Three Lives Three Worlds, The Pillow Book

Book One: Upper Volume

"If perseverance will still be in vain, who would use up this entire life only to wait for an unobtainable love?"[2]

Part One: The Reborn Bodhi Vines

The story begins with the wedding between Qing Qiu's Queen, Bai Qian, and the Heavenly Clan's Crown Prince, Ye Hua. Dong Hua and Mo Yuan, Ye Hua's twin brother and Bai Qian's teacher, came along with the wedding parade to receive the bride back to the groom's home for marriage, and here is where Dong Hua and Feng Jiu officially meet for the first time. After that, the story moves to heaven, where a banquet is held for the married couple, and after seeing Feng Jiu blame Mi Gu for the crime of kicking a flower pot toward his head, Dong Hua begins to take interest in her.

Later, Bai Qian set Feng Jiu up on a blind date with a celestial fairy of Heaven. Not willing to remarry, Feng Jiu drove her date away, and mistook Dong Hua for Mi Gu. She then began reminiscing to him about Ye Qing Ti, her deceased mortal husband.

On the last day of Lian Song's Flower Festival, Feng Jiu took her cousin, Ah Li, to see a play. On the way, Ah Li became tired and the two took a rest. Soon after, Princess Zhi He, Dong Hua's adopted sister's, carriage ascended from the lower realm and some celestials began gossiping about why she was banished to the mortal realm.

Arriving at Cheng Tian Terrace, Feng Jiu fought with a Chi Yan (Red Flame) Beast and Dong Hua ended up saving her. Rumors circulated throughout the Heavens about Dong Hua, Zhi He, and Feng Jiu. Lian Song came to Dong Hua to confirm these rumors and said that if Dong Hua wanted to take a wife, Zhi He is not a bad choice.

Escaping from a party she was forced to attend, Feng Jiu decided to take a late-night bath. Not long after, Dong Hua appeared and draped his cloak over her just as Lian Song came. Another rumor started out, this time saying that Dong Hua kept a beauty in his palace. Realizing that she lost the bracelet Qing Ti had given her, Feng Jiu went to find Dong Hua to inquire about it. However, she went at the wrong time, causing Dong Hua to tease her in front of the newly ascended immortals. Thus, another rumor started, mistaking Feng Jiu for Zhi He.

Tian Jun, the emperor of Heaven, decided to hold a party for the newly ascended fairies and, wanting to please Dong Hua, he announced that Zhi He will be returning to Heaven. Zhi He silently provoked Feng Jiu into remembering the time she was bullied while acting as a maid at Dong Hua's Palace. To forget her painful memories, Feng Jiu got drunk and Dong Hua brought her back to her room, causing another rumor to circulate.

No longer able to face the crowd, Feng Jiu instructed Ah Li to be her eyes and ears. While waiting for Ah Li to report back, Feng Jiu turned into a handkerchief to avoid another scandal with Dong Hua. Knowing full well that it was her, Dong Hua took Feng Jiu to his battle with Yan Chi Wu, a demon lord whom Dong Hua thought kidnapped his favorite pet fox long ago. During the battle, Chi Wu summoned a cyclone that swept both him and Feng Jiu away.

The two ended up at a valley and, thinking that Feng Jiu is Dong Hua's lover, Chi Wu started telling her about Dong Hua and Ji Heng, Dong Hua's former fiancée's, love story.

Part Two: Fan Yin Valley

Later, the two ended up meeting the second prince of the Bi Yi Niao (Adjoin-Winged Birds), Xiang Li Meng, and was mistaken for the prince and princess of the Owl Clan. They stayed in Fan Yin Valley for half a year before Dong Hua came. Upon meeting, Feng Jiu made him turn into a handkerchief to quench her anger, but later found out from Chi Wu that Dong Hua tricked her again, and that he didn't come to save her, but was here to coax Ji Heng back.

Hearing about the Saha fruit that could revive mortals, Feng Jiu decided to enter the tournament to win it, only to find that her name was not on the list of participants. Thus, she got Chi Wu to help her steal the fruit only to run into Dong Hua having a battle with a demoness. Feng Jiu got involved and ended up stuck inside a barrier with Dong Hua. The next day, Chi Wu told her that he was changing residence with Dong Hua.

Knowing that Feng Jiu wanted the Saha fruit, Dong Hua got her name into the list of competitors and in thanks, Feng Jiu rented out a restaurant to treat him. However, the next day, Feng Jiu found herself confined and Dong Hua told her that he did this so that he could train her for the tournament.

