Qian Xiaoman (nickname: Little God of Wealth / Man'er)
- Meaning: The surname Qian directly evokes his identity as a God of Wealth. Xiaoman comes from the saying, "When things reach this point, they are modestly full." It suits his laid-back nature and love of enjoying life, while also hinting at his core outlook: he does not seek perfection through worldly trials; carefree cultivation is fulfillment.
As the youngest disciple of the God of Wealth, Qian Xiaoman is extraordinarily gifted but prefers to slack off. Ordered to descend the mountain and undergo worldly trials so he can cultivate the Carefree God of Wealth Way, he has no interest in fame, fortune, or the rivalries of the immortal path. He only wants to enjoy life and sample its many facets with a smile.
He possesses unique divine arts of the God of Wealth. He can use wealth energy to drive away filth and copper coins to suppress evil, solving all kinds of strange, difficult cases caused by malevolent spirits. He can also use the Way of Wealth to help those he meets put their finances in order and overcome hardship. Yet he always sticks to his slacker's rule: if someone asks for help and has money, he steps in; if they have none, he just watches the show. Casual and carefree, he never overexerts himself. With his natural knack for wisecracks, even when he gets confused, he somehow ends up defeating evil by accident. His endearing contrast is off the charts.
In the Central Plains, he encounters eerie shadows in pawnshops and bizarre cases of merchants losing money, each concealing human schemes. In Jiangnan, vengeful water ghosts and a cursed embroidery shop are wrapped in strange rumors. In the northern frontier, a deserted village's sacrificial rites and a ghostly maze hint at evil spirits at work. In the southwest, vicious witchcraft spirits and secrets in an ancient village conceal a thousand-year-old story. During his trials, he sees all manner of terrifying spirits and bizarre cases, as well as ridiculous human dramas. He charges extra to help a stingy shopkeeper solve a crisis, teaches a poor constable to earn money by setting up a stall while solving cases on the side, and turns convention on its head by taking a little ghost as his sidekick. The laughs and thrills come together in equal measure.
Along the way, he befriends all kinds of people, from an honest, straightforward constable to a bold and generous wandering hero. There are no melodramatic entanglements or power struggles. Amid the cycle of "exorcising evil and making people laugh," he comes to understand the warmth of everyday life.
