The tale follows Chenxiang, a boy born of a mortal father and a goddess mother. When his uncle, the powerful god Erlang Shen, discovers their forbidden union, he punishes them by killing Chenxiang’s father. His mother, a divine being, escapes the massacre and gives birth, but the child is raised without knowledge of his lineage. She wields a magical Lotus Lantern, whose light wards off evil spirits. Erlang Shen later kidnaps Chenxiang, forcing the young boy into his palace on the sacred mountains. In a brutal act, the god imprisons Chenxiang’s sister beneath a mountain to punish her for her transgressions. Though still a boy, Chenxiang manages to escape from the palace, setting the stage for further adventures.