Episode Summary

In episode 29 of "The Seven Relics of Ill Omen," the Phoenix Squad discovers that the relics are recharged by cosmic radiation every 280 years, making their mission to find the Phoenix Luan Clasp critically urgent. Meanwhile, the villain Cheetah successfully brainwashes Mu Dai, turning her against Luo Ren. After acquiring the clasp, Luo Ren knowingly walks into Cheetah's trap alone to protect his team. In the final confrontation, he is forced to fight a disguised Mu Dai. Unwilling to harm her, Luo Ren is severely wounded, first by stabbing and then by taking a bullet meant for her, leaving his life hanging in the balance.

Spoiler Alert

The Seven Relics of Ill Omen Episode 29: Cheetah's Gambit and Luo Ren's Sacrifice

Recap & Spoilers

The intricate web of deceit, ancient secrets, and deadly confrontations tightens in episode 29, pushing the Phoenix Squad to its limits. As Luo Ren gets closer to understanding the relics, the villainous Cheetah sets a devastating trap in motion, using the team's most trusted member as a weapon. This episode pivots from historical discovery to a heart-pounding, life-or-death showdown that culminates in a heroic sacrifice.

A Sinister Conditioning and a Cosmic Clock

The episode opens with the chilling revelation of Cheetah's methods. He's subjecting Mu Dai to a brutal psychological and physiological training regimen designed to instill in her a deep-seated, physical revulsion toward Luo Ren. Meanwhile, the rest of the Phoenix Squad is at Fengzi Ridge, where their resident Mystic delves into ancient texts found hidden inside a pillar. He uncovers a crucial passage detailing how Master Dade first subdued the relics under an ancient tree in this very location. The text mentions that five of Dade's disciples guarded the relics for seven days and miraculously survived, though the reason remains a mystery.

Connecting this with his own research, Luo Ren theorizes that the legendary "Immortal Wood" acts as a container for the relics, while the mythical Phoenix Luan Clasp is the key to locking them away.He also posits a grander, cosmic timeline: every 280 years, the Earth's alignment exposes it to radiation from the "Tiankui Seven Stars," which acts as a charging station for the relics, allowing them to "grow." As it has been exactly 280 years since a figure named Meihua Yi Zhao last contained them, the urgency of their mission skyrockets. While the team, now guided by a local named Ding Laojiu, searches the ridge, Cheetah learns that Luo Ren has put out a million-dollar bounty for the Phoenix Luan Clasp at an antique market in Xiagu Pass, complete with a drawing of the outer half.

The Clasp, The Ruse, and The Inevitable Confrontation

After visiting several antique shops, Luo Ren's team finally finds the matching Phoenix Luan Clasp. Unbeknownst to them, Cheetah's men have been shadowing their every move. With the clasp secured, Cheetah prepares a sinister "welcome" for the team.

The situation grows more complex as Zheng Mingshan and Qing Mu arrive to rendezvous with the squad. Mu Dai's brainwashing is now complete, and Cheetah learns that Qing Mu is the one holding the bag with the clasp. He immediately dispatches men to ambush him. In the ensuing chaos, Qing Mu is injured and the bag is stolen. However, when Luo Ren meets with his comrades, Qing Mu reveals the injury was a strategic fake-out designed to mislead their enemy.

The ploy doesn't work for long. Cheetah sees through the deception and contacts Luo Ren directly, demanding a trade. Knowing he's walking into a trap, Luo Ren takes drastic measures. He drugs Qing Mu to ensure he can't follow and endanger himself, bandages his own wounds, and swallows a powerful nerve stimulant to stay sharp. After coordinating an inside-outside plan with Zheng Mingshan, Luo Ren goes to face Cheetah alone. The rest of the Phoenix Squad, refusing to let him bear the risk by himself, quickly mobilizes to provide backup.

Showdown at the Base

Luo Ren arrives at Cheetah's base and hands over the Phoenix Luan Clasp. Cheetah is skeptical, noting that a genuine clasp should have a suppressive effect on the relics. As Luo Ren insists on its authenticity, he's secretly drugged and his vision begins to blur.

Outside, Zheng Mingshan directs the team, positioning Yi Wan San and Qing Mu at the rear entrance while he, Cao Yanhua, and Yan Hongsha prepare to infiltrate. Inside, the true horror of Cheetah's plan is revealed. He has disguised a brainwashed Mu Dai with a realistic mask to look exactly like himself and orders her to attack Luo Ren.

Though disoriented, Luo Ren engages the attacker. He quickly recognizes Mu Dai's unique fighting style and rips the mask from her face, revealing his friend and partner. But Mu Dai, her memory wiped clean, doesn't recognize him and continues her relentless, lethal assault on Cheetah's command. Unwilling to harm her, Luo Ren intentionally leaves himself vulnerable, and Mu Dai seizes the opportunity, stabbing him.

Seeing his plan has succeeded, Cheetah gives the order to eliminate Mu Dai. In a final, desperate act of protection, Luo Ren throws himself in front of her, taking a bullet meant for her. As he stumbles, weakened and bleeding, the still-brainwashed Mu Dai drives her blade into him one more time, leaving him on the brink of death as the episode cuts to black.

Key Spoilers & Takeaways from Episode 29:

  • The Relics' Power Source: The relics are recharged every 280 years by cosmic radiation from the "Tiankui Seven Stars." This cycle is now reaching its peak, making the relics more powerful and dangerous.
  • The Phoenix Luan Clasp is Found: Luo Ren successfully acquires the ancient artifact needed to seal the relics, but it immediately puts a target on his team's back.
  • Mu Dai is Turned: Cheetah's brainwashing is successful, transforming Mu Dai into a weapon against her own team. She is conditioned to feel a physical aversion to Luo Ren and follows Cheetah's commands without question.
  • Luo Ren's Sacrifice: Luo Ren knowingly walks into a trap to protect his team. During the final confrontation, he refuses to fight back against Mu Dai and ultimately shields her from a fatal gunshot, sustaining multiple life-threatening injuries in the process.