After We Fought to the Death with Our Archrival

The pure goddess Bai Zhi died in a battle to the death with her nemesis of decades, the Ghost King Qi Yu.

When she opened her eyes, she had transmigrated into the frail body of Zi Yuan, the Third Princess of Jiang.

Everyone said she was a vision of immortal beauty, her crystalline butterfly wings as lovely as fine silk, and revered her for protecting all living beings. But now she could only inhabit Zi Yuan's good-for-nothing body. Even after her father arranged her engagement to Wen Shu, the Xia state's infamous, bloodstained, murderous heir, she persisted like a resilient clematis, climbing her way through adversity.

Then she discovered that Wen Shu was Qi Yu, the very man who had fought her to the death, now trapped in someone else's body just like her. Fate had also branded them with a curse that would bind them together for all eternity. Bai Zhi ground her teeth in hatred.

She was determined to escape Qi Yu and become the goddess who protected the mortal world once more.

Later, by a twist of fate, she briefly experienced a scene from the future through the power of a sacred treasure. Her future self was lying on a bed woven from clouds, held in Qi Yu's arms as they shared tender, mutual affection.

Bai Zhi threw up.

The Ghost King Qi Yu was obsessive and mad, with a face as beautiful as jade and red at the corners of his peach-blossom eyes. He was a beauty wrapped in a ghost's body, a demon wearing human skin.

Everyone hated him for ruling over countless ghosts and killing countless people, but none knew he carried the grudges of millions on his back and had crawled out of a sea of blood and corpses, walking alone.

He was even willing to bear the curse, [You will fall in love with the person you harmed, and your fates will be bound together for all eternity], if it meant eliminating Bai Zhi, the pure goddess who stood in his way.

Later, he took refuge in Wen Shu and reunited with Bai Zhi. Because of the curse binding their fates, he could no longer kill her, so he could only cling to her. Then he saw how devoted she was to Yun Huaqing, and jealousy flooded him. He wanted to break her limbs and imprison her at his side forever.

Qi Yu thought he would never lose to a mere curse of fate.

Later, Bai Zhi sat on his throne, her eyes vacant as a puppet's. The once-arrogant king knelt at her feet, eyes red, begging humbly, "Don't be like this, Bai Zhi. Please, say something."

At first, Qi Yu said, "Being a goddess is wonderful. Everyone worships you, and even the Yun Huaqing you love is proud of you."

Bai Zhi said, "Get lost."

Later, Qi Yu said, "Try the sweet peppers I made, your favorite. Try on this outfit I picked for you, and..."

Bai Zhi said, "You're so annoying."

[Notes]

Saintess x evil demon. The heroine likes the second male lead from the start, then falls for the male lead. The second male lead isn't exactly a scumbag, but he has his limitations and will serve as a contrast to the male lead. Before transmigrating, the heroine's spiritual power was the natural bane of the male lead, so he had to pay the price of a curse to drag her down with him. A romance-focused story with a happy ending. Everything in the plot serves the development of the romance. I'll do my best with the logic, but can't guarantee it will be completely flawless or free of plot holes.

[Blurb written on February 1, 2026]

Theme: Even in the abyss, even after falling into the mire, hold fast to your heart and bravely carry the torch. One day, you will cross the snow and wind and find spring in bloom.