Crossing Souls

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Blurb:

A young general with forty-nine days left to live vs. an exceptionally capable but oblivious corpse driver

*

Wen Zhao has had a special constitution since childhood: he can smell the aura of corpses and communicate with spirits. To stay alive, he had no choice but to retreat to a temple for quiet cultivation and avoid disaster.

Then, in the Battle of Canglan, his father and elder brother were killed, and five cities were lost in a row. He must descend the mountain to reclaim the prefectural cities and clear his family's name in the capital. But before the turmoil can settle, war breaks out again.

Outside Yingzhou, the Canglan Guard is framed by treacherous schemers. For the sake of the greater good, Wen Zhao leads three thousand soldiers in a desperate stand. They fight to the last, leaving behind only a dead zone shrouded in forbidden magic.

*

Led here by a red bell, Yuan Xiaoman comes to gather the scattered corpses. The bell and gong ring softly, and the disordered corpses rise, hopping along behind her.

But even the most careful plans can go awry. The bell slips from her hand, and she stares at the man who is caught between life and death, utterly stunned. She has actually summoned back a dying man afflicted with Soul-Separation Syndrome, with just forty-nine days left to live.

To save Wen Zhao and uncover the connection between the tragedy in Yingzhou and the forbidden arts of the Southern Frontier, the two set off together. Eccentric doctors, strange children, man-eating Gu, a puppet bride... Every incident points to a greater conspiracy and a sinister mastermind.

Unfortunately, Wen Zhao's illness keeps flaring up. His soul wanders away, and his temperament becomes unpredictable. That day, he kissed the corner of her lips as usual, but kept asking who he was.

Yuan Xiaoman lowered her eyes, picked up the longevity lock he'd thrown away countless times, and placed it in his palm. "You are Wen Zhao. Zhao, as in 'the way of Heaven is clear.'"

*

Later, the Great Wei realm is in turmoil, its fate hanging by a thread.

Wen Zhao expends all his lifelong cultivation on the battlefield to gamble on a path to survival for his people.

On horseback, he undoes the longevity lock and bends down to fasten it around Yuan Xiaoman's neck. The wind and snow blur his features. His final, tender request drifts through the air: "Remember, take me home."

Through the Ten Thousand Mountains, may our journey be safe and peaceful.

With this book, I hope everyone finds their own "way home."

* The early part has more plot; later on, the focus shifts to the romance. They save each other, and it shouldn't be too angsty.

* Both leads are strong in their own ways. The male lead is a well-rounded fighter, while the female lead is a one-person army.

* A touch of Chinese-style horror, with lots of original worldbuilding.

Coming soon:

"How Dare You, Consort Yue? Teaching Eunuch Cen to Overstep His Bounds Again!"

"The Marriage Renewal Letter"

Theme: The way of Heaven is clear, and justice always prevails.