Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an helps a fellow Tian Di Society member, Hengyuan, escape after Hengyuan murders the corrupt official, Earl of Pingyuan. Xu Qi'an faces Wei Yuan's anger but is ultimately forgiven and tasked with continuing his undercover mission. He then fabricates a story to gain the trust of the Tian Di Society members.
Spoiler Alert
Xu Qi'an, using a pseudonym, continues his undercover work within the Tian Di Society, a mysterious organization. He reports his findings to his superior, Wei Yuan, who is intrigued that the Tian Di Society seems unfazed by Xu Qi'an's presence, even allowing him to gather intel. They speculate that the group might be trying to recruit members from the Watchmen, their own organization.
As a reward for his service, Wei Yuan allows Xu Qi'an to choose a sword manual. Wei Yuan advises him to prioritize simplicity and practicality over flashy, useless techniques. Xu Qi'an takes this to heart, selecting the "One-Strike Sword Manual." Li Yuchun, another Nightwatcher, scoffs at the manual's advice which essentially states: "If one strike doesn't work, run away." But Xu Qi'an, ever the pragmatist, believes survival is paramount.
Xu Qi'an's good fortune continues when new martial arts manuals arrive. Believing Princess Lin'an is responsible, he visits her. Lin'an, enjoying the influence she has over him, takes full credit. Xu Qi'an, deeply grateful, vows his loyalty, much to Lin'an's internal conflict. She wants to reveal her true identity but fears losing his valuable service.
The plot thickens when the Watchmen receive an alert: Earl of Pingyuan has been murdered, and the suspect is nearby. Xu Qi'an and his colleagues rush to apprehend the killer. However, through his Tian Di Society communication device (a jade mirror), Xu Qi'an learns the suspect is Hengyuan, member number six, who had previously saved Xu Qi'an's life.
Hengyuan confesses to the murder, claiming Earl of Pingyuan was involved in a child trafficking ring, abusing and selling children for profit. He presents solid evidence of Earl of Pingyuan's crimes, enraging the Tian Di Society members. Xu Qi'an, torn between duty and gratitude, uses the opportunity to gather information. He decides that if Hengyuan is truly righteous, he'll help him as repayment; if not, he'll use the information to capture him. He quietly helps Hengyuan by giving him the robes of Xu Xinnian, to help him hide.
Later, Xu Qi'an is discovered with the jade mirror by a Golden Gong (a higher-ranking Nightwatcher). He boldly demands its return, invoking Wei Yuan's name. The Golden Gong, intimidated by Wei Yuan's authority, returns the mirror.
Xu Qi'an learns that Earl of Pingyuan's death has caused trouble for Wei Yuan, who is being blamed by court officials for failing to catch the suspect. After a night of internal struggle, Xu Qi'an confesses to Wei Yuan, admitting he helped Hengyuan escape. Wei Yuan is initially furious, but Xu Qi'an presents the evidence of Earl of Pingyuan's crimes. Wei Yuan, who secretly despised Earl of Pingyuan, calms down. He instructs Xu Qi'an to continue his infiltration of the Tian Di Society, gather information on all members, and prioritize his safety.
That night, Hengyuan checks in with the Tian Di Society, confirming his safety. The members, curious about how he escaped the Watchmen, credit Xu Qi'an (number three) with the rescue. Xu Qi'an, seizing the opportunity to gain their trust, fabricates a heroic tale of how he diverted the Watchmen by wearing Hengyuan's clothes and is now being hunted himself. This earns him the admiration and sympathy of the group.
