Wulin Heroes Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Wulin Heroes Synopsis
Ye Xi, a kind-hearted girl who aspires to be a warrior, enters Jianghu with a beautiful fantasy of wulin and love, intent on fighting the strong and helping the weak.
She does not understand the viciousness of the human heart, she is repeatedly used, deceived, and betrayed, even betrayed by her trusted "warrior" and the "good man" she thought she could share life together in Jianghu. Her reputation is ruined and she is almost killed several times.
But despite all the blows, Ye Xi remains unchanged in her belief that justice cannot be suppressed and that justice lies in the hearts of men. She tries her best to investigate the truth and clear her fame.
During this time, she is fortunate to be rescued by the divine doctor Bai Yue, who protects her along the way.
Ye Xi grows up and becomes stronger and more confident, and finally understands true love and the spirit of martial arts.
With Bai Yue's help, Ye Xi eradicates the martial arts scum that framed her and plagued Jianghu, and grows into a true martial arts heroine.
Bai Yue uses his medical skills to heal the bewitched martial arts community, and the spirit of righteousness returns to the martial arts world.
Wulin Heroes Recap
Episode 1 Recap
Fenghua Valley is situated atop Changliu Mount, where its lord, Bai Yue, is renowned as a young medical immortal. He possesses exceptional swordsmanship and unparalleled medical skills, though few have ever seen his true face. Due to years of testing various drugs, Bai Yue suffers from an enduring illness, sustained only by a constant intake of ginseng. Meanwhile, after a millennium of cultivation on Changliu Mount, Ye Xi finally transformed into the Ginseng Fairy.
Eager to explore the world, she discovered Fenghua Valley was the only nearby point of interest. Using her ability to become invisible, she entered the valley, where she observed Bai Yue as he practiced swordsmanship and read. Later, she found manuals for "Frost Swordsmanship" and "Fallen-leaf Palm," recognizing the former as the style Bai Yue had practiced. Curious, she borrowed his sword to practice, confident he wouldn't detect her.
As Bai Yue slept, Ye Xi practiced the "Frost Swordsmanship" outside his room. Amidst her movements, she heard a sound from within, prompting her to drop the sword and quickly depart, believing he had detected her. As she fled, she silently recited a verse about unrequited feelings. Bai Yue opened his door to find no one, silently retrieved his sword from the ground, and returned inside.
Believing Bai Yue had discovered her, Ye Xi decided to hide and inadvertently stumbled into the forbidden underground palace. She used her magic to open an ancient tomb and was studying its inscriptions when the structure began to collapse. Bai Yue appeared, pulling Ye Xi to safety before collapsing himself, spitting blood from a sudden onset of his illness. As debris fell, Ye Xi shielded him with her body.
Once the tremors subsided, she found Bai Yue unconscious and gravely poisoned. Without hesitation, she used half of her root tassels to save him, a sacrifice that also caused half of her hair to shorten. Just then, a servant's shouts for help echoed from outside, prompting Ye Xi to flee. Bai Yue regained consciousness, catching only a glimpse of a girl in red before Uncle Hui arrived to help him.
Bai Yue asked about the girl, but Uncle Hui saw no one. Back in his room, Bai Yue was recuperating when Ye Xi secretly entered, still invisible. She observed that he was recovering quickly but noticed he was about to consume more ginseng. Knowing this would be harmful since he already possessed her life-saving root, she invisibly took the ginseng away. Shortly after, Uncle Hui entered with a decoction, urging Bai Yue to drink the last of their ginseng.
Bai Yue again mentioned seeing a girl in red, insisting it was the same one from the underground palace, but Uncle Hui dismissed it as an illusion, reminding him the valley was heavily guarded. Once Uncle Hui left, Bai Yue sensed a presence and called out. Ye Xi revealed herself, and Bai Yue recognized her. She introduced herself as the Ginseng Fairy, promised to help him, and told him to rest.
As she left, Ye Xi felt exhausted from her sacrifice and decided to go into seclusion to recover before returning to see Bai Yue. Meanwhile, other valley members discussed reinforcing security, dismissing Bai Yue's accounts of a stranger as hallucinations. Six months later, Bai Yue's body had completely healed. A subordinate reported that Ye Xi had been manipulated by Tang Yang, the Young Master of the Tang Clan.
He had convinced her that the powerful Rainstorm Needle was a Tang Clan heirloom stolen by the Mo Clan. Believing him, Ye Xi helped retrieve the needle, but Tang Yang used the opportunity to massacre the entire Mo Clan. He then coerced Mo Rou, the sole survivor, to falsely accuse Ye Xi, inciting the martial world to hunt her down. Caught in a rainstorm, Ye Xi was relentlessly pursued by martial artists.
She tried to explain her innocence, but they accused her of stealing the Rainstorm Needle, slaughtering the Mo Clan, and seducing Tang Yang, citing Mo Rou's testimony. Left with no choice, Ye Xi fought them off but was severely injured in the process. As she struggled onward, Tang Yang appeared with an umbrella. He claimed to like her but admitted he married Mo Rou for the Rainstorm Needle and had to eradicate the Mo Clan when they didn't trust him.
When Ye Xi accused him of orchestrating her downfall, he calmly stated their paths couldn't continue in this life and delivered a fatal blow with a needle coated in the newly developed Lovesick Poison. As Ye Xi pleaded to be buried, Tang Yang coldly replied that Mo Rou was more useful and that he needed Ye Xi's life to get what he wanted before walking away. As the rain subsided, Bai Yue arrived, too late to save Ye Xi.
He revealed that he knew she was the girl who had saved him in the underground palace and grieved that he couldn't repay her kindness. Lamenting how a kind soul like her was vilified by so-called heroes, Bai Yue remembered her nature as a Ginseng Fairy. Consulting ancient texts, he buried her deep in the earth, hoping she might one day reawaken, even without her memories. He vowed to find her again if she ever revived.
Five years later, Ye Xi emerged from the ground with no memory of her past. Finding herself in what she called an "unmarked graveyard" from storybooks, she frightened some local villagers who mistook her for a ghost. After finding a place to bathe, she fantasized that she was a legendary beauty whose allure caused worldwide conflict, leading to her noble sacrifice. As she was lost in her tale, Bai Yue appeared with his horse.
He noted her narcissistic ramblings, confirming his suspicion that she had lost her memory. Seeing that he seemed to know her but was about to leave, Ye Xi chased after him, begging for help. To cure her, Bai Yue knew he had to provoke her into expelling stagnant blood accumulated from her time underground. He sarcastically mocked her "storybook" narrative, pointing out how the supposed heroes and nobles who loved her had left her to rot in a graveyard.
His harsh words angered Ye Xi, causing her to spit out a mouthful of clotted blood. Seeing her weakened, Bai Yue suggested she accompany him to the city to recover. Ye Xi was initially wary, fearing he was a trafficker, but when he drew his sword, she quickly agreed, insisting only that she get proper clothes first.
Episode 2 Recap
Bai Yue and Ye Xi traveled towards Bailu City. Along the way, Ye Xi inquired about the current state of the martial world. Bai Yue explained that with Chief Lin of Yishui Villa frequently in seclusion, some clans had grown restless, leading to potential unrest. Hearing this, Ye Xi expressed her deep fear of loneliness, wishing for a devoted companion and a welcoming light to return home to. Bai Yue, however, asserted that a genius is destined for solitude.
As they neared the city gate, Bai Yue placed a bamboo hat on Ye Xi's head, claiming it was to shield himself from the sun and for his own convenience, which she reluctantly accepted. At the city entrance, Ye Xi used her magic to conjure a travel permit under the name "Lin Qingqing," stating she was visiting relatives. When a soldier questioned her, she gave the name "Wang Tieshuan."
The soldier, finding the name unusual for a pretty girl, let them pass after seeing her face. Moments later, the soldier recognized Ye Xi's face from a wanted poster and dispatched a subordinate to alert the Imperial Guards. Inside Bailu City, Bai Yue and Ye Xi settled into a teahouse. Ye Xi was restricted to bland noodles due to her health, much to her dismay as she eyed Bai Yue's more elaborate meal.
He forbade her from touching his food, joking that his handsome appearance was enough of a feast for her. At that moment, Chu Yao entered, introducing himself as a friend of Bai Yue. He reminded Bai Yue of how he had saved his life years ago and insisted they celebrate their reunion at his mansion. Bai Yue agreed, noting Chu Yao's residence would be a suitable place for Ye Xi's recuperation.
Ye Xi attempted to leave, but Bai Yue's subtle pressure and Chu Yao's generous offer of a silver ingot compelled her to stay. Bai Yue then offered a medicinal tea, claiming it was a necessary detox for wealthy young men like Chu Yao to prevent a disease like diabetes. Immediately after drinking it, Chu Yao’s face turned red and itchy. As dusk approached, they departed for Chu Yao’s mansion.
That evening, Ye Xi secretly followed two of Chu Yao's servants to a teahouse to listen to a storyteller. The storyteller was recounting the tale of the infamous "Wulin Witch," Ye Xi. He described how she stole secret techniques and treasures, then journeyed to the Shu Region where, after failing to seduce Tang Yang, the young master of the Tang Clan, she murdered his fiancée's entire family.
He claimed she was ultimately killed by the formidable Rainstorm Needle in the Bamboo Forest. The patrons reacted with fury. Suddenly, someone recognized Ye Xi in the crowd as "Miss Wang." As confusion spread, a group of men burst in, announcing they were acting on a bounty from the Regent to capture Ye Xi. Bewildered, Ye Xi denied being the witch, asserting her name was "Wang Tieshuan."
She defended herself with a branch, but the attackers recognized her "Frost Swordsmanship," solidifying their belief. They then revealed a wanted poster that clearly depicted her face. Just as Ye Xi was cornered, Bai Yue arrived, insisting she was "Wang Tieshuan." Realizing they were together, the men attacked them both. They fled, pursued through the streets, and Bai Yue was struck by an arrow in his back. Chu Yao then appeared, deploying a smoke screen to aid their escape.
He pacified the bounty hunters by promising to compensate them and offered to host them at his mansion, claiming that Bai Yue had disfigured his face and that he also sought revenge. With the threat diffused, Lin Xiaoxiao, daughter of the Martial World Chief from Yishui Villa, arrived. She urgently questioned Chu Yao about Bai Yue's whereabouts, proclaiming that anyone who harmed him was her enemy.
At her servant's insistence, she reluctantly agreed to return to her villa after extracting a promise from Chu Yao to inform her immediately if he found Bai Yue. Seeking refuge in the dilapidated Guiyuan Temple, Bai Yue tended to his arrow wound. Ye Xi, returning from an unsuccessful search for medicinal herbs, saw Bai Yue holding a hairpin she recognized as a gift from Chu Yao that she had intended to sell.
As she tried to retrieve it, she accidentally pulled open his clothes, revealing peculiar, familiar marks on his back. Bai Yue sharply warned her away. Reflecting on the storyteller's account, particularly the details of the Rainstorm Needle and the Bamboo Forest, Ye Xi realized she was indeed the Ye Xi from the tale. She scoffed at being called a "witch," insisting she was a "Ginseng Fairy." Meanwhile, Bai Yue began to itch intensely.
He dismissed her suggestion that he was poisoned or bewitched. Unable to bear the itching, he grudgingly asked Ye Xi to scratch his back. The moment her hand touched him, the itching inexplicably ceased, and he abruptly sent her away. The following day, at Liubai Pavilion, Ye Xi pressed Bai Yue to reveal her past.
He recounted that five years prior, she was framed by Tang Yang as the martial world's most heinous witch and killed by the Rainstorm Needle in the Bamboo Forest. Three years ago, she mysteriously reappeared and was taken into the palace by the Crown Prince, who dismissed his concubines for her. However, the Crown Prince soon announced her ten grave crimes, and her body was left in the Unmarked Graveyard.
Bai Yue confessed he had visited the graveyard out of curiosity to see if she had truly died. Learning the Crown Prince was now dead, Ye Xi resolved to seek revenge on Tang Yang first. Soon after, Chu Yao arrived at Liubai Pavilion with wine. He commented on the quality of the ginseng in Bai Yue's tea, prompting Bai Yue to explain that genuine ginseng was rare and best reserved for treating illnesses.
Ye Xi, resolute, bid them farewell and departed for the Tang Clan in the Shu Region to confront Tang Yang. Chu Yao then questioned Bai Yue's composure in letting her go alone. He revealed he knew Bai Yue's actions in the teahouse, specifically ruining his face with the tea, were a deliberate ploy to protect him from being implicated in Bai Yue's affairs. Acknowledging Bai Yue's intentions, Chu Yao advised him to stop being so duplicitous.
To Chu Yao's surprise, Bai Yue quietly handed him an ointment for his face and offered a rare word of thanks. Meanwhile, Ye Xi, studying a map by the roadside, witnessed a frantic chase: Tang Huan and his companions were being hunted by Tang Clan members. She overheard them accuse Tang Yang of corrupting the clan and committing monstrous crimes, realizing they shared a common enemy. As the battle raged and only Tang Huan was left standing, urged by his "Uncle Qi" to flee, Ye Xi intervened.
Episode 3 Recap
In the forest, Ye Xi intervened to stop a group of Tang Clan disciples from attacking Tang Huan. The disciples identified her as the "Wicked Maiden, Ye Xi" by her Frost Swordsmanship, but she drove them off, demanding reparations for her ruined roast chicken. Tang Huan, seeking to avenge his deceased Uncle Qi, was quickly overpowered and kicked aside before Ye Xi shielded him. As the disciples fled, they vowed that the Tang Clan would not let the matter rest.
Later that night, Ye Xi tended to Tang Huan's injuries, giving him a "Dewdrop Pill," a potent healing medicine. Tang Huan explained that the new clan leader, Tang Yang, was eliminating rivals after obtaining the formidable "Rainstorm Needle," which is why he was being hunted. Ye Xi recognized the Rainstorm Needle as the weapon rumored to have killed her.
She recounted her own story: waking in an "Unmarked Graveyard" with amnesia, being named Wang Tieshuan by a doctor, and then suddenly becoming the target of the entire martial world as "Ye Xi, the Wicked," with no way to prove her innocence. Tang Huan, moved by her willingness to risk exposure to save him, expressed his firm belief in her innocence, stating that her attackers owed her an apology.
Tang Huan revealed that five years ago, as the Tang Clan's youngest elder, he grew suspicious of the old master's death. He then shared a shocking secret: he had overheard Tang Yang confessing to murdering not only Ye Xi and his own fiancée, Mo Rou, but also his father, the old master.
Tang Yang justified these actions as necessary sacrifices to obtain the Rainstorm Needle and ensure the Tang Clan's supremacy, even referring to Ye Xi as his "soul mate" whom he could only repay in the next life. Stunned by this revelation of patricide and betrayal, Ye Xi understood why Tang Yang was hunting Tang Huan. Still unable to remember her past, Ye Xi wondered how she could have survived the Rainstorm Needle.
Tang Huan noted that due to the slow spread of information in the Shu region, Tang Yang was not yet aware she was alive. United by their common enemy, Ye Xi and Tang Huan agreed to seek justice together. Ye Xi reassured a concerned Tang Huan that their situations were equally perilous.
Curious about her past, she asked if she had truly loved Tang Yang, and he could only confirm that Tang Yang had called her his "soul mate" who had done much for him. She asked him to call her by her name, Ye Xi, to which he agreed. Later, after their roast chicken was ruined, he bought horses to hasten their journey.
Despite his injuries, he insisted on taking mountain roads to avoid ambushes, offering her all his jerky and vowing to make their journey to the Pili Clan as comfortable as possible. Unbeknownst to them, Bai Yue secretly observed their conversation from behind a tree. The next day, Ye Xi asked Tang Huan about his plan to persuade the Pili Clan to join their cause.
Tang Huan explained that Master Yu of the Pili Clan owed a debt to the old master, but he could only try his best. Elsewhere, a group of self-proclaimed "heroes" plotted to capture Ye Xi. They planned to force her to surrender the martial arts secrets of various clans before collecting a bounty from both the government and the Tang Clan.
Having failed to catch her in Bailu City, they were resting when they spotted a figure in a red coat and bamboo hat, whom they mistook for Ye Xi and immediately pursued. At an inn, Tang Huan gave Ye Xi a sachet for good luck and announced that Master Yu had agreed to support them. Their new plan was to use the Pili Clan's "Thunderbolt" weapon to attack Tang's Mansion directly.
Ye Xi expressed concern over Master Yu's trustworthiness and the destructive power of the Thunderbolt. Tang Huan reassured her that their target was only Tang Yang and promised to plan carefully to avoid harming innocent clan members. He then asked if she would be willing to live a quiet life with him after they achieved their revenge. Ye Xi, taken aback by the sudden depth of his proposal, simply smiled.
