Episode Summary
Liao Tingyan learns she must use a painful method to suppress her unstable Demon Core. She is framed for the murder of Sixian and willingly goes to prison to protect Sima Jiao. While she's locked up, the Centipede Clan causes a drought, and Sima Jiao faces pressure from his court. During his coronation, Sima Jiao's memories fully return. He makes it snow, signaling his return to Liao Tingyan, and the two have an emotional reunion where he reaffirms his devotion to her.
Spoiler Alert
A Bad Fix and a Worse Frame-Up
Alright, let's get into it. Liao Tingyan is dealing with a ticking time bomb inside her. Her master confirms it. The Demon Core is getting wilder and more out of control. There's one way to be completely free of the Centipede Clan's scheming. She has to wipe out all of her powers. If she does that, the Demon Core has no host. It becomes useless.
But she can't. She still needs her spiritual energy to save Sima Jiao.
So, her master offers a terrible Plan B. Her Spirit Fire and the Demon Core are opposites. If she makes the Spirit Fire stronger, it can suppress the core. The catch? She has to use her own blood to fuel it. It's a painful, dangerous solution that's basically like drinking poison to quench your thirst. With no other choice, she takes it.
The Path to Hushan Hall
Liao Tingyan spends some time with the Empress Dowager, trying to buy time. The Empress Dowager is confused about her relationship with Sima Jiao. Liao Tingyan lays it out for her. She says they were mother and son in a past life, too. She thinks Sima Jiao is trying to relive that life and find the motherly love he misses.
The Empress Dowager then says something that clicks for Liao Tingyan. She's sure Sima Jiao will make Liao Tingyan the Empress. That title would grant her free access to Hushan Hall.
This is a big deal. Hushan Hall is protected by a barrier Sima Jiao created 19 years ago. If Liao Tingyan can get inside, she can protect him from the Centipede Clan. Suddenly, becoming Empress is her top priority.
The Trap is Sprung
Of course, someone else has plans. Sixian gets a "demon-revealing mirror" from her father, the Marquis of Nan Yan. She thinks this is her ticket to getting rid of Liao Tingyan and winning the emperor's favor. She sends a note to Liao Tingyan, asking for a meeting in a pavilion late at night.
Liao Tingyan gets the note. She assumes it's from Nian Jiu with news about the Centipedes. She goes. It's a setup.
She wakes up groggy and confused. Her maid is staring at her in horror. Sixian is dead on the ground in a pool of blood. And Liao Tingyan is covered in it. The whole scene screams that she's the killer. An investigator named Chen Tang shows up and says she's the prime suspect. Fearing her Demon Core is acting up and could make her a threat to Sima Jiao, Liao Tingyan agrees to be jailed. Sima Jiao doesn't believe for a second that she's guilty, but she insists.
A Kingdom in Crisis
The Marquis of Nan Yan is out for blood. His daughter is dead. He gathers a large number of young boys and girls to help the Centipede demon. Fueled by this power, the demon causes a severe drought in Dushan County. The people starve. All that suffering and resentment in the world makes Liao Tingyan's condition worse.
She can't sleep. She realizes the Centipede is now targeting innocent people. So she uses the method her master taught her. She ignites her Spirit Fire. The pain is intense, but it works. The Demon Core inside her quiets down.
The court officials are panicking. They pressure Sima Jiao, talking about an evil star in the palace. They also report the horrific discovery of the children's bodies in a field. Sima Jiao holds firm. He knows Liao Tingyan is being framed. He orders Chen Tang to investigate everything, and to pay special attention to the Marquis of Nan Yan.
The Memory of Snow
Sima Jiao's coming-of-age ceremony is here. As a prisoner, Liao Tingyan can't enter Hushan Hall to protect him. She sends her maid, Hong Luo, in her place with strict orders to keep him safe. She also tells Hong Luo to find some demon sorcerers. She wants them to make it rain over Dushan to end the drought.
The ceremony begins. A crown is placed on Sima Jiao's head. In that instant, everything comes rushing back. All his memories, from his past life to the present, are restored. He remembers everything about Liao Tingyan. The first thing he does with his memory back is find Nian Jiu. He tells him to make it snow.
Liao Tingyan is released from the celestial prison. She steps outside and sees snow falling from the sky. She knows instantly that Sima Jiao has returned.They see each other again, and this time, he remembers the bond they shared 19 years ago. She tearfully asks him why he gave her his spiritual power back then. She asks if he wasn't scared she would just take it and leave.
Sima Jiao wipes the tears from her face. He tells her he gave it to her willingly. What she did with it was always her choice. As long as she was happy, it was worth it.
