Episode list

Han Fei tells his teacher, Xun Kuang, about a recurring dream which he can't recall, but in which he always hears a song that lingered in his mind. He decides to return to his home, the Han State and bids his teacher farewell. Before leaving, he tells his Junior 'Brother' Li Si of his plans. The less gifted Li Si decides instead to go to the strongest of the Seven States, Qin. They acknowledge that when they next meet they will be rivals. Along the way, Han Fei manages to consume a fair quantity of alcohol.

An official of the Han State is assassinated by Moya, from Nightfall who then sets the place ablaze. Li Si arrives at the Qin State and immediately makes a bold offer to the Prime Minister to increase his wealth. Meanwhile Han Fei arrives at the Han State, not sure of the welcome he will receive. His younger sister Honglian is the first to welcome him, noting however that the necklace she gave him is missing but he quickly changes the topic. In a flashback Han Fei asks his teacher if there is a power beyond mortals which control fate - his teacher replied there is.

On a rainy night on the outskirts of Xinzheng City, a convoy escorting provisions and gold for troops at the border encounter a ghost army who take the provisions and the gold dissolves in the rain. Within the Hidden Dragon Room in Xinzheng, wealthy guests meet and exchange gifts. Han Fei leaves with a mysterious box whose contents are unknown, however he manages to solve the puzzle of how to open it. At the Nangong Mansion, the owner is found hanged, with the word "payback" written on the wall. He is the fifth presiding officer to die. General Ji Wuye accuses Prime Minister Zhang Kaidi who is then given 10 days to reveal the culprit. The Prime Minister's grandson, Zhang Liang (Zifang), takes him to the Purple Orchid House run by Zinu, where he meets Han Fei. Although initially insulted by both the location and Han Fei, Zhang is impressed by Han Fei's powers of deduction.

Han Fei agrees to solve the mystery if he is recommended for the position of Minister of Criminal Justice. Prime Minister Zhang Liang says that he believes Ji Wuye is trying to eliminate his enemies in court and that relatives of the Emperor, Lords An Ping and Long Quan are also suspects. Han Fei takes the case and visits Lords An Ping and Long Quan. He discusses their Dragon Bone with Eight-Treasure Soup which take 18 hours to prepare and then must be consumed while hot. He then questions them about the ghost army attack on the supply convoy in Duan Hun valley and their return that evening to eat the soup. They tell the story of 5,000 Zheng soldiers who were killed in the valley by the Han after surrendering and now want retribution. Han Fei then plays a trick based on the 5 elements theory using Water-Dissolving Gold, and suggests that they knew where and when the attack would happen and the gold carried by the convoy was not real. Back at the Purple Orchid, Han Fei seeks out Wei Zhuang and gives him a message via the puzzle box that had originally come from Wei Zhuang himself. That night, while walking home after drinking heavily, he sees the ghost riders.

Han Fei is attacked by ghostly soldiers but is saved by Zinu with her snake sword Chilian and the ghosts turn into crows and depart. In an arrangement with the Royal Father, Lords An Ping and Long Quan are led to prison and held captive. They are each given a chance to confess and the first to do so would be pardoned. Both apparently suicide before Han Fei arrives, however he discovers evidence that they were in fact poisoned.

Before the Royal Father General Ji Wuye and Prime Minister Zhang debate the deaths of Lords An Ping and Long Quan, and decide not to make the events public. However, until the recovery of the gold, Han Fei will not be made Minister of Criminal Justice. Han Fei discusses the case with Wei Zhuang and states that he knows Zinu saw who poisoned the two lords and that it could only have been one of two people, Moya or Baifeng who both serve Ji Wuye. Han Fei then invites Wei Zhuang to visit Ji Wuye with him. When they arrive, they see three women fighting over gold coins, and he proposes a more interesting version of the game where the losers are put to death. Ji Wuye is amused and orders that they play the game.

The three women reluctantly play the game, and all survive with hints from Han Fei, but Ji Wuye stops them from leaving with the gold, saying the strongest will always win. Han Fei says that he knows the lords were poisoned and the location of the gold. Angrily, Ji Wuye draws his sword on Han Fei but Wei Zhuang intercepts it and stops him. At that moment, messengers arrive to invite Han Fei to a feast with the Prime Minister, so Han Fei leaves with Wei Zhuang. Han Fei, Wei Zhuang, Zifang and Zinu spend the evening on a cliff overlooking the city, and later, observe Ji Wuye's heavily laden mounted soldiers leaving his headquarters.

