Ashes of Love Episode 18 Recap, Plot

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After much arduous practice to gather magic power, Jin Mi sought out Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun to revive her best friend, Rou Rou. Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun informed Jin Mi that she would soon reunite with Rou Rou but would ultimately have to bid farewell. Jin Mi expressed gratitude, stating that seeing Rou Rou was her only desire. Water Immortal then intervened, asking Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun to lift a seal on Jin Mi.

After the seal was removed, Jin Mi thanked Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun. Water Immortal, while glad the seal was gone, was concerned about a "great tribulation" Jin Mi was destined for. Jin Mi, however, was unfazed, confident in the incense ash given by Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun and the protection of her father and Auntie Lin Xiu. Water Immortal lamented that the visit had revealed Jin Mi's impending death.

Jin Mi clarified that Rou Rou was currently just a succulent but reaffirmed Xuanling Doumu Yuanjun's prophecy of their future reunion. Praising Jin Mi's loyalty, Water Immortal then departed for the Human Realm to make rain, instructing Jin Mi to wait for him at the Water Mirror. A Heavenly soldier, later revealed to be Kuang Lu in disguise, approached Jin Mi.

Confirming she was the fairy engaged to Run Yu, the soldier inquired if she would be bothered by Run Yu taking multiple wives after their marriage, citing a common belief about manhood. Jin Mi nonchalantly stated it was Run Yu's affair and held no concern for her. Pleased by her response, the soldier then asked about Run Yu's preference in women.

Jin Mi mused that Run Yu had only ever expressed liking her, thus assuming he preferred women of her kind, and suggested the soldier's "friend" consult the Moon Immortal for matters of love. Xu Feng then appeared, questioning the soldier's idling given the approaching night. The soldier, claiming to be a subordinate of Run Yu and citing Run Yu's allowance for leisure, was ultimately dismissed by Xu Feng to prepare for his night duty.

Jin Mi and Xu Feng joined Moon Immortal. Moon Immortal, noting Jin Mi had grown thinner since becoming a frost flower, urged Xu Feng to take her to his palace for nourishment. Xu Feng retorted, highlighting Jin Mi's many guardians and playfully questioning Moon Immortal's single fox tail. Moon Immortal defended his preference, making a passing remark about "Sui He with spreading tails," which coincidentally led to Sui He's arrival.

After cordial greetings, Sui He pointedly inquired about the impending wedding date between Jin Mi and Run Yu, requesting an invitation. Xu Feng, visibly discomforted, promptly dismissed Sui He, citing the Heavenly Empress's waiting. Sui He departed, reminding Jin Mi to keep her informed. Alone with Jin Mi, Xu Feng directly asked if she genuinely intended to marry Run Yu.

Jin Mi, bewildered by his pained expression, pointed out that her father and Auntie Lin Xiu approved, and wondered why Xu Feng reacted negatively to her engagement. Moon Immortal openly advocated for Jin Mi and Xu Feng to be together, which Jin Mi jokingly deflected. Troubled, Xu Feng turned to leave but was suddenly gripped by intense chest pain, coughing up blood. He attributed it to a lingering effect of the plague needle poison.

As Moon Immortal grew frantic, Jin Mi assured them she could heal him with her ancestral Night Rattan, a specific remedy for the poison. Relieved, Moon Immortal quickly had Xu Feng escorted to Qiwu Palace. At Qiwu Palace, Jin Mi, having prepared Night Rattan pills, reassured Moon Immortal of her care for Xu Feng. Xu Feng, feigning illness, awoke with a series of vague complaints, shifting from chest pain to headache and then general body aches.

Jin Mi playfully suggested his suffering was due to past misdeeds. When she tried to give him the medicine, he continuously found fault, first claiming it was too hot, then too bitter, and then hesitating to drink it. Exasperated, Jin Mi threatened to use their "last time's method" for administering medicine, prompting Xu Feng to swiftly pull her into a kiss and take the medicine.

