Love Between Fairy and Devil
Love Between Fairy and Devil is a 36-episode Chinese xianxia fantasy drama from iQIYI. It aired from August 7, 2022 to August 29, 2022, and all episodes are out. In the US it streams officially on iQIYI (free with ads) and Viki (free with ads), checked October 25, 2026. It is adapted from a novel by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang.
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Xianxia newcomers who want a short, effects-heavy fantasy romance with a comic first half
What viewers score it
The story, without spoilers
What to Expect
We haven't watched this one. This section is based on Chinese and English Wikipedia, Chinese entertainment coverage from 36kr, Jiemian and the China Writers Association site, and English-language recaps and reviews.
The basic shape is an odd-couple romance in a fantasy world. The first half leans on comedy: a proud, icy demon lord is forced to keep a soft-hearted nobody alive, and she refuses to stay frightened of him for long. The second half turns into a war story between the immortal realm and the demon tribes, with past lives, sacrifice and a looming evil god. Coverage in China credited the show with bringing a lighter, more playful energy to xianxia, a genre that was often slow and solemn in the years before it.
Pacing is the most common point of praise. At 36 episodes of around 45 minutes, it's roughly half the length of older xianxia hits such as Eternal Love (58 episodes) and Ashes of Love (63). English-language reviewers often recommend it as a first xianxia drama for that reason. The production also drew attention for its visual effects, costumes and fight choreography, and for Wang Hedi's performance as the demon lord, which turned him into one of the breakout male leads of 2022.
The complaints are also consistent. Some viewers felt the final stretch was rushed, packing several reveals, a resurrection and a final battle into the last handful of episodes. Some found the heroine's early naivety and the show's cutesy humor grating. Readers of the novel argued about changes to Dongfang Qingcang's motives and the love story's balance (see the novel section below). And because the screenplay went through so many drafts, some Chinese commentators thought the later episodes felt over-engineered compared with the simpler opening.
The numbers were big. According to 36kr, the drama had a Douban rating of 7.8 from more than 490,000 raters in September 2022, a strong score for a commercial fantasy romance. It became the fourth iQIYI series to pass 10,000 on the platform's popularity index, on August 21, 2022, and set a platform record of more than 400 million bullet comments. 36kr also reported that the screenplay went through 19 drafts over about three years.
Content notes: fantasy violence and battle deaths, a villain who manipulates others through grief, several on-screen deaths of supporting characters, and the death and return of a lead. There's kissing but nothing explicit.
The Story
Orchid is a small orchid spirit with almost no cultivation, little standing in the immortal realm and a habit of being underestimated. Dongfang Qingcang is the Moon Supreme, ruler of the demon Moon Tribe of the Cangyan Sea, who was sealed away long ago after a war with the immortals. When Orchid accidentally sets him free, a spell called the One Heart Curse binds the two of them: whatever she feels, he feels, and whatever hurts her hurts him. The most feared demon in the three realms can't simply kill the chatty fairy who keeps getting in his way, so he drags her back to his palace and tries to break the curse instead. Love Between Fairy and Devil (苍兰诀) is a 36-episode iQIYI drama starring Yu Shuxin and Wang Hedi, with Zhang Linghe as the immortal God of War Chang Heng. It's based on the novel of the same name by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, first published in Chinese and now available in an official English edition.
Release Notes
Love Between Fairy and Devil premiered on iQIYI on August 7, 2022. Members got six episodes on the first day, followed by regular drops, and the 36th episode reached members on August 29, 2022. English Wikipedia gives a longer overall run, to September 22, as the free-viewing schedule caught up. Two short special episodes came out on September 17, 2022. The drama was directed by Yi Zheng and Qian Jingwu and produced by iQIYI and Hengxing Gravity Media, and it was filmed at Hengdian World Studios from February to June 2021.
