It was perhaps natural, after a thousand years of celibacy, that the Immortal Jade Lady should petition the Moon Goddess for a lover. The trouble was that he was a mortal and she was a spirit--which made for certain difficulties. Then she had to fall in love with him! Ju-hai had troubles enough without spirit entanglements. He had a powerful enemy, seeking to destroy his family to seize their lands. Somehow, Ju-hai had to rescue his father, illegally impressed to fight a distant war, even though success meant outlawry. Then he had to win justice and vengeance against the enemy. It was a task to confound a mighty warrior and magician. And, of course, there was the matter of Hsi-feng, the little slave-girl... But the Jade Lady meant to save him and to make him an Immortal, too--whether he wanted to be on not!

It was perhaps natural, after a thousand years of celibacy, that the Immortal Jade Lady should petition the Moon Goddess for a lover. The trouble was that he was a mortal and she was a spirit--which made for certain difficulties. Then she had to fall in love with him! Ju-hai had troubles enough without spirit entanglements. He had a powerful enemy, seeking to destroy his family to seize their lands. Somehow, Ju-hai had to rescue his father, illegally impressed to fight a distant war, even though success meant outlawry. Then he had to win justice and vengeance against the enemy. It was a task to confound a mighty warrior and magician. And, of course, there was the matter of Hsi-feng, the little slave-girl... But the Jade Lady meant to save him and to make him an Immortal, too--whether he wanted to be on not!