Veil of Shadows resumo, enredo, sinopse

Sinopse de Veil of Shadows

Lu Wuyi is the youngest Nine-Tailed Fox of Wuxiang Yue. While searching for the fugitive fox demon Xiao Wei alongside her sister Wu Wangyan, she infiltrates the Wei residence in Luo’an City. At the same time, Wu Shiguang, driven by a deep blood feud, as well as Ji Ling, a mage of the Shilin Sect, and Li Jie, also enter the residence with their own agendas.

As they pursue the truth, their relationships shift between rivalry and alliance, each driven by different hidden purposes. In the repeated struggle for the Dragon God’s power, their choices continually reshape the course of fate. In the end, to protect peace in the human world, they make painful sacrifices and difficult decisions, ultimately succeeding in destroying Jiuying, the ruler of all demons, while exploring the timeless themes of true love and redemption.

Resumos de Veil of Shadows

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The city of Luo'an is gripped by terror as a gruesome series of murders occurs every seven days. Each victim is found with their heart ripped out, leading to rumors of a malevolent demon. To ensure the safety of his upcoming wedding, Wei Qing, the head of the prominent Wei mansion, hires demon hunters from the prestigious Shilin Sect to guard his estate.

In the days leading up to the ceremony, a fox demon named Lu Wuyi arrives at the mansion, using her magic to bewitch the bride, Yu Shengwei, into accepting her as a long-lost cousin named Yu Wei. Meanwhile, the independent demon hunter Wu Shiguang and his companion, a low-ranking weasel demon named You Chi, stage a fake kidnapping at the Dragon Deity Temple.

By "rescuing" the bride, Wu Shiguang hopes to gain entry to the mansion to track a mysterious broken-tail fox he encountered previously. Although Wu Shiguang catches Wei Qing's attention, Lu Wuyi cleverly sabotages him. She publicly admires the hunter's handsome features and suggests he serve as the bride's inseparable protector, which sparks Wei Qing's jealousy. The master of the house promptly dismisses Wu Shiguang, but the hunter remains suspicious of the "cousin."

As the seven-day murder cycle approaches, Wu Shiguang sneaks back into the mansion, knocks out Wei Qing, and uses skin-painting magic to take the groom's place. Lu Wuyi witnesses this deception and alerts her sister, Wu Wangyan, the high priestess of the Nine-Tailed Fox clan. The sisters are in Luo'an to capture a renegade named Xiaowei, a broken-tail fox who stole the Dragon Deity’s power.

Realizing the groom is an impostor, Wu Wangyan decides to replace the bride to face him directly. On the wedding day, two official Shilin Sect hunters, Ji Ling and Li Jie, arrive. Lacking a proper wedding gift, they are barred from the ceremony and forced to scale the walls. While lurking on the roof, they observe the mansion's steward, Luo Wei, behaving suspiciously.

Inside the bridal chamber, Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan finally drop their disguises, and a fierce battle erupts between the spear-wielding hunter and the sword-wielding fox priestess. Ji Ling and Li Jie jump into the fray, leading to a chaotic four-way struggle in the courtyard. To create an opening for escape, Wu Wangyan takes Lu Wuyi hostage, though it is merely a ruse between the sisters.

Wu Shiguang uses his enchanted Buddhist beads and blood-red silk threads to bind Wu Wangyan. In the confusion, the soft-hearted Ji Ling is easily swayed by Lu Wuyi’s distressed act, but the stern Li Jie remains focused, pushing the fox girl toward Wu Shiguang. Their confrontation is interrupted by a blood-curdling scream. Rushing to a side room, the hunters find a guest named Li Mao dead, his heart missing, while his wife, Tao Xi, is found cowering in terror.

Li Mao’s hand grips a scrap of paper with the words "Weimiao Pavilion" written on it. Along the corridor, Ji Ling and Li Jie discover another body encased in frost. Though the ice magic resembles Wu Wangyan’s techniques, the fact that she was bound during the murder suggests another culprit is at work. Wu Shiguang spots a fox shadow and pursues it into a weaving workshop.

He catches the creature in a magical net, but a sudden burst of ice allows the broken-tail fox to escape into a loft. Inside the room, Wu Shiguang finds Yu Shengwei, the steward Luo Wei, and the cousin Liu Weixue already present.

You Chi provides background on the trio: the bride is a master of animal embroidery; the steward Luo Wei appeared suddenly to save the family from bankruptcy and is rumored to love Wei Qing; and Liu Weixue is a martial artist who fled a wedding and avoids the battlefield. With the fox sisters and the Shilin hunters also gathering in the loft, Wu Shiguang declares that the heart-stealing fox is hiding among them. Just as the tension reaches its peak, a strange noise echoes from a nearby box, drawing everyone's attention.

The box in the weaving workshop is opened to reveal a bound Wei Qing. He has just enough time to vent his anger at Wu Shiguang for the kidnapping before he begins coughing up blood and falls unconscious. After an examination, Ji Ling determines that Wei Qing has been victimized by a slow-acting poison administered over a long period.

Since his own magical ring is down to only ten percent of its power, Ji Ling cannot purge the toxin himself and insists they must find an antidote immediately. Ji Ling later tends to a deep wound on Lu Wuyi's neck using a specialized gold wound powder from the Shilin Sect. Lu Wuyi, who is secretly searching for her destined partner, takes advantage of the situation by letting him treat her, using her charms to fluster the young demon hunter.

Ji Ling, momentarily distracted by her gaze, struggles to maintain his composure while he finishes the task. The group gathers in the front hall to explain their presence. Luo Wei admits she was the one who secretly hired Wu Shiguang to pose as the groom, hoping his presence would lure the fox demon out of hiding. Wu Wangyan defends herself against accusations of being the killer by producing a severed tail of a nine-tailed fox.

She explains that she has been using the tail's connection to its owner to track the real demon, a fox named Xiaowei. Wu Wangyan reveals that Xiaowei was saved by a mortal a thousand years ago and has since become obsessed with finding his reincarnation, who she believes is Wei Qing. To maintain her human form and her power, Xiaowei has been ripping out hearts.

Because Wei Qing is in love with the embroideress Yu Shengwei, Xiaowei is now intent on murdering her rival. While the others discuss the demon, Liu Weixue remains slumped over, completely incapacitated by drink. Wu Shiguang declares that everyone is a suspect and forbids anyone from leaving the Wei mansion until the killer is caught.

When Luo Wei protests that she must tend to the family's fabric business, Wu Shiguang proposes using a Blood Binding Seal so he can track anyone who tries to flee. As the seal takes hold, a secondary, far more dangerous mark appears on the palms of Wu Shiguang, Wu Wangyan, Lu Wuyi, Ji Ling, and Li Jie.

They realize Xiaowei has outsmarted them by cursing the wedding gift registry; anyone who entered the mansion without an offering is now afflicted with a death curse. The mark resembles a moon phase that will slowly wane, stripping away their five senses one by one until they perish. Lu Wuyi is forced to awkwardly claim she brought no gift because her family is poor.

With the hunters now dying, the list of suspects is narrowed down to Luo Wei, Yu Shengwei, and Liu Weixue, as they are the only ones without the curse. Wu Shiguang sets up a barrier around the mansion while his companion You Chi analyzes the suspects. Although Liu Weixue's behavior is odd, Wu Shiguang views him more as a pathetic, unrequited lover than a killer.

Meanwhile, the relationship between Luo Wei and Yu Shengwei seems suspicious, as they appear to be providing each other with alibis for the night of the murders. The effects of the death curse soon become apparent as the cursed five lose their sense of touch and pain.

Wu Wangyan warns her sister not to take Wu Shiguang lightly, noting that the Twelve Thoughts prayer beads on his wrist are a formidable artifact forged from the blood of twelve different types of sinners. She also expresses suspicion toward Ji Ling, wondering how someone without inherent power could command such loyalty from the Shilin Sect leader, Li Jie. Ji Ling and Li Jie eventually sneak into Luo Wei’s quarters to search for evidence and find Lu Wuyi already there.

Ji Ling hides in a cabinet to avoid detection, but Lu Wuyi discovers him and delivers a sharp slap to his face, claiming she thought he was a thief. They soon confirm that Luo Wei was an orphan raised by a woman skilled in the use of toxins, giving her a clear motive and the means to poison Wei Qing. After finding the antidote in a hidden box, they rush to Wei Qing and save his life.

Upon waking, Wei Qing is devastated to hear of Luo Wei's betrayal. To follow the lead of a love talisman found on one of the victims, Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan travel to Weimiao Pavilion. On the prayer tree outside, Wu Wangyan notices the names of the wives of the men killed in the heart-ripping cases.

Inside the pavilion, an attendant informs them that the deity is away but offers a talisman if they provide a donation and write down a deep secret. The attendant quickly realizes Wu Wangyan is lying about her secret and tries to dismiss them. Wu Shiguang responds by binding the man, while Wu Wangyan uses her Fox-Allure Spell to force a confession.

The attendant reveals that their talismans are cursed with a Fox-Allure Spell; they ensure a lover's devotion, but if the person who requested the charm ever changes their mind or destroys the talisman, the partner suffers a horrific backlash. They are overcome by an uncontrollable agony that forces them to rip out their own heart.

Li Jie reveals that Luo Wei disappeared years ago after leaving her childhood home in the old town, leading to suspicions that the fox demon Xiaowei has assumed her identity. Wu Wangyan explains to Wu Shiguang that Xiaowei fled the Ice Curse—a punishment for her past evils—by severing her "spiritual tail," the most vital of her nine tails.

By sacrificing this tail, Xiaowei lost her sense of smell but managed to hide her demonic aura, as the curse only activates when she uses her powers. After recovering from the poisoning, Wei Qing confronts Luo Wei, who tearfully claims she only acted out of jealousy to stop his wedding. Under the influence of a hidden love talisman, Wei Qing feels a forced surge of affection and embraces her.

This scene is witnessed by a heartbroken Yu Shengwei, who flees and accidentally drops her sachet. When Yu Shengwei later tries to end the marriage, a cold Wei Qing refuses, declaring she can only leave the mansion as a corpse. Ji Ling returns the lost sachet, and Yu Shengwei hands her love token back to Wei Qing, stating they are finished. That night, Liu Weixue searches through the grass for the discarded love token.

Lu Wuyi questions his motives, wondering why he would try to reconcile the couple if he truly cares for Luo Wei. Liu Weixue admits he is a selfish man who cannot stand the thought of his beloved in another’s arms. During their conversation, Lu Wuyi notices numerous small scars on his hands, which he dismisses as old injuries from military training.

To lure out the demon, Ji Ling knocks Wei Qing unconscious and hides him in a chest at the weaving workshop, surrounding it with a mystical array. Lu Wuyi follows a mysterious note to the workshop and inadvertently triggers the trap, forcing her to reveal her true form as a nine-tailed fox. As Ji Ling and Li Jie engage her in combat, Wu Wangyan joins the battle in her own fox form to protect her sister.

The struggle is interrupted by the arrival of the powerful hunter Mo Yuntan, but the sisters are suddenly summoned back to their sanctuary by the "Decree Power" of the full moon. Mo Yuntan explains that the sisters have likely returned to the Formless Moon Palace, an ancient order of nine-tailed foxes under the goddess Nuwa that serves as the "shadow" to the Shilin Sect.

Back at the palace’s Sacred Spring, Lu Wuyi suspects she was played by Xiaowei and realizes the Yu Shengwei currently in the mansion might be an imposter. Wu Wangyan also notes the strange coincidence that the names Wei Qing, Luo Wei, Yu Shengwei, and Liu Weixue all share the same phonetic sound as "Wei." Meanwhile, the hunters are running out of time as the death curse begins to strip away their senses.

With three senses already gone, Wu Shiguang sends You Chi to infiltrate Weimiao Pavilion and steal the secret notes from the donation box. In her dreams, Lu Wuyi remembers her past as a hunter when she was forced to kill a half-demon child. She recalls how a young Ji Ling had comforted her during her grief, leading her to admit to her sister that she has developed a small degree of affection for him.

Back at the mansion, Wu Shiguang discovers through the stolen secrets that Wei Qing used a love talisman to manipulate Yu Shengwei’s emotions. However, they soon find Wei Qing dead, having tragically gouged out his own heart. In his hand, they find the love talisman, which contains a hidden second layer bearing the name of Luo Wei. Just as the grim reality sets in, Wu Wangyan and Lu Wuyi return to the mansion.

Wu Wangyan and Lu Wuyi reveal to Wu Shiguang and his companions that they, too, were deceived by the fox demon, Xiaowei. Lu Wuyi explains that the "heart-ripping" deaths are actually a fatal backlash triggered when the person under the spell tears the love talisman themselves. Xiaowei exploited this secret to manipulate Wei Qing into destroying his own charm, causing his death.

The sisters further explain that the Ice Curse is actually the "Never-Ending Curse," the most severe punishment of the Formless Moon sect. Members of the sect use surnames based on forms of moonlight—such as Wu for mist, Lu for dew, and Bing for ice. Once a member betrays the sect, the moonlight transforms into their surname to hunt them forever. Since Xiaowei’s true surname is Bing, the Ice Curse pursues her; if caught, she would be shattered into frozen shards.

To survive, she must hide in the shadows during the full moon. While the group waits, Wu Wangyan reveals a "moon phase" mark on her arm, which she calls "Wangyue" (Full Moon). She explains that these marks are innate to the nine-tailed fox tribe and stay with them through every reincarnation. Xiaowei bears the "Kui" (Waning Moon) mark and, years ago, branded her human savior with the same mark so she could find him across his many lifetimes.

This explains why Weimiao Pavilion required guests to undress—it was a way for Xiaowei to search for this specific brand. Meanwhile, Ji Ling accompanies Lu Wuyi as she admires flowers. She explains that her moon phase is "Hui," representing the invisible new moon, which is why she bears no mark. Instead, her sister gave her a hollow Jade Jue to represent her hidden phase.

When Ji Ling wipes her hands, Lu Wuyi denies they have met before, though her racing heart betrays her. Ji Ling, however, clearly remembers her as the girl who always carried a rag doll. Their moment is interrupted by Li Jie, and Lu Wuyi hands over a note Xiaowei used to lure her to the dye workshop for investigation. As night falls, the group gathers for the "Spirit Purification and Guidance" ritual.

Wu Shiguang orders Yu Shengwei, Luo Wei, and Liu Weixue to stay in the courtyard until dawn. During the ritual, Wu Shiguang and Ji Ling discover a mark on the sole of Wei Qing’s foot that resembles the waning moon, though they keep the find quiet. The suspects soon begin to move under the sisters' watch.

Liu Weixue heads to the latrine with Wu Shiguang, while Yu Shengwei goes to her room for a cloak and Luo Wei goes to the dye workshop. Wu Shiguang becomes suspicious when Liu Weixue fakes a fall and complains about puddles in the corridor, even though Wu Wangyan observes that the floor is perfectly dry.

Simultaneously, Li Jie confronts Luo Wei in the workshop with a note that matches her handwriting, but she argues she only learned to write by copying Wei Qing’s scripts. Amidst the tension, word arrives that Yu Shengwei has been critically injured after her heart was attacked. As the truth comes to light, the group exposes Xiaowei, who has been posing as Liu Weixue all along.

They had pieced the clues together: the "frostbite" on his foot from the Ice Curse which he faked as a sprain, his uncharacteristic preference for sleeping on tussah silk, and a trick that proved he had lost his sense of smell—a side effect of Xiaowei severing her spiritual tail. A devastated Xiaowei denies hurting Yu Shengwei.

She reveals that she had initially mistaken an old scar on Wei Qing’s foot for the moon mark, realizing only too late that Yu Shengwei was the true reincarnation of her savior, Wang Sheng. To save Yu Shengwei from the Fox-Allure Spell's backlash, Xiaowei had tried to make Wei Qing fall for her friend Luo Wei so his feelings for his wife would vanish, thus neutralizing the curse.

