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“Love and Redemption” can be viewed on Viki or Youtube. Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com." "Love and Redemption," is based on the novel "Liu Li Mei Ren Sha," by Shi Si Lang. The writings presented here are based on observations from the television series.
Brother Liu holds up his empty wine jug and shakes it. He and Fox Demon are still in the Gazebo, while Sifeng is still perched on the roof. Fox Demon and Brother Liu intermittently look up at the roof, just to be sure Sifeng is okay.
"Eh?" Says Brother Liu. Sifeng has suddenly disappeared. "Where is Little Phoenix?"
"He must have gone to look for Xuanji," says Fox Demon.
"What answer will Xuanji give Sifeng?" Asks Brother Liu.
Fox Demon tilts her head. "Since Xuanji chose to come here to find Sifeng, I think she believes in him."
Brother Liu sighs, accepting her answer, but feeling a twinge of doubt.
Sifeng slowly ascends the steps to Xuanji's room. He hesitates in front of the doors, and then he lightly knocks. No answer.
"Xuanji," says Sifeng. He pushes the doors open, and is surprised to see the room is empty. "Xuanji." He looks around anxiously, and walks outside.
"Sifeng!" Yells Little Silver Flower. "Where are you going?"
"Xuanji is missing. Something must have happened to her. I'll go and look for her."
"Sifeng! She's the God of War. She's so powerful. Nothing will happen to her."
Sifeng doesn't feel assured.
"Sifeng, don't be so foolish," says Little Silver Flower. She holds the broken Rose Gold Bird hairpin in her palm. "Look, what's this?"
He takes a deep breath and tries to keep his composure as he looks down at the pin. "Why is this hairpin with you?"
"I picked it up from the ground," says Little Silver Flower.
Sifeng wants to cry. He takes the broken hairpin from her hand. Deep breath...He can't stop trembling.
Little Silver Flower takes notice of his shocked expression. "Sifeng, don't you understand? She left, and she threw away the hairpin you gave her. She's making a clean break with you!"
He clenches his hand around the broken hairpin. This can't be true.
Little Silver Flower frowns. "This Chu Xuanji is really..."
"Fire!" Yells Fox Demon, interrupting an equally terrible moment.
Little Silver Flower and Sifeng race down the steps.
Brother Liu recoils in horror as he sees the courtyard ablaze in blue Ninth Heaven Fire.
"Are you okay?" Sifeng asks.
"What happened? Why is there a huge fire?" Asks Brother Liu.
"Stop talking! Let's get out!" Yells Fox Demon.
Ting Nu is sitting behind her in his wheelchair, coughing.
"Yes, let's go!"
"Let's go!"
Fox Demon gets behind Ting Nu, and tries to wheel him out. Instead, she runs smack into a transparent wall.
"We can't get out!" Brother Liu yells desperately. "There's a barrier here!" With several precise movements of his hands, Brother Liu generates some energy, and attempts to demolish the barrier. He is violently pushed back.
"The blue flame is the Ninth Heaven Fire," says Sifeng.
"Ninth Heaven Fire?" Little Silver Flower asks anxiously. "Only the God of War can conjure it. It must be Chu Xuanji. She is trying to trap us here."
"Nonsense," says Sifeng.
"Sifeng, stop being so foolish," Little Silver Flower insists.
Sifeng flies upward, ready to do something about the blue dome entrapping them.
A light goes on in Brother Liu's head. "Hurry up! Let's break the barrier together!"
Fox Demon, Little Silver Flower, Ting Nu, and Brother Liu generate energy in a variety of colors from their hands.
"Dang Kang," Ting Nu summons his spirit beast. He throws Dang Kang upward.
Sifeng is close to the top of the barrier. He crosses his arms, and his gorgeous golden wings burst forth.
Hao Chen is walking through the bamboo forest, feeling very proud of his sociopathic plot to sever Xuanji and Sifeng's ties. He looks down at the blue fire dome in the valley, and he recalls how he got Xuanji's Ninth Heaven Fire to begin with. It was when she used it to prevent him from harming Sifeng. While she was focused on holding him back, with a subtle movement of his fingers, he absorbed a portion of it in his body. And now, at this very moment, he expelled this Ninth Heaven Fire on Sifeng and his friends.
