Episode Summary
Han Li successfully uncovers a demonic plot, rescuing imprisoned cultivators by defeating and killing the arrogant Steward Wang with the help of Mo Caihuan and some new, reluctant allies. In a separate, dramatic turn of events, Dong Xuan'er is brought before the Joyful Union Sect's leader, Yunlu, only to discover he is her long-lost father.
Spoiler Alert
Han Li's investigation into the Prince's Mansion deepens, leading him to confront individuals tied to the demonic path. He tasks an informant within the mansion to gather intelligence on the Prince and Steward Wang's dealings.
Meanwhile, Han Li pays a visit to Mo Caihuan at her clinic. Her business is thriving thanks to the "Yingxiang Pills" he taught her to make, and this popularity has turned her shop into an unexpected hub for information. Han Li's young companion, Cui'er, initially dismisses the mortal Mo Caihuan but is quickly impressed by her capabilities. Recognizing the danger, Han Li warns Mo Caihuan to sever contact with Steward Wang and erase any trace of her inquiries. For her safety, he asks that Cui'er, a talented cultivator, stay with her, framing it as a training opportunity but secretly providing her with a bodyguard.
The investigation gains momentum when Han Li confronts a group of cultivators led by Meng Da. Outmatched, they confess they were forced to lure other rogue cultivators into a trap. The good news is the victims weren't killed but are being held captive. Seeking redemption, Meng Da's group agrees to help Han Li pinpoint the stronghold's location. The final clue comes from Mo Caihuan, who discovers a ledger detailing large shipments of food and weapons—enough for a small army—to a specific location.
With the stronghold identified, Han Li's group stages a rescue. The mission is a success, and Cui'er is tearfully reunited with her captive grandfather. During the raid, Meng Da and his men recognize Han Li from a past encounter but keep his identity secret, adhering to the unspoken rules of the cultivation world.
The episode's climax is Han Li's confrontation with Steward Wang. After easily bypassing the stronghold's formation array, Han Li questions the steward about Mo Juren. Thinking Han Li is seeking revenge for Mo Juren, the steward arrogantly boasts that he wiped out Mo Juren's entire family simply because he couldn't stand that a mere mortal was once as famous as him. Disgusted by his lack of remorse, Han Li rejects the steward's desperate offers of cultivation techniques and executes him.
In a parallel storyline, Wang Chan delivers Dong Xuan'er to Yunlu, the leader of the Joyful Union Sect. Yunlu, who recognizes a jade pendant on Dong Xuan'er, reveals a shocking truth: he is her father. He tries to persuade her to stay, claiming the so-called righteous and demonic paths are not so different and that her "innate charming physique" makes her a perfect fit for their sect's techniques. Dong Xuan'er is stunned by the revelation and the implications about her mother, whom she suspects might be her own master, Hongfu. Elsewhere, a frantic Hongfu searches for Dong Xuan'er, terrified of her meeting Yunlu, while Li Huayuan attempts to console her.
