Episode Summary
Jia Yang discovers the shopkeeper is his long-lost brother, Xiao Zhen, who's been protecting Ling'er. Xiao Zhen uses a medicinal potion to heal Ling'er. Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng help Xiao Zhen and Ling'er escape from the Wulin Hero Assembly and Deng Yunfeng, but He Changzai unexpectedly kills Xiao Zhen. Ma Yingdan is accused of poisoning, leading to a new investigation.
Spoiler Alert
"Hidden Master" Episode 6: Masks, Medicine, and Murky Morality
Alright, buckle up, because episode 6 gets real. Jia Yang puts the pieces together after hearing Deng Yunfeng's analysis. He rushes to the beauty shop, and BAM! He recognizes the shopkeeper as his long-lost brother, Xiao Zhen!
Cue the emotional reunion. Xiao Zhen spills the tea about how he was chased and nearly killed back in the day. He thought all was lost until he found Ling'er's dead father on the road. He decided to become Ling'er's guardian, and that gave him something to live for.
Now, Xiao Zhen's just trying to save Ling'er. He's brewed up a potion with the Blood Dragon Jade and a night-shining pearl. He promises to turn himself in after she takes it. Zhuge Heng and Jia Yang get it, but Gou Lingfeng is all kinds of conflicted. He even asks if Xiao Zhen is in cahoots with the Demonic Sect. The shopkeeper admits it, but then drops a truth bomb: the jianghu (martial arts world) isn't just black and white.
Meanwhile, the Wulin Hero Assembly and Deng Yunfeng are closing in on the beauty shop. They know the shopkeeper is the Puppet Master they've been hunting. He Changzai, being the sneaky guy he is, has his own plans. He's setting a trap within a trap. Classic!
Zhuge Heng realizes Ling'er needs a father figure more than medicine. He convinces Gou Lingfeng to step up. Gou Lingfeng agrees and pulls out a Zhuge Heng mask to draw the heat while Xiao Zhen and Ling'er escape.
But wait, there's more! Xiao Zhen also has a Zhuge Heng mask! He gives Ling'er to the real Zhuge Heng, which understandably freaks Zhuge Heng out. Deng Yunfeng and his crew arrive to find two Zhuge Hengs standing side-by-side. They know it's a mask trick, and a fight breaks out.
Deng Yunfeng knocks off one mask, revealing Xiao Zhen. He figures out the other one is Gou Lingfeng. Gou Lingfeng drops the act and says he's going to help Xiao Zhen get away. He's holding back his demonic powers, but Ma Yingdan shows up to block Deng Yunfeng. Deng Yunfeng can't bring himself to hurt her, so he aims for Gou Lingfeng instead... but pulls the punch. He was just testing him!
Xiao Zhen, trying to find Ling'er, gets ambushed by Deng Yunfeng and takes an arrow to the back. He grits his teeth and puts the mask back on, not wanting Ling'er to see him like that. Just as Gou Lingfeng is holding off Deng Yunfeng, He Changzai jumps out of the shadows and kills Xiao Zhen! Even Deng Yunfeng is shocked.
He Changzai claims he was just killing a Demonic Sect collaborator. Gou Lingfeng is furious and starts questioning everything he thought he knew about the jianghu. Ma Yingdan sighs, "This is the jianghu. Nothing is certain."
Later, Ma Yingdan accepts punishment and decides to live with Ling'er. Ling'er is recovering under Zhuge Heng's care. Gou Lingfeng helps Ma Yingdan move and notices his "poisoning symptoms" disappear when he's near her. Ma Yingdan is annoyed, but whatever. Gou Lingfeng buys her snacks and does some errands.
That night, Zhuge Heng is practicing demonic arts in the yard. Gou Lingfeng is too busy to notice the manual. At dinner, Deng Yunfeng warns them about recent poisonings in the city, possibly linked to the Demonic Sect's Pill Hall.
Zhuge Heng mentions he has an old enemy. Gou Lingfeng promises to get revenge for him. Then, He Changzai shows up, accusing Ma Yingdan of the poisonings! He claims her fingerprints were on the Vice President's stolen poison bottle. Gou Lingfeng defends her, but He Changzai isn't listening. Deng Yunfeng intervenes, saying they'll investigate. After He Changzai leaves, Ma Yingdan whispers that the bottle smelled like rouge. Deng Yunfeng's face drops, and he decides to investigate with Ma Yingdan. Gou Lingfeng insists on tagging along, too.
