Chapter Summaries

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan and Shen Lang inspect Village Chief Qian’s courtyard. Ye sees a gray mist that Shen cannot, though Shen does sense unusually heavy yin energy and an unnatural coolness.
• Village Chief Qian reports a string of disappearances. Victims were found without their hearts, their bodies strangely decomposed despite having been seen alive shortly before.
• Earlier bodies were burned, but fresh ones have reportedly arrived at the Mortuary. Ye insists on investigating immediately.
• Qian warns that the Mortuary is dangerous: several watchmen and people who came to identify bodies at night have suffered the same fate.
• He repeats a rumor that the former sovereign buried in the Former Dynasty Tomb became a corpse fiend and is now taking revenge by eating people’s hearts. Ye dismisses the tale as nonsense.
• When Qian falls to his knees, Li Pu grabs Ye’s sleeve and warns that something is wrong with the village chief.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye is decisive and urgent, prioritizing the investigation over rest because he believes supernatural cases worsen with time. He also tries to keep his authority without demanding overly formal treatment from Shen.
• Shen is observant but cannot see the mist Ye perceives, suggesting Ye may be experiencing something others do not—or that the courtyard has an unusual supernatural effect.
• Village Chief Qian is anxious and deferential. He shares the village’s grim circumstances but hesitates to repeat the politically sensitive rumor about the former sovereign.
• Li Pu’s sudden warning shifts the scene from the village’s reported mystery toward suspicion of Qian himself.

Significant themes

• Unreliable perception: Ye sees mist that Shen cannot, raising doubts about what is real or supernatural.
• Urgency and investigation: Ye’s impatience reflects the danger of delaying action in a worsening case.
• Rumor and political caution: The corpse-fiend story blends supernatural fear with the taboo of speaking openly about the imperial past.
• Hidden danger: The apparent informant may be more than he seems, ending the chapter on a note of mistrust.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan lets Village Chief Qian avoid accompanying them to the Mortuary, suspecting the chief mainly wants to stay away from it. The chief sends his steward, Chen, to guide the group by carriage.
• Li Pu reports that Qian carries a faint corpse smell, despite trying to mask it with scented sachets. Ye Qianfan’s supernatural sight, however, showed Qian surrounded by the light of the living, so he suspects the smell comes from contact with corpses rather than Qian being undead.
• In the carriage, Li Pu detects corpse fluid in one seat cushion. Ye Qianfan finds an older, stained layer of fabric hidden beneath a newer covering, suggesting the carriage owner concealed evidence of yellow liquid seeping from a corpse.
• The carriage reaches the Mortuary before the group can investigate further. Shen Lang blocks Steward Chen’s view while Ye Qianfan examines the cushion, and Li Pu quickly repairs the cut afterward.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan is cautious and observant: he avoids antagonizing Qian, keeps the group’s discoveries from the steward, and uses Li Pu’s evidence alongside his own supernatural perception.
• Li Pu proves his value through his exceptional sense of smell and practical experience stitching corpses. His unsettling habits are familiar to Ye Qianfan and Shen Lang.
• Village Chief Qian appears evasive and strongly reluctant to visit the Mortuary, though the chapter stops short of revealing why.
• Shen Lang quietly helps conceal the investigation, shielding the carriage interior from the steward.
• Steward Chen is nervous about going to the Mortuary but relieved when told he can return immediately. He also makes a failed attempt to ingratiate himself with the visitors.

Significant themes

• Hidden evidence and deception: Qian’s scented sachets and the concealed stains beneath the seat covering suggest attempts to hide contact with the dead.
• Different kinds of knowledge: Ye Qianfan’s supernatural sight and Li Pu’s trained senses complement each other, allowing them to distinguish what each clue does—and does not—prove.
• Suspicion and unease: The corpse smell, stained carriage seat, and Qian’s reluctance build the mystery surrounding the Courtyard House and Mortuary.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan’s group reaches a remote, dilapidated mortuary near nightfall. Its desolate surroundings and scattered grave offerings make the place unsettling.
• The entrance gate collapses when Li Pu pushes it. A blind, irritable caretaker appears and accuses the group of breaking it, but becomes welcoming after Ye Qianfan gives him silver.
• Inside, the group finds a crowded hall full of unburied, decomposing bodies. The caretaker says he cannot manage them alone: the two young men who once worked there have “left.”
• When Ye Tiandi asks whether the men truly left or died, the caretaker warns the visitors that they have already broken a mortuary taboo. He points toward two coffins in the corner and leaves for his room, telling them to investigate for themselves.
• Li Pu objects that the group cannot safely return to the village after dark, leaving them stranded at the mortuary.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan stays practical and cautious, paying the caretaker, managing Li Pu’s temper, and trying to ask questions without provoking further trouble.
• Li Pu is argumentative and impulsive: he denies responsibility for the gate, trades insults with the caretaker, and is eventually silenced by Ye Qianfan.
• The blind caretaker is cantankerous and mercenary, but also ominously knowledgeable about the mortuary’s rules. His warnings suggest he knows more than he is willing to explain.
• Ye Tiandi innocently asks a question that may violate a taboo; Shi Guang recognizes the danger and tries to stop him.
• The group’s banter gives way to unease as they realize the caretaker may not help them—and that they may have to remain there overnight.

