Ode to Gallantry

Gouzazhong discovers a gleaming metal tablet buried in the melee between rival martial arts clans. Shi Qing and Min Rou recognize its significance, but the tablet is seized by Xie Yanke, who hints at the power it represents. The tablet's mysterious meaning sets off a dangerous chase that touches many lives.

Xie Yanke publicly vows to punish the clans in a ritual massacre held every three years. He offers Gouzazhong gold, kung-fu lessons, and favors if he reveals the tablet's meaning, but Gouzazhong refuses. Enraged, Xie forces him to train and deliberately teaches him the wrong techniques, crippling his start in martial arts.

Gouzazhong collapses from the brutal training and is left for dead. Bei Haishi, the second-in-command of the Changle Gang, finds him and carries him back to their headquarters to recover from his injuries.

That night, a young woman named Ding Dang slips into Gouzazhong's room and, despite never meeting him before, behaves intimately with him and calls him Shi Zhongyu. She leaves quickly, promising to visit again and leaving Gouzazhong puzzled about who he really is.

Bei Haishi arrives and acknowledges Gouzazhong as their leader, yet keeps insisting on addressing him as Shi Zhongyu. A sudden assault by a Changle member provokes Gouzazhong to defend himself and discover a strange resilience after an acupoint strike.

Ding Dang returns and asserts that the real Shi Zhongyu bears a bite mark on his shoulder. Gouzazhong is pressed to prove his identity and reveals the eight sword marks on his thigh that Shi once left, convincing Bai Wanjian that he is the man in question.

A group from the Snowy Mountain School arrives at the Changle Gang base seeking retribution against Shi Zhongyu for past acts. Bai Wanjian demands punishment and attempts to prove Gouzazhong is the man he seeks, escalating the conflict and forcing everyone to question who Shi Zhongyu really is.

Bai Wanjian recognizes Gouzazhong by the eight marks left on his thigh by Shi Zhongyu’s sword, resolving the dispute over his true identity. Gouzazhong remains baffled as the truth about who he is becomes increasingly tangled with accusations from rival schools and his lover's claims.

Shi Qing and Min Rou reveal they are Shi Zhongyu’s biological parents and tell a longer backstory: twenty years ago Mei Fanggu abducted their son Shi Potian and raised another boy as Mongrel. Mei Fanggu, Shi Qing’s former lover, orchestrated this rift to spite the family and manipulate events. The revelation reframes Gouzazhong's past and his ties to both families.

Bei Haishi admits he knew Gouzazhong was not the true Shi Zhongyu but kept him around to serve as a scapegoat should the truth come out. He explains the strategy of marks and loyalty used to keep Gouzazhong aligned with the gang’s plan, even as Xie Yanke loomed as a deeper threat.

Xie Yanke arrives with the real Shi Zhongyu, who looks identical to Gouzazhong but refuses to help the Changle Gang or face punishment. Gouzazhong volunteers to fight Xie in a selfless gesture, disarms him, and spares his life, signaling a shift toward rehabilitation and mercy.

That night Ding Dang tricks Gouzazhong into switching places with Shi Zhongyu, who would face death for his crimes. Xie Yanke catches the ploy, but Gouzazhong refuses to kill Shi Zhongyu and instead asks Xie to mentor him toward reform. Shi Qing then asks Gouzazhong to take him to Mei Fanggu, revealing Mei as a central figure connected to their intertwined destinies.