Episode Summary
Bei Gongshuo makes Meng Xizhou Imperial Advisor, but marries her to appease his wary ministers. Nan Fengyi, heartbroken, delivers her to the palace. During the wedding, Nan Fengyi opens the Shan Hai Tu, releasing demons. Renguang possesses Meng Xizhou, aiming to destroy humanity. Nan Fengyi and Meng Xizhou must reunite her soul to defeat him.
Spoiler Alert
After Meng Xizhou resolves the devastating drought and flood, Bei Gongshuo, in a bid to quell the prejudice against her, appoints her as the Imperial Advisor. However, his ministers remain deeply distrustful, viewing her as a demon. One minister suggests that only if Meng Xizhou marries a human will they truly accept her. Meng Xizhou then makes a request of Bei Gongshuo: on their wedding day, she wants him to help her open the Shan Hai Tu (a mystical scroll). Bei Gongshuo is taken aback, glancing at her and then at Nan Fengyi, whose eyes are welling up with tears. Bei Gongshuo descends from his throne, approaches Meng Xizhou, and reminds her that she is aware of his feelings for her.
Meng Xizhou presses him, asking if he's willing or not. Bei Gongshuo returns to his throne and announces his decree: he will choose an auspicious day to marry Meng Xizhou and make her Empress. Nan Fengyi falls to his knees, outwardly congratulating the Emperor and the Imperial Advisor, but tears stream down his face uncontrollably. Back at the Nan family umbrella shop, Meng Xizhou meets with Dan Qian and Nan Sixu. Dan Qian reveals that on the day Uncle Five was demonized, Nan Fengyi saved her and brought her to the shop. Dan Qian expresses her support for Meng Xizhou to pursue her own happiness, but before she can elaborate, Meng Xizhou cuts her off, saying there are no "ifs."
Nan Fengyi, gazing at an umbrella he made, remembers his promise to Meng Xizhou: he would gift her an umbrella on her wedding day. He imagines her presence, calling him "Master," but snaps back to reality, realizing it's just a fantasy. Meng Xizhou confides in Renguang, questioning why she feels sadness but cannot cry. Renguang explains that she gave her life soul to Nan Fengyi, so all her tears are now with him. On the day of Meng Xizhou and Bei Gongshuo's wedding, Nan Fengyi, acting on behalf of the Emperor, leads the bridal procession on horseback.
Meng Xizhou and Nan Fengyi exchange a look filled with complex emotions. Nan Fengyi hands the imperial edict to Nan Sixu, who is kneeling at the entrance, and then approaches Meng Xizhou, stating that he has come to escort her to the palace. Inside the palace, Nan Fengyi again approaches Meng Xizhou, saying he will escort her to the Taiji Palace. Nan Fengyi opens the new umbrella he made for Meng Xizhou. Bei Gongshuo tells him to fulfill his promise and open the Shan Hai Tu. Nan Fengyi claims he feared the scroll would be lost, so he hid it within the umbrella. He then opens the Shan Hai Tu, and a horde of demons emerges.
Meng Xizhou transforms into her true form, soaring into the sky to lead the demons. She then returns to Bei Gongshuo's side. However, as Bei Gongshuo reaches for her, he realizes she has changed. Renguang has possessed her. Nan Fengyi urges Bei Gongshuo to flee and is subsequently struck down. Meng Xizhou confronts Renguang, demanding to know how he escaped her dream. She asks what he's doing, and Renguang explains he's using his Paradise Realm to exchange obsessions with humans, granting them immense physical power. When Meng Xizhou questions his motives, Renguang declares that this power is necessary to eradicate all humans, claiming his goal is a world inhabited solely by demons. Meng Xizhou accuses him of madness. Renguang criticizes Meng Xizhou's mother for her naivete and sentimentality, which ultimately led to her death at the hands of the one she loved. Du Yuelian also falls into an illusion, but is fortunately awakened by the Dog Demon. Nan Fengyi is trapped in an illusion where he and Meng Xizhou are married, and he is reluctant to wake up. However, Meng Xizhou tells him that her life soul is inside Nan Fengyi, which is why Renguang was able to possess her body. Only by combining the three souls can they defeat Renguang. The dog demon says that he can return the life soul. He has Du Yuelian protect him, and he swaps Meng Xizhou's life soul back. Meng Xizhou cancels the Paradise Technique, but the people still blame Meng Xizhou.>
