Ashes of Love Episode 40 Recap, Plot

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The Heavenly Emperor visited the Heavenly Empress in Pisuo Jail. She told him that she had sacrificed everything for him and now only wished for him to secure Xu Feng's future. The Heavenly Emperor admitted that he had intended to pass the crown to Xu Feng, but her lack of virtue and public support had implicated their son.

The Heavenly Empress retorted that she had always been the one to eliminate his enemies and help him consolidate his power behind the scenes, questioning if he truly didn't know the reasons for her actions. She then explicitly requested him to immediately issue an imperial decree to marry Sui He to Xu Feng, which would ensure the Bird Family's complete loyalty to the Heaven Realm.

The Heavenly Emperor agreed to let Xu Feng inherit the throne and promised to spare her life, stating that her dignity was intertwined with his own. The Heavenly Empress reflected sadly on how their relationship had come to this point. In the Heaven Realm, immortals buzzed with news of unrest within the Bird Family.

Elder Yin Que had been openly visiting the Demon Realm and even dining with the Demon Lord, fueling speculation that he intended to lead the Bird Family in betraying the Heaven Realm. Sui He's authority was severely undermined; she lacked the ability, seniority, and public support to rival Yin Que, and her position became even more precarious after the Heavenly Empress lost power.

Many believed that the deep-seated resentment in Yimiao State, exacerbated by its long history as the Heavenly Emperor's personal property and the recent chaos following the Heavenly Empress's downfall, had made the Bird Family ripe for dissent. Yin Que was using the Demon Realm as leverage against the Heavenly Emperor, aiming to renegotiate terms with the Heaven Realm. It was widely understood that such a defection would be a devastating blow to the Heaven Realm.

The Heavenly Emperor summoned Xu Feng, inquiring about his injuries. Xu Feng expressed concern for his mother, requesting leniency for her, but the Heavenly Emperor revealed that Tu Yao herself had only expressed concern for Xu Feng's future. Xu Feng took partial responsibility for his mother’s actions. The Heavenly Emperor then laid out his plan: he intended to pass the throne to Xu Feng, but this required Xu Feng to marry Sui He to consolidate the Bird Family's power.

He further added that Run Yu would marry Jin Mi, thereby securing the Water Family's allegiance, ensuring a stable and peaceful Heaven Realm. He acknowledged Xu Feng's feelings for Jin Mi, but insisted that a ruler must make sacrifices, and Jin Mi was one such sacrifice. Xu Feng defiantly declared that if he had to choose, he would rather choose Jin Mi.

The Heavenly Emperor, enraged, reminded Xu Feng of his past reckless behavior with Jin Mi and their disregard for the sacred engagement with the Water Immortal, questioning how he could entrust the Heaven Realm to him. Xu Feng stubbornly stated that Jin Mi was more important to him than anything else, pleading for their union.

Just then, Run Yu arrived, chastising Xu Feng for his immaturity and attempting to disrupt a divinely sanctioned marriage, claiming deep mutual affection with Jin Mi. Xu Feng scoffed, accusing Run Yu of self-deception. The Heavenly Emperor intervened, halting their argument and instructing Run Yu to proceed with his wedding preparations, emphasizing the grandeur of the event. Undeterred, Xu Feng again pleaded with the Heavenly Emperor to cancel his and Run Yu’s engagement.

The Heavenly Emperor, branding Xu Feng's actions as outrageous and a disgrace to the Heaven Realm, immediately stripped him of his military leadership, ordered him to surrender the Red Clouds Sword, and commanded him to reflect on his behavior. Liu Ying rushed to the hall, hoping to find Mu Ci, but discovered only a note that read, "Take good care of yourself. Goodbye." Frustrated by his repeated disappearance, she noted that at least this time he left a message.

Convinced he couldn't have gone far due to his weakened state, she immediately set out to find him, vowing to search every corner of the Six Realms until she was old or dead. Unbeknownst to her, Mu Ci watched her from a distance, telling himself he had no choice but to leave and hoping she would forget him. Later, the King of Bian City found a distressed Liu Ying and urged her to return home and stop torturing herself.

During their discussion, a seal that Lord Liaoyuan had previously entrusted to Liu Ying fell out. The King of Bian City immediately recognized it as the personal seal of King of Qing City, the wisest elder in the Demon Realm, who had been traveling for over sixty years. Liu Ying, hopeful, asked if King of Qing City could help save Mu Ci.

However, the King of Bian City dismissed the idea, explaining that the only known cure for Mu Ci's condition, "Autopsy Wild Silkworms," was someone who practiced fire magic from the Heaven Realm. Sui He approached the Heavenly Emperor, lamenting her failure to manage the Bird Family and blaming herself for Yin Que's actions, though she noted his constant defiance. She then suggested that with the Heavenly Empress confined, the Bird Family's rebellious tendencies were openly surfacing.

She requested that Xu Feng lead troops to Yimiao State to quell the unrest. The Heavenly Emperor acknowledged the need for preparedness, but before he could respond fully, Run Yu arrived. He argued that the Bird Family was not truly in rebellion but merely misguided, likely influenced by malevolent forces. He proposed that the Heavenly Emperor issue a decree of appeasement to demonstrate the Heaven Realm's benevolence and thwart those with ulterior motives.