Significant themes

• Fear of death and the supernatural: The remote setting, decaying bodies, coffins, and unexplained taboos create mounting dread.
• Practicality versus danger: Ye Qianfan focuses on managing people and gathering information, while the others’ curiosity or impatience risks making matters worse.
• Neglect and abandonment: The dead are left without burial, and the mortuary itself appears to have been left to an aging, blind caretaker.

Plot points and events

• The group seeks sleeping quarters at the mortuary. Its blind caretaker says the only available room is for empty coffins; the small room next to his is occupied by two mortuary helpers and is unsuitable. Ye Qianfan pays him to buy offerings for the deceased.
• After the caretaker leaves, Li Pu angrily insults him and twice says the taboo word “dead.” Ye Qianfan reprimands him, then sends everyone to inspect the corpses before nightfall.
• Ye Qianfan examines a mortuary helper’s corpse. It is far more decayed than a body only a few days old, and disturbing it releases a stream of foul, potentially poisonous gas. He sends the others outside, claiming his sect has ways to resist poison.
• Alone, he cuts open the corpse’s clothing and finds a long wound over the heart, with traces of blood around it. Suspecting the victims may have had their hearts removed, he begins checking the other bodies, releasing more decomposition gas.
• Outside, Ye Tian, Ye Di, and Shi Guang worry about him. Li Pu boasts that Ye Qianfan is safe, while Shen Lang expresses confidence. Ye Qianfan then emerges from the mortuary.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan acts cautiously and takes responsibility for the group, protecting them from exposure while pursuing evidence. His close examination uncovers a possible pattern in the deaths.
• Li Pu is quick-tempered and disrespectful, disregarding the mortuary’s taboo despite Ye Qianfan’s warning. He later defends Ye Qianfan with conspicuous confidence.
• The blind caretaker is evasive and mocking, but readily accepts Ye Qianfan’s payment.
• Ye Tian, Ye Di, and Shi Guang show concern for Ye Qianfan’s safety; Shi Guang is especially wary of the corpse fumes. Shen Lang trusts Ye Qianfan.

Significant themes

• The mortuary’s rules and taboo language create an atmosphere of danger and unease.
• Duty and investigation require confronting physical horror, while responsible leadership means shielding others from unnecessary risk.
• The clues—the bodies’ advanced decay, poisonous gases, and wounds over the heart—suggest that the deaths may involve something more sinister than ordinary decomposition or illness.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan confirms that every corpse in the mortuary is missing its heart. Li Pu concludes the culprit must be a zombie, but Shi Guang points out that two Nuo Master teams—including an experienced one—have already failed, so the mystery is likely more complicated.
• The group decides to investigate further the next day. They split up rather than sleep in the room warned against by Village Chief Qian. Since the coffin room has only four coffins for five people, Ye Qianfan, Shen Lang, and Li Pu stay there while Shi Guang and Ye Tiandi go elsewhere.
• The three settle into coffins. Ye Qianfan, already dead, has his sealed shut and falls asleep.
• At midnight, heavy, spaced-out impacts wake him. The Daoist senses strong corpse energy and identifies the creature outside as a Flying Zombie—far more dangerous than an ordinary zombie. A faint bell suggests it has a master.
• Before Ye Qianfan can investigate, something smashes the unfinished coffin, and someone screams. He emerges to find the decomposed mortuary assistant’s corpse beneath the wreckage.
• Outside, a bell-wielding Daoist pursues the Flying Zombie across the rooftops, chasing a dark, many-tailed creature resembling a Nine-Tailed Fox.

Character development and interactions

• Ye Qianfan is pragmatic and calm, choosing to wait until morning, but his confidence in the Corpse Control Technique makes him eager to confront the zombie. The Daoist restrains him, emphasizing how dangerous it is.
• Li Pu is disgusted by the mortuary’s smell and quick to jump to conclusions. His irritation with Shi Guang nearly provokes Ye Tiandi into a fight.
• Shi Guang is skeptical of both Li Pu’s theory and Village Chief Qian’s warning. He proposes that he and Ye Tiandi sleep separately to avoid awkwardness.
• Ye Tiandi shows his short temper when Li Pu taunts him, but Shi Guang calms him down.
• The Daoist provides crucial insight, distinguishing the Flying Zombie from a common zombie and warning that it likely has a controller.
• Ye Qianfan and the others cooperate in arranging the coffins, though the limited space highlights the division between the core trio and the two outsiders.

