Episode Summary
The episode begins with lighthearted moments, like Jin Xiu poorly painting Hong Ning. Jin Xiu impulsively proposes, and despite Hong Ning's hesitation about immortal-mortal relationships, they proceed with a wedding. This wedding, along with parallel scenes involving Kunlun and Lu Yao, is revealed to be part of an illusion recreating the tragic past of a water fairy, Shui Xian, and her mortal lover, Duan Fei. We learn Shui Xian sacrificed her immortality for Duan Fei, only for them to be separated by circumstance and time. Believing Duan Fei forgot her, Shui Xian traps Hong Ning and Jin Xiu in this memory. Jin Xiu reveals Duan Fei actually died of heartbreak waiting for her. Understanding the truth, Shui Xian destroys her inner core, ending the illusion. Later, Hong Ning and Jin Xiu share a moment at the Moon Lantern Festival, but the episode ends on a cliffhanger as Hong Ning overhears that Jin Xiu is supposed to marry Lu Yao.
Spoiler Alert
MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for Episode 9! Don't say I didn't warn ya.
Alright, so we kick things off with Jin Xiu trying his hand at being an artist, attempting to paint Hong Ning. She's already over posing, complaining her legs hurt and suggesting he paint the peach blossoms instead. Jin Xiu's like, "Uh, you were the one who insisted I paint you instead of the flowers I wanted to paint!" Classic. He finally declares it finished, and Hong Ning takes a look... only to be utterly speechless because, bless his heart, the portrait is hilariously bad. Apparently, artistic talent isn't one of Jin Xiu's strengths.
Interestingly, we see Kunlun and Lu Yao going through a similar painting scenario in parallel. Kunlun is clearly not feeling it, and Lu Yao gets a bit huffy, asking if painting her is really such a drag for him.
Back to our main pair, Hong Ning and Jin Xiu are out for a stroll. Jin Xiu gets kinda serious, mentioning his parents are pushing the marriage thing on him. He explains he's reached the age of "Ruo Guan" (a coming-of-age marker, around 20) but isn't married yet, so the family's getting anxious. Then, he just drops the question: "Will you marry me?"
Hong Ning immediately hits the brakes, reminding him she's an immortal deity with a super long lifespan, and immortals and mortals just don't mix. But Jin Xiu presses her, asking a series of intense questions: Will she miss him if he's gone? Will she be sad? Do his feelings affect hers? And the clincher: If he were in mortal danger, would she risk her life to save him? When Hong Ning admits, "Of course, I would," Jin Xiu takes that as a "yes" and declares, "Great, we're getting married!" Smooth, Jin Xiu. Real smooth.
Cut to the wedding! Hong Ning feels like she's dreaming, questioning if Jin Xiu's love is even real. Jin Xiu, ever the optimist (or maybe just caught up in the moment?), insists that as long as they love each other, nothing else matters.
Meanwhile, Kunlun and Lu Yao are also experiencing the wedding night part of this... scenario? Illusion? Lu Yao thinks it's all going way too far. Kunlun voices his worry: are Hong Ning and Jin Xiu actually going to go through with the wedding night formalities? Lu Yao shoots that down, saying "No way."
This is where things get heavy, and we realize Hong Ning and Jin Xiu might be re-living someone else's tragic story. Kunlun explains the backstory they seem trapped in: It's about a water fairy named Shui Xian and her mortal lover, Duan Fei. They were deeply in love, but the whole "immortals and mortals can't be together" rule was strictly enforced back then by Grand Master Taiyi (Taiyi Zhenren), basically the divine law enforcer.
When Taiyi caught them, Shui Xian made a huge sacrifice. She begged Taiyi to spare Duan Fei, offering to have her "immortal bones removed" (meaning giving up her godhood) and live eternally as a demon. To prove her devotion and protect Duan Fei from heavenly punishment (lightning bolts!), she shielded him and then jumped into the Hua Xian Chi – the Immortal Transformation Pool, likely stripping her of her powers.
Lu Yao points out that demons and mortals can be together without heaven interfering, so maybe it worked out? But Kunlun bursts that bubble. The transformation severely damaged Shui Xian. It would take her anywhere from decades to centuries to regain a human form. Duan Fei, being just a regular human, couldn't possibly wait that long. Oof.
The tragic story continues to unfold as we see Shui Xian at the underworld bridge, pleading with Meng Po (the lady with the memory-wiping soup) to let her skip the soup so she can remember Duan Fei. Kunlun and Lu Yao experience this part too.
Then, Jin Xiu (seemingly embodying Duan Fei's past self here) arrives at the bridge. He also wants to refuse the soup, desperate to remember Shui Xian forever. But Hong Ning steps in firmly. She tells him he has to drink it. As an immortal, she understands the burden of memory over lifetimes. She doesn't want the mortal Duan Fei to carry the pain of this life into his next reincarnation.
Suddenly, the real Shui Xian appears, realizing Hong Ning and Jin Xiu have somehow broken through her illusion (Huan Jing)! She's heartbroken and bitter, lashing out at the memory of Duan Fei: "He couldn't even wait a few decades for me? How could he just choose to forget?"
But Jin Xiu sets the record straight. He tells Shui Xian she only remembers her sacrifices, not what Duan Fei went through for her. After she became essentially a non-sentient plant due to her injuries and transformation, Duan Fei was utterly devastated. Losing her literally broke him. He died of grief, wearing the wedding robes from their ceremony until his last breath. Double oof.
Hearing this completely shatters Shui Xian. Understanding the depth of Duan Fei's love and suffering, she willingly destroys her own Nei Dan (her inner core, her life force). With her acceptance, the illusion finally dissolves, and Kunlun and Lu Yao are freed as well.
Phew! After all that heavy stuff, Hong Ning drags Jin Xiu to the Moon Lantern Festival (Yue Deng Jie) for some much-needed levity. They buy masks and Hong Ning wants to release a sky lantern with a wish. Jin Xiu's a bit skeptical ("Do gods even care about this stuff?"), but he joins her anyway. He tries to peek at her wish, but she won't tell. Just then, a real Lantern Spirit (Deng Xian) pops up and snatches both their written wishes away!
But the peace doesn't last long. Jin Xiu has to get back for some important banquet. Hong Ning insists on tagging along. He brings her up but tells her to wait aside for him. And that's when Hong Ning overhears a bombshell: someone mentions Jin Xiu is supposed to marry... Lu Yao?! Hong Ning is not having it, declaring, "He promised me! He can't marry someone else!"
And boom! That's where Episode 9 leaves us hanging! Looks like escaping one tragic love story might lead straight into another complicated mess. Can't wait to see how this unfolds!