However, Xiaowei claims she did not switch the final talisman that killed Wei Qing; instead, she accuses Luo Wei of stealing and switching it first. Ji Ling and Li Jie then arrive with four objects—including a bundle, chestnut cakes, and a shadow puppet—claiming these items hold the final secret to the murder case.

Ji Ling presents four specific items to unravel the mystery of the fox demon murder. He explains that Yu Shengwei never truly loved Wei Qing and only married him due to the influence of a love talisman. To escape her stifling life in the mansion without being pursued by her family or the authorities, she planned to fake her death with the help of her trusted companion, Luo Wei.

Their elaborate scheme involved using shadow puppets to draw the household away while Luo Wei displayed a fox-embroidered cloth. To make the "fox demon" vanish before the witnesses' eyes, they used a massive kite. The silver threads of the embroidery were attached to the kite, and as it ascended, the threads were pulled back through the needle holes, causing the image to disappear.

Xiaowei had originally helped them to buy time for the escape, but human malice proved more dangerous than any demon. Luo Wei, consumed by greed and a desire to seize the Wei family fortune, betrayed Yu Shengwei. She used a unique weapon to mimic demonic wounds and killed her friend, framing the fox demon for the crime. Fingerprints found on a heated red candle at the scene linked her to the murder.

Before she died, Yu Shengwei took out a bag of chestnut cakes, realizing too late that the care she had received came from Xiaowei, as Luo Wei knew nothing about the cakes. When confronted, Luo Wei revealed a tattoo that resembled the moon mark and defended her actions by lamenting the struggles of the poor in the old town. She accused the Shilin Sect of only protecting the elite.

However, Wu Shiguang condemned her ingratitude, noting that Yu Shengwei was the one who had rescued her from that very misery. Following the revelation, Xiaowei handed over the gift register containing the death curse. As Wu Shiguang burned the document, the curse lifted, and the group's senses of smell and taste were restored. While Luo Wei was taken away by the authorities, Xiaowei attempted to use her demonic energy to revive Yu Shengwei, which only triggered the Never-Ending Curse.

Wu Wangyan and Lu Wuyi stepped in to protect her from the encroaching ice. Discussing the situation later, Wu Shiguang and Ji Ling reflected on Xiaowei's futile devotion. Yu Shengwei was no longer the Wang Sheng of the past and held no memory of her. Xiaowei had spent centuries searching for her benefactor, even enduring the agony of losing her tail and performing grueling manual tasks like making chestnut cakes by hand just to bring her joy.

Lu Wuyi observed that demons' tears are often seen as fakes meant to mimic humanity, while Wu Wangyan recalled their long history serving the Fox Queen and the goddess Nuwa as part of the Formless Moon Sect. To gain entry into the Shilin Sect, Wu Shiguang offered to help Ji Ling bring Xiaowei in as the culprit of the heart-ripping cases. Ji Ling returned Wu Shiguang's Cosmic Pouch, which contained his subordinate, a weasel demon named You Chi.

The little demon, whose name was derived from the first thing he ever stole—a ruler—was teased for his small ears but remained a loyal spy for his master. Xiaowei revealed that her recent actions were influenced by a butterfly demon named Yuan Wuhuo. He had promised her information on Wang Sheng's whereabouts in exchange for the nine-tailed power she had lent to the Dragon Deity and the secret to reversing the love talisman.

Using the Heavenly Sticks, a divine tool that grants knowledge at the cost of one's lifespan and power, Yuan Wuhuo had orchestrated the recent chaos in Luo'an. Outside, Wu Shiguang learned from Wu Wangyan that rumors were spreading about the Dragon Deity's power being the only cure for the love talisman's curse. Desperate citizens were swarming the Dragon Deity Temple, unaware that Ji Ling, the last dragon son known as Chi Wen, had lost his strength.

After other powerful entities like Wu Zhiqi and Han Ba reclaimed their energy from his ring, Ji Ling was left vulnerable, relying on the protection of the Shilin Sect while hiding from the demons that sought his life.

Long ago, Xiaowei severed her spiritual tail in a desperate gamble that nearly cost her life. She was saved by the Dragon Deity, Chi Wen, who granted her a portion of his own power to sustain her. In return, Xiaowei lent him her nine-tailed strength and joined three other powerful beings—Bai Ze, Han Ba, and Wu Zhiqi—in a sacred oath to protect the Dragon Deity for eternity. Now, that ancient vow has been shattered.

The butterfly demon, Yuan Wuhuo, has been orchestrating a series of murders to incite panic and erode the people's faith. By weakening the Dragon Deity’s influence through public fear, he intends to allow the sealed evil, Jiu Ying, to break free and ravage the world. Amidst the tension at the mansion, Lu Wuyi realizes that Wu Shiguang is intentionally stalling to buy time for Ji Ling and Li Jie to move Xiaowei.

Wu Shiguang refuses to step aside, using his spear to block the door and wounding Wu Wangyan in the process. Enraged by the injury to her sister, Lu Wuyi retaliates with a dagger, successfully leaving a bloody scar across Wu Shiguang’s face. While the others fight, Yuan Wuhuo appears before Xiaowei in the form of a butterfly.

He subtly manipulates her, claiming that the Dragon Deity’s power within her is the only thing capable of bringing the deceased Yu Shengwei back to life. As Xiaowei desperately channels her energy, Yuan Wuhuo begins to secretly siphon the divine power for himself. The intervention comes from Mo Yuntan, revealed to be a formidable double-flower hunter, who pursues Yuan Wuhuo into the forest.

During their exchange, Mo Yuntan is stunned to see that the demon shares the exact face of the commander, Li Jie, before Yuan Wuhuo manages to break through a barrier and vanish. The situation spirals out of control when the Dragon Deity’s power inside Xiaowei becomes unstable, driving her into a violent frenzy.

Ji Ling is severely injured during the chaos, and Li Jie is forced to carry his broken body away, leaving behind a small wooden puppet that Ji Ling always carried. Wu Shiguang and the sisters find themselves helpless against Xiaowei’s rampaging power, realizing that only the true Dragon Deity can suppress her.

Despite noticing strange demon marks appearing on his own skin, Wu Shiguang ignores the pain, hoisting Yu Shengwei’s body onto his back and heading toward the Dragon Deity Temple. Back inside the temple, Li Jie presents the dying Ji Ling to the true Dragon Deity. Confirming that the vessel is beyond saving, the Deity reclaims a ring, causing Ji Ling to revert into a lifeless wooden doll.

Li Jie is ordered to dispose of it, adding the doll to a watery grave where hundreds of identical puppets already lie submerged. Meanwhile, Wu Shiguang reaches the temple gates but is blocked by a powerful barrier maintained by two stone statues. He deliberately provokes the maddened Xiaowei, using her explosive rage to destroy the statues and shatter the entrance's protection. As Wu Shiguang falls under Xiaowei’s relentless attacks, the cowardly You Chi hides in the shadows.

Xiaowei remains obsessed with defying the heavens to resurrect Yu Shengwei, unleashing her Word Magic to manipulate the senses of everyone present, causing blindness and freezing pain. While the others are incapacitated, Li Jie remains completely unaffected due to his rigorous physical cultivation. Fearing for Xiaowei's safety as Li Jie prepares to strike, Wu Wangyan and Lu Wuyi launch a combined assault against the stoic commander. The conflict is abruptly halted by the manifestation of the Dragon Deity.

Borrowing the Eastern Purple Lightning of the great demon Bai Ze, he suppresses the gathered demons and even strikes Wu Shiguang, though the display confirms the Deity has lost his own innate divine power. Lu Wuyi is struck by the fact that the Deity’s face is identical to the puppet Ji Ling. Xiaowei, however, is still unwilling to yield, prepared to sacrifice the world itself to save her benefactor.

It is the spirit of Yu Shengwei, clinging to a final moment of consciousness, that reaches out. She reveals she heard Xiaowei’s words at her bedside and felt the sincerity behind the handmade chestnut cakes. She begs Xiaowei to let her go and use her strength to protect the living. Overcome with grief, Xiaowei finally honors the request. She releases the Dragon Deity’s power, which sweeps through Luo'an, purifying the corruption in every love talisman.

Holding Yu Shengwei’s body, Xiaowei reflects on their many lives together—centuries of missed chances where she used the Sign of the Phaseless Moon to find him, only to face tragic endings. She laments that of all the sufferings in the world, her own obsession was a riddle she could neither solve nor regret.

Looking at the sisters, she warns them not to follow her path of futile attachment before her cultivation dissipates and her last vestige of energy returns to the Dragon Deity's ring. As Xiaowei’s strength fades, the Dragon Deity’s power leaves her and flows into Wu Shiguang.

In a shared vision, Wu Shiguang witnesses the ancient moment when the Deity distributed his power among Xiaowei, Bai Ze, Han Ba, and Wu Zhiqi, while taking a portion of their essence to seal Jiu Ying. The Dragon Deity orders Li Jie to take Wu Shiguang back to the sect and retrieves a puppet from Lu Wuyi’s waist. He ignores Lu Wuyi’s cries and retreats into the depths of the temple to guard his secrets.

That night, as the city celebrates its salvation, Lu Wuyi and her sister prepare to leave by boat. However, Lu Wuyi realizes her jade pendant is missing, suspecting it was taken along with the puppet. She returns to the temple to search for it but accidentally triggers a lethal ancient formation. Just as the magic is about to consume her, Ji Ling—appearing as a new or restored vessel—descends from above, dispelling the danger with a simple wave of his hand.

At the beginning of time, Pan Gu’s spirit manifested as the Dragon Deity, who fathered nine sons. When the demon lord Jiu Ying incited a catastrophic war between humans and demons, the nine dragon sons fought him to the death. Eight of the sons transformed into mountain ranges to seal Jiu Ying away, leaving only the ninth son, Chi Wen, to guard the realm. Ten years ago, a man with no memory was found unconscious near the Dragon Deity Temple.

The deity’s servant, Ji Ling, took him in and named him Li Jie. He was sent to Mount Nandang to claim a powerful blade, becoming the eternal guardian of the Dragon Deity. Currently, Chi Wen has rescued Lu Wuyi from a restrictive formation. Suspecting that Chi Wen and Ji Ling are the same entity, Lu Wuyi attempts to probe his identity and seduce him. Chi Wen remains cold and distant, mocking her as a fox demon capable only of deception.

He returns her Jade Jue, throws her a token, and orders her to leave the temple. Elsewhere, Wu Shiguang awakens in the Shilin Sect. He learns that Chi Wen is rarely seen, remaining isolated in the Scale Cave with only Li Jie and a young attendant. Chi Wen has created a puppet of Ji Ling, convincing the construct that he is merely a small fox rescued by the deity.

When Li Jie expresses concern that Ji Ling may be developing genuine feelings, Chi Wen dismisses the notion, arguing that a puppet is incapable of true emotion. As Lu Wuyi and her sister Wu Wangyan prepare to return to the Formless Moon by boat, Ji Ling rushes to bid them farewell with flowers. Despite her feigned indifference, Lu Wuyi returns to the shore to see him, deepening their connection.

Wu Wangyan warns her sister about becoming too attached to a creature of the temple. Back at the temple, Mo Yuntan reports that the demon Yuan Wuhuo bears an uncanny resemblance to a deceased sect commander, Yuan Wuhuo. Chi Wen dismisses this as a coincidence, suggesting the demon merely took a human form based on a discarded possession of Li Jie.

Shortly after, the mythical beast Bai Ze arrives to explain that the Dragon Deity’s power was absorbed by Wu Shiguang because of his "Twelve Thoughts" prayer beads, which were crafted from dragon fangs and act as a beacon for the deity’s energy. Chi Wen orders Li Jie and Ji Ling to retrieve the power from Wu Shiguang.

Upon confrontation, Wu Shiguang reveals a dragon-kin tattoo and accuses the Shilin Sect of exterminating his people to prevent the rise of other demons. During the struggle, Wu Shiguang rips off Ji Ling’s arm, revealing the wood beneath and confirming that Ji Ling is merely a puppet. Meanwhile, the leaders of the Formless Moon consult the Fox King regarding a prophecy. The King reveals that whoever holds the Dragon Deity’s power can kill Chi Wen.

Having been corrupted by Jiu Ying’s miasma, Chi Wen is now seen as a threat to the world’s balance. The Fox King grants Lu Wuyi and Wu Wangyan a secret order: they must slay the dragon to restore order.

Following the confrontation at the Wei mansion, Wu Shiguang and You Chi are held captive at the Dragon Deity Temple. Despite being bound by Li Jie’s Demon-Binding Ropes, Wu Shiguang remains defiant, claiming he has already moved the prayer beads to a secure location. Unimpressed, Li Jie leaves his subordinates to guard the prisoners, secretly planning to use their eventual escape to lead him to the hidden beads.

Within the cold confines of the Formless Moon, Lu Wuyi is haunted by nightmares of the past thousand years. She remembers the centuries spent with her sister, Wu Wangyan, carrying out bloody missions that have left their hands stained. Lu Wuyi is deeply conflicted about the order to slay the Dragon Deity, especially since Chi Wen shares the exact likeness of Ji Ling.

When she questions her sister about the target, Wu Wangyan merely reminds her that she once insisted Ji Ling was not the Dragon Deity at all. Lu Wuyi visits the Fox Queen, Hui, seeking clarity. While the Queen rewards Lu Wuyi’s service with colorful stones, Lu Wuyi asks if the Dragon Deity has truly been consumed by evil. The Queen explains that absolute good and evil do not exist, and every being hides a darker side.

Sensing a shift in loyalty, the Queen reveals that Wu Wangyan may have developed ulterior motives. She tasks Lu Wuyi with investigating her sister, hoping she can lead Wu Wangyan back to the right path. To protect her sister from the Queen's scrutiny, Wu Wangyan acts independently as a double agent. She secretly meets with Chi Wen, revealing a new prophecy from the Oracle Stone predicting the Dragon Deity’s imminent fall.

Wu Wangyan mocks Chi Wen for sending a puppet like Ji Ling to face danger in his place. The two have a clandestine arrangement: Wu Wangyan will help Chi Wen recover his lost Dragon Deity Power, and in exchange, he will grant the foxes of the Formless Moon their freedom. Chi Wen instructs her to use her charms to retrieve the prayer beads from Wu Shiguang. Back at the temple, Wu Shiguang chants a spell to loosen his ropes.

He mocks You Chi’s complaints about his stiff frame, reminding the weasel spirit that he possesses the softest bones in the world. Using a cloud of black smoke as a distraction to knock out the guards, they steal a passage token and escape. As expected, Li Jie lingers in the shadows, ordering his men to follow them quietly to the prayer beads. Wu Wangyan intercepts Wu Shiguang first at a secluded hot spring.

She uses a maze formation to trap the pursuing Li Jie and approaches Wu Shiguang alone. Using her seductive fox tactics, she claims she could not bear to be apart from him, causing Wu Shiguang's heart to race despite his wariness. She offers a deal: in exchange for his cooperation, she will reveal the location of the next source of the Dragon Deity's Power. Lu Wuyi follows the trail and finds them together.

Wu Wangyan quickly pivots, lying to her sister that assisting Wu Shiguang is actually a secret mandate from the Fox Queen. Lu Wuyi pretends to accept this, but as she embraces her sister, she detects the unmistakable scent of Chi Wen. Realizing the depth of the deception, Lu Wuyi secretly pickpockets the temple token from Wu Wangyan. In the Scale Cave, a wounded Ji Ling confronts Chi Wen about his existence.

He clings to memories of being a blind fox saved by the Dragon Deity at South Mountain, but Chi Wen heartlessly shatters these delusions. He reveals that Ji Ling is merely a wooden puppet he crafted to serve as a disposable tool, and the "memories" were merely implanted. To prove his point, Chi Wen leads the devastated Ji Ling into a chamber filled with identical, unfinished puppet bodies.

