Episode 20 recap: Yun Tian He misunderstood Mu Rong Zi Ying.
Su Yao is practicing the Wang Shu Sword here, but he has no way to control it at all. He feels very frustrated. Could it be that his half-yin physique really cannot cultivate the Wang Shu Sword? Was his master lying to him before? In the past, the master called them over and said that they had finally created two swords, one yin and one yang. The Xihe Sword was entrusted to Xuan Xiao for cultivation, while Su Yao, being a half-yin physique, temporarily went to cultivate the Wang Shu Sword.
Su Yao came to find Xuan Xiao, and Xuan Xiao noticed that Su Yao was seriously injured, indicating that it was impossible for him to persist in cultivating the Wang Shu Sword. Su Yao didn't believe it and asked Xuan Xiao to teach him the Ice Condensation Technique. Xuan Xiao agreed to teach him, wanting to see how Su Yao would use his life to cultivate.
After Su Yao practiced, it was indeed unsuccessful, and he almost lost his life. He begged Xuan Xiao for help. Xuan Xiao took away the Wang Shu Sword, stating that unless it was a matter of life and death, Su Yao wouldn't admit his failure. Xuan Ying was worried that Su Yao had followed secretly and was surprised to find that Su Yao looked exactly like Xuan Xiao.
Xuan Ying asked Su Yao what was going on, and Su Yao didn't expect that he had entered the forbidden area. He explained that because of his obsession with Xuan Xiao, he used puppetry to create Xuan Ying. Xuan Ying was just a shadow of Xuan Xiao, a lifeless puppet without emotions or a heartbeat.
Xuan Ying didn't believe it and took out the wave drum given to him by Han Ling Sha, indicating that he had emotions. Su Yao was very angry, claiming that he had done so much, but couldn't compare to a piece of junk given by Han Ling Sha. He told Xuan Ying to leave immediately. Han Ling Sha, despite feeling uncomfortable due to the cold, still persisted in training with Mu Rong Zi Ying.
Yun Tian He also arrived and said that Han Ling Sha shouldn't continue practicing now and should go back to rest. Mu Rong Zi Ying is currently unwilling to teach Yun Tian He, so Yun Tian He hurriedly came to find Xuan Xiao.
Xuan Xiao agreed to teach Yun Tian He, and Yun Tian He came to the Sea of Consciousness where he saw his mother and became very excited.
Yun Tian He's cultivation level is not enough, so he can't retain his mother's figure at all. Xuan Xiao mocks Yun Tian He here, saying that he can't even retain his own mother's figure, so what else is there to say.
Yun Tian He becomes extremely excited and practices even harder. Han Ling Sha notices that something is wrong with Yun Tian He and realizes that it must be because of going to practice with Xuan Xiao. Han Ling Sha can't let Yun Tian He continue in this state.
Mu Rong Zi Ying also notices something wrong with Yun Tian He and uses the Star-Tugging Technique on him to draw away the evil energy into his own body. Han Ling Sha learns from Xuan Ying that he is identical to Xuan Xiao and believes that Xuan Ying's master is Xuan Xiao. Han Ling Sha comes to tell Yun Tian He, worried that Xuan Xiao might exploit him.
Yun Tian He finds it impossible to believe. He wants to come and apologize to Mu Rong Zi Ying, but Xuan Zhaohao happens to be coming to see Mu Rong Zi Ying as well. Xuan Zhaohao says he will talk to Mu Rong Zi Ying first and asks Yun Tian He to come in later.
Xuan Zhaohao deliberately tells Mu Rong Zi Ying not to teach Yun Tian He. Yun Tian He overhears this and becomes extremely angry. Yun Tian He asks Mu Rong Zi Ying if he wants to kick him out. Mu Rong Zi Ying is also disappointed, feeling that they have been through so much, but Yun Tian He thinks this way about himself.
Yun Tian He comes to Xuan Xiao for training, but the more he practices, the more evil energy enters his body. Mu Rong Zi Ying arrives and says he wants to see Xuan Xiao, implying that he and Yun Tian He have no relationship anymore. Mu Rong Zi Ying asks Xuan Xiao what he intends to do, but Xuan Xiao refuses to say. Mu Rong Zi Ying states that Yun Tian He is his disciple, and if someone wants to harm Yun Tian He, they have to go through him.
Mu Rong Zi Ying and Xuan Xiao start fighting, and Yun Tian He, unaware of the truth, points his sword at Mu Rong Zi Ying. Mu Rong Zi Ying is also disappointed and asks Yun Tian He to return the breathing technique he taught him, which is actually a way to absorb Yun Tian He's internal injuries.
Let's speculate on the plot development based on the original work. Episodes 21, 22, 23, and 24 are still original storylines of the Qionghua Sect, possibly including the Phoenix Flower subplot.
The plot feels a bit slow.
Episodes 25, 26, 27, and 28 should be the warmest four episodes, combining elements from the original work. It includes the part where Xuan Xiao helps find the Cold Light Silent Diagram, the subsequent Momo Flower Lantern, the enduring friendship of the four characters, and Ziyin's line, "I promise to keep it for a lifetime." They might have deleted the plot involving Juchao Kingdom and the Saro Tree.
Episodes 29, 30, 31, and 32 revolve around Liu Meng Li discovering her identity and leaving, the three little ones searching for Mengli, crossing the boundary of the Demon Realm, and I'm not sure if they deleted the plot involving the Candle Dragon and searching for branches in the Ghost Realm.
Episodes 33 and 34 should be about obtaining the Shoot the Sun Bow at Fengshen Tomb, the battle between the Demon Realm and Qionghua, and then Xuan Xiao sparing the Demon Realm due to Tianhe's influence.
Liu Meng Li stays in the Demon Realm, completely parting ways with the three little ones.
Episodes 35 and 36 should be about the three little ones stopping Qionghua's ascension, having a final showdown with Xuan Xiao and Su Yao, the punishment of Qionghua by the Nine Heavens Xuan Nu, Yun Tianhe using the Shoot the Sun Bow to explode Qionghua Mountain to save Boxian Town...
Finally, it should follow the classic ending from the original work, a hundred years later, which is unlikely to be changed.
Personally, I think each plotline consists of roughly two episodes, and there were four episodes cut during the release.
The plot involving Momo Flower Lantern and the Fox Fairy won't be deleted. Then, episodes 31 and 32 should have the Candle Dragon plot since it's related to the ending. Episodes 33 and 34 might not have the Ghost Realm, but the Fengshen Tomb plot should be there.
Episodes 35 and 36 are the ending, and with the series being too short, they might arrange for a direct battle between the four little ones and the Demon Realm, concluding with the intervention of the Nine Heavens Xuan Nu, Yun Tianhe using the bow, and the final hundred-year ending.