In the tvN’s Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 Episode 11, Lee Yeon (played by Lee Dong-wook) mourned the death of Cheon Mu-yeong (played by Ryu Kyung-soo). The episode depicted the anguish of Lee Yeon and his lover Jang Yeo-hee (played by Woo Hyun-jin) as they were kidnapped by Lee-rang and suffered.
Lee Yeon, who had switched bodies with Nyudo (played by Jung Sun-chul), discovered that the Shingami mercenaries were five in number. Pretending to be Nyudo, Lee Yeon persuaded Yuki (played by Kim Seung-hwa) and O-gama (played by Lee Kyu-ho) to capture the mountain deities themselves.
Nyudo, disguised as Lee Yeon, had previously been with Ryu Hong-joo (played by Kim So-yeon) and Cheon Mu-yeong. However, he soon encountered Ryu Hong-joo while searching for the protective stone. Just then, Lee Yeon, in Nyudo’s body, and the Shingami mercenaries joined the scene, leading to a fierce battle. Nyudo, who had taken over Lee Yeon’s body, attacked Ryu Hong-joo, and Cheon Mu-yeong and Ryu Hong-joo were overwhelmed by Yuki’s ice.
However, Lee Yeon seized the moment when Nyudo was trying to take Cheon Mu-yeong’s body and reclaimed his own body. In the process, Lee Yeon sustained injuries but managed to defeat Nyudo and retrieve the protective stone and Geumchuk. As Yuki and O-gama fled, the three of them lay side by side, savoring their victory.
After waking up safely in the hotel, the mountain deities returned to Myeonyang Temple after confirming that all the Yakcha had disappeared. However, it was a spell cast by Captain Satori (played by Seo Young-joo). Moreover, after Satori said, “Your treasure, give it to me,” Lee Yeon obediently handed over the treasure after counting to three. Satori smiled and said, “No need to be surprised. This guy has been under my spell from the beginning.”
Then, Satori flicked his finger and woke up Lee Yeon from the spell, saying, “I woke you up because I have something special to show you. I hope you all choke each other.” He counted the numbers once again, and Ryu Hong-joo and Cheon Mu-yeong began to strangle each other. Seeing this, Lee Yeon intervened and tried to stop them, but Satori expressed satisfaction, saying, “Good. It’s the begging of the mountain deity of Joseon. But what can you do? I have never let anyone live on my battlefield.”
However, Lee Yeon had one move hidden even from Satori. Lee Yeon raised his hands and shouted “Hooray” three times, looking at Yuki and O-gama. It was a hint that he had given them when he switched bodies with Nyudo, saying, “If I shout ‘Hooray’ three times, an enemy will appear before me.” As Lee Yeon attacked Satori, the spells on Ryu Hong-joo and Cheon Mu-yeong were also released.
Lee Yeon snatched the treasure and said, “Never underestimate the mountain deities of Joseon, kid,” as he threw the Geumchuk into the air. Ryu Hong-joo, who had been about to strangle Cheon Mu-yeong, lost her strength and collapsed. Cheon Mu-yeong also came to his senses, and Ryu Hong-joo said to him, “How could I have done this to you?” She apologized, and Cheon Mu-yeong replied, “No. It was my fault. I’m sorry.”
Lee Yeon and Cheon Mu-yeong, who were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief, decided to jump off the roof together. However, their momentary relief was short-lived as Cheon Mu-yeong took the Geumchuk from Lee Yeon and ran away.
Meanwhile, Seon Woo-eun-ho (played by Kim Yong-ji) planned to set off a bomb at his and Kato Ryuhei’s (played by Ha Do-kwon) wedding. Lee Yeon helped him while preparing for his separation from Lee-rang. After taking the treasure, Cheon Mu-yeong, who had collapsed on the street, woke up at Bok Hye-ja’s store (played by Kim Soo-jin). There, Cheon Mu-yeong gave Ryu Hong-joo a pair of shoes as a gift.
Returning to the day before, Lee Yeon met Taluipa (played by Kim Jung-nan) and learned that Cheon Mu-yeong was not his brother. He scoffed, saying, “People called me the first mountain deity. It was because of me that your brother went crazy, and I told you how to save him. I had to find my scattered power.” Then he left. Lee Yeon rushed after him, but Cheon Mu-yeong eventually closed his eyes. Lee Yeon held Cheon Mu-yeong and mourned.
While enjoying a date with Jang Yeo-hee, Lee-rang briefly left his seat. He had been planning to buy a gift for Jang Yeo-hee and Lee Yeon. However, during that time, Yuki attacked Jang Yeo-hee. O-gama approached Yu Jae-yu (played by Han Geon-yu), who was carrying the soup for Ryu Hong-joo. When Lee-rang returned, he discovered that the paper crane Jang Yeo-hee was holding was soaked in blood.
On the day they had to return to the present, where Nam Ji-ah (played by Jo Bo-ah) was waiting, Lee-rang blamed himself, scraping up the blood-soaked paper crane. He said, “It’s my fault. I left my seat.” He self-condemned, saying, “How pathetic. I can’t protect anyone. I’m not even a complete human or a Gumiho. Why was I born like this?” Lee Yeon comforted him, saying, “I promise. I won’t leave you alone. I promise.” Lee-rang also said tearfully, “Don’t go. Stay behind me. So that I can fight.” Lee Yeon embraced Lee-rang and comforted him.
Source: (1)