Despite Ji Ling’s desperate insistence that his loyalty and soul make him unique, Chi Wen exerts total control over the wooden frame. He forcibly carves the "Heart Stone"—the core of Ji Ling's memories—out of his chest. As the stone is absorbed back into Chi Wen, Ji Ling’s light vanishes, and his body reverts to a lifeless wooden doll. Lu Wuyi arrives just in time to see the man she loved reduced back to a heap of timber.

Witnessing Ji Ling revert into a lifeless wooden puppet, Lu Wuyi is consumed by a localized storm of grief and fury. She lunges at Chi Wen with lethal intent, her fingernails splintering and blood slicking her hands, yet she remains oblivious to the physical pain, driven solely by a desperate need for vengeance.

Chi Wen easily restrains her, dismissing her rage by explaining that Ji Ling was never truly alive; he was merely a puppet to whom Chi Wen had granted a temporary existence. Lu Wuyi sneers at him, declaring that he has been corrupted by evil and is no longer worthy of being called the Dragon Deity.

She accuses him of using lies to manipulate her sister, Wu Wangyan, noting that the unique scent clinging to her sister’s clothes is identical to his own. When Chi Wen threatens her with death, Lu Wuyi remains defiant. She reminds him that as members of the Formless Moon, they possess a form of immortality; as long as their remains are dissolved in the Primordial Sacred Spring, they can be reborn.

Chi Wen counters with a darker prospect, suggesting he could simply imprison her physical form forever. He momentarily considers letting her go, but when Lu Wuyi attempts to use Word Magic to peer into his secret schemes, the effort backfires. Chi Wen, carrying the protection of the Word Magic cast by Xiaowei, suppresses her easily. He warns her that Word Magic only works on the weak or the unwary.

He then issues a command through Word Magic, forcing her to remain within the Shilin Sect so she cannot report his plans. Meanwhile, Wu Wangyan grows anxious as Lu Wuyi fails to return. Realizing her token is missing, she suspects her sister has gone to confront the Dragon Deity. To buy herself time, she tricks Wu Shiguang into leaving by complaining that he is too "smelly" and needs to wash up.

Once alone, she burns a summoning talisman to call upon Si Feng, the "Greedy Wolf" Master of the Shilin Sect. Si Feng, a master of seals and records who has replaced half of her own body with puppet parts to maintain her youth, arrives to discuss the situation. Wu Wangyan confesses that the token has been lost to her sister.

Si Feng warns her that Chi Wen is ruthless and that Lu Wuyi is in grave danger, but she insists that Wangyan must prioritize the Dragon Deity’s mission. When Lu Wuyi eventually regains consciousness, she finds Chi Wen sitting by her bedside. He reiterates the dangers of Word Magic, explaining that his own defenses are impenetrable because he carries the essence of Xiaowei. Before leaving, he strictly forbids her from wandering.

Defiant as ever, Lu Wuyi attempts to use the stolen token to escape the Dragon Deity Temple, but the sect's complex boundaries lead her in circles, eventually depositing her at Ji Ling’s flower garden. Surrounded by the blooms Ji Ling once tended, she is swept into a memory of their first meeting by Yumian Lake.

She remembers how he had gently washed the blood from her hands and taught her a trick to cope with the world's cruelty: by cupping her hands like a telescope, she could filter out the suffering and focus only on the beautiful things she wished to see. Even then, knowing her mission, she had used her magic to make him forget her. Back in the present, Chi Wen finds Lu Wuyi weeping in the garden.

When she asks if she will ever see the kind, smiling Ji Ling again, Chi Wen offers no comfort, only silence. To vent her frustration, Lu Wuyi takes a brush and defaces the Dragon Deity’s sacred statue, mocking him for having lost all divinity. Exhausted by her grief and defiance, she eventually falls asleep curled against the base of the statue, unaware that Chi Wen has gently taken her into his arms.

He carries her back to her room and covers her with his own robe. The following morning, a young attendant named Ye Changsheng arrives with a lavish spread of food. Though he claims he bought the delicacies from a local tavern with his own money because the sect’s food is too bland, Lu Wuyi immediately realizes the gesture came from Chi Wen.

She teases the boy, claiming she is a man-eating fox demon, and questions why the Dragon Deity, who is supposed to be invulnerable, is so cautious about his own meals being poisoned. Determined to make her captivity a nightmare for the sect, Lu Wuyi begins to wreak havoc.

She demands impossible luxuries like rootless water, dustless fruit, and scentless incense, while falsely accusing the flustered attendants of improper behavior—even claiming they peeked at her while she was changing in the hallway. She mocks the sanctity of the halls and turns the daily life of the mages upside down. Despite the chaos, Chi Wen watches her antics with a strange, quiet indulgence.

This behavior does not go unnoticed by Commander Li Jie, who dryly remarks that the Dragon Deity is acting without dignity. At the same time, Wu Wangyan reunites with Wu Shiguang to continue their journey. She gives him the Moon Summoning Pearl, an artifact that allows him to call her to his side regardless of distance. They set their sights on the Ruined Sand, the location of the next shard of the Dragon Deity's Power.

Elsewhere, the ancient Wu Zhiqi meets with Yuan Wuhuo. Having previously broken his oath to reclaim the power he lent the Dragon Deity in a failed attempt to save his people from a petrification curse, Wu Zhiqi is desperate. Yuan Wuhuo tells him that the only hope for his tribe lies with the individual who carries the Twelve Thoughts prayer beads. Back at the sect, Li Jie finally loses his patience with Lu Wuyi’s provocations.

The two engage in a fierce battle that tears through the temple grounds. Just as the conflict reaches a peak, Chi Wen descends from the sky to intervene. He commands Lu Wuyi to follow him, but she remains stubbornly defiant. To end the dispute, Chi Wen forcibly binds Li Jie and takes him back to his room, subsequently releasing Lu Wuyi from her own bindings while remaining firm in his demand that she stay by his side.

Chi Wen finds Lu Wuyi with her hands stained with blood and personally fetches water to wash them clean. As he tends to her, Wuyi stares at his profile and calls out "Ji Ling," convinced that Chi Wen is either the same person or carries all of Ji Ling's memories.

However, Chi Wen is cold and dismissive, explaining that Ji Ling was merely a puppet he crafted from his own power to walk the human world and carry out his tasks. When Wuyi asks why he treats her with such leniency instead of throwing her into a dungeon, Chi Wen suggests he could easily treat her much worse if she continues to push him.

He denies any shared past, claiming that Ji Ling’s rare innocence was something everyone, including her, simply wanted to believe in. Later, Li Jie reports his failure to retrieve the Twelve Thoughts prayer beads from Wu Shiguang. Chi Wen does not blame him, noting that the beads must be surrendered willingly by their owner, making them nearly impossible to take by force. With the Oracle Stone having already delivered a grim prophecy, Chi Wen feels his time is running out.

He decides he must personally travel to the Ruined Sand to confront the demon Wu Zhiqi. Wuyi discovers Chi Wen in an underground cave and confronts him with rumors that he has been hiding away to suck the life force of innocent mortals to heal himself. She observes the heavy fragrance he uses, mocking him by suggesting it is a desperate attempt to mask the scent of his own decaying health and impending death.

Li Jie is incensed by her disrespect and prepares to strike her, but Chi Wen intercedes. He tells Wuyi that if she does not wish to be trapped in the sect forever, she must accompany him to the Ruined Sand. At the Ruined Sand, Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang arrive amidst the petrified remains of the ancient Crying Elm. Shiguang remembers stories of how the great tree was once shattered by lightning.

They discover a mural depicting a girl named Di Zhu from the ancient Aodeng tribe. According to the legend, the tribe was once ravaged by a plague until a star fell from the sky, leaving behind a Star Stone that miraculously cured the people. The chieftain revered the stone and offered it as a dowry for his daughter, Di Zhu. This treasure, however, brought tragedy.

Every suitor who sought Di Zhu's hand died mysteriously, except for a youth named Man Man. Shiguang correctly guesses the dark truth of the tale: Man Man was actually a high-ranking Green Ape demon who murdered his rivals to get close to the stone. When his deception was finally revealed, he led his tribe to slaughter the Aodeng people and took the Star Stone by force, leaving Di Zhu to perish as her village was wiped out by a hurricane.

While Shiguang condemns the demon as a liar, Wangyan wonders if Man Man might have had his own hidden burdens. Their discussion is interrupted by the arrival of Chi Wen, Wuyi, and Li Jie. Before they can speak, Wu Zhiqi launches a violent ambush. Desperate to save his petrified clansmen, Wu Zhiqi believes he is one step away from success, fueled by Yuan Wuhuo’s claim that the "blood of a sinner" can activate the Star Stone.

As Chi Wen attempts to reclaim the Dragon Deity’s Power from the demon, Shiguang’s prayer beads strike the Star Stone. The impact triggers a massive prism of light, dragging the group into three different historical illusions trapped within the stone. Outside the illusion, Wu Zhiqi and his subordinate You Chi are left behind. Bai Ze appears to stop Wu Zhiqi from seizing the now-dormant stone, explaining that the version in his hand has lost its power.

The true Star Stone is hidden within the illusions, and the only way to save his people is to wait for Shiguang and the others to retrieve it. Bai Ze reveals that Yuan Wuhuo had lied to the demon. To prevent the stone from shattering prematurely and killing those inside, Bai Ze uses the Eastern Purple Lightning to stabilize the collapsing pocket of time. Inside the illusions, the group is scattered across different eras.

Li Jie is transported 1,500 years into the past to the Green Ape tribe, taking on the identity of Yuan Xizai alongside his brother, Yuan Wuhuo, during a bloody war. Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan find themselves in the Jiaozu tribe 100 years ago, where Shiguang finds a crying infant by the river. Meanwhile, Chi Wen and Wuyi find themselves in the Aodeng tribe a thousand years ago, cast in the roles of Man Man and Di Zhu.

Wuyi, embracing the role of the chieftain’s daughter, dances before a bonfire and demands that Chi Wen praise her. When he awkwardly compares her to a deer in the forest, she teases him for his lack of poetic flair. A man named Daji attempts to force Wuyi to dance with him, insulting Man Man as a weak outsider. Wuyi does not hesitate to use her Wuxiangyue magic to freeze him in his tracks.

Later, as they sit by the river, Wuyi plays with a small snake she names Little Nine. She notes that while Chi Wen’s vast powers are currently sealed to fit the mortal role of Man Man, her own magic remains fully functional. Chi Wen remains focused, explaining to her that they are currently trapped within the Star Stone’s lingering memories of the past, while her sister and the others have been scattered into different eras.

Inside the "Old Illusion" of the Star Stone, Wu Wangyan awakens in the Flood Dragon clan's domain to find Wu Shiguang holding an infant he rescued from a river. Wu Shiguang explains that they have been cast into the past, inhabiting the lives of his adoptive parents—the chieftain Cang Hao and his wife Qing Yi—while the baby is actually a younger version of himself.

Meanwhile, in the Aodeng tribe's timeline, Chi Wen informs Lu Wuyi that all three groups trapped in the stone must secure the Star Stone in their respective eras to return to reality. Lu Wuyi, realizing that centuries within the illusion pass in a mere moment in the outside world, plans to wait for the return of the chieftain, Ao Erlie, to use her Word Magic and uncover the stone's location.

Outside the illusion, Bai Ze exhausts his spiritual energy to maintain the Star Stone's stability. You Chi mockingly demotes him from an all-knowing master to a "Know-Something" as they witness the stone’s frailty. Bai Ze reveals an ancient prophecy from Goddess Nuwa regarding four calamities: world-scorching fire, sky-tearing storms, devastating meteor blasts, and life-extinguishing freezes. With the first calamity having already passed and the others looming, the time left for those inside the stone is growing dangerously short.

In the Aodeng illusion, Lu Wuyi reflects on the fated romance between Di Zhu and Man Man, hoping to obtain the Star Stone as a dowry upon their marriage. Chi Wen warns her not to lose herself in her role as Di Zhu, though he reveals she has been calling out for Ji Ling in her sleep. Despite Chi Wen’s denials, Lu Wuyi remains certain that he and Ji Ling share the same soul.

Concurrently, Li Jie finds himself in the Green Ape tribe as Yuan Xizai, fighting alongside his brother Yuan Wuhuo. He is shocked to discover he is inhabiting the body of a high-ranking demon after defeating human reinforcements. To save his sleeping tribesmen, Wu Zhiqi learns from Bai Ze that the Star Stone's power can only be activated by a seal requiring Wu Shiguang’s blood. You Chi sets out to find it, summoning help with a Servant Dragon Talisman.

After being saved from an attack by the masters Jin Zheng and Hua Qi, You Chi digs up a cache of his childhood treasures disguised as a grave. He retrieves an old animal trap from which he manages to collect a sample of Shiguang’s dried blood, dating back to when Shiguang saved him years ago. Back in the Flood Dragon illusion, Wu Wangyan notices a heart-shaped, wavy birthmark on the infant Shiguang’s chest.

This triggers a memory of a secret order from the Fox King to immediately bring anyone with such a mark to the Formless Moon. That night, Wu Shiguang refuses to leave the child to search for the stone, prompting Wu Wangyan to stay and soothe the baby with a song. As they rest, Wu Shiguang shares that his father named him "Shiguang" because he brought light into their lives.

A decade passes in the illusion, with the two living as a devoted couple as genuine feelings begin to surface. In the Aodeng tribe, a series of mysterious deaths leads the elders to suspect Man Man of being a bringer of disaster. Lu Wuyi defends him, vowing to find the true killer within three days or face execution alongside him.

They initially suspect a demon named A Sun from the Hidden Snake clan, who they believe is using venom to eliminate rivals for Di Zhu’s hand. However, Lu Wuyi’s Word Magic proves his innocence. When she later suspects her own pet snake, Little Nine, Chi Wen intercedes and takes a bite in her place to prove the snake is harmless. Later that night, Chi Wen meets secretly with Wu Zhiqi, who pressures him to find the Star Stone before Ao Erlie returns.

Over the past decade within the illusion, the bond between Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang has deepened into a genuine romance. During a fishing trip, Wu Wangyan mentions that after ten years of fruitless searching for the Star Stone, there is no need to rush. Instead, she prepares a birthday celebration for him.

Although it is not his actual birth date, she has fully embraced her role as his wife, Qing Yi, and presents him with a handmade bracelet crafted from langxi grass and shells—a traditional Jiao clan token of eternal love. Deeply moved, Wu Shiguang promises to wear it forever. Their peace is interrupted when Little Shiguang finds a fragment of the Star Stone.

Wu Shiguang takes Wu Wangyan to the spot where he found a similar fragment as a child, confessing that his memories of the day the Shilin Sect slaughtered his clan at Blackwater River are missing. He admits his true reason for remaining in the illusion is to witness the truth of that day. Realizing the weight of his burden, Wu Wangyan promises to stay by his side to face the coming tragedy together.

In the Aodeng tribe, Ao Erlie returns and presents his daughter, Di Zhu, with a gem called the Radiant Moon for her wedding prayer ceremony. However, Lu Wuyi, inhabiting Di Zhu’s body, is suddenly possessed by a demonic entity and attacks her father. Chi Wen intervenes to drive the entity away and convinces Ao Erlie to frame the snake demon Sun for the attack to protect Di Zhu from suspicion.

Lu Wuyi continues to test Chi Wen, convinced he is actually Ji Ling. She teases him about his "tender side" and proposes a bet: if Man Man kisses Di Zhu, he must give her whatever she wants. When Chi Wen scoffs that he cannot find fresh flowers for her in a frozen wasteland, he inadvertently reveals he knows flowers are her favorite—a secret only Ji Ling would know.

Lu Wuyi later suggests using the Star Stone for the prayer ceremony to lure out the demon pursuing it, and Ao Erlie agrees to retrieve the artifact. Meanwhile, among the Green Ape tribe, Li Jie (Yuan Xizai) discovers that the demon marks on his brother’s arm are merely paint. Yuan Wuhuo admits to the deception and confesses that he once forced Li Jie to swallow Dragon Blood Marrow to cure his childhood blindness and frailty.

