Episode Summary
Tang Lici recalls his betrayal by A'Yan four years ago and realizes his old enemy is back. A key witness, Yang Shangqing, is assassinated before he can reveal who forced him to frame Tang Lici. The assassin, Jiang Cheng, is a missing sect leader controlled by an addictive drug. After confessing his connection to a man named Feng Chuanxiang, Jiang Cheng dies in a violent explosion. His father blames Tang Lici and sentences him to be boiled alive, only for Feng Chuanxiang to arrive at the last second.
Spoiler Alert
A Betrayal Four Years in the Making
We start with a flashback. It’s not a happy one. Tang Lici is remembering the last time he saw his senior, A'Yan. Four years ago, they were just two guys playing music in the woods. It seemed peaceful. Then A'Yan suddenly smashed his pipa against Tang Lici. He seriously injured him.
Tang Lici didn't fight back at first. He still thought about their friendship. But A'Yan wasn't messing around. He kept attacking. He stabbed Tang Lici in the chest with a sword. Then he choked him. During the struggle, Tang Lici’s jade flute fell from his sleeve. This used to be A'Yan's favorite instrument. A'Yan looked at it, then broke the flute in half before leaving. Cold.
Back in the present, Tang Lici connects the dots. The murders at the Hao residence feel familiar. He's sure A'Yan has returned. He thinks A'Yan is framing him and wants to finish the job from four years ago. The good news is Tang Lici isn't alone this time. He has a new helper, Chi Yun.
A Conspiracy Unravels
The Silenced Witness
Zhong Chunjie manages to catch Yang Shangqing. This is the guy who supposedly framed Tang Lici. Yang Shangqing immediately starts talking. He admits he poisoned the Hao family. But he says someone forced him to frame Tang Lici. He was coerced.
Zhong Chunjie presses him for more answers. He asks why he murdered the Hao family. Before Yang Shangqing can answer, several darts fly out of nowhere. They hit him square in the chest. He dies on the spot. So much for getting answers.
A small medicine bottle rolls out of the dead man's clothes. Zhong Chunjie opens it. Inside are pills called Xing Gui Jiu Xing Wan. This is bad news. It's a dark, manipulative kind of drug.
The Drugged Assassin
While this is happening, Chi Yun spots the assassin nearby. He gives chase. Chi Yun is a good fighter and quickly gets the upper hand. But then the assassin changes. His veins bulge on his neck. His face twists into a mask of pure rage. He's like a man possessed. He starts launching vicious, desperate attacks at Tang Lici.
Zhong Chunjie and A'Shui rush over to help. Tang Lici easily dodges the wild sword swings. Zhong Chunjie recognizes the attacker. His name is Jiang Cheng. He was the young master of the well-known Yanmen sect. He vanished about six months ago. Now he's turned into someone's brainwashed killer.
A Tragic Confession
Tang Lici uses his internal energy to calm Jiang Cheng down. He manages to subdue him without causing more harm. Once he's lucid, Jiang Cheng tells his story.
He was training in a secluded place with a man named Feng Chuanxiang. Jiang Cheng felt stuck. He wasn't making any progress with his martial arts. Feng Chuanxiang saw his frustration. He found a pill and gave it to Jiang Cheng, promising it would help.
After Jiang Cheng took the pill, he felt awful. Zhong Chunjie explains what the pill really is. It's a drug used by the leader of the Jile Sect to control people's minds. It boosts your martial arts skills, sure. But it also makes you an addict. If you stop taking it, the withdrawal causes unbearable pain.
Jiang Cheng tried to fight the addiction. Feng Chuanxiang even helped him for a while. But then one day, Feng Chuanxiang just disappeared. Jiang Cheng went out to find him. He thought he could track down Yang Shangqing through the pills. He learned that Yang Shangqing had some connection to Feng Chuanxiang. To protect the Yanmen sect's reputation, Jiang Cheng decided to silence Yang Shangqing for good.
From Bad to Boiling
After his confession, Jiang Cheng tries to kill himself. Tang Lici grabs the sword from his hand. Jiang Cheng begs to die. He knows he's being controlled by the drug. He often loses his mind and can't control his own actions.
Tang Lici asks him if he knows a man named A'Yan. But it's too late. Jiang Cheng's face starts to swell and turn a dark purple. He becomes completely crazed again. Tang Lici tries to calm him, but it's no use. There is a loud bang. And then Jiang Cheng just... explodes. He's gone.
As if on cue, Jiang Cheng's father appears in the sky. He sees Tang Lici standing right where his son just blew up. He immediately assumes Tang Lici is the murderer. He orders his men to surround Tang Lici and Chi Yun. His plan is to boil them alive in a large cage over a fire.
Chi Yun looks at the burning firewood beneath them. He's sure they're about to die. But Tang Lici tells him not to lose hope. Just as Jiang Cheng's father gives the order to start the execution, Feng Chuanxiang arrives. He urges the old sect leader to calm down. He promises he will investigate the matter thoroughly.
