Liu Ke is the protagonist. He is a young man from a poor family in Yuanhe Village, Qingqiu County. He has a father Liu Zheng, a mother, a younger sister Xiaoya, and a paralyzed grandmother. After a locust plague and heavy rains destroy the harvest, his family faces starvation. Liu Ke decides to become a Blade Catcher to save his sister from being drowned and to gain tax exemptions for his family. He travels alone to Heming Prefecture and is accepted as a low-rank Blade Catcher. He is apprenticed to the veteran Yu Kongming, who teaches him the basics of combat and demon hunting. Liu Ke is initially timid, inexperienced, and easily frightened, but he possesses determination and a strong sense of family loyalty. During his first mission against the demon Jinsi, he struggles with illusions but succeeds with Yu Kongming's help. He shows potential for growth as a Blade Catcher.
