Records of the Demons of Mountains and Seas

My new book, South Branch Does Not Perch, is now available. If you're interested, please add it to your collection. Thank you! [Light mystery + adapted from strange tales in authentic old texts + sharp-tongued master and disciple cultivation] The Han Music Bureau wrote: Whose grave lies in the fields of Artemisia? Souls gather there, whether noble or base. The Ghost Official hurries them along, And no mortal life may linger for long. According to folk belief, after death, souls return to the fields of Artemisia. Zhao Wangqiu, a resident of Artemisia Village in Suizhou, died in protest to save the people. The divine realm, moved by his loyalty and courage, used magic to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth there. Thus, prayers for blessings made in this place are said to be especially effective. Shrouded in spiritual energy, many ghosts also linger there, unwilling to leave... ***[Volume One: The Examination-Hall Ghost] The mystery of the blank exam papers A man who had repeatedly failed the imperial examinations died without earning a degree, then became a resentful ghost. One night, a god appeared to him in a dream and said, "Hand in blank papers for all three exams, and you'll pass." The man obeyed and indeed took first place. ***[Volume Two: The Deer Maiden of the Western Sea] The men of Yunlu Village mysteriously disappear They say the Deer Maiden was breathtakingly beautiful but wickedly lascivious, drawing countless people to seek her out and catch a glimpse of her true face... ***[Volume Three: Truth and Illusion] One painting brings a city to ruin overnight It is said that south of the western frontier lies a country called Guman. Its people sleep most of the time and wake once every fifty days. They take what they see in dreams as real and what they see while awake as false. In contrast, in the northern reaches of the East lies a country called Fuluo. Its people are strong-willed and fierce. The strong bully the weak. They spend more time running and walking, and thus have less time to rest. They are often awake and do not sleep, believing that their waking actions are real and that what they see and hear in dreams is false... ***[Volume Four: Lady Shadow] A tragic romance between a scholar and a female ghost "If fate decrees that you and I cannot have a happy ending, I would give up everything to help you become a god..." ***[Volume Five: The Peach-House Spirit] A thousand-year-old tree spirit escapes A thousand-year-old tree spirit escapes time and time again, unexpectedly setting off a bloody conflict between the four great sects and the imperial court... Blurb Two (romance): Everyone says Zhao Lingjun, the second daughter of the prefectural governor's family, spends all day shirking her studies, obsessed with ghost stories and refusing to follow the righteous path. "What's the righteous path? Ghost stories talk about righteousness too!" It wasn't until Zhao Lingjun met Cheng Yuan, the Northern Yin Ghost Emperor, that she found an excuse to leave the "straight and narrow" and embark on a journey to seek out demons and question ghosts... "Master, will you teach me this formation?" Faced with his diligent, inquisitive young disciple, Cheng Yuan gave Zhao Lingjun a long look and smiled with a knife hidden behind it. "If Miss Zhao is sincere about becoming my disciple, she shouldn't be running off to see someone else every day." But when did master and disciple become siblings? Cheng Yuan appeared behind her without a sound, one brow raised, his eyes glinting with playful amusement. "Little sister, to think that way truly breaks your big brother's heart. I ask for neither wealth nor glory, only to live a few more years and stay by your side... forever." As he leaned closer, Cheng Yuan took Zhao Lingjun's left hand and held it in his palm as if no one else were there, gazing at her with tender affection. Help! The wheels of fate haven't budged, but my life is falling apart. Who could have guessed? After arranging the play and watching it for so long, the playwright herself fell in love with one of its characters... Reader's guide: 1. Prefect's daughter x Northern Yin Ghost Emperor, one-on-one romance, both leads have no prior sexual experience. The heroine is bright and resilient, with her own moments in the spotlight. She's rather innocent at first, but not innocent when it comes to love. She grows quickly later on. The hero seems cold and sharp-tongued, but is actually sensitive and perceptive inside. He only goes mad for the heroine. The master-disciple relationship ends in Volume Four. 2. An episodic story. The first three volumes focus more on plot, while Volume Four follows the main characters' romance. Their feelings take time to develop, so please be patient! 3. Everything that seems unreasonable will be explained later. Please read the notes before jumping in! Theme: Though love may be separated by mountains and seas, the mountains and seas can be crossed.