On Tianyan Island, everyone's destiny is dominated by algorithms. Spiritual root talents are quantified by data, and resources are strictly rationed according to levels. Those without spiritual roots are destined to become slaves in the mines and will not be able to turn over for the rest of their lives. Young Chen Shitou was labeled a "waste" because his father questioned the system, and he struggled to survive in the dark mining area.
In an accident, he picked up a black crystal stone in an abandoned mine tunnel that could interfere with the algorithm, and he got a glimpse of the truth of the world: the so-called spiritual root assessment was actually a lie manipulated by the system, aiming to solidify classes and enslave all living beings. What's even more frightening is that the managers secretly extracted the spiritual power of the monks to refine the evil elixir, and countless fellow disciples died tragically as a result.
In order to find out the mystery of his father's disappearance, Chen Shitou teamed up with like-minded people such as Zhao Tianyu, the son of the mining area supervisor, and Su Wan, the archivist, to form a "shadow network" to fight against the huge algorithm system. They went deep into the forbidden zone and uncovered the secret of the stolen ancient "Heart Lamp", and discovered that the entire world of cultivation had long been reduced to a systematic breeding farm. Faced with ubiquitous surveillance and obliteration, this group of teenagers, as mortals, vowed to tear apart the prison of data and rekindle the fire of freedom for mankind.
