The Record of Subduing Demons at the End of the Han begins in Luoyang, a city in turmoil in the seventh year of the Jianchu era, and follows the fate of Zhang Heng, a descendant of the Marquis of Shouguang. Blending historical upheaval with fantastical demon-slaying, it paints a sweeping picture of the late Han, where humans, demons, and politics intertwine.
The story opens with Zhang Heng, who has lived in seclusion in the countryside for five years, leading a poor but peaceful life as a farmer. But the sight of his neighbor Granny Wang and her grandchild starved to death forces him to confront the desperate plight of ordinary people amid the chaos. That peace is soon shattered by messengers from the capital. Using a black wooden talisman bearing the Zhang family's insignia, they find Zhang Heng and summon him to the capital by imperial decree, revealing his hidden identity: for generations, the Marquis of Shouguang's family has borne the duty of "subduing demons," wielding talismanic arts against the evil spirits flourishing in the troubled times. Now, a strange power has enveloped Luoyang. One bizarre death after another has struck the city. The victims show symptoms like Granny Wang's, but signs of evil spirits are hidden among them. The court is powerless and can only pin its hopes on a descendant of the Zhang family.
Forced to take up his family's secret arts once more after arriving in the capital, Zhang Heng discovers a deeper conspiracy behind the demonic chaos. To secure their power, the eunuch faction has secretly allied with sorcerers who practice forbidden arts, using the suffering of the people to nourish demons and seize control of the court. Meanwhile, local warlords exploit the crisis, spreading rumors that the demon calamity is heaven's punishment for the court's lack of virtue, while waiting for a chance to raise their armies and take power. Zhang Heng faces peril at every turn in his investigation. He must fight vicious demons while evading assassins sent by both the eunuchs and the warlords…
