Love and Destiny Episode 3 Recap, Plot

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Lingxi remained unconscious after exhausting her vital energy to save Jiuchen, and cold air had entered her body. Qingyao, the medical officer, advised against moving Lingxi, stating she would wake naturally and was not in grave danger. However, Jiuchen’s condition was severe; he had suffered from the cold in the Immortal Sea for fifty thousand years. Qingyao prescribed regular baths in the Clear Heavenly Spring and a perpetually burning fire of Endless Wood in Fuyun Hall to dispel the cold.

She chastised Jiuchen for neglecting her advice and recklessly using his immortal powers, asserting that without Lingxi's intervention, he would have returned to a deep slumber in the Immortal Sea. Yunfeng volunteered to retrieve the Endless Wood, which Qingyao described as a magical wood from Mount Kunlun, capable of burning day and night without being extinguished by storms.

She explained that it originally grew on the Fiery Volcano south of Kunlun, but Yunfeng himself, after getting drunk fifty thousand years ago, had caused a flood that submerged vast lands, including the Endless Wood. She suggested checking the Chiyan Cave, Bifang’s dwelling west of the Weak River, but warned of the thousands of fire crows residing there. Yunfeng, undeterred, set off immediately, instructing the medical officer to care for Jiuchen.

Lingxi woke up in Jiuchen’s bed, confused and sore, wondering if Jiuchen had hurt her in her sleep. Shisan, Lingxi’s colleague, searched for her anxiously. Upon seeing Lingxi emerge from Jiuchen’s room, Shisan quickly checked if she was harmed, believing a demon tribe thief had infiltrated Fuyun Hall. Lingxi, oblivious to the implications, innocently explained she had slept in Jiuchen’s room last night.

This revelation spread like wildfire among the palace maids, fueling rumors that the God of War had taken in a small immortal maid. Lingxi received numerous gifts from strangers, and even Kaiyang and Hanzhang visited her, presenting her with a Wind-Stilling Bead and a Nine-Times-Refined Golden Pellet, a powerful medicinal pellet. Meanwhile, Yuan Tong, Yuanzheng’s sister, returned to the Heavenly Palace.

She was now the leader of the Four Great War Generals, a position she inherited after her brother, a loyal guard of Jiuchen, perished in the Dark Capital Mountain battle. Yuan Tong held deep admiration for Jiuchen and wished to pay her respects. However, her grandmother, Old Madam Yuan, was displeased, reminding Yuan Tong that Tianlei Zhenjun was now considered the new God of War, as Jiuchen had slept for fifty thousand years.

The Old Madam expressed her bitterness that Jiuchen had not once visited the Yuan Clan to mourn the three thousand disciples who died under his command, condemning him as “stone-hearted” and “affectionless.” She sternly cautioned Yuan Tong that her every action was scrutinized, and she must be careful not to jeopardize the Yuan Clan’s honor and future, given the uncertainty surrounding Jiuchen’s return to his former position. Jiuchen later visited the Yuan Clan but hesitated before their ancestral temple.

Yuan Tong, surprised and pleased, greeted him. Jiuchen praised her ability to lead the army in the Northern Seas, acknowledging the difficulties women faced in the military, and offered his assistance should she encounter any problems. Yuan Tong then congratulated him on taking in an immortal maid, remarking on his seemingly more amiable demeanor since waking. Jiuchen’s expression darkened as he realized the source of the rumors.

He confronted Lingxi back in Fuyun Hall, who innocently confessed to telling others she had slept in his bedchamber, believing she was simply stating the truth and that others were overthinking it. She even compared it to her frequent sleepovers in Chengyan’s room in the Peach Forest, which her father never minded.

Jiuchen reprimanded her for her disregard for her reputation, but Lingxi retorted that her father had taught her to ignore gossip if her conscience was clear, and she saw no disadvantage in being associated with him. Exasperated, Jiuchen angrily told her to leave. Lingxi, however, reminded him that he still owed her thanks for saving him from his cold illness, dismissing it as a small matter, and advised him to rest and take his medicine.

Later, Yuan Tong was lost in thought, holding a letter from her deceased brother, unaware of Duyu’s entrance. Duyu informed her he had just reported to Tianlei Zhenjun. Yuan Tong questioned Tianlei Zhenjun still holding the acting God of War position, believing Jiuchen should reclaim it.

Duyu, however, argued that Jiuchen had just awakened, his health was still recovering, and he hadn't commanded an army for fifty thousand years, so it would take time for him to fully resume his duties. He added that the decision of the God of War's position was beyond their concern. Meanwhile, Yunfeng arrived at Chiyan Cave. He entered and immediately spotted the Endless Wood. He engaged in a prolonged battle with Bifang and its fire crows, eventually driving them away.

Qingyao then arrived and casually took just one piece of the wood, explaining that "Endless Wood," by its very nature, was inexhaustible, and one piece was sufficient. When Yunfeng reminded her that she had previously said “the more, the better,” she feigned forgetfulness. Realizing he had been played, Yunfeng wondered if he had somehow offended her in their mere three encounters.

Qingyao simply dismissed his concerns, stating she was a lowly sprite with no interactions with a High God like him, before leaving to check on Jiuchen. Back at Fuyun Hall, Qingyao lit the Endless Wood fire and reiterated her instructions to Jiuchen: frequent baths in the Clear Heavenly Spring and refraining from using his immortal powers were crucial for managing his cold. She added that his ailment also required an open mind.

