Episode Summary
The leader of the Dark River assassin organization, the Patriarch, is severely injured after a duel. This kicks off a power struggle between the three major families within the group. Su Muyu, a loyal-but-conflicted assassin leader, tries to protect the Patriarch by finding a young doctor named Bai Hehuai. However, assassins from his own family and a rival family are hunting them down, leading to a direct confrontation.
Spoiler Alert
Welcome to the Dark River
A World of Light and Shadow
So, here’s the setup. You have the martial arts world. Three big sects basically run the place. They are the Nancheng Xueyue, the Dongcheng Wushuang, and the Tang Clan. They represent the good guys. The public face of justice.
But there's another power. A group of assassins called the Dark River. They operate in the shadows. They can take out anyone. High-ranking officials. Entire martial arts schools. They are the opposite of the light.
We meet one of the Dark River's leaders, Su Muyu. He seems to be having a bit of an existential crisis. He's wondering why he even wields a sword anymore. His subordinate brings him a new mission. Su Muyu reads the note, burns it, and puts on his assassin mask. Business as usual.
A Duel Thirty Years in the Making
The scene cuts to the Tang Clan's Second Master. He's just relaxing and playing an instrument. His peace is interrupted by the Patriarch of the Dark River. These two have history. They fought 30 years ago and have a promise to fulfill.
They start their duel. It's a massive fight. The sky changes color. Leaves swirl everywhere. Sword energy flashes all around them. The Patriarch manages to wound the Tang Second Master. But the effort costs him. He uses up too much of his own energy and is now severely injured himself.
Just then, crossbow bolts fly out of the darkness. Both men are too hurt to dodge. Su Muyu appears out of nowhere. He deflects the arrows and saves them both. It’s a good reminder. Even these top-tier leaders are just pieces on someone else's board.
The Power Vacuum
A Succession Crisis Begins
The Patriarch knows he's in trouble. The moment word gets out that he's badly injured, the three great families of the Dark River will make their move. Those families are the Su, the Xie, and the Mu. He tells Su Muyu to take him to find an old friend for help.
Three days later, the families meet. They all want to take the Patriarch's top spot. A figure named Tianguan lays down the challenge. Whoever can retrieve the Sleeping Dragon Sword will become the next Patriarch. The game is on.
The Su Family's Mission
Two assassins from the Su family, Su Zhe and Su Changhe, get their orders. They must kill the one person who can heal the Patriarch's poison. They arrive at a house and knock. A young woman named Bai Hehuai answers the door. The two assassins are confused. They were expecting someone else.
Bai Hehuai immediately senses danger. She lies and says her master is out treating a patient. She offers to go find him. This is just a trick to get away. It works. Su Zhe and Su Changhe don't fully trust her, though. They decide to follow her from a distance.
A Doctor on the Run
An Unlikely Alliance
While escaping, Bai Hehuai runs right into Su Muyu. He happens to be looking for the legendary doctor from Medicine King Valley. He takes her to see the injured Patriarch.
The Patriarch sees Bai Hehuai and smiles. He starts teasing her. You can tell they already know each other well. Su Muyu is still worried. He thinks she's too young to be the doctor he needs. He wants to find her master. The Patriarch then explains the truth. Bai Hehuai isthe current divine doctor of Medicine King Valley.
Bai Hehuai is confident she can handle the poison. But she's also hungry from her journey. Su Muyu roasts a chicken for her. As they sit by the fire, she asks him a personal question. She wants to know what happened to his previous subordinate. That subordinate was her father. Su Muyu stays silent. She drops the subject.
Family Feud
Su Muyu suddenly senses that they've been followed. Su Zhe and Su Changhe are close. He tells his other subordinate, Mao Tu, to get Bai Hehuai to safety. The Su assassins find their tracking marks have all been discovered. Bai Hehuai saw through their tricks. Just as they are laughing it off, a carrier pigeon arrives. It carries a note with the Patriarch's exact location.
The action moves to a ruined temple. Two assassins from the Xie family, Xie Qianji and Xie Jinke, have found Su Muyu. A fight breaks out. They are completely outmatched. Su Muyu easily defeats them and they flee.
Right after, Su Zhe and Su Changhe arrive. They are all from the Su family. They try to convince Su Muyu to abandon the Patriarch and side with them. They even try to bribe him with power. Su Muyu isn't interested. He remains loyal to the Patriarch. Seeing that words won't work, Su Changhe attacks. He strikes Su Muyu and knocks his mask off.
