Episode Summary
Wangquan Fugui is stripped of his power and exiled to the Western Regions, a move orchestrated by his father to give him a normal life. Before leaving, he says goodbye to Butler Fei. Qingtong is kidnapped by Qingcheng, who lies to keep her trapped in Qianji City. Quan Rumu is healed by Fugui's power but is kept in the dark about the sacrifice.
Spoiler Alert
The Price of Freedom
So, the big decision is made. Wangquan Hongye is going to strip his son of his power. He's literally having Fugui's "sword essence" removed. This is the core of his ability as a Weapon Human.
A Father's Choice
The procedure is supposed to be excruciating. But Wangquan Fugui just stands there and takes it. He says his whole life has been about enduring pain, so this is nothing new. After it's done, he can't use a sword. He can barely even move properly. He's essentially been crippled.
The Yiqi Alliance elders aren't satisfied, though. They demand Fugui be exiled to the Western Regions. He's never allowed to come back. It's a life sentence.
But there's a twist. Feng Tingyun takes the sword essence that was removed from Fugui. On Fugui's own orders, she secretly implants it into Quan Rumu.
Later, Hongye goes to his wife's grave. He talks about how Fugui used the ultimate sword technique just to save him. He's decided to be a selfish father for once. He will take all the blame and public heat for this. He wants Fugui to just live a normal, happy life in exile, free from all this drama. He then sends out a decree. The Yiqi Alliance will no longer create "Weapon Humans." That whole program is over.
One Last Goodbye
Fugui doesn't blame his dad for any of this. He just wanted his father to understand the path he chose. Before he leaves for exile, he has one last request. He wants to bring back Butler Fei's body for a proper burial.
Fugui was always lonely as a kid. Butler Fei was like a grandfather to him. As he stands there, he has a vision. He sees Butler Fei, who tells him to go live his own life. That's all he ever wanted for him.
A Web of Lies
Fugui goes to the spot where he was supposed to meet Qingtong. But she's not there. All he finds is a note. It says she had an urgent matter to deal with and that she'll find him later.
Of course, that's not what really happened.
Qingcheng's Deception
We see the truth in a flashback. Qingcheng was the one who found Qingtong. She told him she was waiting for Fugui. So Qingcheng knocked her unconscious. He's the one who left the fake note. Then he took her back to his home, Qianji City. His goal is simple and creepy. He wants to keep her by his side forever.
Trapped in a Gilded Cage
Qingtong eventually wakes up. She has no idea where she is. Qingcheng is there, dressed in fancy clothes. He feeds her a story. He claims the people from Wangquan Mountain Villa were trying to kill her and he saved her.
She hears what happened to Fugui. She's horrified and wants to go find him immediately. To stop her, Qingcheng fakes a coughing fit and spits up blood. It's a manipulation to make her stay and take care of him. It works for now. But Qingtong is smart. She can tell she's basically a prisoner. She knows Qingcheng is lying and that something is very wrong with this whole city.
New Paths and Old Grudges
While all this is going on, other players are making their moves.
Rumu's Recovery
Quan Rumu wakes up. He feels completely healthy. Then he learns that Fugui was crippled and exiled. He immediately confronts Quan Jingting. Rumu says he's always known what kind of man Jingting is. He finds it ridiculous that Jingting is trying to blame everything on the Black Fox. He almost attacks him but stops himself at the last second.
Feng Tingyun steps in. She tells Rumu he needs to rest and recover at the Wangquan Mountain Villa. She doesn't tell him the truth. She doesn't say that his cure came from Fugui's sacrifice.
A New Mission in Exile
Fugui arrives in the Western Regions. He's been marked with a spell. He can't ever leave this place. While there, he starts hearing local legends. The stories are about a dragon clan and a powerful artifact called the Water-Controlling Pearl. He hears the pearl might be somewhere in the region. Even in exile, he can't just ignore a problem. He decides to investigate.
Back at the Villa, Rumu hears the demon world is becoming chaotic. He decides to go fight them on behalf of the Wangquan family.
