Re Mount River Awl, I believe it was an heirloom in his tribe and he held it in his hand when he buried Wang Zheng. I don‘t think he consciously activated it? Which makes it all the stranger.
So strike that. I rewatched. At the end of episode 10 Sang San uses the Awl thinking it will save Wang Zheng‘s life (he only knows it‘s a hallow). He strips her spirit from her corpse/almost dead body. But then nothing happens so he buries her with it. Black Cloak Envoy says that in contrast to the Longevity Dial the Awl cannot save lives but its 'most special effect [is] stripping the energy body forcibly from the flesh forming a permanent body. But The one stripped may not even be able to achieve the most basic form of solidification.' That happens to Wang Zheng who initally is a light without form.
In episode 11 the enraged tribe dig up Wang Zheng, Sang Zan comes to her 'rescue', has the Awl in hand and curses the tribe. At that point the Awl activates and strips Sang Zan (he also mentioned something about wanting to escape slavery all his life beforehand, maybe that was the spark?) he wants them all to die and apparently thinks he can use the Awl for that. It isn‚t entirely clear why the Awl bans him into a pillar with chains, maybe for his evil intentions? Wang Zheng tries to stop him and now that he is almost a ghost too he can see her formless light. But he still gets buried in the pillar with his tattoo on it. Hum.
Cut to a fully formed Wang Zheng with amnesia being found by Yunlan and the cat in the future.
Spoilers for episode 10+11
So strike that. I rewatched. At the end of episode 10 Sang San uses the Awl thinking it will save Wang Zheng‘s life (he only knows it‘s a hallow). He strips her spirit from her corpse/almost dead body. But then nothing happens so he buries her with it. Black Cloak Envoy says that in contrast to the Longevity Dial the Awl cannot save lives but its 'most special effect [is] stripping the energy body forcibly from the flesh forming a permanent body. But The one stripped may not even be able to achieve the most basic form of solidification.' That happens to Wang Zheng who initally is a light without form.
In episode 11 the enraged tribe dig up Wang Zheng, Sang Zan comes to her 'rescue', has the Awl in hand and curses the tribe. At that point the Awl activates and strips Sang Zan (he also mentioned something about wanting to escape slavery all his life beforehand, maybe that was the spark?) he wants them all to die and apparently thinks he can use the Awl for that. It isn‚t entirely clear why the Awl bans him into a pillar with chains, maybe for his evil intentions? Wang Zheng tries to stop him and now that he is almost a ghost too he can see her formless light. But he still gets buried in the pillar with his tattoo on it. Hum.
Cut to a fully formed Wang Zheng with amnesia being found by Yunlan and the cat in the future.