From the late Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China (1890-1937): Taking the Sino-Japanese War of 1890-1911, the Revolution of 1911, warlords' melee, and the establishment of the puppet Manchukuo as the main historical line, it is interspersed with major events such as the change of flag in Northeast China and the September 18th Incident, showing the intertwined pattern of civil suffering and power intrigues in troubled times.
Regional characteristics: Northeast (Legend of the Five Immortals), Jiangnan (Longhu Mountain/Maoshan Taoist Tradition), Northwest (Ancient Tombs of the Western Regions), Shanghai Concession (Black Market for Treasure Appraisal) and other diverse scenes are switched to reflect geographical and cultural differences.
Core settings
Taoist system:
Maoshan Sect: Mainly focused on talismans, formations, and exorcisms, and set up the inheritance of "Tianshi Order". The protagonist comes from a side branch and joins Taoism because his family was exterminated by a warlord.
Longhu Mountain: Zhengyi sect of heavenly masters, mastering the "power of Zhengyi Alliance", confronting and cooperating with Maoshan, providing clues to the secret code of immortality.
The five great fairies of the Northeast: Fox Fairy (Hu San Taiye), Wong Tai Sin (Huang Fairy), Snake Fairy (Liu Fairy), Mouse Fairy (Grey Fairy), and Tiger Fairy (White Fairy), appear as evil forces or allies.
The mystery of immortality: Based on the fragments of "The Classic of Mountains and Seas" and the secrets of "Huainanzi", combined with artifacts such as "Muchen Bead" and "Kunlun Jade", it is set that longevity requires gathering the power of "three souls and seven souls" and "three talents of heaven, earth and man".
Power structure
Warlord forces: Feng Clan (Zhang Zuolin), Anhui Clique (Duan Qirui), and Zhili Clique (Wu Peifu) compete for ancient tomb resources. The protagonists deal with it and use the military salary earned from tomb robbing to fund the revolutionary party.
Non-governmental organizations: The "Green Gang" in Shanghai is responsible for selling stolen goods, the "bearded" (horse bandits) in Guandong rob caravans, and the people at the bottom become thieves due to heavy taxes.
