Chapter Summaries

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Shu Chen, meets Chen Mu, a spirit exorcist, at the police station.
• Chen Mu explains his profession and the misunderstanding with a policewoman.
• Shu Chen asks Chen Mu about the "Seven Star Coffin," a tool used to suppress or control evil spirits.
• Chen Mu reveals that breaking the Seven Star Coffin requires sacrificing ten years of one's lifespan.
• Shu Chen is evasive about his recent encounters with supernatural elements, worrying Chen Mu.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Shows pride in his profession as a spirit exorcist and displays knowledge about supernatural artifacts like the Seven Star Coffin. He also demonstrates concern for Shu Chen's safety.
• Shu Chen: Becomes more curious and involved in supernatural matters, seeking information about the Seven Star Coffin. He shows concern for Senior Liu Fang but keeps his encounters with her a secret from Chen Mu.

Significant Themes

• The existence and nature of supernatural entities (ghosts, spirits, evil spirits).
• The role of spirit exorcists in dealing with supernatural incidents.
• The consequences of meddling with supernatural forces (e.g., the Seven Star Coffin's power and the price to break it).

Character Interactions

• Shu Chen and Chen Mu: They interact as new acquaintances, with Shu Chen seeking information and Chen Mu providing it while showing concern for Shu Chen's safety.
• Chen Mu and the Policewoman: They have a misunderstanding due to the policewoman's lack of knowledge about spirit exorcists.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Shu Chen, discovers a gruesome murder scene where a woman has been dismembered and her organs scattered.
• He finds an evil ghost statue in the living room, suggesting the owner's superstitious beliefs.
• The police, led by Officer Wang, believe the case might be a locked-room murder, but they also consider suicide as a possibility despite its improbability.

Character Developments

• Shu Chen: Shows curiosity and bravery in investigating the crime scene, but also displays fear upon discovering the evil ghost statue.
• Chen Mu (Mu Tou): Remains calm and analytical throughout the investigation, showing professionalism and dedication to the case.

Significant Themes

• Superstition and its consequences: The owner's worship of an evil ghost statue hints at his superstitious beliefs, which may have contributed to his demise.
• The struggle between logic and irrationality: The police struggle to reconcile the evidence with their understanding of reality, leading them to consider unlikely explanations like suicide.

Character Interactions

• Shu Chen and Chen Mu: They work together at the crime scene, with Shu Chen showing initiative and Chen Mu providing guidance and leadership.
• Shu Chen and Officer Wang: There's a hint of tension between them, with Officer Wang summoning Shu Chen dismissively and Shu Chen feeling irritated by it.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A female corpse, now a walking corpse, escapes from the morgue, attacking and injuring police officers.
• Chen Mu identifies the creature and treats the injured officers, revealing that they were scratched by the corpse and at risk of turning into walking corpses themselves.
• Chen Mu discovers a way to track the female corpse using a strand of her hair and decides to pursue her immediately.

Character Developments

• Officer Wang is shaken by the encounter and struggles to understand the situation.
• Chen Mu demonstrates his knowledge of exorcism and his commitment to the task, working through the night to prepare for the pursuit.
• The protagonist, while initially reluctant, accepts their involvement in the case and Chen Mu's leadership.

Significant Themes

• The danger and unpredictability of the supernatural world.
• The importance of quick action and preparedness in dealing with supernatural threats.
• The reluctant acceptance of one's destiny or role in extraordinary circumstances.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and the protagonist have a mentor-apprentice dynamic, with Chen Mu taking the lead and the protagonist reluctantly following.
• Officer Wang seeks Chen Mu's expertise and guidance in the case.
• The protagonist and Chen Mu have a friendly banter, with the protagonist expressing their discomfort with the situation and Chen Mu reassuring them of their importance in the task.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist and Chen Mu encounter a female walking corpse, which is unusually strong.
• They are captured by an old woman and a little girl, who are revealed to be witches.
• The old woman is the culprit controlling Sister Fangfang and is likely the maker of the Seven Star Coffin.
• The little girl wants to eat the protagonist alive, but the old woman forbids it, mentioning a connection to Sister Fangfang.

Character Developments

• The protagonist faces extreme danger, showing fear but also determination.
• Chen Mu is revealed to be a disciple of Old Monster Zeng, which makes him a target as well.
• The old woman and the little girl are introduced as powerful and dangerous witches.

