Tianming experiences excruciating pain after transferring Mu Xuanling’s emotional bond to himself. He recalls Haotian’s words, warning that whoever possesses this bond is bound to remain loyal to him. Struggling to endure the pain, Tianming is supported by Feng Yao, who questions if he already knew that Xuanxin was her brother. Tianming admits that he neither knew too early nor too late. Feng Yao acknowledges that while her brother is alive, what Tianming said is also true—her bond with Xuanxin has already faded. Xuanxin, being a righteous defender of the world, and Feng Yao, burdened by her past deeds, can no longer connect as siblings. Feng Yao admits she doesn’t even know how to face him anymore.
She urges Tianming to ensure that no matter what happens in Yongxue City, Xuanxin remains unharmed. Meanwhile, Fu Cangli entrusts the Blackwood Seal to Tianming, urging him to keep A Bao out of the chaos. Tianming grimly replies that the Demon Lord’s presence makes disaster inevitable, and no one can remain untouched.
Mu Xuanling reflects on the Mind Observing Seal in her hands and remembers Yan Tong’s remark about sensing the remnants of Xie Xuechen’s aura within the Demon Lord. Yan Tong firmly believed that Xie Xuechen’s soul would eventually awaken. Unsure of the Demon Lord’s true feelings, Mu Xuanling devises a plan to probe his heart. She brings a pot of wine to him, commenting on the beautiful moonlight and asking why he sits alone.
The Demon Lord coldly scolds her for her boldness, asking who allowed her to enter. Mu Xuanling teases him, calling him dull. The Demon Lord retorts that his greatest joy is killing and threatens to start with the two captives in the Molten Abyss if she doesn’t leave. Mu Xuanling provocatively suggests that killing them now would save them from prolonged suffering. Enraged, the Demon Lord grabs her by the neck, demanding her chaos power, declaring that he cares for nothing else. Noticing the Mind Observing Seal on her, he challenges her to truly look into his heart.
When Mu Xuanling glimpses the wounds on his body, the Demon Lord pushes her away, warning her to spare him her pity. He reveals that the scars came from his time trapped in the Molten Abyss. Mu Xuanling recognizes a specific wound as one inflicted by Ah Zhu, which the Demon Lord quickly denies. Dismissing her attempt to understand him, he orders her to leave, declaring her plan a failure.
Just then, Mu Xuanling sees Yan Tong collapsed on the ground and confronts the Demon Lord, asking if he killed him. The Demon Lord denies it, though he admits he considered it. As they speak, Tianming arrives and instructs Chi Ying to transform the Blackwood Seal into a sharp blade to strike the Demon Lord. Mu Xuanling steps in to shield him, forcing Tianming to abandon his plan. Feng Yao questions Tianming on their next move, and he assures her that he has contingencies in place no matter what happens.
Mu Xuanling later wakes up to find the Demon Lord watching Xuanling flowers outside her door. She opens up about her history with Xie Xuechen, but he refuses to listen. Determined, she declares her intention to align with him, offering her entire chaos power under certain conditions: he must release Gao Qiumin and the others, accompany her to Qifeng Forest to retrieve the Eternal Lotus, and reclaim the Juntian Sword. The Demon Lord agrees, stating that as long as he gets the chaos power, he doesn’t care about the rest.
Arriving at the Eternal Lotus site, Mu Xuanling warns him about the illusory traps created by enchanted spirits. As they enter, she quickly escapes the illusion, having encountered it before. However, she is unable to sense the Demon Lord’s presence even with her chaos power. Meanwhile, the Demon Lord falls into an illusion of Ah Zhu, who pretends to be waiting for him with affection. She hands him a marriage contract and asks him to sign it, claiming to have waited for him while finishing the last piece of candy they shared.
Elsewhere, Tianming looks at a painting and remarks that if the Demon Lord is consumed by his obsession, he will never escape and will vanish forever. However, the Demon Lord sees through the fake Ah Zhu and kills her, breaking free from the illusion. He reunites with Mu Xuanling, and together, they reach the location of the Eternal Lotus.
