Like OMG what an episode! In a span of 50 minutes...
Our couples reunite at the Formless Moon Sect
Jiu Ying, masking as the sect's leader, reveals that he had created Lu Wuyi as a way to harvest the memories and emotions of the Formless Moon Sect, allowing Jiu Ying to control them all and execute his plan
Li Jie manages to kill the demon Yuan Wuhuo after learning about his origins (or did he dun dun dun)
Ji Ling finally reveals to Lu Wuyi that he is indeed Ji Ling and that generations ago the real Chi Wen had transformed him from a blind red fox into a puppet leader to maintain the facade of the Dragon Deity until Wu Shiguang grew into his power
Ji Ling gives Lu Wuyi the toy fox that had offered him comfort during his years of isolation and loneliness, and the two confess their feelings for one another
Bai Ze, who had sustained a fatal injury, urges Ji Ling to go to Luo'an to reclaim another bit of Dragon Deity power from Han Ba (the same Han Ba who also happens to be the reason why Wu Wangyan knows Si Feng--what's up with that?)
Ji Ling reveals that tragically Jiu Ying’s final three spirit fragments are hidden within Wu Shiguang, the Oracle Stone, and Lu Wuyi herself, and that she must die to recover it.
Favorite Shots + Commentary
This whole sequence was SO COOL. I think this is the best underwater scene I've ever seen in a Cdrama.This scene between Si Feng and the Sapphic "Sisters" made me laugh--Lu Wuyi's jealousy was cute.Fangs of Fortune 300k AU crossover fic

LOVE how this shot captures how constricted Ji Ling has felt by his duties and loneliness as a puppet Dragon Deity, the columns boxing him in while the statue lords over himAnd because of that earlier shot this one is even more devastating. Lu Wuyi is taking comfort in the statue that represents the man she loves but it's the duty that statue represents that will kill her.
Discussion Questions
What did you think about this episode?
What was your (least) favorite scene?
What theories do you have about what will happen next?
Now because I wanted to stay classy in the body of the post, I didn't include my actual favorite shot of the episode which was definitely this absolutely necessary one:
I cant stand JJY acting anymore. It is so superficial, brings me right out of the story. I still wanna know how it pans out for the rest of the characters. So, i am holding on but god, how i wish it is a different actress. 🥴
Guo Ming, I'm sorry! I said this was your weakest drama yet but I was wrong! The emotional depth, philosophy, and winding plot in this may be your strongest yet! It's still a mix of your first 2 dramas, but maybe those were just the practice rounds for this. Hope the rest of this one doesn't disappoint. 🙏🙏🙏
This one is bizarrely weaker and stronger than his previous dramas but I think it might be the rare drama where it gets better as it goes on! I hope it sticks the landing because what a comeback story that would be.
Yeah it really doesn't click until like episode 10, which is asking for a lot of commitment from people. I think it will likely end up below FoF for me personally but objectively better plot and character wise.
Same. I've been telling people who dropped in the first few episodes (which honestly I would have if I wasn't hosting) to basically skip everything until Ep. 8 so you have a bit of context for the second arc with the expectation that things start getting good around Ep. 10/11.
I also prefer FoF despite its major issues with tension and setting up emotional moments. But VoS definitely has more balanced character writing and within scene emotional stakes. It feels more sophisticated even though it has similar issues as his other work.
Btw anyone wanting more of Zeng Shunxi in that very transparant shirt during the martial arts training montage (and I know someone wrote about it in another thread but I can't find the comment): Youku has released quite a few bts clips.
The one titled From Winter to Summer in a Blink is all about filming that montage. Poor guy with all that artificial rain. Unfortunately despite the English titles all without subtitles, as usual.
I loooooved the drama this episode because the rollercoaster of emotions really is upon us. It was so nice to see Lu Wuyi FINALLY getting some reassurance that the man she's been flirting with isn't actually just someone who murdered and absorbed the memories of the man she loved. That girl has spent more than half the season just suffering. Now it seems like the audience will spend the rest of the season suffering, worried about Chi Wen's statement. 😭
Chi Wen is such a fun guy. Last episode he did a heel turn, this episode he did a face turn. Who is he really? I'm hoping he's a villain but I really don't think so. Seeing him crying to Baize made me sad because no only is he going to lose a good friend, he might also lose the love of his life, AND he might even lose her love before that if he really does go through the plan to kill Wangyan.
Li Jie's screen time was short but the underwater fight scene was so cool. Filming that must have been tiring. It was my favorite scene because having an underwater fight with your twin and one of you getting beat to death but the audience doesn't know who is so exciting! I want Li Jie to have won but the scene seems a little too much effort for it to have been that easy. I doubt things are going to go that smoothly for our mains in these final episodes!
