Fiery fox demon x aloof, pure-hearted immortal lord
Pride and Prejudice: check. Face-slapping and eating crow: check. Strange tales and supernatural folklore, but with immortals: check. A battle of pride between two narcissists: check.
The High God Hanchi was extraordinarily gifted, reserved and distant, with an immortal path so smooth it was practically slippery. The Nine Heavens called him a being above the clouds. But after he guided the fox spirit Liu Yanbo to ascend, he finally went looking for trouble, and the Nine Heavens spread rumors that he must be hopelessly in love with the notorious demoness.
Hanchi scoffed at the rumors. What really troubled him was his suspicion that Liu Yanbo had lovesickness. Not only was she infatuated with him, she was always imagining that he loved her but couldn't have her. He had three pieces of evidence:
In Heaven, in front of all the immortals, Hanchi met eleven of her former lovers before he ever met the wicked Liu Yanbo. Their looks might not compare to his, but they did bear a striking resemblance to him.
On Earth, after an enemy cursed him and sealed away all his divine power, he and the unreasonable Liu Yanbo fell into a goose shed together. Forced to flee for their lives, they fought desperately against the geese.
In the bedroom, he pushed open the door and stumbled upon a room full of passion. The man on the bed with the heartless Liu Yanbo looked up at the sound, revealing a face identical to his.
Much later, Liu Yanbo had a huge fight with him and blurted out, “I could go find any man in the world right now, and I still wouldn't choose you!” He pressed his forehead against hers, his chest heaving, and asked in a hoarse but stubborn voice, “Why can't it be me?”
In that moment, it struck Hanchi like a bolt from the blue.
Wait, wait, wait. Wasn't he the one with lovesickness?
It's the third month of spring, the season of lovesickness. Told from the heroine's perspective: “He is forcing himself on me.” From the hero's perspective: “She loves me but can't have me.” A story about two delusional lunatics spiraling over each other.
*Lovesickness: Usually refers to delusions of romantic love, most common in spring. The sufferer firmly believes that a certain person is in love with them. Even when that person firmly and explicitly rejects them, the sufferer never doubts their “love.” Instead, they think the person is testing their devotion, and so they persistently pursue them.
#I accuse Hanchi and Liu Yanbo of debauching the Nine Heavens. Their crime is unforgivable. #
1. No body-double trope.
2. The Three Realms are built entirely on my own setting. Neither lead is perfect.
3. Romance-focused with a supporting plot. The romantic tension lasts a long time, and every time the leads fight, it kicks off a demon-hunting story arc. (Not really.)
4. The heroine is a fox spirit who seduces people to drain their essence, the most stereotypical kind. Naturally, she's not a virgin.
The cover is my own artwork.
Theme: Everyone has their own lessons to learn.
The male protagonist has also grown up a lot