KJ2025

Strength of water

Qiao Man has been treated pretty poorly by everybody but Gma. She treats her kindly but isn’t exactly friendly either. She was at least in her corner over the concubine issue. Mom was determined to get her way and WeiShao was a bit disappointing. He wanted to please his mom and have his cake and eat it too. He never punished her or kicked her out for letting Qiao Man stay cooped up in the rain for three days so she is a guilty pleasure for him. He turned her down with the soup, so maybe that is changing. But he still has not removed her from house. And, if he is truly a husband, the apron strings with mom gets cut. So here is where they will get frayed a bit if he gets rid of crush girl. BiZhi is taking care of big sis well. He is working hard and being helpful. His strength let him beat up some bullies that were trying to force old and young men to fight in their army. This came to a head when their leader challenged him. Here his athleticism and horse knowledge won the day, but they are coming back with a bigger force. He was doing his best to keep things away from Panyi but now needs some help. The Qiaos once again don’t want to offend so they will take Fan out of the situation but not assist. Here is where they should have sent a message to QiaoMan to help. Of course her sis should have done that first. The men in her family are not renown for their bravery in battle.😝 Somebody got into Wei Shao’s forbidden box and framed Qiao Man for it. He overreacted and truly hurt her. This is where she needed a bodyguard to knock him on his ass to get some sense into him. I loved how she proved her innocence to him and basically told him to shove it while at the same time totally respecting his privacy and possessions. I am also glad it was with witnesses present. It got him thinking about how it happened. Crush girl is most likely. She needs to be moved several towns away. They should marry her off and get an ocean between her and the Wei family.😝I am hoping they don’t kill off BiZhi. He’s a really good guy. The only Qiao male with a spine is the little brother. The rest of them are kinda worthless.

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One woman is enough

Qiao Man is still staying in his room and he is taking the side chamber so lovingly made ready by his lady friend and mother. He definitely felt all the love in that room.🤣 All the men want him to get a concubine and start making an heir. He made it clear MANY times that he and wife loved each other and no concubine needed. He said this a second time when they thought it fake formality but would be more truthful in men lounging room. He assured them that he still only wanted one wife and even invited her in room. This was something expressly forbidden prior with him promising severe punishment to anyone bringing a woman to that room. Maid and Qiao Man find out his favorite foods and she has dinner set up to greet him when work was done. She also had the three gossipy servants make the room ready for him so it was actually somewhat comfortable. When he sees the efforts she’s making he decides to have her visit grandma. Now those two walking is hilarious. She has to run 20 steps to keep up with three of his.😂 He lets her walk first and gives her a big lead. When she can’t see him he runs to keep up🤣 I am really enjoying the blossoming romance between these two. They are very cute and should have a long marriage if they don’t kill each other.😂 I am wincing for her. I hope the gma can be in her corner. She needs some support from somewhere in that house that is female. The advisor is helping as much as he can, but she really needs a lady insider that can give her the lay of the land. And that gal with the crush on him really needs to go.😝

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Ring of fire

Wei Shao kicks Qiao Man out of Xindu. She realizes she needs to change her strategy and heads to Panyi. On the way her ex fiancé shows up to rescue her. Her attempt at being in tearful distress😂 I thought he really liked her and just the dad an arrogant ass. But as he laid out his plans for Panyi, his ambition was made clear. He treated Qiao Man like a prisoner and forbade the mayor from speaking to her. She realized his ambition was built on using her family name and holdings. Any respect she might have had for him definitely departed as he laid out his plans to flood Xindu. That he would let innocents suffer and die was more than she could take. She escaped and set fire to the sulphur containers. It caused a lot of damage for the city but their plans made this happen. As Wei Shao’s men reported back he found out what really happened and saw the crappy wedding gifts. I think he saw a bit of what her life was really like. The mayor backed up all their claims. He confirmed the elopement was a lie; that she had been kept a prisoner and the plan to flood Xindu. It also seems Qiao Man dreams prophetic dreams. She pays attention to them and changes things. She has saved the people of Xindu, but Wei Shao’s brother is determined to follow the original order to kill Qiao Man and increase morale. The arrow has been launched and to see what is fated for Qiao Man.

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Surprise bride

Qiao Man is a very smart young lady. When talking to her grandfather it was very clear that she understood the politics and strategies of the Wei clan. 14 years ago the two families were allies and that faith was broken when the Qiao family did not come to help the Wei family during a war. Many were slaughtered and the survivor swore he would avenge the deaths of his grandfather, brother and father. The Qiao family wanted to make a truce by allying through marriage. The governor’s daughter was chosen, but she already loved another. Qiao Man was also betrothed, but the family showed contempt for her though the young man I think really did care about her. She was wise to understand the family was part of the deal in marriage and considered her lot would fair better with the Wei clan. She helped her friend run off and took her place with the seal of Panyi as dowery. They were hoping that offering this place would ease the tension between the families. He overheard the women discussing why they wanted the wedding venue there. This would allow for the seal being kept if the groom changed his mind. He wanted to kill her before she ever reached the gate but a wise servant suggested it would be wiser to accept the offer of Panyi with no bloodshed. The reluctant groom agreed only to keep her alive. But once he saw her he was pleasantly surprised. Except for her grandfather, Qiao Man was surrounded by idiots at home, so I don’t blame her for trying her luck elsewhere. But she really threw all caution to the wind having her family’s enemy as a groom.

