Episode Summary
Episode 25 of "Love in Pavilion" focuses on Wangquan Hongye and Dongfang Huaizhu making heartfelt wishes for each other, while Qin Lan grapples with her emotions. Zhang Zheng confronts Anayan, who then plots further mischief. The much-anticipated Leiyao Contest kicks off with dangerous, illusion-based challenges. During the contest, Anayan uncovers Dongfang Huaizhu's true identity. In a critical moment, Huaizhu uses the coveted Xiwu Flower to save Wangquan Hongye from being petrified, and the Flower Spirit grants Jiang Juanxue a chance to speak final words to Huaizhu and Qin Lan.
Spoiler Alert
"Love in Pavilion" Episode 25: Wishes, Poisons, and a Killer Contest!
We open with our main couple, Wangquan Hongye and Dongfang Huaizhu, having a sweet moment at Half-Moon Lake. They're making wishes, and adorably, their wishes are all about each other's happiness and safety. It's so romantic, the lake literally turns perfectly round, and the trees around them start glowing with this magical purple light. Seriously, relationship goals right there.
Watching this idyllic scene is Huaizhu's sister, Qin Lan. Seeing her sis and Wangquan Hongye looking like a perfect pair gets her all sentimental, and she's about ready to head home. But nope! Li Quzhu, ever the playful one, grabs her and insists she make a wish too since they're already there. The funny part? Before Li Quzhu can even whisper his own wish, poof! He turns back into a little puppy. Classic.
Later, back at their place, Qin Lan is clearly wrestling with some complicated feelings and decides a little liquid courage is in order. Li Quzhu, in his human form again (I guess?), joins the pity party, gets tipsy himself, and starts daydreaming. You gotta love his chaotic energy.
Meanwhile, things are getting tense elsewhere. Zhang Zheng is standing his ground against Anayan. He refuses to tell her that he lost to Wangquan Hongye and that he's ditching the Yuhua Kingdom to go back to the Yiqi League. Anayan's leverage is slipping; her spy within the Yiqi League has been rooted out, so she can't use that pesky indenture contract against anyone anymore. Desperate, she tries to blackmail Zhang Zheng by bringing up the burial site of some "young master" (sounds ominous!), but Zhang Zheng isn't falling for it.
Anayan, now royally ticked off, tries to use a Yuhua Talisman on Zhang Zheng. Plot twist! The demon poison in Zhang Zheng's system has already been cleared, so her magic fizzles out. Zhang Zheng, being the bigger person (or maybe just done with her nonsense), decides not to finish her off and just walks away. Stone cold.
Then, Jin Renfeng makes an appearance in the Yuhua Kingdom. Anayan basically tells him to cool his jets and that Lord Jiu Huo will get an explanation after the Leiyao Contest, which is just four days away.
Speaking of unresolved issues, Qingmu Yuan is still dealing with that demon poison. It's only been temporarily suppressed, and they haven't found a real cure yet. She's keeping this from Zhang Zheng, though, not wanting to burden him further since he's already carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Later, when Qingmu Yuan is giving some intel to Wangquan Hongye, the poison acts up. Huaizhu and Qin Lan are quick to notice she's poisoned, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out it's somehow connected to Zhang Zheng.
Four days later, it's showtime at the Zuimeng Lou for the Leiyao Contest! Huaizhu and Qin Lan arrive, each with their "demons" in tow – Wangquan Hongye and Li Quzhu, respectively (we see what you did there, ladies!). But Gu Ze, the organizer, has changed the rules. This time, contestants need to retrieve a treasure from within an illusion to win. Anayan is eyeing the sisters, finding them highly suspicious. Still, she thinks they might just be the ones destined to get the Xiwu Flower. Her sinister plan? Let them grab the flower, and then her people will take them out.
As soon as they enter the illusion, things get real. Creepy black grass starts spreading like crazy inside a cave. Wangquan Hongye manages to get Dongfang Huaizhu out of the immediate path, but they find themselves trapped in an enclosure with another group. A mystical voice from a floating flower lays down the grim ultimatum: they have to kill the other group, or everyone in the enclosure dies. No pressure, right?
In another part of the illusion, Li Quzhu is struggling. He's managed to get airborne using a few paper kites, holding onto Qin Lan, who in turn is holding onto two other people. The kites are barely supporting their combined weight, and Li Quzhu is about to lose his grip.
Back with Wangquan Hongye, things take a dark turn. Tuoba, one of the contestants, gets devoured by the black grass and is eliminated – which means, yup, he's dead. And just as Wangquan Hongye saves his own "demon," someone from outside the illusion uses a Yuhua Talisman to kill that demon. Ouch. Anayan, who's been observing everything, sees Huaizhu use her Dongfang Divine Fire and instantly recognizes her. She also starts to suspect the true identity of Huaizhu's "demon" (Wangquan Hongye) and immediately sends someone to the King's palace. The jig might be up!
The Xiwu Flower Spirit seems pretty impressed by Wangquan Hongye and Dongfang Huaizhu, maybe for their skills or their sheer audacity, and allows them to proceed to the next stage. Huaizhu is deemed "good" and receives a Xiwu Flower capable of purifying evil. Wangquan Hongye, however, due to his rather bloody past as a young man (lots of killing, apparently), is judged as "evil." His punishment? He's turned to stone!
Without a moment's hesitation, Dongfang Huaizhu uses her newly acquired Xiwu Flower on the petrified Wangquan Hongye, desperately trying to revive him. Just as his spirit seems to be detaching from his body, on the verge of becoming a full-blown demon, Huaizhu manages to awaken him. Phew!
The Flower Spirit is deeply moved by this display of devotion and sacrifice. As a result, she decides to spare Qin Lan and her group on the other side of the illusion, letting them live. Before fading, the Flower Spirit leaves behind a trace of Jiang Juanxue's spiritual power. This allows Jiang Juanxue to share some final words with the sisters, Huaizhu and Qin Lan. Get your tissues ready for that conversation!
