Blood River Episode 38 (Ending) Recap
> Blood River Recap
Li Hanyi, wielding the Floral Sword Art, fought fiercely against her attackers. Despite his severe cold poison, the Prince of Langya sensed his wife's arrival and used his remaining inner energy to strike at the ambushing archers, reprimanding them for their cowardly methods instead of developing their skills on the battlefield. Li Hanyi then administered medicine to him. She admitted she came to his rescue, despite his previous claims that her involvement in Tianqi affairs was unnecessary.
She revealed she had been in Tianqi during the Tai'an Palace infiltration years ago, having placed spies to signal her in times of danger, ready to storm the palace for him regardless of the royal family's power. She declared that if she had to draw her sword, he would have to leave with her. The Prince of Langya, accepting his fate, replied that as night descends, the wind drifts away in parting.
Awakening, Mu Yumo was met by a servant who confirmed her recovery before ushering in Tang Lianyue. Mu Yumo observed Tang Lianyue's anxiety, noting he wasn't so concerned the last time she was gravely injured by his hand. Though he remained silent, she now understood his actions and gaze revealed his love for her, confirming his true feelings. Tang Lianyue emphatically declared he would not allow her to die.
Mu Yumo then proposed a promise: once they complete their respective missions and shed their identities as the Xuanwu Guardian and a Blood River assassin, they would be free to love and go wherever they wished. Tang Lianyue agreed, vowing to find her after helping the Prince of Langya fulfill his goals. Mu Yumo urged him to leave, reminding him that both the Prince of Langya and Tianqi City needed him.
Before departing, Tang Lianyue presented her with a carved rabbit, admitting he made it because he broke her mask during their first encounter. He expressed his desire for her to live freely in the sunlight, no longer hiding her identity. Mu Yumo praised his craftsmanship and again pressed him to go. Meanwhile, Tang Lianyue and his forces intercepted Flying Tiger General Dian Ye as he attempted to leave with his troops.
Tang Lianyue informed Dian Ye that the Inner Security Division had secured Fengxi Manor, rescued the kidnapped noblemen, and ensured their families would not act further. He declared it was time for Dian Ye to pay the price for his actions, despite Dian Ye's scornful defiance. Su Changhe, vexed by the recent outcomes, spoke with Tang Lianyue, who delivered a report.
He learned that Great Eunuch Zhuo Qing was gravely wounded but his body was taken by his disciple, Jin Xuan, leaving his survival uncertain. Regarding First Prince Xiao Yong, Tang Lianyue reported that Flying Tiger General Dian Ye had taken all blame for the Tianqi uprising. Xiao Yong, in turn, confessed to partial responsibility, offering to be confined to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, relinquish his princely title, and forever abstain from political disputes.
Emperor Tai'an approved Xiao Yong's request, despite the Prince of Langya’s memorial and submitted evidence, and his subsequent refusal to meet with the Prince. The Dragonseal Scroll also remained missing, having been retrieved by an unknown party. Su Changhe expressed his deep dissatisfaction with these answers.
Later, he spoke with Mu Yumo, who asserted her new role as head of the Mu family and her commitment to putting personal feelings aside for her responsibilities, stating that since Tang Lianyue had made a promise, she saw no need for impatience. Later, Tang Lianyue warned the Prince of Langya that if Su Muyu did not recover, Su Changhe would personally kill both Xiao Yong and the Prince.
The Prince of Langya, coughing blood and suffering from his cold poison, acknowledged the warning, musing that his life might end before Su Changhe could strike. Upon awakening, Su Muyu immediately inquired about Bai Hehuai, reciting a sorrowful verse. Su Changhe sadly informed him that Bai Hehuai had passed away peacefully, without suffering.
He explained that her father, Su Zhe, not wanting his daughter to endure any more pain, had used Su Muyu's Inch Sword to swiftly end her life while Su Muyu was unconscious. Su Changhe added that Su Zhe would return Bai Hehuai's body to Medicine King Valley, where a pot of wine would be prepared for Su Muyu every Qingming Festival and on her death anniversary, awaiting his visit.
