Legend of Exorcism (Novel) (2025)

The danmei/Boys' Love novel series originally released in Chinese-and which inspired the animated series/donghua-is available in English for the first time! In this thrilling high fantasy adventure set in ancient China, a naive young man must join hands with an unlucky general to protect the mortal world from an evil spirit king. Kong Hongjun has lived his whole life in the mystical Taihang Mountains, a haven for yao, spirits with powerful magical abilities. A half-yao himself, he knows little of the human world until the day the ruler of the mountain instructs him to conceal his identity and descend to the mortal realm. There, he is to join the Great Tang Exorcism Department in the ancient capital of Chang'an. Upon arrival, Hongjun finds himself under the command of Li Jinglong, a down-on-his-luck general with no magic of his own. Along with his fellow exorcists, a group of enigmatic young men with uncanny abilities, Hongjun and Li Jinglong must work together to protect Chang'an from the evil yao that lurk in its darkest corners. But greater machinations are afoot in the capital-and in order to confront them, Hongjun will have to reveal all of himself to Li Jinglong.

CRIMES OF PASSIONAlthough the Department of Exorcism has successfully thwarted the fox yao’s attempts to infiltrate the imperial examinations, Hongjun, Li Jinglong, and their companions are no closer to uncovering the identity of the yao king of Chang’an. Investigations stall until the group stumbles across a series of bloody murders in the capital.What appears to be a gruesome coincidence soon points to a larger plot as Hongjun and Li Jinglong discover evidence of yao involvement. Yet as the clues pile up, the group fears their enemies’ goals go far beyond murder: They may have their sights set on the emperor himself. Hongjun and Li Jinglong’s growing bond is tested as the fate of the empire—and their very lives—are put on the line in the hunt for the mastermind lurking in the city’s shadows.

GUARDIAN OF DREAMSWith the help of Mergen, Hongjun and Li Jinglong have successfully roused the ghost king from his waking dream—but the danger is not yet over. The group soon learns that the one responsible for entrapping the ghost king is none other than the white deer Mergen seeks, a god of dreams who has fallen under the sway of the mysterious yao king. Worse still, the yao king has used the deer’s power to take control of the ghost king’s army, and more undead soldiers are on the way.Before they can formulate a plan, Lu Xu, the fleet-footed scout Mergen rescued on the northern border, sets off alone in the snow. When Hongjun goes after him, he too finds himself snared in a nightmare of the enemy’s making—a vision of his own forgotten past that will upend everything he thought he knew about himself, his parents, and even Li Jinglong.

VISIONS OF THE PAST AND FUTUREAfter returning from the north, the Department of Exorcism is no sooner reunited in Chang’an than a series of strange cases strikes the capital. Vicious ghosts have appeared in the imperial mausoleums, slaughtering the guards who protect the remains of former emperors. Whether the attacks are a true haunting, the yao king at work, or the plot of a sinister new enemy, the exorcists must discover the truth before another catastrophe befalls the nation. Meanwhile, although Hongjun and Li Jinglong have taken a step forward in their relationship, Hongjun continues to be plagued by anxieties. One entity may be able to answer his questions: the divine kun, a powerful yao with the ability to see the future. But the kun is missing, and the yao king—or his agents—may hold the only clues to his mysterious disappearance.

THE SHIFTING SANDS OF TIMEAs the capital of Chang’an prepares for a grand celebration, An Lushan and his henchmen plot to wreak havoc within the city. In their clutches is Mergen, who has surrendered his heart to the heavenly demon in order to discover his plans. At night, Lu Xu walks in his dreams, the two becoming more deeply entwined than either bargained for.Li Jinglong believes the exorcists can stop An Lushan—and perhaps even strike down the black jiao Xie Yu, a far greater threat to the Divine Land. But when the mission unravels, Li Jinglong will put everything on the line to protect Hongjun from the demonic forces that would corrupt him—even if it means invoking a power that could spell his own destruction.

FOG OF WARFreed at last from the Dragon-Quelling Tower, Hongjun and Li Jinglong race to intercept An Lushan’s advancing rebel army. With every city his horde of humans and yao devours, An Lushan’s demonic power swells. If he is allowed to march unchecked to Chang’an, the exorcists fear he will truly become the heavenly demon Mara and raze the mortal world.Now more than ever, the exorcists are relying on Li Jinglong—both his foolproof plans and the divine power of his heart lamp, their sole weapon against An Lushan until they can secure the six artifacts of Acalanatha. But after suffering Acalanatha’s rejection in the Dragon-Quelling Tower, Li Jinglong’s confidence is badly shaken. Can Hongjun stand to watch Li Jinglong hurl himself recklessly into danger yet again? And if Li Jinglong is not the true heir to Acalanatha’s artifacts, who is?