Resumo do episódio 3 de The Unclouded Soul
> Resumos de The Unclouded Soul
Hong Ye was well aware that Xiao Yao’s heart remained far beyond the borders of Demons' Valley, as she was constantly plotting her escape. His subordinate, Xiao Mu, reported that her ambitions went beyond mere flight; she intended to plunder the valley of its most precious treasures before vanishing. Examining a map she had dropped, Hong Ye found her markings on various items.
When he questioned why she wanted to steal common carrots and mushrooms, Xiao Mu clarified that they were actually rare ginseng and lingzhi. Furthermore, while the snow lotus was being guarded heavily, it turned out Xiao Yao actually had her sights set on the cordyceps. Frustrated by her unruly nature, Hong Ye decided he must discipline her.
Meanwhile, Xiao Mu mentioned that a pair of red matchmaking threads had been lost by the Red String Demon, though Hong Ye, knowing the truth of their whereabouts, dismissed the matter as insignificant. Xiao Yao, oblivious to the fact that her movements were being tracked, woke up to find that Hong Ye had already confiscated the items she had attempted to steal.
Realizing he was playing with her, she tried to feign a severe headache and dizziness to avoid attending her classes. Hong Ye saw through her act immediately and told her that until the second phase of their bond ended, she should stay confined to her hut.
When she argued that he had promised she could return to the human realm if she learned quickly, Hong Ye offered a deal: if she committed herself to her cultivation and stopped disrupting the order of the valley, he would grant her as many treasures from her map as she desired. They struck a bargain, and Xiao Yao agreed to focus on her training.
While out with her companions, the flower demon Da Li and the pig demon Luoluo, Xiao Yao listened to their harrowing tales of human cruelty. Da Li spoke of how humans claimed to love flowers yet would sever their roots, and Luoluo recalled the terror of seeing his grandfather butchered for food. Xiao Yao attempted to argue that humans and demons alike had both good and bad individuals, but her friends remained unconvinced.
Their conversation was cut short when they were caught digging for shoots by a vengeful bamboo demon. In the chaotic flight that followed, Xiao Yao tumbled into a deep ravine. Fortunately, Hong Ye arrived just in time, catching her in a protective magical bubble. Safely on the ground, Xiao Yao noticed that Hong Ye had a fresh wound on his face that mirrored her own injury.
She realized they had entered the second stage of the red-thread bond: shared physical senses. To show her gratitude, she treated his wound and offered him some of the bamboo shoots she had roasted. As they looked at the massive carvings of ancient beasts like Qiongqi and Tengshe on the mountainside, Hong Ye explained that these were tributes to mythical creatures who had perished in the great wars against humans.
When Xiao Yao noticed him smiling and remarked on how handsome he looked, asking why he didn't smile more, Hong Ye’s expression grew somber. He spoke of having experienced the eight sufferings of life: birth, aging, sickness, death, separation from loved ones, resentment, unfulfilled desires, and the inability to let go. Back at her studies, Xiao Yao overheard Da Li and Luoluo discussing the third stage of the matchmaking threads, which they called pair cultivation.
Misunderstanding the term as something scandalous, she grew defensive and confronted Hong Ye, accusing him of having a wicked hidden agenda. Hong Ye found her reaction amusing and eventually clarified that in the demon realm, pair cultivation simply meant two individuals working together to master the same spell. He chose the Fire Technique for their joint practice.
Because Xiao Yao was impatient and struggled with the incantations, Hong Ye intentionally provoked her emotions, knowing she needed to experience joy, anger, sorrow, and fear to achieve rapid progress. After she endured these emotional trials and finally mastered the spell, the red thread binding them finally dissolved. As the full moon approached, a demon named Wu Huan, acting under the orders of the mysterious Hei Wu, organized a test for the minor demons to venture into the human realm.
Before Xiao Yao departed for Lantern Village, Hong Ye gave her his personal jade pendant, instructing her to grip it and call for him only in a moment of dire emergency. The mission for the minor demons was simple but daunting: sneak into a human home, frighten a child, and steal a pillow. Da Li and Luoluo were paralyzed by fear, so Xiao Yao took it upon herself to help them.
While sneaking into a house, she was startled when a demon-subduing talisman reacted to her presence. This confirmed her fear that she was losing her humanity and becoming more like a demon, a change that could bring ruin to her and her father, Xiao Dadan. The situation turned dire when Luoluo was captured by the villagers, who intended to butcher and eat him.
To save her friend, Xiao Yao disguised herself as a vengeful spirit and confronted her father and the other men. She accused Xiao Dadan of having a life filled with sin and deception, terrifying the villagers into releasing Luoluo and fleeing. Though Luoluo escaped back to the valley, the mission was a failure in the eyes of their teacher, who scolded them for exposing their tracks and bringing danger to the entire community. However, a more significant threat was looming.
Bing Zhu of the Feiyu Guard had secretly used fluorite powder to mark Xiao Yao’s path, allowing the human soldiers to track her trail directly to the entrance of the Demons' Valley. The Feiyu Guard soon arrived in force, deploying an imperial divine weapon to form a powerful formation aimed at eradicating the demons. As the valley came under siege, Hong Ye ordered the minor demons to retreat to the safety of Youning Cave.
Despite his own unhealed injuries and depleted spiritual power, Hong Ye stood his ground to face the invaders. Seeing the overwhelming strength of the great demon, Bing Zhu ordered his commander to withdraw the main force to avoid unnecessary casualties, leaving himself behind to battle Hong Ye. Meanwhile, Hei Wu lurked in the shadows, hoping to exploit the chaos and claim credit for the destruction.
Amidst the fire and chaos, Xiao Yao refused to flee alone, choosing instead to stay and help the smaller demons escape their burning home, determined to protect the only friends she had left.
