Episode Summary
Tang Lici reveals the dark history of Biluo Palace. Liu Yan recruits a dangerous new ally, Qiao Yi Qiankun, to help her infiltrate it. After traveling by mythical beast to a frozen wasteland, Tang Lici is separated from his friends and falls into an ice chasm, with A'Shui jumping in after him. They discover the real Biluo Palace, where Tang Lici confronts A'Shui about her true loyalties.
Spoiler Alert
Whispers of Fate, Episode 15: Recap and Spoilers
The Story Behind the Palace
The episode starts with Tang Lici, Chi Yun, and Shen Langhun taking a break. They've been walking for days. Tang Lici even whips up some barbecue. You have to appreciate a guy who prioritizes snacks.
While they eat, they talk about the infamous Biluo Palace. We get some important backstory here. The whole reason Yi Que Yin Yang has such a bad reputation is tied to this place. The current emperor wanted to live forever. So he threw a ton of money at Yi Que Yin Yang to develop an immortality pill. All that power and wealth went straight to the guy's head. He became a tyrant. He started extorting people and making their lives miserable. Everyone hated him, but they were too scared to do anything about it.
A Villainous Team-Up
Liu Yan is out making moves. She needs some muscle and brains to get what she wants. She hears about a man named Qiao Yi Qiankun. He's a master of building mechanisms and a pro at the "Yan" arts. So she decides to pay him a visit.
Here's the deal with this Qiao Yi Qiankun guy. He's currently ranked number one in his field. But he spent years as number two. He only got the top spot after the previous number one died. Liu Yan knows exactly what happened. Qiao Yi Qiankun killed his rival to get ahead. He's ruthless and cruel. This doesn't bother Liu Yan at all. In fact, she sees a kindred spirit. They hit it off immediately. Qiao Yi Qiankun agrees to help her get into Biluo Palace.
The Good Guys Make a Move
While the villains are scheming, the good guys are trying to clean up the mess. Shao Jianzhu and Pu Zhu have joined forces. Their goal is to completely destroy the distribution network for the evil pills. To help the cause, they give Commander Yu a special weapon. It's the Tai'e Sword. This blade is incredibly sharp. It's meant for cutting down arrogant thugs and corrupt schemers.
The Journey to Biluo Palace
Tang Lici leads Chi Yun into a vast, empty desert. The wind is howling. Chi Yun has no idea how they're supposed to find the entrance to Biluo Palace out here. Tang Lici just stomps his foot on the ground. Suddenly, his personal ride appears from the sand. It's a massive Qilin. Yes, a giant mythical beast.
The three of them hop on. The Qilin is incredibly fast. In what feels like an instant, they arrive in a completely different place. Now they're in a frozen wasteland covered in snow and ice. The temperature drops hard.
Their trip gets interrupted. Island Master Cheng finally catches up to them. He wants to arrest Tang Lici and take him to Sword King City for a trial. Tang Lici warns him to watch his step. The ice under their feet is thin. If they start a fight, they'll all fall through. Island Master Cheng is smart enough to listen. He decides to just follow them for now.
Into the Icy Depths
As they walk, the ice starts to crack. A huge fissure opens up right under Tang Lici, Chi Yun, and Shen Langhun. The ice splits in two. Tang Lici is now separated from his friends. He tells them not to worry. He claims the master of Biluo Palace just invited him for a visit and he'll be right back. Then he jumps straight into the icy hole. Before anyone can react, A'Shui sees him go. She dives in right after him without a second thought.
It turns out there's a palace under the ice. This is the real Biluo Palace. The ruler, Palace Master Wan Yu, gets a report that two people have entered. He just smirks. He tells his subordinate that if Tang Lici can survive the palace's defenses, he'll grant him a meeting.
A Test of Trust
Down in the ice cave, the cold is brutal. Tang Lici takes out his only Jade Smile Pearl. The pearl protects its holder from the intense cold. He gives it to A'Shui.
When A'Shui wakes up, Tang Lici confronts her. He asks her flat-out if Liu Yan sent her to spy on him. He also wants to know why she jumped in after him. Was it just an act to earn his trust? He warns her to be careful. The plum blossoms in the cave are poisonous. Any strong emotions or loud noises will trigger them, releasing a deadly pollen.
A'Shui gets teary-eyed. She swears she just jumped because she was worried about him. She says she has no other motive. For now, Tang Lici chooses to believe her. The two of them decide to press forward together.