Yuan Wuhuo argues that in such a chaotic era, one must be ruthless to survive. He stresses that they must steal the Star Stone before it is sent to the battlefield the following night. During this exchange, Li Jie realizes his brother is the "Yuan Wuhuo" Xiaowei once mentioned, while outside the illusion, Bai Ze realizes this Yuan Wuhuo is actually the butterfly demon, Yuan Wuhuo (源无获).

As Wu Wangyan’s vision begins to fail, she is haunted by nightmares of the Blackwater River massacre. In her dreams, she sees a woman in the white robes of the Shilin Sect standing among a sea of corpses—and realizes the woman is herself. Waking in terror, she is comforted by Wu Shiguang. In this moment of shared vulnerability, the two finally consummate their relationship.

Wu Zhiqi later shares his tragic history with the brothers, explaining how he once sent Man Man to steal the Star Stone to save his own brother, leading to the destruction of the Aodeng clan. His brother was ultimately killed by humans while trying to buy a clay figurine as a birthday gift for Wu Zhiqi. This "Yuan Clay Incident" sparked a century of war.

While Wu Zhiqi is distracted by these painful memories, Yuan Wuhuo secretly swaps the precious clay figurine memento. That night, a masked Wu Zhiqi breaks into the home of Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan but is spotted by Little Shiguang. A skirmish ensues, during which Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan trade playful quips while defending their home. The fight is interrupted by the arrival of the "demon monk" Xie Lingxi.

Wu Shiguang recognizes the monk as his master, noting the Twelve Thoughts weapon in his hand. Wu Wangyan invites the powerful monk to stay and protect them, and Xie Lingxi agrees, on the condition that every meal they serve him includes mushrooms.

Following the previous events, Xie Lingxi took up residence with the Flood Dragon clan. He struck a deal with Wu Zhiqi, promising that if the latter could defeat him in combat, Shiguang would be ordered to surrender the Star Stone. For several days, Wu Zhiqi challenged him repeatedly but suffered consecutive losses. During this time, Wangyan’s vision began to deteriorate significantly.

This ailment was a remnant of the original host, Qing Yi, who belonged to a branch of the Flood Dragon clan that lived deep underground. Having spent her youth in total darkness, her eyes were unable to withstand the harsh sunlight of the surface world after she married Cang Hao against her family's wishes. Shiguang was deeply pained to see Wangyan struggling, especially after she accidentally burned her finger on a stove due to her blurred vision.

As years passed within the illusion, the pair grew old, their hair turning white as snow. Wangyan eventually lost her sight entirely, unable to distinguish day from night. She spent much of her time on a wooden bridge by the water, blindly weaving bracelets by touch. Shiguang remained devoted, personally crafting a cane for her and guiding her home every evening at dusk.

Wangyan once asked why a legendary figure like the demon monk Xie Lingxi would be content staying there to guard a home and teach children. Shiguang admitted he had asked the same, but his master only emphasized that he must learn skills simply to survive. Shiguang noticed that Wangyan’s priorities had shifted; she no longer seemed desperate to leave.

In truth, she had become deeply attached to their quiet life and feared that leaving the illusion would cause everything she cherished to vanish. Shiguang reassured her that once they returned to the real world, her youth and sight would be restored. For Wangyan, however, Shiguang was her only "star."

This devotion only made Shiguang more determined to uncover the truth behind the massacre of the Flood Dragon clan, a goal that filled Wangyan with silent agony as she recalled her own role in that horrific day. In another thread of the illusion, Lu Wuyi was captivated by the everlasting flower hairpin gifted to her by Chi Wen. Delighted, she suggested that they should just get married while they were there.

Chi Wen, though rattled, remained focused on finding the true culprit and securing the Star Stone. Lu Wuyi eventually suggested using sulfur to test for the presence of the hidden enemy. One night, Wu Zhiqi lured Xie Lingxi toward the Star Stone Ravine. Shiguang and the blind Wangyan followed them stealthily.

Simultaneously, in the other two layers of time, Lu Wuyi led Chi Wen to the ravine after distracting Ao Erlie, while Yuan Xizai followed Yuan Wuhuo to the same destination. Though they arrived at the same location, the three groups witnessed entirely different things. Lu Wuyi and Chi Wen saw the Star Stone itself, while the Yuan brothers encountered a youth who called himself Tian Di. Xie Lingxi, however, saw neither a boy nor a stone.

The innocent youth, Tian Di, revealed that he was actually a sentient stone from beyond the sky. Because of the celestial glow he emitted, people named him the Star Stone. He had once accidentally triggered a massive hurricane because he couldn't control his power, which was how he first met Wu Zhiqi. Yuan Wuhuo manipulated the boy, claiming that Wu Zhiqi hadn't been protecting him, but had actually imprisoned him to use as a lethal weapon.

In the parallel timeline, Wu Zhiqi revealed the tragic truth to Xie Lingxi. Years ago, he had stolen the stone hoping to cure his brother, A-Yuan, only to realize the stone was a weapon of mass destruction. He had kept Tian Di hidden to protect the world, and the boy had gratefully taught him a petrification spell. However, after the Star Stone exploded, the Green Ape clan suffered from a wasting disease called "Shirong."

To stop their suffering, Wu Zhiqi petrified his entire clan. It wasn't until the Six-Eyed Butterfly appeared that he learned the horrific truth: the spell only froze their bodies, leaving their spirits conscious and trapped in eternal pain. Overwhelmed by guilt, he had tried to end his life in the Blackwater River using the Heavenly Punishment Lock, until Chi Wen found him and offered a chance at redemption.

Suddenly, a massive iron cage descended, trapping the various groups across the timelines. In that moment, Xie Lingxi began to weep, repeating the exact words the young Tian Di had once said. Shiguang and Wangyan, watching from the shadows, realized with a shock that Xie Lingxi was actually the adult form of the Star Stone, Tian Di. Meanwhile, Wu Zhiqi saw through Chi Wen’s disguise as Man Man and attacked.

In the heat of the battle, Lu Wuyi regained her senses and leaped in front of Chi Wen, taking a heavy blow to save him. Seeing her injured, Chi Wen could no longer hide his true feelings. As she weakened, Lu Wuyi asked him for the truth—whether or not he was actually Ji Ling. Chi Wen did not answer with words, but instead tearfully kissed her forehead as she drifted into unconsciousness.

Chi Wen holds Lu Wuyi tightly as they are suddenly transported back to the site of the prayer ceremony. Watching from outside the illusion, Bai Ze reflects on how the past remains immutable, making even a Dragon Deity appear insignificant before the weight of fate. Wu Zhiqi explains that the Star Stone contains illusions of the past that cannot be altered.

Any attempt to change history causes the illusion to automatically correct itself, leaping forward to erase logical errors and proceed toward the destined next moment. As they find a moment alone, Chi Wen asks Lu Wuyi if she would still have protected him had she known she was powerless. Though she stubbornly claims she would not have, they both know her choice would remain the same.

Looking up at the black sky, Chi Wen mentions seeing the moon, which surprises Lu Wuyi. She had only ever told Ji Ling that her moon phase was "Hui"—the invisible moon that exists when the night is at its darkest. Lu Wuyi shares that when she was first born into the Formless Moon, she often dreamed her sisters could not see her. Only Wu Wangyan could perceive her presence, leading Lu Wuyi to follow her everywhere to escape her loneliness.

Chi Wen reassures her that he sees the invisible moon, noting that every celestial body has a unique, irreplaceable orbit. He reflects on his own mortality, knowing that like his eight brothers before him, he too will eventually step down from his divine throne. Meanwhile, Xie Lingxi emerges from a cave and reveals his true identity as Tian Di, the personification of the Star Stone.

He recounts how Chi Wen saved him after the Great Meteor Blast, giving him a dragon tooth and teaching him to master his powers. Seeking atonement for the lives lost due to his uncontrolled energy, he became a monk, leaving the name Tian Di behind. He clarifies that he never harbored a grudge against Wu Zhiqi; his return to the flood dragon clan was solely to fulfill a promise to Chi Wen to protect Wu Shiguang.

Shiguang finally realizes that the destruction of his clan was not the work of Chi Wen or the Shilin Sect, but a hidden culprit. Before he can learn more, Wu Wangyan strikes him, knocking him unconscious. Following the prayer ceremony, Lu Wuyi prepares iced lotus seeds for Chi Wen, a treat her sister used to make.

She reflects on the legend of Man Man and Di Zhu, expressing her hatred for deception while suspecting that Man Man’s love might have been genuine. Shortly after, Chi Wen collapses from a sleeping draught she hid in the food. When he wakes, he finds himself bound. Lu Wuyi confronts him about discarding the realgar powder she had intended to use against their enemies.

Chi Wen explains he did it to lure out the real culprit, noting that only a few beings like Jiu Ying possess the ability to manipulate hearts and possess others. Elsewhere, Wu Zhiqi imprisons the Yuan brothers and Tian Di in a cage made of spirit sand. Although he claims they must face their destiny, he intentionally leaves a hint that only obsidian can break their bonds.

Yuan Wuhuo uses an obsidian bead he received as a gift to free them. However, as they escape, they are horrified to realize that they are only thirty minutes away from the catastrophic Meteor Blast. In another layer of the illusion, Wu Zhiqi confronts Chi Wen and Lu Wuyi, only to discover that Lu Wuyi has regained her Formless Moon powers.

Bai Ze observes that the more she is attacked by magic, the more she absorbs and becomes immune to it. After Lu Wuyi kills Wu Zhiqi within the illusion, the timeline shifts violently. Chi Wen and Lu Wuyi find themselves dressed in red wedding robes on the day of the Hurricane Catastrophe. Simultaneously, Shiguang and Wu Wangyan are transported to the eve of the Great Freeze.

Shiguang watches in grief as Xie Lingxi leaves to rescue him, realizing that this is the very day his teacher will fall and his clan will be wiped out. Under the identities of Man Man and Di Zhu, Chi Wen and Lu Wuyi proceed with their wedding ceremony. Surrounded by their kin, they bow to heaven, earth, and their ancestors.

When the moment comes for the traditional kiss, Chi Wen leans in and gently kisses Lu Wuyi on the forehead instead. At that moment, a violent wind descends from the heavens, tearing through the wedding hall as the predicted disaster begins.

The Flood Dragon clan’s territory is consumed by a sudden, bloody massacre. As Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan rush back, they find disciples wearing human skin masks ruthlessly slaughtering their kin. During the chaos, Wu Shiguang’s bracelet falls and is retrieved by Wu Wangyan. Suddenly, a frost magic technique belonging to the Formless Moon sect envelops the area in ice.

An impostor wearing Wu Wangyan’s face attacks, leading the real Wu Wangyan to admit that this duality is a secret she has long kept hidden. As the two versions of Wangyan duel, Wu Shiguang channels the Dragon Deity's Power to protect the woman he trusts. He soon realizes his opponent is not actually Wangyan, but is being puppeteered by the demon Jiu Ying.

Amidst the chaos of the wedding, Wu Zhiqi seizes the Star Stone and flees, pursued by Chi Wen and Lu Wuyi. During the chase, Lu Wuyi’s sachet falls, providing the perfect opening for Little Nine—the true form of Jiu Ying—to possess her body. Nearby, Xie Lingxi confronts Wu Zhiqi, explaining that even if Shiguang’s life is used as a threat, the curse of the petrified clan cannot be undone.

Meanwhile, Li Jie’s investigation into the Shilin Sect confirms that Jiu Ying is the malevolent architect behind the group's actions. Chi Wen, having long suspected the markings on Little Nine’s forehead, forces the demon to reveal its origins. Jiu Ying explains it was once a venomous egg buried underground, poisoning the Aodeng tribe until the Star Stone’s descent hatched it.

After consuming the stone's energy and the blood of Di Zhu to sustain its first possession, the demon grew more heads by feeding on human fear and despair. Jiu Ying reveals its ultimate goal: to force humanity and the demon race into a war of mutual destruction, just as it did during the Yuan Clay Incident. By scattering eighty-one spirit fragments across the world, Jiu Ying has ensured its own immortality.

The conflict intensifies as the butterfly demon twin, Yuan Wuhuo, attempts to use a parasite to destroy the Star Stone, but the hero Yuan Wuhuo intervenes and destroys the insect. Later, the butterfly demons kidnap Wu Zhiqi, and in the ensuing struggle, Tian Di dies in a massive explosion to save him. As Li Jie attempts to retrieve the falling Star Stone, the villainous Yuan Wuhuo stabs him.

Li Jie dies without ever learning the truth of his lineage, while the butterfly demon is haunted by the sight of his own face on the man he just struck down. In another corner of the struggle, Xie Lingxi rescues a young Shiguang from the Jiu Ying-controlled impostor. Though he succeeds in forcing the demon out of the body, Xie Lingxi is mortally wounded in the process.

Before he passes away, he entrusts his Buddhist prayer beads to the young Shiguang. Inside the illusionary realm, Chi Wen is severely injured while protecting Lu Wuyi from Jiu Ying’s attacks. Desperate to reclaim her body, Lu Wuyi uses an ice spike to stab herself, forcing the demon to flee her physical form. Jiu Ying quickly shifts its possession to Wu Zhiqi, causing his power to spiral out of control and trigger a massive hurricane.

While Bai Ze assists Wu Zhiqi in protecting the Star Stone outside the illusion, the butterfly demon Yuan Wuhuo takes advantage of the chaos to siphon the Dragon Deity's Power for himself. Trapped within the storm, Lu Wuyi and Chi Wen struggle to reach the Star Stone. Lu Wuyi anchors herself to a rock wall with an ice spike, refusing to let go of Chi Wen as the winds threaten to tear them apart.

Braving the lacerating gale, they touch the stone together and successfully escape the illusion. Once safe, Lu Wuyi hopes their shared brush with death has changed their relationship, but Chi Wen remains silent and coldly pulls his hand away from hers.

Chi Wen is stunned to find himself face to face with his old friend, Yuan Wuhuo. Long believing him dead, Chi Wen is shocked to learn that he survived and has joined Jiu Ying under the new name "Yuan Wuhuo" (changing the meaning of his name from "No Calamity" to "No Gain").

Yuan Wuhuo reveals that he ventured into the perilous Mist-Blood Cave to retrieve the Spirit-Storing Jade and fashioned it into a magical artifact, which he used to seize the Dragon Deity’s Power from Wu Zhiqi. Though Chi Wen suspects his friend is acting under duress, Yuan Wuhuo coldly claims his only goal is to drag Chi Wen down from his hollow divine throne.

As Yuan Wuhuo departs, Chi Wen uses Word Magic to freeze Lu Wuyi in place, commanding her to stay behind for her safety despite her protests. Within the frozen territory of the flood dragon clan, Shiguang hears Wu Wangyan’s call. Despite his broken limbs and mangled body, he crawls through the ice until the two are finally reunited.

They failed to secure the Star Stone and are now trapped within the dying illusion, but Wu Wangyan feels no regret as long as Shiguang is safe. She confesses she is tired and simply wants to go home. Before the frost completely consumes them, she asks Shiguang for one final favor: that he does not hate her. The cold eventually overtakes them, leaving them as frozen statues in each other's arms.

Outside the illusion, You Chi waits anxiously by a nameless tombstone. Suddenly, the Star Stone activates, opening a portal that allows the hunters Hua Qi and Jin Zheng to enter the illusion. They locate the frozen Shiguang and Wu Wangyan, along with the severely wounded Li Jie, and prepare to bring them back. As You Chi waits at the entrance, a figure resembling Xie Lingxi emerges.

However, You Chi’s father immediately realizes it is a spirit fragment of Jiu Ying, drawn to the tombstone by the protective magic Xie Lingxi left for Shiguang. The Jiu Ying fragment mocks the hunters and closes the portal, intending to trap them inside forever. You Chi’s father, a member of the weasel clan, stands his ground alone against the ancient evil.

