Tian Guan Ci Fu EP1 - The Bride Prince

The episode opens up with a bride being carried in a sedan through Yu Jun Mountain at night until there's sudden turmoil. The bride is anxious and notices a hand reaching in, thinking someone would help her, but she's attacked shortly after.

After the opening Xie Lian's third ascension is portrayed. He talks to Ling Wen who shows him the destruction he caused in the Heavenly Capital. They both enter the Spiritual Communication Array to ask for assistance after Xie Lian was tasked with investigating the missing brides of Yu Jun Mountain. There Xie Lian meets his former servant Mu Qing and former bodyguard Feng Xin.

Xie Lian makes his way to Yu Jun Mountain, visiting a tea house. He gets distracted by a silver butterfly until he's notified that Nan Feng and Fu Yao have volunteered to help him. The three of them discuss the case of the missing brides before they go outside and notice a group of villagers carrying a sedan. Xiao Ying comes running and wants to warn the "bride" of being used as a decoy, but it turns out the villagers used a doll. The leader of the group starts to assault Xiao Ying, but Xie Lian stops him.

Xie Lian, Fu Yao and Nan Feng seek shelter in a temple of Feng Xin where Fu Yao tells Xie Lian about the legend of Feng Xin's reputation as the God of Male Fertility. Nan Feng makes a comment about Mu Qing's former job as Xie Lian's assistant and the two of them start to fight. Xie Lian interrupts them, and they soon come up with the plan to disguise Xie Lian as a bride to lure out the Ghost Bridegroom. Xiao Ying comes by to help them with Xie Lian's makeup.

As Nan Feng and Fu Yao escort Xie Lian's sedan, Xie Lian suddenly hears a song. Wolves and Base Slaves attack them and Xie Lian orders the other two leave him behind. As he waits, someone suddenly offers him a hand through the sedan curtain who turns out to be Hua Cheng. Xie Lian takes his hand and flashbacks of the past begin to unfold as they walk together through the forest. They show parts of Xie Lian's past and through multiple scenes a young Hua Cheng is also there. The episode ends with the present of them walking together under an umbrella.