Eternal Love of Dream Recap, Plot, Synopsis, Total Episodes

Eternal Love of Dream Synopsis

The Qingqiu empress Bai Fengjiu was saved by the Donghua emperor. She kept it in mind. To repay the kindness of Dong Hua, Bai Fengjiu went to the Tai Chen Palace as a palace maid for many years.

After Dong Hua was locked into the lotus field of ten evils, Bai Fengjiu transformed into a fox to save Dong Hua.

Since then, Bai Fengjiu accompanied Dong Hua as a fox and learned that Dong Hua will marry Ji Heng, Bai Fengjiu was sad and left.

Later, Dong Hua went to the mortal world to experience the disaster, Fengjiu also followed him.

In the valley of Fanyin, Fengjiu fell into the dream world of A Lanruo and experienced the past of A Lanruo and Shen Ye again. Dong Hua saved Fengjiu in the identity of Xi Ze.

In the battle with the evil Miao Luo, they overcame the evil. Eventually, Dong Hua and Bai Fengjiu got together with a happy ending.

Eternal Love of Dream Recap

Episode 1 Recap

In the territory of the Eastern Desolate, known as Bi Hai Cang Ling, there was an Emperor, who named himself Emperor Donghua. Taking everything as his teacher, enduring the crucible of heaven and earth and the trials of all beings, he cultivated focus on one interest. Originally, he could be either god or demon, but because he could not stand the disturbances of the earthly realm, he abandoned being a demon and joined the gods.

He led his subordinates, Meng Hao and seventy-two other divine generals, to meet the Demon race in battle. By stopping killing through war, he finally brought peace to the world, ascending to the position of co-ruler of heaven and earth, in charge of the life and death of the six realms. Hundreds of thousands of years later, the Demon King Miao Luo emerged out of nowhere.

Finding it hard to accept Emperor Donghua's sole dominance, she did not hesitate to destroy heaven and earth, intending to start a decisive battle. Because the Cang He Sword and soul-locking jade could not defeat Miao Luo, Emperor Donghua had no choice but to dissipate his cultivation and create a seal to trap her in the forbidden land of the Demon race.

Before her death, Miao Luo laid a venomous oath: "I vow to witness everything Donghua thinks about and loves descend into an endless purgatory." After this battle, Donghua was severely injured and ceased fighting. For thirty thousand years, he resided in the Tai Chen Palace in the Divine Realm, and during this time befriended the Water God, his close friend Lian Song. On a daily basis, he cultivated his temperament and chatted idly with him.

He also inevitably ordered his subordinates to search for Meng Hao, who had been missing for a long time. The Ninth Heaven was often cold and solitary. Below the Ninth Heaven lay the mortal realm, and deep within the mortal realm was the beautiful land of Qing Qiu. From afar, clouds drifted faintly, and dark green hues stretched across the sky. Up close, there were brilliant sun and flourishing flowers, jade trees and Qiong forests.

Bai Fengjiu, as the Princess of Qing Qiu, was quite favored by the entire clan. Although she had a clever mind and innate wisdom, she had no intention of meditating or comprehending the Dao. Except for the course of Ancient Gods which was passable, all other subjects showed no progress. Although clearly lacking in knowledge, she could speak with certainty, distorting right and wrong.

Her teacher was exasperated by this and publicly punished her by ordering her to copy several Buddhist scriptures. Bai Zhen wanted to use visiting the peach blossoms as an excuse to call Jingwei to the academy to bring Bai Fengjiu back. However, Bai Fengjiu cleverly saw through his intention, skillfully devised a plan, getting many companions to help her get away, leaving Bi Fang behind and successfully escaping. Bai Fengjiu didn't come. Instead, Zhe Yan arrived upon hearing the news.

Bai Zhen was neither surprised nor annoyed; as for his niece's temperament, he also knew a thing or two. Although clearly mischievous and persistent in what she deemed good, she also had little-known secrets. Transforming into her true form, the Red Nine-Tailed Fox, Bai Fengjiu happily ran and escaped all the way. Who would have thought she only cared about her enjoyment without paying attention? It wasn't until she realized that she had accidentally trespassed into the forbidden mountain valley.

The forbidden mountain valley was where the Demon race resided. Since the Demon King's great defeat ten thousand years ago, the Demon race had retreated into seclusion for generations. Their territory was not as great as before. Various Lords would often fight fiercely over the barren land, and even report to the Chi Demon Lord Xu Yang. Xiaoyan Demon Lord had a hot temper, unable to endure being bullied. Xuan Demon Lord incited him from the side, causing more complications.

The assembled Lords present were dissatisfied, vowing to rescue the Demon King, charge into the Divine Realm, and re-divide the territory. While conflicts were still occurring within the Demon Lord's manor, Bai Fengjiu wandered and arrived at Qin Yao Mountain. Just wanting to experience the mysteries of this place, unexpectedly, she was suddenly injured by the seal's barrier. This act not only awakened Miao Luo's spiritual consciousness but also alerted Donghua. Bai Fengjiu was being chased by a tiger spirit.

At a critical moment, luckily Donghua appeared and struck it down. The revered person came to her rescue, and Bai Fengjiu's admiration deepened. Seeing Donghua fall into a predicament, she was just about to step forward and speak up on his behalf, when Jingwei quickly took her away. Chi Demon Lord already harbored anger, and this time, he wanted to demand an explanation. Donghua was arrogant and rigid, so these diplomatic and amicable matters were naturally handled by Lian Song.

In the end, Donghua promised to help the Demon race with one matter as repayment between the two sides. Since returning to Qing Qiu, Bai Fengjiu found it difficult to cultivate peacefully. The content in ancient books was convoluted and hard to understand, so she simply spent the night searching in the study for records about Emperor Donghua. Bai Zhen mistakenly thought she was diligently studying, so he carefully explained the Nine Stages of Mind Cultivation.

This state is suitable for comprehending Zen, mainly divided into nine levels. If one can focus on one interest, one can become either a demon or a god. Bai Fengjiu did not understand why Emperor Donghua chose to become a god and abandon being a demon.

So she regifted the white jade hairpin carefully carved by Bai Zhen to Zhe Yan, and thus inquired about Emperor Donghua being skilled in military tactics and proficient in law in the past, possessing unparalleled grace, with the lament "a charming gentleman, sought after by virtuous ladies." Women from the Demon realm vied to visit his door at night, offering themselves. Who knew that while the flowers were willing, the gentleman's heart was like iron?

Therefore, although the beauties were smitten, they were still all rolled up in bedding and thrown outside his door by him. Until one day, a troublesome demon man appeared lying on his couch. Donghua was terribly harassed. It just so happened that Father God invited him at this moment, so he simply joined the Divine race immediately, escaping the sea of suffering. Such an answer, completely different from the official history outside, was truly astonishing.

After Bai Fengjiu smiled gleefully, she then thought about what if Emperor Donghua disliked both men and women, what would that be like. Zhe Yan casually offered an explanation, claiming that Donghua had recently been quite enthusiastic about mounts, and all three previous ones were round-furred. So he must have a preference that ordinary people don't, for example, doting on pets and treasured objects.

For many days after, the matter of the Demon realm was spoken by Lian Song, then misinterpreted and spread by the various gods, and now it has completely become: "Emperor Donghua, in order to protect his beloved, furiously broke into the forbidden land and caused a great commotion." As for who this woman was, there was much discussion in the Ninth Heaven. Si Ming was greatly astonished.

It wasn't until he met Bai Fengjiu, who came to act shamelessly and threaten him, that he completely understood the reason. To repay Donghua's kindness, Bai Fengjiu was willing to lower her status and become a fairy attendant. Zhe Yan had long known the secret of Bai Fengjiu's admiration for Emperor Donghua. The current plan was simply to offer assistance in person and see how her fate unfolds.

Under the arrangements of Si Ming and Zhe Yan, Bai Fengjiu hid the phoenix feather flower mark on her forehead and successfully entered the Ninth Heaven. Chao Lu, who was also selected as a fairy attendant, because her sister had previously worked here, had heard a bit about Princess Zhi He. So she smeared dirt on her face and Bai Fengjiu's face, and dangerously managed to get through.

Episode 2 Recap

Lord Lian Song, not averse to deceit in war, won the whole game with one move. Incidentally, during casual chat, he revealed that Donghua had recently been engrossed in studying cooking, deliberately making Si Ming quite curious and eager to taste the beautiful dishes first. He beat his chest and guaranteed wildly, trying his best to matchmake Lian Song and Cheng Yu. However, Si Ming did not know Lord Lian Song's unfathomable intentions.

Relying on the sweet and sour fish in front of him looking quite good, with one bite, he pitifully fainted directly and lost consciousness. Lian Song spoke nonsense, wildly flattered, and praised the deliciousness against his conscience. Donghua left without changing his expression, but as soon as he stepped out the door, he curved his lips into a smile. This scene was all witnessed by Bai Fengjiu, who immediately stood frozen in place until Chaolu spoke up to remind her.

In a blink of an eye, it was the rest day on the fifteenth of the sixth month. Fairy attendants in all the palaces in the Ninth Heaven cleaned the palaces and cleared the paths. Bai Fengjiu and Chaolu were sent to the princess's bedchambers to clean, and were also tasked with bringing the Mufeng Butterfly along.

Everyone had heard that the Mufeng Butterfly was a rarely seen celestial spiritual creature in the world; it danced in the wind and caused a hurricane when it encountered water. Chaolu was afraid it would be difficult to handle, but Bai Fengjiu, on the contrary, had a lot of experience from catching and training butterflies since childhood, so she simply agreed. Princess Zhi He was of noble birth and mainly assisted in controlling clouds and rain in the Western Desolate.

Although she was simple and straightforward, she was also spoiled and arrogant and disliked women whose appearance was more beautiful than hers. Bai Fengjiu entered the hall feeling uneasy. She happened to encounter the personal palace maid "Yurui" spraying flower dew. The potted flower branch in her hand encountered water, and the Mufeng Butterfly instantly flew into the sky with huge wings, immediately stirring up a strong wind.

Bai Fengjiu originally wanted to use hand seals to control it, but on second thought, she remembered that Si Ming had repeatedly instructed her before not to reveal her identity. She immediately withdrew her magic power and fell to the ground. Princess Zhi He's hair bun was messy, and she was in a sorry state. In her panic, she used magic, causing the Mufeng Butterfly to get injured and escape. Yurui, the wicked filing the first suit, complained first.

On her way to sweep the lotus pond as punishment, Bai Fengjiu coincidentally encountered the Mufeng Butterfly. She immediately took it to Donghua's study and patiently applied medicine using a wolf hair brush. The Mufeng Butterfly's injuries eased, and its spirits were revived. It danced gracefully around her. Bai Fengjiu was very happy. Immediately after, she tore off the red fur from her fox tail and used it to replace the irrecoverable wolf hair brush. Everything was done.

Bai Fengjiu gradually and carefully examined the room layout and surrounding environment. Looking at the tea set personally fired by Emperor Donghua and smelling the incense he personally blended, her sense of admiration became even stronger. At the same time, his subordinate Zhonglin, who had searched for many years, finally discovered Meng Hao's whereabouts. Donghua went to Baishui Mountain and used magic to make him appear.

Meng Hao knelt on the ground and re-prostrated before his former master, slowly and clearly narrating that the former Chi Demon Lord had used his queen as bait, not only plotting to trap him in the Southern Wilderness of the Demon race, but also using a dragon-capturing lock to pierce his dragon bone, sealing his magic power, so that he had to guard the Dragon Brain Tree in the pool month after month, year after year.

Meng Hao was tempted, deeply stuck in a love trial and unable to extricate himself. Even though he spent his days in darkness and painfully guarded the abyss, he still found it sweet like honey and did not regret his original intention. Donghua's heart was concerned with the common people of the world and he never indulged in matters of love, so he naturally found it difficult to understand his thoughts.

He only knew that Meng Hao was now unwilling to leave, all because he still had lingering attachments here. He could only sigh secretly and remain silent, swing his sword and cut off the dragon-capturing lock, then turn and leave. The Chi Demon Lord asked his sister, Princess Ji Heng, to marry Emperor Donghua, wanting to use marriage as a way to win over and consolidate his position.

Ji Heng was unwilling to marry anyone casually and immediately spoke up to refuse. And Xiaoyan Demon Lord, who also loved Ji Heng, also opposed. Bai Fengjiu was sweeping the lotus pond and saw Donghua return to the palace. She lost herself for a moment and stood frozen in place. Seeing the situation, Zhi He signaled. Yurui received the order and went forward, deliberately pushing Bai Fengjiu into the lotus pond.

Princess Zhi He's father had the kindness of raising Donghua, so the two became sworn siblings and had a very good relationship. Regarding his sworn sister occasionally causing trouble for fairy attendants, Donghua would at most persuade her, but would not interfere too much. Zhi He discovered Bai Fengjiu's true appearance and became jealous. Using the reason of offending the Emperor, she wanted to drive Bai Fengjiu away.

Afterwards, she deliberately created various difficulties, trapping the Mufeng Butterfly in a silk box, throwing it into the pond, and saying she would send it down to the mortal realm to cultivate again. Bai Fengjiu was just about to use magic to save it when Zhonglin appeared in time to rescue her, ultimately dispelling her thought. Without the Mufeng Butterfly's company, Bai Fengjiu was very lonely and also worried.

Just as she was feeling melancholy, where the breeze passed, a subtle fragrance lingered. At that time, the Worry-Free flowers bloomed, which just happened to make her sweep away the worries in her heart. She took the Worry-Free flowers and made them into delicious pastries. She was just imagining herself having a perfect encounter with Emperor Donghua when Yurui arrived with a large number of fairy attendants.

The women were extremely busy, all for setting up a banquet for the discussion of the Dao in the Tai Chen Palace. In the main hall, Donghua sat high on the main seat, accompanied by Zhi He below on the side. Directly opposite were Lord Lian Song and Si Ming, who had come upon hearing the news. The sweet and sour fish would certainly not be absent.

However, the two people in front of them's minds went blank; the scene and taste sensation of the past were vivid in their minds. First, they exchanged pleasantries and inquired about each-other's well-being, then humbly deferred to each other, attempting to pass the trial and be reborn. Donghua opened his mouth to invite them.

Seeing it was difficult to refuse, Lian Song had no choice but to strongly suppress the fear in his heart, muster courage, and pick up a small piece of fish meat to put into his mouth. With a face full of a state of "respiratory failure", he still did not forget to wildly flatter, yelling out twice in amazement. Si Ming admired that this person was a real man.

He just wanted to take to his heels and run, unexpectedly, Donghua personally sent over chopsticks. His desire to survive was gone. He could only tremblingly receive it and gingerly pick it up. After a few life-and-death struggles, just under the gaze of Lian Song and others who were watching the show, he finally closed his eyes and fainted again.

The kitchen was busy and chaotic, and Chaolu had no time to spare herself, so she let Bai Fengjiu deliver the pastries on her behalf. Bai Fengjiu accidentally fell to the ground, and the pastries scattered all over. While no one was around, she replaced them with the Worry-Free flower pastries she made herself. Zhi He found out about this matter and specifically came to intercept her halfway.

She immediately carried the pastries away, ordered Bai Fengjiu to return to the kitchen to reflect on her mistakes, and forbade her from stepping out the door. Seeing she was almost at the front hall, Bai Fengjiu was unwilling to give up the chance to meet him just like this. So she crouched by the wall, looking at Zhi He's retreating back, and a plan came to her mind.

Episode 3 Recap

Bai Fengjiu followed all the way, lying by the door to witness Emperor Donghua's demeanor. However, Princess Zhi He took the pastries, and when Lord Lian Song tasted them, it was like entering a fantasy realm, like the feelings in his heart, displaying beautiful scenes. Emperor Donghua was attracted by this and also praised the item incessantly, even naming it "Worry-Free Pastry". After the later words reached her ears, Bai Fengjiu was extremely happy for a moment.

In her complacency, her fox tail appeared. Si Ming unintentionally saw it and, fearing everyone would discover it, hurriedly slapped the table and shouted, diverting attention. He repeatedly expressed enlightenment on Zen, and indeed scared everyone into freezing in place. Lord Lian Song seemed to sense something. Si Ming was complaining endlessly in his heart. He sprinted out the door and hid Bai Fengjiu in his sleeve, carefully concealing her in front of Lian Song.

Lian Song held on tightly, insisting that Si Ming hand over the smooth water-silk shawl made by the fox to Cheng Yu. Just as the two were entangled endlessly, Emperor Donghua stepped out leisurely and appeared here. In just a few words, he resolved the situation. Si Ming hurriedly took his leave, came to an empty place and released Bai Fengjiu. He originally wanted to complain a lot, but unexpectedly, she was overheard by Lord Cheng Yu behind the rockery.

Cheng Yu and Bai Fengjiu were old acquaintances. The two had similar temperaments and were even better friends. Seeing each other again, they naturally offered advice, saying that if she wanted to repay a kindness, it would be better to first capture his stomach before capturing his person. Zhi He claimed credit under false pretenses and even wanted to make pastries again to capture Emperor Donghua's heart.

She ordered Bai Fengjiu to tell her the method and ingredients one by one. Upon hearing that the pastry filling needed to follow one's own wishes, she immediately ordered someone to put in all the tea that Donghua liked. Lian Song entered the palace to visit, having not forgotten this pastry. Now tasting it again, although the taste was the same as last time, the Worry-Free fantasy realm was completely gone.

Zhi He did not get permission and was quite angry inside. Just about to return to her room to punish, Bai Fengjiu, in her urgency, came up with a clever idea, suggesting that only by picking the roots of the Rain-Time Flower in the center of the Sea of Samsara could such exquisite pastries be made.

Zhi He was half-believing, half-doubting, and asked Bai Fengjiu to go with her, ordering her to go down into the sea to pick and personally supervising. Until the flower roots were obtained, she left Bai Fengjiu alone in the Sea of Samsara and immediately took the boat and left. Bai Fengjiu returned in a disheveled state, originally thinking she could rest in peace.

Unexpectedly, she was sent by Zhi He to the kitchen to personally guard the sweet and sour carp she was cooking for Donghua. Bai Fengjiu naturally dared not refuse. She sat listlessly by the stove, tired and heavy, letting the sounds of cooking ring out in waves, still unable to disturb her in the slightest from her sleepiness. In the blink of an eye, her eyes closed, and she entered a pleasant dream.

In the dream, the forbidden valley was still there. Purple clothes, white hair, Emperor Donghua. Bai Fengjiu noticed him at first sight and admired him deeply at second sight. Wind arose at Donghua's feet, and he stepped and arrived, immediately drawing a little closer, lowering his head and smiling, nestled like a light kiss, lingering, circling, unable to be dispelled. So peaceful and still with the wind and flowers, a matchless divine posture.

It was clearly Bai Fengjiu many years later. Meeting again after a long separation, her heart was still unable to calm down from the excitement. However, time is easily consumed, fantasy is fleeting. The stove in front of her was already burning three feet high. Bai Fengjiu, upon waking, did not forget to add water. Looking back, the frying fish in the pot had turned into charcoal. Since this dish failed, it had to be remade.

Bai Fengjiu quietly went to the lotus pond to catch a carp. Who would have thought the fish seemed to have great spirituality? Even with Bai Fengjiu's magic, it was difficult to catch it. Bai Fengjiu gave up in frustration. Just as she was walking back, the sound of water in the pond was continuous, a fat brocade carp jumped out of the water. Bai Fengjiu was overjoyed.

She hurriedly used magic to conjure a silver fork, flicked it out smoothly, pinning it firmly to the wall. She scaled it, removed the internal organs, and made a delicious dish. The sweet and sour carp was finally made, but Bai Fengjiu did not know that this poor fish was a close friend of the Demon General "Xuanyue".

Ever since Xiaoyan Demon Lord "Yan Chiwu" learned that Princess Ji Heng was going to marry Donghua, he simply regarded Donghua as a love rival. After much consideration, he believed that defeating Donghua would allow him to reclaim his beloved. He waved his hand and immediately wrote a challenge, respectfully requesting Doumu to deliver the notice to the Ninth Heaven. However, Zhonglin personally presented it, but Donghua pretended not to accept it, insisting on the right timing and opportunity.

Yan Chiwu was restless and anxious after a long time without news. Xuanyue saw his master was worried and said his friend happened to know Zhonglin, the manager of Tai Chen Palace, and could help go and inquire about the news. The result was that the person reached the Ninth Heaven, but because he revealed his true form, he tragically ended up in a frying pan.

Although Bai Fengjiu was not skilled in any of the five arts, she was only proficient in cooking. Under her preparation, the sweet and sour carp, complete with color, aroma, and taste, was ready. Bai Fengjiu carried the plate when her hair ornament happened to fall. Donghua suddenly appeared in the kitchen, immediately picked it up, and used this ornament to taste the fish, praising it greatly.

Zhi He came upon smelling it and just happened to witness the scene of the two interacting. Jealousy arose. She originally wanted to scold Bai Fengjiu and make her leave, but Donghua spoke up immediately, asking Bai Fengjiu to stay and cook in Tai Chen Palace from now on. Before leaving, Donghua asked about the hair ornament pattern. Bai Fengjiu explained this was the sky and stars of Qing Qiu.

Hearing this, Donghua recited two lines of poetry and then returned the hair ornament. Because she was praised by Donghua, Bai Fengjiu was excited and sleepless all night. She didn't recover from her excitement for a long time and even couldn't help but sit on the steps and shout loudly to express her inner joy. Donghua, who was painting in his study, heard these continuous fox calls. He couldn't help but smile, smiling slightly.

He immediately had Zhonglin write a reply, the meaning within was "Tai Chen Palace's tea garden is in the busy season for picking tea, thus too busy to accept the challenge". Yan Chiwu is rough-mannered and impatient. After receiving the letter, he immediately rushed up to the Ninth Heaven. Not only did he pick all the tea gardens, but he even carried and lifted the tea to Donghua and clamored to duel with him.

Donghua intended to tease him and used various reasons to have him successively plant incense trees; clean up the lotus pond; repair the roof; clean Tai Chen Palace. He even picked several baskets full of apricots from the Hidden Apricot Grove. After everything was done, Donghua calmly went back on his word, truly making Yan Chiwu dumbfounded and furious. Finally, he was thrown out of Tai Chen Palace by Donghua, so angry he yelled where he stood.

Actually, Donghua knew clearly that although Yan Chiwu had his reckless side, his nature was not bad, even slightly adorable. He and his elder brother Zilan were twins. It was just that Zilan went to Kunlun Void to learn skills, while he followed various disreputable people and major Demon clans, learning the ways of the jianghu. Even if he wanted refined literary talent, unfortunately, he only imitated surface appearances, and his inner substance did not improve.

The reason Ji Heng had no feelings for him was definitely not because of those insignificant flaws, but because Ji Heng already had someone she loved in her heart. This person was her personal bodyguard "Minsu". Minsu was gentle and considerate. Not only accompanied her as she grew up, but even dared to not fear the Demon King's punishment to accompany Ji Heng playing and frolicking in the forest.

It was precisely because of this persistent companionship that Ji Heng was greatly moved and even spoke out to confess her feelings. Minsu did not know how to respond and just happened to be seen by Xuyang, who was hidden in the dark.

Episode 4 Recap

Having returned without a battle, Yan Chiwu was naturally unwilling to give up. He knew Nie Chuyin usually enjoyed collecting furs, so he brought badger fur to his door. Nie Chuyin had long coveted this, so he naturally wouldn't refuse or disobey. After a brief thought, a clever plan came to him. Yan Chiwu, according to what Nie Chuyin said, first made a commotion in Miaoyi Abyss where Miao Luo was imprisoned to attract Donghua.

Then, he transformed into Donghua's appearance, broke into Tai Chen Palace, and took the soul-locking jade. With the loss of the soul-locking jade that sealed away the myriad demonic and evil energies of the world, Donghua realized the seriousness of the situation. He hurried to Fuyu Mountain and demanded Yan Chiwu return the item as it was. However, Yan Chiwu, hearing the threat, was filled with indignation and rushed directly down the mountain platform to fight him.

The collision of their magic powers caused celestial phenomena to change. Bai Fengjiu, witnessing this scene in Tai Chen Palace, hurriedly asked Zhi He about it. Zhi He saw how concerned she was for Donghua and felt displeasure. Seeing the hair ornament on her head further fueled her anger and resentment to the extreme, wanting to assassinate Bai Fengjiu. At the critical moment, Lord Cheng Yu appeared in time.

She witnessed Zhi He's actions and spoke words of warning and reprimand. Zhi He knew she was in the wrong and dared not argue, fearing she would only add to rumors about her foster brother wanting to kill, and thus fled in shame. Bai Fengjiu, understanding the situation, said she wanted to go and help Donghua.

Si Ming stopped her directly at the South Heaven Gate, gifted her a fast-traveling mat to carry her there, and instructed her on safety matters. At the same time, Yan Chiwu was at a disadvantage, unable to defend himself. In his urgency, he picked up the soul-locking jade to counter Donghua's sword energy. The soul-locking jade shattered, transforming into a gigantic lotus. Donghua instantly disappeared, trapped within the Ten Evil Lotus Realm. Yan Chiwu didn't understand the sudden change.

Unable to see Donghua or move the object, he could only go find Nie Chuyin to inquire about it. However, no sooner had Yan Chiwu left than Bai Fengjiu arrived. Nie Chuyin, hidden in the distance, discovered Bai Fengjiu's tail and couldn't help but feel great joy.

He lied, claiming Donghua was currently in distress and nearing death, and that if she could lend him her fur to admire for three years, he would be willing to expend fifty percent of his magic power to help her. Bai Fengjiu, simple-minded, did not suspect him and quickly agreed. Who would have expected his wicked scheme, which tricked her into reverting to her original form and losing nine tails consecutively?

Because she was anxious to save him, Bai Fengjiu didn't dwell on it too much and hurriedly rushed into the lotus realm. She breathed fire to destroy the evil energy, causing Donghua to stop fighting. He watched with interest as this fox helped him escape the predicament, even burning her paws. Ji Heng received a message from Nie Chuyin. Fearing a war between the two races, she immediately went to rescue him.

The evil energy then turned to attack Ji Heng, leaving Donghua no choice but to use his magic power to save her again. After Ji Heng revealed her identity and purpose, she saw the fox held in Donghua's arms and was filled with astonishment. She found it both adorable and pitiful, so she suggested bandaging its wounds. But due to her lack of skill, Donghua had to do it himself.

Bai Fengjiu, remembering what Zhe Yan had said, couldn't help but act spoiled and clingy, which surprisingly worked. Since the foul energy of the Ten Evil Lotus Realm could not be removed for the time being, the two people and one fox temporarily settled down here. Ji Heng found sweet potatoes from somewhere else. As Donghua was a god, he naturally didn't need to eat.

However, Bai Fengjiu had long been unbearably hungry, and her ability to breathe fire had disappeared. So, a clever idea struck her, and she used her little scheme to get Donghua to personally roast the sweet potatoes. After eating and drinking their fill, Donghua closed his eyes slightly, half-asleep. Bai Fengjiu, seeing him so close and intimate, felt even more delighted.

She was both worried that she wouldn't be able to follow the Emperor back to the Ninth Heaven after leaving the lotus realm in the future, and also wanted to recklessly draw closer. Slowly, she moved forward and offered her first kiss. Just as she was feeling shy and sweet, she hadn't expected Emperor Donghua had already woken up and was staring at her without blinking. After adjusting his breathing and meditating, Donghua had fully recovered his magic power.

However, Bai Fengjiu suffered from unbearable bloating because she had eaten too many sweet potatoes. Ji Heng didn't understand why. Donghua felt mischievous and immediately stated that this was a symptom of pregnancy for the spirit fox tribe. Bai Fengjiu believed him and was thus greatly troubled. Having successfully destroyed the lotus realm, the two people and one fox saw the light of day again.

Ji Heng was reluctant to part with the little fox and hoped to raise her herself. Emperor Donghua had never been a gentle gentleman or a protector of flowers, so he naturally refused such a request. He returned to Tai Chen Palace holding the fox and handed her over to Zhonglin for care. He then placed a barrier around her and left in a hurry.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Xuyang took advantage of Ji Heng's absence from the Demon Realm to order the arrest of Minsu and sent him to Baishui Mountain for reflection. On the surface, it seemed to be on the grounds of inadequate protection of his master, but in reality, he wanted to cut off the thoughts in his sister's heart. When Ji Heng returned to the Demon Realm and learned that Minsu had already been escorted away, she couldn't help but turn pale with fright.

Episode 5 Recap

Minsu encountered disaster in Baishui Mountain. Ji Heng, to save her beloved, risked her life. She and Minsu were attacked by demonic beasts, severely injured and unable to resist. Seeing they were about to be devoured, Meng Hao transformed into a dragon body to resist, expending all his remaining magic power to create a barrier. At the end of his life, using dragon scales as proof, he acknowledged Ji Heng as his daughter.

Emperor Donghua wanted to get medicine for the fox to heal her wounds. Subsequently, he heard crying and went to investigate. He learned that the Queen Consort in the past could not bear Chi Demon Lord's cruelty, escaped the Demon Realm, fell in love with Meng Hao, lived anonymously and migrated to Southern Wilderness, and thus gave birth to Ji Heng, giving her dragon scales for protection.

Meng Hao knew his life was short, so he entrusted Ji Heng to Emperor Donghua's care. A moment later, he vanished like smoke. Ji Heng was afflicted with Qiu Shui Frost Poison. Emperor Donghua used his magic power to suppress it for her and instructed her on the details for future recuperation. Ji Heng bowed in thanks for saving her life.

At the same time, she pleaded with Emperor Donghua to save Minsu, to prevent her from being deeply involved in this undeserved disaster. Emperor Donghua saw that Minsu was female, but seeing that Ji Heng was already deeply in love, he naturally could not bear to reveal it on the spot. Xuyang saw Emperor Donghua carried his sister back to the Demon Realm.

Not only did he put down the worries in his heart, but he also speculated wildly from it. He used the peace of the Six Realms and the peaceful coexistence of the Heavenly and Demonic races as reasons to persuade Emperor Donghua to marry Ji Heng. Emperor Donghua pondered slightly, immediately agreed, and took the opportunity to propose releasing Minsu. Xuyang thought the general situation was set and readily agreed. Bai Fengjiu was bored by herself.

Taking advantage of Zhonglin's departure, she hurried to the Si Ming Hall. Si Ming at first did not recognize the fox's identity. It wasn't until she held a brush in her mouth and wrote on paper that he understood the reason, and even laughed and sighed that the so-called pregnancy symptom was entirely fabricated. Bai Fengjiu learned that she had been tricked by Emperor Donghua and felt quite disappointed.

She said goodbye to Si Ming and returned to Tai Chen Palace, tricked Zhonglin into removing the barrier, and was just about to rush out of the Heavenly Gate to find Emperor Donghua when she saw him walking towards her. The medicine Emperor Donghua got was Dragon Brain Resin and Green Lotus Core. These two items were excellent healing remedies.

Bai Fengjiu saw that Emperor Donghua was injured because of her, couldn't help but be deeply moved, and secretly decided to develop a high-quality ointment. Zhi He discovered that Emperor Donghua was overly fond of the fox. Even though she was filled with jealousy inside, she still dared not show it openly and could only guess that the fox must be a demonic woman in disguise.

Hearing that Xiaojiu from the pantry had inexplicably disappeared, Emperor Donghua immediately announced that he would personally take care of the fox. Bai Fengjiu feigned crying to gain favor. Not only did she get her wish to lie in Emperor Donghua's arms, but she also received a white jade pendant. She listened to Emperor Donghua mumbling to himself, puzzled.

He spoke in a low voice about his former beloved general who had once saved him in peril, who was originally unparalleled in bravery, yet at this moment was trapped by love and ascended into immortality, dying. The word 'love', what did it truly mean? It still made it impossible for humans, gods, and demons alike to escape it. Previously, Bai Fengjiu had asked for a hibiscus flower. Si Ming found one and brought it.

He saw a masterpiece painted on the table, on which were written two lines of love poetry. Although the sappy poem was uninspiring, the Buddhist Seal treatise next to it greatly interested him. This art's divine power, only three people in the world had learned it: one was Mo Yuan from Kunlun Mountain, the second was the Buddha from the Western Heaven, and the third was Emperor Donghua from the Nine Heavens.

To hear of this item was truly a blessing of three lifetimes. After Bai Fengjiu heard this, she took the hibiscus flower from Si Ming's arms, then made it into an ointment, and took it to Emperor Donghua as if presenting a treasure. Emperor Donghua liked it even more in his heart, kept it with him at all times, even when painting. Bai Fengjiu deliberately left paw prints on the painting paper.

Emperor Donghua was not only not angry, but instead dipped his finger like a brush, sketched lightly on the table, and drew a branch following the paw prints, gradually drawing a few plum blossoms. This symbolized the 'Nine Nine Days to Dispel Cold' chart from the human world. When winter solstice arrived, the petals could be outlined in red.

Because Bai Fengjiu was afraid of the heat, Emperor Donghua specially sent people to cut down two white sandalwood trees and covered them with white crystals to insulate from water, building a pavilion for her on the lotus pond. Zhi He became increasingly jealous upon seeing this. However, Bai Fengjiu knew nothing of this.

Instead, she was leisurely every day, only wishing to stay by the Emperor's side now, and when she could speak in the future, she would go with the Emperor to Qingqiu to watch the stars. Si Ming returned after going to the Western Heaven to listen to the Buddha's teachings and incidentally found Cold Stone Grass seeds on Spirit Mountain.

Because this grass's roots and stems were a good remedy for sorrow and its flowers were excellent ingredients, Bai Fengjiu had long coveted it. She snatched it from Si Ming's hands, then ran to a secluded spot and buried it in the soil. Emperor Donghua liked the fox and personally made fish. The taste was so awful that even Bai Fengjiu found it hard to swallow.

Just as she was thinking about how to comment, she suddenly remembered what her paternal aunt Bai Qian had once said: "In ancient times, there was a newlywed wife who was not good at cooking, but suddenly had an urge, washed her hands and made soup. Her husband praised it greatly after tasting it.

So, when the bride was washing dishes, she tasted the soup slightly and found out that her husband only said so because he was happy for her. From then on, the couple's love became even stronger, and it became a widely told tale". Bai Fengjiu hoped Emperor Donghua could understand her thoughts well and immediately ate the entire plate. Emperor Donghua had tasted it before.

He never thought the fox would have such a unique taste, so he made five plates in a row, all of which the fox ate through clenched teeth. Since eating the sweet and sour fish, Bai Fengjiu began to lose her fur continuously. She was about to go and reveal everything. However, as soon as she reached the door, she heard the conversation inside the hall.

Lian Song asked Emperor Donghua why he was so fond of an ordinary-looking mortal fox. Emperor Donghua replied that this fox loved eating the sweet and sour fish he made. When Lian Song heard this, his expression changed, and he immediately fell silent. Bai Fengjiu mistook Emperor Donghua's excuse to placate Lian Song as true.

After much thought, she decided to continue hiding it, even if her fox fur would eventually fall off completely, she still wanted to make Emperor Donghua happy. Since she had made up her mind, Bai Fengjiu went back to her room happily to rest. In her dream, she was deeply in love with the Emperor. The Emperor suddenly drew a phoenix feather flower on her forehead. Seeing that her identity had been exposed, Bai Fengjiu woke up startled.

There was a note on the bed, telling her to go to the courtyard to eat after waking up. Bai Fengjiu ran there excitedly and found that Emperor Donghua, to deal with Zhi He's questions, casually explained that he only treated the fox as a pet. After Emperor Donghua left, Zhi He came to the fox hidden by the tree and showed off a bit, then went to the Western Wilderness to perform rain magic with peace of mind.

Bai Fengjiu listlessly returned to the study, turned out the 'Nine Nine Days to Dispel Cold' chart and looked at it, worrying that if she were to regain her true form, she didn't know if the Emperor would blame her in his heart. Zhonglin hurried over and carried Bai Fengjiu to the palace gate. Seeing Emperor Donghua standing in the main position, Bai Fengjiu struggled, wanting a hug. However, Zhonglin quickly comforted her, saying that distinguished guests were about to arrive and she must not cause trouble.

Episode 6 Recap

Demon Realm attendants escorted Ji Heng to Tai Chen Palace as the bride-to-be of Emperor Donghua. Upon hearing this, Bai Fengjiu was greatly startled and was particularly resistant to Ji Heng's closeness. Lian Song learned that Cheng Yu Lord had recently become obsessed with collecting daggers.

To win the beauty's favor, he specifically drew a sketch and came to Emperor Donghua to forge a retractable dagger that could be used as a hidden weapon and for cutting vegetables, intending it as a birthday gift for Cheng Yu. Emperor Donghua initially refused, but Lian Song had discovered a place rich in porcelain clay within Xuanming's territory in the Northern Wilderness, which contained precious earth from the Four Seas and Eight Desolates.

