As a girl, Shan Zhi lived with her mortal parents at the foot of an immortal mountain. She was stubborn by nature, wild and hard to tame.
Her parents scolded her for not acting like a proper girl. The villagers laughed and said:
"She may not be graceful, but she's strong enough to do the work of one and a half able-bodied men."
While herding spirit beasts, Shan Zhi used to run all over the mountains. At a pool in the back mountains, she met a great demon.
The demon was called Zheng Xuanwei. He was gentle yet distant, teaching Shan Zhi magic, wiping the mud from her face, and holding her as they basked in the sun on the grass.
Later, her parents were hounded by creditors and had no choice but to marry Shan Zhi off for money.
But Zheng Xuanwei came down from the back mountains, settled in the village, and said he would marry her.
Only then did the villagers learn that he was a young nobleman of the Zheng clan, an immortal family now fallen on hard times, its members scattered far and wide.
Shan Zhi suddenly became the Zheng heir's fiancée, envied by all. After learning just two clumsy spells, she was hailed as a fairy by the crowds.
Nervously, Shan Zhi asked him, "Are a Zheng family's wives treated the same as mortal wives? Is the immortal clan's soup easy to make?"
Zheng Xuanwei chuckled. "The Zheng family's daughters all strive to be strong and cultivate. You must do the same."
Casting aside her confusion, Shan Zhi advanced rapidly in cultivation. She defeated everyone of her generation at the immortal mountain, and even the elders praised her extraordinary talent.
Until one day, a bird brought a handkerchief embroidered with orchids. Zheng Xuanwei failed to keep his promise to marry Shan Zhi and left the village.
Before he left, he said earnestly, "I've seen geniuses. You're not one."
Hatred and tears rose together, leaving her at a loss.
Several months later, the great river flooded, and Shan Zhi and her parents left their submerged village.
Shan Zhi met a righteous young exorcist.
At the time, he was leading a dozen or so young men and women of noble birth to Cold Moon City to study cultivation.
Hearing that Shan Zhi was the fiancée of his sworn enemy, the young exorcist raised an icy eyebrow.
"That demon Zheng Xuanwei has someone who loves him? He's in Cold Moon City."
Shan Zhi and the young exorcist wandered together, weathering countless hardships along the way. They went from disliking each other to becoming companions and close friends. They only had to look into each other's eyes to understand one another without words.
On the day they reached Cold Moon City, the young exorcist gritted his teeth and cupped Shan Zhi's face. A familiar emotion appeared in his jade-green eyes.
"Do you really have to love him?"
I hate that you loved me\I hate your false sincerity\I hate that the person I love doesn't love me
Theme: Never yield in the face of adversity
