In those ancient and remote corners shrouded in mysterious shadows, numerous hair-raising and inexplicable events often occur. These bizarre incidents cling to Hua Jiunan like invisible threads, entangling him so thoroughly that he himself becomes part of the supernatural phenomena – most shockingly, he is an extremely rare corpse-born child.
The story begins in Jiudaogou Village, a forgotten stone nestled deep within the vast mountain ranges of northern China. Seemingly abandoned by nature itself, this perpetually frozen land remains mercilessly blanketed by snowstorms throughout all seasons. Even as the early 1980s ushered new lifestyles elsewhere, villagers here continued their isolated existence, virtually cut off from the modern world.
In this remote village, all matters—from major decisions to trivial affairs—were governed by two elders: Deaf Granny and Master Li. Deaf Granny held a unique status as a spirit medium practicing the Northern Horse tradition. For centuries, China's spiritual practices have been divided between Southern Taoist exorcists (renowned for their Maoshan rituals) and Northern spirit mediums who channel animal deities.
True practitioners like Deaf Granny maintained altars to twelve sacred spirits categorized as:
Four Core Guardians
1.Fox Spirits - Wise tricksters worshipped for supernatural wisdom
2.Weasel Spirits - Small but powerful shape-shifters
3.Snake Spirits - Ancient keepers of earthly secrets
4.Wraiths - Vengeful spirits of the violently deceased
Eight Sacred Duties
1.Purification | 2. Divination
3.Spirit Communication | 4. Protection
5.Celestial Messaging | 6. Underworld Navigation
7.Curse Breaking | 8. Premonition
The intricate workings of this spirit hierarchy will unfold through the story's progression.
Deaf Granny wasn't actually deaf. Originally from the Zhang family and later married into the Wang household, her nickname stemmed from her role as a serpent-channeling shaman. Locals symbolically refer to snakes as "lesser dragons," leading villagers to jokingly mispronounce "Dragon Granny" as "Deaf Granny." Her life was tragic—her husband died young, two sons succumbed to childhood illnesses, leaving only the third son (called Third Wang by all) to tend to her.
On the 15th night of the seventh moon—the Hungry Ghost Festival—an unnatural stillness gripped the village. At twilight, Deaf Granny instructed Third Wang to secure the courtyard gate. "No living soul should wander tonight," she warned. The dangers were too severe.
Before they could retire to the heated sleeping platform, deafening blows shook the gate—each impact reverberating like cannonfire. Swearing, Third Wang tugged on his patched winter coat. "Enough! I'm coming!" he roared. "What hellspawn emergency brings you pounding like Death's own herald?"
Wang San grumbled as he opened the courtyard gate. An icy wind carrying sharp ice particles immediately pierced through his bones. A figure collapsed into the yard like a lifeless log, leaving a perfect human-shaped imprint in the thick snow—as if nature itself had drawn it.
"Damn! Is he really dead?!" Wang San shouted in panic, dragging the body from the snow. "Mother! Come out here now!"
The moment the gate opened, Deaf Granny felt a foreboding chill. She rushed to the side room housing spirit altars, grabbed her spirit-binding rope, and ran out.
This spirit-binding rope wasn't some mythical weapon. Crafted by spirit mediums from willow branches, human hair, and ancient copper coins, it underwent a three-year ritual: soaked in pine resin mixed with incense ashes, then cleansed and enshrined beneath the spirit altar. The six-foot-six-inch rope, jet-black and gleaming, was believed to repel evil spirits.
Deaf Granny clutched her spirit-binding rope, muttering to herself as she rushed out: "Ghosts knocking on Ghost Festival—what cursed luck!"
Meanwhile, Elder Li from the neighboring house hurried over upon hearing the commotion. A respected veteran who had fought Japanese invaders during the war, Elder Li had earned villagers' respect since moving here three years prior.
By the dim snow-reflected light, both elders saw Third Wang struggling to lift a woman with a paper-white face. Her frozen body stood rigidly upright—so stiff that Third Wang only needed to grip her shoulders to keep her from collapsing. The woman's visibly swollen belly indicated advanced pregnancy, though her corpse-like state defied all logic of childbirth.
Deaf Granny tightened her grip on the spirit-binding rope, barking at the woman: "The Eight Sacred Guardians protect this house. Leave now!"
The woman's body jerked mechanically, her neck twisting with rusty hinge creaks. Lifeless gray eyes stared vacantly as she spoke in metallic, fragmented syllables—like a rusted machine forced into motion.
"Sa...ve...my...ba...by..." The words scraped from her frozen throat, each syllable a laborious effort.
Third Wang, ever oblivious to supernatural signs, cheerfully addressed the scene: "Need a midwife? My mother only wards off evil. For childbirth, seek the Zhang family's daughter-in-law eastward. Wait—you can barely walk. I'll fetch her."
Seeing her son actually head for the door, Deaf Granny urgently shouted: "Stop! She's a corpse!"
Third Wang leaped to shield his mother, panic sharpening his voice: "Don't scare me like this at midnight!"
Elder Li stepped forward beside Third Wang, his brows knitted tightly. "Are you certain?!" he demanded, gaze locked on the woman.
Deaf Granny kept unblinking watch. "This old woman sees clearly," she replied softly. "Look closer—no breath stirs her chest."
The men observed carefully. In the freezing courtyard, their own exhales formed visible white vapor in the dim light. Yet the woman showed no such signs. Snowflakes settling on her face had fused into a thin layer of ice.
The woman reacted to their words with sudden violence. Her eyes rolled upward until only the whites showed—a grotesque transformation. Stiff legs lumbered mechanically toward the trio as she chanted: "Not dead—not dead! Save... my... baby..."