What do you think?
Rate this book
苍兰诀 [Cang Lan Jue] #1
Love Between Fairy and Devil, Vol. 1
The novels that inspired the hit Chinese live-action drama on Netflix! A powerful demon lord finds his life linked to a seemingly weak fairy in this epic fantasy romance.
Years after his defeat, Dongfang Qingcang--the ancient and powerful Demon Lord--has been resurrected. Hell-bent on settling the score, he nabs the first scapegoat unfortunate enough to cross his path: the bubbly orchid fairy Xiao Lanhua. As if becoming the Demon Lord's accomplice wasn't shocking enough, Xiao Lanhua has her soul ripped from her body and loses her physical form to a lethal self-inflicted slap. Forced to share a vessel with the Demon Lord himself, Xiao Lanhua is horrified by her luck. What's a fairy to do?!
Still, for a former flower, Xiao Lanhua isn't faring so bad; she now has the power of the Demon Lord at her disposal. Yet as the unlikely duo wrestle for control over their body, will they be able to find Xiao Lanhua a new vessel? Or will they be forever bound together?
Years after his defeat, Dongfang Qingcang--the ancient and powerful Demon Lord--has been resurrected. Hell-bent on settling the score, he nabs the first scapegoat unfortunate enough to cross his path: the bubbly orchid fairy Xiao Lanhua. As if becoming the Demon Lord's accomplice wasn't shocking enough, Xiao Lanhua has her soul ripped from her body and loses her physical form to a lethal self-inflicted slap. Forced to share a vessel with the Demon Lord himself, Xiao Lanhua is horrified by her luck. What's a fairy to do?!
Still, for a former flower, Xiao Lanhua isn't faring so bad; she now has the power of the Demon Lord at her disposal. Yet as the unlikely duo wrestle for control over their body, will they be able to find Xiao Lanhua a new vessel? Or will they be forever bound together?
274 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2015
96 people are currently reading
876 people want to read
About the author
Jiu Lu Fei Xiang
66 books129 followersAssociated Names:
* Jiu Lu Fei Xiang (English)
* 九鹭非香 (Chinese)
* จิ่วลู่เฟยเซียง (Thai)
* Jiu Lu Fei Xiang (English)
* 九鹭非香 (Chinese)
* จิ่วลู่เฟยเซียง (Thai)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
May 18, 2025
This was a really fun but too short read (only 256 kindle pages). The novel is quite different from the drama so it’s best to completely separate them. The relationship dynamic between the CP reminds me so much of Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao 😂
Xiao Lanhua: orchid fairy from the heavenly realm, naive but not quite as innocent and childlike as the drama, more mischievous and brave
Dongfang Qingcang: Demon Lord, I’m not convinced he’s “evil”, basically just acts according to his nature like Yan Wushi
🪷Xianxia
🪷Slow burn
🪷 Enemies to lovers
🪷 Good amount of humor
🪷 Small cast of characters (at least in this book)
🪷 Fairly easy to understand the mythology/folklore,especially if you already read a lot of danmei
I watched *most* of the drama but ended up skipping a lot because Orchid’s personality and voice just was not something I enjoyed. I liked book Xiao Lanhua so much more. Personally, I’ve forgotten a lot of the drama so this almost feels like a brand new story 🙄
His face was a study in cruelty. “No one here wants to do anything good to you.”
^ Feels like something Yan Wushi would say to Shen Qiao lol
I don’t know if this would truly be considered a 5* read but I enjoyed it!
Xiao Lanhua: orchid fairy from the heavenly realm, naive but not quite as innocent and childlike as the drama, more mischievous and brave
Dongfang Qingcang: Demon Lord, I’m not convinced he’s “evil”, basically just acts according to his nature like Yan Wushi
🪷Xianxia
🪷Slow burn
🪷 Enemies to lovers
🪷 Good amount of humor
🪷 Small cast of characters (at least in this book)
🪷 Fairly easy to understand the mythology/folklore,especially if you already read a lot of danmei
I watched *most* of the drama but ended up skipping a lot because Orchid’s personality and voice just was not something I enjoyed. I liked book Xiao Lanhua so much more. Personally, I’ve forgotten a lot of the drama so this almost feels like a brand new story 🙄
His face was a study in cruelty. “No one here wants to do anything good to you.”
^ Feels like something Yan Wushi would say to Shen Qiao lol
I don’t know if this would truly be considered a 5* read but I enjoyed it!
October 6, 2025
this was so silly and goofy and weird but in a good way
lbfad is still one of my favorite cdramas—the book version is just as charming. just as entertaining even though the book is absolutely nothing like the drama. that isn’t a bad thing to me especially since the characters felt the same. the whole time i was just imagining dylan wang & esther yu as dongfang qingcang and xiao lanhua, as the moon supreme and fairy orchid.
lbfad is still one of my favorite cdramas—the book version is just as charming. just as entertaining even though the book is absolutely nothing like the drama. that isn’t a bad thing to me especially since the characters felt the same. the whole time i was just imagining dylan wang & esther yu as dongfang qingcang and xiao lanhua, as the moon supreme and fairy orchid.
May 30, 2025
I know this is gonna be different than the Netflix show, but if we can get this translated into English, just think of what else we can get from Seven Seas!
I love the show. It's what got me into Chinese dramas. I've been waiting for someone to adapt this since I heard that the novel is different and besides from some character names, locations and little things it's a whole new story. There is also an anime on Crunchyroll too which adapts the book.
This is a story about a very power driven dark lord who crosses paths with a flower spirit. Upon switching bodies with her to get himself out of his entrapment, he inadvertently kills her. Leaving him to be a spirit and her to hang out in his body while he works on getting her a new one, and learn to love her.
In this he doesn't really change his personality, he learns to make room for her and in his own way care for her. By the cut off point of this book you start seeing the seeds of love / care for her.
Some people find her annoying, but she's a flower spirit. It's not like she has tons of knowledge or power herself.
So all in all, I enjoyed this. I can't wait for part two.
