Ashes of Love Episode 2 Recap, Plot

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Jin Mi led Xu Feng to the Floral Realm spring. As Xu Feng was drinking heartily, he was aghast to discover Jin Mi using the same spring water to wash her feet. Infuriated, he called her an uncivilized little demon, condemning her filthiness. Jin Mi, however, found him strange for praising the water earlier and now calling her filthy, questioning if all magpies were so moody.

Realizing he intended to leave the Floral Realm, Jin Mi quickly demanded that he repay her by taking her to the Heaven Realm, after which their accounts would be settled. Just then, the Floral Realm spirits, searching for a bird that had breached their Water Mirror barrier, drew near. To avoid detection, Jin Mi swiftly kicked Xu Feng into the spring. Unfortunately, Xu Feng, being unfamiliar with water, sank and lost consciousness.

Jin Mi frantically tried to revive him with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and then fed him her special "Six Auspicious Treasures." Xu Feng eventually awoke and demanded to know what he had consumed. Jin Mi explained it was a mixture of onion, ginger, garlic, celery, cilantro, and Sichuan pepper – her family's traditional cold medicine, specifically for birds that had fallen into water.

When Xu Feng threatened to destroy her, Jin Mi warned him that Chief Begonia was determined to catch him, cut off his legs, and use him as flower fertilizer. Xu Feng haughtily proclaimed himself a dignified man of the Heavenly Realm, unafraid of mere Flower and Fruit Spirits.

Jin Mi retorted, pointing out that despite his claims, it was she, a humble fruit elf, who had saved his life twice: once with a 500-year-old fermented honey to restore his human form, and again just now with three more drops to revive him from drowning. She reiterated her condition: he must take her to the Heaven Realm. Xu Feng initially refused, but Jin Mi persisted, and he reluctantly agreed to depart the day after tomorrow.

Jin Mi, overjoyed, muttered to herself about the moody bird as Xu Feng agreed to her terms. Meanwhile, at Yan City Manor, King of Gu City informed the Demon Lord that the Fire Immortal’s Nirvana had encountered an unforeseen incident, and his whereabouts were unknown. He added that the Heavenly Emperor was furious and had dispatched 10,000 soldiers to search for him. The Demon Lord, pleased, remarked on Xu Feng's past arrogance and saw this as a karmic retribution.

King of Gu City suggested that with the Heaven Realm's military strength currently weakened, it was an opportune moment to launch an attack. The Demon Lord agreed, ordering his six ministries to recruit 20,000 soldiers each, to gather at the Wangchuan River in ten days, and march into the Heaven Realm. Concurrently, in the Heaven Realm, the Heavenly Emperor was comforting the Heavenly Empress, assuring her that Heavenly Guards were tirelessly searching for Xu Feng.

The Heavenly Empress seized the opportunity, urging the Heavenly Emperor to formally appoint Xu Feng as the crown prince upon his safe return, highlighting Xu Feng’s status as the first son of the legal wife and his extensive battle contributions. She expressed her belief that Xu Feng’s disappearance was not accidental but rather the result of a deliberate attack, implying that whoever benefited from it was the culprit.

She insisted that appointing Xu Feng as crown prince would curb the ambitions of such individuals. The Heavenly Emperor, however, dismissed her suspicions, asserting that Run Yu was virtuous and kind-hearted and would never harm anyone, warning her against believing slanderous villains who sought to sow discord within the imperial family. The Heavenly Empress reacted with a bitter scoff.

The day after tomorrow, Jin Mi, with her single jar of fermented honey—the only item Xu Feng reluctantly permitted her to bring for its life-saving potential—was taken into Xu Feng's sleeve, and they ascended into the sky. Above, the Flower Spirits, having just painstakingly repaired their shattered enchantment, watched in disbelief as Xu Feng effortlessly broke through it again. Chief Begonia, furious, gave chase, vowing to cut off his legs and turn him into flower fertilizer.

Jin Mi, feeling dizzy from the flight, complained and threatened to throw up, to which Xu Feng threatened to drop her. Despite his warnings, she was captivated by the sight of the world from the "third level of heaven," which Xu Feng found unimpressive. Chief Begonia caught up and accused Xu Feng of trespassing and destroying their barrier, asking if his master, Sui He, had sent him. Xu Feng scornfully stated Sui He could not control him.

