The thirty-seventh episode of the Web Series premiered on August 6, 2019.
Synopsis[]
Lan Sizhui volunteers to help Wei Wuxian clean the kitchen, and Jin Ling follows. The poisoned juniors stay as still as possible while Wei Wuxian prepares glutinous rice congee to cure their Corpse Poisoning.
Wei Wuxian asks the juniors how they joined together to night-hunt in Yi City. Jin Ling explains that no matter which inn he stayed in while night-hunting, he would find dead cats outside his door. The Gusu Lan Clan disciples likewise found dead cats following them, and both groups encountered each other in Yueyang while searching for the culprit. They thus decided to work together, and a village hunter pointed them to Yi City.
Wei Wuxian notes with concern that there were no hunters present in the village at the time. He suspects that someone deliberately led the juniors into a dangerous situation, and begins to worry that the Yin Tiger Tally is currently in Yi City.
Wei Wuxian recalls that he has extreme tastes in spice, even for a person from Yunmeng. He asks why they cannot tolerate the spiciness, as Lan Wangji is from Gusu and tolerates spice well.
Just then, Lan Sizhui says that the congee is ready. Although eager to be cured, Lan Jingyi quickly spits out the congee, noting that it is extremely spicy. To his surprise, Lan Sizhui tastes it and says it seems almost familiar.
A bamboo pole knocks outside the window, and Wei Wuxian peers out to see the blind A-Qing using her pole to find her way around. Her marvels at her and ghost beyond the door. One by one, the juniors each take a look. Although initially frightened, Jin Ling then declares it barely worth a look, and Lan Sizhui approaches.
After he leaps back in fear, the other juniors decline to look. Wei Wuxian explains that although she is frightening, this is a good opportunity to counter their fears. He then asks the juniors to discuss their observations. Jin Ling's descriptions have higher quantity, while Lan Sizhui's have higher quality. Another junior, Ouyang Zizhen describes the fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl in very romantic terms, leading Wei Wuxian to tease him.
When she gestures wildly towards them, they realize she also cannot speak, as her tongue has been removed. Unfortunately, she is also illiterate and unable to write any characters on the ground.
Suddenly, she runs away. Xiao Xingchen rushes by, battling Puppets. However, he is soon afflicted with Corpse Toxin and surrounded by more puppets.
To aid him, Wei Wuxian takes the Paper Effigies and uses the demonic spell Final Eyes Summoning to possess two of the effigies. He orders the them bring the living person inside.
As he is carried in, Jin Ling worries that they should not trust him, but Lan Sizhui and Lan Jingyi object.
Lan Jingyi and Jin Ling recognize his sword as Shuanghua, meaning the seemingly unconscious man they rescued must be the legendary Xiao Xingchen.
With alarm, Lan Jingyi notices that hundreds of puppets fill the streets. Wei Wuxian uses his own blood and the already-written Talismans carried by the juniors to lock the shop door. Just then, the puppet of Song Lan smashes through and holds his sword to Jin Ling.
Wei Wuxian controls Song Lan with his bamboo flute. After capturing him, Wei Wuxian notices that he too misses a tongue. Searching further, he finds Skull-Piercing Nails and removes them.
After learning that Lan Sizhui has studied Inquiry, and that Lan Wangji describes his qin language as "fine," Wei Wuxian asks him to play. They learn that his name is Song Lan, he was killed by Xiao Xingchen, and that the one who controls him is "The one behind you."
Suddenly, "Xiao Xingchen" stands and snaps his fingers, and Song Lan easily disperses with his bonds to take Wei Wuxian captive. Wei Wuxian orders Lan Sizhui to lead the juniors outside, and Lan Sizhui thinks to himself that with "Master Mo" and Lan Wangji around, he does not feel there is a need to be afraid.
"Xiao Xingchen" uses a red elixir to cure his Corpse Poisoning before revealing he knows Wei Wuxian's true identity. He then pulls out a Spirit-Trapping Bag to request that Wei Wuxian, the most proficient Demonic Cultivator, restore a shattered soul.
