Episode Summary
In "Eternal Brotherhood" Season 2, Episode 23, Kadan successfully gives birth to her child in secret under the guise of a pilgrimage, earning the Divine Emperor's delight instead of his wrath. Meanwhile, Zichuan Xiu, as the King of Light, walks into a trap set by Lu Di but easily turns the tables, revealing his identity and capturing his would-be captors. His offer of alliance to Lu Di is cemented when an assassin, Heisha, attacks. During the fight, Heisha shatters Zichuan Xiu's mask and his eyes glow red, revealing a mysterious power and bloodline that convinces a grateful Lu Di to pledge his loyalty. However, this new alliance threatens to fracture Zichuan Xiu's coalition, as his other allies refuse to accept the turncoat Lu Di.
Spoiler Alert
Eternal Brotherhood Season 2, Episode 23 Recap: A Secret Heir and a Shocking Revelation
This Episode , the intricate power plays across the continent take a dramatic turn. In the north, a desperate gamble is made to protect a newborn heir, while in Yuanzhou, the King of Light unmasks a traitor only to have his own identity shockingly exposed. Alliances are shattered and forged in the crucible of ambition and survival.
In the Northern Tribe's domain, Princess Kadan’s pregnancy can no longer be concealed. Seizing upon a Northern tradition, she arranges a pilgrimage to the Sacred Wall to pray for a blessing, a perfect cover for her impending delivery. The Divine Emperor, who dotes on Kadan and longs for a grandchild, readily agrees. He entrusts her safety to his loyal general, Yun Qianxue, while he remains behind, consumed by state affairs. Before they depart, the mysterious Heisha offers Kadan some private words of caution. Kadan is wracked with guilt, knowing this journey is a carefully orchestrated crisis and that Yun Qianxue will inevitably face the Emperor's wrath for the "accident" to come. Yet, Yun Qianxue is unwavering, prepared to sacrifice everything to protect Kadan's honor.
Meanwhile, in Yuanzhou, the King of Light, Zichuan Xiu, continues his campaign to unite the commanderies against the Northern Tribe.Noting that the Lord of Liuyang has been absent from recent gatherings, Zichuan Xiu suspects he too chafes under Northern oppression. Leaving Li Nong to assist Pang Xiya, he takes a small contingent to Liuyang City for a personal negotiation.
At the Sacred Wall, the moment arrives. Kadan instructs Yun Qianxue to stand guard outside as she enters the hallowed temple alone. There, she gives birth to her child. When she emerges, she collapses into Yun Qianxue's arms, but not before handing him the newborn baby. Yun Qianxue urgently orders her back to the palace. The Divine Emperor rushes to Kadan's chambers and finds her asleep, her hand protectively holding her child's. Overcome with warmth and joy, he holds her hand. When he emerges, he finds Yun Qianxue kneeling, awaiting punishment. However, the Emperor, delighted by his new grandchild, pardons him completely.
The mood shifts back to war. The Emperor is enraged to learn that General Lu Di has lost over twenty commanderies in Yuanzhou and even executed an imperial envoy.Bent on revenge, he declares Lu Di must die. Yun Qianxue astutely suggests sending Ross—the head of the Northern Tribe's second-most powerful family and a known conspirator with the disgraced Kadun—to carry out the sentence. The Emperor immediately sees the wisdom in this plan to weaken a potential rival. For his catastrophic failure in Yuanzhou, the Emperor sentences Kadun to a lifetime of imprisonment. Heisha quietly vows to resolve the matter herself.
Back in Liuyang City, Zichuan Xiu’s attempt at diplomacy turns into a trap. The city's lord plies him with drugged wine, and once Zichuan Xiu is bound, he reveals his hidden guest: Lu Di. The disgraced general had planned to capture the formidable King of Light and deliver him to the Divine Emperor, hoping to redeem himself. Lu Di triumphantly removes the King of Light's mask, only to recoil in terror. The legendary king is none other than Zichuan Xiu, the man who killed Lei Hong. But the trap fails. Zichuan Xiu, unaffected by the drug, breaks his bonds with ease and swiftly overpowers both Lu Di and the treacherous lord. Just then, his commander Luo Jie enters to report that the city gates have been secured. With the city now under his control, Zichuan Xiu makes a surprising offer: he invites a stunned Lu Di to join his cause, giving him time to consider.
News of the King of Light’s stunning success—conquering twenty-three commanderies in a year—reaches the Zichuan family.Later, in private, Di Lin gives Si Yilin a bottle of golden sore medicine, a potent healing salve, leaving Si Yilin to puzzle over its cryptic purpose.
Later, Kadan discusses the shifting political landscape with Kalan and Yun Qianxue. While Kalan dismisses the Zichuan as a minor threat, Yun Qianxue, having faced their commanders in battle, agrees with Kadan that they are masters of strategy, far more sophisticated in warfare than the Northern Tribe. Elsewhere, Liu Fengshuang successfully uses a rare herb to save her ailing father. He observes that among the next generation of leaders, only his daughter and the King of Light possess the true makings of a ruler.
That night, as Lu Di arrives to give Zichuan Xiu his answer, an assassin strikes. It is Heisha, sent to eliminate the King of Light. She nearly kills Lu Di, but Zichuan Xiu intervenes, shielding him with his own body. In the ensuing struggle, Heisha shatters Zichuan Xiu's mask. As he fights back, Zichuan Xiu’s eyes glow an intense red. Though he is no match for Heisha's power, she hesitates. She does not deliver a killing blow, instead remarking on his ignorance of his own bloodline and its connection to a sacred land.
Lu Di stares, astonished to see that Zichuan Xiu's eyes turned red during combat, just like Heisha's. Overcome with gratitude for being saved and awed by this revelation, Lu Di pledges his unwavering loyalty to Zichuan Xiu. However, Zichuan Xiu's victory is not without complications. Envoys from the allied commanderies send letters protesting his acceptance of the hated Lu Di, threatening to withdraw their forces. Zichuan Xiu casts the letters aside, frustrated by their shortsighted inability to let go of old grudges for a greater cause.
