Episode Summary
Tang Lici says goodbye to Zhong Chunjie and makes a bizarre journey to the Thirteenth Floor. There, he confronts the Master, passes a series of deadly tests, and wins the Shen Lang Soul. Meanwhile, Sword King Yu murders his former ally Jiang Qingyu to cover his tracks. Zhong Chunjie’s investigation into the Shao Mansion case is blocked by uncooperative elders.
Spoiler Alert
Tang Lici's Next Stop
The Hao Mansion case is still throwing out new clues. But Tang Lici is already moving on.
A Quick Goodbye
Zhong Chunjie comes to say farewell to Tang Lici. She asks if he's headed to Sword King City next. He just smiles. He confirms he's going there, but not for any case. He's looking for someone specific.
They worked a case together, so they part on good terms. Tang Lici gives her a small gift. It's a wooden carving that looks just like her. She thanks him, and they go their separate ways.
A Not-So-Normal Boat Ride
Tang Lici, Chi Yun, and A'Shui continue their journey. They get on a boat. Halfway through the trip, the boat starts shaking violently. Tang Lici tells the others to hold on tight. He just calmly eats his grapes. The boat gets sucked into a massive whirlpool. It sinks down, down, down. Then, it lands smoothly.
Chi Yun gets off the boat. He sees they've arrived at the Thirteenth Floor. He is completely baffled. This place usually takes a long, difficult journey to reach. But with Tang Lici, they got here in the blink of an eye. Chi Yun's jealousy of Tang Lici's skills flares up again.
A Deal with the Master
The Master of the Thirteenth Floor has been waiting for them. He hasn't forgotten the last time Chi Yun was here. Chi Yun got into a huge fight with Jiang Qingyu. The fight started a serious fire, and the Master still wants someone to pay for it.
He finally appears. He taunts Chi Yun. He suggests that since Chi Yun still hasn't found his fiancée, maybe he should just get a job here. Chi Yun looks awkward. Tang Lici cuts in. He says he's here to borrow the Shen Lang Soul. The Master agrees, but with a condition. The price for the soul is Tang Lici's life.
The Master's Test
That's not a great deal. Tang Lici obviously says no. He figures if the Master won't cooperate, he'll just take the soul himself. The Thirteenth Floor is a dangerous place. It's filled with traps and mechanisms. But Tang Lici is skilled and bold.
The confrontation with the Master isn't too hard for him. The Master activates trap after trap. They are complex, for sure. But Tang Lici has been through near-death situations so many times. He knows how to handle these kinds of tricks.
The Master then tries a different approach. He messes with Tang Lici's head. He brings up Tang Lici's identity, a sore spot for him. He mentions that four years ago, A'Yan dealt him a fatal blow. Tang Lici should be dead. But here he is, perfectly fine. The Master asks if he's been practicing some forbidden, dark martial arts.
The Price of a Soul
A hero's past doesn't matter. The Master remembers that a thief stabbed Tang Lici directly in the heart in public. Tang Lici still walked away unharmed. This alone proved his power. The Master still wants to see exactly what Tang Lici can do. He uses more traps to draw out his techniques.
Tang Lici finally uses the "Yique Yinyang" martial art. The Master is blown away. He says it's the first time he's ever seen someone use the technique so perfectly. He gets excited. He hands the Shen Lang Soul over to Tang Lici. He does give a final warning, though. Just because Tang Lici has the soul doesn't mean it will actually obey him. That's a problem for Tang Lici to figure out.
Loose Ends Get Cut
While Tang Lici was busy, other players were making moves.
The End of Jiang Qingyu
Sword King Yu takes Jiang Qingyu and throws him straight into a prison cell. At first, Jiang Qingyu thinks he'll be fine. He and the Sword King were working together. He assumes the Sword King will protect him.
He thought wrong. Sword King Yu sees that his accomplice has been caught. He knows this could easily trace back to him. To get rid of any connection, Sword King Yu stabs and kills Jiang Qingyu. Problem solved.
Zhong Chunjie Hits a Wall
Zhong Chunjie reports her investigation of the Shao Mansion case to Sword Master Shao. Some of the elders in the hall are not happy. They dismiss her findings. They claim she's making a big deal out of nothing. They even say her investigation is pointed in the wrong direction, basically covering things up.
Luckily, her own master is in charge. He calms everyone down. He tells Zhong Chunjie to go back and keep searching for new clues.
Later that night, it's cold and raining. Zhong Chunjie sits by the entrance to the main hall. The chilly air makes her remember her childhood. Her family was poor. She was just a little kid, always carrying bundles of firewood home. She remembers her mother would always smile and cook for her.
