Ashes of Love Episode 36 Recap, Plot

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Liu Ying went to Xu Feng's Qiwu Palace to warn him about the assassination attempt on Jin Mi. Guards initially prevented her entry, stating Xu Feng was grounded by the Heavenly Emperor, but she insisted she had vital information. Once inside, she informed Xu Feng that the assassin was Mu Ci, a descendant of the Spirit-Vanishing Tribe.

She explained that the Spirit-Vanishing Arrow is forged with Mu Ci's bones and blood, and its release would unleash the Nether Fury of the Wangchuan River. Liu Ying believed Mu Ci was being threatened into these actions because he was not inherently evil. Xu Feng's subordinate then confirmed to Xu Feng that his Heavenly Empress mother had intentionally sent him to the Wangchuan River to create an opportunity for Jin Mi to be killed in the mortal world.

Both Liu Ying and Xu Feng realized that finding the person threatening Mu Ci would reveal who was truly behind the assassination plot, and Liu Ying hoped to save Mu Ci as well, given he had once saved her life. Xu Feng, in turn, promised to investigate and keep her informed about Mu Ci's whereabouts.

He also warned Liu Ying to be wary of the King of Gu City, who had tried to seize the Spirit-Vanishing Arrow to harm him during his mortal trial. Liu Ying confidently stated that since she had regained her immortal body, the King of Gu City couldn't harm her. Xu Feng then instructed Lord Liaoyuan to covertly assist Liu Ying in finding Mu Ci, suspecting his own mother's involvement and urging him to be discreet.

Before Liu Ying left, Lord Liaoyuan gave her a magical seal he received from a "strange person" in the mortal world, which was bound to him by a spell. Liu Ying recognized it as a demon artifact but couldn't identify its owner. Lord Liaoyuan, having no unfulfilled wishes, suggested she take it to the Demon Realm, hoping she might find its owner or use it for help in an emergency. Liu Ying agreed to inquire about it.

Xu Feng summoned the Heavenly Empress to the Zifang Cloud Palace for a walk. He confronted her about the Spirit-Vanishing Arrow, asking if she was behind it, and sternly warned her that if Jin Mi suffered any harm, he would not stand idly by. The Heavenly Empress, already displeased by the gossip surrounding Xu Feng and Jin Mi's shared mortal trial, was further angered by his fierce protectiveness.

She accused him of being foolishly obsessed with Jin Mi, reminding him of Jin Mi's engagement to Run Yu, and warned that he would eventually regret his actions. Xu Feng retorted that his heart belonged only to Jin Mi, regardless of whether he was a mortal or an immortal. He accused his mother of attempting to kill Jin Mi during their mortal trial, stating that killing Jin Mi would be like killing him.

The Heavenly Empress dismissed his claims as rumors, but Xu Feng reiterated his threat, affirming he would not ignore any harm to Jin Mi. In the Floral Realm, Jin Mi received a letter from Xu Feng, delivered by fairies in the form of a paper phoenix, inviting her to meet him by Liuzi Pond that night. The fairies, mesmerized by the magical paper phoenix, unknowingly read the romantic invitation aloud, much to Jin Mi's embarrassment.

True to her word, Jin Mi arrived at the pond that evening, deeply moved by the sight of countless phoenix lanterns Xu Feng had brought from the mortal world, all enchanted to burn eternally. She even pointed out an "ugly" lantern that Xu Feng said was the most beautiful because it held their shared memories from the mortal world. They celebrated by drinking osmanthus wine that Jin Mi had brewed and buried before her mortal trial.

Jin Mi, feeling joyous, planted a pond full of lotus flowers. She then stumbled and almost fell into the pond, but Xu Feng swiftly pulled her back. His intense gaze caused the Yun Elixir within Jin Mi to accelerate its cracking. Xu Feng pressed her about her promise to marry him in the mortal world.

Jin Mi hesitantly brought up her engagement with Run Yu, but under Xu Feng's persistent questioning, she finally admitted her willingness to marry him, promising to speak with her father, the Water Immortal, to break off her engagement with Run Yu. Overwhelmed with emotion, Xu Feng embraced and kissed her. Unable to resist their feelings, they completed their first spirit training beneath the phoenix flowers.

Infuriated by the revelation, the Heavenly Empress furiously punished Qi Yuan, ordering him to hide in an underground palace in the mortal world and not emerge without her command. As Qi Yuan was about to enter the hidden palace, Lord Liaoyuan, following Xu Feng's orders, appeared. A fight ensued, during which Qi Yuan, revealed as Mu Ci, suffered an attack of the Autopsy Wild Silkworms plaguing his body.

Lord Liaoyuan seized the opportunity to knock him unconscious and delivered him to Liu Ying. Liu Ying was with her father, the King of Bian City, when Mu Ci was brought to them.

Before Mu Ci arrived, Liu Ying had been discussing the King of Gu City with her father, expressing her desire to report him to the Demon Lord for his misdeeds, but her father cautioned her that the Demon Lord trusted Gu City and wouldn't easily believe her, especially since he himself had resisted Gu City's attempts to undermine him for years.

Upon seeing Mu Ci, the King of Bian City immediately recognized the deadly Autopsy Wild Silkworms consuming him and explained that this ancient magic allowed a dying person's life to be prolonged by feeding the mother silkworm with the blood of its keeper, usually a powerful fire-magic user. If the child silkworms in the host were not regularly fed by the mother, they would devour the host's spiritual power.

