Episode Summary
The group uncovers a town-wide conspiracy tied to returning "missing" relatives while battling soul-crushing heart demons in Mitu Valley. Ling Miaomiao confronts her failing mission system and saves Mu Sheng from his traumatic past, forging a deeper bond as they escape the water demon’s curse.
Spoiler Alert
On their way back to the inn, Cui Cui transforms into a hairpin and unknowingly attaches herself to Ling Miaomiao’s head. The innkeeper reveals his wife has been away visiting family for five years but will finally return tomorrow. The group grows suspicious after noticing a pattern: every household in town has someone "returning tomorrow." Their unease peaks when Douya’s mother bursts in, wailing. She begs Tian Guan to save her daughter, who ventured into the cursed Mitu Valley to find a healing charm. Tian Guan uses a Forgetting Spell on the distraught woman, claiming he’s "saving them from pain" — but the team refuses to accept his cold logic. Defiant, Mu Yao’s group marches into the fog-shrouded valley to rescue Douya themselves.
As the fog thickens, the team splits up. Ling Miaomiao follows Mu Sheng but gets separated, stumbling into a surreal vision where her system declares her "mission failed" and threatens to erase her. In the real world, she mindlessly walks toward drowning until Cui Cui, now humanoid, fights to save her. A water orb traps Ling Miaomiao, lulling her into oblivion with whispers of "let go." Just in time, Mu Sheng’s scented sachet breaks the spell, freeing her. The others aren’t so lucky — Mu Yao, Liu Fuyi, and even Mu Sheng fall prey to the valley’s heart demon curses, each confronting their darkest fears.
Ling Miaomiao and Cui Cui find Mu Sheng trapped in his own trauma: a memory of his childhood as a bullied orphan, his white-haired demon form exposed when cruel peers yank off his headband. His deepest fear? Mu Yao discovering his true nature. Risking everything, Ling Miaomiao dives into his watery prison, shouting, "Wake up! None of this is real!" Her boldness shatters the illusion, saving them both. Meanwhile, Mu Yao battles visions of her family’s massacre but emerges steel-hearted, while Liu Fuyi wrestles a guilt-ridden "demon" version of himself.
A weakened Cui Cui reveals a chilling truth: a sorcerer from the capital has supercharged the valley’s water demon with dark magic. Using Cui Cui as a mystical "signal tower," the group reunites and escapes — but not before Ling Miaomiao tearfully forces Mu Sheng to swear he’ll never abandon her again. Their hands clasp tightly as they leave the valley, a fragile trust blooming.
Key Spoilers:
- Mu Sheng’s traumatic past as a half-demon orphan is fully revealed.
- Ling Miaomiao’s system nearly kills her, hinting at higher stakes for her "mission."
- The water demon’s curse is linked to a shadowy exorcist faction in the capital.
- Mu Yao’s resilience and Liu Fuyi’s self-loathing foreshadow future conflicts.
- Mu Sheng/Ling Miaomiao’s bond deepens, with physical touch signaling shifting dynamics.
