My Archrival Fell in Love with Me at First Sight

The Annotated Rhapsody on Shu says: "In those days, the people wore their hair in knots and fastened their garments on the left. They spoke a foreign tongue and did not know writing. They had neither rites nor music. From the reign of Kaiming to that of Cancong, thirty-four thousand years passed."

The Azure-Clad Goddess is the leader of a mysterious clan that protects the land of Shu. In public, her people wear azure robes and bronze-gold masks, and crowds cheer wherever they go. Their ruler wears a silver mask year-round, and no one has ever seen her face. By an unlucky twist of fate, Feng Sheng catches a glimpse of the Azure-Clad ruler's face during their first meeting. The woman draws her sword on Feng Sheng, nearly taking her life.

To find a doctor for her aunt and earn the money to pay for it, Feng Sheng takes a dangerous gamble and ventures into the wild land of Shu. No sooner has she arrived than that stolen glimpse nearly costs her life. The mysterious silver-masked woman first draws her sword to kill her, then tries to take her away and confine her, then forcibly injects a divine soul into Feng Sheng's heart meridian so she can monitor her at all times. Every so often, she also makes a cutting remark.

Feng Sheng feels that she must have been cursed with eight lifetimes of bad luck to meet such an unreasonable woman.

But then... One day, amid the flickering lights, the woman gazes into Feng Sheng's eyes and asks coolly, "Is it so strange that I have feelings for you?"

Since the Xia dynasty, people's desires have gradually swelled. Greed, anger, and delusion have turned into obsessions, which take the form of demons and descend upon the human world, bringing harm to both the living and the dead. The Kings of Youcong and Xuanfu joined forces and used up half their lives' worth of power to seal them inside a Bone Pagoda, allowing the people of Shu to live in peace for a thousand years.

But ever since King Zhou ascended the throne, his extravagance and brutality have made life unbearable for the people. Morality has crumbled, and the evil in human nature has gradually come to light. The demons grow stronger as they absorb the world's obsessions, and they seek to break free of their restraints. Two generations of Youcong and Xuanfu rulers, together with the Azure-Clad clan, have barely managed to contain them with their own flesh and blood.

Yet a mere fifteen years later, strange sounds echo from the Bone Pagoda once more.

Please note before reading:

1. The title was inspired by the song of the same name, "A Sigh for the Immortals."

2. The story follows an all-female cast as they grow. There are hints planted early on. If you come across a contentious scene, please read to the end. There are no landmines, but let me put up a disclaimer just in case.

3. Groups whose members' genders are unknown or mixed are referred to as "she." This is intentional, not a typo. A few slips may occur due to long-standing habits, but I'll correct them later.

4. The story was inspired by archaeological documentaries about Sanxingdui, but the plot is imagined and may differ from real archaeological findings. Readers interested in Sanxingdui should consult authoritative sources.

5. The whole novel will be polished after completion. Please read the Jinjiang version.

Theme: I think, therefore I am.