Episode 23 recap: The truth is revealed
Gong Zi Yu gave the knife she always carried with her to Yun Wei Shan, ensuring that no one would harm her, including herself. She named the knife "Yun Zhi Yu." Xue Zhong Zi retrieved a treasure box from the bottom of the pool and handed it to Gong Zi Yu, while Gong Shang Jue and Gong Yuan Zheng stood guard. When Gong Zi Yu opened the box, he discovered that it was empty.
Jin Fan, who was severely wounded, was taken to the Moon Palace. Seeing Jin Fan on the verge of death, Gong Zi Yu decided to give her the "Chu Yun Chong Lian" to consume. However, the preciousness of breath caused disagreement among the others, as they believed it shouldn't be wasted. But Gong Zi Yu already considered Jin Fan as family, someone who would sacrifice herself for him. Therefore, the "Chu Yun Chong Lian" should be given to Jin Fan, as her life was equally important. Gong Zi Shang was deeply moved by his brother's affection for his beloved.
Unable to defeat Bei Xu, Hua Gong Zi directly ignited the gunpowder in the underground chamber, causing both him and Bei Xu, along with the boundless flowing fire diagram, to perish. Gong Shang Jue and Gong Yuan Zheng fought valiantly against Mo Qi Ai. In the end, Gong Shang Jue protected Gong Yuan Zheng and they both fell in a pool of blood, having stabbed each other. Wu Feng was defeated, and all the family members in the secret passage were safe. However, Hua Gong Zi, Hua Zhang Lao, and Xue Gong Zi tragically lost their lives. Gong Zi Yu was filled with grief, reminiscing about the memories of the departed. Although he managed to protect the back mountain, his loved ones had all left him one by one.
Jin Fan's life was saved, and the guards brought the favorite knife of Hua Gong Zi to her. Yun Wei Shan received the knife and renamed it as "Yun Zhi Yu." The Gu venom inside Gong Zi Yu's body could merge with his internal cultivation method. Yun Wei Shan practiced the lost Wind Style Twelve Forms of the Qing Feng Sect. Originally, the four major families in the back mountain were Feng, Hua, Xue, and Yue. The Wind family's swordsmanship could integrate with any other family's swordsmanship, and only the wife who wielded the blade could practice this technique. Therefore, Yun Wei Shan's Wind family swordsmanship could suppress the Gu venom within Gong Zi Yu.
Gong Zi Yu concealed his illness to ensure that the "Chu Yun Chong Lian" could be given to Jin Fan. At this time, Gong Yuan Zheng had his limbs severed, so he handed Gong Shang Jue's "Chu Yun Chong Lian" to Gong Zi Yu and specially made a new box for it. With Wu Feng repelled, the group took out the iron box from the Lotus Pond, but when they opened it, they found it empty, with the diagram missing. Gong Zi Yu guessed who took it away, and Gong Shang Jue's fear confirmed his suspicion. Gong Zi Yu recalled what Yue Zhang Lao had said to him, that no matter how terrifying the truth and how far the road ahead, he must continue moving forward. He went to his brother Gong Huan Yu's room, where he heard the commotion outside and worried about their safety. He also reproached himself for being powerless to help. Gong Zi Yu knew where the diagram was, so he asked everyone to extinguish the lights. Gong Huan Yu's hands emitted fluorescence because Gong Zi Yu had coated the diagram with phosphor beforehand. Anyone who touched the diagram would emit fluorescence. Gong Zi Yu had suspected this ever since Jia Guan Shi's incident. Initially suspicious of his brothers Gong Shang Jue and Gong Yuan Zheng, he accidentally discovered that Gong Huan Yu had been practicing and demanding the "Chu Yun Chong Lian." His suspicions grew stronger after being rescued by the ancestral hall. Through the words of Lady Yu and the handwritten letter, Gong Shang Jue deliberately said "Yun" to avoid arousing suspicion. Gong Zi Shang also directly claimed that Gong Huan Yu had deceived the research room when he woke up because he had discovered the truth of Lady Yu's murder.
Gong Zi Yu couldn't understand why Gong Huan Yu, who was his close relative along with Gong Zi Shang, would act ruthlessly. Gong Huan Yu believed that those who aimed for great achievements should cut off emotional attachments, and his grand plan involved unleashing boundless flowing fire to bring about peace in the world. He resented his parents for guarding the palace gates and dying, despite having supreme power but not taking action. He wanted to become the leader and eradicate Wu Feng completely, ensuring peace throughout the land.
As a result, when he was practicing his cultivation, he almost lost control and fell into the path of demonic cultivation. His father then gave him the "Chu Yun Chong Lian" to prevent that from happening. However, at that time, his internal strength was already established and didn't require the consumption of the elixir. Later, he proposed to his father to use the boundless flowing fire, but his request was rejected. It was from that moment that his father began considering Gong Shang Jue as the next leader of the next generation. So, Gong Huan Yu manipulated all the relationships and won over Gong Zi Shang and Gong Zi Shang's followers. He intentionally pushed the incapable Gong Zi Yu into the position of leader so that he could reclaim it later. That night, he brought Miss Zheng Er to his father, and it was that night when his father was poisoned and killed by Miss Zheng Er. Afterward, he killed Miss Zheng Er as well. Yu Ji believed in Gong Huan Yu's plan and helped him fake his death to investigate the boundless flowing fire.
He also impersonated Wu Feng and wrote a letter to Lady Yu, promising to spare her brother if they found Wu Feng. The more intense their internal conflicts became, the closer he was to advancing his plan. Everything was within his calculations. When Yun Wei Shan appeared, he intentionally had Lady Yu deliver the box left by his father. When Yun Wei Shan opened the box and was injured by a hidden weapon, Lady Yu became their suspect.
After Yun Wei Shan was poisoned, Yue Zhang Lao couldn't find a cure and had to seek help from Gong Yuan Zheng. Gong Yuan Zheng risked his life to test the poison and finally found the antidote. On the day he killed Lady Yu, he was unfortunately seen by Gong Zi Shang. His loss of internal strength was a deliberate act, and it sealed the lie that he was imprisoned by Lady Yu. He moved to the underground chamber to recover and practice the tenth level of his martial arts. It was also his intention to kill Gong Zi Shang and leave Gong Yuan Zheng's glove at the scene. He handed the palace gate map to Shang Guan Qian, thereby learning that the leader of Wu Feng knew about the existence of the boundless flowing fire. Their goals aligned, so they joined forces with Wu Feng.
Alright, only the final episode remains tomorrow. The male lead is still naive and sweet, relying on forced plot twists to make him stand out. Half of the male supporting characters have already been eliminated, and the seamless antagonist is mostly defeated.
Finally, the big boss makes a dazzling entrance. Did the male lead's training in the mountains follow a sentimental and lackadaisical path? In the end, just as the ultimate showdown begins, he is gloriously taken off stage by poison.
Well, let's see if tomorrow can forcefully bring about the male lead's shining moment. After all, throughout the whole story, we really can't do without the matchmaker.
That's why they spared his life in the big showdown, relying on the healer to save the day.