Her confusion grew when a servant later delivered oranges on his behalf, making her wonder about his intentions. From a distance, the figure in red—revealed to be Bai Yue—watched them. After leading the "heroes" on a chase all night, an exhausted Bai Yue returned to the inn. Ye Xi, noticing his fatigue, asked if he had been searching for herbs. Ignoring her, Bai Yue asked the innkeeper to prepare his medicine.
When the innkeeper had to step away, Ye Xi, remembering Bai Yue's previous help, generously added a large amount of rare ginseng to the decoction. Later, Bai Yue furiously confronted Ye Xi in her room, accusing her of recklessly adding the ginseng, which could expose her identity and bring more danger. Ye Xi retorted that she was only trying to help and that he was unfairly judging her, just like everyone else.
Frustrated, she declared they should go their separate ways. Just then, Tang Huan knocked, inviting them to Master Yu's mansion. Ye Xi silenced Bai Yue and accepted. Bai Yue then warned her to be cautious of Tang Huan, noting that her calm reaction to his presence was suspicious and that another misjudgment could be fatal. Ye Xi thanked him, acknowledging he was right about Tang Yang, but insisted she had her own plans.
At the Pili Clan mansion, Master Yu received them. As they discussed strategy, Tang Huan insisted on leading the charge to protect Ye Xi, but she overruled him, stating she would handle the front lines while he and Master Yu commanded from the rear. After Master Yu briefly excused himself to check on the Thunderbolts, Tang Huan confessed his feelings for Ye Xi, asking her to marry him if they survived the battle.
Speechless and caught off guard, Ye Xi was interrupted when hidden weapons flew into the room, followed by two assassins, Black and White. Ye Xi wounded White, but as Black lunged at her, Tang Huan shielded her and took the blow. The assassins immediately retreated. Master Yu returned, claiming the attackers were from the Tang Clan, and offered his mansion for them to recuperate. In a nearby alley, Bai Yue intercepted Black, who was carrying the injured White.
After chiding them for their failed attempt on Ye Xi's life, Bai Yue demanded to know who hired them. Black confessed their true employer was Master Yu. Meanwhile, Ye Xi decided to return to the inn for her belongings. Stopping at a noodle shop, she was joined by Bai Yue, who sat opposite her. He cynically remarked on her naivety and warned that her thoughtless actions made her an easy target for schemers. Unfazed, Ye Xi retorted that she needed to eat to be strong for the fight, declaring that if anyone tried to scheme against her, she would simply kill them.
Episode 4 Recap
At a noodle restaurant, Ye Xi was eating when Bai Yue appeared, remarking on Tang Huan's weak martial arts. He directly called Ye Xi ignorant and ungrateful for not seeing the truth of her situation. He warned that if she continued to act so carelessly with a major conflict looming, she would easily be trapped. Ye Xi dismissed his concerns, boasting she would simply kill anyone who tried to harm her.
Amused by her violent talk, Bai Yue ordered a healthier, plainer noodle dish for her to "clear her internal fire," an order which a slightly unsettled Ye Xi accepted. Bai Yue then warned her that dying from a poison needle would be an ugly way to go. He then explicitly revealed that the assassins Black and White were sent by Master Yu to test her, and Tang Huan's stabbing was a self-inflicted ruse.
They were using her as a weapon in their scheme to seize territory. Bai Yue expressed frustration at her seeming infatuation, which he believed was leading her to her death. Ye Xi scoffed at the idea, stating she couldn't abandon the injured Tang Huan and that since she intended to kill Tang Yang anyway, she and Tang Huan were merely temporary allies.
She added that if she died, it would at least prove she wasn't the "wicked woman" everyone was hunting. Seeing her resolve, Bai Yue paid for her meal as a farewell gesture. That night, as Bai Yue tended to his own injuries, Ye Xi prepared to leave the inn. She was suddenly struck by an excruciating headache, unlike any she had ever experienced.
She stumbled into Bai Yue's room for help, where he became furious upon learning she had given all her pain-relieving Dewdrop Pills to Tang Huan. Despite his anger, he took her pulse as she, noticing his box of injury medicine, repeatedly asked where he was hurt. Frustrated by her restlessness, Bai Yue knocked her unconscious and treated her with acupuncture. The next morning, Ye Xi awoke in Bai Yue’s bed.
Seeing him ignore her, she took the remaining pills from his table, left some silver as payment, and departed, musing on how essential the effective pills would be for her fight at the Tang Mansion. Meanwhile, Lin Xiaoxiao and her maid, Han Zi, found their carriage stuck in a rut. Deciding to proceed on foot via a shortcut, Lin Xiaoxiao wondered about a "big shot" from the capital who might be heading to the same destination.
At the Tang Mansion, chaos erupted as Ye Xi's allies used Thunderbolts to blast open the main gate. Entering the compound, Ye Xi was disturbed by the bloody aftermath and the cruelty of the attack. Inside the main hall, they were surrounded by Tang Clan disciples. When Tang Yang appeared, Tang Huan immediately claimed Ye Xi as his fiancée, enraging Tang Yang. During their fight, Tang Yang prepared to use his ultimate weapon, the Rainstorm Needle.
Tang Huan tried to use Ye Xi as a human shield, but a hidden projectile thrown by Bai Yue from the crowd forced Tang Huan to move, causing him to take the full blast of the needles himself. Suddenly, the Black Armor Army stormed the hall. It was revealed that Tang Yang had betrayed his clan by colluding with the Regent and exposing the clan's secret passages.
Master Yu, seeing the tables turn, immediately switched his allegiance to Tang Yang, offering him the formula for the Thunderbolts. Disgusted by Tang Yang's treachery, Ye Xi rushed forward and slapped him repeatedly.
She declared half the slaps were for herself for ever getting involved with him, and the other half were on behalf of the Tang ancestors for his disgrace of involving the court in a clan matter, adding that she had imbued the slaps with internal force that would slowly destroy his meridians. An enraged Tang Yang ordered the Black Armor Army to kill her, but they did not obey.
Bai Yue then stepped forward, revealing the army was there to protect Ye Xi from Tang Yang. He publicly exposed Tang Yang's five-year-old deception: how he had manipulated a naive Ye Xi into stealing the Rainstorm Needle for him from the Mo Clan with false promises of marriage, only to burn the Mo mansion down and frame her as a "wicked woman" to cover his tracks.
When Tang Yang demanded proof, Lin Xiaoxiao arrived with Han Zi, stating that the murdered Mo Rou had sent her a letter revealing the entire truth. When Tang Yang tried to attack her, Han Zi drew the famed swords of Yishui Villa, revealing Lin Xiaoxiao’s high-status identity and convincing the crowd of Tang Yang's guilt. Desperate, Tang Yang offered a bounty of one hundred thousand taels for Ye Xi's head.
Just then, Regent Cang Qi entered, declaring that no one was to harm Ye Xi. He revealed he had garrisoned his troops there precisely because he knew she would eventually return for revenge. He also confessed to killing the Crown Prince himself, calling him a coward for framing a woman for his own crimes. Cang Qi had his subordinate, Xiao Shan, escort everyone out of the hall, much to the displeasure of a silent Bai Yue.
Alone with Ye Xi, Cang Qi called her to his side, but she insisted she didn't know him. He spoke of their intimate past, of the martial arts he taught her, and of the immense suffering he endured to become Regent, all for the power to protect her. Ye Xi remained unmoved, remembering nothing and finding his casual mention of the Prince's gruesome death unsettling. She urged him to leave her be.
Deeply hurt, Cang Qi gave her an ultimatum: come with him or kill him. Ye Xi refused both, stating that since she had saved him once, she wouldn't kill him now, but she would not go with him either. Outside, Tang Yang tried to escape despite Bai Yue's warning, leading to a brief fight where Bai Yue easily defeated him and recovered the Rainstorm Needle.
As Cang Qi and Ye Xi emerged, the Regent publicly declared her innocent and threatened anyone who would call her a "wicked woman" again. Ye Xi stepped forward, stating she had a clear conscience and didn't care for her reputation, as her revenge was with Tang Yang alone.
When Cang Qi offered to execute all her enemies on the spot, she stopped him, insisting that their lives were not his to decide and convincing him to release the other Tang Clan members. As they left, Lin Xiaoxiao had her maid present Ye Xi with a fine sword. Cang Qi then offered to kill Tang Yang for her, but Ye Xi firmly stated that this revenge was hers and hers alone to take.
Episode 5 Recap
In Tang's Mansion, Ye Xi confronted Tang Yang, intending to kill him immediately. Tang Yang desperately pleaded for his life, reminding her that she had once admired his ambition to dominate the martial world, a goal he claimed he pursued for her. He argued that since she was still alive, she should let go of the past and not kill him for the sake of their former affection.
Unmoved by his sophistry, Ye Xi dismissed his pleas and swiftly struck him down with her sword. With his dying breath, Tang Yang accused Tang Huan of being equally malicious and warned Ye Xi that she would regret her actions. Ye Xi, however, merely scoffed, interpreting his last words as a futile attempt to sow discord.
Moments after Tang Yang's death, Tang Huan, who had awakened after consuming Rebirth Pills given by Bai Yue, expressed relief upon seeing Tang Yang dead. He immediately and urgently questioned Ye Xi about the whereabouts of the Rainstorm Needle, emphasizing the severe consequences if it were to fall into the imperial court's hands. Ye Xi reassured him that she would retrieve it, which seemed to ease his worries.
As Ye Xi prepared to take the injured Tang Huan away, Cang Qi appeared, blocking their path. He stated that he would allow Tang Huan to leave only if Ye Xi remained behind, suggesting that Tang Huan was on the verge of death anyway. Ye Xi fiercely refused, asserting her intention to protect Tang Huan with her life, particularly as he had just shielded her from a Rainstorm Needle attack.
She made it clear that her relationships were her own affair and warned Cang Qi against venting his anger on others. She insisted on taking the Rainstorm Needle and saving Tang Huan. Despite Cang Qi's anger at her defiance, Ye Xi escalated the confrontation by threatening to take her own life if he forced her to stay, declaring she would rather be a corpse than yield.
Faced with this drastic ultimatum, Cang Qi relented, allowing them to depart, though he vowed never to give up on her. By their carriage, Bai Yue bandaged a wound on Ye Xi's neck. Ye Xi then anxiously asked if Tang Huan could be saved. Bai Yue explained that the poison on the Rainstorm Needle was extraordinarily insidious and beyond his current ability to detoxify. Determined, Ye Xi decided to seek the valley lord's assistance in Fenghua Valley.
When Ye Xi inquired if more Rebirth Pills could be given to Tang Huan, Bai Yue warned that an overdose would lead to his permanent "rebirth." Bai Yue also made a sarcastic comment about Ye Xi's poor sense of direction, but she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity with Fenghua Valley's map, like a path home, and declared her unwavering resolve to reach it. Bai Yue reiterated that Tang Huan was not worth her sacrificing herself.
Before he rode away, Ye Xi, sensing his unspoken concern, directly questioned their own relationship. She observed his consistent presence by her side during battles and his repeated acts of saving her and others. Despite his evasive answers and insistence that they had nothing to do with each other, Ye Xi refused to believe him, certain that something significant had transpired between them that she couldn't recall. Bai Yue's departure was abruptly halted when Cang Qi intercepted him.
Cang Qi, still recovering from an illness, acknowledged Bai Yue's past act of saving him three years prior and vowed to live a long life for Ye Xi. He revealed he knew Ye Xi was heading to Fenghua Valley and demanded Bai Yue stay by his side, forbidding him from treating Tang Huan. Cang Qi then threatened to kill Tang Huan in an "accident" along the way, fueled by jealousy.
Bai Yue warned Cang Qi that such actions would only cause unforeseen consequences, reminding him of Ye Xi's self-sacrificing nature and the potential for mutual destruction. Bai Yue then offered a solution for Ye Xi's amnesia: finding the Five-color Keel. Cang Qi, determined, vowed to use all national resources to find it. Cang Qi's thoughts drifted back three years, recalling how Ye Xi had saved him from certain death.
In a flashback, Cang Qi, on the verge of hanging himself, was rescued by Ye Xi, who was foraging for mushrooms. Despite his hostility, Ye Xi playfully dismissed his suspicions, stating she simply found him too handsome to let die. When he tried to mar his own face, she stopped him, chiding him for disrespecting his life. Later that night, Cang Qi threw himself into a river. Ye Xi rescued him again, urging him to live.
He expressed his profound weariness with life, but she shared her own struggles as a hunted individual, emphasizing her resolve to survive. Cang Qi remained hardened, stating that simply being alive made him sick. Ye Xi persistently followed Cang Qi, determined to dissuade him from his suicidal thoughts. When he jumped from a city wall, she courageously risked her own life to save him, sustaining injuries.
Their struggle was interrupted by the arrival of soldiers, who revealed Cang Qi's identity as a runaway hostage. They delivered a chilling message: his escape had already led to the execution of several people, and if he did not return, Lord Huainan's entire family would be put to death. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Cang Qi agreed to return, attempting to shield Ye Xi by claiming she was an innocent bystander.
As the soldiers took him away, Cang Qi silently vowed to live and grow stronger for her, and to wait for her until death. Later, under the cover of night, Cang Qi informed Bai Yue that his imperial physicians had discovered a record indicating the probable location of the Five-color Keel beneath Nanke Temple, a royal monastery. Disregarding any obstacles, Cang Qi declared his intent to unearth it and insisted on departing immediately.
Meanwhile, a group of self-proclaimed "righteous" individuals confronted Ye Xi. They demanded she surrender the Rainstorm Needle, accusing her of bewitching the Regent, stealing the needle, and destroying the Tang Clan. Ye Xi, seeing their greed, challenged them to take it, asserting the Regent as her powerful backer. At that moment, Lin Xiaoxiao intervened, declaring that she had gifted Ye Xi the Yang-growing Sword they also accused her of stealing.
Lin Xiaoxiao retorted that many so-called righteous figures were worse than true villains and warned them that her father, the Chief of the Martial World, would investigate the Tang Clan matter himself. Faced with Lin Xiaoxiao's authority, the group grudgingly retreated. Amidst a prematurely falling snow, Cang Qi was drawn back to a painful memory from three years prior. He recalled kneeling beneath a city wall in a heavy snowstorm, pleading with Heaven to return Ye Xi to him.
At that time, Bai Yue had appeared, delivering an imperial edict that declared Ye Xi had been condemned to death after consuming Erysipelas, a lethal poison. Overwhelmed by grief and denial, Cang Qi frantically refused to accept her death without having seen it himself. Bai Yue revealed he too had been searching for any trace of her. Cang Qi, consumed by regret that Ye Xi had selflessly taken the burden to save him, wished he had never left her side. He then made a solemn vow to find her, no matter where she might be, and to avenge her, before collapsing from emotional and physical exhaustion.
Episode 6 Recap
By a warm fire, Cang Qi expressed his deep regret, wishing he had never left Ye Xi alone. He declared that even if he were to die, he would die by her side, vowing to search the entire world to find her and avenge her. Bai Yue, standing nearby, questioned Cang Qi's words, noting his readiness to speak of death despite his disbelief in Ye Xi's demise.
Cang Qi recounted his past suffering, describing how old and new injuries, coupled with the biting cold, had brought him to the brink of death. He credited Bai Yue with saving his life, enabling him to survive until that very day. Bai Yue, as a medical practitioner, offered a new prescription, hoping it might aid Cang Qi, who admitted years of forced drug trials had left him incurable, even by a divine physician.
Cang Qi's primary concern, however, remained Ye Xi. He desired her well-being and for her to quickly regain her memories. Bai Yue countered that perhaps she would prefer not to recall the painful past, suggesting that forgetting everything and starting anew might be a blessing. He accused Cang Qi of selfishly clinging to old memories, which would be cruel to Ye Xi. Cang Qi vehemently asserted that no one loved her more than he did.
Bai Yue recalled the Crown Prince Cang Nan making similar grand promises, which only led to Ye Xi's heartbreak. Cang Qi retorted that he was not to be compared to Cang Nan and pointed out that if Bai Yue hadn't saved them, none of the subsequent events would have transpired. Bai Yue maintained that Fenghua Valley had its own ancient rules he could not break.
Cang Qi, in turn, scoffed at Bai Yue, claiming that as an outsider, he understood nothing of true emotion. He vividly remembered Ye Xi reaching out to him when he was at his lowest, even breaking her hands to save him. He swore then to cherish her for life, vowing to take his own life if he ever failed her. Now that he had found her, she was his utmost priority.
Reminding Cang Qi of his duties to his kingdom, Bai Yue noted that self-pity would not win her over. Cang Qi, citing their past friendship, warned Bai Yue against harboring any "improper thoughts," stating that Bai Yue's sole task was to find the "dragon keel" and help Ye Xi remember him. After Cang Qi departed, Bai Yue sighed, lamenting that he couldn't allow himself to fall for her even if he wanted to.
