Love Game in Eastern Fantasy- Mini Recap Episodes 9-12

Episode 9 Highlights

Miao Miao playfully suggests Mu Sheng should see a psychologist—because really, he's got issues, right? She's joking, but she wants him to realize that he has his own worth beyond just obeying his sister. Surprisingly, Mu Sheng listens as she shares how much she's grown attached to this strange, magical world. There's a moment of real connection as they call each other by their "real" names. When he says "Miao Miao" with such sincerity, it’s heart-melting!

While Miao Miao practices fire spells, Mu Sheng (now "Zi Qi" to her) lights up the night sky with fireworks. It’s as if he’s revealing his dark, brooding heart, finally softening for her brightness. The scene echoes a poetic sentiment: "The eternal night yearns, the farewell song becomes the flute." Their connection is deepening, and you can feel his once-shadowed heart beginning to open up.

Cui Cui’s Adorable Clinginess

Meanwhile, little bamboo-shoot demon Cui Cui can’t resist clinging to Miao Miao. He's terrified of the powerful demon hunters traveling with her, but not afraid of her at all! His persistence is hilarious—trying everything from transforming into a cane to pulling off his best puppy-dog face. Miao Miao is immune, though, and firmly sends him off. When Zi Qi tries to help with Miao Miao’s luggage, he gets ignored for Liu Fu Yi’s assistance, and it's painfully obvious Zi Qi’s jealousy is growing. So much so, he burns Liu Fu Yi’s protective pouch and makes Miao Miao a new "sandbag." Jealousy suits him, doesn’t it?

Bonding Moments in the Forest

As Miao Miao and Zi Qi head back with firewood (Zi Qi’s sly excuse to spend more time with her), Miao Miao’s sister-in-law remarks she hasn’t seen him this happy in ages. Zi Qi, the master of stoic faces, shows a glimmer of discomfort—amusing Miao Miao to no end! She gives him a look, wondering if he’s genuinely "happy" with all this.

Their journey takes them to a strange village where families are awaiting loved ones’ return. When a kid tries to steal from Miao Miao and then takes off without a "thank you," Zi Qi sternly tells the kid off in his gruff way. Miao Miao catches him watching her, and he pointedly demands to know why she’s staring. It's moments like this where their chemistry is undeniable and oh-so-fun to watch!

Episode 10 Recap

Our team plunges into a haunted forest where each of them faces their worst nightmares, conjured by their deepest fears. Thankfully, Miao Miao has a lucky charm—her "grandson" Cui Cui—though he's not quite the savior she needs. She also clings to her pouch like a lifeline. As for Zi Qi, he immediately seeks out Miao Miao first, showing how much she’s begun to mean to him—possibly more than his cherished jie!

Despite his fears, Miao Miao bravely steps into danger to rescue him, single-mindedly focused on his safety. I heard rumors a kiss scene was cut here, but honestly, their connection is strong enough without it. Just seeing Zi Qi’s guard drop as he stumbles over his words is so satisfying.

As Miao Miao’s voice reaches Zi Qi, breaking him free of his nightmare, she lightheartedly mentions how glad she was to have her pouch. Zi Qi responds softly, “Good thing I had you,” but the words are lost to her. He’s too quiet, but the sentiment? Loud and clear.

Together, they search for jie and jiefu with Cui Cui’s help, though little Cui collapses from exhaustion. Poor kid tried so hard to please Miao Miao, ignoring his limits. Zi Qi, meanwhile, turns their navigation into a playful game. He teases Miao Miao by disappearing and reappearing, and she’s finally got enough of his tricks. His vow? “If I ever leave you, even unintentionally, I’ll find my way back to you, no matter the distance or cost.”

Then, in a heart-fluttering moment, their hands find each other in the dark. Their fingers intertwine, and his feelings jump to 50%. The unspoken connection grows stronger with every touch.

