Episode Summary
Liao Jiale is murdered, Gou Lingfeng deals with Ma Yingdan's poison, and a salt trade conspiracy unfolds as Gou Lingfeng prepares to infiltrate the Demonic Sect.
Spoiler Alert
"Hidden Master" Episode 9: Dark Deeds and Dangerous Alliances
Alright, buckle up, because things are getting twisty in "Hidden Master"! Episode 9 throws us right into the thick of it with murder, secret plots, and a whole lot of awkward romantic tension.
The episode opens with some serious drama. It's nighttime at the Liao manor, and the head of the house, Liao Jiale, is burning the midnight oil writing something important. Suddenly, the lights go out, and before you can say "foul play," he lets out a scream that wakes up the entire household. Dead! Dun dun duuuun!
Meanwhile, Gou Lingfeng wakes up to a seriously strange situation. Ma Yingdan is leaning over him, smearing some kind of black goo on his face! Turns out it's poison, but Gou Lingfeng is immune, which surprises Ma Yingdan. She gets all flustered and storms off. We then discover that Ma Yingdan is a ticking time bomb. Being from Poison Valley, she's naturally toxic, and she starts coughing up blood. Basically, she needs to get back to her misty home ASAP to counteract the poison inside her.
The next day, Gou Lingfeng receives a package from the Old Beggar containing a letter trying to recruit him to some sect, plus a Sect Leader robe! Things are getting weirder and weirder.
Then, everyone heads over to Linglong Princess's housewarming party. The Princess is clearly bummed that Ling'er and Zhuge Heng are living together. Deng Yunfeng shows up uninvited, and Zhuge Heng reveals that the Prince of Chang has promised the Princess to Deng Yunfeng. Gou Lingfeng, never one to shy away from confrontation, asks about the wedding date, putting Deng Yunfeng on the spot. The Princess throws it back at him, asking why he's dragging his feet. Deng Yunfeng glances at Ma Yingdan, and everyone knows what's up.
Later, the Princess and Deng Yunfeng have a little chat. They agree to a political marriage, but she gives him the green light to keep seeing Ma Yingdan on the side. Scandalous!
Gou Lingfeng is itching to get back to the Vigilante Society for a mission, but everyone's busy. Then, news arrives that Liao Jiale, the "philanthropist," is dead. The coroner calls it natural causes, but Gou Lingfeng and Zhuge Heng are immediately suspicious. He Changzai and Deng Yunfeng volunteer to investigate.
That night, Deng Yunfeng meets with He Changzai, and they reveal that Liao Jiale was secretly controlling the salt trade and had a list of names that could take down half the country. They also hear that Ye Dahei, a member of the Demonic Sect, is in Huizhou City. They decide to send someone undercover to steal the list.
Back at the Vigilante Society, they're dealing with a string of robberies. A woman named Mo Qing'er comes forward with information. Zhuge Heng takes the case, and Gou Lingfeng realizes that Ma Yingdan's behavior is similar to the thief's. Wang Zipeng overhears and writes a ridiculous story about it, which nearly gets him killed by Ma Yingdan.
He Changzai tells Gou Lingfeng, Zhuge Heng, and Liu Sanniang that Ye Dahei has the salt trade list and that they need to stop the Demonic Sect from getting it. Gou Lingfeng, motivated by the chance to get promoted, volunteers to take down Ye Dahei. Zhuge Heng wants to go undercover, but Gou Lingfeng knows he has ulterior motives and shuts that down.
Finally, Gou Lingfeng heads to the Demonic Sect to see Ye Dahei, but there's a huge line. Luckily, He Changzai has set him up with a fake identity as a disciple of Ge Tianlou. Ye Dahei seems to recognize the name. Meanwhile, He Changzai is secretly reporting to a mysterious figure in a black robe, and we see that he has a piece of the list himself!
So, to sum it up: Murder, poison, secret alliances, and undercover missions. Next episode is going to be wild!
