Episode Summary
In a desperate battle against Bai Cha, Lu Yao sacrifices her soul using her Samadhi True Fire to absorb overwhelming resentment energy, shattering completely. Though Bai Cha is wounded, he draws new strength from the ensuing grief and anger of Kunlun and Lu Jiu. Meanwhile, Di Jun traps Jin Xiu in a "Bitter Realm," an illusion of his deepest desires involving Hong Ning (a Hong Cha camellia in this illusion). The real Hong Ning intervenes, reminding Jin Xiu of their shared past and returning his finger bone, which allows him to break free, injuring Di Jun. Di Jun then reveals he once traded his emotions to the Heaven's Book Revered One to bring order to the Three Realms and asks Jin Xiu to use his Qilin blood to dispel the remaining resentment. Jin Xiu agrees, but Bai Cha attacks again, renewing the conflict.
Spoiler Alert
Love Never Fails: Episode 39 Recap & Spoilers
The battle against the malevolent Bai Cha reaches a critical juncture as he continues to absorb potent resentment energy, easily overpowering Kunlun and the others, leaving them injured. Lu Yao grimly states that there is no alternative solution; much like their desperate struggle in Wuzhang Country, someone must absorb the overwhelming resentment energy, and then that person must be killed to eradicate the threat. A flashback reveals a younger Lu Jiu asking Lu Yao if wishes made to a nine-tailed fox truly come true, to which Lu Yao affirmed. Lu Jiu, saddened by his inability to grow nine tails himself, was told by Lu Yao that he could simply make his wish to her.
In the present, Lu Yao makes a devastating choice. She uses her own nine tails to make a wish: to incinerate her own soul with her Samadhi True Fire and, in doing so, absorb all the surrounding resentment energy. A horrified Lu Jiu, finally calling her "sister," pleads with her to stop. Lu Yao acknowledges his address, a moment tinged with sorrow. Kunlun, equally desperate, implores her not to go through with it, warning that he would hate her and curse her if she did. Lu Yao, however, believes it would be too cruel for Kunlun to be the one to send her on her final journey. Instead, she resolves to let the Samadhi True Fire, her companion since childhood, be the one to end her existence.
Lu Yao successfully absorbs the resentment energy, but the act causes her soul to shatter and disperse completely. Although Bai Cha is wounded by this, both Kunlun and Lu Jiu are now radiating significant resentment energy themselves, which inadvertently strengthens Bai Cha. Kunlun and Lu Jiu engage Bai Cha in a fierce battle. Despite now possessing nine tails, Lu Jiu finds himself, for the moment, no match for the empowered Bai Cha.
Meanwhile, Di Jun employs his own true form to construct a "Bitter Realm," ensnaring both Hong Ning and Jin Xiu within it. Inside this realm, Jin Xiu encounters his parents, who, unlike in his real past, remain with him, lovingly raising him. It is revealed that Hong Ning is, in fact, a Hong Cha camellia that Jin Xiu's mother planted in their backyard, a living memento left for her son. Within this idealized reality, Jin Xiu tells this Hong Cha camellia that he is a peony, that they share the same origin, and that they will grow and cultivate immortality together. This entire scenario is not a tangible reality or a mere illusion; it is the manifestation of Jin Xiu's deepest, unspoken desires and yearnings.
As a version of Hong Ning cultivates into human form within this realm, a version of Jin Xiu approaches, intending to take her hand. However, the true Hong Ning (observing from outside or as a separate consciousness) sees the "real" Jin Xiu standing nearby and refrains from taking the hand of this construct. The "real" Jin Xiu then walks forward, merges with this idealized version of himself, and takes Hong Ning's hand. The true Hong Ning, witnessing Jin Xiu living this seemingly perfect life with this alternate Hong Ning in the Bitter Realm, desperately wants to awaken him. Di Jun explains that this is precisely the life Jin Xiu has always longed for.
Hong Ning passionately argues that all their experiences, both good and bad, have shaped them into who they are. To discard these experiences in favor of a supposedly ideal life would be to negate the very meaning of their existence. She declares that even as a seemingly insignificant Hong Cha camellia, she has her own aspirations and purpose. With this conviction, Hong Ning returns the finger bone to Jin Xiu, hoping it will rouse him from his self-imposed idyllic prison. As the finger bone returns to Jin Xiu, he sees the petals of the Hong Cha camellia, a stark reminder of reality.
The connection to reality is enough; Jin Xiu shatters the Bitter Realm from within. The effort severely injures Di Jun. Jin Xiu is overcome with grief and confusion, lamenting that he used the finger bone to save Hong Ning's life, a debt of gratitude he feels is still unpaid, and that the decision to reclaim the bone should have been his alone. Di Jun then reveals a long-held secret: ten thousand years ago, he made a wish to the Revered One of the Heaven's Book, trading his own emotions for the power to rebuild order in the Three Realms. He now questions the validity of that choice. Jin Xiu counters that the order Di Jun established was his order, not the inherent order of the Three Realms. He argues that since the dawn of creation, immortals, demons, and humans were meant to coexist. Hearing this, Di Jun expresses his willingness to have his divine bones removed. His only remaining wish is for Jin Xiu to sprinkle his Qilin blood upon the Three Mountains and Five Sacred Peaks, an act that would dispel the pervasive resentment energy and restore peace to the Three Realms.
Moved by the plea and understanding the sacrifice required for the greater good, Jin Xiu agrees to fulfill Di Jun's request for the sake of all living beings. However, just as this resolution is reached, Bai Cha launches another attack. Kunlun and Lu Jiu arrive to join the fray, once again clashing with Bai Cha. Bai Cha, ever defiant, taunts them, sneering that even gods are not as lofty as they appear and are driven by base, "dirty" desires—otherwise, he claims, his Jiao Rong Sword would possess no power.