He wields the clan’s sacred fire blade, Ember, and teaches his son the true meaning of their motto: to do one’s best. He explains that if the heart is truly committed, the weapon will unleash a power capable of burning through anything. Though he successfully destroys the fragment and reopens the passage, the effort costs him his life. You Chi is left devastated, weeping over his father who sacrificed everything to save them.

With the portal reopened, the group finally escapes the illusion. Hua Qi and Jin Zheng depart with Li Jie to seek medical treatment at the Shilin Sect. Near the tombstone, the last of Xie Lingxi’s spiritual energy manifests as a phantom to reveal Shiguang's true identity: he is the Tenth Dragon Son and Chi Wen’s younger brother. Long ago, the Nine Dragons sacrificed their most precious reverse scales to create the Dragon Stone, which eventually gained sentience and became Shiguang.

Xie Lingxi explains that Jiu Ying slaughtered the flood dragon clan specifically to find Shiguang and use him to kill Chi Wen. Overwhelmed with guilt, Shiguang realizes his loved ones died because of his existence, but Wu Wangyan silently takes his hand to comfort him. Xie Lingxi explains that the Dragon Deity’s Power is now awakening within Shiguang through four stages: Scales, Claws, Horns, and finally, the Eyes. Each stage is marked by a petal-shaped scale appearing on his forehead.

Once he gathers all four portions of the power, he will become a true dragon. The phantom then leads Shiguang to the Star Stone to claim the second portion of his power. During this time, Wu Zhiqi pleads for a way to save his petrified clansmen. However, Xie Lingxi reveals a painful truth: the promise that the Star Stone could reverse the stone-turning curse was a lie.

Years ago, when Wu Zhiqi was suicidal and imprisoned in the Blackwater River, Xie Lingxi asked Chi Wen to tell that lie just to give the broken warrior a reason to keep living. Realizing the petrification is irreversible, Wu Zhiqi finally finds peace. He asks Bai Ze to tell Chi Wen to destroy the statues so his people can finally be released from their eternal agony.

As Wu Zhiqi dissolves into light and Xie Lingxi’s phantom vanishes, the Star Stone returns to its physical form in Shiguang’s hands. Elsewhere, Chi Wen tracks Yuan Wuhuo to the banks of the Blackwater River. He attempts to use the power borrowed from Xiaowei to subdue his former friend, but he falls into a trap. The dark water of the river—the same place Wu Zhiqi once chose for his own end—absorbs Chi Wen’s energy, leaving him vulnerable.

Yuan Wuhuo mocks him for being as unguarded as he was centuries ago. However, in the moment of greatest peril, a dormant power within Chi Wen surges to life, allowing him to overpower Yuan Wuhuo and reclaim the Spirit-Storing Jade. To his concern, the Dragon Deity’s Power within the jade does not return to his Spirit-Binding Ring as expected.

After Chi Wen defeated Yuan Wuhuo, the second wisp of the Dragon Deity's Power was absorbed by Wu Shiguang and returned to his body. As the powers merged, Wu Shiguang saw the true Ninth Brother, Chi Wen, within his spiritual consciousness. Because Chi Wen possessed the power of sealing, he decided to drive the Guili Sword into his own dragon spine to pin down Jiu Ying's primordial spirit.

Then, he planned to find a barely suitable vessel within the Shilin Sect, perform the Dragonbirth Spell to transfer his consciousness into that body, and completely seal away his true dragon form. However, a suitable vessel for the Dragonbirth Spell was difficult to find. At Chi Wen's suggestion, the dragon princes fused their own reverse scales together to create a Tenth Son, and this was the origin of Wu Shiguang.

Chi Wen ordered Bai Ze to take everyone back to the Shilin Sect. Accompanied by Lu Wuyi, he personally performed a ritual to grant the petrified clansmen of Wu Zhiqi their final release. Seeing his hands were dirty, Lu Wuyi led him to a river to wash. Seizing the moment, she removed his Dragon Deity's ring. She had initially intended to take the ring, thinking it might greatly aid the dragon-slaying plan.

But when she actually held his hand, she hesitated and ultimately placed the ring back on his finger. Chi Wen, too, was testing Lu Wuyi. Her action secretly relieved him. Noticing she still kept the handkerchief he had given her close to her person filled him with complex emotions. Lu Wuyi was curious about Chi Wen's relationship with the butterfly demon, Yuan Wuhuo.

Chi Wen recounted that in a past life, Yuan Wuhuo was a mortal named Yuan Wuhuo, who had once been the demon hunter commander of the Shilin Sect. To Chi Wen, he was like an elder brother; he watched Chi Wen grow up, and Chi Wen stayed with him until his old age. A mortal lifespan was ultimately a shackle, and they had to part ways eventually.

Meanwhile, Hua Qi and Bai Ze awakened Li Jie and explained Yuan Wuhuo's origins. Li Jie was confused about why he looked exactly like him. Wu Shiguang awoke and used the Moon Summoning Pearl to call for Wu Wangyan. Even though they had left the illusion, the profound care forged there remained. But both knew that the tenderness in the illusion belonged to Cang Hao and Qing Yi.

Despite their feelings, the hatred from the annihilation of a clan stood between them. Wu Shiguang insisted on uncovering the truth about the massacre. Wu Wangyan had no choice but to tell him the whole story. She revealed that on every full moon night, all members of the Formless Moon Sect were forcibly summoned back to the Formless Moon Palace. They would enter the Primordial Sacred Spring, where no secrets remained between them.

Each rebirth reshaped their bodies and restored their memories and emotions. One day, the Oracle Stone delivered a prophecy, ordering them to wipe out a flood dragon village by the Blackwater River. Wu Wangyan and others felt it was wrong and raised objections, delaying the mission. But when they awoke from the Sacred Spring again, their memories had reset to before they entered, as if a segment had been deliberately erased.

The Fox Queen never mentioned the matter again, as if it had never happened. Suspicious, Wu Wangyan secretly returned to the Blackwater River, only to find devastation, no survivors, and traces of her own magic everywhere. Later, after entering the Star Stone illusion, her memories gradually returned, and she finally understood: the Fox Queen's consciousness had never truly awakened. The one who had been controlling the Formless Moon Sect through the Oracle Stone was Jiu Ying all along.

Now that Jiu Ying had completely taken over the sect, Wu Wangyan dared not remain under his control. Before each return to the Sacred Spring, she would seal away any memories and emotions that might expose her. Hearing this, Wu Shiguang was heartbroken. After laying bare the truth, Wu Wangyan chose to leave the Shilin Sect. Meanwhile, Lu Wuyi remained by the river with Chi Wen.

The thought of him returning to the Formless Moon Sect filled her with inexplicable sadness, and she worried that his plans with her sister would be discovered by the Fox Queen. Chi Wen lamented that the saddest thing was to have desires yet be trapped by shackles.

He brought up the old incident where Lu Wuyi had been forced to kill that half-human, half-demon child, shocking her and making her more certain that Chi Wen either possessed Ji Ling's memories or was Ji Ling himself. When Chi Wen asked what she would do if she discovered he was Ji Ling, Lu Wuyi had no time to answer before she was forcibly summoned back by the power of the Formless Moon.

On the night of the full moon, Wu Wangyan resisted the summons and went alone to a secluded mountain forest. Recalling the happy moments with Wu Shiguang in the illusion, tears streamed down her face. She drew her blade, intending to sever her spiritual tail to completely break free from the Formless Moon Sect. Wu Shiguang arrived just in time to stop her, pleading with her to stand and fight alongside him. In the end, Wu Wangyan faded away in Wu Shiguang's embrace.

Wu Shiguang arrives to find Master Chi Wen, asking directly about the whereabouts of Wu Wangyan. He explains that his Moon Summoning Pearl has stopped reacting, leaving him unable to track her. Chi Wen informs him that the Formless Moon is an ancient realm dating back to the era of Nuwa, filled with ancient seals and power restrictions that even he cannot easily undo. A small artifact like the pearl has little chance of penetrating such formidable barriers.

Shortly after, Bai Ze enters with Hua Qi and Jin Zheng, reporting that they have detected the presence of a fragment of Jiu Ying’s spirit within the Shilin Sect. Upon inspection, they discover that the fragment is actually hidden inside Wu Shiguang’s body, waiting for an opportunity to awaken. Chi Wen produces a bracelet imbued with Bai Ze's Eastern Purple Lightning, instructing Shiguang to wear it to suppress the evil spirit's influence.

Shiguang reveals that they have already gathered seventy-eight fragments from across the world; only the two remaining inside the Oracle Stone are left. He decides to head to the Formless Moon to rescue Wangyan and destroy the final pieces of the spirit. Chi Wen offers to accompany him, partly motivated by his concern for Lu Wuyi. Inside the Formless Moon, the fox spirits are restless, wondering why the Fox King has summoned Wu Wangyan for a private meeting.

Lu Wuyi remains silent, pretending to know nothing. Meanwhile, Wangyan confronts the entity she knows as the Fox King, addressing him as Jiu Ying. She demands that he stop defiling the merciful appearance of their leader. Jiu Ying reveals that during the destruction of the Flood Dragon clan, he transferred the spirit fragment from her body into Wu Shiguang.

He explains that the Oracle Stone actually houses three spirit fragments: one used to control her during the massacre, and two others kept as leverage. He admits that he has only kept her alive to serve as Shiguang's weakness. The fox sisters gather at the Sacred Spring to share their memories, a process that exposes Lu Wuyi’s hidden feelings for Ji Ling.

Later, Jiu Ying, still appearing as the Fox King, summons Lu Wuyi and cryptically tells her that the "fated one" cannot escape destiny and that she will understand everything when the time is right. Wuyi eventually finds the imprisoned Wangyan. Facing her sister, Wangyan apologizes for her previous lies but warns Wuyi that the Fox King they serve is a fraud.

She explains that the real Fox King’s power dissipated long ago, and Jiu Ying has been using the appearance of their leader to issue false prophecies from the Oracle Stone. He has driven the fox tribe to create slaughter and hatred under the guise of maintaining balance—a deception that Xiaowei had once seen through. When Lu Wuyi tries to forcibly break the barrier surrounding her sister, she is struck back by the seal's curse.

Wangyan begs her to stop, explaining that their enemy is too terrifying to face alone. Meanwhile, Chi Wen, Bai Ze, and Wu Shiguang fight their way into the Formless Moon. When the other fox spirits attempt to stop them, Chi Wen uses Word Magic to command them to kneel and obey his orders. This allows Shiguang and Bai Ze to press forward toward the prison.

Because Jiu Ying is constantly absorbing power from the Oracle Stone, Shiguang finds his two portions of the Dragon Deity's Power insufficient to break the inner seals. Bai Ze decides to voluntarily return his own portion of the Dragon Deity's Power to Shiguang. He reminds Shiguang that the power was originally a gift from the true Chi Wen and that returning it to its rightful owner is only natural.

As the third portion of the Dragon Deity's Power integrates into his consciousness, Shiguang sees the hidden truth: the man he knows as Chi Wen is actually the fox demon Ji Ling. The true Chi Wen, currently sealed in the Dragon Abyss, had granted Ji Ling his identity and power to act as a decoy until the tenth dragon son could awaken.

Realizing that only the Dragon Deity's Power can kill a dragon, the true Chi Wen warned Ji Ling that Jiu Ying would inevitably try to use Shiguang to kill him so that Jiu Ying's true form could break free. Back at the Shilin Sect, Jin Zheng encourages Li Jie to take advantage of Chi Wen's absence and speak with the butterfly demon, Yuan Wuhuo. At the same time, Ji Ling—in his guise as the Dragon Deity—meets secretly with Jiu Ying.

Driven by a refusal to hand over his status to Shiguang, Ji Ling has long been collaborating with the enemy. He reveals that after the Flood Dragon clan was destroyed, Jiu Ying realized Shiguang was failing to transform into a dragon. To investigate, Jiu Ying had a Six-Eyed Butterfly devour a former mage of the Shilin Sect named Yuan Wuhuo, who was dying of the Wasting Sickness in a remote cave.

The butterfly demon spent decades consuming the man's memories and eventually took on his form. Ji Ling explains that Shiguang needs four portions of the Dragon Deity's Power to fully activate his form—transforming his scales, claws, horns, and finally his eyes. He warns Jiu Ying that killing Wangyan now would only strengthen Shiguang’s resolve. Instead, he proposes a more cruel strategy: they will allow Shiguang to rescue Wangyan and let their bond grow until he has collected all the power.

Once Shiguang is at his most vulnerable and deeply in love, they will kill Wangyan before his eyes. The resulting emotional collapse will allow Jiu Ying to seize Shiguang's body and travel to the Dragon Abyss to finish off the real Chi Wen. In exchange for this help, Ji Ling demands to remain the permanent Dragon Deity.

After Wu Shiguang successfully gathered three sources of Dragon Deity’s Power, he finally shattered the restrictions imposed by Jiu Ying. Free at last, Wu Wangyan rushed forward to thank him, holding his hands with deep gratitude. Lu Wuyi couldn’t help but tease the two, remarking that as an old couple, such formal thanks were hardly necessary. However, the danger was not yet over.

Jiu Ying informed Ji Ling that while the others could depart, Lu Wuyi had to remain behind because she was uniquely important to the entity. Ji Ling immediately saw through the deception. He noted that Lu Wuyi’s appearance was an exact match for a mortal woman named Di Zhu, whose portrait was among the relics of the Ruined Sand.

He realized Jiu Ying had crafted Lu Wuyi as a "painted skin" to harvest the emotions and memories of the Formless Moon Sect, allowing the entity to control them all. To counter this, Ji Ling challenged Jiu Ying, suggesting that if the intent was to use Lu Wuyi to monitor him, she should be allowed to return to the Shilin Sect under his watch. Meanwhile, back at the sect, the captive demon Yuan Wuhuo attempted to manipulate Li Jie.

He taunted the commander, claiming the Dragon Deity knew of Li Jie’s confusion but chose to keep him in the dark, using him only as a tool for war and sacrifice. Yuan Wuhuo, seeking a new body, attempted to possess Li Jie during their struggle. However, through sheer willpower and a brutal fight, Li Jie managed to overcome the demon and end Yuan Wuhuo's existence.

When the group returned to the Shilin Sect, Ji Ling sought to confirm Li Jie’s true identity after the encounter with the look-alike demon. He accompanied Li Jie to the Ruined Sand to retrieve a specific weapon—the Mountain Demon Blade. Ji Ling watched anxiously as Li Jie approached the blade, knowing that only the rightful owner could ever lift it.

When Li Jie grasped the hilt firmly and reminisced about how the Dragon Deity had once sent him to Mount Nandang to pull it from the earth, Ji Ling finally relaxed. The two shared a knowing smile, their bond reaffirmed. Later, Ji Ling consulted with Bai Ze. Although Bai Ze was relieved that Li Jie was himself, he revealed a heavy cost: the Dragon Deity’s Power had fused with the spirits of the great demons.

By transferring his portion to Wu Shiguang, Bai Ze had sustained a fatal injury to his inner core. Despite his waning life, Bai Ze refused to regret his choice, telling Ji Ling not to worry. He only wished to stay and witness the final steps of their journey together, urging Ji Ling to go to Luo'an to reclaim the last bit of power from Han Ba.

While Lu Wuyi and Wu Wangyan were discussing the private conversation between Wu Shiguang and the Dragon Deity, they were interrupted by the arrival of the double-flower hunter, Si Feng. Lu Wuyi was confused by her sister's acquaintance with a notorious demon hunter, but Wu Wangyan admitted she had no memory of their past meetings. Si Feng explained that Jiu Ying had erased those memories and delivered a warning from the real Chi Wen: the Oracle Stone was a lie.

She provided an artifact to store memories and mentioned that their first meeting was linked to the demon Han Ba. Realizing that Jiu Ying had hidden a mission they once performed in Chang'an, Wu Wangyan decided they must find Han Ba to uncover the truth. Elsewhere, Ji Ling spoke openly with Wu Shiguang.

