Zetian dreams of a domestic fantasy with Shimin and Yizhi in their old apartment, but the dream is interrupted by Qin Zheng pounding at the door, dragging her back to reality for training. The dream-Shimin punches Qin Zheng, who is astonished to feel pain, taking it as proof of how strong Zetian's connection to Shimin remains. Zetian bids the apparition farewell and follows Qin Zheng out.

In subsequent dream-training sessions, Qin Zheng pushes Zetian to refine her qì control and combat techniques, demonstrating the Yellow Dragon's assault mode and brutally wounding her until rage pushes her to channel Water qì and forge a crude weapon from his armor. He praises her clarity of purpose. Outside the dream realm, Zetian adapts to her new prosthetic feet, sparring with Qieluo and learning to fight without her scythe.

To recruit Taiping's mathematical skills without alerting the gods, Zetian stages a fake romantic affair, leading Taiping into the tunnels and using written notes to explain that she needs secret calculations involving the Heavenly Court's orbit, the Yellow Dragon, and matching horizontal velocity. Taiping agrees, and over several nights Zetian shuttles ideas between Taiping and Qin Zheng in the dream realm, eventually persuading Qin Zheng to alter the Yellow Dragon's trajectory to diagonal.

Wan'er grows cold, believing Zetian and Taiping are actually lovers. Zetian brings her to the tunnels to clear up the misunderstanding, gives the two women privacy, and watches them reconcile and kiss, feeling both happy for them and bereft over her own losses.

Near the end of her recuperation, Zetian wakes in agony and tumbles from bed. Qin Zheng, alarmed, calls for a physician and breaches the glass divider separating them to reach her. Zetian realizes her menstrual bleeding has come early, sprays him with rubbing alcohol to drive him back, and Doctor Hua arrives as Qin Zheng retreats behind the glass with feigned indifference.