Significant themes and mysteries

• Appearances can mislead: The missing hearts suggest a straightforward zombie attack, but the failed teams and the unusually powerful creature point to a deeper threat.
• Caution versus confidence: Ye Qianfan’s willingness to act clashes with the Daoist’s warnings about underestimating danger.
• Unseen control and conspiracy: The bell implies the Flying Zombie has a master, but the Daoist cautions that this does not prove the village’s troubles are deliberately caused.
• Escalating supernatural danger: The appearance of both a Flying Zombie and a many-tailed creature expands the mystery beyond the mortuary and raises new questions about what is happening in Tomb-Keeper Village.

Key plot points and events

• After the Daoist and Flying Zombie vanish, Ye Qianfan reassures the others that the noise was only a broken bench. Everyone returns to their coffins and sleeps until dawn.
• During the night, Ye Qianfan fuses the divine wood into his bones. It strengthens his Paper Puppet body and gradually repairs his damaged skeleton and joints, making him more human.
• Before dawn, he completes two cycles of the Soul Cultivation Method. His Qi Sea grows from a stream into a river, advancing him to sixth-rank cultivation.
• Ye tests his increased power by charging the drained Mirror of a Hundred Demons. One cycle restores half its energy—twice what he could restore before. The Daoist attributes the unusually large gain to the divine wood’s enhancement of spiritual-energy absorption.
• Shen Lang wakes Ye at daylight. Just as Ye opens his coffin, Li Pu announces that something terrible has happened.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye becomes physically stronger and more capable, while the divine wood’s healing effect continues to make his puppet body more lifelike. His breakthrough also greatly improves his cultivation and energy absorption.
• Ye is enthusiastic about measuring his progress, using the Mirror as a practical test. The Daoist offers cultivation advice, questions the extraordinary result, then identifies the divine wood as its likely cause.
• Shen Lang checks on Ye after the previous night’s danger, while Li Pu’s alarmed announcement ends the chapter on a cliffhanger.

Significant themes

• Cultivation as defiance of heaven: Immortal cultivators take spiritual energy and opportunities from the Heavenly Dao, which responds with trials and tribulations to restrain them.
• Growth through adaptation: Ye’s progress comes from both disciplined cultivation and the divine wood’s restorative, energy-enhancing properties.
• Measured advancement: Ye uses observable results—the Mirror’s charge—to assess his improvement rather than relying only on impressions.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan wakes to learn a Daoist has arrived at the Mortuary to exorcise evil. Li Pu worries the newcomer will take their work, but Ye points out they are investigating reports, not competing for payment.
• Ye wants to see whether the Daoist is the same man who controlled a Flying Zombie the previous night. He also notices that the corpse apparently struck by an overturned coffin has disappeared; the two Spirit-Seeking Sect brothers have not yet been checked on.
• Outside, Steward Chen orders Ye and his companions to help prepare the ritual, claiming the village has hired an expert and no longer needs them.
• The Daoist, Chen, arrives with Village Chief Qian. Ye recognizes his robe, but senses no cultivation from him. Daoist Chen claims a Fox Demon has been eating villagers’ hearts and says he cut off its tail the night before, saving the young men at the Mortuary.
• Steward Chen and Daoist Chen insult Li Pu when he protests. Ye restrains Li Pu to avoid provoking a potentially dangerous opponent.
• As Daoist Chen prepares to use the demon’s tail and black-dog blood to track the Fox Demon, a bleeding black dog bolts from the backyard. The villagers shut the gate, trapping it while someone pursues it with a stick.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains composed and practical. He calms Li Pu, questions the Daoist’s claims, and keeps an eye on the unresolved disappearance of the corpse.
• Li Pu is impulsive and protective of the group’s standing, but accepts Ye’s correction before later angrily challenging the Daoist’s claim to have saved them.
• Daoist Chen presents himself as a heroic expert, using confident boasts and contemptuous remarks to establish authority. Ye’s inability to sense any cultivation in him raises suspicion.
• Village Chief Qian and Steward Chen openly favor Daoist Chen, contrasting with their dismissive treatment of Ye and his companions.
• The black dog is portrayed as frightened and unwilling to fight back, making its apparent victimization especially poignant.

