The Flame's Daughter Episode 46 Recap
> The Flame's Daughter Recap
An Ye Jue reported to An Ye Luo at Dark River Palace that Yu Zihan had gathered various hall masters and guests at Flaming Manor, putting them into a state of battle readiness. An Ye Luo expressed satisfaction, remarking that only a woman could truly control Yu Zihan. He then presented Xunyi with a "forgetting" medicine, instructing her to administer it to Lie Ruge daily so she would forget the events of the previous day.
Xunyi, feigning concern about the drug's efficacy and Lie Ruge's importance to An Ye Luo's plans, suggested using Zhan Feng and Yin Xue, who were imprisoned underground and significant to Lie Ruge, to test the medicine's effect. An Ye Luo agreed and ordered Xunyi to take Lie Ruge to the prison. Lie Ruge, exhibiting complete amnesia, did not recognize Xunyi and even inquired why she was there.
Xunyi explained they had grown up together, revealing her own background as the daughter of the Third Sect Leader of Dark River Palace, a child born from a loveless union and thus considered her mother's humiliation. Lie Ruge sympathized but stated she could remember nothing except for "Senior Brother Yu." When Xunyi mentioned Zhan Feng, whom Lie Ruge once loved deeply, and Yin Xue, who loved her profoundly, Lie Ruge was still confused but expressed a desire to meet them.
Xunyi took Lie Ruge to Zhan Feng's cell, dismissing the Dark River Palace guards. Lie Ruge saw Zhan Feng, bruised and battered, yet recognized nothing, only pitying his condition and asking if he knew her. Enraged by her memory loss, Zhan Feng shouted at An Ye Luo, demanding to know what he had done to her. Yin Xue then appeared, telling Lie Ruge he recognized her and knew her name was Ruge.
When Lie Ruge asked his name, Yin Xue declared she could forget anyone but him, as they were fiancée and fiancé. As Lie Ruge leaned closer to hear why, Yin Xue swiftly bit her ear, attempting to cure the poison. Startled, Lie Ruge recoiled, finally recalling his name. An Ye Luo, who had been observing, grew suspicious.
He ordered Xunyi to take Lie Ruge back to her room, then, noticing Yin Xue's despair, maliciously suggested Yin Xue visit Lie Ruge's room that night to check on her, hoping he would witness Yu Zihan with Lie Ruge. Back in her room, Lie Ruge subtly informed Xunyi that Yin Xue's bite had cured her poison and that they needed to continue their charade. Xunyi nodded in understanding.
Meanwhile, at Flaming Manor, Yu Zihan entrusted the Flaming Token, a symbol of authority, to Ji Jinglei, announcing his departure that night to search for Lie Ruge in Luoyang. Ji Jinglei jokingly suggested Yu Zihan was eloping, but Yu Zihan simply told him to keep the token safe as it would be useful later. Before leaving, Yu Zihan instructed Bi'er to protect Ji Jinglei, warning of the dangers of martial arts battles.
Bi'er apologized for her past misunderstandings, which Yu Zihan gracefully dismissed. Yu Zihan then met with Huang Zong and Xuan Huang, reiterating precise instructions they were to follow. He then followed the Dark River Palace maid who had arrived to escort him. Upon Yu Zihan's return to Dark River Palace, Lie Ruge joyfully embraced him, expressing her longing.
While hugging him, she quickly whispered that her memory had returned but they needed to keep up the act, as An Ye Luo was watching. Playing along, Yu Zihan affectionately carried her to the bed, a sight that caused Yin Xue immense pain as he watched from afar, just as An Ye Luo had intended. An Ye Luo, seemingly convinced by their act, relaxed his vigilance.
Lie Ruge then "asked" Yu Zihan about their previous night together, and he confirmed nothing happened, stating he had only acupunctured her, further solidifying their deception for An Ye Luo's benefit. Lie Ruge then inquired about Yu Zihan's recent activities at Flaming Manor, to which he vaguely replied it was all part of their elaborate act. Later, An Ye Luo ignited a fire in Yin Xue's prison cell.
