Shadow-Revealing Candle: The Book of Three Tribulations

Zhulong is a divine beast whose eyes bring day and whose closed eyes bring night. Its tears can become "Shadow-Tracing Candles," allowing whoever holds one to glimpse past and present lives.

Near the end of the war between gods and demons, Cangming climbs Mount Buzhou to seek Zhulong's aid and give humanity a chance to survive. Along the way, he rescues Xiye, who is under attack by gods and demons.

Xiye brings Cangming to Zhuyin, also known as Zhong Xi. As the three spend time together, complicated feelings develop: Xiye admires Zhuyin's strength and compassion, Zhuyin is drawn to Xiye's resilience and uniqueness, and Cangming secretly falls for Xiye.

To help humanity, Zhuyin defies the heavens and reverses time, suffering grievous injuries from the resulting punishment. As Zhuyin dies, a tear falls into the candle Xiye is making and becomes the first "Shadow-Tracing Candle."

To save Zhuyin, Xiye tries to reshape time with her own light-and-shadow spiritual roots, but Cangming stops her. He chooses to bear the backlash in her place, and his soul is scattered. In the end, Xiye seals the Shadow-Tracing Candle with half her primordial spirit and leaps into the cycle of reincarnation.