Blood River Episode 36 Recap
> Blood River Recap
Su Changhe received news of Mu Qingyang and Mu Xuewei's deaths with an unperturbed expression. Changli noted that they wouldn't have died if Blood River had been there, questioning if Su Changhe still viewed them as mere assassins. Su Changhe, the Patriarch of Blood River, affirmed that they had not yet found true freedom and remained under the control of others.
He knew First Prince Xiao Yong's intricate plan: to exploit generals and marquises whose family members had been turned into drugged puppets, compelling them to ignite a riot in Tianqi City on the eve of the Imperial Assembly. Simultaneously, Xiao Yong intended to reveal the Dragonseal Scroll, framing Prince of Langya for both the scroll's appearance and the chaos.
He would then intervene to quell the rebellion, kill Prince of Langya, seize his influence, and clear his own path to the throne. Su Changhe mused that months ago, such a plan would have been laughable, but now, with Lei Mengsha defeated, the Emperor's trust in Prince of Langya waning, and his key guardians having departed, Prince of Langya appeared vulnerable. Changli asked if Su Changhe was simply choosing the more advantageous side.
Su Changhe admitted being profit-driven was his greatest strength, yet he wondered if Prince of Langya, who had always commanded such awe, was truly so weak, or if Blood River was unwittingly being used as a pawn. He suspected Prince of Langya was merely feigning weakness. He then instructed Changli to tour Tianqi City while he remained alone, as they would soon depart. Later, on a Tianqi rooftop, Su Changhe encountered Xueyue Sword Deity Li Hanyi.
He greeted her, remarking on the city's beauty at night. Li Hanyi warned him not to move, or her sword would draw blood. They acknowledged they were both in Tianqi for the same person: Prince of Langya. Li Hanyi observed Su Changhe's growing prowess and suggested they might spar another time. In the meantime, Su Muyu received word from the Inner Security Division that the Dragonseal Scroll had indeed surfaced.
Meanwhile, Bai Hehuai delved into Li Zhengqi's mind to treat him. She witnessed his childhood trauma, where his father repeatedly beat him, demanding perfection under the guise of high expectations and calling him "useless." Li Zhengqi, even in his dream, vowed to win the Golden Throne Contest and become a deputy general. Bai Hehuai realized the father was merciless, a stark contrast to how she had perceived him when he protected his son before.
She concluded she wasn't there to uncover his past. Later, while discussing Su Zhe's recovery with a concerned Su Muyu, Su Zhe, having transferred some of his powers to Su Muyu, felt superb after his daughter's acupuncture. He recounted how she promised to manage the long-term backlash from his Divine-Demon Nirvana Art and mentioned their martial nephew could also help.
Su Zhe spoke of his daughter wanting to return to Medicine King Valley after the Tianqi events, describing a simple life with huts, cattle, sheep, a vegetable patch, and a valley rich with mystical herbs. She believed that with their combined skills, even the envoys of Hell would have to wait decades for their lives. Su Muyu confirmed Su Zhe would fully recover.
Su Zhe then asked if Su Muyu would join them in Medicine King Valley, to which Su Muyu's silence implied he would not. Bai Hehuai then realized that the image of Su Muyu she saw in Li Zhengqi's dream was not his inner demon but her own, as Li Zhengqi had never met Su Muyu.
Prince of Langya appeared unconcerned, even as a servant informed him that beggars were singing rhymes about him ascending the throne during tomorrow's Imperial Assembly, and the city walls were covered with similar messages. He sarcastically agreed that it sounded appropriate, mentioning the Mandate of Heaven, generals' allegiance, and the Imperial Star moving eastward. He dismissed the numerous confidential letters from his generals, ordering them to be burned without a trace.
Prince of Langya expressed regret over implicating Su Muyu and his companions but insisted that both he and Su Muyu must successfully complete their respective tasks. He then prepared to enter the palace, donning his fur cloak. Bai Hehuai's apprentice relayed Su Muyu's message that Blood River would compensate Ms. Wan'er with a grand manor, using funds from the Yellow Springs Pawnshop, for the damage caused to her home.
The apprentice inquired if the current batch of medicine was the final step to curing the puppet poison, to which Bai Hehuai confirmed. When asked about two distinct pots of medicine, one thick and one clear, Bai Hehuai explained one was for the drugged puppets, and the other had a different purpose. Mu Yumo confronted Su Muyu as he prepared for a perilous solo mission.
She observed that he, though outwardly gentle, was unyielding once his mind was set, and seemed profoundly changed. Su Muyu explained that with Su Changhe still missing, he was the sole Blood River member acting that night. He intended to "slay the specter, banish the shadow, and shatter the light," after which they would leave Tianqi, and a new Blood River would emerge.
Mu Yumo expressed her worry about the extreme danger and warned him to be careful, promising to wait for his return. Elsewhere, Xiao Yong gazed out a window at the moon, envisioning Prince of Langya's impending disgrace, which would mark his own rise to prominence.
