The Cheerful Little Taoist Roams the Mortal World

Li Sanxuan (his Daoist title is "Xiaochenzi," and he calls himself the "Happy-Go-Lucky Little Taoist." He got his name because he was the third-ranked disciple and was always puzzling over strange things that were "mysterious or not.")

During the Great Jing era, the realm is peaceful and free of conflict, yet countless strange tales and mysteries lie hidden beneath the surface. Li Sanxuan is a young Taoist with no lofty ambitions who loves good food and fun. Carrying a battered peachwood sword carved with amusing talismans like "No fooling around" and "Smile!" and a "wine gourd" filled with juice, he slips down from a small Taoist temple on Mount Zhongnan with his chattering squirrel spirit, Songguo. His ambition is to "see every strange thing under heaven and sample all the world's delicacies." He has no interest in fame or fortune and stays out of sect rivalries, taking care instead of the "troublesome cases" the authorities can't handle and eminent monks can't solve. An empty coffin wailing in the middle of the night might turn out to be a lost little ghost afraid of the dark. A "grinning paper puppet" that makes the whole town laugh until they collapse might simply be a lonely spirit looking for company. And the "shadow" devouring livestock could be nothing more than a giant hedgehog spirit sneaking snacks. Every strange case is three parts terrifying and seven parts hilarious. With unorthodox Taoist arts and down-to-earth ingenuity, Li Sanxuan finds the right remedy for each problem. Sometimes he dresses up as a ghost to scare ghosts; sometimes he tells spirits terrible jokes. He wanders through the mortal world, honing his skills and turning cultivation into a joyful journey of "playing his way through life," hoping only to dispel life's awkward little troubles with laughter.