Wei Wuxian refuses, believing the soul beyond repair. He then reveals the other's identity: not Xiao Xingchen, but Xue Yang. Xue Yang removed the Face-Changing Spell he used and transforms back to his original appearance. He continues to insist that Wei Wuxian restore the soul, although Wei Wuxian maintains that he cannot.
Suddenly, Wen Ning arrives, having been summoned by Wei Wuxian while he played his bamboo flute. Wei Wuxian orders him to defeat Song Lan, but not to hurt him badly.
Wei Wuxian declares his confidence in Wen Ning, and Xue Yang laments that even with the Skull-Piercing Nails, "that thing" is disobedient. Wei Wuxian retorts that Wen Ning is not a thing, and Xue Yang seizes the opportunity to attack, taking advantage of Wei Wuxian's low spiritual power.
Lan Wangji returns and stands between Wei Wuxian and Xue Yang, who promptly attacks with both Shuanghua and Jiangzai. As he heads over, Lan Wangji captures Shuanghua from Xue Yang, who demands it back. When Lan Wangji tells him he does not deserve the sword, Xue Yang laughs bitterly.
At Lan Wangji's direction, Wei Wuxian leaves to find the juniors. Watching the fight, Jin Ling admires Lan Wangji's abilities, and Lan Jingyi pointedly asks Wei Wuxian if he agrees. Wei Wuxian nearly angers Lan Jingyi in his resulting confusion, but eventually he agrees that Lan Wangji is "the best," as a soft smile blooms on his face.
Suddenly, the blind girl, A-Qing returns to tap with her bamboo pole again. Wei Wuxian directs the juniors to follow her to learn what she knows.
The Ghost Girl leads them to a coffin. Opening it, Wei Wuxian observes the body of the real Xiao Xingchen. The Ghost Girl cries tears of blood, and Lan Sizhui offers to play Inquiry again.
Wei Wuxian suggests that Inquiry may be insufficient if her story is complex. Instead, he suggests the dangerous technique of Empathy, which allows him to experience whatever a spirit experienced... by allowing the spirit to possess his body.[1]
Characters[]
In order of appearance:
- Wei Wuxian
- Jin Ling
- Lan Sizhui
- Lan Jingyi
- Ouyang Zizhen
- Fairy (flashback)
- A-Qing
- Xiao Xingchen (mentioned)
- Xue Yang
- Song Lan
- Wen Ning
- Lan Wangji
Events[]
- Discovery of Xue Yang in Yi City
- Massacre of the Yueyang Chang Clan (mentioned)
- Massacre of Baixue Temple (mentioned)
Locations[]
- Yi City
- Yueyang (mentioned)
- Baixue Temple (mentioned)
Creatures[]
- Puppets
- Xuanwu of Slaughter (mentioned)
Cultivation Abilities[]
- Corpse Poisoning
- Demonic Cultivation
- Inquiry
- Face-Changing Spell
- Empathy
Cultivation Tools[]
- Paper Effigies
- Yin Tiger Tally (mentioned)
- Shuanghua
- Talismans
- Fuxue
- Suihua
- Red Elixir
- Yin Metal (mentioned)
- Bichen
- Jiangzai
Divergence from the Novel[]
In the novel, A-Qing is a ghost, not a living person.[2]
As Wei Wuxian had never met Xiao Xingchen or Xue Yang before, Xue Yang has no need to change his face via a spell. Indeed, Xue Yang is still conscious when he is rescued by the Paper Effigies, and performs an excellent rendition of Xiao Xingchen.
In the novel, Wei Wuxian uses his own blood and the already-written Talismans carried by the juniors to animate all of the Paper Effigies to fight via the Final Eyes Summoning, not to lock the door.[2]
Wei Wuxian finds that he cannot control Song Lan due to Xue Yang controlling him, so Paper Effigies are used to successfully capture Song Lan, not rope. As Wei Wuxian does not recognize Song Lan, he also declines to remove the Skull-Piercing Nails after discovering them, concerned that he might be a dangerous person. Additionally, rather than follow the juniors outside, Song Lan remains inside holding Wei Wuxian captive until Wen Ning's arrival.[3]
References[]
- ↑ Web Series, Episode 37
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Novel, Chapter 36
- ↑ Novel, Chapter 37