Episode Summary
In episode 18, Nan Wentian is exposed as the true villain who framed Gu Yuan and faked a disability for years. Chu Meng Die becomes the new Alliance Leader and saves Baili from being cast out. Meanwhile, Gu Yuan receives a mysterious storybook from a powerful stranger that foretells a tragic ending for him and Li Song'er. In a surprising twist, Chu Meng Die is reunited with her long-lost father, Chu Wuyuan, who now suffers from memory loss.
Spoiler Alert
To Get Master Ep. 18: The Mastermind's Fall and a Tragic Prophecy
The martial world is turned on its head as the true villain is finally unmasked. With Han Yan's help, Li Song'er returns to the Sun Moon Palace, a move that allows Gu Yuan to finally reclaim his identity and the coveted Xiao Yao Jue. Li Song'er fully supports him, having grown disillusioned with the so-called righteous sects, whom she now sees as the real villains.
Chu Meng Die ascends to her new position as the Wulin Alliance Leader, and her first act is to show no mercy to Nan Wentian. The shocking truth is revealed: for years, Nan Wentian has been impersonating Gu Yuan, committing heinous acts to destroy his reputation. He even faked a disability for over a decade, all in a desperate bid to obtain the Xiao Yao Jue. His cruelty knows no bounds; he murdered Zhou Heng, his own son-in-law, simply because Zhou Heng discovered his secret. With his plans in motion, Nan Wentian now considers Baili useless and orders Bai Wuxie to cast him out.
However, when Da Xiong tries to throw Baili out, Chu Meng Die arrives and, as the new leader, puts a stop to it. She can't stand to see her man bullied. A quick check of his pulse reveals he was never poisoned—the letter she received was a lie, a trick to make her lose the leadership contest. Deciding she's had enough, she resolves to take Baili with her back to Jingyun Mountain Manor.
Meanwhile, Gu Yuan has a strange encounter at a tavern with a disheveled but immensely powerful old man. The man, who easily bests Gu Yuan in a brief struggle, leaves behind a storybook titled "A Lifetime of Allure" before vanishing. Soon after, Gu Yuan suffers a sudden relapse of his illness and is rushed away by Liu Yingying.
Back at the Sun Moon Palace, Li Song'er nurses him back to health. Upon waking, Gu Yuan discovers the storybook. He is horrified to find it tells the story of his and Li Song'er's life, but with a tragic ending: he is killed by Chu Meng Die, and Li Song'er returns to Zuimeng City alone. Unable to accept such a fate, Gu Yuan tears out the final pages and hides the book.
On their journey, Chu Meng Die and Baili pass through his hometown. He decides to introduce her to his adoptive father and his honorary father. In a stunning turn of events, Chu Meng Die recognizes the honorary father as her own long-lost father, Chu Wuyuan. He suffers from memory loss, only vaguely recalling a daughter but not her face. With pressing matters to attend to, a tearful Chu Meng Die entrusts her father to Baili's care, promising to return for them both. Baili readily agrees.