He elaborated on his scheme to frame Prince of Langya for rebellion, kidnapping officials' sons, poisoning them, and creating an unstoppable army of drugged puppets, while he, Xiao Yong, would be seen as the righteous savior. He then dismissed a servant. Three patriarchs (Xie, Mu, and Su) discussed the death of Lord Haoyue, who had been silenced by snake venom after failing a mission. The Su patriarch expressed doubts about First Prince Xiao Yong's suitability as a leader.
The Mu patriarch, however, asserted that Xiao Yong, as the legitimate imperial heir, was a "manifestation of light." He argued that they were too deeply committed to turn back. The Xuanwu Guardian of the Inner Security Division was in a difficult situation, as the drugged people under their watch were transforming into monsters, threatening to implicate the division. Mu Yumo arrived with an antidote prepared by Bai Hehuai.
The suffering drugged people desperately consumed it, but instead of relief, they convulsed violently and collapsed. The Xuanwu Guardian questioned the antidote's efficacy. Night Crow, accompanied by Tang Linghuang, appeared and clarified that the Medicine King Valley antidote was not flawed. She explained that while Mu Yumo had detoxified the individuals, she had failed to address the "caster's poison" by either curing or eradicating the "poison master"—Tang Linghuang himself—which was essential for a complete cure.
Night Crow, possessing this knowledge that Mu Yumo lacked, declared her intention to kill Tang Lianyue, mockingly noting that Tang Linghuang, now a puppet, no longer recognized his own senior brother. Tang Lianyue angrily silenced Night Crow. When Mu Yumo asked why he wasn't using his most powerful hidden weapons, Tang Lianyue explained that doing so would destroy Tang Linghuang's body. Taking matters into her own hands, Mu Yumo unleashed her "100-Spider Array."
Each spider had consumed the antidote, and she hoped that as they bit Tang Linghuang, the antidote would infuse his bloodstream and neutralize the puppet poison. Night Crow scoffed at the idea of spiders killing a "Gold-Body Puppet." Tang Linghuang cried out in pain, a sign that the antidote was working. Tang Lianyue rushed to absorb the remaining toxins from his senior brother.
Mu Yumo warned him against it, explaining that Tang Linghuang's body was now a potent cocktail of various poisons. Tang Lianyue, undeterred, asserted that as a member of the Tang Clan, such poisons were no threat to him. Tang Linghuang, having regained a sliver of consciousness, recognized Tang Lianyue. He pleaded for his own death, stating his internal organs were irrevocably damaged, and asked Tang Lianyue to avenge him.
Night Crow tried to prevent his death, but Tang Linghuang, with his dying breath, warned Tang Lianyue not to prioritize his life if it was used to blackmail him, urging him to charge forward instead. He then unleashed his remaining power in a massive explosion to clear the poison mist for Tang Lianyue and Mu Yumo, sacrificing himself. In the ensuing chaos, Mu Yumo was injured while shielding Tang Lianyue from Night Crow's attack.
Tang Linghuang, with his last words, implored Tang Lianyue to cherish Mu Yumo. Night Crow lamented the destruction of such a "perfect drugged puppet" and unleashed three other powerful drugged puppets, once masters nearing the Free-Heaven level, to deal with Tang Lianyue and Mu Yumo. Despite her injury, Mu Yumo tearfully asked Tang Lianyue one last time if he would marry her. He affirmed that he would.
She then requested a grand wedding at their Falling Stars Pavilion, noting no one had ever married there before, and teasingly mentioned her embarrassment for always pursuing him in front of Su Muyu and others. Tang Lianyue agreed to all her wishes, promising to "ride the red phoenix" to take her as his bride. Mu Yumo sweetly dismissed the idea of a real phoenix.
Tang Lianyue then countered Night Crow's forces by combining his "Cries of 1,000 Birds" and "Skywrath Thunder" techniques, creating a powerful "Phoenix Descent," proving that a phoenix indeed exists. He then carried Mu Yumo away. Finally, Prince of Langya (Ruofeng) entered the palace to meet his Imperial Brother. The Emperor spoke of the recent commotion in Tianqi. Prince of Langya directly asked if his brother believed the rumors of his impending rebellion.
The Emperor then inquired about the Dragonseal Scroll, noting its continued absence after many years. Prince of Langya assured him that the scroll would appear tonight and that he would retrieve it for the Emperor, ensuring the Imperial Assembly would proceed safely. The Emperor expressed his relief, affirming his eternal trust in Prince of Langya, though he reminded him that not everyone in the world adhered to such absolute principles.
The Emperor then offered Prince of Langya tea and snacks prepared by Jin Xuan. Prince of Langya consumed them, acknowledging their quality. As he prepared to leave, a profound chill enveloped him, forming thick ice on his body. He understood that his brother, despite his words, had secretly poisoned him, and his own days were now numbered.
