Episode 5 recap: Yun Tian He and others entered the Imperial Southern Tomb.
Lord Liu rushed over and was surprised to find that Han Ling Sha had been released from prison and wanted to bring her back. Yun Tian He spoke up for Han Ling Sha, who claimed she was not a notorious thief but rather a robber who helped the poor. Liu Meng Li came up with a plan to investigate the matter with Yun Tian He and Han Ling Sha so that they could redeem themselves.
Liu Meng Li wanted to join Yun Tian He and the others, but Lord Liu thought it was not appropriate. Liu Meng Li stated that since Lord Liu wanted her to marry Yun Tian He, she naturally wanted to take this opportunity to observe him closely.
Lord Liu agreed to her request. Yun Tian He changed into the clothes prepared by Lord Liu, which astonished Han Ling Sha. Yun Tian He asked Han Ling Sha what was wrong, and she remarked that he used to dress like a wild man in fur and now he looked like this, so what's wrong with taking a few more glances?
Lord Liu and Lady Liu treated Liu Meng Li very well. Lady Liu knew that Liu Meng Li preferred light flavors, so she specially made osmanthus soup for her, and Lord Liu even went out to buy her favorite food. Han Ling Sha saw all this and felt very dejected.
Han Ling Sha's parents had passed away, and she could only eat in front of their memorial tablets every day. Yun Tian He asked Han Ling Sha why her eyes were red, but she quickly denied it. Liu Meng Li mentioned that she had no siblings and encouraged Han Ling Sha to consider this place her home.
Lady Liu also said the same. Yun Tian He and the others arrived at the Female Luo Cliff and coincidentally encountered Xuan Ji and his group. Xuan Ji asked if Han Ling Sha and the others had noticed Mu Rong Zi Ying but called them "feeders." Han Ling Sha was also displeased and thought they were very impolite, and she definitely wouldn't tell them anything.
Huai Shuo quickly stopped Xuan Ji, stating that Xuan Ji lacked manners and if they had seen Mu Rong Zi Ying, they hoped to be informed. Liu Meng Li frequently visited the Female Luo Cliff and led the way ahead. Pei Jian was also there but had already fallen unconscious.
Pei Jian had no wounds on his body, and Han Ling Sha believed that he must have been possessed by demonic energy. Han Ling Sha was dragged away by a vine, and Yun Tian He and Liu Meng Li hurriedly chased after her but were also dragged away. The three of them arrived underground, and Liu Meng Li was worried that this place was the Imperial Southern Tomb and wanted to leave quickly.
Han Ling Sha said they couldn't leave because they were already inside the Imperial Southern Tomb. There was no other choice but to move forward. The place was extremely strange, and Yun Tian He was also concerned. Han Ling Sha took out a compass and said they should follow her. They encountered a headless woman ahead, and Han Ling Sha said she was there to guide them.
Pei Jian regained consciousness and saw Liu Meng Li's handkerchief, so he started looking for people in that area. Mu Rong Zi Ying also arrived and told him to wait there while he went to find someone. Han Ling Sha continued leading them forward, and Yun Tian He saw two jade stones. Han Ling Sha said they were the Yin-Yang Purple Quarters, which looked just like jade objects. If buried underground for thousands of years, they would become spiritual and consuming them would grant endless spiritual power.
Yun Tian He wanted to take them out and bury them, offering them to Han Ling Sha to consume. Han Ling Sha said she couldn't live that long and that living for a few decades was already a struggle. There were many dancing girls around, but they quickly disappeared. The Imperial Southern King appeared, claiming that he had achieved immortality and knew that Yun Tian He was the son of Yun Tian Qing, revealing that he himself had also become an immortal.
The Imperial Southern King poured wine for them, saying that by drinking it, they could become immortal and never age. Yun Tian He asked about his mother, but the Imperial Southern King's words were false, and Yun Tian He realized that the King was deceiving them. Han Ling Sha drank the wine, and Yun Tian He tried to persuade her to stop, but to no avail.
Yun Tian He had no choice but to throw the Wanshu Sword, and the magnificent scene instantly disappeared. Mu Rong Zi Ying came to find Yun Tian He and the others but was also possessed by evil energy.
I've played the game twice, and in the game, I actually prefer Liu Meng Li. But objectively speaking, the male lead seems to have similar feelings for both girls, just a bit more shy towards Liu Meng Li. However, it's clear that Han Ling Sha has always liked the male lead, until later when Liu Meng Li returns to the demon realm...
and then various plot twists and events happen... until the final boss battle. And on Han Ling Sha's grave, it says "beloved wife"... Even though I prefer Liu Meng Li, she leaves in the later part of the story and only comes back in the final moments.
Does that count as having two female leads? I'm not quite sure. Anyway, it's a TV drama, and it's bound to have adaptations. But I can accept them all.
To be honest, there were some significant changes in the plot at the beginning. When Liu Meng Li appeared, her eyes seemed vacant. She has a good appearance, but her acting skills are somewhat lacking.
Moreover, when Liu Meng Li made her entrance, Yun Tian He didn't show the expression of love at first sight. There was also the intense gaze when Han Ling Sha took Yun Tian He away.
The author is overly biased towards Han Ling Sha. In the early stages, Yun Tian He didn't actually know what love or like meant, but he had a stronger affinity for Liu Meng Li.
Han Ling Sha only managed to make Yun Tian He like her more when she risked her life for him by stealing the bow in the tomb. However, it cannot be denied that he still likes Liu Meng Li.
He just feels that he's not good enough for her because every time he talks to Liu Meng Li, he feels breathless and his face turns red! The author should not be so biased towards Han Ling Sha, because they haven't reached that point in the story yet.