斩神之凡尘神域
Slay the Gods
An asylum for gods inside his head and a night to protect
Synopsis
In a contemporary China where gods and creatures from the world's mythologies threaten humanity, Lin Qiye, whom everyone took for a madman, discovers that he has become a deity's proxy.
Deep in his mind lies an asylum where gods are committed. By treating them, he gains their powers. Recruited by the Night Watchers, he joins the secret fight that protects the country from mythological forces.
Based on San Jiu Yin Yu's novel, Shenman Culture's donghua has streamed on Tencent Video since 31 July 2024. Season two began on 25 June 2026.
World
The story blends our modern world with mythologies from around the globe: angels, Norse, Greek or Egyptian gods, and unsettling ancient deities. The Night Watchers, a secret organisation, operate in every city to contain these threats.
Power system
The most powerful humans are "divine proxies", bound to a deity whose strength they borrow. Others develop "forbidden domains" (禁墟), unique supernatural abilities. Lin Qiye combines both on an unprecedented scale.
Reception & popularity
Season one saw its Douban score climb to 8.4 and passed a popularity index of 23,000 on Tencent Video, making it one of the surprise hits of 2024.
My take
Slay the Gods grabs you with its concept: a hero who treats gods inside his head to borrow their powers, serving an organisation of ordinary watchers. The mix of world mythologies gives it a very different tone from cultivation stories.
The hero is sometimes too perfect and some scenes lay the emotion on thick. But the Night Watchers' esprit de corps works, and the fight direction is spectacular.
Who is it for?Watch it if you enjoy urban fantasy, reimagined mythologies and heroic team stories.
Main characters
More character profiles are coming.
Adaptations
This franchise also exists in other formats — each with its own pacing and audience.
Trivia
- The novel's full title means "I Learn to Slay Gods in a Psychiatric Hospital" (我在精神病院学斩神).
- The novel was published on the Fanqie (番茄小说) platform, which co-produced the donghua.
- Shenman Culture is also the studio behind The Demon Hunter, featured in this catalogue.
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More donghua to discover after Slay the Gods: same author or same genres.