Outside China, it streamed on iQIYI's international service and WeTV, and Netflix added it in September 2022. From the US on October 25, 2026, all 36 episodes were free with ads on both Viki and iQ.com. Hong Kong's myTV SUPER carried it from September 2, 2022.
There is no second season of the live-action drama, and none has been announced. There is a separate animated series based on the novel: its first season came out in 2022 and a second, Love Between Fairy and Devil 2, came out in 2025 and is listed on iQ.com. The live-action cast doesn't return for it.
The soundtrack includes the theme "Looking for You" (寻一个你) by Liu Yuning and the opening song "Parting Love" (诀爱). English and Chinese sources list the other credits differently, including songs by Zhou Shen and Zhan Wenting, so check the official album before quoting them.
Does Love Between Fairy and Devil have a happy ending?
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We have not finished this one ourselves; this is based on outside sources. The drama changes how the novel ends.
In Brief
Ending spoilerShow the ending in brief
Love Between Fairy and Devil has a happy ending. Orchid dies in the war and is brought back as the goddess she was in a past life. Dongfang Qingcang sacrifices himself to destroy the evil god Taisui, then returns after 500 years, and the two of them are reunited. Chang Heng gives up his post as God of War and leaves to wander.
Full Ending Explained
Full spoilersShow the full ending
This account comes from published episode synopses and English-language ending recaps, not from watching. Some details, especially in the last two episodes, are told differently by different recaps.
Orchid's death and return. In the war at Xuanxu, Orchid dies. Dongfang Qingcang and Chang Heng work together to bring her back, guided by the god of fate, Siming. Her spirit had been sealed inside a seed from the destroyed Xishan clan, and Dongfang nurtures that seed until she is reborn. She returns as Xi Yun, the Goddess of Xishan, the identity she held before she was ever Orchid.
The wedding. Xi Yun appears not to remember her life as Orchid and announces that she will marry Chang Heng. Recaps explain that she remembers both lives but chooses duty: the union is meant to unlock the divine power needed to seal Taisui, an ancient evil god that has been gathering strength behind the war.
Rong Hao and Chidi Nuzi. The Sea Market Lord, Rong Hao, turns out to have spent years trying to bring back Chidi Nuzi, the goddess who sealed Dongfang long ago. With Taisui's help and a cauldron hidden in the Sea Market, he succeeds, but her mind breaks. At her request, he kills her. He then tries to seal Taisui with his own spirit and dies in the attempt. Chang Heng buries the two of them together.
Dongfang's sacrifice. On the wedding day, Dongfang makes himself the bait. Taisui possesses him, his hair turns silver, and Shangque leads the Moon Tribe into the fight. Orchid's kiss wakes the fire of compassion inside him, and he begs her to kill him while he still controls himself. She strikes. He takes Taisui down with him, leaving behind a crescent of white jade.
Five hundred years later. Orchid tends the jade for 500 years, and Dongfang Qingcang finally comes back to her. The ending recaps describe it as a quiet, happy reunion rather than a grand one.
Chang Heng. The God of War resigns his post and goes to wander the world as Xiao Run, the name he used in a mortal life. Recaps suggest Danyin will succeed him.
The specials. On September 17, 2022, iQIYI released two short extra episodes, often listed as "Life After Marriage" and "Dongfang and Orchid." According to synopses, they show the couple's married life, including 300 years together and a stretch living as ordinary mortals in a human town.
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Cast and characters
Also starring
- Orchid (Yu Shuxin): Xiao Lanhua, a weak orchid spirit who has spent thousands of years trying to cultivate into a real immortal. She is cheerful, kind and much braver than she looks.
- Dongfang Qingcang (Wang Hedi): the Moon Supreme, ruler of the Moon Tribe. He was sealed in the Haotian Tower after Chidi Nuzi gave her life to stop him. He is proud, cold and convinced that love is a weakness.
- Chang Heng (Zhang Linghe): the immortal God of War, honorable to a fault, who sealed Dongfang and fought for the immortal realm. Orchid has admired him for a long time.