Later, Chi Wu came and took Feng Jiu out to comfort Xiang Li Meng, who was sad over the death of his pet cricket. His cousin, Jie Lu, explained that the cricket was a gift that Feng Jiu had given Xiang Li Meng when he was little.

When she returned, Feng Jiu found the barrier stronger and that Dong Hua seemed distracted. Finally, the day of the tournament arrived, and Feng Jiu won first place, but was told that Dong Hua had given the Saha fruit to Ji Heng. Ji Heng said that she asked for the fruit to test Dong Hua's love for her and asked Feng Jiu not to come in between them. Thus, Feng Jiu was forced into stealing the fruit. She successfully obtained the fruit, but was surrounded by four pythons before she fainted from pain. Doug Hua went back to Heaven with a red fox that he had saved to get treatment.

Back in Heaven, Zhong Lin noticed that Dong Hua was not his usual self ever since he returned from Fan Lin Valley. Example, in deep thoughts when he held a book up (not reading it), not waiting for the water to boil on his tea and asking Zhong Lin funny question like how to get rid of a person without other people knowing it. Lian Song came to see Dong Hua and told him that Feng Jiu is the beloved pet fox that Dong Hua has searched the world for. Later, Chi Wu angrily came and scolded Dong Hua for causing Feng Jiu's life to be in danger. Hearing this, Dong Hua quickly left and was relieved when he found that Feng Jiu was still alive inside the python formation. The Bi Yi Niao's Queen told Dong Hua that Feng Jiu is stuck inside of Aranya's Dream, and Dong Hua entered the formation to rescue her.

Book Two: Lower Volume

"In the middle of a foggy dream, one walks through whose shadow, destroys whose yearnings, and buries whose current life and past life?"[3]

Part Three: Aranya

The Second book began with revealing that the reason why Dong Hua appeared distracted the last few days was, because he was trying to find ways to get rid of Chi Wu without drawing blood, and later realized that he was in love with Feng Jiu.

Outside Aranya's Dream, Chi Wu took Ji Heng back and she cried, saying that she regretted her earlier decisions and revealed that the only reason Dong Hua agreed to marry her was because her father, Meng Hao, a water dragon who served under Dong Hua, had begged him to help her before he died.

Back inside the formation, Feng Jiu woke and kissed Dong Hua, thinking that she was dreaming. Once she realized that it wasn't a dream, Dong Hua told her that they were married, and that she had amnesia, as she only remembered the events that happened 70 years ago. Due to injuries, Feng Jiu fell asleep again, and Dong Hua placed her body inside an ice coffin while taking her soul into the Dream World to recuperate.

Feng Jiu woke and found that she is in the body of Aranya, the second princess of the Bi Yi Niao. She ran into Chen Ye, the Archmage, while trying to escape Prince Qing, a snake that Aranya raised. She later found out from her maid, Cha Cha, that Aranya doesn't have a good relationship with Chen Ye. Cha Cha also told Feng Jiu that Su Mo Ye, Aranya's teacher, had returned. The two met and Feng Jiu found out that Mo Ye entered Aranya's Dream to find the truth behind Aranya's death, and Feng Jiu agreed to help him.

For Qing Hua's, Aranya's mother's, birthday, Xiang Li Que, the emperor, decided to go on a cruise to view camellias. On the ship, Feng Jiu met Aranya's sisters and her husband, Xi Ze, the former Archmage. Since it was his first time meeting Xi Ze, Mo Ye found a picture of him and realized that the Xi Ze he met is actually Dong Hua, but doesn't tell Feng Jiu, who did not recognize Dong Hua due to magic interference. Seeing him sad and lovelorn over Aranya, Feng Jiu thought to take him to see the Yue Ling flowers to cheer him up, but ending up going with Dong Hua instead.

The next day, Feng Jiu was punished for leaving Chang Di, Aranya's younger sister, with Prince Qing. Chang Di replaced her cell with the Jiu Qu cage, and Feng Jiu was tortured for days. Then, a celestial fire broke out and Chen Ye saved her life. When Feng Jiu returned to her courtyard, she found Xi Ze carefully tending to the pregnant Ju Nuo, Aranya's older half-sister, and felt sorry for Aranya.

Feng Jiu met up with Mo Ye and told him what happened to her. Feng Jiu ended up crying herself to sleep and Dong Hua, who had been listening behind a tree, took her back to her room and told Mo Ye not to tell Feng Jiu.

