Episode Summary
Ling Yin gets captured by the Cloud Sect, but Wang Yue engineers a fake kidnapping to get her ally, Ming Yang, to safety. The real kidnapper strikes when Wang Yue is snatched by an unknown enemy, forcing Ling Yin to convince her naive guard, Jiang Yan, to summon Yang Qing for a real rescue. After the danger passes, Wang Yue and Yang Qing have a major heart-to-heart on a rooftop where she confesses her original plan to betray him and then admits he's the only person she's ever trusted. The episode ends with new battle lines being drawn, as suspicion falls on Biluo Valley for the recent attacks.
Spoiler Alert
A Botched Rescue and a Fake Kidnapping
The episode kicks off with Ling Yin captured. Just when things look bad, Ming Yang pops up trying to be the hero. Of course, this just makes Elder Shen even more convinced the Sheng Yue Cult is behind everything. He orders his guys to surround both Ming Yang and Ling Yin.
This is where Wang Yue proves she's the quickest thinker in the room. To get them out of this jam, she lets Ming Yang "kidnap" her. It's a classic hostage play. Elder Shen has to back off, letting Ming Yang leave with Wang Yue. The second they're out of sight, she tells him to get lost before he causes any more trouble.
The Real Villains Show Their Cards
Lu Xuanxuan's Bug Problem
We get a quick check-in with Lu Xuanxuan. She's hanging out with Jin Buhuan and watching the village. And surprise, surprise. We learn she's the one who unleashed the Rove Beetles in the first place.
Ling Yin's New Babysitter
Back with the captives, Ling Yin is tied up. Jiang Yan is standing guard. He's trying so hard to be tough, going on about how the Sheng Yue Cult is pure evil. But you can see right through it. The guy is totally crushing on Ling Yin. She seems a little shocked by how simple and naive he is.
Wang Yue Gets Snatched (For Real This Time)
Jiang Yan, bless his heart, actually wants to help Ling Yin. He decides he's going to find the Rove Beetle King to fix the mess. On his way, he bumps into Wang Yue. They're in the middle of a conversation when vines suddenly shoot out of the trees and grab her. She's gone in a flash, and Jiang Yan is left standing there, completely useless.
Calling in the Cavalry
A panicked Jiang Yan sprints back to Elder Shen. He blurts out that Wang Yue has been taken. Again. Elder Shen is seriously worried now. He takes off with the Cloud Sect disciples to give chase. He makes the huge mistake of leaving Jiang Yan in charge of guarding Ling Yin.
Jiang Yan is convinced the Sheng Yue Cult did it. Ling Yin knows the truth. She understands Wang Yue is in real danger from someone else entirely. She pressures Jiang Yan into using a special signal to call the one person who can actually fix this. Yang Qing.
Confessions and Rooftop Stargazing
The Real Rescue
We see Wang Yue tied to a tree, yelling for Yang Qing to come save her. Ming Yang also shows up, ready for another rescue attempt. But Yang Qing got the signal. He arrives just in the nick of time, saving the day before anyone else can. Now that she's free, Wang Yue leads both Yang Qing and Ming Yang to find the Beetle King.
A Father's Disappointment
Lu Xuanxuan is still busy patting herself on the back. She thinks her brilliant plan to destroy Wang Yue's reputation was a success. That's when her father shows up, and he is furious. He tears into her for wasting so many resources on a plan that achieved nothing. He doesn't care about her petty rivalries. He's focused on something much darker, a plan that involves sacrificing a child.
Truth Over Wine
Later that night, Wang Yue and Yang Qing are drinking together. He knows something is on her mind and pushes her to tell him the truth. So she does. She confesses that her original plan was to drug his wine, steal his token, and use it to find the Sun Blade. But when it came time to do it, she couldn't. She couldn't stand the thought of using him again.
A New Beginning
This honest conversation changes things between them. They feel closer than ever. Yang Qing takes her to a rooftop to look at the night sky. Wang Yue starts teasing him, pretending she's all about getting married and even invites him to her future wedding. Yang Qing gets predictably jealous. She uses the moment to drop the act and tell him how she really feels. She wants to spend her life with him, for real. She admits that he is the only person she has ever truly trusted.
Shifting Alliances
The disciples all return to the Yuan Sect from their training, and it's clear they've matured. Elder Shen fills Feng Xingyun in on the Rove Beetle attack. Feng Xingyun immediately suspects it was Biluo Valley. Yang Qing hatches a plan. He'll use the upcoming Cloud Sect ceremony to invite the Valley Master and feel him out.
The whole ordeal has also changed Elder Shen's mind. He realizes his hatred for the Sheng Yue Cult was based on bad information and is now open to peace. Meanwhile, Yang Qing tries to talk cooperation with Yuan Yingxing, who keeps dodging the subject. Yao Fu tries to help persuade him, but Yuan Yingxing just meets her efforts with cold sarcasm.