Significant themes

• Appearances versus reality: Daoist Chen’s grand claims conflict with Ye’s inability to detect his cultivation, leaving his credibility uncertain.
• Pride and rivalry: The villagers’ deference to the newcomer and the insults exchanged create tension between the two groups.
• Compassion for the vulnerable: The dog’s helplessness contrasts with the humans’ willingness to sacrifice it for the ritual.
• Unresolved supernatural mystery: The vanished corpse, the Fox Demon, and the Daoist’s connection to the previous night’s events remain unexplained.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan stops Daoist Chen’s ritual, warning that the Mortuary’s corpses are all missing their hearts and that exposing them to fresh blood could provoke them to rise.
• Daoist Chen dismisses him and claims a fox demon is hiding in the Mortuary, using a severed fox tail as evidence. He orders the doors locked to prevent the black dog from escaping.
• Ye Qianfan cannot reach the dog in time, but takes away the servant’s stick and tends the dog’s bleeding neck.
• A corpse rises as a purple zombie, attacks and drains a servant’s blood, confirming Ye Qianfan’s warning.
• Daoist Chen admits he only knows how to catch fox demons and cannot handle the zombie. He and Village Chief Qian try to flee, only to find the doors locked.
• As the zombie closes in, the two men betray and trip each other in their panic. Village Chief Qian finally begs the composed Nuo Masters for help and promises to obey them.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan acts on his knowledge of corpse-related dangers, prioritizing the dog’s safety and preventing further bloodshed.
• Daoist Chen is exposed as overconfident and unprepared: despite presenting himself as an authority, he cannot deal with the danger his ritual helped unleash.
• Village Chief Qian shifts from defending Daoist Chen and opposing Ye Qianfan to desperate submission once his life is at risk.
• Shen Lang and Li Pu remain composed; Li Pu stops Shen Lang from intervening immediately, allowing the others’ incompetence to become clear.
• Daoist Chen and the village chief, initially aligned against Ye Qianfan, abandon all decorum and sabotage each other when threatened.

Significant themes

• Knowledge versus false authority: Ye Qianfan’s practical understanding proves more reliable than Daoist Chen’s confident claims.
• Consequences of recklessness: The ritual’s use of the dog’s blood triggers the very danger Ye Qianfan warned about.
• Self-preservation and hypocrisy: The men who acted arrogantly become panicked and betray one another when faced with death.
• Compassion amid negligence: Ye Qianfan protects the dog even as others treat it as a tool.

Chapter Summary: “Tying Up Jiangshi”

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan decapitates the Purple Zombie just before it can bite Village Chief Qian. He explains that he acted to protect the village, since the zombie could grow stronger by drinking blood.
• More zombies rise from the morgue. Ye calls on Shen Lang and Li Pu to help contain them.
• Li Pu uses threads to bind the newly risen Jiangshi and suspend them from the eaves, while Shen Lang’s Bone Flute slows their movements. Ye and Li then work together to finish them off.
• Village Chief Qian and Daoist Chen flee rather than help. They plan to escape through the rear courtyard, lock the others inside, and conceal what happened so Daoist Chen can collect a commission from Boss Jin.
• The pair choose the narrow route beside the coffin room, believing the morgue has emptied. A delayed-rising zombie is waiting there. Hearing its rasping, they nervously agree to turn around together.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains focused and decisive, rescuing Qian despite their earlier conflict and directing the fight.
• Li Pu demonstrates practical skill with his threads, while Shen Lang uses the Bone Flute to help control the zombies. Their coordinated efforts let the group attack effectively.
• Village Chief Qian apologizes to Ye but quickly returns to self-preservation, choosing escape and silence over helping.
• Daoist Chen is frightened yet still scheming: he proposes abandoning the others and sharing the expected payoff with Qian.
• Qian and Chen’s uneasy partnership is driven by fear and greed; their attempt to escape leads them toward another threat.

Significant themes

• Duty versus self-interest: Ye and his companions confront the danger, while Qian and Chen seek only to save themselves.
• Consequences of cowardice and greed: The fugitives’ plan to betray the others may leave them vulnerable.
• Teamwork against escalating danger: The group’s different abilities—binding, slowing, and striking—combine to control the Jiangshi.

Key plot points and events

• Village Chief Qian and Daoist Chen flee from a zombie into the coffin room. Chen hides in a coffin, leaving Qian to be pursued alone.
• Qian scrambles onto a raised funeral platform and tries to fend off the zombie by throwing objects. When he twists a stuck candlestick, he accidentally activates a hidden mechanism, and he and the zombie fall through the platform.
• Ye Qianfan, Li Pu, and their companions arrive after dealing with the zombies outside. Worried that Qian may be killed before he can answer their questions, they follow him through the opening.
• The old blind man discovers that the passage to the Former Dynasty Imperial Mausoleum has been opened. He angrily condemns the intruders for disturbing the emperor’s rest, then follows them inside.
• The passage is steep and moss-covered, sending everyone sliding to the mausoleum’s depths. At the bottom, Li Pu is kicked aside, and Ye Qianfan catches an unidentified, unnaturally cold figure surrounded by gray qi.

Character developments and interactions

• Village Chief Qian shifts from panic and flight to desperate resistance, though his attempt to escape accidentally reveals the secret passage.
• Daoist Chen abandons Qian and hides in a coffin, illustrating his self-preservation.
• Ye Qianfan takes charge, prioritizing Qian’s survival because he still needs to question him, and then leads the others down the passage.
• Li Pu provides comic relief with his fear of sliding, then is abruptly kicked out of the way.
• The old blind man reveals his devotion to the deceased emperor and his role as guardian of the mausoleum. Despite his blindness, he confidently follows the others inside.
• The chapter ends with Ye Qianfan catching a mysterious, cold presence, setting up a new threat or revelation.

