Love in the Clouds- Episodes 1-2
Where A Fallen Legend Begins Her Most Dangerous Disguise
Episode 1 of Love in the Clouds sweeps us straight into the life of Ming Xian, a legendary warrior whose entire existence has been defined by duty, sacrifice, and the burden of perfection. For seven years, she has disguised herself as a man to serve as the Crown Prince of Yaoguang Mountain, winning every Qingyun Tournament without fail. To the world, she is the indestructible War God of Hexu. To Ming Xian herself, she is someone who cannot afford to lose.
But the eighth tournament changes everything.
Her opponent this year is Ji Bozai, a mysterious and unsettlingly calm warrior from Jixing Abyss who carries an air of danger the moment he steps into the arena. When he drags her into the forbidden Spirit Well, Ming Xian finds herself stripped of all spiritual power. Forced to rely only on her physical skills, she fights back with every ounce of pride she has left, boldly declaring she can still defeat him. Ji Bozai sees through her, acknowledging her talent while reminding her that no one is above loss. In a single devastating moment, Ming Xian falls in battle, her body shattered, her spiritual veins destroyed.
The shock ripples across the realms. Ji Bozai rises, bringing the coveted Blessed Rain to Jixing Abyss, while Ming Xian, once worshipped, is blamed and cast aside. For the first time, she learns how quickly praise can turn to scorn and how fragile glory truly is.
Returning home, she discovers Heavenly Grief poison eating away at what remains of her spiritual power. Her mother, Empress Jing Shu, makes a heartbreaking decision: Ming Xian must abandon her identity, shed her years of disguise, and leave Yaoguang Mountain behind or face certain death. Ming Xian accepts this exile with quiet determination, vowing that one day she will return stronger than before.
Her master later reveals the truth of the poison. Heavenly Grief is deadly, flowering into a seven-petaled Grief Blossom within her spiritual veins. If all petals fall, her primordial spirit will vanish. Her only hope is to find the antidote, Golden Millet Dream, within a year. And since Ji Bozai is the one who poisoned her, he is also her best lead. With no other choice, Ming Xian sets her sights on Jixing Abyss.
Two months later, she reemerges not as a warrior, but as Ming Yi, a disguised attendant sent to infiltrate Ji Bozai’s world. From afar, she observes him spending his nights in the extravagant Moonlit Blossoms, always careful, always guarded, never accepting a single drink from anyone else. It’s here, during a celebratory banquet in his honor, that she finally steps into his path.
Playfully provoking Sun Liao into an altercation, staging the perfect fall, and displaying a carefully measured innocence, Ming Yi does everything to get Ji Bozai’s attention. Yet he remains cold, calculating, and seemingly immune to her charms. Her chance arrives when Lord Hanfeng attempts to plant spies in Ji Bozai’s household. Acting decisively, Ming Yi claims Ji Bozai promised to take her back to his residence. Caught between political pressure and his own suspicions, Ji Bozai uses a test to narrow down the choices, ultimately choosing Ming Yi for reasons the crowd can only guess at.
Taken to Wugui Sea, Ming Yi’s goal is finally within reach. She only needs to find the Golden Millet Dream. But Ji Bozai is one step ahead. He knows she orchestrated the night’s chaos. He sees through her every move. And yet, instead of exposing her, he plays along, amused and intrigued.
When a sudden fire breaks out, a distraction intended by her companion Twenty-Seven but far larger than planned, Ji Bozai leaves Ming Yi behind with a powerful barrier for her protection. She breaks it at great cost to her weakened spiritual veins and searches all night for the antidote, only to come up empty-handed.
By the time Ji Bozai returns, the barrier is shattered, the room is empty, and the game between them has officially begun. He chooses not to pursue her immediately. Instead, he quietly remarks that some women are simply too bold, all while hiding his own secret intentions.
Episode 1 ends with both of them stepping onto a dangerous and thrilling path...one of deception, strategy, and an attraction neither of them is willing to admit.
Rumors, Schemes, and A Dangerous Game of Pretend
Episode 2 picks up with tension simmering beneath the surface. When Ji Bozai returns to Wugui Sea and discovers the barrier he set around his room shattered, a sharp killing intent flashes across his eyes. But instead of finding an intruder, he walks in on Ming Yi calmly cooking scallion pancakes in the kitchen. With her usual quick thinking, she covers her tracks by offering him the pancakes with a sweet explanation that she simply wanted to win his heart through diligence and virtue. Her innocent, industrious act is meant to hide the fact that she had spent the night turning the mansion upside down in search of the Golden Millet Dream.
Ji Bozai questions her motives, and Ming Yi leans into the role of a bashful courtesan, even daring to ask if he missed her. He says he did, only to immediately attempt intimacy she has no intention of giving. She cleverly avoids his advances by claiming the day is inauspicious for cultivation, urging him to take care of his precious spiritual roots. His patience wears thin at her evasiveness. Calling her dull and insincere, he orders Granny Xun to send her back to Moonlit Blossoms.
Desperate, Ming Yi spins a heartbreaking tale of her past, begging for even the smallest place in his household. But Ji Bozai remains unmoved, watching her dragged away. As she’s escorted out, she secretly signals Twenty-Seven to spread rumors about her expulsion.