Yunfeng, still present, expressed concern about the Endless Wood fire burning unattended. Shisan offered to watch it, but Qingyao pointed out that as a merman, he preferred cold and feared heat, making the task detrimental to his health. Jiuchen, overhearing, suggested Lingxi take on the responsibility. Lingxi was overjoyed with her new task of watching the fire. Despite her enthusiasm, Jiuchen remained wary.

He considered Lingxi a crucial link to the Immortal Sea incident, yet he detected no demonic aura on her. Still, Tianlei Zhenjun’s observation that the Heaven-Devouring Beast was unusually close to her was concerning. Moreover, Medical Immortal Le Bo’s strange and seemingly fearful attitude in front of the Heavenly Emperor further piqued Jiuchen’s suspicion, prompting him to decide on an investigation into Lingxi's background in the Peach Forest.

Upon arriving at the Peach Forest, Jiuchen observed various aspects of Lingxi’s life, including a book titled "Stories of the God of War" and paintings of himself. Suddenly, Chengyan, a young fox demon and Lingxi’s junior, appeared and mistook Jiuchen for a thief, attempting to attack him. Le Bo, alerted by the commotion, quickly intervened, scolding and physically chastising Chengyan for his disrespect.

Jiuchen politely told Le Bo that Lingxi was doing well in the Heavenly Palace, then subtly tried to inquire more about her. Le Bo, however, evaded direct answers, vaguely stating that Lingxi was the result of a fleeting "one-night fling" and that he did not recall her mother. Jiuchen then commented on the unusual silence of the Peach Forest, noting the absence of bug or bird sounds.

Le Bo explained that he disliked noise and had established a barrier within a ten-li radius, which prevented mountain birds from entering. Jiuchen observed that while the barrier couldn't block a powerful God of War, it had effectively kept Lingxi confined, highlighting Le Bo’s painstaking efforts to protect his daughter. Meanwhile, in the Shanling Territory, Bifang sought an audience with State Preceptor Jingxiu, complaining that High God Yunfeng had occupied his Chiyan Cave and driven away his followers.

Jingxiu dismissed Bifang’s plea, stating that since Bifang himself had originally taken the cave from others, its loss was merely karma. Upon learning that Yunfeng had taken the cave for Endless Wood, Jingxiu surmised that Jiuchen's condition after fifty millennia in the Immortal Sea was likely not good. He then inquired about Zhonghao, a Heavenly Race general and descendant of Lieyi who had incited an uprising and was exiled to the Shanling Territory.

Chibi, a subordinate, reported that Zhonghao had escaped into the Innumerable Great Peaks, and their men had lost him. Chibi emphasized that they were only permitted to confine and supervise Lieyi’s descendants, not to kill or execute them. Chibi lamented the declining status of the Shanling Tribe, blaming their leader for not being more involved in governance and visiting the Heavenly Palace, which had led to their tribe being treated as an exile region, even below the merfolk.

Jingxiu dismissed the complaints, reaffirming his lifelong commitment to protecting an unnamed individual who had avenged his Xuan Bird Tribe by killing Yuandu. He then ordered the Heart Assembling Nail, declaring that lamenting was useless and that the Shanling Tribe must rely on themselves to gain the Heavenly Race's respect. Jingxiu instructed Chibi to deliberately leak his whereabouts, ensuring Zhonghao knew that his opportunity had arrived.

Back at the Heavenly Palace, Shisan asked Lingxi to fetch medicine for Jiuchen from Qingyao, warning her of Qingyao’s stern demeanor. Lingxi found Yunfeng outside Qingyao’s medical cave, observing her. High Immortal Peng was inside, explaining to Qingyao how his legs had lost sensation after a three-day battle with a "jiaolong".

Yunfeng, wanting to impress, loudly recounted his four-day battle with Bifang, describing the mythical bird as incredibly ugly, causing him shock and sleepless nights, thus prompting his visit to Qingyao for a "check-up."

As High Immortal Peng spoke of a Heavenly Emperor’s decree for him to become a mountain god guardian, Qingyao proceeded with a harsh "treatment" for his legs, by "breaking and then repairing" them as the fastest way to clear clogged vessels, causing the High Immortal to scream in agony. Yunfeng, horrified, quickly excused himself, claiming urgent affairs, and left feeling "so relaxed." High Immortal Peng, in pain, protested Qingyao’s crude methods.

As Lingxi left with the medicine, she saw State Preceptor Jingxiu attempting to gain an audience with Tianlei Zhenjun, blocked by a general who demanded his purpose. Jingxiu refused to state it to the general, implying severe consequences if Tianlei Zhenjun’s urgent matters were delayed. The general reluctantly allowed him to wait. Lingxi, recognizing the general as "evil," offered to relay Jingxiu’s message. Jingxiu accepted, but Lingxi quickly refused, stating she and Tianlei Zhenjun were rivals.

Just as she prepared to leave, Tianlei Zhenjun emerged. Lingxi quickly hid, inadvertently dropping Jiuchen’s Immortal knot. Jingxiu, finding it, picked it up with an amused expression. Tianlei Zhenjun then warmly welcomed Jingxiu, apologizing for his subordinate’s behavior, and invited him inside.

Episode 2 Recap

Episode 4 Recap