Significant themes

• Hidden history and forbidden spaces: The Mortuary conceals a secret route to a royal mausoleum.
• Fear and self-preservation: Characters react differently under danger—Chen hides, Qian fights, and Ye Qianfan acts decisively.
• Dark comedy amid horror: The chase, Qian’s frantic improvised defense, and Li Pu’s extended screaming balance the eerie setting with humor.

Plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan and the others encounter a cold, lifeless figure in the tomb. Daoist Chen appears behind it and explains that the apparent zombie is one he raised and that it is harmless.
• Daoist Chen reveals he is the elder brother of the fake Daoist who caused the Mortuary crisis. He came to deal with the aftermath but was delayed while hunting a Fox Demon.
• A scream leads the group farther into the burial chamber, where they find Village Chief Qian on the ground. Ye Qianfan discovers that the “dried-up” object brushing his neck is an intestine from a corpse hanging overhead.
• Daoist Chen identifies the hanging bodies as a formation. They are palace servants from the previous dynasty, all with their hearts removed, suggesting the heart-gouging murders began long ago and may be connected to the tomb.
• Village Chief Qian mistakes Daoist Chen for his younger brother and angrily confronts him. Daoist Chen draws his sword, prompting Qian to realize his error and back away.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains alert and sarcastic, but the zombie and hanging corpses unsettle him; he also takes charge when he hears the mysterious voice.
• Daoist Chen is composed, severe, and capable. He apologizes for his brother’s actions without warmth, then quickly leads the investigation forward.
• Village Chief Qian’s relief at seeing the group turns to anger, then fear when he realizes Daoist Chen is not the man he thought.
• Li Pu is startled by the zombie and prepares to act, but cannot hear the faint voice Ye Qianfan hears. Shen Lang helps by lighting the tomb.

Significant themes

• Appearances and mistaken identity: Daoist Chen’s resemblance to his brother leads Qian to confuse them, while the harmless zombie initially looks threatening.
• Hidden history: The old corpses suggest the murders are part of a much older mystery rooted in the tomb.
• Duty and accountability: Daoist Chen takes responsibility for his brother’s mess, while Ye Qianfan continues working to contain its consequences.

Key plot points and events

• Daoist Chen learns from Village Chief Qian that his younger brother, Xing, was separated from the group while a zombie pursued them. The zombie went down another passage, so Chen fears it may have followed Xing and rushes deeper into the tomb.
• Ye Qianfan and the others follow Chen and find him fighting Shi Guang and Ye Tiandi. Qianfan identifies the pair as his subordinates, and Chen stops, apologizes, then hurries on to search for his brother.
• As Chen passes, he quietly warns Qianfan to be careful of his subordinates. Shi Guang says the brothers fell into the tomb through a well while investigating a dark figure—apparently the Fox Demon—but Qianfan doubts much of the account after Chen’s warning.
• The group proceeds through a long, narrow passage. Ye Tiandi suddenly collapses and appears to be dead, leaving Shi Guang distraught. Qianfan examines the body and freezes at what he sees.

Character developments

• Daoist Chen is focused on finding Xing and shows caution toward Shi Guang and Ye Tiandi, warning Qianfan without explaining why.
• Ye Qianfan remains responsible for his team but grows suspicious of the brothers. He chooses to watch them rather than press them with questions.
• Shi Guang presents himself as protective of Ye Tiandi and deeply grieves when he collapses; whether his account is trustworthy remains uncertain.
• Ye Tiandi suddenly appears to die, creating a major unresolved mystery.

Significant themes

• Distrust and uncertainty: Characters cannot be sure who is telling the truth or what is happening in the tomb.
• Danger in confined spaces: The dark, cramped passage intensifies Qianfan’s fear and sense of being trapped.
• Supernatural threat and sudden loss: Despite the group’s apparently uneventful progress, Tiandi’s abrupt collapse suggests danger they cannot detect.

Character interactions

• Chen interrogates Village Chief Qian, then clashes with the brothers before Qianfan identifies them as his subordinates.
• Chen apologizes to the brothers but privately cautions Qianfan about them.
• Qianfan questions Shi Guang’s explanation, then leads the group onward while keeping the brothers under watch.
• Shi Guang’s grief over Tiandi’s collapse prompts Qianfan to examine the body; the chapter ends before the cause or significance is revealed.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Tiandi suddenly collapses and dies while the group is walking. Within minutes, his body shows severe decay, including cloudy eyes, discolored skin, and a foul odor.
• Ye Qianfan investigates, asking Shi Guang, Ye Tiandi’s brother, whether he saw an attack. Shi Guang says Ye Tiandi simply went limp without warning.
• A careful examination reveals no bites or other injuries on Ye Tiandi’s hands or feet. Beneath his clothes, however, Ye Qianfan finds a long, rotten wound where his heart should be: it has been stolen.
• Li Pu and Shen Lang debate what kind of creature could remove a heart without being detected. Ye Qianfan concludes that the wound and coagulated blood indicate Ye Tiandi died well before his collapse.
• Ye Qianfan confronts Shi Guang by telling him to check whether his own heart is still there. Shi Guang reacts defensively, raising the terrifying possibility that both brothers had been dead while traveling with the group.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan acts methodically despite the disturbing scene, examining the body to identify the danger and protect the group. He is blunt when evidence matters more than sparing feelings.
• Shi Guang is overwhelmed by grief at first, then furious and defensive when Ye Qianfan suggests his brother was already dead. His reaction leaves the others suspicious.
• Li Pu and Shen Lang discuss possible supernatural explanations, but neither can account for the silent heart theft.
• The group’s conversation shifts from investigating Ye Tiandi’s death to questioning Shi Guang’s own condition.

