The Yellow River winds through nine great bends, concealing a massive "dragon's skeleton." In ancient times, people placed nine "Dragon-Quelling Bronze Talismans" at various sites to seal the dragon's ley line and suppress calamities of unimaginable scale.
On a stormy night in northern Shaanxi, Hu Xiaodeng, a former army sapper, discovers an ancient bronze talisman engraved with "Dragon One" while repairing the roof of his ancestral shrine. The talisman feels icy to the touch, yet seems to have a heartbeat. Its discovery also triggers a mysterious rise in the Yellow River's water level. A test report reveals that the talisman contains human ashes and dates back to the chaotic final years of the Ming dynasty.
At the same time, red marks resembling dragon scales appear on his nephew Hu Ergou, whose life hangs by a thread. Forced to uncover the family curse and the mystery of the talisman, Hu Xiaodeng sets off on a dangerous journey. He gathers Sun Sanzhen, an elderly Chinese doctor who lives in seclusion; Li Erche, a descendant of Yellow River corpse-retrievers; and Bai Xiuxiu, a mysterious paper-cutting artist. Together, they form an expedition team, each member with their own unique skills.
From the hidden channel in the rapids at Hukou Waterfall to the eerie tower built of animal bones beneath Dragon-Quelling Shoal; from the perilous underground maze of the nine bends to a bronze altar left behind by the Qin dynasty, they pursue the scattered talismans, drawing ever closer to the legendary "Dragon's Tomb," sealed for a thousand years.
But they are not the only treasure hunters. The leader of the Nanyang cultural relic smuggling syndicate, the Crocodile Whale Group, known as "Crocodile Taisui," also covets the secret of immortality hidden in the Dragon's Tomb. A battle for life and death, and for the nation's treasures, quietly unfolds beneath the Yellow River's waves.
As their expedition goes deeper, a shocking secret gradually comes to light: What lies buried in the "Dragon's Tomb"? The remains of a true dragon from legend, or someone who tried to "become a dragon" through a ritual
Guardian of the Dragon: I Have More Secret Identities Than I Can Count
The Old Booze Detective
The Wind Came from the County Seat
I Opened a Career Training Center in the Imperial Harem
I Redeem the Villain with Civil Service Exam Questions
Scientific Cultivation: Diplomas Above All
The Jackpot Duo
Reborn as the Notorious Ximen Qing
I Just Want to Lie Flat, but My Royal Brothers Are All Workaholics
The Strange Tales of Dongling
Treasure Hunting
The Age of Reverse Magic
Very good, very good, very good