Xuanji, since you still love him, I can only do this. This is for your own good. He is convinced that acting like a strict dad will get Xuanji to fall madly in love with him. Ewwww!!!!!
Out of nowhere, Si Ming materializes. "King Bailing, this is bad!"
"What is it?" Asks Hao Chen.
"After God of War was awakened, her life pillar was restored. I don't know why, but suddenly evil spreads out from it."
Hao Chen pauses. "It looks like it's unavoidable now."
"I'm just worried that a demon will rise inside her because of her unhappy relationship. If this continues, and the demon takes over her heart, she'll fall onto the path of the devil. If that happens, she won't be able to go back to the heavens," says Si Ming.
"If she can kill Yu Sifeng without a doubt, there won't be any demon inside her. She is obsessed with love, and is crippled by it. She is indecisive. That's why it has turned into an obsession." He turns to look at the fire down below. "Looks like my decision to do this for her...is right."
Si Ming can't believe what he's hearing. "Are you going to kill that Rose Gold Bird to get rid of the obstacle for her?"
"It's just a fire," Hao Chen says dismissively. "It won't be able to trap a Twelve Feathers Rose Gold Bird. Moreover, since this is her demon, Xuanji has to kill him herself in order to defeat that demon."
"Then, you are doing this to break the affection between God of War and Yu Sifeng?" Si Ming rushes up to Hao Chen.
"This is the only way," says Hao Chen. "At first, I didn't want to awaken the God of War. I just wanted Xuanji to follow the path of Heaven, and go back to the heavens with a new identity and memory. But I was unable to stop it from happening. If that's the case, I can only let her get rid of those demons to help her build up her merits."
Si Ming sighs. "You've really bestowed great care upon the God of War. Luckily, she has finally seen that demon's true colors now. So, your effort will be paid off soon."
As Xuanji walks out of her room in the cold morning, she sees her father. She groans internally. There is a huge probability that Hao Chen has tattled.
"Come with me, I have to talk to you," says Sect Leader Chu.
"Father," says Xuanji as he walks ahead.
Little Silver Flower rolls up Sifeng's hanfu sleeve, and sees a huge, bloody, burn. "Sifeng, you're hurt. She has injured you so deeply."
"I'm fine," says Sifeng. He covers his burn with his sleeve.
"Ninth Heaven Fire is powerful," says Ting Nu. "Take this medicine, and use it at once."
Little Silver Flower grabs the black wooden vial. "Sifeng."
He carefully takes it from her.
"She is trying to kill you," says Little Silver Flower.
"Xuanji will not stab someone in the back," says Sifeng.
"You don't believe me?" Little Silver Flower asks impatiently. "Tell me, then. Where did the Ninth Heaven Fire come from? How do you explain the hairpin? I know. She's just trying to keep you here, and burn you to death with the Ninth Heaven Fire, right?"
"Nonsense," says Fox Demon. "There are so many of us here. Was she trying to kill us all, as well?"
"Don't forget, she is the God of War," Little Silver Flower snaps back. "Demons are her sworn enemies since 1,000 years ago. Now that she has awakened, she'll do anything to kill us."
"She is the God of War," Sifeng acknowledges, "but she is still Xuanji."
"Sifeng," says Little Silver Flower.
"There must be a misunderstanding," Sifeng insists.
"But where has Xuanji gone?" Asks Fox Demon. "Could it be that people from Shaoyang Sect found her, and brought her back?"
"If that's the case," says Sifeng, "I don't know if they'll make things difficult for her. It'll be bad if they lock her up in Mingxia Cave again. No, I have to go to Shaoyang Sect."
Little Silver Flower blocks his path. "Sifeng, you can't go! They know that you are a demon. If you go there now, they'll kill you."
"I still haven't gotten an answer for the promise I made with her yesterday. I have to go and ask her!"
"Fine," says Brother Liu. "Even if you want to go, wait until you've recovered."
