No Boundary Season 1 Episode 2 Recap
> No Boundary Season 1 Recap
Hong Luan, still bound by Duanmu Cui's deity binding rope, spotted Wengu walking by, which stirred memories within her. She tried to call out to him but found she couldn't free herself. Recalling that the rope only affected members of the Demon Clan, she noticed an elderly madam and asked for her help. The kind madam untied her.
At the Qifeng Prefecture hall, Zhan Yan presented a list of charges against Xihualiu, including missing livestock, flowers speaking, and a black cat stealing and destroying books from Baiwen Bookshop. Duanmu Cui, feigning thirst, demanded tea, which was promptly provided. She then brazenly denied all accusations, challenging Zhan Yan to produce evidence. When Zhan Yan presented one of her earrings, she dramatically accused him of theft, implying malicious intent and even claiming he had torn her clothes.
Zhan Yan calmly explained that the earring was found at the scene of a missing persons case in Liujia Village, where Liu Da Mei had disappeared, and her younger sister, Liu Xiao Mei, was later found missing after their house collapsed. He pointed out the unique lotus-patterned footprint and the expensive earring, suggesting the perpetrator was not a local. Duanmu Cui asserted that the girls were kidnapped by the Demon Clan.
Zhan Yan requested to detain Duanmu Cui for three days while the investigation proceeded, a proposal Duanmu Cui mocked, claiming it would take longer for Zhan Yan to solve the case and that he would have to politely escort her out later. The Marquis, Lord Jiang, intervened, instructing Zhan Yan to treat Duanmu Cui as an honored guest. As she left, Duanmu Cui instructed Zhan Yan to bring Hong Luan back for questioning regarding the mountain demon case.
Stepping outside, Duanmu Cui immediately got lost and stumbled upon the Records Room, which she decided to explore. She saw Zhan Yan outside, gently smiling while holding a kitten, a sight that captivated her and made her wonder why he usually looked so stern. When Zhan Yan entered the room, she quickly hid. Once he left, she perused the records, growing indignant upon reading multiple entries listing Xihualiu's various misdemeanors and herself as a suspect.
Just then, Wengu arrived, and Duanmu Cui, still lost, happily greeted him. Wengu, noting her untamed behavior, gently reminded her to uphold her image as the Sect Leader. When he suggested they return to Xihualiu, Duanmu Cui refused, reiterating her earlier pronouncement that "it's easier to raise the devil than to lay him." Meanwhile, Wengu met with Lord Jiang and Zhan Yan to propose a formal collaboration between Xihualiu and Qifeng Prefecture.
He reminded them of the mountain demon's attack, emphasizing that even that low-level demon had caused significant trouble, and questioned Qifeng Prefecture's ability to defend against stronger threats. Lord Jiang found Wengu familiar, and Wengu explained he had met Lord Jiang's ancestor a thousand years prior, assuring them of Xihualiu's support.
Wengu acknowledged Duanmu Cui's willful nature, attributing it to her unfamiliarity with the mortal world, and alluded to a misunderstanding between her and Zhan Yan, which Zhan Yan promised to address the following day. In the Ninth Hell, the Elder Yue Long Men contacted Hong Luan. Hong Luan informed him of the mountain demon's death for Mr. Zhang and the resulting vacancy for the envoy position.
The Elder, angered that the mountain demon almost ruined his plan for a mortal, declared Hong Luan the new envoy. Despite her reluctance, Hong Luan agreed after the Elder reminded her of their mission and the limited time they had outside the Ninth Hell. He also inquired about Cui Yu's search for Penglai Drawing fragments, chastising Hong Luan for the lack of progress.
The Elder then revealed that Jiang Yi, who had attained divine status through the Penglai Drawing, passed it to his god-daughter Duanmu Cui, and though Jiang Yi was gone, his descendants remained in the mortal world. He commanded Hong Luan to keep Duanmu Cui occupied, thereby allowing others more time to locate Jiang Yi's descendants and the Penglai Drawing.
The next morning, Zhan Yan came to Duanmu Cui's room, returning the deity binding rope and seeking her cooperation, citing the Marquis's agreement. Duanmu Cui, still dismissive, took the rope back and expressed no interest in collaborating. However, when an urgent message arrived about Liu Da Mei being found, Duanmu Cui, despite her protests, followed Zhan Yan to the main hall. Liu Da Mei was discovered unconscious but with a strange smile on her face.
Duanmu Cui arrived eating hot pepper soup, much to Zhan Yan's annoyance. She immediately detected a strong "Demon Clan scent" on Liu Da Mei, mocking the Qifeng Prefecture officials' weak senses. Duanmu Cui declared Liu Da Mei's condition suspicious and asserted that Xihualiu should handle it, as it involved demons.
Zhan Yan, however, insisted on Qifeng Prefecture rules, causing Duanmu Cui to challenge his ability to solve the case and warn him not to seek her help later before she departed with Wengu. Duanmu Cui's presence caused chaos in Qifeng Prefecture as her enchanted paper creations and even a talking bowl ran amok, terrifying the officials.