At the Liubai Pavilion, Chu Yao's subordinate reported that Bai Yue and Regent Cang Qi were seen together near the capital, and Bai Yue appeared distressed, as if coerced. They had learned the two were headed to Nanke Temple. The subordinate expressed apprehension about Cang Qi, recalling his pitiable state when under the Crown Prince's heel, but now, having risen to power, he had become truly frightening.
Concluding that Bai Yue must be under duress, Chu Yao immediately decided to depart and rescue him. Later, inside Nanke Temple, Xiao Shan informed Cang Qi that a secret passage had been discovered behind a Buddha statue, but no "dragon keel" was found. When Cang Qi declared his intention to search personally, Xiao Shan added that the former Crown Prince, Cang Nan, had once resided there, suffering from constant nightmares before mysteriously having the area sealed.
Cang Qi then insisted Bai Yue accompany him into the dark passage. As they ventured deeper, all the candles extinguished, plunging them into darkness. Cang Qi, showing signs of claustrophobic panic, nonetheless urged Bai Yue forward. Suddenly, Bai Yue spotted a statue in the passage and attempted to remove a wooden hairpin from the wall, only to be thrown aside by an unseen force.
The wall then revealed a series of murals depicting the past story of Cang Nan and Ye Xi. The murals recounted events from three years prior. In one scene, Cang Nan and Ye Xi accidentally collided on a path. Cang Nan's precious fighting cricket fell and was devoured by a chicken from Ye Xi's basket. Enraged, Cang Nan's guards moved to arrest Ye Xi.
Undeterred, Ye Xi calmly explained that a chicken eating an insect was natural, and it was Cang Nan who had caused the cricket to fall. She challenged them to legally accuse her, boldly stating she was "courageous," not "daring." Intrigued, Cang Nan asked her name, which she clearly stated as Ye Xi. She then compensated him with the chicken and a tanghulu before departing. Obsessed, Cang Nan ordered his men to find her.
They tracked Ye Xi to a coffin shop. The shopkeeper had found her outside the city with broken limbs, brought her back in a coffin, and let her stay. Upon finding her, Cang Nan affectionately teased her about buying a coffin, while Ye Xi wryly suggested he might eventually need one of their expensive Nanmu wood coffins, which could preserve a body for thousands of years.
His guards were outraged by her perceived insolence, but Cang Nan playfully claimed he would buy it for his father. Cang Nan earnestly professed his love, stating he had fallen for her at first sight and even dreamt of her. Ye Xi found the setting inappropriate for romance, but when Cang Nan offered to take her somewhere nice, she accurately guessed he meant the palace, deducing his royal identity from his guards' imperial passes and his slip of the tongue.
She firmly refused to enter the palace. Cang Nan then attempted to gift her a glittering sword. Ye Xi refused it, finding it too flashy and impractical. She explained she had pawned her own sword to buy medicine for the ailing shopkeeper. After Cang Nan left, Ye Xi, realizing her vulnerability without a weapon, transformed an ordinary wooden stick into a wooden hairpin, inscribed with the character "Xi."
On another morning, Cang Nan visited Ye Xi again, noting the hairpin she now wore. He invited her for a flower-viewing excursion. Ye Xi agreed but insisted on choosing the destination: the capital's finest brothel. At the establishment, a storyteller regaled the crowd with the tale of "Heroine Ye Xi" marrying into the royal family. Ye Xi, startled by the absurd narrative, interjected.
Cang Nan explained that he had paid the storyteller for three months to change the previous "Wicked Ye Xi" narrative. Ye Xi admitted she had lost her memory, waking up to find herself adopted by the coffin shop owner, and now earned a living selling coffins and helping the poor. She asked if he minded the rumors that labeled her a "Wicked Woman."
Cang Nan brushed aside the rumors, firmly stating that in his heart, she was his heroine, and her past didn't matter. Suddenly, assassins attacked. Ye Xi swiftly protected Cang Nan, leaping with him from the building to escape, despite Cang Nan's fear of heights. Saved from certain death, Cang Nan clasped Ye Xi's hand, calling her his "lucky star." Ye Xi eventually agreed to enter the Eastern Palace as a guard.
Once there, an eunuch constantly nagged her about maintaining proper decorum. As she contemplated leaving, she witnessed a severely beaten Cang Qi being led away. She questioned his identity, and the eunuch explained that Cang Qi was Lord Huainan's son, held in the palace as a hostage. That night, Cang Nan presented Ye Xi with a beautiful hairpin. Soon after, a woman entered, claiming to be there to serve tea and act as a "sister" to Ye Xi.
Ye Xi clarified that she was merely a guard, not Cang Nan's "sweetheart." Cang Nan quickly intervened, ordering his eunuch to send all other women in his palace to the cold palace. Ye Xi then overheard the eunuch telling Cang Nan that she had seen Cang Qi earlier that day. Annoyed, Cang Nan instructed the eunuch to keep Ye Xi from witnessing such sights.
He then commanded that Cang Qi be brought to him, stating his intention to personally beat him to "vent his anger," accusing Lord Huainan of sending the assassins. Later that night, Ye Xi, dressed in dark clothes, went to the medicine-decocting house. She used her hairpin to lure and incapacitate two guards before entering.
Inside, she found a weak Cang Qi, who resignedly stated his life as a hostage meant constant humiliation and that Ye Xi had ruined his one chance to die. Ye Xi insisted that living was always better and he would likely survive the red pill he had taken. Though she couldn't get him out of the palace, Ye Xi offered to get him out of the room. Imperial guards soon arrived, demanding Cang Qi's surrender.
Ye Xi stood her ground, shattered the door with a powerful strike, and knocked out all the guards outside. The stunned guards, defeated, denounced her as a "wicked creature" and threatened to report her to the Crown Prince. Ye Xi helped Cang Qi to a bed and prepared to fetch an antidote. Cang Qi stopped her, admitting he was cold and asking for a hug.
Ye Xi embraced him through the blanket, reassuring him that Cang Nan would not disturb them. She then offered profound advice: to be strong, to endure when possible, but to cry when the pain was unbearable, and after crying, to bravely face the challenges ahead. Cang Qi promised to remember her words.
Episode 7 Recap
After resting for a night under Ye Xi's care, Cang Qi prepared to leave. He reflected on her advice to persevere, which had allowed him to sleep soundly for the first time. Grateful, he vowed not to be a burden to her, admitting that at the time he hadn't known her status and believed she was facing her own hardships.
The next day, as Cang Nan and Ye Xi were drinking in a pavilion, guards brought a captive Cang Qi past them. Cang Nan accused Ye Xi of finding a "toy boy," but she explained she had helped Cang Qi out of pity after he attempted suicide. Furious, Cang Nan revealed that Cang Qi's father was a major threat to the court and that Cang Qi himself was wanted by the Emperor.
Ye Xi argued that even as a hostage, Cang Qi’s dignity should be respected and asked for his release. Annoyed by her defiance, Cang Nan refused and insisted she drink with him. Believing the wine was poisoned, Cang Qi rushed forward and drank it himself, warning Ye Xi not to trust the prince. To prove his innocence, Cang Nan drank from his own cup. An attendant then clarified that the special flagon simply held two different types of wine.
Ye Xi affirmed her trust in Cang Nan, who, angered by Cang Qi’s attempt to sow discord, had him dragged away, sparing him a beating only at Ye Xi's request. Later, Cang Nan visited Cang Qi in the medicine-decocting house, mocking him and forcing him to swallow a newly concocted red pill. Shortly after, a eunuch rushed to inform Ye Xi that Cang Nan was dying.
He explained that after seeing Cang Qi take the pill without any ill effects, the Emperor had offered one to Cang Nan, who could not refuse. After taking the pill and drinking some wine, Cang Nan collapsed. Imperial doctors suspected the pill was toxic and had a lethal reaction with the wine. Realizing Cang Nan's death would endanger Cang Qi and destabilize the court, Ye Xi resolved to save him. Ye Xi took the dying Cang Nan to Fenghua Valley.
There, Bai Yue tried to deter her with seemingly impossible conditions, but was impressed by her fearlessness and naive kindness. After Ye Xi met his demands, a fully recovered Cang Nan emerged from the valley with her. Deeply moved, he swore on his throne to always heed her words and promised to release Cang Qi, vowing to be struck by lightning if he broke his oath.
Elsewhere, an older man named Uncle Hui remarked on Ye Xi's tendency to forget past betrayals, like the one by Tang Yang, and wryly noted that the thunder for Cang Nan's oath was already on its way. His companion expressed a desire to understand Ye Xi's resurrection and amnesia, worried she would be deceived again. Back in the capital, Ye Xi found several noble youths brutally beating Cang Qi in the street.
Enraged, she single-handedly defeated the bullies as onlookers whispered about the "witch Ye Xi." Imperial guards and Cang Nan arrived, with Cang Nan berating Cang Qi for getting Ye Xi involved and causing trouble. Ye Xi defended her actions, stating she was merely punishing evil. Later, at the medicine-decocting house, Cang Qi set the building on fire, intending to die with Cang Nan in the blaze. Ye Xi charged into the inferno and rescued both men.
After handing Cang Nan to his eunuchs, she led the weakened Cang Qi to safety outside the palace. She informed him that his father, Lord Huainan, was critically ill and that he was now free to go. Cang Qi begged her to leave with him, warning that Cang Nan was as wicked as his father and directly questioning if she was the one who had caused Cang Nan's near-fatal reaction to the red pill.
He also spoke of the Emperor's tyranny, but Ye Xi, still trusting Cang Nan, gave him a stalk of dogtail grass as a symbol of resilience for his journey. As Cang Qi departed, vowing to grow stronger, Cang Nan abandoned his pursuit upon being told the fire was nearing the residence of his concubines, prioritizing their safety instead.
Returning to the palace, a disillusioned Ye Xi watched as Cang Nan consoled his beautiful companions, claiming the fire had conveniently prevented him from sending them away. He repeated his empty promises to Ye Xi, but they were interrupted by imperial guards who surrounded them, declaring they were there to arrest the "witch Ye Xi" on the Emperor's orders.
Ye Xi seized Cang Nan with her wooden hairpin, threatening to take him hostage, but was suddenly overcome by a crippling weakness. She remembered the wine from the previous night and realized with horror that Cang Nan had tricked her with a slow-acting poison. Powerless, she was apprehended. In a prison cell, Ye Xi was awoken by a splash of cold water.
An interrogating eunuch revealed that influential ministers had convinced the Emperor she was a witch who had returned from the dead and must be publicly executed. He pressed her for information about her resurrection and her connection to Fenghua Valley, suggesting she had used a panacea or been saved by the valley's master. When she refused to speak, she was tortured. Cang Nan later visited, feigning concern, but Ye Xi recoiled in disgust.
As guards prepared to take her to the Emperor, she opened her belongings to choose an outfit, and the "Scripture of Materia Medica" fell out. She snatched it up and, in a flash of green light, made it vanish. Having witnessed this, Cang Nan furiously demanded to know why she had destroyed the scripture his father desperately sought. When she denied it, he ordered the guards to take her away.
In the palace courtyard, under a heavy snowfall, Cang Nan publicly listed Ye Xi's ten supposed crimes and sentenced her to be burned at the stake. As he finished, thunder unexpectedly cracked through the winter sky. At that moment, Bai Yue appeared, calmly approached the bound Ye Xi, and gave her a pill. Cang Nan informed Bai Yue that the Emperor had summoned him to create an elixir of immortality and would grant any request upon its completion.
Bai Yue proposed that Ye Xi, having been gravely injured saving Cang Nan and healed with rare herbs, should be tasked with gathering more precious ingredients for the elixir. He added that she would be forced to return, as she needed an antidote for a poison she was given in the palace. Eager to keep Bai Yue at court, Cang Nan agreed and ordered Ye Xi to be freed.
Outside the palace gates, Bai Yue told Ye Xi the pill would only temporarily suppress the poison and that she must return with him to Fenghua Valley for the full antidote and to "settle their accounts." Their lighthearted banter was cut short when two ministers and their guards intercepted them. Citing the Emperor's direct order, they declared Ye Xi was forbidden to leave and must return to prison immediately, threatening death to anyone who interfered. Seeing no other choice, Ye Xi thanked Bai Yue for his help and surrendered, allowing herself to be escorted back to the dungeons.
Episode 8 Recap
Cang Nan, tearfully, revealed to Ye Xi that their connection was ending, claiming his father, the Emperor, had forced his hand. He explained that the Emperor, swayed by an imperial physician, intended to use Ye Xi's flesh and blood as the "medicinal usher" to refine a powerful elixir, believing it required someone with strong vitality who had consumed rare herbs. Disheartened, Ye Xi lamented her fate of being consumed after finally becoming human.
For a more dignified end, she requested that Cang Nan dismiss everyone and provide her with poisoned wine. He agreed, dismissing his guards and promising to explain his actions to his father. Ye Xi's final wish was to be laid to rest without her body being desecrated. Contrary to his expectation of her hatred, Ye Xi calmly declared he was not worthy of her scorn and expressed pity for him.
After Ye Xi succumbed to the lethal poison, Cang Nan ordered the physician who had suggested the idea to be thrown into the furnace instead. He then instructed that Ye Xi's body be taken to the Unmarked Graveyard, ensuring officials would see her death but her remains would be left undisturbed. Cang Nan kept Ye Xi's hairpin as a keepsake, remembering the first time she wore it.
In a secret passage, Bai Yue gazed at ancient murals, expressing regret for his inability to save Ye Xi. He confessed that for three years, he had visited the Unmarked Graveyard countless times, abandoning his usual self-reliance to pray for her resurrection.
Cang Qi questioned Bai Yue's feelings for Ye Xi, prompting Bai Yue to clutch his chest in pain and reveal that he is afflicted by the Love-away Spell, a curse passed down to the lords of Fenghua Valley that causes fatal heart failure if he falls in love. Skeptical, Cang Qi accused Bai Yue of lying, but their argument escalated as Cang Qi expressed disdain for Bai Yue's tone and his gaze towards Ye Xi.
Cang Qi demanded Bai Yue swear by his title as Medical Sage to never harbor romantic feelings for Ye Xi and to maintain a proper distance. Cang Qi declared himself Ye Xi's destined partner, vowing to kill anyone who stood between them, convinced that once she regained her memories, she would only have eyes for him.
Bai Yue maintained that love cannot be forced, but Cang Qi, haunted by dreams of Ye Xi, bitterly regretted not forcing her to leave with him. Bai Yue countered that it was Ye Xi's own choice and urged Cang Qi to let go of his obsession. The argument intensified, with Cang Qi accusing Bai Yue of being in love despite the curse.
Bai Yue warned him to stop, pointing out that while Ye Xi was risking her life to save Tang Huan, Cang Qi was wasting time on baseless suspicions. Cang Qi retorted that Ye Xi had only saved Bai Yue out of pity and was now extending that pity to others, goading Bai Yue to deal with Tang Huan first. Bai Yue admitted he also wanted Tang Huan dead.
Cang Qi then revealed his ultimate goal: to eliminate all other men from Ye Xi's life until she belonged completely to him. Realizing their confrontation had reached a breaking point, they agreed to settle their long-standing animosity, which began because of Ye Xi, with a duel. Meanwhile, Ye Xi and a wounded Tang Huan arrived at the entrance of Fenghua Valley. She felt an uncanny familiarity with the surroundings before collapsing from exhaustion.
In the secret passage, the wooden hairpin on the wall glowed intensely, triggering a collapse that sent Bai Yue and Cang Qi tumbling into a chamber filled with skeletons. Seeing Cang Qi struggle to breathe, Bai Yue draped his outer robe over him and helped him escape. At the valley entrance, an unconscious Ye Xi was found under a large tree by Uncle Hui, who noted her strange pulse and sent an urgent message to Bai Yue.
Bai Yue and Cang Qi emerged from the passage to find Chu Yao anxiously waiting. Having seen a signal flare, Bai Yue told Chu Yao he needed to get away from Cang Qi, who was preventing him from treating Tang Huan. Chu Yao, complaining of back pain from his journey, led Bai Yue into Nanke Temple, which he knew had another exit.
Inside, Chu Yao revealed his investigation into Tang Huan, disclosing that Tang Huan had been in a power struggle with his brother, Tang Yang, before fleeing to the capital. He joined the imperial guards to gain influence but disappeared after Cang Qi took power. Chu Yao speculated that Tang Huan, having been in both the Shu Region and the capital, might have known Ye Xi for a long time and had ulterior motives.