If Emperor Donghua agreed to help, Lian Song would hand over the map. Emperor Donghua enjoyed firing ceramics but was unwilling to go through the trouble himself. Having learned that Lian Song had previously offended Xuanming's junior wife, and thus was hated by Xuanming, he proposed that Lian Song return to his residence and replace all his porcelain with gold and silver jewelry.

Then, Lian Song should spread the word that he was allergic to porcelain, with the reaction worsening with finer porcelain. When the birthday arrived, Xuanming would surely offer a large amount of porcelain clay, which Lian Song could then hand over to him. Lian Song's heart skipped a beat, and he deeply sighed that the Emperor's scheme was clear. The two hit it off immediately and reached an agreement on the spot.

Bai Fengjiu, lying nearby, overheard the conversation and was slightly curious about the sketch. She jumped onto the table to examine it carefully. She noticed that while Lian Song's design was indeed ingenious, there were a few rough spots that would inevitably leave traces after disassembly and reassembly. Although she was not skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting, she had considerable knowledge of weapon making. This felt like divine assistance.

If she could improve the sketch, it would surely make the Emperor look at her in a new light, not inferior to Ji Heng. Since she had said it, she would do it. Taking advantage of the time Emperor Donghua was away looking for dagger materials, Bai Fengjiu alone carried the design sketch to the Si Ming Hall and had Si Ming make changes to the flawed areas according to her ideas.

Afterward, she carried the sketch back to the study and unfolded it again. Just as Bai Fengjiu was still pondering, Ji Heng came to seek guidance but found no one. She intended to leave a note. Emperor Donghua returned and mistook the person who had moistened the brush as Ji Heng. After praising her, he invited her to assist when he opened the furnace to forge the dagger the next day.

Because Ji Heng had been saved by Emperor Donghua on Baishui Mountain last time, and now she had trespassed into the study, she was certainly both respectful and fearful at this moment. She stammered for a long time without being able to explain the reason and finally simply agreed. Bai Fengjiu watched as her hard work was claimed by Ji Heng halfway. She felt indignant but was unable to speak. In her desperation, she bit Ji Heng.

Emperor Donghua was displeased at the sight. He picked up the fox and threw her outside the door. Bai Fengjiu dejectedly went to the pavilion, pursed her lips, and thought about what had happened. She repeatedly pondered, worrying that the Emperor might regret it and not find her, so she ran back to her original spot. In the hall, Ji Heng was copying the sketch, while Emperor Donghua skillfully applied paint beside her, painting on a screen.

The two occasionally chatted and consulted each other, and the atmosphere between them was even more gentle and peaceful. This sight was painful to see. Bai Fengjiu thought about how the Emperor had never treated her like this. Heartbroken and dejected, she left dispiritedly. Ji Heng got the screen she desired.

Under the envious gaze of her personal attendant, even though she knew this marriage alliance was not born of true affection, perhaps due to her recent experiences, her unintentional feelings now added three parts gratitude and five parts fondness. Recently, Cheng Yu had nothing to do, so she went to the Si Ming Hall to sit around. She accidentally saw the revised draft. While examining it, she felt a surge of disdain.

Si Ming blurted out Lian Song's name, then realized it afterward, and they were both extremely awkward. The next day, Emperor Donghua took Ji Heng to the forest garden to fire ceramics. Bai Fengjiu hid behind a tree to peek. Seeing Ji Heng's skilled technique and the discussions they had, she couldn't help but feel inferior. Just as she was about to leave, she was noticed. Ji Heng had previously fired a food bowl for the fox with Emperor Donghua.

She was just wondering what pattern to use as a mark when she happened to see Bai Fengjiu. She quickly hugged her close, grabbed the fox's paw, and wanted to press a paw print onto the bottom of the bowl. Bai Fengjiu thought about how she was the dignified Qingqiu Imperial Daughter, originally a goddess cherished by everyone, but now reduced to the position of a pet, having to eat from a bowl and sleep in a kennel.

Filled with grief and indignation, she raised her paw and scratched Ji Heng's cheek, drawing blood. Emperor Donghua was furious. He scolded her for being naughty and immediately ordered Zhonglin to take her away for confinement. Zhonglin did not want to interfere but saw that the fox was listless, so he could only explain that Ji Heng had been weak since childhood and could not stand the sight of blood.

Hearing this, Bai Fengjiu felt she was in the wrong and immediately rushed towards the door. Zhonglin couldn't bear it and, before letting her go, instructed her to avoid the Emperor. Ji Heng's mount, the Snow Lion, sought revenge for its master. Bai Fengjiu was severely injured. Fortunately, she was saved by Si Ming, who even went so far as to incur numerous favors, asking various immortals for sacred healing medicine. Si Ming's thoughtful care helped her gradually recover.

Upon hearing that Emperor Donghua would marry the Demon Princess in two days, Bai Fengjiu was heartbroken. She wanted to return to Qingqiu, but before leaving, she wanted to see Emperor Donghua one last time. Si Ming carried the fox to Tai Chen Palace. To avoid attracting attention, he specifically used magic to conceal their forms. Emperor Donghua was feeding the Snow Lion with Snow Ganoderma, while Ji Heng sat virtuously beside him.

At this moment, it seemed no one had noticed the fox was missing. In the cooling pavilion, on the contrary, the atmosphere appeared slightly harmonious and serene. Fearing Bai Fengjiu would be heartbroken, Si Ming was about to leave. At this moment, Emperor Donghua was using the Fo Ling flower to test his sword. Bai Fengjiu watched from Si Ming's arms and patiently explained it to him. After finishing, she gave a self-mocking, desolate smile.

This pain was something only she could understand, just like her heart, her infatuation, all of it was unrequited. Her reverie stopped. The Red Nine-Tailed Fox shed tears, and the glistening drops fell into the Fo Ling flowers. Emperor Donghua seemed to sense something. His footsteps suddenly halted. His gaze was hesitant, and he turned to look.

For a moment, under the dappled morning light, the flower tree seemed to transform into the slender figure of the Red Nine-Tailed Fox standing in the pavilion, but then it gradually faded away in an instant. He quickened his pace and left, but his emotions were like water about to boil, boiling endlessly.

Episode 7 Recap

Bai Fengjiu washed her face with tears all day long, making Cheng Yu feel even more pity for her. Cheng Yu wanted to rush to Tai Chen Palace, but Si Ming had already consulted the True Master Hanshan, who was in charge of the destinies of the immortals. Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua were originally unrelated; she had forcibly tied their destinies together, and ultimately, there would be no connection between them.

Cheng Yu was unwilling for her dear friend to suffer such grievance. Si Ming pondered for a long time and came up with a plan. In the blink of an eye, the Emperor and Empress's wedding date was approaching, and everywhere in the Celestial Realm was busy. Since Minsu was rescued and settled, letters reporting good news had arrived, and Ji Heng was quite pleased. Zhihe was casting rain in the Western Wilderness.

Upon hearing Yuru's report, she quickly stopped her spellcasting and immediately returned to the palace. On this day, there was little wind and no rain, birds perched and insects chirped. The scenery of Tai Chen Palace remained the same, with the occasional passing of two or three celestial maids, showing cheerful faces. Bai Fengjiu visited the residence again. In the pavilion, she untied a bundle and put down a roasted sweet potato.

Past affairs were severed; she thanked him for his care. She did not get love, but she had tried her best. Since she did not win the connection, she had her own thoughts. Si Ming prepared a candle stand gift under Qingqiu's name. Just as Lian Song visited, he saw Cheng Yu completely drunk, revealing her embarrassing state. Si Ming quickly swore an oath to cover for her.

Unexpectedly, no sooner had he finished speaking than Cheng Yu, clutching a wine bottle, staggered out from inside the hall, threw herself into Lian Song's arms, grabbed his collar, and dragged him away. When she slowly awoke, she found Lian Song waiting beside the couch. Not only did she mistake him for taking advantage of her, but she also discovered that she had previously attempted to misbehave towards him.

After the misunderstanding was resolved, Cheng Yu realized she had almost missed an important matter. She quickly called Si Ming and Zhe Yan to the Demon Realm to demand the fur and tail that Nie Chuyin had swindled. Nie Chuyin was severely injured and no match for the three. All the furs in the cave were tragically burned. Zhe Yan was tired of many formalities and inconveniently could not attend Emperor Donghua's wedding.

Si Ming needed to escort Bai Fengjiu to the mortal realm, so he could only let Cheng Yu go to Tai Chen Palace first to make arrangements. At the congratulatory banquet for the immortals, Cheng Yu attended indignantly, advocating for her friend and repeatedly making sarcastic remarks towards Donghua. Lian Song feared causing trouble and quickly pulled her away. Cheng Yu was grateful for the grace shown during her tribulation years ago.

However, Lian Song was handsome and appeared to be a philanderer. She hoped he could settle down and shift his affection, no longer being devoted solely to her. Bai Fengjiu now had her fur back. Although she had resumed her human form, she was no longer as lively and cheerful as before. Instead, she was covered in scars, with red and swollen eyes. Si Ming escorted her back to the forest.

Zhe Yan saw this and became instantly furious, wanting to tear down Tai Chen Palace to vent his anger. Bai Fengjiu cried and stopped him, lamenting that her companionship day and night for two thousand years had ultimately only resulted in her being treated as a spiritual beast. Zhe Yan couldn't help but soften his heart.

He stopped walking, sighed that Emperor Donghua had no such fortune, and then helped her heal her external injuries and dissolve the phoenix feather flower birthmark. After the last battle, Nie Chuyin's heart was filled with unbearable resentment. He had formed a deep hatred with the Celestial Realm. He simply went to the forbidden area of the Demon Valley, acting subservient to Miao Luo, seeking a way to break the seal.

As long as the Demon King appeared, he believed the Demon Clan's dominance could be revived. Miao Luo stated that Fuyu Mountain was the boundary between the immortal and mortal realms. Even if the soul-locking jade was once shattered into powder by Donghua, if it absorbed the malevolent energy from the mortal world, it could still reform. As long as Nie Chuyin recovered the soul-locking jade, she would definitely promise him the position of Chi Demon Lord.

Zhihe rushed to the bridal chambers before the wedding and happened to see Ji Heng secretly meeting with Minsu, discussing fleeing the marriage. To avoid conflict between the Celestial and Demon clans, and also hoping to marry her sworn brother as she wished, Zhihe secretly let them go, then put on the wedding dress herself and rode on the wedding carriage. Yan Chiwu appeared to steal the bride and was captured publicly.

Everyone was greatly astonished to discover that the bride had been swapped. Lian Song voluntarily confessed his guilt. The Heavenly King was disappointed in them and, citing deception of the sovereign and dereliction of duty, ordered Zhihe and Lian Song to be imprisoned in the Celestial Prison to thoroughly investigate the matter. Above the Lingxiao Palace, the gods were divided into two factions, arguing over this matter.

The military generals suggested attacking the Demon Realm preemptively to avoid falling into the Demon Lord's trap, while the civil officials prioritized finding Ji Heng first, arguing that excessive warfare would cause widespread suffering. Just as everyone's opinions differed and they could not persuade each other, Xuyang arrived to demand an explanation. Celestial soldiers escorted Yan Chiwu onto the hall, leaving him speechless. Xuyang believed that the matter concerned both clans and should be decided after the truth was investigated.

Donghua agreed and advised the Heavenly King not to worry too much, stating that since it was a family affair, he could resolve it himself. Yan Chiwu returned to the Demon Realm with them, complaining incessantly, even sulking with Xuyang and leaving. A subordinate reported that Minsu was missing, and only then did Xuyang realize that this matter must have been a conspiracy involving three people.

Just as Chi Demon Lord had expected, Donghua's marriage alliance was merely a delaying tactic, its purpose being to unite the lovers. First, Ji Heng was brought to Tai Chen Palace to suppress the Autumn Water Poison, then arrangements were made for Minsu to leave, and finally, Zhonglin was instructed to escort Ji Heng and Minsu to meet. As long as the two reached Fanyin Valley and rested peacefully, they would recover within a few days.

On the way to Fanyin Valley, Minsu opened his mouth several times to explain his identity, but was interrupted by Ji Heng each time. Donghua's injuries in the Ten Directions Lotus Realm and the frequent depletion of his cultivation had already filled Ji Heng with guilt and gratitude. But gratitude would be repaid; it was definitely not love. The person she loved was only Minsu.

Episode 8 Recap

Knowing the fox was missing, and thinking of the sweet potato obtained at the pavilion earlier, Emperor Donghua ordered Zhonglin to stay in the Celestial Palace to investigate thoroughly, while he himself searched among the four immortal mountains, calling upon the various Earth Lords to keep an eye out.

He then went before the Spiritual Platform Mirror to look through the mortal dreams of several lifetimes, still unable to find any trace of the fox, and even saw a woman who was very similar to the celestial maid Xiao Jiu. The gods saw the unusual celestial phenomenon, not understanding Emperor Donghua's intention, and speculated wildly. Cheng Yu happened to pass by and heard this, and knew the reason in her heart.

Fortunately with the help of Zhe Yan, Bai Fengjiu went to the Demon Realm to beat Nie Chuyin fiercely to vent her anger over her fur being stolen initially. Nie Chuyin was dissatisfied with being ganged up on by the few against the many, and secretly vowed to practice Miao Luo's techniques well.

On the way back to Qingqiu, Zhe Yan was curious why Nie Chuyin's magic today was different from last time, but after much thought for a long time, he still couldn't figure out the mystery. Although the Fox Emperor of Qingqiu usually doted on his descendants, Bai Fengjiu's actions this time were truly too reckless and willful. Even if she wasn't performing a military ritual, the occasion should have been solemn, not arbitrary.

Fortunately, Zhe Yan had arranged for Ali to go and persuade her in advance, and coupled with Bai Fengjiu's sincere admission of wrongdoing, the Fox Emperor ultimately did not punish her too severely. At the same time, Minsu brought Ji Heng and traveled through the night to reach the mountaintop. Xuyang led his subordinates and tracked them down.

Minsu fought with all her might, covered in blood, to protect the princess, but due to being outnumbered, she was injured and fell to the ground. Ji Heng saw Minsu trapped, and even though her Autumn Water Poison was acting up, she still used all her strength to cast spells. Minsu didn't want to fight against her brother, and immediately drew her sword and committed suicide.

In her dying moments, she revealed her true identity as a woman, and asked Xuyang to consider the gravity of the situation and their kinship. Looking back at past events, her beloved was dead, Ji Heng was disheartened, and declared that the bond between her and her brother was broken forever. Then she picked up Minsu's body and fell down the ten-thousand-foot cliff.

The rustling wind, rolling tears, every word was like needles piercing bones, like heavy blows to the heart. Xuyang clenched his fists tightly, enduring the sorrow. As the Head of the Demon Clan, wasn't he also a young man once? He too had poured his feelings into nature, and secretly loved Minsu, whom he had taken in since childhood and who later disguised herself as a man.

The falling flowers had intentions, the flowing water was not heartless, but because the two of them remained silent, they missed their chance for a lifetime of regret. There was no room for turning back the matter. Xuyang was willing to bear the punishment alone and pleaded with the Heavenly King not to let this affect the relationship between the two clans, or implicate others and the Demon Clan.

The Heavenly King, hearing that the princess had fallen off the cliff and Minsu had committed suicide out of fear of punishment, showed some leniency. However, external matters were settled, but internal family affairs were not resolved. The farce ultimately needed an explanation. The Heavenly King demoted Zhihe to the Western Wilderness and exiled Lian Song to guard the Southern Celestial Gate. Emperor Donghua pleaded for Lian Song. Zhihe tearfully accused him of being heartless.

Emperor Donghua, however, said that his usual excessive indulgence of her had led to the current situation. Ji Heng did not die from jumping off the cliff, but instead fell into Fanyin Valley. Nie Chuyin saw that she had lost all her memories, pretended to comfort her and promised to help investigate her background, but in reality, had other plans.

Since Miao Luo entered Miao Yi Abyss, relying on absorbing the three poisons' foul energy from the Six Realms, combined with her own magic power, she had managed to break through most of the seal. Emperor Donghua used up all his spiritual power to repair it, but because his previous injuries had not healed, his condition had now worsened to the point of vomiting blood and collapsing.

Before descending to the mortal realm for trials, he laid down a prohibition that this matter should not be spread outside the palace, lest the Six Realms fall into turmoil. Zhonglin worried that if Miao Luo knew, it would surely cause trouble.

To ensure that no further disaster occurred during the Emperor's hundred-year sleep, he discussed with Lian Song and invited Immortal Master Yunzhuang to cast the Past Life Spell on half of Emperor Donghua's shadow and send it into Fanyin Valley. This way, it could serve as a deterrent, and also hide all memories, forgetting that he bore the great responsibility of guarding the seal. In Fanyin Valley, the Winged Bird Clan had finite lifespans.

If their physical bodies turned to dust, the shadow residing in Fanyin Valley would naturally return to the Emperor. For Emperor Donghua, there would be no worries about the future. Immortal Master Yunzhuang pondered for a moment and deemed it a feasible method. However, as the faint shadow was also an incarnation of the Emperor, it would be born with fate and change according to it.

Therefore, after the Past Life Spell was completed, Lian Song and Zhonglin needed to drink the Water of Forgetfulness together, to avoid being manipulated by malicious individuals and shaking their immortal roots. After Bai Fengjiu returned to Qingqiu, time flew by in an instant. It seemed she had entered a period of peace, but in reality, she was in great distress.

Because her aunt's family was busy arranging marriages, they often used the pretense of traveling and studying to invite many young men to visit Qingqiu, to see the second beauty of the Four Seas and Eight Wildernesses besides Bai Qian. Bai Fengjiu couldn't bear the disturbance, so she simply had Jingwei cooperate with her in acting to create a fierce and savage image, thus scaring away all the suitors.

Episode 9 Recap

Bai Fengjiu used a scheme to scare away many suitors. Her various aunts were dissatisfied and complained to her grandmother Fumi Xianmu, stating that Bai Fengjiu, despite being the Princess of Qingqiu, had no intention of trifling with male immortals. Instead, she spent her days practicing martial arts, willingly degrading herself and wasting her beautiful appearance. Fumi Xianmu doted on her granddaughter. She first reprimanded her daughters and then insisted on personally selecting a candidate.

She was determined to find a suitable match for Bai Fengjiu: a son from a family of three generations or more, with real power, and first-class appearance. Only then would he be worthy of her, and it would not tarnish the reputation of the Chi Fox Clan and the Nine-Tailed White Fox Clan. Zhe Yan learned this from Bai Zhen and secretly chuckled. Fumi Xianmu had good intentions, but these conditions had already eliminated most candidates.

Fortunately, Bai Fengjiu had unique taste, and the person she loved was even better. Bai Zhen thought that a forced connection would lead nowhere and should fade with time. However, after hearing this, Zhe Yan waved his hand with magic, and the original state of the Ten-Mile Peach Blossom Forest was revealed. Everywhere his eyes saw were withered flowers and leaves and discarded wine bottles.

Bai Fengjiu had worked day and night to learn how to make peach blossom wine, just to escape and to let go, but it was even harder for her to do so. Just as the two elders were still sighing at the sight, Xie Guchou, the Lord of the Underworld Bureau of the Netherworld, while sifting through the Book of Karma, discovered a person in a certain otherworldly realm who had no karma.

After investigation, he learned that this person did not revolve within the karmic cycle of the Six Paths. It is known that all beings in the heaven and earth have a beginning and an end. All living things in the world pass through the Karma Platform of the Underworld Bureau. Even the two Lords of the Southern and Northern Dippers cannot alter it.

For one to begin a life cycle without going through Xie Guchou's hands, only the Past Life Spell can achieve this. In the world today, there are only a handful of people who can perform such a spell. Among the Divine Race, besides him, only Immortal Master Yunzhuang from Tai Chen Palace can do it.

Because in recent years, it was known that Emperor Donghua wanted to comprehend the eight sufferings of the mortal world, he requested to be reborn into the mortal realm.

Although Si Ming's Book of Fate recorded that the Emperor's reincarnation would be three hundred years later, it was not impossible for Immortal Master Yunzhuang to perform the Past Life Spell on his shadow and send it to an otherworldly realm for experience first, under the guise of secluded cultivation in Tai Chen Palace.

Xie Guchou recalled that many years ago, when he drank with Bai Fengjiu, he heard her speak of the past events concerning repaying a debt of gratitude while she was drunk. After much thought, he finally went to Qingqiu to inform her. Bai Fengjiu was stunned for a long time upon hearing this, and then spoke emotionally. Everyone said time was heartless, destroying appearance, wearying emotions, and erasing memories.

But in these leisurely two hundred years, apart from the fact that borrowed scenes created many illusions and the created world was different, everything else remained the same. The beauty was as it was initially, the heartache was as it was initially. Compassion for all living beings, benefiting all things, was also planted between half an inch of lips and teeth.

Since the cause began with a debt of gratitude and the connection ended with repayment, Bai Fengjiu asked Xie Guchou to take half of her shadow and cast it into the place where the Emperor was reborn. In this way, it could serve as a substitute to repay the debt and guard him from the side. At this moment, Emperor Donghua seemed to feel something and shed tears, then woke up from the couch.

He worried that his cultivation was severely damaged this time. If there were further changes in Miao Yi Abyss, it would be difficult to control. Thus, he immediately decided to move forward the date of his descent to the mortal realm, originally scheduled for three hundred years later. Only by undergoing trials could he recover his cultivation as quickly as possible. As the ceremony of paying respects at Tai Chen Palace was cancelled, Cheng Yu was puzzled.

Only after pressing Si Ming did she get the reason out of him. Bai Fengjiu heard this and rushed to Si Ming's Hall. Although Si Ming intended to hide it, she still saw the Book of Fate.

It recorded that Emperor Donghua would be reborn as the crown prince of the royal family of Chengyu, "Song Xuanren", and that decades later, Chengyu would go to war with a neighboring country, and Song Xuanren would personally go to the battlefield, his life hanging by a thread.

Si Ming reminded Bai Fengjiu not to descend to the mortal realm rashly, and even more so not to use magic to save people in the mortal world, otherwise she would find it difficult to bear the consequences of the backlash. Bai Fengjiu stayed alone in Qingqiu, pondering repeatedly. Coincidentally, on the night Emperor Donghua descended, Chengyu suffered floods in the south and drought in the north, with continuous natural disasters.

Queen Xuerong died due to difficult labor, and even the palace eaves were struck by lightning and thunder. The officials stood outside the gate, fearful and uneasy. The Emperor of Chengyu was benevolent and issued several imperial decrees one after another. Officials in the court performed their respective duties, working together to provide disaster relief and aid the people. Time flew by in an instant. Chengyu was now peaceful and settled.

Song Xuanren grew into a handsome young man and was appointed as the crown prince. He was favored by his father, the Emperor, and was also wise and courageous, widely charitable and helpful to the people. It was the autumn hunting season. All the princes and talented young men from noble families came to participate. The Emperor set the rules: this year, no ground beasts would be hunted, but instead, birds.

Superiority would be determined by the number and rarity of the birds caught. Just as everyone received their orders and left, the crown prince's mount was suddenly poisoned and fell to the ground dead. Song Xuanren, worried about implicating the innocent, simply had an inner official report to the Emperor that it had died suddenly from an acute illness. Changing horses temporarily caused repeated delays, and Song Xuanren fell behind.

The eldest prince was jealous and not only deliberately startled his valuable prey but also showed off what he had caught at this moment, falsely offering to share some to make up the number. Song Xuanren disdained falsehood and immediately refused. After the eldest prince left, he happened to discover a golden eagle circling in the sky. So he threw out the only prey he had in his bag as bait.

Just as he was about to draw his bow and shoot, he suddenly saw a fierce beast closely following the horse of the young man next to him. Thinking that human life was paramount, Song Xuanren decisively gave up on the golden eagle and instead shot the fierce beast dead. Even though the young man had shot the golden eagle, he did not keep it for himself.

Instead, he returned it with both hands to express his gratitude for being saved. Song Xuanren and he introduced themselves to each other, thus learning that the young man was Ye Qingti from the Marquis of Yongning's residence. Song Xuanren returned with the golden eagle he had hunted.

Although the number was small, it was fortunately rare, so he came out on top among everyone and was rewarded with a Ferghana horse, the Mu Bai sword, and golden thread plain silver armor. The eldest prince had his thunder stolen and became even more resentful in his heart. It happened that there was war at the frontier. Chong'an launched another invasion.

The Emperor issued an imperial decree ordering Song Xuanren to take his place and lead the army to battle, and appointed Ye Qingti as his deputy general. Song Xuanren was concerned about the peace and security of his country and home, and decided to lead the army to war the next day. The common people after the court were ignorant. Storytellers were still recounting tales of Chengyu's national treasure at street corners. Nie Chuyin was quite interested in this.

Upon closer investigation, he discovered that the national treasure, the Spiritual Jade Stone, seemed to be the soul-locking jade he had been searching for for many years. A plan formed in Nie Chuyin's heart. Taking advantage of Ji Heng's amnesia, he used her to make arrangements.

Episode 10 Recap

At the battlefield where the two armies clashed, shouts of killing filled the sky, and amidst the clang of weapons, the Chengyu army's path forward was cut off, with nowhere to retreat. Bai Fengjiu saw the intense battle and heavy casualties, and then, disregarding the danger, descended to the mortal realm.

She immediately changed into soldier's armor, used magic multiple times to resolve difficult situations, and at the moment when Song Xuanren was on the brink of death, she drew her sword and stepped forward, supporting him with her powerful energy. Song Xuanren had not met Bai Fengjiu before, but now felt a great sense of familiarity. Being rescued selflessly, he was extremely grateful. Upon asking her name, he learned it was Xiaojiu and kept it firmly in his heart.

After the battle ended, he searched high and low throughout the camp but found that this person had already quietly disappeared. Bai Fengjiu suffered a backlash for using magic in the mortal realm and walked in a dazed state the whole way. Fortunately, she kept a sliver of clarity in her mind and insisted on returning to Qingqiu to meditate and heal her injuries. The Chengyu army repelled the enemy country and returned in triumph.

The eldest prince, upon hearing that Song Xuanren had won his first battle, grew angry with hatred. The old Emperor's health deteriorated day by day, and knowing his time was short, he summoned Song Xuanren alone late at night, took him to the imperial mausoleum, opened a secret chamber, retrieved the protective national treasure, the Spiritual Jade Stone, and entrusted it to him, along with the inheritance of the throne.

In the early days of the Chengyu Kingdom, the ancestor led troops to resist a strong northern country. At the critical moment of being trapped in a desperate situation, the Spiritual Jade Stone descended from the sky, aweing the soldiers on all sides. Protected by it, the ancestor severely defeated the enemy army. Fortunately, they held out until reinforcements arrived, not only avoiding death in battle but also enjoying decades of peace.

To prevent other countries from coveting it, the ancestor secretly built an underground palace while constructing the imperial mausoleum and placed the national treasure there, thus concealing its whereabouts. Song Xuanren was shocked upon hearing this and immediately stated that he would fully protect the Spiritual Jade Stone and would never let it fall into the hands of outsiders.

He reached out to touch it curiously, only to find that the spirit stone emitted a brilliant and colorful light, becoming crystal clear throughout. Seeing this, the Emperor was comforted, sighing that it was indeed Heaven's will. Strange phenomena occurred frequently in the sky above the entire city, and the common people gathered to discuss them. Nie Chuyin was convinced that the soul-locking jade was within Chengyu.

So he returned to his temporary residence and falsely claimed that a token of affection from his deceased parents had been lost, deceiving Ji Heng into helping him out of gratitude. Ji Heng, under the alias Chu Wan, came to the country of Chong'an with him as his adopted sister, entered the palace to meet the Emperor, and proposed a plan to seize the Spiritual Jade Stone.

The Chong'an Emperor heard that Chu Wan was to be made a princess and sent to Chengyu for a political marriage. Seeing that Chu Wan was delicate and charming, resembling a celestial being, he immediately had Nie Chuyin arrested and imprisoned in the heavenly prison, citing his unclear origins and malicious intentions, intending to take Chu Wan for himself. However, Ji Heng had a fierce nature and immediately struck her head against a pillar, dying on the spot.

Nie Chuyin risked backlash, used magic to stun the guards, escaped from prison, and went to the back palace to revive Chu Wan, leaving a blood mark on the Chong'an Emperor's palm as proof. After time flowed back, the Chong'an Emperor woke up as if from a dream, only to find Nie Chuyin and Chu Wan standing unharmed in the previous imperial court, the blood mark still on his hand. Only then did he believe it implicitly.

He quickly made Chu Wan a princess and appointed Nie Chuyin as the Imperial Advisor. To ensure the plan was foolproof, Nie Chuyin, despite being seriously injured, still used his remaining magical power to transform his maid Lingxiang into the appearance of Minsu. He then drew the shape of the soul-locking jade and had Ji Heng take the drawing and Lingxiang to Chengyu to act according to the situation.

Although Ji Heng had lost her memory, because Minsu was someone she had deeply loved, she still felt a familiar stir in her heart upon seeing Lingxiang and was greatly surprised.

After the old Emperor passed away, Song Xuanren succeeded to the throne, granted amnesty throughout the land, appointed his older brother Song Xuanying as Prince Ying, honored Consort Zhao as the Empress Dowager, and promoted Ye Qingti, who had protected him meritoriously and won the campaign, to Great General of Divine Might. Song Xuanying had long been resentful but was unable to vent his pent-up anger due to the old Emperor's dying wish to assist Song Xuanren wholeheartedly.

Just then, a marriage proposal letter from Chong'an arrived, and he quickly submitted it. Ye Qingti believed that Chong'an had wolfish ambitions and had coveted Chengyu's territory for a long time, suspecting that this move was not well-intentioned but rather a hidden threat. However, Song Xuanying stated that Ye Qingti was being overly cautious. Although Chong'an lost this battle, its national strength was originally superior to Chengyu's.

The political marriage was merely to turn swords into silk and intended to mend relations. As the two sides argued incessantly and the officials held differing opinions, Song Xuanren, being benevolent, could not bear to see his people suffer the hardships of war again. He decided to accept the marriage proposal and also adopted Ye Qingti's strategy of self-strengthening, allowing him to arrange the training of troops. Ye Qingti had previously been ordered to search for Xiaojiu without success.

Even among the only three people in the army with the same name, none had participated in that battle, nor was there any such person among the casualties. Song Xuanren suspected that his rescuer was a civilian who had mistakenly entered the battlefield. Therefore, he gave the portrait he had previously prepared to Ye Qingti, instructing him to post it throughout Chengyu and spare no effort in finding the person.

Episode 11 Recap

Si Ming learned from the Book of Fate that Bai Fengjiu had descended to the mortal realm without permission and used immortal magic. He rushed to Qingqiu and saw Bai Fengjiu still trying various ways to cover it up, so he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He explained everything, stating that Emperor Donghua needed to go through a trial in the mortal realm where his three emotions would be completely broken.

The Book of Fate had recorded that Song Xuanren was seriously injured while fighting in battle and was later rescued and healed by the palace maid Zhou Mengxi, and only by not being able to attain love could he pass this trial. Now that Bai Fengjiu had interfered, the situation had changed. To remedy this, she had to find Zhou Mengxi again to continue the Emperor's love trial.

Upon hearing this, Bai Fengjiu quickly used makeup to cover her phoenix feather birthmark, then disguised herself in men's clothing and went to a tavern in Chengyu Kingdom to order some drinks and dishes. Just as she was thinking about how to sneak into the palace, the marriage procession had already entered through the city gate and was passing through the streets, attracting countless citizens to gaze upon it.

Bai Fengjiu learned the reason and wanted to get a quick look, but just as she left the tavern door, she saw many masked assassins rushing out onto the road ahead. Ye Qingti was busy dealing with the enemy and had no time to spare. Fortunately, Bai Fengjiu spoke up in time to warn him, allowing him to barely evade the sneak attack from behind.

At the same time, he recognized Bai Fengjiu as the person the Emperor had been painstakingly searching for. The scene was chaotic, with sharp arrows flying everywhere. Lingxiang wanted to break out of the encirclement, but Chu Wan stopped her in time, advising that given the current situation, unless absolutely necessary and without seeing the Emperor, they should not easily reveal their martial arts skills to avoid suspicion and causing the plan to fail.

Fortunately, Ye Qingti had high martial arts skills and was a capable commander. Before long, he captured the assassins. When he was about to interrogate them, all the assassins bit their tongues and committed suicide, leaving no survivors. The soldiers bound Bai Fengjiu and brought her forward. Ye Qingti quickly untied her and asked for the details.

Seeing that she seemed to have something difficult to say, he decided not to press further and immediately took her back to the palace. Song Xuanren saw that the marriage princess spoke exceptionally well, was generous, and well-mannered, which slightly reduced his suspicion and resentment. To achieve good relations between the two countries, he immediately conferred the title of Consort Wan upon her and granted her residence in Wan Yun Palace.

After Chu Wan left, Ye Qingti announced publicly that Xiaojiu had been found and was now waiting outside the hall for summons. Song Xuanren was quite excited and immediately ordered her to be brought in. Hearing the call, Bai Fengjiu quickly went to the main hall and happened to pass by Chu Wan face-to-face. Seeing that she resembled Ji Heng, Bai Fengjiu was momentarily stunned and called her name, but received no response.

Now that his lifesaver was before him, Song Xuanren was greatly pleased. When asked about her identity and address, Bai Fengjiu claimed her surname was Bai, and her home was in the border mountains. On that day, she happened to pass by and thus lent a hand. Bai Fengjiu did not want to claim credit or rewards but requested to stay in the palace and often accompany the Emperor.

Although Song Xuanren was puzzled, he readily agreed, promising to reward her later. He allocated a side hall for Xiaojiu to live in and appointed Ye Qingti as the Imperial Guard Commander to protect the safety of the palace. That evening, Ye Qingti brought his treasured fine wine to express his gratitude and arranged a position for her. Although she was a subordinate commander, it was a leisurely job, only requiring a few patrols around the palace each day.

Hearing that the task suited her very well, Bai Fengjiu couldn't help but be in a good mood. She and Ye Qingti drank heavily together until the middle of the night. Feeling the effects of the alcohol, she staggered out to get some air and happened to bump into Song Xuanren, who had come to visit her. The two of them fell into the nearby pond at the same time.

The pond water washed away the makeup on Bai Fengjiu's face, revealing her true appearance. Song Xuanren unintentionally caught a glimpse in his hazy state and was immediately captivated and smitten. Bai Fengjiu's drunkenness vanished instantly. She quickly plunged into the water and swam away. The accompanying eunuchs and guards hurriedly tried to find her. After Song Xuanren got ashore, he disregarded himself and ordered everyone to search carefully for traces of the woman who had just been there.

However, after circling around several times, they still found no one. After returning to Mu Ning Palace, Song Xuanren found it difficult to forget the scene he had just witnessed. The Chief Eunuch presented ginger soup and suggested that Consort Wan accompany him. Song Xuanren was not in the mood to sleep and refused, citing that he was startled and needed rest.

The next day, he summoned Ye Qingti and Bai Fengjiu and ordered them to spare no effort in finding the woman who had fallen into the water within the palace. Bai Fengjiu was greatly startled upon hearing this. She had never thought that she would become the object of the Emperor's affection in his mortal form.

Fearing that it would affect his trial, she privately lied to Ye Qingti, claiming that the woman's origins were unclear and her motives suspicious, so she must not be found by Song Xuanren. Ye Qingti believed it and the two immediately hit it off, simply forming a slacking alliance. Ye Qingti's subordinates saw that Bai Fengjiu was small and seemingly weak and couldn't help but slightly look down on her.

Bai Fengjiu, on a whim, suggested they compare martial arts skills. The result was astonishing; whether it was sparring or archery, she was proficient in both. Only then were everyone completely convinced. Ye Qingti remembered that Bai Fengjiu had entered the palace to find Zhou Mengxi, so he took the opportunity to check the palace registers. He found no record of this woman entering the palace in the past five years.

Although Bai Fengjiu was disappointed, she also found it very strange. Meanwhile, because the assassins were dead and their bodies left no clues, and the weapons used were made of ordinary materials and were of common design, it was temporarily difficult to trace their origin. Lingxiang speculated that it was due to internal strife in Chengyu Kingdom, while Ji Heng was more inclined to believe that someone in Chong'an Kingdom was jealous of Nie Chuyin.

She instructed Lingxiang to establish good relations with the palace staff in advance, familiarize herself with the palace layout, and draw a map for her, so that the plan could be completed as quickly as possible.

Episode 12 Recap

After the failure of the previous assassination attempt, Song Xuanying temporarily put his plan aside. Now, hearing the report from his subordinate about the recent movements in the palace, he became quite interested in this unidentified Xiaojiu, so he immediately sent someone to investigate her background. On the other hand, Song Xuanren, ever since falling into the water that night, had been unable to eat or sleep, haunted by the vision.