A soldier reports to Ji Wuye that their troops were attacked by a man in black, and the 100,000 pieces of gold stolen, leaving only 1 coin. A messenger from the Han Emperor is announced, and Ji Wuye gives orders that he is to be killed on his signal. The messenger is Zifang and he brings tidings that General Ji Wuye is to be rewarded; for the capture of Lords An Ping and Long Quan, the memorial ceremony for the deceased of Zheng State and the return of the missing gold. Angrily he accepts the small reward of 1,000 gold coins, cursing Han Fei inwardly for spoiling his plans. Han Fei thanks Wei Zhuang for his help in recovering the gold, but Wei Zhuang wants no part what he sees as power plays in government. Han Fei then offers him Ji Wuye's position and asks Wei Zhuang to join him in the formation of a formless power to help the Han State rise to power within the world of the Seven States. Wei Zhuang is intrigued, and Han Fei names the group Quicksand. He then takes up the sword Nilin.

Han Fei and Wei Zhuang plot to remove Ji Wuye who has the four powerful arms of Nightfall; military, finance, politics and espionage activities. Wei Zhuang suggests Han Fei may underestimate his opposition. The first task in Han Fei's plan is to gather intelligence, meanwhile Ji Wuye formulates his own plans for Han Fei's downfall. In the Purple Orchid, Han Fei, Zifang and Zinu enjoy a musical performance by Nong Yu who wears the fabulous Gemstone of Raining Fire. Their reverie is interrupted by the drunken Left Minister of War, Lord Liu Yi demanding that Nong Yu attend to him.

Zinu asks Wei Zhuang why he has decided to help Han Fei. He thinks back to an earlier conversation with Han Fei in which they discussed their relative positions, including Wei Zhuang's relationship with Ge Nie. Wei Zhuang replies that he's interested to see how Han Fei ends up. On his way home that night Han Fei is confronted by a group of assassins who kill his bodyguards. Suddenly, the assassins are all slain by a mysterious swordsman. When Wei Zhuang arrives on the scene and questions him about the incident, Han Fei says cannot identify their killer or the sword he used that left distinctive marks on their bodies. Back at the Purple Orchid, as a Hong Yu packs up Nong Yu's room she is slain by an unknown swordsman.

The next day, Han Fei inspects the murder scene and deduces that the murderer was not a professional assassin. While there, Zifang arrives with news that the Left Minister of War, Liu Yi, was killed in his own home. Curiously, Ji Wuye has asked that Han Fei, as Minister of Criminal Justice, carry out the investigation. Liu Yi successfully led an army during the Baiyue expedition and received a promotion whereas the Right Minister of War, Li Kai was the commanding general. At Liu Yi's home, Han Fei discovers a hidden chamber behind a bookcase where the actual murder took place containing a chest with Baiyue designs. Before leaving, Han Fei asks Liu Yi's beautiful young wife Lady Hu if she killed her husband.

Lady Hu denies that she killed her husband. Han Fei notices her wearing a gemstone of Raining Fire which she says she acquired from an old friend some time ago. On further questioning, and with evidence found in the hidden chamber, Han Fei again asks if Lady Hu killed her husband, but she faints. Although her behavior is suspicious, Han Fei and Zifang do not believe that she is the killer. Wei Zhuang manages to open the Baiyue but it appears to be empty. They suspect that a symbol in the chest signifies a "life and death oath" which may have been broken. Wei Zhuang says he knows someone who may be able to provide clues to the significance of the chest.

Wei Zhuang meets the elderly white-haired Tang Qi on a bridge on the border Duxie Zi territory. He is leader of the Qi Jue Clan and rival to Duxie Zi and his clan who has found an ally in General Ji Wuye. Tang Qi tells Wei Zhuang that he heard that Duxie Zi recently caught someone from Baiyue. He recognizes the Baiyue symbol for the Blood Oath of Death. Meanwhile, Han Fei, Zifang and Honglian attend the Zhao State on Mount Wu and he presents her with the necklace he pawned earlier while travelling. They also encounter a radiant Beauty Hu, younger sister of Lady Hu, and a favorite of Han Fei's father. Wei Zhuang crosses the bridge into Duxie Zi territory alone and is surrounded by Duxie Zi's assassins.

Wei Zhuang is challenged by a band of Duxie Zi's assassins on the rainy night, but he easily kills them all. At the show on Mount Wu, Han Fei and Honglian meet Fourth Brother Han Yu who was delegated to escort Beauty Hu. Han Fei questions Beauty Hu about her sister, and she says that her sister reacted badly after seeing a strange-looking servant a month ago. Although Fourth Brother investigated, nothing came of it. Wei Zhuang enters the Duxie Zi household and asks for the prisoners to be released to him. Duxie Zi finds Wei Zhuang's request unacceptable and orders him killed.

