Episode Summary
The Patriarch reveals his master plan involving two swords to pit the old factions against each other. Su Changhe violently seizes control of the Su family from a defeated Su Jinhui. He then confronts Su Muyu, revealing his alliance with Li Hanyi, but she now favors disbanding the Dark River. Tang Lianyue's revenge attempt is cut short when he realizes The Patriarch is already dying. In his final moments, The Patriarch gives Su Muyu and Su Changhe the real sword and a warning about a greater power before they are cornered by new enemies.
Spoiler Alert
The Patriarch's Real Plan
Two Swords, One Big Lie
So, Su Muyu and Bai Hehuai get back to The Patriarch. And what do they see? Another Sleeping Dragon Sword. I had to rewind for a second. The Patriarch explains the situation. There are actually two swords. The one he has is the real deal. It holds the true secrets of the Dark River.
He then lays out his entire strategy. He gave Su Muyu the fake sword on purpose. The plan was simple. If Su Jinhui had actually been strong enough to unite the Dark River, The Patriarch would have given him the real sword. But he wasn't. So, the fake sword becomes a tool. He wants the other factions to fight over it. Let them tear each other apart.
Cleaning House
The Patriarch’s goal is pretty ruthless. He wants to eliminate the entire older generation. He thinks they are just clinging to their positions. By letting them fight over a fake prize, he clears the board. This creates space for the younger generation to rise up. He believes this is the only way for the Dark River to finally break free from outside control. It's a brutal plan, but you can't say it isn't bold.
Shifting Loyalties and Power Grabs
A Stolen Token
We get a quick check-in with Mu Yumo. She’s holding a hidden weapon. She stole it from Tang Lianyue while he was asleep. She knows he's a master fighter. He definitely would have noticed it was gone. But he never said a word. So, she takes his silence as a sign. She thinks it's a love token from him. Tang Lianyue then brings her food. He can tell her injuries are completely healed. He just doesn't say anything and keeps taking care of her. This whole dynamic is strange, but I'm here for it.
A New Family Head
Su Changhe goes to find Su Jinhui. Su Jinhui isn't surprised to see him. Su Changhe gets straight to the point. He wants to be the head of the Su family. Su Jinhui is a broken man. He failed to wield the sword and got beaten by Mu Ciling. His confidence is shot.
Su Jinhui tries to argue. He says Su Changhe and Su Muyu are "Nameless Ones." They aren't qualified to inherit these high positions. Su Changhe just scoffs. He doesn't care about the title. He wants to fundamentally change the Dark River. Su Jinhui refuses to give up his position easily. But he completely underestimates Su Changhe's power. Su Changhe takes him down in a single move. Just like that, Su Changhe is the new head of the Su family. His first move is to gather his people and go find Su Muyu. He already figured out the sword was a fake.
Confrontations and Revelations
An Uneasy Alliance
Su Changhe finds Su Muyu and calls him out on the sword. Su Muyu knows why he's there. He tries to warn Su Changhe. He says this path is incredibly difficult. Even if their old promise comes true, it won't be easy. One becomes the family head, the other becomes The Patriarch. But many will still oppose them. They could both easily die trying.
Su Changhe already knows this. He's willing to sacrifice his life for even a small chance at success. He won't give up. Then he reveals his ace. His ally is Li Hanyi, the Snow Moon Sword Immortal. She was there to back his play. But after listening to Su Muyu, she has a different idea. She thinks just disbanding the Dark River is the best solution.
A Dying Man's Revenge
As the three of them talk, they hear fighting from the manor. Li Hanyi immediately knows what's happening. It's Tang Lianyue. He's there to get revenge on The Patriarch for his uncle's death.
Su Muyu and Su Changhe rush back. But Tang Lianyue stops his attack. He can see that The Patriarch is already on death's door. There's no point.
The Patriarch knows his time is up. He asks to speak with Su Muyu and Su Changhe alone. He understands what they both want. One wants to rule the Dark River. The other wants to destroy it. He tells them neither choice will be simple. He gives them the real Sleeping Dragon Sword. Then he drops one last bomb. There is another, even more powerful force controlling things from behind the scenes. The secret is in a hidden passage in his room.
Su Changhe looks at the sword. He urges Su Muyu to take control of the Dark River. But before they can decide anything, they're interrupted. The Water Official and Mu Ciling appear.
