Episode Summary
Twenty-Seven is rescued from Mu Qibai's base by Bu Xiu, who is revealed to be a dragon. They realize a magical tree is being used to feed souls to a demon beast army. Ming Yi's suggestion to ask other realms for help is rejected, as Ji Bozai reveals a wider conspiracy. Meanwhile, a royal succession battle heats up in another realm. After a tender moment with Ji Bozai, Ming Yi attempts to steal the Fleeting Dream, only to find he set a trap for her. Ji Bozai discovers the horrifying truth of the soul-draining tree, and Ming Yi feels his pain through their heart-link, comforting him upon his return.
Spoiler Alert
Mu Qibai's Sick Plan Gets Sicker
I thought Mu Qibai was just a standard villain. I was wrong. The guy is feeding the souls of prisoners to his demon beasts. He has a whole system set up. Remember Ruoshui, the prisoner who managed to escape Jixing Yuan? Well, Mu Qibai's men caught her and dragged her back. No one gets away from him.
A Failed Infiltration
Ji Bozai tried to pull a fast one on Mu Qibai. He came up with a plan to lure him away from his base. It did not work. Mu Qibai saw it coming from a mile away. He sent his guy, Sun Liao, to handle the problem.
The problem, in this case, was Twenty-Seven. He was sneaking around Dragon Carp Terrace looking for clues. He found a very strange-looking ancient tree. But before he could figure it out, Sun Liao caught him. Again.
The Dragon Comes to the Rescue
Sun Liao was about to finish Twenty-Seven for good. Then, Bu Xiu showed up right on time. They fought, but it was not much of a fight. Bu Xiu wiped the floor with Sun Liao. He then grabbed Twenty-Seven and they made a run for it.
They ended up hiding out in a little scallion pancake shop. You would think Twenty-Seven would be shocked to learn his friend is a dragon. He was not. He just thought it was really cool. He even complimented Bu Xiu on his "dragon majesty." Bu Xiu got super embarrassed. It was a rare, funny moment for him.
The Conspiracy Goes Deeper
Back at his base, Mu Qibai was having a chat with his sick brother. He explained his whole plan. He believes building a demon beast army is the only way to make Jixing Yuan powerful. He thinks some sacrifices are necessary for the greater good.
When the injured Sun Liao reported his failure, Mu Qibai punished him harshly. This was also a public warning to his other subordinate, Yan Xiao. The message was clear. Stay in line. Yan Xiao got the message loud and clear. He immediately swore his loyalty.
It's All About a Tree
Twenty-Seven told Ji Bozai everything that happened. He was sure the weird tree was important. A lightbulb went off for Ji Bozai. He remembered seeing a tree just like it in a vision from Hou Zhao's memories. That tree could absorb the essence of other plants.
They put two and two together. This tree must be how Mu Qibai is feeding souls to his beasts.
You Can't Trust Anyone
Ming Yi was horrified. She said they needed to warn the other five realms immediately. An army of demon beasts is a world-ending threat. Ji Bozai shot down the idea. He said the other leaders are just as power-hungry as Mu Qibai. If they found out about the army, they would just try to take it for themselves.
At first, Ming Yi didn't want to believe it. Then she remembered something. Mu Xinliu had testified that Mu Qibai was already working with the upper three realms. She finally understood. This conspiracy is massive. Everyone is connected, and no one can be trusted.
Meanwhile, in Royal Family Drama Land
We got a peek into the politics of another realm. The ruler, Chao Heng, has a lot of sons. The throne is up for grabs. Everyone thinks the eldest son, Chao Yu, is the top choice. He just won a major victory and has a lot of support.
His father, Chao Heng, knows his son is ambitious. He took away some of his son's allies to keep him in check. But he also gave him a fancy new title, Lord Jingxi, to balance the punishment with a reward.
A Little Brother Problem
The second son, Chao Xuan, decided to cause some trouble. He went to his older brother Chao Yu with some news. He "casually" mentioned that their youngest brother, Chao Yuan, was in Jixing Yuan. He was looking for a legendary item called the Fleeting Dream.
Chao Xuan suggested that if the youngest brother finds it, their father might grant him power. This would make him a new rival for the throne. Just like that, Chao Yu started to get suspicious of a brother he never used to worry about.
A Moment of Quiet, A Moment of Betrayal
The training camp at Shouhua Pan Palace is finally over. Ji Bozai decided he had to go investigate the demon army himself. As he was about to leave, Ming Yi stopped him.
The Warmth Before the Cold
She put a warm coat over his shoulders. She told him to be careful in a soft voice. The moment felt real. It was a genuine display of affection, and it clearly moved Ji Bozai.
The Yellow Millet Dream
The sweet moment did not last. The second Ji Bozai was gone, Ming Yi went on her own secret mission. She went straight to the Spirit Vow Well. She found the Fleeting Dream hidden at Bo Yulan's memorial tablet.
She reached out to grab it. A magical barrier threw her back. She realized what happened instantly. Ji Bozai had set a trap. He set it specifically to stop her.
The Horrible Truth
Ji Bozai followed the trail to the source. He found the ancient tree. The truth was worse than anything he could have imagined.
A Forest of Screaming Souls
Inside the tree, he saw thousands of trapped souls. They were screaming. These were the prisoners from Chen Yuan. Mu Qibai had recaptured them all. The tree was slowly draining their life force to power his army. Ji Bozai saw a vision of Ruoshui's final moments. He watched her get brutally killed. The rage and grief completely overwhelmed him.
Because of their heart-link, Ming Yi felt everything he was feeling. Miles away, she broke down in tears, sharing his agony. When a shattered Ji Bozai finally returned, she didn't say a word. She just pulled him into a tight hug and held him.