He confessed that his role as the protector of the Dragon Deity Temple was a burden he had carried for ages, and he was relieved that the true successor had finally arrived. Lu Wuyi overheard this and finally confirmed that the man she loved was indeed the Dragon Deity himself. After Wu Shiguang left them alone, Ji Ling revealed his true origin to Lu Wuyi.

He was once a blind little red fox from South Mountain, buried under rocks during a meteor explosion until the real Chi Wen saved him. Ji Ling explained that because he was often confined to the Scale Cave to maintain the facade of the immortal Dragon Deity, he longed for the freedom he had as a simple fox.

Using an ancient magic called Severed Silk found in the Wanlin Pavilion, he had crafted a puppet with his own memories and appearance. This puppet, also named Ji Ling, was sent into the mortal world to experience the wind, the sun, and the complexities of human emotion—which led to his eventual meeting with Lu Wuyi.

He also touched upon a past failure where his healing magic was insufficient to save Yuan Xizai, leaving him at the mercy of Yuan Wuhuo, though he promised to tell her the full story after their return from Luo'an. Having shared the truth that only Li Jie and the Four Great Demons once knew, Ji Ling felt a sense of peace. He showed Lu Wuyi a small fox doll, his most cherished possession from his days of imprisonment.

He claimed the doll had once comforted him with small sounds during his darkest hours. He gave the doll to her, declaring that nothing in the world was as precious to him as she was. Touched by his sincerity, the two finally reached a complete understanding of each other's hearts. That night, Lu Wuyi gave Ji Ling a headpiece and a pair of Twin Luminous Cicadas.

She kept one and gave him the other, explaining that if they were ever apart, a tap on the insect would cause its counterpart to glow, signaling that they were thinking of each other. She remained unaware of the grim reality Ji Ling had shared with Bai Ze: Jiu Ying’s final three spirit fragments were hidden within Wu Shiguang, the Oracle Stone, and Lu Wuyi herself.

Ji Ling knew that to destroy Jiu Ying once and for all, Lu Wuyi would have to die. As he held the glowing cicada and wept in silence, even the wise Bai Ze felt a profound sense of sorrow for the path ahead.

To retrieve the final piece of the Dragon Deity's Power, Wu Shiguang, Wu Wangyan, and their companions divide into three groups to search Luo'an. The city is stifled by a thick demonic aura and a relentless drought that has forced all shops to close and left the people in despair. As Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan walk through the desolate streets, they realize the drought is more severe than anticipated.

Wu Shiguang notes that the drought demon, Han Ba, has cleverness beyond his reputation; by spreading his demonic energy across the entire city, he has made it impossible to pin down his exact location. He recalls the words of Bai Ze, explaining that Han Ba must remain silent because any speech would cause the searing heat within him to leak out and scorch the world.

Given the scale of the disaster, Wu Shiguang jokes that the once-silent demon has likely turned into a chatterbox. Wangyan asks if the truth about Ji Ling—that he is the true Dragon Deity who created a puppet to experience the world—has been shared with You Chi yet. Wu Shiguang shakes his head, worried that telling the weasel would be no different from posting a public notice, as every weasel in the streets would know the secret by nightfall.

Meanwhile, You Chi is busy complaining to Li Jie about being paired with such a "scary brute" to find an inn. When he sneezes, he arrogantly assumes Wu Shiguang must be missing him, though Li Jie mocks him, saying it is more likely that Wu Shiguang dumped him there just to be rid of him. Elsewhere, Ji Ling and Lu Wuyi enjoy a moment of rare quiet.

Lu Wuyi playfully calls him "Ji," a name that makes him blush and protest that it makes him sound like a half-grown child. Despite his embarrassment, Wuyi finds the name charming and insists he call her "Wu" in return. Ji Ling teases her that "Wu" sounds like the howl of a fox, only to be reminded that the name is already claimed by her fox familiar.

Watching the group from a distance, Wu Wangyan reflects on how Wu Shiguang and Ji Ling, once bitter enemies, have found a way to coexist. Wu Shiguang admits that after learning of Ji Ling's century of loneliness and his life as a shadow, he feels a deep sense of empathy for him. Wangyan observes that since meeting Lu Wuyi, Ji Ling has regained a youthful spirit, even in his choice of clothing.

She remarks that while common lore claims fox demons are heartless, Wuyi’s devotion is absolute. Turning to Wu Shiguang, she pointedly asks where his own heart lies. The group’s search leads them to Chatter Inn, where the owner, Mr. Yan, is loudly advertising for guests. He offers free lodging to anyone who can provide a truly spectacular story. However, as soon as he sees Ji Ling, he attempts to flee back inside.

The group corners him, and Wu Shiguang quickly identifies the innkeeper as Han Ba. As they confront the demon, Li Jie and You Chi arrive with a local girl named Mu Long. It is a reunion of sorts; years ago, Mu Long had knelt for days at the Dragon Deity Temple, praying for her great-grandmother's life.

Her filial piety had moved Ji Ling, who sent Li Jie to tell her that life and death follow natural laws that even divine power should not reverse. Li Jie had returned a bracelet to her that day, urging her to cherish her remaining time with her family. Meeting him again, Mu Long clearly remembers the man who once brought her the deity’s message. Inside the inn, Han Ba wails about his plight.

He explains that his injuries have worsened over the years, and he has been using the Dragon Deity’s Power solely to suppress the searing heat inside his body. He fears that surrendering the power now would trigger a global catastrophe. Ji Ling reminds him that only by reuniting all the dragon's strength can Wu Shiguang ascend as a true dragon and end the drought through rain.

Recognizing Wu Shiguang’s true identity, Han Ba begs for one more day, wishing only to help his assistant, Mu Long, finish her collection of stories. As night falls, the innkeeper organizes a storytelling session to determine the quality of everyone's rooms. Lu Wuyi, declaring that her stories are only for her beloved, secures the luxurious "Heaven" suite. Ji Ling, however, is relegated to the most basic "Human" room.

Seeing him sulking, Wuyi brings wine to his room to coax him into a better mood, and the two engage in a playful, childish bickering match. In another part of the inn, Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan settle into their room. Wu Shiguang habitually prepares the bed and table, a gesture that pulls them both into warm memories of their time together with the flood dragon clan. Wangyan notices Mu Long still working under a lamp.

She learns that the girl has struggled with a stutter since childhood and that her great-grandmother encouraged her to record the hopes and regrets of others through writing. Wu Shiguang joins them, bringing a cloak for Wangyan. He mentions the broken bracelet from the story told earlier, expressing hope that the girl in the tale might weave another. Mu Long, however, encourages him to be proactive and weave a new bracelet himself rather than just waiting.

Late into the night, Lu Wuyi tries to use the Twin Luminous Cicadas to reach Ji Ling, but receives no response. She falls asleep grumbling about his pettiness, unaware that in his own room, Ji Ling is holding his cicada and weeping in silence. Meanwhile, a hungry You Chi accidentally stains Mu Long’s manuscript of "The Great Demon and Little Pomegranate."

Panicked, he runs to find Wu Wangyan for help, but instead stumbles into a horrifying scene where Ji Ling appears to have murdered her. In this chaotic vision, Wu Shiguang loses control and is possessed by Jiu Ying, while Lu Wuyi looks at Ji Ling with nothing but hatred. Wu Wangyan suddenly wakes up, realizing the massacre was only a nightmare. However, a real cry for help soon rings out from the hallway.

The group rushes to find a black-clad figure attacking Mu Long. The assailant uses Word Magic to strip the girl of her voice. Li Jie attempts to intervene, but the attacker predicts every one of his moves with unsettling accuracy and escapes. Suspecting the magic originated from the Formless Moon, Wangyan and Li Jie burst into a nearby room, only to find Lu Wuyi and Ji Ling sharing the same bed.

Once the intruders leave, Ji Ling rises and asks the black-clad Lu Wuyi for the truth. In the common area, Han Ba is desperate to save Mu Long. He claims he has hidden the Dragon Deity’s Power in a safe location and refuses to return it until the girl is healed. Wangyan attempts to break the silence spell, but she finds the caster’s power far exceeds her own.

The group begins to speculate, with some wondering if Ji Ling and Lu Wuyi are covering for one another. Seeking to trigger Wangyan’s missing memories, Han Ba takes everyone to a nearby courtyard—Mu Long's childhood home. As Wangyan watches Mu Long on a swing, flashes of her own past, pushing someone on a similar swing, return to her. Mu Long leads them inside and produces a scroll.

The painting depicts a weeping girl comforted by another woman who looks exactly like Wu Wangyan. In the background stands Han Ba, and the painting is signed by someone named "Cui Jun." Wu Shiguang activates the Dragon Deity’s Power to investigate the scroll, and in an instant, he and Wangyan are pulled into the world of the painting. Left behind, You Chi remarks that the story between the great demon and Little Pomegranate must be a fascinating one.

Wu Wangyan and Shiguang venture deep into the enchanted painting, arriving at a weaving workshop where they encounter a young woman named Su Jian. Although she is the spitting image of Mu Long, her personality is vivacious and outspoken. Su Jian reveals that she has been betrothed to her childhood friend, Cui Jun, since before they were born, but she has no intention of marrying him. To her, Cui Jun is merely a younger brother.

Instead, she longs for a legendary "perfect love"—a dramatic romance filled with chases and heart-pounding encounters. Su Jian’s wish seems to be granted when she meets Han Ba. Captivated by his handsome appearance, she pursues him relentlessly for a month, visiting his workshop daily. Despite her bold advances, Han Ba never speaks. Unknown to Su Jian, Han Ba is a powerful demon who lives in solitude within a tree.

While he finds the world more vivid because of her, he remains silent out of necessity; should he speak, it would trigger a catastrophic drought. As she watches these memories, Wu Wangyan is forced to confront her past. Years ago, she was tasked with capturing water demons hiding in the underground channels of Luo'an. To flush them out, she needed to induce a drought, which required Han Ba to speak.

Wu Wangyan used Word Magic to pose as Su Jian's elder sister, cultivating a deep bond with the girl. Driven by a mix of affection and calculation, she cast a spell to make Su Jian fall into a death-like slumber, then lied to Han Ba, claiming only the voice of a loved one could wake her. Desperate to save Su Jian, Han Ba finally spoke, pouring out a heartfelt confession.

The impact was immediate, striking the region with a devastating drought. When Su Jian eventually woke, she was met with the news that her mother had been killed in a violent struggle over water. The tragedy was irreversible, and Wu Wangyan’s manipulation had served her mission at a terrible cost to those she claimed to care for. In the aftermath, Si Feng and her fellow disciples from the Shilin Sect arrived to hold Han Ba accountable.

Han Ba accepted his punishment but requested one final meeting with Su Jian. Fearing that the truth—that her "sister" had used her and her lover had caused the drought—would destroy Su Jian, Han Ba begged Wu Wangyan to erase her memories. Following Si Feng's suggestion, Wu Wangyan sealed their tragic romance into a sheep-horn pendant. The story continued long after the memory wipe. Su Jian, driven by a nameless grief, sought revenge for her mother's death and was nearly killed.

Han Ba, despite facing a lethal backlash, infused Su Jian with demon power to save her life. Eventually, Su Jian married Cui Jun. On their wedding day, Cui Jun stood beneath Han Ba's tree and vowed to cherish Su Jian forever, later recording these memories in the very painting Wu Wangyan and Shiguang are now exploring. Fifty years later, a white-haired Su Jian finally reunited with Han Ba, who was living under the name Yanbi.

Witnessing these events, Shiguang realizes a shocking truth. The warm memories Wu Wangyan has of sharing iced treats and intimate conversations with Lu Wuyi were actually hijacked from her time with Su Jian. Jiu Ying had altered their memories, making it seem as though those moments belonged to the two sisters. This confirms that the person who attacked Mu Long to hide the truth was indeed Lu Wuyi. Meanwhile, outside the painting, Ji Ling confronts Lu Wuyi.

He discovers that Lu Wuyi’s Word Magic has grown exceptionally powerful, surpassing even Xiao Wei. Under his questioning, Lu Wuyi confesses her true origin. She is not a fox demon of the Formless Moon; she is a "monster" constructed by Jiu Ying. During a past conflict where the Formless Moon foxes were wiped out by the flood dragon clan, Jiu Ying harvested pieces of their flesh, blood, and spirits, stitching them together to create Lu Wuyi.

Most devastatingly, Lu Wuyi reveals that she was fashioned from Wu Wangyan's own heart, which explains Wu Wangyan's instinctive need to protect her. Jiu Ying also placed the final spirit fragment within her. Lu Wuyi laments that while the moon has many phases, there was never a place in the sky for a being like her. Ji Ling comforts her, assuring her that she has a permanent place in his heart.

Lu Wuyi also reveals that she possesses the ability to regress time, a power granted by Jiu Ying that takes a heavy toll on her body. She has been trapped in a continuous loop at the Yanbi Inn, reliving the same events countless times to prevent Wu Wangyan from discovering her nature. Despite her efforts to steal the manuscript and silence witnesses, the sheep-horn pendant reveals the truth in every cycle.

Trapped by her obsession with not losing her sister, she begs Ji Ling for help. Moved by her desperation, Ji Ling vows to help her retrieve the pendant and face the future together.

As dawn breaks, Wu Wangyan and Wu Shiguang finally emerge from the painting, only to find Mu Long still trapped under a curse. A masked figure suddenly attacks, attempting to steal the goat horn pendant from Han Ba. After a brief struggle with Li Jie and Han Ba, the intruder is restrained by the returning Shiguang and Wangyan, revealing his identity as Ji Ling. At that moment, Lu Wuyi reappears, wounded and disheveled.

In a desperate move, she betrays Ji Ling, falsely claiming he was the one who cursed Mu Long and that he has been conspiring with Jiu Ying. She tells Wangyan she was attacked because she discovered his plot. To everyone's surprise, Ji Ling does not expose her lie, choosing instead to remain silent and accept the blame.

Wangyan and the others are convinced of his guilt, believing Ji Ling’s ambition for the Dragon Deity’s throne drove him to sabotage the group. The tension escalates as Han Ba and Ji Ling clash. During the fight, the goat horn pendant falls and is revealed to be completely empty, with no memories stored inside.

Ji Ling realizes Wuyi has tricked him, while Han Ba discovers that the manuscript of the story "The Great Demon and Little Pomegranate" was actually written by Su Jian herself. In her final years, Su Jian had regained her memories and died with a single word on her lips: "Nian," signifying her eternal yearning for Han Ba. Overwhelmed by grief and regret, Han Ba’s power begins to leak uncontrollably.

Before he dissipates into ash, he reveals that the Dragon Deity's Power is hidden at the site of his first meeting with Su Jian, protected by a seal that only Mu Long's awakening can break. While Shiguang and Wangyan track Ji Ling, Shiguang questions if Wangyan still considers Wuyi her sister despite the recent revelations. Wangyan remains firm in her love, recalling how Wuyi once risked everything to save her.

She believes Wuyi is merely a victim of her own feelings for Ji Ling. Meanwhile, Ji Ling confronts Wuyi privately. Wuyi admits she has been trapped in a cycle of time loops, witnessing Ji Ling kill Wangyan repeatedly. This time, she intentionally set a trap for him, declaring that her love for her sister is the only thing that matters. She refuses to break Mu Long’s curse, even if it costs her life.

Li Jie, sensing Ji Ling’s distress, finds him and pledges his absolute loyalty as his "shield and blade." Ji Ling instructs Li Jie to bring Mu Long to him to force Wuyi’s hand. However, Shiguang and Wangyan arrive before he can act. While Shiguang keeps Ji Ling occupied, Wangyan finds Wuyi and embraces her, promising they will never be apart.

Wuyi continues to frame Ji Ling, and Shiguang, unsure of the truth, decides to take the Spirit-Binding Ring from Ji Ling to uncover the reality of the situation. The situation turns chaotic at the inn when Li Jie takes You Chi hostage, demanding the ring. Amidst the confusion, Wuyi seizes the Spirit-Binding Ring and flees with the unconscious Mu Long. To Shiguang’s shock, the ring rejects his call and recognizes Lu Wuyi as its new master.