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Love and obsession

Zui and YiTan were so sweet making their wedding plans. I am beyond angry that grandfather Yang was always given a pass. He has finally been dealt with but that has resulted in the seed of hatred planted and growing in YiTan. I did not think anyone could surpass the contempt I felt for elder Nangong…but elder Yang succeeded. Nangong for all his evil ways wanted his family to reign and be powerful. Yang said he wanted enemies trampled but he only wanted his own ego fed. His family will be destroyed in the process so what good is it to be the top one on heap of the dead.😝🙄 Others may think it was JiaLan’s doing that he did such evil. I call BS. She only gave him the power to do his own will, there was no reshaping or twisting his mindset. He simply let the dark carry it out. JiuHuo still carries love for JiaLan. But she has been twisted and reshaped by greed and power obsession so the love she once had for him no longer exists. She now wants all love eradicated and he is her willing pawn to pour himself out for her to achieve her goal. What strength HongYe had to accept the grey and do what would truly make peace between demons and humans has now been suppressed by his father. And it is seen as his right of passage to lead. In its own way it is just as misdirected as the evil of Yang. It will not waver from the black/white line. These know it all nobles have condemned them all. It is no wonder things can’t go well for them. All their elders blessings and curses wreaked the same result. What I don’t understand is how YiTan had no inkling at all of this miserable future with his gift of clairvoyance? Young Mu Mei had better insight with minimal training. How could YiTan act surprised at the depth his grandfather would go? And willingly? His legacy now is that cowardly sap of eldest son. That old man’s hate exceeds Jin RenFeng and that takes some doing. Their hate alone could unite the trees. 😝 JiuHuo is using all his will to be the weakest charactered pawn in the lot. Does black fox even have the capacity to treat him better than a servant if she leaves boundary? Will she be able to remove any bit of the grief and hate in her heart to allow love? I guess JiuHuo will be the only one to live long enough to find out.

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Sworn brothers

Qu Zhou was the hero of the day with his thousands of talismans. He has fixed the magic lotus and gets the four of them back to the future. He is left to deal with the fate given him by JiuHuo and black fox but he is proud to be a masked warrior again. His younger self is very surprised at the greeting from Zui. They know something bad happened and they are determined to find a better solution. HuaiZhu and HongYe are much sweeter since their return. She is making it clear she favors him now. Jin RenFeng is going to be a problem. He is jealous, knows about the magic lotus device and dared to enslave demons to gather herbs. He now knows HuaiZhu has mastered the yang flame but that will make him covet her even more. Elder DongFang has become sworn brothers with HongYe. 🤣 They had quite the father to suitor chat. Father DongFang recognizes the colder more ambitious side of HongYe and tests how that will fit in with HuaiZhu. Both daughters come in to find them a drunken mess. HongYe gets properly embarrassed for his hangover the next morning😂 Love is definitely in the air, but so is jealousy and power seeking. There is also the desire and need to get the true Wangquan sword and find HongYe’s father. HongYe also has a foreshadowing from the black fox.

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The underground city

These two demon hunters BanXia hired look like reasonable choices, but it sure seems like they focus on taking out the helpful, no threat demons. For them character doesn’t matter. Demon=kill on sight. BanXia already regrets hiring them after seeing their treatment of the demon guide. It seems they also like to punish demon sympathizers as well. XuanYe and Rabbit are having a more colorful entry into the city. While their guide seemed kind he introduced him to a greasy master wanting to be called uncle. The two constables are fun. Their bickering is amusing and the way he wants to protect her in the city is sweet. Our constable is a what you see is what you get kind of guy and she seems to like that. 😂 she is more direct dealing for info. She knows it’s giving money away but it’s saving them leg work and might give them insight on where to head for clues. The pouting scene of BanXia was a bit over the top. But to be fair she was trying to be sure he didn’t break his promise to his father. I’m betting the ‘uncle’ is part of the reason. I have no clue if their venture will help her find either parent, but she is definitely safer with these two than her hired pair. Even with the uncle factor tossed in. XuanYe has committed himself to her cause so if there is an answer to be found, he’s the most likely one to find it.

