Episode Summary
The group discovers their well is poisoned and devises a desperate escape plan for Old Madam Wu. Xiao Qiushui acts as a decoy to draw out the Power-wielding Gang, exposing Liu Suifeng as a mole in the process. Though the decoy plan works and the real Old Madam Wu escapes, Xiao Qiushui is ambushed and poisoned, and learns another enemy, the Sword King, is also in pursuit.
Spoiler Alert
The Poisoned Well
The episode kicks off with some classic spy games. Qiu Bo tries to sneak into Zhenmei Pavilion. He's not very good at it. Tang Fang spots him immediately. Just as she's about to follow him in, Liu Suifeng pops up out of nowhere. They trade a few blows, which makes enough noise to draw out Xiao Qiushui and Xiao Xilou.
Seeing he's cornered, Qiu Bo just kills himself. A servant fills everyone in on Qiu Bo's recent activities. Xiao Qiushui puts two and two together and figures out the well water is poisoned. He orders nobody to drink from it. This causes a panic. Sun Huishan just used that water to make soup for Old Madam Wu. She rushes off, but luckily, the old woman hadn't drunk it yet. The whole incident forces Old Madam Wu out of hiding.
The Hero's Token Explained
With Old Madam Wu now in the open, Qu Jianchi asks a solid question. Why does she, a person outside the martial arts world, have the Hero's Token?
So, she tells the story. Years ago, the Northern Wilderness invaded the lands of Da Xi. The three major sects—Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei—created the token. They promised it to anyone who could drive back the invaders. A guy named Yan Kuangtu stepped up. He went deep into enemy territory and dealt a major blow to their army. He earned the token. But his methods were extreme, and the other martial artists couldn't accept him. He eventually gave the token to Old Madam Wu for safekeeping.
The Escape Plan
A Decoy and a Prayer
Xiao Xilou is stressing. They have to get Old Madam Wu out in two days, and their only water source is poisoned. Xiao Qiushui comes up with a plan. They'll send a group of people out of the Sword Hut to "save water." This will create a diversion. Under the cover of the chaos, they can sneak the real Old Madam Wu out to meet with General Wu. Liu Suifeng thinks it's a great idea. Xiao Qiushui volunteers to be the decoy and pretend to be Old Madam Wu. It's a risky move, but it's the only one they have. Before he leaves, Sun Huishan gives him a small bag of tricks for self-defense.
The Mole's Gambit
They bust out of the Sword Hut in four separate groups. The goal is to confuse the Power-wielding Gang. But there's a problem. Liu Suifeng has already tipped off the enemy. The gang has an ambush waiting in the camphor forest, with signalmen at every intersection.
Xiao Qiushui's decoy team takes out a signalman. Then they set off a ton of signals themselves. They draw the entire enemy force right to them. Kong Yangqin leads the charge. When he gets there, Xiao Qiushui reveals his face. The gang knows they've been tricked. Xiao Qiushui's team is massively outnumbered. They're wiped out pretty quickly, but Xiao Qiushui manages to escape alone.
The Real Plan
Tang Fang and Liu Suifeng are with a different group. They think they have the real Old Madam Wu. After luring Song Mingzhu in, Liu Suifeng attacks the cloaked figure he thinks is the target. It turns out to be one of the Xiao family's maids.
We learn that Xiao Qiushui suspected a mole was in their ranks. He secretly changed the plan right before they left. Liu Suifeng had no idea. After the Power-wielding Gang retreats, Tang Fang orders her people back to the Sword Hut. She confronts Liu Suifeng. She noticed he cares a little too much about where Old Madam Wu is. She asks him what he's really after. He's slippery, though. He just turns it around and questions her motives instead.
A Trail of Bodies
Kong Yangqin chases Xiao Qiushui deep into the forest. Xiao Qiushui finally stops running. As Kong Yangqin moves in for the kill, he walks right into a hidden trap and dies on the spot.
Just as Xiao Qiushui is about to leave, he gets ambushed again. This time it's Hua Gufen, the Hundred Poisons Demon God. He hits Xiao Qiushui in the neck with a dart carrying a poison bug. Then Hua Gufen triggers another explosive trap and gets himself killed in the blast.
Tang Fang and Liu Suifeng find Xiao Qiushui. He's been poisoned, but he's not panicking. He says Xiao Xueyu gave him an antidote. He explains that he had to change the plan because the Power-wielding Gang has eyes and ears everywhere. As for the real Old Madam Wu? She was secretly escorted out through the back mountain by Tang Rou.
New Threats Emerge
With that settled, Xiao Qiushui immediately heads for Jinzhong to meet General Wu. He stops at the Tongfu Inn and picks up a letter. The news is not good. The Sword King's men are also out there searching for Old Madam Wu. Xiao Qiushui realizes he has to change the rendezvous plan again.