When a regular doctor was unable to diagnose Liu Da Mei, Zhan Yan sought Wengu's help, but Duanmu Cui blocked his path, insisting he "beg" her first. To entice her, Zhan Yan vividly described the exquisite taste of Liu family's tofu sticks and tofu pudding, a delicacy passed down through generations to the eldest daughter, now at risk of being lost forever due to Liu Da Mei's condition.
Intrigued by the description of the food, Duanmu Cui declared Xihualiu, despite Qifeng Prefecture's "terrible hospitality," would magnanimously help. She then instructed Wengu to examine Liu Da Mei. After examining Liu Da Mei, Wengu concluded that she was suffering from a "weak Life Palace" and "missing consciousness," having simply lost her soul. Duanmu Cui then pressed Zhan Yan to beg for her help.
Zhan Yan, however, remained resolute, refusing to seek Xihualiu's assistance and emphasizing his responsibility for his men and the people's safety. Annoyed by his refusal, Duanmu Cui presented a deal: Xihualiu would take charge, Qifeng Prefecture would follow their lead, and if the demon was caught, Liu Da Mei's soul would be restored, Qifeng Prefecture would get the credit, and Xihualiu would get the demon. Zhan Yan rejected the terms, insisting on his authority.
Exasperated, Duanmu Cui warned him against future appeals for help from Xihualiu should he encounter demonic trouble, and promptly returned to Xihualiu with Wengu. Shangguan Ce remarked to Zhan Yan that he had angered the wrong woman. Wengu tried to soothe Duanmu Cui, suggesting they abandon cooperation, to which she agreed, resolving that they would simply compete to catch demons independently, without Zhan Yan's interference.
Hong Luan arrived at the entrance of Xihualiu, but the guards, recognizing her as a Peach Blossom Demon, refused her entry without Duanmu Cui's order, even injuring her. She waited outside for Duanmu Cui and Wengu to return, pleading with Duanmu Cui, the "High Immortal," for sanctuary. Duanmu Cui questioned why Hong Luan, who had attempted to escape using a mortal, was now seeking refuge.
Hong Luan explained her desperate situation, claiming she had nowhere else to go and could not survive in the Ninth Hell, from which she had risked her life to flee. Duanmu Cui stated that Xihualiu only sheltered creatures, not escaped Demon Clan members from the Ninth Hell, and feared the wrath of Penglai elders if she took Hong Luan in.
She instructed Wengu to provide Hong Luan with healing ointment but refused to grant her refuge, asserting that her situation was beyond Xihualiu's purview. Hong Luan continued to plead, asking if Duanmu Cui remembered her, hinting at a past connection during an ancient war, where Wengu had insisted on fighting alongside Duanmu despite the danger. The guards again reiterated Duanmu Cui's order for Hong Luan to leave.
The missing persons cases were traced to Tianxiang Pavilion and its signature "Peach Blossom Drunk Blush." Zhan Yan investigated the pavilion, encountering his godmother, Madam Jiang, who was shopping for her birthday. While at Tianxiang Pavilion, Madam Jiang purchased some Peach Blossom Drunk Blush. Zhan Yan later reviewed the sales list and noted that all missing individuals had purchased this specific blush, leading him to suspect a connection.
Guided by Wengu's paper crane, Duanmu Cui independently found the blind musician Meng Die, and Zhan Yan also detected the distinct scent of Peach Blossom Drunk Blush on Meng Die, despite her never having visited the shop. Both Duanmu Cui and Zhan Yan suspected Meng Die was somehow involved or targeted. Duanmu Cui went to Tianxiang Pavilion to investigate but found nothing amiss.
Zhan Yan assigned Zhang Long and Zhao Wu to guard Meng Die, fearing she might be the next target. Zhan Yan and Shangguan Ce prepared to celebrate Madam Jiang's birthday, but an official reported her missing, confirming she hadn't returned since visiting Tianxiang Pavilion. At Tianxiang Pavilion, the owner confirmed Madam Jiang had left with the Peach Blossom Drunk Blush and the blind musician, Meng Die. Meanwhile, Duanmu Cui and Wengu were at their residence.
Duanmu Cui, still longing for mortal food, expressed frustration over her incomplete memories from her past life as a general in Xiqi, attributing it to a head injury from the Chong City battle. Despite Wengu's concerns about Hong Luan's unknown origins and potential hidden motives, Duanmu Cui, moved by seeing Hong Luan kindly comforting a crying child, decided to take her in, boasting about her "heart of steel."
Hong Luan then tentatively asked Duanmu Cui if she knew how to cook, suggesting she had been accepted into Xihualiu. Later that night, Zhan Yan visited Meng Die, who confirmed Madam Jiang had given her a box of blush and walked her home before leaving. Meng Die claimed not to know Madam Jiang's current whereabouts. Zhan Yan then asked Meng Die to accompany him to Qifeng Prefecture. Shortly after, Zhang Long reported that Madam Jiang had returned to her manor. Rushing back, Zhan Yan found his godmother frantically searching for something, a worrying development.
