In a border town in Lizhou, thunder rings out at the onset of spring, and Bai Rui, eldest grandson of the Bai family, is born amid an apparition of a fragment of a wolf-head battle banner. The “broken claw” marking on his palm and his birthmark reveal his unusual bloodline. At his hundred-day celebration, he shares a mysterious resonance with a fragment of the Wolf Marshal’s seal, and the wheels of fate begin to turn. Even as a child, Bai Rui displays astonishing talent. Through the workings of trade and the smallest details of daily life, he sees through assassins and deduces the workings of battle formations, abilities far beyond those of his peers. Little by little, he uncovers the many secrets surrounding his family and the imperial court. As he grows older, Bai Rui faces trial after trial. In Mount Cangwu, he trains under a mysterious elder, progressing from catching needlefish by the pool to studying military strategy and swordsmanship, gradually unlocking his potential. His encounter with Xue Le’er draws him into the political struggle between the Southern Kingdom and Xixiang. Xue Le’er is a double agent, and the intelligence and token she brings help Bai Rui approach the truth: to preserve the nation’s fortune, the royal family sacrifices a wolf-blood heir every hundred years, and the current emperor is a puppet of Xixiang. At last, Bai Rui sets out for the summit of Mirror Abyss with Xue Le’er and Kuang Lang. Shrouded in mist, the peak conceals deadly dangers in its soul-suppressing formation and blood-curse totems. General Wei leads the Whirlwind Cavalry to block their way, seeking to seize the Wolf Marshal’s seal. At the critical moment, Bai Rui recalls his father’s annotations and uses the principle “a true formation has no shape; only living things can break it” as his key. He combines the Wolf Marshal’s seal, the tiger tally, and other objects to summon the phantom of a battle spirit. With Xue Le’er’s silver bells and needles to aid him, he dismantles the blood-curse totems and exposes the royal family’s conspiracy. General Wei is destroyed by the formation’s backlash, revealing a shocking secret before his death. After the battle, Bai Rui transforms into light and merges with the battle banner, giving his life to bring peace to the land.
