When primordial chaos first opened, Heaven and Earth divided into the pure and the turbid, and the myriad realms came into being. Humans dwell in the mortal world, living through birth, old age, sickness, and death in an endless cycle of reincarnation, weaving lives of countless varieties from the seven emotions and six desires. Demons may be spirits that have taken shape or evil beings born of corruption. They cultivate among mountains, forests, rivers, and marshes, some longing for the splendor of human life, others seeking the glory of a place among the immortals. Their nature may be good or evil. The gods dwell high in the Celestial Court, commanding the movements of the sun, moon, and stars and wielding the power of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning. They impose the order of Heaven’s laws on the myriad realms, though selfish desires and political schemes can lurk behind their solemn divine visages. The underworld rules the netherworld, judging the fates of the dead according to their lives and deeds, and governing the causes and consequences of souls’ reincarnation. Its gloomy, austere presence inspires awe.
Chen Chi is a humble scholar with lofty ambitions, hoping to leave behind a name for integrity in the human world and pass on knowledge for generations to come. Hu Li is a white fox who has cultivated for a thousand years and taken human form. New to the human world, she is innocent and curious.
At that time, the myriad realms were intertwined, and cause and effect tangled together. Chen Chi and Hu Li met by chance. Though humans and demons followed different paths, love quietly blossomed between them. But the Celestial Court had its rules, and love between humans and demons was forbidden. The Jade Emperor was majestic, the Queen Mother dignified, and the assembled immortals would not tolerate such a violation of the natural order. In the underworld, the Netherworld King watched in silence while ghostly officials made their rounds, keeping an eye on this upheaval that could disturb the balance between yin and yang. Thus began a sweeping saga of love and vengeance involving the realms of humans, demons, gods, and the dead. Along the way, divine might would mete out punishment to those who defied it; strange demonic arts would defy Heaven’s decree in times of hardship; resolute hearts would protect true love through suffering; and shadowy figures from the underworld would settle old grievances at the Yellow Springs. The many tales that follow are yours to discover.
