ep 40 spoilers--second half is better

The first half (in my opinion) moves a bit slowly. Because of the more serious downplayed romance between the two leads (a rather stoic male lead trying to act with his eyes but more often than staring off into the distance) and a female lead who consistently displays the same poor eye contact proving she is uncomfortable (yet our smart male lead doesn't really connect the dots) makes it a bit slow. But this is there character types.

1.Ye Hua admits he was attempting to stir some jealousy in Bai Quian (rather refreshing for a male character to admit this) however she continues to avoid discussing his feelings. Ye Hua leaves her alone with her thoughts after proclaiming that only one man is in her head (i.e. Mo Yuan). So Ye Hua, we learn, is struggling with his belief that she is in love with Ye Huan and worse, competing with a dead shifu is tough.

2.Xuan Nu locates Yi Zhen (ghost princess) using the jade who then attempts to heal her eyes but fails because of (18th/s?) interference. It is really sad because Yi Zhen, who is extremely intuitive and kind, plays along with Xuan Nu's charade regarding the dead baby. She seems to be the only person in the entire series who genuinely cares about Xuan Nu, but that is also her nature. Xuan Nu breaks down in tears in her arms (I have to say I was worried she would stab her in the back but she didn't; she was probably hungry for some love and kindness)

3.Please don't be surprised when I reveal that Xuan Nu feeds Yi Zhen a pile of lies--she tells her that Li Jing killed eldest prince and colluded with Bai Quian to blind her. I wouldn't be surprised if Xuan Nu actually has convinced herself that is what really happened due to her tendency to warp events to her own benefit.

4.Sparks seem to fly between Yi Zhen and 18th, both unaware of the other's identity which will likely lay the ground for another interesting series of romantic conflicts.

5.Ghos tribe soldiers, who throughout the entire series have shown strong loyalty to the previous ghost lord and have been increasingly unhappy with li Jing's actions to maintain peace, now believe that the former lord will be resurrected or return (they are undoubtedly right)

More Fengjiu and Dong Hua!! They are my favorite couple in this series. Sorry everybody. I have a strong, strong feeling that there are going to be issues with their happiness beginning with the fact that Dong Hua seems to have carefully plotted out his entire romance with her, including staging her betrayal of him (extremely odd)

6. We learn that Fengjiu has never experienced jealousy, and Si Ming reveals that she is truly suited for Dijun. However, her job--get this--is to shatter his heart and cause him thoroughly hate all women. WHAAAATTT??? Fengjiu is incapable of such unwarranted and deliberate cruelty. But Si Ming insists that not only is she not the woman destined for him, but her whole reason for being here is this twisted mission.

7. Fengjiu meets the mother of crown pronce (a Taoist nun) who oddly looks a lot like Bai Quian.

8. Dong Hua is told by a servant that the pure consort a.k.a. Fengjiu is ill and the crown prince's mother is implicated. Dong Hua snaps at him that such a claim is ludicrous before storming out.

9. Now Fengiu is pretending to be sick--I have a feeling her goal is to set up a lie that implies the nun and then have him find out. Unfortunately, she can't do it. She says it is from a cold. Fengjiu's inner conflict of living up to her noble aunt's teachings makes her unable to destroy the other woman's life.

10.Dong Hua admits he would not have believed her had she said otherwise. Now the emperor is thoroughly convinced she is pure--which I imagine will make the fall extremely bitter and painful.

11.Dong Hua admits that if 'anything were to happen to you I would lose all reason' and that 'no matter what you do, I would pardon you' bold words. Si Ming implores her to end this brief interlude/romance and explains Dijun probs won't remember her, but Fengjiu can't stop she says, basically because she loves him. ---I hope they have a love child---(sorry readers I am writing this as I watch you guys get all my feelings too)

12. Xuan Nu apologizes in an inner monologue as she prepares to kill Yan Zhi. But she is stopped by 18th(?). His name is Zi Lan. Zi Lan furiously condemns her actions and threatens her with the power of the celestial tribe if she doesn't back off and disappear. What choice does Xuan Nu, who is essentially blind and powerless, have?

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Things are starting to look interesting, especially with Fengjiu and Dong Hua. I hope they have a love child but very rarely do I get what I want in these shows. I just hope that he doesn't turn into an ice god of death when he returns to heaven after Fengjiu presumably assists him in making him loathe all women. My theory is that he is doing this for purely selfish reasons: Dong Hua has feelings for her and he is trying to weed them out. Wouldn't want to lose that reputation of being a rock. Of course he probably won't even remember what happened. I really appreciate the actor who plays Dong Hua, his eyes are extremely expressive, I would say on the same level with Wallace Huo from Journey of Flower. Maybe it's because he has big eyes. I don't know. But they are really intense.

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