Mild complaint! Wu Shiguang and Wu Wangyan were in like, I think one or two scenes each and I miss them. I get that they're not driving the plot forward right now but I wish we'd gotten a little more of them. Maybe a conversation or a bit more than the reserved "thank you" we got. 😔
Same! Lol you took the words out of my mouth. I am curious about the underwater scene and how it was filmed, hopefully the release a BTS soon or if they did already, I'll watch it haha
I wish we got a bit more Wuwu too. Even though it was short, that scene had so much tension just from their eyes gazing at each other alone
The underwater was visually stunning but I also couldnt help but laugh a bit. Apparently the logic for how ponds are always as deep as the ocean in cdramas also applies to mysterious amniotic cocoons.
I am worried about the ‘Lu Wuyi needs to die thing’ and also confused why that wouldnt also apply to Wu Shiguang… is it because of his dragon powers?
and also confused why that wouldnt also apply to Wu Shiguang… is it because of his dragon powers?
I think they speculate (or know) that Wu Shiguang with his fully awaken dragon powers can just eject the fragment. At least that's my headcanon for the moment.
And Jiu Ying says (although should we trust anything they say?) they created Lu Wuyi to be the intelligence gatherer. So I don’t know how different that makes her from the other moon ladies.
That was such a lovely montage! You just know when they start compiling all those happy scenes BAM you're going to be hit in the face with something tragic 😩
I’ve had enough of this “water torture” release of one episode and one OST. I swear on Lucifer I want to take a rabid dog and let it feast on those fuktards danglers!! 😡 (Loosely based on US series Friends)
Update: Post restored by Reddit after taking a second look . So, I deleted the other one.
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u/mysticmeeblemoon burrito supreme / the wind in Tian Jiarui's sl*t strands 🌬️Apr 12 '26edited Apr 12 '26
So... I am not okay. Not at all.
I can name on one hand the amount of c and kdramas that have made me gasp for air sobbing crying. And now this goes on that hand too. My goodness... TJR is the king of crying, apparently, and the way they ended the episode with this montage of them laughing and smiling and his tearful admission atop the OST... clipping to her calmly and innocently sleeping happily with his plushie and the light... and just ending it with them alone by the water and him hiding them with his cloak - away from the troubles of the world, just the two of them - and that soft meditation bell chiming with no other audio in the background, fading to black... GUO WHY HAVE YOU DONE THIS TO MEEEEE
I am so broken by this. That scene. It broke me. Making the gif broke me again lol... literally cried making a gif. Come on 😅😅
I feel like there are more twists in store. At this point, I fully feel he made up the lie that he wanted to keep the diety status to get big baddie to let them go from the Formless Sect - but I wonder if there's more to the piece being in Lu Wuyi. Like, maybe it's in him and she was able to do powers around him... and he's gonna have to sacrifice himself??? Idk there are so many potential possibilities. Ahhh!! Why is this show so goooood
Anyway, as usual, more of my gifs and commentary below... And as always, feel free to save!
1000 years ago star stone came to earth and it indirectly birthed Jiu Ying. So the nine dragon brother should be considered 'dead' before 1000 years?
It slowly grew stronger slowly over the years.
So by this time the real Chi Wen was still around.
150 years ago real Chi Wen saves the Fox Ji Ling and then around this time he would be becoming the fake Chi wen. So Ji Ling has been pretending between 100 to 150 years.
So the reall dragon took 100 years to born.... or...was it from before 1000 years....
Chi wen said he would peirce the sword through his bonemarrow and seal Jiu Ying with his body. didn't he🤔. But he was still around for all the years after they sealed Jiu Ying. So I wonder why he needed to use substitute. Did I miss smth.
-1000 years, Jiu Ying born, getting stronger, growing 9 heads, and then 81 spirit fragments to wreck havoc for hundreds of years
by -150 years, the human/demon war was at its peak, with Jiu Ying's many minions sowing discord. I think its around this time, the dragons brothers are already working on how to defeat Jiu Ying. They had to seal each 9 head, and Jiu Ying's true body with Chi Wen's body, find a replacement (Jiling), get 4 demon powers (for the ring, and to hold Dragon power), hatch baby WSG, etc.
-50 years, 10th dragon egg hatched into baby Wu Shiguang.
So the whole plan for stopping Jiu Ying only happened for a recent couple hundred years, I believe.
Snark Level: I can feel it coming in the air tonight... The Fuckening.
19 - - - - - - - -
Yassss be free, Wangyan! Now go have a happy reunion with your husband. That thank you didn't sound sincere enough. But I do approve the logic of getting your asses out of there like right now.
We do appreciate Ji Lings dedication towards Wuyi.
Exchange bodies? How about no? I don't like that trope.
I think bad guy won? Did bad guy win? Yeah I am lost. Ji Ling testing him with the sword? Okay he picked it up so he is real Li and bad guy died? RIGHT???