The intense heat exacerbated Yin Xue's cold poison, causing his internal energies to clash violently, plunging him into excruciating pain. An Ye Luo mocked him, reveling in his suffering and suggesting he was on the verge of becoming a demon. Yin Xue struggled to suppress the conflicting forces within, fighting to maintain his sanity. After An Ye Luo left, Yin Xue was enraged, contemplating giving in to the demonic path to destroy his tormentor.
However, he was pulled back by a painful memory of his past life's lover, "Ge'er," pleading with him not to become a demon, but instead to live kindly and perform good deeds for their future reincarnation together. Zhan Feng, observing Yin Xue's perilous state, warned him that continuing to cultivate Dark River Internal Cultivation while battling his existing internal energy would inevitably lead to the disintegration of his vital channels and death.
Yin Xue, dismissive of the warning, revealed his calculated time of death was approaching faster than expected and he needed to focus on escape. The next morning, Yu Zihan reported to An Ye Luo, feigning loyalty. He proposed that on the eighth of the current month, Flaming Manor would unite with Dark River Palace to swiftly conquer the martial arts world.
He then wrote a series of letters: one, a fake mobilization order for Flaming Manor, and another designed to implicate Prince Jingyang in a plot to usurp the throne by colluding with martial arts sects and old court ministers. Yu Zihan explained that his army would be waiting outside the city to eliminate Prince Jingyang, thus clearing his path to become Crown Prince and eventually control the entire world.
An Ye Luo meticulously reviewed the letters, found no flaws, and expressed immense satisfaction with Yu Zihan's cunning plan, assigning An Ye Jue to assist him. After Yu Zihan left, An Ye Luo, ever cautious, instructed An Ye Jue to divide their forces: one contingent to seize Flaming Manor and the other to conquer World Swordless City. This strategy, he believed, would ensure victory even if Yu Zihan harbored ulterior motives.
At Flaming Manor, Ji Jinglei received Yu Zihan's true instructions. Huang Zong clarified that the letter Yu Zihan wrote in front of An Ye Luo was a deliberate deception. The real letter, delivered secretly, outlined Yu Zihan's true plan: to have Flaming Manor pretend to attack other sects while secretly uniting all major martial arts factions, including World Swordless City, on the eighth of the month, to launch a combined assault against Dark River Palace.
Ji Jinglei immediately began dispatching disciples to personally deliver the message to all sect leaders, instructing them to prepare for battle and eliminate any spies within their own ranks. He ordered Zhongli Wulei to mobilize squad leaders to assist various sects and tasked Hall Leader Murong and himself with defending Flaming Manor against An Ye Luo's inevitable attack. Hall Leader Ling was sent to reinforce Dao Liexiang at World Swordless City.
Ji Jinglei voiced concern for Yu Zihan's safety, but Huang Zong reassured him that Yu Zihan was safe. In World Swordless City, Dao Liexiang received the news from Flaming Manor. She confirmed that Ji Jinglei had already sent messengers to inform all major clans, including the Thunderbolt Clique, which relieved her. She then went to Xiang'er, her sister-in-law, who was busy making baby clothes.
With the looming battle and her sister-in-law's pregnancy, Dao Liexiang sternly instructed Xiang'er to keep all doors and windows locked on the eighth, no matter who came knocking. Meanwhile, Lei Jinghong, anticipating An Ye Luo's disregard for the Thunderbolt Clique, decided to return to World Swordless City to aid Dao Liexiang. Feng Huang, understanding his unwavering resolve, did not try to stop him.
As Lei Jinghong departed by boat, Feng Huang, with tears in her eyes, shouted a heartfelt, if unconventional, farewell: if he died, she would sell all the Thunderbolt Clique's boats and use the sect's name to open a brothel, an emotional plea for his safe return. On the eighth of the month, as planned, both Flaming Manor and World Swordless City faced the full force of Dark River Palace's assault.
Dao Liexiang led the valiant defense of World Swordless City, engaging in fierce combat with Dark River Palace warriors. In a crucial turn, Hall Leader Murong, obeying Lei Jinghong's order, arrived with his contingent from Flaming Manor to reinforce World Swordless City, uniting the once-rival factions. United by a common enemy and a shared cause, the disciples of both World Swordless City and Flaming Manor fought side-by-side, resolved to eliminate Dark River Palace.
