Episode Summary
Tang Lici reveals the truth about Fang Zhou's death. He and Fang Zhou were attempting a forbidden ritual to save Fang Zhou's life, but it backfired when Liu Yan interrupted. Liu Yan, torn but still consumed by his boss's lies, attacks Tang Lici again. Shen Langhun intervenes, injuring Liu Yan before escaping. A'Shui saves a collapsed Tang Lici with her blood, and he finally accepts her as a companion. To fight the Fengliu Hall, Tang Lici decides to join the Central Plains Sword Association, despite their suspicions of him.
Spoiler Alert
The Truth Comes Out
A Brother's Betrayal
The episode kicks off right where we left off. Tang Lici and Liu Yan are locked in a brutal fight. Tang Lici, looking wrecked, basically asks his old friend if he really wants to kill him. Liu Yan doesn't hesitate. He's convinced Tang Lici murdered their best friend, Fang Zhou. He wants blood for blood.
But then something happens. During the fight, Liu Yan manages to get a hand on Tang Lici’s chest. He feels the heart crystal inside. And it feels familiar. Way too familiar. He realizes it’s Fang Zhou’s heart crystal. Liu Yan freezes. Tang Lici just looks at him and confirms it. Yes, the crystal he just touched belongs to Fang Zhou.
The Real Story of Fang Zhou
So, we get the whole story in a flashback. It turns out I was right. Tang Lici didn't kill anyone.
Years ago, Fang Zhou was dying. He had an old injury from the Yique Yinyang technique. His time was running out. Tang Lici knew about a forbidden text called the Rebirth Manual. He believed it could save his friend. The problem was its reputation. Everyone in the martial arts world thought it was evil, so Fang Zhou refused to practice it.
Tang Lici pleaded with him. He had practiced the manual himself and knew it was safe. Fang Zhou finally agreed but on one condition. They had to do it in secret. The manual works by letting two people of equal power swap their fates. Tang Lici’s plan was to absorb the dark energy from Fang Zhou’s body into his own.
They were on the very last day of the ritual. It was almost a success. But Liu Yan and some others showed up early. The interruption distracted Tang Lici. The ritual backfired spectacularly. The power overwhelmed both him and Fang Zhou. In a last-ditch effort to save him, Tang Lici placed Fang Zhou’s heart crystal inside his own body. Then he stole an ice coffin from the Biluo Palace and hid Fang Zhou’s body there. The only thing that can revive Fang Zhou now is the other half of the Yique Yinyang technique.
A Desperate Battle
Liu Yan's Choice
Guess who has that other half of the technique. Liu Yan. You can see the gears turning in his head. He has spent years fueled by pure hatred for Tang Lici. Now he hears this completely different version of events. He doesn’t know what to believe.
His mind flashes back to his boss. We see his boss telling him that Tang Lici isthe Yique Yinyang. That he’s a master manipulator and pure evil. The brainwashing is strong with this one.
In the end, Liu Yan’s obsession wins. He can't let go of the hate. He attacks Tang Lici again, but this time with even more ferocity. Tang Lici is already weak. His heart crystal begins to crack. Just when it looks like it’s over, Shen Langhun appears. He’s a skilled fighter too. He catches Liu Yan off guard and wounds him badly. Shen Langhun is also injured in the process and makes a quick escape.
A'Shui's Sacrifice
Tang Lici finally runs out of energy. He collapses in the snow. It isn’t long before A’Shui finds him. She sees how weak he is. She immediately cuts her own wrist and uses her blood to heal him.
Even though he's unconscious, Tang Lici sees it happen. He sees her roll up her sleeve. He realizes this is what she does every single time he’s been on the brink of death. You can tell he is deeply moved.
When he wakes up, A’Shui is there with some healing soup. He looks at the scars on her wrist. He tells her she can't keep saving him like this. Her past is still a total mystery to him. But he finally agrees to let her stay by his side.
A New Alliance
Tang Lici has a new plan. He needs to destroy the Fengliu Hall and stop those evil pills from spreading. He decides the best way to do that is to join the Central Plains Sword Association.
Of course, it's not that simple. The leaders of the association are already suspicious of him. They know about his connection to the Yique Yinyang. Tang Lici isn't bothered. He confronts them head-on. He basically asks if they really think their small group has any chance of taking down the Fengliu Hall alone. He’s got a point.
