Episode Summary
In episode 26, Mu Dai introduces her boyfriend Luo Ren and new apprentice Cao Yanhua to her sect, "Guan Si Pai Lou." While Cao Yanhua fails the initiation test set by Senior Disciple Zheng Mingshan, Luo Ren passes with a display of humility. The ailing matriarch, Plum Blossom Ninth Mistress, approves of both Cao Yanhua and Mu Dai's relationship with Luo Ren. A celestial map reveals the location of the sixth relic in Xia Cheng Town, linking it to the arrival of Luo Ren's nemesis, the Leopard. The Ninth Mistress entrusts Mu Dai with a sacred artifact, the "Silver-Eyed Bat," which leads her into a mysterious, foggy mountain. Worried for her safety, Luo Ren defies warnings and rushes into the mist to find her.
Spoiler Alert
"The Seven Relics of Ill Omen" Episode 26 Recap & Spoilers: The Silver-Eyed Bat and the Leopard's Trail
Spoiler-Free Summary: In this episode, Mu Dai officially brings her boyfriend, Luo Ren, and her new apprentice, Cao Yanhua, into the fold of her sect, "Guan Si Pai Lou." Their arrival is met with an initiation test from the stoic Senior Disciple, Zheng Mingshan. As the ailing sect master, Plum Blossom Ninth Mistress, imparts crucial life and relationship advice to Mu Dai, a startling discovery is made: the sixth star on the celestial "Divine Eye" map has mysteriously lit up. The location points to Xia Cheng Town, a place connected to the recent arrival of Luo Ren's deadly nemesis, the Leopard. The episode culminates with Mu Dai being entrusted with a sacred heirloom—the Silver-Eyed Bat—which leads her on a perilous solo journey into a fog-shrouded mountain, forcing a desperate Luo Ren to chase after her into the unknown.
Spoiler alert! A Test of Character and a Celestial Clue
The episode opens with Shen Gun and Mr. Yin at the observatory. As Mr. Yin explains the celestial map known as the Divine Eye, they witness a shocking event: the sixth star, previously dark, suddenly illuminates. Now, six of the seven stars are shining brightly.
Meanwhile, Mu Dai introduces her new apprentice, Cao Yanhua, to her Senior Disciple, Zheng Mingshan. Zheng Mingshan is initially skeptical, believing Mu Dai should have established her own reputation before taking on students. His demeanor shifts when he learns that the man with them, Luo Ren, is Mu Dai's boyfriend. After a careful appraisal, he gives Mu Dai a nod of approval.
Zheng Mingshan then issues an initiation challenge: they must kick a bowl out of his hand. Cao Yanhua gives it his all but fails spectacularly. Luo Ren, however, takes a different approach. He calmly picks up a fallen bowl from the ground and respectfully hands it back to Zheng Mingshan. This act of humility and respect earns him praise from the Senior Disciple for understanding the sect's principles. With the test concluded, Zheng Mingshan arranges lodging for the guests.
A Master's Blessing and a Lover's Fear
Later that night, Luo Ren is jolted awake by a nightmare. His timing is fortunate, as Mu Dai arrives with extra blankets. He confides in her that his nemesis, an assassin known as the Leopard, has entered the country. The Leopard was responsible for the death of someone very important to him, and her return has filled him with a deep-seated fear. Mu Dai comforts him with unwavering resolve, telling him, "If it's a demon in your heart, then you must vanquish it."
The next day, a formal ceremony is held. Mu Dai serves tea to her master, the venerable Plum Blossom Ninth Mistress, with Luo Ren and Cao Yanhua in attendance. Cao Yanhua, when questioned, openly confesses his past as a petty thief but also recounts his recent acts of bravery and how he came to be with Mu Dai. The Ninth Mistress, testing his potential, discovers he has no martial arts foundation and scolds Mu Dai for her negligence as a teacher. Cao Yanhua immediately leaps to Mu Dai's defense, a display of loyalty that pleases the old master, who declares him a worthy apprentice.
