Episode Summary
Zhong Xueman discovers the murdered bride and confronts Fang Zheng, who claims he was trying to protect her. A poisoned and powerless Xiao Beiming forges an alliance with the poison expert Feng Qingzhuo. The investigation into the serial murders leads them from a missing human trafficker to the victims' bodies, where they discover gold threads in their faces. After surviving a fire set to destroy the evidence, they trace the gold threads to a shop in Nan Yue Alley, uncovering a link to a mysterious cult called Hua Man Tian and their missing "Saintess."
Spoiler Alert
The episode kicks off with a shocking discovery by Zhong Xueman: the bride has been murdered, found hanging in her room. Xueman immediately gives chase, confronting a mysterious figure in the woods. After a brief fight, the culprit manages to escape.
The following day, Zhong Xueman cleverly lies in wait and catches members of the Divine Capture Camp, led by Fang Zheng, attempting to dispose of the bride's body. She confronts Fang Zheng, accusing him of a cover-up and threatening to report his actions to the Heavenly Court. Fang Zheng gravely explains that destroying the evidence was a desperate move to protect her. He also reveals that he's already on the trail of a suspect named Li Gui, but the man is proving incredibly difficult to capture.
Meanwhile, Xiao Beiming learns a devastating truth: he has been poisoned with a Coagulating Blood Pill, which has completely disrupted his internal energy, stripped him of his martial arts, and will ultimately kill him. A sharp strategist, he quickly deduces that Feng Qingzhuo, the man with him, is the "Little White Dragon" from the infamous Valley of Ultimate Poisons, whose master is the legendary Peerless Old Man. He realizes Feng Qingzhuo is on the run, trying to escape a past where others sought to exploit his knowledge of poisons. Seeing an opportunity, Xiao Beiming proposes a deal: he will help Feng Qingzhuo stay hidden if Feng helps him in return.
Feng Qingzhuo, tired of a life on the run from those who want to force him to create poisons for their own dark ambitions, agrees. His resolve is strengthened when he sees that Xiao Beiming's primary motive is to help his benefactor, Zhong Xueman.
Zhong Xueman's own investigation yields a crucial clue: all the murdered brides had tattoos, revealing they were former prostitutes who had their freedom bought for them before they were killed. Determined to find the killer, she follows this lead. Fang Zheng, fearing for her safety, tries to dissuade her, but Xueman kneels and begs to continue, vowing to get justice for her master and the innocent victims. Left with no choice, Fang Zheng allows her to proceed, and the Divine Capture Camp begins investigating the local brothels.
The investigation points towards a human trafficker named Hu Shisan, who handled all the victims. However, when Zhong Xueman arrives to question him, she finds he has been missing for days. His subordinates claim they don't know the origins of the women, only that they were delivered by a mysterious carriage. A search of Hu Shisan's home reveals little, except for the chilling detail that he was heard crying in fear the night before he vanished.
Later, Zhuge Kongyun, suspicious of the secrecy at Zhong Xueman's residence, sneaks in. He is drawn to a rockery in the backyard, sensing something is hidden within. Just as he is about to investigate, Zhong Xueman returns and angrily sends him away, protecting Xiao Beiming who was hiding inside.
With Hu Shisan missing, Xiao Beiming suggests their only remaining lead is the bodies themselves, a task perfect for Feng Qingzhuo's skills. To prevent Xiao Beiming from escaping, Zhong Xueman disguises him as a servant boy and brings him along to the morgue. There, Feng Qingzhuo's expertise shines as he performs an autopsy, discovering fine gold threads embedded in the faces of every victim—a technique rumored to preserve youth. Just as the clues begin to mount, the morgue is locked from the outside and set ablaze. Despite his weakened state, Xiao Beiming musters his strength to carry Zhong Xueman out of the inferno.
They run straight into Fang Zheng and his men. When an officer, Zhu Yitie, tries to remove the veil from the disguised Xiao Beiming, another officer, Tong Shuang, intervenes. He berates Xiao Beiming and lies to Fang Zheng, claiming the man is just a fellow townsman he arranged to help Xueman. Later, it's revealed that Tong Shuang is actually Xiao Beiming's spy inside the Divine Capture Camp, who has been feeding him information for years.
Though angry at the deception, Zhong Xueman realizes the fire was a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence. The discovery of the gold threads points to a secret art from the now-destroyed Nan Yue Nation. Their next stop is Nan Yue Alley.
The trio—Zhong Xueman, Xiao Beiming, and Feng Qingzhuo—disguise themselves as a newlywed couple and visit a jewelry shop in the alley. Pretending to be a demanding customer, Xueman gets the shopkeeper to show her his finest wares, allowing her to find the same gold threads. When she presses the shopkeeper about the technique, he is evasive. Under threat, he finally confesses: he sold the gold threads to a religious cult called Hua Man Tian. He also identifies a woman in a portrait as their "Saintess," who was taken away for a ritual two months prior.