Later at a banquet, Feng Jiu found out that Chang Di wanted to marry Xi Ze, but Dong Hua started to care more about Feng Jiu, causing her to wonder if he's been hexed. Jealous, Chang Di and Ju Nuo plotted to have everyone think that Feng Jiu was committing adultery with Mo Ye, but Dong Hua intervened.

Part Four: The Shadowed Soul

Both princesses were punished and when they returned to the capital, it was found that Ju Nuo's child is the result of an affair, so she was sentenced to death while Chang Di angered their father and was banished. Mo Ye requested Feng Jiu to repeat Aranya's life by saving Ju Nuo. In the original timeline, Chen Ye came out of seclusion and pleaded for Ju Nuo, his fiancée, and Aranya appeased her father's fury. In the end, Ju Nuo was banished and Chen Ye was under house arrest at Aranya's manor.

One night, while watching the stars, Feng Jiu ended up going to the Shui Yue Swamp, the barrier between the Dream World and the Real World. There, she found Dong Hua fighting with a water serpent and learned from the spirits watching that they had been fighting nonstop for two days, because the serpent wanted to devour the girl sleeping at the bottom of the lake. In the end, Feng Jiu returned to her original body and Dong Hua was injured. When they met, Dong Hua kissed her and said that the serpent's poison caused him to do so.

Wondering how Feng Jiu ended up in Aranya's body instead of in Ju Nuo's womb, Dong Hua decided to create a Miao Hua Mirror to let him see the lives of immortals. Feng Jiu made some toffee candies and had Cha Cha send them to Dong Hua while also sending Aranya's first letter to Chen Ye. This caused Chen Ye to throw a tantrum, saying that Feng Jiu can't be Aranya. Later that night, Dong Hua came to take Feng Jiu out to the Maiden's Festival. As Feng Jiu was scared that Dong Hua would turn homosexual, they ended up running away from a mob of girls who wanted to go on a date with Dong Hua.

After a few days, Dong Hua switched places with Mo Ye, who had gone to help with the Miao Hua Mirror. Mo Ye told Feng Jiu about Wen Tian's regular visits to accompany Chen Ye to keep him from suspecting Aranya. Feng Jiu admired Aranya for being able to push the man she loved on to another woman. Mo Ye told her of the time the three went to visit Xi Ze and how Chen Ye saved Aranya. Two years later Xiang Li Que died, the new king died in battle, and Aranya hung herself while Ju Nuo became queen and forbid anyone from speaking Aranya's name.

Afterwards, Feng Jiu asked Mo Ye about serpent poisons that caused someone to kiss another, and Mo Ye said that there was no such thing. To avoid Dong Hua's anger, he made Feng Jiu realize that she was in love.

Before Ju Nuo left, Feng Jiu let her meet with Chen Ye just as Aranya had done. Later, she invited Chen Ye to tea to cheer him up, and he asked Feng Jiu why she was being nice to him when she was in love with Xi Ze. Feng Jiu said that they were only playing just as Cha Cha brought Dong Hua over.

It began to rain heavily later that night, and Dong Hua appeared in Feng Jiu's room, drenched. Feng Jiu got him to take a bath and he asked her when she started to fall for Chen Ye, admitting that he wanted to kill him, but didn't want to see her unhappy. Seeing him jealous, Feng Jiu was overjoyed and said that she liked him, not Chen Ye, resulting in them consummating their marriage.

A week passed and Feng Jiu let Dong Hua return to Qi Nan Palace to finish the Miao Hua Mirror. Chen Ye asked to meet with Feng Jiu and admitted that he created this world to revive Aranya. Then, he placed Aranya's soul into Feng Jiu's body. Feng Jiu fainted and saw Aranya's memories.

After Xiang Li Que died, Chen Ye returned to Qi Nan Palace and Aranya was arrested for killing her father. Qing Hua visited Aranya and told her that Chen Ye had requested she be executed at the shrine as well as to allow him to marry Wen Tian. Aranya asked her mother if she'd ever loved her and what she had done to cause Qing Hua to want her to die. Qing Hua said she'll repay her in their next life, but Aranya refused and sadly lamented on how much Chen Ye hated her to hand her this revenge. Later, Aranya was kidnapped by Xi Ze and asked him to take her half-brother, Xiang Li He, to a safe place so that he wouldn't be killed by Qing Hua. Aranya took Xiang Li He's place on the battlefield and, at the cost of incinerating her soul, performed the Soul Evocation Formation to defend her home.

