WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Episode 10 of Heaven Official's Blessing, "Bygone Banyue Days," now streaming on Funimation.
Despite a hundred or so years since Xie Lian's time as a general, he is now reconnected with someone whom he once helped and thought he'd never see again. Xie Lian and the Banyue Imperial Preceptor once met under very different circumstances and identities but the reunion is short-lived when the Imperial Preceptor is unable to use her powers to control the scorpion-tailed snakes, throwing everyone in danger.
This week's episode lays the groundwork for what looks to be an exciting season finale for Heaven Official's Blessing.
The General Reveals All
It turns out that the girl hanging above the pit was the Imperial Preceptor who, after turning into a Wrath, has been tossing Banyue soldiers into the Sinner's Pit, as well as erecting a magical formation on top to prevent anyone from escape. The General caught businessmen to feed his soldiers and was the one responsible for burying the man in the mud as fertilizer to help with the scorpion-tailed snake venom. But it doesn't make sense to Xie Lian -- all of the things that the Preceptor has and hasn't done contradict his words. She seems to be helping him.
The Imperial Preceptor leaps down into Sinner's Pit and notices the mountain of corpses--all thanks to San Lang. The General is infuriated at her for killing all of his soldiers but she says that they're finally free. She approaches Xie Lian and San Lang and removes the magical formation so they can leave. But Fu Yao, who has left the other travelers in a protection circle, jumps in to accompany them. Without warning, the General attacks the young girl, ignoring her apologies, and pummels her.
General Hua and Banyue's Story
Xie Lian steps in between the General and the Imperial Preceptor. When he meets her eyes, he starts: he knows this girl! Fu Yao knocks the General out, allowing Xie Lian to speak to the Imperial Preceptor. The girl, whose name is Banyue, calls Xie Lian General Hua--the same name inscribed on the tombstone they found in the cave. Xie Lian, at the time, was using an alias: Hua Xie ("Hua" is the same character used in "Hua Cheng"). He was found by an army, got drafted and somehow along the way got promoted to Lieutenant.
That's when he found Banyue, who was an orphan. Seeing how she was alone and emaciated from starvation, he allowed her to follow him. Occasionally, a boy from Yong An would join them and for a time, the three of them were content. That is, until Xie Lian found himself in the middle of a riot, trying to protect Banyue. He got pushed down and stampeded so badly that he had no choice but to pretend to be dead. After that, he couldn't find Banyue again.
A Storm of Snakes
Xie Lian points out that she's not the type to betray others. Why did she release the scorpion-tailed snakes into the kingdom? She tells them that she couldn't control them. Fu Yao doesn't believe her and binds Banyue and the General. Xie Lian asks Banyue to summon the snakes but he realizes his mistake when the snake appears and attacks but San Lang kills it. Distraught, Banyue cries out that she didn't summon that snake.
It's too late. An army of snakes materializes out of the darkness and no matter how much Banyue tries to order them, she's unable to stop the snakes from advancing. One look from San Lang has the snakes cowering. There's no time to talk: they have to get out. But when Xie Lian releases Ruoye, the silk band cowers because suddenly a whole storm of snakes are raining down from the sky.
This episode focuses less on Xie Lian and San Lang's relationship as had been done in the previous weeks, allowing some more focus on Xie Lian. But with only one episode left, there are many questions that still need to be answered, assuming that we'll know who is the one controlling the snakes: if Banyue wasn't one of the two women in the desert, who were the women? We've gotten bits and pieces of San Lang's real identity but will we ever get an official reveal of San Lang's identity? Next week's finale will hopefully answer these questions and more.
