Episode 19 recap: Li Xiao Yao left the capital, and Lin Yue Ru suffered disfigurement.

After visiting Liu Jin Yuan's mother, Li Xiao Yao suddenly remembered the beggar he had just seen on the street mentioning the "Flying Dragon Explores the Clouds" technique. He speculated that the beggar must have some knowledge about his identity, so he ran to the street to search for him. Lin Yue Ru, worried that Li Xiao Yao was unfamiliar with the city environment, followed him out. They split up to inquire, and Lin Yue Ru found the beggar Huangfu Ying, who had a missing left arm and a withered right hand. However, they were surrounded and attacked by several street ruffians who used drugs to make Huangfu Ying lose consciousness.

Liu Jin Yuan started coughing for no reason, and just when Li Xiao Yao was concerned, someone delivered the whip that Lin Yue Ru often used. Li Xiao Yao hurriedly followed and gave the street thugs a severe lesson, fortunately, Lin Yue Ru was unharmed.

Huangfu Ying was still waiting at the doorstep, but he never dared to look directly at Li Xiao Yao. When asked about the reason, Huangfu Ying knelt directly in front of Li Xiao Yao and confessed to being the murderer who killed Li Sansi and his wife, begging for forgiveness. Li Xiao Yao was puzzled, and Huangfu Ying recounted the details. Back then, he lost control and Li Sansi's parents, disregarding their past grievances, infiltrated Nanzhao to steal the antidote for the Shadowless Poison. In the end, both of them were poisoned, while Huangfu Ying, although all his martial arts skills were wasted, managed to save his own life. As a result, Li Sansi and his wife lost their lives.

Li Xiao Yao asked whether it was the Witch Empress who poisoned them, and Huangfu Ying replied that the Shadowless Poison was personally handed to them by the Witch Empress, so it was impossible for her to have poisoned them. Huangfu Ying also attempted to investigate the matter but found nothing. Zhao Ling Er rested on her way to Yunmeng Marsh and was at a loss when she thought about her connection with Li Xiao Yao.

A Nu asked Tang Yu to teach her how to blow tree leaves. Tang Yu said that he would never blow tree leaves again in the future. He used to do it as a pastime because he missed someone, but now there was no need for it. Liu Jin Yuan and Li Xiao Yao drank together and ended up getting drunk and sleeping on the table for the night. Li Xiao Yao woke up first and realized that he should go find Zhao Ling Er, so he quietly left alone.

When Liu Jin Yuan woke up from his drunken state, he suddenly fainted again. Yun Yi was busy looking for a doctor, so Lin Yue Ru stayed by Liu Jin Yuan's bedside to take care of him. When Liu Jin Yuan regained consciousness, he saw Lin Yue Ru by his side and wished that the moment could last forever. However, he understood that Lin Yue Ru always saw him as an elder cousin. While his mother hadn't returned to the room yet, Liu Jin Yuan proposed to take Lin Yue Ru to a certain place.

The two of them took a carriage to the outskirts where a servant was waiting with two horses. Liu Jin Yuan knew that Lin Yue Ru's heart had long followed Li Xiao Yao, but he was too embarrassed to say it directly. So he had prepared the horses in advance. Lin Yue Ru was concerned about Liu Jin Yuan's health and also wanted to follow Li Xiao Yao. Suddenly, Liu Jin Yuan asked what Lin Yue Ru would do if Li Xiao Yao were not in the picture. Lin Yue Ru replied that she would naturally go, which further solidified her determination to leave the capital. Liu Jin Yuan gave her a jade pendant he carried with him and also showed her a map obtained through a friend that led to Yunmeng Marsh. He expressed that in this lifetime, having a sibling-like relationship with Lin Yue Ru was enough to satisfy him. After bidding farewell, Lin Yue Ru left, leading the two horses. Liu Jin Yuan coughed up blood and wondered if he would ever see Lin Yue Ru again in this lifetime.

Lin Yue Ru quickly caught up with Li Xiao Yao and gave him the map. When they were having a meal together, the wealthy merchant Zhu Fu, who had previously offered them treasures, happened to pass by. He asked if they were looking for another girl traveling with them, and they readily agreed. Zhu Fu informed them that he had seen Zhao Ling Er heading towards the Toad Valley, so the three of them set off together. After walking for half a day, as if navigating a maze, they were suddenly attacked by a Toad Demon. A fierce battle ensued, and Lin Yue Ru was overcome by the toxic gas. When she regained consciousness, she found herself facing a half-human, half-demon creature known as the Golden Cicada Ghost Mother. The Golden Cicada Ghost Mother repeatedly taunted Lin Yue Ru, claiming that all men were heartless. However, Lin Yue Ru remained steadfast, believing that Li Xiao Yao would come to her rescue. The Golden Cicada Ghost Mother decided to torment Lin Yue Ru and forced her to swallow a Five Venom Pearl, causing half of her face to rot. The Golden Cicada Ghost Mother wanted to see if she would suffer the same fate at the hands of a heartless man.