Episode Summary
Xu Qi'an experiences a disturbing nightmare and then agrees to host the powerful monk Shen Shu within his body, granting him immense magical power but also constant surveillance. He tries to get information from Wei Yuan, without success. A family reunion occurs when Xu Xinnian returns home, distraught over false news of Xu Qi'an's death. Li Miaozhen arrives in the capital, seeking Xu Qi'an's help to investigate a cryptic message ("Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Miles") from a dying man, hinting at a possible rebellion.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with Xu Qi'an having a terrifying nightmare. He's plunged into a dark pit by a malevolent force, completely immobilized. Waking up in a sweat, he pours a glass of water, only to find the same dark energy swirling within it. This deeply unsettles him. He's then pulled into a strange, empty space. When he awakens this time, he's clutching a serene-looking monk. Although the monk seems familiar, Xu Qi'an can't place him. The monk claims to be equally clueless about his own identity, explaining that he was brought here by someone else, seeking to use Xu Qi'an's body to nurture a severed arm.
Understandably, Xu Qi'an is horrified by the idea of becoming a vessel. The monk, introducing himself as Shen Shu, reassures him. He explains that he's incredibly powerful, and residing within Xu Qi'an won't harm him. In fact, it will make Xu Qi'an the most magically powerful Golden Gong (a type of high-ranking official, similar to a gold-level guard) ever. Xu Qi'an, after some consideration, decides the benefits outweigh the risks and agrees.
Shen Shu merges with Xu Qi'an. Now, Xu Qi'an realizes Shen Shu is privy to his every thought. This constant awareness makes him paranoid, and he considers confiding in Wei Yuan or the Supervisor of Si Tian Jian (the Imperial Observatory, suggesting they deal with magic/astronomy). However, Shen Shu advises him to keep their arrangement a secret, and Xu Qi'an reluctantly agrees.
Later, Xu Qi'an meets with Wei Yuan, attempting to subtly inquire about the mysterious figure he saw behind Wei Yuan in a vision. Wei Yuan remains tight-lipped, giving nothing away. Frustrated, Xu Qi'an leaves. On his way out, he stumbles upon a pouch filled with gold – a stroke of unexpected luck.
Meanwhile, Xu Pingzhi (Xu Qi'an's uncle) is tasked with finding the lost pouch. His search leads him to his former home. Hearing sobbing inside, and assuming thieves have broken in, he bursts in with his sword drawn. Instead, he finds his son, Xu Xinnian. It turns out that no one had informed Xu Xinnian about the family's move to a new house. Believing Xu Qi'an had died in the line of duty, a distraught Xu Xinnian had rushed home from Yunlu Academy, penniless and exhausted.
The reunion is emotional, with Xu Xinnian overjoyed to see his cousin alive. When Xu Xinnian mentions going to his room, Xu Pingzhi realizes they've been so preoccupied with Xu Qi'an that they forgot to prepare Xu Xinnian's room in the new house. Xu Qi'an expects his cousin to be angry, but Xu Xinnian is simply grateful to have Xu Qi'an back, his eyes red with emotion.
The episode shifts focus to Li Miaozhen, who finally arrives in the capital with her companion, a Meimei (a type of seductive enchantress). The Meimei tries to use her powers on Xu Qi'an, but he's completely unaffected. Instead, he cleverly extracts information about Li Miaozhen from her. Li Miaozhen reveals she's come to seek Xu Qi'an's help in solving a case. She then draws him into a memory.
In the memory, Li Miaozhen and her companion discover a severely injured man in a remote mountain area. The man, a skilled archer, whispers "Xue Tu San Qian Li" (Blood Massacre of Three Thousand Miles) before dying. Li Miaozhen is baffled. Does this mean Duke of Zhenbei (Prince of Zhenbei) is planning a rebellion? She needs Xu Qi'an to uncover the truth.
