Till the End of the Moon Episode 10 Recap
> Till the End of the Moon Recap
After Xiao Lin failed to bring Tantai Jin back, the Sheng King, wary of General Ye and his son Ye Qingyu's influence over Jing, ordered General Ye's release and instructed Ye Qingyu to immediately return to Jia Pass. Both father and son understood the King's manipulative intentions, recognizing that while the "rabbit" (Tantai Jin) was still at large, the "hound" (the Ye family) could not be easily eliminated.
Ye Qingyu had kept his father's imprisonment a secret from his grandmother, telling her he was on a business trip. A messenger delivered a letter from Ye Xiwu to her family in the capital, reassuring them of her safety, much to their relief. Meanwhile, Ye Xiwu continued her search for the entrance to the Barren Abyss, having only vague knowledge of its location from the "Geography of Four Continents."
She unexpectedly encountered Pian Ran, a seven-tailed fox whose demon power was severely weakened. Pian Ran explained that she had been injured by Tantai Jin's blood, which had damaged her vitality. Recalling Pian Ran's previous attempt to harm her second brother, Ye Qingyu, Ye Xiwu acknowledged that Tantai Jin's actions were ultimately responsible. She then used the power of the World-overturning Jade to heal Pian Ran's injuries.
Grateful for the help, Pian Ran revealed that she was born in the Barren Abyss, her parents being mighty demons who followed the Devil God. She explained that the abyss's barrier, guarded by the God of Time Ji Ze for ten thousand years, had weakened, allowing many demons, including herself, to escape out of a longing for the outside world.
Ye Xiwu was surprised to learn that Ji Ze, whom she knew from the Mirror of the Past, was still alive and in the abyss. Realizing this was where she could find answers, Ye Xiwu, invoking the principle of repaying kindness, convinced the initially reluctant Pian Ran to lead her to the Barren Abyss. As they traveled, Ye Xiwu noticed Pian Ran's habit of absorbing mortal essence.
She warned Pian Ran that this demonic path would eventually lead to death by thunder tribulation. Pian Ran countered that she didn't do it for cultivation but merely found it "interesting" to tease men. Ye Xiwu, however, perceived her second brother Ye Qingyu's genuine feelings for Pian Ran and cautioned her about the unpredictable nature of love, advising her against playing with emotions.
Pian Ran then revealed that she had lost her "love threads," the spiritual essence that allows beings to love, and therefore could no longer love anyone. She described the immense sacrifice required to leave the Barren Abyss, having cut off two of her tails and lost thousands of years of cultivation, warning Ye Xiwu that as a mere mortal, she would likely die in vain.
Despite the danger, Ye Xiwu remained resolute, declaring that she would go even if it meant certain death, for only there could she find a way to save countless lives. Seeing Ye Xiwu's unwavering determination, Pian Ran agreed to set off for the abyss at daybreak. Back in the Jing Kingdom, Tantai Jin returned. Standing before his mother's memorial tablet, he vowed to live differently than she had, asserting that he would not sacrifice himself.
He declared that he had killed all those who had laughed at and insulted him, leaving no one, and proclaimed himself the new King of Jing, feared and respected by all. Using his unique abilities, Tantai Jin commanded thousands of rats to storm the royal palace, creating widespread panic. He located Tantai Minglang, who was trapped in a raging fire, and delivered a decisive blow, ensuring his demise.
Tantai Minglang, in his last moments, vowed to haunt Tantai Jin and crush him and the "demon woman" into dust. News of Tantai Jin's return and swift ascension spread, fueled by whispers of his "magic power" in controlling vermin without harming anyone. Rumors proclaimed him the late King's youngest and favorite son, the child of the Yiyue Princess who had been a hostage to ensure Jing's peace, a true "chosen one."
During his enthronement ceremony, the court ministers vehemently opposed Tantai Jin, citing his inauspicious birth, his past as a hostage, and his Yiyue heritage, accusing him of having an evil plan. They challenged him to kill them, refusing to acknowledge him as their king. Tantai Jin calmly offered them "dinner"—a soup which he casually mentioned was made from the Yiyue Tribe.
When some ministers cried out that it was poisoned, he denied it, instead emphasizing that the old king was dead and he, the new king, had returned to save the people. He offered continued good treatment to those who would "share this soup" with him and ordered any who refused to be confined to the late king's tomb until their mourning was satisfied.
Faced with this terrifying choice, the ministers, realizing he was the last Tantai descendant and the country needed a ruler, reluctantly submitted. Upon learning of Tantai Minglang's death and Tantai Jin's coronation, the Sheng King saw an opportunity. He declared that Jing's "end was near" and it was the "perfect chance to attack" the newly unstable kingdom. Many ministers protested, citing recent floods, empty coffers, and the army's fatigue from the three-month battle at Jia Pass.
Xiao Lin, the Sixth Prince, also advised against war, highlighting the army's exhaustion and Tantai Jin's cunning, urging a period of recuperation. However, the Sheng King, recalling General Ye's past victory that led to Tantai Jin becoming a hostage, was convinced it was "heaven's will" for Sheng to defeat Jing again. He planned to kill Tantai Jin and display his head. Ignoring all protests, the Sheng King decreed war, and General Ye, despite his reservations, accepted the order.