"Yes," Fox Demon agrees. "If you want to go, we'll all go with you."
"Shaoyang Sect is heavily guarded now," says Sifeng. "It'll be more convenient if I go alone."
"Sifeng, don't go," begs Little Silver Flower. She has a super awful feeling about it, and it's not just because she can't stand Xuanji.
"This is my personal matter," says Sifeng. "Just wait here for me. No need to follow me." He leaves his friends and the smoking rubble behind.
"Sifeng!" Shouts Little Silver Flower.
"Kneel!" Sect Leader Chu yells at Xuanji. Yep, somebody tattled. They are alone in the main hall.
Xuanji obediently kneels. In spite of her Ninth Heaven Fire, and having significantly more power than everyone else in her sect, she decides it's best to do what Sect Leader Chu asks.
"Don't forget that your mother died in the hands of a Rose Gold Bird from Lize Palace. And now, you went to find him again? Is this how you repay your mother?"
"Father. There are good people and bad people. Same with demons. The Rose Gold Bird who killed my mother is not Sifeng, and he promised that he'd find the killer for me. I don't want to put all the hate on him. I want to believe in him again."
Xuanji flinches in shock as she feels the burn of Sect Leader Chu slapping her across the face. "Insolent girl!"
She touches the side of her face to ease the burn and humiliation.
"Sect Leader," the sociopathic Hao Chen smoothly comes walking in.
Sect Leader Chu looks down at Xuanji and yells, "Since the beginning, humans and demons have been sworn enemies. Although you had a relationship with him before, you should forget about it now. Don't forget that you are the God of War. It's your mission to kill demons. Do you know how big your responsibility is?"
Xuanji looks up at him defiantly. "I should just slaughter all demons because I'm the God of War? Even if I am the God of War, I can distinguish right from wrong. I feel pain. If you want me to be a demon killing machine, I'd rather not be the God of War."
"You..." says Sect Leader Chu. He dramatically grips his stomach, reminiscent of Sophia Petrillo's feigned heart attacks on "The Golden Girls."
"Sect Leader," gasps Hao Chen.
"Father," says Xuanji.
"You still haven't recovered," says Hao Chen. "Don't be so reckless. Xuanji, apologize to your father now. He was hurt by those Rose Gold Bird Demons. He still hasn't recovered yet."
"Father, I--"
"Great," says Sect Leader Chu. "Now, you don't even listen to your own father. If you still want to find a demon, from now on, don't call me father anymore!"
Hao Chen is secretly enjoying the show. The game pieces are shifting in the exact positions he has assigned on the board.
Xuanji grabs Sect Leader Chu's sleeve. "Father!"
"If you still respect me as your father, swear to God right now that from now on, you'll focus on getting rid of demons to protect the people in this world."
"Father, I..." Xuanji says tearfully.
Sect Leader Chu dramatically grimaces in pain. "Do you..."
"Father," says Xuanji.
"Want to see your father die in front of you?" Asks Sect Leader Chu.
"Father!"
"Xuanji," says the ass kissing Hao Chen.
"Fine, I swear," Xuanji says desperately. "From now on, I'll focus on getting rid of demons to protect the people in this world."
"Say that from now on," says Sect Leader Chu, "you'll break up with Yu Sifeng, and never see him again."
"Father!"
"Swear it!" Growls Sect Leader Chu.
"I--"
"Now, every sect in this world looks up to you for direction, but you are still entangled with that demon," snarls Sect Leader Chu. "By doing so, you've betrayed a lot of people's trust in you. Swear it!"
Xuanji hesitates.
"Fine," says Sect Leader Chu. "Since I can't control my own daughter, I can only...I can only appease the wrath of this world with my death!" He raises his hand, ready to cast a spell.
"Father!"
"Sect Leader!" Yells Hao Chen. "Don't do that, Sect Leader."
"Xuanji," says Hao Chen, "how long are you going to be foolish? If you continue to be like this, not only Sect Leader, even our master, will not think of you as a disciple anymore."
I believe that Sifeng will not lie to me anymore, Xuanji thinks, but I don't want to make Father angry. Don't take my swear seriously, God. Just act like you didn't hear anything.
