The Gorgeous, Tragic Schemer Rose from the Dead, and His Nemesis Took Notice

A rebellious, sharp-tongued little stone spirit heroine × a gentle, scheming boy

[One-on-One Romance + Love-Hate Relationship + Arch-Rivals + Revenge and Punishing Scumbags]

[Heroine]

In her previous life... no, several lifetimes ago, Zhang Xu was already one of the best at mending the human realm with spiritual objects. Though she defied convention and loved tinkering with new spells, often blowing up her sect's mountain gate in the process, she truly was a gifted young prodigy with extraordinary talent, admired by all and destined for greatness.

But a rift in time and space tore Zhang Xu's world apart in an instant. The immortal sects of old were left awash in blood, and for some inexplicable reason, she herself would "rise from the dead" once every five years.

After crawling back, all she wanted was to uncover the truth behind her being a "living corpse." Instead, she ran into Shen Zhi, her old nemesis, who was hiding behind a secret identity and pretending to be gentle and refined.

Shen Zhi was stiff and serious, and spoke bluntly without caring whose feelings he hurt. She didn't like him, and whenever they met, their smiles never reached their eyes.

She thought Shen Zhi would expose her identity. Instead, his lips trembled faintly, and his eyes glimmered with unshed tears, as if he hadn't seen her in eight hundred years. When he noticed her confusion, he only just managed to rein in his emotions, then smiled gently and asked,

"Boss, would you consider hiring me?"

Zhang Xu: ...Why does this feel like the story's gone off track?

Shen Zhi couldn't be trusted. Zhang Xu hadn't wanted to accept his application and travel with him to investigate the case. She would have to stay on guard in case he tried to strangle her in her sleep. But for the sake of finding the truth, she didn't mind playing along.

After all, once the truth came out, she'd die again anyway.

That was what Zhang Xu thought at first. So why was she dumbfounded when the man eventually kissed her, their warm breaths mingling, then pulled her into a tight embrace?

Turns out he wasn't a vicious wolf at all. He was a loyal puppy.

[Hero]

When Shen Zhi was young, he could never understand why Zhang Xu was so slow on the uptake, always acting like, "Get lost. I need to focus on cultivating."

He knew Zhang Xu wasn't heartless. He didn't want her to push him away, didn't want other senior brothers crowding around her, and didn't want the two of them to be enemies.

But the harder he tried to win her over, the farther away she retreated.

Shen Zhi sighed deeply.

-

But at the final moment, when life and death hung in the balance, he had clearly sent Zhang Xu somewhere safe. The next second, she tore through space and rushed straight back to save him. "Shen Zhi, I've caught you."

[Bonus Scene]

When the rampaging spiritual creature attacked, no one could control it. In a corner, the old ancestor Zhang Xu, whom everyone had been gossiping about, acted in a flash and crushed the creature outright!

Everyone was stunned. So she wasn't weak at all! She was a powerhouse who'd descended into the mortal world and gone berserk!

A lackey beside her stared at Zhang Xu, who was bathed in blood-red light, his legs trembling with fear. "Th-then... aren't you the senior from the ancient texts who came back from the dead?"

The lackey looked at Shen Zhi again. "Then who are you?"

Shen Zhi cut in with a smile. "We're fellow disciples. The kind who shared a bed."

"Nonsense!"

A blade of wind shot toward him.

But Zhang Xu had to admit that the two of them had indeed known each other once.

...But Shen Zhi was her enemy.

A preview of another story: [Reborn + Both Chaste + Satisfying Revenge + The Emperor Takes His Minister's Wife + Winning His Heart]

In her previous life, Lu Wanchai was the envy of everyone in the capital, the Princess Consort of Prince Jin. Her husband was of royal blood and had earned glorious military honors.

But only she knew how rotten things were beneath the surface.

Prince Jin remained devoted to his beloved first love and refused to show her the slightest affection.

The Dowager Princess looked down on her humble origins, believing she wasn't worthy of the Prince Jin estate.

She even secretly plotted to have her killed.

Reborn into a new life, Lu Wanchai wanted nothing more than to kick Prince Jin to the curb.

But she'd already married into the imperial family and been entered into the clan register. Getting a divorce wouldn't be simple.

Still, the emperor could decide matters of the imperial family with a single word. So Lu Wanchai quietly laid a grand plan: she would scheme to win the heart of the emperor, a man who could command the winds and clouds.

The beauty lowered her eyes, an idea forming. She traveled a thousand miles to "accidentally" encounter the fallen, icy emperor, and they struggled together through adversity.

Unexpectedly, the emperor, rumored to be cold-hearted and extremely wary, saw her walk right into his trap but said nothing. Instead, he delighted in watching her do everything she could to win him over.

Lu Wanchai smiled as she rescued him and cared for him attentively, gentle and charming. Under her advances, the emperor fell for her more and more.

But once she had won his heart, Lu Wanchai ran away.

There was only one reason: she understood men's common failing all too well. They never cherish what comes too easily.

But she had underestimated the emperor's sincerity.

He actually issued an imperial decree, promising that he would take only her as his empress, and that he would dismiss his harem and never take another consort.

*

The emperor had grown up without his father's affection or his mother's love. At some point, he had become so cold and distrustful that the whole court worried about the lack of an heir.

Then, beneath the fireworks on a busy street, he met a woman who danced amid the brilliant sparks, her radiant smile striking straight to his heart.

But upheaval in the imperial capital made him lose track of her.

Years later, he saw her again while suppressing a rebellion. He had fallen into danger, and she rescued him.

His heart stirred once more.

But just as he was falling for her completely, the woman disappeared. He had no choice but to return to the capital to search for her.

The emperor searched for two months but found no trace of her.

The next time he saw her, she was at the side of his younger brother, Prince Jin, softly bowing. "Your concubine, Lady Lu, Princess Consort of Prince Jin, pays her respects to Your Majesty."

Across the banquet hall, their eyes met.

She was his younger brother's wife!

The emperor was torn by countless conflicting feelings, yet he couldn't help looking at her.

After the banquet, someone led her to a secluded corner of the palace. The emperor, dressed in robes embroidered with hidden dragon patterns, backed her against the wall. Through clenched teeth, he spoke one word at a time, his eyes bloodshot and his voice trembling, with a hint of grievance. "My dearest Qingqing, I've been looking everywhere for you."

"I've finally caught you."

- But Lu Wanchai loved no one. She even wanted to kick the emperor to the curb.

Theme: Everything has a spirit