After returning to the Lanling Sect, Zhong Zhao once again questions Jin Yao about the cause of his parents’ deaths. However, Jin Yao becomes furious at Zhong Zhao’s involvement with a demon clan woman and asserts that “when the soul lamp extinguishes, the connection of the soul is severed with no hope of reversal.” He further reasons that if his parents were truly alive, they would have returned by now, urging Zhong Zhao to let go of the past.
Meanwhile, Fan Yue and Bai Shuo search for the location of the Otherworldly City in the desert. During their search, they accidentally trigger a sandstorm array, putting them in grave danger. At a critical moment, Fan Yue uses his whip to anchor himself to a wall and grabs Bai Shuo tightly, reassuring her that he would never let anything happen to her. Touched by his words, Bai Shuo briefly feels a stir in her heart. However, she quickly deduces the city’s location from clues in a nursery rhyme and boldly ventures into the storm’s center, successfully locating the entrance to the Otherworldly City.
Fan Yue’s life-threatening protection of Bai Shuo during the sandstorm earns her trust in the Great Demon King. In the city, Bai Shuo meets its ruler, the Otherworldly King Hua Lin, and persuades him with a mix of coercion and promises to send invitations within three days to all immortals and demons, reopening the long-discontinued Wutong Martial Banquet, which has been dormant for seven years. Bai Shuo promises Hua Lin that if he complies, she will ensure the Otherworldly City is granted sanctuary in the Extreme Region. Vice General Wu Zhao advises Hua Lin against reopening the banquet, but Hua Lin is torn. The city’s exposure makes relocation within three days impossible, and the secrets within the city would be at risk if the immortals and demons discover its location. At this tense moment, Zhen Yu enters the hall, offering to safeguard the city’s secrets and handle any issues, but only if Hua Lin helps him find the Wunian Stone.
At the Lanling Sect, Sect Leader Jin Yao gathers the senior immortals, revealing that the Otherworldly King has sent invitations to both immortals and demons to participate in the Wutong Martial Banquet, where the winner will receive the legendary Wutong Elixir. Initially uninterested, the immortals quickly change their minds upon learning the prize, motivated by the potential to sell the elixir for wealth. Jin Yao orders Zhong Zhao to lead the group, gifting him the Cangxuan Sword.
As both immortals and demons fixate on the martial banquet, the city’s inhabitants harbor hostility toward the visitors. Bai Shuo notices this hostility and learns that the inhabitants of the city are naturally strong but possess low spiritual power, making them targets of disdain from both immortals and demons. The Otherworldly City has prohibited the use of spiritual power by either group within its boundaries.
Soon, Zhong Zhao and his sect brothers arrive, attempting to convince Bai Shuo to abandon her association with the demon clan. However, prompted by Fan Yue, Bai Shuo declares that the immortal sect cannot give her what she truly desires and admits she is destined to part ways with them. Meanwhile, Zhen Yu ensures all factions are present and assigns Fu Ling to monitor Bai Shuo, discreetly placing other spies in the city.
Bai Shuo’s group encounters a chaotic clash between immortals and demons at an inn, and she narrowly avoids harm thanks to Fan Yue’s intervention. Nan Wan of the Yunxiao Immortal Sect leads her peers in fighting the demons over lodging. Bei Chen of the Kunlun Immortal Sect, disliking the confrontation, tries to mediate, but his efforts only annoy both sides. Bai Shuo, curious about why such divided groups share lodging, learns from Fan Yue that the Otherworldly King once sought to promote unity among the three clans, setting rules for them to coexist. However, Bai Shuo dismisses these rules as superficial, asserting that differing stances make true harmony impossible.
Zhong Zhao attempts to pacify the conflict but becomes the target of Nan Wan’s mockery. Unable to stand it, Bai Shuo speaks up for him, angering Nan Wan. Instinctively, Bai Shuo seeks Fan Yue’s help, who swiftly subdues Nan Wan with a single whip strike, shocking everyone. Bai Shuo enjoys the moment of leverage.
The chaos subsides, but soon after, a group of city inhabitants arrives at the inn with a distressed mother carrying a sick child. Accusing the immortals and demons of causing the child’s condition, they escalate tensions. The Yunxiao Sect and demons attempt to exploit the situation, but Bai Shuo heals the child with an elixir, earning her the first Heart Flame, which triggers resentment among the immortals and demons.
Vice General Wu Zhao appears, explaining the banquet’s rules: only those who collect three Heart Flames will emerge as victors. Everyone is astonished to learn Fan Yue is the Hall Master of the Hao Yue Hall, making them hesitant to antagonize Bai Shuo. The demon clans, wary of offending Hao Yue Hall or Lengquan Palace, decide to remain neutral. Bai Shuo finds the appearance of the first Heart Flame suspicious, suspecting a deliberate setup. Fan Yue believes the Wunian Stone is likely involved, and the two resolve to investigate further.
Fu Ling approaches Zhong Zhao, warning him of the city’s dangers and urging him to leave, but Zhong Zhao firmly refuses. When Bai Shuo arrives, Fu Ling leaves under Zhong Zhao’s silent prompting. Bai Shuo inquires about the Old Turtle and remarks that their relationship may never return to what it once was.
