Till the End of the Moon Episode 18 Recap
> Till the End of the Moon Recap
Ye Bingshang awakens from the Bo're Life dream, confronted by a mysterious voice questioning what she has gained from the experience. The voice exposes her long-standing jealousy of Ye Xiwu's legitimate status, her past reliance on a stolen love thread to attract men, and challenges the authenticity of Xiao Lin’s love for her if that thread were absent.
Startled by the voice's intimate knowledge, Ye Bingshang is further warned that Tian Huan's tragic fate, stemming from her reliance on men, awaits her. Ye Bingshang vehemently rejects the comparison, asserting her distinct path from Tian Huan: while Tian Huan sacrificed everything for a man, Ye Bingshang dedicates her efforts solely to her own self-interest. The voice acknowledges her as "clever" and wishes her more luck than Tian Huan. Meanwhile, Ming Ye confronts Sang Jiu amidst the approaching God-slaying Lightning.
Sang Jiu reveals she has created a powerful gem, the World-overturning Jade, by extracting the divine essence of the entire Flying Serpent clan, intending to use it to resurrect her family. Ming Ye forbids its use, explaining that such a demonic and heaven-defying act, involving the killing of immortals, is what summoned the lightning and will lead to dire karmic consequences.
Sang Jiu, having no expectation of a good end since drawing the Water-calming Sword, defiantly dismisses his warnings and orders him away. As Ming Ye insists there's still a way to save her from demonization, she mocks his previous attempts to help. He then points to the God-slaying Lightning, explaining it's inescapable given her actions. Sang Jiu expresses deep regret at being one step away from reviving her family.
Ming Ye then embraces her, declaring he will take the punishment in her place and, upon his body's demise, exchange his divine essence for her demon bone. He apologizes for his shortcomings as a husband, admitting he only learned to love when she had ceased to desire it, and blames himself for her descent into demonhood. He wistfully recalls their peaceful life in the bamboo forest, wishing they could have spent their lives together.
Sang Jiu, bound by his embrace, declares that she will never forgive him, regardless of his sacrifice, while Ming Ye quietly tells her to hate him and live on. Sang Jiu then reveals a profound truth: her physical body was devoured in the Barren Abyss long ago, and it was pure hatred that sustained her existence as a demon.
Therefore, she cannot survive the tribulation or receive Ming Ye's divine essence, and he can never atone for what he owes her. As Sang Jiu's soul dissipates before his eyes, Ming Ye is consumed by grief, nearly succumbing to demonization himself. However, fragments of Sang Jiu's pearl-like memories flash, reminding him that her love was always for the righteous God of War who protected the three realms.
Guided by these memories and an inner voice, Ming Ye chooses to remain true to his divine nature, abandoning the path to demonhood. He leaves behind the Soul-slaying Teardrop. Simultaneously, Ye Xiwu awakens from the Bo're Life dream, finding the Soul-slaying Teardrop in her possession. The Bo're Life dream ends, and the Dragon's soul vanishes. Xiao Lin and others emerge from the illusion.
On the shore, Pang Yizhi explains that the Dragon, long transformed into mere bones, created this illusion based on a prophecy. Ye Xiwu deduces that Ming Ye, though not succumbing to demonization, was burdened by love, and thus orchestrated this illusion after his death to enlighten fated individuals. Before departing, Ye Xiwu entrusts the Mirror of the Past to Pang Yizhi, requesting he return it to the Xiaoyao Sect.
Reflecting on Ji Ze's prophecy of three keys—a dream, a teardrop, and a thread—Ye Xiwu realizes she now possesses two. Her next mission is to make Tantai Jin develop a love thread. She resolves to return to Jing Kingdom. Xiao Lin, also deeply affected by the dream, finds Ye Bingshang and promises to protect her. He expresses pity for Sang Jiu’s tragic fate but reaffirms that Ye Bingshang is the one he must cherish now.
Inwardly, however, Ye Bingshang questions whether Xiao Lin’s devotion is genuine or merely an effect of the stolen love thread. The dream has solidified her cynicism, and she resolves to focus solely on her own self-interest and make full use of the thread's power. Tantai Jin, since waking from the dream, has been unusually preoccupied, haunted by fragmented memories of Ye Xiwu's kindness, at times confusing her with Sang Jiu due to their similar appearance.
When Ye Xiwu unexpectedly appears before him, he is secretly delighted, yet his pride compels him to feign coldness. He scoffs at her return, despite her earnest declaration of loyalty, and orders Pian Ran to bind her and bring her back, suspecting ulterior motives. Ye Xiwu's inner thoughts reveal her strategic persistence, noting that the Soul-slaying Teardrop warmed when she touched him, indicating her need to be more proactive.
Later that night, Ye Xiwu visits Tantai Jin's tent to ask what he learned from the dream. He expresses admiration for the ancient Devil God's power and scorns Ming Ye for sacrificing it for a woman. Ye Xiwu counters that her lesson was that lovers should express their feelings openly, pointedly adding that this is why she returned to him. Flustered by her forwardness, Tantai Jin has Nian Baiyu drag her out of his tent.
Tantai Jin then punishes Ye Xiwu by assigning her the task of herding geese, knowing her deep fear of them. Pian Ran reports on Ye Xiwu's progress, and Tantai Jin sends Nian Baiyu to check on her. Overwhelmed by the aggressive geese, Ye Xiwu faints. Tantai Jin, who initially enjoyed her distress, rushes to her side and calls for a medic when he sees her condition. Upon her recovery, Tantai Jin confronts her, but she blames him for her illness.
He then presents her with a meal composed entirely of goose dishes, a cruel jest. She tries to coax him into feeding her, and after a brief standoff, he relents and feeds her a piece. Ye Xiwu then asks if he found her earlier torment amusing, noting his evident happiness. Tantai Jin admits he did, stating that this was "how happiness felt." Ye Xiwu interprets this as a sign that his love thread is awakening, making success seem within reach.
She asks to accompany him back to Jing Kingdom. Tantai Jin, finding her post-dream behavior strange, expresses distrust, recalling her previous desire to leave him and her recent departure with Xiao Lin. Ye Xiwu argues that she wants to follow him because of his effective governance and the people's admiration. Despite his lingering skepticism and accusation of her deceitfulness, Tantai Jin agrees, but only on the condition that she serves as his royal maid.
Ye Xiwu readily accepts, finding the dynamic of a "cold monarch versus an unruly handmaid" intriguing. Meanwhile, Fu Yu rescues Tantai Minglang from a fire. Tantai Minglang, recovering in a dark cave, learns that Tantai Jin has conquered Jia Pass and is returning to Jing Kingdom, having secured the allegiance of many ministers. Furious at Tantai Jin's ascension, Tantai Minglang expresses his resolve to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. Fu Yu assures him of his unwavering loyalty.
Tantai Minglang summons the most powerful sorcerers of Jing Kingdom. He interrogates them about how Tantai Jin acquired his ability to control demons. The sorcerers reveal Tantai Jin's forbidden practice of hunting demon beasts and absorbing their demonic elixirs. Despite their warnings about the extreme risks, Tantai Minglang dismisses their concerns, declaring that if Tantai Jin can achieve such power, so can he, driven by an urgent desire for vengeance.