Bai Yue confirmed his own suspicions, recalling how he had used a hidden weapon to force Tang Huan to shield Ye Xi during an attack, and realized that a previous ambush involving "Uncle Qi" was also part of Tang Huan's scheme. In Fenghua Valley, Ye Xi regained consciousness and found Tang Huan, who gratefully vowed to repay her with his life. She gently rebuffed him, assuring him she would meet any condition to secure his healing.
She explained that the valley was filled with traps and that one must pass many trials to meet the valley lord. Leaving Tang Huan to rest, Ye Xi ventured into the valley alone. Back at the temple, Cang Qi announced his return to the capital to deal with rebel forces.
Before leaving, he made a deal with Bai Yue: separate Ye Xi from Tang Huan without violating medical ethics or valley rules, offering a reward for success and threatening to raze the valley upon failure. After he left, Bai Yue lamented not finding the dragon keel to cure Ye Xi's amnesia. Suddenly, he spotted another signal flare, realized Ye Xi was in trouble, and raced back to Fenghua Valley.
Within the valley, Ye Xi wielded the Yang-growing Sword and effortlessly cleared the first two trials as traps and assassins vanished before her. Upon his return, Bai Yue learned from Uncle Hui that Ye Xi possessed deep internal power and was stable, though her pulse remained alarmingly strange. Feigning indifference, Bai Yue instructed that Ye Xi continue the trials while he secretly went to prepare a medicinal concoction for her. Seeing through the facade, Uncle Hui decided to help by instructing Yang Ke, the guard at the third trial's Buddha Tower, to discreetly ensure Ye Xi passed without difficulty.
Episode 9 Recap
Ye Xi arrived at Buddha Tower and was met by Yang Ke. Recognizing her from a previous encounter, Yang Ke noted she had come once again to save a beloved man. He quickly halted their impending fight, theatrically admitting defeat and praising her vastly improved sword intent. Before letting her pass, he advised her to give up the "bastard" she was with and instead consider their valley lord, who he insisted was a much better man.
Upon entering Fenghua Valley, Ye Xi immediately identified the disguised Bai Yue as the valley lord, citing his distinctive voice and willful nature. Annoyed by her presence and her claims of a past connection, Bai Yue dismissed her as "self-sentimental." When Ye Xi insisted she had passed the valley's trials and demanded he save her companion, Bai Yue scoffed, questioning if she had truly passed on her own merit.
Despite her pleas, he refused to help, stating he was not in the mood. A frustrated Ye Xi challenged him to a duel, but the housekeeper, Uncle Hui, intervened. Uncle Hui reminded Ye Xi of the valley's rule that a price must be paid for any favor and pointed out her outstanding debt for a Rebirth Pill. Bai Yue dismissively told her to pay her debt and leave with the dying man.
However, Uncle Hui quietly reassured Ye Xi that Bai Yue was merely "hard-spoken but soft-hearted" and helped settle the injured Tang Huan into a room. Inside, Uncle Hui identified Tang Huan's affliction as the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle poison, a complex fusion of nine poisonous insects and nine poisonous herbs, admitting that only Bai Yue knew the precise antidote.
Relieved that a cure existed, Ye Xi listened as Uncle Hui boasted of the valley's medical prowess, recounting a past case that cost Bai Yue six months of his energy to solve. Uncle Hui then questioned Ye Xi's feelings for Tang Huan. Ye Xi acknowledged Bai Yue's handsome appearance but found him cold and fierce, whereas she saw Tang Huan as a polite young man with gentle eyes.
Suddenly, a potted plant was thrown into the room, revealing Bai Yue had been eavesdropping. Uncle Hui then gravely warned Ye Xi never to trust men, especially those who appear handsome or gentle, as they are often the most deceptive. Later, in Bai Yue's quarters, Uncle Hui reported Ye Xi's determination to save Tang Huan, noting the troubling connection to the Tang Clan.
He advised Bai Yue to set a "special" condition for his help this time, unlike the terrifying demands he made to scare her off when she previously sought aid for Prince Cang Nan. Uncle Hui suggested demanding that she stay in Fenghua Valley permanently. He also voiced his deep concern for Bai Yue's health, revealing he knew Bai Yue was researching the Nine-turn Soul-returning Pill and feared he was using himself as a test subject.
At the stables, Ye Xi confided in Bai Yue's horse, Xiaobai, that she believed Bai Yue was lying about their past and considered kidnapping the horse to force out the truth. Uncle Hui appeared and dissuaded her, instead encouraging a strategy of relentless pestering, emphasizing Bai Yue's "hard-spoken, soft-hearted" nature and reminding her she couldn't leave until her debt was settled.
Following this advice, as Bai Yue was giving orders, Ye Xi ran and clung to his leg, demanding to know why he refused to help. Shocked, his subordinates whispered about her past "shameless" encounters with him. Annoyed, Bai Yue stormed away. Uncle Hui encouraged Ye Xi not to give up, advising her to find the right "heavenly timing and geographical advantage" to corner Bai Yue until he yielded.
Taking the advice literally, Ye Xi waited with a set of clothes by the hot spring. As Bai Yue bathed, a sudden, intense heatwave caused others to flee. When he emerged, Ye Xi confronted him, but he simply snatched the clothes, called her a hooligan, and warned her to stay away lest he get a sty from looking at her.
Uncle Hui then appeared with a stack of novels, suggesting the stories within would inspire her to "take down" the valley lord. Later, Ye Xi fell asleep on a stone staircase, dreaming of caressing Bai Yue's face. Bai Yue found her, noticed mosquito bites on her skin, and quietly applied medicine. She awoke with a start to find her hand holding his, and in her surprise, she dropped a book.
Bai Yue picked it up, scoffing at its absurdly long title, and confiscated another, "The Secret History of the Swordswoman Breaking Through the Miraculous Doctor's Valley," declaring such novels were forbidden in the valley. Undeterred, Ye Xi escalated her efforts, at one point boldly suggesting marriage. That night, she entered Bai Yue's room without knocking, a habit he chided her for.
She tried to discuss their past, speculating that she must have "entangled" him before her amnesia, causing his current hostility. When he remained silent and tried to dismiss her, she vowed to return every night. Seeing her resolve, Bai Yue finally stopped her, offering to tell her a story and leading her into a hidden, opulent chamber. Inside the secret room, Bai Yue stated he despised "unrepentant people" like her.
He revealed that she had come to him countless times, bringing different men and begging him to save them, each time claiming they were essential to her life. He explained that these men were all scoundrels who ultimately used, hurt, and betrayed her, dragging her into an abyss. To make her understand, he began recounting a specific incident from three years prior when she came to him for Prince Cang Nan.
In the flashback, a desperate Ye Xi dragged the gravely injured and unconscious Prince Cang Nan to the Buddha Tower. Bai Yue, surprised she was still alive, met her. Suffering from amnesia, Ye Xi didn't recognize him but pleaded for his help, promising to meet any condition. Dismissing her memory loss as an excuse, Bai Yue examined the prince and found he was afflicted with dozens of poisons and covered in stab wounds.
He sternly questioned if Cang Nan was worth it, but Ye Xi insisted the prince's life was vital to the kingdom. Angry at her stubbornness, Bai Yue called her "blind" for choosing progressively crueler men and warned that she "never learned her lesson" despite having "died once." He set a condition: he would help if she could find the mythical seven-leaf ginseng, an herb said to revive the dead.
Believing the task was simple, she took medicine from a concerned Uncle Hui and rushed off. Concluding the story, Bai Yue asked Ye Xi if she knew her fate after that quest. He revealed that Prince Cang Nan had poisoned her to death with a cup of wine and had her body dumped in a mass grave. He then delivered the final, devastating blow, asking her, "Do you know what it was like for me when I personally buried you?"
Episode 10 Recap
Three years prior, at the Unmarked Graveyard, snow fell as Bai Yue slowly approached a pit with an umbrella. He removed a bamboo mat, gently covered a woman's face with a white cloth, and personally buried her. Inside a secret room, Bai Yue pressed Ye Xi on why she trusted Tang Huan, given her past experiences.
Ye Xi denied believing him, asserting that she wouldn't risk her life this time and noting that men who had previously harmed her had met bad ends. She proclaimed her indifference to death and her lack of fear, expressing confusion as to why he seemed to care more.
Ye Xi then revealed her simple desire for companionship, likening it to the need for both black and white pieces in a chess game or the thousand-year solitude of a Torreya wood tree used to make a chessboard. She justified her promise to save Tang Huan, stating she must keep her word, and warned that if he ever betrayed her, she would repay him double. Overcome with anger, Bai Yue overturned the elegant Torreya wood chessboard and abruptly left.
Uncle Hui then approached Ye Xi, explaining that Bai Yue had always been a solitary figure, accustomed to bearing many burdens alone, and that what she saw or heard might not be the complete truth. Despite Ye Xi's persistent belief that Bai Yue disliked her, Uncle Hui subtly urged her to consider why he had intervened at the Tang Clan, hinting it was for her.
The next morning, as Bai Yue emerged from his room, Ye Xi eagerly presented him with his pestle and mortar, describing them as daily treasures of Fenghua Valley. She playfully offered to retrieve any other desired treasures as a token of her gratitude, but Bai Yue dismissed her offer, took the tools, and agreed to save Tang Huan under one condition: Ye Xi must remain in Fenghua Valley for a full year without leaving.
When Ye Xi, suspecting his motives, questioned if he now "wanted" her, Bai Yue sharply rebuked her "wishful thinking," clarifying his intent was a doctor's curiosity to solve the mysteries surrounding her. Though initially hesitant about the year-long commitment, Ye Xi agreed after Bai Yue threatened to withdraw his help. She probed if he harbored any other thoughts about her, to which he coldly responded that he had no such thoughts about her whatsoever.
In the pharmacy, Bai Yue meticulously brewed medicine. Meanwhile, outside, Ye Xi busied herself grinding herbs, discreetly pulling out a novel to read when she thought he wasn't looking. Upon tasting the freshly brewed medicine, Bai Yue was overcome with agony and coughed up a mouthful of blood. Concurrently, Ye Xi clutched her head, writhing in unbearable pain. Alarmed, she rushed inside to support the ailing Bai Yue, telling him she also had a severe headache.
Uncle Hui swiftly administered medicine to Bai Yue. Immediately after, Ye Xi collapsed, prompting a concerned Bai Yue to urgently instruct Uncle Hui to carry her back to her room. Later, in Bai Yue's room, Ye Xi awoke and inquired about Bai Yue's well-being. Uncle Hui arrived with medicine, not for her, but for Bai Yue.
Ye Xi discovered that Bai Yue was personally testing the complex components for the Nine-turn Soul-returning Pill, necessary to detoxify Tang Huan, as he lacked full confidence in the antidote's formula. Alarmed by his self-sacrifice, Ye Xi branded Bai Yue "crazy" and declared that his actions would trouble her conscience if anything happened to him. Uncle Hui then pointedly questioned Ye Xi, asking whether Tang Huan's survival or Bai Yue's safety held more importance to her.
Ye Xi struggled to respond, visibly conflicted. Later, in the pharmacy, Ye Xi presented Bai Yue with a bowl of nourishing porridge she had prepared. Bai Yue listened as she detailed its benefits for his recovery, but suddenly clutched his chest in pain and exited the room, leaving her worried. In Tang Huan's room, now recovered, he expressed his gratitude to Ye Xi.
He inquired if she had seen the valley lord's true face, and Ye Xi revealed that the elusive lord was none other than Bai Yue, the renowned great doctor, a revelation that surprised Tang Huan. He then pressed Ye Xi for every detail of how she convinced the valley lord to help him, but she remained vague.
Tang Huan then proposed that she return with him to the Tang Clan so he could "tell the world that he wants to marry her," pledging to make her the "master's wife" and protect her from being called a "witch." Visibly torn, Ye Xi cited her promise to Bai Yue to remain in the valley for a year. When Tang Huan suggested they marry first and then return, she deferred the discussion and left.
That night, Ye Xi approached Bai Yue's room with another bowl of porridge, explaining that she needed to escort the recovering Tang Huan back to the Shu Region and that he intended to publicly announce their marriage. Bai Yue questioned why she needed to marry immediately instead of fulfilling their one-year agreement first, suggesting that Tang Huan might be marrying her to acquire the Rainstorm Needle and revitalize the Tang Clan.
Ye Xi confessed that she felt Bai Yue was more important to her than anyone and felt a void in her heart from not understanding their past connection. Bai Yue coldly reiterated that their only link was her plea for him to save someone, dismissing her feelings and insisting his actions were purely for his medical studies. Desperate, Ye Xi asked if Bai Yue harbored "even a little" feeling for her.
Bai Yue's response was sharp and final: the lords of Fenghua Valley never marry because "no woman in this world is worthy of them," comparing himself to an immortal and her to a mere mortal. Hurt, Ye Xi smashed the porridge bowl, declared she had "given up on him," wished him a lonely life, and vowed to find a good man. As she walked away, Bai Yue, with a pained expression, closed his door and collapsed, clutching his chest.
A voiceover revealed that Bai Yue is burdened by a curse: if he falls in love, he suffers excruciating pain, which Ye Xi inexplicably feels as well. Unable to offer her lifelong companionship and wanting to spare her his pain, he chose to sever their bond. At the entrance to Fenghua Valley, Ye Xi reassured Tang Huan that she always kept her promises and they departed by carriage.
When asked if she regretted leaving, Ye Xi stated that the valley, with its priceless treasures like the thousand-year-old Torreya wood chessboard, was simply "not suitable for her," as she didn't want to live a life indebted to others. Inside the valley, Uncle Hui urged Bai Yue to see her off, warning he would regret it if she faced any danger. Bai Yue dismissed the concern and instead instructed Uncle Hui to send a message to Chu Yao to inquire about his recent situation.
Episode 11 Recap
Upon their return to Tang's Mansion, Ye Xi and Tang Huan were greeted by Uncle Qi and a group of Tang Clan disciples. Ye Xi questioned Uncle Qi about his survival, recalling that he was the one disguised while fleeing with Tang Huan during the earlier Tang Clan scuffle. Uncle Qi explained he narrowly escaped death and acted as a planted agent to infiltrate the clan.
Despite Tang Huan's assurances that Uncle Qi had only recently been discovered alive, Ye Xi harbored doubts, suspecting Tang Huan might be concealing information. Tang Huan, eager for a good meal after the "awful" food in Fenghua Valley, ushered them inside. Once seated, Uncle Qi reported his efforts in gathering former subordinates and securing the hidden martial arts cheats, which prevented outsiders from seizing them.
Tang Huan declared his intention to officially become the master of Tang Clan, but first, a significant task lay ahead. Tang Huan then inquired about the Pili Clan, prompting Uncle Qi to reveal that its master, Yu Luo, had betrayed his allies and handed over the Thunderbolt formula to save his own life.
Uncle Qi also noted Yu Luo's extreme fear of death, which led him to hire the Black and White as formidable guards and keep Thunderbolts constantly by his side. Ye Xi pointed out that Yu Luo would eventually sleep, offering an opportunity. Tang Huan emphasized the urgent need to expand their influence to legitimize his position as master.
He proposed subduing the Pili Clan and sought Ye Xi's opinion, emphasizing her future role and her connection to the Tang Clan's affairs. Ye Xi expressed caution regarding the Thunderbolt's destructive power, comparing it to the Rainstorm Needle. Tang Huan countered that the weapon's danger depended on its wielder, reminding her that Yu Luo's premature detonation of Thunderbolts during an attack had nearly killed him. He concluded that Ye Xi herself must handle Yu Luo.
After Ye Xi departed, Tang Huan instructed Uncle Qi to follow Ye Xi and, if she hesitated to kill Yu Luo, to seize the opportunity to "eradicate him root and branch." Inside the Pili Clan's stronghold, Yu Luo, startled, found Ye Xi already seated in his room. She crippled his martial arts before exiting. Yu Luo frantically threw Thunderbolts, but Ye Xi evaded them and neutralized the rushing Pili Clan disciples.
Upon seeing the Black and White guards, Ye Xi prepared for a fight, but they immediately surrendered. They explained that while they were paid to protect Yu Luo's life, Ye Xi had merely abolished his martial arts, thus absolving them of action. They acknowledged her skill, admitting they couldn't defeat her. With a mutual understanding, they parted ways. As Ye Xi departed, Uncle Qi entered, intending to kill the defenseless Yu Luo.
Ye Xi intercepted him, demanding to know if Tang Huan had ordered the killing. When Uncle Qi claimed it was his own initiative, Ye Xi refused to allow it, citing her promise to the Black and White guards not to kill Yu Luo. Uncle Qi yielded. Back at Tang's Mansion, Ye Xi encountered a distraught pregnant woman, Xue Ting, attempting to gain entry to see Tang Huan. The guards refused her, but Ye Xi, pitying her, offered to help.