- Rong Hao (Xu Haiqiao): the charming, untrustworthy lord of the Sea Market, who trades in favors and secrets.
- Chidi Nuzi (Guo Xiaoting): the war goddess remembered as the hero who sealed Dongfang at the cost of her own life.
- Shangque (Lin Bairui): Dongfang's loyal aide, who supplies much of the comedy in the Moon Tribe palace.
- Jieli (Hong Xiao): a Moon Tribe noblewoman who wants Dongfang for herself.
- Danyin (Wang Yueyi): an immortal princess who loves Chang Heng.
- Xunfeng (Zhang Chenxiao): Chang Heng's trusted subordinate.
Identity Reveals
Ending spoilerShow identity reveals
The plot turns on hidden pasts. Orchid is more than a small orchid spirit: her spirit belongs to Xi Yun, a goddess of the Xishan clan, whose people were destroyed long ago. Rong Hao's friendly role as a neutral trader hides a long-running plan to bring back Chidi Nuzi, and his deals with Taisui put him behind much of the late-story chaos. Chang Heng, for his part, lives through a mortal trial as Xiao Run, an episode that matters to how his story ends.
The novel behind it
The drama adapts Cang Lan Jue (苍兰诀) by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang (九鹭非香), a fantasy romance first serialized online. Chinese Wikipedia says Jiangsu Phoenix Literature and Art published it in print in July 2015. It has an official English translation. Seven Seas Entertainment published it in two volumes as Love Between Fairy and Devil: the first in May 2025 and the second and final volume in September 2025. Audiobook editions were announced in 2025. The novel was also adapted into a Chinese animated series in 2022, which keeps closer to the book's original setup.
Differences from the Novel
Ending spoilerShow the differences
Chinese commentary, mainly from the China Writers Association's site and Jiemian, points to a few major changes:
- The curse. In the novel, Orchid and Dongfang share one body, which is how she ends up trapped with him. The drama replaces that with the One Heart Curse, which links their pain and emotions while keeping them in separate bodies.
- Dongfang's motive. The book's demon lord schemes to take Orchid's body for Chidi Nuzi. The drama cuts that plan, which critics said made his later guilt and the "chasing his wife back" part of the story feel less earned.
- Backstory. The drama adds material about the Moon Tribe and makes Dongfang the only one of his people who can wield karmic fire.
- Chang Heng. The drama turns the God of War's arc into a rebellion against heaven's rules, giving the second lead more weight than in the book.
- The climax. Commentators noted that the emotional focus moves from the hero's regret to the two leads' devotion to each other.
Novel Ending
Full spoilersShow how the novel ends
The novel also ends with Orchid and Dongfang Qingcang together. We haven't confirmed the details of the book's final chapters, including how it handles Rong Hao and Chang Heng, and readers' summaries of the second English volume describe heavenly punishment and a power struggle among the demons that the drama handles differently. We'll update this section once we have a reliable source.
- Original title
- 苍兰诀
- Author
- Jiu Lu Fei Xiang 九鹭非香
- First published
- JJWXC
- In English
- Love Between Fairy and Devil (Novel) (Seven Seas Entertainment)
Words and customs you'll hear
The practice of refining spiritual energy to grow stronger and live longer, the power system behind most xianxia dramas.
Full explanationHE, BE, and OE圆满结局 · 悲剧结局 · 开放式结局 · yuánmǎn jiéjú · bēijù jiéjú · kāifàngshì jiéjúFan shorthand for a drama's ending type: HE is a Happy Ending, BE a Bad (sad) Ending, and OE an Open Ending.
Full explanationXianxia仙侠 · xiān xiáChinese fantasy about immortals, gods, demons, and humans cultivating toward immortality, set across heavenly and mortal realms.
