Episode Summary
The Xiao brothers, believing Qiushui is dead, are ambushed on their way to the Sword Hut. Qiushui, who is actually alive, escapes from his captor Liu Suifeng, only to fall into more trouble. A supposed ally, the Snake King, betrays everyone, leading to a massacre and the death of another Xiao brother, Shinian. The episode ends with Liu Suifeng using Shinian's death to try and finally break Qiushui and get the location of the Hero's Token.
Spoiler Alert
The Xiao Brothers on the Run
A New Plan and a Big Detour
Xiao Yiren finally links up with Xiao Xueyu, but the reunion is grim. They're operating under the belief that Qu Hanshan has killed their brother, Xiao Qiushui. Xueyu is devastated and wants to head back to Guangling, but Yiren is all business. He says this isn't the time to mourn. Their brother died to expose the truth, and the best way to honor him is to get back to the Sword Hut safely.
Just then, their second brother, Xiao Kaiyan, shows up. His entire squad was wiped out in an ambush by Qu Hanshan. Yiren, putting the pieces together, figures Qu Hanshan will have the main road staked out. He makes a call. They're changing course and heading through the territory of the Diancang Sect.
Qiushui's Game of Wits
The Great Escape
Turns out, reports of Qiushui's death are greatly exaggerated. He's very much alive and a prisoner of Liu Suifeng, who is still obsessed with finding the Hero's Token.Liu Suifeng is using some nasty pressure-point torture and even eats roast duck in front of a starving Qiushui to break him. It's a low blow.
But Qiushui is playing a longer game. He realizes he needs to stall Liu Suifeng to buy his brothers time. So, he changes his tune, starts eating, and calls Liu Suifeng's bluff, revealing he knew the food was poisoned. When pressed about the Hero's Token, Qiushui claims Old Madam Wu never said a word about it.This just makes Liu Suifeng angry, and he cranks up the poison, causing Qiushui agonizing pain.
While this is happening, the Sword King arrives and demands Liu Suifeng hand over Qiushui. The two masters clash, and in the confusion, Qiushui makes a run for it.
Betrayals and Ambushes
The Snake King Shows His Fangs
Back at the family fortress, the Sword Hut, things are dire. Water is almost gone. The family patriarch, Xiao Xilou, is prepared to die as long as his children survive to carry on the Huanhua Sect's legacy.
His children, however, are walking into another trap. Song Mingzhu had sent an operative called the Snake King to intercept them on the Diancang path. She also gave orders to have the Snake King killed if he showed any signs of betraying them.
Her paranoia was justified. The Snake King goes completely rogue. He massacres the entire Diancang Sect and pins the blame on Liu Suifeng. Then, he and his followers ambush Xiao Yiren's group. As they fight, a ship from the Power-wielding Gang, carrying Zu Jindian, just happens to pass by.
A New Low for Qiushui
A wounded Qiushui stumbles through a forest and runs into a group called the Four Sticks of the Dragon River. These guys make a living by turning in dead bodies to the authorities for rewards. Seeing Qiushui is alive, they decide to drown him first and then "discover" his body for the reward money.
Qiushui tries to talk his way out of it, telling them a live hostage is worth more than a dead body. He tells them to take him to the Xiao family's Guangling Courtyard. The moment they hear the name, they realize who he is. Qiushui also has a flash of memory from the "original story" where he killed three of their members. He knows talking is useless now. But just as they're about to finish him, Liu Suifeng shows up and stops them.
The Final Squeeze
The situation for Xiao Yiren's group goes from bad to worse. Zu Jindian attacks them, and they suffer heavy losses. Yiren's men have to sacrifice themselves just to carve out an escape path for him and Xiao Xueyu. Yiren has a breakdown, screaming at the heavens about why his good and charitable family deserves this fate.
Meanwhile, Song Mingzhu confirms the Snake King's betrayal and his alliance with Zu Jindian. She takes matters into her own hands and kills the Snake King. She also learns that during the ambush, they killed another Xiao brother, Xiao Shinian.
Liu Suifeng drags the captured Four Sticks of the Dragon River in front of Qiushui. He gives him an ultimatum. He has the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn. Either Qiushui tells him where the Hero's Token is, or he'll cripple the four men. As they beg Qiushui to talk, Song Mingzhu walks in. She throws a token on the ground in front of Qiushui. It belonged to his dead brother, Xiao Shinian.