Upon seeing Xue Ting, Tang Huan immediately ordered Uncle Qi to remove her. He then told Ye Xi that Xue Ting was the Fifth Elder's concubine, whose mind had been affected after the Fifth Elder was killed by Tang Yang. Tang Huan insisted he secretly cared for her due to his gratitude towards the Fifth Elder but had to send her away during his own pursuit by Tang Yang.
Ye Xi, observing Xue Ting's display of pain, declared that Tang Huan, as the new master, should show compassion and shelter a fellow clan member's widow, thus insisting Xue Ting stay. Later, Tang Huan instructed Uncle Qi to give Xue Ting arsenic to subtly poison Ye Xi. He clarified he didn't intend to kill Ye Xi, only to make her more "obedient" after their marriage.
Ye Xi decided to bring their meals and eat with Tang Huan daily as a gesture of care. Tang Huan, proposed they hold their wedding and his official assumption of the mastership on the second day of the next month, inviting prominent martial world sects to witness the ceremony. Ye Xi agreed as long as the day wasn't "bad."
Tang Huan then pressed her to reveal her "secrets" before their marriage, specifically inquiring about her relationships with Bai Yue, the Lord of Fenghua Valley, and the Regent. Tang Huan then steered the conversation to the "Scripture of Materia Medica," said to contain secret techniques. Ye Xi realized his true motive and scoffed at his ambition, calling him "too greedy." She dismissed the "Scripture of Materia Medica" as mere "storybooks," denying she possessed any such scripture.
Annoyed, she left, leaving Tang Huan convinced she was hiding the book. Later that night, Xue Ting confronted Tang Huan, upset that he was marrying Ye Xi and revealing that he, too, had been consuming small amounts of arsenic during their meals. Xue Ting demanded to be recognized as the master's wife, reminding Tang Huan of her unwavering loyalty and the sacrifices she made.
She recounted how she had poisoned Tang Huan's father at his behest, and how she became the Fifth Elder's concubine to secure support for Tang Huan's rise to power. She threatened him with their unborn child, which she claimed was his. Enraged, Tang Huan violently dismissed her, claiming the child was not his. He declared that Tang Yang had taught him the necessity of ruthlessness to become master, and that an unborn child was nothing. He then killed Xue Ting.
Uncle Qi entered, expressing reluctance but began to clean up the body. Tang Huan then attacked Uncle Qi, accusing him of betrayal for secretly allowing Yu Luo to live and for possibly revealing his plans. Tang Huan asserted that only the dead could be trusted. Uncle Qi countered that Tang Huan was repaying kindness with enmity, as Ye Xi had saved his life.
Tang Huan declared Ye Xi to be ruthless, accusing her of lying about the scripture and having illicit relationships with other men, asserting she was of no use to him. Unbeknownst to them, Master Yu observed this display, confirming to himself the depth of Tang Huan's cunning. He commended Tang Huan's "self-inflicted wound ruse" as effective, noting it would ensure Ye Xi's full trust in their plans to attack Tang's Mansion.
Tang Huan reaffirmed his determination to make Ye Xi suffer if she continued to deceive him. In Fenghua Valley, Uncle Hui delivered a letter from Chu Yao to Bai Yue. The letter contained news: the Tang Clan had annexed the Pili Clan, and Tang Huan had extended grand invitations to all prominent martial world sects for his wedding. Furthermore, the Regent had set off with the Black Armor Army, indicating an imminent assault on Tang's Mansion.
Bai Yue prepared to depart that night. Meanwhile, back at Tang's Mansion, Ye Xi donned her wedding dress, reflecting on Tang Huan's elaborate wedding plans. She pondered whether his gestures were genuine affection or merely a ploy to acquire the Scripture of Materia Medica. She realized her true feelings for Bai Yue, resolving to uncover Tang Huan's intentions and then return to Fenghua Valley to seek Bai Yue. She changed out of the wedding dress and approached Tang Huan's room.
He emerged, casually stating that Xue Ting and Uncle Qi had left to find a doctor for Xue Ting's stomachache. Ye Xi questioned the sparse attendance for such a grand wedding and the absence of Uncle Qi. Tang Huan reassured her that everything was handled, with guests discreetly accommodated in a separate courtyard. As she left, Ye Xi noticed a strong smell of realgar. Tang Huan explained it was used to deter the snakes. Ye Xi, sensing something amiss but unable to discern it, returned to her room.
Episode 12 Recap
While supervising the Tang Clan disciples decorating the mansion for her wedding, Ye Xi casually inquired about Uncle Qi, whom she had supposedly sent to buy more red cloth. The disciples informed her that Uncle Qi had not left the mansion the previous night, immediately sparking Ye Xi’s suspicion that Tang Huan had already harmed him. Later, Chu Yao arrived, explaining he had received a general invitation to the wedding as a VIP.
He offered to tell Ye Xi's fortune, claiming his predictions were valuable and that he foresaw her marriage would be difficult, bluntly advising her to "change the man" to avoid trouble. Annoyed, Ye Xi retorted that everyone seemed to think she was foolish, but she asserted her ability to distinguish right from wrong. Chu Yao warned her about deceptive people who feign kindness only to harm others and then shift the blame.
As a friendly gesture, Chu Yao gave her a large sum of money and mentioned that Lin Xiaoxiao of Yishui Villa also planned to attend. Ye Xi acknowledged having met Ms. Lin before and reiterated that she didn't need a fortune teller, as the answer was already in her heart; she simply had to verify it herself and would ensure her own safety. On the wedding day, Tang Huan brought snacks to Ye Xi's room.
He then raised the issue of the Rainstorm Needle, suggesting it would be safer in the ancestral hall with so many guests around. Ye Xi calmly replied that she had already returned it the previous night, having "arranged everything properly." After Tang Huan offered her several food items which she declined citing dietary restrictions, Ye Xi noticed the potherb soup he was drinking. Claiming she also wanted some to "clear her lungs," she took his bowl and drank from it.
After leaving her room, Tang Huan immediately spat out the soup and had his subordinate help him to the ancestral hall. There, he grew enraged when he could not open a locked box, failing in his attempt to retrieve what was inside. Veiled and escorted by maids, Ye Xi entered the main hall for the ceremony.
In a dramatic betrayal, Tang Huan shouted, "Ye Xi has entered the game," signaling the assembled martial artists to draw their swords and surround her. Shocked and spitting blood, Ye Xi demanded to know why he was doing this. He declared her an evil woman, naturally sinister and skilled at escaping, revealing that the wedding was a pretext to gather everyone to eliminate her.
The martial artists accused Ye Xi of stealing their sects' martial arts manuals and weapons to achieve her incredible power, demanding she surrender them. Ye Xi fiercely retorted that they were simply unwilling to admit someone else was more talented and diligent. Tang Huan escalated his accusations, claiming Ye Xi possessed the "Scripture of Materia Medica," which could enhance martial arts, but had selfishly refused to share it.
He framed his betrayal as her fault, questioning her love for him and accusing her of having too many secrets and being entangled with other men. Finally seeing his true, duplicitous nature, Ye Xi called him out for playing the victim. Tang Huan then revealed she had been poisoned with enervation powder and arsenic, urging the martial artists to attack while she was weak.
Defiantly, Ye Xi challenged him, asking why he wasn't poisoned since they both consumed food that morning. Tang Huan cruelly admitted that as the poisoner, he had ways to avoid dying himself. Shaken, Ye Xi confronted him about Uncle Qi and Xue Ting, revealing she knew Xue Ting's unborn child was his. As his scheme unraveled, Tang Huan desperately ordered the attack. As Ye Xi struggled against the poison and the crowd, Bai Yue burst in.
He taunted Tang Huan that if he wanted the Rainstorm Needle, he should ask Uncle Qi for it. Bai Yue then threw a Thunderbolt to create a diversion, escaping with the critically injured Ye Xi. Realizing Bai Yue had rescued her, the martial artists gave chase, believing he might now possess the Scripture of Materia Medica.
At the Tang Mansion boundary, Chu Yao was waiting as Bai Yue arrived with the severely injured Ye Xi and placed her in a carriage. Just then, Lin Xiaoxiao's carriage arrived, and seeing the urgent situation, she decided to turn around and accompany them. Inside the carriage, Ye Xi awoke screaming in pain, horrified to discover her hair had turned completely white.
She angrily demanded to know why Bai Yue wasn't treating her, and he calmly remarked that for someone who claimed not to fear death, she was certainly afraid of pain. She clarified that her sorrow was not for Tang Huan, stating he was "not worthy." As Bai Yue treated her shoulder wound, he noted that arsenic alone wouldn't cause such a rapid change. Checking her pulse, he was perplexed to find her martial arts seemed to have vanished entirely.
Internally, Ye Xi worried that her white hair was a reaction between her "main body" and the soup, fearing Bai Yue might discover her true nature. The Regent, Cang Qi, arrived and was horrified by Ye Xi's condition, blaming himself. Enraged, he vowed to have her cured and immediately ordered the mobilization of the Black Armor Army to wipe out the Tang Clan in revenge.
Despite her weak state, Ye Xi stopped him, arguing that the common martial artists were merely opportunistic or following orders and were thus innocent. She emphasized that Tang Huan had orchestrated everything and she didn't want to harm uninvolved people. Misunderstanding, Cang Qi asked if she still had feelings for Tang Huan, but she dismissed the idea. Bai Yue intervened, explaining her white hair was a result of extreme anxiety and that more pressure could be fatal.
Ye Xi firmly told Cang Qi not to interfere, stating she would handle her own affairs. Reluctantly, Cang Qi agreed. He offered to take her to his nearby residence for treatment by imperial physicians, but Ye Xi insisted Bai Yue could heal her, adding she was "used to it."
Back at the Tang Mansion, a subordinate informed Tang Huan that a thorough search of Uncle Qi's room yielded no key for the box, confirming Ye Xi's claim to have returned the Rainstorm Needle was a lie. Undeterred, Tang Huan ordered his men to find an heir of Lu Ban to force the box open. His fury grew upon learning that a leak in the warehouse had rendered the Thunderbolts and gunpowder useless.
Though he had the formula, the manufacturing process was too complex to replicate easily. His thoughts then turned to Cang Qi's presence in the Shu region and the rumors of a fierce battle between Ye Xi and the Black Armor Army, leaving him to ponder the implications. At the Regent's temporary residence, Cang Qi lamented the lack of old ginseng from Changliu Mountain to help the unconscious Ye Xi recover her strength.
Bai Yue confirmed the legendary ginseng was long gone. Cang Qi entrusted Ye Xi's care to Bai Yue, vowing to find the best herbs and punish those who hurt her. Elsewhere, Lin Xiaoxiao and Chu Yao bantered, with her teasing him about his "pig head" appearance in Bailu City. She showed off her "Overlord Gun," a Western musket she hoped to replicate, a gift from her father after she asked for a "quick-learning" martial arts manual.
Their conversation was interrupted as Bai Yue and Cang Qi began to fight. Bai Yue furiously accused Cang Qi of secretly poisoning the Tang Clan's water supply, breaking his promise to Ye Xi not to harm innocents. Cang Qi defended his action as an "eye for an eye," stating he only promised not to wipe out the clan, not to let them go unpunished. Bai Yue retorted that Tang Huan regularly consumed arsenic and had his own antidote, meaning Cang Qi's poison would only harm the innocent clan members.
Episode 13 Recap
Inside the palace, after hearing about Ye Xi's ordeal, Cang Qi impulsively orders Xiao Shan to assemble the Black Armor Army to wipe out the Tang Clan. Lin Xiaoxiao intervenes, arguing that such a rash action would not only harm innocent people but also deny Ye Xi the chance to take revenge herself, which she is capable of and desires to do. Convinced by her reasoning, Cang Qi rescinds his order and commands the army to stand down.
In her room, Ye Xi is nauseated by the smell of the ginseng and bird's nest soup offered by a maid. Cang Qi enters, explaining that she is wounded and needs nourishment. He commands the maids to ensure Ye Xi eats all three meals daily under their direct supervision. When Ye Xi refuses, Cang Qi threatens to make the maids kneel until their legs break. Ye Xi retorts that he might as well break her legs instead.
Cang Qi insists he is acting for her own good, lamenting his inability to find the highest quality ginseng for her. Ye Xi hints that her condition is due to a magical backlash and that no amount of food will help. Tired, she asks to be left alone, but Cang Qi refuses to leave, determined to watch over her. He dismisses her concerns about gossip, reminding her they have shared a bed before.
He then reveals his plan: once she recovers, he will take her to the capital for the grandest wedding imaginable, making her the most powerful and honored woman in the world. Ye Xi vehemently rejects the idea, stating she has no desire to be a "Your Grace" or a queen, but wishes only for the freedom to live a normal life. Cang Qi misinterprets her resistance as fear from her recent trauma and insists on staying to comfort her.
He vows to protect her and give her the best of everything, but declares that her heart and eyes must belong only to him, leaving Ye Xi frustrated by her inability to oppose him. Later, a concerned Lin Xiaoxiao enters Ye Xi's room. Ye Xi explains she cannot sleep with Cang Qi pacing and wishes to bathe at the hot spring on the mountain behind the palace.
Cang Qi initially objects due to her wounds, but Lin Xiaoxiao convinces him that bathing is important to women, even when injured. Ye Xi specifies she needs the flowing water of the spring to prevent her wounds from getting infected. Cang Qi agrees, sending them with an escort but ordering his guards to remain at the foot of the mountain.
On the way, Ye Xi asks Lin Xiaoxiao if she can help her escape, but Lin Xiaoxiao admits her guards are no match for the Black Armor Army and advises waiting until Bai Yue has healed her. Ye Xi confides that Cang Qi's overwhelming care feels suffocating, like being forced to wear a thick coat when one is not cold. Lin Xiaoxiao agrees, calling it an abusive form of kindness.
At the path to the spring, Ye Xi insists on going the rest of the way alone. Lin Xiaoxiao reluctantly agrees, leaving her guard, Han Zi, to wait for her. Ye Xi proceeds to a secluded spot and attempts to absorb spiritual energy from the mountain. The effort backfires, causing her to vomit blood and stumble into the hot spring, where she discovers Bai Yue is already bathing.
He chides her for being reckless, saying he feared she would find a way to die. Feeling cold from blood loss, Ye Xi reaches out and grabs his shoulder, causing Bai Yue to react with a pained and startled expression. He abruptly pushes her away and flees the spring. Back in his room, Bai Yue frantically scratches his back, afflicted by his "weird illness." After drinking some Longjing tea Chu Yao had prepared, the itching immediately stops.
The next morning, Lin Xiaoxiao offers Ye Xi the same tea and announces a plan to write a novel based on Ye Xi's tragic experience with Tang Huan to warn other women. She angers Ye Xi by remarking on her bad luck for having met "three bad men."
As Ye Xi sits up in a rage, Lin Xiaoxiao reveals the truth: Bai Yue, worried that Ye Xi was suppressing her emotions, had asked her to provoke a reaction to help release her pent-up grief, which was hindering her recovery. Ye Xi understands and thanks her. Meanwhile, Xiao Shan reports to Cang Qi that Tang Huan wishes to meet and share secrets about Ye Xi.
Cang Qi agrees to the meeting, instructing Xiao Shan to keep it from Ye Xi, whom he now refers to as "Her Grace" in anticipation of their marriage. Elsewhere, Bai Yue brings medicine to Ye Xi, who asks him to remove her bandages. He refuses, explaining the valuable medicated ointment on them shouldn't be wasted.
When she asks if he was the one who changed her clothes after she fell asleep in the bath, he clarifies that Lin Xiaoxiao’s guards carried her back. Ye Xi then asks if his strange itch returned the previous day, causing a flustered Bai Yue to quickly change the subject and leave. Cang Qi meets with Tang Huan, who offers the formulas for the Rainstorm Needle and the Thunderbolt.
He then reveals that Bai Yue is the master of the immensely wealthy Fenghua Valley and that Ye Xi possesses the "Scripture of Materia Medica," a book containing secrets to longevity that the former crown prince had sought. Tang Huan insinuates a secret relationship between Ye Xi and Bai Yue, claiming they spent a long time together in a "dreamy Underground Palace" in the valley. He offers the Tang Clan's allegiance to help Cang Qi seize these treasures.
Just as he presents a locked box supposedly containing the Rainstorm Needle, Lin Xiaoxiao arrives. She furiously denounces Tang Huan for offering stolen treasures as a gift and shatters the box with her fire gun. She warns him to retreat or be killed. Seeing Cang Qi's silent assent, Tang Huan leaves. Lin Xiaoxiao then tells Cang Qi that she disfigured Tang Huan's face for partial revenge, but his life should be left for Ye Xi to take.
In the palace, Bai Yue stares at Chu Yao, who defensively explains that the tea from the previous night was just Longjing with chrysanthemum to reduce "internal heat." Bai Yue warns Chu Yao that the palace is dangerous and he should leave with Lin Xiaoxiao soon. At that moment, Cang Qi storms in, demanding Bai Yue explain his secret relationship with Ye Xi. Without a word, Bai Yue engages Cang Qi in a fierce fight.
