Episode Summary
A powerful Dharma Form appears, causing widespread fear and forcing men to their knees. Celestial envoys arrive to retrieve Shen Shu, but Supervisor convinces them to wait. The Emperor tasks Xu Qi'an with an impossible mission: to cleave the Dharma Form. Xu Qi'an is terrified, seeks advice, and prepares for a seemingly unwinnable battle. Yang Qianhuan, doubting Xu Qi'an, decides to attack the Dharma Form himself.
Spoiler Alert
The episode opens with a display of the Tianyu Dharma Form (Tianyu Faxiang), a powerful, intimidating presence. Li Miaozhen and Chu Yuanzhen engage it in combat, but both are defeated. Over at the Si Tian Jian, the Supervisor (Supervisor), deep in thought with his weiqi pieces, senses the impending crisis.
Meanwhile, Dafeng experiences tremors. All men are forced to their knees by the pressure emanating from the Dharma Form, struggling to resist. Xu Pingzhi, bathed in a golden, shockwave-like light, trembles but reminds Xu Qi'an that "a man's knees are worth more than gold," urging him to stay down rather than kneel. Xu Qi'an, however, focuses his energy and manages to dispel the oppressive force around him.
A figure emerges from the golden chaos, a "True Man" (Zhenren) associated with the Dharma Form, heading straight for Xu Qi'an's home. This True Man, aware of Shen Shu's re-emergence, intends to bring him back to the celestial realm. Supervisor, anticipating this, invites the celestial envoys to a game of weiqi. He explains that Shen Shu's presence in Dafeng is currently the best course of action. Shen Shu's initial descent to the mortal realm was linked to a lost treasure, now close to being recovered. Taking Shen Shu away prematurely would be a mistake. Supervisor urges the envoys to be patient; once the treasure is found, they can retrieve Shen Shu.
The Emperor, deeply concerned by the reappearance of the Dharma Form, anxiously awaits Supervisor's solution. Caiwei arrives, requesting the Emperor's assistance in the form of a specific person. The Emperor guesses several candidates, but Caiwei's hints lead him to a surprising choice. Despite his doubts about this person's abilities, he trusts Supervisor's judgment and approves.
Back at home, Xu Qi'an is having a family portrait painted, humorously using the Dharma Form as a backdrop. A Watchman, Xiao Rou, arrives to summon him to the palace. Xu Qi'an meets with the Emperor, who tasks him with cleaving the Dharma Form, a mission that leaves Xu Qi'an terrified. He realizes the immense power of the Dharma Form and his own inadequacy for the task. He suspects that Supervisor is aware of Shen Shu's presence within him.
Desperate, Xu Qi'an seeks guidance from Wei Yuan. Wei Yuan acknowledges the difficulty but trusts Supervisor's decision. Xu Qi'an searches for martial arts techniques to counter Buddhist techniques, but finds no historical records. He studies various manuals, but his last-minute cramming leaves him uncertain.
Xu Qi'an shares the Emperor's impossible mission with his uncle and aunt. Xu Pingzhi, hearing it for the first time, is filled with doubt and worry for his young nephew. The family puts on a brave face, expressing excitement to see Xu Qi'an in action, but their concern is evident.
The Grand Princess (Zhang Gongzhu) visits the Si Tian Jian, where she and Supervisor play weiqi. She views the selection of Xu Qi'an as a risky move, but Supervisor disagrees. Just then, Lin'an arrives with Xu Qi'an. He had initially planned to beg Supervisor to choose someone else, but seeing the Grand Princess, he changes his mind. He realizes that the decision is final and Supervisor is unlikely to reconsider.
Notices are posted throughout the capital, announcing a grand battle involving Xu Qi'an three days hence. Yang Qianhuan, unconvinced of Xu Qi'an's capabilities, decides to take matters into his own hands. He boldly charges at the Dharma Form, sword drawn, eager to prove himself.
