Love Better Than Immortality Episode 36 Recap
> Love Better Than Immortality Recap
Feng Caicai returned with all the account books from Eight Immortals City's businesses. She explained how she achieved this feat, stating that operators of restaurants and teahouses, fearing a ruined reputation, were easily swayed by a tactful approach, while the tough men of escort agencies yielded to gentle requests. Cosmetics shops, being small businesses, provided their books for a little kindness.
The heavily protected money shops were the hardest, but cooperated after explaining the risks and implications with integrity and generosity. Xiao Bai, witnessing her success, lamented his own perceived uselessness. Feng Caicai reminded him of his crucial role as the Leader of Wulin Alliance and his responsibility.
As Qin Liufeng and Leng Ning began verifying the accounts, they noticed the figures from the immortality fruit auction indicated Mr. Shi had received millions of taels, yet Eight Immortals Mansion wasn't nearly as rich as expected, hinting at hidden wealth. Suddenly, Xiao Bai heard a commotion outside and rushed out to find Chun Hua collapsed on the ground. He immediately urged Qin Liufeng to summon Doctor Bu Er.
Qin Liufeng expressed concern, suspecting Bu Er might be the elusive Mr. Shi, but given Bu Er's renowned medical skills, and with Feng Caicai's agreement, Xiao Bai insisted on his presence. Upon examining Chun Hua, Bu Er declared she wasn't injured but poisoned, a poison he claimed was "unheard of." Xiao Bai, agitated, immediately suspected Shangguan Qiuyue.
Bu Er offered to have Li Yu prepare a decoction, but Xiao Bai, doubting Li Yu's skills for such a serious poison, demanded Bu Er prepare it personally. Feng Caicai then privately informed Xiao Bai that she had spoken with Li Yu, who revealed the individual dealing with corpses was surnamed Zhong.
Feng Caicai, suspecting Bu Er due to the phonetic similarity of "Bu Er" to "Zhong" in "Bo Zhong Shu," questioned the wisdom of allowing him to administer Chun Hua's medicine. Xiao Bai, however, saw an opportunity. He reasoned that since Chun Hua had managed to retrieve the Magical Ice Stone from Shangguan Qiuyue, it suggested Qiuyue held her in special regard and likely only meant to control her, not kill her.
He decided to allow Bu Er to administer the medicine, believing that if Bu Er did indeed add poison, they would have definitive proof of his identity as Mr. Shi. Though Feng Caicai expressed misgivings, Xiao Bai assured her he would ensure Chun Hua's safety and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control. Meanwhile, Qin Liufeng had a private conversation with his cousin, Ye Yan, a Star Deputy Chief from Thousand Moon Cave.
Ye Yan shared her tragic backstory, explaining that she was saved by Shangguan Qiuyue after her family's demise, and her father had been pressured by Senior Leader Xiao to conceal the truth. She revealed that Chun Hua was afflicted with a poison called Quenchless Love, which would only activate if she harbored deep feelings. She also confirmed Shangguan Qiuyue's presence in the vicinity.
Later, as Bu Er prepared to administer the medicine, Feng Caicai gave Chun Hua a precious snow lotus seed, instructing her to take it to alleviate the poison's effects. Chun Hua, touched by Feng Caicai's generosity, expressed her regret, admitting she knew Feng Caicai was well-suited for Xiao Bai and deserved his affection. Feng Caicai, with genuine sincerity, told Chun Hua she truly wished her and Xiao Bai happiness.
Qin Liufeng instructed Leng Ning and Feng Caicai about Chun Hua's condition. Leng Ning recounted Ye Yan's warning that a flower-shaped pattern would appear on Chun Hua's palm, turning black and causing a painful death if she were to experience deep emotions. They decided to conceal the truth from Xiao Bai to spare him additional worry. Moments later, Xiao Bai arrived, vehemently asserting that Shangguan Qiuyue was behind Chun Hua's poisoning.
He vowed to find Qiuyue to obtain the antidote, emphasizing his desire to protect Chun Hua from further entanglement in their conflict. Late into the night, Chun Hua was alone in her room, while Xiao Bai stood vigil in the courtyard, watching her window. When her lamp extinguished, he assumed she had safely fallen asleep and felt a sense of relief. Unbeknownst to him, Shangguan Qiuyue had visited Chun Hua.
