Episode Summary
Pu Zhu learns he was tricked by Yu Qifeng, who injured the real Shen Langhun. Tang Lici recruits an ally, Xue Xianzi, with food and money, while setting a public trap for Yu Qifeng's operations. At a tense meeting, Pu Zhu discovers Tang Lici is terminally ill, realizing his ruthless methods are driven by a desperate sense of duty. Tang Lici bets he can provide all evidence against Yu Qifeng if Pu Zhu stays away from Sword King City. The episode ends with Tang Lici having a silent, confrontational reunion with the masked A'Yan at a festival.
Spoiler Alert
Whispers of Fate Episode 8: Traps, Truths, and a Dying Man's Gambit
The Big Misunderstanding Gets Cleared Up
So, Pu Zhu storms in to confront Tang Lici. He is not happy. He thinks Tang Lici let a criminal escape.
But Tang Lici already knew this was coming. He breaks it all down for Pu Zhu. The "Shen Langhun" that Pu Zhu saw in jail was a total fake. Yu Qifeng set up an imposter just for Pu Zhu to catch.
The real Shen Langhun saw the whole setup. He decided to play along. He let Pu Zhu chase the fake. This gave him the perfect opportunity to fight the real target, Yu Qifeng. During their fight, Yu Qifeng used a nasty move called Zhanhuang Fire. It left a serious wound on Shen Langhun.
When Pu Zhu sees this specific wound, it all clicks. He finally understands he was just a pawn in Yu Qifeng's game. He feels like an idiot. He's still suspicious, though. He tells Tang Lici they need to talk again in a few days at a lake pavilion.
Building the Team
Shen Langhun is officially on Team Tang Lici now. He's a powerful ally. But Tang Lici knows they need more help to make their plan work.
His next target is a guy named Xue Xianzi. Xue Xianzi is a layman disciple. He's supposed to be spiritual, but honestly, he just really loves to eat. Tang Lici uses this to his advantage. He treats Xue Xianzi to a massive feast.
After getting a free meal, Xue Xianzi opens up. He confirms that Yu Qifeng's Zhanhuang Fire is some kind of dark, twisted martial art. He warns them to be extremely careful. That's when Tang Lici makes his move. He offers Xue Xianzi a huge pile of money, ten thousand to be exact. All he has to do is help them out when the time is right.
Laying the Bait
Pu Zhu's main goal is to find the source of the Evil Pills. Tang Lici plans to hand him the evidence on a silver platter. He just needs to make it look like Pu Zhu discovered it himself.
He gives the job to his crew. Chi Yun, A'Shui, and Zhong Chunjie head to a busy downtown market. They start talking very loudly, making sure everyone can hear them. They pretend to gossip about the Wanqiao Sect. They say the sect is renting a ton of boats. The cover story is a massive shipment of jewels to the south.
Then, they loudly announce the location where shipping companies can go to get the contract. It's all a very public, very obvious trap. They are just waiting for the right person to take the bait.
A Clash of Ideals at the Lake
Tang Lici meets Pu Zhu at the pavilion as planned. Pu Zhu gets straight to the point. He doesn't want any more innocent people getting hurt because of Tang Lici's schemes.
Tang Lici doesn't back down. He tells Pu Zhu that anyone infected with the Evil Pills is already a lost cause. They are basically walking zombies. It's just a matter of when they completely turn.
You can see Pu Zhu is a good guy with a kind heart. But we also see that Tang Lici isn't as cold as he appears. He is absolutely determined to find the mastermind. He knows that stopping the source is the only way to prevent more people from being poisoned.
Their disagreement gets heated. They start to spar. During the fight, Pu Zhu grabs Tang Lici's wrist to check his pulse. He immediately feels that something is terribly wrong.
The Dying Man's Secret
We learn the truth. Tang Lici's life force is broken. His internal energy is completely depleted. The man is dying, and he doesn't have much time left.
This is a huge moment for Pu Zhu. He finally understands Tang Lici's desperation. He isn't a ruthless monster. He's a righteous man who is using the final moments of his life to do something important. He's racing against his own clock.
Tang Lici makes a bet with Pu Zhu. He promises to deliver all the evidence against Yu Qifeng. This includes proof of him making and selling the pills, plus a list of every single victim. In return, Tang Lici wants one thing. Pu Zhu must agree to stay out of Sword King City's affairs for good.
Later that night, Tang Lici wanders through a lantern festival. He sees a musical performance on a stage. The person playing the guzheng in the center seems familiar, even with a mask on. Tang Lici looks at their hands on the instrument. He recognizes them instantly.
It's "A'Yan."
They don't say a word, but their eyes lock across the crowd. It's an intense stare-down. You can feel them communicating without speaking. Tang Lici is thinking, "Why did you try to kill me?" And A'Yan's furious glare seems to say, "Do you really think you can fight back?"