I love the show. It's what got me into Chinese dramas. I've been waiting for someone to adapt this since I heard that the novel is different and besides from some character names, locations and little things it's a whole new story. There is also an anime on Crunchyroll too which adapts the book.
This is a story about a very power driven dark lord who crosses paths with a flower spirit. Upon switching bodies with her to get himself out of his entrapment, he inadvertently kills her. Leaving him to be a spirit and her to hang out in his body while he works on getting her a new one, and learn to love her.
In this he doesn't really change his personality, he learns to make room for her and in his own way care for her. By the cut off point of this book you start seeing the seeds of love / care for her.
Some people find her annoying, but she's a flower spirit. It's not like she has tons of knowledge or power herself.
So all in all, I enjoyed this. I can't wait for part two.
October 24, 2025
Many thanks to Bunny for joining me for this buddy read!
Ok, so far this is a very tricky one to rate! On one hand, I am extremely grateful that Sevenseas has taken a step to publishing non danmei Chinese novels - for that alone I am very glad I had the chance to pick this one up and please keep them coming. I also had the chance to watch the drama adaptation this year so the English release of the novel came at just the right moment. That being said, I knew going into this that the novel and drama are very different, and yet I was still unprepared for just how different they were. With the exception of familiar names and some of the most basic plot elements, these might as well be viewed as entirely different works. Despite their extreme differences, I do believe that both are entertaining in their own right and my only true word of caution would be to not expect them to be similar at all.
Very broadly speaking, I believe the drama is the more accessible one for those new to Chinese storytelling. The novel on the other hand makes use of a few tropes which, while not unheard of, feel a lot more common for other Asian media such as anime - the almost over the top bickering and occasional sexual jokes felt very reminiscent of 90s anime.
In the novel, the flower sprite Xiao Lanhua finds herself in a body swap scenario with the ancient Demon Lord Dongfang Qingcang. Those familiar with the drama won't be too surprised by this in and of itself, but the novel really throws you in at the deep end, and I must say that my biggest disappointment with this novel was just that. We don't receive any explanation as to why Xiao Lanhua was in the same place as Dongfang Qingcang (namely a prison) nor do we learn how their body swap happened. The drama is so vastly different that one can't even say, oh well, let's just imagine it happened like in the drama. I imagine this starting point might be even more confusing/unsatisfying for those unfamiliar with the drama.
Nevertheless, their body swap ultimately led to the Demon Lord breaking out of his prison and the odd pair, very much more enemies than reluctant allies, get mixed up in various situation that has Xiao Lanhua's soul moving in and out of various bodies including having to share Dongfang Qingcang's - it's these elements that make the novel lean a lot more into the comedy than the drama did (mind you, the drama also had me laughing out loud). It's the kind of humour that feels rather nostalgic due to my saying it's reminiscent of 90s anime, but I also think it is very much an acquired taste. The scenes where they are forced to share a body were ridiculously funny though.
Book Xiao Lanhua is a lot more feisty than the drama version and I definitely prefer this version of her - it actually took me a wee while to warm up to her drama variant. Similarly, it seems Dongfang Qingcang is more villainous by nature compared to his drama counterpart who was ultimately not all that bad. This in a way makes the enemies to lovers aspect feel more pronounced, although this first volume truly only shows the bare minimum of romance.
Many of the beloved drama characters either don't exist in the novel or are entirely sidelined and are little more than a familiar name. There are a few new characters and of course, Dongfang Qingcang's nemesis, the God of War has a role to play. Her role also seems quite altered and there are still many questions left open which I look forward to exploring in the next and final volume.
As a whole, I think this one is a lot more of a comedy romp and it's perfectly entertaining. It does, at least for this first instalment, not have the more intricate world building and fate shattering stakes. It's a bit silly, it's fun, a little confusing but definitely worth being given a chance.
September 25, 2025
When I say I love this, I really mean I absolutely loved this!! Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang are the most hilarious and entertaining characters I’ve read, the banter and interactions between them are so funny and it’s so sweet to see the developments of their relationship! The story and plot are very interesting and I’m so invested on how this is going to turn out, I’m definitely getting the second volume and continuing this story, absolutely recommend!!
Read
August 12, 2025"Si as in Seek"....?? 7seas do u even hire chinese speakers to create ur glossaries and pronunciation guides girl because what
Anyways peak (it's a bit too short but that's also a 7s issue)
Anyways peak (it's a bit too short but that's also a 7s issue)
August 4, 2025
i spent the whole time laughing as i read the adventures both xiao linhua and dongfang qingcang went through together omg i love them !
May 15, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
This was HILARIOUS and I love DFQC he is so unserious
This was HILARIOUS and I love DFQC he is so unserious
May 21, 2025
This is the original novel on which the TV series of the same name is based. However, as becomes clear already from the description, the original and adaptation share the premise and that’s about it. The two stories are completely different. So, if you’re looking for something that deepens the story of the TV adaptation, this isn’t it. The two are so different that there’s no point in trying to compare them either. (There's also an animated version that appears to follow the plot of the book more faithfully, but I haven’t watched it myself.)
The start of the book is maybe the weakest point of the story and very vague about how events have unfolded before the opening scene. Demon Lord Dongfang Qingcang has resurrected after a hundred thousand years, having been bested by Lady of the Scarlet Wastes, the god of war, and immediately captured by the officials of the heavenly realm. But he has had time to take a hostage, an orchid fairy Xiao Lanhua, and forced her to switch souls with him, so that he occupies her body and vice versa. He then uses her mouth to convince the troops that she’ll spend the rest of eternity imprisoned with him to make sure he never escapes.
He escapes, of course, and there’s nothing Xiao Lanhua can do, as she’s behind bars inside Dongfang Qingcang’s body. But as she tries to prevent him from leaving, she accidentally destroys her own body. Now the Demon Lord’s soul has escaped and she’s trapped inside his body with no body of her own to return to. So, out of options, she heads to the ghost realm to find his soul. She finds it, but when he tries to take his body back, she refuses to leave until he provides her with a new body.
