urge to binge the whole thing in machine translation. Also, shoutout to Rosmei’s dust cover art. It’s absolutely stunning.
Date Read: 2025.10.09
September 6, 2025
This volume is heavy on plot in the best way. There's just so much to enjoy here, moments where real tears streamed down my cheeks, and moments where I laughed out loud. There's a lot to unpack regarding the mysteries as we continue to uncover more bits of the characters' backstories - not just main ones, but side characters as well. In particular, we dive into the (M/M) side couple's story, which is both endearing and heartbreaking ().
While Lingyuan and Xuan Ji spend some time apart around the middle, this absence only makes Xuan Ji's heart grow fonder, and they reunite before the volume's end - as always, with sparks flying.
I want to give Priest a shoutout for making Lingyuan's entrances in so many scenes so straight out of a horror movie, I could almost hear a creepy background music playing every time he appeared out of nowhere. I was amused by this, either because it was the author's intention or because I'm so fond of Lingyuan. But the best part is that Xuan Ji is horny for this straight-out-of-horror demon. Priest really wrote peak here.
Looking back at these two volumes so far, I realize that I love how re-readable this series is, because the story is complex, the lore is rich, the worldbuilding is fascinating, the characters are well-developed, the main romance is exciting, the writing & translation style are very good as well, and even the side couple doesn't get forgotten with just a passing sentence or two like it sometimes happens in other novels. I just know the novel will be even more enjoyable and the angst will hit even harder upon a reread. In short, I have nothing but praise for this series and its official English edition.
While Lingyuan and Xuan Ji spend some time apart around the middle, this absence only makes Xuan Ji's heart grow fonder, and they reunite before the volume's end - as always, with sparks flying.
I want to give Priest a shoutout for making Lingyuan's entrances in so many scenes so straight out of a horror movie, I could almost hear a creepy background music playing every time he appeared out of nowhere. I was amused by this, either because it was the author's intention or because I'm so fond of Lingyuan. But the best part is that Xuan Ji is horny for this straight-out-of-horror demon. Priest really wrote peak here.
Looking back at these two volumes so far, I realize that I love how re-readable this series is, because the story is complex, the lore is rich, the worldbuilding is fascinating, the characters are well-developed, the main romance is exciting, the writing & translation style are very good as well, and even the side couple doesn't get forgotten with just a passing sentence or two like it sometimes happens in other novels. I just know the novel will be even more enjoyable and the angst will hit even harder upon a reread. In short, I have nothing but praise for this series and its official English edition.
October 29, 2025
I'm not the biggest Priest fan, very hit or miss for me, but this story has my full attention!
Sheng Lingyuan is so compelling, and I do love a cold, calculating ML.
Sheng Lingyuan is so compelling, and I do love a cold, calculating ML.
December 28, 2025
HOLY SHIT
November 3, 2025
being as it is nearly a year since I read vol 1 it took a little for me to get back into it but I generally enjoyed the book. Interest dropped in karts but by the end I was excited to see where everything was headed.
May 26, 2026
An excellent follow-up to book one, though the cliffhanger ending in the middle of Arc 3 makes me rage. I'm not a huge fan of breaking up the arcs between books unless it can be done cleanly because you wind up with novels like this one that feel almost filler just because of a publisher or translator's choice of where to break. This novel has the final five chapters of Arc 2, which are mostly denouement, the exciting climaxes were all in book one, and the first half or so of Arc 3 which takes a long time to build up. We have a few chapters of exciting action, then "cliffhanger we're done here, wait half a year for the next book".
It's good content, despite feeling poorly cut-up. Side characters from Arc 2 like the Tornado strike team play a bigger role in Arc 3. We get some more tragic characters and relationships (justice for Zhichun!), a few new minor villains, and we slowly expand the hidden edges of the series' giant conspiracy. More of the forgotten histories / lost memories of Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan are slowly revealed, though the two characters spend the majority of this novel apart which I think doesn't help the 'filler' feeling.
I didn't notice any major translation errors this time, which is a plus, and I also want to give some props to the translator for some great choices of modern slang and humour in localisation. I'm sure most of these terms and jokes bear little technical resemblance to the original Chinese, but they do a great job imparting the divide between generations, between those online and not online, and even when those online kids wind up with interests and knowledge that don't align with the image they've been projecting. Humour is hard to do in any language, let alone in translation/localisation, so I was impressed.
