Episode Summary
Tang Lici exposes Fang Pingzhai as a former prince, causing him to flee. As revenge, Fang Pingzhai posts a map of the enemy's headquarters, pushing the Sword Association toward war. Pu Zhu encounters Xifang Tao, who tricks his men with poison mist. She then forces a confrontation that ends with both of them falling off a cliff into a secluded canyon.
Spoiler Alert
A Look into the Past
This episode opens with Tang Lici thinking about the past. He remembers his friend, Fang Zhou. Fang Zhou was very sick back then. Tang Lici suggested he practice the Rebirth Manual to save himself. Fang Zhou agreed. After practicing for a while, he told Tang Lici something important. He said the manual itself wasn't evil. People just misunderstood it. A martial art is only as good or bad as the person using it. This lesson clearly stuck with Tang Lici. It helped calm his own restless nature.
Chaos at the Sword Association
Things are a mess at the Central Plains Sword Association. Liu Yan is busy practicing some dark arts. She is determined to get strong enough to beat Tang Lici. But that’s not the only problem.
A Mysterious Killer
Disciples at the association are turning up dead. It always happens late at night. The killer is efficient. Each victim has a single, fatal sword wound to the neck. This has everyone on edge. Nobody has any idea who is doing it.
The Fortune Teller's Big Secret
Tang Lici finally deals with Fang Pingzhai. He had already warned the man to stop spreading rumors. Fang Pingzhai didn't listen. He kept bad-mouthing Tang Lici during his fortune-telling sessions. So Tang Lici did some digging. He got a tip from his adoptive father. He learned Fang Pingzhai’s real name is Chai Xijin. He is the sixth prince of the former dynasty.
Tang Lici confronts him with this truth. Fang Pingzhai is completely stunned. Tang Lici doesn't get why he wants the Rebirth Manual so badly. The manual is part of the Yique Yinyang techniques. Those same techniques led to the destruction of Fang Pingzhai's kingdom. But Fang Pingzhai sees it differently. He thinks Tang Lici's power comes from Yique Yinyang. He craves anything that will make him powerful. Tang Lici has had enough. His warnings did nothing. He exposes Fang Pingzhai's identity to everyone. Panicked, Fang Pingzhai runs for it.
A Map to War
Fang Pingzhai doesn't just disappear quietly. He gets his revenge. He draws a highly detailed map of the Peony Pavilion. This is the central headquarters of Fengliu Hall. The map shows every route and every guard post. He then posts this map in a very public spot at the Sword Association.
The plan works. All the disciples and sword masters who hate Fengliu Hall see it. They want to attack the Peony Pavilion immediately. Sword Master Shao feels the pressure. He asks Tang Lici what they should do. Tang Lici tells everyone to be patient and not act rashly. But he knows a fight is now unavoidable.
Pu Zhu's Dangerous Reunion
Pu Zhu is leading a group of disciples on a mission. They are supposed to be taking out a Fengliu Hall outpost. On the way, he runs into an old friend.
A Game of Chess Turns Deadly
The friend is a woman he used to play chess with. He later learned she is Xifang Tao from Fengliu Hall. That discovery had really bothered him. Now, she shows up and invites him for another game. Pu Zhu isn't interested. This time, Xifang Tao came with a plan. She intentionally puts Pu Zhu in a dangerous situation. His soldiers see him in trouble and rush to help.
This is exactly what she wanted. She releases a cloud of poison mist. The mist confuses the soldiers. They start attacking each other. Pu Zhu has to act fast. He throws his prayer beads to create a distraction. This gives his disciples a chance to retreat.
A Leap of Faith
Xifang Tao then forces Pu Zhu into a one-on-one fight. During the struggle, she grabs his hand. She uses it to wound herself. Then she jumps straight off a cliff. Pu Zhu, trying to save her, jumps right after her.
They both land in a deep, hidden canyon. When Xifang Tao wakes up, she sees Pu Zhu is also badly hurt. She realizes he didn't have to jump. He genuinely wanted to save her life. They are trapped far below the rest of the world. She lies down to rest on his Taoist robe.