Episode 11 Recap:

Zi Qi shows his softer side in this episode—he might be a grump, but he’s clearly warming up to Miao Miao. When a little girl is desperately searching for her father, he brusquely tells her he’s gone for good. Miao Miao finds this both hilarious and oddly endearing, realizing there’s much more to this "softie in disguise" than she thought. Every day seems to bring something new to love about him, doesn’t it?

Miao Miao then attempts a questionable CPR effort on the father, practically using her shoulders more than her hands! But, surprise—she’s a walking defibrillator and actually revives him! Zi Qi, trying his own magic, gets drained by the effort, which leaves him vulnerable to a surprise attack from the fierce Water Demon Queen. In a heartbeat, Miao Miao throws herself between Zi Qi and the threat, fighting off the daemon with a flicker of her "fire-spirit" powers. It’s tiny, but it does the trick!

And just when we thought we’d seen it all, Zi Qi’s fierce protection instincts kick into overdrive. The Water Queen dares harm Miao Miao, and Zi Qi unleashes his full daemon strength in a breathtaking show of rage, sending the Queen fleeing. It’s clear now—he can endure any pain, except watching Miao Miao suffer.

In a tender moment, Miao Miao pulls Zi Qi back from his fury, her gentle back hug grounding his wild energy. He kneels before her, letting her tie his hair. This act of intimacy shows how much he trusts her, and it’s almost like he’s her tamed warrior, his icy exterior slowly melting.

With Zi Qi’s vulnerability laid bare, he questions if he seemed like a beast to her. Miao Miao’s response is sincere, assuring him he’s far from monstrous in her eyes. She even notices his daemon hair-tie charm, which only seems to flare up when anyone but her tries to remove it. It’s as if the charm is selectively protective—a symbol of her unique place in his life.

In another twist, we learn that the real puppet master behind the chaos is none other than Consort Dowager Zhao, the same one who plotted against Miao Miao’s family. The villainous Guo Xiu, acting on her orders, has used his power to trap the Water Demons for years, all part of a dark scheme to incite a devastating landslide and control the region.

But, as the male Water Demon tells it, there's more to this story. The hunters attacked the daemons first, destroying their home and killing their kin. For 17 years, he’s been waiting, biding his time until his Queen could grow powerful enough to break the barrier from within. Now, she’s trapping the humans in a last-ditch effort to save her kind. The stakes are higher than ever—everyone in the area is at risk.

Finally, our sleepy hero Liu Fu Yi snaps into action, summoning his powers to hold back the mountain’s collapse. As Mu Yao fights to reach Zi Qi and Miao Miao, our little Cui Cui, loyal to the end, bravely leads them to safety. But in a heart-wrenching twist, he’s caught in the landslide, his path blocked as the mountains crumble. With one last glance, he looks back at Miao Miao, realizing he can’t follow her this time.

“Noooooo! Not Cui Cui!”

Episode 12 Recap:

The stakes get higher as Zhao Xin, the dying Water Demon Queen, offers her power-infused orb to prevent the impending landslide, but only if her lover, Ying Zhen, is freed. With tearful resolve, Ying Zhen rushes to her side, refusing to let her face her final moments alone. But before they can reunite, the spell to release him is broken.

It turns out that the Water Demons, led by Guo Xiu, have a tragic backstory. Consort Dowager Zhao, the same one who sabotaged Father Ling, had been bribing Guo Xiu to fight against the Demons in their homeland, luring them into danger. To save his sect, Guo Xiu chose a life of bribery and deception. The full weight of this history comes to light as the barriers around the Daemon village falter, putting everyone’s life in jeopardy.

Liu Fu Yi finally awakens and uses his powers to hold the mountain from collapse. But as the landslide spell activates, the Water Demon Queen traps the humans within the village, threatening their lives. Only a miracle can save them now…

As chaos brews, Liu Fu Yi is ready to lay down his life to halt the disaster, showing his commitment as a hunter. But just in time, Guo Xiu reveals the truth—Demons can be revived at the "Source of Weak Water." He uses this knowledge to take down the barrier, fulfilling his role in the sect and setting the spirits at peace.