Unfortunately I still can't give a full five stars when the choices of where to cut each novel results in such a disjointed reading experience. Really my only complaint for this novel, that Act 2's denouement feels too late and unexciting as the start of a novel, and Act 3 feels so incomplete where we left it.
Rating: 4 stars - Bad choices of where to cut one giant online novel into smaller paperbacks for publishing make this volume feel slower and more disjointed than the overall arcs (if left intact) actually are.
It's good content, despite feeling poorly cut-up. Side characters from Arc 2 like the Tornado strike team play a bigger role in Arc 3. We get some more tragic characters and relationships (justice for Zhichun!), a few new minor villains, and we slowly expand the hidden edges of the series' giant conspiracy. More of the forgotten histories / lost memories of Xuan Ji and Sheng Lingyuan are slowly revealed, though the two characters spend the majority of this novel apart which I think doesn't help the 'filler' feeling.
I didn't notice any major translation errors this time, which is a plus, and I also want to give some props to the translator for some great choices of modern slang and humour in localisation. I'm sure most of these terms and jokes bear little technical resemblance to the original Chinese, but they do a great job imparting the divide between generations, between those online and not online, and even when those online kids wind up with interests and knowledge that don't align with the image they've been projecting. Humour is hard to do in any language, let alone in translation/localisation, so I was impressed.
Unfortunately I still can't give a full five stars when the choices of where to cut each novel results in such a disjointed reading experience. Really my only complaint for this novel, that Act 2's denouement feels too late and unexciting as the start of a novel, and Act 3 feels so incomplete where we left it.
Rating: 4 stars - Bad choices of where to cut one giant online novel into smaller paperbacks for publishing make this volume feel slower and more disjointed than the overall arcs (if left intact) actually are.
December 3, 2025
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
4.5 stars. alright I'll attempt a proper review, but a bit spoilery:
-------
lie huo jiao chou has some real flaws such as the plot being a mess and the pov switches and scene transitions being way too abrupt. but as always priest's characterization of the main characters just crawls into my heart strings. this volume is the one where I went from liking xuan ji bc he's funny, to becoming Extremely emotionally attached to him. him and fei du can fight for the spot of my fav priest character. sheng lingyuan is a very complex character but theres still a lot we dont know about him yet at this point, so i'll wait and see.
although the plot was messy, the slow hints about our main pairing's past were deftly paced. we are fed slow hints here and there, but at first they're too vague and confusing to make sense of. then, more and more hints start coming, and I was able to slowly piece together parts of the true nature of their past identities and exactly what they were to one another. the way that was done was perfect, neither too easy to guess nor too out of left field. I'm really glad I wasn't spoiled for that bc it was really fun putting together the puzzle pieces.
lots of angst in the main ship, honestly maximum angst. I have no words😩💔 one of the most star-crossed, tragic, doomed, codependent, toxic, intense slow burn pairings ever.... with a 3000 year separation 😭💔😭💔😭💔😭😭 yeah this is my fav priest pairing so far for sure.... i want to say more but i dont want to spoil it. oh i am so unwell they make me feel so ill (in the best way)💔💔💔
I also grew to care for some of the side characters in this volume, like Wang Ze, Gu Yuexi and the side pairing! although, a lot of things about the side characters were told via exposition instead of showing us. still, i love xuan ji's bro friendship with wang ze🥹 the side pairing parallel the main pairing and are angsty as well, oof.
the fantasy elements were really cool and fun too!
-------
initial thoughts:
IVE BEEN SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES ALONG WITH TONG!!!!!
i don't know how to review this just endless tears and screeching
i have a new fav pipi character.....
4.5 stars. alright I'll attempt a proper review, but a bit spoilery:
-------
lie huo jiao chou has some real flaws such as the plot being a mess and the pov switches and scene transitions being way too abrupt. but as always priest's characterization of the main characters just crawls into my heart strings. this volume is the one where I went from liking xuan ji bc he's funny, to becoming Extremely emotionally attached to him. him and fei du can fight for the spot of my fav priest character. sheng lingyuan is a very complex character but theres still a lot we dont know about him yet at this point, so i'll wait and see.
although the plot was messy, the slow hints about our main pairing's past were deftly paced. we are fed slow hints here and there, but at first they're too vague and confusing to make sense of. then, more and more hints start coming, and I was able to slowly piece together parts of the true nature of their past identities and exactly what they were to one another. the way that was done was perfect, neither too easy to guess nor too out of left field. I'm really glad I wasn't spoiled for that bc it was really fun putting together the puzzle pieces.
