10 Gold Prizes
In episode 11 of Alchemy of Souls, Mu-Deok starts to brush off Jang-Uk’s feelings. She understands that she loves him, but she is not able to accept it. Instead, she argues that this feeling of love and yearning for someone is like a curse. He should regard this as she is ‘poisoning’ Jang-Uk. This is quite depressing for our mage and leads her to give Mu-Deok the cold shoulder for most of the earlier period of this chapter.
On the other hand, after winning the Songrim contest like everyone did not expect, Dang-Gu is about to return Mu-Deok’s bag. Of course, he’s a curious fellow so he opens the bag. There, he spots the famous whistle which he used to saw while with Naksu. Dang-Gu asks Yul about this, who gives the whistle to Mu-Deok herself.
Yul has apparently fallen for him and this whistle is proof of it in her eyes. Understandably, this makes Jang-Uk jealous when he comes to know about the romantic connection they have.
Hemp Master Lee expresses concern to Yeom about Jang-Uk and feels an urge to observe his advancement. Yeom, in a less formal manner, confesses that Jin’s objective is to cast a net over him. On the other hand, Yeom ends up serving the food over Lee, who is aghast and rushes away, trying to remove the stains from jinx’s new outfit.
After learning about Yul and Mu-Deok’s deep bond, Jang-Uk feels the heat and does not exhibit keen interest while conversing with the other mages. Being jealous of Mu-Deok, he fails to get quality sleep. Certainly, this adds to their previous conversation in which she conveniently dismissed him for claiming that he missed her.
At this time, Park Jin consults with Jin Ho-Gyeong regarding the genealogy of Jinyowon and who could inherit it when she abdicates. It would be easy to assume that Cho-yeon will become the next head unless Bu-Yeon, her missing eldest daughter. So far, we know that she’s been on the receiving end of the spotlight in the past parts but curiously Ho-Gyeong states that she was born on the same day when Jang-Gang selected him.
And yet, despite everything, Ho-Gyeong also has her secrets as we see in some flashbacks when she asked to use the ice stone for her baby’s soul. She conveniently doesn’t tell this to Park Jin.
Of course, Park-Jin understands that House Jinyowon is in a partnership with Jin-Mu, having done some research and discovered he was the prior guest before him.
As he bears a scroll of Hi-Gyeong’s daughter, Jin-Mu scans his ranks in Cheonbugwan to discover who this person could be. When he finds out So-I is not actually a blind, she seems to be heading for a very gruesome one. until So-I offers him an enticing option.
To save herself, she agrees to portray Ho-Gyeong’s eldest daughter Bu-Yeon and act as a puppet to Jin-Mu. She passes the test of sorcerer or perhaps an adept deceiver undergoing bone-chilling tests while pretending to be sightless, gets ready to betray Jinyowon.
At the same time the Crown Prince and Mu-Deok decide to make a bet, and they explain it to each other which is followed up by Mu-Deok putting forth the most valued possession in her eyes, which is a pendant made out of jade stone. She has complete faith in Jang-Uk that he can defend himself. And concerning our star mage, he gets a cheer-up speech from Maidservant Jim which leads him to go and study.
Though he doesn’t prefer participating in fights, he gets brought to the Training Center by the other maids and ends up fighting. Naturally, all of this is Mu-Deok’s fault.
Jang-Uk heads into the center however, I totally lost track of what to do and structures like him were scattered across the field by numerous different mages. While IV ASA Marek process maintained that it is interested in pursuing the competition, Mu-Deok, pretty much, has forced him to do this. If Jang-Uk doesn’t manage to defeat at least one of 10 of the mages left before last toad gold is hit which Jang-Uk is to contest with as mage’s payment, he has to go without the precious mother jade stone which he had presented to Mu-Deok in the last episode.
The love fight, as he called it, has been greatly challenging to Dang-Gu who has views for Cho-Yeon. He was clear about his feelings and even hopes for Bu-Yeon to come back someday. She comes back then Cho-Yeon will be able to marry anyone because Dang-Gu in his fantasies heard those words out loud. He showers with flowers of shame and is all amazed since it seems his daydreams have come true.
How can one expect this from Park Jin is the question, the emerging love triangle between him, Maidservant Kim and Lee has him stunned and sending Park Jin a bouquet was not the ideal. And there Jin with a clear view he has jealousy issues tumbles into Kim who remarks he’s overdue when it comes to getting her a token of love.
When Kim gets outside, he realizes that this man’s shoes are smaller than his and concludes that this must be a shorter guy. At this point, however, he does not know that this man is Hemp Master Lee. Anyway, Park-Jin has gotten his lady some flowers but is yet unaware that love is not merely about giving someone flowers and that love interests are a bit more complicated and decides to buy out the entire shop for her.
All the pieces of the puzzle started to come together when Dang-Gu and Cho-yeon appeared. But Park Jin’s disappointment is great – and rightfully so, when the man is a Songrim heir. When additional information on Jin-Mu’s nature starts surfacing as well, Park Jin approaches Master Lee with his dilemmas. His opinion is that, had Jin-Mu get his hand over Jinyowon, he would garner enough strength to attack Songrim. What’s more, he even dares think that this sorcerer possesses the ice stone as well.
Zooming in to Jin-Mu, we notice clearly how much strength that stone has as he performs the alchemy of souls once again. What a pitiful sight as the young man barely puts up any opposition as a soul swaps places with him, and another mage in Cheonbugwan is rescued by him. He’s going to ensure that all of them gets to survive forever, all of them acquiring death one day at last and living for eternity.
This part also comes from the plan to exploit So-I who Jin-Mu brain washed to obey him. More precisely, it is required that she get close with Ho-Gyeong, fall in love with her, and take her back to this awful, frightening basement. As the greenish flames dance, a chilling atmosphere encircles all the characters of our tale.
There’s also a shadow over Jang-Uk too, who keeps on somehow being overpowered by these different mages. They have scouted his plays including Tansu and harassment has been occurring for seven days now.
The fate of the world rests on three additional gold toads. Mu-Deok lets it be as Jang-Uk proceeds to keep fighting. After all, what doesn’t kill you is supposed to make you stronger right?
The Episode Review
Alchemy of Souls is back this week and has some fresh material as regards the romantic interests of the different characters. It’s nice to see the plotlines regarding the supporting characters such as Dang-Gu and Cho-yeon who finally let what they feel out to the open.
There is also the triangle that exists with Lee, Kim and Park-Jin, which helps maintain the comedic aspect of this chapter while breaking some of the heavier sections with humor.
There was no doubt about that he was preparing for something darker intentions, one that could cause a wiped out for Ho-Gyeong any time. As it appears, puppeteer Jin Mu is preparing So-I in order to get into Jinyowon. Not only that, but he will also be powerful that would allow him to go after Songrim, which is something park jin doubts will happen.
Apparently, this is not totally impossible, as it seems Jang-Uk is learning something from this struggle with these mages & uses it to counter against Jin-Mu.
So far the story has been pretty well thought of and spread across the chapters and the additional 20 episodes are certainly needed, considering the fact how intricate the plot & world building is in this weekend K-drama.
However, all at the end is left on a cliff, with quite a few questions still lingering over where this one might head next.
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