Episode Summary
Gou Lingfeng, manipulated by Wu Guangming, agrees to win the Da Xia Ling, believing Wu Guangming is righteous despite Linglong Princess's warnings. Gou Lingfeng saves Ma Yingdan from poisoning. At the Da Xia Hui tournament, Gou Lingfeng wins suspiciously easily, claiming Wu Guangming taught him a new technique. The episode culminates with Linglong Princess exposing Ling'er as Wu Guangming's spy, devastating Zhuge Heng. Though confused by Wu Guangming's actions, Gou Lingfeng is encouraged by Ma Yingdan to continue fighting for justice.
Spoiler Alert
"Hidden Master" Episode 28: Trust, Betrayal, and a Whole Lotta Scheming
The episode kicks off with Gou Lingfeng absolutely fuming over Eunuch Deng's latest shenanigans. Wu Guangming, ever the smooth operator, puts on a masterclass performance, swearing he’d die for the Wulin Hero Alliance. And guess what? Gou Lingfeng totally buys it, hook, line, and sinker. The two have a little pow-wow, acknowledging that with Eunuch Deng and the Prince of Chang teaming up, things are looking pretty grim. Gou Lingfeng is visibly stressed, but Wu Guangming, cool as a cucumber, insists that Gou Lingfeng is their only ticket out of this mess. His mission, should he choose to accept it (and he does, rather enthusiastically), is to snag the Da Xia Ling (Great Hero Token).
Meanwhile, poor Ma Yingdan is having a rough time, suffering from a nasty poison backlash that leaves her weak and her breathing all over the place. Luckily, Gou Lingfeng stumbles upon her and, without a second thought, whisks her back to his place. Get this – he slits his own wrist to feed her his blood and cure her. Talk about a dramatic rescue! Ma Yingdan is, understandably, super touched. Gou Lingfeng, being the hero he is (or tries to be), reassures her that as long as he's around, no harm will come to her. Aww.
Later that night, Gou Lingfeng, Zhuge Heng, and Ling'er are huddled up, trying to figure out their next move. Eunuch Deng is really putting the screws to them, and they’re all worried that if the Prince of Chang himself shows up, it’s game over. Just then, the Linglong Princess waltzes in. She drops a couple of bombshells: first, she claims the Prince of Chang isn't the mustache-twirling villain they think he is. Second, and more importantly, she warns Gou Lingfeng to watch his back around Wu Guangming, basically saying the guy is shady and just using Gou Lingfeng as a pawn.
Gou Lingfeng’s reaction? Immediate and fierce denial. He’s all praises for Wu Guangming, convinced he’s a stand-up dude who’ll lead them to a brighter future. Linglong Princess just gives him this look – you know the one, that "bless your naive heart" kind of look. Before leaving, she throws a lifeline to Zhuge Heng, promising that if he defects to the Prince of Chang, the Jianmeng Sect's problems will magically disappear. Once she’s gone, Ma Yingdan pipes up, suggesting that maybe, just maybe, Linglong Princess has a point about Wu Guangming.
But Gou Lingfeng is still firmly in Camp Wu Guangming. He rushes off to find his confidant, Guilao, for some guidance. Guilao’s advice is simple: trust your gut, kid. He also mentions that the upcoming Da Xia Hui (Great Hero Assembly/Tournament) is probably going to be a chaotic mess, but Gou Lingfeng needs to win that Da Xia Ling for himself.
Fast forward to the next day: the Da Xia Hui tournament is underway. The atmosphere is buzzing, but the stands are surprisingly empty. Turns out, ticket prices have skyrocketed (classic scalping, even in the Jianghu, huh?). As the matches begin, it’s painfully obvious to anyone with eyes that Gou Lingfeng is in on a series of fixed fights. His opponents basically throw themselves off the stage before he even has to lift a finger. The final showdown is against the supposedly "upright" Xianjian Xia (Immortal Sword Hero). They have a dramatic staredown, the crowd holding its breath. Then, Xianjian Xia makes his move, sword flashing, but Gou Lingfeng, without even breaking a sweat (or moving much at all), sends him flying with a single move. Victory: Gou Lingfeng.
The crowd goes wild, but Zhuge Heng and the crew are stunned. How did Gou Lingfeng win so easily without using his demonic powers? When they ask, Gou Lingfeng casually explains that Wu Guangming taught him a new technique to convert his demonic energy. This just makes everyone even more suspicious of Wu Guangming, but no one dares to say anything out loud.
But the drama doesn't end there! That evening, Linglong Princess shows up again, this time with Ling'er in tow. She drops the biggest spoiler of the episode: Ling'er has been secretly passing information to Wu Guangming! She even reveals that Ling'er was the one who tipped off Wu Guangming about their trip to the Poison Immortal Valley, allowing him to manipulate the whole situation. Zhuge Heng looks like he’s been sucker-punched. He confronts Ling'er, demanding to know why she betrayed their trust. Ling'er, head down, admits it but tries to justify it by saying Wu Guangming did it all to protect Gou Lingfeng from getting stuck in the Poison Immortal Valley.
Zhuge Heng is absolutely crushed. He clearly cared deeply for Ling'er, and this betrayal hits him hard. He just watches, heartbroken, as Ling'er runs off in tears.
The next morning, Gou Lingfeng is understandably confused. Why would Wu Guangming have him watched? Ma Yingdan, ever the thoughtful one, suggests that maybe Wu Guangming has his reasons (though what those could be is anyone's guess at this point). She then gives Gou Lingfeng a much-needed pep talk, encouraging him to fight for the Jianghu, for himself, and for what’s right. And just like that, Gou Lingfeng is fired up again, ready to face whatever comes next.
