under-the-river

During the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty, the ancient city of Sui'an had not yet sunk beneath the lake; it was still a thriving, prosperous city in western Zhejiang. Shuijsheng's opera troupe received an invitation to perform for a ritual sacrifice to the "River God, " and the destination was none other than this ancient capital, nestled between mountains and water. However, during the journey, he slipped and fell into the river. Contracting a severe illness, his life hung by a thread, until he was saved by Qingqing, a drowned ghost. From then on, cloaked in a sinister "demonic skin, " he was reduced to a half-human, half-ghost existence. His flesh gradually decayed, and his time grew short. Qingqing informed him that only by consuming her spectral form could he extend his life; His junior apprentice sister, however, said it would be better to pray for divine mercy to overcome this calamity. The solemn-looking sacrificial ceremony concealed untold secrets. Shuijsheng gradually realized he had stepped into a labyrinthine plot that connected the realms of humans, ghosts, and gods... He must uncover the truth within the profound depths of the ancient city, Make a choice between Qingqing and his junior apprentice sister, And find his own path to redemption.