Episode Summary
Qingtong searches for Wangquan Fugui, who she believes is alive, but is tricked by Qingcheng into thinking he is dead after two near misses. Quan Rumu confronts his father, says a final goodbye to Long Weiyun, and infiltrates the Sand Fox Kingdom in disguise. Refusing to use dark arts to get stronger, Qingtong enters the dangerous Gate of Sorrow and Joy to face a trial of her own hatred.
Spoiler Alert
This episode was all about people just barely missing each other. It was frustrating in the best way. You just want to scream at the screen.
Qingtong Goes on a Mission
Qingtong is completely convinced Wangquan Fugui is alive. She feels it in her bones. She believes he is somewhere in the Western Regions. So, she decides to leave Qianji City by herself to find him. She doesn't get far before Qingcheng stops her on the road.
You think he's going to drag her back. But he doesn't. Qingtong tells him she knows Fugui is out there. She has to go. Instead of arguing, Qingcheng just wraps a cloak around her. Then he decides to go with her. It was a surprising move from him.
A Reckoning and a Goodbye
Quan Rumu drags his father, Quan Jingting, to Long Weiyun's home. He basically hands him over to her. He says she can do whatever she wants to him. Quan Jingting starts talking fast. He claims a Black Fox possessed him. He says he deserves to be punished horribly. But he insists he genuinely loved Long Weiyun's mother.
Long Weiyun is filled with so much hate. You can see it on her face. But she doesn't kill him. Part of the reason is because Quan Rumu is standing right there.
After that mess, Quan Rumu reminds her it's her birthday. He also brings up a promise they made to each other. They go to the spot where they made their promise. He reveals that his sword power has returned. Long Weiyun is genuinely happy for him. He tells her his new purpose is to guard the Quan family and build a new future. Then he says his birthday wish is to hug her. He promises he won't bother her anymore. He is finally letting her go to live her own life.
A Cruel Trick in Fengsha Town
Meanwhile, Fan Yunfei finds a note from Wangquan Fugui. The note says he's popping over to Fengsha Town to get something. This is where it gets painful to watch. Qingtong and Qingcheng arrive in that same town. They just miss Fugui.
Qingcheng, it turns out, has a nasty plan. He arranged for a man to pose as a lantern seller. Qingtong approaches the man, full of hope. She thinks it might be Fugui. But the man tells her a terrible story. He says Wangquan Fugui is dead. Qingtong is completely crushed.
As she walks away, heartbroken, something else happens. Wangquan Fugui is leaving town at that exact moment. They pass right by each other. Neither one sees the other. It's an absolute gut punch.
The Search for More Power
Qingtong starts to feel like something is wrong. She has a nagging feeling that someone is pushing her to accept Fugui's death. She asks Qingcheng if there's a way for her to get stronger.
He takes her back to Qianji City. His solution is horrifying. He tells her she should absorb the spiritual energy of other people. Qingtong is appalled. She calls it a forbidden, evil technique. She demands that he release the people he captured for this purpose. She admits she is full of hate. But she refuses to become a monster to get revenge.
She then remembers a place called the Gate of Sorrow and Joy. Legend says a powerful "love seed" is inside. But no one who has ever entered has come out alive. Qingcheng doesn't want her to risk it.
Schemes in the Sand Fox Kingdom
Quan Rumu throws his father into the dungeons. He'll spend the rest of his life there. Good riddance. Rumu then hears a rumor. The second Sand Fox prince apparently ate the Water-Controlling Pearl. He also knows the Sand Fox tribe is superstitious. So he heads over there with a plan.
Back with Wangquan Fugui, things are a little strange. He has stopped his daily sword practice. Now he just spends his days watching Fan Yunfei try to refine the Water-Controlling Pearl. The emperor calls for Fan Yunfei. He has brought in an astrologer for a reading.
The astrologer is just Quan Rumu in a disguise. He tells Fan Yunfei that he's about to face a "love calamity." He says Li Xueyang is his destiny. Fan Yunfei is ecstatic. Wangquan Fugui is also there, watching this whole act. He just gives Quan Rumu a silent, unimpressed look. Rumu gets visibly awkward. It's a funny little moment.
Later, Rumu asks Fugui why he gave him his sword power. They also watch Fan Yunfei practice with a sword. He's clumsy. Rumu is not impressed. Fugui seems to agree. He says he might have been wrong about Fan Yunfei's ability to handle the pearl.
Qingtong's Final Choice
Qingtong is dead set on entering the Gate of Sorrow and Joy. Qingcheng tries to stop her again and again. He finally just puts her under house arrest. But Qingtong is stubborn. She tricks him, knocks him unconscious, and goes to the gate alone.
The trial inside the gate is a test of her own inner hatred. Once inside, she comes face to face with another version of herself.
