Episode Summary
Jiu Huo escapes and uses the repaired Jin Chenxi to unleash the Black Fox Jia Lan during a celestial event. Wangquan Hongye, Dongfang Huaizhu, and Yang Yitan pursue but are overpowered. Li Quzhu sacrifices himself, using the Golden Lotus and talismans to buy time for the others to travel back twenty years. Arriving in the past, Wangquan Hongye collapses injured but is cared for by Huaizhu at Shenhuo Mountain Villa. Old Master Dongfang approves of Hongye, fueling Jin Renfeng's jealousy. Jin Renfeng plots after overhearing plans to destroy the past Golden Lotus. Meanwhile, Wangquan Zui struggles with Yang Yitan's unspoken feelings. After recovering, Hongye leaves, and Huaizhu discovers irregularities at the Villa, leading to the revelation that Jin Renfeng is enslaving Yao for profit. Huaizhu challenges him, revealing she has mastered the Pure Yang Flame.
Spoiler Alert
Love in Pavilion: Episode 18 Recap & Spoilers
Alright, so the episode kicks off with some major drama. Remember Jiu Huo? Well, he's dead set on fixing the Jin Chenxi (think powerful, mystical artifact) purely to save Jia Lan. He's literally willing to drown himself in an abyss and let the world go to heck in a handbasket for her. Talk about devotion, right?
Naturally, the sky starts doing weird things, which immediately tips off Dongfang Huaizhu and Wangquan Hongye. They instantly figure Jiu Huo must have busted out. They rush over to where the magic seal was, only to find Jiu Huo has already repaired the Jin Chenxi and snagged it. They try to stop him, but nope, he's too slippery. Plan B: call in Yang Yitan and give chase!
Jiu Huo, being the opportunist he is, waits for a celestial event – the "Seven Stars Alignment" – and uses the Jin Chenxi's power to rip open the barrier (the "circle") holding back the Black Fox, Jia Lan. She manifests as this creepy black mist – no solid body, but seriously powerful.
Wangquan Hongye and the crew try their "Tong Qi Lian Zhi" technique (like a power-combo move), but it’s basically useless against this smoky, formless terror. Seeing things go south fast, Li Quzhu steps up. He activates the now-repaired Golden Lotus artifact and throws up thousands of talismans like magical confetti to shield the others. His goal? Stall the Black Fox long enough for Wangquan Hongye and the others to jump back twenty years into the past.
It's intense! The Black Fox shreds through the talismans one by one, and the backlash hits Li Quzhu hard – he's coughing up blood, severely injured. Just when it looks like curtains for him, the Golden Lotus from twenty years ago flares up and yanks Wangquan Hongye's group back through time. Phew!
They land in the past, but Wangquan Hongye immediately collapses, badly wounded from the earlier fight. Dongfang Huaizhu is obviously freaking out, but her dad, Old Master Dongfang, reassures her, basically saying, "Don't worry, I got this, he'll be fine."
Old Master Dongfang is actually pretty impressed with Wangquan Hongye for managing to rescue his daughter, Huaizhu. You can see the admiration in his eyes. However, standing nearby is the senior disciple, Jin Renfeng, and let's just say he's radiating pure jealousy and some seriously bad vibes. He conveniently overhears Li Quzhu and the others talking about destroying the past Golden Lotus to completely block Jiu Huo's path through time. This gives Jin Renfeng a truly nasty idea... uh oh.
Meanwhile, in subplot land, Wangquan Zui keeps trying to get Yang Yitan to admit... well, something (we all know it's about feelings, right?). But he keeps dodging, and she's getting seriously annoyed. Li Quzhu, bless his heart, sees her frustration but thinks she's mad about their pesky arranged engagement she can't get out of. It's Li Zizai who actually gets it, assuring Wangquan Zui that Yang Yitan definitely has feelings for her. Li Quzhu, finally catching on, blurts something out, making Wangquan Zui blush furiously and stuff food in his mouth to shut him up. Classic.
Back with our main couple, Dongfang Huaizhu has been diligently nursing Wangquan Hongye back to health, pulling all-nighters. She dozes off for a second and almost falls, but a newly awake Wangquan Hongye catches her. Smooth. Just then, a message arrives from Old Master Dongfang: if Wangquan Hongye is awake, Dad wants to see him. Huaizhu tells him not to be nervous meeting her father.
Old Master Dongfang sends Huaizhu's sister, Dongfang Qinlan, away so he can talk to Wangquan Hongye alone. It starts off a bit formal, but then the wine comes out, and things loosen up fast. Soon, they're practically slinging arms around each other like old buddies. It's pretty funny. When Huaizhu and Qinlan show up and see the state of them, they just roll their eyes and order some vinegar to be sent over (likely to sober them up!).
The next morning, Wangquan Hongye wakes up hungover. Huaizhu gives him strict instructions: take this medicine for seven days straight. When it runs out after seven days, he's to come back to Shenhuo Mountain Villa himself to get more. Wangquan Hongye has other important business to attend to, so he doesn't linger.
After he leaves, Huaizhu notices something's off. During the time she was gone (presumably captured/rescued), the Villa's supply of medicinal herbs and its income have mysteriously increased. Plus, she sees two disciples returning from gathering herbs without any climbing gear, which is weird for mountain harvesting. Her Spidey-senses tingling, Huaizhu tells Qinlan to gather all the disciples for questioning.
Elsewhere, Steward Fei presents Wangquan Hongye with his reforged Wangquan Sword. It seems Hongye isn't planning on recklessly charging outside the barrier to fight Black Foxes anymore; he's going to approach the whole Black Fox situation more strategically now.
Back at the Villa, during the questioning, Old Master Dongfang totally blows the lid off Jin Renfeng's dirty secret: he's been enslaving the Yao (demon/spirit folk) to gather herbs for the Villa! Jin Renfeng, caught red-handed, shows zero remorse and even seems proud of it. Disgusted, Huaizhu challenges him to a duel right then and there.
But before they can even clash, Jin Renfeng stares in shock. He realizes Dongfang Huaizhu has mastered the legendary Pure Yang Flame!
Boom! End of episode. What a cliffhanger! Looks like Jin Renfeng might have underestimated Huaizhu, and things are about to get even more complicated. Can't wait to see what happens next!
