A bizarre murder has rocked the desolate northwestern town of Shayoutai! Villager Ma Laoshan has been found dead in his home, his body shriveled like a dead tree. Strange symbols and scattered incense ash at the scene have sparked panic that is spreading through the village like a plague.
Jia Qiqi, a renowned local yin-yang master known for his eccentric ways, is summoned at once. Carrying a mysterious case of magical instruments and accompanied by Mo Zhi, a psychic black cat that can see into the netherworld, he enters the scene of the death. Jia Qiqi recognizes the symbol immediately: it is closely linked to the terrifying local legend of the “Sand Ghost.” He declares that this is no ordinary murder. The victim seems to have had the very essence of his life “sucked dry” by an invisible force!
During the investigation, a horrifying memory buried for twenty years suddenly resurfaces: his master once dealt with an almost identical case of “Sand Ghost” possession, but the truth was buried. Now, the life-taking shadow of yellow sand seems to be quietly returning...
