Episode Summary
Xiao Qiushui confronts Xiao Kaiyan, who confesses to killing their parents out of jealousy. A flashback reveals Kaiyan was corrupted by a spirit named Li Nan, learned a forbidden art, and murdered his parents during the siege of the Sword Lodge. In the present, Kaiyan kills Zhu Datianwang, impersonates him, and tries to manipulate his brother Xiao Yiren into betraying a loyal general. While Liu Suifeng seeks atonement from the Shaolin and Wudang sects, Qiushui tries to form an alliance with them. Finally, Qiushui reveals the terrible truth about Kaiyan to a disbelieving Yiren.
Spoiler Alert
This episode was a whole information dump. And I am here for it. We finally get the full, ugly story of how Xiao Kaiyan became the monster he is today.
The Family Confrontation We've Been Waiting For
The show opens right where we needed it to. Xiao Qiushui confronts his brother, Xiao Kaiyan, and asks him the question. Why did you kill our parents?
Kaiyan doesn't bother denying it. He just launches into a classic villain monologue. He complains that he was always ignored. Everyone only paid attention to his brothers, Xiao Yiren and Xiao Qiushui. He's going to prove to the world that he's better than both of them. His ambition is huge. He doesn't just want to work for Zhu Datianwang; he wants to rule the entire martial arts world himself.
What he doesn't know is that Liu Suifeng is hiding nearby. He hears the entire confession. The truth is finally out.
The Full Story: How Kaiyan Went to the Dark Side
We get a massive flashback sequence that explains everything. It turns out Kaiyan had a little devil on his shoulder.
A Deal with a Ghost
Sometime in the past, a spirit named Li Nan possessed Kaiyan. This spirit whispered in his ear about how great it is to be a hero. Kaiyan, who was already bitter about living in his brothers' shadows, was easy to manipulate. Li Nan guided him to the Sword Tomb. There, Kaiyan learned the forbidden "Oblivion Scripture."
The Point of No Return
Things get really dark from here. Back when the Sword Lodge was under siege, their parents had already figured out the Iron-Clad Divine Constable was a threat. They had him tied up. But Kaiyan found them. He seriously wounded the Constable and used a dark art to absorb his "Marrow-Shattering Finger" technique.
His mother, Sun Huishan, saw this and tried to stop him. As Kaiyan pushed her away, he accidentally killed her.
He actually feels guilty for a second. But then his father, Xiao Xilou, arrives. The wounded Constable immediately tells him what happened. He exposes Kaiyan for learning the Oblivion Scripture and killing his own mother. When his father confronts him, Kaiyan just rants about his childhood jealousy. The voice of Li Nan in his head tells him that great men shouldn't worry about small details. So, Kaiyan murders his own father in cold blood.
The Master Manipulator at Work
After the flashback, we see the next steps in Kaiyan's plan. He frees Zhu Datianwang and forms a temporary alliance. Then he gets to work. He uses the "Thousand Faces" mask to impersonate Li Chenzhou and give fake orders to Liu Suifeng. He also murders Deng Qingfeng.
Soon after, he decides Zhu Datianwang has served his purpose. He kills him, pushes him off a cliff, and takes his place.
Kaiyan, now disguised as Zhu Datianwang, meets with his brother Yiren. He delivers a fake imperial order. Yiren must infiltrate General Wu Zhe's army and frame him so he gets recalled from the border. Yiren argues that General Wu is essential for protecting the Da Xi dynasty. Kaiyan loses his temper, calls Yiren a hypocrite, and threatens to destroy his reputation if he doesn't obey.
Alliances and Atonement
Liu Suifeng reports back to the real Li Chenzhou. He explains that Kaiyan is impersonating Zhu Datianwang. But Li Chenzhou says the Power-wielding Gang can't do anything. Kaiyan has the Emperor's support. The Sword King suggests they unite with the Shaolin and Wudang sects, but Liu Suifeng has already made enemies of them.
Feeling guilty, Liu Suifeng decides to fix his own mess. He goes to the Shaolin and Wudang sects to confess that he was tricked into killing their members, Tianzheng and Taichan. He offers to pay with his life. But a powerful, mysterious voice tells him to serve the Da Xi dynasty with his life instead.
At the same time, Xiao Qiushui is making his own moves. He sends a message to Shaolin and Wudang. He tells them he has learned techniques from their own masters and wants to ally with them to protect the dynasty. He just needs more evidence to expose the real villain.
The Unbelievable Truth
The episode ends with another family confrontation. Xiao Yiren returns to his courtyard and finds Qiushui waiting for him. Qiushui lays out all the facts. Kaiyan is the one who killed their parents. He learned the Oblivion Scripture and used a mask to impersonate Zhu Datianwang.
Yiren can't believe it. It seems impossible. But then he remembers their escape from the Sword Lodge. Kaiyan survived several deadly situations that should have been beyond his skill level. At the time, Yiren thought his brother was just lucky. Now, he realizes how suspicious it all was, but he still struggles to accept the horrible truth.
