Mountain Spirit

1.

"On Mount Wangli lives a mountain ghost, exceedingly beautiful and dressed in red. Those who see her fall ill without cause; those who show her disrespect die suddenly of a violent sickness. The mountain ghost likes to roam at night and often sings songs that sound like incantations. Hearing her voice is an ill omen. Those who live here warn travelers to keep away."

Strange Tales of Jin'an

Shi Ling was a thousand-year-old mountain ghost. She had lived long and cultivated deeply, so even the little ghosts respectfully called her Ancestress.

One day, Ancestress was basking in the sun, humming a tune and leisurely strolling through the mountains, when something suddenly fell from the sky and struck her, leaving her dizzy and seeing stars.

At first glance, it seemed to be a person.

At second glance, it was a handsome young nobleman with the bearing of a jade tree.

Wonderful! She loved beautiful things most of all.

So Shi Ling hoisted him over her shoulder and carried him home at a brisk pace.

For the next few days, Shi Ling stayed by the man's side, treating his wounds and protecting his heart meridians, afraid he might die if she let her guard down for even a moment.

Under Shi Ling's attentive care, the man slowly woke up.

A human and a ghost stared at each other. Sensing something strange about her, the man picked up his sword and began chanting.

Shi Ling simply watched him, perfectly calm.

Oh, so he was a Taoist priest.

Shi Ling had once made a pact with a Taoist priest: no frightening people, no doing evil, and no killing.

Later, when Shi Ling wanted to break their pact, the Taoist priest pointed his sword at her, his eyes dark as ink. "You can't kill him."

Shi Ling met his blade without hesitation and smiled brightly. "Even if I do, what can you do about it?"

A mountain ghost is abroad. Bystanders should keep their distance.

Reader's guide:

1. One-on-one, happy ending, plot-focused, with very little romance.

2. The setting is entirely fictional, with many original details. Please don't overanalyze it.

3. Cover art authorized by: Shili Changhuan Lanyin.

[New novel: After Destroying the World, She Became Her Nemesis's Beloved]

Princess Lingyi has lived twice.

But she remembers nothing of her past.

According to the divine histories, among the ancient gods, the Primordial God was supreme, while princesses and lords stood as equals and kept each other in check.

For tens of thousands of years, Xie Qingyue and she had been at odds, like fire and water. He wanted to take her power as well as her life.

When she appointed a new lord, he snatched him into his own ranks.

When she sealed away evil spirits, he laid down a deadly formation of prohibitions.

Whenever the gods spoke of the two of them, they could only shake their heads and sigh. Years of resentment could not be undone in a day.

Even she herself believed the same.

Until catastrophe loomed and the Six Realms were on the verge of collapse.

She stood against the Six Realms, relying on her own strength alone.

Corpses covered the land and lives were devastated. She had come prepared to perish together with the world.

Through her fading divine consciousness, she saw Xie Qingyue, covered in blood and leaning on a broken sword, come to her. He held her in his arms, gently wiped the blood from her face, and softly said, "Don't be afraid."

After ten thousand years as a god, he became a demon in a single day.

Xie Qingyue carried her on his back, crossed a sea of corpses, and knelt without rising at the Heavenly Mandate Altar.

As the solemn bell of the outer world rang, he even clasped his hands together like a mortal, gazed up with reverence, and bowed from afar to the statue of a god.

If she must endure countless hardships, then please allow me to bear a little of them for her.

-

When Lingyi opened her eyes again, she had returned to the time she spent in Wuji Heaven.

Golden light flashed. In the deadly formation, she saw that battered Lord God, just as wretched as ever.

She broke through the formation, carefully lifted him onto her back, and walked step by step toward the outside.

Just as he had once carried her through a long journey of blood and wind.

-

Everyone said they couldn't stand the sight of each other.

But she insisted:

"These countless volumes of divine history should have both your name and mine in them."

Theme: Break down prejudice.