Episode Summary
In this episode, Xiao Qiushui is publicly framed by Qu Hanshan, who uses a controlled witness and a staged duel to turn everyone against him. Betrayed by his own brother, Xiao Qiushui's martial arts are crippled, while the true mastermind, Liu Suifeng, is revealed.
Spoiler Alert
This episode was a tough watch. Our guy Xiao Qiushui gets put through the wringer.I knew this was coming, but it still hurt to see it all go down.
The Setup
A Stolen Token and a Missing Witness
The whole mess starts with a bad idea. Xiao Qiushui asks Tang Fang to steal the sect leader's token. You just know that's not going to end well.
Of course, she gets caught almost immediately. Xiao Yiren, his brother, finds her with the token. He confronts Xiao Qiushui right away. Yiren is already on edge. He tells Qiushui that Qu Hanshan has agreed to help their family. He wants his brother to just keep his head down.
Xiao Qiushui tries to explain himself. He says the man he just rescued, Du Yueshan, can prove he's right. But when they look for Du Yueshan, he's vanished. So now Qiushui just looks like a liar and a thief. Tang Fang, Deng Yuhan, and Zuo Qiu immediately rush out to find the missing witness.
The Public Accusation
The Trial by Combat
The next day is a total disaster. Xiao Yiren brings Xiao Qiushui to a public gathering at Yigong Lin. Qu Hanshan is there with all the major sects.He immediately points the finger at Xiao Qiushui. He accuses him of being a spy for the Northern Wilderness. He claims Qiushui freed another spy from his personal dungeon.
Xiao Qiushui denies everything. He fires back, accusing Qu Hanshan of murdering Gu Junshan and imprisoning Du Yueshan. He tells everyone that Du Yueshan personally taught him the Mengxiang Sword technique as thanks for saving him.
Qu Hanshan smirks. He suggests a little test.He has one of his own men, a Hall Master Ge, who also knows the technique. They can fight, and the truth will come out. They start to duel. But it's a trap. Hall Master Ge forces Xiao Qiushui to use a different, forbidden skill called the Blood-Drinking Thirteen Blades. The crowd gasps. Now everyone is convinced Xiao Qiushui is a traitor. He realizes Qu Hanshan planned this whole thing from the start.
The Ultimate Betrayal
Qu Hanshan turns to the other sect leaders. He asks them what the proper punishment is for someone who secretly learns forbidden arts. They all agree. The person's martial arts must be crippled. Their meridians must be severed.
Xiao Yiren tries to step in. He says his brother must have been tricked. But Hall Master Ge pushes back. He suggests the entire Xiao family might be in on it, colluding with the enemy.
Just then, Tang Fang arrives. She found Du Yueshan. But this is where it all falls apart. Du Yueshan stands before the crowd and says he is the Northern Wilderness spy. Then he points at Xiao Qiushui. He says the legendary Hero's Token is hidden on him. Qu Hanshan steps forward and, naturally, "finds" the token on Qiushui.His own brothers are stunned.
Xiao Yiren, devastated, offers to cut off his own arm to pay for his brother's crime. But Qu Hanshan isn't having it. He says only Xiao Qiushui can be punished. Tang Fang tries to speak up again, but her brother, Tang Song, shows up. He drags her away, saying she was manipulated by Qiushui.
Xiao Qiushui knows he's been perfectly framed. He tries to make a run for it, planning to clear his name later. But his own brother, Xiao Yiren, blocks his path. With everyone watching, Qu Hanshan steps forward and cripples Xiao Qiushui's powers.
The Aftermath
The Mastermind Revealed
So, who was pulling the strings? It turns out to be Liu Suifeng. He used a spell to control Du Yueshan and force him to frame Xiao Qiushui. After the job is done, Du Yueshan asks to have the spell removed.
Liu Suifeng refuses. He reveals his true identity. He is the young master of Baicao Valley. He says his business with the Xiao family is far from over. We learn a little about his motives. Du Yueshan admits that years ago, he tried to steal a medicine formula from Baicao Valley. He was caught and kicked out. But someone else succeeded later and spread rumors that the valley was making military-grade pills. Liu Suifeng is still investigating that betrayal. He makes Du Yueshan write a confession, stating that the Diancang Sect was involved in transporting those pills.
A Desperate Escape
While all this is happening, Tang Fang is being taken back to the Tang Sect. She's not going quietly, though. She fakes being unconscious, and when her sister Tang Qing isn't looking, she uses a hidden weapon and escapes.
A Glimmer of Hope?
Back with the Xiao family, things are grim. Xiao Xueyu seals Qiushui's meridians to help with the pain. Even in his crippled state, Xiao Qiushui begs his brother to stop Qu Hanshan from entering the family's sacred Sword Hut. Xiao Yiren refuses to listen.
Later, alone in his room, Xiao Qiushui is going through his belongings. He finds something unexpected hidden in his bag. It's the key to the Sword Hut.
