Training & Marriage
Episode 6 of Alchemy of Souls begins with Yul approaching Naksu by the tree. She brandishes a sword and promises that if he returns again, she’ll kill him. ..
Naksu is speaking with Yul in the same spot she so ferociously swung her sword and knocked the flowers out of his hand. Yul recalls how Naksu fought back when he was attacked, and how their fight has inspired him to become a better person.
This encounter is less hostile though, as Mu-Deok soon despairs when she learns Yul isn’t very adept cook. He ends up burning the rice up at the cabin. Thankfully, Mu-Deok is there to help out and steer him in the right direction.
Jang Uk is jealous of the pair and confronts Mu-Deok afterwards, telling her not to cheat on him with another student. Mu-Deok eventually teases him over the title of “Young Master” and answers Yul enthusiastically by using that exact title.
Meanwhile, Master Lee and Yeom examine the corpse they’ve found. They suspect Cheonbugwan is involved, which is confirmed when they learn the body belongs to a low-ranking servant there. As a result, Park Jin decides they should investigate Cheonbugwan discreetly.
Master Lee believes that the soul he sensed coming out of Mu-Deok is Naksu and comments on how interesting this is.
Yul and Dang-Gu head back to Songrim and report that Uk is doing well; he’s training and fishing. They also mention his missing Spirit Plaque.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that there are more connections to be made between the death of a constellation recorder and the animosity between Cheongbugwan and the other families. Park Jin learns this information as part of his investigation into the death.
Meanwhile, Jang-Uk is getting stronger. The bracelet has had an unexpected outcome of actually making him a better sword fighter, and he’s swinging the blade about pretty adeptly now. In order to try and prove his worth, Mu-Deok tasks Jang-Uk with slicing water droplets from hanging bags.
The British boxer, Jsng Uk, struggles to control the energy within him as he swings wildly at the bags. It still doesn’t work. ..
Mu-Deok, a maidservant, patiently watches over her student, Master Lee, as he observes from time to time. Lee warns Mu-Deok that his next move could lead to death if he’s not careful and fails to control his energy. Specifically, Lee mentions how his arm could burst if the raw redness is anything to go by. ..
Master Lee tells the dinner guests that Cho-Yeon is going to marry Jang Uk. However, this is not what everyone is expecting. Some people are thinking that the wedding will be cancelled because of Cho-Yeon’s health problems, but Master Lee assures them that this will not be the case.
Cho-Yeon is excited for the new job. Dang-Gu is quick to temper her expectations, but they agree to help each other out with errands.
Meanwhile, Mu-Deok warns Jang Uk that if he gets married they can no longer stay at the cabin. Mu-Deok also doesn’t have plans to stay by his side as a maid either should that transpire. Still, they head back to the mainland all the same, given Jang-Uk has a duty to return and see his family regarding this marriage.
Mu-Deok is confronted by the mage of Cheongbugwan, who snatch her up, ignoring the Crown Prince’s sachet and taking her to…the Crown Prince. He’s not particularly happy about seeing “Filthy Mu-Deok” right now, especially as those mages dressed her up in silk just prior to their meeting.
The Crown Prince soon gets down to business. He tells Mu-Deok that he has no intention of starting a rivalry with Songrim. It’s a good thing that Uk isn’t here… but his absence would also make him a laughing stock, damaging his pride and family lineage as a result. The Prince urges Mu-Deok to dissuade him from fighting, otherwise Uk could get killed. ..
Meanwhile, in North Korea, Kim is questioning why he doesn’t want to get married. When he mentions “another girl”, Miss Kim is not happy.
Meanwhile, Mu-Deok and Cho-Yeon are having a conversation about Cho-Yeon’s need to serve as his maid soon. Mu-Deok is jealous of the close connection that he senses between her and Jang Uk.
“Please take this up to the Jin family’s abode,” she implores Mu-Deok. “There’s a broken yin-yang jade inside, something Cho-Yeon intends to get Mu-Deok in trouble for.”
In the episode “Mu-Deok,” Mu-Deok is led up to a house where she steps inside and immediately feels a wave of energy. This energy causes her to stumble slightly, but she ends up in Jinyowon, where she finds that strange mirror we saw glimpses of earlier in the episode. As she reaches out, Mu-Deok is sucked inside, leaving a big cliffhanger for next week’s follow-up.
The Episode Review
The Alchemy of Souls episode returns with another strong performance, despite some lighter moments that may not be as satisfying to some readers. There’s still a lot of potential for excitement in this episode, with the upcoming wedding and the duel with the Crown Prince potentially still going ahead.
There’s a lot of potential here for character development, with the addition of Yul and Naksu providing some interesting plotlines. It could potentially develop into a love triangle with Jang Uk, who knows!
This week’s episode of Alchemy of Souls left much to be desired, with little indication that the show will continue moving forward in a meaningful way next week.
