The Third Book by Daluo Mountain

Title: The Ghost Blows Out the Light: The Nether Palace in the Deep Well (Crossover Concept)

Core Synopsis:

Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi run a little shop in Hangzhou and think they can finally settle into a peaceful life. But Zhang Qiling's sudden return drags them back into the fog once again. He brings with him a strangely patterned bronze mirror from the ancient kingdom of Dian and a fragmentary cowhide map, both pointing to the Nether Palace in the Deep Well, hidden in an uninhabited part of Zhelong Mountain in the southwestern wilderness.

Legend says this enormous vertical well is the resting place of the “Ghost Lord” of the ancient kingdom of Dian. A palace hangs suspended along its walls, and at its deepest point lies the Nether Spring, said to reveal the cycle of life and death and conceal ancient taboos tied to the mystery of immortality. Seeking the ultimate clues that may be linked to his own fate, the Iron Triangle reunites and ventures into the miasma-choked primeval rainforest.

They face not only the soul-snaring “Hanging Staircase” in the depths of the well and the uncanny creatures guarding the Nether Palace, but also the “Wall of Reincarnation,” which reflects each person's deepest fears and desires. In this abyss connecting the worlds of the living and the dead, Zhang Qiling's Qilin blood and lost memories will prove crucial, while Wu Xie's “special constitution” once again attracts the attention of unknown forces. Wang Pangzi, meanwhile, must rely on his courage and humor to keep the team going in the face of despair. This is an expedition into the underworld, and a trial that probes the depths of the human heart.

Tone and Style: Mystery, adventure, mysterious cultures, psychological horror, brotherhood

Core Elements: Legends of the ancient kingdom of Dian, underground palace in a deep well, mysterious bronze artifacts, illusions of the human heart, the mystery of immortality