The Black Armor Army immediately surrounds and attacks Bai Yue. Seeing Cang Qi has gone "insane," Chu Yao grabs Lin Xiaoxiao and pulls her away from the chaos. The sounds of battle, particularly the firing of arrows, awaken Ye Xi. She rushes out and finds Bai Yue just as he pulls an arrow from his chest. Ye Xi gasps, feeling a sympathetic jolt of pain, and instinctively places a hand on him, using her magic to heal the wound.
She admonishes him for his recklessness, reminding him she asked for help escaping, not for him to risk his life. As Bai Yue collapses, calling out "Xi," Ye Xi falls with him, and the guards scramble to summon a doctor.
Episode 14 Recap
In a room filled with tension, Cang Qi raged at the imperial physicians for their inability to cure Ye Xi. One physician tentatively suggested a rare book called "The Scripture of Materia Medica" might hold a cure. Bai Yue, however, dismissed it as a fabrication, confirming Ye Xi's condition was the Numbness Disease, likely exacerbated by her severe injuries and forceful use of martial arts.
He asserted that only by taking her to Fenghua Valley, where Changliu Mount's herbs were available, could they hope for a recovery. Cang Qi vehemently opposed Bai Yue's intention to take Ye Xi, threatening him. Bai Yue then revealed Ye Xi had promised to stay in Fenghua Valley for a full year for his research after he saved Tang Huan, a condition that allowed her to return to the Tang Clan for her marriage.
Realizing his misunderstanding, Cang Qi's anger subsided, and he absolved the guards he had previously blamed for Ye Xi's state. After Cang Qi left, Bai Yue quietly checked his chest, where his arrow wound had miraculously vanished. Meanwhile, Xiao Shan reported to Cang Qi that ministers had jointly petitioned for him to ascend the throne and stabilize the populace, following the rebellion three years prior.
Despite having no desire to be emperor and only wanting Ye Xi, Cang Qi reluctantly agreed to his subordinates' pleas to secure the nation's peace. With a heavy heart, Cang Qi entrusted Ye Xi to Bai Yue. Bai Yue warned him that if he and Ye Xi were to fall in love, they would suffer the condemnation of heaven and earth, enduring a heart that burns forever.
Bai Yue added that he wished to avoid an early death before fully understanding the path of a Medical Sage. Trusting Bai Yue one last time, Cang Qi threatened severe consequences if Ye Xi was not cured but promised to visit Fenghua Valley immediately after affairs in the capital were settled. Before leaving with Ye Xi in a carriage, Bai Yue gave Cang Qi a new prescription for his own visceral disease, urging him to take it.
As they departed, Cang Qi ordered his men to follow them. Elsewhere, Chu Yao and Lin Xiaoxiao waited on a path to Fenghua Valley. Impatient, Lin Xiaoxiao suggested Chu Yao return with her to Yishui Villa to meet her father, but an intimidated Chu Yao demurred, stating he preferred the purity of friendship over the complexities of romantic love and questioned why she wasn't more reserved.
A pigeon then arrived with a message from Bai Yue, informing them that Ye Xi was severely wounded and they had already rushed back to Fenghua Valley. Lin Xiaoxiao voiced her hope that Ye Xi would remain in Fenghua Valley forever with Bai Yue, safe from harm. Chu Yao, meanwhile, casually revealed he had roasted and eaten Lin Xiaoxiao's previous, highly valuable "Ten-Thousand-Li Pigeon," much to her exasperation, and contemplated doing the same to the current one.
In Fenghua Valley, Uncle Hui confirmed to Bai Yue that he had transplanted the necessary herbs beneath the hot spring as instructed. Bai Yue then carried the unconscious Ye Xi into the medicated spring bath. As Ye Xi regained consciousness, she asked about Bai Yue's healed arrow wound and questioned his lack of compassion despite her suffering for him. Bai Yue countered by enumerating the many times he had saved her life.
Ye Xi acknowledged her immense debt but expressed confusion over his refusal to let her repay him by marrying him, then unexpectedly kissed him. Bai Yue, initially surprised, maintained his composure. Feigning continued weakness, Ye Xi playfully coaxed him to carry her out, which he ultimately did. Later, Uncle Hui brought Ye Xi her medicine, humorously chiding her about the potent effects of the medicated bath and encouraging her to take both bowls.
He subtly probed about her interaction with Bai Yue in the spring, and Ye Xi admitted to their kiss but expressed confusion over his nonchalant reaction. Eager to see Bai Yue find happiness, Uncle Hui encouraged Ye Xi to be more proactive, revealing how Bai Yue, who had previously shown little emotion, had become more expressive—smiling, angry, blushing—since her arrival. He then recounted a detailed story about a lonely, talented young man who repeatedly saved a particular girl.
He buried her when she died, planted symbolic flowers with red ribbons as prayers for her safety, and secretly protected her from afar—even impersonating her to fight off her enemies—after she lost her memory of him and was drawn to other men. The story culminated in the young man's heartbroken efforts to save her during her ill-fated wedding, where he had planned to give her a specially prepared gift.
Ye Xi, realizing the story was a veiled account of Bai Yue's hidden devotion to her, was astonished by the depth of his unspoken love. Uncle Hui emphasized that despite Bai Yue's inability to articulate his feelings, his actions proved his profound affection, urging Ye Xi to take the initiative. Overwhelmed, Ye Xi requested time alone. After Uncle Hui departed, Ye Xi drank one bowl of the bitter medicine but secretly poured the other into a potted plant.
Bai Yue entered, having witnessed her act. He expressed his deep disappointment, declaring that her actions had "chilled his heart," and then used a powder to render her speechless. That night, Ye Xi lay in bed, restless. She discovered a book beneath her pillow, initially mistaking it for "The Scripture of Materia Medica," but it was actually titled "The Romance of Wood and Stone."
Reading a line that spoke of "plants being inherently emotionless," she began to deeply ponder the true meaning of heartache. Later, Bai Yue handed Uncle Hui a new, even more bitter prescription for Ye Xi. Uncle Hui voiced concern about Ye Xi's slow recovery and white hair, suggesting it was due to her emotional distress.
He gently criticized Bai Yue for silencing Ye Xi, but Bai Yue asserted it would aid her recovery and promised to remove the seal the following day. Bai Yue then asked if Uncle Hui had said anything to Ye Xi. Uncle Hui, while denying he had said much, subtly hinted that Ye Xi's "heart-wound" would best be healed by marriage, pointedly suggesting that Bai Yue, being single, was the ideal match.
After Uncle Hui left, Bai Yue took out a hair tie embroidered with the character "Xi," contemplating the anguish of suppressing his feelings. He questioned if mutual love would be even more unbearable and lamented his inability to resolve his own emotional turmoil, doubting his worth as a divine doctor.
Episode 15 Recap
In the pharmacy, Ye Xi was compelled to drink a decoction prepared by Bai Yue. After he gave her an antidote that finally allowed her to speak, Ye Xi confronted Bai Yue, accusing him of being self-righteous for his uncommunicated actions. Annoyed, Bai Yue left, and Ye Xi discovered she could only move by hopping, a condition she found utterly exhausting. Still hopping, Ye Xi found Bai Yue practicing his sword.
She apologized profusely, confessing to a series of misdeeds: spilling his medicinal herbs, discarding them in the pond, poisoning several tortoises, burying them on his herb-growing plot, and ultimately turning the area into a wasteland. She admitted Yang Ke had assisted her after she promised him a fight without holding back as a reward.
Bai Yue sternly warned her against fighting Yang Ke or colluding with anyone else in the valley behind his back before tossing her the antidote for the hopping. Ye Xi later expressed doubts about the antidote's safety to Uncle Hui, who revealed that her hopping was, in fact, part of Bai Yue's unusual treatment.
Despite finding his methods strange, Ye Xi resolved to restore her internal power swiftly to seek revenge on Tang Huan, planning to compensate Yang Ke with storybooks. Later, Ye Xi noticed her hair had turned white, and a strange red flower had unexpectedly blossomed on her head. Realizing it was not her own unique flower, she deduced it was Bai Yue's creation.
She correctly surmised its appearance was linked to her own flower inexplicably transferring to his body, which had hindered her recovery, and she was annoyed that he had placed it on her head. Struggling with the flower, Ye Xi went outside to find Bai Yue playing a flute on the roof. She demanded he come down, complaining about his terrible playing.
Bai Yue descended, explaining the red bloom was an Extreme Pain Flower he cultivated, cautioning that forcible removal would be fatal. He instructed her to perform the horse stance, control her breathing, and remain still, stating it was a treatment for something unwanted in her brain, which had caused her white hair and loss of internal power. Ye Xi, disbelieving, accused him of tormenting her and demanded to be abandoned in the mountains.
Disappointed by her lack of trust, Bai Yue asserted his flute playing was a Mind-clearing Song meant to relieve her pain, before leaving her with instructions to continue the horse stance. The next morning, Ye Xi, still burdened by the flower, sought Uncle Hui's advice, frustrated by ridicule from others and the physically demanding horse stance.
Uncle Hui suggested she embrace Bai Yue and cry on him, revealing that Bai Yue had stood on her roof all night, concerned for her. As Bai Yue approached, Ye Xi attempted to rush towards him but stumbled and fell, exclaiming in pain. Bai Yue instructed her to wipe her tears, then removed the red flower, explaining it was the true antidote and she must eat it to regain her internal power.
After consuming the flower, Ye Xi felt a sudden surge of power, inadvertently breaking a green plum tree branch with a single touch. She declared her intention to rapidly restore her cultivation to seek revenge on Tang Huan. Bai Yue reminded her that she was bound to Fenghua Valley for a full year and must compensate for the damaged plum tree by collecting herbs, noting that only a ginseng root would suffice.
The following day, Uncle Hui observed a new melon lantern crafted by Bai Yue, suggesting it was made for Ye Xi, which irked Bai Yue. Meanwhile, Ye Xi, using her cultivation, absorbed spiritual energy from the valley, causing her white hair to revert to black. Her unique personal flower also returned to her, confirming the Extreme Pain Flower treatment's efficacy. Pondering why her own flower had previously transferred into Bai Yue's body, she recalled seeing root-like tendrils on his back.
She contemplated touching him again to verify her suspicion but hesitated, anticipating his cold reaction. She mused about reading too many romantic storybooks and concluded that having a companion to grow old with would be ideal. That evening, Ye Xi gently touched the melon lantern outside her door before deciding to confront Bai Yue. She entered his room without knocking and picked up a hairband from his table.
Bai Yue, observing her newly restored black hair, explained the band was a "Beauty Hairband," woven from rare supreme silk, denying it was a gift. Ye Xi challenged him, stating Uncle Hui had revealed Bai Yue prepared a wedding gift for her and that the band bore her name, "Xi." She also mentioned Uncle Hui claimed Bai Yue was captivated by her.
Frustrated by his indirectness, Ye Xi urged him to be upfront if he desired her presence, alluding to his subtle actions. Infuriated, Bai Yue demanded to know Uncle Hui's whereabouts, threatening to slaughter him. He then ordered Ye Xi to return to her room and copy the Mind-clearing Sutra one hundred times, prohibiting her from leaving until finished. After being dismissed, Ye Xi went to the pharmacy, preparing several herbs, intending to confess her feelings.
Bai Yue, having wondered about her earlier confession attempt, arrived and found her. She claimed she was sleepless, insisting she could not sleep due to constantly thinking of him. She openly criticized his lack of romantic understanding, which forced her to attempt a late-night, herb-based confession. Frustrated by his stoic reaction, Ye Xi angrily declared she would not adore him and left, claiming to have no heart.
After her departure, Bai Yue examined the herbs she had gathered—Schisandra, Magnolia, Evening Primrose, and Rangoon Creeper—realizing they were a pun meant to convey "My heart delights in you." He then wryly observed that her "sickness of longing for a husband" seemed incurable. Later that night, Yang Ke urgently informed Bai Yue that Ye Xi was drunk and on the roof of Jinyou Pavilion.
Bai Yue, angered by the news and Yang Ke's failure to prevent it, rushed to find Ye Xi. He discovered her swaying precariously on the roof and saved her from falling, then scolded her for her recklessness and for damaging the pavilion's precious tiles. Ye Xi, in her inebriated state, praised the "Three Flowers Wine" and explained she drank because Bai Yue's order to copy the sutra made her want to "clear her mind" with alcohol.
Noticing his stern expression, she attempted to warm his face with her hands. Bai Yue pulled her hand away, but Ye Xi, undeterred, clung to him, saying he was dressed too lightly and she wished to hug him to provide warmth.
Episode 16 Recap
Upon returning to their room, Bai Yue attempted to give Ye Xi sobering tea, but she drunkenly insisted on wine, specifically cross-cupped wine, hoping for eternal companionship. Bai Yue instead offered her herbal wine, detailing its ingredients: dried orange peel, goji berries, lucid ganoderma, poria, and aged ginseng root powder. As Ye Xi clung to him, she noticed his rapid heartbeat and teased him about it.
Outside, Yang Ke misinterpreted the situation, worrying that Bai Yue was "a lamb entering a tiger's mouth" and in danger from the drunken Ye Xi. Uncle Hui corrected Yang Ke, stating Bai Yue was the "tiger," but then wondered what was happening inside given the commotion. Meanwhile, Ye Xi pulled open Bai Yue's robe and pressed the root mark on his back.
The contact triggered her memories of saving him in an ancient tomb by giving him half of her roots, which explained why she hadn't fully recovered after waking up. She also understood that her headaches were linked to his injuries and that her touch on the mark made him itch. She tried to guide him in a breathing exercise he once taught her, but he furiously told her to stop.
Believing she had a cure, she threw a mix of Trogopterus droppings and Evil Ginseng into his mouth. Enraged, Bai Yue grabbed her by the neck just as Uncle Hui rushed in to intervene. Bai Yue kicked both Uncle Hui and Yang Ke out before realizing that the herbs, being incompatible with ginseng, had indeed suppressed the itching, making him understand the connection between his discomfort and her.
The next morning, Ye Xi approached Bai Yue and quoted a poem from the ancient tomb: "Uphill grow trees where boughs grow. My heart goes to you, yet you don't know," but he feigned ignorance. Puzzled that he, as the Valley Lord, had never seen the words on the jade coffin, she went to the Underground Palace to investigate.
Bai Yue followed, revealing that Fenghua Valley itself was a mausoleum and the jade coffin was in a sealed forbidden area, which he had only partially reopened after becoming Valley Lord. As Ye Xi questioned him further, an injured Yang Ke was thrown into the chamber, reporting that martial artists, led by Tang Huan, had invaded Fenghua Valley, breaching their defenses and destroying the Buddha Tower with Thunderbolts.
Uncle Hui explained that Tang Huan had rallied various sects under the pretext of "killing the witch." Ye Xi blamed herself, believing Tang Huan knew the entrance because she had brought him there. Uncle Hui reassured her that an attack was inevitable, as many had long coveted the valley's secrets. Urging them to escape, Bai Yue reminded Ye Xi of Fenghua Valley's second rule: "Fight if you can win, flee if you can't."
He instructed Uncle Hui to save the most important secret books or burn them. During their escape through a complex network of secret passages, Ye Xi insisted on bringing a unique wooden artifact. She worried for Uncle Hui and Yang Ke, but Bai Yue promised they would reunite. Apologizing for the destruction, Ye Xi was comforted by Bai Yue, who dismissed the lost treasures as "worldly possessions" and joked that their pursuers would soon be distracted by infighting.
That night, resting by a fire, Ye Xi questioned why Bai Yue had done so much for her without asking for anything in return; he simply replied that it was what he wanted to do. He then spoke of the woman he had been searching for—a slender figure in a red dress who had saved him in the ancient tomb—and declared he would search no more, as she was already by his side.
Ye Xi then revealed her secret: the "thing" inside him was part of her, which explained his rapid healing and how a poison from a past drug test had been cured. She clarified it had been dormant until her touch reactivated it, causing his intense itching. Unfazed, Bai Yue stated that human companionship was more valuable than eternal life.
After Ye Xi explained her past relationship with Tang Huan was merely misplaced kindness, Bai Yue gave her a sandalwood hairpin he had made to replace one she had lost. The next day, they were pursued by "Searching Bees" from the Five Poisons Sect. Ye Xi effortlessly incinerated the swarm with fire, revealing one of her "God-given skills" and vowing to protect him at all costs.
Bai Yue sternly made her promise never to make such a vow again, insisting that she must protect herself above all else and only use her powers when absolutely necessary to avoid future trouble. He speculated that Tang Huan had mobilized these unorthodox sects to find a legendary scripture rumored to grant power over life and death, which they believed Bai Yue and Ye Xi possessed.