Xuanji takes a deep breath. "I swear that from now on, I'll get rid of demons with everybody, and break up with Sifeng. If I break my promise, I'll...I'll...I'll be struck by lightning and lose all my six senses again."
"No!" Snaps Sect Leader Chu. "You have to swear an oath on your father. If you break our oath, your father will be ripped to death on the street."
"Father!"
"Swear it!"
"Do you have to force me like this?"
"Or else, don't call me Father ever again!"
"Sect Leader." Even Hao Chen, who instigated all this drama to begin with, thinks Sect Leader Chu is being too extreme.
"Okay," says Xuanji. "I swear that..."
Little does she know, Sifeng is right outside, listening in.
"I'll focus on killing demons, and break up with Yu Sifeng. If I break my oath, my...my father will be ripped to death."
Sifeng's heart drops. Is it really the end?
Xuanji sobs.
"Xuanji, remember your oath today," says Hao Chen. "Remember your mission as the God of War."
"I know," whispers Xuanji.
"What should you do when you see Yu Sifeng in the future?" Hao Chen asks triumphantly.
"We'll be sworn enemies," Xuanji whispers reluctantly.
Sifeng wants to throw up. So...So, you left the broken silver hairpin because you're really going to break up with me. He clenches his fist. And yet, I'm so insensible to come here.
Hao Chen hears Sifeng walking away. "Who is it?" Hao Chen asks sharply.
Sifeng runs through the forest and stands against a moss covered tree. His heart is pounding, and he struggles to breathe. The hairpin is in his clenched fist, and he pulls back his sleeve to examine his burn. "I'll focus on killing demons and break up with Yu Sifeng."
"What should you do when you see Yu Sifeng in the future?"
His hand trembles as he looks down at the broken hairpin.
"We'll be sworn enemies."
Xuanji, since you've made up your mind, I won't make things difficult for you.
His thoughts are interrupted when he sees someone in a dark blue Lize Palace hanfu run across the forest. He clutches his heart, and chases after the figure.
Ruo Yu flies to the edge of the dock over the secret ground. He looks out at the water, and begins to shoot fiery energy at the barrier. He hovers over the lake, and summons the candle dragon, who rises out of the water like a whale. It sails up into the air, knocking Ruo Yu back. And like a whale, it dives back into the water.
Ruo Yu grins. "It's indeed guarded by the Candle Dragon."
Sifeng flies onto the dock.
Ruo Yu partially turns his head.
"Ruo Yu?" Asks Sifeng. "Ruo Yu?"
Ruo Yu slowly turns around.
"I thought you fell off the cliff," says Sifeng.
Ruo Yu says nothing.
"You're working for Deputy Chief," Sifeng realizes out loud.
Ruo Yu looks at him defiantly. "It's too late. But since you're here, help me with this."
Ruo Yu flies off the edge of the dock, and levitates over the lake. Large bursts of fiery energy generate from his hands. The Candle Dragon bursts out once again, charging for Ruo Yu.
Sifeng summons his sword. Ruo Yu flies backwards, while Sifeng flies forward with his fiery sword pointed at the Candle Dragon. He makes a protective, golden vortex. The dragon tries to fly through, but the vortex pushes him back.
Ruo Yu takes out some coins that are connected together by a ribbon. "This is," he remembers saying to Yuan Lang.
"Wolf has gone to the secret ground of Shaoyang before. The spirit of an ancient Candle Dragon is guarding it. Outsiders cannot go near it. The coins in your hand are a weapon that has soaked up all energy for 1,000 years in the Water of Forgetting. It can keep spirits at bay. If you can find the Crystal Lamp from Shaoyang's secret ground this time, I'll let you meet your sister again."
Ruo Yu throws the coins in the air, and they split off in multiple directions, each leaving a fiery stream of energy, and adding strength to Sifeng's vortex.
Ruo Yu casts a spell, and flame streams wrap around the dragon like bailing twine.