Significant Themes

• The power of fear and the will to survive.
• The connection between the protagonist and Sister Fangfang, which offers him temporary protection.
• The cruelty and ruthlessness of the witches, contrasting with their seemingly innocent appearances.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Chen Mu face danger together, showing a growing bond.
• The old woman and the little girl interact, revealing their hierarchical relationship and shared ruthlessness.
• The old woman shows knowledge of Sister Fangfang, hinting at a past connection.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu and the protagonist return to find the factory empty.
• The police are notified, but they arrive too late.
• The walking corpses are caught within three days, and a large drug seizure is reported.
• The truth about the walking corpses is kept secret from the public.
• Chen Mu deduces that Dragon Crone is weakened due to her injuries.
• The protagonist continues visiting Qing Province University, learning about the ghosts' fears and the Great Hall's history.

Character Developments

• Chen Mu: Becomes an expert consultant for the police, using his knowledge to help catch the walking corpses.
• The protagonist: Continues to investigate the cause of the ghosts' deaths at the university, facing new challenges and warnings.

Significant Themes

• The power dynamics between the living and the dead, and the consequences of meddling with the supernatural.
• The struggle to uncover the truth and bring justice, even when faced with powerful forces.
• The fear and respect that the ghosts have for certain places and entities, highlighting the hierarchy within the supernatural world.

Character Interactions

• Chen Mu and the protagonist: Work together to solve the walking corpse case and share their findings about Dragon Crone's weakening.
• The protagonist and the ghosts at Qing Province University: The protagonist learns more about the ghosts' fears and the Great Hall's history from Mu Yu, the class monitor.
• The protagonist and Senior Liu Fang: The protagonist continues to follow Senior's instructions to investigate the cause of the ghosts' deaths and avoid the Great Hall.

Key Plot Points and Events

• A man is hired to spend a night in a graveyard for an unknown task via a social media app, Momo.
• He discovers that the pine trees in the graveyard are planted to gather yin energy, contrary to feng shui principles, making the graveyard dangerous.
• He decides to stay until morning due to the lack of transportation and the nearby Martyrs' Cemetery.
• He hears graveyard staff approaching, shouting ancient slogans and carrying red lanterns, which seems unusual.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows courage and curiosity, staying in the graveyard despite the danger and investigating the unusual feng shui.
• The graveyard staff are portrayed as superstitious and traditional, using ancient slogans and red lanterns for their night patrol.

Significant Themes

• Superstition and Belief: The protagonist's disbelief in the supernatural contrasts with the graveyard staff's strong beliefs in ancient rituals and slogans.
• Danger and Curiosity: The protagonist's curiosity leads him to stay in the dangerous graveyard, despite the risks.
• The Unusual and the Unknown: The chapter explores the eerie and unusual aspects of the graveyard, creating a sense of mystery and foreboding.

Character Interactions

• There are no direct interactions between characters in this chapter, but the protagonist's thoughts and observations reveal his curiosity and unease regarding the graveyard staff's behavior.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Sanwazi and his team dug up a spirit vein in a cemetery, violating a major taboo.
• A ghost wall appears, preventing their escape, and the others in Sanwazi's team likely died.
• They discover they're trapped in a "grave within a grave," a cemetery built over an older one, increasing the yin energy.
• Sanwazi reveals a shocking secret about the spirit vein.

Character Developments

• Sanwazi, initially panicked and secretive, calms down and decides to trust the narrator, revealing his team's actions and the truth about the spirit vein.
• The narrator maintains composure and uses his knowledge of feng shui to understand and navigate the situation.

Significant Themes

• The consequences of violating taboos and disturbing the dead.
• The power of yin energy and its dangers.
• Trust and secrets among teammates.

Character Interactions

• The narrator and Sanwazi form a temporary alliance, with the narrator trying to help Sanwazi despite the risks.
• Sanwazi reveals his secret to the narrator, showing trust and desperation.
• The narrator uses his knowledge to guide Sanwazi and understand their predicament.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu returns and asks Lin Shu to stay at the clinic to learn medical skills and basic exorcist abilities.
• Lin Shu discovers that the ghost students from Classroom 201 have left the school, potentially breaking the school's seal.
• Lin Shu finds Mu Yu, the class monitor, who reveals that the students went out to find food and that only Classroom 201's students could leave the school.
• Lin Shu learns that the students are in a nearby supermarket and decides to go in to find them.

Character Developments

• Lin Shu shows concern and responsibility for the ghost students' well-being and safety.
• Mu Yu demonstrates loyalty and innocence, waiting for Lin Shu's return and not leaving the classroom.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between the ghost students' desire for freedom and the necessity for containment.
• The responsibility of a teacher or guide, as seen in Lin Shu's actions.