On Dong Hua and Mo Ye's side, once the Miao Hua mirror was completed, they saw Chen Ye's past.

Chen Ye met Aranya when she was still in the snake pit, where she was thrown in by her mother after she was born. He told Aranya her name and fed her. Wishing to take Aranya out, Chen Ye left for training to become the next Archmage powerful enough to provide Aranya with a happy life. When he returned, Mo Ye was the one who took Aranya out of the snake pit. Later, Chen Ye attended a banquet in Heaven and Aranya got married, causing Chen Ye to distance himself further from her. After he became Archmage, Qing Hua forced an engagement between him and Ju Nuo, and Chen Ye avoided marriage by going into seclusion. He came out on Ju Nuo's execution day and realized that he no longer recognized the person Aranya had become. When he stayed at her manor, Chen Ye knew that Aranya was writing to him under someone else's name and was furious. However, he realized that he was in love with her when they went to visit Xi Ze. Later, Qing Hua came and asked him to help her crown Ju Nuo and Chen Ye agreed in exchange for Aranya's life. To avoid Qing Hua's suspicion, he requested a marriage with Wen Tian. Then, Chen Ye secretly went to see Xi Ze and asked him to take Aranya away to a safe place. Chen Ye passed his days in leisure until Xi Ze came to visit and told him of Aranya's death. Chen Ye was in denial and ran to the place Aranya died. He was prepared to die with her when Xi Ze appeared and said that there might be a way to resurrect Aranya. In anger and regret, Chen Ye caused Fan Yin Valley to fall into eternal winter to mourn Aranya's death. After that, he created Aranya's Dream.

The image in the Mirror than shifted to Heaven, 300 years ago, revealing the picture of comatose Dong Hua after suppressing the dark energy of the Miao Yi Hui Ming Realm (Hui Ming Realm). It is then revealed that Chen Ye was created from a part of Dong Hua's shadow to guard the Hui Ming Realm.

Before he could look into Aranya's past, Dong Hua appeared in front of Chen Ye and took Feng Jiu back. Upon seeing Dong Hua's renowned sword, Chen Yi recognized the former Master of the Universe and asked him to return Feng Jiu to him, but Dong Hua refused.

The Miao Hua mirror then revealed a picture of Feng Jiu meeting with the Lord of the Underworld, Xie Gu Chou, who told her of Chen Ye's existence. Feng Jiu asked him to create a soul out of half of her shadow, and send her to serve Chen Ye.

Finally knowing the truth, Chen Ye lost the will to live and the Aranya's Dream started to collapse. Dong Hua sealed Chen Ye and Aranya's soul into two trees to allow them to be together. Next, he summoned the Elderly Fairy guarding the Stone of Destiny to inquire about his fate with Feng Jiu. The Elderly Fairy said that originally, the two did not have a fate, but because of Chen Ye and Aranya's failed fate, they were allowed to meet to continue this fate. However, he warned Dong Hua that because he had inquired today, tomorrow, destiny could change.

Part Five: Mistaking Destiny

They left Aranya's Dream and Dong Hua altered Feng Jiu's memories to preserve the fate they had together. Later, Chi Wu and Feng Jiu met up to say farewell to Xiang Li Meng, as the Bi Yi Niao now knows that they are not from the Owl Clan. Feng Jiu also revealed that the person Xiang Li Meng was in love with is actually her. Xiang Li Meng's image of Feng Jiu was destroyed and he ran out, saying that he'll never trust women again.

Ji Heng confronted Dong Hua the day they were returning to Heaven, begging him to take her along. However, Dong Hua refused, saying that by staying in the Valley, the poison in Ji Heng's body will stabilize itself and disappear after 3000 years.

Once returned, Feng Jiu went to see Bai Qian, and was reminded of her Bing Cang (concealment of weapon) ceremony, a ceremony proving her capabilities to protect her people. Feng Jiu panicked, and dedicated her time to finishing her sword. Finally, the day of the Bing Cang Ceremony arrived and Feng Jiu displayed her sword's capability by passing through various trials. She was about to place the sword with the others when Nie Chu Yin, one of the Seven Lord of the Demon Clan, appeared and challenged her to a duel. As expected, Feng Jiu lost, but before Chu Yin could secure a favor from Qing Qiu, Han Shan Zhen Ren, a celestial under goddess Nuwa, said that Chu Yin still has to win against Feng Jiu's husband. When Dong Hua appeared on the platform, Chu Yin wanted to back out. In the end, Chu Yin lost and the ceremony was completed. After that, Dong Hua talked with Bai Zhi, Feng Jiu's grandfather, and their marriage ceremony was set. Later, Chi Wu appeared and asked Dong Hua to come with him to save Ji Heng, who had left Fan Yin Valley.

