Episode 26 recap: The Death of Jingyuan and Qinyun's Ascendancy
In Episode 26, Qu Zheng is surprised that Bai Wan is willing to disregard her safety to go to the Ninefold Abyss for him. Bai Wan expresses that she believes this is the only way to restore Qu Zheng's innocence. They embrace tightly, hoping they will never have to part again.
After a short journey, the group arrives at Black Spring Valley. They split into three teams to search for Hu Qiqi. Qu Zheng and Bai Wan naturally team up, while Jin Mu Qiu is paired with the nameless hero. It's clear that everyone has figured out the nameless hero's true identity, but they choose not to mention it. Meanwhile, Su Zhuo Zhuo and Song Jian Shan are their usual bickering selves. Just a moment ago, Su Zhuo Zhuo was delighted by Song Jian Shan's claim that he is the best doctor she's ever met, but now she's frustrated because he took a wrong turn, causing them to get lost!
Jin Mu Qiu doesn't confront Lin Feng about his identity; instead, she subtly inquires about his plans after their current mission. Lin Feng mentions he intends to leave, which leaves Jin Mu Qiu feeling unsatisfied with his answer, nearly revealing too much. On the other hand, Bai Wan transforms back into her former self, displaying clarity of thought and effective leadership. Qu Zheng watches her, deeply moved, realizing that as long as she is in front of him, he will always care for her.
Time passes, and the group has little success. Jin Mu Qiu accidentally twists her ankle, prompting Lin Feng to show concern. In his fluster, he almost removes his mask, leading Jin Mu Qiu to inadvertently mention Wu Chou's situation. This revelation makes Lin Feng realize that Jin Mu Qiu has figured him out, so he removes his mask and candidly states that no rules are more important than the person standing before him. Jin Mu Qiu feels ashamed and acknowledges that it was her fault for saying those things out of anger. Lin Feng silently comforts her with an embrace. When she asks if he still plans to leave, Lin Feng answers without hesitation that he won’t go anywhere as long as he can be by Qiu's side, even if it means living in hiding.
Meanwhile, Su Zhuo Zhuo and Song Jian Shan finally make some progress. As they exit the woods, they spot a small cabin, likely Hu Qiqi's residence. Eagerly, they signal the other two teams but fail to notice that there is another person inside the cabin besides Hu Qiqi! The other teams rush to respond to the message, while Su Zhuo Zhuo and Song Jian Shan enter the cabin. They find signs of someone having been there recently, but it seems the person has just left. As they search for clues, Qing Yun suddenly appears and attacks them from behind!
Bai Wan and Qu Zheng arrived first, but the room was empty, with no sign of Su Zhuo Zhuo or Song Jian Shan. At that moment, Qing Yun was hiding in the shadows. Jin Mu Qiu and Lin Feng quickly arrived, with Lin Feng putting his mask back on. After searching for a while, they finally found the unconscious Song Jian Shan and Su Zhuo Zhuo, but Hu Qiqi had already been silenced!
Just then, Jingyuan appeared. Upon learning that the medical oddity was dead, he became reckless and demanded a life-or-death battle with Qu Zheng. Both Qu Zheng and Bai Wan sought revenge, and a fierce confrontation between the three was imminent. However, Jingyuan had already been backlashed by the Puyuan True Scripture and was soon defeated. At that critical moment, various martial arts sects, having received news in advance, arrived and recognized Jingyuan's true nature. Just when things seemed bleak, Qing Yun saved Jingyuan!
With his meridians severed, Jingyuan finally spoke a few heartfelt words to his son before dying. He stated that the Puyuan True Scripture was incomplete and could not be practiced, and he declared that Qing Yun would be the new leader of the palace. He urged his son to seek revenge for him and to strengthen the Ninefold Abyss. Qing Yun nodded in agreement. Much later, outside the door, Zi Jing finally saw Qing Yun. Qing Yun expressed that he no longer had a father, to which Zi Jing replied that he would always follow him and seek revenge for the future leader!
The various martial arts sects recognized Jingyuan's true colors and acknowledged Qu Zheng's contributions, spreading the word among themselves. However, Qu Zheng had important matters to attend to. He took Bai Wan to his parents' graves and told them he had avenged them. Bai Wan, as their daughter-in-law, made a promise to the elder couple that they would forget their past troubles from then on; they were simply Qu Zheng and Bai Wan!
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