The modern city of Linzhou, a fictional setting, intertwines with the supernatural world. Beneath its prosperous surface lie cracks where the balance between yin and yang has broken. Wangchuan Lane in the old town is a weak point where the two worlds meet. A botched ritual a century ago damaged the earth’s ley lines and drew together resentful spirits, making the area a hotspot for paranormal incidents.
- Supernatural rules: The power of resentful spirits comes from obsessions they held in life. They can affect reality through specific mediums, such as keepsakes and talismans. Practitioners of the mystic arts can use talismans and ritual implements to interfere with the supernatural, but overuse comes at the cost of their lifespan.
- Key objects:
- The Dusu Disk: A family heirloom of Zhou Mingyuan’s, it can balance yin and yang and open or close the passage between the two worlds. It can only be activated by someone with a “pure heart.”
- The Yin-Yang Jade Pendants: One “yin” and one “yang.” When brought together, they can locate the Dusu Disk. The yang pendant is in Song Qinghan’s possession, while the yin pendant once belonged to Zhao Lei.
- The Purple Sandalwood Box: Made by Shi Yanzhi, it contains Miscellaneous Notes on Crossing Calamities and Zhou Mingyuan’s ashes, and conceals clues to the Dusu Disk.
Character Profiles
- Song Qinghan: A 23-year-old forensic science graduate and longtime resident of Wangchuan Lane. She has been able to sense the supernatural since childhood, possessing a “spiritual medium constitution.” Her grandmother’s disappearance made her particularly sensitive to paranormal events. Gentle on the outside but strong-willed within, she gradually awakens her talent for the mystic arts.
- Shi Qingyue: A 26-year-old restorer of ancient books, and in fact the son of Shi Yanzhi, a practitioner of the mystic arts. Cool and aloof on the surface, he is driven by the mission of finding his father and uncovering the truth. He carries his father’s legacy, a “Soul-Calming Steel Pen,” made with bone powder mixed with cinnabar, which can suppress resentful spirits.
- Main antagonist:
- Zhou Mingyuan: An antique shop owner on the surface, but in truth the person responsible for the botched ritual a century ago