Soon, the gossip sweeps through Huansha Market. Word spreads that Ji Bozai grew bored of her after a single night, and Fuyue at Moonlit Blossoms has condemned her to endless chores. Immortal Yan Xiao overhears and reports to Mu Qibai, who seizes the opportunity to plant more people inside Wugui Sea. To him, Ming Yi’s dismissal is a sign that Ji Bozai’s alliance with Princess Tianji is far from secure.
Meanwhile, Ji Bozai receives news from Buxiu that Ming Yi has indeed returned to Moonlit Blossoms and is being punished. Unbothered, he turns his attention to retrieving Moonshade Grass, a rare tribute now in the hands of the Zhushui Spiritual State. His calm is short-lived when Yan Xiao suddenly arrives with two female attendants on Mu Qibai’s orders. To stall Mu Qibai’s schemes, Ji Bozai lies that Ming Yi stormed off after an argument and that he is worried for her safety.
Back at Moonlit Blossoms, Ming Yi faces harsh punishment until Zhang Tai intervenes on her behalf. But danger strikes when the Search Mirror, used by Ming Xin’s assassins hunting for Ming Xian, reacts unexpectedly to her presence. Realizing she is being tracked, Ming Yi bolts through the pleasure house with the assassins close behind. Just when escape seems impossible, Ji Bozai appears and steps between her and her pursuers. He belittles their reliance on a “silly mirror,” reminding them that Yaoguang Mountain has no authority to behave arrogantly after their defeat. Intimidated, they retreat.
With the situation diffused, Ji Bozai escorts Ming Yi back to Wugui Sea, where they quickly fall into a makeshift partnership. Together, they outmaneuver Mu Qibai’s spies and force Yan Xiao to take his attendants back. Ming Yi plays her part perfectly, even threatening to destroy her primordial spirit if Ji Bozai accepts the new maids. Ji Bozai humors her performance, calling her his troublesome and possessive fairy.
But privately, his suspicions deepen. He repeatedly questions who she really is, tests her with spells, and presses her about the Search Mirror. Ming Yi distracts him with feigned outrage, clutching a hidden purse that spills open right on cue. Inside is a stash of trinkets she “stole,” which she claims she needed to survive her impoverished upbringing in Freezing Hot Waters. Her calculated confession buys her temporary safety.
Playing the role of a benevolent lord, Ji Bozai announces to his entire household that Ming Yi is now the lady of Wugui Sea. She can have anything she wants. He even gives her her own room. But once alone, Ming Yi admits to Twenty-Seven that every move is strategy. Ji Bozai is too perceptive to fool for long.
Nonetheless, Ji Bozai orders Buxiu to fully investigate Ming Yi’s alleged hometown. If her story is true, she could be useful to him. And if not...well, he intends to find out.
The next morning, Mu Qibai learns that Ji Bozai is using Ming Yi as an excuse to reject additional attendants, prompting him to plan a personal visit to Wugui Sea. Meanwhile, Ming Yi studies the complex politics of Jixing Abyss. With the Emperor gravely ill and unfit to rule, Mu Qibai expects to inherit the throne. But Princess Tianji’s interest in Ji Bozai and his spectacular rise, makes him a dangerous obstacle. Ming Yi realizes she’s become Ji Bozai’s perfect shield in this power struggle.
Twenty-Seven suggests the Golden Millet Dream may be hidden on Ji Bozai’s body. Determined to uncover the truth, Ming Yi studies a Spiritual Cultivation Treasure Manual late into the night, planning her next move.
That same night, Ji Bozai slips away to meet Ruo Shui at Moonlit Blossoms. Their quiet exchange reveals a dark shared past. Ruo Shui vows loyalty to him, and Ji Bozai promises vengeance against a cruel man who wronged them both. The conversation hints that Moonlit Blossoms holds many of Ji Bozai’s buried memories.
Later, Ming Yi attempts to infiltrate Ji Bozai’s room under the guise of seduction. But just as she prepares to execute her plan, Mu Qibai pays a late-night visit. Forced to hide, she listens as Mu Qibai drinks with Ji Bozai and slyly brings up a dangerous rumor: that Ji Bozai gained his spiritual veins through Heavenly Grief poison. And if that rumor is true, then he would need the Golden Millet Dream to survive it.
The moment Mu Qibai mentions the antidote, Ji Bozai’s expression turns glacial.
The web of secrets tightens, and both Ming Yi and Ji Bozai find themselves dancing ever closer to the truth.
DramaZen's Opinion
Okay, let me just say, Episode 1 had me hooked way faster than I expected. The whole vibe is soft, dreamy, and just a little chaotic in the best way. From the moment the leads appear, you can feel that spark, even though they’re both trying so hard to pretend they don’t notice each other.
Episode 2 made me fall even harder. This is where you start seeing the emotional layers peek through, and it’s honestly irresistible. Our leads are clearly catching feelings they absolutely did not plan for, and the way they tiptoe around it? Adorable. It’s that perfect slow-burn energy where every glance feels like a secret and every accidental touch feels like fate pushing them closer.
I also loved how Episode 2 deepens the story without making it heavy. You get hints of their insecurities, their hidden strengths, and why they’re both so guarded…which, of course, makes it even sweeter when they start letting their walls down. There’s also more humor this time, warm, quirky moments that feel like you’re watching two people stumble into companionship before they even realize what’s happening.
By the end of the episode, I was fully invested. It’s the kind of start that makes you excited for everything that’s coming next, like you know you’re about to fall into a beautiful, emotional journey.
