The story mainly follows Lao Hu, who was sent to the countryside and ended up at Ganggangyingzi on the Sino-Mongolian border. He brought the only book left in his family, The Sixteen-Character Secret Art of Yin-Yang Feng Shui, and, with little else to do, memorized every word. Later, he joined the army and went to Tibet, where an avalanche sent him tumbling into a gigantic ravine. Using his knowledge of ancient tombs and their secrets, Lao Hu escaped with his life. After being discharged, he and his friend Wang Pangzi joined an archaeological expedition headed to Xinjiang. After countless dangers, the group reached the ruins of the ancient city of Juejing in the Taklamakan Desert and entered the underground "Ghost Cavern." The cavern was full of mechanisms and traps, and this mysterious place seemed to be under the control of a prophet.