As he easily defeated Chief Begonia, he criticized her for her vicious heart despite her beautiful appearance, while she accused him of having strong power and fire techniques, confirming her suspicion that he was a trusted follower of Sui He. Back in the Floral Realm, Chief Peony realized Jin Mi was missing from the Water Mirror.

Questioning Mr. Hu and Lian Qiao, she found bird feathers, leading her to believe that Jin Mi had been kidnapped by a cruel bird tribe member, possibly an aide of Sui He. Chief Peony sternly ordered Mr. Hu to find Jin Mi or face severe punishment, including being peeled and fed to rabbits.

Chief Peony then went to the Bird Tribe to confront Sui He directly, demanding an explanation for the bird's intrusion, the kidnapping of a Floral Realm elf, and the injury of a Floral Realm chief. Sui He feigned ignorance but promised to investigate thoroughly, ordering her subordinate Que Ling to interrogate every bird, "from those flying in the sky to those not yet hatched in eggs."

However, a messenger suddenly arrived, announcing that the Fire Immortal was missing and the Demon Realm had amassed 100,000 soldiers at Wangchuan River, preparing to attack the Heaven Realm. Sui He, recognizing the urgency, immediately dismissed Chief Peony. When Chief Peony attempted to stop her, Sui He used her Sui Feather Fan to injure Chief Peony's heart meridian before flying off to the Heaven Realm.

Defeated, Chief Peony returned to the Floral Realm, ordered the Bird Tribe's food supply to be cut off until Jin Mi and the bird were returned, and then entered seclusion for cultivation. Meanwhile, as Xu Feng flew over Wangchuan River, he sensed a surge of malevolent energy and descended into Bian City. He found the Demon Lord, along with King of Gu City and King of Yan City, preparing for war.

He accused them of deceit and aggression, intimidating them with his Phoenix Feather Arrow. The King of Bian City's daughter, Liu Ying, known for her valor, bravely challenged Xu Feng, despite his reluctance to fight women. After a brief but fierce exchange, Liu Ying was swiftly defeated, acknowledging Xu Feng's legendary prowess. The other Demon Lords, including King of Yan City, were visibly intimidated, and no one dared to challenge Xu Feng further.

Xu Feng then warned King of Yan City to train his soldiers diligently and be prepared, emphasizing that the Heaven Realm commanded millions of soldiers ready for battle. As Liu Ying retreated, she noted that Xu Feng's fighting style eerily resembled that of Mu Ci.

Back in the Heaven Realm, the Heavenly Empress discovered an ice shard at the site of Xu Feng's Nirvana and immediately reported it to the Heavenly Emperor in the Empyrean Cloud Palace, implying it was evidence of an assassination attempt. The Heavenly Emperor summoned Run Yu and questioned him, but Run Yu denied any involvement with the ice shard. He admitted, however, to having visited Qiwu Palace that night.

Just as Run Yu was being interrogated, Xu Feng returned to the Nine Heavens. He encountered Sui He, who expressed great relief and concern for his safety, mentioning the Heavenly Empress's sleepless nights and the Heavenly Emperor's extensive search. Xu Feng lightly dismissed his absence as merely wandering for a few days in some "wild but interesting places." Sui He then detected Jin Mi, who had been hiding in Xu Feng’s sleeve, and pulled her out.

Jin Mi hastily tried to explain that she had twice saved Xu Feng's life, asserting that the "magpie owed her a favor," not the other way around, and that she was a "decent grape elf," not an evil creature. Understanding that Jin Mi had indeed saved Xu Feng, Sui He graciously thanked her and presented her with a rare pill, promising to report her good deed to the Heavenly Empress for further awards.

Jin Mi, overjoyed by the gift of a hundred years of spiritual power, eagerly accepted. It was then, as Xu Feng’s subordinates arrived to congratulate him on his "Nirvana rebirth," that Jin Mi finally realized her "moody bird" benefactor was, in fact, a magnificent phoenix.

Episode 1 Recap

Episode 3 Recap