Season 2: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
"A sword is just a sword. What it does depends on the intent of the owner. Good or evil is often a personal choice. It may save or kill according to the will of its user. The choice between good and evil often lies on a single thought."
— Lan Wangji telling Lan Jingyi that people aren't bad just for using The Dark Arts alone
The protagonists somehow make it out of a tense encounter with Jiang Cheng unscathed. The demonic arm escapes the Cloud Recesses while the Lan Clan searches out Huaicang Mountain, and the protagonists set off to Qinghe to find it.
- Adaptational Early Appearance: Xiao Xingchen makes his first appearance here via Lan Wangji's exposition, whereas in the novel his first mention and appearance is in a later arc.
- Adaptational Nice Guy: Downplayed. The charlatan that attempts to sell inaccurate posters of Wei Wuxian to the protagonists voluntarily warns them about the dangers of Xinglu Ridge, whereas in the novel Wei Wuxian has to convince him to tell them about it.
- Adaptation Expansion: The first half of the episode comprises new content that wraps up the adaptation-original subplot from last episode. Jiang Cheng encounters the protagonists and Wen Ning at Huaicang Mountain, the Lan disciples investigate the area for any corpses with the Hundred Holes Curse and any leads about the demonic arm, and the arm escapes from the Cloud Recesses. This is what prompts the protagonists to go to Qinghe, which is where they originally head off to right after leaving the Cloud Recesses in the novel.
- Ain't Too Proud to Beg: Wei Wuxian doesn't hesitate to call to Lan Wangji for help and cling to him when Fairy approaches him, although he does show embarrassment afterward.
- Bad Powers, Good People: Discussed. Lan Wangji tells Lan Jingyi that power in itself is neither good nor evil, and it depends on the user and their intentions.
- Berserk Button: Hearing Wei Wuxian's name is enough to make Jin Ling kick the charlatan and cause a ruckus in public.
- Beware of Vicious Dog: When questioned about his cynophobia, Wei Wuxian recalls the time when a group of very ferocious dogs nearly attacked him.
- Big Damn Heroes: In the flashbacks, Jiang Fengmian saves Wei Wuxian from getting mauled by some stray dogs before offering to take him back home.
- Continuity Nod:
- When Lan Wangji stands in front of Wei Wuxian with a protective stance, Jiang Cheng echoes their confrontation at Dafan Mountain and angrily asks the former, "Why do you always stand in my way?"
- In Qinghe Wei Wuxian grabs a Cornetto dessert and remarks how it's been a while since he last ate an ice cream dish. He was last seen eating some in Caiyi Town before he helped fight the Aqua Demon.
- Declaration of Protection: Implied. Lan Wangji tells Wei Wuxian that no one will be able to do anything to the latter as long as he's here.
- Evil Laugh: When Jin Ling tells his uncle that "Mo Xuanyu" is officially under the Lan Clan's protection, Jiang Cheng's laugh is nothing short of sinister.
- Facial Composite Failure: Wei Wuxian is not happy when he realizes that he's drawn in portraits as an ugly hulking figure that bears little resemble to his old appearance.
- Go Through Me: When Jiang Cheng threatens to attack Wei Wuxian again with Zidian, Lan Wangji stands in between them to shield the latter.
- Honor Before Reason: Jiang Cheng initially doesn't know that Wei Wuxian is also in the area, which would have worked in the latter's favor. However, the latter shows himself when he chooses to speak up in Lan Wangji's defense.
- Know When to Fold 'Em:
- While displeased that Lan Wangji is keeping him from confronting Wei Wuxian, Jiang Cheng knows better than to provoke someone who can throw his weight around and exits the scene, but not without leaving a threat to the latter.
- When Wei Wuxian goes to Lan Wangji for help against Fairy, Jin Ling isn't willing to antagonize a renowned senior cultivator and leaves without further ado.
- No-Sell: Due to being undead, Wen Ning isn't affected by Zidian's lightning.
- Oh, Crap!:
- Downplayed when Jin Ling fires a distress signal. When Wei Wuxian sees that he called for the Jiang Clan, he tenses up and immediately orders Wen Ning to get the hell out of dodge.
- Wei Wuxian immediately pales when he realizes that Jin Ling has a dog, since he's cynophobic.
- Papa Wolf: While his strictness with his nephew is still there, it's notable that it only takes less than a minute for Jiang Cheng to arrive after Jin Ling called for help (even accounting for the cultivators' ability to fly on their swords). Afterwards, he scolds the latter for attempting to night-hunt alone despite being told not to.
- Product Placement: In Qinghe, Wei Wuxian purchases an ice cream dessert from a Cornetto stall.
- Recycled Animation: The episode reuses some of the Season 1's animation sequences.
- Sad Clown: Despite acting in a goofy manner throughout his entire exchange with Jiang Cheng, when the latter's back is turned, Wei Wuxian shows a melancholy expression.
- Security Cling: When Wei Wuxian gets scared by Fairy, he instinctively jumps and clings onto Lan Wangji. After Jin Ling and Fairy leaves, he jumps off in embarrassment after realizing seconds later what he just did.
- Stalker Shot: The end of the episode reveals that someone is secretly watching the protagonists from behind a tree.
- We Will Meet Again: Implied. Before leaving the scene, Jiang Cheng ominously warns Wei Wuxian that he'd better not catch the latter unguarded.
- Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Wei Wuxian is revealed to be deathly afraid of dogs due to having been attacked by them when he was still a Street Urchin.
- Wide Eyes and Shrunken Irises: Fairy's pupils briefly shrink after receiving a glare from Lan Wangji, before lowering its head in defeat.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: While pretending to be Mo Xuanyu, Wei Wuxian calls Lan Wangji only by his title. But when Jin Ling sics his dog on him, he gets so scared that he calls Lan Wangji by his birth name instead.