When he wanted to paint her portrait, he didn't know where to start. Recalling her appearance, she didn't look like a mortal woman but rather like an immortal from the Nine Heavens. Cheng Yu was furious with Si Ming upon learning that Bai Fengjiu had descended to the mortal realm without permission, worrying that she would once again be trapped by love and end up battered and bruised.

Si Ming could only endure the scolding and followed Cheng Yu to the palace with a look of grievance. Bai Fengjiu stated that she had learned her lesson this time and would definitely not repeat her past mistakes. As long as she found Zhou Mengxi and the Emperor's trial returned to the right track, she could leave with peace of mind and return to Qingqiu to live in seclusion.

Thinking that she had previously seen the marriage princess Chu Wan who resembled Ji Heng, Bai Fengjiu found it strange and decided to tell Si Ming. Si Ming looked through the Book of Fate for the mortal Chu Wan and found a blank entry. Cheng Yu, using the excuse that Chu Wan was affecting the Emperor's trial, found Venerable Hanshan to check Ji Heng's Book of Fate. The result was surprisingly the same.

Bai Fengjiu was slightly surprised and wanted to use the short blade drawing to see if Ji Heng was truly as she seemed, with amnesia. Cheng Yu returned to the Heavenly Palace to ask for the drawing.

Lian Song initially didn't want to give it up to spoil the surprise, but seeing her angry expression and turning to leave, he quickly seized the opportunity to propose a condition, asking Yuanjun Cheng Yu to go on a date with him to appreciate flowers. To get the drawing to copy, Cheng Yu had to temporarily agree, and then immediately descended to the mortal realm to deliver it, also bringing some worry-free flowers to make pastries.

Occasionally finding wood hibiscus flowers in the palace, Bai Fengjiu picked some and stayed up all night to make wood hibiscus paste, so she could give it to Ye Qingti and have him apply it regularly to remove the scar on his eyebrow tail.

Ye Qingti hadn't held out much hope originally, but seeing that Bai Fengjiu was thinking of him, he happily accepted it, saying that the Emperor had recently stopped the search for the woman who fell into the water, and he didn't know why. Hearing that Chu Wan was in the Emperor's study, Bai Fengjiu immediately took her leave and hurried there with the short blade drawing.

Ye Qingti watched her retreating figure, his heart suddenly raced, and his face became hotter. He surprisingly felt a different kind of affection until a gentle breeze blew, and he quickly shook off his random thoughts. Chu Wan brought lotus seed soup, intending to please Song Xuanren, but seeing his indifferent expression and lack of interest, she awkwardly lied that she usually enjoyed reading.

Using the excuse of looking through books, she went to the study to search, but failed to find any clue about the Lingbi stone. Just as she was about to leave with two ancient books, Bai Fengjiu suddenly arrived, pretending to present the short blade drawing and inviting Chu Wan to view it together and offer suggestions.

Chu Wan seemed detached, her expression unchanged, whereas Song Xuanren was quite excited, especially astonished by the modifications Bai Fengjiu had made, until Chu Wan left. He then pulled Bai Fengjiu to continue their detailed discussion and ordered that no concubine should enter the study again. The next morning, the various commanders gathered to watch Bai Fengjiu practice sword fighting. Song Xuanren walked over with a smile on his face and, seeing the scene, was immediately interested.

He simply borrowed Ye Qingti's saber and even sparred with Bai Fengjiu. Bai Fengjiu never thought that she had painstakingly searched for similarities with Emperor Donghua back then, but now she could practice and compete with him. Feeling joy, she deliberately concealed her skills and feigned defeat by half a move. After enjoying himself, Song Xuanren ordered the kitchen to host a banquet for everyone and greatly praised Xiaojiu.

He then pulled Ye Qingti back to the study and took out the short blade drawing as if it were a treasure. Ye Qingti immediately saw the ingenuity of the drawing and was surprised to learn that it was drawn by Xiaojiu. The Chief Eunuch had other doubts, worrying that Xiaojiu's motives were suspicious, but Ye Qingti was displeased upon hearing this and immediately vouched for her.

Song Xuanren likewise would not make unwarranted assumptions about Xiaojiu and reminded the Chief Eunuch not to be overly suspicious. Despite searching in many ways, Song Xuanying's subordinates still couldn't find any clues about Bai Fengjiu. This person seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, leaving no trace. Ye Qingti was ordered to supervise the craftsmen forging weapons. During his free time, he thought about Bai Fengjiu still painstakingly searching for Zhou Mengxi.

He suddenly remembered the death register of palace maids and indeed found the name in it. Ye Qingti hurried to inform her. Bai Fengjiu happened to have returned from inspecting the Cold Palace with the Emperor. She learned that Zhou Mengxi was originally a palace maid guarding the Cold Palace and later caught a cold and was bedridden. Due to her low status and the coincident timing of the former Emperor's death, she passed away not long after.

Calculating the time, Zhou Mengxi's death occurred half a month after Song Xuanren returned to the palace. Bai Fengjiu realized that due to her impulsive actions, she had unknowingly changed everyone's destiny, even leading to the death of an innocent palace maid. Bai Fengjiu felt deeply guilty. She chose a day to go to the Cold Palace to pay respects.

Si Ming saw this and comforted her, believing that even if Zhou Mengxi were alive now, if she became the favorite concubine of someone she didn't love, she would still live a miserable life, suffering immensely. Rather than that, it was better for her to pass away during this illness and end her long remaining life.

Since Zhou Mengxi was dead, and the person Song Xuanren currently loved just happened to be the woman he had fallen in love with at first sight that night when she fell into the water, to successfully help the Emperor pass his trial, Bai Fengjiu still needed to step forward personally. She needed to stay by Song Xuanren's side and make him love her but be unable to attain her.

Episode 13 Recap

Emperor Donghua's trial failed, his cultivation could not be restored, and once the Demon King broke through the seal, the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies would inevitably suffer disaster, the consequences of which were unpredictable. Now that it was a done deal, Bai Fengjiu followed Si Ming's advice, put on women's clothing again, and replaced Zhou Mengxi to complete the fated marriage in the Book of Fate.

Song Xuanren heard that Xiaojiu was the woman who fell into the water, and seeing her true face, he was first shocked, then smiled charmingly and immediately conferred her the title of "Nine Beauty," residing in the Moonflower Palace. The Empress Dowager sensed something was wrong, thinking that selecting concubines for the harem was too hasty.

Seeing that the Emperor liked her very much and was stubborn, she could only request that the conferral be put on hold and temporarily delayed, keeping her in the palace for observation. Bai Fengjiu chose a maid, immediately recognizing a butterfly birthmark on her neck. This girl was named Mu Yun, and when she was young, she often dreamed of herself transforming into a butterfly and being rescued by a mysterious woman.

After waking up, the birthmark would occasionally feel hot. Bai Fengjiu guessed that Mu Yun should be Mu Fengdie, who was knocked down to the mortal realm from the Tai Chen Palace. Thinking of this, she immediately smiled happily, gifting her a hairpin. She then sighed secretly in the bath at the wonder of fate, which allowed her to reunite with Mu Fengdie, but unfortunately, she had no connection with Emperor Donghua.

Seeing that it was a beautiful night, just the time to choose a palace to stay in, the Chief Eunuch hurriedly asked. Song Xuanren was focused on painting a portrait of Xiaojiu, and after finishing it, he felt even more longing, so he immediately set off for the Moonflower Palace. Dismissing the servants, the two sat side by side on the bed, feeling uneasy and awkward. Song Xuanren poured out his heart to her, expressing his love.

Bai Fengjiu saw him with Emperor Donghua's face actually saying a series of love words, so profound and penetrating, that she couldn't help but be moved, frantically pinching her thigh to stay awake. Seeing this, Song Xuanren found it amusing and asked why. However, Bai Fengjiu actually blurted out that the Emperor's beauty was too much for her to handle, unable to resist the temptation.

As the ruler of a country, to be described as beautiful by someone, Song Xuanren was both happy and felt it was novel. Bai Fengjiu was not ready to be intimate, so she used the excuse of coughing and feeling cold to distance herself, trying to escape this calamity. Song Xuanren saw through it and reluctantly bid farewell and left. From then on, Song Xuanren frequently visited the Moonflower Palace, even sharing roasted sweet potatoes with Bai Fengjiu.

Bai Fengjiu remembered the past and casually mentioned Emperor Donghua. Song Xuanren felt unhappy and couldn't help but be jealous, but he could do nothing about it. The news spread throughout the harem that the Nine Beauty was both talented and beautiful, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and deeply loved by the Emperor. Occasionally, some gossiping maids would privately discuss, saying that she was using her strengths to charm the Emperor.

Ye Qingti already had different feelings for Bai Fengjiu. Now that he knew she was a woman, his heart was filled with bitterness. Suppressing his love, after scolding the maids, he told his subordinates to forget their former working relationship and address Xiaojiu as "Your Highness." After Lingxiang's continuous investigation, Chu Wan had ruled out all the places where the Lingbi stone could be hidden. Currently, the only place left was the Muning Palace, which she had not yet touched.

Since the Muning Palace was the Emperor's bedroom, Chu Wan needed to go there herself to investigate. She first gathered information from Lingxiang, fabricated a background of losing her mother early, and then spread rumors that she was homesick and depressed, feeling unwell, attracting Song Xuanren to visit her and evoke his sympathy during their conversation, making him feel pity for her.

The maid that Song Xuanying had planted in the palace intercepted the carrier pigeon in time, discovering the contents of Chu Wan's secret letter to the Chong'an Kingdom. When questioned, Chu Wan answered vaguely, unwilling to be honest. Song Xuanying could not get the truth from her but expressed his own attitude, willing to become friends with Chu Wan, implying that Chu Wan should be aware of the danger and temporarily put aside her plan to approach the Emperor.

Because the short blade drawing was too exquisite, even the most skilled blacksmiths in Chengyu could not have seen it before. With the existing equipment, it was difficult to forge it. Ye Qingti had no choice but to continue to urge the blacksmiths to seize the time and be sure to research the forging method as soon as possible.

At the same time, Bai Fengjiu had previously used magic that caused a backlash, and staying in the mortal realm for a long time would only worsen her condition. Now, she suddenly fainted. The imperial physician examined her appearance and took her pulse, unable to find the cause. Song Xuanren found the food tasteless at Wan Yun Palace and hurried over. Chu Wan followed closely behind, seeing him sitting anxiously by the bed. After a long time, Bai Fengjiu slowly woke up and blurted out the name "Emperor Donghua."

Episode 14 Recap

Bai Fengjiu knew after waking that her coma was due to the backlash, and she couldn't help but be secretly alarmed, deciding to leave the mortal realm as soon as possible to avoid trouble. Song Xuanren personally roasted sweet potatoes and brought them to her. Bai Fengjiu was touched by this, almost moved to tears. Seeing that his right hand was burned by charcoal fire, she quickly took out ointment and applied it for him.

She then remembered the scene where Emperor Donghua had bandaged his wound in the Ten Evils Lotus Realm, and her feelings seemed even harder to suppress. It was the autumn hunting season. To please the beauty, Song Xuanren ordered Bai Fengjiu to accompany him, riding together on the same mount to enjoy the scenery. Bai Fengjiu returned to the palace feeling happy and chose worry-free flowers to make pastries again, planning to present them to the Emperor to taste.

It just so happened that Ye Qingti, having obtained permission, specially brought the short blade drawing to ask about mechanical doubts. Bai Fengjiu personally instructed him and then inquired about the Emperor's preferences, and also personally fed him the pastries fresh from the oven. The scene of the two interacting was warm and ambiguous. Song Xuanren happened to witness this and immediately left in anger. After returning to Muning Palace, Song Xuanren had no mind for approving memorials.

Seeing Bai Fengjiu come with the pastries, he was first attracted by the name "Worry-free" and became interested. He then blurted out asking who was the first person to taste the pastry. Bai Fengjiu recalled the scene of witnessing Emperor Donghua tasting it for the first time in Tai Chen Palace back then, and simply told him the truth, admitting that she had once met a person who cared about the world, was brave and wise.

Song Xuanren mistakenly thought Bai Fengjiu was referring to Ye Qingti. Feeling jealous and sour, he put the worry-free pastry back on the plate and dismissed her under the pretext of reviewing memorials. Bai Fengjiu was not good at competing for favor, so she bowed and withdrew. Seeing that she left without explaining herself, Song Xuanren became even more depressed.

He casually picked up a pastry and put it into his mouth, never expecting it to be a delicacy like no other, so delicious it made him want to cry. He couldn't help but regret not having tasted it together just now. The Chief Eunuch came to report, claiming that the meal was ready at Wanyun Palace. Song Xuanren went there, but had no appetite or interest whatsoever.

Instead, he sighed deeply at the butterfly pastry, as the saying goes, "The body is in Ji camp, but the heart is with Feng." After sitting for a while, Song Xuanren instructed Chu Wan to be responsible for the palace banquet for the Qixi Festival this year. Chu Wan requested permission for Bai Fengjiu to assist from the side. Song Xuanren immediately agreed and also added the worry-free pastry to the list of desserts for this occasion.

On the night of the palace banquet, Lingxiang went to the imperial kitchen under the pretext of being ordered to supervise, preparing to administer poison. Chu Wan appeared in time to stop her. Learning that Lingxiang wanted to help her gain the Emperor's favor, her scolding lessened slightly, but she still refused to do such despicable deeds. If this matter were exposed, the Emperor would order a thorough investigation, and neither of them would be able to escape unscathed.

Lingxiang knew she had almost caused a great disaster and immediately stopped. However, the Empress Dowager heard that the worry-free pastry was excellent in color and taste and intended to try it. The Chief Eunuch tasted it on her behalf and fell to the ground dead on the spot. The imperial physician diagnosed that he had been poisoned by Black Feather Jade Poison. This poison was rare and potent, and its source needed to be thoroughly investigated.

Song Xuanying immediately attacked Bai Fengjiu on the spot, claiming her origins were unknown and that she should be taken to prison for severe interrogation. Song Xuanren wanted Bai Fengjiu to prove her innocence, but she avoided talking about her hometown and family. Coupled with the Empress Dowager echoing Song Xuanying's intention, Song Xuanren had no choice but to order the arrest of Bai Fengjiu and related individuals and imprison them.

Although Nine Beauty was suspected, the imperial cooks, eunuchs, and maids also needed to be wary one by one. Ye Qingti tried his best to defend Bai Fengjiu, firmly believing that she had no intention of harming anyone. After much deliberation, Song Xuanren handed the case over to Ye Qingti for investigation, setting a time limit of seven days, within which he must restore Bai Fengjiu's innocence.

Song Xuanying fanned the flames in front of the Empress Dowager, deliberately hiding his own evil deeds. Master Zhang from the Ministry of Justice received instructions from the Empress Dowager and committed violence in the prison, inflicting torture on Mu Yun. Bai Fengjiu could not bear to watch and tightly hugged Mu Yun, taking the whip lashes for her.

After Ye Qingti arrived, he was furious, scolding fiercely and using Song Xuanren's name to assert authority, successfully rescuing the mistress and servant. Witnessing this scene, Bai Fengjiu thought of her unjustly accused experience in Tai Chen Palace, feeling desolate and even more heartbroken. Ye Qingti felt immense pity, stating that he was ordered by the Emperor to handle the case, and since the Emperor loved her, he naturally believed in her.

The Empress Dowager visited Muning Palace the next day, worried that Song Xuanren was too benevolent and easily deceived by a seductive concubine. She presented herself as kind and caring, giving him careful instructions, and then sent a young eunuch named "Yang Shun" from her side to personally serve Song Xuanren, replacing the Chief Eunuch.

Episode 15 Recap

Ever since Bai Fengjiu was framed and imprisoned, Song Xuanren had been depressed all day long. Occasionally, when he had free time and passed by Yuehua Palace, he would see the place was desolate, but he didn't dare to enter. Chu Wan, having anticipated Song Xuanren's route through the garden, specifically placed a guzheng and memorial offerings by the pond, pretending to pray to heaven to bless the Emperor, showing her sincerity.

Song Xuanren believed it to be true and felt slightly relieved. He ordered her to play a piece on the guzheng. The music passed over the palace walls and reached the prison. Mu Yun heard it and felt even more heartbroken. Comparing this time with the past, Bai Fengjiu was also imprisoned by Emperor Donghua, and her situation was so similar. What the outcome would be this time was unknown.

Ye Qingti was struggling as he couldn't find evidence, so he requested permission to plead her case again. Song Xuanren saw how anxious he was about Nine Beauty, thought back to past events, and felt even more jealous. His tone became inevitably harsh and ruthless, ordering him to find out the truth. Ye Qingti attempted to find clues from the pastry and specifically came to ask Bai Fengjiu what ingredients it was made of.

However, worry-free flowers grow in the Heavenly Palace, so Bai Fengjiu couldn't reveal this and could only speak vaguely and avoid the topic, delaying in explaining her origin. Mu Yun sobbed sadly, worried that her unjust accusation could not be cleared and she would never see the light of day again. Bai Fengjiu patiently comforted her, saying that she would have a way to deal with it.

In fact, she had already made up her mind: if she couldn't leave the prison, even if she suffered the backlash, she would use magic to send Mu Yun away, so she wouldn't suffer the same fate as before in Jiuchong Palace. There had been no news of the whereabouts of the Lingbi Stone for a long time, so Nie Chuyin sent people to urge its search.

Chu Wan heard that the Emperor had been overworked with official duties for days, so she personally made Osmanthus rice wine and sent it to Muning Palace, secretly adding a drug to it. After Song Xuanren fainted, Chu Wan took advantage of Yang Shun falling asleep outside the door and searched everywhere in the study. In the end, she couldn't find any trace of the Lingbi Stone. The dream of Xiao Jiu being killed was vivid in his mind.

Song Xuanren was extremely anxious and hurried to the prison to visit her, begging Xiao Jiu to tell him the truth and return to the back palace. However, Bai Fengjiu thought that if she could die unjustly accused, when the truth was revealed later, Song Xuanren would be heartbroken over the loss of his beloved, and in this way, her trial of love could be completed.

Seeing Bai Fengjiu lower her head in silence, Song Xuanren couldn't help but become emotional. He sternly questioned Xiao Jiu why she suddenly appeared to save him and seek a job in the palace. Given all this, could it be true, as the outside world said, that this woman's origin was unknown, her motives impure, and she even intended to deliberately harm the Chengyu royal family?

Bai Fengjiu refused to answer this, which ultimately left Song Xuanren's heart like dead ashes, causing him to let go and leave. Cheng Yu heard about the unjust accusation and impulsively wanted to descend to the mortal realm to rescue her.

Si Ming Star Lord quickly stopped her, explaining that because Zhou Mengxi was dead, Bai Fengjiu was destined to form a bond with Emperor Donghua in the unseen world, and the two needed to go through a trial of love before they could return safely. Lian Song came to their appointment, but saw that Cheng Yu was frowning and unhappy throughout, having no interest in appreciating the lotus flowers. She even blamed all men for this.

So, he casually mentioned women, which actually angered Cheng Yu and made her leave. Ye Qingti did not want to give up easily and questioned Bai Fengjiu carefully again, hoping she could recall if there was anything improper at the time. Bai Fengjiu suddenly noticed that the style of the plate holding the worry-free pastry was different. Only then did she realize that the poisoning was not in the ingredients at all, but in the kitchen's porcelain ware.

Seeing that the ten-day deadline was tomorrow and there had been no progress so far, Song Xuanren was deeply worried, unsure how to face the court officials. Chu Wan stepped forward to show concern, brought him a cloak, and casually mentioned her curiosity about the Lingbi Stone while grinding ink. Song Xuanren immediately became vigilant. In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived. Ye Qingti led a group of witnesses and physical evidence into the hall.

He then personally tested the poison, not only publicly solving the truth behind the worry-free pastry mystery but also successfully capturing the real culprit behind the poisoning. On the night of the palace banquet, the palace maid Sang'er swapped the porcelain ware when no one was paying attention. The worry-free pastry near the side of the vessel was contaminated by the poison. The chief eunuch unfortunately died on the spot.

Sang'er seized the opportunity to take the plate and then buried it in the back palace garden, but fortunately, Ye Qingti found it on the spot. Seeing that the evidence was complete, Sang'er did not argue but instead angrily cursed Song Xuanren as incompetent and foolish. She then broke free from the ropes and drew a sword to assassinate him. Song Xuanying acted in time. Before others could react, he directly killed her, eliminating future troubles.

Chu Wan witnessed the whole process and understood in her heart. However, she saw Song Xuanying cast a warning glance at her. After the truth was revealed, Song Xuanren brought Bai Fengjiu out of the prison, promoted her to Nine Beauty, and granted her residence in Xining Palace. Bai Fengjiu requested to continue staying in Yuehua Palace, citing restless sleep as the reason. Ye Qingti saw that the two were so deeply affectionate. Knowing his desires were futile fantasies, he decided to make a decision sooner rather than later and truly let go of his feelings.

Episode 16 Recap

Several boxes of rewards were sent to Yuehua Palace. Song Xuanren saw that Bai Fengjiu requested an imperial decree to withdraw all of them, mistakenly thinking she resented him for the earlier matter and still had a barrier in her heart. However, Bai Fengjiu had no such intention, she simply didn't like them. Even if living simply, as long as she could be by her beloved's side, holding hands, and growing old together.

The Empress Dowager heard Yang Shun's report and guessed that for Bai Fengjiu to be so simple and content, she was definitely not pure or good. Through recent observation, Yang Shun stated directly that Bai Fengjiu's nature was pure and not feigned. Moreover, the Emperor's affection for her was well-known. If Bai Fengjiu also developed feelings of love, she would certainly abandon everything and go through fire and water. Ye Qingti wanted to return the extremely cherished Hibiscus Flower ointment.

But he hadn't yet stated his intention, when he saw Bai Fengjiu give him four boxes of ointment as thanks. This act was like a breeze, causing ripples to rise again in his heart that should have returned to peace. After receiving the package, he was overcome with emotion for a moment, not knowing what to do. Song Xuanren wanted to repair the mechanisms in the underground palace, so he wanted to take Bai Fengjiu there by carriage.

Just before leaving, Yang Shun reported that Consort Wan was seriously ill. The two of them went to visit. Just as the imperial physician finished examining her, he noticed faint signs of poisoning within Chu Wan's body. But because her pulse was strange, he didn't dare to speculate rashly. Chu Wan didn't want to make things difficult for the imperial physician and advised the Emperor from the side.

After he left, she sighed, lamenting that Song Xuanren had fallen deeply in love with Bai Fengjiu. If she wanted to gain his favor to find the Lingbi Stone, it would be as difficult as reaching the sky. After arriving at the underground palace, Song Xuanren led Bai Fengjiu forward the whole way, opened the mechanisms everywhere, and took out the Lingbi Stone. Bai Fengjiu realized that the Lingbi Stone's aura was so similar to the soul-locking jade.

Added to this, when Song Xuanren touched it, it lit up, which further confirmed the idea in her heart. Song Xuanren wanted Bai Fengjiu to try touching it. Unexpectedly, there was the same reaction. He was immediately delighted and said that Bai Fengjiu must have been sent by Heaven to assist him. After hearing the Emperor's idea, Bai Fengjiu drew diagrams and created things inside the underground palace.

Song Xuanren saw how serious she was and unconsciously became infatuated with her beauty, until her finger was injured by a sharp tool. Bai Fengjiu quickly got the Hibiscus Flower ointment to apply and carefully bandaged it. Song Xuanren felt that their time together this time was not like an Emperor and his consort, but rather more like an ordinary and intimate couple from the common people.

In his infatuated state, he couldn't help but embrace her and ask for a kiss. Bai Fengjiu suddenly remembered that Song Xuanren was Emperor Donghua's body undergoing trial in the mortal realm, immediately regained her clarity, and struggled free. Song Xuanren didn't take it seriously, believing there would be plenty of time in the future. After returning to the palace, Bai Fengjiu first drew the pattern of the Lingbi Stone.

Cheng Yu descended to the mortal realm to visit and thought that jade varieties in the world were similar, which was not surprising. Bai Fengjiu felt what she said made sense and immediately rolled the paper into a ball and threw it aside, troubled about how to complete the task of loving but unable to possess.

Cheng Yu offered an idea, thinking that "loving but unable to possess" meant first making him love you, and then making him unable to possess you. So she suggested that Bai Fengjiu should first provoke affection and then become distant, repeating this to completely confuse the Emperor. Bai Fengjiu thought she couldn't do it. She asked Cheng Yu to think of another idea, however, it seemed there was no other way besides this plan at the moment.

Just as the two of them were playing around, Mu Yun reported that Song Xuanren had come to Yuehua Palace to enjoy the moon. Cheng Yu left first, and Bai Fengjiu carefully dressed up to receive him. Under the beautiful night and scenery, Song Xuanren played the zither in his leisure. Bai Fengjiu danced upon hearing the music. The time was peaceful and beautiful, envied by others.

A row of palace maids and eunuchs also couldn't help but watch in fascination. That night, Bai Fengjiu threw herself into his arms. Red candles dimly lit the warm room, and the beautiful woman lowered her eyebrows with a shy expression. Song Xuanren gently undressed her, couldn't help but smile foolishly. Then he opened his eyes and realized it was a dream. Song Xuanren got drunk on the night he enjoyed the moon.

After waking up, he learned that Ye Qingti had personally escorted him back to his room, so he prepared roasted sweet potatoes in advance to give him. Ye Qingti didn't understand his intention and reluctantly ate a few bites. Seeing the Emperor repeatedly asking questions to probe him, he could only truthfully report that he had never roasted sweet potatoes. Upon hearing this, Song Xuanren laughed uncontrollably and was greatly delighted. He then personally made lily cakes to give Bai Fengjiu to taste.

Episode 17 Recap

Bai Fengjiu has recently been frequently going to the Royal Tomb to set up mechanisms. Song Xuanren has been inseparable from her. In their leisure time, they talked about trivial matters. He also mentioned that his birth mother passed away during childbirth back then, and his former Emperor father was heartbroken and pulled out his guts. Fearing that seeing his son would remind him of his wife, he became busy with court affairs and grew increasingly distant.

As the Crown Prince of the royal family, Song Xuanren had never felt the warmth of family affection, and it was even harder for him to understand his father's infatuation. He spent all his days studying various complicated skills until he met Bai Fengjiu. Only then did he deeply understand and realize the meaning of "death cannot deter". Chu Wan heard again that the Emperor had left the palace to travel, and she couldn't help but become vigilant.

However, seeing that Lady Jiu returned with him in the same carriage, she immediately paid a visit under the guise of returning a gift, feigning concern and giving her a sachet. Bai Fengjiu found it difficult to refuse and kept it in her hall day and night, unaware that she was infected with a strange fragrance. Song Xuanren needed to handle the flooding in the prefectures and counties and could not spare time.

Lingxiang took this opportunity, followed the scent, and tracked Bai Fengjiu to the Royal Tomb. She successfully evaded the guards and entered the underground palace but accidentally triggered a mechanism and was injured by a sharp arrow. Bai Fengjiu was almost affected, but fortunately, Ye Qingti sacrificed his life to save her and escort her away. After escaping death, the two went to a pavilion to rest.

Ye Qingti sat upright throughout, mindful of the difference in status between them, referring to himself as "this humble subject". Bai Fengjiu disliked this distance and insisted on drinking and chatting with him. She even learned that although Ye Qingti came from the Yongning Marquis Manor and was handsome and refined, because their family had passed down martial arts for generations and fought on battlefields, his life was often in danger, which is why he was still unmarried.

Ye Qingti had never been moved by anyone before, and it was unlikely he would be in the future. He knew that Bai Fengjiu's true love was not the Emperor, and immediately expressed that he would always stay by her side and fulfill her wishes. Lingxiang returned to the palace injured. After Chu Wan inquired about the reason, she realized that this matter must be related to the State Treasure of Chengyu.

She decided to go to Yuehua Palace the next day to investigate. Bai Fengjiu ordered her palace staff to pack valuable items to sell for disaster relief. Chu Wan first praised her, then colluded with Lingxiang from inside and outside, deliberately breaking a vase to distract Bai Fengjiu. Then, she searched everywhere for clues and found the discarded drawing paper under the table, figuring out the location where the Lingbi Stone was hidden.

Bai Fengjiu returned to her room and found something amiss. Through the disturbed paper ball and the blood-stained crossbow bolt, she recalled the sachet she received before encountering the danger in the underground palace and immediately realized Chu Wan's motive. She rushed to Muning Palace to call Song Xuanren to discuss a plan. Ye Qingti was ordered to lead the guards to hide in the underground palace in advance.

When Lingxiang sneaked into the Royal Tomb at night, she used the method of throwing round stones to break all the mechanisms one by one. Ye Qingti and the guards immediately appeared and surrounded her. Meanwhile, Chu Wan was anxiously waiting in her room, as Lingxiang had not returned. Song Xuanren and Bai Fengjiu suddenly arrived in a hurry. Song Xuanren subtly probed her with various difficult questions, all of which were skillfully avoided by Chu Wan.

He ordered Chu Wan to play a tune on the zither on the spot. Chu Wan did not know the meaning but could only comply. However, as soon as the strings began to sound, Ye Qingti escorted Lingxiang into the hall, bound. Chu Wan suppressed her shock and pretended to be calm, comparing herself to Lady Jiu who could not prove her innocence that day. Song Xuanren was furious and slammed the teacup in his hand onto the ground.

Bai Fengjiu took the initiative to speak, listing all the evidence until Chu Wan could not argue anymore. Lingxiang quickly took all the blame upon herself and, while no one was paying attention, drew a sword and committed suicide. Bai Fengjiu went to the prison to visit Chu Wan, calling her by her original name, hoping she would reveal the mastermind. Chu Wan, to repay a favor, naturally would not betray Nie Chuyin.

She was doubtful about the relationship between Bai Fengjiu and herself. Because the past events were too bizarre, Bai Fengjiu could not explain and could only remain silent, leaving the prison.

Episode 18 Recap

Song Xuanying worried that Chu Wan would expose the truth about the poisoned pastries, so he decisively ordered assassins to break into the prison at night, intending to silence her. Yan Chiwu had previously heard that Ji Heng had fallen off a cliff. After searching extensively, he finally obtained a clue from Nie Chuyin.

He then came to the mortal realm to sense her aura, and at a critical moment, he acted to save her, using magic to bring her back to the Demon Realm. Chu Wan woke up slightly startled and had no memory of the place. Yan Chiwu was extremely anxious and immediately decided to find a way to restore Ji Heng's memory. After Chu Wan's sudden disappearance, Song Xuanren sent people to search for her whereabouts but still found nothing.

Bai Fengjiu learned that the Emperor intended to punish Ye Qingti and others, so she rushed to Muning Palace to plead for them. Based on various clues, she then guessed that Chu Wan might not be a mortal. Song Xuanren thought of the imperial physician's abnormal pulse reading that day, and his anger subsided slightly. After a long moment of deliberation, he simply decided not to pursue the matter further. After this, time flew by to the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Under the full moon, Bai Fengjiu felt melancholic seeing the moon. She sat alone in a deep courtyard pavilion, drowning her sorrow in wine, recalling what Si Ming had previously said. She felt that she was now deeply trapped and unable to extricate herself, unsure when she could return to Qing Qiu and reunite with her old friends.

Muyun worried that the night was cold as water and Bai Fengjiu might catch a cold, so she specially draped a fur cloak over her. Song Xuanren arrived with his palace attendants. He then took out a phoenix hairpin that he had specially commissioned a skilled craftsman to make, presenting it to her, saying only it could match her fur cloak.

After the hairpin was inserted into her hair, Bai Fengjiu was about to step back to perform a curtsy when Song Xuanren pulled her into his embrace and then picked her up. The palace maids and eunuchs around them exchanged glances, following the Emperor all the way back to his bedchamber. Seeing him place Bai Fengjiu on the couch, he then dismissed everyone.

Song Xuanren was infatuated and wanted to stay in Yuehua Palace to spend the night with her, but seeing Bai Fengjiu had drunk too much and gradually fallen into a deep sleep, he felt quite helpless. Bai Fengjiu woke up from her hangover and vaguely recalled the scene from last night. She discovered her fur cloak had been removed and couldn't help but be startled.

She quickly called for Muyun to ask, and when she learned that Song Xuanren had not stayed the night, she breathed a sigh of relief. The Empress Dowager suddenly arrived. She first showed her authority by pulling out the hairpin, then gave her a lecture. Seeing that Bai Fengjiu dared not act presumptuously, she finally left satisfied. After this incident, Bai Fengjiu felt even more depressed. Enduring the tedious matters of the inner palace became increasingly difficult.

To get herself out as soon as possible, she followed Si Ming's advice and decided to carry out her plan ahead of schedule. Bai Fengjiu invited Ye Qingti to leave the palace to go sightseeing. The two rode their horses, whipping them on, and found a beautiful spot in the mountains. Sitting by the peak, they felt extremely comfortable and were even reluctant to leave.

Ye Qingti wanted to give her a jade bracelet but was afraid Bai Fengjiu would not accept it. In his moment of hesitation, he was discovered by her. Seeing that Bai Fengjiu was quite fond of it, he was overwhelmed and ecstatic. After watching the starry sky, Bai Fengjiu said goodbye to Ye Qingti, feeling content, and returned to the palace. She found that Song Xuanren had been waiting in her room for a long time.

Song Xuanren pretended to be completely unaware, deliberately probing her about her whereabouts that day. Hearing Bai Fengjiu lie and hide the truth, and seeing the jade bracelet on her wrist, he recalled smelling the familiar scent of Ye Qingti's medicinal paste in his study during the day. Immediately enraged, he said mockingly that Lady Jiu apparently did not dislike jewelry, but rather disliked the jewelry he gave her.

In Chong'an Country, Nie Chuyin, learning that Ji Heng's plan had failed just before succeeding, personally led his trusted followers to Prince Ying's mansion to slaughter dozens of assassins and used magic to intimidate Song Xuanying, demanding that he sneak into Muning Palace to steal the map of the Royal Tomb. Song Xuanying knew that this person's background was by no means simple. Feeling wary, he could only agree to try.

Episode 19 Recap

Since returning from Yuehua Palace, Song Xuanren could not sleep soundly or eat with relish. He spent his days drowning his sorrows in wine. He even sent Yang Shun to investigate in the capital, and when he learned that the storyteller in the tavern had not spoken of the Emperor and his beauty, his mood grew even more somber. He even refused to summon Ye Qingti when he visited.

Hearing the news, the Empress Dowager specially came to offer comfort, hoping he would prioritize the nation's welfare and establish an Empress as soon as possible to pacify the inner palace. Only with peace in the inner palace could the court properly govern. Song Xuanren had no time to consider the deeper meaning of her words; he had his own plans. He immediately arranged for Yang Shun to draft an imperial decree, which would be announced in the court.

As soon as the matter of establishing an Empress spread, everyone from the concubines and consorts above to the maids and attendants below discussed it. Muyun learned that the Empress Dowager had already summoned Lady Ying alone and quickly reported back to Bai Fengjiu, suggesting she participate in the selection for Empress. Bai Fengjiu had no interest in this. Every day she felt listless and often looked at the moon with sorrow.

Cheng Yu saw this and descended to the mortal realm during the night. Seeing her constantly worrying about gains and losses, she couldn't help but feel immense pity. " The Emperor's favor is like floating water flowing eastward, deep affection but shallow fate, regretting meeting," Bai Fengjiu said with feeling. Although she achieved the state of loving without being loved, she also harmed herself, suffering unspeakably.

In the court, Yang Shun read out the imperial decree, announcing the intention to establish Lady Jiu as the Empress. Upon hearing this, the officials immediately voiced their opposition, kneeling and pleading with Song Xuanren to withdraw his command. Some even brought up rumors from the streets, directly stating that Lady Jiu was an evil being who would bring disaster upon the nation. Song Xuanren suppressed his anger, ignoring the heated discussions around him. He only observed Ye Qingti's reaction.

Seeing that he did not step forward to second the opposition, he was slightly satisfied and made the final decision. Yang Shun reported truthfully. The Empress Dowager was furious and about to issue a decree, but Song Xuanren conveniently arrived at the palace to apologize. After some persuasive words, he also recounted how the Spirit Rock glowed when Bai Fengjiu touched it.

The Empress Dowager dared not go against the will of heaven and could only follow his wishes for the time being, allowing it to happen. Receiving the imperial decree for the conferment, Bai Fengjiu felt both joy and worry. Her joy was that Song Xuanren genuinely cared for her, with absolutely no ulterior motives. Her worry was that her previous efforts were wasted, and Emperor Donghua's trial was being obstructed.