In Jing, Tantai Jin's generals advised a strategic retreat given the kingdom's weakness and Sheng's military might, but Tantai Jin vehemently rejected the idea. He declared Jing his homeland and the home of his mother's tribe, his fate intertwined with its throne. He believed that under his rule, Jing would grow powerful, ending his past of being "slavishly dependent on others."
He announced his decision to personally lead the army to the borders, not to defend or conquer, but to take Sheng by surprise and "defeat him with one blow." Simultaneously, Tantai Jin's search for Ye Xiwu proved fruitless; his scouts reported she hadn't returned to Sheng and seemed to have "vanished." He ordered them to continue searching, determined to find her, dead or alive. At the Barren Abyss barrier, Pian Ran led Ye Xiwu as far as she would go.
Ye Xiwu, acknowledging her mortal body couldn't withstand the barrier's power, decided to harness the combined strength of the World-overturning Jade and the Chongyu feather to pass through. Inside, she found herself in a mystical space where a familiar voice called her "Susu" and urged her to come closer. Following the voice, Ye Xiwu discovered and rescued a young girl named Yue Fuya from attacking demons. As Ye Xiwu helped Yue Fuya, Ji Ze, the God of Time, appeared.
He confirmed he had left the Light-breaking Array and the Mirror of the Past for her, having waited for ten thousand years for her arrival. Ye Xiwu sought his guidance on how to destroy the evil bones. Ji Ze revealed that three "keys" were needed: "a dream, a teardrop, and a thread." The "dream," he said, would come soon. The "teardrop" referred to the Devil God's first tear shed for love, known as the Soul-slaying Teardrop.
The "thread," he explained, was linked to the tear: if the Devil God's heart could be opened, the Soul-slaying Teardrop would transform into nine divine spikes that, when driven into his heart, would destroy the evil bones. Ji Ze then revealed that his own demise was imminent, after which the Barren Abyss barrier would only last for 300 days.
If the evil bones were not destroyed within that time, the abyss would break, unleashing demons, and all hope would be lost. Ye Xiwu understood the gravity of her mission, while Ji Ze expressed his readiness to finally join his fallen comrades. Ye Xiwu emerged from the Barren Abyss with Yue Fuya. Noticing an item on the girl that suggested a connection to Jing Lan'an, she asked Yue Fuya who had brought her there.
The child described a "mean man with scars on his face," confirming it was Tantai Minglang who had abandoned her. Returning to the human realm, Ye Xiwu immediately noticed a significant passage of time. A local confirmed that several months had passed and the Sheng and Jing kingdoms had been at war for three to four months. The new Jing King, Tantai Jin, was personally leading his army and commanding demon creatures, causing heavy casualties.
She learned that her father, General Ye, had been seriously wounded and remained unconscious, and her second brother, Ye Qingyu, had taken his place to defend Jia Pass. The Sheng King's distrust of the Ye family continued. Reports reached Tantai Jin that the King was displeased with General Ye's injury, had given Ye Qingyu orders to advance without retreat, and was providing barely enough provisions. An imperial decree even threatened the entire Ye family with execution if Jia Pass fell.
Later, Tantai Jin learned of a seven-tailed fox in the mountains and hunted it himself, suspecting it might be an acquaintance. He captured Pian Ran, who inadvertently revealed that Tantai Jin cared for Ye Xiwu. He spared her life, seeing her as potentially "useful," but forced her to consume a secret Yiyue Tribe drug, warning that if she betrayed him, she would suffer the agony of "thousands of bugs" biting her heart before her body exploded.
Under Tantai Jin's command, Pian Ran went to Jia Pass to persuade Ye Qingyu to surrender. She recounted Ye Qingyu's unheeded pleas for provisions and the Sheng King's callous disregard for his soldiers' lives. She warned him of Tantai Jin's formidable "Firewing Army" and an impending personal assault on Jia Pass.
Pian Ran argued that the Sheng King had started the war out of resentment for Tantai Jin's ascension and was too foolish to see that continuing would lead to total defeat. She urged Ye Qingyu to join a wise ruler to save his soldiers. Ye Qingyu, however, refused to betray his family's long-standing honor, stating he could not face his ancestors if he surrendered.
As she left, Pian Ran left a note revealing that Tantai Jin would meet Ye Qingyu alone the following day, presenting an opportunity to kill him and end the war. The next day, Ye Qingyu met Tantai Jin alone. Tantai Jin commented on Ye Qingyu's courage and worn appearance. Ye Qingyu threatened to kill Tantai Jin, claiming it would be a great merit for his family.
Tantai Jin challenged him, asking if such an act would lead to promotion or merely make the Sheng King dread him for being a threat to the throne. He reminded Ye Qingyu of the Sheng King's "paranoid and suspicious" nature, stating that the Ye family was already "on the brink of destruction." Ye Qingyu, however, remained steadfast, proclaiming his family's unshakeable loyalty as Sheng citizens, unswayed by Tantai Jin's attempts to incite him.
