Konghou sells fake antiques and meets the real Zhongxi. To save him from a lecherous elder, she flees with him. They discover their touch can share spiritual energy. Zhongxi punishes the elder but warns Konghou against shortcuts. She later ventures into the forbidden forest alone, is attacked by the evil cultivator Jiusu, and Zhongxi arrives to rescue her, sealing the forest.

Zhongxi kills Jiusu but falls into a coma. Konghou heals him with her spiritual power, causing her own cultivation to surge unexpectedly. After forming her foundation, she is falsely accused of using banned pills. She exposes Qingyuan as the real culprit and is permitted to leave the sect for training. Before departing, she chooses a phoenix-headed konghou as her life-bound instrument but cannot play it.

Zhongxi's condition worsens, and he suspects Konghou is the key to his recovery. He sends Linhu to Yunhua Sect but is blocked by Wangtong. The two reunite in Yuancheng and seek a healer. Huangqi diagnoses Zhongxi's shattered spiritual platform and reveals they share a rare "merged qi" bond. Zhongxi refuses Konghou's help, and they part in discord.

They stay ten days at Huangqi's place, growing closer. Huangqi prescribes rare herbs. After parting, Konghou accidentally meets Zhongxi in Qiucheng but cannot contact him due to a broken talisman. They stay at the same inn yet miss each other. Driven mad by a divine bird's cries, Konghou opens her window and finds Zhongxi right across.

To help Zhongxi obtain a divine bird's tail feather, Konghou is tricked into freeing it. Zhongxi recaptures it, and Lingbo gives them one feather. The evil cultivator Wubei infiltrates. Konghou inhales poison saving Zhongxi; he sucks it out mouth-to-mouth. Their first kiss leaves both embarrassed yet stirred. The assassin is silenced, revealing the enemy's cruelty.

Zhongxi invites Konghou to travel together for medicine. They are ambushed by fake cultists, and Zhou Xiao of Yuanji Sect "coincidentally" saves them. Invited to Yuanji Sect, they don't realize it's a trap Sect Master Shuangqing plans to marry Zhou Xiao to Konghou and send Jinling after Zhongxi. Zhongxi grows displeased watching Zhou Xiao court Konghou.

Shuangqing traps Konghou with Zhou Xiao overnight and forces a wedding. Konghou is dressed as a bride, but Jinling helps her escape and takes her place. Fleeing through a flower field, Konghou is attacked by strange vines and rescued by Zhongxi. She feigns agreement to stall. Jinling is ambushed investigating the field; many disciples bear marks of heart-blood extraction.

They discover Jiusu possesses Zhang Feng, using Shuangqing to drain disciples' spiritual power via vines to rebuild his body. In battle, blue flames erupt from Konghou, burning the vines. Jiusu's soul escapes. Shuangqing loses his son. Zhongxi's wounds worsen; as Konghou heals him, a phoenix mark appears on her neck. Jiusu orders a search for an "awakened spiritual root." Lingbo deduces Yicheng is the next target.