Heart Demon

Fang Yao had always been a staunch materialist, yet somehow she had gone and married a little Taoist priest. Xu Qunyu was handsome and refined, with bright eyes, red lips, and pearly teeth. When he met her, he was dressed in a faded cloth shirt and trousers, his sleeves billowing in the breeze, looking like an immortal who had descended to earth. He was so poor he could barely scrape together two coins to clink together. After they married, Xu Qunyu made a career out of living off his wife, with Taoist priest as his side gig. Fortunately, he was gentle and considerate, took care of all the housework, and fussed over her every need. Fang Yao was reasonably satisfied with him. Until one perfectly ordinary afternoon, when Xu Qunyu suddenly raised his long sword and pointed it at the space between her brows. The sword's cold, moonlit gleam illuminated his handsome features, and made Fang Yao's heart turn to ice. She asked in disbelief, "Why?" He replied with certainty, "Because you're fake, nothing more than an illusion born from my inner demons as I cultivate the Dao. Only by killing you can I end all this." Fang Yao burst into tears, sobbing so hard she could barely catch her breath. Xu Qunyu looked at her, then suddenly let out a long sigh and drew her into his arms. It was as if he were speaking to her, and yet as if he were muttering to himself. "Don't cry. Don't cry." His words concealed endless heartbreak. Later, Fang Yao discovered something even more terrifying. Xu Qunyu seemed, perhaps, possibly... not to be her actual husband. - When he was young, Xu Qunyu loved a woman. She was his senior fellow disciple's wife. Later, she died, and no one remembered her. Except him. A peerlessly beautiful, pure-hearted little Taoist priest x the sharp-tongued version of an early-departed white moonlight Reader's guide: * One-on-one romance, happy ending. The male lead is completely pure in body and heart, and loves the female lead to the point of madness. * The female lead has an ex-husband (to be clear: an ex-husband. They are no longer married when the story begins). He will get his comeuppance, burned to ashes and ground to dust. * Modern cultivation, with many original world-building elements. All quoted sources are listed at the end of the relevant chapters. * The female lead's true identity and story will unfold gradually. But whether in the past or the present, Qunyu and the ex-husband love the same person. I won't say more since that would spoil later plot points, so rest assured! [Blurb posted on 2024.10.8, revised on 2025.6.9, screenshots saved] (Cover and costume design references commissioned from Zuijin Zhao Studio) Theme: Believe in the facts