Introduction
Although there is are hella lot of stuff going on in Part 3, Love on the Turquoise Land: Drama Recap Episodes 17 to 24, there are still unanswered questions that remain, a few are big questions. Will they be answered in this final part? We will see.
This kissing scene is actually taken from Episode 18, not the last episode of this drama. But rest assured, the ending is satisfying, or I won’t recap this series, lol!
Recap Episodes 25 to 32
Episode 25
Because Yan Tuo couldn’t sleep, who could with the traumatic experience he had been through, Jiuluo lit a soothing incense and accompanied him. Yan Tuo, who had been quiet and withdrawn earlier, eased up and started to talk. He said the physical pain was tolerable, but the crushing hopelessness was what truly consumed him, a feeling of being trapped just as his mother had been years ago. We then got to know more about his painful memory. His mother was taking him and his sister, Xinxin, to the train station to flee their home. His father had instructed them to take the earliest train, but his mother chose a later one, hoping their father would join them. In the chaos, his sister disappeared, kidnapped by Boss Lin and her men. His mother knelt before Boss Lin, begging her to return Xinxin. Boss Lin demanded their family’s properties and businesses, or Yan Tuo would be taken as well.
Jiuluo then shared her own childhood trauma. Her mother, a Nanshan Hunter, never returned from a patrol twenty years ago after an encounter with an Earth Fiend. Her father, consumed by grief, tried to find her. Jiuluo was terrified that he would leave her, too. Her father went boating, but he meant to commit suicide. He sent her to buy ice cream. Upon her return, his boat was empty. Though her father was eventually rescued, he became a different person. He shut himself in and refused to eat, and was eventually diagnosed with severe depression.
Meanwhile, Xing Shen secretly checked into Roadsound Mine and found Mr. Sun’s body along with the semi-humanoid Earth Fiend, which Jiuluo and Yu Rong had fought. Deeper inside, he forced open a locked area and found Yuwang Meat in the water. Back at base, Xing Shen read a manual and found info on an ocarina crafted from Turquoise Land soil and tempered by natural fire, which could summon fiends from the underworld. The manual even showed where to find the ocarina.
The villains finally found out about Yan Tuo’s rescue and the death of the semi-humanoid Earth Fiend they were experimenting on, and they were very enraged. Meanwhile, Jiuluo and her little family, with Yan Tuo, Lin Ling, Mr. Liu, and Mrs. Li, celebrated the Chinese New Year. A calm before a storm?
Episode 26
The next day, Xing Shen urgently called Jiuluo and met with him privately. Xing Shen expressed his unease because, despite Yan Tuo’s rescue, there was no action from Boss Lin’s side. Jiuluo assured him she would be careful. Xing Shen offered to move Lin Ling and Mr. Liu to the Nanshan base to alleviate Nie Jiuluo’s pressure. However, Nie Jiuluo declined, stating that the base was unsuitable for them and that she could handle the situation for now. Xing Shen then invited Jiuluo to the Hunters’ next mission.
Boss Lin sent a long message to the Nanshan Hunters and Yan Tuo:
- She declared her intention to force a confrontation, inviting them to Twilight Chasm, their first meeting place under the Golden Gate, in ten days.
- She vowed to bring everyone she had captured, Mr. Jiang Baichuan and other Nanshan Hunters, and demanded they bring the Earth Fiend captives for a face-to-face meeting.
- She declared she would take “care of” the Hunters’ families and descendants in their stead.
- She then addressed Yan Tuo directly, claiming she had raised Yan Tuo, who now, like a “little snake,” was biting the hand that fed him. Since Yan Tuo was so heartless, he must not care about Yan Xin, and threatened to bring his sister along with the Nanshan Hunters to Twilight Chasm to be “feasted upon” by her long-imprisoned kin.
Jiuluo discussed with Yan Tuo that Boss Lin’s sudden mention of his sister was merely a trap, as there had been no prior evidence of his sister being in her custody. This was more than a simple hostage exchange; it was time for a definitive end, not just for them but for Yan Tuo as well. Jiuluo responded to Xing Shen that she and Yan Tuo would join the mission. The Hunters had different reactions to Boss Lin’s message, but they unanimously decided to accept Boss Lin’s invitation, open the Golden Gate, and descend into Twilight Chasm. They made a strategic plan, and Xing Shen emphasized that their primary goal was to rescue their people first, then eliminate the fiends.