Muyun did not know her master's thoughts and only focused on celebrating and spreading the news. This act was the first of its kind in Chengyu Country. Even the maids of Yuehua Palace were rewarded one by one, and all their monthly stipends were doubled. After Ye Qingti left the palace and returned to his residence, he picked up his brush to write down his feelings of love, put them in a letter, and had it delivered to Bai Fengjiu.

Si Ming suddenly appeared and saw her reading under the lamp. He chuckled, saying this person should be the turning point in the current situation. Bai Fengjiu was now caught in a dilemma. Before she could make a decision, she heard the sound of palace maids bowing outside the door. Si Ming quickly concealed himself. Bai Fengjiu casually hid the letter under the tea tray and rose hastily to greet the visitor.

Song Xuanren knew he hadn't visited for several days. Aside from expressing his deep affection, he also offered words of comfort, claiming he had poured out everything so that Bai Fengjiu could rely on him to spend lavishly and act freely. Bai Fengjiu was quite touched and immediately made a secret decision.

She then tucked a silk handkerchief with two lines of elegant small characters written on it into the new clothes sent to Ye Qingti from the Imperial Textile Department: "Through a thousand mountains and ten thousand waters, I am willing to be with you." Song Xuanying stole the map of the Royal Tomb. Nie Chuyin promised to assist him in ascending the throne.

Immediately after, he dispatched troops in Chong'an Country and arranged to meet Song Xuanying in the suburbs, informing him that he would soon find a suitable opportunity to send troops into the city. At that time, he himself would lead his army to attack the Royal Tomb. With the Spirit Rock obtained, Song Xuanren would also die in the chaos of war, and Prince Ying (Song Xuanying) would seize the throne smoothly during the opportunity. The phoenix robe was ready.

Bai Fengjiu was attended by maids and tried on the imperial robe with wide sleeves in advance. Song Xuanren couldn't hide his awe and astonishment; his affection was deeply ingrained. Although this was a grand ceremony to confer the title of Empress, its true meaning was a wedding ceremony for the Emperor and Empress. From then on, the two could hold hands and observe the world together, staying together until old age.

Bai Fengjiu was in tears and threw herself into his arms, repeatedly apologizing. Song Xuanren mistakenly thought she had given her heart to him and felt immensely relieved. The next day, Song Xuanren was originally eagerly waiting in the Empress Dowager's palace, but he heard that Bai Fengjiu and Ye Qingti had both disappeared. Subsequently, letters exchanged between the two were found in Yuehua Palace. Overwhelmed by anger and frustration, he sternly ordered his guards to search every corner of the world to find their whereabouts.

Episode 20 Recap

The Empress Conferment Ceremony was suddenly interrupted. The inner palace and court officials discussed it at length, all saying that Ye Qingti and Lady Jiu had been secretly in love for a long time. The Empress Dowager was disgraced. Song Xuanying wanted to pause all his plans, but Nie Chuyin believed that since Ye Qingti was rarely trusted, the Imperial Guards could be easily breached, and such a golden opportunity should not be missed.

At the same time, Bai Fengjiu and Ye Qingti rode their horses furiously overnight, heading north all the way, wanting to leave the capital. The Imperial Guards pursued them along the road. Bai Fengjiu saw that Ye Qingti alone could not withstand the many guards and, unable to bear implicating him, she agreed to return to the palace to plead guilty. Ye Qingti could not persuade her, so he subsequently gave up resistance and decided to die with her.

From that time onwards, Song Xuanren no longer had his former smile or past tenderness. The remaining attachment was used to recall the details, sorting through them to discover the clues within. Bai Fengjiu returned to Yuehua Palace and saw the ground was in disarray. The Emperor Song Xuanren was waiting in the main seat.

Despite the difficulty of understanding the pain, she spoke words against her will, explaining that she had admired Ye Qingti for a long time but, because she coveted wealth and luxury, had delayed making a decision. Song Xuanren was overwhelmed by anger and no longer had the rationality to distinguish the truth from falsehood in her words. He roughly gripped Bai Fengjiu's chin and darkly questioned why she was so heartless and ungrateful.

Song Xuanren, the Emperor of a nation, dared to defy the world's opinion to allow Bai Fengjiu to be conferred and enter the palace for the position of Empress. He never expected that in the end, it would be a betrayal, unable to rival the person she cared about. Having treated her with deep affection, at this moment he didn't know whether to measure her with millimeters or miles. Bai Fengjiu wept sadly, prostrating herself on the ground.

She bowed three times to his retreating back as a farewell. As she slowly left, she coughed up blood and fell to the ground. Song Xuanren was completely disheartened, feeling their ties were severed and broken. However, the moment she lost consciousness, all the wild thoughts in his heart vanished like smoke. The Empress Dowager rushed over upon hearing the news. Seeing Song Xuanren holding Bai Fengjiu, besides being angry, she coldly ordered men to escort her to the dungeon.

The next day in court, a hundred officials advised executing Bai Fengjiu to restore the reputation of Chengyu Country. Song Xuanren heard this but said nothing. He immediately went to the dungeon to meet with Ye Qingti. Knowing that Bai Fengjiu was unwilling to remain in the palace and only wanted to live among nature, he immediately made a decision.

He requested the Empress Dowager to let bygones be bygones, strip Bai Fengjiu of her title, and allow her to return to the common people. As for Ye Qingti, because his family was loyal and righteous, his General's Residence would be returned, he would return to his ancestral home to observe mourning, and would never be employed again. The Empress Dowager was furious and agitated, scolding him for being too weak and easily bullied.

Seeing that the Empress Dowager was unwilling to forgive the two, Song Xuanren remained kneeling, pleading bitterly. Currently, the Emperor of Chengyu had no time to attend to government affairs. Nie Chuyin had already arranged thirty extraordinary individuals to await battle and gifted the demon sword Lanyu to Song Xuanying. With this treasure, he would certainly turn danger into safety and be valiant and invincible.

Cheng Yu accompanied Bai Fengjiu, lamenting that love is often a trial and gatherings and separations are unpredictable. She gave Bai Fengjiu a bracelet infused with magic, saying that if she encountered danger in the future, it could ensure her safe return to the Heavenly Palace. It was late at night. The city guards were killed, and the Chong'an Country army divided into two routes. One route went straight into the Royal Tomb, and the other route surrounded the palace.

Bai Fengjiu sensed something was wrong. Hearing of the internal chaos, she immediately sought an audience with Song Xuanren, asking him to release Ye Qingti to atone for his crime by performing meritorious service and protect the safety of the thousands of people in Chengyu Country. After Ye Qingti was released from prison, he immediately dispatched the Imperial Guards to defend the city to the death and engaged in a desperate battle with the enemy army.

Song Xuanren took Bai Fengjiu into Muning Palace, then opened a hidden mechanism, allowing her to leave the palace through a secret passage. Bai Fengjiu connected the matter of Chu Wan with this rebellion, worrying that Chong'an Country wanted to steal the Spirit Rock.

Song Xuanren found her concerns reasonable and ordered Yang Shun to deliver an imperial decree to Ye Qingti, ordering him to lead two thousand Imperial Guards quickly to the Royal Tomb and not participate in the fighting. Song Xuanying led people to kill the Royal Tomb guards and successfully reached the underground palace by using many death warriors to scout the way.

A Mang, Nie Chuyin's attendant and also belonging to the Demon Race, discovered that the Spirit Rock was in fact the soul-locking jade. Unable to contain his excitement, he intended to step forward and seize it. Bai Fengjiu and Song Xuanying suddenly arrived to stop him. When A Mang first saw Song Xuanying, he subconsciously blurted out "Emperor Donghua". Song Xuanying did not pay attention to this, but was instead more shocked by his Emperor brother's ambition.

Thinking victory was in sight, Song Xuanying spoke without any reservations, expressing all the grievances in his heart. A Mang, taking advantage of the others not paying attention, secretly slipped away.

Episode 21 Recap

Song Xuanying wanted to strike first. In the flick of a finger, the blade was at Song Xuanren's face. Bai Fengjiu pushed herself forward and went up to him, coiling her arm along the force to twist his attack, preventing him from stabbing. Unexpectedly, as she turned, she was stabbed by the demonic blade. Song Xuanying found that her wound did not bleed and realized she was no ordinary person.

At the same time, Ye Qingti, having received the imperial decree, rushed towards the Royal Tomb. Near the entrance, he came face to face with A Mang. A Mang did not want to fight, so he used a spell to dodge the attack and quickly escaped. Ye Qingti had doubts but was also worried about the Emperor's safety, so he did not delve deeper, but instead rushed into the underground palace.

Seeing the chaotic scene, Song Xuanying had intended to seize the Spirit Rock at this opportunity, but thankfully Ye Qingti arrived in time. Song Xuanying suddenly felt the change, quickly pressed the mechanism, and locked the Spirit Rock into a stone box. Because Ye Qingti had ruined all his plans, Song Xuanying was enraged and frequently attacked with his blade. Bai Fengjiu saw Ye Qingti desperately blocking, finding it extremely difficult, but unwilling to leave easily.

Just as she was about to step forward to help, Song Xuanying found an opening to strike. Ye Qingti used his body as a shield. Their eyes met, and he let the demonic blade pierce his chest and abdomen. Holding onto his last breath, he forcefully pushed her towards Song Xuanren, then jumped up with all his might and pulled down the iron grate. The stone door was heavy and slowly closed.

Ye Qingti's armor was broken, his hair tied loosely. He appeared to be in a state of disarray, yet he still retained his unyielding spirit. He looked back with lingering affection, three quick glances, wanting to imprint Bai Fengjiu's appearance and voice into his eyes—"A stubborn stone will not rot, water has no scale to float. My love, I will not regret this life!" Song Xuanying collaborated with the rebels to cause chaos, causing severe damage to Chengyu Country.

After several changes, the battle at the Royal Tomb finally came to an end. The watchman beat the drum, marking the third watch. Since Bai Fengjiu was seriously injured and fell into a coma, Song Xuanren carried her back to the palace. After diagnosis by the imperial physician, although her pulse was stable, her injuries were strange and the root cause was difficult to determine. After the imperial physician left, Song Xuanren tucked her quilt in.

He wanted to touch her jaw but feared the dew was too heavy. He should have left immediately, but he yearned for a moment of quiet. He verbally expressed all his deep affection, until the watchman beat the drum for the fourth time, when he turned and closed the door before leaving. The Empress Dowager heard the news and was heartbroken, partly due to the pain of losing a son and partly due to the sins of her own son.

Seeing that Song Xuanying still showed no signs of remorse and even came to comfort her, she felt even more ashamed. Things having come to this, having experienced this disaster, the Empress Dowager had also come to understand much. Between Song Xuanren and Bai Fengjiu, she no longer dwelt on past matters, nor would she interfere rashly.

Bai Fengjiu met Ye Qingti in her dream and called out softly, but in her trance, he turned into nothingness and disappeared without a trace. In a flash, she opened her eyes, and it was still a vague scene. Looking back again, only sorrow remained. She tore off a white cloth strip and tied it to the top of her hair, wishing to observe mourning for Ye Qingti for three years.

Cheng Yu witnessed the whole process, deeply knowing that Bai Fengjiu had suffered a huge blow, but did not know how to comfort her. She could only descend to the mortal realm to deliver medicine, sighing that humans and immortals follow different paths. Song Xuanren visited Yuehua Palace again and saw Bai Fengjiu sitting alone in the pavilion, staring blankly. His heart was clear, yet he did not avoid her.

He walked slowly, sat down beside her, and in a humble attitude, asked Bai Fengjiu to forget what happened before and start anew. Bai Fengjiu did not respond in time, but quietly left the palace the next day. Song Xuanren searched in many places, and finally, a city guard found that Lady Jiu had ridden a horse westwards. By the time Song Xuanren arrived, Bai Fengjiu was standing at the edge of the abyss.

The white gauze curtain fluttered repeatedly, as if she was a solitary figure, like something from beyond the heavens. This place's scenery was once enjoyed with an old friend, and this white bracelet was also a gift from an old friend. Now that the old friend was gone and parting was imminent, Bai Fengjiu's heart was like dead ash.

She stated her love and then jumped down, growing smaller and farther away, leaving only Song Xuanren's heartbreaking cries and unbearable pain. Bai Fengjiu used this experience to help the Emperor Donghua overcome his love trial. After the mortal realm matters were concluded, she retrieved Ye Qingti's body and brought it to the Underworld Department.

Because Ye Qingti died by a demonic blade and was infected by impure energy, even if his fate were to be reignited, he could only turn into a demon. To find a way to save him, she would need to find a Pipa tree fruit to recreate his immortal body, dissolve the demonic energy, and wash away his mortal dust in the Nine Heavens Yao Pool, so he could be reborn as an immortal.

Although Pipa trees grow in places like the Nine Heavens and the Western Heaven Pure Land, picking the fruit is not difficult, but they have not bloomed for nearly ten thousand years. To find an immortal fruit, one can only wait for fate. Xie Gouchou could only place Ye Qingti on the Yuangi Terrace to temporarily protect him and buy time for Bai Fengjiu.

From then on, Song Xuanren vomited blood and fell into a coma, waking up after a few days appearing aged by several years. The inner palace was shrouded in sorrow. The Empress Dowager came to visit and offer comfort, but Song Xuanren had no desire to live. He asked her to establish a new ruler, and the Empress Dowager was heartbroken upon hearing this. In Yuehua Palace, a single lamp flickered weakly, casting trembling shadows.

The table was clean as new, untouched by dust. Song Xuanren, in his final moments, could not see his beloved, only holding onto memories with regret. Her valiant appearance, dancing in the courtyard, her clever eyes, her beautiful eyes. He saw the dark sky outside the window, the star river connected in a line—the beautiful person first appeared. The Emperor of Chengyu died of depression.

Several years later, Nie Chuyin led troops to attack Chengyu Country and seize the Spirit Rock. After three and a half autumns and a cycle of reincarnation, the various aspects of the mortal world, their fate ended here. When all things returned to their true nature, on the Nine Heavens, a tear dropped from the corner of Emperor Donghua's eye, as if he had just woken up, fully clear, without any love left.

Episode 22 Recap

Emperor Donghua woke up. Although his power had recovered by seventy percent, the mortal trial was like a phantom dream, fleeting and gone in an instant. Not only did he have no memory at all, but he was also puzzled by the tear marks at the corner of his eyes, making his mood even more sorrowful. Zhonglin suggested summoning Si Ming to ask.

Emperor Donghua, thinking that the mortal matters were concluded and his obsession should be released, felt there was no need to trouble himself further. Lian Song went to visit, but saw Emperor Donghua often deep in thought and silent. Thinking that Si Ming was in charge of the Emperor's fate book, he specifically inquired but was perfunctorily evaded by Si Ming, who only said that the person who caused the variable was an old friend of Cheng Yu.

Since Nie Chuyin got the soul-locking jade, he sighed and frowned all day long. Firstly, he worried that the Demon King relying on this item to come out of seclusion would break her promise, and his life would not be safe. Secondly, he was annoyed that the treasure was in his hand, yet he couldn't use its useful function. After much thought, Nie Chuyin decided to take a gamble.

He decided to personally present the soul-locking jade and mentioned that the Emperor of Chengyu should be the mortal incarnation of Emperor Donghua. Elsewhere in the Demon Realm, Yan Chiwu, through various methods, finally made Ji Heng recover her memory after several attempts. Overwhelmed by grief and sorrow, Ji Heng, facing Yan Chiwu's deep affection, was touched but still couldn't give a clear response.

Using healing as an excuse, she lied to Yan Chiwu to go outside Qingxuan Hall, then came to the entrance of Fanyin Valley and used the spell taught by Emperor Donghua to open the entrance and enter the valley. Yan Chiwu returned after gathering herbs and saw a letter left on the stone table. Worried, he went to brutally beat Nie Chuyin, wanting to vent his anger for Ji Heng.

Nie Chuyin was eloquent and had excellent acting skills, managing to deceive him and thus barely saving his life. Bai Fengjiu stayed in the Underworld Department for a long time, letting go of greed, anger, resentment, and hatred. Her state of mind was different from before. After saying goodbye to Xie Gouchou, she walked alone quietly and returned to Qingqiu. Jingwei received the news and asked about interesting things in the mortal realm.

Bai Fengjiu was not interested and unwilling to mention much, until she heard that her aunt was about to have a grand wedding and had returned from traveling. Bai Qian was still lamenting the tediousness of the rituals when she found that Bai Fengjiu visited with injuries, wearing a white hair ornament and plain clothes.

She couldn't help but feel both angry and loving, and frankly told her that as the future Queen, she absolutely must not disregard her people by acting willfully. Bai Fengjiu did not dare to anger her aunt and immediately swore an oath that she would certainly consider the overall situation and be mindful of her responsibilities in the future. Bai Qian was protective of her own and often favored her niece, so she naturally would not criticize her much.

After Bai Fengjiu left, she instructed A Li to come up with a plan to cheer her up and relieve her worries. A Li understood and specially took Bai Fengjiu out to stroll and play in the streets. The two of them dressed up and mingled in the market. It happened that Lord Cangyi from the Northern Wilds was free to travel and passed by Qingqiu.

He saw that the local customs were simple and genuine and it was unusually lively, so he stopped and stayed. He even inquired from his subordinates that the Princess of Qingqiu was not only exceptionally beautiful but also had a straightforward and unrestrained personality and never adhered to mortal customs and etiquette. At the same time, Prince Xiang Limeng of the Biyi tribe, who yearned for the world outside the valley, came to Qingqiu and almost met with disaster.

Fortunately, he was rescued by Bai Fengjiu in time, and in an instant, a face was barely visible behind her veil. A Li blurted out Bai Fengjiu's identity. The surrounding people were startled and immediately knelt down and bowed in respect, which scared Bai Fengjiu, who pulled A Li and ran, making Lord Cangyi suddenly feel interested.

Lian Song knew deeply that Cheng Yu had been worried about her old friend recently, so he might as well use the excuse of organizing the Thousand Flower Ceremony to divert her worries. However, Cheng Yu had no intention of managing it and did not want to be too entangled. She even regarded his good intentions as nonsense, directly broke Lian Song's cherished treasure fan, and then walked away grandly. The gatekeeper generals couldn't bear to watch.

Lian Song pretended to be calm and implicitly instructed the two to spread his image as a devoted lover. He would then find an opportunity to charm Cheng Yu, wanting to use the Thousand Flower Ceremony to talk by candlelight at night, become a couple, and be envied by others. Cheng Yu was repeatedly annoyed by him and couldn't bear it anymore. She finally cast a spell to stir up the pond water and drenched Lian Song completely. This scene made the gatekeeper generals even more unable to watch.

Episode 23 Recap

Bai Fengjiu was troubled and worried by love all day long, her heart knot ultimately remained untied, making it difficult for her to easily let go. Cheng Yu was displeased by this, so she took Bai Fengjiu to her residence to get drunk and stay until dawn. As they talked deeply, she further advised Bai Fengjiu that she should find a suitable good man to match, only then could she love one person and forget another.

At this time, Bai Yi had just returned from Mount Qin Yao. Zhe Yan was specially entrusted by Lord Cangyi to be a matchmaker, proposing marriage on behalf of the Northern Wilds to Qingqiu, seeking to marry Bai Fengjiu. Although Lord Cangyi from Mount Zhiyue did not come from an ancient divine family, he single-handedly protected the mundane realm's mountains and rivers for ten thousand years, ensuring their prosperity.

He was truly an outstanding candidate among the younger generation of immortals, and Bai Yi greatly respected him. However, Bai Fengjiu's willingness was required. It just so happened that Bai Fengjiu was completely drunk and coincidentally pressed her handprint while her mind was unclear. By the time she woke up again, it was already too late.

Lian Song brought the finished short knife and specially invited Cheng Yu to assist him in managing the Thousand Flower Ceremony and compiling the guest list. Cheng Yu initially refused, but couldn't stand his various entanglements, so she decided to just get it over with quickly and went with him. Passing by the lotus pond, they happened to encounter Emperor Donghua. However, Donghua seemed to be gradually recovering some memories and was also more interested in his mundane experiences.

When Lian Song heard him call Zhonglin to fetch the fate book, he hurried to Tai Chen Palace, using the excuse of tasting tea to get a glimpse. Because Si Ming was overly cautious and personally delivered the fate book, it not only aroused Lian Song's suspicion but even Donghua discovered that the contents recorded in the fate book were slightly inconsistent with his memories. Having read the fate book, Lian Song's mind was clear.

Moreover, because he had overheard the conversation between Bai Fengjiu and Cheng Yu earlier, he immediately found an excuse to advise Donghua not to be too fixated. The mundane relationships were like a dream, it was better to just let things be. Returning to his residence, he saw Cheng Yu still seriously compiling the list. After a moment of composure, Lian Song's expression turned serious.

He instructed her that even if she wanted to protect her old friend, she must never jeopardize the Emperor's safety. This matter concerned the Four Seas and Eight Desolaces, and the various implications involved opportunities that outsiders could not imagine. Cheng Yu was almost intimidated by his serious tone and couldn't help but become worried, giving repeated assurances.

However, within three sentences, Lian Song reverted to his old ways and even accidentally ruined the guest list that Cheng Yu had meticulously compiled. Cheng Yu was furious and refused to listen to any of his explanations. She immediately rolled up her sleeves ready to beat him, scaring Lian Song into running away. Bai Fengjiu had a terrible hangover and only woke up at noon the next day.

Seeing A Li playing with a wedding dress and phoenix crown nearby, she remembered the marriage contract she had hastily signed and was greatly shocked on the spot. She hurried to find her father, Bai Yi, to call off the engagement. Bai Yi was already particularly satisfied with his future son-in-law and was even more unwilling to go back on his word and let Qingqiu be gossiped about.

Even when Bai Zhen came to persuade him, he strongly refused, insisting on choosing a date for the wedding. Having run out of options, Bai Fengjiu packed her bags, preparing to run away from the wedding. However, due to an unintentional remark from A Li, a clever plan came to mind. She personally went to Lord Cangyi's residence to request calling off the engagement.

Although Lord Cangyi was puzzled, he had been deeply fond of Bai Fengjiu for a long time and would absolutely not handle this matter carelessly. Furthermore, he was open-minded; even if Bai Fengjiu's mortal husband had passed away, he would be willing to mourn with her. Bai Fengjiu thought he was stubborn and inflexible, so she decided to settle the matter through combat to determine the outcome. Lord Cangyi had no choice but to agree.

Subsequently, he yielded in every move during the fight, not using his full strength. When Bai Fengjiu made a mistake, he flew forward to rescue her. Bai Yi knew that his daughter was usually willful and reckless. After learning the situation from A Li, he quickly rushed to Mount Zhiyue and timely stopped the scene that everyone present deemed too absurd.

Episode 24 Recap

Zhe Yan advised and was willing to act as the officiant to break off this wrongly formed engagement, lest the two of them have unpleasant interactions in the future. Although Lord Cangyi had feelings, seeing Bai Fengjiu's strong attitude, he readily agreed. Bai Yi, seeing him so understanding, immediately ordered Bai Fengjiu to kneel and receive the clan whip on the spot. Fortunately, others interceded and she was spared the punishment.

After Bai Fengjiu returned to Qingqiu, her worries were resolved, and her mood naturally became cheerful. To thank Zhe Yan for his righteous assistance, she specially made pastries and entrusted Cheng Yu to deliver them. Lian Song saw that Emperor Donghua had a deep obsession with foxes, so he suggested that he accompany the wedding procession to visit Qingqiu to look for a fox.

Later, they came to the Ten Mile Peach Forest and saw Cheng Yu and Zhe Yan chatting happily, and his jealousy surged. In the blink of an eye, Bai Qian and Yehua's wedding day was approaching. This event was extremely grand and solemn in the Heavenly Realm. According to the usual custom, the groom's elder brother would lead the wedding procession. However, Mo Yuan shang shen was unwell and could not attend.

The Heavenly King could not decide on a suitable person. Lian Song advised the Emperor before the palace, and it just so happened that Donghua also had this intention. On the day of the wedding procession, Zhe Yan led Si Ming Xingjun, the Third Prince Lian Song, and Emperor Donghua to Qingqiu. Because Si Ming had witnessed Bai Fengjiu sacrificing everything for love, he deliberately stood beside Lian Song and subtly hinted to Donghua in various ways.

Who would have thought that Emperor Donghua showed no reaction at all, merely sitting alone on the side drinking tea, utterly indifferent. Bai Fengjiu, hiding not far away, overheard that Qin Ji from Zhonghu Mountain was fond of her uncle Bai Zhen. Her heart full of gossip, she couldn't resist popping out to ask for details. Seeing Zhe Yan glance at him with a cold eye, Si Ming was deeply troubled and secretly regretted being talkative.

Bai Qian donned her ceremonial robes, bade farewell to her parents, and followed the crowd to pay respects to the imperial decree. Bai Fengjiu felt bored and secretly slipped away, hiding in the garden to watch the sky. Emperor Donghua took the opportunity to leave, used magic to investigate, and indeed found traces of a fox. In the Nine Heavens, the gods celebrated with a banquet.

Bai Fengjiu and A Li returned late and specially saw Si Ming waiting at the entrance. They couldn't help but talk about Donghua, and little did they expect that Donghua overheard them. After the wedding ended, Lian Song, inspired by Zhe Yan, wanted to try a different approach to pursue Cheng Yu. He demonstrated the newly forged weapon, the Haotian Tower, in front of everyone. Si Ming, to avoid awkwardness, praised it against his will.

Only Cheng Yu seemed completely uninterested, instead showing a greater fondness for Zhe Yan shang shen's Jiuli Pot. Bai Yi was worried that Bai Fengjiu would cause trouble again. Before leaving, he instructed Bai Qian to take care of her a little and let her stay in the Heavenly Palace for a few days. This way, she could relax her mood and restrain her temper, and also use this good opportunity to find a satisfactory husband.

Since Bai Qian was entrusted with matchmaking, she would certainly not be careless. She sought out talented young men from the Eight Desolaces and Six Harmonies and had Bai Zhen arrange blind dates. Although Bai Fengjiu was extremely reluctant, she couldn't disobey. She could only rely on her cleverness, thoroughly figure out the potential suitors' habits and hobbies beforehand, and deliberately make a fool of herself in front of them. It happened that Donghua was resting by the pond.

He saw Bai Fengjiu rushing over with a food box, and then she took out greasy cooked food and strong liquor. With her dishevelled appearance and drunken image, she successively scared away two men she was supposed to meet. Donghua seemed to have never seen such a scene before and suddenly became interested. He strolled to the pavilion. Bai Fengjiu mistook the newcomer for Migou. While chatting casually, she talked about bits and pieces from the past.

When recalling mundane trivialities, she even thought of Ye Qingti, who had deep affection and righteousness towards her, and the Chengyu Kingdom, which had now been completely destroyed. Donghua remained silent, merely sitting behind her and listening. When Bai Fengjiu stood up and turned around, she was stunned on the spot, at a loss for what to do.

Episode 25 Recap

Recently, rumors on the Nine Heavens have been non-stop. Bai Fengjiu, curious, inquired and learned from Si Ming that Emperor Donghua was fostering female immortals, and even more, a female immortal had once bathed in a hot spring with the Emperor and possibly gave birth to an illegitimate daughter, Cheng Yu. Bai Fengjiu felt both awkward and amused. Now that things were sensitive, she needed to be discreet and careful to retrieve the jade bracelet and hairpin.

Cheng Yu specifically came to inform her that Emperor Donghua, being in charge of the register of immortals, would receive obeisance at Qingyun Hall every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and bestow ranks upon the immortals. Bai Fengjiu had a slight plan in mind. First, she staked out the area outside Qingyun Hall to figure things out.

After finally shaking off A Li, she cleverly used her acting skills to successfully fool the guards and enter the hall to state her purpose. Unexpectedly, this attracted the immortals who had not yet left on both sides, who rushed to watch. Bai Fengjiu immediately felt she had lost face. Forcing herself to stay calm, she pretended to sleepwalk. Seeing this, Emperor Donghua didn't hesitate to expose her again. Slowly and deliberately, he took out the jade bracelet and hairpin.

Just as he was about to return them, she hastily interrupted him and earnestly took her leave. Some time after she left the hall, Emperor Donghua quietly returned. He then sat at a table in the courtyard, studying and admiring the Haotian Tower. Lian Song heard the news and came to inquire, frankly stating that Emperor Donghua had cultivated himself over the past few years, his killing aura had diminished, making him appear quite indifferent.

Emperor Donghua made no comment, resting his chin on his hand and looking into the distance. His gaze happened to fall upon Bai Fengjiu, who had gone to a banquet with Bai Zhen. Zhihe was intelligent and practiced her dancing skills diligently. Immediately after, under the Hevenly King's arrangement, she performed at the banquet and was granted pardon to return to her palace. Bai Fengjiu and Bai Zhen saw through her performance.

The two cooperated, with hidden meanings in their words, which angered Zhihe but also gained the admiration of the crowd. Finally, the Hevenly King, citing the strict laws of the Nine Heavens, temporarily postponed the arrangements. Emperor Donghua publicly announced that he would fight the battle in place of Zhihe. To outsiders, this appeared even more like deep sibling affection, and naturally, no one dared to object further.

Bai Fengjiu remained silent upon hearing this, burying her head in her drink. She did not leave until the immortals dispersed, sitting in the same spot completely drunk, pulling Emperor Donghua over to complain and pour out her grievances. Early the next morning, Bai Fengjiu woke up in Qingyun Hall and found Emperor Donghua's outer robe covering her. Her memories were jumbled. She specially asked her uncle for the reason.

Bai Zhen truthfully recounted that after Emperor Donghua sent Bai Fengjiu back, since it was inconvenient for him to stay overnight in Qingyun Hall but she had no clothes to wear, A Li immediately went to Xihe Palace to borrow clothes. As his parents were deeply asleep, he could only shout loudly in the courtyard, causing the entire palace to hear.

Bai Fengjiu was relieved for a moment, but unexpectedly, A Li only focused on the key points, recounting Bai Fengjiu's embarrassing state and the matter of Emperor Donghua sending her back to the palace. This left Bai Fengjiu completely stunned on the spot, speechless. Originally, Bai Yi had ordered Bai Fengjiu to stay in the Heavenly Palace for over a month, ostensibly showing the thoughtfulness of her maternal family, but privately letting Bai Qian look after her niece's romantic fortunes.

He thought that this way, Bai Fengjiu would meet more talented young men and broaden her chances for marriage. However, now that the month was almost up, Bai Fengjiu's romantic fortune was still as dead as dust. She hadn't gained many in-laws, but had accumulated two outer robes. Bai Fengjiu calculated with her fingers that she should return to Qingqiu in three days.

Feeling that she shouldn't waste time, she simply climbed the wall and threw the bundle containing the outer robes in front of Emperor Donghua. Afterwards, she took A Li everywhere to wander around. Zhihe maliciously blocked their way, warning Bai Fengjiu not to harbor unrealistic fantasies about Emperor Donghua. Bai Fengjiu was already feeling frustrated. Thinking of past events, she shoved her back, making her fall to the ground and get stained with bird droppings.

Elsewhere in the garden, many people were gathered. Bai Fengjiu couldn't hide her curiosity. She instructed A Li to disguise himself and investigate, while she hid under a sinking wood tree to cool off and wait. This tree was located by the pond, sturdy and lush, already ten thousand years old. Normally, no one came and went there, as everyone knew it had become Emperor Donghua's resting place.

As luck would have it, today Emperor Donghua was sitting slightly reclined on a couch behind the rockery, his eyes closed, and heard A Li discover that the immortals were placing bets on the candidate for Empress. Upon learning that she was considered less likely than Zhihe, Bai Fengjiu voluntarily took out her money pouch and had A Li place a bet. Emperor Donghua found this very amusing.

He got up and looked, only to hear Bai Fengjiu calling herself a pervert. After the siblings left, Lian Song appeared and sighed with a smile. However, his skill was insufficient, and he was again mocked by Emperor Donghua. Bai Fengjiu was waiting with A Li in the pavilion. Seeing Emperor Donghua and Lian Song walking over while chatting, she panicked and hid inside a handkerchief. Emperor Donghua had already seen through her and deliberately took the handkerchief away. Lian Song realized what was happening and left without revealing it, leaving A Li feeling quite disheartened.

Episode 26 Recap

Recently, rumors on the Nine Heavens have been non-stop. Bai Fengjiu inquired out of curiosity, and unexpectedly learned from Si Ming about Emperor Donghua fostering female immortals, especially that a female immortal had once bathed in a hot spring with the Emperor, and possibly even given birth to an illegitimate daughter, Cheng Yu. Bai Fengjiu felt both awkward and amused. Now that things were sensitive, to retrieve the jade bracelet and hairpin, she needed to be discreet and careful.

Cheng Yu specifically came to inform her, stating that Emperor Donghua, because he is in charge of the register of immortals, will receive obeisance at Qingyun Hall every year on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month and bestow ranks upon the immortals. Bai Fengjiu had a slight plan in mind. First, she staked out the area outside Qingyun Hall to figure things out.

After finally shaking off A Li, she cleverly used her acting skills to successfully fool the guards and enter the hall to state her purpose, unexpectedly, this attracted the immortals who had not yet left on both sides, who rushed to watch. Bai Fengjiu immediately felt she had lost face. Forcing herself to stay calm, she pretended to sleepwalk. Seeing this, Emperor Donghua didn't hesitate to expose her again. Slowly and deliberately, he took out the jade bracelet and hairpin.

Emperor Donghua made no comment, resting his chin on his hand and looking into the distance. His gaze happened to fall upon Bai Fengjiu, who had gone to a banquet with Bai Zhen. Zhihe was intelligent and practiced her dancing skills diligently. Immediately after, under the Heavenly King's arrangement, she performed at the banquet and was granted pardon to return to her palace. Bai Fengjiu and Bai Zhen saw through her performance.

The two cooperated, with hidden meanings in their words, which angered Zhihe but also gained the admiration of the crowd. Finally, the Heavenly King, citing the strict laws of the Nine Heavens, temporarily postponed the arrangements. Emperor Donghua publicly announced that he would fight the battle in place of Zhihe. To outsiders, this appeared even more like deep sibling affection, and naturally, no one dared to object further.

He got up and looked, only to hear Bai Fengjiu calling herself a pervert. After the siblings left, Lian Song appeared and sighed with a smile. However, his skill was insufficient, and he was again mocked by Emperor Donghua. Bai Fengjiu was waiting with A Li in the pavilion. Seeing Emperor Donghua and Lian Song walking over while chatting, she panicked and hid inside a handkerchief. Emperor Donghua had already seen through her, and deliberately took the handkerchief away. Lian Song realized what was happening and left without revealing it, leaving A Li feeling quite disheartened.

Episode 27 Recap

Recently, Emperor Donghua has been in a good mood, keeping the handkerchief with him all day, a smile playing on his lips. The attendants of Tai Chen Palace are relaxed and at ease. On the contrary, Lian Song has been busy shuttling back and forth between both sides, either hiding in the Lord's Hall to focus on developing the Haotian Tower or accompanying Emperor Donghua on a boat for a chess game, feigning cooperation.

Bai Fengjiu originally intended to play a long game, thinking that hiding in the handkerchief and testing patience would eventually bore him, leading her to be released. Who would have thought Emperor Donghua would be even more mischievous? Not only did he have no intention of doing so, but he also played various tricks, heading to the kitchen with great interest. Bai Fengjiu couldn't bear the hunger.

Taking advantage of Lian Song coming to find Emperor Donghua, she secretly appeared to taste the sweet and sour fish. However, the appearance and taste were still the same, showing no improvement at all. In desperation, she had no choice but to remake it herself. Lian Song made a mistake while practicing with the Haotian Tower, resulting in Zhonglin being trapped inside. He dismantled the artifact into parts but couldn't find the reason.

In the end, he had to hand it over to Emperor Donghua to handle, who rearranged the mechanism of the tower's spire. Just as Lian Song was about to praise it, a rich aroma came from the kitchen. After tasting it, Emperor Donghua felt very familiar with it and then thought of the fairy maiden Xiao Jiu.

Lian Song saw through Emperor Donghua's thoughts and deliberately announced loudly that Cheng Yu was sick, attempting to lure Bai Fengjiu out with this. Upon being notified by A Li, Zhe Yan came to the Heavenly Palace under a casual pretext to ask for the handkerchief.

Emperor Donghua naturally wouldn't give it up easily, so he accepted Yan Chiwu's challenge and, on the eve of the battle, prepared to use it to wipe Cang He, the divine sword ranked among the Ten Great Ancient Divine Weapons. Bai Fengjiu thought about how tomorrow a killing spree would begin and her life would be in danger. She decided that she must escape the handkerchief tonight to avoid being harmed.

She used magic to break free from the barrier and happened to land by the side of the couch. Seeing Emperor Donghua's sleeping face, she couldn't help but gaze at him for a moment. Bai Fengjiu wanted to leave but accidentally knocked over the incense burner. Afraid of waking Emperor Donghua, she simply used a sleeping spell on him.

