Episode Summary
Following his family's murder, Zhi Nu is rescued by a masked man, an old acquaintance of his father. The man reveals he was too late to save the rest of Zhi Nu's family from the fire set by Zhuang Lu Yin. Zhi Nu vows revenge. The masked man arranges for Zhi Nu's training, sending him to Master Xing Dou, who initially doubts him but then performs facial surgery on Zhi Nu to alter his appearance for his protection and puts him through rigorous training. Ten years pass, and Zhi Nu, now highly skilled, meets a new master, Liu Chu, who teaches him to control his emotions. The masked man returns with information on Zhuang Lu Yin and his key associates, revealing that the Empress Dowager's recent death provides an opportune moment for Zhi Nu to go to the capital. Zhi Nu is given a new identity, Zang Hai, and sets off on his path of revenge, with his other master, Gao Ming, having already departed for the capital.
Spoiler Alert
So, poor Zhi Nu, after witnessing the absolute horror of his family's slaughter, wakes up disoriented on a small boat. His rescuer? A mysterious dude in a mask who claims to be an old acquaintance of Zhi Nu's father, Kuai Duo. This masked man explains he was supposed to help Kuai Duo's whole family escape the capital, but by the time he arrived, their home was already a blazing inferno, and everyone, including Zhi Nu's little sister Yue Nu, was gone. He only managed to pull Zhi Nu from the chaos. Understandably, Zhi Nu, now an orphan, completely breaks down. But through the tears, a new resolve is forged: he kneels, thanks his rescuer, and swears he'll personally kill Zhuang Lu Yin, the man responsible for his family's demise.
The masked man is on board to help, but he lays down the hard truth: Zhuang Lu Yin is powerful, and revenge isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Zhi Nu will need to lie low and train for at least a decade. His first stop? He's sent to a certain Master Xing Dou. Now, Xing Dou isn't immediately impressed, thinking Zhi Nu isn't exactly martial arts prodigy material. When Zhi Nu dares to question him, the master gets peeved and has his disciple, Lu Cun, take Zhi Nu away.
Next thing Zhi Nu knows, he wakes up with his face wrapped in bandages, trapped in a complex wooden cage made with mortise and tenon joints – talk about a rough welcome! His new master, Gao Ming (who seems to be under Xing Dou), explains that Master Xing Dou performed a "slight adjustment" to his appearance. You know, a bit of facial reconstruction so his enemies won't recognize him later. Smart, but ouch. Those deep whip scars on his back, though? Xing Dou couldn't erase them completely, only make them shallower – a permanent reminder of his trauma.
Master Xing Dou’s first test: get out of the cage, or no food. Zhi Nu, luckily, is skilled in this kind of mechanism, but this cage is next level. He struggles, famished, until he remembers the mechanical principles his father, Kuai Duo, taught him. Boom! He unlocks it, nearly collapsing from hunger and exhaustion. Gao Ming is there to catch him, and Master Xing Dou lays out a comprehensive training plan. This is where the real work begins.
After the "slight adjustment" surgery, Zhi Nu looks drastically different. Master Xing Dou is a harsh taskmaster; any mistake, and Zhi Nu faces severe punishment. Meanwhile, we get a glimpse of the villain, Zhuang Lu Yin, traveling with his son, effortlessly manipulating local officials with a mix of kindness and coercion, ensuring their loyalty.
Fast forward ten years. A decade! Zhi Nu, under the tutelage of Master Xing Dou and Gao Ming, has become incredibly skilled, even carving exquisite miniature pavilions. One day, a carrier pigeon arrives with a message for Master Xing Dou: Zhi Nu’s new master, Liu Chu, is on her way. This news immediately makes Xing Dou nervous, and he decides to go into a day of closed-door cultivation with Gao Ming, leaving Zhi Nu to greet the newcomer. Gao Ming thoughtfully tells Zhi Nu to go to town and buy some good wine to welcome his new teacher.
Zhi Nu returns with the wine to find Liu Chu already there, and surprise! His new master is a stunningly beautiful woman. Liu Chu declares she's here to teach Zhi Nu about the affairs of men and women. Lesson number one? How to reject a woman. She then proceeds to try and seduce him in various ways. But Zhi Nu, bless his revenge-focused heart, is having none of it and pushes her aside. Liu Chu then drops some wisdom: be wary of people's true feelings. She reveals she, too, was orphaned young. She remembers the joy of being with her parents but can no longer recall their faces. Zhi Nu deeply relates, confessing he’ll never forget the happy times with his own family.
It turns out Liu Chu was testing him with her display of vulnerability, and Zhi Nu fell for it. She warns him that if he can't learn to seal off his emotions and hide his true heart, his revenge plans are just empty talk. Zhi Nu vows he can do it. Liu Chu tells him he only half-passed this test and needs to be cautious moving forward.
Later, Zhi Nu brings the wine to Gao Ming and asks for tips on how to shut down his emotions. Gao Ming offers some guidance, advising him to learn from the rock-solid Master Xing Dou.
Just then, the masked man makes an unexpected return. He brings a Lu Ban lock (a traditional Chinese puzzle box), which Zhi Nu solves quickly. The masked man then presents Zhi Nu with a "birthday gift": a portrait of Zhuang Lu Yin. He also provides crucial intel: Zhuang Lu Yin always wears golden soft armor for protection and has three formidable bodyguards: Qu Jiao, a deadly assassin; Chu Huai Ming, who, in a gut-wrenching twist, used to be one of Kuai Duo’s men but betrayed him to join Zhuang Lu Yin; and Yang Zhen, Zhuang Lu Yin’s strategist.
The masked man’s plan? Zhi Nu needs to infiltrate Zhuang Lu Yin's residence, and he even hands over a complete roster of the household. Master Xing Dou interjects, believing the time isn't right for Zhi Nu to enter the Pingjin Marquis's Mansion (Zhuang Lu Yin's gaff). However, the masked man reveals a critical piece of news: the Empress Dowager has just passed away, throwing the imperial court into chaos. This turmoil, he argues, is the perfect cover for Zhi Nu to go to the capital. Gao Ming agrees that the time is ripe and announces he’ll go with Zhi Nu the next day. And with that, the masked man bestows upon Zhi Nu a new identity: from now on, he will be known as Zang Hai.
The next morning, Zang Hai goes to find Gao Ming, only to learn he’s already departed. Master Xing Dou gives Zang Hai some final, heartfelt advice, and just like that, Zang Hai, the man forged from Zhi Nu's pain and a decade of relentless training, steps onto the perilous path of revenge.
