No Boundary Season 1 Episode 11 Recap
> No Boundary Season 1 Recap
Wen Gu examined Li Song Bai's body, noting twelve fingerprints on his neck, which indicated he was strangled by a six-fingered person. He observed that Li Qiong Xiang did not have six fingers. Zhan Yan then recalled Zheng Qiao'er, who worked at the breakfast shop, had six fingers. Zhan Yan expressed doubt, questioning how Zheng Qiao'er, who was much shorter than Li Song Bai, could overpower and strangle him.
Duanmu Cui suggested that if Zheng Qiao'er was part of the Demon Clan, it would be possible, and they decided to investigate. Meanwhile, Wen Gu detected the scent of the Demon Clan on hair found on the victim. He confronted Hong Luan, who had been eavesdropping while wearing a cloak.
Hong Luan, confessing to being under a Heart Devouring Curse, stated that her actions were solely for the Demon Clan's freedom to "see the light of day," and urged Wen Gu to help the Demon Clan escape the Ninth Hell, then disappeared. Duanmu Cui and Zhan Yan arrived at Zheng Qiao'er's breakfast shop late at night. Duanmu Cui noticed a mark on Zheng Qiao'er's neck, realizing she was a semi-demon.
Zheng Qiao'er tried to escape but was bound by Duanmu Cui with an Immortal Binding Rope. Duanmu Cui confirmed Zheng Qiao'er as a "silkworm phantom" with semi-demon blood. Zheng Qiao'er initially denied any wrongdoing, attributing her many fingers and increased nighttime strength to being born different, and denied being out the previous night or visiting Jinxiu Textile. When Zhan Yan pressed her about Li Song Bai's murder by a six-fingered person, Zheng Qiao'er burst out, "Nice death.
It serves him right!" confirming a personal grudge. Zheng Qiao'er's nanny then arrived at the jail, pleading for her innocence and explaining the long-standing feud between Zheng Qiao'er and the Li family, while insisting Zheng Qiao'er was not the killer. Zhan Yan, suspecting something was amiss at Jinxiu Textile, proceeded there. His earlier investigations had led him to Zheng Wan Li's 15-year-old autopsy report, making him question if the case could be reopened.
He had also learned that a piece of Lingxiao Red, previously sold by Liu Xi Mei to Lord Liu, had mysteriously vanished, and Lord Liu's wife was still eager to acquire another. At Jinxiu Textile, Li Qiong Xiang also arrived, drawn by the sound of a weaving loom. They witnessed the loom moving by itself before a Lingxiao Red wedding gown sprang to life, wrapping tightly around Zhan Yan.
Separately, Hong Luan reported to the Demon Clan elder that she had located a Penglai Drawing fragment, which was the Silkworm Phantom's cocoon. She explained her plan to help Silkworm Phantom exact revenge to acquire the cocoon. The elder voiced his disapproval of demons forming attachments with humans, citing past examples of suffering, but accepted Hong Luan's assurance that Silkworm Phantom would surrender the cocoon upon her revenge.
Hong Luan went to Jinxiu Textile, and when Silkworm Phantom did not appear, she set fire to the fabric inside the shop. The Silkworm Phantom (Liu Xi Mei) then materialized, explaining that she had exhausted "all her cultivation to weave Lingxiaohong," rendering her "no different from a mortal," which allowed Li Song Bai to persecute her to death.
After her demise, the Lingxiao Red's magic dissipated into Red Silk, and her spirit could only "possess the silk," hoping that the reappearance of Lingxiao Red would allow her to "cohere" and "kill Li Song Bai to avenge her husband's death." She revealed that she had possessed Li Qiong Xiang to help weave the Lingxiao Red, as her own power as a "wisp of soul" was insufficient.
Hong Luan offered to lend her "power of the Demon Clan" to help Li Qiong Xiang finish the Lingxiao Red, promising Silkworm Phantom the ability to "regroup her power to take revenge" in exchange for the cocoon fragment. To ensure Silkworm Phantom's loyalty, Hong Luan planted the Heart Devouring Curse on her.
The elder had promised Hong Luan a partial antidote to alleviate her pain if she successfully retrieved the cocoon, simultaneously threatening her with a "life worse than death" should she betray them. Wen Gu, standing behind a rock, overheard this conversation between Hong Luan and the elder. Upon learning of Zhan Yan's disappearance, Duanmu Cui rushed to Jinxiu Textile, finding his Ju Que sword, which indicated he was in peril.