Prime Minister Zhang Liang questions Han Fei about progress on the Liu Yi case, but their discussion centers on the power plays within the government. Han Fei is pressed to close the case quickly, but raises the issue of Hong Yu's death in Nong Yu's room at the Purple Orchid. Meanwhile a tattooed thief wearing a bird mask enters Zinu's room searching for something. In the streets, Fourth Brother Han Yu warns Zifang to be careful and they see the Snow Fort army of Bai Yifei the Blood Marquess, who have recently returned from an expedition. At the Duxie Zi household, Wei Zhuang slaughters Duxie Zi's men but is caught in a poisonous fog.

Even though he is affected by the poisonous fog, Wei Zhuang manages to defeat Duxie Zi and questions him about the attack on Han Fei. Duxie Zi says it was done by outsiders and he only offered support under the orders of Wujiu of Nightfall. When Duxie Zi tries a surprise attack, Wei Zhuang kills him with his own weapon. In the dungeon, Wei Zhuang finds a man in chains that he remembers seeing earlier in the city. He recalls his conversation with Tang Qi about a rumored treasure from Raining Fire Manor in Baiyue, which contained a mine for Raining Fire gemstones. The lord was generous, but bandits called the Three Hairless Wolves robbed the manor, killing all the inhabitants. They divided the gold equally and swore a Blood Oath of Death, however they all died violently in the mountains. Later, Tang Qi was among the Han army led by Bai Yifei, the master of Snow Fort, who were dispatched to assist Baiyue to quell rebels. However the treasure was never found. Meanwhile Zinu severely wounds the intruder wearing a bird mask who entered her room.

Zinu recognizes the intruder in her room as Wujiu, and as the assassin who killed Liu Yi and Hong Yu. She presumes that he is not acting on the orders of his master General Ji Wuye. Han Fei walks in and the room suddenly comes under fire from a volley of arrows. Zinu intercepts the arrows, saving Han Fei, but she is unable to stop them all until a mysterious man secretly saves them both. In Duxie Zi's dungeon, Wei Zhuang is attacked by Moya who sets the cell fire, but Wei Zhuang manages to escape. Meanwhile General Ji Wuye entertains Feicui Hu (Emerald Tiger) and they discuss the Tide Enchantress.

Bai Yifei, the Blood Marquess, arrives unannounced at Ji Wuye's house, and joins the discussion about the influence of Han Yu, but Ji Wuye is more concerned about the appearance of Li Kai and his murder of Liu Yi. Wei Zhuang escapes from the fiery cell with the prisoner and advises Moya to warn his master, Ji Wuye. Moya attacks Wei Zhuang who is too strong and fast, and although wounded, Moya manages to escape as the house bursts into flames. The blazing house of Duxie Zi does not go unnoticed. Wei Zhuang arrives at the Purple Orchid to find that Zinu and Han Fei survived the volleys of arrows, although Han Fei took an arrow in the arm to save Zinu, and Wujiu escaped. Outside, Tang Qi tells Wei Zhuang his men found 8 unidentified archers dead, and that Feicui Hu is sending a gift to the capital by carriage. Wei Zhuang tells Tang Qi that it's now safe to cross the bridge.

Han Fei identifies the prisoner rescued from Duxie Zi as the Right Minister of War, Li Kai. He asks him about the daughters of the Master of Raining Fire in Baiyue; one became a concubine of the Emperor, the other, whom he loved and gave a Raining Fire gemstone, married Liu Yi. At Ji Wuye's house, Feicui Hu reveals that Liu Yi conspired with the Three Hairless Wolves to steal the Raining Fire treasure, then had them killed and took it himself. However one of the three survived He is the intruder who is now searching for the treasure and who killed Liu Yi and Hong Yu. A flashback shows how Liu Yi betrayed Li Kai at the battle in Baiyue years ago and left him for dead.

Li Kai tells Han Fei and his friends of how he arrived at Liu Yi's house that night to find him dead. He could not catch the murderer that Liu Yi's wife saw him. Han Fei deduces that the killer must be Wujiu acting on his own behalf and not for his master Duxie Zi, but that he did not find the treasure. Zinu races to Liu Yi's house where she finds Wujiu threatening Lady Hu, demanding the treasure. Zinu confronts Wujiu who attacks her, but then takes Lady Hu hostage. Wei Zhuang arrives to break the deadlock, disabling Wujiu, but he fights on and Wei Zhuang kills him. Meanwhile in a deep dungeon a Lord is taken into a special chamber where he is shown a woman imprisoned underwater in a huge tank made from Millennium Crystal.