Significant themes

• Uncertainty and hidden danger: The cause and timing of death are unclear, suggesting the group faces an unseen threat.
• Appearance versus reality: Ye Tiandi seemed alive shortly before collapsing, while Ye Qianfan’s evidence suggests otherwise; Shi Guang may likewise not be what he appears.
• Grief versus evidence: Shi Guang’s personal certainty clashes with Ye Qianfan’s forensic reasoning.
• Fear and suspicion: The discovery turns a tragedy into a possible threat within the group itself.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan explains his theory through a tale about a loyal minister whose heart was removed: the brothers Shi Guang and Ye Tiandi may already have lost their hearts, and Ye Tiandi collapsed after Li Pu mentioned “heartless” corpses.
• Shi Guang rejects the idea and runs off. Li Pu wants to chase and prove whether he is heartless, but Ye Qianfan argues that exposing him serves no purpose and could create more danger. Shen Lang agrees, and the group continues after Daoist Chen.
• Following the tomb’s single passage, they reach a vast burial hall crowded with human figures resembling terracotta warriors. Their vivid red clothing seems improbably well preserved.
• They spot Daoist Chen moving through the figures in a deliberate pattern. Before they can investigate, voices from behind plead for their hearts.
• Ye Qianfan lights a strip of cloth to reveal that the eunuchs and palace maids once hanging from the ceiling have come down and are crawling toward them. He identifies them as undead guardians awakened by the intruders and orders the group to move.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan acts cautiously and decisively: he theorizes about the missing hearts, prevents Li Pu from pursuing Shi Guang, and quickly uses fire to identify the approaching threat.
• Shi Guang cannot accept the possibility that he is heartless and flees rather than test the claim.
• Li Pu is eager to confront and expose Shi Guang, but Ye Qianfan makes him consider the consequences; he also reacts nervously to the pursuing voices.
• Shen Lang supports Ye Qianfan’s decision to stay focused on the main objective.
• The group remains united in pursuing Daoist Chen, despite uncertainty about the heart-stealing phenomenon.

Significant themes

• Denial and self-deception: Shi Guang avoids confronting a frightening possibility about himself.
• The danger of knowledge and language: Li Pu’s casual mention of heartless corpses may have triggered Ye Tiandi’s collapse.
• Pragmatism amid uncertainty: Ye Qianfan prioritizes survival and the mission over proving an unsettling theory.
• The tomb’s unnatural preservation and guardianship: The vivid clothing and reanimated servants suggest that the burial hall follows supernatural rules.

Key plot points and events

• Tomb guardians—hanged palace maids and eunuchs crawling at terrifying speed—chase Ye Qianfan and his group from the passage.
• Ye Qianfan orders everyone to flee toward an area filled with human effigies. When Village Chief Qian collapses from exhaustion, Ye drags him by the leg rather than carrying him, causing him considerable pain.
• The guardians stop at the effigies and refuse to enter. Ye Qianfan suspects the statues conceal a threat, or that something inside is even more dangerous than the pursuers.
• As the group moves through the effigies, Village Chief Qian says he feels watched. Ye spots faint gray qi in the statues’ eyes and has everyone walk back-to-back.
• Their formation initially seems to work, but Village Chief Qian suddenly screams: an effigy has appeared close to him, though he is certain it was not there moments earlier.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan takes charge under pressure, protects the group by getting them into the effigy area, and remains alert to its dangers. His unusual stamina has a supernatural explanation: he has no windpipe or heartbeat and can rely on his Paper Puppet to run.
• Village Chief Qian is physically overwhelmed and frightened. Ye’s rough rescue highlights their comic, blunt dynamic: Qian protests in pain while Ye insists he must endure it to survive.
• Shen Lang tries to use his Bone Flute but follows Ye’s advice to wait until they reach safety. He later helps coordinate the group’s cautious escape.
• Li Pu is exhausted and admits he fears spiders. He initially dismisses Qian’s feeling of being watched, but the signs of supernatural activity prompt the group to stay vigilant.

