Episode Summary
Hong Ning finds Jin Xiu, who initially pretends not to know her. She reveals the Di Jun's deception about Jin Xiu's parentage and his long-held plan to use him. After Hong Ning explains the Suo Xin Xian and confesses her love, they reconcile. Meanwhile, the Di Jun awakens, furious that Jin Xiu renounced his divinity, and orders him found, dead or alive. Jin Xiu and Hong Ning venture into the Qilin Cave to uncover his origins. Inside, a Black Snake reveals Jin Xiu's past through a dream: his parents were the Yao Wang Fu Zhu and the celestial maiden Ci Xin. The dream shows their tragic love story, Ci Xin naming their son Jin Xiu, and their demise during the immortal-demon war, with Ci Xin sacrificing herself in the Qilin Cave. Upon understanding his true heritage, Jin Xiu's Yao Wang powers are restored.
Spoiler Alert
So, Hong Ning was patiently waiting for Jin Xiu, but our guy decided to play hide-and-seek up on a mountain, clearly not ready for a reunion. Lu Jiu, ever the observant one, showed up and pointed out that Hong Ning hadn't budged, asking Jin Xiu if he was still hung up on her. Jin Xiu, trying to play it cool, was all like, "So what if I am? It's not like we're a thing anymore."Ouch. Hong Ning, probably figuring she couldn’t wait forever, decided to leave and ended up at an a rouge shop.
The shop owner asked what she was looking for, and bam! Flashback time. Hong Ning remembered a moment when Jin Xiu told her to pick whatever she wanted, and if she didn’t choose, he’d just buy out the whole store. Sweet, right? So, she bought a box of rouge, the same kind as before. And guess who waltzed in right after she left? Yep, Jin Xiu. When Hong Ning saw him, she was obviously thrilled, asking how he’d been. But Jin Xiu pulled the classic "I don't know you" card. Hong Ning, though surprised, seemed to take it in stride, thinking it wasn't a huge deal if he didn't remember her.
Then, Lu Jiu reappeared, quipping about how Hong Ning was back to pestering the "Divine Lord" (referring to Jin Xiu) the moment Lu Jiu stepped away. Jin Xiu just looked exasperated. Hong Ning wasn't giving up, though. She chased after Jin Xiu and spilled the tea about the Di Jun (Divine Emperor/Lord). She told him she personally heard the Di Jun say Jin Xiu wasn't his son and that he’d been planning to use Jin Xiu for, like, ten thousand years! Jin Xiu was, understandably, floored. Hong Ning admitted she had no idea what was going on or how she ended up injuring him.
Jin Xiu then brought up the "Suo Xin Xian" (Heart-Locking Thread/Line), asking Hong Ning what the deal was. She confessed that she initially thought she hated him and wanted revenge, but she’d since realized that the reason she was so desperate to find him was because she loved him. "Is that why you're always feeling heartache?" Jin Xiu asked. Hong Ning confirmed that every time she thought of him, her heart ached. And then, cue the waterworks and violins, because Jin Xiu and Hong Ning shared a deep, emotional embrace. All the feels!
Meanwhile, the Di Jun woke up, and Kunlun and the others were overjoyed. But when the Di Jun found out that Jin Xiu had removed his own divine bone and asked to be sent to the mortal realm, he was furious. He ranted about how one "ignorant child" and one "soft-hearted woman" had completely wrecked his meticulously planned, ten-thousand-year-long game, basically flipping over the chessboard. Kunlun tried to reason with him, suggesting that since Jin Xiu was now a mortal, they should just let him live out his life in peace. But the Di Jun wasn't having it. He ordered his people to find Jin Xiu, even if it meant bringing back a corpse. Yikes.
Back with our reunited couple, Jin Xiu figured that since the Di Jun mentioned throwing him into the Qilin Cave, his true origins might be connected to that place. So, Hong Ning and Jin Xiu made their way to the entrance of the Qilin Cave. Jin Xiu warned her that the cave was filled with vicious demons suffering from heavenly fire, and going in likely meant not coming out. Hong Ning, ever the brave one, declared that since she’d come this far, she wasn't planning on leaving alive anyway. And in they went.
Inside, a Black Snake was ecstatic to see Jin Xiu, exclaiming that its master had finally arrived after such a long wait. The Black Snake then realized that Hong Ning had been saved by Jin Xiu's finger bone, confirming Jin Xiu as its true master. Jin Xiu was surprised by this revelation. The Black Snake then offered its eyes to Jin Xiu, saying that everything he wanted to know was within a dream contained in its eyes.
Jin Xiu and Hong Ning entered the dreamscape and found themselves on Bai Zhou Mountain, but it looked different from the Bai Zhou Mountain Hong Ning remembered. The Yao Wang (Demon King) Fu Zhu was there, holding a Hong Cha Hua (Camellia flower), and mentioned that a certain "Xian Zi" (Fairy/Celestial maiden) loved camellias and would be happy to see it. Then, Ci Xin arrived, asking Fu Zhu why he’d summoned her. Fu Zhu showed her the camellia, and just as he predicted, Ci Xin was delighted.
The scene shifted. Fu Zhu was pretending to be sick to get Ci Xin to come to him. It turned out Ci Xin was pregnant. With the conflict between immortals and demons escalating, Ci Xin, as a "Shen Fa Zhe" (Divine Punisher/Enforcer), was incredibly worried about having a child with Fu Zhu. Fu Zhu asked her to name the baby. His suggestions were along the lines of "Tian Ba Tian Wang" (something like Heavenly Tyrant Heavenly King – very subtle, Fu Zhu). Ci Xin, however, wished for everlasting peace and prosperity ("Shan He Jin Xiu" - beautiful mountains and rivers/a prosperous land) and named the child Jin Xiu. And that’s when Jin Xiu realized the baby was him.
The dream then showed the great war between immortals and demons, where the Di Jun fought against Fu Zhu. Ci Xin arrived with baby Jin Xiu, begging the Di Jun to spare the child, saying she and Fu Zhu were ready to die. Fu Zhu perished, and Ci Xin, in her grief and despair, leaped into the Qilin Cave, disintegrating into ashes. With this flood of memories and understanding, Jin Xiu's Yao Wang (Demon King) powers were restored, and the Black Snake was absolutely thrilled.