The first volume is about the two of them travelling mostly in the mortal realm looking for a suitable body for her. But she soon realises he has an agenda of his own and he’s only helping her because it temporarily aligns with his interests. They get into hairy situations, and despite his better judgement, he finds himself saving her time and again. But he betrays her equally often, and by the time the first volume ends, the two are still together only because she’s managed to force his hand to keep her alive.
The first volume isn’t much of a romance, but it’s a good start to that direction. Dongfang Qingcang starts—and continues—as a truly evil character, but the presence of Xiao Lanhua, first inside his body and later with her own, starts changing him, and he occasionally finds himself doing things to please her—in his own fashion. She has no romantic feelings about him either, and the volume ends with her wholly disillusioned about him.
I liked this story very much. It didn’t matter that it didn’t match the adaptation. It’s fast-paced, funny, and well-written. The stakes are high from the start and they don’t lessen by the end of the volume. I didn’t miss the side-plots and other characters that filled the adaptation. The two were enough to carry the story. I liked Xiao Lanhua especially. She was strong and resourceful and not a clueless, wide-eyed creature wholly at the mercy of Dongfang Qingcang like in the adaptation, even when she was at his mercy. And he was truly evil and selfish, not just posturing.
The ending wasn’t a cliffhanger as such, but it doesn’t conclude anything either. The story has only begun and I really have to find out how this original version continues from here.
The start of the book is maybe the weakest point of the story and very vague about how events have unfolded before the opening scene. Demon Lord Dongfang Qingcang has resurrected after a hundred thousand years, having been bested by Lady of the Scarlet Wastes, the god of war, and immediately captured by the officials of the heavenly realm. But he has had time to take a hostage, an orchid fairy Xiao Lanhua, and forced her to switch souls with him, so that he occupies her body and vice versa. He then uses her mouth to convince the troops that she’ll spend the rest of eternity imprisoned with him to make sure he never escapes.
He escapes, of course, and there’s nothing Xiao Lanhua can do, as she’s behind bars inside Dongfang Qingcang’s body. But as she tries to prevent him from leaving, she accidentally destroys her own body. Now the Demon Lord’s soul has escaped and she’s trapped inside his body with no body of her own to return to. So, out of options, she heads to the ghost realm to find his soul. She finds it, but when he tries to take his body back, she refuses to leave until he provides her with a new body.
The first volume is about the two of them travelling mostly in the mortal realm looking for a suitable body for her. But she soon realises he has an agenda of his own and he’s only helping her because it temporarily aligns with his interests. They get into hairy situations, and despite his better judgement, he finds himself saving her time and again. But he betrays her equally often, and by the time the first volume ends, the two are still together only because she’s managed to force his hand to keep her alive.
The first volume isn’t much of a romance, but it’s a good start to that direction. Dongfang Qingcang starts—and continues—as a truly evil character, but the presence of Xiao Lanhua, first inside his body and later with her own, starts changing him, and he occasionally finds himself doing things to please her—in his own fashion. She has no romantic feelings about him either, and the volume ends with her wholly disillusioned about him.
I liked this story very much. It didn’t matter that it didn’t match the adaptation. It’s fast-paced, funny, and well-written. The stakes are high from the start and they don’t lessen by the end of the volume. I didn’t miss the side-plots and other characters that filled the adaptation. The two were enough to carry the story. I liked Xiao Lanhua especially. She was strong and resourceful and not a clueless, wide-eyed creature wholly at the mercy of Dongfang Qingcang like in the adaptation, even when she was at his mercy. And he was truly evil and selfish, not just posturing.
The ending wasn’t a cliffhanger as such, but it doesn’t conclude anything either. The story has only begun and I really have to find out how this original version continues from here.
September 6, 2025
Nov 8 2024: I am SO freaking excited to have this in my hands!!! I already know I’m going to love it as much as I did the drama when it watched it two years ago on this same month. I adore Xiao Lan Hua and DongFang QingCang sm 🥹💗🫶🏻 Can’t wait to see the final cover and in-page artworks ahhh!! I’m already in love with how DFQC is holding a little orchid flower in his hand ahhhg 😩💗
I will come back to this once this English translation by Seven Seas is released next year May!! 🖤✨
———————————————————————————
May 8th: IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE IN MY HANDS!!!
I’m only a little disappointed that this light novels features no in-page artwork :( I wonder why :(
05/08/2025 Marked as started reading
I will come back to this once this English translation by Seven Seas is released next year May!! 🖤✨
———————————————————————————
May 8th: IT’S HERE, IT’S HERE IN MY HANDS!!!
I’m only a little disappointed that this light novels features no in-page artwork :( I wonder why :(
05/08/2025 Marked as started reading
September 12, 2025
Very different from the cdrama adaptation, but still a fun little ride!
November 18, 2025
I must say that it's almost imperative you read the book before watching the show. I watched the show before the book release but I am convinced it prevented me from fully connecting with the story.
The show is powerful in its character portrayal and world building but it must be treated as an entirely different story. It took me a good while to shift from show remnants.
I do love Xiao Lanhua's silliness/sly tongue and Dongfang Qingcang's ruthlessness. The story is comedic and very episodic. Each chapter is its own adventure following the fairy's self-slap mistake and the Demon Lord's ulterior motive quests.
It does feel like the translation is lacking as I keep being pulled out of the story trying to cling to the prose, but again, it might just be me attempting to get a grip on the alternative universe I'm rediscovering.
The show is powerful in its character portrayal and world building but it must be treated as an entirely different story. It took me a good while to shift from show remnants.
I do love Xiao Lanhua's silliness/sly tongue and Dongfang Qingcang's ruthlessness. The story is comedic and very episodic. Each chapter is its own adventure following the fairy's self-slap mistake and the Demon Lord's ulterior motive quests.
It does feel like the translation is lacking as I keep being pulled out of the story trying to cling to the prose, but again, it might just be me attempting to get a grip on the alternative universe I'm rediscovering.