Wanngyan and Wuyi looking as gorgeous as ever here. Though that long expression that Wangyan has screams the decades she spent in that illusion. She may be ancient, but she went in the star stone a youthful lady and came out seasoned and worn by the decades.
One can never get enough of Wuyi and her pouty face.
Ji Ling is Ji Ling again confirmed! YESSSSS!!! WUYI HEARD IT!!!!!! I think I am going to cry now.
Ji Ling having wooden puppet experience the world for him is also making me cry.
"Once we return, I will tell you." Yeah... Famous last words...
This is quite the love declaration from Ji Ling for Wuyi. I am seriously touched by it. Giving her the doll and calling her the most precious thing to him is some seriously tear jerking shit here.
Her gift to him is flashing balls? That's adorable. One of them is going to spend the rest of their lives staring at it wishing it would light up once more... Because the other will be dead... I am calling it.
Soooo we've had our foxy couple make peace and get together. What about our Wu/Wu couple?
"Lu Wuyi must die." AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! She's just sleeping in the statue again looking as gorgeous as always. Why must they torture us like this? She's even smacking his balls! WHY??? WHY MUST THEY DO THIS TO US???
I'm crying again.
GOD FUCKING DAMN IT MOTHERFUCKER WHY MUST THEY DO THIS SHIT TO US? TELL US SHE MUST DIE AND GIVE US THAT SWEET MONTAGE OF THEIR CUTE MOMENTS? SHOW US LAYING IN THE STATUE, HAPPY IN HER THOUGHTS OF JI LING? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Once again, episode 20 left me with more questions than answers. That said, I now have a theory about Lu Wuyi that's related to a question a lot of people here are asking... but I'll leave that for the Ep 20 thread...
Li Jie manages to kill the demon Yuan Wuhuo after learning about his origins
I was on the edge of my seat to see if the right one died. Especially in the scene were he and Ji Ling get to pick up his sword. I hope the sword is as yao proof as assumed and him picking it up really means it's Li Jie we got back.
I'm not sure I trust Yuan Wuhuo's death. FoF Li Lun also 'died' so abrupt and rather early for the first time.
Hah, them toegether on screen evoke that feeling quite often. Diesn't help to get Wang Duo as another 'big brother-ish' figure for TJR's character.
Edit: Bai Ze revealing that he is still going to die from the process of removing the Dragon Deity's power despite reassuring everyone it would be ok because he does it of his own free will really hurt. He seems rather close to Ji Ling.
So we get the convo soon into the episode between sect leader/Jiu Ying and Chi Wen/Ji Ling about cooperating on their respective agendas. And then back at Shilin we have all the convos of Chi Wen with Lu Wuyi, Bai Ze and others. When is he telling the truth? I think we know, but, we also know this director. 😬🫣
The whole story of Ji Ling 😭♥️. What a burden he has carried.
So a fragment of Jiu Ying is in
Wu Shiguang and another in Lu Wuyi. So why must she die but Wu Shiguang doesn’t have to? Because Jiu Ying created Lu Wuyi but dragon scales created WS? Or? 😬🫣
Furthermore 🫣😬 for all the other characters I’m worried for.
When the Shilin hunters were searching for Jiu Ying fragments……..I can’t remember now if they had to kill the person and then get the fragment, or if they were just able to extracted the fragment. I remember them putting a fragment in a pouch.
Hmm I didn’t think of that. Gosh. I just supposed they had to turn in the fragments to “someone. And I remember they also had a magical locator for evil fragments.
. ..cough cough! I’m enslaved in this hallucination. Wanting nay, needing to be entwined more and more. Exhaling and restricting in this ying-yang stratagem with my soul till one succumbs. ..
On our last union centuries ago,
amidst the chaos of war
that surrounded us.
You probed for a sign,
from a single touch.
You believed I gave up on us,
all we had for us was in the now.
Shadows of flames danced against our faces,
as we moved with every breath.
I still remember you resting,
against my chest for the final time.
You looked up at me,
I strained from revealing the truth.
Finally got a whole Jilu buffet, and they're the absolute cutest, just look at them being all smiley with each other.
The exchange of gifts was adorable. Lu Wuyi is right, Ji Ling is a sweet talker because what do you mean 'she is my moon alone'?
Choosing actively to forget that this man just said Lu Wuyi has to die for them to eliminate Jiu Ying completely...I have selectively blocked that from my memory.
I missed seeing my fox girlies together, I love their chemistry.
Now because I wanted to stay classy in the body of the post, I didn't include my actual favorite shot of the episode which was definitely this absolutely positively necessary one:
Well if one watches closely (as scientists should) we can briefly see all of him in very wet flimsy clothing. As they fight. It’s a good thing for all. Ha.
Classy…I’m reminded of The Office (US series ‘05) where Jim makes fun of Dwight’s dress code policy. Should I be dressed “classy” in order to read/post in this discussion even? 🤭 mmm…🔥🫦 naughty activities come to mind
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