In this historical fantasy danmei, a monk with amnesia and two raggedy paper dolls inhabited by a dragon and a ghost embark on a journey to reclaim their former glory. But can they endure each other long enough to find what they seek? Under the blue glow of dawn, Xue Xian—former dragon and current paper doll—is mere moments away from being kidnapped and exorcized. Except, Xue Xian has no idea! Instead, he’s cursed to be trapped in the form of a hideous paper doll alongside the bickering Jiang Shining, a former ghost indebted to assist Xue Xian in reclaiming his lost glory and, ultimately, avenging the wrongs inflicted upon him. So when a monk with amnesia named Xuanmin—hot on the trail of an unknown curse—arrives at the burnt ruins of Jiang Manor, he quickly finds the source. Putting off the exorcism for his return, Xuanmin unceremoniously stuffs two crude paper dolls inside his pouch and heads back, none the wiser. Furious, Xue Xian grumpily stews in captivity and declares a new vow: To turn this high-minded monk’s life into a living hell! Trapped as a traveling trio, they must suffer one another’s company while seeking answers to their growing list of questions: Will Jiang Shining be able to fulfill the unfinished business that tethers him to this mortal coil? Will Xue Xian be able to crack Xuanmin’s icy demeanor, and will he like what he finds if he does? More importantly still, who even is Xuanmin?

The Banquet of the Winding Wine ends with one nobleman falling asleep warm in his bed. When he wakes, he’s shackled as a prisoner in theNorthern Domain of Tealspire, feared by all as an archfiend! However, he’s not the only one who’s just woken up. Floating on the Boundless Sea is an impenetrable prison thirty-three stories tall where the damned rot and demons perish: the Northern Domain of Tealspire. It’s at the very top of the spire that Wu Xingxue has just awakened on a dead tree in the middle of a deep, blue lake, rinsing strange blood off his hands. Nearby, he hears the sound of metal clanging. Not only is he disoriented after a night of revelry and ambrosia, but he’s now an archfiend shackled in chains?! Clearly, he is no longer living a life of luxury as a nobleman in Magpie Haven. Yet it’s not all bad news for this bewildered demon. With a stroke of luck, his awakening rouses the legendary Tianxiu Immortal, Xiao Fuxuan—a mysterious being who has the power to levy justice, all while bearing the word “absolution” upon his neck. It’s in the nick of time too, as they must team up to escape as Tealspire crumbles around them. Still, the mysteries don’t stop there. The two must uncover why Tealspire collapsed, what happened to Wu Xingxue’s former life in Magpie Haven, how he woke up as archfiend, and just who the Tianxiu Immortal, Xiao Fuxuan, really is. Interwoven with Mu Su Li’s signature humor, this genre-defying tale dives deep into the nature of good versus evil—and will make you believe in a love that can last forever!