Back home, Jiuluo and Yan Tuo announced that they would go on a long ‘artistic inspiration’ trip, a cover for their mission. However, Lin Ling knew it was a lie. When she confronted them, Yan Tuo admitted it was time to end the conflict, for Jiuluo, for him, and for her. Lin Ling, though worried about them, understood that their current peace was temporary and that they couldn’t live in constant fear. Yan Tuo promised to return safely. Jiuluo also reassured Lin Ling, explaining that many South Mountain Hunters would accompany them on familiar paths.
Episode 27
In this episode, the thrill and excitement escalated from the Hunters as well as us, the viewers, although we didn’t see the villain’s side yet. Everyone knew what they were doing, preparing stuff they needed to bring for the mission. Poor Yan Tuo didn’t know what or how to help, so Xing Shen told Yu Rong to give him a crossbow with tranquilizer darts that could incapacitate someone for at least two days.
Xing Shen already had some people spying on the mine as well as watching their base. The spies confirmed the three-day mine closure. They went to the forest area, and the path was rough. Unexpectedly, their path was blocked by a landslide. There were other established patrol routes that were centuries-old and hadn’t been updated in a long time. They considered taking Village Four, that was where Xing Shen read about the ocarina. Jiuluo believed she could find the way to Village Four. She explained that the Nanshan Hunters had relocated eight times, with Qin Village being the first. Village Four was another outpost established about 400 years after Qin Village.
As evening approached, Xing Shen observed signs of recent human activity, noting that someone had been there lately. He ordered his team to check the perimeter, expressing concern that this wasn’t a regular patrol route, so they shouldn’t linger. He decided they must push through to Qin Village that night. Big Head, Yan Tuo, and Jiuluo took the lead to scout ahead. They felt an unsettling atmosphere, as if unseen eyes were constantly watching them. Yan Tuo, seeing an unexplained fire ahead, wondered who would make one out there, but Jiuluo dismissed his startled reaction.
After walking in circles, the scout team was astonished to find themselves back at their starting point, where they encountered the main group, who were confused about their return. Jiuluo realized they had fallen victim to a “Ghost Wall,” a trap set by the Nanshan Hunter ancestors to prevent outsiders or Earth Fiends from entering their territory, though they wondered why it would affect their own people. This “Ghost Wall” has now made it difficult for even their own people to enter. Jiuluo recalled ancient texts mentioning an intricate mechanism set up by ancestors to deter Earth Fiend incursions. With sharp insight, they began searching, finding bronze mirrors. Jiuluo decisively inserted her Mad Blade into the ancestor statue. Instantly, the moonlight reflected off the mirrors, clearly revealing the correct path into the village. Xing Shen led the way, clearing a path for the team. Yet again, their progress was halted by another landslide, with massive rocks blocking the route. With no other option, they took another detour, eventually arriving at a cave for a brief rest.
Jiuluo and Yu Rong discussed the next day’s descent into the Golden Gate. Jiuluo explained that she and Xing Shen would lead separate teams down in sequence. Xing Shen’s team led the charge, and Jiuluo’s team acted as rear guard. Yu Rong suggested to Jiuluo that Xing Shen had been to Village Four before, and only Jiuluo could find out the reason. She dismissed the question, stating she didn’t want to know. When Yu Rong pressed about her trust in Xing Shen, Jiuluo admitted that his faith and loyalty to the Nanshan Hunters surpassed theirs; so, he was the most trusted leader. Doubting him would mean opposing the entire group.
In this episode, I saw parts of the Nanshan Hunter’s base in the ending credits. I felt that the base was so outdated, and they never updated it with new technology. Maybe the new generation didn’t think such Earth Fiends exist anymore, so they didn’t care? Below are the outdoor training courtyard, meeting room, indoor training area, and prison cells.
Episode 28
They finally arrived at the Golden Gate, deep into the dark cave beneath the cliff. Jiuluo and Yu Rong worked together on the opening mechanism, and the gate opened with a thunderous roar, revealing a new path forward.
