Love Better than Immortality (天雷一部之春花秋月): Episode 6

~ Where Chun Hua finds out that she set the fire that killed Hua Xiao Lei? ~

Synopsis:

At the poem meet, Cai Cai said that if she really had to choose between love and righteousness, she would give up love. Chun Hua protests that that would make her a heartless person but Xiao Bai agreed with her so Chun Hua quickly volunteered to present a poem instead, inserting herself between Xiao Bai and Cai Cai. She first presented a poem about rice, to which everyone clapped halfheartedly. Excited about the applause, she went for a second one that turned out to be a poem Liu Feng had written when he was seven. She then tried a third and fourth one, not completing them because they weren’t suitable. A fifth poem came to mind and she presented it proudly “春华秋月何时了” (When will the Spring Flowers and Autumn Moon end). Everyone immediately drew their swords at her and she quickly feigned fainting. Liu Feng checked her pulse and knew that she was acting so he pretended to know acupuncture but before he could stab a needle into her, Chun Hua woke up screaming. Making an excuse that she wasn’t feeling well, Chun Hua returned to the inn by herself. After the poem meet had ended, Xiao Bai, Liu Feng, Cai Cai and Leng Ning were about to leave when they were stopped by a group of people from the poem meet who demanded an explanation for Chun Hua’s words. Xiao Bai defended her, saying that Chun Hua wasn’t from their circle so she didn’t know any better and that she had no fault. The fault lay in the two words, Qiu Yue. After a short debate, Liu Feng appeased them by saying that he had invited some ladies to play music for them. When the group of men finally left, Liu Feng ushered Cai Cai and Leng Ning into the carriage before showing Xiao Bai a scroll that he had up his sleeve.

Meanwhile, Qiu Yue and Fu Lou’s conversation continue, with Qiu Yue completing Chun Hua’s problematic poem “春花秋月何时了 往事知多少” (?). Fu Lou then questioned if he had someone that he cared about, to which Qiu Yue replied that the person had already died, before taunting Fu Lou by saying that it seems like the person he cared for was at death’s door and waiting for the Longevity Fruit, questioning if that person was his former teacher’s wife that he had kidnapped. Qiu Yue then quickly flew away and Feng Qian Wei came. Fu Lou told Feng Qian Wei that he didn’t have a problem with him killing the Medical Sage but he won’t be that easy to deal with. At this, Feng Qian Wei looked around in panic and told Fu Lou not to make unfounded accusations. Fu Lou then threatens him by asking what the good sects would say if they knew about this. A fight ensued, only ending when Feng Qian Wei was held at weapon point and conceded by telling Fu Lou that they could talk things out. Fu Lou asked for him to bring Chun Hua before him.

Back at the inn, Chun Hua was in her room when she heard someone coming and quickly pretended to sleep. Qiu Yue entered and tried to wake her by unceremoniously pushing the side of her face. Commenting with a sigh that she shouldn’t have drunk so much if she couldn’t hold her liquor, Qiu Yue tried to feed her a pill but she pursed her lips and refused to take it. Knowing full well that she was conscious, he said out loud that he would have to try another method before looking at the pill and making a move to eat it. Chun Hua saw this behind half opened eyes and quickly grabbed the pill before swallowing it. Chun Hua then grumbled that he should stop disturbing her because she had almost lost her life to steal the Xin Fa for him. With a barely hidden smile, Qiu Yue told her that he hadn’t even brought up the Xin Fa. Worried that someone would discover his presence, Chun Hua urged him to leave but he offhandedly replied that he could just kill them all. After checking that no one was at the corridor, Chun Hua asked him for confirmation about Hua Xiao Lei dying in a fire and her body never having been found. Qiu Yue confirmed everything and told her that she was the one that set the resident ablaze. Back then, she was mischievous and had snuck into Feng Ming Manor to steal the Xin Fa for him and was there when the fire happened. Chun Hua was in disbelief and Qiu Yue comforted her by saying that she had just burned someone to death and that it was nothing.

At the same time, the other four were back at the inn and Xiao Bai went to Liu Feng’s room for the painting. Liu Feng told Xiao Bai that his father had asked someone to investigate Hua Xiao Lei’s death and the Hua family had insisted that Hua Xiao Lei was dead, although they kept mum about the cause of her death. Xiao Bai then asked Liu Feng if he saw the painting and he denied having done so with an innocent face. They then sat down to look at the painting together and Xiao Bai unrolled it slowly, causing Liu Feng to pipe up that at this pace, when would they get to see her face? Xiao Bai hushed him before unrolling the painting to reveal her shoes, to which Liu Feng made an exclamation about the brand. Xiao Bai hushed him once more and Liu Feng watched from behind his fan as the painting was rolled to her neckline. Liu Feng then commented about her necklace before quickly hiding behind his fan once more. Having had enough, Xiao Bai chased Liu Feng out of the room before continuing alone. When he finally saw her face, a small smile appeared on his face.