Su Muyu then questioned Su Changhe about Night Crow, learning she was likely incinerated by the Phoenix Descent technique. He then learned of the verdict regarding Xiao Yong, who was pardoned and confined to the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Su Changhe and Su Muyu confronted First Prince Xiao Yong at his sedan. Su Changhe declared they were there to pay final respects to the individual Xiao Yong had wronged, implying Bai Hehuai.
When challenged by a guard and Xiao Yong, Su Changhe angrily accused Xiao Yong of taking Bai Hehuai's life, despite Li Hanyi having saved Xiao Yong's son. Xiao Yong protested that he had confessed and been pardoned by imperial decree, claiming his fate now rested "in the hands of Heaven." Su Muyu stepped forward, asserting, "I am Heaven itself."
Xiao Yong attempted to dissuade them, arguing that Blood River had already "won," and the Prince of Langya would fulfill their agreement for Blood River to walk in the light, questioning the need for further aggression. Su Changhe countered, asking if a prince could kill with impunity and evade punishment by merely abandoning his title.
Xiao Yong warned them of the severe consequences of killing a prince in the street, stating Blood River would become Beili's most wanted criminals, forever dwelling in shadows. Su Changhe recalled Mu Yumo's past question about the normalization of death among Blood River companions, stating that everything had changed. He declared his choice was to avenge Bai Hehuai, Qingyang, Xuewei, and all others manipulated by those in power.
He asserted that his choice held profound meaning, and from that moment, Tianqi City would remember Blood River's name, as they would no longer be manipulated as pawns, having demonstrated the price of such actions. Su Muyu then entered the sedan and swiftly killed Xiao Yong. Unbeknownst to Su Changhe and Su Muyu, Bai Hehuai was alive in a nearby sedan, having been saved by Su Muyu's master. Su Muyu's master sensed Su Muyu's presence after Xiao Yong's death.
She informed Su Zhe that his daughter, whose name is revealed to be Su Yunxiu, was safe, having saved her under the condition that she could take Bai Hehuai, the miracle physician, with her. She explained her need for Bai Hehuai to be on standby as she cultivated a new martial art, and sternly warned Su Zhe not to reveal this to Su Muyu, or Bai Hehuai would never return.
Su Muyu's master then reflected on Su Muyu's future, finding it intriguing that he, having almost reached the light, had now fallen back into endless darkness. Before leaving Tianqi, Su Changhe and Su Muyu visited the Prince of Langya to bid farewell. The Prince expressed his disappointment that they chose to kill Xiao Yong, deeming it an irreversible solution.
Su Changhe acknowledged that both he and Su Muyu were often considered "lunatics," and explained that Blood River sought to stand in the light, not be pawns in power struggles. He reasoned that while Xiao Yong's confinement under Chancellor Qi Tianchen might have prevented him from rising again, his death would complicate many things. Su Muyu interjected, asserting that Blood River now possessed its own justice, and by that justice, Xiao Yong deserved to die.
He warned that if anyone dared to use them as pawns again, Blood River would become the chess players. Su Muyu declared that he and Su Changhe would return to Blood River and forge their own path, believing they would reach their "Other Shore" despite the journey's difficulties. The Prince of Langya hoped they would not meet as enemies again, to which Su Changhe remarked that becoming friends would also be difficult.
Meanwhile, the Chancellor learned of Xiao Yong's assassination on his way to confinement. His subordinate identified one of the attackers as someone the Chancellor had previously repelled with a talisman. The Chancellor reflected that he might have been too narrow-minded before and that the head of the Su family was a person worth meeting.
As Su Changhe and Su Muyu fled, Su Changhe questioned if Su Muyu regretted his actions, noting that their long struggle seemed to have returned to square one after that one sword stroke. Su Muyu dismissed this, explaining that the Prince of Langya, nearing death, wished to secure the future for his loved ones, but their paths were fundamentally different from Blood River's.
He concluded that the great chaos in Tianqi had only just begun, but it no longer concerned them for now. Su Muyu expressed his belief that even in the deepest darkness, light could be found, and that eventually, the clouds would clear, revealing the moon. The two continued their relentless journey, with no clear destination or possibility of return. Eight years would pass before Blood River once again emerged in the martial world, and twelve years before Su Muyu and Bai Hehuai would be reunited.