Ji Wuye tells the Emperor that remnants of the Baiyue are rebelling and using witchcraft, setting a blaze of fire in the city against which, water was ineffective. He also says that Li Kai is involved in the insurrection, and that Han Fei has stirred up issues from the past. The Emperor orders him to resolve the chaos and use Bai Yifei to reinforce the defenses, leaving Ji Wuye very pleased. Han Fei takes Lady Hu to stay with her sister Beauty Hu in the palace for protection. Beauty Hu promises her support for him with the Emperor, however Han Fei is confined to his quarters on orders of the Emperor. Zifang delivers a gift from Han Fei to Fourth Son signifying his support for the prince. Fourth Son places the condition that Zifang also helps him with another matter. Meanwhile in the deep dungeon, Wushuang Gui, a huge warrior breaks in, killing all the guards and freeing Yanling Ji, the woman imprisoned in the tank. She kills the Lord with fire and as they leave, she sets the prison ablaze.

When Zifang declares loyalty to Han Fei, Fourth Son initially declines to support his younger brother, but Zifang convinces him to agree. Meanwhile, Han Yu tries to moderate the Emperor's frustration with Ninth Son, Han Fei, who essentially has uncovered the Emperor's destruction of Baiyue in the past by using the Blood Marquess to further his own ambitions. Wei Zhuang muses on recent events with Han Fei, including the prison break and fire on the outskirts of the city and people and events that should be dead or forgotten. Suddenly, Honglian arrives with some wine for Han Fei confined to the Cold Palace, a place for discarded concubines. Her access is only achieved because Wei Zhuang took care of the guards, and she is intrigued about this mysterious strong friend of Han Fei.

The Emperor is bewildered be a group of people gathered outside the palace. Fourth Brother explains that they are former Baiyue slaves, grateful for shelter from the Chu, but Ji Wuye says they are of no use to the Han. The prime Minister recommends that they stay, and the Emperor accedes, however he is still angry at Ninth Son for acting without his approval. In an audience with the Emperor, Han Fei is given some credit for his actions, but is told that he must deal with Li Kai. In a later discussion with Fourth Brother, Han Fei is reminded of the risky path he has chosen in pursuing the Liu Yi case. Then, Fourth Brother receives a message that Li Kai has been found and surrounded by his men. He asks Han Fei to kill him but he declines. However, as Minister of Criminal Justice Han Fei must enforce the law.

Li Kai is trapped high on a building and about to be executed by a volley of arrows, but he decides to fall to his death rather than the Han army have his blood on their arrows. Over the body, Fourth Brother happily declares the case closed. Meanwhile, Ji Wuye commands that the body be confirmed and Wujiu eliminated. Zinu tries to comfort Lady Wu and reveals that Nong Yu is her long-lost daughter, confirmed by her gemstone of Raining Fire and they are tearfully reunited. In the cemetery, Li Kai wakes up, surprised to be alive, his life saved by Zinu and Wei Zhuang who switched bodies as he fell from the rooftop. Li Kai kowtows three times to Han Fei in gratitude for saving his life and the subterfuge of his death as it insulates his former wife and daughter from the dangers of being associated with him. Han Fei presents Lady Wu and Nong Yu with Li Kai's sword vowing that he will not be forgotten, not revealing that he is still alive.

Moya and Baifeng watch a ghostly procession in the night of figures carrying Qu Shimo, a demon-like figure on a palanquin. Ji Wuye's men dig up Li Kai's grave and realize that it is not his body, but that of Wujiu. As they turn to leave, a zombie-like Wujiu appears and kills them both. Qu Shimo alights from the palanquin, takes control of the Wujiu zombie. He then raises the dead from their graves within the cemetery and they advance on Moya and Baifeng. Rather than stay and fight, they report the sighting to General Ji Wuye and tell him the body in the grave was that of Wujiu who is now a zombie. The Blood Marquess says the word in Baiyeu and Chu is that someone can control corpses, Qu Shimo. In the Cold Palace, a female assassin enters Han Fei's quarters and attacks him, but she is intercepted by Wei Zhuang.

The old Baiyue shaman, Bai Duwang approaches at the Baiyue refugee camp set up by the Han Emperor, and releases magic snakes. Then the Crown Prince of Baiyue, Tian Ze arrives saying they do not deserve to be part of the new Baiyue and mercilessly kills them all. Meanwhile Wei Zhuang disarms the sword-wielding assassin in Han Fei's quarters with only one hand. She is revealed to be Nong Yu who wants to join Quicksand and take revenge on Ji Wuye. Impressed by her conviction, Han Fei agrees to give here a trial. The next day, Han Fei and Zifang sadly inspect the dead Baiyue people at the decimated Baiyue refugee camp.