May 16, 2025
Xiao Lanhua, an orchid fairy has found herself sharing a body with Dongfang Qingcang the most feared Demon Lord in history! As the two of them fight over everything from whether or not to murder people in cold blood to how to walk correctly they find themselves in an odd sort of symbiotic relationship that may just blossom into more. Or they may just kill each other first!
I have wanted to read this since I first watched the Netflix show and while I had expected this review to end up being just a comparison of the show to the book I have to say that would be completely unfair to both of them as they are almost two separate stories. At least with this first book. So while there will be some comparisons it's not going to take up most of this.
I do have to start though with Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang because I mean there's just no story without them and while Xiao Lanhua especially is not different than her character in the show she is dare I say it marginally better? I do dare because she is. And do not get me wrong I still adore her Netflix counterpart but in the book, she is just simply more. She's not as naive, she certainly is more mature, and she is genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Oh and a raging smart ass which y'all know means I loved her. Dongfang Qingcang is essentially the same, he throws the "This venerable one" thing around a lot more but I mean it fits him, he's an arrogant Demon Lord so of course he does. What I think is really important to point out here though is if you have watched the show I can not stress enough how perfectly cast Wang and Yu were for these characters. Just absolutely fit them to a T and that's a huge plus for me.
What I absolutely loved about this though is it more focuses on Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang's adventures as they figure out how to get Xiao Lanhua a new body. And no I'm not spoiling why that's a thing you'll just have to read it but it's a thing and it's hilarious. Especially when both their souls are stuck in Dongfang Qingcang's body, it takes enemies to lovers to a whole new level! It's not like they just happen to be two souls in one body; one soul controls the right side of his body and the other the left which allows Xiao Lanhua to interfere in his nefarious plots much more effectively and adds some hilarious scenes where the entirety of the Demon Realm chalks up Dongfang Qingcang arguing with himself to him being an "eccentric" immortal demon. Because of course if you've lived for millennia you'd be arguing with yourself. Duh.
The fact that so far there is *no* love triangle was amazing as well. That's the one thing I wasn't a fan of from the Netflix version. And while I have a feeling some sort of love triangle is going to pop up at some point I don't feel like it'll be the whole focus of the series.
Highly recommend this whether you've watched the show or not, but if you have I can not recommend it enough. Like I said instead of doing a ton of comparing between the two by chapter two I was done with that. I'd say that the show is a wonderful companion to the book series and you can't really fully appreciate one without the other.
I have wanted to read this since I first watched the Netflix show and while I had expected this review to end up being just a comparison of the show to the book I have to say that would be completely unfair to both of them as they are almost two separate stories. At least with this first book. So while there will be some comparisons it's not going to take up most of this.
I do have to start though with Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang because I mean there's just no story without them and while Xiao Lanhua especially is not different than her character in the show she is dare I say it marginally better? I do dare because she is. And do not get me wrong I still adore her Netflix counterpart but in the book, she is just simply more. She's not as naive, she certainly is more mature, and she is genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Oh and a raging smart ass which y'all know means I loved her. Dongfang Qingcang is essentially the same, he throws the "This venerable one" thing around a lot more but I mean it fits him, he's an arrogant Demon Lord so of course he does. What I think is really important to point out here though is if you have watched the show I can not stress enough how perfectly cast Wang and Yu were for these characters. Just absolutely fit them to a T and that's a huge plus for me.
What I absolutely loved about this though is it more focuses on Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang's adventures as they figure out how to get Xiao Lanhua a new body. And no I'm not spoiling why that's a thing you'll just have to read it but it's a thing and it's hilarious. Especially when both their souls are stuck in Dongfang Qingcang's body, it takes enemies to lovers to a whole new level! It's not like they just happen to be two souls in one body; one soul controls the right side of his body and the other the left which allows Xiao Lanhua to interfere in his nefarious plots much more effectively and adds some hilarious scenes where the entirety of the Demon Realm chalks up Dongfang Qingcang arguing with himself to him being an "eccentric" immortal demon. Because of course if you've lived for millennia you'd be arguing with yourself. Duh.
The fact that so far there is *no* love triangle was amazing as well. That's the one thing I wasn't a fan of from the Netflix version. And while I have a feeling some sort of love triangle is going to pop up at some point I don't feel like it'll be the whole focus of the series.
Highly recommend this whether you've watched the show or not, but if you have I can not recommend it enough. Like I said instead of doing a ton of comparing between the two by chapter two I was done with that. I'd say that the show is a wonderful companion to the book series and you can't really fully appreciate one without the other.
May 8, 2025
Loved the cdrama series loving the book.
Loving many things from the Orient books are my favorite. The authors are brilliant when it comes to fantasy and Jiu Lu Fei Xiang is no exception. The Fairy and Devil will keep you guessing. Does Devil love Fairy or does he just not care? One moment yes he does care next moment it's 'What the heck?' Fairy keeps trying to find anything good in the most evil, most powerful, most handsome man she has ever met. The series is going to be a slow burn for sure. I don't want to wait for the next volume. I will preorder as soon as it is available.
Loving many things from the Orient books are my favorite. The authors are brilliant when it comes to fantasy and Jiu Lu Fei Xiang is no exception. The Fairy and Devil will keep you guessing. Does Devil love Fairy or does he just not care? One moment yes he does care next moment it's 'What the heck?' Fairy keeps trying to find anything good in the most evil, most powerful, most handsome man she has ever met. The series is going to be a slow burn for sure. I don't want to wait for the next volume. I will preorder as soon as it is available.
May 20, 2025
The overall feel of this book was very different than expected, much more lighthearted and humorous. I knew going in that a major part of the story was the two characters needing to share a body, but I didn't realize how that would manifest; they each control one half of the body. This naturally provides plenty of set-ups for comedy. Both characters are quite likable, with equally strong personalities. I didn't sense any real romance between them until closer towards the end, but I really am enjoying where this is going and am eager to read more.