Later, Xu Feng complained the medicine was ineffective and his chest still hurt, leading Jin Mi to offer him a massage. After a long night, Xu Feng finally fell asleep, but not before having Jin Mi "plant" Night Rattan five times. Exhausted, Jin Mi collapsed beside him, lamenting the wasted medicine. Xu Feng, who had been pretending to sleep, then opened his eyes with a satisfied smile, realizing Jin Mi's genuine concern for him.

Jin Mi was playfully teaching her Beast of Dreams how to "play dead," an elaborate performance of eye-rolling and tongue-lolling, when Run Yu arrived. She lightheartedly offered to teach him this "Jin's unique life-saving trick," but Run Yu refused, vowing to protect her so she would never need such a pretense. Jin Mi playfully remarked on his intense gaze, comparing it to someone bewitched. Water Immortal then arrived and asked Jin Mi about her whereabouts the previous night.

Before Jin Mi could answer truthfully, Run Yu smoothly interjected, claiming Jin Mi had been invited by Moon Immortal to watch an opera at the House of Marriage, knowing her affinity for his uncle. Jin Mi quickly corroborated his story. Water Immortal, expressing his preference for solitude, accepted the explanation.

Run Yu then conjured a beautiful rainbow bridge of water mist, stating it was to ensure Jin Mi could always find her way home and remember him, the one who silently waited for her. Water Immortal confided to Run Yu that he had initially planned to annul the engagement due to his disdain for the Heavenly royal family.

However, after witnessing what he perceived as Run Yu and Jin Mi's "mutual affection" near the Northern Heavenly Gate, he relented, determined not to let Jin Mi follow in her mother Zi Fen's footsteps. His sole desire was for Jin Mi to marry her true love and live a fulfilling life. He praised Run Yu's gentle character and dependability, urging him to be patient with Jin Mi's naivety.

He then advised Jin Mi to remain steadfast in her commitment to Run Yu and avoid causing him distress. Run Yu pledged his unwavering care for Jin Mi. After Run Yu departed, Water Immortal discreetly instructed Jin Mi to limit her visits to Xu Feng's Qiwu Palace, fearing it would upset Run Yu.

Jin Mi questioned his reasoning, concerned about Xu Feng's feelings, but Water Immortal elaborated on Xu Feng's perceived arrogance and lack of compassion, subtly referencing the Heavenly Empress's negative influence, before concluding that Jin Mi's focus should remain on her engagement to Run Yu. A military report arrived, detailing months of conflict between the lords of the West and North Cities in the Demon Realm, who were fiercely contending for territory along the lower reaches of the Wangchuan River.

The Heavenly Empress expressed concern, questioning the demon kings' inaction and urging the Heavenly Emperor to preemptively safeguard the Heaven Realm. Xu Feng, however, informed his parents that he had been closely observing the situation, explaining that the two city lords were historically defiant of the demon kings and their conflict was merely an internal struggle for power within the Demon Realm, not yet posing a direct threat to the Heaven Realm.

Run Yu countered, stressing the strategic importance of the Wangchuan River as a vital Heaven-Demon boundary and urging caution. Xu Feng then proposed deploying a contingent of elite soldiers to the upper reaches of the Wangchuan River as a show of force. The Heavenly Empress, having reflected on her past actions, reaffirmed her renewed loyalty to the Heavenly Emperor and the Heaven Realm, and encouraged Xu Feng to take on greater responsibilities.

Both Xu Feng and Run Yu volunteered to lead the expedition. The Heavenly Emperor accepted Xu Feng's proposal, ordering him to immediately proceed to the Five-Direction Heaven Troops to select an elite unit and lead them to Wangchuan, with the authority to adapt his actions as the situation evolved. Xu Feng readily accepted his mission. Jin Mi rejoiced in her rapidly increasing magic power after the Garan Seal's removal.

Water Immortal and Auntie Lin Xiu arrived, with Auntie Lin Xiu commending Jin Mi's swift progress and Water Immortal revealing he had already petitioned the Heavenly Emperor for Jin Mi's promotion to an immortal. As Jin Mi expressed her joy, her servant Lian Qiao announced Xu Feng's arrival. Xu Feng, seeing Jin Mi without the Phoenix feather he had given her for protection, was disheartened.