Soon after, a group of martial artists confronted them, demanding the Scripture of Materia Medica. Noting Ye Xi’s improved skills, they suspected she was a witch. Ye Xi charged, declaring that while she rarely harmed people, she would kill anyone who tried to hurt Bai Yue. During the fight, Bai Yue was injured while protecting her from a sneak attack. After they escaped to a riverbank, Ye Xi prepared to treat him, but he had forgotten his medicine.
He dismissed her offer to find herbs, stating the Five Poisons Sect's poison was too complex to cure in time. Realizing his martial arts were strong enough to have avoided the blow, Ye Xi questioned why he let himself be injured. He evaded the question, speaking fatalistically of death. Ignoring his protests, Ye Xi tore open his shirt and used her own power to forcibly expel the poison from his body.
Episode 17 Recap
Bai Yue slowly regained consciousness by a river, confused about his survival. Ye Xi, sitting beside him, revealed herself as the Ginseng Fairy, explaining that she was the first person he met after she achieved human form from a thousand years of cultivation on Changliu Mount. She recounted how she had given him half of her spiritual rootlet in the ancient tomb to save his life, an act that caused her amnesia and linked her own headaches to his injuries.
To accelerate his recovery from his severe wounds, she urged him to bite her arm. She explained that as the queen of all herbs, her body possessed powerful regenerative abilities and would heal by morning. She also clarified that her previous "deaths" were merely temporary cessations of breathing, akin to hibernation, as she had no heart. Bai Yue, however, refused to harm her, concerned that her true form would be marred and that she would still feel pain.
He urged her to abandon him and flee to the Western Regions, where she could find peace and a good husband. Exasperated by his stubborn refusal, which he claimed would only end if she confessed her feelings for him, Ye Xi knocked him unconscious. Lamenting that it was more painful to bite herself, she proceeded to do so multiple times to ensure his full recovery, feeding him her flesh. The next morning, Ye Xi found Bai Yue significantly recovered.
He, however, was distraught upon seeing the bite marks on her arm and embraced her, full of regret that she had subjected herself to such pain. Ye Xi dismissed his worries, playfully complaining that the potent tonic had given him a nosebleed. Despite his concern for her scarred body, she reassured him it would soon heal.
Their conversation turned to lighthearted banter, with Ye Xi teasing him about his vanity and whether eating her flesh would grant him immortality, adding that she should have kissed him more while he was unconscious. Realizing they were still being pursued, Bai Yue suggested they seek out Uncle Hui. He deciphered markings left behind, which indicated that their allies had escaped from beneath a hot spring and were heading to Moon River, the territory of the Bai family.
Charmed by the name, Ye Xi agreed, suggesting they were more like eloping lovebirds than fugitives as they headed toward a nearby tea stall to rest. At the stall, Bai Yue's suspicion was aroused by the new owner. As soon as their tea was served, he overturned the cup and subdued the man. They were immediately surrounded by martial artists who denounced Ye Xi as a "witch" who had miraculously survived multiple attempts on her life.
Calling Bai Yue "Lord Bai," they accused him of collaborating with her and demanded she hand over the Scripture of Materia Medica. As Ye Xi prepared to fight, the imperial Black Armor Army arrived and encircled both groups, also seeking the "witch." Knowing that Cang Qi would soon be alerted, Ye Xi quickly pulled Bai Yue away, and they escaped while the two factions clashed.
As they journeyed, Ye Xi pledged to protect Bai Yue, provide for him, and never anger him, expressing her hopes for their future together. Moved, Bai Yue finally confessed his feelings, admitting his pride had previously prevented him from speaking up. He explained that her selfless care had shown him the true meaning of love and family.
He then told her of a potential cure: a rare Immortal Grass growing on a cliff past the forest, which he claimed was more effective than ginseng for his "congenital disease." Eager to save him, Ye Xi took the map he provided and set off, promising to return quickly. As soon as she was gone, Bai Yue was overcome by intense pain, collapsing to his knees and coughing up blood as he recalled their moments together.
Venturing into the mountains, Ye Xi examined the map more closely and discovered a cryptic poem inscribed on it: "Fleeting moments of life pass like lightning. The drawing is for the belle whose love I've failed." She immediately understood its ominous meaning—Bai Yue had sent her away on a fool's errand to abandon her.
Enraged and heartbroken, she rushed back to where she had left him, finding only a pool of fresh blood on the ground, which intensified her desperate search. Ye Xi frantically searched for Bai Yue, eventually finding a trail of white hair that led her to a cave. She confronted him from the entrance, demanding to know why he abandoned her and declaring that she would find him no matter where he hid.
She proclaimed her unwavering love, confident that her spiritual energy could save him regardless of his illness. From inside the cave, Bai Yue's voice responded, asserting that she could not save him from his unavoidable fate and expressing regret that she had wounded herself for him. Enraged, Ye Xi unleashed her spiritual power, shattering the large boulder blocking the entrance. As she did, Bai Yue clutched his chest in agony.
He finally emerged, his hair now completely white, and Ye Xi rushed to embrace him. That night, by a fire, Ye Xi reiterated her determination to save him, but Bai Yue insisted she couldn't. Pressured, he finally revealed the ancient curse afflicting the lords of Fenghua Valley: they were forbidden from falling in love, or they would suffer fatal heart failure. This curse, passed down orally, was unknown even to Uncle Hui.
Bai Yue confessed his heart first ached the moment he saw her in the Unmarked Graveyard. The more he tried to conceal his feelings, the more intense the pain became, until he finally stopped resisting, willing to die for love. He had searched for a cure after she left him, knowing she yearned for someone to grow old with, but his efforts were futile. Concluding he was cursed, not merely ill, he urged her not to do anything foolish.
With profound sincerity, Bai Yue declared his love for her, swearing he would never regret it, even if it meant his death. He then coughed up blood but still embraced a crying Ye Xi, who vowed to break the curse, defying any obstacle to keep him by her side. The next morning, Ye Xi playfully used her spiritual power to conjure a straw hat for Bai Yue.
He revealed that his powers were mere illusions, then humorously recalled her reluctance to pay for his noodles, confessing it was part of a plan to protect her by having her recuperate in the city. Their talk shifted to their changing hair colors, with Bai Yue worrying it symbolized their inability to grow old together. Ye Xi reaffirmed her devotion, declaring their shared moments, even if brief, were worth her entire life.
Suddenly, the neigh of a horse signaled Cang Qi's arrival. Ye Xi suggested using her power to become invisible, but a weakened Bai Yue stopped her, insisting he had a plan and that they must eventually face Cang Qi. He then asked her to help him up, revealing his diminished strength.
Episode 18 Recap
Cang Qi confronted Bai Yue, accusing him of repeated deception and forgetting the promise he made when taking Ye Xi from the palace. He explained that he was initially grateful for Bai Yue's help, only to discover they were now a pair of fugitive lovers. Cang Qi asserted that while he might tolerate Ye Xi loving another man, it could never be Bai Yue, whom he had trusted after Bai Yue's own assurances that nothing would happen between them.
To threaten Bai Yue, Cang Qi had his subordinate bring a captured Chu Yao forward, revealing he had intercepted him on his way to Fenghua Valley. He further threatened to find the other escapees from Fenghua Valley, who he suspected were at the Bai family's territory in Moon River, stating he had ample manpower for the task. Bai Yue pleaded for the others, insisting Cang Qi only wanted him.
Cang Qi confirmed this and challenged Bai Yue, reminding him of his own words about suffering a miserable death from his condition. Bai Yue declared himself numb to the pain and said he could die at any moment. He claimed Ye Xi’s kindness was merely pity for a dying man and stated that Tang Huan’s destruction of Fenghua Valley was caused by her, so she was simply repaying her debt to him.
Hearing this, Cang Qi vowed to personally kill Tang Huan, regretting not having eliminated the Tang Clan earlier. As he spoke, Bai Yue suddenly collapsed. Showing concern, Cang Qi ordered his men to take them all to an inn. At the inn, Ye Xi informed a worried Chu Yao that Bai Yue suffered from incurable heart failure, a condition that claimed the lives of past Fenghua Valley lords. She assured him Bai Yue would awaken but his lifespan was uncertain.
Maintaining a calm facade, Ye Xi told Chu Yao her priority was revenge and urged him to find Lin Xiaoxiao and return to Yishui Villa. Understanding her unspoken message, Chu Yao departed. Cang Qi then approached Ye Xi, promising that with the court now stable, he would never leave her again and offered to renounce his title as Regent to be with her.
Ye Xi deferred the discussion until after her revenge was complete but agreed to share a drink with him that night. Later, Cang Qi dismissed rumors of Ye Xi being a witch and posted a guard on Bai Yue's room. That night, Ye Xi joined Cang Qi and, after pouring wine, initiated a cross-armed drink with him. Overjoyed, Cang Qi grasped her hand, believing she had finally agreed to marry him.
He swore to the heavens he would never betray her. However, this was all an illusion. As Cang Qi embraced a pillow, believing his dream had come true, the real Ye Xi slipped into Bai Yue’s room. She began channeling spiritual power to heal him. When Bai Yue cried out in pain, she leaned in to kiss him, seemingly to ease his suffering. Upon waking, Bai Yue urged her to stop, knowing the healing was only a temporary fix.
But Ye Xi was determined to restore enough of his strength to escape, informing him that Cang Qi was in the next room, lost in a dream she had induced. The next morning, Cang Qi declared his intent to marry Ye Xi immediately. Ye Xi requested a few days, asking him to first deploy the Black Armor Army to capture the martial artists who had been pursuing her.
She instructed they be held in a dark room with food and water for seven days before being released. She then stated her plan: to personally kill Tang Huan in Fenghua Valley and then send Bai Yue to his family's territory in Moon River. She explained that since Tang Huan was her enemy and Bai Yue her benefactor, she had to handle both matters herself to have a clear conscience.
Though hesitant about Bai Yue, Cang Qi relented after Ye Xi asked for his trust, agreeing to wait seven days at the inn while preparing their wedding. As Ye Xi left, Cang Qi secretly ordered his men to follow and protect her, and to report immediately if Bai Yue died, musing that the proud Bai Yue he knew would never feign such a weakened state.
In the carriage, Ye Xi revealed her true plan to Bai Yue: they were returning to Fenghua Valley to find a way to lift the curse, possibly by reopening the sealed forbidden area, though Bai Yue warned it had collapsed and was beyond human power to open. On their journey, they met Chu Yao and Lin Xiaoxiao. Ye Xi advised them to go back to Yishui Villa, promising to contact them if needed.
Lin Xiaoxiao confirmed she had destroyed Tang Huan’s Rainstorm Needle, and Ye Xi, now resolute, vowed not to be soft-hearted again. As they traveled that night, Bai Yue sensed they were being followed. He instructed Ye Xi to follow his footsteps precisely to navigate the many traps surrounding Fenghua Valley. Behind them, two of Cang Qi’s Black Armor Army soldiers were quickly ensnared. The next day, a group of martial artists pursuing Ye Xi gathered at Fenghua Valley’s entrance.
Tang Huan appeared and persuaded them to join forces. He revealed that the valley's true treasures and esoteric manuals were hidden in an underground palace. His plan was to loot the palace and then set traps to capture Ye Xi for the Scripture of Materia Medica. The group agreed and followed him in. Having overheard the entire scheme, Ye Xi returned to Bai Yue, and they decided to enter Fenghua Valley through a waterway.
Resting by a fire inside the waterway, Bai Yue urged Ye Xi not to grieve for him when he died and to be more cautious in the future, never again trusting anyone so easily. Ye Xi replied with conviction that this was the last time she would ever willingly entrust her life and herself to someone.
To lighten the mood, she then told him the name of the illusion she had cast on Cang Qi: "A night of passion, boundless romance." Hearing the provocative name, Bai Yue reacted with anger.
Episode 19 Recap
In a hidden waterway, Ye Xi and Bai Yue shared a tender moment. Ye Xi, noting Bai Yue's jealousy, playfully revealed her past deception of Cang Qi, to whom she had created the illusion that they had been intimate. Bai Yue reacted strongly to the manipulation, but Ye Xi playfully teased him, hinting at her affection. She then directly confessed her love, vowing unwavering devotion. Bai Yue, touched by her sincerity, reciprocated her feelings, and the two consummated their relationship.
The following morning, Ye Xi awoke in Bai Yue's arms to find his hair had miraculously returned to its original black, a sign their night together had affected his curse. As they prepared to return to the valley via a shortcut through the waterway, they continued to share playful banter. Ye Xi also brought up a potential, drastic solution for Bai Yue's curse: making him forget her. He adamantly rejected this, declaring he would rather die remembering her.
Upon arriving back in the valley, they discovered it eerily silent and completely ravaged, with all its inhabitants deceased. From deeper within, they heard the excited shouts of treasure hunters. Ye Xi, who had fabricated a mystical "Scripture of Materia Medica," decided to scout ahead, ensuring Bai Yue carried the Ice Soul Orb she had given him. Ye Xi entered the underground palace where a chaotic scene of treasure seekers fighting over riches unfolded.
She revealed herself and swiftly incapacitated one of the brawling men. The remaining individuals, recognizing her as the "witch" they had been hunting, turned their aggression towards her. Ye Xi confidently presented the "Scripture of Materia Medica," claiming her "ghostly martial arts" were derived from its pages and that anyone could master such power with the book.
She then publicly declared a supposed alliance with Tang Huan, stating she had gained Bai Yue's trust and acquired the book from Fenghua Valley for him to become Chief of the Martial World. As she dramatically threw the "Scripture" to Tang Huan, the mob, feeling used and betrayed, immediately turned on him. Tang Huan desperately tried to deny the witch's claims, but his possessiveness over the book only fueled their suspicion.
Suddenly, one of the men collapsed and died from poisoning. Tang Huan seized the opportunity, declaring that everyone had been poisoned and cunningly shifted the blame onto Fenghua Valley. He proclaimed that the only way to survive was to capture Ye Xi and force Bai Yue to provide an antidote. Just then, Bai Yue arrived. He immediately identified the poison as the infamous and long-banned Tang Clan Five Poisons Powder.
Bai Yue exposed Tang Huan's trap: Tang Huan had restored the forbidden poison with the help of the Five Poisons Sect and poisoned everyone as they breached the palace entrance, intending to frame Fenghua Valley for their deaths. Despite Ye Xi's insistence that there was no antidote for the Five Poisons Powder, Tang Huan falsely claimed to possess one, promising it to anyone who killed Ye Xi and Bai Yue.
Seeing his manipulative desperation, Ye Xi engaged Tang Huan directly, while Bai Yue confronted the remaining poisoned treasure hunters. As the poison took its toll, many collapsed, leaving Tang Huan cornered by Ye Xi. In a desperate attempt, Tang Huan tried to bewitch Ye Xi with his gaze to disarm her. Seeing the others succumb to the poison, Bai Yue quickly distributed temporary suppressants. He then urgently warned Ye Xi not to look into Tang Huan's eyes.
Ye Xi snapped out of the trance, regaining the upper hand. Reduced to begging, Tang Huan feigned madness and lamented his past misfortunes, claiming his actions were a desperate attempt to become a "man above others." Ye Xi, unmoved, coldly declared she had never loved him. In a final act, Tang Huan hurled a packet of powder. Bai Yue shielded Ye Xi from the blast.
When the smoke cleared, Tang Huan lay on the ground, his face and eyes severely injured, yet he instinctively reached for the "Scripture." Ye Xi then revealed the truth: the book was a common storybook called "Natural Romance," gifted to her by Lin Xiaoxiao. Mocking his obsession with shortcuts, Ye Xi delivered the final blow.
As the dazed treasure hunters began to stir, Bai Yue acknowledged their deserved punishment but insisted his medical ethics forbade letting them die in Fenghua Valley, resolving to find a way to detoxify them. Later, while organizing items, Ye Xi discovered a double ginseng, which inspired her to propose a self-detoxification method for the poisoned individuals by having them take turns treating each other.
Bai Yue found the idea ingenious but worried the harsh process would be fatal to the weaker ones. Ye Xi playfully offered pieces of her true plant form to bolster their vitality, but Bai Yue affectionately refused. He explained that a "Rebirth Pill" could temporarily delay the poison, buying them more time. Noticing Bai Yue’s fatigue, Ye Xi insisted he rest.
As Bai Yue dozed off while consulting medical texts, Ye Xi covered him with a blanket, kissed his cheek, and stared thoughtfully at a description of ginseng in his book. Ye Xi was later observing the valley's medicinal herbs when Lin Xiaoxiao and Chu Yao arrived. After confirming Tang Huan's demise and Bai Yue's well-being, Ye Xi tasked them with helping clean the ravaged valley.
