Episode Summary
The plan to lure Liu Yan out with Sword Master Shao works, allowing Tang Lici to attempt a rescue. His mission is derailed when he's betrayed and stabbed by Yu Qifeng's adopted son, who was manipulated by a reanimated puppet of his father. After surviving the attack, Tang Lici fights through another trap set by Liu Yan's loyal disciple, Hua Wuyan, and saves a drowning Zhong Chunjie, discovering a butterfly tattoo on her back. The episode ends with the team blowing up the Peony Pavilion, forcing Liu Yan to retreat but leaving Tang Lici worried about his inevitable return.
Spoiler Alert
The Bait and Switch
The episode kicks off with a major showdown. Sword Master Shao is facing Hong Guniang and Bai Suche. He's wielding the legendary Tai'e Sword. You know Hong Guniang and Bai Suche are skilled fighters. But they were no match for that sword's power. They lost the fight pretty quickly.
Just then, Liu Yan shows up. This is exactly what Sword Master Shao wanted. He immediately sends a signal. The whole fight was a setup. I learned that Tang Lici and Shao planned this whole thing. Shao acted as bait to draw Liu Yan into the open. This left Tang Lici free to go rescue Zhong Chunjie. A classic diversion.
A Ghost from the Past
A Shocking Betrayal
Tang Lici heads off to find Zhong Chunjie. But he runs into someone unexpected. It's Yu Qifeng. This was a surprise, because Tang Lici definitely killed him before. It turns out Liu Yan brought him back. He's now a mindless puppet, powered by dark magic. This makes him incredibly strong.
Things get even worse. Yu Qifeng’s former adopted son is with Tang Lici. The kid is still holding a grudge. He watched Tang Lici kill the man he thought was his father. The puppet Yu Qifeng uses this to his advantage. He tricks the son. While Tang Lici's guard is down, the son stabs him right in the heart.
The Puppet's True Colors
Tang Lici is now badly wounded. The puppet thinks he has the upper hand. He gets arrogant and reveals his monstrous true form. Then he sets off a massive explosion. He planned to kill both Tang Lici and the adopted son.
This is the moment the son finally sees the truth. His "father" is just a monster working for Liu Yan. He realizes he put his trust in the wrong person. Even after being stabbed, Tang Lici protects the kid from the blast. He tells him to pull the sword out of his chest.
The Rescue Gets Complicated
Hua Wuyan's Loyalty
Tang Lici knows he's wasted too much time. He finally gets to where Zhong Chunjie is being held. The place is guarded by one of Liu Yan's disciples, a man named Hua Wuyan. He has set up magical barriers and traps everywhere.
Tang Lici reaches Zhong Chunjie and tries to lead her out. She can't speak. She just waves her hands frantically, trying to warn him. He quickly realizes he's walked right into a trap. He places her back on the bed and gets out of the room. Now he can deal with Hua Wuyan directly.
We get a little backstory on this guy. Hua Wuyan was an outcast as a child. People bullied him and called him a "monster." Liu Yan was the only one who ever showed him kindness. Because of this, Hua Wuyan is completely devoted to him. He will follow any order.
Hua Wuyan knows he can't beat Tang Lici in a fair fight. So he decides to trap him instead. He uses all his power to trigger every trap in the area. This causes the room holding Zhong Chunjie to begin flooding with water.
A Drowning Memory
Zhong Chunjie is now trapped in the flooding room. She sinks into the water and starts to lose consciousness. Her mind flashes back to her childhood. She remembers all the times she was bullied and tormented. It's a nightmare she has lived with for years. She tries to fight back, but her body won't move.
Just as she's about to give up, Tang Lici appears. He pulls her from the water and saves her. He transfers some of his own energy to her to help her recover. As he does this, he notices something. There's a tattoo on her back. It looks like a butterfly.
Blowing Up the Pavilion
Back at the main battle, Sword Master Shao sees his disciples being killed by Liu Yan. He decides to sacrifice himself to save them. He tries to unleash the full power of the Tai'e Sword. But there's a problem. Shao had previously tampered with the area. This tampering actually limits the sword's power. The blowback is intense. He nearly freezes into a block of ice.
Tang Lici arrives just in time to save him. He sees that Liu Yan has played all his cards. So Tang Lici gives the signal. Shen Langhun detonates a series of bombs hidden throughout the Peony Pavilion. The entire structure explodes and is reduced to rubble.
Liu Yan escapes in the chaos. He needs to preserve his strength. For now, the battle is won. Everyone is relieved. But Tang Lici is still worried. They failed to kill Liu Yan. He knows their enemy will be back. And next time, he'll probably do something much worse.