Jin Mi explained her father had instructed her to remove it, assuring him of the Floral Realm's safety. Xu Feng then questioned his significance in her life, now that she had her father and many others to protect her. Jin Mi began to define his role, but Water Immortal intervened, formally greeting Xu Feng.

Xu Feng declined an invitation to enter, stating he merely came to bid farewell before departing for battle, promising to return for a game of chess with Water Immortal. Water Immortal commended Xu Feng's ambition. Jin Mi earnestly advised Xu Feng to take care during the war and vowed to brew osmanthus wine to celebrate his victorious return, a promise Xu Feng happily embraced.

Afterward, Auntie Lin Xiu asked Water Immortal if he had clarified matters with Xu Feng regarding Jin Mi. Water Immortal explained that with Xu Feng on the cusp of war, he refrained from disrupting his focus, deciding to address the issue of their distance after Xu Feng's return.

He acknowledged Xu Feng's honorable character and profound love for Jin Mi, recognizing him as a worthy match, but ultimately reiterated that Jin Mi and Run Yu's mutual affection and engagement should not be disturbed. Jin Mi's long-awaited promotion ceremony began, declaring her a talented Floral elf and elevating her to a first-rank immortal. The Heavenly Emperor further proposed her as the new Floral Immortal, succeeding her mother.

However, Lord Lao abruptly halted the proceedings, arguing that such a direct ascent for a spirit was unprecedented and violated both established Taoist and legal traditions, urging the Heavenly Emperor to rethink. The Heavenly Empress then prompted Immortal Yuan Ji to speak. Immortal Yuan Ji reported recent abnormal celestial phenomena portending disaster across the six realms, identifying Fairy Jin Mi as the root cause.

She elaborated that Jin Mi, whose destiny was originally "soul annihilation"—a fact confirmed by Water Immortal and known to Lord Doumu—possessed insufficient innate spiritual power and lacked adequate experience despite her recent magical advancements. Promoting her with an impure soul origin, Immortal Yuan Ji warned, would compromise the fundamental divinity of the six realms, thus triggering these celestial warnings. The solution, she presented, was for Jin Mi to undergo "tribulation."

Jin Mi, somewhat bewildered, was informed that the human world, where beings suffered the most, required her to descend for decades after having her memories of the Heaven Realm erased—a period equivalent to mere days in Heaven. Finding the solution surprisingly straightforward, Jin Mi cheekily requested to be sent to Shanggu, famous for its donkey burgers. Water Immortal tried to interject a note of seriousness.

The Heavenly Emperor, after Water Immortal corroborated Jin Mi's unstable soul origin despite her efforts, declared that for the sake of Jin Mi's fairy soul and the Heaven Realm's inherent divinity, she must undertake this tribulation. He commanded Jin Mi to prepare to descend to the Human Realm in three days, with the promise of official immortal promotion upon her return.

The Heavenly Empress summoned Immortal Yuan Ji, praising her millennia of dedicated service in maintaining the balance and numerology of the six realms, and hinted at a forthcoming promotion for a successful task. The Empress then inquired about the "bitterest hardship" a mortal could face. Immortal Yuan Ji explained the intricate and diverse nature of mortal sufferings, making it difficult to pinpoint one as supreme.

Undeterred, the Heavenly Empress commanded Immortal Yuan Ji to devise the "bitterest fate of human beings" for Jin Mi. Immortal Yuan Ji hesitated, suggesting Jin Mi's spiritual progress didn't warrant such an extreme trial, despite her unstable immortal root. The Heavenly Empress, enraged, countered that a minor spirit daring to ascend to godhood, thus usurping the fortunes of other spirits and diminishing the Heaven Realm's authority, must confront the "most impossible hardship" to truly earn her promotion.

She explicitly warned Immortal Yuan Ji of severe repercussions for failure, contrasting it with the promised advancement for compliance. Under this veiled threat, Immortal Yuan Ji reluctantly agreed to prepare Jin Mi's bitter destiny and ensure her descent to the Human Realm in three days.

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