Lin Xiaoxiao felt the poisoned intruders deserved their fate, but Chu Yao defended Bai Yue's unwavering medical ethics. Ye Xi mused about an antidote that would only work for those with mended hearts. As her friends headed into the valley, Ye Xi remained behind, pouring her spiritual energy into the soil, hoping to cultivate ginseng to save everyone.
Episode 20 Recap
After changing the couplet on the wall, Ye Xi activated a mechanism, revealing a forbidden area. Inside, she discovered the jade coffin of the First Valley Lord and, to her surprise, found two ginseng seeds within it. Ye Xi pondered their presence, suspecting they were left by the woman the First Valley Lord had loved.
She theorized that a thousand years ago, her own spiritual sense might have connected with that woman, and she questioned the nature of the betrayal that led to the curse plaguing successive valley lords. That night, Bai Yue, who had been searching for Ye Xi all day, anxiously pulled her into a room. When Ye Xi showed him the ginseng seeds, he mistook them for her own heart seeds, growing angry that she might have harmed herself.
He reminded her of their marriage and his deep concern for her. Ye Xi quickly clarified that the seeds were not hers, proposing they were a final gift from the First Valley Lord's beloved. The woman had likely found the seeds to help him grow ginseng, but he tragically misunderstood her actions as a betrayal and cast the curse. Lamenting the missed intentions, Ye Xi emphasized the importance of expressing love. Bai Yue accepted her theory.
Ye Xi assured him that she had already infused the soil with her spiritual power, and with the seeds, they could quickly grow ginseng for an antidote. She dismissed his concerns about her spiritual exertion, stating she simply wanted to help him and preserve the beauty of Fenghua Valley for their future together. With Bai Yue’s guidance, the poisoned martial artists successfully expelled the toxins from their bodies.
Grateful, they thanked Bai Yue and Ye Xi, promising to reform, protect the secrets of Fenghua Valley, and never again enter Changliu Mount. As they departed, Lin Xiaoxiao flirtatiously invited Bai Yue and Ye Xi to Yishui Villa to hide from Cang Qi, but Bai Yue rebuffed her. At the valley entrance, Bai Yue and Ye Xi worried about how to handle Cang Qi.
Bai Yue unexpectedly suggested that if he were gone, Cang Qi, despite his domineering nature, was sincere and powerful enough to protect Ye Xi, allowing Bai Yue to depart in peace. Ye Xi vehemently rejected this, declaring Bai Yue was her only love and that she intended to resolve things with Cang Qi herself. As they embraced, a Black Armor Army soldier secretly observed them. Later, Ye Xi dug up a hidden bottle of Three Flowers Wine in a courtyard.
Nearby servants, mistakenly thinking Bai Yue was with Lin Xiaoxiao, gossiped about a potential romance, which amused Ye Xi. After they left, Bai Yue joined her, and they shared the wine, reminiscing about the first time he got drunk and tried to flirt with her. Ye Xi then mentioned that the jade coffin was for a couple's burial and suggested they investigate it for more clues the next day.
Bai Yue agreed, playfully adding that they should send Lin Xiaoxiao and Chu Yao away to have some quiet time alone. The next day, as they exited the forbidden place, Cang Qi and his Black Armor Army surrounded them. Bai Yue quietly recalled how Ye Xi had saved him in that very spot, solidifying his love for her. Cang Qi presented Bai Yue with lavish thank-you gifts for saving his life, followed by betrothal gifts for Ye Xi.
She immediately refused, intertwining her hand with Bai Yue’s and declaring she would never let him go. An enraged Cang Qi offered to accept Fenghua Valley as her maiden home with Bai Yue giving her away, but Ye Xi was resolute. When Cang Qi mentioned a night they supposedly spent together, Ye Xi apologized, revealing it was an illusion she had created. Unfazed, Cang Qi declared he would simply kill Bai Yue to have her.
As Ye Xi continued to defend Bai Yue, Cang Qi lost his temper and raised a firearm. Ye Xi shielded Bai Yue as Cang Qi fired, hitting nearby ornaments. Ye Xi recognized the weapon as Lin Xiaoxiao's. On Cang Qi’s command, his soldiers brought forth a restrained Chu Yao, Lin Xiaoxiao, and Uncle Hui. Cang Qi again tried to persuade Ye Xi, claiming to despise coercion, but she pointed out his actions contradicted his words.
She then told him to dismiss his army and follow her into the forbidden place for an explanation. Inside, Ye Xi acknowledged Cang Qi's genuine feelings but explained they were not what she wanted, reaffirming her unwavering love for Bai Yue. Cang Qi, filled with regret and rage, declared he should have killed Bai Yue sooner. He drew his sword, and Ye Xi blocked his attack.
Consumed by fury, Cang Qi proclaimed that if he couldn't have her, they would all die together, and a fierce battle ensued. During the fight, Bai Yue was cut, his blood spilling onto the jade coffin. Moments after Ye Xi wounded Cang Qi, the coffin flew open, and the entire chamber began to tremble violently. Ye Xi tried to suppress the coffin's power with her spiritual energy, but Bai Yue and Cang Qi collapsed unconscious.
Soon after, Ye Xi also fell, her power depleted. Outside, their friends panicked, unable to open the sealed stone door. Regaining consciousness, Ye Xi rushed to heal Bai Yue. Upon waking, Bai Yue gave her a black ginseng pill to administer to Cang Qi. Seeing Bai Yue’s condition worsen as he bled, Ye Xi tried to heal him, but he stopped her, forcing a different pill into her mouth.
He confessed the curse was incurable and his pain had never ceased. Reaffirming her vow to die with him, Ye Xi embraced him tightly. Bai Yue told her his greatest joy was waiting for her at the graveyard so she would see him first upon waking. He had no regrets but wished the curse could have been broken. He begged her not to pity him, but to sleep, forget him, and live a happy life, reminding her that the person she should love most is herself.
Episode 21 Recap
Inside a forbidden place, Bai Yue revealed to Ye Xi that he had given her a memory-erasing medicine. He confessed that he had lied, as there was no medicine to restore memory, only one to forget the past. He wanted to spare her the profound pain of losing a loved one, a suffering he himself had experienced. Ye Xi protested, accusing him of prioritizing his own feelings over her wishes.
Bai Yue apologized, stating it would be the last time he defied her. He then played a lullaby to help her sleep, and as she drifted off in his arms, he died, lamenting that he couldn't give her a worldly wedding and worrying about leaving her alone. Upon waking, Ye Xi found Bai Yue lifeless.
She turned to an unconscious Cang Qi, wiped blood from his mouth, and urged him to live for himself and his people, reminding him that both she and Bai Yue had saved his life. Looking at the jade coffin's inscription, "My heart delights in you, but you don't know," she concluded that unspoken feelings could turn into curses and that love should be declared.
She used her spiritual power to alter the inscription to "My heart delights in you, and you know it." Placing Bai Yue's body inside, she declared him her husband. She then bit his shoulder, creating a mark so she could find him even if her memory was gone. Lying down beside him, she sealed them both within the coffin, intending for them to be together forever. Moments later, Cang Qi awoke just in time to see the coffin close.
He desperately called Ye Xi's name and tried to open it, but the coffin suddenly exploded, knocking him unconscious. Outside, a search party led by Uncle Hui, Lin Xiaoxiao, and Chu Yao found the stone door open but no trace of the three. Believing they were still on Changliu Mount, Xiao Shan led the Black Armor Army to search, while the others split up to help. The next morning, the three were found unconscious on a lawn.
Ye Xi awoke first with amnesia. Seeing the two handsome men, she assumed they were dead and, after lamenting the loss of such beauty, she left. That night, Bai Yue awoke, realizing his chronic heart pain was gone. He saw the bite mark on his shoulder and the nearby Cang Qi, deducing that the curse was broken because they were entombed together, with both willing to die for the other.
He revived Cang Qi, who immediately asked where Ye Xi was. Bai Yue explained that he had given her amnesia and she likely left, thinking them dead. Realizing his mistake, Bai Yue suggested Cang Qi's Black Armor Army would be more effective in the search. Cang Qi agreed to send his army but questioned Bai Yue’s trustworthiness. Bai Yue retorted that his medicine had saved Cang Qi's life, chiding him for neglecting his serious internal injuries.
Agitated, Cang Qi declared his life meaningless without Ye Xi and coughed up blood. Bai Yue advised him to recover for Ye Xi's sake, as she needed a stable world to roam freely. He then proposed a deal: if Cang Qi's forces found Ye Xi first, Bai Yue would step aside; if Bai Yue found her first, Cang Qi must return to his duties as regent and protect the realm. Cang Qi agreed.
Meanwhile, Ye Xi, wandering the mountains, met a couple who told her she resembled the "wicked woman Ye Xi," whose portraits were posted everywhere. They warned her that the authorities might capture her to be a palace concubine and advised her to flee. Ye Xi then asked for directions to the Western Regions and departed. At a tea shop, Bai Yue told his friends he was heading to the Western Regions, trusting in his special connection with Ye Xi.
Uncle Hui explained that Ye Xi was Bai Yue's "heart medicine" and his health depended on being with her. After his friends offered humorous advice on how to win her back, Bai Yue dismissed them, confident in his own plan involving a token of their love. He entrusted Cang Qi's care to Uncle Hui and left for the West. In the vibrant markets of the Western Regions, Ye Xi watched a dancer.
A scholar approached, explaining the dance was the "Sogdian Whirl" and reciting a poem. Impressed, Ye Xi praised his knowledge, but Bai Yue suddenly appeared between them. The intimidated scholar fled. Ye Xi, annoyed, called Bai Yue shameless and praised the scholar's refinement. Bai Yue claimed he was her husband and that she had amnesia, but Ye Xi, certain she'd never married, dismissed him, finding his red attire garish.
Left alone, Bai Yue muttered to himself that he shouldn't have listened to his friend's advice and resolved to be patient. Later that night, Ye Xi was by a river, admiring melon lanterns floating on the water. A man told her a gentleman from the Central Plains had made them after buying his entire cart of melons. Just then, Bai Yue appeared, holding one of the lanterns.
Episode 22 (Ending) Recap
By the beautiful Moon River, Ye Xi was approached by locals who invited her to drink and inquired if she had crafted the beautiful melon lanterns. She learned a gentleman had purchased a cart full of melons and was likely the creator. Soon, Bai Yue appeared, surprising Ye Xi. She remarked that he looked more pleasing in white, though she insisted she wasn't someone who only cared about appearances.
Bai Yue expressed his deep affection, reciting poetry and claiming to know her deepest wish: to find a good man, marry, have a family, and no longer be alone. He insisted he was her destined partner, remembering every detail of their past together, even though she had forgotten.
He confessed to having fallen into a lovesickness during her absence, constantly painting her image to cope, and showed her a portrait of her in a wedding dress as proof of his sincerity. Skeptical, Ye Xi dismissed his words, finding it naive to believe in such profound love after only their second meeting and comparing his sweet talk to that of deceptive men in storybooks.
Bai Yue pleaded for a chance to prove his feelings, reminding her that she had once been willing to do anything to marry him, emphasizing her importance over his own life. Still unconvinced, Ye Xi called him shameless and advised him to see a doctor for his confused state before leaving with her melon lantern. Later, at an inn, Ye Xi encountered the scholar from earlier, who revealed he had been accosted by hooligans.
They had not wanted his money but were trying to abduct him before officers intervened. Confident in her martial arts, Ye Xi offered to protect the scholar and travel with him. As they were about to enter a room, Bai Yue appeared and confronted them. After Ye Xi and the scholar went inside, Xiao Shan arrived with the Black Armor Army.
Bai Yue informed him that Cang Qi had sufficiently recovered in Fenghua Valley and could return to the capital, entrusting Xiao Shan with a Chinese knot as a gift for him. Xiao Shan accepted it and departed with his troops. Inside the room, Ye Xi examined the scholar’s shoulder and saw a birthmark, which confirmed he was not the person she was looking for. Hearing a commotion, Ye Xi realized the same hooligans had returned.
Feeling she owed the scholar compensation for his torn clothes, she went out to confront them, with Bai Yue following. The hooligans, finding Bai Yue more attractive, turned their attention to him. Ye Xi swiftly defeated them and warned them to leave. As they fled, Bai Yue suddenly struck himself, clutched his chest, and spat blood, claiming an "evil wind" had entered his body. Despite her skepticism, Ye Xi saw no choice but to help him back to the room.
In the room, as Ye Xi tried to leave, Bai Yue stopped her and showed her a tooth mark on his shoulder. Still hesitant, Ye Xi was reminded by Bai Yue that she herself had bitten her own arm three times in the past to save him. Looking at the bite marks on her arm, Ye Xi's memories flooded back. She tearfully embraced him, realizing their destinies were intertwined and they would never be separated again.
She expressed her fear of forgetting him again but believed that even if she did, the mark would allow her to find him. The next day, Bai Yue mentioned that her good friend, Lin Xiaoxiao, was waiting for her to celebrate her wedding. Ye Xi admitted her frustration at only remembering Bai Yue but was hopeful she would recall others in time. They affirmed their love, with Bai Yue promising they would grow old together.
Ye Xi playfully questioned this, asking if it meant she could no longer admire other men. In response, she declared that he was the only one in her world and the most perfect person she knew. Their lighthearted exchange continued as they teased about Ye Xi's weight after enjoying the Western Regions' delicacies, with Bai Yue reassuring her that she was still beautiful.
She expressed her gratitude, stating that being with him was the luckiest thing in her life, a sentiment he echoed, promising to change for her and ensure her happiness. Meanwhile, Xiao Shan presented Cang Qi with the Chinese knot from Bai Yue, relaying the message to release his inner struggles and cherish himself for the good of the world. Cang Qi lamented that his own desires were unfulfilled, yet he was expected to love all beings.
Xiao Shan comforted him, reminding him that Ye Xi was among those beings. Xiao Shan highlighted the meticulous care Cang Qi had received at Fenghua Valley, noting that despite his past threats, Bai Yue had repeatedly aided him with genuine sincerity. Cang Qi acknowledged this, promising to cherish himself, but sorrowfully concluded that there was no true love left in his world.
Later, Bai Yue found Ye Xi admiring a travelogue from the scholar, remarking that she treasured another's gift over his paintings. Ye Xi retorted that his art was "ungentlemanly" for making himself look overly handsome. She praised the scholar’s talent, teasing Bai Yue by asking how he knew that she hadn't agreed to accompany the scholar to Jiangnan.
Sensing his jealousy, Bai Yue pulled a red string from her hair, called it ugly, and replaced it with an exquisite hairband, clarifying it was her own belonging, not a new token of love. He promised to craft her a hairpin from camphor wood, a famous timber from Jiangnan. Annoyed at the mention of Jiangnan, Bai Yue snapped, but Ye Xi sweetly appeased him by saying he was always the best in her eyes.
She then suggested they hold their own wedding celebration before attending Lin Xiaoxiao's. When she teasingly asked about the "other man" buried with him, he dismissed the question. Observing them from a distance, Cang Qi clutched the Chinese knot, vowing to protect the peaceful world Ye Xi desired.
Later, Cang Qi ordered all the palace’s luminous pearls to be sent to Fenghua Valley as thanks for Bai Yue's care and had the ancient tree Bai Yue helped revive transplanted outside his chambers. In Fenghua Valley, Bai Yue paced anxiously until he confided in Uncle Hui that he and Ye Xi had quarreled.
He explained she was upset after he casually remarked that salty soy milk had its own unique flavor, an argument exacerbated by the bitter medicine he had prescribed for her. Uncle Hui suggested he apologize by carrying thorny twigs. Overhearing, Ye Xi opened her door and demanded the thorniest twigs for true sincerity. Bai Yue pulled her inside, promising to always listen to her.
Inspired by her friends, Ye Xi proposed a "three-point law": he must comb her hair and draw her eyebrows daily, tend to her comfort, and inform her before leaving her sight for more than half an hour. When he tried to give her medicine, however, she felt nauseous. Bai Yue took her pulse and joyfully announced she was pregnant.
He then playfully imposed his own "three-point law" on her: daily pulse checks, no temper tantrums or indiscriminate eating, and informing him if she left his sight for more than fifteen minutes. Later, Ye Xi found Bai Yue engrossed in a book on postpartum care, realizing his underlying anxiety. He shared the joyful news that the ginseng seeds she had planted had been successfully transplanted on Changliu Mount and were thriving.
Overjoyed, Ye Xi envisioned a future where ginseng covered the mountain. Bai Yue lovingly placed a newly made wooden hairpin in her hair. After a playful exchange, they went inside, and he asked what she would like to eat to celebrate. When she expressed weariness of common soups, he teasingly called her picky. Ye Xi then remarked that cooking was the one thing he was unsuited for, to which he affectionately replied that for her, he was willing to do anything.
