Episode Summary
In this episode, Dark River strikes a deal with the dying Prince of Langya to gain legitimacy in exchange for rescuing the emperor. This leads to a series of violent encounters when Bai Hehuai's attempt to treat a patient goes wrong. The episode ends with Su Muyu severely injuring himself to save Bai Hehuai from an ambush, leaving him weak and facing a fatal blow.
Spoiler Alert
Blood River: Episode 31
This episode was all about making deals and then immediately paying the price. Nobody ever gets a clean win in this world.
A Deal with a Dying Prince
The episode kicks off with Su Muyu and Su Changhe meeting Prince of Langya. Su Muyu gets straight to the point. He tells the Prince that Dark River can get rid of his enemies for him. Su Changhe then asks if the Prince is actually serious about working with them.
The Prince takes a moment. He reveals a pretty big piece of information. The emperor, Tang Linghuang, is a close friend of his. He’s also the senior martial brother of Tang Lianyue. The Prince says Tang Linghuang’s life is extremely important to him. He lays out his terms. If Su Muyu can rescue the emperor and cure him of the "medicine man" poison, he will owe them a huge favor. He then says he’ll help Dark River step out of the shadows and into the light.
He starts coughing pretty badly. He says he believes they can build a new, better Dark River. It’s a solid deal, but the guy does not look healthy at all.
Post-Meeting Plans and Suspicions
The Dark River crew leaves the meeting feeling pretty good. Mu Qingyang is optimistic. He says they’ve made real progress. He then shares his second wish. He wants to go to Wangcheng Mountain, meet the famous Xuan Sword Immortal, and eat a peach from his tree. Bai Hehuai jokes that he should just stay there and become a hermit.
But Mu Qingyang has a third wish. He wants to tell Mu Xuewei that he’s been in love with her for years. Bai Hehuai is genuinely happy for him. Su Changhe just calls him a fool. As he does, Mu Qingyang notices Su Changhe's hands are ice cold. He thinks it's from some kind of martial arts training.
Su Muyu notices it too and realizes something is wrong with Su Changhe. Bai Hehuai quickly mixes up some medicine to help. The group starts talking about the Prince. Mu Qingyang thinks the Prince’s martial arts must be strange to make someone’s body so cold. Su Muyu and Bai Hehuai don't think it's that simple. They suspect the Prince has been poisoned. Bai Hehuai is blunt about it. She says the Prince is terminally ill and won't live much longer. Su Muyu figures out the Prince’s real plan. He wants them to eliminate all his political rivals so his royal brother can have a clear path to power.
A Doctor's Visit Turns into a Trap
Things move fast. Su Changli sends a message to the royal court. He makes it clear that Dark River has no interest in politics. They just want to operate openly.
Then, Tu Wan takes Bai Hehuai to see a man named Li Xian. She's there to treat a patient. Li Xian looks at this young woman claiming to be a "miracle doctor" and is very skeptical. But then Bai Hehuai describes the patient's symptoms perfectly without even entering the room.
Li Xian is impressed and lets her in. Bai Hehuai checks the patient's pulse. She tells Tu Wan that the person is alive, but the poison is extremely difficult to cure. Suddenly, Li Xian's son collapses. Li Xian immediately gets suspicious. This didn't happen with any of the other doctors he hired. He decides he needs to keep them there. Xu Liuyun shows up, ready to help the royal family capture Bai Hehuai. Tu Wan refuses to abandon the doctor she brought.
A Desperate Rescue
Just in time, Su Muyu arrives and gets Bai Hehuai out of there. Tu Wan is annoyed. Her plan was to use this to build the clinic's reputation, not start a war.
Their escape doesn't last long. Xu Liuyun and his men cut them off. Bai Hehuai isn't a strong fighter, so she quickly becomes a weakness for Su Muyu. Xu Liuyun goes straight for her. Su Muyu is forced to fight him head-on. They trade hundreds of blows, but neither can get an advantage.
Then, Xu Liuyun's apprentice appears and lands a serious blow on Bai Hehuai. Su Muyu shoves a life-saving pill into her mouth. He gently places her on the ground so he can fight without holding back. Xu Liuyun is determined to finish his mission today. He uses a formation array to trap Su Muyu, then turns to kill the injured Bai Hehuai.
Su Muyu sees her in danger. He does the only thing he can. He uses his internal energy to shatter the formation from the inside. Xu Liuyun knows this move will cause massive internal injuries. He isn't worried at all. He pulls out his prized blade, ready to kill a weakened Su Muyu. Su Muyu manages to get to his feet, but he immediately spits up a mouthful of blood. He's incredibly weak and vulnerable.