Significant themes

• Survival through cooperation and leadership: The group depends on Ye’s quick decisions and adopts a protective formation.
• The unseen threat: Escaping the guardians does not mean the group is safe; the effigies may be dangerous in their own right.
• Comic relief amid horror: Qian’s painful dragging and the group’s exhausted banter contrast with the grotesque chase and mounting supernatural tension.

Plot points and events

• Village Chief Qian thinks the Human Effigies have moved, but Li Pu dismisses his fear. Ye Qianfan spots footprints in the dust and confirms the figures really are shifting when no one watches them.
• The group realizes the effigies remain still while observed but move when attention turns away. Because no one can watch every direction at once, the figures gradually surround them and form a wall blocking their path.
• Shen Lang tries his Bone Flute, but it has no effect. With no clear way forward, the group faces the prospect of finding a route around the enormous wall.
• Under pressure, Village Chief Qian panics and runs back. Li Pu looks away to call after him, giving an effigy an opening to attack.
• Ye Qianfan stops the effigy from reaching Li Pu by cutting off its stone-covered arm with his Demon Fang Dagger. The severed arm reveals a shriveled human corpse inside the stone shell.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains alert and decisive, identifies the effigies’ movement rule, and saves Li Pu. Examining the severed arm, he realizes the figures are made from human bodies.
• Village Chief Qian shifts from skepticism to terror, even losing control of himself and fleeing.
• Li Pu initially mocks Qian and complains about the situation, but his distraction nearly gets him killed.
• Shen Lang stays focused and attempts to use his flute to influence the effigies, though it fails.
• The group’s safety depends on cooperation: the others keep watch while Ye Qianfan acts, but divided attention creates immediate danger.

Significant themes

• Fear and uncertainty: The figures’ strange behavior keeps the group under relentless pressure.
• Attention as survival: Watching the effigies is the only known way to restrain them, but people cannot watch every direction.
• Hidden horror: What appeared to be stone statues are revealed as human corpses encased in stone, suggesting the tomb’s owner deliberately transformed people into these threats. The effigies also seem capable of stealing hearts.

Key plot points and events

• The group is trapped in a cave crowded with animated human effigies. Village Chief Qian runs off and soon screams, apparently killed, but the others cannot spare anyone to investigate.
• Ye Qianfan discovers that his Demon Fang Dagger can cut the effigies, while Li Pu’s standard-issue saber cannot: its blow rebounds and injures his hand.
• Ye Qianfan decapitates several effigies and kicks them aside, opening a narrow route through the crowd. He warns everyone to keep the figures in sight, since even a moment’s distraction could be fatal.
• As the group squeezes past the fallen effigies, one attacks Ye Qianfan from below, tearing away part of his puppet body and clothing. He retaliates by severing its arms.
• The effigies remain dangerous even without their heads. Ye Qianfan orders the others to step on their palms and continues cutting off their arms as they move forward.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan takes charge under pressure, using his superior weapon and quick judgment to clear a path. The attack on his lower body briefly enrages and humiliates him, but he responds decisively.
• Li Pu shifts from alarm to admiration when Ye Qianfan succeeds, then learns the hard way that his own weapon is inadequate. He remains outspoken, even joking crudely about Ye Qianfan’s torn clothing.
• Shen Lang stays cautious and proper, rebuking Li Pu’s vulgar remarks and asking whether the group should press on or retreat.
• The three survivors rely on close coordination: Li Pu warns Ye Qianfan of the hidden attack, while Ye Qianfan gives the group clear instructions.

Significant themes

• Survival demands vigilance: distraction can be deadly, and the effigies remain a threat even when seemingly disabled.
• Preparation and equipment matter: Ye Qianfan’s effective dagger contrasts sharply with Li Pu’s weak issued saber.
• Dark comedy amid horror: the scene’s danger is undercut by banter and embarrassment, without lessening the characters’ peril.

Plot points and events

• As the group nears the end of the Human Effigy passage, a small effigy hiding on a larger one attacks Li Pu and pierces his chest. Ye Qianfan cuts off its arms, while Shen Lang knocks the pair down.
• Li Pu is badly wounded, and the sound of blood draws the effigies faster. Ye Qianfan carries him while Shen Lang tries to keep watch; his flute powers are useless against creatures with sealed eyes and ears.
• Ye Qianfan fights through the advancing effigies, aided by Ye Fu, whose strange black appendage helps topple them. Li Pu insists he is still watching their pursuers despite his weakening condition.
• Shen Lang spots a newly lowered rope at a wall. He climbs up, then hauls Li Pu to safety while Ye Qianfan guards below.
• As Ye Qianfan waits for the rope, the Daoist warns him that small effigies have crept across the floor. The larger and smaller figures close in, and Shen Lang’s grip on the rope falters just as Ye Qianfan begins to rise, leaving him nearly surrounded.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan takes command under pressure, carries Li Pu, and refuses to abandon him. He remains focused on protecting the others even as he is trapped below.
• Li Pu is gravely injured but stays alert and tries to reassure Ye Qianfan, even urging him to leave rather than risk himself.
• Shen Lang follows Ye Qianfan’s instructions, climbs quickly, and works to rescue Li Pu, though exhaustion makes the final lift precarious.
• The Daoist provides a crucial warning about the small effigies approaching on the ground.
• Ye Qianfan and Shen Lang act in coordination: Shen Lang handles the rope rescue while Ye Qianfan holds off the creatures.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and teamwork: Ye Qianfan refuses to leave a wounded teammate behind, and each member contributes what they can.
• Courage under pressure: Li Pu keeps watch despite his injuries, while Shen Lang acts despite fear and exhaustion.
• Hidden dangers and limited perception: Small effigies exploit blind spots, and the danger grows when attention is divided.
• A cliffhanger of vulnerability: Ye Qianfan’s brief distraction and Shen Lang’s faltering strength leave him exposed just as the effigies reach him.