While removal was possible with fire magic, it would likely kill the host. Liu Ying, realizing Mu Ci's suffering and the cruel manipulation behind his actions, insisted on keeping him, determined to restore him to his former self.

Her father expressed concern, noting that such silkworms could only be sustained by the blood of a powerful fire-magic user, suggesting a connection to the Heaven Realm, and warned Liu Ying of the grave danger if anyone in the Demon Realm discovered Mu Ci's presence. Liu Ying, however, remained steadfast in her resolve to save him. Xu Feng sought out the Moon Immortal to learn the full truth about Run Yu's birth mother.

Armed with this knowledge, he then visited Run Yu, bringing wine as a gesture of apology on behalf of his Heavenly Empress mother for her past actions against Run Yu's mother. However, Run Yu, still in mourning, refused the wine and stated that his mother was merely an "insignificant sinner," so no apology was necessary. He then advised Xu Feng to leave and not cause further trouble for the Heavenly Emperor and Empress.

Xu Feng persisted, expressing his disagreement with his mother's methods and acknowledging that both their mothers acted for their sons, albeit misguidedly. He offered to relinquish his claim to the Heavenly Emperor's throne, pledging his loyalty and support to Run Yu as his faithful subject. His only condition was that Run Yu release Jin Mi from their engagement. Run Yu saw through Xu Feng's overture, recognizing that his sole motivation was Jin Mi.

He sharply rebuked Xu Feng for being overly concerned with his fiancée. Run Yu declared that the engagement, arranged by the Heavenly Emperor and the Water Immortal, was not something he could simply abandon. He added that the Heavenly Realm's authority was ultimately in the hands of their parents, not something to be decided by their competition. Xu Feng argued that he and Jin Mi loved each other and that Run Yu wouldn't be happy with her.

Growing increasingly bitter, Run Yu retorted that he had always lived on the "alms" of Xu Feng and his mother, passively accepting whatever they chose to give or take. He declared that from that moment on, he would determine his own destiny and make his own choices, asserting that he would never let go of Jin Mi.

Jin Mi busied herself by preparing Ganoderma Nourishing Skin Ointment for the Wind God (Lin Xiu) and Ginseng Fleece-flower Root Ointment for her father, the Water Immortal, claiming he constantly urged her to cultivate after her return from the mortal realm, though he denied it. She also decided to gift Xu Feng a petal of her true self, a single moment of "spring flowers and autumn fruits" from her body, reflecting his willingness to die for her.

She had gained much wisdom from her mortal trial, experiencing life, death, and unfulfilled love. While presenting the gifts, Jin Mi subtly inquired about the possibility of breaking off an engagement once it was formally set, referencing a rumor about Fairy Wen Yue trying to retrieve her marriage contract. The Wind God dismissed the rumor as impossible. The Water Immortal directly asked if Jin Mi intended to annul her engagement with Run Yu.

Jin Mi, considering Run Yu's recent loss of his mother, stated that she couldn't bring it up now. The Water Immortal then suggested they visit the former Floral Immortal's tomb. There, Jin Mi confessed to her father that she and Xu Feng had pledged themselves to each other.

The Water Immortal vehemently opposed this, reminding her that her mortal trial was but a fleeting memory and warning her about the Heavenly Empress's merciless nature, having witnessed her killing Run Yu's birth mother. He feared Jin Mi would suffer a similar fate to her own mother. Jin Mi, however, insisted that her love for Xu Feng was genuine, comparing it to her parents' deep love.

She passionately argued that if becoming an immortal meant losing the ability to protect and be with the one she loved, she would rather be a mortal, living a short but heartfelt life. The Water Immortal, seeing her unwavering resolve, conceded that not everything could be solved by enthusiasm alone.

He cautioned her not to act rashly before they could find a proper solution, especially with Run Yu and Xu Feng being equally unyielding, fearing she would be caught in the middle. Mu Ci's condition rapidly worsened, his body wracked with pain from the Autopsy Wild Silkworms, and the demon doctor's medicine proved ineffective. Liu Ying desperately tried to help, but Mu Ci's consciousness faded, and he repeatedly cried out, "Your Majesty, forgive me. Qi Yuan is wrong."

Meanwhile, the Water Immortal and Wind God discussed Jin Mi's love for Xu Feng. The Water Immortal still worried about Jin Mi's changing heart, but the Wind God argued that Jin Mi's feelings for Xu Feng were genuine this time, expressing hope that she could marry for love. However, the Water Immortal remained deeply concerned about the Heavenly Empress's hostility towards Jin Mi and how Xu Feng would react if his mother harmed her.

He also worried about Jin Mi being caught between the unyielding personalities of Xu Feng and Run Yu, comparing their stubbornness to the Heavenly Emperor's youth and how it led to his first love, Zi Fen, suffering greatly. He vowed not to let Jin Mi repeat her mother's tragic fate, stating that obsession could be deadly.

At the same time, the Heavenly Empress, acting on her own authority, sent a messenger to Run Yu, ordering him to remain in Xuanji Palace for mourning, exempting him from his nightly duties. She also sent two mourning dresses, one in the style of the Heaven Realm and another for the Arowana (Dragon-Fish) tribe, instructing Run Yu to choose one, ostensibly to offer him a choice, but effectively isolating him and forcing him to acknowledge his lineage. Run Yu accepted the order, instructing the messenger to place the dresses down for his decision.

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