Afterwards, she went to the place where she had planted the Cold Stone Grass back then, dug it out, and prepared to take it back to Qingqiu. Revisiting the old place, Bai Fengjiu's state of mind was already different. The little fox who had begged for Emperor Donghua's favor with a pitiful look back then had now grown. Although her love hadn't diminished one bit, she also understood what self-respect and self-love meant. Emperor Donghua followed her all the way.

Seeing Bai Fengjiu sitting in the pavilion in a daze, he immediately used magic to make her faint and observed her sleeping face closely. When Bai Fengjiu woke up, she found herself still inside the handkerchief. Yan Chiwu was standing opposite Emperor Donghua, complaining that he had broken up his and Ji Heng's marriage. Bai Fengjiu only knew Yan Chiwu as a reckless man of the demon race, but she hadn't expected him to be so handsome in appearance.

Emperor Donghua swung his sword, killing seven thousand mortal beings, and successfully broke through the Nightmare Demon Formation. Yan Chiwu was beaten back step by step, and in his rage, he knocked the handkerchief from Emperor Donghua's waist. Emperor Donghua immediately chased after it and created a barrier to protect Bai Fengjiu. However, a sudden strong wind swept up, reversing the flow of sand, stones, and foul air.

Bai Fengjiu and Yan Chiwu couldn't withstand the force and were both blown off the cliff, falling into Fanyin Valley. This happened to coincide with the opening of the valley during the Jiazi cycle. They encountered such a minuscule chance. Bai Fengjiu was both angry and annoyed, having cursed Yan Chiwu thoroughly in her heart long ago. After Yan Chiwu slowly woke up, he only felt pain all over and mistakenly thought Bai Fengjiu had taken the opportunity to retaliate.

Bai Fengjiu vehemently denied it. During their conversation, she learned that Yan Chiwu mistakenly believed Emperor Donghua deeply loved Ji Heng, which was why he was so resentful. Bai Fengjiu and Ji Heng had many unpleasant incidents in Tai Chen Palace. She couldn't be bothered to listen to Yan Chiwu's various flattery and praises, so she simply covered her ears.

Episode 28 Recap

The Biyiniao tribe has always been delicate and feared contamination by the mundane world's foul air, so they simply secluded themselves in Fanyin Valley. Fanyin Valley opens once every sixty years and is isolated from the world year-round. When Bai Fengjiu and Yan Chiwu fell, it happened to be the day the valley opened.

At that moment, Xiangli Meng was about to explore the outside world, but unexpectedly, as soon as he exited the city gate, he was immediately knocked unconscious by the two people who fell from the sky. Qingqiu had previously fallen out with the Biyiniao tribe. Although Bai Fengjiu sympathized with the prince, under the current circumstances, hiding her identity was more important.

The Biyiniao Tribe's Queen saw that the two refused to explain their origins and immediately ordered them to be locked in the death row. Fortunately, Xiangli Meng woke up in time and lied about their false identities, helping them successfully escape the ordeal. The Queen believed it was true and was naturally warm and hospitable, changing her angry expression from moments before.

She specifically granted the two permission to stay at the royal college and arranged for them to study the culture of Jifeng Academy. Yan Chiwu was initially irritable, but after discovering Ji Heng in the hall, he was stunned for a moment, his impatience vanished, and he bowed his head to accept the Queen's arrangements. Bai Fengjiu paid special attention to this, but due to her poor eyesight, she couldn't see anything amiss with the white-robed woman.

In the first few days, Bai Fengjiu often wanted to find a way to escape the deep valley, but no matter how she investigated and explored, she was still unable to use magic. Even if she thought she was clever and tried to teleport, she could only appear within the city. Whether it was the common people on the street, the shop owners, or Xiangli Meng who was bathing, they were all eventually greatly startled.

Seeing the prospect of being trapped here for a long time, Bai Fengjiu showed extreme impatience. Recalling the culprit in Tai Chen Palace, she was determined to draw a line between them, but also considering that among the myriad beings outside the valley, only Emperor Donghua knew, she couldn't help but yearn for him to come rescue her. However, time quickly turned to the Winter Solstice, and several months had passed.

Bai Fengjiu had gone from initial expectation to present numbness, only occasionally remembering grudges to prove she was still alive. On the contrary, Yan Chiwu, her companion in hardship, was much more enthusiastic than before, even taking her to restaurants to eat and realizing the principle of being content with the present circumstances. The lessons were as dull as usual.

Bai Fengjiu proposed forging divine weapons, but the teacher refused, citing his old age and qualifications, which made her feel annoyed and depressed. Yan Chiwu disliked book knowledge and painstakingly endured until after class. He secretly went to the other courtyard to find Ji Heng to investigate the truth. Ji Heng pretended not to recognize him, but her habitual actions from their childhood exposed her identity, and she left in anger.

Since the royal college held a competition for students every ten years, where the winner had a chance to obtain the Pipa fruit from beside the Jieyou Spring, Bai Fengjiu remembered Xie Guchou's request and instantly felt invigorated. However, the teacher in charge of the competition had been offended by her before. To register, she needed to copy the "Mahavairocana Sutra Commentary" ten times. The tea ceremony class was approaching.

It was originally decided that someone else would teach the lecture this year, but Emperor Donghua, contrary to his usual practice, actually came in person. The Biyiniao tribe people were busy setting up. Bai Fengjiu hurried over to join the fun and happened to see Xiangli Meng talking to Princess Jielu about rumors from the Heavenly Palace.

Jielu had admired Emperor Donghua since she was young, so she naturally refused to believe that the Emperor would sleep and bathe with a female immortal. She stated directly that he was secretly in love with the Qingqiu Empress, who he could not obtain, which was why he was talking such nonsense. Bai Fengjiu was too naive and didn't realize who the brother and sister were talking about.

Xiangli Meng couldn't enlighten his sister, so he simply immersed himself in the academy's designs and even asked Bai Fengjiu for help in setting up secret passages and traps. At the same time, the Demon King Miao Luo learned that the Pipa fruit had ripened and further urged her magic to break free from her restraints. Emperor Donghua sensed the tremor in Miaoyi Abyss and spent some time repairing and subduing it. Afterwards, he called Lian Song to discuss strategy.

Episode 29 Recap

After Bai Fengjiu's careful guidance, the trap modifications were finally completed smoothly. However, no sooner had she left than Emperor Donghua entered, surprising and delighting everyone, who quickly bowed to him. Yan Chiwu was displeased and couldn't help but step forward to argue. The accompanying teacher immediately rebuked him.

Xiangli Meng worried that Emperor Donghua would trigger the trap, but unexpectedly, the teacher was the one who fell into it, and everyone was once again stunned by the sudden turn of events. Bai Fengjiu brought her copied texts to the teacher and waited until she was almost asleep. Xiangli Meng and the others returned from school one after another, casting sympathetic glances at her. Yan Chiwu explained the situation.

Bai Fengjiu wanted to seize the opportunity to escape, but in an instant, she saw the teacher rushing over, exasperated, his hair and clothes disheveled, completely disregarding his own appearance. Emperor Donghua appeared at the crucial moment and indicated that he wanted Bai Fengjiu to attend to him by his side. The teacher, who was quite learned, had focused all his energy on dealing with Bai Fengjiu today.

Seeing this sudden turn of events, he understood the situation and quickly took his leave and fled. Bai Fengjiu was angry that he hadn't appeared for half a year and spoke some heroic, harsh words, very dramatically. Emperor Donghua was slightly surprised but found it deeply amusing, so he conjured a handkerchief as an apology, allowing Bai Fengjiu to vent her frustration. Bai Fengjiu was not reserved.

Upon learning that Emperor Donghua was afraid of the cold, she first buried the handkerchief in a snow pit for half a quarter of an hour, then soaked it in ice water, squeezed orange pulp onto it, and dyed it with a wooden brush. During this time, she didn't hear Emperor Donghua make another sound. Bai Fengjiu felt a pang of conscience and carefully examined the handkerchief. The character "Ji" was embroidered on the corner.

Feeling depressed, she concluded that Emperor Donghua liked Ji Heng. Xiangli Meng hosted a banquet and invited Yan Chiwu and Bai Fengjiu. Princess Jielu had no intention of drinking, secretly feeling jealous and resentful. She even mentioned at the table that Ji Heng the musician always accompanied Emperor Donghua whenever he came to the valley to lecture. Yan Chiwu, knowing that Ji Heng had already come out of seclusion, quickly ran to Yulin Courtyard to express his feelings.

Ji Heng responded coldly, stating that she owed Emperor Donghua a great debt and had already made a vow to live in Fanyin Valley for the rest of her life, attending to Emperor Donghua by his side. Rejected, Yan Chiwu was already dejected. He was even more disheartened when he saw Emperor Donghua playing Go with Lian Song using the Stacked Time Technique while strolling around. He returned to his residence crestfallen.

Bai Fengjiu had mostly calmed down and was preparing to thoroughly dry the handkerchief. However, upon hearing Yan Chiwu's complaints, she realized that Emperor Donghua had been deceiving her all along and couldn't help but erupt in fury, clutching the "evidence" and rushing towards Shuiyue Lake. Lian Song saw the beauty approaching in anger, looking ready for a fight, within a hundred paces.

He inevitably watched with amusement, happily tapping the board, and even reminded Emperor Donghua, who was contemplating his move. Bai Fengjiu, whose fox tail appeared due to the Stacked Time Technique, looked completely lacking in imposing presence. Seeing this, Emperor Donghua was momentarily stunned, realizing it seemed familiar, and was somewhat certain. He reached for the handkerchief but failed to get it. Instead, Bai Fengjiu challenged him.

Her state was truly much livelier and more spirited than it had been half a year ago. In the blink of an eye, it was the day the list for the Zongxue competition was announced. Xiangli Meng's mood didn't fluctuate much as he was always first. Yan Chiwu didn't think he had much strength and wasn't too concerned.

Bai Fengjiu, on the other hand, not only didn't make the list, but even the teacher's attitude towards her had completely changed from before, becoming extremely respectful, leaving her utterly confused. Her attempt at flattery and pleasing had failed. Bai Fengjiu had no choice but to find another way. Through Xiangli Meng, she learned that the Pipa fruit was guarded by giant pythons on all sides, which were extremely fierce, moved quickly, and ate people.

Bai Fengjiu did not dare to rush in rashly and arranged to go with Yan Chiwu. During this time, Yan Chiwu talked about Ji Heng hiding her identity and living in seclusion in Fanyin Valley, completely failing to notice Bai Fengjiu's unusual expression. Although this person was different from Zhihe for Bai Fengjiu, because of Emperor Donghua, she held quite a prejudice against her. Even though she could not deny Ji Heng's caring attention in the Demonic Lotus Realm, she could not deny the harm she caused on the Nine Heavens.

Episode 30 Recap

Emperor Donghua took pleasure in the Dao, and it was unavoidable that he was imbued with divine aura. Besides being meticulous in life, he also sought perfection in dealing with matters. Everyone thought he was demonstrating exceptional taste and refined interests, but in reality, it was because of his long life and endless time, so he simply used his hobbies to temper his character.

To align with the concept of "realm," Donghua specifically set up the tea ceremony class in Shuiyue Lake, and even made a scene of winter radiate intense spring vitality. Bai Fengjiu saw through Donghua. Especially when Ji Heng stole the spotlight while he was teaching the art of arranging tea, besides feeling disconnected and emotional, she didn't listen to a single word of the content.

Ji Heng seized the opportunity to propose a tea competition, requesting Emperor Donghua to allow Bai Fengjiu to accept the challenge. Utterly confused, Bai Fengjiu had no choice but to bite the bullet and participate. The skill levels of both sides were clearly very close, yet Donghua ruled that Ji Heng won because Bai Fengjiu was not paying attention in class. Bai Fengjiu felt dissatisfied and wanted to settle the score with Donghua. Donghua had always claimed to be shameless.

After arguing sophistically, he raised his hand and removed a twig from the top of Bai Fengjiu's head, which initially flustered and moved Bai Fengjiu, causing her to replay the moment repeatedly in the following days. A new batch of dancers arrived at the Zuilixian Wine House, and Xiangli Meng invited them again. To steal the Pipa fruit before the competition, Bai Fengjiu and Yan Chiwu worked together, frequently plying Xiangli Meng with wine to probe information.

From this, they learned that the giant python at Jieyou Spring would leave the divine tree every full moon night, disappearing for a few moments to cultivate. With this important information, Yan Chiwu dug an underground tunnel in the suburbs on the eve of the full moon. Donghua witnessed the entire process and slightly cast a spell, adding two more forks within the tunnel. That night, Ji Heng stewed clear soup and waited at home.

But upon seeing Donghua return, he treated her coldly. Although she felt complicated inside, with much bitterness and unwillingness, past events and the disparity in their status had become obstacles between them. Furthermore, Donghua's heart already belonged to someone, only he had not yet realized it. In the blink of an eye, it was the next day. Yan Chiwu took the lead, deciding to scout the way first.

Bai Fengjiu still received no response, feeling a little worried, she quickly went down to investigate. After great difficulty choosing a fork to proceed, as soon as she exited the cave, she heard a woman's laughter from the forest below her feet. As far as her eyes could see, Emperor Donghua was sitting cross-legged at the end of a path adorned with flowers.

If not for the seductive woman clinging to his shoulder, he would have resembled a handsome exiled immortal, untouched by the mundane world. Miao Luo's illusion whispered soft words into his ear, but still failed to create any ripples in Donghua's eyes. Seeing this scene, Ji Heng felt shame and grief, and then ran away, leaving only Bai Fengjiu to observe carefully and discern that the two were not as outsiders saw, but were secretly engaging in intense magical combat.

Amidst the colorful falling Fuling flowers, weapons clashed. Bai Fengjiu, to protect Donghua, rushed forward with her sword. She felt enlightened recently and found that her skills had also improved. After fighting for more than half a quarter of an hour, the phoenix tail flower on Bai Fengjiu's forehead shone repeatedly. Miao Luo was slightly stunned, and immediately changed the trajectory of her power, causing Bai Fengjiu to lose control gradually, finding it difficult to manage.

Donghua, who was originally standing by and watching, instantly pulled her into his arms at this moment, using his body to block the attack. After Miao Luo was driven away, Donghua's arm bled profusely. Bai Fengjiu suppressed her panic and carefully bandaged him. Because Miao Luo's intrusion into Shuiyue Lake triggered a lockdown that could only be lifted after twelve hours, Bai Fengjiu could not steal the Pipa fruit and felt extremely dejected.

Donghua misunderstood that she was meeting Yan Chiwu and only understood the reason after questioning her, his jealousy gradually fading. He then comfortably rested his head on Bai Fengjiu's lap to recuperate. Bai Fengjiu, constrained by "divine authority," voluntarily warmed his hands. During this time, she observed Donghua's sleeping face, feeling even greater sweetness. Until dawn, neither of them woke up, and they even slept in each other's arms.

Episode 31 Recap

Bai Fengjiu, because she took a nap in the barrier, caused turbid energy to enter her body, trapping her in a nightmare where she shivered and couldn't wake up. She mistook Donghua for her own mother. Donghua couldn't refuse Bai Fengjiu's whining and crying. He had no choice but to wet a handkerchief and place it on her forehead, patting her back to soothe her, and letting her cling tightly to his embrace as she fell into a deep sleep.

After Bai Fengjiu woke up, she noticed her clothes were dishevelled. Seeing Donghua calmly leaning against the bed frame reading a book, she felt embarrassed but understood the reason upon hearing it, and immediately breathed a sigh of relief, stating she was willing to offset all the previous incidents. Just as she was about to leave, she saw Ji Heng lingering outside the door.

Worried about being misunderstood, she quickly turned back, pushed Donghua down, lifted the quilt, and covered both of them. Donghua saw through Bai Fengjiu's intentions. Instead of dodging, he swaggered to the kitchen to decoct medicinal soup. Ji Heng wanted to do it for him but was refused. Filled with jealousy and resentment, she followed him into the room but saw that the window was wide open and Bai Fengjiu had already escaped.

After returning to her room, Bai Fengjiu was still bewildered, not understanding Donghua's true intentions. Yan Chiwu suddenly burst in. Seeing she was safe and sound, he was overjoyed. Not long after, he began to solve her confusion. Because Yan Chiwu was simple-minded and his thoughts were entirely on Ji Heng, he forced out a twisted and strained explanation. Bai Fengjiu, not understanding the complexities of love, believed it even more, and couldn't help but feel a little disheartened.

She recalled how she had dared to approach the Emperor in the name of repaying kindness when she was young and bold, an act that now seemed utterly ridiculous. Meanwhile, Si Ming was still lost in thought on the Nine Heavens. However, because Lian Song had grown suspicious about Bai Fengjiu's past, he informed Cheng Yu Lord that she could intervene to stop him. If he continued to investigate, Bai Fengjiu would definitely suffer unnecessary harm again.

While these two were still discussing countermeasures, Donghua had already appeared in Miaoyi Abyss to reinforce the seal. Although Demon King Miao Luo couldn't gain any advantage through illusions, she unexpectedly caught a glimpse of Donghua's weakness during this confrontation. In order to escape the barrier, she decided to get the Pipa fruit or the birthmark between Bai Fengjiu's eyebrows as soon as possible. Donghua knew the origin of the birthmark.

To thwart Miao Luo's plot, he proactively sought out Yan Chiwu and requested to exchange residences. Yan Chiwu was still shocked by Bai Fengjiu's true identity. After some consideration, he packed his bags and left. When Ji Heng heard about this, her face immediately changed dramatically. She then shut herself in for several days, which truly made Yan Chiwu gloomy. Xiangli Meng wanted to go and comfort his friend. On the way, he saw Bai Fengjiu zoning out by herself.

While chatting with her, he mentioned that two hundred years ago, Aranya, the second princess of the Winged Bird Clan, loved the three seasons of spring, summer, and autumn. After her death, the High Priest Chen Ye severed the three seasons with a single sword strike, drawing them into his sleeve. He then secluded himself in Qinan Divine Palace and never took another step outside.

From then on, only winter remained in Fanyin Valley, and Aranya's name became a taboo throughout the clan. After hearing the story, Bai Fengjiu also caught a cold from staying in the snow for too long, feeling both cold and ill. Just as she was about to close the window, she saw the Emperor carrying a fish basket entering Yan Chiwu's room. Feeling suspicious, she ran to inquire.

Unexpectedly, after a battle of wits and words, she was dragged into a trap by the sharp-tongued and scheming Donghua, who used the theft of the Pipa fruit as an excuse to threaten her into taking responsibility for serving him. Yan Chiwu, advised by Xiangli Meng, planned to find a good opportunity to strongly facilitate the marriage between Donghua and Bai Fengjiu. Only then could he seize the chance to win Ji Heng's heart.

Fortunately, the heavens did not fail the diligent. The teacher, prompted by the Emperor, proactively added Bai Fengjiu to the Final Competition of the Clan School. Yan Chiwu racked his brains and used all the vocabulary he knew to praise Donghua. Jielü watched the whole process and found it very amusing. After Bai Fengjiu left, she patiently gave him some pointers, even stating that everyone in Fanyin Valley knew that Bai Fengjiu liked Donghua.

With Jielü's clarification, Yan Chiwu released his mental burden. Immediately, he and Xiangli Meng prepared a banquet to celebrate Bai Fengjiu's entry into the finals. Donghua happened to pass by. Hearing that Xiangli Meng had a liking for the Qingqiu Princess, his jealousy surged. He immediately called out Bai Fengjiu's name loudly.

Episode 32 Recap

Lian Song, his gossipy nature roused, was even more unwilling to miss this good opportunity. He expended a bit of his cultivation to specifically take A Li to Zuixian restaurant for drinks. Bai Fengjiu, facing the arrivals, was both surprised and confused, thinking she was still dreaming. She quickly pinched her thigh to test, unexpectedly injuring Donghua. Seeing this, Ji Heng deliberately brought over lotus seed soup, inserting herself between the two. Her feigned sincerity immediately made everyone feel awkward.

Bai Fengjiu, to avoid making things difficult for herself, was looking for an excuse to leave. Yan Chiwu also wanted to accompany her. Who knew that his request for pastries would be heard by Donghua as whining and acting spoiled, causing a wave of jealousy? He intentionally knocked over the soup bowl. Lian Song watched the entire process and found it quite enjoyable.

After the banquet, he returned to the Heavenly Realm, leaving the remaining people to return to their respective rooms. Miao Luo's phantom took advantage of Bai Fengjiu's deep sleep, trying to approach but was blocked by the barrier. In her helplessness, she could only manipulate Ji Heng's consciousness, driving her with inner demons, causing her to lose her conscience. Feigning a weak appearance, she used Yan Chiwu to participate in the Pipa fruit competition.

A beauty having a request, Yan Chiwu naturally found it hard to refuse. He first informed Bai Fengjiu, and then happily practiced his swordplay. Fortunately, Jielü was sharp-eyed and immediately saw through the scheme. The Clan School final competition was imminent. Donghua specially set up a ten-day seclusion for Bai Fengjiu, placed a barrier, set up snow stakes, and personally supervised her training.

The first two days were truly miserable for Bai Fengjiu, but with diligence and hard work, as time passed, her footwork improved significantly compared to before. Cheng Yu Lord was worried about Bai Fengjiu, and spent the entire day daydreaming alone, feeling unhappy. To please her, Lian Song used magic to peek remotely. The scene was the same as always. Bai Fengjiu was currently practicing blindfolded. During this, she suddenly lost her balance and was about to fall.

Donghua acted in time, their lips met, and they remained stunned for a long while before reacting. Donghua's lip was injured and bleeding. Bai Fengjiu was at a loss and was called back just as she was about to leave. After a debate, her stubbornness grew stronger. Instead of avoiding, she worked even harder on her practice.

Although Cheng Yu saw that Bai Fengjiu was unharmed and free, she was also worried about her spending every day with Emperor Donghua, fearing they would repeat the old path. Lian Song offered comfort, stating that fate arises from cause and consequence, and even Si Ming Lord cannot easily change it. Meanwhile, Yan Chiwu was practicing hard with Ji Heng's company, surrounded by warmth. On the other side, Xiangli Meng was heartbroken because his "Invincible General" suddenly died.

He sat at Zuixian restaurant drowning his sorrows and even made several maids kneel beside him crying and wailing. Jielü was at a loss and could only hurriedly go find Yan Chiwu and Bai Fengjiu, bringing the two of them to the restaurant to persuade him. Yan Chiwu didn't understand why Xiangli Meng was so emotional about a cricket.

Jielü could only explain the reason, admitting that Xiangli Meng had traveled out of the valley many years ago and visited Qingqiu. This item was also a gift from the Princess of Qingqiu. Since then, Xiangli Meng had been unable to eat or sleep properly, determined not to marry anyone but her, which is why he was currently unmarried and his lovesickness was hard to cure.

Bai Fengjiu initially misunderstood that Xiangli Meng had a crush on her aunt Bai Qian, but didn't expect the person Jielü mentioned was herself. Recalling carefully, it seemed true, but because it was a long time ago, she didn't recognize it. Just as Bai Fengjiu was caught in a dilemma, Xiangli Meng was instead spurred on, deciding not to be bound by clan rules and bravely pursue his love.

When he left the valley in the future, he would personally go to Qingqiu to express his feelings to the Princess. Yan Chiwu already knew Bai Fengjiu's identity and seeing this situation, found it hard to say much. Bai Fengjiu had a flash of inspiration and quickly changed the topic. Coupled with Yan Chiwu's tacit cooperation, it indeed made Xiangli Meng slightly give up the idea. Everyone couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Episode 33 Recap

After persuading Xiangli Meng, Bai Fengjiu and Yan Chiwu went together. Emperor Donghua felt jealous and waited in the courtyard for a long time. Not only did he repeatedly make things difficult with words, he also increased the intensity during training, remaining indifferent even when he saw Bai Fengjiu fall off the snow stakes. That night, Bai Fengjiu was covered in bruises and fell asleep as soon as she lay on the bed.

Emperor Donghua, saying one thing but doing another, finally brought out wooden hibiscus ointment and patiently applied it for her. This made Bai Fengjiu feel wronged and complain. After a conversation, she learned that her safe fall into Fanyin Valley back then was protected by a Tian Gang Shield, which was derived from Emperor Donghua's immortal magic and would naturally vanish into ashes after he ascended.

Although immortals are long-lived and their lifespan equals that of heaven, that is only true when the world is not facing a great calamity. Since ancient times, many venerated gods ascended due to trials of creation. Bai Fengjiu vaguely understood, but she had never truly considered that this day would come. For a moment, she found it hard to accept, her expression instantly dimmed, and she was on the verge of tears.

Fortunately, Emperor Donghua quickly explained and comforted her, finally easing her worries. Perhaps Emperor Donghua was usually too serene like water; his current gentle demeanor instead made Bai Fengjiu feel more intimate. She accidentally almost revealed her identity, but fortunately, with her innate quick wit, she casually covered it up and managed to escape further inquiry. Emperor Donghua playfully dabbed the wooden hibiscus ointment onto Bai Fengjiu's face. Bai Fengjiu, annoyed, dabbed it back.

The two pulled at each other and both fell onto the bed, staring at each other until Bai Fengjiu suddenly came to her senses. She got up in a panic and then wrapped herself in the quilt, pretending to sleep. When she heard his footsteps gradually receding, she suddenly discovered her hands were fair and white; the ointment had been cleaned off by Emperor Donghua using magic.

Since the Clan School competition would include a music test, Bai Fengjiu attempted to practice musical instruments diligently, but her skill was insufficient. She made frequent mistakes when combining the zither and flute, even finding it a bit difficult. Since Emperor Donghua heard the rumors about Bai Fengjiu and Yan Chiwu from Lord Lian Song, he became extremely jealous. For several days in a row, he became increasingly absent-minded, always appearing thoughtful.

Apart from occasional guidance and instruction during the day, he was mostly distant and indifferent in his free time. Bai Fengjiu misunderstood, calculating with her fingers, and thought Emperor Donghua was missing Ji Heng. She suggested he remove the courtyard barrier to make it convenient for friends to visit. To her surprise, Emperor Donghua was stunned upon hearing this. He smiled on the surface, but inwardly felt even more frustrated.

He casually added two more layers to the barrier, which instead left Bai Fengjiu completely confused and at a loss. Time flew by, and the Clan School competition was scheduled to begin at Qingmeiwu. This event was divided into two rounds. Ji Heng, as the chief examiner for the music competition, was the first to test everyone. Jielü and Xiangli Meng successively passed the test. Yan Chiwu, due to being given a pass, barely made it through.

Only Bai Fengjiu was deliberately made things difficult for by Ji Heng. Fortunately, she had practiced beforehand and was consistently able to follow the changes in the opponent's zither music, completing the piece without any flaws. By the time everyone was waiting at the sword fighting segment venue, Emperor Donghua arrived late along with Lord Lian Song. He paused slightly as he passed by Bai Fengjiu but did not speak.

As the drums sounded, the contestants waiting in the area jumped onto the snow stakes, swords in hand, engaging in chaotic fighting. The competition was quite fierce. Lord Lian Song felt very bored, so he set up a chessboard and played a game with Emperor Donghua. After about half an incense stick's time, only four people remained on the field competing in pairs: Bai Fengjiu, Xiangli Meng, Yan Chiwu, and Jielü. Jielü's skill was inferior and she was struck down.

Xiangli Meng suddenly realized that Bai Fengjiu resembled the Princess of Qingqiu and was knocked off the snow stakes while distracted. Lord Lian Song became interested. While watching, he secretly ate Emperor Donghua's chess pieces and cunningly won by a narrow margin. Ji Heng, having injected demonic energy into Yan Chiwu's body, slipped into the crowd amidst the chaos and quietly cast a spell to manipulate him, causing his mind to become disturbed.

His expression suddenly changed, becoming like a madman, and he swung his sword to attack Bai Fengjiu, every move vicious. Emperor Donghua saw the anomaly. Seeing that Bai Fengjiu had no power to fight back and was about to be injured, he immediately cast a spell to knock Ji Heng unconscious and checked her pulse. Yan Chiwu lost the control of demonic energy and his consciousness gradually cleared. He was at a disadvantage within a few moves.

Bai Fengjiu won the championship as desired, but her happiness didn't last long. Turning her head, she saw Emperor Donghua leaving while holding Ji Heng. Her joy was thrown to the back of her mind, and her heart felt unbearably bitter.

Episode 34 Recap

Emperor Donghua cast a spell to remove the leaking energy from Ji Heng's body. Seeing her pretend to know nothing about it, he initially didn't want to investigate further. Unexpectedly, she actually used the sentiment of her deceased father to ask for a Pingpo fruit to treat the Qiu Shui cold poison. Connecting this with the various misunderstandings and jealousy regarding Bai Fengjiu before, he simply agreed. Yan Chiwu happened to deliver medicine and accidentally overheard.

Xiangli Meng held a banquet at Zui Li Xian to celebrate with his friends. During the banquet, they talked about the mysteries of the serpent formation at Jieyou Spring. Jielü inadvertently spoke frankly, which Bai Fengjiu kept firmly in mind. Until the morning of the next day, the championship reward was carried into the courtyard by everyone in advance. Bai Fengjiu hesitantly lifted the cloth, only to see baskets full of flat peaches underneath.

Lian Song quickly explained, but his words not only failed to resolve her confusion but instead filled Bai Fengjiu with a hundred anxieties. After perfunctorily saying goodbye to everyone, Bai Fengjiu slowly walked out of Qingmeiwu. As far as her eyes could see, the snowfield was vast, and Ji Heng stood alone. Ji Heng deliberately adopted a harmless appearance and fully explained the reason for the replacement of the Pingpo fruit, emphasizing Emperor Donghua's intentions.

Bai Fengjiu felt sad upon hearing this. Her request to share the Pingpo fruit was refused. Finally, she fled in tears, falling into the snow and crying bitterly. To obtain the Pingpo fruit, she had tried her best and tasted all kinds of hardships. However, she was as insignificant as dust and ultimately could not defeat Emperor Donghua's power. He could clearly give several treasures to make Ji Heng happy, yet he specifically took away Ye Qingti's chance of rebirth.

Perhaps, just as Ji Heng said, Emperor Donghua only regarded her as a playmate for entertainment. But she considered herself quite competent, and if she could receive charity in this capacity, she was willing to put down her dignity and show sincerity again. After thinking for a long time, Bai Fengjiu seemed to have made a choice.

Gathering her courage, she went to find Emperor Donghua, but was told by Yan Chiwu that he had already returned to the heavenly palace with the injured fox and would need a few days to return. Lian Song had long seen the clues, so he went to Si Ming to understand the grievances and entanglements between Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua. Si Ming learned that Emperor Donghua's affection was deeply rooted, so there was no need to hide.

He simply spoke the truth after drinking, revealing everything. The truth was revealed to everyone, and Lian Song felt greatly relieved. Only Emperor Donghua was extremely shocked and fell into regret. Just as the two were still discussing a long-term plan, Yan Chiwu trespassed into Tai Chen Palace and angrily rebuked Emperor Donghua, stating that Bai Fengjiu was missing. There was no trace of her in or around Fanyin Valley. Just then, thunder struck in the sky.

Everyone rushed to Jieyou Spring, only to see ruined walls and debris there, everything collapsed. The four-sided serpent formation was restless. The Pingpo tree was still intact, but beneath the tree, a barrier of swirling blue mist enveloped the area. Bai Fengjiu's eyes were closed, and she was floating in the air. Although her face was pale, she had faint breaths.

Because Aranya was raised by a four-tailed python since childhood and later could not be reborn due to an unjust death, she injected a wisp of obsession into the serpent formation, manifesting a dream. To rescue Bai Fengjiu, one must shed all their immortal power and get drawn into it. If the person's heart is not strong enough, they will sleep there forever until all their cultivation is absorbed and they turn to ashes.

Xiangli Meng volunteered but was reprimanded by the Lady Monarch. Emperor Donghua had made up his mind to go. After giving all the instructions, he first shed ninety percent of his immortal power and then stepped forward, allowing the giant python to attack with force. Several cuts appeared on his body, and blood soaked his clothes. Each time Bai Fengjiu woke up, she only had a moment of consciousness.

Even though Emperor Donghua was standing beside her, speaking softly with downcast eyes, it wasn't long before she fell back into the dim silence. Emperor Donghua held her close to his chest, gently kissed her forehead, and carried the unconscious Bai Fengjiu into Aranya's dream. Outside the serpent formation, Lian Song instructed everyone to disperse and gave a warning. Yan Chiwu knew Ji Heng's thoughts. While comforting her, he heard about her past.

Seeing her stubbornness and refusal to turn back, just as he was feeling lost and melancholy, Jielü suddenly ran over to ask for help, stating that Xiangli Meng insisted on breaking into the formation and entering the dream. Yan Chiwu was worried about Xiangli Meng's safety and planned to go check. Jielü originally wanted to go with him but was persuaded by Yan Chiwu to stay. Watching his departing back, an unknown emotion spontaneously arose in her heart.

Inside the dream, Shuiyue Tan was lush with green trees, not a trace of snowy scenery was visible. Emperor Donghua casually conjured a couch to place Bai Fengjiu. He also cut his palm and fed her San He blood to gather her soul and heal her injuries. Bai Fengjiu dreamed that Fumi Immortal Mother was discussing her marriage with her parents.

Thinking that she already had Emperor Donghua in her heart but didn't know how to say it, she suddenly woke up in her dilemma. As a result, she opened her eyes and saw Emperor Donghua sitting beside her. She was stunned for a while, mistakenly thinking she was still in a dream. Gathering her courage, she hooked her arms around Emperor Donghua's neck and proactively offered a kiss.

Episode 35 Recap

Bai Fengjiu seemed to gain an advantage, but she thoroughly provoked Emperor Donghua, and the two of them became unstoppable from then on. Compared to the fleeting kiss just now, this one seemed more passionate, which was more in line with Emperor Donghua's characteristic of retaliating. Bai Fengjiu didn't know how to control her breathing and could only push him away forcefully. On the surface, she feigned calmness, but her heart was pounding like a drum.

As the future Lady Monarch of Qingqiu, she absolutely could not lose face. However, Emperor Donghua discovered that Bai Fengjiu, who had mistakenly taken reality for a dream, was actually this passionate. Because Bai Fengjiu suffered severe injuries before entering the dream and her immortal power was insufficient, her thoughts were muddled, and her memories remained at seventy years ago. She sighed for a long time.

Apart from the matter of transforming into a spirit fox in Tai Chen Palace, there were still two or three points she couldn't figure out the reason for, and she showed a look of confusion. Emperor Donghua observed her carefully and simply recounted everything that had happened in a half-truth, half-false tone, blaming Yan Chiwu for all the difficulties they were in. Bai Fengjiu believed it and felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

While complaining about the wrongs she had suffered, she also understandingly made excuses for him, even attributing all the causes and effects to her own declining luck and weak opportunities. Seeing her weeping like falling pear blossoms and recounting her grievances, Emperor Donghua quickly pulled her into his arms. Speaking of the immortal path in this floating world, it lasts for myriad years, and time is mysterious, wonderful in that many things are similar yet not alike.

For example, the two concepts of "love" and "desire" in the mortal world, Emperor Donghua had always considered controllable. He never expected that this seemingly stagnant and unyielding heart would actually fall completely into it. Bai Fengjiu had now lost all her cultivation, and her soul and body were both injured. Even relying on being fed San He blood three times a day, she was still extremely weak.

For recuperation of the immortal body, one should seek a place where spiritual energy converges. However, there are few spiritual mountains or wonderful realms in Fanyin Valley. Although Emperor Donghua used his own spiritual energy to create a recuperative seal, if Bai Fengjiu were to wake up, the accumulated spiritual energy around her body would begin to fluctuate, and her soul was not suitable for being confined for a long time.

Only by seeking nourishment from a living person's body can she fully recover. Now only half an hour remained until the seal, Emperor Donghua thought long and hard and finally lied, claiming that Bai Fengjiu had actually married him a long time ago. Bai Fengjiu could hardly believe it, as she had no impression of this matter in her mind, so she repeatedly asked.

It was only when Emperor Donghua said that he had knelt down and begged for forgiveness and detailed how Bai Yi had agreed to the marriage that she couldn't find any flaws and slowly became lost in beautiful fantasies. Emperor Donghua lowered his eyes and kissed her deeply, taking the opportunity to make her faint, causing her immortal body to immediately enter a state of recuperation.

He then carried her to the edge of Shuiyue Tan, conjured an ice coffin, placed her inside, and after taking out her primordial spirit, he sank the ice coffin to the bottom of the lake. Bai Fengjiu seemed to sense herself falling into an abyss. Seeing Emperor Donghua's anxious face, she reached out to grab him, but still couldn't resist the drowsiness. The scene gradually became blurry, and the phoenix feather flower on her forehead slowly faded away.