When Han Fei and Zifang investigate the bodies at the Baiyue refugee camp, they deduce that they were killed with a violent poison, and most probably from the Baiyue themselves who have a reputation for skills with poison and mind control. In the palace, before the Emperor, Ji Wuye attributes the lapse in security to Han Fei. Suddenly Yanling Ji appears in the room and asks if the Emperor remembers Red Eyebrows Dragon Snake. With little effort, she takes care of the Imperial Guards who attack her and she leaves. At the same time , Wushuang Gui assaults the home of the Crown Prince who is now missing. Ji Wuye seeks to attribute the chaos to Han Fei, but the Prime Minister suggests that the General is also at fault. Fourth Brother suggests negotiating with the Baiyue until they can formulate a plan to defeat them, and that Ji Wuye and Han Fei must work together to achieve it. The Emperor agrees, and Han Fei is placed in charge, but he is also given the responsibility of safely retrieving the Crown Prince.

Wushuang Gui is shown attacking the Crown Prince's Home wielding a stone column, against whom the Han troops are completely ineffective, leaving the Crown Prince alone. When reinforcements arrive Qu Shimo uses his mind control powers to destroy them and the fearful Crown Prince begs for his life. Fourth Son assigns Han Qiancheng to assist Han Fei retrieve the Crown Prince, thus removing himself from the action and heaping more responsibility for the outcome on Han Fei.

Zifang's research of past records shows a blank period during the battle with the Baiyue suggesting a deliberate intention to conceal the events. He reports that the Crown Prince of Baiyue, Tian Ze, also named Red Eyebrows Dragon Snake, was a powerful sorcerer and attracted agents with exotic talents. He apparently disappeared when the Han and Chu subdued the Baiyue. Zinu surmises that he was held prisoner within the city raising the question of who was his captor, and also his liberator. A masked figure who can control cold and ice approaches the house of the Crown Prince and encounters Yanling Ji. As Tian Ze appears, he is told that his masters still control him, and that his revenge should be confined to their agreement. The masked figure leaves behind a small bottle as a sign of a shackle that cannot be broken between them. Later, General Ji Wuye's troops surround the home of the Crown Prince and he also sends Moya to help Han Fei with the rescue.

Outside the home of the Crown Prince, there is an uneasy alliance between the Han forces. Moya comments to Wei Zhuang and that Tang Qi has expanded his power since the Qi Jue Clan took over the Duxie territory. Inside, the Crown Prince fearfully awaits his fate. Surveillance shows that the house is defended by three subordinates: Bai Duwang, Yanling Ji and Wushuang Gui. There is no sign of Tian Ze or Qu Shimo, but Wei Zhuang warns that they could be trying to lure the enemy by showing weakness and there could be hidden dangers as only three of the four gates appear to be defended. Moya and Wei Zhuang gain entry and meet Wushuang Gui. Wei Zhuang attacks and finds the huge Baiyue fighter a formidable foe, meanwhile outside, a suspicious group of troops join the defensive perimeter.

Waiting outside the home of the Crown Prince, Han Fei apparently gets bored and heads off to get more wine, much to the concern of Han Qiancheng. Inside the walls, Wei Zhuang finds Wushuang Gui almost invulnerable, but by attacking the same point many times, he manages to cripple the huge Baiyue fighter. Also inside, Moya approaches the Crown Prince and is apparently attacked by snakes, however he realizes that he is being targeted by Bai Duwang's poison magic. Elsewhere, Tian Ze and Qu Shimo try to extract information from the zombie Wujiu who can only say the words "Liu Yi" and "Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon". Tian Ze states that the blood debts of the Ghost Army of the Zheng State will soon be settled. Meanwhile in the palace, Honglian detects someone heading towards the Cold Palace and Han Fei secretly meets with Zinu.

Han Fei tells Zinu that the Cold Palace was the former imperial palace of Duke Zhuang in the prosperous Zheng State. His rise in power marked the beginning of a chaotic era, and challenging the old order by asking the weight of the legendary and symbolic Nine Tripod Cauldrons. Han Fei says this to Zinu by way of trying to understand Tian Ze's motives, that maybe his target is not really the Crown Prince, but the Emperor in the Imperial Palace, the Cold Palace lying between the two locations. Just as Zinu is becoming bored with the history lesson, Tian Ze appears, and Han Fei provocatively asks if he is after revenge or the treasure. Suddenly Qu Shimo attacks Han Fei from behind, but he is foiled by Zinu with her snake sword Chilian. Han troops then arrive, part of a contingency plan arranged earlier by Han Fei. However they are ineffective against Baiyue magic, presenting a dire situation for the Ninth Son, Han Fei and his ally, Zinu.