December 19, 2025
This is genuinely such a great novel. I have many things to say about it!
I first saw Love Between Fairy and Devil as the cdrama, but I hope people know that this is pretty much nothing like the show. My assumption for this is because of all the body switching this novel has to offer. There's a lot of this, and it would be hard for the actors/actresses, so if you're hoping this is the same as the cdrama, here's your warning that it's not.
That doesn't mean it's bad, but I favor the novel over the cdrama. While I like both, this one is definitely more toward my liking, but maybe that's because I prefer reading over watching.
Xiao Lanhua has gotten herself into the biggest worst situation of her life. Her body is split from her own as she is stuck in the mortal realm as a flower spirit. The big kicker is: she's stuck with the strongest demon--scratch that, she's stuck with quite literally the strongest person of the whole series, Dongfang Qingcang, who is probably the most coldhearted, ruthless, mu*dering demon in all of history. Ever. He's cold, mean, rude, and only cares about himself and what could benefit him in the long run.
Throughout the coarse of the book, Xiao Lanhua is simply trying to return home to the heavenly realm to her master Siming. But she needs a body and more importantly, she needs to survive getting away from Dongfang Qingcang before he deems her useless and kills her.
Their journey together is filled with bickering and fun (seemingly) nonsense. They jump from realm to market, from empty wastelands to dreams, but they do it together whether they're at each other's throats or on the same team.
This novel is filled with lying, betrayal, and death, but it's also filled with emotions, funny moments, and doing the things for the person that you love. There are plot twists, new things I haven't read in other novels before, and the heartbreaking agony of two people who want to be in love but can't trust each other no matter how hard they want to. It was genuinely a very cute, fun, and exciting read, but also very intense to get you on the edge of your seat. Once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down.
Jiu Lu Fei Xiang has a beautiful and clean writing style. Her writing is smooth and easy to read. She doesn't throw a bunch of big words at you, but she explains everything so beautifully that's not too overwhelming and enough to understand everything. In the sevenseas publication, there are some slight errors, but this is obviously completely on the publishing company and should not reflect the book at all!
The story of Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang is definitely one to read. Especially if you like the trope of big, mean demon guy who hates everybody but only loves his wife. However, do keep in mind that he is a demon. He's still not a good person, but at least, with his wife, he straightens out a bit.
I first saw Love Between Fairy and Devil as the cdrama, but I hope people know that this is pretty much nothing like the show. My assumption for this is because of all the body switching this novel has to offer. There's a lot of this, and it would be hard for the actors/actresses, so if you're hoping this is the same as the cdrama, here's your warning that it's not.
That doesn't mean it's bad, but I favor the novel over the cdrama. While I like both, this one is definitely more toward my liking, but maybe that's because I prefer reading over watching.
Xiao Lanhua has gotten herself into the biggest worst situation of her life. Her body is split from her own as she is stuck in the mortal realm as a flower spirit. The big kicker is: she's stuck with the strongest demon--scratch that, she's stuck with quite literally the strongest person of the whole series, Dongfang Qingcang, who is probably the most coldhearted, ruthless, mu*dering demon in all of history. Ever. He's cold, mean, rude, and only cares about himself and what could benefit him in the long run.
Throughout the coarse of the book, Xiao Lanhua is simply trying to return home to the heavenly realm to her master Siming. But she needs a body and more importantly, she needs to survive getting away from Dongfang Qingcang before he deems her useless and kills her.
Their journey together is filled with bickering and fun (seemingly) nonsense. They jump from realm to market, from empty wastelands to dreams, but they do it together whether they're at each other's throats or on the same team.
This novel is filled with lying, betrayal, and death, but it's also filled with emotions, funny moments, and doing the things for the person that you love. There are plot twists, new things I haven't read in other novels before, and the heartbreaking agony of two people who want to be in love but can't trust each other no matter how hard they want to. It was genuinely a very cute, fun, and exciting read, but also very intense to get you on the edge of your seat. Once I picked this up, I couldn't put it down.
Jiu Lu Fei Xiang has a beautiful and clean writing style. Her writing is smooth and easy to read. She doesn't throw a bunch of big words at you, but she explains everything so beautifully that's not too overwhelming and enough to understand everything. In the sevenseas publication, there are some slight errors, but this is obviously completely on the publishing company and should not reflect the book at all!
The story of Xiao Lanhua and Dongfang Qingcang is definitely one to read. Especially if you like the trope of big, mean demon guy who hates everybody but only loves his wife. However, do keep in mind that he is a demon. He's still not a good person, but at least, with his wife, he straightens out a bit.
September 10, 2025
Amo el drama chino, pero cuando supe que el mismo era totalmente diferente al libro, tuve mis reticencias, ya me había visto el donghua y no me había gustado tanto, pero este libro... wao, es super adictivo y gracioso!
Llevaba rato sin reírme tanto con un libro, fue sumamente divertido. Dongfang Qincang era el epítome de maldad pero se veía como cedía sin que fuera tan obvio a la Orquídea. Y ella super exasperante e ingenua, aunque también muy divertida.
La interacción de ellos dos es lo que hizo que le diera 5 estrellas.
Super recomendado. Uno de mis xianxia favoritos!
Llevaba rato sin reírme tanto con un libro, fue sumamente divertido. Dongfang Qincang era el epítome de maldad pero se veía como cedía sin que fuera tan obvio a la Orquídea. Y ella super exasperante e ingenua, aunque también muy divertida.
La interacción de ellos dos es lo que hizo que le diera 5 estrellas.
Super recomendado. Uno de mis xianxia favoritos!
May 27, 2025
3,75/5⭐
June 1, 2025
This was fun! I watched about half of the drama adaptation, but the original novel’s plot is entirely different. The main characters are the only details that stayed pretty much the same.
January 24, 2026
Very low stakes and fun. Very fast and enjoyable read!
October 27, 2025
I am honestly surprised how quickly I worked my way through this lol. The FMC be the final boss of second hand embarrassment
January 15, 2026
Delicious.
