Episode Summary
In this episode, Tang Lici takes control of the Sword Association and starts getting results. A new enemy, Fang Pingzhai, arrives to get the Rebirth Manual and tries to turn Zhong Chunjie against Tang Lici, but she stays loyal. Meanwhile, Liu Yan plots her revenge, and Pu Zhu finds a major clue in his long search.
Spoiler Alert
Tang Lici Cleans House
Sword Master Shao is pacing a hole in the floor. He's worried about Fengliu Hall. He wants to know Tang Lici's big plan. But Tang Lici is just casually feeding some cranes. He tells Shao to calm down. He joined the Central Plains Sword Association. He will definitely make a move.
And he does. Tang Lici pulls an all-nighter. He reads every file he can find on the association's management. The next day, he completely reshuffles the personnel. The other sword masters are furious. They storm in to confront him about their new jobs.
Tang Lici is completely unfazed. He tells them they have one month. If things don't improve, he will resign himself. That shuts them up pretty fast. You have to admit, the guy has guts. His changes aren't random, either. I think he actually figured out what these people are good at. He saw they were failing in their old roles. So he moved them to positions that fit their personalities.
A New Threat Arrives
A new player just walked into town. His name is Fang Pingzhai. He’s the master of the Thirteenth Floor. He has his eyes on the Rebirth Manual. He hears Tang Lici is making waves, so he decides to join the party.
Fang Pingzhai shows up disguised as a fortune teller. His little tricks make him pretty famous around Sword City. But he can't fool Tang Lici. Tang Lici spots him immediately. He knows exactly who Fang Pingzhai is. He also knows the man is deeply calculating.
Fang admits he wants the Rebirth Manual. He even says he'll try to get it from Liu Yan. Tang Lici gives him a cold warning. Stay away from Liu Yan. He tells Fang he might get the manual, but he won't live long enough to use it.
Testing Loyalty
Fang Pingzhai doesn't listen. He goes straight to Zhong Chunjie with a wild story. He tells her Tang Lici is a fox demon. He wants her help to expose him. He even offers her a huge reward.
He really tries to get under her skin. He brings up her past as an orphan. He talks about how hard she had to work for everything. Zhong Chunjie has had a tough life. She knows she has to fight for every little success. But she doesn't take the bait. She refuses to be bought. Her loyalty is solid.
While Fang is busy trying to ruin his reputation, Tang Lici is one step ahead. He's already investigating Fang's background. He sends a letter to his adoptive father asking for help digging up more information.
Other Moves on the Board
Liu Yan is back at Zhaodi Lou. The troupe leader there is encouraging her anger. Now she’s sworn to kill Tang Lici herself.
Gui Mudan is suspicious about why Liu Yan returned. He uses his "hidden-winged insects" to spy on her but finds nothing. Someone gives him a tip. He should go see the puppetry master, Qiao Yi Qiankun. The master is looking for a rare magical artifact. If Gui Mudan can find it for him, the master will help him figure out Liu Yan's secrets.
The episode ends with a quick shot of Pu Zhu. He gets a message from a carrier pigeon. He finally knows that Xifang Tao is the person he has been searching for all these years.