As Tian Ze and Qu Shimo use their sorcery to defeat the Han troops, a mysterious white-haired figure appears who is the embodiment of the broken sword Nilin. He neutralizes the efforts of the two Baiyue warriors and Tian Ze fights back. Tian Ze battles Nilin which has the ability to shatter and reform at will, but Tian Ze eventually gains the upper hand although his body suffers the effects of the attacks. Tian Ze re-animates the dead Han soldiers who again attack Han Fei and Zinu, but Wei Zhuang appears at the last moment and saves them. Wei Zhuang questions if Han Fei's battle plan is to rely on Wei Zhuang to repeatedly save him. At that moment Honglian appears and as she greets Han Fei, she is shrouded in green mist by Qu Shimo and captured by Tian Ze.

Wei Zhuang tells Han Fei that Tian Ze used sorcery to interrogate the resurrected Wujiu during which he mentioned the astrological technique of the Yin-Yang School, "Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon". Zinu says that Tian Ze is after the Raining Fire Gemstone treasure, and that Ji Wuye's Nightfall group is tracking it down. Wei Zhuang surmises that Tian Ze's motives may be different to those of Wujiu and Liu Yi. When Han Fei arrives at the palace, he is prevented from entering by Prime Minister Zhang Liang who says that the Han Empire is facing a storm of blood and terror and that Han Fei is at the center. Meanwhile Feicui Hu and General Ji Wuye are gambling together in the palace, Wei Zhuang asks Tang Qi to trace the owner of a bracelet he found, Bai Yifei decides to go horse-riding, and Honglian awakes in a prison watched by Qu Shimo.

Han Fei's Quicksand debate the increasing power and influence of Ji Wuye and the Nightfall group and the possibility that the abduction of the Crown Prince may have just been part of a bigger plot to seize power by competing factions. Han Fei decides that since he has been cast in a pivotal role, he will try to determine the outcome. Zifang visits the Fourth Prince and shows him a broken halberd, signifying "winner take all", suggesting his position may be under threat. When the Fourth Prince rushes to the palace he finds Ji Wuye in charge. Continuing their speculation, Wei Zhuang and Zinu conclude that the Emperor and Crown Prince may be in danger. Meanwhile Bai Yifei goes to meet a mysterious stranger on the lake and Honglian is visited by Yanling Ji in her prison cell.

The Fourth Prince and Ji Wuye discuss recent events and the risks to the Emperor. The Fourth Prince warns Ji Wuye of the risks of gambling for high stakes. Honglian attacks Yanling Ji in her cell, but is not strong enough. Tian Ze comes in to tell Yanling Ji to stop playing and he teaches Honglian the meaning of her name, that the red lotus is a flower of vengeance. Meanwhile Wei Zhuang frees Wushuang Gui from prison.

Still trying to rescue the Crown Prince, Moya endlessly battles imaginary wraiths created by Bai Duwang's poison. At the palace, the Fourth Prince and Prime Minister Zhang question Ji Wuye about how his troops arrived in force only after Tian Ze had left. Meanwhile at the home of the Crown Prince, Han Qiancheng kills the zombie guards and sends a signal for the Han troops to enter. Han Fei meets up with the Fourth Prince, Prime Minister Zhang and Ji Wuye to discuss the current situation. With the Emperor absent from imperial court and the Crown Prince captured, he proposes a temporary head of state be nominated. They agree, and appoint the Fourth Prince, much to Ji Wuye's displeasure. Moya eventually manages to resist Bai Duwang's poison and conquer his fears, striking back at Bai Duwang and wounding him. However Moya is still too weak to continue and sends Baifeng to stop Bai Duwang and rescue the Crown Prince.

Zinu sends Nong Yu to the palace to report on what is happening. Meanwhile Baifeng encounters the archer Han Qiancheng, trying to kill the Crown Prince whom Baifeng only just manages to save from a deadly volley of arrows, and then meets up with Moya. Zinu tells Zifang that Han Fei's plans have prevented both the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince from ascending the throne. Also, that the Emperor may have withdrawn from state affairs because of the activities of Nightfall and the Four Fearful Warriors. Beauty Hu and Nong Yu try to enter the palace, but are turned back by Lady Mingzhu. Bai Yifei's informant tells him that in Xianyang, Li Si has met with Zheng Guo a friend of Han Fei. He does not know the whereabouts of Honglian, but says that Tian Ze may be plotting his own strategy, greater that just knowing the secret of the Raining Fire Manor. Meanwhile Han Fei, along with Zifang, examines the ruins of the Cold Palace and deduces that Tian Ze's purpose was to obtain information from the library about the Gemstone of Raining Fire, Ghost Army Blocking the Road and Seven Mansions of the Azure Dragon to further his desire for the restoration of his land.