Turning her attention to the couple, she asks Mu Dai what she sees in Luo Ren. A shy Mu Dai simply replies, "I just like him." When Luo Ren is asked the same about Mu Dai, he answers, "There doesn't seem to be anything about her not to like." Seeing them stand together, the Ninth Mistress smiles softly and murmurs, "A fitting match."
A Dying Wish and a Looming Threat
The ailing Plum Blossom Ninth Mistress, aware that her time is short, has a private word with Mu Dai. She laments that she won't have the time to get to know Luo Ren better but gives her beloved student a solemn piece of advice: no matter who she marries, she must always remain true to herself, never dependent or compromising. The sect, she promises, will always be her home and her support.
Simultaneously, Luo Ren's team uncovers a critical lead. Qing Mu reports that the Leopard's top operative was embedded in Xia Cheng Town for months over a year ago, a period during which nothing significant happened besides a single homicide. Shen Gun, meanwhile, presses Mr. Yin for information about the "Immortal Wood Phoenix Luan Buckle" and the seven stars, but Mr. Yin is evasive. Shen Gun reveals his theory to Luo Ren: the locations of the discovered relics align perfectly with the "Heavenly Dipper Seven Stars" constellation. This allows them to predict the location of the sixth relic—in Xia Cheng Town. He adds that the sixth star on the Divine Eye lit up over a year ago, went dark, and has only just now mysteriously reappeared. Connecting this timeline with Qing Mu's intelligence, Luo Ren deduces that the Leopard's mission is directly tied to the relics.
The Silver-Eyed Bat's Legacy and the Foggy Path
Late that night, the Ninth Mistress summons Mu Dai alone. She reveals that the sect's original name was the "Plum Blossom Sect" before their grandmaster changed it to "Guan Si Pai Lou." She directs Mu Dai to a hidden compartment by her bed, from which Mu Dai retrieves a wooden, mechanical bat with silver eyes. This, the master explains, is the "Silver-Eyed Bat," crafted by their carpenter ancestor, who was said to be a close friend of the great sage Boyangzi.
The bat is more than a mere automaton; it is half of a map and half of a key. To unlock the true entrance to Guan Si Pai Lou, it must be united with its other half. The Ninth Mistress expresses her regret that in her lifetime, the messenger carrying the other half never arrived. She entrusts the bat to Mu Dai, instructing her to safeguard it and wait for the "southern-bound goose message"—a signal for the time of its use.
With her instructions given, she tells Mu Dai to activate the device. The Silver-Eyed Bat springs to life, flying out the window and leading them towards the fog-laden mountains behind the town. Sensing someone nearby, the Ninth Mistress instructs Mu Dai to follow the bat while she stays behind to investigate.
Luo Ren, meanwhile, discovers a single rose left on Mu Dai's pillow and is immediately struck by a sense of dread. He rushes to the Ninth Mistress's room only to find it empty as well. When he frantically asks where they went, Zheng Mingshan explains that the master is passing down her legacy to Mu Dai tonight, a private ritual. He warns that the back mountain is treacherous, filled with a strange magnetic field and a disorienting fog that Luo Ren is not equipped to handle. But consumed by worry, Luo Ren ignores the warnings, grabs his gear, and plunges headfirst into the dense, swirling mist in search of Mu Dai.
Final Thoughts & What's Next?
The episode leaves us on a knife's edge with several pressing questions. Luo Ren has charged into a dangerously unpredictable environment—will he be able to find Mu Dai before the fog or other hidden dangers claim him? Where is the Silver-Eyed Bat, a key to the sect's greatest secret, leading Mu Dai? And with the connection now established, how will the hunt for the sixth relic collide with the inevitable confrontation between Luo Ren and the deadly Leopard? The stage is set for a convergence of ancient secrets and modern vendettas.