She questioned Li Qiong Xiang, who recalled Zhan Yan pushing her out of the textile shop and warning her of danger before she fainted. Connecting Zhan Yan's recent investigation into Zheng Wan Li's 15-year-old case, the missing Lingxiao Red, and Zheng Qiao'er's semi-demon lineage (with her human father and six-fingered demon mother), Duanmu Cui deduced that the true culprit was Liu Xi Mei, Zheng Qiao'er's mother, the Silkworm Phantom, who had been presumed dead for fifteen years.
Duanmu Cui theorized that Liu Xi Mei had used all her power and birthright Red Silk to weave the Lingxiao Red, was then killed by Li Song Bai, and her spirit had possessed the Red Silk after its magic dissipated, returning to Jinxiu Textile to manipulate it for revenge. This explained the disappearance of the Lingxiao Red from Lord Liu's household. Duanmu Cui eventually found Zhan Yan encased within the Lingxiao Red.
Realizing the fabric was fused with his flesh and could not be removed without severe injury, she ordered ice to be brought immediately. Later, Wen Gu used a token to contact the Demon Clan elder, warning him not to harm Duanmu Cui. Duanmu Cui successfully rescued Zhan Yan from the Lingxiao Red. However, the Silkworm Phantom managed to escape her confinement.
Silkworm Phantom (Liu Xi Mei) then recounted her tragic past: after escaping the Ninth Hell, severely injured, she was rescued and nursed back to health by Zheng Wan Li. They fell in love, but Li Song Bai, coveting the Zheng family's wealth, hired bandits to murder both Zheng Wan Li and her. Zheng Qiao'er arrived and was reunited with her mother. Shangguan Ce pledged to reopen Zheng Wan Li's case to clear his name.
Li Qiong Xiang, moved by the story, decided to donate all profits from Jinxiu Textile to Zheng Qiao'er. With her long-held grievances resolved, Silkworm Phantom's spirit transformed into a butterfly and ascended. Duanmu Cui comforted Zheng Qiao'er, assuring her that her mother, despite her past resentment, had always retained her kindness, and that Zheng Qiao'er's future prosperity would honor her mother's memory.
After regaining consciousness, Zhan Yan accidentally pushed Duanmu Cui to the ground, much to the embarrassment of Shangguan Ce, Zhang Long, and Zhao Wu who looked away. Learning that Duanmu Cui had saved him, Zhan Yan vowed to cook a meal for her. He admitted he knew nothing about cooking but expressed his willingness to learn for her sake. Meanwhile, Hong Luan successfully acquired the cocoon, the next fragment of the Penglai Drawing.
Wen Gu confronted Hong Luan about her late return, subtly implying he was aware of her activities. He cautioned her that she alone could not liberate the entire Demon Clan. Hong Luan, touched by Wen Gu's concern but simultaneously afflicted by the agonizing Heart Devouring Curse, secretly wished she wasn't trapped in the Ninth Hell's predicament. Following Li Song Bai's death, a throng of matchmakers besieged Qifeng Prefecture, speculating about Zhan Yan's potentially broken engagement with Li Qiong Xiang.
Duanmu Cui, seeking Zhan Yan, magically froze the matchmakers at the gate to gain entry. Inside, Li Qiong Xiang officially requested to break off her engagement, but Lord Jiang refused, insisting the marriage between their families was predestined and recorded in the "Book of Marriage." He stated that he and Madam Jiang considered Li Qiong Xiang "like our own children" and that Qifeng Prefecture was her home. Duanmu Cui, overhearing this, became annoyed.
She sarcastically dismissed Lord Jiang as a "little mortal official" for presuming knowledge of the "Book of Marriage" and quipped that he should "take over the God of Matchmaking's job" given his zeal for matchmaking. Duanmu Cui also misunderstood that Lord Jiang wanted to invite both her and Li Qiong Xiang to dinner, making her very angry.
At dinner, Lord Jiang and Madam Jiang continued their efforts to pair Li Qiong Xiang and Zhan Yan, much to Duanmu Cui's subtle competitive displeasure. Shangguan Ce, observing the spread, commented on Zhan Yan preparing only sweet dishes. Duanmu Cui then realized Zhan Yan had cooked entirely to her preference, which delighted her. She noted that the "vegetarian beef with honey sauce" was made of tofu, and the "sweet and sour vegetarian fish" was made of eggplant. Recognizing that all the dishes were vegetarian and sweet, catering specifically to her tastes, Duanmu Cui decided to overlook Zhan Yan's earlier antics.
