Episode Summary
A fire claims the life of the heroic Lin Fan, leaving his wife Shi Hua to give birth under perilous conditions. The immortal Bai Jiusi, moved by the tragedy, breaks celestial laws to save both mother and child with his powers. Five years later, Bai Jiusi has embraced the role of a father to Lin Fan's daughter, Lin Tao, his cold heart thawed by mortal affection. However, when a demon attacks the child in the marketplace, Bai Jiusi is forced to use his forbidden powers again, suffering a severe backlash as a consequence.
Spoiler Alert
Feud Episode 18 Recap: A Hero's Fall, a Forbidden Birth, and a Father's Love
Episode 18 of Feud delivers a gut-wrenching tragedy that sets the stage for an unexpected transformation. We witness the profound impact of mortal life and loss on the aloof immortal Bai Jiusi, who finds his millennia-old indifference challenged by a single act of human sacrifice and the innocent love of a child. This pivotal episode masterfully weaves together heartbreak, forbidden magic, and the quiet blossoming of a new family.
Recap: Fire, Fate, and a Fragile New Beginning
The episode opens on a horrific scene. The local sesame cake shop is engulfed in flames, the chaos punctuated by a dog's frantic barking. While neighbors scramble to fight the blaze, the baker, Lin Fan, realizes the shop owner is still trapped inside. Without hesitation, he soaks his clothes in water and plunges into the inferno. The building collapses moments later, sealing his fate. His pregnant wife, Shi Hua, witnesses the entire tragedy and collapses in grief.
The next day, a furious Li Qingyue confronts Bai Jiusi for his cold inaction during the fire. Bai Jiusi remains unmoved, stating with chilling detachment, "His fate was sealed. Even without the fire, he wouldn't have survived the night." Their argument is interrupted by a fragile Shi Hua, who tearfully defends her husband's selfless choice: "My husband knew the risks, but he was willing to lay down his life for another."
Shi Hua's grief soon triggers a difficult and dangerous labor, leaving her life hanging by a thread. The crisis stirs something in Bai Jiusi. Haunted by memories of a time when he and Li Qingyue had hoped for a child of their own and moved by Lin Fan's sacrifice, he makes a momentous decision. He breaks the sacred celestial laws that forbid his kind from interfering in mortal affairs and uses his powers to save both mother and child. Outside, Li Qingyue senses the surge of forbidden spiritual energy. Understanding the sacrifice Bai Jiusi is making, she stands guard through the night rather than intervening. As a baby's cry finally breaks the silence, a weakened Bai Jiusi seals himself away for seven days to recover.
Meanwhile, other storylines converge. The disgraced Jiang Bian, struggling to adapt to his new life, is assigned to the menial task of guarding the mountain gate. Elsewhere, Zhang Suan and Fan Ling'er, lost in the woods, run into a pair of bandits with a peculiar code of honor—they only steal valuables. After Fan Ling'er easily dispatches them, they learn the bandits' territory is near Songhe County. Zhang Suan immediately recalls Li Qingyue mentioning the place and decides it's their best lead for finding her.
The story then jumps forward five years.
Lin Fan's daughter, Lin Tao, is now a cheerful young child who has grown up under the care of Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue. She runs to Bai Jiusi's courtyard and, in front of her playmates, proudly declares, "This is my father!" When the other children point out that they look nothing alike, Bai Jiusi, wanting to protect the little girl's feelings, gives a silent, affirming nod. He has accepted the role of her father. Later, as he carries a sleeping Lin Tao home at dusk, he sees the warm, waiting silhouette of Li Qingyue holding a lantern, completing the picture of a family forged from tragedy.
Bai Jiusi's transformation continues. While out buying osmanthus cakes for Li Qingyue on a rainy night, he takes shelter in a pavilion and meets a wandering cultivator. The man, clutching a funeral urn, laments the state of the world, where ordinary people suffer endlessly from demonic attacks. His words about mortal suffering strike a chord deep within Bai Jiusi, shaking the indifference he has maintained for a thousand years.
The newfound peace is shattered the very next day. While in the marketplace, Bai Jiusi and Li Qingyue come across a murder scene. To Li Qingyue's quiet approval, Bai Jiusi takes an active interest in the investigation, showing a newfound concern for the mortal world. Just then, Shi Hua arrives with a gift to thank them, only to be met by the cruel gossip of her neighbors. In that moment of distraction, a demonic creature lunges for Lin Tao.
Without a second's thought, Bai Jiusi unleashes his power once more to save his daughter, vaporizing the creature in a blast of energy. Li Qingyue feels the powerful ripple and rushes to his side. She finds him with blood trickling from his lips, a clear sign of the celestial backlash from breaking the rules again. In his arms, Lin Tao remains blissfully unaware, clutching tightly to the robes of the man she calls father.
Spoilers & Lingering Questions
The episode leaves us on a knife's edge with several critical questions:
- The Price of Power: Bai Jiusi has now broken the celestial rules twice in his efforts to protect his new family. What will be the ultimate price for his transgression, and can Li Qingyue help him survive the heavens' wrath?
- A Sinister Connection: Is the murder in Songhe County related to the sudden appearance of the demon that attacked Lin Tao? A darker plot seems to be unfolding.
- Worlds Collide: Zhang Suan and Fan Ling'er are now heading directly for Songhe County. Their arrival is sure to disrupt the fragile peace Bai Jiusi has built and drag him back into the conflicts he tried to leave behind. Thinking...
