Episode Summary
The demon Tian Yao Jiu Huo discovers Dongfang Huaizhu's special spiritual blood and kidnaps her using a time-traveling golden lotus artifact, taking her twenty years into the future to Biluo Cheng. He intends to use the Huangquan Clan's sacred relic, Jin Chenxi, but finds it damaged. Back in the present, Li Quzhu creates a one-time-use replica of the artifact for Wangquan Hongye, Yang Yitan, and Wangquan Zui to follow. Dongfang Huaizhu awakens in the future with amnesia, now known as Hufa Huaizhu and serving Jiu Huo. The trio arrives in a chaotic future where the Yiqi Meng has fallen. Wangquan Hongye finds Huaizhu in Biluo Cheng, but she doesn't recognize him and has a demonic aura. Meanwhile, Jiu Huo needs human blood to survive, and his attendant Ye Yuan shows jealousy towards Huaizhu.
Spoiler Alert
Okay, settle in, folks, because Episode 10 of "Love in Pavilion" just threw us a major curveball and sent things hurtling into a whole new dimension – literally!
So, our leading lady, Dongfang Huaizhu, is clearly not having a good day. We open with her in the bamboo forest, working out some serious angst with her sword. Little does she know, she's got an unwelcome spectator: the demon baddie, Tian Yao Jiu Huo. And he’s just had a lightbulb moment – Dongfang Huaizhu is a "Ling Xue" successor! For those not in the know, that means she’s got some seriously potent spiritual blood, making her a prime target.
Meanwhile, the ever-observant Yang Yitan has been playing detective, tracing some nasty demon energy from the Yuyao Guo (Demon Control Nation) underground palace. His findings? The big demon responsible paid a couple of visits to Shenhuo Shanzhuang (Divine Fire Mountain Villa). Wangquan Hongye, ever the hero, immediately dashes off to Shenhuo Shanzhuang. But, ugh, talk about bad timing! He’s a step too late. Jiu Huo has already knocked Dongfang Huaizhu unconscious and spirited her away. The only thing left behind is a peculiar lotus-shaped golden artifact.
Now, this artifact isn't just a pretty trinket. Jiu Huo uses it to rip a hole in spacetime (as one does) and zaps himself twenty years into the future, landing in a place called Biluo Cheng (Jade Drop City). His master plan? To use the Huangquan Clan's sacred relic, the Jin Chenxi (Golden Morning Glow), to refine his physical body. Only problem is, the Jin Chenxi is damaged. Bummer for him. Adding another layer to this future-flung plot, we learn that a Huangquan Clan guardian, Ye Yuan, has been patiently waiting in Biluo Cheng for a whopping five hundred years for his master, Tian Yao Jiu Huo, to return. Talk about loyalty!
Back in the present (or, well, their present), Wangquan Hongye and his crew are trying to figure out their next move. Luckily, they have Li Quzhu, who’s a whiz at crafting magical artifacts. The golden lotus artifact is ancient demon tech, capable of tearing through spacetime, so it's not exactly an easy DIY project. But Li Quzhu is confident he can whip up a replica by dawn. Wangquan Hongye is understandably a bit baffled by the whole "tearing spacetime" concept. Li Quzhu gives him the quick version: the artifact can transport people to the past or the future. And based on the energy signature left behind, it’s clear Jiu Huo has taken Dongfang Huaizhu to the future.
Here’s the catch with Li Quzhu's replica: it's a one-time-use deal. Once they jump to the future and find Dongfang Huaizhu, if they want to return, they have to activate the replica immediately. It will then create a sympathetic resonance with the original golden lotus to pull them back. No pressure, right?
Speaking of Dongfang Huaizhu, she eventually wakes up in this strange new future, completely disoriented. Jiu Huo makes his appearance, and let's be honest, she’s no match for him in her current state. She faints again. The next time she awakens, her memories are wiped clean. Dongfang Huaizhu is gone, and in her place is "Hufa Huaizhu" (Guardian Huaizhu).
Armed with the replica artifact, Wangquan Hongye, along with Yang Yitan and Wangquan Zui, make the leap twenty years into the future. The scene that greets them is bleak. Shenhuo Shanzhuang is deserted, a total ghost town. Ruyi Lou (Ruyi Pavilion/Tower) is in the same desolate state. Their grim tour is interrupted when they encounter a seemingly crazed woman being chased. After they rescue her, she drops some terrifying bombshells: the Yiqi Meng (One Qi Alliance) – the main good-guy organization – collapsed five years ago! The world has devolved into chaos, with humans killing demons and demons killing humans, a complete breakdown of order. According to her, Biluo Cheng, the divine capital of the Huangquan Clan, is the last bastion of peace, a supposed sanctuary for both humans and demons.
Guided by the woman, the trio makes their way to Biluo Cheng. It's not long before Wangquan Hongye spots Dongfang Huaizhu. But this isn't the Huaizhu he knows. She's now Zuo Hufa Huaizhu (Left Guardian Huaizhu), her distinctive divine fire mark on her forehead replaced by a datura flower insignia. And the most heartbreaking part? She has absolutely no memory of him. Ouch.
Wangquan Hongye, always sharp, notices his sword lacks its usual killing intent around her. He also senses a demonic aura within Huaizhu, not just superficially, but deeply integrated into her very being. To get some answers (and probably to test her), he engages her in a brief fight before making a strategic withdrawal.
In a tragic little side story, a demon, who was apparently told by this new Huaizhu to seek refuge at the Jin Chen Inn, meets a grim fate. The innkeeper captures him, and he becomes just another unfortunate soul sacrificed to help repair the damaged Jin Chenxi artifact. So much for a safe haven.
After regrouping with Wangquan Zui and Yang Yitan, Wangquan Hongye takes an antidote for some demon poison (occupational hazard, I guess!) and tries to process the mind-boggling situation. What in the world happened to Dongfang Huaizhu?
Meanwhile, our villain Jiu Huo isn't having a picnic either. The wound he sustained from a dragon bone isn't healing, and he needs to consume human blood to maintain his strength. Ye Yuan, ever the devoted servant, is tasked with procuring these... "refreshments."
However, Ye Yuan seems to harbor some serious jealousy towards Huaizhu. In a nasty move, he deliberately allows Huaizhu to walk in on Jiu Huo during one of his blood-drinking sessions. Jiu Huo, to his credit (or perhaps out of self-preservation, given Huaizhu's special blood), exercises immense self-control and resists the urge to feed on her. He angrily dismisses Huaizhu and then turns on Ye Yuan, having seen right through his malicious little scheme. Jiu Huo punishes him severely, warning him never to pull a stunt like that again. Ye Yuan is left terrified, so hopefully, he’s learned his lesson.
So, there you have it! Dongfang Huaizhu is brainwashed and serving the enemy, the future is a dystopian nightmare, and our heroes are stuck there with a very precarious return ticket. How will Wangquan Hongye save Huaizhu and get them back? And what’s the full story behind Jiu Huo’s plans and the mysterious Biluo Cheng? This episode left us with more questions than answers, and I, for one, am on the edge of my seat for the next installment!
