Episode Summary
In this episode, Su Muyu and Su Changhe team up to fight off Mu Ciling, who wants the Sleeping Dragon Sword. Afterward, Su Muyu decides to stay with the Dark River out of concern for his brother's recklessness. They reverse their roles, with Su Changhe becoming the new Patriarch. With the old families defeated, Su Changhe announces his new position, while the First Prince takes notice of the power shift. The episode ends with Su Muyu getting a new weapon and Su Changhe discovering a secret in the sword.
Spoiler Alert
An Unwanted Guest
The Sword and the Showdown
The episode kicks off with a major confrontation. Mu Ciling shows up. He wants the Sleeping Dragon Sword. Su Muyu and Su Changhe are obviously not having it. They don't think they can lose to him, anyway.
Su Muyu knows Mu Ciling is a top-tier fighter. He doesn't hold back. He immediately unleashes his ultimate move, the Eighteen Sword Formation. You'd think this would intimidate Mu Ciling. But he gets incredibly excited. Turns out, he's a battle junkie. He always wanted to fight the legendary Su Eighteen and see this famous technique for himself. Now he finally gets his chance.
Even though Su Muyu went all out, it wasn't enough. He was losing. Just in the nick of time, Su Changhe jumps in to help. He even uses Mu Ciling's own move, the Yama Palm, against him. It's still not enough. In the end, it takes both brothers working together to finally make Mu Ciling retreat. They both walk away with injuries.
A Change of Heart
The Brothers' Pact
After the fight, Su Muyu warns his brother. He says the Yama Palm technique is dangerous. One wrong move and it could destroy him from the inside. Su Changhe knows the risks. He just doesn't care. He's willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goals, even if it kills him.
Su Changhe finally accepts that Su Muyu plans to leave the Dark River. He promises not to stop him this time. He even offers to take care of some loose ends. Su Changhe says he will completely wipe out the Soul-Lifting Hall. This would mean Su Muyu won't have to worry about being hunted down. He also tells Su Muyu he can take anyone he wants with him and grant them their freedom. He even has money and a new home prepared for him.
The New Plan
This is where things get interesting. Su Muyu decides not to leave. He just doesn't trust his brother alone. He remembers all the past missions they did together. Su Changhe always found a way to turn a simple job into a complete disaster, putting both of them in danger. Su Muyu worries that without him, Su Changhe's ambition will get everyone around him killed. So, he stays.
But he changes the terms of their original agreement. The first plan was for Su Muyu to become The Patriarch, with Su Changhe managing the Su family affairs. They flip it. Su Muyu gives the position of The Patriarch to Su Changhe. He will manage the Su family himself. Su Changhe is shocked, but also incredibly happy. The brothers are back together, ready to build their future.
Shifting Power
The Old Families Fall
The long battle between the Mu and Xie families finally ends. It went on from day to night. Xie Ba is on the brink of death. Mu Zizhe uses the chaos to escape. The remaining members of both families surrender. In a final, brutal move, Xie Qidao personally kills the dying Xie Ba. Xie Ba dies in disbelief at the betrayal.
Later, Mu Xuewei and her group find the Su brothers. Su Changhe stands before them, holding the Sleeping Dragon Sword. He announces to everyone that he is the new Patriarch of the Dark River. Elsewhere, Mu Yumo wakes up. She seems disappointed when she realizes Tang Lianyue is gone.
The View from the Top
The news travels fast. The First Prince, Xiao Yong, and his strategist, Yingzong Yibu, hear about the power shift in the Dark River while playing a board game. Yibu is surprised by the sudden change. He's especially surprised that two young men pulled it off. But he sees it as a good thing for his own plans. He thinks their strength can be useful.
New Routines and Old Secrets
A Quiet Life and a New Gift
We see Su Muyu living a more peaceful life with Bai Hehuai. Bai Hehuai works as a doctor, and Su Muyu assists him. But every day, a crowd of young women shows up. They aren't there because they're sick. They're all there to get a look at Su Muyu.
All the while, Yibu is keeping a close watch on both brothers. He plans to meet with Su Changhe soon. He wants to find a way to control him.
Su Muyu gets an upgrade. His old umbrella was a simple, straight design. It would break every time he used his Eighteen Sword Formation, and he'd have to pick up all the swords by hand. Now that Su Changhe is The Patriarch, he has a special umbrella custom-made for his brother. It's designed to work with the technique and even make it more powerful.
While his brother settles in, Su Changhe studies the Sleeping Dragon Sword. He's looking for its secrets. He finds a hidden mechanism concealed in the hilt.
