花神录 by Bai Xia 柏夏

Di Jiang runs an apothecary at the end of South Main Street in Taiping Prefecture. However, her shop doesn’t treat humans—it heals ghosts. She has two assistants: one named Wen Yao and the other named Shu Xiang. Across the street from her apothecary is a coffin shop that specializes in resolving private debts. The owner of the coffin shop is Zhong Xu, also the seventy-second abbot of Baiyun Temple and a Taoist priest who specializes in exorcising demons. His life motto is: “All monsters must be eradicated, and no ghost shall escape punishment.”

Zhong Xu is the reincarnation of Zhong Kui, and in his past life, he shared a deep bond with Di Jiang, filled with both affection and unresolved grievances. Di Jiang is the incarnation of Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha, sent to guide and enlighten Zhong Xu. In this lifetime, they also have a close friend—Wu Rui’an, the Prince of Wu. Together, the trio travels through the mortal realm, helping Di Jiang compile The Record of the Flower Spirits. As they weave through the stories of twelve flower spirits, their bond grows stronger, ultimately leading them to reconcile past misunderstandings.

Each of the twelve flower spirits has their own unique personality traits, but they all share a common characteristic: inherent kindness. After being recorded in Di Jiang’s Flower Spirits Collection, they are able to transform their misfortunes, fulfilling the adage: “Good deeds bring good rewards.”