Definition
A human skull used as a ritual censer; a grotesque inversion of the Daoist practice of offering incense to deities, symbolizing the corruption of sacred ritual in the Dao-Twisted World.
Skull
A human skull used as a ritual censer; a grotesque inversion of the Daoist practice of offering incense to deities, symbolizing the corruption of sacred ritual in the Dao-Twisted World.
Story context
Fellow Daoists, if you thought the Renxiao were just creepy background scenery, this chapter will change your mind—fast. This is the grimmest, most claustrophobic underground battle we’ve seen in a while. Li Huowang finally reaches the children’s cavern, but the real horror isn’t the monsters under the bed. It’s the old people *willingly* betraying them. Yeah, you read that right. The Water Sons (水儿子) aren’t just deformed guardians—they’re part of a twisted, ritualized ecosystem where the elderly act as lookouts and informants for their own jailers. Li Huowang’s rage here is cold and surgical, not heroic. Every time he cuts off a piece of himself to fuel a weapon, you can feel the toll piling up. And then the head Renxiao starts *performing a Daoist ritual*—with candles, a skull incense burner, and a sword. If you thought this world couldn’t get any more blasphemous, think again.
Why it matters
This chapter is a masterclass in *why* Li Huowang is losing his grip on his own humanity—and why he doesn’t care anymore. The moment the old people start ratting him out to the “Water Sons,” you realize that in this world, no one is on your side. Not even the victims. The real punch isn’t the monster ritual; it’s that Li Huowang has been fighting for a group of people who are willing to doom twenty children just to stay alive a little longer. The pacing of the fight is deliberately claustrophobic—short, sharp swings between action and strategy, with the occult set piece of the Renxiao ritual looming at the end. Pay attention to how Li Huowang’s self-harm is now *routine*: cutting off nails and fingers are presented as tactical decisions, not emotional spirals. That’s the character arc right there. He’s becoming a survival machine, and the cost is every piece of himself he’s willing to throw away.
Quick facts
Source novel
Dao Gui Yi Xian
First appearance
The Water Sons’ Ritual
Chapter references
1
Type hints
li huowang, dao twisted world, renxiao
Guide tags
action, body horror, folk horror
Appears in chapters
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Related terms
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