Episode Summary
Gou Lingfeng discovers his martial arts are rooted in demonic teachings, not righteous ones as he believed. The Vice President reveals himself as a cult member and attacks, but is ultimately defeated by Gou. Misunderstandings lead the Wulin Society to suspect Gou of being a cultist. Despite his strength, he is ranked at the bottom. Later, Gou confirms the truth about his training and seeks a way to nullify his powers, only to face betrayal and deadly choices. Meanwhile, the cult prepares for a large-scale retaliation.
Spoiler Alert
Just when you thought Jianghu politics couldn’t get any messier, Episode 3 hits like a poisoned dart to the gut—quite literally.
A Lie 15 Years in the Making
We open with a shocking revelation: everything Gou Lingfeng thought he knew about his martial arts training is a beautifully wrapped lie. Turns out, the old beggar who raised him altered demonic sect techniques, rebranded them with righteous-sounding names, and sold them as the teachings of a secluded master. Gou, ever the idealistic teenager, believed he was destined for heroic glory. Joke’s on him.
The Vice President's Dark Turn
The past comes crashing in when the Vice President of the Wulin Hero Assembly drops the facade and reveals his true identity: a long-embedded mole from the demonic sect, patiently climbing the ranks to restore the cult’s former glory. He tries to kill both Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng, claiming no one who knows the truth can live.
Zhuge Heng? He’s suddenly fired up. Instead of running, he kneels and pledges allegiance to the Vice President, ready to trade brotherhood for power. Gou is furious, calling him a traitor—but Zhuge’s already chosen his path.
Then, things get violent fast.
⚔️ Showdown in the Courtyard
The Vice President hurls a poisoned dart at Zhuge Heng, but Heng’s wearing golden-threaded armor (because of course he is), and survives with just a scratch. Gou Lingfeng steps up, and in an explosive fight, he unexpectedly busts out advanced demonic techniques—moves only passed down to sect leaders.
The VP immediately suspects Gou might be someone special. Maybe even the old cult leader’s son?
Gou doesn’t clarify. Instead, he defeats the Vice President with a few well-placed strikes, sending him flying. Mortally wounded, the VP mistakes Gou for the heir of the cult, laughs maniacally, and dies believing the sect will rise again.
Caught Red-Handed
Enter Deng Yunfeng, who arrives just in time to see the aftermath. One look at the corpse—internal organs crushed, signature demonic technique—and he declares Gou a cultist.
He Changzai, who’s been bribed by Gou, tries to defend him. Zhuge Heng, backpedaling hard, claims it was a Jianmeng Sect move. No one buys it, but everyone’s too confused to act. Deng orders the body removed and everyone to stand down—for now.
From Hero to... Rat?
In a public meeting, He Changzai announces the Vice President was a demonic mole. Zhuge Heng gets promoted to Tiger Rank for “killing a cultist,” while Gou is officially accepted into the society—but only as a Rat Rank, the absolute bottom tier. To rub it in, Liu Sanniang mocks him for doing basically nothing and says his promotion was purely out of respect for Zhuge.
Then she hands him a badge engraved with the word “Chou” (Ugly). Ouch.
The Truth in a Golden Box
Later that night, Zhuge Heng invites Gou Lingfeng for a secret meeting and reveals a golden box filled with dozens of ancient demonic manuals. Gou flips through them and realizes, horrified, that they’re identical to the techniques he’s spent 15 years mastering.
His entire martial arts foundation is demonic.
Devastated, Gou tries to destroy his own internal energy using a forbidden technique—only to discover that that, too, is demonic, and only makes his power stronger.
A Deadly Choice
Desperate, Gou and Zhuge seek out Ma Yingdan, hoping she might have a rare elixir that can nullify internal energy. Bad move.
Ma Yingdan was like a sister to the Vice President and is still mourning his death. Hearing that Gou killed him sends her into a rage. She prepares a poisoned pill to kill him.
Just then, Deng Yunfeng strolls in like a shadow, casually exposing Ma Yingdan’s close ties to the cult. Tensions explode.
Ma Yingdan, however, gives Gou a twisted choice: two pills—one a deadly poison, one the real energy-dissolving elixir. No labels. Good luck.
Deng eggs him on to take both. Gou picks one at random and swallows it.
He survives. No poison. Everyone’s stunned.
Was Ma Yingdan bluffing? Was she soft-hearted? Deng doesn’t say. But one thing’s clear: Gou’s luck hasn’t run out yet.
Storms Ahead
Back at the sect, the Deputy Hall Master hears of the Vice President’s death and orders the Pill Hall to prepare for war. The plan? Wait until the Prince of Chang visits Huizhou City, then wipe out the Wulin Hero Assembly in one strike.
Brace yourselves. The real battle’s only just begun.
TL;DR:
- Gou Lingfeng's martial arts are 100% demonic. He’s been lied to his whole life.
- The Vice President was a cult spy. He died thinking Gou is the cult leader’s son.
- Zhuge Heng is power-hungry and unpredictable.
- Gou’s status is rock bottom, but his power is skyrocketing.
- A big showdown is brewing with the cult—and Gou’s stuck right in the middle.