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Reunion inn

They begin their adventure to reunion inn after receiving a box with the 9 lives demon money. BanXia finds the pouch she embroidered for her father so now there is conclusive evidence that he is still alive. The constable is also traveling and they find the drunkard actually decade from what they think is a lynx encounter. They are taking the body back to his parents. The woods the trio is traveling through is misty and mysterious. They are not sure if on the right path or traveling in circles. They eventually find their way to the inn but the innkeeper strongly encourages them to go elsewhere. His daughter changes everybody’s minds about staying, but there is a very weird atmosphere in spite of the helpful servants. After a scare in the hotspring everyone tries to settle down for the night. XuanYe hears BanXia reciting the poem and kindly offers to watch over her til she falls asleep. The innkeeper’s daughter is ill and I am surprised the good doctor did not examine and offer medicine. XuanYe found the cat and followed but was interrupted by the innkeeper and directed back to his room. I wonder why all the calming oil is being burned. What don’t they want the customers seeing? In spite of the weirdness there is a softer and sweeter tone between our couple. The actors do well making themselves eerie and the production has the scene nice and creepy.

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Raindrops keep falling on my head

Shen Yue got Liu Shi Shi to really smile🤣 This episode was a lot of fun. Hong Ye successfully got the grandfather to agree to the marriage. And the grandfather got him to agree to attend. Qin Lan was very funny but would not have been so snarky had she known who her “nephew” really was. 😂 All the ‘help’ his friends and family tried to provide for him to make a good impression did not quite go as planned. 🤣 He already acquitted himself well and had a memorable first date.🥰. While he didn’t think proper place or time for mask reveal…..everybody else disagrees. By the time he reached the mask group’s help he was soaked. He pulled off the look but the mob of admirers was overkill. He better reveal himself soon before they find more ways to assist.🤣 I am curious and dreading for him whatever is on second floor.

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Happy birthday

This episode had Pei and Ning clearing the air. I enjoyed her snarky comments in the beginning. I am still unsure what secret his best friend knew. Was it who he was or that he wasn’t a eunuch? If Zhuo had a heart he would have just sent the boy and family off somewhere and not force Pei’s hand literally to strike. Pei has served as his blade for too many years. He is finally getting tired of it enough to start making waves. I am glad he has rethought it and volunteering to be beside her. I loved that she wore the birthday outfit Li made for her and came as a beautiful young woman and not a prince in disguise. I am very sure Ning enjoyed her birthday. 🥳🥰

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Love and obsession

The mirror demon was very surprised at BanXia’s courage. She was ready to try to defeat him. Fortunately XuanYe got to her in time and battled the demon. He just about completed the battle when our favorite constable shows up thinking he is helping. The demon escapes via the sword reflection and the constable is left to ponder his opinions on some supernatural matters. His assist has just created an even larger problem and now the whole village has to be monitored rather than just BanXia. 🙄 The result of this sword caused XuanYe to fall in a deep sleep. But not before he ties her to him and gives her a sharp object to wake him. Three days later he panics that she is cut loose, but she is safe and hiding inside. She asks him to mark her hand again since they both know the seal works. This episode gives a lot of the history between dancer and demon. The demon has loved and killed for her 20 years that we know of. I almost feel sorry for him til his revenge on her lover. That was very cruel to both of them. He then starts to reveal more implying that they have been together much longer than the 20 years she knows about. The constable tries to make up for his mistake by getting all pears impounded. He is still trying to process what he saw and keeps looking at his sword for answers. BanXia sees a scar on XuanYe’s shoulder while he is sleeping. She is reminded of an incident as a child that resulted in her ability to see demons. It is cute that she tries to see his shadow and figure out what he really is. She knows he is more, but not sure what. It seems these two might be fated and just starting to realize it. I don’t think fate is going to be kind to the other pair. The only good thing is the constable saw with his own eyes something else responsible for the murders and why XuanYe is always around at same time.

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Mountain demons and demon hunter battle with human - faced owl

BanXia meets mountain demons—one offers her a toast she can’t refuse. It is funny to see her drinking from a bowl the size of a bathtub. Qiu drinks the bitter throat potion and is rescued from demon’s intentions to steal his voice. He is convinced the demon hunter has something to do with murders because he is always in same location. He never considers that demon hunter is his counterpart in tracking down murderer. Sis in law definitely gives BanXia the side eye for providing him the tonic and quizzed her for who provided it. Demon sisters show up and before they can hurt BanXia, demon hunter shows up. The cinematography is beautiful but the battle scene is simply ok. The demon hunter’s slide under her to clip feathers was a good move and the decent part of battle. He of course wins but it does make one wonder if she actually loved her husband and would she have been able to not hurt him. BanXia visits the hunter and learns he is also a physician. He won’t give her the meds she requested but does give her protection and gives his location should she need him in the future. The bunny is sweet and gives her fairy lights to calm her as she makes her way home on the dark path. She feels a bit reassured by the hunter/physician but still wishes she did not have the ability to see the things she does. Her brother tells her not to worry and that he would find his wife. She is glad her brother is safe but not sure how he will react when he learns the truth about wife.

