Love Better Than Immortality Episode 33 Recap
> Love Better Than Immortality Recap
After Xiao Bai woke up, he urgently searched for news of Chunhua. He encountered Qin Liufeng, who had just returned, and was assured by Qin Liufeng that Chunhua was unharmed, a fact both Qin Liufeng and Leng Ning could confirm. Xiao Bai initially felt relieved, but then questioned why Chunhua had not been brought back. When he realized Shangguan Qiuyue might still be with her, Xiao Bai's emotions spiraled out of control.
He declared that if he could not be with Chunhua in life, they should share a grave in death, even wishing to kill her so she could be buried in his ancestral tomb. Feng Caicai and Qin Liufeng were forced to knock Xiao Bai unconscious. Qin Liufeng suggested Xiao Bai's condition was more than mere lovesickness, noting how he had transformed, similar to his demeanor when he massacred assassins in the bamboo forest.
Leng Ning, harboring suspicions, had the spirit-quieting decoction Xiao Bai had been taking analyzed. It was discovered that a medicinal ingredient, raw monkshood, had been added. While normally beneficial for common people to nourish yin and tonify yang, this ingredient was detrimental to Xiao Bai, whose Fengming Swordsmanship cultivated pure yang vital qi. It would be like adding fuel to a fire, exacerbating his condition. Leng Ning suspected either Mr. Bu Er or Li Yu for this deliberate act.
Taking advantage of the situation, Qin Liufeng visited Mr. Bu Er to request the decoction's prescription, which Mr. Bu Er readily provided, claiming he had already anticipated their need and prepared a fresh batch. Qin Liufeng, Feng Caicai, and Leng Ning discussed Xiao Bai's deteriorating mental state, observing that he was sometimes lucid and sometimes delirious. They realized that Xiao Bai's earlier suspicion was correct: Shangguan Qiuyue had indeed abducted Chunhua.
Qin Liufeng deduced that Shangguan Qiuyue's repeated schemes against Xiao Bai indicated his profound understanding of the junior leader. They concluded that Shangguan Qiuyue had likely fabricated news of his own injury to divert their attention and deliver a severe blow to Xiao Bai, leading to his current possessed state. As their immediate priority, they decided to locate Mr. Shi to uncover the truth, with Qin Liufeng offering to go to Eight Immortals Mansion.
Meanwhile, in Thousand Moon Cave, Chunhua confronted Shangguan Qiuyue. She revealed that Gu Wan, whom Ye Yan believed to have killed, was alive and had informed her of all Shangguan Qiuyue's manipulations. Shangguan Qiuyue expressed disappointment in Ye Yan for her failure. When Shangguan Qiuyue claimed to understand everything Chunhua had experienced since he was the first person she saw, Chunhua vehemently denied trusting him, asserting she only trusted herself and her own experiences.
She then methodically recounted how Shangguan Qiuyue had used her: first, by having her infiltrate Fengming Manor to steal cultivation methods; second, by using her to confirm Fu Lou's weakness, You Si, leading to their deaths in Legend Valley; third, by kidnapping her to Thousand Moon Cave during the immortality fruit auction, causing chaos and many casualties by diverting Xiao Bai’s attention; fourth, by denying poisoning Feng Qianwei with Dandelion while possessing the antidote in his own cave; and fifth, by orchestrating the release of the Guilty Confession Letter through Mr. Shi, which ultimately led to the deaths of Fu Lou and You Si and her separation from Xiao Bai, directly contributing to Xiao Bai's current illness.
Chunhua accused him of using her purely for his ambition to dominate the martial arts world, not out of any genuine affection. Shangguan Qiuyue maintained his actions were out of love, designed to make her see Xiao Bai clearly, but Chunhua retorted that she was now useless to him and demanded her freedom. Attempting to sway Chunhua, Shangguan Qiuyue brought her to an ancient Ice Valley, revealing a secret passage built by the former Thousand Moon Cave Chief, Nan Xinghe.
He recounted the history: Nan Xinghe had once sworn brotherhood with Xiao Min, Xiao Bai's ancestor and the first Wulin Alliance Leader. Even after discovering Xiao Min was an undercover agent, Nan Xinghe did not harm him, showcasing a character superior to the orthodox sects.
However, Xiao Min later betrayed Nan Xinghe by tricking him into negotiations with the orthodox sects, which resulted in Nan Xinghe's death at 33 and the brutal massacre of hundreds of thousands of Star Moon Sect members, including Nan Xinghe's infant son. Shangguan Qiuyue questioned Chunhua on the nature of good and evil.
While Chunhua defined good as helping people and evil as reckless killing, Shangguan Qiuyue argued that the "evil sect" label was merely a tool used by the Wulin Alliance to control dissenting factions. Chunhua ultimately recognized that Nan Xinghe was targeted and killed because his immense power threatened the martial arts world's balance. Shangguan Qiuyue defended his methods as necessary to bring order to a chaotic world.
Despite his pleas, admitting his manipulations stemmed from love and offering to protect her forever, even allowing her to "use" him, Chunhua remained unyielding, her only request being to leave. As Shangguan Qiuyue prepared to send Chunhua away from Thousand Moon Cave, Gu Wan appeared before Ye Yan. He stated that he had done what was necessary, claiming to have removed an "eyesore" for her.
Ye Yan, uneasy, pressed him for details, but Gu Wan only promised she would soon understand and thank him, adding that he did not want her to suffer the pain of unrequited love as he had. Recalling their first meeting by a lotus pond, Gu Wan then shockingly used Ye Yan's own sword to stab himself in the heart, leaving her stunned and dropping her weapon.
Shangguan Qiuyue and Chunhua discovered Ye Yan still frozen in shock near Gu Wan's body. Shangguan Qiuyue, suspicious of Ye Yan's loyalty due to her past tardiness during Gu Wan's rebellion, considered killing her. Chunhua swiftly intervened, reminding him that Ye Yan was his only remaining companion. Shangguan Qiuyue, overcome with a deep sadness, lamented his perpetual solitude, noting that while Chunhua had once been his companion, she too was now leaving.
He told Chunhua that if she left Thousand Moon Cave, she could no longer make demands of him unless she chose to stay by his side. Chunhua, addressing him as "brother" one last time, refused the offer, acknowledging Shangguan Qiuyue's ability to manipulate her through his love. Shangguan Qiuyue then informed Ye Yan that Gu Wan's actions necessitated Chunhua's departure from Thousand Moon Cave.
When Ye Yan questioned what Gu Wan had done, Shangguan Qiuyue simply gestured to the corpse and warned Ye Yan to prepare a compelling explanation for her loyalty before he returned, explicitly forbidding her from dying.
