Episode Summary
The investigation into the immortal pills culminates in a shocking revelation. After initially suspecting Huo Dairong based on compelling evidence, Xiao Beiming unmasks the true culprit: Huo Dairong's unassuming maid. The maid confesses to being an agent of the Night Devil who orchestrated the murder as revenge for a brutal city-wide massacre committed 26 years prior by General Huo and Zhu Guangsha. After her confession, she commits suicide.
Spoiler Alert
The investigation takes a sharp turn as new evidence surfaces. Zhong Xueman successfully captures the fleeing Taoist priest, who confesses that he was delayed in delivering the "immortal pills" because he stopped at a restaurant to eat meat, a minor detour that proves significant. Meanwhile, Tong Shuang's inquiries at the Ghost Market yield a crucial clue: a seal with a distinctive pattern found in the now-vanished "old bug's" shop.
The seal becomes the key to unlocking the next part of the puzzle. When Xiao Beiming shows it to Huo Dairong, she has a flash of recognition—the pattern is identical to one found on her father's medicine pouch. As the team digs deeper, Huo Dairong uncovers a suspicious financial transaction in the account books: a large sum of money wired to the unrelated Weizhou.
Xiao Beiming, ever meticulous, personally retraces the Taoist priest's route from the restaurant to the Guangsha Villa, confirming the timeline is plausible. In Zhu Guangsha's study, he discovers the special box used for the pills. He later presents it to Huo Dairong, revealing its secret: a clever mechanism designed to swap the real pills with fakes. Crucially, the box was meant to be delivered by the shop owner, not picked up by the priest.
Suspicion initially falls on Huo Dairong. Xiao Beiming points out her skills in disguise, her unscheduled trips to the mountain for prayer, and a particular fragrance she wears—the same scent the priest remembers on the person who gave him the box. As Huo Dairong vehemently denies the accusations, Zhong Xueman moves to arrest her, drawing her sword.
In a stunning twist, the sword strike is not aimed at Huo Dairong but at her maid. The maid, revealing incredible martial arts skills, deflects the blow. Xiao Beiming explains his long-held suspicions; ever since Aunt Feng's death, he noticed a controlling look in the maid's eyes, realizing she was no ordinary servant.
Cornered, the maid confesses everything. She is an agent of the Night Devil. She admits she orchestrated her own "rescue" by Zhong Xueman years ago to get close to her targets. Her original plan was to manipulate Zhong Xueman, but when Aunt Feng protected her, the maid changed tactics. She introduced the "lame doctor" to Aunt Feng, using her as a pawn to murder General Huo.
Her motive is pure revenge. The maid reveals that she hates General Huo and Zhu Guangsha because they were part of the Canfeng Jia army that massacred her entire city of Haiya 26 years ago. She was acting on her master's orders to avenge her family and her people. With her story told and justice seemingly out of reach, she breaks free from her restraints, snatches Tong Shuang's sword, and takes her own life.
