Episode Summary
Hong Ning encounters the vengeful Apricot Immortal while searching for a rare herb. Jinxiu saves her, leading Hong Ning to suspect he's her past rescuer, but he denies it. The Apricot Immortal, after revealing her unrequited love for Jinxiu, dies by his hand during their fight. Hong Ning finds an immortal sword, allowing her to stay and cultivate at Cang Wu. A misunderstanding arises when Jinxiu thinks Hong Ning likes Bai Ling after seeing her with Bai Ling's clothes (she was actually searching for a "Lemon Spirit"). Bai Ling, as a punishment, renovates an abandoned temple, where Hong Ning also goes seeking help. Meanwhile, Lu Jiu gets drunk and confides in Lu Yao. Jinxiu reveals Lu Jiu's identity as the master of Xu Yun Guan. Jinxiu and Lu Yao have a tense discussion about their past and the Northern Immortal Realm, and Lu Yao seeks out Lu Jiu.
Spoiler Alert
So, the episode kicks off with Jinxiu finding out something (the details are a bit hush-hush, but it’s serious enough) that sends him rushing to the back mountains to find Hong Ning. Meanwhile, the other disciples are giving Bai Ling the third degree, like, "How could you let Hong Ning go there alone?!" Bai Ling, trying to play it cool, mentions she used to camp out there all the time as a kid and was fine. But then, Wenxin drops a bomb: their Shizun (Master) was actually secretly tailing her every single time! Bai Ling's face? Priceless shock.
Out in the wilderness, Hong Ning is on a mission for the elusive Nine-Leaf Spiritual Grass. But instead of rare herbs, she stumbles upon the Apricot Immortal Envoy (or just Apricot Immortal, as she's later called). Now, Hong Ning’s memory is a bit fuzzy, and she doesn’t recognize this immortal. The Apricot Immortal, however, is not having it and basically blames Hong Ning for her current, less-than-glamorous status as a demon. Hong Ning, bless her heart, even while confused, points out that playing the blame game isn't the way to go. Just as things are getting tense, the cavalry (aka the other disciples) starts to arrive.
But the Apricot Immortal is dead set on taking Hong Ning down. Right when she’s about to strike, Jinxiu swoops in! As Hong Ning looks at Jinxiu’s back, she gets this major déjà vu, thinking he looks exactly like that mysterious "divine brother" who saved her before. Talk about a potential identity reveal brewing!
Hong Ning calls out the Apricot Immortal for still being unrepentant despite her fall from grace. This is when the Apricot Immortal spills her tragic backstory. Turns out, she was once a simple flower in the mortal realm who, after a chance encounter with Jinxiu, was so smitten that she dedicated herself to cultivation to become an immortal, all for him. Her big grievance? Jinxiu only ever had eyes for Hong Ning and never even glanced her way. Ouch.
A fight breaks out between the Apricot Immortal and Jinxiu. In a dramatic twist, the Apricot Immortal suddenly stops her attack, and Jinxiu, unable to pull back his power in time, fatally injures her. Her parting shot? Dying by Jinxiu's hand means he'll never forget her. Well, that's one way to make an impression. The other disciples finally catch up, and Jinxiu whisks Hong Ning away to safety.
Later, Jinxiu is tending to Hong Ning's injuries. When she wakes up, she straight-up asks him if he was the one who saved her all those years ago. Jinxiu, true to his stoic form, denies it. Figures! Bai Ling then shows up with an apology for Hong Ning. Jinxiu almost goes in with her but decides to let Bai Ling face Hong Ning alone.
Once Hong Ning is healed, Jinxiu is all set to send her packing. But plot twist! Hong Ning finds an immortal sword, and according to the rules of Cang Wu, possessing such a sword means she gets to stay and cultivate. The other disciples also vouch for her, so Jinxiu reluctantly agrees. Welcome to the team, Hong Ning!
Then comes a classic C-drama misunderstanding scene! Everyone’s heading to the hot springs, and they invite Hong Ning. She cleverly sidesteps the invitation but sneakily grabs Bai Ling’s clothes, trying to sniff out if they have the scent of the "Lemon Spirit" (Ningmeng Jing – yes, you read that right, Lemon Spirit!). Jinxiu spots this little maneuver and immediately jumps to the conclusion that Hong Ning has a crush on Bai Ling. Oh, Jinxiu, if only you knew!
Meanwhile, Bai Ling gets a rather unique punishment: she has to accumulate 100 good karmic deeds. She hears about an abandoned temple dedicated to a celestial maiden and decides to fix it up. Hong Ning, still on her quest to find this mysterious Lemon Spirit, heads to the same temple, hoping the celestial maiden can help. Of course, one of the disciples sees Hong Ning and Bai Ling heading there together and assumes they’re off for a secret rendezvous. Jinxiu gets super grumpy about this, muttering about how they’re all slacking off and only thinking about romance. The irony!
Elsewhere, things are getting messy for Lu Jiu, who’s drowning his sorrows in alcohol and ends up at Lu Yao’s place, feeling like a total failure. Lu Yao offers him her handkerchief and some words of encouragement, telling him they need to keep striving to be responsible. When Lu Jiu sobers up, he's startled to find a woman in his presence. Just as Lu Yao is about to leave, she bumps into Jinxiu. And who does Hong Ning run into while still searching for the Lemon Spirit? Bai Ling, of course. It’s a small immortal world, isn't it?
Lu Jiu eventually finds them, and Jinxiu formally introduces him as the master of Xu Yun Guan, explaining his sudden appearance. Bai Ling, ever the responsible one, takes the blame for bringing Lu Yao back, telling Jinxiu to punish her if he must. Jinxiu instructs Bai Ling to get Lu Yao settled in a guest room. This prompts Hong Ning to wonder aloud if Bai Ling could be her long-lost savior. Jinxiu scoffs, "Him? Seriously?" and then questions if that’s why Hong Ning has been treating Bai Ling differently. The jealousy is palpable!
Jinxiu then goes to see Lu Yao. She’s surprised he still remembers their past, and apparently, a "Hong Cha" flower (Camellia) has something to do with these memories. Lu Yao says she’s not unreasonable and would have supported them if Jinxiu had just been honest back in the day. Jinxiu admits his past faults. He also mentions he knows about the situation with the Northern Immortal Realm and asks if Lu Yao needs anything. Lu Yao’s response is cold: their connection was severed a long time ago.
Lu Yao then asks Jinxiu if he’s seen a three-tailed fox. Jinxiu confirms that Lu Jiu is indeed there but warns her that Lu Jiu is still incredibly bitter about being abandoned by the Northern Immortal Realm, so it might not be the best time for a reunion. Despite the warning, Lu Yao goes to see Lu Jiu anyway.
And that’s where Episode 16 leaves us! So many questions: Will Hong Ning ever find out Jinxiu is her savior? What’s the deal with this Lemon Spirit? And what’s the full story behind Jinxiu, Lu Yao, and the Northern Immortal Realm? We can't wait to see what happens next!