Instead of a full military intervention, Run Yu suggested appointing a special envoy to lead a small contingent of heavenly soldiers to Yimiao State for a thorough investigation and severe punishment of the true instigators. The Heavenly Emperor found Run Yu's words persuasive and agreed, asking him to draft the imperial edict. He then inquired about the special envoy and garrison, given that Xu Feng had been stripped of his military command.

Run Yu cautioned against sending Xu Feng, as it might instill fear and panic among the birds. He suggested that Star Lord Pojun lead some troops to be stationed there as a preventive measure. The Heavenly Emperor concurred and then instructed Sui He to return to Yimiao State at once to comfort her kin. The Heavenly Emperor detained Run Yu, inquiring about his recent studies.

Run Yu explained that he was reading self-cultivation texts but also delving into history and military strategies. He then subtly evoked fond memories of his childhood, recalling how the Heavenly Emperor himself had taught him poetry when Tu Yao, out of selfish motives, had refused to provide him with a teacher. He expressed profound gratitude for the Heavenly Emperor’s personal guidance, which had prevented him from neglecting his studies and had provided lifelong benefit.

The Heavenly Emperor, affirming his love for his eldest son, explained that his past coldness was a necessary facade to protect Run Yu from Tu Yao’s watchful eyes, preventing him from becoming a target. He admitted to feeling immense guilt over his actions towards Run Yu’s birth mother, justifying it as a desperate measure to resolve a military crisis with the Demon Realm by strategically taking Lake Taihu through her.

Over the years, he had harbored deep regret and sought to make amends. Observing Run Yu's composure, sharp intellect, and steadfastness, and disappointed by Xu Feng's recent defiant behavior, the Heavenly Emperor decided to temporarily transfer command of the Five-Direction Heaven Troops, a significant military responsibility previously held by Xu Feng, to Run Yu. Run Yu accepted the command with humble gratitude, promising to fulfill his duties diligently.

Sui He visited Tu Yao in Pisuo Jail to discuss their next steps. Tu Yao, having waited for her, transferred her entire lifetime's cultivation to Sui He, including the powerful Glazed Pure Fire. With this newfound power, Tu Yao instructed Sui He to revitalize the Bird Family and ensure Xu Feng's ascension to the throne, warning her not to cause disappointment. Sui He solemnly vowed to fulfill this trust.

Run Yu played a game of chess with the Water Immortal, demonstrating remarkable strategic prowess and patience. He methodically secured victory after fifty moves, earning the Water Immortal’s high praise for his holistic view and steady execution. Run Yu mused that chess was akin to arranging stars, with the board representing the sky and pieces the stars, where even a tiny star could influence the entire constellation.

The Water Immortal observed that Run Yu had changed significantly after three months of mourning for his birth mother and the Arowana Family, acknowledging his profound grief and newfound resolve to fight for his and Jin Mi’s future. It was at this juncture that Xu Feng arrived, seeking to visit Jin Mi and apologize to both her and the Water Immortal on behalf of his mother, Tu Yao.

The Water Immortal coldly refused his request, stating that Jin Mi was too frail to receive visitors and that Tu Yao’s misdeeds would be judged by heavenly law. Run Yu promptly interjected, urging Xu Feng to leave and not further upset the Water Immortal. Xu Feng, in turn, sarcastically remarked on Run Yu's attentive behavior as a "dutiful and virtuous son-in-law" in the Water Immortal’s presence.

Run Yu retorted that as Jin Mi was his fiancée, her care was his responsibility, not Xu Feng's. The Water Immortal intervened, thanking both princes for saving Jin Mi, but emphasized that she needed rest and would decide her own future once she had recovered. Run Yu then solemnly declared that having almost lost Jin Mi, he now believed only her safety, health, and happiness truly mattered. On his way back to Qiwu Palace, Xu Feng unexpectedly encountered Jin Mi.

She inquired about his injuries, which he brushed off as minor, but then urged him not to visit her again. Saddened, he pulled her to a more private spot. A flashback reveals that Xu Feng had previously berated his attendants for allowing Sui He to visit him while he was unconscious, angrily forbidding anyone from entering Qiwu Palace without his explicit consent. In the present, he provocatively asked Jin Mi if she was jealous, which she denied.

He then poured out his current woes: his military leadership had been stripped, his mother imprisoned, and his father was forcing him into a marriage with Sui He. He confessed that if she, too, wavered in her affection, he would truly be unable to endure. Jin Mi, though stating she wouldn't hate him, firmly declared that they could no longer be together.

Acknowledging that his mother had killed her mother, Xu Feng conceded he had no right to be with her, but pressed her, asking if she truly intended to marry Run Yu. Jin Mi replied that her happiness lay in the happiness of her father and Run Yu. Xu Feng, certain she did not love Run Yu, expressed his belief that she would not find happiness in such a marriage.

Jin Mi, however, maintained that their union was impossible, as it would cause pain to her father and Run Yu. As Xu Feng drew closer, Jin Mi's heart began to throb with intense pain. She revealed to him that whenever he was near, her heart ached strangely, and she felt utterly miserable, pleading with him to stop following her.

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Episode 41 Recap