lots of angst in the main ship, honestly maximum angst. I have no words😩💔 one of the most star-crossed, tragic, doomed, codependent, toxic, intense slow burn pairings ever.... with a 3000 year separation 😭💔😭💔😭💔😭😭 yeah this is my fav priest pairing so far for sure.... i want to say more but i dont want to spoil it. oh i am so unwell they make me feel so ill (in the best way)💔💔💔
I also grew to care for some of the side characters in this volume, like Wang Ze, Gu Yuexi and the side pairing! although, a lot of things about the side characters were told via exposition instead of showing us. still, i love xuan ji's bro friendship with wang ze🥹 the side pairing parallel the main pairing and are angsty as well, oof.
the fantasy elements were really cool and fun too!
-------
initial thoughts:
IVE BEEN SHATTERED INTO A MILLION PIECES ALONG WITH TONG!!!!!
i don't know how to review this just endless tears and screeching
i have a new fav pipi character.....
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2026
STOP SEPARATING MEN FROM THEIR SWORD SPIRITS YOU MONSTERS
every time you think you're finally settled in, 皮皮 does a lateral move and manages to up the ante. at this point i honestly have no idea how she's going to make all of it work, there's so many moving parts and the stakes are already high; but if anyone can do it it's pipi.
tldr: xuan ji is kind of an idiot (but a shrewd and dishonest and charming one), sheng lingyuan is darkly amused despite himself, and everyone else just really needs a nap. also every single one of the artist formerly known as emperor wu's jumpcuts is shriek-worthy; he's such an ice-cold wily old bastard, with a shen wei-like inability to tell when he's in actual debilitating pain.
(also i have no idea who "yog" is but if you're out there reading this: 我的天 you are SUCH a good translator?! your contemporary idiomatic choices are just mind-bogglingly adroit and i laugh aloud at least once per chapter.)
every time you think you're finally settled in, 皮皮 does a lateral move and manages to up the ante. at this point i honestly have no idea how she's going to make all of it work, there's so many moving parts and the stakes are already high; but if anyone can do it it's pipi.
tldr: xuan ji is kind of an idiot (but a shrewd and dishonest and charming one), sheng lingyuan is darkly amused despite himself, and everyone else just really needs a nap. also every single one of the artist formerly known as emperor wu's jumpcuts is shriek-worthy; he's such an ice-cold wily old bastard, with a shen wei-like inability to tell when he's in actual debilitating pain.
(also i have no idea who "yog" is but if you're out there reading this: 我的天 you are SUCH a good translator?! your contemporary idiomatic choices are just mind-bogglingly adroit and i laugh aloud at least once per chapter.)
February 12, 2026
[RATTLES CAGE] I need volume 3.
Xuan Ji is easily my favorite character in the story, between being smart, warm on the outside and cold on the inside, and hilarious. I hope Sheng Lingyuan starts feeling the same way soon because boy the hints at things going on in the background and foreground are delicious. Every time the story makes a statement that seemingly answers a question, it unravels even more further down the road like an onion. I'm so excited for the next volume. !!
Xuan Ji is easily my favorite character in the story, between being smart, warm on the outside and cold on the inside, and hilarious. I hope Sheng Lingyuan starts feeling the same way soon because boy the hints at things going on in the background and foreground are delicious. Every time the story makes a statement that seemingly answers a question, it unravels even more further down the road like an onion. I'm so excited for the next volume. !!
Did Not Finish
June 20, 2026I have to accept that Priest’s writing style is just not for me. Anytime I started getting into the character moments, I’m a character driven reader, the pages would be filled again with non stop information dumping and world building.
Rosmei really has made beautiful books with this series but I can’t do it anymore. Maybe one day I’ll come back to this who knows.
Rosmei really has made beautiful books with this series but I can’t do it anymore. Maybe one day I’ll come back to this who knows.
December 14, 2025
The book is very plot heavy and got better in the second half. Unfortunately, the explanations and world building is still a little confusing. I'm not sure if I completely understand what is going on.
However, series is still good and engaging and I will still continue to read.
However, series is still good and engaging and I will still continue to read.
December 21, 2025
waitt the past reveal has me so intrigued
April 22, 2026
I’m just as confused as Xuan Ji but that’s probably the point heh. I need to know more about their past
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews