Episode Summary
Liu Yan is fooled by a decoy, buying time for the heroes. A'Shui discovers Tang Lici is dying from poison and can only be saved by destroying her brother's Heart Crystal, which is inside him. In a dream, Fang Zhou gives Tang Lici his blessing to move on and live. Faced with the ongoing massacre by Fengliu Hall, Tang Lici chooses to save everyone. He removes the crystal, appears on the battlefield to defeat the enemy, and collapses from exhaustion, only to be confronted by Liu Yan.
Spoiler Alert
The Old Decoy Trick
The episode kicks off with Liu Yan. She's finally tracked down the Central Plains Sword Association's boat. She thinks she has Tang Lici cornered. Shen Langhun and Chi Yun are at the door. They try to stop her from going inside. They are clearly stalling for time.
Liu Yan is not in the mood for games. She has zero patience left. She shoves them aside and bursts through the door. And what does she find? A dummy. It's just a mannequin dressed in Tang Lici's clothes.
Chi Yun can't help but smirk a little. He explains it was Sword Master Shao's idea. They needed to buy as much time as possible. They hoped it would give the palace a chance to send reinforcements. It's a classic move, but it worked.
A'Shui Learns the Awful Truth
The Poison and the Crystal
A'Shui hears that Tang Lici is back. She also hears he is gravely injured. She panics and runs to see him. She finds him lying in bed, completely still. He almost looks peaceful, which is never a good sign.
She asks Shui Duo Po if he's going to be okay. Shui Duo Po looks heartbroken and shakes her head. She tells A'Shui the truth. Tang Lici has been poisoned. He is dying.
A'Shui immediately starts to cry. But the news gets even worse. Shui Duo Po explains the whole situation. A'Shui's brother, Fang Zhou, is connected to all of this. His body was destroyed, but his Heart Crystal was put inside Tang Lici. Now, that crystal is fighting for nutrients inside Tang Lici's body. There's only one way for Tang Lici to survive. He has to transfer all the poison from his system into Fang Zhou's Heart Crystal. This would save him, but it would destroy the crystal completely.
An Impossible Decision
A'Shui desperately wants her brother to live. But Shui Duo Po is clear. Fang Zhou cannot be saved. It's either Tang Lici or nobody. This choice is tearing A'Shui apart. To make it worse, we learn Tang Lici has been refusing to remove the crystal. He doesn't want to let go of Fang Zhou. A'Shui is trapped between saving the man in front of her and losing the last piece of her brother forever.
A Dream of the Past
Tang Lici is lost in a dream. He finds himself back at Zhaodi Tower. It's like it was four years ago. He even sees Fang Zhou and Liu Yan. They are all sitting together, sharing a meal. He knows it isn't real. He knows Fang Zhou's body is gone. But seeing them all together again makes him weep with joy.
In the dream, Fang Zhou speaks to him. He explains why he chose Tang Lici for the Heart Crystal. He saw that Tang Lici's physical makeup was similar to the Yique Yinyang. He hoped he could change Tang Lici's path. He wanted him to work for the good of the people.
Fang Zhou tells him he is proud. He has seen Tang Lici protect so many people. He encourages him to keep living. He tells him not to get lost in the past. He points out all the new friends Tang Lici has now. He mentions A'Shui, Chi Yun, Shen Langhun, Shui Duo Po, and Old Master Jiang. This dream is Fang Zhou's final gift. It's his way of giving Tang Lici permission to let go.
The Sacrifice and the Savior
Tang Lici wakes up. His eyes are red from crying. He understands what he needs to do. He learns that Fengliu Hall is in the middle of a massacre. Old Master Jiang and many of his soldiers have already been killed. The Central Plains Sword Association is next. All of their disciples will be slaughtered if he doesn't act.
He picks up a dagger. He is going to cut the Heart Crystal out of his own body. A'Shui sees him and knows what he's about to do. Through her tears, she begs him not to abandon her brother. She asks him to keep the last piece of Fang Zhou with him.
The next time we see Tang Lici, he is on the battlefield. He appears just as his allies are about to be wiped out. He unleashes his power. The assassins from Peony Pavilion and Fengliu Hall fall one by one. The fight is over in moments. But it takes everything out of him. He collapses, trying to use the quiet moment to heal. Xiao Shi rushes to his side to protect him.
Just then, Liu Yan arrives. Xiao Shi stands between her and his master, ready to fight to the death.
