Episode Summary

Mu Xiaowu gets lost following directions from the leech demon Cuiyu Mingluan and ends up in Baiyu Village. The villagers, led by the Chief's son who claims Cuiyu killed his brother, capture her. Mu Xiaowu realizes the villagers are deceptive and cruel when they drug and attack him. Cuiyu uses her powers to escape with Mu Xiaowu. Meanwhile, Huai Zhu heals Wangquan Hongye after absorbing Jialan's power. Discovering crucial information about Black Foxes and suspecting Jiu Huo, she forms a tense alliance with Wangquan Hongye, securing his cooperation with a magical lock on his heart. She tests his control and feelings for her using aphrodisiac incense. The episode ends with Mu Xiaowu wanting to return to Baiyu Village for answers, and Wangquan Zui and Yang Yitan secretly following Ye Yuan out of the city.

Spoiler Alert

Mu Xiaowu's Wild Detour & A Village Secret

First up, we get a little backstory on Mu Mie (who is Mu Xiaowu's son). Turns out, Mu Mie has these intense prophetic dreams where he sees someone digging out a "Sky Eye," but he doesn't know what it means. His quest for answers leads him to Biluo City, known for being the best place to get information, which explains his earlier run-in asking the leech demon, Cuiyu Mingluan, for directions.

Now, cut to Mu Xiaowu himself actually following those directions from Cuiyu... and getting spectacularly lost. After wandering around, completely parched and starving, he finally spots a place called Baiyu Village. The Village Chief seems welcoming enough at first, giving the weary traveler some food. However, the vibe shifts dramatically when Mu Xiaowu mentions he met Cuiyu Mingluan. The Chief slams the table, demanding to know where the leech demon is. Unfortunately for them, Mu Xiaowu's sense of direction is so bad he genuinely can't recall where he saw her.

The situation gets darker when the Chief's eldest son appears, claiming that very leech demon murdered his younger brother. He starts rallying the villagers, determined to get revenge on Cuiyu. Mu Xiaowu feels conflicted; Cuiyu didn't seem evil to him, and she even gave him directions (however confusing they were). The son brushes off his doubts, saying demons are masters of deception, and basically forces Mu Xiaowu to join their hunting party.

Using his special "Sky Eye" ability, Mu Xiaowu manages to locate Cuiyu hiding in a bamboo forest. The Chief's son then pulls a cruel move: he uses an injured cat demon as bait to draw Cuiyu out. Then, slapping a "Yuyao Talisman" (Demon Control Talisman) on the poor cat, he forces it to attack Cuiyu, leading to her capture.

Mu Xiaowu, witnessing all this, can tell Cuiyu isn't fighting to kill. He steps in, insisting they can't harm her until he figures out the real story. Bad move. The Chief's son simply drugs Mu Xiaowu and then, adding injury to insult, shoots him with an arrow! It's only then that Mu Xiaowu realizes the Chief and his son are not the good guys. Thankfully, Cuiyu taps into her power, her eyes turning red, and releases a cloud of poison mist, allowing her to grab Mu Xiaowu and escape Baiyu Village.

Huai Zhu's Alliance and Dangerous Games

Meanwhile, in the other major plotline, Huai Zhu has successfully absorbed Jialan's demonic power. She uses it to break the spell binding Wangquan Hongye, and he finally wakes up. Now conscious, Wangquan Hongye and the mysterious Jiu Huo are giving conflicting accounts, and Huai Zhu knows someone's lying. She makes it crystal clear to Wangquan Hongye that she is Dongfang Huai Zhu, her own person, and not a replacement for anyone else. His response? Prove it.

Later, learning Jiu Huo has left the city, Huai Zhu slips into his room to do some searching. She remembers him mentioning the "Yuyao Kingdom" and finds records about it. This leads to a crucial discovery about the Black Foxes, beings who live "outside the circle," feed on hatred, possess immense power, but lack physical bodies. This revelation makes Huai Zhu understand Jialan's earlier cryptic comment about being "very satisfied" with her.

Huai Zhu confronts Jiu Huo with a pointed question. His silence speaks volumes, confirming her suspicions. This solidifies her decision: she needs to team up with Wangquan Hongye to deal with Jialan and Jiu Huo. However, trust is still a major issue. Huai Zhu cleverly uses her newfound demonic power to place a lock on Wangquan Hongye's heart meridian – essentially, she can cause him excruciating pain at will. It's one way to keep your new, potentially untrustworthy ally in check!

She then takes Wangquan Hongye to her room to tend to his injuries. Being in close proximity clearly affects him; his heart starts pounding. Seeing this, Huai Zhu decides to leverage his obvious feelings for her as a test. She lights some incense that she personally concocted, laced with a potent aphrodisiac. Wangquan Hongye starts flushing, visibly struggling to control himself and resist touching her.

His willpower actually impresses Huai Zhu. She thinks that if he can hold out until the incense burns completely, she'll believe in his sincerity. But she knows it won't be easy, given she brewed the temptation herself. Wangquan Hongye puts distance between them, sitting down and using his cultivation techniques to fight the incense's effects.

Loose Ends & Lingering Questions

  1. Back with the escapees, Mu Xiaowu wakes up. Despite nearly being killed, his first instinct is to stubbornly insist on going back to Baiyu Village to uncover the truth. Cuiyu, still in her red-eyed state, probably thinks he's nuts (and maybe a little ungrateful).
  2. The episode closes with Wangquan Zui and Yang Yitan noticing Ye Yuan leaving the city. They decide to follow him secretly. What's Ye Yuan up to?

So, Episode 13 leaves us with Mu Xiaowu potentially heading back into danger, Huai Zhu and Wangquan Hongye in a very tense alliance (and proximity!), and a new mystery surrounding Ye Yuan's movements. Can't wait to see what happens next!