In the blink of an eye, at some unknown time, Bai Fengjiu woke up again as Aranya. Although she had no memories, she had fragments of dreams. In the dream, she seemed to have become a young girl, crying loudly in a snake formation, with no one around except for a handsome young man who walked towards her. This young man called himself her cousin, Chen Ye.

He first bit his finger and fed her blood to heal her injuries, then carefully took care of her for several months, gave her a name, and used a spell to engrave it on her arm. Aranya was very attached to him. However, Chen Ye needed to go into seclusion for long cultivation. Before leaving, he gave her various instructions, and they never saw each other again after that.

Bai Fengjiu was occasionally unclear in her mind, but her intelligence was still there. She could not only quietly extract useful information from the maid Chacha but also play this unfamiliar role vividly. Except for habits related to "snakes," she had a comfortable and carefree few days. However, Bai Fengjiu did not know that Chen Ye was still guarding the dream he had created at the Divine Officer's residence, yearning for her.

Beside Jieyou Spring, Lian Song had still not been able to come up with a good rescue plan. Yan Chiwu attempted to return to the Demon Realm to seek help. Nie Chuyin had long been scheming. He incited the Demon Lords to seize the opportunity to battle the God race to restore the Demon Realm's prestige. Xuyang heard that Ji Heng had been placed in Fanyin Valley by Emperor Donghua and felt greatly relieved, naturally refusing the suggestion.

After being thwarted, Nie Chuyin was filled with indignation and immediately went to Miao Yi Yuan to report to the Demon King. Miao Luo was overjoyed and decided to seize this golden opportunity to break through the seal, vowing to make Emperor Donghua buried in Aranya's dream.

Episode 36 Recap

In the Divine Officer's residence, Chen Ye's true body bitterly guarded Aranya's dream, using the spirit-piercing mirror to review their memories, thinking of the past with intense sadness and regret that he had not expressed his feelings to Aranya earlier, causing her to die in vain in Fanyin Valley. Fortunately, he listened to others' persuasion and recreated the dream realm, searching for signs for over two hundred years, collecting Aranya's primordial spirit with the soul-binding lamp.

Now, having finally found the right opportunity, he prepared to enter the realm to protect her rebirth. Meanwhile, Bai Fengjiu was completely unaware. Every day, based on what the maidservants told her and her own guesses, she adapted to the princess's habits, slept soundly, and enjoyed her freedom. This continued until Chacha and a junior attendant carried a green python as thick as a bowl to her, with dark green vertical pupils and hissing tongue.

It stunned her and made her faint on the spot, rendering her unconscious. Bai Fengjiu feared snakes, let alone being intimate with them. If she suddenly changed her character, she was afraid of being gossiped about. The current plan was to extract information from Chacha. However, she unexpectedly learned that Aranya had been considered a disgrace by her mother since birth and was later abandoned in the snake formation at Jieyou Spring.

She was fortunate enough to be raised by a giant python, fed on mice, and therefore loved snakes and ants. She had also rescued the green python, and they were as close as siblings. Even the senior attendants who served the Lord, down to the servants who handled chores, respectfully called the snake "Prince Qing."

Although Aranya was a princess in name upon returning to the palace, she was not favored and was often bullied by her older sisters Ji Nuo and Chang Di. The Lord, seeing that ten years had passed, decided it was time for her to marry and ordered her to form a marital alliance with Xi Ze. Xi Ze held the position of Divine Officer in Qinan, his status was naturally noble.

At this time, Ji Nuo happened to fall and injure herself during a horse riding competition. The Queen summoned Xi Ze down the mountain to treat her injuries. Emperor Donghua had searched in many places without success, so he took this opportunity to use a corrective spell to change the memories of the Biyiniao tribe, thereby impersonating Xi Ze, which made it more convenient to search for Bai Fengjiu's primordial spirit.

Emperor Donghua conducted a detailed pulse diagnosis and discovered that Ji Nuo was already pregnant, and the fetus in her womb would likely be the best host for the primordial spirit. However, Ji Nuo was injured, and using spells to investigate would only worsen the consequences. He now only had ten percent of his magic power remaining and could not immediately take the primordial spirit away.

He simply decided to stay under the pretext of recuperating her body and wait for the right time. The Queen did not know the truth and was instead very grateful. She immediately sent people to prepare a grand palace to accommodate him. Bai Fengjiu pondered helplessly for three days for a solution, and finally a flash of inspiration struck her. She went alone to the Zuilixian restaurant and ordered a full snake banquet.

She sat in silence for a long time, picked up her chopsticks with trembling hands, and before she could even take a bite, her face suddenly changed. She covered her mouth and rushed downstairs. Chen Ye was just entering from outside and happened to collide head-on with Bai Fengjiu. Seeing his former beloved again, he was filled with surprise and called out her name instinctively.

How could he have known that Aranya before him was already present in body but not in soul, showing no reaction at all. After a few hurried words, she said goodbye and fled into the rain. The water poured down from the sky generously. Bai Fengjiu felt a slight chill. In her free time, she called Chacha to consult and learned that Aranya and Chen Ye did not have much connection.

Their only interaction was when Aranya was young and went to wish Chen Ye a happy birthday, only to be provoked by her sisters and eventually disliked, having her gift thrown out. From then on, the two had no further contact. Although what Chacha said was truthful, Bai Fengjiu felt that Chen Ye's expression did not reflect such a distant relationship. She pondered repeatedly for a long time without result.

Seeing that dawn was about to break, she simply went to sleep soundly. When she woke up the next day, she was told to get dressed and ready to meet her master, Su Moye, who had returned from his travels. Su Moye had already seen Bai Fengjiu the day before at Zuilixian, but because she left in a hurry at the time, they had not met face to face. Now Su Moye suddenly appeared.

Besides testing her studies, he also casually presented her with fine wine, which finally revealed his true intention. It turned out that Su Moye was the Second Prince of the West Sea Lord. This prince was famous throughout the four seas and eight wildernesses for being a fop. He was fond of Lian Song and even considered Bai Zhen, his uncle, a close friend with whom he drank and feasted.

His mother was the Queen of all snakes, a white python from the post-Ancient era. Later, she absorbed spiritual energy from heaven and earth and was titled the Goddess of Qishan. Influenced by his mother, Su Moye enjoyed traveling to various places. That year, he rescued Aranya, who was twenty-five years old, from the snake formation and took her under his wing to raise her. He had to leave and handle matters when something unexpected happened in the West Sea.

When he returned to Fanyin Valley after only two years, the lively young girl had turned into a lonely grave covered in green grass, and the Biyiniao tribe adamantly claimed she had committed suicide. For two hundred years, Su Moye had investigated Aranya's cause of death without result. This time, however, he was entrusted by Lian Song to enter the dream and bring back Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua.

He explained that this place was a replica created by someone based on old scenes. At the beginning of this realm's creation, it might have been identical to Fanyin Valley back then, but its operation after creation was no longer related to Fanyin Valley. The person who created this realm likely wanted to use it to reverse the tragedy that happened in the valley back then and achieve complete liberation.

However, the magic was not refined enough, causing everyone trapped in the dream to lose some memories from their original world. Su Moye hoped that Bai Fengjiu could follow Aranya's actions before leaving the valley, allowing the events of Fanyin Valley from that year to be reenacted here, thus solving the mystery of her death. Bai Fengjiu was confused, but thankfully she understood the priorities and agreed to the request on the spot.

She also took Aranya's letters from her friends to try and get acquainted with this tragic princess. Chacha mentioned that the Queen's birthday was approaching, and the Lord had specially built a large ship to take people to the Southern Palace to enjoy camellias. Although Bai Fengjiu was ostracized and not favored, seeing her name on the list of attendants, she couldn't help but feel happy at the thought of escaping the troubles with Prince Qing. However, she suddenly heard that her fiancé, Xi Ze, was also among them, and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

Episode 37 Recap

It was widely said that Lady Qinghua, the Queen, was both talented and beautiful, with a refined taste. Ordinary song and dance banquets couldn't catch her eye. The Lord, to please her, would put great effort into her birthday celebrations each year. While others envied this, Bai Fengjiu didn't care at all. Instead, she felt happy, considering she was about to escape her troubles, and packed several boxes of luggage.

Chacha was in a dilemma and could only honestly say that the Lord had granted permission for Prince Qing to accompany Bai Fengjiu on the painted boat to the temporary palace. Bai Fengjiu spent several days trying to forget her worries. In a blink, the birthday banquet arrived. The boat was filled with flowers, like a separate world. Dozens of people were seated at tables in two areas.

Aranya's father and mother were in the upper seats, while below them, according to rank, were the two princesses and several close ministers. Emperor Donghua saw the attendants carrying the cage containing Prince Qing, and casually asked about it. He learned that Aranya's seat was next to his. At first, he didn't inquire further, but then he suddenly sensed Bai Fengjiu's aura and hastily looked around for her. He missed her by a hair, unable to see her face-to-face.

Su Moye introduced the main guests present to Bai Fengjiu one by one. When mentioning the Lord and the Queen, he gnashed his teeth, filled with extreme hatred. Bai Fengjiu saw her two older sisters for the first time; they were beautiful with fair skin and charming looks, certainly beauties. However, because she saw Prince Qing, she was afraid of being exposed and absolutely refused to stay, fleeing in a panic.

Su Moye's earnest persuasion was useless, so he had to find a seat alone. At this moment, Emperor Donghua returned, disappointed. The Queen came forward to converse, and only then did Su Moye notice Emperor Donghua's identity. He understood several matters, but the connection between him and Bai Fengjiu still needed more time to develop. After all, he relied on Bai Fengjiu's help, so how could he let the two of them reunite immediately?

This action was not disloyal; rather, immortal beings, if affected by the mortal world's colors, can also develop obsessions. This particular obsession had been lingering for several years, and only Bai Fengjiu could enlighten and resolve it. It was the time after the banquet, the moonlit night was bright, and the water and sky merged into one color. Bai Fengjiu and Su Moye sat opposite each other, peeling walnuts and talking heart-to-heart.

The walnuts were fragrant and crispy mountain walnuts roasted under the scorching sun. The matter they discussed concerned the sudden appearance of Bai Fengjiu's "cheap" fiancé halfway through. Logically, Aranya had only just reached adulthood, so why was she suddenly assigned a marriage? Su Moye pondered for a moment and then recounted that in Fanyin Valley back then, there was a Qinan Divine Palace, and this palace was presided over by a Divine Officer.

Since ancient times, the Divine Officer was chosen by Heaven, and there would certainly be unusual signs on the day of his birth. He usually held a leisurely position, not concerning himself with politics, but if the ruler was immoral, he could ascend to the Nine Heavens to depose the ruler. In other words, the Divine Officer held a highly esteemed position and was the number one important person that rulers throughout history tried to win over.

The Lord Xiang Lique wanted to restrain Xi Ze, so he specifically promised Aranya to him as wife. The two seemingly married but had no feelings for each other and never lived together. Later, Xi Ze fell gravely ill, resigned from the position of Divine Officer, passed the position to Chen Ye, and retreated to the back mountains of Qinan, not appearing until Aranya's death.

Fanyin Valley harbored everyone's secrets, but what Su Moye cared about most was the hardest to uncover. In his entire life, he had never held anyone dear, except for the day the gentle breeze brought warmth, and how the still-childish girl captured his heart in the snake formation, making him unforgettable to this day. In the present time, he could only drown his sorrows in wine, leaving him desolate and lonely.

The next morning, after dawn, Bai Fengjiu woke up in a daze. What met her eyes was Prince Qing sleeping soundly beside the bed. She stared blankly for a while, then hastily fled outside the door to ponder life. She vaguely remembered that after her verbal sparring with Ji Nuo and Chang Di, she had slipped into Su Moye's room planning to stay the night.

Su Moye, worried about being criticized, knocked her out with a palm strike and then carried her back to the room. Ji Nuo had originally planned to use the excuse of having breakfast together to deliberately slander Bai Fengjiu in front of Xi Ze. However, Xi Ze was startled by the resemblance between Aranya and Bai Fengjiu. He didn't bother to eat and secretly followed them all the way.

Only upon arriving at the manor did he hear Bai Fengjiu and Su Moye discussing at the stern of the boat how to forge a love letter handwritten by Xi Ze, tricking Chang Di into going to the riverside to impersonate Bai Fengjiu so that Bai Fengjiu could secretly slip away to see the Moon Bloom flowers. Chang Di had admired Lord Xi Ze for a long time.

After she saw the cheesy love letter dictated by Bai Fengjiu and written by Su Moye, she was completely unsuspecting and immediately fell for the trick. The Lord and the Queen led everyone to the Palace of Dust Viewing. Emperor Donghua saw that Chen Ye's aura was three parts similar to his own, and couldn't help but become suspicious for a moment.

Episode 38 Recap

Su Moye acted according to the plan, dressed in the purple attire of Xi Ze, and was already slowly in position. After not too long, Chang Di appeared as agreed. She originally intended to use a soft voice to express her feelings shyly and timidly, but unexpectedly fell into the trap, her clothes completely soaked. Su Moye frantically pulled her out and, following the situation, took her to the painted boat.

After they left, Bai Fengjiu, holding two masks, waited for a long time and finally brushed aside the reeds, mistakenly taking Emperor Donghua for Su Moye. Bai Fengjiu chatted about everything along the way, while Emperor Donghua followed closely behind, saying little. The two arrived at Mingxi Bay and lay down. All that met their eyes was darkness, and all that entered their ears was silence, which was very different from the bustling night sky above.

Bai Fengjiu thought that "Su Moye" was feeling sentimental and sorrowful, so she spoke without any reservations, talking about the past of Aranya, which further confirmed to Emperor Donghua that she was not Aranya herself. After not too long, faint glows began to emerge, revealing the surrounding scenery. A patch of flowers was like a canopy, the flowers seemed dyed with frost, floating in mid-air and spreading out brilliantly.

Bai Fengjiu hadn't expected the blooming of the Moon Bloom flowers to be so beautiful and magnificent. She had never seen anything like it in Qingqiu, nor in the Nine Heavens. She excitedly ran into it, immersing herself within. Amidst the happiness, a touch of sadness occasionally crept in; she always felt that she too had experienced unrequited love, or perhaps because of this, it left a sweet yet painful mark in her heart.

Perhaps Emperor Donghua was watching too intently and deeply, Bai Fengjiu momentarily lost her composure. She couldn't help herself and reached out to take off the other party's mask, and was startled to find that this person was none other than Xi Ze himself. Although she had brought the wrong person to admire the flowers, fortunately, Bai Fengjiu was quite clever. After a few perfunctory words, she fled in a panic.

Su Moye came looking for her the next day and informed her about what happened yesterday. It turned out that when Chang Di was preparing to change clothes, she was ambushed by Prince Qing. One person and one snake chased each other back and forth, running through the four woods howling, and finally, Chang Di rushed into the main hall of the Palace of Dust Viewing and fainted on the spot, terrified.

Now the Lord was furious and intended to heavily punish Aranya. Su Moye, using the excuse of inadequate supervision, tried to help Bai Fengjiu take responsibility for the crime. Coupled with Xiang Lihe stepping forward to plead for his sister, the Lord finally did not delve into it deeply and simply ordered people to lock Bai Fengjiu in a stone cage for ten days of reflection.

Chang Di was displeased and secretly bribed the guards, thus knocking out Bai Fengjiu and transferring her to the Nine Bends Cage. Because the Nine Bends Cage was covered with thorny vines that had been cast with spells, a slight touch felt like being cut by knives. Bai Fengjiu could neither stand nor sit, as if undergoing torture, covered in wounds. Chang Di came to curse and mock, which happened to coincide with a fire at the temporary palace.

Without thinking, she abandoned Bai Fengjiu and fled directly. Seeing the fire growing stronger and the heat wave sweeping the prison door, Chen Ye suddenly appeared and rescued her. After carefully feeding her the healing medicine, he carried her to the entrance of Xiaohan Residence, secretly vowing to protect the one he loved, and then, hearing footsteps approaching, quickly hid behind a tree. Only after witnessing Su Moye carry Bai Fengjiu into the house did he leave.

Emperor Donghua checked the fetus in Ji Nuo's womb that night and indeed found that Bai Fengjiu's primordial spirit was not within it. Before he could investigate further, he immediately heard that the prison was on fire. He rushed into the sea of flames without regard for his safety and found that Bai Fengjiu was already gone. Following the trail, he finally arrived at the entrance of Xiaohan Residence.

At this moment, Bai Fengjiu slowly woke up and weakly recounted the beginning and end of the events, even worrying that her personality was different from Aranya's and that she wouldn't be able to replicate her life. Su Moye, however, believed that Aranya's dream world was originally a matter of being off by a hair and missing by a thousand miles.

Just like the ten thousand white lotuses in the Fentuo Pond in front of the Tai Chen Palace, which were transformed from people's hearts and knew the changes of the four seasons, day and night, yet remained eternal and unchanging. As long as she made the same choices in a few major events concerning Aranya, she could follow her own heart and not be bound by constraints in other matters.

Episode 39 Recap

Aranya had no place to live, growing up among snake formations, never feeling familial care, nor being tolerated by the world. Her only brother, Xiang Lihe, who pleaded for her, also stayed far from the capital for a long time, residing in the Palace of Dust Viewing, due to avoiding his stepmother, Lady Qinghua. Bai Fengjiu was filled with pity for her and was also saddened by her own past.

She vaguely recalled fragmented memories, only remembering silver clothes and white hair, but could not see the face no matter what. Emperor Donghua stood behind the apricot tree, listening to the entire confession. He saw Bai Fengjiu crying loudly, feeling both regret and pain in his heart. Unconsciously, he broke the branch in his hand, his gaze fixed. Bai Fengjiu cried herself to sleep.

Emperor Donghua picked her up and sent her back to her room, preventing Su Moye from following. White mist was dense over the Sixing River. A few wind lanterns on the mast flickered on and off. Bai Fengjiu woke up to find Xi Ze sitting by the bed. After a moment of stunned silence, she finally thought of an excuse to avoid suspicion, even pushing away the bowl of brown sugar water he offered.

Emperor Donghua clearly understood that Bai Fengjiu misunderstood his relationship with Ji Nuo. He proactively spoke to explain, even showing a sad demeanor. Bai Fengjiu felt inexplicably strange and could not refuse his good intentions, so she could only tilt her head back and drink the brown sugar water, even sensing a faint scent of blood in the water. Until Emperor Donghua served Bai Fengjiu to lie down, he casually mentioned that night of the Moon Bloom flowers.

Bai Fengjiu immediately felt shy and quickly laughed, saying she was distracted and mistook him for someone else. However, Emperor Donghua was not sure and persistently asked her if she would still have expectations if she were to see her beloved again. Bai Fengjiu gradually became downcast and expressed forlornly that since they were fated to be apart, it did not matter whether he appeared or not.

Besides, everyone has their destiny, and she had long since come to terms with it. She only wished to find a suitable husband in the future and completely break free from the entanglement. Chacha told Emperor Donghua when he left that Qing Dian was fussing about finding Bai Fengjiu and refusing to sleep. Upon hearing this, Emperor Donghua immediately cast a spell, causing him to fall asleep.

Su Moye saw the Emperor Lord come to the door and proactively explained his purpose. Emperor Donghua did not make things difficult for him. After discussing the doubts about the dream, he reminded Su Moye to temporarily help him hide his identity and give Bai Fengjiu Three-Harmony Blood on time every day to help her recover soon.

Due to the fire at the temporary palace, the Lord and the Empress had no mind for sightseeing and ordered to set off back to the city. Chacha found that Qing Dian was in a deep sleep and did not know how to explain it to Bai Fengjiu, so she quickly went to find Su Moye for a solution. After careful examination, Su Moye found that Qing Dian was only put into a long sleep by a spell.

Thinking of the saying that Bai Fengjiu was afraid of snakes, he could not help but praise the Emperor Lord's meticulous thoughts. After several days of traveling by boat, everyone felt bored. The Lord wanted Chen Ye to find a way to relieve the boredom. Chen Ye divined that tonight would be filled with stars and that the evening would be pleasant.

Upon hearing this, the Lord immediately became interested and ordered the Ritual Official to prepare the wind platform specially built on the top of the boat for entertainment, intending to hold a night banquet on it. Bai Fengjiu originally had no interest in the banquet. It happened that Su Moye invited her out for a gathering at that moment. The two fished by the river.

Bai Fengjiu only felt that the bloody smell from the rice porridge lingered for a long time, but Su Moye casually found excuses to brush it off. Chen Ye came to inform them, but saw Bai Fengjiu holding sweet pastries, acting cute and coquettish, insisting that Su Moye taste them. Facing this scene, he could not help but recall the memory of teaching Aranya to taste pastries when they were young. For a moment, his eyes were filled with tenderness.

Since the Emperor Lord entered the dream, Lian Song had always stayed by the Spring of Relief. Xiang Limeng tried several times to enter the dream but was stopped each time. In the end, he could only reluctantly sit quietly and play chess with him. Yan Chiwu rushed over in a huff, accusing the two of not caring at all about the dream and staying there enjoying leisure. Lian Song was not in a hurry to retort.

Instead, he spoke confidently about how Emperor Donghua was able to subdue the seventy-two famous generals from the Ancient Era and sit on the throne as the co-ruler of heaven and earth, not just because he was good at fighting, but because he was wise in all things and could effortlessly solve any problem.

Episode 40 Recap

At the banquet, Bai Fengjiu and Su Moye whispered to each other, laughing and chatting lively. Chen Ye was displeased by this, and also felt annoyed by Ju Nuo's frequent attempts to curry favor beside him, so he got up and left. Just then, the singing and dancing ended. Chang Di stepped forward, carrying a qin, to play and add to the amusement. After finishing her song, she received praise.

In her moment of smugness, she heard the Empress inquire about Xi Ze's whereabouts and quickly spoke up, saying that she was worried about her sister Ju Nuo's injury and had specially requested Xi Ze to go to Shigong Mountain to pick heart-protecting grass. Chang Di's words stirred various thoughts in everyone present. Bai Fengjiu didn't care at all and retorted against them one by one.

Xiang Lique was probably annoyed by their arguing and stopped them right there, then turned the topic to the physician. The physician heard that all three princesses suffered from cold in the body, so he simply found thistle cypress fruits and made a medicinal porridge to offer. Just then, Emperor Donghua suddenly appeared. Although he looked dusty from traveling, there was no hint of urgency on his face; he was calm and composed.

He personally draped a cloak over Bai Fengjiu and then pulled her up to return to her seat. At Emperor Donghua's signal, Chacha brought a soup pot to Bai Fengjiu. Only after the Empress inquired closely did she realize that what Chang Di said was purely her own assumption. Emperor Donghua had returned with the heart-protecting grass because Bai Fengjiu was injured in Jiuju Cage.

To cover up the grassy smell, he had personally brewed it into fish soup and added ginger slices. Having been publicly misunderstood, the Ju Nuo sisters looked extremely displeased. The Empress naturally showed strong dissatisfaction. Emperor Donghua ignored them, and his affection for his wife became increasingly obvious, which instead made Bai Fengjiu extremely suspicious, unable to understand why the two, who were originally very distant, were so intimate.

Emperor Donghua unhesitatingly confessed that he was jealous, which both surprised and flustered Su Moye. Just as he was about to find an excuse to get out of it, a meteor shower suddenly appeared in the sky, drawing everyone's attention and narrowly averting a crisis. Having lost face in front of everyone, Ju Nuo found it hard to quell the anger and hatred in her heart. Thus, she conspired with Chang Di to come up with a vicious plan.

First, she had Chang Di imitate Aranya's handwriting to invite Su Moye to meet her at the painting boat at the Chen hour (7-9 AM). She then ordered a servant to deliver the letter. While Bai Fengjiu was asleep, she secretly put the aphrodisiac "Xiangsi Yin" into her tea. The sisters believed their plan was meticulous. In front of the servants, they performed a double act, staging a scene to catch an adulterer.

Immediately after, they sent servants to invite the Emperor, and when the painting boat was full of people, they discovered that the person who emerged from the bed curtains was not Su Moye, but "Xi Ze," who had already established marital relations with "Aranya." Everyone was at a loss. Emperor Donghua spoke, explaining the whole story of Aranya's room. It turned out that Su Moye had personally taught Aranya her handwriting.

He recognized the subtle differences in the letter, immediately reported it to Emperor Donghua, and together they set a trap to catch the culprits. Xiang Lique felt utterly disgraced and quickly apologized to Emperor Donghua. Fortunately, Emperor Donghua had brewed a calming medicinal soup. After drinking it, Bai Fengjiu quickly returned to normal.

She learned the whole process from Su Moye and couldn't help but laugh, sighing that Xi Ze was not as heartless as Su Moye had made him out to be. However, because the Ju Nuo sisters repeatedly attacked and plotted various schemes against her, Bai Fengjiu found it hard to swallow the injustice. She decided to teach them a lesson with a move after their house arrest was lifted.

Bai Fengjiu eagerly counted the days by bending her fingers, but in the end, she waited for something that didn't happen. News spread from the palace that Princess Ju Nuo had violated the rules of maidenhood, secretly had an affair with her tutor, became pregnant with an illegitimate child, and brought great shame upon the royal family. She had been sentenced to decapitation and her name would be eternally removed from the register of merit.

Chang Di was punished with exile for breaking Xiang Lique's glass lamp. Chacha learned through other channels that Ju Nuo was the flesh and blood of Lady Qinghua and the former Emperor, Xiang Liyin. Later, Xiang Liyin was killed by Xiang Lique. Lady Qinghua originally wanted to die with her husband, but she couldn't bear to part with the child she was carrying.

Coincidentally, Xiang Lique loved Qinghua dearly, so he said that if she didn't die, the elder brother's lineage could be preserved. However, as Ju Nuo grew up beautiful and intelligent, Xiang Lique had long intended to get rid of her, but Lady Qinghua protected her well. Now, he finally found an opportunity. Although Ju Nuo was also exposed in a scandal in the previous life, it was more than a month later than this life.

Su Moye was puzzled and couldn't understand why, until he finally learned that Emperor Donghua, in his eagerness to protect his wife, had secretly pushed things forward. To find the truth about Aranya's death, Ju Nuo was a key figure in the dream realm. Su Moye did not want to stop here, so he immediately decided to ask Bai Fengjiu for help.

Episode 41 Recap

As Si Ming said, April is the month of killing, and although Fan Yin Valley is far removed from the mundane world, this year's April was shrouded in a great deal of murderous aura. Ju Nuo was, after all, a princess of the Winged Tribe, and her execution site was set at the Divine Palace's Ling Shu Terrace. Only close relatives were allowed to observe the execution. Her beheading also needed to be recorded in historical annals for later generations.

The executioner's blade was called the White Tiger Blade, a sacred artifact of the Winged Bird Tribe. It is first consecrated with the wrist blood of the condemned, and then the winged spiritual beast "White-Browed Tiger" is released to devour the flesh and soul of the executed, trapping the soul within the blade for several years, preventing reincarnation.

In the previous life, Chen Ye had a marriage contract with Ju Nuo, so he went to rescue her when she was about to be executed. During this time, he was nearly fatally injured by the White-Browed Tiger. Fortunately, Aranya appeared in time and used her blood to consecrate the blade, sealing the spiritual beast back inside.

Xiang Lique had no other choice but to demote Ju Nuo to a commoner and, citing Chen Ye's favoritism and disgrace to his sacred duties, decided to report to the Heavenly Realm to expel him from Qinan Divine Palace. Aranya, under the guise of Xi Ze, requested Xiang Lique to allow Chen Ye to temporarily stay at her residence to forge a sword as a birthday gift for the Crown Prince of the Nine Heavens.

Su Moye recounted this with emotion, and Bai Fengjiu was filled with sympathy. Although she wanted to help, hearing about Aranya holding the White Ren blade with her bare hands made her hesitant. She struggled for many days, always afraid of the pain and daring not to practice. At the same time, Lady Qinghua knelt and pleaded with Xiang Lique to no avail, so she could only search for Chen Ye alone to discuss rescuing Ju Nuo.

Just as Chen Ye was hesitating, he suddenly saw his master Xi Ze standing outside the window. He went to ask for guidance, but unexpectedly, Xi Ze, who was Emperor Donghua's incarnation, was surprisingly indifferent and even showed disgust when speaking of Ju Nuo. Time passed in a flash, and it was the day of the execution. Ju Nuo, dressed in white, knelt on the platform.

Although she bore the crime and should have looked forlorn, she was of noble birth and showed no fear in the face of death, even displaying a certain royal demeanor. The chapter on sacred blade sentencing stated that once the sacred blade is drawn, if the condemned person seals the tiger within the blade before their soul disperses, their crime can be pardoned. Chen Ye appeared as usual; everything was proceeding according to the script.

Seeing him locked in a stalemate and struggle with the White-Browed Tiger, both injured, if it were to play out according to the plot of the previous life, at such a critical moment, Aranya would need to step in to help. However, at this moment, the dream seemed to change. Bai Fengjiu used Aranya's blood to consecrate the blade, not only alarming Miao Luo in Miao Yi Abyss but also causing her to faint due to exhaustion.

When Miao Luo fought Emperor Donghua in the past, she had left a trace of her primordial spirit's red energy in the human world. Now, this red energy appeared in Aranya's dream. She rushed to find it using a manifestation. Emperor Donghua observed the execution with an attitude of watching the spectacle, but seeing Bai Fengjiu appear, he immediately flew forward, disregarding the need to punish Su Moye, and carried Bai Fengjiu away.

Passing by Shuiyue Pool, he happened to see Miao Luo summoning Bai Fengjiu's body from the ice coffin, preparing to cast a spell to retrieve the magic power left within her. Emperor Donghua placed "Aranya" behind a large rock, drew his sword, and rushed to stop Miao Luo, successfully placing Bai Fengjiu's body back securely in the ice coffin. Miao Luo was unwilling to see her efforts come to nothing and fought Emperor Donghua with all her might.

Just then, Bai Fengjiu slowly woke up. Looking at her right hand, which was already bandaged, she couldn't help but complain about Su Moye. She then looked around and inadvertently came to the edge of Shuiyue Pool, where she saw Bai Fengjiu's body lying in the ice coffin. Having lost her memory, Bai Fengjiu had little impression.

She only saw that the person resembled her in appearance, with a faint red phoenix feather flower on her forehead, and couldn't help but want to reach out and touch it. However, before her hand could reach the forehead, her entire being transformed into a golden stream of light and was instantly sucked into the phoenix feather flower, gradually emitting a shimmering glow.

Episode 42 Recap

Bai Fengjiu's mind flooded with past memories, and Aranya also merged with her. Seeing that Emperor Donghua was still fiercely battling Miao Luo, she quickly got up and walked out of the ice coffin. Miao Luo tried to seize the opportunity to attack, but Emperor Donghua launched a move to repel her. He flew to Bai Fengjiu's side, tightly shielded her in his arms, and blocked a heavy blow from Miao Luo.

Meanwhile, the fierce battle in Aranya's dream caused the sky and earth in Fan Yin Valley to change color, with angry thunder rolling. Lian Song and Xiang Li Meng stopped their chess game, deeply worried. Yan Chiwu noticed the anomaly and immediately rushed to Jieyou Spring. The Female Monarch and Ji Heng were equally panicked. Emperor Donghua hid Bai Fengjiu in a concealed spot and then returned to face the enemy.

Bai Fengjiu recognized Miao Luo's identity and, worried about Emperor Donghua's safety, simply followed his tracks. She searched everywhere until late at night and finally found the heavily injured Emperor Donghua in a mountain cave. When they had seen each other earlier, they were hindered by the powerful enemy nearby and couldn't afford to ask about each other's condition.

Now that the crisis was resolved, just as Bai Fengjiu was about to speak, Emperor Donghua immediately pulled her into his arms, stumbled to the rock wall, and kissed her deeply. Bai Fengjiu was greatly shocked. Just as she wanted to push Emperor Donghua away, she hadn't expected that he would actually act shamelessly, clinging to her and refusing to let go, looking pitiful and whining about being in pain.

Bai Fengjiu painstakingly helped him sit on the stone couch, tidied up the dry branches to make a fire, and patiently bandaged his wounds. Emperor Donghua saw the heartache on Bai Fengjiu's face and was deeply comforted in his heart, so he intensified his feigned weakness even more, in exchange for Bai Fengjiu's tender treatment. Perhaps Bai Fengjiu saw through Emperor Donghua's tricks and was no longer falling for them at this moment.

Emperor Donghua, feeling helpless, had no choice but to talk about the past with her and offered explanations to resolve Bai Fengjiu's knot in her heart. Their relationship eased slightly. Due to too many variables in this place, Emperor Donghua stopped talking in time. Even though Bai Fengjiu still had doubts, she ultimately trusted Emperor Donghua and agreed to work together to leave Aranya's dream as soon as possible.

Afterwards, Emperor Donghua took advantage of Bai Fengjiu's deep sleep to cast a spell and hide the phoenix feather flower on her forehead. He then carried her to the edge of Shuiyue Pool, where he unexpectedly discovered that Aranya's physical body had vanished without a trace. Upon closer investigation, he learned that Bai Fengjiu had completely replaced Aranya.

He couldn't help but feel puzzled and found it difficult to understand the connection between the two of them, so he decided to remake the Miaohua Mirror to investigate. Chen Ye was removed from his divine duties. Fortunately, thanks to Bai Fengjiu's plea, the Heavenly King then allowed him to temporarily stay at Aranya's residence. The steward arranged for Chen Ye to live in Mengchun Courtyard.

Chen Ye looked at everything familiar before him and couldn't help but fall into memories, as if reliving that year. He was also full of expectation for the impending outcome. Since Bai Fengjiu returned, her whole demeanor appeared more cheerful and bright. Although Aranya's dream was just a dream, being able to live here with the Emperor under the guise of husband and wife was also quite rare. Su Moye came upon hearing the news and rushed to apologize.

Bai Fengjiu pretended to be wronged and complained a bit. Seeing him full of self-reproach, she stopped teasing him and explained the entire sequence of events, which greatly surprised Su Moye, leaving him unable to recover his senses for a long time.

Although thanks to Lady Qinghua pleading with Xiang Lique, Ju Nuo was reluctantly allowed to stay in the palace to recuperate for a period, Ju Nuo knew clearly that she was unharmed thanks to her cousin Chen Ye's rescue. Just thinking of now implicating Chen Ye, she couldn't help but feel regret, and she cried bitterly in her mother's arms.

Lady Qinghua comforted her, stating that her biological father Xiang Li Yin had once saved Chen Ye's life, so Chen Ye protecting her now was only natural. As long as Ju Nuo prioritizes the bigger picture more, there will definitely be a chance to return to the palace in the future, no longer suffering the hardships of displacement, and it's even less likely that she would willingly fall to the status of a commoner.

Episode 43 Recap

Emperor Donghua, in order to create the Miaohua Mirror to investigate Aranya's past and present lives, specifically summoned Su Moye to Qinan Divine Palace for help. Before departing, Su Moye brought Aranya's handwritten letter draft and instructed Bai Fengjiu to copy them all and send them every two or three days to Chen Ye, who was staying at Mengchun Courtyard. Aranya's personality was changeable, sometimes quiet and silent, other times intense and spirited.

But delving into her heart, one found clear distinctions of love and hate, and extreme forbearance. Although she knew Chen Ye had always disliked her, her affection for him was deeply rooted. The only thing she could do was use the name Wen Tian, a female tutor who had once stayed at the Princess's residence, to dip her brush in ink and write on fine paper, recounting her life over and over, writing more than twenty letters in total.

However, when Chen Ye broke ties with her, all of them were returned. Bai Fengjiu diligently imitated Aranya's handwriting and immediately had the old steward deliver them. After receiving the letters, Chen Ye quickly brought out the old ones to compare. The handwriting was the same, and the content was identical, but he still harbored doubts. For several days, the two exchanged letters frequently.

They mentioned things like travelogues in the study, the intricate chess game, etc. The words conveyed shared interests. Although the tone was restrained, unlike the initial distance, they left behind many good memories. Even the steward reported that the god's face seemed fine lately, and his mood should be more cheerful and contented than before. In his leisure time, he would solve chess problems and draw diagrams, or view the scenery at Boxin Pavilion, or walk around the courtyard.

Others did not know Chen Ye's thoughts, but only Bai Fengjiu saw things clearly. After sending out eighteen letters, after Chen Ye dug up the berry wine that had been buried under the tree for two years, he immediately invited Wen Tian to the residence. He first explained the matter of the letter exchange and then asked her to take her place in helping to look after Chen Ye.

Wen Tian had previously received Aranya's kindness, and being a polite person, she naturally agreed to help, having no suspicions. Bai Fengjiu finally felt relieved. Taking a break from her busy schedule, she remembered she wanted to make honey candy for Emperor Donghua herself and had Chacha deliver some to Lord Xi Ze, Su Moye, and Chen Ye, who had given her fine wine. Su Moye was working with Emperor Donghua, jointly casting spells to create the mirror.

