Synopsis of Season 1 of The Painted Door Gods Can Protect the House. Shen Yan, the successor of the declining "painted door god" painting school, makes a living by painting door gods, but awakens the "human paintbrush" bloodline amidst frequent attacks by earth-vein evil spirits, using blood as ink to invite gods to slay evils. She is guarded by Gu Yanqing, her painting spirit sealed for a hundred years, and the two go from being on guard against each other to entrusting each other with their lives, repeatedly fighting against the Black Gate Sect. In order to open the Gate of Nine Netherworlds to devour the city, the Black Gate Sect plunges a blood blade into Gu Yanqing's back heart, causing the fierce god to awaken. Shen Yan obtains her grandmother's spiritual brush, paints door gods with blood to awaken him, and they join forces to slay the evils and close the Gate of Nine Netherworlds. At the end, the sect master appears and calls Shen Yan "my daughter".