In the end, Ying Zhen fulfills his promise to Zhao Xin. As they both ascend to peace, we see the mountains calm and life return to normal.

Symbolism Dive: The Water Demons, Zhao Xin and Ying Zhen, are symbols of an eternal love that, like waterfalls, flows continuously and reflects an unbreakable bond. Their names even reflect each other’s essence—Ying Zhen symbolizing truth and Zhao Xin symbolizing heart—creating a beautiful parallel of unity and devotion.

Cui Cui Finds Miao Miao and Zi Qi ~

Cui Cui, ever loyal, manages to track down Miao Miao and Zi Qi. They look like a little family already, with Miao Miao and Zi Qi almost posing as future parents and Cui Cui as their "future kid." Talk about cute foreshadowing!

Zi Qi turns to jie and jiefu with a question that’s on all our minds—are they really going to let Ying Zhen go? While he might sound against it, he's obviously yearning for their approval. Liu Fu Yi explains the old wisdom: "life for a life" isn’t the only path to redemption. For Ying Zhen, atonement means a long journey to Kunlun’s Weak Water—a road that could take centuries. If he ever slips up again, though, catching him will be a breeze; the Tower's got his record!

When Mu Yao asks how Zi Qi took down the Level 7 Daemon, Miao Miao jumps in, proudly claiming credit. She practically pinged and ponged her way to victory, parachuting down in the last second to "save" Zi Qi. LOL. Zi Qi can only tug at her sleeve, embarrassed but secretly grateful.

No Worries, Guo Xiu's Got This

Turns out, Guo Xiu has finances down to an art form. Forget about hunting daemons—this weasel's true talent is weaseling money! He’s saved up a stash for "landslide relief," and Miao Miao quickly converts that sum in her mind: cue a whole lot of luxurious buildings. If the town was ever in trouble, they’re about to bounce back in style.

And how adorable is it that Zi Qi is carrying Cui Cui around now? A powerful yet protective vibe, for sure.

Miao Miao’s Fever and the Herb Daemons

Miao Miao falls ill, and in typical Zi Qi fashion, he "rescues" some Herb Daemons, ready to dice them up for her recovery. He’s all set to chop them like veggies until Miao Miao reminds him, "Daemons and humans are the same." She then offers them a fair trade—Zi Qi’s grumbles melting into a little self-realization as her words sink in. Yeah, Zi Qi, maybe it's time to embrace the spirit of equality?

The herb candy Miao Miao makes is a hit with everyone, even the notoriously selfish He Shou Wu (a.k.a., Chinese knotweed). When Cui Cui cheekily tells him, “You're not a medicine yet; you're for our illness,” it's pure gold.

Sweet Moment Alert

Despite hating sweets, Zi Qi can't dodge Miao Miao’s charm when she sneaks a candy into his mouth. She asks, "Is it sweet?" but all he can do is savor it in silence. Cue the System Update: 55%! Yes, it's sweet—and his heart knows it too.

DramaZen's Opinion

I’m loving how Zi Qi’s icy facade is slowly melting away to reveal that secretly warm heart of his! Watching him light up the sky with fireworks just to encourage Miao Miao was a sweet touch, and his jealousy over her carrying a protection pouch from someone else? Adorable. His attempt at making her a new one had me grinning—it’s these little gestures that show he cares more than he lets on.

And finally, some romance! When Miao Miao grabbed his hand out of fear, not wanting to be separated, it was such a heart-stopping moment. His subtle smile, the way he held on, and his "like" rating soaring to 50%—all signs pointing in the right direction!

The story adds depth with each character confronting their deepest fears to escape the water demon's grip. It’s a powerful touch, letting us see inside their minds and understand them on a whole new level.

But Zi Qi isn’t the only one changing—Miao Miao’s feelings are evolving, too. She’s starting to view this world and its people as more than just NPCs. Her trust in Zi Qi, her instinct to protect him even when it doesn’t serve her mission…she’s definitely catching real feelings!

And that last scene, where she feeds him sweets? Pure heart-flutter territory!