In the other room, Cai Cai had made tea for Chun Hua and went over to her room to give it to her. Chun Hua and Qiu Yue were still discussing the fact that she had set the fire and when Cai Cai knocked on her door, she panicked and Qiu Yue answered for her with her voice, saying that she would open the door. Chun Hua quickly rushed to block the door with her body and tell Cai Cai that she was still slightly drunk and that it wasn’t convenient for Cai Cai to see her. Cai Cai then told her that her tea would help Chun Hua to sober up and in desperation, Chun Hua used Xiao Bai’s voice to tell Cai Cai that he had something to discuss with Chun Hua. Visibly upset, Cai Cai turned to leave, only to see Xiao Bai walking towards her at that moment. Shocked, she conveyed this to Xiao Bai and asked if it could be voice imitation technique. With a serious gaze, Xiao Bai hurried over to Chun Hua’s room and knocked on the door. Not getting a reply, they both entered only to see Chun Hua sprawled over the table. A gentle smile crossed Xiao Bai’s face and he asked Cai Cai to leave. After that, Xiao Bai closed the door and asked Chun Hua if she was alright. Chun Hua complained that she still wasn’t feeling well and asked Xiao Bai to accompany her on a walk. Outside, Chun Hua apologised for what had happened at the poem meet and Xiao Bai assured her that it wasn’t her fault before asking if she really didn’t remember anything from her past, adding that he wanted to know everything about her. Chun Hua replied that she remembered that he was the first person she saw upon waking up, remembered that Xiao Bai was always very focused in everything he did, remembered that every time she was in danger, he would save her. At this, Xiao Bai smiled and Chun Hua added that she remembered entering his private pool, to which Xiao Bai quickly told her to forget, before asking if she wanted to eat.

Back at the inn, Liu Feng was in the middle of a chess game with Leng Ning when his thoughts drifted to the painting he had taken a peek at. Seeing that he was distracted, Leng Ning called him out on it and their conversation soon shifted to what had happened with Chun Hua at the poem meet. Liu Feng defended Chun Hua and Leng Ning misunderstood his words so she angrily asked him to look for Chun Hua before storming away.

Xiao Bai and Chun Hua return to the inn after their supper only to find that Cai Cai was waiting for them. Cai Cai told Xiao Bai that she had something to tell him regarding the martial arts circle and that Chun Hua wouldn’t be interested in it so he asked her to return to her room to get some rest first. After Chun Hua left, Cai Cai brought up the poem meet and Xiao Bai quickly told her that that had just been due to Chun Hua’s drunkenness. Upset by his reply, Cai Cai asked him why he trusted Chun Hua that much. With a regal air, Xiao Bai replied that he was from the martial arts good sect. He had nothing to hide and will not make presumptions about anyone. Cai Cai then insisted that she heard the voice but Xiao Bai brushed her off before making a move to leave. Cai Cai quickly stopped him to ask about the clothes she had made and Xiao Bai told her that he hadn’t had time to try it on.

The next morning, Chun Hua walked out of the inn to see Liu Feng practicing his martial arts. With a knowing look, Liu Feng asked if she had a good talk with Xiao Bai and if she was in any predicament that caused her to hide her identity. Mistaking that Liu Feng was referring to the fact that Qiu Yue was her brother or that she was the one that set the fire, she feigned ignorance, nervously insisting that she had amnesia. The both then shared an awkward laugh that Leng Ning happened to see. Visibly annoyed, she told them to pack up as they were leaving soon.

Meanwhile in Cai Cai’s room, her father Feng Qian Wei came to see her and she told him about the voice. Feng Qian Wei commented that only the evil sects knew how to use the voice and Cai Cai agrees, telling her father that she had told Xiao Bai about this but he hadn’t believed her. Her father then told her to bring Chun Hua to the woods so that they could interrogate her. Chun Hua was folding her clothes when Cai Cai came in and locked her meridian point, causing Chun Hua to be unable to move. Cai Cai then told a panicked Chun Hua that she didn’t need to return to Feng Ming Manor because she had already told Xiao Bai that they would be taking a walk together.

Thoughts:

Xiao Bai and Cai Cai agreeing that they would choose righteousness over love felt like a foreshadowing to me. We’ve seen how complicated Chun Hua’s “past” is and I’m certain that there’ll be a ‘showdown’ between Xiao Bai and Qiu Yue later. If Xiao Bai really meant what he said, he would choose righteousness over Chun Hua and I’m not sure what to think of that. I just want the three of them to be happy, is that too much to ask for?!

Cai Cai knows about Chun Hua’s ability to use the voice imitation technique…GAHH why didn’t Chun Hua just open the door? I’m sure that Qiu Yue would’ve just left, just like he did later when Xiao Bai came around. With the look that he had given her, I’m sure that he was just teasing her and wouldn’t actually let Cai Cai see him. Though I’m pretty sure Chun Hua did that because she had thought that Qiu Yue would let Cai Cai see him, then kill her off. At this point, I’m starting to think that Qiu Yue isn’t that bad of a guy and is MOSTLY just all bark and no bite. Besides, he had told Chun Hua that he had killed all the staffs at the inn but we know from his conversation with Ye Xing Zhu that they had just swapped out the staffs. Why he lied to her about that though, is beyond me. However, there is a possibility that he really used to be someone who killed the innocent without batting an eye and is now changing because of Chun Hua. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Feng Qian Wei killed the Medical Sage!!! Even though he had denied it to Fu Lou, he had made a deal with him to shut him up. Suspicious much? Now, if we bring in the exchange between Gu Xing Zhu and Qiu Yue where Gu Xing Zhu was praised for causing chaos among the good sects over a Longevity Fruit, we can deduce that Feng Qian Wei (1) killed the Medical Sage and (2) made a puppet. It’s my guess that the Medical Sage doesn’t exist / had previously died and that the current one was a puppet that Feng Qian Wei had created, but later killed.

I would also like to announce that Liu Feng and Leng Ning is my side ship in the drama. Leng Ning brings out a different side of Liu Feng that we otherwise never see, much like how Liu Feng brings out another side of Xiao Bai. He’s so smitten that it’s kind of funny and with the way they’re bickering, they’re practically like a married couple already. What with Leng Ning getting passive-aggressive towards Liu Feng whenever she gets jealous of him and Chun Hua.

← Episode 5  ♡  Introduction  ♡  Episode 7 →
♢  Lyrics for “Unfinished Moment”  ♢
☆  Novel ~ Chp 13 / Chp 14 / Chp 17  ☆