I’ve watched the CDrama, I’ve watched the Donghua. The original story is so much better. I love this version of Xiao Lanhua to pieces. OG Dongfang Qingcang? Incomparable. If I wrote a book, I’d like to think I would write this.
I’ve watched the CDrama, I’ve watched the Donghua. The original story is so much better. I love this version of Xiao Lanhua to pieces. OG Dongfang Qingcang? Incomparable. If I wrote a book, I’d like to think I would write this.
July 6, 2025
I'm going to be honest, I went into this book not expecting to give it five stars, or to like it as much as I did. I really liked it! I read it primarily because I am excited for the expanded Chinaverse to make it's way stateside and I want to show my support. I have not previously watched the cdrama, but from what I had heard...I honestly wasn't expecting much. But, I absolutely enjoyed this fast-paced light-hearted adventure.
Starting with the characters - I really really dislike clueless female characters and I was worried I'd hate the MC. But, actually, the MC *is* clueless, but not in a way that removes her agency or ability to do things for herself. She is probably better described as simply naive about certain subjects, but very knowledgeable about others. Her background as a simple orchid plant makes perfect sense. She knows a lot about her world, even if she's never explored it, which I found to be a fun and fresh character type.
The ML is also very interesting - Another thing I was worried going in was how I would feel about the main pairing. I thought the book was going to be much more serious than it is (it's really a comedy) and I'd have to deal with the moral quandary of a pairing like Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao in Thousand Autumns. It's not that I don't *like* that pairing, it's just much more morally grey and had for me to 100% enjoy in a relationship. I find the ML suffers from a similar naiveté as the MC - except his is for emotions. He's manipulative, and brilliantly so, and doesn't deviate unnaturally from his baseline cold-heartedness - every time he bends a little you can feel the struggle for him. It feels very realistic in terms of the progression. There's clearly some sort of background story we haven't gotten from him yet, but I'm excited to see how the relationship develops. Nothing he has done feels truly unforgivable.
The relationship itself feels surprisingly balanced. They both frequently take advantage of each other, and the MC doesn't fall into many of the common traps female leads face. She has her own thoughts, and she's very determined. I wound up liking her a lot, and I want to learn more about the ML.
As for the plot, I also very much enjoyed what has been developed in volume 1. I hope that the various threads that have been laid out are tied up in volume 2, as a lot feels unanswered. My biggest issue is the beginning of the novel, where the exact circumstances that bring them together *really* don't get explained. If I hadn't heard a description of the first episode of the cdrama previously, I think I would have been seriously confused by the opening of the book. I'd say the main plot follows the MC trying, and frequently failing, [spoiler] to find a new body after hers is destroyed [/spoiler]- and all the comedic hijinks that ensue. You fly through various arcs that do feel a tad "made for TV" but are no less fun for it. One thing I very much appreciate is that the publisher chose not to end vol.1 on a cliffhanger. They were about 1 chapter away from doing so. Instead, they chose to end the volume on the natural end of an arc which is much more satisfying for me.
The writing is overall surprisingly good. As I was enjoying the thoroughly comedic beginning half, I grew concerned that this would become a bait-and-switch, comedy-becomes-tragedy novel I've sadly become familiar with as an Asian genre. So far, I'm happy to report that although the book does get more serious, it doesn't stray from the ridiculousness of the initial concept. Even when there is a darker moment, one of the characters typically says or thinks something lighthearted, easing the tension. Descriptions of places could be a little more fleshed out, but we aren't completely bereft. Side characters feel well-designed so far and I'm excited to see them develop. The pacing felt consistent, but it is a little fast (plot-wise, not relationship-wise) which I think adds to the lighthearted feel. Again, I am waiting to see how several things turn out in vol.2 before I can critique more.
Overall, I think this is the perfect summer porch book. As someone who recently walked into a bookstore and asked if they had any recommendations for "a book that won't make me cry" and the clerk had to seriously think about whether they had *any*, this was almost a breath of fresh air? There is next to zero angst, there won't be any crying, any stress, and it's very enjoyable. Maybe this can be a new writing trend - you don't need to force people to feel sad every single time in order to write a good book.
A note I do want to leave is that, unlike most of Seven Seas danmei, I only purchased an ebook instead of a physical copy. The physical copy just does not seem up to par in any way. The quality of the paper, cover, lack of interior artwork, and (sorry) the cover art is just lower than it should be. The cover looks seriously out of date, reminding me vividly of books from the 90s and early 2000s. I don't *dislike* the art, but it's just not what I think most people are looking for these days. Which is a shame as I prefer physical copies - maybe I'll buy one to rebind if I like vol.2 just as well...
Starting with the characters - I really really dislike clueless female characters and I was worried I'd hate the MC. But, actually, the MC *is* clueless, but not in a way that removes her agency or ability to do things for herself. She is probably better described as simply naive about certain subjects, but very knowledgeable about others. Her background as a simple orchid plant makes perfect sense. She knows a lot about her world, even if she's never explored it, which I found to be a fun and fresh character type.
The ML is also very interesting - Another thing I was worried going in was how I would feel about the main pairing. I thought the book was going to be much more serious than it is (it's really a comedy) and I'd have to deal with the moral quandary of a pairing like Yan Wushi and Shen Qiao in Thousand Autumns. It's not that I don't *like* that pairing, it's just much more morally grey and had for me to 100% enjoy in a relationship. I find the ML suffers from a similar naiveté as the MC - except his is for emotions. He's manipulative, and brilliantly so, and doesn't deviate unnaturally from his baseline cold-heartedness - every time he bends a little you can feel the struggle for him. It feels very realistic in terms of the progression. There's clearly some sort of background story we haven't gotten from him yet, but I'm excited to see how the relationship develops. Nothing he has done feels truly unforgivable.
The relationship itself feels surprisingly balanced. They both frequently take advantage of each other, and the MC doesn't fall into many of the common traps female leads face. She has her own thoughts, and she's very determined. I wound up liking her a lot, and I want to learn more about the ML.