Meanwhile, at Roadside Mining site, Xiao Gezhi, the youngest member of the Nanshan Hunters, saw Boss Lin and her men arrive, dragging Mr. Jiang. Realizing there was no time to contact Xing Shen, Xiao Gezhi acted decisively. Xiao Gezhi threatened them with a demolition bomb used for blasting mountains, and suggested its effect on the mine opening would be significant. Boss Lin’s group managed to escape just as the bomb was about to detonate. In the aftermath, Xiao Gezhi was the sole survivor among his companions. Oh no!
Somehow, the villains managed for the new passage through The Golden Gate. Now they knew there were successors of the Nanshan Hunter Clans, especially Mad Blade. How could they avoid the “Ghost Wall” trap? They used the waterway, which was faster. Inside The Golden Gate, Xing Shen and his soon discovered Mr. Jiang and other captured Hunters were hanged. However, it was a trap set by Boss Lin, who had used a secret passage. Xing Shen swiftly commanded the Hunters to release Mr. Jiang. An ambush was sprung, and chaos erupted. Xing Shen divided his group to three small group, one to follow him, one to guard the captured Earth Fiends, and the other to engage the attackers.
In another part of the cave, Jiuluo’s group detected slime on the walls and a strong, growing scent of Earth Fiends. They discovered fallen comrades, as the captive Earth Fiends took advantage of the chaos to escape. Suddenly, a white-haired, half-human, half-fiend figure emerged, attacking Jiuluo and her team with moves reminiscent of the Whip Clan. More of their team members were dragged into the darkness by other Earth Fiends. Jiuluo and Yan Tuo chase them.
Yan Tuo found a severely wounded Feng Mi, who revealed that the white-haired attacker was an infected Nanshan Hunter they captured who had transformed into an Earth Demon, even slaughtering other Earth Fiends. What is this Earth Demon??? Jiuluo questioned how Earth Demons could simply appear and cause a massacre, suspecting Boss Lin’s doing.
Meanwhile, Yu Rong and Quecha accidentally stumbled into an Earth Fiend nest. There, they discovered Mr. Jiang Baichuan, who urgently warned them to stay back and not approach. He insisted they not waste their time, as the Earth Demons had long lost consciousness and even other Earth Fiends couldn’t control them, let alone Nanshan Hunters. Soon, other Nanshan Hunter teams arrived at the Earth Fiend nest. Mr. Jiang told them that their rescue mission was over, since the other captured Nanshan Hunters were most likely dead, and he was infected. He explained that the white-haired creatures were former Nanshan Hunters who had exiled themselves within The Golden Gate after they were infected, and now they had transformed into Earth Demons. He found contentment in seeing them one last time, even if he couldn’t return. He then solemnly called out the names of the clan leaders: Mad Dog, Ghost Whip, and Mad Blade, before firmly ordering everyone to take a headcount and evacuate immediately, asserting that this time, there would be no negotiations. What a heartbreaking farewell!
Boss Lin began to cast an evil spell, chanting incantations to summon all the Earth Fiends. Xing Shen commanded his team to push over statues to create a barrier, urging them to hurry as more Earth Fiends were approaching. Yan Tuo called out to Nie Jiuluo, while other Hunters shouted for their comrades, amidst a desperate fight for survival.
Episode 29
The Nanshan Hunters were being frantically besieged by Earth Fiends. They hid in a narrow cave to temporarily avoid the attack, because these big Fiends could not squeeze in. Jiuluo brought her treasure medicine, which could give her a temporary superpower. Disregarding Xing Shen’s objections, she resolutely took the medicine. Her eyes instantly turned blood-red, as if controlled by a mysterious force, and she charged towards the Earth Fiends to fight. Xing Shen and Yu Rong didn’t have any other choice but to join the battle with Mad Blade. The three worked together, and in an instant, they slew several Earth Fiends.
Xing Shen and Xiong fought fiercely; Jiulu was engaged in an even-matched battle with Boss Lin. Eventually, after a prolonged fight, Xing Shen’s strength gradually depleted. Feeling that he could not win, he decided to die with Xiong. He launched over Xiong, and the two fell together off the cliff, their fates unknown.