He noticed the vibrant color of the flower-shaped mark on Chun Hua’s palm had faded, mistakenly concluding she hadn't been thinking of him. Chun Hua explained it was due to the snow lotus seed she had consumed, not a lack of affection for him. As she spoke with emotion, the Quenchless Love poison flared up, causing her to cry out in pain. Hearing her distress, Xiao Bai became alarmed and rushed to her door, anxiously inquiring about her well-being.
Chun Hua, panicking, quickly concealed Shangguan Qiuyue behind the bed curtains. Feng Caicai, also alerted by Xiao Bai's worried calls, arrived and entered the room. Her eyes fell upon a pair of men's boots near the bed, and realizing the unusual circumstances, she quietly withdrew. Shangguan Qiuyue then informed Chun Hua that Bu Er would host a dinner in three days, where the food would contain knockout drops.
He warned her not to eat, stating he wouldn't be able to save her if she were to be poisoned again. Meanwhile, Ye Yan reported to Shangguan Qiuyue that all the star deputy chiefs and moon servants of Thousand Moon Cave had gathered outside Eight Immortals City, and that the orthodox sects were aware of their movements. Shangguan Qiuyue declared his intention to act openly, asserting that those who control the martial arts realm should do so without impediment.
He expressed frustration with Fengming Manor's slow progress in locating Mr. Shi, lamenting that if Xiao Bai failed to detect the danger at Bu Er's upcoming banquet, Chun Hua would be imperiled. His ultimate goal was to take Chun Hua back to Thousand Moon Cave after the dinner.
Ye Yan urged him to relocate to a safer place, but Shangguan Qiuyue dismissed her concerns, stating that Chun Hua was constantly anxious about her poisoned state, implying he prioritized her well-being over his own safety. Feng Caicai and Chun Hua continued their investigation into Mr. Shi. They now suspected either Li Yu or Bu Er. Chun Hua, however, confidently asserted that Li Yu could not be Mr. Shi.
She recounted how Medical Sage had compassionately taken in Li Yu's pregnant mother and later guided a wayward Li Yu away from gambling, making him his disciple. Given Li Yu's and his mother's deep gratitude and Li Yu's current impoverished state, Chun Hua believed he wouldn't use Medical Sage's techniques for evil unless coerced. All evidence, they concluded, pointed to Bu Er, whose businesses had rapidly expanded across Eight Immortals City after Medical Sage's death.
Chun Hua theorized that Bu Er, despite his vast accumulated wealth from selling immortality fruits, likely hoarded his money in a "brightly lit" yet hidden location within Eight Immortals Mansion itself, where he could easily access and enjoy it. Feng Caicai confirmed their fruitless search of the side rooms. Later, Feng Caicai noticed the flower mark on Chun Hua's palm had grown significantly darker, confirming her suspicion that the boots she saw the previous night belonged to Shangguan Qiuyue.
Leng Ning expressed concern about Shangguan Qiuyue's continued proximity to Chun Hua and the potential negative impact on both Chun Hua and Xiao Bai. However, Feng Caicai argued against informing Xiao Bai, fearing it would only cause him undue distress. Li Yu greeted Feng Caicai with notable warmth, prompting Qin Liufeng to playfully suggest Li Yu was smitten with her. Qin Liufeng then seized the opportunity to express his deep affection for Leng Ning, and the two sweetly held hands.
Feng Caicai then inquired of Li Yu about any unusual habits of Bu Er. Li Yu described Bu Er as exceptionally disciplined, but revealed a peculiar hobby: he personally cleaned the main corridor of Eight Immortals Mansion up to three times a day. This detail immediately sparked suspicion in Feng Caicai. Separately, Shangguan Qiuyue sent a small child to Chun Hua with a message. The child was instructed to simply say "Chunhua."
Chun Hua, concerned for Shangguan Qiuyue's safety, tried to send a return message, telling the child to inform Qiuyue she wouldn't come again and offering double payment. However, the child refused, stating Shangguan Qiuyue had advised against greed.