Sifeng withdraws his vortex, and the dragon charges at him. Sifeng jumps out of the way. The dragon hits him with his tail, sending Sifeng flying, but he regains his footing on the dock. He points his sword at the dragon, generating more fire energy.
The orange rock in Shaoyang Sect that serves as an alarm, is glowing brightly.
"This is bad!" Says First Senior. "Someone is getting into the secret ground!"
Sifeng continues to apply fire to the dragon. Ruo Yu flies to the water. Sifeng turns his sword towards him, but Ruo Yu blocks the attempt.
"Don't you dare touch the Crystal Lamp," says Sifeng.
"Xuanji hurt you so deeply," says Ruo Yu. "Why are you still protecting Shaoyang?"
"Ruo Yu," says Sifeng, "if the Devil Star is revived, the world will be in chaos."
"The world?" Asks Ruo Yu. "I just want to live in peace. The world is none of my concern." He flies out onto the water, while Sifeng continues to block the dragon. The dragon strikes him in the stomach, and he vomits blood.
Sifeng puts his sword aside, and begins to cast a spell. "Spirit of Heaven, gold from Eight Diagram, break this Greedy Wolf!"
A huge burst of fire generates from the spell, and eliminates the dragon, turning it into ashes.
Xuanji, Hao Chen, Sect Leader Chu, and the other elders arrive to the dock at that very moment. The protective coins fall from the sky, and onto the dock. Sifeng descends, clutching his heart.
The Shaoyang Sect elders run up to him, with Xuanji and Hao Chen at the front.
"Sifeng," says Xuanji.
"It's you again, Yu Sifeng!" Hao Chen snarls.
"Sifeng, why are you here?" Asks Xuanji.
"Do you need to ask?" Asks Hao Chen. "He broke into the secret ground of Shaoyang and hurt the spirit of the Candle Dragon. He's here to take the Crystal Lamp."
"No. Sifeng wouldn't do that," says Xuanji.
"How do you explain his appearance here, then?" Asks Hao Chen.
"He has completely destroyed the spirit of the Candle Dragon," says Heng Yang. "He's really powerful."
"Sifeng," says Xuanji, "tell me. Why are you here? Didn't you say that you wouldn't lie to me again?"
"I didn't lie to you," says Sifeng. "I didn't mean to destroy it."
"Stop trying to lie to us," hisses Hao Chen. "If you didn't plan this ahead, why would you have the formation to trap the spirit of Candle Dragon?"
Xuanji sees the coins on the ground, and her heart drops. "Sifeng," she whispers, "you're really here for the Crystal Lamp."
He grins wryly. "So, this is how you think of me. Because I'm a demon, and since I'm here, it must be because I'm here for the Crystal Lamp, right? I was too foolish. Since you left without saying goodbye, that is your answer. Why did I come here to find you?"
"No," says Xuanji. "I left without saying goodbye because I..."
"I didn't want to take the Crystal Lamp. I found Ruo Yu here. At first, I wanted to stop him. I never thought that he would plot against me. It was an accident that the spirit of the Candle Dragon was destroyed."
"Ruo Yu?" Little Six asks incredulously. "I saw him fall off the cliff. Why would he be here?"
"Ruo Yu is not dead," says Sifeng. "He has been working for Deputy Chief."
"How did that happen?" Asks Little Six. "How can I believe any of you ever again?"
"Stop lying," says Hao Chen. "The Twelve Feathers Rose Gold Bird Demons are very powerful. It's impossible that a disciple of Lize Palace would be able to defy them. Yu Sifeng, don't use a dead man as an excuse."
"Sifeng," says Xuanji, "tell me. Why are you here? Explain it to me now. You said that you wouldn't lie to me again."
"What's the point of explaining myself?" Sifeng asks. "You already have your own answer. Why are you asking me again?"
"We've let you escape so many times," says Sect Leader Chu. "Today, I'll take you down!"
Xuanji stands in front of Sifeng with her arms out.
"Xuanji!" says Hao Chen.
"Don't hurt him," says Xuanji.
"You are still protecting him at this time?" Asks Sect Leader Chu. "Have you forgotten what you promised me just now?"
