‘The Mystic Nine Tetralogy’ is a set of four side-stories based in the same backdrop as The Mystic Nine. The stories are independent, but each focuses on one of the key characters in the original show (Huo San Niang, Chen Pi Ah Si, Lieutenant Zhang, and Er Yue Hong). They can be watched in no particular order and are often set as sequels to The Mystic Nine. They are certainly better understood if watched after the main series in order to be familiar with the characters and family history.

‘Tiger Bones Plum Blossom’ is the story of Xie Jiuye (assisted in his investigation by Zhang Ri Shan)

The story centers on Xie Jiuye, the new head of the Xie Clan, who assumes leadership after his father’s mysterious death. Haunted by his father’s enigmatic actions in the months prior, Xie Jiuye faces a chilling mystery when a dead body is presented as a “gift” at a family gathering, followed by a series of gruesome murders within the Xie household. Each crime scene is marked by a cryptic “tiger bone plum blossom” seal. Assisted by Lieutenant Zhang Rishan, Xie Jiuye investigates these murders, suspecting an inside job. The trail leads back years, uncovering dark family secrets and past misdeeds tied to the Xie Clan. According to clan rules, the sixtieth birthday marks a time of retirement, but on this occasion, the Xie family’s loyal servant, Uncle Dao, is brutally killed, deepening the mystery.