Wei Zhuang confronts the Baiyue, Wushuang Gui, Qu Shimo, Bai Duwang and Yanling Ji who have Honglian as their hostage, then Tian Ze appears. After Wei Zhuang appears to insult Honglian, she no longer wants to be rescued, but Tian Ze gives him a small intricately carved medicine bottle as he turns to leave. Meanwhile Han Fei tells Zifang that he doesn't believe that Tian Ze found what he was looking for in the Cold Palace and decides to arrange a meeting with Tian Ze. meanwhile, the Fourth Prince becomes more suspicious of Ji Wuye's motives and loyalties. Han Fei's group examine the carved medicine bottle, and deduce it indicates a connection between the palace and the Baiyue. Zinu suggests that if the bottle came from the palace, they could ask Nong Yu to investigate. Honglian is returned to her prison which now is filled with deadly snakes.

In her prison cell, Honglian is surrounded by snakes, but a hornless dragon snake appears to take control. At the palace, although the Emperor is reportedly not eating, the cooked fish prepared for him by Beauty Hu is returned with its eye missing, the part he likes. The Fourth Prince asks Qiancheng to work with Ji Wuye even though he does not trust the general, but hopes that it may protect the Royal Father from the Baiyue and Nightfall. Meanwhile Ji Wuye tells Feicui Hu that he's been offered Honglian by the Fourth Prince, however Feicui Hu counsels against it and suggests that he support the Crown Prince instead. Moya reports to Ji Wuye that Bai Duwang has transferred the Crown Prince and that there is a possibility that Han Qiancheng may assassinate him. Back in the prison cell, as Honglian is confronted by the hornless dragon snake, a crimson king snake appears to defend her.

Using the pretext of delivering cakes, Zifang and Beauty Hu manage to pass the carved medicine bottle to Nong Yu under the watchful eyes of Lady Mingzhu. In Honglian's prison cell, the crimson king snake attacks the hornless dragon snake and after a vicious struggle, the crimson king snake emerges victorious. Meanwhile Nong Yu enters the Royal Incense Room searching for the familiar scent she detects in the carved medicine bottle and finds it, however while there, she witnesses a meeting between Lady Mingzhu and Bai Yifei whom she calls cousin.

Bai Duwang enters Honlian's cell, explaining that there are hundreds of poisonous snakes in the Poisonous Pit who feed on each other, absorbing each other's poison, becoming more toxic and leaving the venomous snakes victorious. Surprisingly as Honglian laments about her situation, the crimson king snake consoles her. She then climbs to a high window to help it escape, but the window is protected by a realgar. She wipes it away, and the snake escapes. As Tang Qi and Wei Zhuang watch Bai Yifei arrest some smiths, presumably for refining utensils for the legendary venomous insects, Tang Qi tells Wei Zhuang that although Bai Yifei made his name in the war with Baiyue, but there is a dark side to him. Meanwhile Bai Yifei and Lady Mingzhu exchange information and potions in the Royal Incense Room. He tells her that General Ji Wuye has been collaborating with the Fourth Prince more closely than before and both desire the throne. This is all overheard by Nong Yu, however as she leaves she suddenly realizes that she has been detected by Bai Yifei.

Han Fei tells the Fourth Prince and General Ji Wuye that he will support them should anything happen to the Crown Prince. Also that Tian Ze's actions are unpredictable, since being freed from the chains and the technique of the legendary venomous insects that restricted him for so long. Han Fei reveals that he learned this from the carved medicine bottle he obtained from Tian Ze, who will be seeking revenge. In the palace, Bai Yifei now has Nong Yu and the bottle, but Nong Yu manages to convince him that she is working for Tian Ze and that she knows that Bai Yifei was his captor. Meanwhile, Bai Duwang returns to Honglian's cell to kill the crimson king snake. He angrily attacks Honglian for releasing it, but the snake suddenly attacks him to defend her. When he tries to kill the snake Honglian stops him, but the dying snake gives her a small glowing crimson ball. Believing it to be poison, she takes it, but instead of dying she survives, and all the snakes become her servants.

Nong Yu frees herself from her shackles and manages to exit Bai Yifei's chambers while Bai Yifei relays his concerns about Tian Ze to Ji Wuye. Nong Yu then finds herself in a tunnel where she finds a woman being slowly drained by red bloodsucking Spirit Butterflies, the fluid being used to produce the "fear" that the Blood Marquess prepared from Baiyue. She steals a chrysalis and the butterflies attack her, cutting her with their razor-sharp wings, but she manages to escape into the streets where she is rescued by the Qi Jue Clan. Han Fei then presents the chrysalis to Tian Ze, offering him the key to freeing himself from his captor, although Tian Ze is reluctant to trust the Ninth Prince.