She takes Mu Long to the old weaving workshop at the Wei mansion, where the giant axle—carved from a legendary Firefluff Tree—resides. Using her magic at the tree's heart, Wuyi wakes Mu Long and successfully claims the unsealed Dragon Deity's Power. With this immense strength, she forces the entire group to their knees. As Han Ba’s energy floods the region, the drought in Luo'an worsens.

Devastated by the betrayal, Ji Ling falls into a mental nightmare, haunted by the accusations of the people he failed to protect. Just as he is about to be consumed by his inner demons, Bai Ze arrives to pull him back from the darkness.

Bai Ze arrives just in time to witness a white-haired man, identical in appearance to Ji Ling, hovering in the air before merging into Ji Ling’s body. Once Ji Ling regains consciousness, Bai Ze explains that this entity is a "Ji Can." It was born from a Chiwen dragon scale that Ji Ling inadvertently swallowed years ago.

Feeding on his centuries of isolation while he served as the revered yet lonely Dragon God, the scale eventually manifested as a demon fueled by his deepest solitude. Bai Ze reveals that throughout history, only two such beings have ever appeared, as only the most profound loneliness can bring a Ji Can into existence.

Ji Ling recalls how both Lu Wuyi and Yuan Wuhuo mentioned a unique fragrance on him; Bai Ze confirms this is the scent of the dragon scale. This aroma, reminiscent of flowers in a desolate valley or snow in an ancient temple, evokes a sense of hollow sadness. It can only be detected by those who truly understand Ji Ling’s heart, growing stronger as his loneliness deepens.

Now, Ji Ling’s heart is consumed by a new fear: the dread that his long-held mission will fail, and the terrifying certainty that its completion will mean losing his beloved Lu Wuyi. Bai Ze warns that if he does not make a choice soon, the Ji Can will completely consume him. Their conversation is interrupted by Li Jie, who reports that Lu Wuyi has stolen both the Yu Ling Ring and the Dragon God’s power and has disappeared.

Li Jie, now able to smell the overwhelming fragrance on Ji Ling, describes it as the mournful feeling of stepping into an abandoned, snow-covered monastery. At dawn, Ji Ling, Bai Ze, and Li Jie enter the city to find Luo’an scorched and desolate. Though the starving citizens initially hail Ji Ling as a savior, their hope quickly turns to rage when he cannot immediately end the drought. They denounce him as a "fake god" and attempt to seize him.

In Ji Ling's fragmented memories, he recalls Mu Long always shielding him from such abuse until Wu Shiguang intervened to lead him away. Meanwhile, Wu Wangyan wakes from a dream shared by Ji Ling and Wu Shiguang. In these visions, Wu Wangyan dies, and a possessed Wu Shiguang slays the Chiwen. They realize these are not mere dreams, but memories of a reality that has been reset so many times it has left an imprint on their consciousness.

They finally understand the truth: through every cycle and every regression, the person Lu Wuyi has been trying to save is not Wu Wangyan, but Ji Ling. The group—Wu Shiguang, Wu Wangyan, Ji Ling, and Bai Ze—reconvenes at the Dragon God Temple. Bai Ze notices traces of the Ji Can’s power on Lu Wuyi. Because the Ji Can originated from a dragon scale, the Yu Ling Ring was deceived by this "dragon breath" into accepting Lu Wuyi as its master.

Ji Ling confronts Lu Wuyi, finally uncovering the history of the time loops. In the original timeline, Ji Ling had faked Wu Wangyan’s death to hide her in a sacred spring for resurrection. He then sacrificed his own life, tearing his soul apart to use the ring’s power to end the Luo’an drought.

Devastated by his sacrifice, Lu Wuyi was approached by the Ji Can, which used Ji Ling’s centuries of regret and her own grief to grant her the power to turn back time. The Ji Can warned her that while these regressions existed in a closed loop away from the watchful eye of Jiu Ying, each attempt to rewrite history would inflict severe damage on her physical body.

Lu Wuyi persisted through dozens of cycles, but no matter how much she suffered, she could never prevent Ji Ling’s death. In their twenty-sixth loop, a dying Ji Ling told her that if he could not save her, he would rather die by her side. Realizing that the drought is destined to be resolved only through Ji Ling’s sacrifice, Lu Wuyi decides that simply taking the ring is not enough.

She intends to use the Dragon God’s power to forcibly break the drought and rewrite Ji Ling’s fate, even if it means defying the natural order of heaven. As the others attempt to stop her, Lu Wuyi uses the immense power she has refined over countless loops to suppress them with her "Yan Ling" magic. Just then, Li Jie emerges from the shadows, finally dropping his disguise to reveal his true identity as Yuan Wuhuo.

Yuan Wuhuo, now inhabiting Li Jie’s physical form, reveals his true strength. Since the body was originally crafted from a six-eyed butterfly, its potential has already reached the prestigious "Triple-flower" stage. With Yuan Wuhuo’s consciousness fused into it, the Triple-flower mark finally manifests. He mocks Lu Wuyi, noting that her body has reached its breaking point after countless time rewinds. He declares that it is a deity’s own arrogance, not a devil, that leads to their destruction.

Determined to succeed in this final chance, Lu Wuyi intentionally takes a hit from his blade to activate the Dragon Deity’s Power. Chanting the incantation for the dragon hearts to unite and all barriers to break, she finally brings rain to the parched lands of Luo'an. As the drought ends and Mu Long awakens, Lu Wuyi vanishes while being held by a devastated Ji Ling. Before leaving, the demon You Chi compensates Mu Long for her previously damaged manuscripts.

He presents her with a custom brush made from his own fur and promises to return for her, noting that he has tasked his clan members to watch over her. Delighted, Mu Long tells him she will use the brush to write his story and hopes to have it finished by the time they meet again. Inside the Scale Cave, Lu Wuyi wakes up, confused as to why her spirit hasn't dissipated.

Bai Ze explains that a hidden power protected her origin. However, Ji Ling, unaware of this and driven to despair by her apparent death, has been completely consumed by Lonescale (Ji Can). Reflecting on her journey, Lu Wuyi finally understands why demons long to be human. She realizes her only wish was a simple, mortal life with Ji Ling—working at sunrise and sleeping in his arms at night.

Meanwhile, Wu Shiguang prepares to head to the Dragon Abyss to find a solution for Ji Ling. He feels ashamed to face his brother, Chi Wen, because he lacks the fourth share of the Dragon Deity's Power and cannot transform into a dragon to destroy the Oracle Stone. Wu Wangyan comforts him, insisting that his value lies in his heart, not his lineage. She even expresses her willingness to sever her spiritual tail to stay by his side.

Touched, Shiguang braids a bracelet using their hair, swearing an oath of eternal protection. Eventually, Lonescale separates from the unconscious Ji Ling and approaches Lu Wuyi. He claims he never intended to deceive her and reveals that Ji Ling’s consciousness is currently trapped in a century-old nightmare. Lonescale offers to send Lu Wuyi back to that era, but warns her that she will only be a silent observer, unable to change the past.

Desperate to understand his pain, Lu Wuyi accepts. Transported back 150 years to the day of the Star Stone explosion, Lu Wuyi finds her spirit attached to a fox plush doll. She witnesses a young Yuan Wuhuo begging a blind little fox—the young Ji Ling—to save his dying brother, Yuan Xizai. Since the fox had already used up the magic given to him by the Dragon Deity to save Wuhuo, he can only watch as Xizai passes away.

Consumed by grief and anger, Wuhuo imprisons the fox in the Shilin Sect. Later, the fox doll is discarded but eventually floats down a river to Ji Ling’s prison. When Wuhuo discovers the doll and attempts to destroy it, Lu Wuyi’s spirit takes the blow. Her blood spills onto the doll, acting as a catalyst that causes the fox (Ji Ling) to transform into the likeness of Yuan Xizai.

Seeing his brother's face, Wuhuo cannot bring himself to kill the fox. Over time, the two form a deep bond. Wuhuo sews eyes onto the plush doll (named "A-Wu") for Ji Ling and shares stories of the happiness of New Year's Eve. Feeling guilty for failing to save the real Xizai, Ji Ling voluntarily offers to be Wuhuo's younger brother.

Their bond grows until Chi Wen arrives, seeking a candidate to swallow a dragon scale for a sacrificial mission to end the war. Believing Wuhuo is in danger, Ji Ling swallows the scale himself, intending to die in his brother's place to repay the life he "owed" him.

Shi Guang traveled to the Dragon Abyss with Wu Wangyan to meet with Chi Wen, recounting the heavy events of the past few days. He was consumed by guilt for his failure to transform into a dragon, especially since he carried fragments of Jiu Ying within him that threatened to control his actions. Chi Wen, however, did not blame his brother, viewing their situation as an inevitable decree of fate.

He noted that while Shi Guang could not become a dragon, Jiu Ying was equally unable to kill him, remaining eternally imprisoned within the dragon's form. When the massive dragon body erupted in a roar of protest, Chi Wen firmly suppressed the malevolent presence of Jiu Ying once more. During their meeting, Chi Wen inquired about Ji Ling and began to weave the tale of the "Dragon Deity's" true origin.

Long ago, Ji Ling was merely a small, carefree fox living at the foot of South Mountain. After accidentally swallowing a dragon scale, the artifact cured his blindness instead of killing him. Chi Wen had originally intended for whoever swallowed the scale to become a mere vessel for his own spirit, but moved by the fox's pure heart and willingness to sacrifice himself to save the world, he chose a different path.

He gathered the essences of various powerful demons to bestow power upon the fox, naming him Ji Ling—the Spirit Vessel—and tasking him with the role of the Dragon Deity. This gift granted Ji Ling immortality but condemned him to a life of profound isolation, neither fully human nor demon. As the years passed, Ji Ling took his responsibilities at the Dragon Deity Temple seriously, leaving his playful nature behind.

He eventually locked away his most cherished fox doll in the depths of a stone chamber, unaware that Lu Wuyi was watching him from the future through the eyes of that very toy. While Lu Wuyi felt the bitterness of his growing solitude, Ji Ling spent his days accompanied only by his companion Yuan Wuhuo and the young attendant, Ye Daoxuan. Eventually, the mortality of his companions began to weigh on Ji Ling.

As Yuan Wuhuo reached the end of his life, he noted a sorrowful fragrance clinging to Ji Ling, comparing the immortal’s life to that of a lonely tree rooted in one spot for centuries. Yuan Wuhuo expressed deep regret for the heavy burden placed on the "little fox," who was now trapped within high walls with no kin of his own.

Fearing the indignity of his own decay and wanting to maintain his pride like a wild beast, Yuan Wuhuo eventually left the temple under the guise of sweeping his parents' graves. He left a final letter wishing that if Ji Ling were to have a next life, he would choose to be a selfish, carefree creature of the wild. The tragedy continued as Ye Daoxuan also reached his twilight years.

On his deathbed, the faithful attendant begged for just one day of health so he could return home to see his dying wife and make amends for his years of absence. However, Ji Ling was forced to admit the painful truth: despite his title, he possessed no true divine power to grant such a wish. He could only watch in silence as his friend passed away in regret.

Plunged into utter despair by the loss of everyone he loved, Ji Ling sat before his old fox doll and mocked his own existence as a fraud. Driven by the belief that death was his only escape from eternal loneliness, he prepared to take his own life. In that critical moment of the past, Lu Wuyi made a desperate sacrifice. By severing her spiritual tail—which corresponded to her sight—she was able to channel her remaining power through the fox doll.

Her voice broke through the silence of the chamber, repeatedly whispering, "Don't be sad, don't cry; A-Wu will always be with you." This unexpected comfort shattered Ji Ling’s despair and gave him the courage to continue his path, effectively altering the destiny of the man who would become the Dragon Deity. In the present, Ji Ling’s consciousness encountered Jican, his own inner demon born from a century of isolation.

Jican revealed that Lu Wuyi had successfully rewritten the beginning of their story by sacrificing her tail to save him in the past. Realizing that the "A-Wu" he had cherished was indeed Lu Wuyi, Ji Ling was overwhelmed with emotion. Jican, who was the manifestation of a dragon scale and held the world's last trace of the Dragon Deity's Power, admitted that he could now disappear because Ji Ling was finally truly loved by someone willing to die for him.

However, a cruel choice remained: because Lu Wuyi’s existence was tied to Jiu Ying, the power could either be used to fulfill his mission of killing the beast—which would end Lu Wuyi's life—or it could be used to save her. As the night deepened, the corrupted Yuan Wuhuo infiltrated the Shilin Sect with the intent to assassinate the unconscious Ji Ling, claiming he wanted to free him from his "false deity" status.

Ye Changsheng stood his ground to protect his master but was ultimately struck down and killed. Yuan Wuhuo then moved toward the Scale Cave, where Bai Ze exhausted his remaining core energy to defend the entrance. Although Yuan Wuhuo mocked the demon's weakness, Bai Ze revealed a final trump card. He had previously entrusted Ye Changsheng with the Purple Lightning Chain, which the young man had successfully attached to Yuan Wuhuo’s blade during their struggle.

This move neutralized the weapon's power, allowing Bai Ze to strike a decisive blow against the intruder. Despite the heavy losses, the legacy of the Ye family’s devotion remained unbroken as they fought to hold the line until Ji Ling finally awoke.

As Bai Ze reaches the end of his life, he calls Ji Ling by his name for the very first time. Throughout their long years together, he had always addressed him formally as Master Dragon Deity, but in these final moments, he speaks as a companion who views Ji Ling as family. He expresses his pride in having guided Ji Ling and laments that he cannot walk the remainder of the road with him.

As Bai Ze fades away, he and Jican merge their remaining essence into a final strand of the Dragon Deity's Power, which flows into the Yuling Ring. Nearby, Lu Wuyi awakens, but she is now blind. Previously, she had severed her own spiritual tail to release her power, allowing her to speak through a doll and prevent Ji Ling from taking his own life; since her tail was linked to her eyesight, she sacrificed her vision for his survival.

Ji Ling pulls her into a tight embrace, and despite her loss, she softly comforts him, whispering for him not to be sad. At the Dragon Abyss, Si Feng and Hua Qi arrive just in time to deliver the Yuling Ring to Wu Shiguang. They explain that it contains the last of the Dragon Deity's Power to help him truly transform. However, Jiu Ying suddenly launches a brutal attack, leaving Wu Wangyan heavily wounded.

The sight of her falling causes Shiguang’s mind to waver, allowing Jiu Ying’s spirit fragment to seize control of his body. Under this dark influence, Shiguang moves to draw the Guili Sword to release the dragon's physical form. Hua Qi immediately acts, using her magic to form a barrier around Shiguang’s spiritual consciousness. This prevents Jiu Ying’s fragment from peering into the memories stored within him.

It is revealed that when Ji Ling originally entrusted the ring to Hua Qi, he explained that it carried not only power but also his own memories, which held a truth that Jiu Ying must never discover. While the bracelet Ji Ling gave Shiguang contained the Eastern Purple Lightning, it lacked a specific guide to target the spirit fragment.

Hua Qi’s natural ability to purify and drive out evil serves as that guide, allowing Shiguang the necessary time to complete his transformation without interference. As the battle intensifies, Si Feng sacrifices her life to hold off Jiu Ying. Within the river of Ji Ling’s memories, Shiguang finally sees the hidden truth of the past.

He learns that Chi Wen had once told Ji Ling that after Jiu Ying’s heads were swallowed, someone would need to use the Guili Sword to destroy the dragon body to end the threat forever. Since only a dragon can kill a dragon, the original plan was for Chi Wen’s soul to inhabit Ji Ling. However, fearing Jiu Ying would simply seize his empty body, Chi Wen instead used reverse scales to create the Dragon's Tenth Son—Shiguang.