Character Interactions

• Lin Shu scolds Mu Yu for not keeping watch over the students but later comforts her, showing a mix of sternness and kindness.
• Lin Shu and Mu Yu interact with the living world, with Mu Yu being invisible to the living but Lin Shu being visible, causing confusion and awkwardness.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shu, an exorcist, is summoned to Xu Group's hotel to investigate and resolve a haunting incident.
• The hotel has been suffering losses due to the haunting, and they've been reluctant to involve the police.
• A previous exorcist, a Taoist, was frightened and hospitalized after attempting to resolve the issue.

Character Developments

• Shu: He is introduced as a young, capable exorcist, Master Zeng's disciple. He has a humble view of his profession but begins to understand its importance and respect from those in need.
• Lobby Manager: She is competent, professional, and initially holds a somewhat disdainful and perfunctory attitude towards Shu due to his youthful appearance and the previous exorcist's failure.

Significant Themes

• Professional Respect: Shu gains a newfound respect for his profession and understands the importance of exorcists in the eyes of those who need their help.
• Fear and Uncertainty: The haunting incident causes fear and uncertainty among the hotel staff and guests, leading to business losses.

Character Interactions

• Shu and Lobby Manager: Their interaction is initially strained due to her misjudgment of Shu's capabilities and the previous exorcist's failure. However, she shows respect for his profession after he demonstrates his knowledge of the case.
• Shu and Security Guards: The guards are scared and reluctant to accompany Shu into the haunted room, showing their fear of the supernatural and respect for his profession.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The younger brother of the Xu Family is found dead, and his spirit reveals he was killed by an old Taoist priest who wanted a family treasure, a piece of green jade.
• The green jade, shaped like a tiger's head, is discovered hidden in the younger brother's room. It's believed to have brought the family good fortune.
• The younger brother reveals he's been tormented by an imp left behind by the old Taoist, who forces him to relive his suicide daily to reveal the jade's location.

Character Developments

• The younger brother shows loyalty to his family by protecting the jade even in death.
• The protagonist (unnamed) demonstrates empathy and determination to help the younger brother.

Significant Themes

• Loyalty and family honor (younger brother's protection of the jade)
• The consequences of greed (old Taoist's actions leading to innocent deaths)
• The struggle between good and evil (younger brother's torment by the imp)

Character Interactions

• The younger brother trusts the protagonist enough to reveal the family's secret, hoping he can help.
• The protagonist offers comfort and promises help to the younger brother.

Key Plot Points & Events

• Chen Mu and the protagonist (Second Junior Brother) work on a prescription to save a possessed female student.
• The prescription requires a virgin boy's urine for decoction, causing the protagonist to argue with Chen Mu about ethics.
• The clinic loses power, plunging them into darkness, signaling an impending supernatural event.

Character Developments

• The protagonist feels inexplicably exhausted and fears death, showing his human vulnerability.
• Chen Mu demonstrates his seriousness and knowledge about ghostly matters, contrasting with his usually playful demeanor.

Significant Themes

• The struggle between traditional Chinese medicine practices and modern medical ethics.
• The fear of death and the helplessness it brings, even to the strong-willed.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Chen Mu argue over the use of virgin boy's urine in the prescription, highlighting their differing views on medical ethics.
• The power outage in the clinic creates a tense atmosphere, foreshadowing a possible encounter with a supernatural entity.

Key Plot Points & Events

• The protagonist and Chen Mu discuss their master, Zeng, who is a renowned spirit-cleansing master.
• A female student arrives at their clinic, heavily afflicted by a dark aura and a controlling ghost.
• The protagonist and Chen Mu prepare a Ghost Soup using Master Zeng's notes, containing their filtered urine, to treat the student.
• The student drinks the soup, initially showing signs of improvement, but then suddenly worsens, levitating and emitting a beast-like growl.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows curiosity and eagerness to learn about their master.
• Chen Mu demonstrates his knowledge and seriousness in treating the patient.
• The female student initially appears listless and in pain but shows gratitude towards the protagonist and Chen Mu.

Significant Themes

• The professional competition in the spirit-cleansing field.
• Master Zeng's philosophy of treating all beings equally, including ghosts.
• The struggle between the student's consciousness and the controlling ghost.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist and Chen Mu work together to treat the patient, showing camaraderie and trust.
• The female student interacts with the protagonist and Chen Mu, initially hopeful and grateful, but later showing signs of possession and aggression.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Shu Chen receives a call from his adoptive parents to return home urgently.
• A stranger, an admissions officer from Jinnan Affiliated Normal School, visits, revealing that Shu Chen has been unknowingly admitted to this school due to a checked unified placement option.
• Shu Chen's parents discover that Jinnan University, like Qing Province University, is non-existent, suggesting it's another ghost school.