After Xing Shen fell off the cliff, Jiuluo was distracted, and Boss Lin took advantage to stab her abdomen. Just as Jiuluo fell unconscious, a White-haired Earth Demonness suddenly appeared to save her. She appeared like lightning, flashing behind Boss Lin and slicing off her head with a single strike! Slicing her head? This Earth Demon was from the Blade Clan, who could kill Earth Fiends. Perhaps she was Jiuluo’s mother? When Yan Tuo woke up, Yu Rong gave him the Mad Blade and told him that Jiuluo was dragged away by the White-haired Earth Demonness, and they vanished in the blink of an eye. Not only that, but Xing Shen was also nowhere to be seen; only his gourd was left. The remaining Nanshan Hunters gathered their fallen comrades’ bodies. Despite the death of Boss Lin and possibly Xiong, what a tragic battle!
A week later, Yan Tuo slowly woke up from a coma. Throughout that week, Lv Xian had been by his side, meticulously caring for him. Yan Tuo truly didn’t understand why Lv Xian would remain in the Roadsound Group. Lv Xian told his story. He once had a happy and complete family, but his father suddenly fell ill and urgently needed an organ transplant. There was a donor available, but on the day of the surgery, the donor mysteriously went missing. Later, it was discovered that he had been cruelly murdered by Boss Lin’s men and used as a blood bag. After his father passed away, his mother soon fell ill and passed away. Orphaned, he was raised and sponsored through school by the Roadsound Pharmaceutical Group from a young age until he opened his own clinic today. He was both grateful and hated them. He could only help Yan Tuo with his fight against Boss Lin.
After recuperating, Yan Tuo returned to Jiuluo’s home and lied to Mr. Liu and Mrs. Li that Jiuluo had important matters to attend to, so he had returned first. That night, Yan Tuo entered Jiuluo’s room, and he saw a necklace on a female statue’s neck. He had seen this necklace hanging on the Earth Demonness’s neck! He learned from Mrs. Lu that this female statue was Jiuluo’s mother. My guess was right! But now I wonder if Jiuluo’s mother had been infected by an Earth Fiend who later became Boss Lin…
Episode 30
After much consideration, in the morning, he told Yu Rong about Jiuluo’s mother. Yan Tuo firmly believed that although the White-Haired Earth Demoness looked terrifying, she still had consciousness and would definitely not harm her daughter. She might even be hiding the injured Jiuluo somewhere and carefully looking after her.
With this this conviction, the next day, Yan Tuo, Yu Rong, and Quecha, once again stepped into the Twilight Chasm. They searched tirelessly for Jiuluo’s whereabouts. Yan Tuo tightly gripped Jiuluo’s Mad Blade. In the area where Xing Shen’s gourd was still lying around, Yan Tuo gathered his strength and blew Xing Shen’s gourd. The sound of the gourd was long and resonated continuously in the deep valley. Before long, the Earth Fiends and the Earth Demons were summoned out, and the white-haired Pei Ke, who was Jiuluo’s mother’s name, also slowly emerged from the darkness. Yan Tuo loudly called out Pei Ke’s name. However, Pei Ke seemed not to have understood him, and no emotion on her face. She then turned silently and walked back towards the darkness.
Yan Tuo didn’t lose hope, though. He knew that they couldn’t enter the darkness following Pei Ke, because of the Earth Fiends and the Earth Demons. So, they would try the other way, the waterway, where Boss Lin and the rest entered that day. The next day, Yan Tuo, Yu Rong, and Quecha arrived at the opposite bank of the cliff and began making preparations for the crossing. After everything was ready, Yan Tuo and Yu Rong submerged underwater, planning to travel to the opposite bank from beneath the surface.
Afterwards, they fell into a place described as a sea within a sea. Looking up, there was a strange mass of water above their heads. Yan Tuo felt as if he was tightly enveloped by a thick, viscous membrane, unable to move. When he struggled to pull it open, his hand felt a stinging pain, as if being corroded. That was Yuwang Meat! Yan Tuo found Jiuluo inside a membrane not far away, lying quietly in the center of the water like a fetus. Perhaps the Yuwang Meat had sensed her blood and enveloped her. Yan Tuo tried with all his might to pierce that membrane to reached out his hand and finally touched Jiuluo. At that moment, he lovingly held her tightly in his arms!