Chacha arrived as instructed and handed two boxes of honey candy to the two of them respectively. At first, Emperor Donghua was slightly jealous, complaining that the gift was not exclusive. However, when he saw that the honey candy in Su Moye's box was five pieces less than his, his mood instantly brightened. He then walked past him with a calm expression.

Su Moye only realized the box was empty after coming to his senses and couldn't help but wail repeatedly. Since Aranya had never gone near the kitchen in her lifetime, Bai Fengjiu's well-intentioned return gift only deepened Chen Ye's suspicion. Following the events of the previous life, he continued to pretend ignorance. He then "accidentally met" Wen Tian herself, and subsequently exchanged letters with Bai Fengjiu a few more times, sending gifts to each other.

It wasn't until the twentieth letter concluded that Chen Ye pretended to learn the truth and exposed Aranya's impersonation of Wen Tian in writing the letters. Facing the reprimand, Bai Fengjiu remained calm and composed. Her reaction was vastly different from that in the previous life. Chen Ye's mind was in turmoil, completely thrown into disarray. He could not determine whether Aranya's change was due to variables or something else.

He could only sit under the red bean tree inscribed with Aranya's writing, getting heavily drunk, heartbroken and devastated. At the same time, everyone in Fan Yin Valley was concerned about the safety of Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua. Lian Song and Xiang Li Meng guarded the formation from outside, while Yan Chiwu looked after Ji Heng and observed the situation at all times.

Princess Jie Lu came before the Female Monarch and knelt, begging her to reveal the secret of Aranya's dream. However, the Female Monarch stated that Aranya's dream involved the royal family's reputation and could not be revealed casually. Just as everyone was still searching for a solution, Miao Luo already had her plans. She discovered that the phoenix feather flower on Bai Fengjiu's forehead was precisely the demonic blood she had left in Fan Yin Valley. As long as she recovered the demonic blood, she could escape her confinement and flee from Miaoyi Abyss.

Episode 44 Recap

Bai Fengjiu, considering Chen Ye's emotions, was just about to sneak away to Mengchun Courtyard to visit when the singing of birds outside the window caused suspicion. Pushing the door open, she found Emperor Donghua standing leisurely in the courtyard. With a wave of his hand, Fuling flower petals materialized, floating and scattering with the Luan birds.

Ancient historical records state that when a male immortal meets a female immortal he admires, he often presents a flower ring woven from the Anchan tree as a token of love. Now that the flower ring was on Bai Fengjiu's head, its meaning was self-evident. Bai Fengjiu's heart felt sweet, and seeing the stunning scene, she was reluctant to leave.

It happened to be Daughter's Day, and Emperor Donghua cast a spell to arrange the scenery, scattering Fuling flowers and Udumbara flowers throughout the entire imperial city, drawing the crowds of people. Bai Fengjiu was taken to the market, and besides being shocked, she was also worried that Emperor Donghua had been seriously injured earlier and that such extravagance tonight would inevitably consume his energy. Emperor Donghua was unconcerned and seemed to be in a particularly good mood.

Bai Fengjiu heard that he had eaten fourteen pieces of candy in a row, with the last one still tucked in his sleeve, and her fox heart had already melted into water. Thinking that he had no parents since childhood and was not cherished, and was now so happy because of a few inexpensive fox candies, her maternal feelings gradually overflowed.

Not only did she take him to tour the entire market, but she even spent money to buy him all sorts of interesting toys he had never seen before. Emperor Donghua enjoyed himself and was cooperative. During this time, he noticed Miao Luo's illusion following them but pretended not to know. The two strolled happily together.

When they reached the suspension bridge to enjoy the view and chat, Bai Fengjiu casually mentioned Aranya's humble and enduring love for Chen Ye, her mood becoming slightly heavy. Emperor Donghua spoke to comfort her, saying he would find a way to leave the dream as soon as possible and that after they left, he would marry Bai Fengjiu and make her his empress.

Bai Fengjiu was utterly shocked and almost couldn't believe it when Emperor Donghua leaned closer, their lips meeting. After the event, the crowd was buzzing. Looking back, they saw people gathered in the distance. Upon closer inquiry, they learned that a building had specifically risen from the ground in the imperial city.

This building was called Wunü Tower and was a token of love given tens of thousands of years ago by Lord Wunü, who was in charge of the Wunü star in the Heavenly Realm, to a prince of the Winged Bird tribe. Lord Wunü was interested, but the Winged Bird tribe never married outside their own kind.

Although the two had a romantic connection, they could only sigh that they were not destined to be together, leaving behind a solitary tower that only appears on the night of Daughter's Day. It serves for the women of the tribe to climb high with their perfumed pouches. If their beloved passes by below the tower, they can throw their perfumed pouch onto him and spend the night together. Bai Fengjiu had always loved excitement.

Although she had cautioned Emperor Donghua before, he was too eye-catching. The women on the tower were smitten with him, and all the perfumed pouches instantly stuck firmly to his body. Bai Fengjiu tried her best, but couldn't remove them. Emperor Donghua loved the sight of Bai Fengjiu's jealousy. After he was satisfied, he cast a spell to brush away the perfumed pouches. Just as everyone was exclaiming in surprise, Miao Luo suddenly attacked.

Without a word, Emperor Donghua flew off in pursuit. Bai Fengjiu failed to recognize Miao Luo and mistakenly thought Emperor Donghua was being fickle. Annoyed, she returned to the residence. Shortly after she arrived at her room, Chacha rushed in to tell her about Chen Ye's drinking and disturbance. At this moment, Mengchun Courtyard was already in chaos. Bai Fengjiu sent the servants away and stayed to take care of him herself.

Although Chen Ye recognized that Bai Fengjiu was not Aranya herself, in his hazy drunkenness, he still couldn't help but reach out and stroke the face that was almost identical to Aranya's. Emperor Donghua happened to arrive and witnessed this scene, immediately stepping forward and knocking Chen Ye unconscious.

Emperor Donghua believed Bai Fengjiu was too attentive to Chen Ye, but Bai Fengjiu felt it was unfair to the ill-fated couple and didn't want her relationship with Emperor Donghua to become distant again because they were leaving Aranya's dream. After several exchanges, Bai Fengjiu deeply misunderstood Emperor Donghua.

However, she didn't know that to please her that night, Emperor Donghua had willingly given up the perfect opportunity to forge the mirror, left the palace without authorization, and left Su Moye alone guarding the furnace. Emperor Donghua already knew that Miao Luo's illusion appearing would be detrimental to Bai Fengjiu, so he didn't explain further, but just left silently.

Early the next morning, after Chen Ye woke up and heard from the steward that Bai Fengjiu had visited the previous night, he silently took out the soul-locking jade, secretly warning himself that this life was the last one to collect Aranya's primordial spirit and that he absolutely could not make any mistakes, otherwise all his efforts would be in vain.

Episode 45 Recap

When Bai Fengjiu woke up, she saw that Emperor Donghua had ordered his servants to move his belongings over. Initially, she wanted to refuse, but he insisted, so she eventually softened and agreed to share the room—though not the bed. Chacha was still happy for her mistress. As she stepped out, she encountered Lord Chen Ye.

Chen Ye was about to apologize for the events of the previous night when, unexpectedly, he witnessed Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua locked in an intimate embrace. Later, the two went to admire the lotuses in the garden pond. To please her, Emperor Donghua casually conjured a lotus lantern, placing two lotus flowers at its center to hold water, and projected a miniature rockery and a small golden fish inside.

Delighted, Bai Fengjiu snuggled with him on a low couch by the water’s edge to admire it. Though Chen Ye knew everything before him was an illusion, he still felt uneasy. He bowed deeply to Bai Fengjiu from below the pavilion, proactively apologized, and then took his leave. Emperor Donghua was displeased with Chen Ye’s evening visit and spoke with jealousy. Bai Fengjiu retorted, bringing up the past when Emperor Donghua had painted with Ji Heng in Tai Chen Palace.

This left him at a loss for words, so he pretended to be tired and turned away to feign sleep. The next day, after waking, Emperor Donghua drank the tonic soup Bai Fengjiu had personally brewed for him before returning to Qinan Divine Palace to continue forging the magical artifact. Fortunately, Su Moye had gone sleepless for days, expending immense immortal power, and finally shaped the artifact’s blank form.

After Emperor Donghua granted him leave, Su Moye seized the chance to vent his grievances to Bai Fengjiu. Amused, she listened and casually mentioned Chen Ye’s recent movements. Su Moye seemed indignant, but due to Bai Fengjiu’s curiosity, he couldn’t help but trace the origins of the story, ultimately recounting the past. After parting from Chen Ye in the study, Aranya did not wallow in sorrow like ordinary women. Instead, she became more at ease.

Aside from continuing her calligraphy practice and attending operas, she occasionally substituted as an instructor at the clan academy, teaching archery and charioteering. She worked from dawn till dusk, appearing serene. Later, Wen Tian requested to play chess with Chen Ye, and Aranya, calm and unrestrained, naturally agreed. To her surprise, Wen Tian began frequenting Mengchun Courtyard afterward, and she and Chen Ye gradually developed feelings for each other. Months passed, and their relationship grew complicated.

Xi Ze was fortunate enough to capture a Qianyin beast—a creature that caused endless trouble, moved incredibly fast, and felt no pain, making it perfect for training. Aranya received a letter from Xi Ze and, knowing Chen Ye lacked materials for his sword forging, specially invited him to join her. However, Chen Ye failed to recognize her goodwill and insisted on bringing Wen Tian along. Qinan Divine Palace opened its doors to guests.

Chen Ye and Wen Tian first went to the back mountain to collect stones, while Aranya, under Xi Ze’s guidance, took her bow and flew into the forest. Using a stone array as a barrier, she focused on maintaining distance from the beast. Her arrows flew swiftly, but the beast dodged them effortlessly.

Having been starved for a long time, the beast grew frenzied upon catching the scent of humans, moving even faster than usual and causing Aranya to miss repeatedly. In her distraction, she stepped on a loose stone and tumbled from the mountaintop. Seeing this, the beast pounced. Just as Aranya was in mortal danger, Chen Ye suddenly appeared and swiftly cast a protective barrier with a seal, shielding them both.

After narrowly escaping the stone array, Chen Ye furiously accused Xi Ze of being cold-blooded for failing to protect her. Aranya slowly regained consciousness and saw him pressing a hand to the wound on her forehead, his face filled with worry. Convinced that Chen Ye also harbored feelings for her, she couldn’t resist teasing him—only for Wen Tian to witness the scene.

When Bai Fengjiu heard this, she became deeply engrossed in the idea of Aranya and Chen Ye finally being together, quietly forgetting her earlier worries. However, since Aranya and Chen Ye had spent two years together in the manor, Su Moye, fearing painful memories, lied about urgent matters in the West Sea and left. He did not know what transpired during that time. When he returned two years later, he was met with tragic news.

Historical records state that Upper Lord Xiang Lique passed away from illness, and Crown Prince Xiang He ascended the throne. Within seven days of his coronation, the neighboring Night Owl Tribe accused the Winged Bird Tribe of allowing border residents to hunt on their lands and launched an attack. Xiang He personally led the troops but was soon slain in battle.

Since he had no sons, the line of succession dictated that Ju Nuo, had she not been stripped of her title, would have inherited the throne—otherwise, Aranya. Yet, for unknown reasons, rumors spread that Aranya had poisoned Xiang Lique. Thus, Ju Nuo was welcomed back to the capital. Chen Ye submitted a memorial requesting Aranya’s case be transferred to the Divine Palace for investigation before execution. Unexpectedly, the next day, Aranya hanged herself.

By the time Su Moye returned to Fanyin Valley, years had passed since her death, and her primordial spirit had long dissipated. Though he refused to believe the royal family’s explanation, there was nothing he could do. From then on, a deep-seated obsession—and hatred for Chen Ye’s perceived betrayal—took root in his heart. Meanwhile, the old steward reported that the Empress had arrived to inspect the sword-forging progress.

Chen Ye was both surprised and unsettled, as this event was supposed to occur half a year later. He coldly ordered Lady Qinghua brought to the forging room, then dismissed her with a frosty demeanor, prompting her to leave in anger. Jielu, determined to uncover the truth behind Aranya’s fate, knelt stubbornly in the snow. The Female Lord finally took pity and revealed the past: Lady Qinghua, seeking to secure her own power, had removed Aranya as an obstacle.

Her schemes entangled innocent lives and ruined several young souls. After witnessing Aranya’s passionate love, Ju Nuo chose to settle down, marrying a commoner as her consort. Together, they imprisoned Lady Qinghua in the palace until she went mad. In her delirium, the only name she uttered was Aranya’s.

Episode 46 Recap

Su Moye was about to return to Qinan Divine Palace. Bai Fengjiu made many fox candies before his departure and gave them to him personally, also handing over a portion for Chen Ye. Su Moye was helpless and could only advise Bai Fengjiu to emulate Aranya by staying away from the kitchen. Three days passed in a flash. Ju Nuo was about to be escorted out of the capital.

In the past, Aranya would have bribed the executioner to arrange for her to see Chen Ye one last time, while she herself remained in the manor alone. Bai Fengjiu was unwilling to follow the old path and wanted to discern Chen Ye's thoughts, so she followed along, placing a table with tea and snacks nearby. She sipped tea while watching from afar, actively calling the executioner over to create an opportunity for the two to be together.

Ju Nuo was reluctant to part and appeared pitiable, especially thanking Chen Ye and claiming that she had let him down. She said they were destined to be apart in this life, but if there were a next life, they would definitely become a loving couple. Chen Ye treated her coldly, saying that he helped her entirely to repay the kindness of the late Emperor Xiang Li Yin, and that he had no romantic feelings for Ju Nuo whatsoever.

Although Ju Nuo's voice was extremely soft, Bai Fengjiu's fox ears were sharp, and every whisper carried on the wind was clear to her. After Ju Nuo left in anger and everyone else had gone away, she immediately called Chen Ye over and used various tricks to finally get Chen Ye to confess his feelings. Emperor Donghua completed the handover with Su Moye and then rushed to the princess's residence with great enthusiasm, picking wildflowers specially to give a surprise.

Unexpectedly, he and Chacha arrived to see Bai Fengjiu being tightly embraced by Chen Ye. His face turned pale instantly. He dropped the wildflowers and left full of jealousy. Bai Fengjiu discovered Emperor Donghua and, disregarding Chen Ye, hurriedly went to chase after him. However, she searched everywhere without finding him. It wasn't until late that night that Emperor Donghua returned in the rain, looking dejected and muttering to himself, questioning her like a sulking child.

Bai Fengjiu responded with kind words and was shocked to find Emperor Donghua burning hot. She immediately got up to prepare a cold-dispelling soup, coaxing and persuading him to take a hot bath. The riverside scene outside the city was vivid in Emperor Donghua's mind. He was distraught and immersed himself in the water without a word. Bai Fengjiu waited at the door for a long time without hearing a sound, worried that something might have happened to him.

Disregarding the separation of sexes, she quickly rushed to the edge of the tub. Unexpectedly, Emperor Donghua suddenly popped his head up and pulled Bai Fengjiu into the tub with great force. Their eyes met, and the atmosphere was ambiguous. After some playful banter, Bai Fengjiu also revealed her true feelings to Emperor Donghua. Although they reconciled, Emperor Donghua's nature couldn't be resisted.

He kept questioning Bai Fengjiu on the bed, making Bai Fengjiu feel extremely wronged and explaining in a soft voice. Her pitiful appearance made Emperor Donghua unable to control himself, and he immediately leaned in to kiss her. From then on, everything fell into place, and they consummated their relationship. After a night of torrential rain, the next day was sunny. Bai Fengjiu was nestled on one side of the bed, carefully admiring Emperor Donghua's handsome sleeping face.

Her heart was sweet and joyful, and she couldn't help but reach out to stroke his face, tracing his eyebrows, eyes, and facial features. Emperor Donghua noticed, but didn't get up immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes and intertwined his fingers with hers, preparing to sleep in again. Bai Fengjiu remembered that according to custom, purple sweet potato cakes were to be eaten on the second day after consummation, so she immediately went to the kitchen to make them.

Emperor Donghua didn't usually care about rituals, but seeing that his beloved was very attentive, he indulged her wishes, and they engaged in more flirting and tasting. Su Moye saw that the magical artifact had reached a critical stage and was difficult to complete on his own. He specifically wrote a letter to inform Emperor Donghua, but Emperor Donghua was currently immersed in love and had no time to spare.

After receiving the letter, he burned it and took Bai Fengjiu to stroll through the market, arousing envy from the crowd. While the lovers were deeply attached to each other, Chen Ye sat alone in his room, filled with sorrow. The two years shrouded in mist, just as Bai Fengjiu had imagined, Chen Ye did develop feelings for Aranya.

Aranya's love for Chen Ye was ardent, but Chen Ye was more like a wild goose reflected in a cold pool, indistinct and unclear. Even the scenes of the two together made it difficult for others to notice that Chen Ye had once picked a flower and placed it in Aranya's hair. After a slight flutter of his heart, he picked up his book and refocused his gaze.

Episode 47 Recap

I remember the last time I broke into the snake formation of the Spring of Relief, it was to seize the Pinpo fruit. Now that I am here again, the scenery is the same, but Emperor Donghua is by my side. Aranya's dream is not much different from the Ten Evil Lotus Mirror. However, Emperor Donghua had removed 90% of his magical power before entering.

Bai Fengjiu was not in a hurry to leave, but was more worried about Emperor Donghua. Coincidentally, after returning to the manor, she received the fifth distress letter from Su Moye. Thinking of the faint scent of ink wafting from the candle flame a few days ago, she couldn't help but feel a little sympathy for Su Moye. Although her original intention was to keep Emperor Donghua for a longer time, it would inevitably be too cruel.

In the end, due to the seriousness of the matter, she could only persuade Emperor Donghua to return to the palace as soon as possible to handle affairs, lest his previous efforts go to waste, and he might even suffer backlash. Emperor Donghua is someone who regards others' gossip as fleeting clouds. Besides Bai Fengjiu, he is indifferent to everything else. However, Bai Fengjiu's reasoning was sound, leaving him with no excuse to stay.

He could only repeatedly caution her and was extremely reluctant to leave. Three days passed, and the manor was quiet. Chacha reported that the Lord had summoned her to the palace. Bai Fengjiu went alone. It was just usual pleasantries, but Lady Qinghua had other plans. Under the guise of accompanying her, she went to the sword forging room to persuade Chen Ye to rebel. Chen Ye still refused. He then arranged for the old steward to convey a message.

Bai Fengjiu responded to the invitation with some doubt. She entered the Mengchun Courtyard, bypassed the small stone forest, and climbed to the Bo Xin Pavilion. At this moment, it was deserted, and an empty glass cup was placed on the spacious stone table. Just as the dim afternoon sunlight shone in, Bai Fengjiu was curious and reached out to touch it.

Chen Ye suddenly appeared and confessed to her that the reason he created the dream was to collect Aranya's primordial spirit. Now, the dream had changed due to Bai Fengjiu. After much thought, Bai Fengjiu was willing to help Chen Ye continue to fulfill his wish and resurrect Aranya. Miao Luo appeared out of nowhere and interrupted their conversation. Chen Ye accidentally shattered the glass cup while fighting her.

In an instant, the sound of wind and thunder rose in the distant sky, like the wailing of ghosts. The glass cup's barrier disappeared, and the primordial spirit, like clouds, rose in wisps, entering Bai Fengjiu's body inch by inch. A memory roared from the other end of time. Bai Fengjiu perceived Aranya's life. Those fleeting moments were exactly what she thought and felt, her joy and sorrow, carrying scattered worldly affairs, endlessly.

After Chen Ye drove Miao Luo away, he was eager to find out the truth. Bai Fengjiu tried hard to recall and think. She connected many fragments and saw many real scenes, the first and foremost being the two years that Su Moye was not quite clear about. In those two years, the relationship between Aranya and Chen Ye, although not earth-shattering, was a gentle flow like a stream.

By a lakeside pavilion, the sky was vast, the water was deep and distant, and the two in the pavilion faded away, leaning on each other. This should have been the most beautiful scenery. However, fate changed. In July, news came from the palace that the Lord had passed away. Aranya was originally playing chess with Chen Ye. Upon hearing the bad news, her formation was disrupted.

She wanted to rush out the door but was called back by Chen Ye. Chen Ye got up and picked a white flower from the vase. Just like before, he placed it in her hair again. Aranya promised to return after leaving, but this departure turned out to be the time of life and death. Aranya appeared unconstrained on the surface, but in reality, she yearned for kinship. Her father's death caused her extreme sorrow.

Wanting to help with the funeral affairs, she was refused by Lady Qinghua. Worrying about Chen Ye in her heart, she hurried back to the manor, only to hear that Chen Ye had been welcomed back to Qinan Divine Palace by the crown prince Xiang Li He to preside over the grand funeral. Aranya was momentarily lost in thought. She took off the withered flower by her temple. She had no hatred, yet her heart was full of regret.

She drifted through several days, and ultimately could not escape the injustice. She was not only imprisoned by her own maternal uncle and accused of regicide, but also incited and insulted by Lady Qinghua until she wished she were dead, completely losing hope of survival. Bai Fengjiu never expected Aranya's pain to be so deep. Chen Ye was even more filled with remorse.

When he submitted his petition earlier, he intended to deceive Lady Qinghua, but he didn't expect things to turn out this way. At the same time, the Wonderful Flower Mirror was finally successfully completed. Su Moye saw from the mirror that the fate between Chen Ye and Aranya was sealed from their childhood. He couldn't help but feel deeply lost and requested Emperor Donghua to start watching from when the Lord passed away.

Episode 48 Recap

Chen Ye returned to Qinan Divine Palace to preside over the grand funeral. However, in less than three days, news came that Aranya had been sentenced to execution by beheading for a serious crime. At that time, the Divine Palace once again welcomed Lady Qinghua. Chen Ye never expected her to be so vicious and ruthless. He immediately used the pretense of marrying Wen Tian to deliberately dispel Lady Qinghua's suspicions and look for a suitable opportunity to rescue her.

Wen Tian was arranged by Lady Qinghua to be an informant beside Chen Ye. However, she was grateful for favors received and did not hide anything from Chen Ye. Instead, she helped him use the false appearance of falling into the water to successfully evade surveillance and go to Qingyi Cave. There, she let Chen Ye imitate someone else's handwriting to send a message via flying arrow to Xi Ze, informing him of the whole story.

The day Xi Ze heard the news and planned to raid the prison was also the time Xiang Li He quelled the rebellion. According to historical records, Xiang Li He personally led the army to campaign, resisted the enemy for seventeen days, but was outmatched and ultimately died on the battlefield.

However, the truth hidden behind the thin historical pages was that Aranya learned that Lady Qinghua had designed to provoke the war, specifically causing Xiang Li He to die there, and then assisted Ju Nuo in ascending the throne. Aranya had read Chen Ye's letter. She felt that their fate in this life was forced, and even if their two years of friendship were an illusion, she would accept it. She never expected Chen Ye to hate her so much.

No matter how broad-minded she was, it was difficult to withstand such a blow. She no longer paid attention to the matter of the letter. Her only concern was her brother Xiang Li He. She therefore requested Xi Ze to take him away. Afterwards, she led the troops to the battlefield. In just six days, they lost a large area of land and were forced to retreat to Sixing River.

In the past, the river water was clear, but now it was filled with flowing blood and scattered bodies, with corpses strewn across the fields. The Night Owl tribe army attacked again. Lady Qinghua received the report but did not send troops to rescue them, allowing the few remaining individuals to defend the riverbank. Aranya ultimately summoned the ancient fierce formation.

In an instant, it transformed into a fire phoenix soaring above, and the overwhelming karmic fire burned every inch of land. It wasn't until Aranya slowly fell, with white flowers floating everywhere, that one finally saw how this tragic princess, along with her iron bow, turned into dust and disappeared into the rolling long river. Xi Ze remembered that Aranya had entrusted him before her departure to go to her home and retrieve twenty letters on her behalf.

Chen Ye found it difficult to accept the truth of Aranya's death. He went alone to Sixing River. When he reached the end, he saw a high platform built by the riverbank, adorned with auspicious clouds, where Lady Qinghua and Ju Nuo were praying for blessings. As soon as Lady Qinghua's order was given, the army's iron arrows surged forward like a swarm of bees. Chen Ye instinctively blocked them.

In a daze, he seemed to see Aranya appear before him. In his moment of distraction, several sharp arrows pierced his arm. The rigid force caused him to retreat several steps, and he spat out blood. Ju Nuo requested Lady Qinghua to spare Chen Ye, but Lady Qinghua was cold and heartless and intended to strike a fatal blow.

Chen Ye thought of Aranya being born into royalty, yet being harmed by her relatives to the point of abandoning reincarnation and having her soul scattered. Despair arose from his heart. Just as he was about to perish together with everyone, Xi Ze suddenly appeared, promptly preventing the calamity of clan annihilation. Legend has it that there is a sacred object on the Nine Heavens called the soul-forming lamp, which can shape souls and spirits for mortals.

Although it is not used by earth immortals, everything has its rules. If one follows the rules of the soul-forming lamp, a place for nurturing souls can also be created to reshape Aranya's soul. Upon hearing this, Chen Ye gave up his thoughts of ending his life. He then dispersed all his lifelong cultivation and swung his sword to cut off three seasons. From then on, only coldness remained in Fanyin Valley.

He vowed to bring eternal punishment to Fanyin Valley, so that the people in the valley would forever remember Xiang Li Aranya. Su Moye had been charming his entire life. Even when he was hurt in matters concerning Aranya, he was hurt with grace and elegance, considering himself a tragic figure. However, only after seeing the Wondrous Flower Mirror did he realize that when it came to the word 'tragic', Chen Ye was many times more so than him.

It's just that although Chen Ye was the Divine Official Chief of the Winged Tribe, he shouldn't have possessed the ability to destroy the heavens and the earth. Emperor Donghua saw his heavy doubts and flicked his sleeve. The mirror surface then displayed auspicious clouds of the Nine Heavens and the clear cries of cranes, indicating that time had returned three hundred years ago.

Episode 49 Recap

As time went by, the Wondrous Flower Mirror once again showed the scene in Tai Chen Palace that year. Unexpected events came one after another, making Su Moye feel quite overwhelmed. Although the mirror was an inanimate object, it reflected everyone's sadness, sorrow, joy, and anger. Three hundred years ago, Emperor Donghua's projection descended to the mortal realm with the intention of deterring Miao Luo. However, Aranya's appearance created a variable, leading to the current dream of Aranya.

Now, to exit the dream, Chen Ye must comprehend it himself. Forcing it would inevitably put his life in grave danger. At this time, Chen Ye was still kept in the dark. He earnestly requested Bai Fengjiu to continue following Aranya's trajectory. Once the Phoenix Cry Formation was activated, Aranya's primordial spirit could be collected for her resurrection.

Bai Fengjiu knew well that activating the Phoenix Cry Formation was merely a pretense and would not result in complete annihilation, so she agreed. Coincidentally, Chacha came to report that the High Lord had passed away. Just as Bai Fengjiu left, news soon arrived that the Night Owl tribe had invaded. All the progress seemed to be happening ahead of schedule. Chen Ye was shocked and immediately rushed into the palace.

He promptly repelled the subordinates of Lady Qinghua and her brother, learned that Xiang Li He had already led troops to defend against the enemy, and then left with Bai Fengjiu. By the Sixing River, the two armies clashed. Chen Ye was burning with anxiety, urging Bai Fengjiu to quickly cast the Phoenix Cry Formation. Miao Luo, concealed in the mountain forest, was instantly overjoyed upon hearing this.

She immediately possessed the body of a Night Owl general, preparing to seize the primordial spirit's red aura while she had the chance. Just as Bai Fengjiu was about to activate the Phoenix Cry Formation, Su Moye arrived with Emperor Donghua on the wind. A Canghe Sword was nailed into the pavilion pillar.

Although Lord Xi Ze's original character, appearance, and temperament had been erased, the ancestor of famous swords, renowned throughout the eight荒 (realms), lay horizontally before Chen Ye like this. It was difficult not to recognize it. Chen Ye explained the entanglement of their grievances, hoping that Emperor Donghua could return Bai Fengjiu to him. However, Emperor Donghua held Bai Fengjiu tightly in his embrace.

He first removed all the corrective spells from her body, then handed the mess over to Su Moye to resolve, and left again. The Wondrous Flower Mirror flew out from Su Moye's sleeve, suspended in mid-air, vaguely displaying a clear sky and bright day.

From Bai Fengjiu of Qingqiu transforming into Aranya and being born in Fanyin Valley, to Aranya's soul scattering by the Sixing River, her life ending in smoke and dust, all the subsequent events were revealed one by one. Chen Ye found it difficult to accept the fact that Aranya could not be resurrected. He tightly held the soul-forming lamp and stumbled towards the Sixing River, muttering to himself, nearly in despair.

Su Moye intended to call out to him but ultimately couldn't bear it. He could only watch him slowly sink into the water. Purple light spread around, and a wisp of soul leaped out, instantly flying into Emperor Donghua's body. Coincidentally, Miao Luo was currently battling Emperor Donghua. Just as she was about to attack when he was disoriented, Bai Fengjiu saw the situation and was about to step forward to stop her but was controlled.

Ultimately, Miao Luo seized the primordial spirit's red aura that was sealed within the phoenix feather flower. After Emperor Donghua regained consciousness and found Bai Fengjiu collapsed on the ground, he used his magic to attack Miao Luo. Miao Luo was no match and fled, injured. Emperor Donghua knew that if Chen Ye died, the dream would collapse.

He immediately used the Canghe Sword, instantly conjuring thousands of sword shadows to form a sword barrier, firmly protecting the three of them as they searched for an exit. Since Yan Chiwu learned how to play chess with Lian Song, he simply guarded by the Jieyou Spring with him, monitoring the movements of the snake formation.

The two were arguing endlessly about winning and losing when they suddenly discovered that the entire valley, frozen and covered in ice and snow, instantly melted. Emperor Donghua walked out slowly, carrying Bai Fengjiu, followed by a dishevelled Su Moye. Bai Fengjiu was unconscious. With just a few words, Emperor Donghua learned that Yan Chiwu's residence had a hot spring. He immediately proposed to swap residences with him.

Lian Song thoughtfully dismissed all the servants in Yulin Courtyard, leaving Emperor Donghua and Bai Fengjiu a chance to be alone, and even teased them a little. Emperor Donghua didn't mind and reminded Lian Song to summon the Lords of the various tribes in Fanyin Valley to escort everyone out of the valley. He also instructed Yan Chiwu to rush back to the Demon Clan and inform Xuyang Demon Lord to be sure to protect the Blood Tears.

After making all the arrangements, Emperor Donghua personally went to Miaoyi Abyss to reinforce Miao Luo's restraints. Thinking of the harm Bai Fengjiu had suffered because of her, his anger intensified, and he severely injured Miao Luo with his magic. At the same time, Xuyang led the thirteen palace Demon Lords to the Blood Tears barrier and rebuilt the seal. The Demon Lords almost exhausted their magical power and complained one after another.

Yan Chiwu expressed full support for Xuyang, while only Nie Chuyin pretended on the side, having other plans in his heart. When Bai Fengjiu woke up, it was already night. A half-disk of the clear moon shone brightly outside the window. Looking by the moonlight, she saw Emperor Donghua lying on his side beside her, his sleeping face as calm as ever.

She couldn't help but feel that Fanyin Valley was like a dream, and this moment seemed like a dream yet not. Emperor Donghua sensed his hair being touched and immediately opened his eyes, preparing to hold her to rest for a while. Just then, Ji Heng arrived happily. When she opened the door and saw the two embracing and sleeping on the couch, she immediately froze on the spot.

The luminous pearl in her hand dropped, and she cried and ran away. Bai Fengjiu was startled by the sound. Emperor Donghua knew exactly what had happened. He waved his hand to close the door, then patiently comforted her for a while, lying that a mouse had knocked over a flower pot.

Episode 50 Recap

The next morning, Bai Fengjiu woke up and saw Emperor Donghua sitting by the bed. An idea struck her, and she pretended to have lost her memory. However, Emperor Donghua was far shrewder than a fox demon and saw through Bai Fengjiu's act.

He decided to use her own trick against her, slowly stating that he had originally planned to go with her to Qingqiu to meet her family and discuss the marriage arrangements, but now that she had lost her memory, this matter could be dropped. Upon hearing this, Bai Fengjiu panicked, quickly went forward to hug Emperor Donghua, and shyly confessed. Emperor Donghua maintained his composure, secretly curving his lips into a smile.

After Bai Fengjiu went to take a hot spring bath, Emperor Donghua found Lian Song standing at the door. The two went to the side courtyard and saw the Winged Bird tribe and the Night Owl tribe who had been waiting for a long time, requesting Emperor Donghua's permission for them to guard Miaoyi Abyss.

Emperor Donghua initially wanted to refuse, but High Lord Junnuo deeply knew that Miaoyi Abyss had sealed Miao Luo for tens of thousands of years, and it was already filled with Miao Luo's impure energy. If Miao Luo obtained the Blood Tears and broke through the barrier, everyone in the valley would perish, not a single life would remain.

Therefore, she held the greater good in her heart and decided to let her people move to the Heavenly Palace with Lian Song, while she would lead the royal family members to stay, willing to coexist and perish with Fanyin Valley. Seeing that everyone's minds were made up and persuaded by Lian Song, Emperor Donghua no longer declined and immediately agreed. He then gave the Lianxin Mirror to Junnuo, which could help them suppress Miao Luo's impure energy.

After Emperor Donghua made all the arrangements, he passed through the forest and happened to see Su Moye playing the flute alone in melancholy. Only after the piece was finished did he approach. Since Su Moye had learned the truth he had long yearned for, his emotions had been unusually low every day. He couldn't tell if it was out of sympathy or shame.

Although it was hard to believe that Chen Ye and Aranya deeply loved each other, this outcome at least showed that Aranya's deep affection was not ultimately misplaced. It was lamentable that two hearts loved each other, yet they had to be separated by the ends of the earth, first by separation in life, then by separation in death. People say that the word "love" is the most heartbreaking.

Yan Chiwu wanted to take Ji Heng away and once again risked depleting his magic to sneak into Fanyin Valley. Bai Fengjiu received a message from Yan Chiwu, learning that Xiang Limeng had set up a banquet at Zuilixian specifically for her farewell. During the meal, he babbled about some trivial matters, roughly saying that ever since she entered Aranya's dream, the Winged Bird tribe knew that their identities were fake.

Although they dared not inquire further due to Emperor Donghua and Lian Song, Xiang Limeng had asked privately many times. Yan Chiwu, considering their friendship, told him the truth about himself but kept Bai Fengjiu's identity a secret, causing Xiang Limeng to misunderstand that she was from the Demon Clan.

At the same time, Xiang Limeng was still fantasizing at Zuilixian that the esteemed Highness of Qingqiu must be a fairy who loved small animals, didn't eat meat, and was aloof from the world. However, Bai Fengjiu suddenly revealed everything, catching him off guard. Unable to withstand the shock, he fainted on the spot. Coincidentally, Emperor Donghua and Lian Song arrived. Xiang Limeng was shaken awake by a group of maids.

Seeing Bai Fengjiu again, he immediately pushed Yan Chiwu away, cried out, and ran off. Yan Chiwu didn't want to stir Emperor Donghua's jealousy, so he simply comforted Bai Fengjiu and asked her to stay. He then called Lian Song and chased after Xiang Limeng, searching along the road outside the restaurant. Although Xiang Limeng was secretly wiping away tears in the wilderness, he firmly denied that he was heartbroken over love. Instead, he felt too embarrassed.

The Highness he had admired for decades unexpectedly became his friend, and he hadn't even recognized her identity. Yan Chiwu, also a secret admirer, naturally empathized. He strongly encouraged Xiang Limeng to confess his love. Xiang Limeng was greatly inspired and decided to confess to Bai Fengjiu. Lian Song stood by watching the spectacle, secretly anticipating how Emperor Donghua, this millennia-old iron tree that had just bloomed, would have his wall publicly pried. However, his excitement didn't last long.

Xiang Limeng quickly returned in high spirits, directly stating that he and Bai Fengjiu had reconciled and would remain friends. Seeing the three gradually leaving in the distance, Emperor Donghua finally breathed a sigh of relief. He took Bai Fengjiu to the side of Shuiliu Pool and planted the Four Seasons Tree, which contained Aranya's and Chen Ye's primordial spirits, in the Divine Palace.

They deeply loved each other due to variables in their lives, and he believed that after millions of years, they would have another serendipitous encounter. Members of the Winged Bird tribe and the Night Owl tribe came to Miaoyi Abyss to reinforce the seal. High Lord Junnuo took out the Lianxin Mirror to suppress it. Miao Luo was very wary and secretly notified Nie Chuyin to find a way to get the Blood Tears.