As for the plot, I also very much enjoyed what has been developed in volume 1. I hope that the various threads that have been laid out are tied up in volume 2, as a lot feels unanswered. My biggest issue is the beginning of the novel, where the exact circumstances that bring them together *really* don't get explained. If I hadn't heard a description of the first episode of the cdrama previously, I think I would have been seriously confused by the opening of the book. I'd say the main plot follows the MC trying, and frequently failing, [spoiler] to find a new body after hers is destroyed [/spoiler]- and all the comedic hijinks that ensue. You fly through various arcs that do feel a tad "made for TV" but are no less fun for it. One thing I very much appreciate is that the publisher chose not to end vol.1 on a cliffhanger. They were about 1 chapter away from doing so. Instead, they chose to end the volume on the natural end of an arc which is much more satisfying for me.
The writing is overall surprisingly good. As I was enjoying the thoroughly comedic beginning half, I grew concerned that this would become a bait-and-switch, comedy-becomes-tragedy novel I've sadly become familiar with as an Asian genre. So far, I'm happy to report that although the book does get more serious, it doesn't stray from the ridiculousness of the initial concept. Even when there is a darker moment, one of the characters typically says or thinks something lighthearted, easing the tension. Descriptions of places could be a little more fleshed out, but we aren't completely bereft. Side characters feel well-designed so far and I'm excited to see them develop. The pacing felt consistent, but it is a little fast (plot-wise, not relationship-wise) which I think adds to the lighthearted feel. Again, I am waiting to see how several things turn out in vol.2 before I can critique more.
Overall, I think this is the perfect summer porch book. As someone who recently walked into a bookstore and asked if they had any recommendations for "a book that won't make me cry" and the clerk had to seriously think about whether they had *any*, this was almost a breath of fresh air? There is next to zero angst, there won't be any crying, any stress, and it's very enjoyable. Maybe this can be a new writing trend - you don't need to force people to feel sad every single time in order to write a good book.
A note I do want to leave is that, unlike most of Seven Seas danmei, I only purchased an ebook instead of a physical copy. The physical copy just does not seem up to par in any way. The quality of the paper, cover, lack of interior artwork, and (sorry) the cover art is just lower than it should be. The cover looks seriously out of date, reminding me vividly of books from the 90s and early 2000s. I don't *dislike* the art, but it's just not what I think most people are looking for these days. Which is a shame as I prefer physical copies - maybe I'll buy one to rebind if I like vol.2 just as well...
July 16, 2025
This story has so much room to grow. We have a demon, Dongfang Qingcang who has been trapped in prison for 100,000 years. We also meet a Fairy who someone is in that prison and she is used to let him out. They switch bodies.
For much of the book, they are in the same body. The fairy body is accidentally killed and the fairy spirit hitches a ride with the demon which is where all the comedic elements come into play. He's the worst King of the demons and everyone trembles before him. Now, this fairy makes him change some of his common power plays. He's also very vindictive.
They go to all sorts of place and so much happens. I had a lot of fun reading this story and I look forward to more of it. Xiao Lanhua is the fairy and she is fun to watch her be scared of and then deal with this scary demon.
So, I saw the show first. I have watched it through several times. I can't help but picture the main characters as the characters from the show. The thing is, The main characters are the same. While most of everything else the show pretty much rewrote and made it's own thing. They took the main ideas and stretched it out over 36 episodes.
I like the book, it's simply so different. They have to be treated as different stories. This one, you don't get as much as the show. They delve into characters. This one, it's all about the devil and Fairy. Chinese censorship is weird. They can't show things like hell and so much of that is changed.
Anyway, I think this book works on it's own. The show is an amazing thing on its own that came out of this work. I'm glad I have the opportunity to read it. I hope Seven Seas will do more books TV Shows are based on. I really want to read Love like the Galaxy or Who Rules the World or Joy of Life.
For much of the book, they are in the same body. The fairy body is accidentally killed and the fairy spirit hitches a ride with the demon which is where all the comedic elements come into play. He's the worst King of the demons and everyone trembles before him. Now, this fairy makes him change some of his common power plays. He's also very vindictive.
They go to all sorts of place and so much happens. I had a lot of fun reading this story and I look forward to more of it. Xiao Lanhua is the fairy and she is fun to watch her be scared of and then deal with this scary demon.
So, I saw the show first. I have watched it through several times. I can't help but picture the main characters as the characters from the show. The thing is, The main characters are the same. While most of everything else the show pretty much rewrote and made it's own thing. They took the main ideas and stretched it out over 36 episodes.
I like the book, it's simply so different. They have to be treated as different stories. This one, you don't get as much as the show. They delve into characters. This one, it's all about the devil and Fairy. Chinese censorship is weird. They can't show things like hell and so much of that is changed.
Anyway, I think this book works on it's own. The show is an amazing thing on its own that came out of this work. I'm glad I have the opportunity to read it. I hope Seven Seas will do more books TV Shows are based on. I really want to read Love like the Galaxy or Who Rules the World or Joy of Life.
June 28, 2025
I must admit, I went into this having only watched the drama (love it!) though I'd heard that the novel was completely different. So, I was forewarned on that front. However, I did find the prose left rather a bit to be desired (no knock on the translator, this is most likely a leftover from the Chinese version... I've found other Chinese novel translations do these things so I guess these problems are rampant in Chinese novels overall).
The main thing I take issue with is that there are often POV changes from paragraph to paragraph (I don't care what the guard thinks, for example, just fit it into one of the existing POVs like "the man holding her grunted, probably thinking blah blah blah"... We really don't need to have a POV change mid-paragraph just so he can tell us what he thinks. His opinion is irrelevant all things considered. --- just an example, not really something direct from the book).
I didn't love the novel as a whole and I think it could have done with more character building and feeling/scene descriptions, but I really can't take a story very seriously when POV changes get sprung at you out of nowhere without hard separators (scene change). Would've been a DNF if I didn't force myself to plow through because I love the drama and wanted to see all the differences (lol, everything).