Dong Hua never returned for the wedding, and Feng Jiu later heard from Bai Zhi that he had eloped with Ji Heng. Feng Jiu waited for Dong Hua to come and explain himself to her, but he never did, and her health began to decline. Zhe Yan, the first phoenix of the universe, came to visit and told Feng Jiu that her memories were altered and that she is pregnant. Afterward composing herself, Feng Jiu went to the Underworld to revive Qing Ti, leaving him in Gu Chou's care while she went to the Human World.

200 years passed and from all of Bai Qian's previous letters, Feng Jiu learned that Dong Hua had come to look for her, but Bai Zhi turned him away. Dong Hua refused divorce and searched the world for her. In her latest letter, Bai Qian said that Dong Hua now knows that Feng Jiu is in the mortal realm. After that, Feng Jiu received a letter informing her that Dong Hua will grant mortal ascension into divinity one last time before it's closed forever, causing Feng Jiu to return to Heaven to help with Qing Ti's ascension.

When she first descended to the Human Realm to repay her life-saving debt to Dong Hua, Feng Jiu was known as Consort Chen, a small concubine in the harem. Emperor Song, Dong Hua's mortal incarnation, bestowed her away to become Qing Ti's concubine. Feng Jiu did not hid her true identity and told Qing Ti many things. Qing Ti ended up dying to protect her from a demon's blade and Feng Jiu promised him that she will mourn for him for three lifetimes, but could not give him the love he asked for.

After meeting with Qing Ti, Feng Jiu met with Dong Hua. He briefly explained himself and said that Feng Jiu is the most important person to him before giving her a crystal ring, saying that she'll remain his wife until he dies. Feng Jiu said that it was too late, gave Dong Hua back the ring, and left. After she left, Dong Hua coughed up blood and told Zhong Lin, his housekeeper, to give the ring to Feng Jiu after he's gone.

Feng Jiu stayed in the Underworld, as not many people knew of Gun Gun's, her son, existence. Later, Qing Ti came to see her and told her that Dong Hua named him his successor, causing Feng Jiu to leave in panic. Gu Chou explained that the only time a powerful deity will name his successor is when that deity is about to die.

Feng Jiu came to Tai Chen Palace and Zhong Lin told her the truth of that year. It turned out that Ji Heng used her father's life-saving grace against Dong Hua, asking him to divorce Feng Jiu and never marry. Dong Hua refused and cured Ji Heng's poison by transferring it to himself and returned her to her position as Princess of the Red Demon Clan, thus ending the debt. Dong Hua sent two letters with Chi Wu to tell the others to postpone the wedding and explain everything to Feng Jiu, but Chi Wu met with an enemy on the way and ended up in a coma for several months. Once Dong Hua knew, he rushed to find Feng Jiu, but at that time, the Hui Ming Realm began to collapse. Zhong Lin told Feng Jiu that Dong Hua had never reincarnated as a mortal, but had been preparing to purify the Hui Ming Realm. However, now he has chosen to stabilize it at the cost of his life. Zhong Lin then gave her the ring and said that it was made from half of Dong Hua's heart.

Feng Jiu rushed to the Holy Blue Sea to find Dong Hua fighting with the demoness of the Hui Ming Realm, Miao Luo. Dong Hua had created a barrier to keep everyone out, but Feng Jiu managed to enter because of the ring. She ended up injured and laid dying in Dong Hua's arms. All hope of saving the two seemed lost until Bai Qian, Ye Hua, and Mo Yuan appeared, broke the barrier, and sealed off the dark energy of the Hui Ming Realm.

Back in the Underworld, Gun Gun woke and Gu Chou took him to Feng Jiu's room, causing father and son to finally meet.

Starring Dilraba Dilmurat and Vengo Gao, the drama adaptation of this novel released in January 2020. The script was written by Lian Zhen Hua and Tang Qi Gong Zi, and is a production of Tencent Pictures. The director is Chu Yu Bin and the drama is set for 56 episodes running for about 45 minutes each.