Full explanationXianxia and cultivation
Love Between Fairy and Devil is xianxia, Chinese fantasy about immortals, demons and gods. Orchid's whole goal is cultivation: practicing for thousands of years to gather spiritual power until she can ascend. Her lack of it is a running joke, and it's why everyone treats her as harmless.
Immortals, demons and the three realms
Many xianxia stories divide the world into realms: heaven, the human world and the domains of demons or monsters, often with a long-running war between them. Here the immortal realm sees the Moon Tribe as monsters, and the Moon Tribe sees the immortals as hypocrites. The drama spends much of its second half asking which side is right.
Mortal trials
Gods and immortals in these stories sometimes live out a human life to complete a trial or pay a debt, with their memories hidden. Chang Heng's life as Xiao Run is one of these. It explains why a single character can have several names and why the ending sends him back into the human world.
The god of fate
Siming (司命) is the celestial official who writes the destinies of mortals and of gods on trial. He shows up in many Chinese fantasy dramas, including Eternal Love, usually as a fussy bureaucrat. In this drama he plays a role in bringing Orchid back.
Love Between Fairy and Devil FAQ
How many episodes does Love Between Fairy and Devil have?
Love Between Fairy and Devil has 36 episodes of about 45 minutes each, plus two short special episodes released on September 17, 2022. All episodes are out. That makes it much shorter than older xianxia hits such as Eternal Love (58 episodes) and Ashes of Love (63), which is one reason it's often recommended to newcomers.
Where can I watch Love Between Fairy and Devil?
From the US on October 25, 2026, all 36 episodes were free with ads on Viki and on iQIYI's international site, iQ.com, both with English subtitles. Netflix added it in September 2022, but we couldn't check which countries still have it. In China it streams on iQIYI.
Is there a season 2 of Love Between Fairy and Devil?
No. The live-action drama ended with its 36 episodes and two specials, and iQIYI hasn't announced a second season. What does exist is an animated series based on the novel, whose second season, Love Between Fairy and Devil 2, came out in 2025. It's a separate adaptation, not a sequel to the live-action show.
Does Love Between Fairy and Devil have a happy ending?
SpoilerShow the answer
Minor spoilerReveal whether it ends happily
Yes. Orchid and Dongfang Qingcang end up together, but only after both of them die and come back. He destroys the evil god Taisui at the cost of his life and returns 500 years later. The two specials show their married life. Some viewers felt the final episodes were rushed.
Does Dongfang Qingcang die?
SpoilerShow the answer
Ending spoilerReveal what happens to Dongfang Qingcang
Yes, but not for good. When Taisui possesses him, he asks Orchid to kill him and takes the evil god down with him, leaving behind a crescent of white jade. Orchid tends it for 500 years, and he finally returns to her at the end of the drama.
What happens to Chang Heng at the end?
SpoilerShow the answer
Minor spoilerReveal Chang Heng's ending
Chang Heng doesn't end up with Orchid. After helping bring her back and fighting Taisui, he gives up his post as God of War and leaves to wander the human world as Xiao Run. Recaps suggest Danyin, who loved him, will take over as God of War.
Is Love Between Fairy and Devil based on a novel?
Yes. It's based on Cang Lan Jue (苍兰诀) by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang, a Chinese fantasy romance first serialized online and published in print in 2015. The drama changes the central curse, cuts the demon lord's original plan for Orchid's body and expands Chang Heng's role. Our novel section covers the differences.
Can I read Love Between Fairy and Devil in English?
Yes. Seven Seas Entertainment published an official English translation in two volumes in 2025, titled Love Between Fairy and Devil, with the second volume out in September 2025. It's sold in print and as an ebook, and audiobook editions were announced. Look for the Seven Seas edition at major booksellers.
Who sings the Love Between Fairy and Devil theme song?
The theme song is "Looking for You" (寻一个你), sung by Liu Yuning, and "Parting Love" (诀爱) plays over the opening credits. The soundtrack also features other well-known singers, and English and Chinese sources list the full credits a little differently, so the official album listing is the best place to check.
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