The main thing I take issue with is that there are often POV changes from paragraph to paragraph (I don't care what the guard thinks, for example, just fit it into one of the existing POVs like "the man holding her grunted, probably thinking blah blah blah"... We really don't need to have a POV change mid-paragraph just so he can tell us what he thinks. His opinion is irrelevant all things considered. --- just an example, not really something direct from the book).
I didn't love the novel as a whole and I think it could have done with more character building and feeling/scene descriptions, but I really can't take a story very seriously when POV changes get sprung at you out of nowhere without hard separators (scene change). Would've been a DNF if I didn't force myself to plow through because I love the drama and wanted to see all the differences (lol, everything).
November 17, 2025
This first volume was quite nice, though it took me an age and a half to finish reading it.
Dongfang Qingcang is not my favourite character, he's more like a mix of Jiang Cheng and a knock-off Yan Wushi, but he was still intresting enough.
Xiao Lanhua made me sometimes wish I wasn't reading her perspective, as she was quite naive and fairly annoying, though she had her moments of smart behaviour and actually good stragedies.
By far my favourite character, who we will sadly not be seeing in volume two is Qianyin-langjun. He had by far the most intresting backstory/set up, with him being a shadow yao using a clay body, and his personality was just something that I found myself wishing for more of.
Every other character is more of a footnote at this point, though I did enjoy the hinted at romance between Xie what-her-name (The Lady of The Scarlet Wastes but reborn) and her deaf/mute lover who later killed her.
I do hope volume two elaborates some more on the celestial realm (though I know it's basically like every other xianxia/wuxia heavenly realm) and perhaps has more of the demonic realm. I also quite enjoyed the yao market and it's master, so I hope the next volume goes back there some more.
Overall, it took me a bit too long to read this book, but it was nice enough for what was basically my first straight Chinese web novel. (Yes, I only read danmei. Sue me.)
Dongfang Qingcang is not my favourite character, he's more like a mix of Jiang Cheng and a knock-off Yan Wushi, but he was still intresting enough.
Xiao Lanhua made me sometimes wish I wasn't reading her perspective, as she was quite naive and fairly annoying, though she had her moments of smart behaviour and actually good stragedies.
By far my favourite character, who we will sadly not be seeing in volume two is Qianyin-langjun. He had by far the most intresting backstory/set up, with him being a shadow yao using a clay body, and his personality was just something that I found myself wishing for more of.
Every other character is more of a footnote at this point, though I did enjoy the hinted at romance between Xie what-her-name (The Lady of The Scarlet Wastes but reborn) and her deaf/mute lover who later killed her.
I do hope volume two elaborates some more on the celestial realm (though I know it's basically like every other xianxia/wuxia heavenly realm) and perhaps has more of the demonic realm. I also quite enjoyed the yao market and it's master, so I hope the next volume goes back there some more.
Overall, it took me a bit too long to read this book, but it was nice enough for what was basically my first straight Chinese web novel. (Yes, I only read danmei. Sue me.)
July 7, 2025
I’ve watched the show so I have an idea how the story goes. That being said, the show and novel are very different.
The Demon King is a total asshole. He’s not a very good character as a live interest in this first book despite some moments where you question if he likes her for real or not. He definitely has a soft spot for her since he treats her different. He’s basically a tsundere.
Flower orchid spirit is very immature and childish. She says some wild ass shit to the Demon King. It’s pretty funny. I think that’s why I like their story so much. But it is hella weird she’s supposed to be the love interest and basically has the mannerisms of a small child. Make of that as you will.
I would recommend this story more for romance readers who are into the slow burn and the dynamic of troublemaker and Demon King whose only soft spot is said troublemaker. 😈 I think a lot of readers of Chinese fiction, donghua and manhua fans, and even those who enjoy danmei would find this story enjoyable.
The Demon King is a total asshole. He’s not a very good character as a live interest in this first book despite some moments where you question if he likes her for real or not. He definitely has a soft spot for her since he treats her different. He’s basically a tsundere.
Flower orchid spirit is very immature and childish. She says some wild ass shit to the Demon King. It’s pretty funny. I think that’s why I like their story so much. But it is hella weird she’s supposed to be the love interest and basically has the mannerisms of a small child. Make of that as you will.
I would recommend this story more for romance readers who are into the slow burn and the dynamic of troublemaker and Demon King whose only soft spot is said troublemaker. 😈 I think a lot of readers of Chinese fiction, donghua and manhua fans, and even those who enjoy danmei would find this story enjoyable.
July 2, 2025
I came to read Love Between Fairy & Devil after having loved the TV series. I had heard that the TV adaptation was somewhat different but I was surprised by how much. Other than the main characters, as I read this it felt like it was a completely different tale. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the book, and I will certainly buy volume two and finish reading it, but I do think the changes made for TV were really good decisions. There is fun banter in the book, but onscreen many of the book scenes would have seemed dull. The TV series also did a much better job of fleshing out the characters, their backstories and emotions. It also added many more secondary characters to help drive the action. Overall, I prefer the screen version of the story, but this original book is still an enjoyable read for fans of the Chinese fantasy genre. Therefore, I am giving it 4 stars. If you liked the TV show, give the book a try, but go in with the knowledge it is a very different tale.
September 29, 2025
I was not prepared for how wholesome this was going to be. Cute, funny, quite entertaining. Two souls get stuck in the same body, what could be a better recipe for an adventure filled with bickering and comedy? As this book is originally in chinese, there are a handful of instances where something just doesn't quite translate right, but it doesn't really break the immersion, it's a very good translation all things considered. I still have beef with the english title they chose tho. Not even close to being true to the original. But I digress. It's a light read, nothing too serious. Though it isn't marketed as YA, it's cleaner than a lot of YA books anyway and I do appreciate that. The anime (or donghua rather) of the same name follows almost exactly the same story line, and the first season is particularly excellent, I highly recommend, very entertaining.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews