Episode Summary
The team discovers that the vines are a parasitic predator called the Nine-Headed Serpent Vine. A mysterious coffin containing a body in a Jade Suit appears, which leads to the discovery of King Lu Shang's plot for immortality. Their actions awaken a swarm of Corpse Beetles, leading to a chaotic escape where Da Kui sacrifices himself to save Wu Xie.
Spoiler Alert
Time Raiders: Episode 8 Recap
Alright, let's get into what just happened. The crew is still stuck in this nightmare tomb. And things are about to get much, much worse for them.
The Man-Eating Tree
Third Uncle finally figures out what those creepy vines are. He calls them Nine-Headed Serpent Vines. They live on giant trees. Their whole purpose is to grab animals, crush them to death, and eat them. The waste they produce then fertilizes the host tree. It's a neat, tidy, and absolutely terrifying food chain.
He also finds some of Old Ma's personal things nearby. The grim conclusion is that the vines probably got him.
After a quick break, Wu Xie and Pang Zi have to return the fox spirit's body to where they found it. The second they put it back, the ground starts shaking. A hole opens up. And a coffin slowly floats out of it. You can imagine the looks on their faces. The coffin is covered in ancient writing that no one can understand. They're all staring, completely freaked out but also a little excited.
The Coffin Opens Itself
Third Uncle remembers Xiao Ge's warning. Don't touch anything. He tells everyone to back away and leave it alone. But Pang Zi can't help himself. His curiosity is just too strong. He goes back for one more look. And the coffin lid just slides open on its own.
Well, now they have to look. Inside is a body wearing a full suit of jade armor. Third Uncle immediately identifies it as a "Jade Suit." No one is sure if this is the body of King Lu Shang. Then, the body inside the armor starts to move. After a thousand years, that should not be happening.
Just as they're debating what to do, Xiao Ge's voice cuts through the tension. He tells them not to touch it.
The King's Secret
Xiao Ge appears holding a bloody package. He drops it into the coffin. Inside the coffin is a purple wooden box. It contains a piece of silk woven with gold thread. Wu Xie, who knows a bit about ancient texts, can actually make some of it out.
The text tells the story of King Lu Shang. He wanted to live forever. He found a sorcerer who gave him two treasures to avoid being killed. One was a jade seal. The other was the jade armor. The seal made his soldiers fight endlessly without getting tired. The king then used the jade armor to fake his own death. He killed someone else and put them in the armor to see if the sorcerer's immortality promise was real. But the king didn't realize he was being played the whole time.
All Hell Breaks Loose
Following tradition, Third Uncle tells Da Kui and Pang Zi to put the lid back on. As they move the Jade Suit, a bug flies out and stings Da Kui right on the forehead. His face immediately turns blue. His head swells to a massive size. Da Kui starts screaming in agony.
Everyone freezes. They realize how dangerous this bug is. It flies around each of them. When it gets to Pang Zi, he can't take it anymore. He swats it and crushes it under his foot. This was a very bad idea.
Xiao Ge tells them that was the Corpse Beetle King. By killing it, they have enraged its entire colony. Tens of thousands of corpse beetles are now coming for them. They are probably all going to die.
Right on cue, thousands of Serpent Vines lunge at them from all directions. Everyone scatters. Pan Zi is already injured and can't move well. Third Uncle grabs him and they get dragged by the vines into a cave. Inside, Third Uncle finds some coal. He also has explosives in his bag. He uses the coal and explosives to blast a new opening. The vines are afraid of fire, so he and Pan Zi manage to crawl out to safety.
Wu Xie nearly falls off a cliff. At the last second, Da Kui grabs him and pulls him back. But Da Kui is already dying from the beetle's poison. His last words are for Wu Xie to take care of his mother. Then the vines grab him and pull him into the lava below.
Wu Xie, Pang Zi, Third Uncle, and Pan Zi finally escape the cave. They are back on the surface, under an open sky. But the victory is a hollow one. Da Kui is gone forever. Wu Xie asks if they should wait for Xiao Ge. Third Uncle just says that a guy like Zhang Qiling can probably find his own way out.
