Episode Summary

In "Feud" Episode 15, after three years of peace, Li Qingyue is alerted to Meng Changqin's peril by a magical bamboo tree. She saves Meng Changqin from a fatal fall and decides to fight the malevolent Drought Dragon in her stead. Though grievously wounded, Li Qingyue, with Meng Changqin's help, slays the dragon. This act of deicide provokes the heavens, which send a lightning punishment. Li Qingyue shields Meng Changqin, absorbing the blow. To protect her from further celestial wrath, a conflicted Bai Jiusi seals her powers for ten years, causing a deep and painful rift between them as the Jingyun Sect begins a search for Li Qingyue.

Spoiler Alert

The delicate balance between divine non-interference and compassionate intervention shatters, forcing Li Qingyue (played by Bai Lu) to make a choice that will irrevocably change her destiny and her relationship with Bai Jiusi (played by Zeng Shunxi). After three years of quiet observation, a life-or-death crisis forces Li Qingyue’s hand, leading to a defiant act of god-slaying that brings the wrath of the heavens down upon her. The consequences are swift and heartbreaking, creating a painful rift between the two lovers as one is punished for an act of salvation.

Key Points from This Episode:

  • A philosophical debate over the consequences of meddling with mortal fate.
  • The Spirit-Binding Bamboo, a living alarm system, is triggered for the first time.
  • Li Qingyue defies celestial law by battling and killing the Drought Dragon.
  • A visually stunning sequence of heavenly punishment descends as lightning strikes.
  • Bai Jiusi makes the agonizing decision to seal Li Qingyue's powers to save her life.

A Debate on the Boundaries of Fate

The episode opens with Bai Jiusi saving a child from a street accident, an act that confuses Li Qingyue. She questions why his intervention is permissible while her past attempts to save Meng Changqin (played by Zhao Yiqin) courted disaster. Bai Jiusi explains the fundamental difference: his was an instantaneous act of kindness, whereas altering Meng Changqin's established destiny would ripple through the entire chain of cause and effect. He reminds her that for deities to truly achieve enlightenment, they must experience the full spectrum of mortal life—birth, aging, sickness, death, love, and loss—firsthand.Li Qingyue reluctantly accepts the principle that fate should not be tampered with.

A Lifeline of Bamboo

Despite her agreement, Li Qingyue cannot quell her anxiety for Meng Changqin. She secretly plants a bamboo stalk, imbued with a drop of Meng Changqin's blood, in her courtyard. This is no ordinary plant; it is a Spirit-Binding Tree, intrinsically linked to Meng Changqin's life force.If Meng is in mortal danger, the tree will wither, serving as a silent alarm. Bai Jiusi notices her lingering attachment but says nothing, a quiet tension settling between them.

A Cliffside Crisis Three Years Later

Three years pass. One stormy morning, Bai Jiusi awakens to find Li Qingyue gone and the leaves of the Spirit-Binding Bamboo scattered across the courtyard.He knows immediately what this means: Meng Changqin, while gathering herbs on a treacherous cliff, has slipped and fallen.

Just as she is about to hit the ground, an unseen force cushions her fall. Meng Changqin looks around in disbelief, but finds no one. Suddenly, Li Qingyue appears before her. Seeing Meng's tattered clothes, Li Qingyue offers her a home and a life of ease, masking her concern by claiming she needs a new steward for her estate. However, Meng Changqin firmly refuses, her resolve unshaken. She is determined to find and eliminate the Drought Dragon that plagues the mortal realm.

The Burden of Slaying a God

Seeing Meng Changqin's unwavering determination, Li Qingyue decides to take on the burden herself. She first attempts to reason with the Drought Dragon, but it arrogantly dismisses the lives of mortals as insignificant.Enraged, Li Qingyue draws her sword. In the brutal battle that follows, she sustains grave injuries. Yet, with her remaining strength, she deals a critical blow to the dragon, creating an opening for Meng Changqin to deliver the final, fatal strike.

The Heavens' Wrath

The act of deicide does not go unnoticed. A Celestial Emissary appears at Bai Jiusi's residence, declaring that Li Qingyue must be severely punished for killing a divine being.At that moment, as the Drought Dragon dies, heavenly lightning arcs from the sky, aimed directly at Meng Changqin. Li Qingyue throws herself in its path, absorbing the full force of the celestial punishment to shield her friend. As the dragon's essence dissipates, life returns to the land: the barren earth blooms with flowers and dry rivers flow once more.

A Seal of Sorrow

Bai Jiusi finds the unconscious Li Qingyue and brings her home to heal. The moment she awakens, her first concern is for Meng Changqin's safety. Relieved to hear she is alive, Li Qingyue joyfully recounts her victory. But Bai Jiusi's expression is grim. "You defied the heavens and killed a god," he tells her, his voice heavy with the weight of her transgression. To appease the Celestial Emissary and protect her from a worse fate, he makes a terrible choice: he seals away her magical powers for ten years.Already weakened and heartbroken, Li Qingyue is powerless to resist, her eyes filled with shock and betrayal.

Whispers in the Jingyun Sect

Meanwhile, the Jingyun Sect is abuzz with news of Zhang Suan's return from the celestial realm with a mysterious surge in power. The sect leader, Xuanwei, immediately orders a search for Li Qingyue across the twelve provinces and enters seclusion to activate the formidable Spirit-Querying Grand Array. In a private conversation, Zhang Suan finally learns the truth about the thousand-year feud between Li Qingyue and Bai Jiusi. As rain falls on the weakening seal of Li Qingyue's power, the array's ethereal blue ripples begin to spread across the land, a silent hunt beginning.