Han Fei wants both the Crown Prince and Honglian in exchange for the chrysalis but Tian Ze says it's not enough and he is forced to choose one. Han Fei chooses the Crown Prince but then says he wants Honglian as well. Wei Zhuang takes Honglian from Yanling Ji, while Tian Ze suddenly comes under attack from Bai Yifei using his icy crystals. Meanwhile Wei Zhuang is attacked by Yanling Ji, Bai Duwang, Wushuang Gui and Qu Shimo. He uses both his sword and combat skills to deflect and thwart their attacks, then reminds them that he is not their real enemy. The Baiyue fighters then go to the aid of Tian Ze who is still under attack from Bai Yifei. From a distance Han Fei sees the magnitude of the battle and is concerned about Honglian, but Zifang reassures him that Wei Zhuang's promises will never be broken.

Wei Zhuang leaves with Honglian, curtly telling her to return to Xinzheng, but instead she follows him. She finds him suffering from a poisonous wound by Bai Duwang and she draws out the poison, but surprisingly he immobilizes her using her pressure points. After a snake approaches her and leaves, he softens a little towards her, but he ignores her pleas to unlock her acupoints. Later a carriage arrives and the attendants unlock Honglian's acupoints and return with her. Meanwhile, as Han Fei and Zifang prepare to return to the palace with the Crown Prince, they see Bai Yifei returning with Yanling Ji as his captive. Honglian arrives back at the palace, angry at what she considers Wei Zhuang's rude behavior, however she decides to forgive him.

The Han Emperor is pleased at the return of Crown Prince and Honglian, giving credit to both General Ji and Han Fei although the Fourth Prince assigns all credit to the Ninth Prince, Han Fei. Wei Zhuang agrees to meet Honglian in the Cold Palace to teach her martial arts. On his way home, the Crown Prince's carriage falls off a bridge into the water and he drowns in what is made to look like and accident. General Ji is furious as he believes this is the work of the Fourth Prince, Han Yu. Meanwhile, the Han Prime Minister goes to meet the envoy of the Qin Emperor, but finds the envoy murdered by Tian Ze. Shortly thereafter, Qin troops appear, massed outside the Han Palace. Meanwhile, while visiting the body of the Qin envoy, Han Fei and Zifang are greeted by a new envoy at Xinzheng, Li Si.

Li Si reminds Han Fei that in the coming negotiations that he will not show any mercy just because they are fellow disciples. Li Si meets the Han Emperor and mentions the lack of respect shown to the Qin over the murdered envoy. General Ji promises to capture the culprit, but Li Si expresses doubt in his ability to do so and offers to use the Qin army waiting outside the gates. Bai Yifei however rejects the offer and insists the Han will deal with the problem, suggesting that if the Han and Qin are engaged in conflict, only the Chu will benefit. Li Si suggests that the Han Emperor accompany the body to Xianyang as a gesture of sincerity however Prime Minister Zhang considers it inappropriate. Han Fei defuses the impasse with some carefully chosen words, but Li Si counters with the proposal that the Han cedes the area of the assassination to the Qin. Han Fei then proposes that if he can solve the case with 10 days or less, the amount of ceded land would be proportional to the time elapsed. Meanwhile Wei Zhuang and Tang Qi learn that eight Qin assassins known as the Slick Octahedron have also crossed into the Han state. Later, Bai Yifei foils an attempt by Yanling Ji to escape from prison.

The Fourth Prince suggests that Han Fei took a big risk with his proposal to Li Si, but Han Fei shows his skill in a game with coins called "Unwon Victory" where the player in the weaker position can use the opponent's greed to defeat them. He suggests that the power of the Qin Prime Minister is strong, whereas that of the ruler is weak. In the Cold Palace Wei Zhuang gives Honglian her first lesson martial arts, trust no-one, stay on guard and never relax. Meanwhile Bai Yifei uses frightening visions from Yanling Ji's past to break her will and hoping she would reveal the location of her master, Tian Ze.

Wei Zhuang and Tang Qi find four men of the Qi Jue Clan killed by a single assassin, leaving one survivor who was in hiding. Tang Qi decides to lays a trap with Wei Zhuang as bait to catch the swordsman. That night, the surviving Qi Jue Clan member overhears the assassins talking with the woman Li Wu, but he is easily detected and killed. Meanwhile as Wei Zhuang walks the dark lane-ways, he is ambushed by four swordsmen, but he quickly dispatches them. Later he encounters another swordsmen at a place referred to as the Heavenly Hinge, the only place in Xinzheng that is both offensive and defensive. They are evenly matched and they fight to a standstill, the swordsman revealed as Wei Zhuang's Senior Brother.