"I'm not protecting him, I...I suddenly remember that Sifeng is a Twelve Feathers Rose Gold Bird. He has always been important to Lize Palace. He might be useful to us if we spare him for now." She says hastily.
"Hmmph!" Grunts Sect Leader Chu. "Don't think that I don't know what you are thinking! Today, I won't let him go!"
"Master!" says Little Six.
"Wait," says Heng Yang. "Junior, what Xuanji said just now makes sense. The Rose Gold Bird is heavily wounded anyway. We can keep him in Mingxia Cave first. With the formation and situation there, I don't think he can escape. Let him have a taste of that bone deep pain first. When the other sect leaders are here, we can decide together."
The Sect members are down at the bottom of the lake.
"Now, the spirit of the Candle Dragon has been destroyed. The barrier of the secret ground is broken," says He Yang.
"The demons have already taken all the spirit keys," says Sect Leader Chu. "We can't let anything happen to the Crystal Lamp. But with the barrier gone, it'll be hard for us to keep this Crystal Lamp safe. This..." He turns to Heng Yang. "What should we do?"
"Master," says Hao Chen, "I remember that the great master of Xuyang Peak has written down a formation to summon the spirit of the Candle Dragon."
"That's right," says Heng Yang. "We do have a secret art that can summon another Candle Dragon's spirit. But, for the past thousands of years, nothing has ever happened to the Candle Dragon in the secret ground. So, nobody has ever used this formation before. But, don't worry. I'll do my best to summon it."
"We'll be counting on you, then, Senior Heng Yang," Sect Leader Chu bows.
"This is not a normal formation. I need to cast a spell to Heaven for three days straight. Hao Chen, go to Xuyang Peak to summon all the other protectors here to help me protect the formation."
"Yes, Master," Hao Chen bows.
Sifeng is sitting in the middle of the cold and snowy Mingxia Cave. Things have most certainly come full circle, but will Xuanji come and save him this time?
He watches the snow fall. He rolls back the sleeve on his hanfu, and looks at his burn. He takes out some ointment, and carefully applies it to the wound.
No wonder Xuanji didn't want to come back here, no matter what, back then.
Little Silver Flower, Ting Nu, Brother Liu, and Fox Demon anxiously wait among the burned down rubble for Sifeng.
"What's wrong? Why can't I feel Sifeng anymore?" Asks Little Silver Flower.
"Little Silver Flower," says Brother Liu. "Can you stop pacing around? I'm getting dizzy from it. I think Little Phoenix purposely cut the bond because you were too annoying."
"This is none of your business!" Snaps Little Silver Flower.
"Sifeng is very cunning," says Fox Demon, "and Xuanji wouldn't let anything happen to her lover. Now, I'm worried about the spirit keys. Yuan Lang already gathered all four. If that's the case, he'll be targeting Wu Zhiqi next. No. I can't let him do that. I have to go to Lize Palace now."
"Purple Fox--" says Ting Nu. "How are you going to defeat Yuan Lang and the others if you go there alone?"
"Who said I'm going to fight them?" Asks Fox Demon. "I'm going to find a way to steal those keys."
"Yes," says Brother Liu. "Good idea. We'll steal those spirit keys out in secret. Then, that creepy Deputy Chief won't be able to do anything about it, and he can't force those innocent people in Lize Palace to a corner. Good. Just steal them. I have a secret tunnel that can lead you to Lize Palace. I'll draw a map for you."
Fox Demon smiles.
"I know that no one can stop you when it comes to Wu Zhiqi," says Ting Nu. He opens the palm of his hand, and blue energy appears. "Dang Kang." His adorable spirit beast lands in his hand. "Bring Dang Kang with you. If you are in danger, Dang Kang can get you out."
"Nothing will happen to me," Fox Demon insists. "But since you are so kind to offer it, I'll bring it with me, then." She touches Dang Kang, and he disappears in her hand.
"Be careful," says Ting Nu.
"Here's the map," says Brother Liu.
"Thank you," says Fox Demon. "I'll get going, then." She disappears in a haze of purple energy.
...To be continued...
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