Episode Summary
In Episode 25, Qing Yang's attempt to counsel Li Qingyue about her complex love for Bai Jiusi ends in tragedy. While Bai Jiusi uncovers evidence of a conspiracy surrounding Li Qingyue's past suffering, Qing Yang travels to the Ninth Heaven to find him. There, she is confronted and taken by a furious Long Yuan. She is later discovered murdered, her death caused by lightning magic. Enraged and grieving, Li Qingyue abandons all restraint, leading the entire Jingyun Sect to the Ninth Heaven to declare war and demand Long Yuan's life, escalating the conflict to the brink of open battle.
Spoiler Alert
Feud, Episode 25 Recap: A Death in the Heavens Ignites a War
This episode trades simmering tension for open conflict, sparked by a tragic death that pushes Li Qingyue past her breaking point. While she and Bai Jiusi are manipulated by outside forces, it's the loss of a friend that finally unleashes her fury upon the Ninth Heaven.
A Love Forged in Hate
The episode opens on a moment of quiet counsel. Qing Yang finds Li Qingyue stewing over Bai Jiusi and gently points out the truth Li Qingyue refuses to see: her intense hatred for Bai Jiusi is merely the other side of a profound love. You only hate someone that fiercely if you once loved them that deeply. Qing Yang shares stories of her own past heartbreaks, her gentle words a balm to Li Qingyue's wounded pride. As Qing Yang drifts off to sleep on her shoulder, Li Qingyue has a moment of clarity. She realizes she doesn't truly want to kill Bai Jiusi; she wants him to admit he was wrong.
Meanwhile, Bai Jiusi is on his own quest for the truth. He's re-investigating the events that led to Li Qingyue's suffering four hundred years ago. His search yields a shocking discovery: the supposed culprit had already perished six hundred years ago, two centuries before the attack. The timeline makes no sense, proving the incident was a setup. To unravel the mystery, Bai Jiusi seeks out Xi E, the God of Time, demanding to see the past as it truly happened.
A Fateful Decision
Convinced that a hidden mastermind is pulling the strings to drive a wedge between Li Qingyue and Bai Jiusi, Qing Yang decides to act. She persuades a reluctant Xuanwei to help her send Fan Ling'er away, assuring her she'll be safe. Later, Xuanwei and Li Qingyue discuss the conspiracy, with Li Qingyue recalling the mysterious figure who gave her a book long ago and then vanished. She resolves to find the truth and not be a pawn in someone else's game.
Tragically, Qing Yang's path leads her directly into danger. She travels to the Ninth Heaven to find Bai Jiusi, hoping to speak with him at Cang Lei Hall. But Bai Jiusi isn't there. Instead, she runs into the volatile Long Yuan, who recognizes her as a member of the Jingyun Sect. Consumed by rage, he seizes the vastly overpowered Qing Yang and drags her away, ordering the gatekeepers to say nothing.
The next morning, she is found dead, her body hanging from the main gate.
A Vow of Vengeance
Xuanwei is devastated, consumed by guilt as she confesses to Li Qingyue that she knew Qing Yang had gone to the Ninth Heaven. An examination of the body reveals a brutal death: Qing Yang's internal organs were shattered by powerful lightning magic. All suspicion immediately falls on Long Yuan.
Li Qingyue remains unnervingly calm. She arranges for Qing Yang's burial, spending the night alone at the grave, drinking in silence. But her quiet grief is a storm gathering force. The next morning, she summons every disciple of the Jingyun Sect. Her purpose is clear and her voice is cold as ice: they are going to the Ninth Heaven to get revenge for Qing Yang.
Declaration of War
Li Qingyue leads her followers to the gates of the Ninth Heaven, a realm now aware that the Jingyun Sect has cultivated its way to immortality.She sends her disciple, Jiang Bian, to Cang Lei Hall to officially declare their intent. Long Yuan and the others initially ignore the challenge. When Long Yuan moves to strike Jiang Bian, he is stopped by Li Mo, who reminds him of Bai Jiusi's strict order: no harm is to come to anyone from the Jingyun Sect, on pain of having one's celestial bones stripped.
Seeing the stalemate, Li Qingyue steps forward herself. Long Yuan vehemently denies killing Qing Yang, claiming he is being framed. But Li Qingyue's time for talk is over. She gives him an ultimatum: surrender his head, or the Jingyun Sect will attack the Ninth Heaven. Just as blades are about to be drawn, a Celestial Emissary appears, attempting to mediate. However, Li Qingyue's quest for justice has not violated any celestial laws, leaving the Emissary powerless to intervene. The two sides stand at a deadly impasse, with war only a breath away.
Spoilers & Key Points from the Episode:
- A Complicated Heart: Qing Yang helps Li Qingyue understand that her hatred for Bai Jiusi stems from her deep, unresolved love for him.
- A Tangled Past: Bai Jiusi discovers the attack on Li Qingyue 400 years ago was a conspiracy, as the alleged attacker was already long dead.
- A Fateful Journey: Qing Yang goes to the Ninth Heaven to seek out Bai Jiusi but is intercepted by a furious Long Yuan.
- A Tragic End: Qing Yang is found murdered, her death caused by lightning magic—a power associated with Cang Lei Hall.Long Yuan is the prime suspect, though he denies it.
- A War Declared: Grieving and enraged, Li Qingyue leads the entire Jingyun Sect to the Ninth Heaven, demanding Long Yuan's life as payment and threatening all-out war.A Celestial Emissary's attempt to de-escalate fails, setting the stage for a major conflict.