Character Developments

• Shu Chen feels guilty and upset about lying to his parents and is surprised by their understanding.
• Shu Chen's parents show concern and support, investigating the mysterious schools on their own.

Significant Themes

• Truth and lies: Shu Chen's deception about his university attendance comes to light, causing him distress.
• Parental love and support: Despite finding out about Shu Chen's lie, his parents show understanding and care.

Character Interactions

• Shu Chen interacts with the admissions officer, feeling his ill intent, and receives an admission notice for Jinnan University.
• Shu Chen's parents discuss the mysterious schools and express their confusion and concern to Shu Chen.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu and the protagonist (Second Senior Brother) find a hollow in a tree trunk to rest.
• Master Zeng reveals that Ghost Market's mountain gods are trained primates, transcending typical animals.
• They decide to visit the mountain gods, encountering an eerie atmosphere and animal skeletons.
• They discover a vast expanse of human bones with crimson flowers growing among them.

Character Developments

• Second Senior Brother: Shows curiosity and courage but also fear and inexperience.
• Chen Mu: Demonstrates caution and awareness, identifying the bones as human.
• Master Zeng: Reveals knowledge about Ghost Market's mountain gods and shows concern for the protagonists' safety.

Significant Themes

• Fear and Courage: The protagonists face their fears, showing curiosity and courage but also nervousness and inexperience.
• The Unknown: The mysterious nature of Ghost Market's mountain gods and the eerie atmosphere hint at the unknown dangers they might face.
• Death and Transformation: The human bones with crimson flowers suggest a cycle of life and death, with nature reclaiming the remains.

Character Interactions

• Second Senior Brother and Chen Mu: They interact as friends and fellow apprentices, supporting each other in their curiosity and fear.
• Master Zeng and the Protagonists: Master Zeng acts as a guide and mentor, revealing information and warning them about potential dangers.

Key Plot Points and Events

• The protagonist, Hua Qiangu, is poisoned by the Spirit-Devouring Flower while in a cave filled with mountain gods.
• He uses the poisonous flowers to scare away the mountain gods and escapes, guided by Master Zeng's Buddhist mantra.
• Master Zeng diagnoses Hua Qiangu's arm as severely poisoned and recommends amputation, but Hua Qiangu refuses.
• Master Zeng reveals a way to save Hua Qiangu, and they rush to the mountaintop.
• At the summit, Master Zeng reveals a hidden entrance to the ghost market using a golden talisman.

Character Developments

• Hua Qiangu demonstrates bravery and resourcefulness in using the poisonous flowers to escape.
• He shows determination and desperation in refusing amputation and begging Master Zeng for help.
• Master Zeng displays expertise in spirit exorcism and knowledge of the ghost market's secrets.

Significant Themes

• The power of desperation and resourcefulness in survival situations.
• The importance of knowledge and expertise in overcoming challenges.
• The theme of hidden worlds and secrets, as revealed by the ghost market's entrance.

Character Interactions

• Hua Qiangu and Chen Mu's camaraderie is shown as Chen Mu supports Hua Qiangu physically and expresses concern for his well-being.
• Hua Qiangu and Master Zeng's relationship is tense yet dependent, with Hua Qiangu begging for help and Master Zeng showing reluctance but ultimately assisting him.
• The mountain gods' fear of the Spirit-Devouring Flower and Buddhist mantra is demonstrated in their retreat.

Key Plot Points and Events

• Chen Mu, a healer, forces the protagonist into a pool filled with strange creatures, Chinese medicine, and grave soil (Guanyin Clay) to detoxify him.
• The protagonist is made to soak in the mixture from afternoon to nightfall, feeling immense discomfort.
• He stares at a patch of blue sky above the cavern, thinking of his loved ones and encouraging himself to live.
• Master Zeng and Uncle Chen perform a ritual to save him, and he has a dream of flying towards a star.
• He wakes up cured, with Master Zeng revealing he can now explain the process.

Character Developments

• The protagonist shows resilience and determination to live, even in extreme discomfort.
• Chen Mu is revealed to be a skilled healer, using unconventional methods.
• Master Zeng demonstrates his commitment to helping the protagonist, staying by his side and performing a ritual for his recovery.

Significant Themes

• Resilience and determination in the face of adversity.
• Unconventional healing methods and their effectiveness.
• The power of hope and encouragement, symbolized by the blue sky and the star in the protagonist's dream.

Character Interactions

• The protagonist interacts with Chen Mu, Master Zeng, and Uncle Chen, showing trust and dependence on them for his recovery.
• The protagonist connects with his loved ones (Senior Sister, Master, and Chen Mu) through his thoughts while staring at the blue sky, highlighting his emotional bonds with them.