Nie Chuyin knew he couldn't contend with Xuyang. The current plan was to kill him. Meanwhile, on the other side, although Xie Guchou used the Pingpo fruit to recreate a fairy body for Ye Qingti, Ye Qingti's primordial spirit had been dormant for several hundred years and now showed signs of nearing dissipation.

To help him clear his mind, the person who bestowed the fairy body must go to the Nine Heavens Jade Pond to wash away the mortal dust for him before he could ascend to become an immortal. Bai Fengjiu wanted to transfer some of her cultivation, but the timing was not right, so she could only temporarily stop.

Episode 51 Recap

Bai Fengjiu planned meticulously in her heart. After leaving the valley, there were only two crucial matters: first, bringing Ye Qingti back to life so he could ascend to immortality; second, persuading her grandmother, Fu Mi Xian Mu, and Bai Yi to acknowledge Emperor Donghua as her son-in-law. However, as is often the case with matters of old, things rarely go as planned.

Bai Fengjiu was suddenly informed by her uncle Bai Zhen that the Bing Zang ceremony would be held in fifteen days. Time was so pressing. Although the Hexu Sword had already been forged, there was no trace of the sword box needed to store the sword for the Bing Zang ceremony. Lian Song believed Emperor Donghua's skill in crafting sword boxes was exceedingly high. If Bai Fengjiu relied on Emperor Donghua, it could be completed in a few days.

But Cheng Yu Lord, as Bai Fengjiu's good sister, knew well that she would rather spend time and effort than rely on others. Just as the two were placing bets on this matter, Taichen Palace had already been redecorated by the palace maids. Although Emperor Donghua was giving directions from the side, his eyes never left Bai Fengjiu, who was meticulously drawing the design.

Zhonglin moved the chess table to several positions but was rejected every time, until he was sweating profusely, almost collapsing, and finally received approval. At that moment, Lian Song came as usual to play chess with Emperor Donghua. Emperor Donghua was not interested in the game. Instead, he was staring intently at Bai Fengjiu next to him, his face full of infatuation, no longer as aloof as before, but more like a love-struck young man.

Lian Song was momentarily speechless and couldn't help but lament that when he had persuaded Emperor Donghua to marry an Empress, he had suggested Zhihe as an option. Looking back now, although Zhihe was good, it was ultimately a forced match. Fortunately, after waiting for hundreds of thousands of years, he finally met his true destiny. Emperor Donghua had always been unrestrained. He didn't hide his love at all and certainly didn't suppress his feelings.

During the day, he stayed by Bai Fengjiu's side, bringing her food and snacks even when she didn't ask, and even considerately provided her with tea and handkerchiefs. Bai Fengjiu felt both moved and sweet in her heart. After working hard for thirteen days and nights, she finally completed the sword box.

Then, while Emperor Donghua was asleep, she secretly spread out paper and picked up a brush to draw the bamboo house where they would live together in the future. Emperor Donghua deliberately feigned sleep but couldn't hide his curiosity. He couldn't resist leaning over to offer suggestions. Thinking that he and Bai Fengjiu hadn't been intimate for many days, he used all sorts of coaxing and persuasion, hugging her and leading her towards the bed. Miaoyi Abyss was constantly strengthening.

Miao Luo's demonic resentment greatly increased. She immediately ordered Nie Chuyin to transport a hundred Demon Clan disciples every day for her to absorb and recover her power. Nie Chuyin saw that the Demon Clan was suffering heavy losses. This was not a good plan. Just as he was overwhelmed with anxiety, a subordinate suddenly came up with a plan, suggesting they might as well look for a breakthrough from the outside, tricking others into supplying people for Miao Luo.

This way, they could both be free from threat and ensure temporary safety. The Bing Zang ceremony was just around the corner. The Qingqiu Fox Clan had always been low-key, never sending out invitations for the ceremony. Any immortals from the Eight Desolates who were interested would come; those who were busy were not forced. Now, Emperor Donghua suddenly took an interest and graced this place with his presence, which was extremely rare.

Even Bai Yi couldn't help but ask about it. Since it was still early for the ceremony, Lian Song first explained its intricacies to Emperor Donghua. In the early days of the Bing Zang ceremony, Emperor Baizhi personally planted formations with 10% of his divine power. When the auspicious cloud platform was activated, this technique would also automatically activate and form an unpredictable spell formation. Bai Fengjiu would need to hold the Hexu Sword and break the formation.

Only by repeating this process could she ascend the hundred-step grass stairs and hide the sword within the sacred peak. If she could not pass, she would have to re-divine the date and hold the Bing Zang ceremony again after a hundred years. Logically, since Baizhi personally set it up, failing due to the complexity of the combined formations was normal. However, this ceremony was a major event for Qingqiu.

Not only would the hundred years of effort in forging the sword be completely wasted, but they would also lose face in front of others. Lian Song thought Bai Fengjiu was getting cold feet at the last minute. But Bai Fengjiu was actually still thinking about how to introduce Emperor Donghua to her family after the event. It happened that Bai Zhen came to remind her of the time. Bai Fengjiu immediately had a flash of inspiration.

The ceremony site was chosen on the Sacred Mountain of the Eastern Desolates. This place was enveloped in golden light, filled with immortal energy. Ten immortals forming the formation stood in front. Bai Fengjiu sparred with them, expending her energy. In the end, she could only barely dodge, unable to break through, and was even easily deceived by illusions. In her desperation, Bai Fengjiu looked at Emperor Donghua.

Seeing an unreadable smile curving his lips and two fingers touching the corner of his eye, she suddenly understood. A scene of practicing sword fighting in Fanyin Valley flashed in her mind. She immediately covered her eyes with a cloth and broke into the formation again within three moves. When suddenly a hundred figures appeared in the formation, before everyone could react, she instantly broke through. Bai Yi was overjoyed. Praises echoed throughout Qiongshan Ruilin.

All the immortals of the Eastern Desolates also bowed down in unison. For a moment, cheers shook the heavens. Bai Fengjiu was about to step onto the hundred-step grass stairs. Nie Chuyin suddenly appeared with his attendants, challenging her to a sword fight on the spot, stating that if he could defeat the New Lord, he would receive a promise from the New Lord. Qingqiu once had a segment where one could challenge the New Lord. Although Baizhi had abolished this rule for Bai Qian, it was not changed in the Qingqiu ceremonial records and thus could not be considered invalid.

Episode 52 Recap

Nie Chuyin was relentless in his pestering and used all sorts of twisted arguments. Bai Fengjiu had no choice but to accept the challenge according to the rules. However, Nie Chuyin was tens of thousands of years older than Bai Fengjiu, and the disparity in their strength was too great. Even though Bai Fengjiu held on for dozens of rounds, she was still no match and was at a disadvantage.

Just as everyone saw that Nie Chuyin was about to demand his promise, Lian Song suddenly spoke up to stop him, stating that although the Qingqiu Bing Zang ceremony had rules for sword fighting, it was a joint section for the new Lord and their spouse. If Nie Chuyin wanted to completely pass, he needed to defeat the new Lord's husband. Only then could the ceremony be completed.

As soon as he finished speaking, the stage fell into utter silence, followed by a clamor like ants. Emperor Baizhi and his son Bai Yi were startled and utterly confused, unlike Bai Zhen and Zhe Yan who remained composed. Although Nie Chuyin was momentarily stunned, he also spoke to question. Unfortunately, before he could finish, the guest on the main seat of the viewing platform had already disappeared.

In an instant, he saw the person standing beside Nie Chuyin was dressed in white hair and purple robes, with a solemn face, holding a Canghe sword, causing the entire audience to be astonished. In a moment, they knelt down, and the high-ranking gods also rose from their seats in unison, bowing respectfully. Emperor Donghua was calm and composed. He raised his hand to exempt everyone from kneeling.

He turned and walked to Bai Fengjiu, gently wiped the sweat from her forehead, and softly comforted her to rest beside him. Nie Chuyin knew he was no match for Emperor Donghua. He was about to retort with age but Emperor Donghua was already prepared. A few words made it difficult for him to refuse. After yielding three moves out of courtesy, he drew his sword and, in one move, cut off Nie Chuyin's iron sword.

Nie Chuyin could not gain any advantage and had to leave with his subordinates in a huff, no longer having the face to mention the Demon and Celestial clans. Emperor Donghua had been severely injured by Miao Luo in the Dream of Aranya and had not yet fully recovered. Later, he had spent great divine power regulating Miaoyi Abyss, and at this moment, he had used all his cultivation.

Lian Song was aware of the situation and thus privately chastised Emperor Donghua for not valuing himself. However, Emperor Donghua paid no heed, instead retort with a few sharp words and sent him away. After the Qingqiu Bing Zang ceremony concluded, Bai Yi and his wife prepared food and drink to entertain Emperor Donghua privately. Although Emperor Donghua was as imposing as usual, he maintained a very humble attitude.

Hearing Bai Yi ask about seeking marriage to the Empress, he immediately confessed his love for Bai Fengjiu at first sight and even praised her cooking skills and virtues eloquently. Lady Bai was very pleased, but Bai Yi, thinking of the suffering his daughter had endured, couldn't help but feel heartbroken and found it difficult to accept this distinguished son-in-law. Emperor Donghua fully understood Bai Yi's thoughts.

Not only did he personally arrange the wedding banquet preparations, but he was even willing to open Bihai Cangling to invite guests. He solemnly promised that as long as he was her husband for a day, he would let Bai Fengjiu live as she pleased, grow freely, and would never force her to do anything or make any decision. Bai Yi no longer had any worries and readily agreed.

Bai Fengjiu, unaware of the details, curiously ran to ask, but since Emperor Donghua deliberately acted mysterious, she finally gave up. The Nine Heavens wedding banquet gradually unfolded, with invitations scattered throughout the Eight Desolates and Four Seas. Cheng Yu Lord, well-versed in such matters, was happy for her friend while also setting up a stall in the Heavenly Palace for half a month, recounting gossip.

Each session was packed, breaking the hearts of many celestial maidens and dispelling their nascent feelings. Zhihe was greatly shocked upon hearing this in the West Sea and wished to seek an audience with the Emperor at Taichen Palace but was driven away by Zhonglin and his men. Ji Heng stood far away, looking melancholic, witnessing the process with growing regret.

If time could flow backward, she would wish to return to the day of her own wedding with the Emperor. Meanwhile, Emperor Donghua secretly brought Bai Fengjiu to Bihai Cangling. Continuous immortal mountains, majestic stone palaces, a place where birds nested, and flowers and trees were more flourishing than prosperity. Bai Fengjiu was so happy she forgot to return home, planning to arrange their new home here. Emperor Donghua listened attentively and was deeply moved.

Thinking that Miao Luo had not yet been eliminated, his mood inevitably became heavy. Fortunately, he had always been aloof and spoke little, preventing Bai Fengjiu from noticing anything amiss. Since the Demon Clan had been frequently losing soldiers and generals and disappearing without reason lately, although Xu Yang suspected that Nie Chuyin had long defected to Miao Luo, he had no evidence. He could only first let Yan Chiwu temporarily guard the barrier.

The Heavenly King saw the report and immediately dispatched a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers for Xu Yang to command, working together to kill Miao Luo. Xu Yang was quite surprised, knowing that this battle was likely to be more ominous than auspicious. At the moment, his only difficult farewell was his sister Ji Heng, so he personally entrusted her to Yan Chiwu. Miao Luo learned that Nie Chuyin had secretly gone to Qingqiu to cause trouble, hiding it from her.

She originally intended to punish him, but considering she still needed to use him, she did not fall out with him. Instead, she ordered him to send an additional hundred Demon Clan disciples every day from now on. Not only would she recover her power with this, but it would also accelerate the estrangement between Xu Yang and the other Demon Lords, taking the opportunity to eliminate them.

Under Miao Luo's command, Nie Chuyin secretly designed to kill two Demon Lords and then planned to eliminate Xu Yang's assistant. Yan Chiwu's subordinate reported an unusual movement in the forbidden area. Xu Yang rushed there upon hearing this, only to see Yan Chiwu suppressing the barrier alone. Just as he was about to ask for details, Nie Chuyin arrived with his attendants, deliberately leading Xu Yang towards the main hall.

Yan Chiwu worried about Xu Yang's safety and ordered the demon general Xuan Yue to accompany Xu Yang with the Xuan Tie sword. Just as the group was preparing to leave, Zhonglin suddenly appeared, personally presenting a wedding banquet invitation. Xu Yang used the excuse of seeing Zhonglin off and led him to a secluded place.

He then revealed the details of the spy within the Demon Clan one by one, troubling Zhonglin to relay the message to Emperor Donghua, stating that he was willing to hand over the Demon Clan's sacred object "Blood Tear" to be completely destroyed. Zhonglin sensed the seriousness of the situation and rushed back to Taichen Palace without delay. He then immediately sent the message via spiritual bird. After receiving the letter, Emperor Donghua's mood became increasingly heavy. On the surface, he showed no change in expression and continued to play and laugh with Bai Fengjiu, envisioning their future.

Episode 53 Recap

Since Emperor Donghua came into being several hundred thousand years ago, he had never experienced the warmth of a family. Even when he was later adopted by Zhihe's parents, it was merely an act of kindness to feed him, and they did not offer him much care in terms of affection. For Emperor Donghua, Bai Fengjiu was both a lover and like family.

He had only known before that she was straightforward in nature, and due to adhering to many rituals, she pretended to be dignified and mature in front of others. Now that Bai Fengjiu was unrestrained, innocent and affectionate, fully displaying the demeanor of a young woman, it instead pleased him more.

Miao Luo once said that a sea of Fuling flowers bloomed in Emperor Donghua's heart, but she did not expect that hidden deep within the flower sea was a Red Nine-Tailed Fox. Although at that time it was not the love between a man and a woman, he had always treated her differently. Because the scenery was beautiful, Bai Fengjiu wanted to dance in the wind. Emperor Donghua voluntarily played the konghou as accompaniment.

Seeing her remarkably beautiful face, soft and warm eyes, and every move filled with charm, he was instantly captivated. The dance ended in a beautiful dream of love. Calculating that they had been away from the palace for a long time, Emperor Donghua took Bai Fengjiu back to the Nine Heavens. The two were cuddling intimately when Xie Guchou unexpectedly disturbed them by accident, making Emperor Donghua visibly displeased.

Upon hearing the news that Ye Qingti had woken up, Bai Fengjiu knew the time was right. Just as she was about to go and transfer some cultivation, Emperor Donghua's face instantly turned cold, and he stopped her on the spot. Xie Guchou, fearing that the Emperor would vent his anger on him, quickly scrambled for excuses and slipped away. Bai Fengjiu thought Emperor Donghua was jealous and patiently explained.

However, Emperor Donghua was actually worried that if Bai Fengjiu lost nearly half of her cultivation, it would be difficult for her to withstand the tribulation when she ascended to god. Since persuasion was fruitless, Emperor Donghua took a step back and agreed to accompany her after the grand wedding. After this, the two were frequently affectionate. In the blink of an eye, it was the eve of the wedding banquet.

Bai Fengjiu stayed in Qingqiu according to custom, avoiding meeting the groom temporarily. Bai Yi worried that the marriage might change, but seeing his daughter so elated, he couldn't bear to spoil it. He could only swallow his words, but he solemnly instructed her that after marrying into the Heavenly Palace, she must not be willful anymore and needed to be steady and self-restrained.

Ji Heng had been refused an audience with the Emperor earlier and was now unwilling to give up. So, she took out the dragon scale left by Meng Hao, and immediately asked Zhonglin to pass it to Emperor Donghua, informing him of the meeting location. Emperor Donghua originally wanted to ignore it, but remembering Meng Hao's dying wish, he finally decided to rush to Baishui Mountain to put an end to her thoughts.

Ji Heng was almost in despair, so she gambled wildly on their past relationship, and used the dragon scale to threaten Emperor Donghua to leave the Empress position vacant and never marry for life. On the day of the grand wedding, the sound of music and singing was booming. Gods from the Eight Desolates all came to the banquet. The Qingqiu clansmen escorted Bai Fengjiu to Bihai Cangling, but eagerly waited without seeing Emperor Donghua appear.

Seeing that the auspicious time was approaching, Zhonglin suggested removing the wedding rituals and changing the wedding banquet to an ordinary feast. This way, they could hide the news of Emperor Donghua's disappearance and avoid attracting criticism and ridicule. Bai Fengjiu had no other choice and could only agree.

Zhonglin feared she might overthink and once again explained the reason on behalf of Emperor Donghua, stating that Emperor Donghua greatly valued this banquet, and if he could not make it today, he must have encountered something major and definitely not out of disregard. Just as Zhonglin had predicted, Ji Heng disregarded the Autumn Water cold poison and risked her life to enter the mountain.

In the end, she couldn't win Emperor Donghua back, but instead got worse until she fainted. Emperor Donghua did not want any further involvement, so he personally escorted her back to the Demon Realm, dispelled the Autumn Water cold poison, drawing it all onto himself. Then, he publicly destroyed the dragon scale and ordered Xu Yang to revoke his decree, forbidding Ji Heng from stepping out of the Demon Race for even half a step from now on.

Xu Yang was slightly stunned upon hearing this, and then informed him of the unusual movement in the forbidden area, asking Emperor Donghua for assistance. Emperor Donghua worried about changes in Miaoyi Abyss and entrusted Yan Chiwu to first go to Bihai Cangling to deliver a message to Bai Fengjiu. However, Bai Yi learned the news beforehand. Hearing that Emperor Donghua had taken Ji Heng to the Demon Race while holding her, he was both shocked and angry.

In a fit of pique, he revealed everything and intended to take Bai Fengjiu back to Qingqiu. Zhonglin knelt and pleaded bitterly. Although Bai Fengjiu was struck by the news, she feared there might be a misunderstanding, so she simply went with him to the Demon Race, preparing to ask for clarification in person. Unfortunately, as soon as the two arrived, Yan Chiwu and Ji Heng had already left. Xu Yang recounted the events truthfully, which further deepened the misunderstanding.

Bai Fengjiu was disheartened. Zhonglin wanted to pursue but was stopped. Suddenly, arrogant laughter came from the side. Looking back, it was Nie Chuyin appearing in the main hall. At this time, Nie Chuyin was actually Miao Luo in disguise. The real Nie Chuyin was trapped by Emperor Donghua in a forbidden area. Xu Yang was no match for her cultivation and died miserably at her hands. Zhonglin struggled to escape and finally managed to send out the message.

Emperor Donghua's expression changed upon hearing the news. When he rushed to Miaoyi Abyss, he saw Miao Luo's true form retrieving the Blood Tear, completely breaking free from the restriction. Yan Chiwu remembered Emperor Donghua's entrustment and first sent Ji Heng to a hidden place. Just as he was about to leave, Ji Heng was overcome with guilt and spoke of her deep-seated obsession. Yan Chiwu couldn't bear to simply comfort her and confessed his love sincerely, which truly moved Ji Heng. She repeatedly urged him to return safely.

Episode 54 Recap

In Qingqiu, days turned into weeks, and Bai Fengjiu lived in a daze, mostly sitting idly in her room, feeling downcast and hurt. Since Zhe Yan diagnosed her pregnancy, even though he wanted to help, he was powerless. He finally decided to temporarily hide the matter and stayed up all night refining two pills and sending them along with a letter.

After reading the letter, Bai Fengjiu decisively took the miscarriage prevention pill, discarded the abortion medicine, and decided to go to the Nine Heavens before descending to the mortal realm for trials. At this time, things were different in Taichen Palace, and as she reminisced, the past flashed before her eyes. The winding path was like the bumpy road of love between Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua.

The first half was all about her desperately chasing his back, but thankfully, in the latter half, heaven granted her a chance, and she finally caught up, but failed to reach the end. Perhaps Emperor Donghua did have feelings for Bai Fengjiu, but he was not necessarily without feelings for Ji Heng either.

Falling into Aranya's dream that day and his current companionship in the Demon Realm, after all, were endlessly entangled in this mundane world, making it difficult to choose. Bai Fengjiu loved deeply, and exhaustion was inevitable. The path of a Queen was difficult, especially passing through the test of love. Unfortunately, those who were fated no longer had fate. Now, no matter what changes occurred, she had already seen through it and would no longer be entangled.

Fearing that the people from Qingqiu would come looking for her, Bai Fengjiu decisively concealed her tracks and then came to Youming Palace, giving up nearly half of her cultivation to Ye Qingti, and then asked Xie Guchou to guide him in his cultivation on her behalf. When the time came for the Jade Pond to cleanse the mortal dust, he could be notified by an immortal talisman.

Although Miao Luo broke free from the restriction, she needed to go into seclusion to recover and refine the turbid energy within her body. She granted ten percent of her demonic power to Nie Chuyin, ordering him to temporarily lead the Demon Realm. Yan Chiwu rushed to Bihai Cangling, but there was no one there.

Lian Song met him, and before the two could talk, they saw Zhonglin rushing in, injured, pleading with them to go to Fanyin Valley to support the Emperor. After Emperor Donghua entered the valley, Lian Song was responsible for guarding the valley entrance barrier. When Yan Chiwu learned that Demon Lord Xu Yang was killed, his eyes immediately turned red, and he wanted to seek revenge on Miao Luo. Lian Song quickly stopped him, advising him not to act impulsively.

Once Fanyin Valley opened, it would be impossible to prevent the turbid energy from leaking out, causing devastation and loss of life throughout the Eight Desolates. Yan Chiwu remembered what Demon Lord Xu Yang had said about the responsibility of a Demon Lord during his lifetime, and could only try hard to control his impulse, secretly swearing an oath. Miaoyi Abyss had been refined by Miao Luo, and Emperor Donghua was already powerless to reverse the situation.

The only plan now was to find a magical artifact to seal Fanyin Valley and eliminate future troubles permanently. Emperor Donghua saw everyone waiting outside the valley and concernedly asked about Bai Fengjiu. Yan Chiwu suddenly remembered that he hadn't gone to Qingqiu. Upon hearing this, Emperor Donghua became extremely anxious and vomited blood on the spot. Fanyin Valley suffered a calamity, and the royal family all perished. The Bi Fang Bird people enthroned Jie Lu as the Queen.

Zhonglin received orders to find a place for her to recover and recuperate. Jie Lu was grateful, but she stated that as long as Miao Luo was not eliminated, the Bi Fang Bird people would have no home. She was willing to lead her people to advance and retreat with the Heavenly Realm, begging Zhonglin to settle the elderly, weak, women, and children in Qingqiu, thus also fulfilling her royal brother Xiang Li Meng's long-cherished wish.

Bai Fengjiu's disappearance became a mystery, and the immortals did not dare to investigate deeply. Although Cheng Yu learned the reason for the misunderstanding from Lian Song, she could only sigh and express regret, but was helpless. Time flew by in a flash, and Bai Fengjiu had already given birth to a baby boy named "Bai Gungun" in the mortal realm. He resembled Emperor Donghua and had the same character.

Due to his naturally white hair, which might arouse suspicion, she had to dye it black every so often. Because casting spells in the mortal realm would result in backlash, thanks to Bai Fengjiu's quick wit and excellent swordsmanship, she opened restaurants, bookstores, or grocery stores in over ten different places over two hundred years, truly living like she was cultivating in the mundane world, accustomed to worldly affairs, and embracing the fleeting glory.

Bai Gungun knew from a young age that as an immortal child, his growth was slower than others, and he always kept his childlike appearance. However, when he found that all his playmates were accompanied by their fathers, every time he asked, Bai Fengjiu would evade the question with excuses, making it difficult for him to confirm. At this moment, the mortal realm was peaceful and prosperous, but the Nine Heavens were thrown into turmoil by Miao Luo.

To prevent Miao Luo from leaving the valley, Emperor Donghua decided to personally go to Bihai Cangling to seal it and then destroy it with a barrier of starlight. Lian Song bitterly urged the Emperor to wait until Bai Qian and Ye Hua returned from their travels before making plans. However, Emperor Donghua was worried about the lack of time and insisted on proceeding.

Knowing that his ascension was not far off, his current wish was only to see Bai Fengjiu one last time. Therefore, he ordered people to spread the news, falsely claiming that after determining the ranks and titles for the immortals on the fifth day of the fifth month, the Jade Pond would be permanently sealed, and the Heavenly Realm would no longer register immortals in the Immortal Registry.

To help Ye Qingti undergo the cleansing, Bai Fengjiu naturally would not miss this opportunity. She finished arranging the matters in the mortal realm and immediately returned to Youming Palace, entrusting Xie Guchou to look after Bai Gungun on her behalf. The Demon Race was currently in decline, with many Demon Lords killed. Upon hearing this, the tribesmen's faces changed color, and they closed their doors, defending themselves.

Yan Chiwu was no match for Nie Chuyin and was instead severely injured. Nie Chuyin tried to persuade Yan Chiwu to submit to him, stating that when Miao Luo and Emperor Donghua were both severely wounded, the Demon Race could take the opportunity to revive. These words were coincidentally overheard by Miao Luo. Yan Chiwu instigated her, saying that if she killed Nie Chuyin, he would tell her Emperor Donghua's secret.

Episode 55 Recap

Miao Luo feared future trouble and believed him, not only devouring Nie Chuyin but also being tricked by Yan Chiwu into Fanyin Valley. Seeing her enter the trap, Yan Chiwu was immediately relieved, then grasped his Xuan iron sword tightly and guarded the valley entrance to the death. After Ye Qingti was reborn, his past life was forgotten, his memories vague.

Besides cultivating techniques every day to dispel the demonic energy in his soul, he only knew that time had changed, the mortal realm had long changed hands, and he, a person who should have long been dead, had instead ascended to the immortal rank because Bai Fengjiu had bestowed upon him an immortal body and cultivation, ensuring a wisp of his soul would never enter the cycle of reincarnation. Xie Guchou reminded him not to delve into past life entanglements.

Bai Fengjiu also purified him at the Jade Pond. Her face showed a mixture of surprise and joy, but within it was already calmness. When the two faced each other, only the camaraderie of fellow officials remained. The immortals were arrayed in the main hall of Qingyun. Emperor Donghua clarified that Ye Qingti had not ascended through cultivation and was thus difficult to entrust with important duties.

Although he did not bestow upon him a rank, his words took a turn, and he summoned him to Taichen Palace to succeed him as Emperor, with Zhonglin Xian Zhe assisting him in managing the registry of immortals across the Eight Desolates. Zhonglin was naturally extremely shocked but quickly calmed down. Following Emperor Donghua's instructions, he personally led Ye Qingti away. Bai Fengjiu revisited the palace with a calmer state of mind. She surveyed the familiar furnishings around her.

Just as she was repeatedly considering how to speak when meeting the old friend again, she turned and saw Emperor Donghua's face pale and sickly, his eyes revealing fatigue, his appearance much thinner, and a constant scent of medicine emanating from him. Emperor Donghua walked over and sat beside Bai Fengjiu, his gaze deep and focused. Bai Fengjiu, due to the knot in her heart, spoke with extreme distance.

Although she was moved several times by Emperor Donghua's sincere confessions, seeing the glass half-ring in his palm, she mistook it as signifying that they were quits. She then put down the ring and coldly refused to accept it. After she left, Emperor Donghua could not control his emotions, and grief welled up from his heart, until Zhonglin rushed over upon hearing the sound.

Seeing that the Autumn Water Cold Poison in the Emperor was getting worse, and there were red-gold bloodstains all over the floor, he simply lowered his eyebrows and voice, wrapped the ring in a silk handkerchief, and couldn't help but shed tears. Xie Guchou, as the Lord of Youming, was also an observer.

Seeing Bai Fengjiu's low mood, he proactively offered an explanation, stating that the Emperor would choose the cultivator with the most immortal destiny to succeed him, usually designating them at the very last moment. If he suddenly announced it, it meant the Emperor was about to pass away. Upon hearing this, Bai Fengjiu panicked and immediately rushed to the Nine Heavens.

Regardless of falling and getting injured along the way, she hurriedly grabbed an immortal and asked for Emperor Donghua's whereabouts. Coincidentally, Cheng Yu and Si Ming suddenly appeared to comfort her. The two pulled her into the hall to wait. Zhonglin and Lian Song hurried back. At first, they intended to hide it, but unable to withstand repeated questioning, they could only honestly reveal the whole story.

Three thousand years ago, during the war between gods and demons, a trace of Miao Luo's original spirit, the red energy, was sealed within Bai Fengjiu's phoenix feather flower birthmark. Miaoyi Abyss had accumulated turbid energy for a long time and had shown signs of collapse five hundred years ago. It was later suppressed by Emperor Donghua, who expended half of his immortal power.

However, Emperor Donghua returned from his mortal trial before fully recovering his cultivation, and then immediately went to the snake array in Fanyin Valley. He would rather shed ninety percent of his magic power to enter the dream. During that time, he fed blood to heal injuries, suffered Miao Luo's sneak attack, and finally was threatened by Ji Heng just before the grand wedding.

Emperor Donghua did not want Ji Heng to disturb Bai Fengjiu's peace, so he bore everything alone. The Autumn Water Cold Poison entered his body, coupled with old injuries, even if he wanted to recover his cultivation, it would take five times longer. Now, Miao Luo was advancing step by step, her evil arts constantly strengthening. To contend with her, he could only risk all his cultivation and immortal destiny. The final outcome was only approaching death.

The Destiny Immortal had peered through the Stone of Destiny and stated that Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua were fated but without destiny, destined never to truly meet in their lifetime. Emperor Donghua was not afraid of destiny and wholeheartedly protected their bond. He originally intended to handle the Demon Realm matters before going to Qingqiu to explain, but Bai Fengjiu misunderstood deeply and left without saying goodbye. In just a few hundred years, Emperor Donghua ultimately lost to destiny.

He did his best to arrange everything. First, he built a bamboo hut in Bihai Cangling, planted fruit trees, and then instructed the spirit birds to perform dances at the Viewing Platform regularly every month. Zhonglin suppressed his grief, numbly took out a silk handkerchief from his sleeve and placed it in Bai Fengjiu's hand. When the handkerchief was spread out, the same glass half-ring was inside.

Phoenix feather patterns were engraved on the ring surface, Zhu red with a hint of red-gold, brilliant like the morning clouds. This item was made by Emperor Donghua after casting away half of his heart. It was so that if he were to pass away in the future, it could protect Bai Fengjiu from calamities when she ascended to godhood. Bai Fengjiu was momentarily in a trance, and memories flooded in like a tide.

She remembered casually mentioning a rumor she heard in the market: if mortals wanted to express deep love, they had to prove it by cutting out their hearts. Because cutting out the heart meant death, proving one's resolve with death was indeed a weighty commitment, and therefore must be believed. At the same time, Emperor Donghua came to Bihai Cangling and walked through every corner, touching the grand wedding attire and phoenix coronet on the clothes rack beside the bed.

Thinking of the short happy times of the past, he couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile and shed two streams of clear tears. In an instant, the stars in the sky fell in sequence like wilting flowers. Starlight attached itself to the barrier by the shore. Emperor Donghua suddenly merged with the barrier. The sky and the clear water surged, stirring up high waves, shocking the immortals.

Episode 56 (Ending) Recap

Emperor Donghua and Miao Luo fiercely fought, the ground shook violently in an instant. Everyone rushed to the entrance of Fanyin Valley, but just as they tried to approach, they were blocked by the starlight barrier. Bai Fengjiu was anxious to go forward. Emperor Donghua stopped his hand for a moment. In that moment of distraction, he was struck by Miao Luo and fell into the valley bottom.

Since the glass ring was made from half of Emperor Donghua's heart, Bai Fengjiu could break into the barrier by wearing it. Ye Qingti used magic to pull her back, but no matter how she struggled and he persuaded, she still refused to let go. Zhe Yan and Bai Zhen, walking together in the peach grove, suddenly felt something was wrong.

By the time the two arrived, they saw Bai Fengjiu attempting to cut off her right arm, causing Ye Qingti to panic and release his grip, allowing her to fly into the bloody chaos. The stars in the Nine Heavens fell, their descent almost audible. Turbid energy surrounded the valley. Miao Luo's magic was faster, her killing intent far stronger than before. Emperor Donghua gradually fell into a disadvantage and was bound by a red ribbon.

Bai Fengjiu drew her sword to resist, gathering her lifelong immortal power to attack. After a few moves, she was ultimately injured in the heart meridians. Drops of blood splattered onto Miao Luo's cheeks and neck, actually causing her flesh to corrode. Investigating the reason, it was unexpectedly discovered that a Nine-Tailed Fox's heart blood could purify evil.

Moreover, Bai Fengjiu, being the first Red Nine-Tailed Fox in the world, and having Emperor Donghua's red-gold blood integrated within her body, the combination of the two could instantly dissipate Miao Luo's cultivation. Miao Luo was furious, vowing to make Emperor Donghua forever lose his beloved. Upon hearing this, Emperor Donghua got up and stepped forward to engage her. Bai Fengjiu had already prepared to die. She smeared her heart blood onto the Cang He sword.

Working together, their icy sword light pierced through Miao Luo's heart from both sides, severing half her body, until she turned into dust and vanished into nothingness. The three poisons' turbid energy spread, and the barrier became increasingly blood-red. Yan Chiwu was extremely anxious, and the others were also worried. Zhe Yan came up with a plan, thinking of forcibly opening the barrier with the magic power of all the gods.

After rescuing the two, they would let the barrier destroy the turbid energy. As this method was newly devised, the outcome was difficult to predict. Lian Song and Zhe Yan, being the oldest, volunteered to take responsibility for entering the barrier to save them. The other side was silent, the valley desolate. Bai Fengjiu lay in Emperor Donghua's arms, extremely weak due to her earlier injury to her immortal essence. Emperor Donghua was heartbroken.

He held her close and embraced her tightly, speaking the word "love," and promised that when she ascended to godhood, he would definitely hold her hand and leave, never separating. Just then, everyone focused their minds and poured in their magic. Bai Fengjiu and Emperor Donghua lay where they were, shedding tears before their final moments. Their breaths gradually faded, and two streams of blood merged together. The barrier surged and instantly shattered, leaving only clear skies and earth.

Since the battle in Fanyin Valley, time passed quickly. The Qingqiu tribe resolved past conflicts and accepted the Winged Bird tribe members. Jielu visited accompanied by Zhonglin, and Bai Yi welcomed them with Bai Zhen, imitating the friendly relations between the Heavenly and Demonic realms. Ji Heng secluded herself in a secret place, carving wooden statues every day while waiting there. Finally, she received divine grace and waited until Yan Chiwu returned. Ji Heng was overjoyed.

She hugged him tightly, and her heartfelt confession truly surprised Yan Chiwu. His tens of thousands of years of unrequited love finally bore fruit, winning back the beauty's heart. Ye Qingti lived up to expectations, taking on great responsibility with his own strength. Although his immortal age was young, he managed Taichen Palace in an orderly manner.

When not handling official duties, he also became close friends with Lian Song, often playing Go with him, showing considerable resemblance to Emperor Donghua's style in his younger days. Yan Chiwu was not only successful in love, but his status was also raised several ranks higher than before. Even becoming the newly appointed Demon King, he couldn't curb his nature. He would often run to Bihai Cangling for no reason, disturbing the peace and elegance.

While Lian Song and Yan Chiwu were chatting, Si Ming and Cheng Yu suddenly appeared. The two were following behind Zhe Yan, discussing how the fusion of the Red Nine-Tailed Fox's heart blood and the red-gold blood had dissolved the starlight barrier, thus preserving Bihai Cangling. However, Bai Fengjiu's injuries were too severe, and she had not yet awakened. Xie Guchou rushed over upon hearing the news, leading a white-haired child beside him.

Bai Gungun paid no mind to the shocked gazes of the adults; instead, he was more eager to find his mother. Circling around, crossing layers of cloud seas, they finally arrived at the inner chamber, only to see a handsome man in purple robes with white hair sitting beside his mother. Emperor Donghua looked at the male child who claimed to be Bai Fengjiu's son, his shock even greater. The medicine bowl in his hand fell and spilled.

After being stunned for a while, he raised his hand to stroke Bai Gungun's head. Perhaps the scene of father and son reunion was too heartwarming, the glass ring shone brightly, and Bai Fengjiu's fingers twitched. She gradually woke up. At Bihai Cangling, the palace was built against the mountains, hidden among lush ancient trees. Bai Fengjiu leaned against Emperor Donghua's side.

In their leisure time, they watched the blossoming flowers like brocade and smiled as they watched Bai Gungun play. The immortal path in the mortal world is long, tens of thousands of years, but none compares to a period of peaceful and tranquil times.

The Stone of Destiny wrote that their fated affinity was shallow, but in Bai Fengjiu's eyes, as long as she and Emperor Donghua loved each other, the worldly realm was not far, and they would accompany each other for three lives and three worlds.