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Invitations offered - one accepted one rejected

WangYe is his usual self. 😆He sees pretty much everything but stays apart to study it subtly. He is not happy Zhuge Qing is wanting to stay and has almost talked him into leaving when leader Ma shows up and challenges them with some sidekicks. Here is where we get a direct comparison of Zhuge Qing and WangYe’s moral compasses. Qing is all about what’s in it for him and WangYe is all about keeping everything balanced and all parties safe. What is interesting is the depth of their friendship when they are polar opposites in many respects. Leader Ma has offered them access to the Divine Forge and while Zhuge Qing is intrigued and sorely tempted, WangYe is curious about results but sees the big picture and understands the chaos and disruption this will cause. He strongly suggests Leader Ma ends the project but his warning is falling on deaf ears. He is ready to leave as wholeheartedly as his friend is inclined to stay. WangYe lets the group know that if they are going to take down Biyou to count him in. Here we also find out that Meng is not as meek and mild as he pretends to be. He has the most history with Chen Duo and manages a visit thanks to her dog. He is wanting to know what really happened that caused the death of her mentor. We also learn that Leader Ma has a sis that’s really pulling all the strings and what they hope to achieve with the Divine Forge. I am enjoying the pace and storytelling this season. It is telling a more cohesive story tho not particularly a continuation of season 1. Since I am not familiar with the storyline in actual comic, I don’t find this a bad thing. While significantly less screen time has been given to my favorites from last season, I don’t find the story lacking and am enjoying when they do show up as they tend to have great impact in a short amount of time. I will console myself with quality over quantity screen time this season. To be honest, I don’t miss the silliness factor. That had a lot to do with my indifference to ChuLan’s character. While he is a key element, the overdone comedy often took me out of the story rather than appreciating his character’s input to storyline. I am liking him much better this season.

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Looking for Chen Duo in Biyou Village

The temporary NDT personnel group is taking notes and ErZhuang helps them along because she thinks they are incredibly slow at info gathering. Chulan gets teased for doing a good job by a new guy that comes to the group. For now he seems more interested in the food than the people. Some of the silliness has come back to this episode but it is still entertaining. They invite themselves to Biyou Village to discover that Zhuge Qing and Wang Ye are there and were actually invited. Zhuge Qing is still studying the automatons and Wang Ye is still being Wang Ye. Our group finds them after a weird run in with the automatons. There was a tongue in cheek round of comments how Zhuge Qing didn’t seem to be the same person as before.🤣 while he does have a slightly different vibe from prior actor he seems to be pretty spot on with the rest of the cast. So for me, I don’t see him as a negative distraction. They know Chen Duo is there but have yet to find her. The place has a weird vibe and they are all having different feelings about that. They are curious about all the magical weapons and undecided as to how to proceed in getting Chen Dup and leaving. For now, a truce is in effect as long as they don’t cause trouble or take Chen Duo out of village.

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All Roads lead to Biyou

Zhuge Qing has a very interesting battle with some automatons. He is very interested in their construction because they were made from Divine Forge which is a skill from his family. However, he notes that they are superior in many respects and continues to study them as he tears them apart in battle. He is offered an invitation from Biyou village’s leader and at first rejects it, but he gets intrigued by it all and changes his mind. Chen Duo is as interesting as Feng BaoBao. A very small bit of her history is revealed. That she needs cured, that she declared herself to her mentor, and that she is accompanied by many average skilled thugs all possessing very strong magical weapons from an unknown source. It is thought Chen Duo may be involved with the Medical Immortal Association and that they are the ones supplying her with the odd poison and protective weapons. Chulan and BaoBao go after her while the others take care of the thugs. The battle was well done and ChuLan is looking much more like a fighter than a comedian. They both hold their own against Chen Duo’s attacks but she manages to get away. She is with Mai JinFeng who is a Sinister Pleasure elder. Everybody wants to know how they are acquainted. All the temporary colleagues are wondering where they stand with management and how that is going to sort out. One of their group persuades everybody to bring her in alive and another becomes an inadvertent successor of a Sinister Pleasure elder. There seemed to be a memory Chen Duo got from JinFeng which she hands to the mystery guy. Chen Duo and Mai JinFeng are now at Biyou and the others are making arrangements to head there. This season is different from the last. I am enjoying the storytelling more. There is a lot less of the silliness and a gritty let’s get to it this time. There was an actor change for Zhuge Qing’s character but I haven’t seen him interact with old cast yet to know if that has any real change to cast chemistry. So far I am actually enjoying the beginning of this more than last season.

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