Ji Ling’s long years of pretending to cooperate with Jiu Ying were all part of a calculated scheme to lead the demon to its own demise. Witnessing her senior sister Si Feng perish, Hua Qi is consumed by grief. Inside his own mind, Shiguang engages in a fierce struggle against Jiu Ying’s spirit. Just as he is about to falter, he hears Wu Wangyan’s voice calling to him.

Realizing she is still alive, his resolve returns, and he fully manifests his dragon form, appearing with a six-flower mark. With his body fully under his control, he finally holds the power to fulfill his mission. Relieved to find Wu Wangyan safe, Shiguang holds her close. The spirit of Chi Wen emerges briefly, looking upon his younger brother with pride and urging him to end the cycle of hatred by slaying the original dragon body.

Chi Wen accepts his own end as the only way to ensure Jiu Ying is truly eradicated. Meanwhile, Wu Wangyan honors Si Feng’s final wishes by comforting Hua Qi, encouraging her to live on and become a hero. At Wuxiang Moon, the fox tribe looks to the sky as a new prophecy appears, signaling the rise of a new dragon. Though they are confused by the Fox Queen's absence, the signs of a shifting world are clear.

Back at the Shilin Sect, Ji Ling remains by Lu Wuyi’s side. In the quiet of the Scale Cave, surrounded by the glow of red candles, they commit themselves to one another as husband and wife. Under the trees of the sect, Ji Ling brings her a bouquet of flowers. Even though Lu Wuyi can no longer see their beauty, she tells him that as long as he is by her side, her world is complete.

The next morning, Lu Wuyi wakes from a deep slumber to find her sight restored, yet Ji Ling is nowhere to be found. She searches the courtyard and finds Ye Changsheng weeping beneath a tree. The truth is as bright as the morning light: to grant her a new life, Ji Ling extracted his own dragon scale and merged it with her body.

He had watched her sleep one last time, smiling as his form dissolved into the air, wishing only for her to have a future free from the shadows of the past. Deep within his consciousness, Li Jie encounters the entity of Yuan Wuhuo. Through this meeting, the truth of their shared origin is finally revealed.

Before the original Yuan Wuhuo died, he held two final obsessions: a desire to protect his younger brother forever and a wish to see Ji Ling freed from his hollow existence as a vessel. When the six-eyed butterfly demons devoured his remains, they absorbed these two conflicting desires, causing them to split into two distinct beings—the protective Li Jie and the destructive Yuan Wuhuo.

Li Jie now understands that while Yuan Wuhuo had spent years trying to kill Ji Ling, it was a twisted form of mercy meant to end the vessel's endless suffering. Similarly, Li Jie’s own devotion to protecting the Dragon Deity was born from that same source. As Yuan Wuhuo begins to fade, he bids Li Jie farewell and wanders back into his most cherished memories.

He returns to a time when his parents were still alive and he could share a meal with his younger brother, Xizai, finally finding peace in a phantom home across the river of death. Meanwhile, Wu Wangyan, Wu Shiguang, and You Chi travel to the Formless Moon to deal with the lingering threat of Jiu Ying. Because a fragment of the demon's spirit has fused with the Oracle Stone, it continues to survive on the stone's eternal divine power.

The local foxes initially block their path, but Wu Wangyan leads them to the Sacred Spring. By sharing her memories through the water, she allows them to see the truth of their manipulation. Just then, a new prophecy appears upon the stone, foretelling the fall of an old dragon and the rise of a new one. Without hesitation, Wu Shiguang channels his power and shatters the Oracle Stone, officially ending Jiu Ying’s tether to the world.

As the spirit of Jiu Ying dissipates, the members of the Shilin Sect are left in a somber mood, mourning the loss of Ji Ling. Inside the Scale Cave, Lu Wuyi carefully dresses a wooden puppet in the Dragon Deity’s ceremonial robes. She sits beside it, watching the snow fall outside and recalling their promise to grow old together until their hair turned white. Though she is now physically whole, the grief of his absence leaves her in tears.

In the city, the common people gather to worship Wu Shiguang as the new Dragon Deity. This sight is difficult for Li Jie to witness; he finds it unfair that Ji Ling sacrificed everything only to be forgotten by a world that didn't even leave him a grave. Li Jie wanders through the familiar halls of the Shilin Sect, eventually finding a hidden stone room filled with Ji Ling’s wooden puppets.

There, he discovers a final strand of power left by Chi Wen, which is protecting Ji Ling’s heart stone. This stone is eventually taken to the Dragon Abyss to soak in the essence of the world, offering a slim hope that after thousands of years, he might cultivate a human form once again. As night falls, Wu Shiguang sets out wine beneath the trees to drink with his companions, celebrating their hard-won peace while honoring those who fell.

The group toasts to the memories of Bai Ze, Si Feng, and the trials they endured together. Shiguang solemnly acknowledges Ji Ling as the true Dragon Deity in the hearts of the people, showing no resentment toward Li Jie’s insistence on the matter. Elsewhere, Wu Wangyan finds Lu Wuyi in the Scale Cave. She urges her sister to live well, as that was the price of Ji Ling’s sacrifice, and invites her to return to the Formless Moon.

Shortly after Wu Wangyan departs, a terrifying change occurs within Lu Wuyi. Jiu Ying has managed to resurface, using her body as a host. The demon reveals that he had not only hidden a spirit fragment within her but had also implanted a small shard of the Oracle Stone. As long as the shard remains, Jiu Ying can never truly die.

He attempts to break her spirit by taking on Ji Ling’s appearance, but Lu Wuyi resists from within her own mind, declaring that while he can steal Ji Ling’s face, he can never possess the loving eyes of the man who died for the world. Back at the sect, You Chi finds himself feeling restless and neglected as Wu Shiguang adjusts to his new duties. Although Shiguang is busy, Li Jie takes a moment to speak with him.

Li Jie explains the situation regarding the heart stone but laments that as a mortal, he will not live long enough to see Ji Ling return. He asks Shiguang to deliver a message if they ever meet in the distant future: Li Jie finally knows who he is and where he came from. That evening, Wu Shiguang leads Wu Wangyan to the riverside near the Dragon Deity Temple.

He presents her with a bracelet infused with a dragon scale, a symbol of his devotion. He asks her to marry him, proposing that even if they cannot grow old like a normal couple, they should cherish the time they have. Under the moonlight, the two share an embrace and a kiss. The following day, Wu Wangyan returns to the Formless Moon, hoping to lead her sisters toward a life of true freedom.

However, her return is interrupted when Lu Wuyi suddenly appears, her eyes cold and her voice empowered by Word Magic. Under the influence of Jiu Ying, she swiftly subdues the foxes, demanding that the entire Formless Moon submit to her will. Wu Wangyan attempts to protect her kin, but she is quickly overwhelmed by Lu Wuyi’s sudden and violent assault.

Jiu Ying has seized complete control over Lu Wuyi’s body. Upon reclaiming his status within the Formless Moon, he immediately commands the fox spirits to activate the ancient Nuwa Formation. This ritual is designed to reveal the four divine trees that serve as the pillars of the earth—the Water, Earth, Fire, and Metal Spirits—intending to topple them and bring about the total collapse of the world and all living things.

Meanwhile, Wu Shiguang returns to his quarters only to find that You Chi is gone. The weasel demon left behind a letter explaining his deep sense of isolation. He confessed that despite his efforts to belong to the Shilin Sect, he felt as though he were wearing a skin that was not his own.

Seeing Shiguang surrounded by capable mages and allies, You Chi felt he was no longer needed and decided to depart to seek a place where he could live freely as his true self. Before Shiguang can set out to find his friend, Wu Wangyan arrives at the Dragon Deity Temple carrying a mortally wounded Canyue. With her final breath, Canyue urges them to stop Jiu Ying at all costs to prevent global chaos before her soul finally dissipates.

Overcome with grief, Wangyan informs Shiguang of Jiu Ying’s resurrection and his catastrophic plan. To save the world, they must protect the four divine trees: the Tree of Water, which serves as the throne in the Formless Moon’s main hall; the Tree of Earth at the Crying Elm; the Tree of Fire hidden in the Wei mansion's weaving workshop; and the Tree of Metal, known as the Golden Scale Tree, located within the Shilin Sect.

As the pillars are attacked, the ground begins to tremble violently. While the townsfolk flee in terror, Shiguang manages to bring them into the Shilin Sect for protection. Li Jie and the other mages arrive with reinforcements.

Shiguang strategically assigns his allies to counter the elemental threats based on their attributes: Mo Yuntan uses the water magic of his Spirit Brush to suppress the Tree of Fire; Jin Zheng uses his metal artifact to counter the Tree of Earth (the ancestor of wood); and Li Jie utilizes the earth power of his blade to suppress the Tree of Water.

When Jiu Ying suddenly appears and attacks Shiguang, Hua Qi is forced to stay behind to treat the Dragon Deity's injuries. Wu Wangyan engages Jiu Ying in a fierce battle, but the ancient demon is far stronger now that he has merged with Lu Wuyi's physical form. Nearby, You Chi had been waiting for Shiguang to come after him, but upon sensing the disaster, he decides to return.

Following Hua Qi’s instructions, he uses a sect token to infiltrate the Shilin Sect and confront a powerful nine-tailed fox. Despite being mocked as a lowly weasel, You Chi fights with desperate courage. He manages to strip the fox of her protection by seizing her Shilin Sect token, causing her to vanish in the sect's enchantments, but he is left on the verge of death from his wounds.

Even with Shiguang and Hua Qi fighting together, they are no match for Jiu Ying. Recalling the prophecy from the Oracle Stone about an "old friend returning through time," Shiguang realizes it refers to Ji Ling. He entrusts the Star Stone to Hua Qi and provides his dragon blood, instructing her to head to the Dragon Abyss to activate the stone's illusion.

Because a thousand years pass within the illusion for every moment in the mortal world, placing Ji Ling’s heart stone inside offers the only hope for his swift rebirth. The plan succeeds as Ji Ling returns, having used his influence to awaken the members of the Formless Moon from their possession. Realizing they were manipulated into nearly destroying the world they were meant to protect, the fox spirits resolve to sacrifice their own life force to purify the divine trees.

Wangyan keeps this sacrifice a secret from the others, claiming she is merely checking on the Tree of Metal. When she reaches the tree, she finds You Chi fading away. In his final moments, he asks her to tell Shiguang that he didn't run away or hide this time, but truly did his best. Deep within her consciousness, Lu Wuyi briefly awakens and struggles to regain control of her body.

She tearfully begs Ji Ling to end her life to stop the demon. Heartbroken, the allies form a powerful formation to assist Shiguang, who finally pierces Lu Wuyi’s body with his sword. However, Jiu Ying immediately manifests again, triumphant. He reveals that he had been unable to find a way to fully destroy Lu Wuyi’s resilient soul, but Shiguang’s Dragon Deity Power has done the job for him, allowing him to permanently occupy the vessel.

Shiguang realizes that the prophecy was a warning about the Oracle Stone, which had been missing a fragment that Jiu Ying had embedded within Lu Wuyi. Created from the flesh and blood of the nine-tailed foxes and bolstered by the eternal power of the Oracle Stone fragment, the body has become a vessel of infinite rebirth for the demon.

Seeing no other way to win, Shiguang and Ji Ling realize they must attempt a desperate gamble: turning back time fifty years to prevent Lu Wuyi’s birth and erase her existence entirely. Xie Lingxi, a being from beyond the stars who is not bound by the laws of this world, finally understands that his purpose for crossing the galaxies was to facilitate this final sacrifice and save the land from the disaster he helped create.

To bridge a fifty-year gap through a spacetime rift, Xie Lingxi explains that he must disperse his entire cultivation and assume his demon form to open the passage. Maintaining such a rift inflicts continuous and severe damage on the spellcaster; even Lu Wuyi, despite the life-giving power of the Oracle Stone once within her, was left heavily wounded by her previous attempts at rewinding time. Consequently, Li Jie is chosen to bear the brunt of the physical agony this time.

Hua Qi is tasked with using her purification magic to heal him constantly, as he would otherwise be unable to endure the pain of the rift tearing at his body. While Mo Yuntan uses his formations to guard the casters from outside attacks, Wu Shiguang, as the last true dragon, must personally confront Jiu Ying. Ji Ling steps forward to accept the mission of performing the temporal rewind.

He believes that since Lu Wuyi is his fated one, he should be the one to bring her existence to a close if it is the only way to save the world. Xie Lingxi warns him that the exit on the other side of the rift must be torn open by Ji Ling’s own strength.

While Xie Lingxi uses his remaining magic to hold the entrance open, Ji Ling must act quickly; failure to return in time would leave him trapped in an unknown void or result in the complete destruction of his soul. As the battle begins, Jiu Ying taunts Shiguang, claiming he is fueled by a constant stream of fear and despair. The demon points out that once Shiguang’s twin blades are exhausted, his physical form will be as vulnerable as paper.

During the struggle, the earthquakes suddenly stop, a sign that the fox tribe has sacrificed themselves to stabilize the pillars of the world. Tragedy strikes when Jin Zheng is killed in the fighting. When Jiu Ying attempts to animate Jin Zheng's corpse to attack Hua Qi and Li Jie, Mo Yuntan makes the ultimate sacrifice. He throws himself into the path of the attack, choosing to perish alongside his fallen comrade to ensure the casters remain undisturbed.

Inside the rift, Ji Ling struggles to break through. Although he possesses the Dragon Deity's Power of Chi Wen, it is initially insufficient to reach the powerful six-flower realm. However, the Spirit-Binding Ring begins to glow intensely as the remnants of the four great spirits merge with the power of Ji Can. This surge of energy allows Ji Ling to reach the six-flower state.

He successfully enters the Formless Moon, where he kills the impostor Fox King and seizes the final shard of the Oracle Stone. Back in the primary timeline, Lu Wuyi’s original consciousness briefly regains control of her body. She pleads with Shiguang to use the Guili Sword and his Dragon Deity's Power to destroy the last shard of the Oracle Stone within her, even though she knows she will vanish along with it.

She asks Shiguang to tell her sister, Wu Wangyan, that she misses her. As the stone shatters and the essence of Jiu Ying is sucked into the closing rift, Lu Wuyi fades away with a smile, imagining Ji Ling coming to meet her with a massive bundle of flowers so she would never feel afraid again. Meanwhile, outside the rift, Wu Wangyan sacrifices herself to protect the four sacred trees, allowing the world to find peace as the timeline shifts.

Within the silence of the spacetime rift, a version of Lu Wuyi awakens and finds Ji Ling. Though she does not remember him, she feels an instinctive sense of peace in his presence. Ji Ling introduces himself, explaining the meaning behind his name as a temporary lodging with a heart connected to another. Together, they pour their magic into the rift to fully reset the timeline. Outside, the world is reborn.

The restored Oracle Stone issues a new prophecy: "The old dragon falls, the new dragon rises. Rewind the river of time; a new chapter has started." In the new reality, the world has been restored to peace. You Chi has become the disciplined leader of the Shilin Sect, though he still retains enough of his old self to insist on being the first reader of Mu Long’s latest book.

Wu Shiguang continues to serve as the Dragon Deity, now surrounded by his living friends, including Li Jie, Hua Qi, Jin Zheng, Si Feng, and Mo Yuntan. He eventually finds Wu Wangyan as she wakes in the Formless Moon, feeling as though she has just had a long dream. He presents her with a familiar bracelet, promising to spend the rest of their lives telling her the long story of everything they went through.

Meanwhile, Li Jie decides to travel the world, following a voice in his heart that urges him to find someone he cannot yet name. In a different time and place, Ji Ling lives as a simple worker in a flower shop. Lu Wuyi happens upon his store and admires the fresh white flowers, but she admits she has no money to buy them. Ji Ling tells her he would give them to her if he were the owner.

As she turns to leave, he pursues her to offer a bouquet regardless. In exchange, she gives him a handful of raspberries she picked by the lake. As they smile at each other, it is clear that no matter how the universe changes or how many times the sun and moon are rewound, their souls will always find a way back to one another.