Episode 31
After having a sweet dream about her mother, Mr. Jiang, her best friend, and the others from Nanshan Hunters, Jiuluo woke up. Alas, she had amnesia and didn’t recognize Yan Tuo, who was nearby. I can’t believe they used the stupid drama amnesia trope!!!
Since I hate this trope so much, I would just summarize Jiu Luo’s amnesia. After rushing her to the hospital and doing a bunch of exams, nothing worked. Yu Rong simply advised Yan Tuo to pursue Jiu Luo again. However, even Yan Tuo tried to reenact their meeting moments, he failed to bring up her memories of him. Mrs. Lu tried to remind Jiuluo about Yan Tuo, but it didn’t work either.
While Yan Tuo and Jiuluo’s romance still stalled because of her amnesia, everyone’s lives had started new chapters.
After gaining her complete freedom, Lin Ling is more cheerful and confident. She dressed up beautifully to meet Lv Xian, making him shy. Lin Ling gave him a vibrant green plant as a welcome gift, as she wanted their relationship to start anew and fresh, and he reciprocated with a cute stuffed rabbit doll that Lin Ling had wanted before. They’re so cute!
Yu Rong opened a cozy and charming pet shop, filled with furry cats, making it lively and therapeutic. She no longer wore her signature clothing, but a working uniform, and looked super feminine, no longer a tomboy. Quecha, utilizing her archery skills learned from Yu Rong, opened an archery range. The two encouraged Yan Tuo not to lose patience and heart to heal Jiuluo’s amnesia.
Episode 32
Long story short, for Yan Tuo and Jiuluo, she finally regained her memories of him during a windstorm. The strong wind roared, and heavy rain worried Yan Tuo about Jiuluo, so he hurried to her room and quietly closed the doors and windows. Suddenly, Jiuluo woke up with a startle and reflexively attacked Yan Tuo. Afterward, a sculpture fell off the table, made a shattering sound. This scene was the same as when she first met and fought with Yan Tuo. In an instant, her memories flooded back.
Later, Jiuluo wanted to see her mother once more. Yan Tuo took her to Twilight Chasm again, and used the power of the gourd to summon the Earth Demonness, Pei Ke. Although Pei Ke was already white-haired, Jiuluo recognized her mother at first glance. Pei Ke seemed to recognize her, but she slowly turned around and returned to the depths of the cave. Later, Jiuluo personally carved a spirit tablet with her mother’s name on it and hung it on the hunter’s memorial tablets. The remnants of the Nanshan Hunters gave a solemn bow to their fallen comrades. Jiuluo heard that Locust had been given away to biologists for further research.
Mr. Liu reopened his restaurant with the help of the rest. Jiuluo finally did her exhibition. It was a success, a sell-out. She celebrated her success with her friends. The group photo below also included Mr. Li (next to Yan Tuo), Jiuluo’s agent, who was none other than this drama’s director, Tian Li, haha!
The ending of this drama was teased as a second season. A young man bought all of Jiuluo’s sculptures as per the order of his grandfather. However, the grandfather only wanted to keep the statue behind the group, which Jiuluo called “Bo”, inspired by her experience in the Twilight Chasm cave. That statue stirred his memories of a distant hometown. Who was the old man? We didn’t see him or recognize his voice. We have no clue at all.
Conclusion
At the end, despite the supernatural part, which was deemed as ‘science fiction’ to pass the censorship, it was a nice watch. The storyline is entertaining, suspenseful, and thrilling, with world-building that blends action, fantasy, mystery, and horror elements. Unfortunately, in my opinion, the supernatural/fantasy part is a bit letdown with some plot holes. NRTA restricts modern fantasy/supernatural dramas, with ghosts, gods, and monsters, and views them as unscientific and feudal superstition, conflicting with the CCP’s materialistic ideology. In reality, the world extends beyond the mundane, filled with mythical creatures, ancient powers, and a hidden supernatural realm.