Plot points and events

• As the Human Effigies close in, Ye Qianfan cannot watch them all at once. Daoist tells him to shout, “Three Flowers Gather at the Crown.”
• The phrase causes Ye Fu’s many eye-tipped tentacles to emerge from Ye Qianfan’s head. The effigies instantly freeze, leaving him unharmed.
• Ye Qianfan uses the extra eyes to monitor the danger and lets Shen Lang pull him up by rope. Ye Fu clings to the wall to ease the strain, then retracts before Shen Lang can notice.
• The remaining effigies return to their original positions; those with severed heads or hands remain motionless, apparently killed.
• Shen Lang is exhausted and has badly injured his hands from hauling Ye Qianfan and Li Pu. He insists Ye Qianfan check on Li Pu instead.
• Ye Qianfan discovers that four or five more effigy pits lie ahead. The group is trapped between them and the Tomb Guardians behind. Just as their options seem exhausted, he spots a dim yellow light approaching.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan stays composed to keep Shen Lang calm, adapts quickly to Ye Fu’s new ability, and is briefly unsettled by how little he knows about it.
• Shen Lang is shaken by the belief that Ye Qianfan has died, then relieved when he hears his voice. Despite his bleeding hands, he puts the others’ safety first.
• Daoist provides the crucial instruction that reveals Ye Fu’s ability, though he gives no explanation.
• Ye Qianfan and Shen Lang show mutual concern: Shen Lang risks his hands to rescue the others, while Ye Qianfan notices his injuries and tries to reassure him.

Significant themes

• Cooperation and trust: Ye Qianfan relies on Daoist’s cryptic advice and Shen Lang’s rescue effort.
• Composure under pressure: Ye Qianfan deliberately remains calm to steady Shen Lang.
• Uncertainty and survival: A new ability solves the immediate threat, but the greater danger remains, with several pits still ahead and the way back blocked.

Key plot points and events

• Ye Qianfan watches a distant light moving through the pits of Human Effigies and suspects it is Daoist Chen. The effigies remain still around him, suggesting he knows a special way to pass them.
• The Daoist observes that Chen is following a pattern of steps—not relying on speed—and urges Ye Qianfan to memorize it. Ye Qianfan studies the light until he can reproduce the footwork.
• Meanwhile, the wounded Li Pu grows cold and fears he is dying from blood loss. Ye Qianfan gives him a clinical explanation of blood loss that is meant to reassure him but only frightens him more.
• Shen Lang comforts Li Pu. Believing his eyesight is failing and death may be near, Li Pu asks Shen Lang to take his body or ashes out of the tomb and tells him his birth date. He tries to joke about dying on his birthday.
• Once Ye Qianfan has learned Chen’s steps, he tells Shen Lang they must go. Shen Lang thinks Ye Qianfan intends to abandon Li Pu, but Ye Qianfan clarifies that Li Pu should stay put to conserve his strength while they search for life-and-death grass, which may save him.

Character developments and interactions

• Ye Qianfan remains practical and analytical, focusing on the escape route and Li Pu’s chances of survival. His blunt manner makes him seem uncaring, but he is acting to preserve Li Pu’s strength and find a cure.
• Shen Lang shows strong loyalty and compassion toward Li Pu. He challenges Ye Qianfan when he thinks their teammate is being abandoned, then apologizes once he understands the plan.
• Li Pu faces his apparent decline with fear, dark humor, and concern about what will happen to his body after death. His fading vision makes his condition seem especially grave.
• The Daoist contributes a key observation about Daoist Chen’s footwork, helping the group understand how to pass the Human Effigies.

Significant themes

• Loyalty and misunderstanding: Shen Lang’s willingness to defend Li Pu clashes with Ye Qianfan’s matter-of-fact approach, but their shared goal is to save him.
• Hope amid danger: The life-and-death grass gives the group a reason to continue despite Li Pu’s worsening condition.
• Different ways of expressing care: Ye Qianfan offers facts and a practical plan; Shen Lang provides emotional comfort; Li Pu uses humor to cope with fear.