电影《鬼吹灯之精绝古城》主要讲述胡八一与王凯旋带领Shirley杨组织的考古队前往沙漠腹地、寻找精绝古城的故事。胡八一上山下乡来到中蒙边境的岗岗营子，带上了家中仅存的一本书——《十六字阴阳风水秘术》，闲来无事将书中文字背得滚瓜烂熟。之后参军到西藏，遇上雪崩掉落一条巨大的地沟当中，胡八一利用自己懂得的秘术逃得不死。复员后，胡八一和好友胖子一起加入了一支前往新疆考古的考古队。一行人历经万险来到了塔克拉玛干沙漠中的精绝古城遗址，进入了地下“鬼洞”。洞中机关重重、陷阱不断，这神秘的鬼洞似乎在一位先知的掌控之中。影片欲通过考古队一心为科研与王胖子贪财的对比，安力满的虔诚与考古队态度的反差等形成多组博弈，组成探险队鲜活的人物画卷。通过众位实力派与戏骨的倾情演绎，将曾经存在于读者想象中的人物跃然于荧屏，还原了这一场惊心动魄的大漠探险。

胡八一原是軍人退役，因其擁有一本家傳的十六字陰陽風水秘書而自學成古墓高手但從不盜墓，在北京捲入了古玩業黑道糾紛，之後和好友王胖子一起加入了一支前往新疆考古的考古隊，逐步揭開精絕古國的驚天奧秘。

Hu Bayi and Wang Kaixuan leading an archaeological team organized by Shirley Yang into the depths of the desert to search for the ancient city of Jingjue. Hu Bayi, after being sent to the countryside for re-education, arrives at Ganggang Camp on the China-Mongolia border. He brings along the only book left in his home—The Sixteen-Character Yin-Yang Feng Shui Secret Technique—and, having nothing better to do, memorizes its contents thoroughly. Later, he enlists in the army and is sent to Tibet, where he survives an avalanche and falls into a giant ravine, escaping death using the techniques he learned from the book. After being discharged, Hu Bayi and his friend Wang Kaixuan join an archaeological team heading to Xinjiang. The group endures countless dangers as they finally arrive at the ruins of the ancient city of Jingjue in the Taklamakan Desert. They enter an underground "ghost cave" filled with deadly traps and mechanisms, seemingly controlled by a mysterious prophet.