An Oriental Odyssey Episode 42 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Ye Yuanan attempted to dissuade Dan Zhu from her affections for Prince Ying, suggesting that he did not return her feelings and that she should detach herself to avoid future heartache. Dan Zhu, distressed, explained that it was her first time away from home and she was too nervous to speak to Prince Ying, begging Ye Yuanan to help bring them together.
Ye Yuanan, finding Dan Zhu a bit naive, advised her to be more direct, saying she should express her feelings openly and genuinely to move Prince Ying. Later, Ye Yuanan and Prince Ying secretly went to the Imperial Library, searching for clues. Ye Yuanan's curiosity was piqued by a mysterious box, but Prince Ying quickly stopped her from opening it.
He explained that the box contained ancient records with spells to break the red dragon's seal, enchanted by the eminent monks of Suoluo. Chanting these spells would immediately summon the red dragon. Given that the Red Dragon Sacrifice was scheduled for the following day, he urged caution. However, when Prince Ying turned away, Ye Yuanan mischievously opened the box, only to discover that the ancient records were missing.
Dan Zhu, still hopeful, approached Ye Yuanan again, asking if she genuinely liked Prince Ying. She declared that if Ye Yuanan did, she would back off. Ye Yuanan, though, stubbornly denied any feelings for him, claiming she disliked him, which pleased Dan Zhu. Bolstered by Ye Yuanan's earlier advice to be open, Dan Zhu approached Prince Ying. She removed her outer garment and used a magical spell to bind him, intending to kiss him.
Ye Yuanan, witnessing this, rushed forward to intervene. In the ensuing struggle, Dan Zhu accidentally kissed Ye Yuanan. Angered and feeling betrayed, Dan Zhu called them both bad people. Ye Yuanan then publicly declared her love for Prince Ying. Prince Ying, surprised and delighted, embraced Ye Yuanan, confessing his mutual affection. Hurt and feeling lied to, Dan Zhu retreated to the garden to cry alone. Ling Xi appeared, observing her and remarking that her tears wouldn't change anything.
He revealed that he knew she had emerged from the water and needed to return before daybreak. Dan Zhu, confused, recognized Ling Xi as the person who had released her from the Lucang River. Ling Xi, noting her as a "silly girl," then gravely wounded her with a magical dagger. Dan Zhu's body began to dissipate, transforming into a swarm of fireflies. With her last bit of strength, she called out to Ye Yuanan.
Ye Yuanan and Prince Ying, drawn by her fading calls, rushed to the imperial garden and found Dan Zhu mortally wounded. She told them she had been stabbed and was dying, unable to return to the Lucang River before dawn. With those words, she passed away. The following day, the palace held the Red Dragon Sacrifice ceremony. The public murmured about Prince Heng's absence, noting that Prince Ying was the only one accompanying the King.
They speculated that the King favored Prince Ying and that Prince Heng's association with disreputable individuals had already displeased the King. Suddenly, the sky thundered, and the red dragon appeared, its seal having been broken due to Dan Zhu's inability to return. The enraged dragon attacked the populace, causing widespread panic. Prince Ying bravely confronted the red dragon alone to protect the people.
He managed to kill the beast but suffered severe wounds and collapsed, seemingly dying in Ye Yuanan's arms. He thanked her for being by his side and said he was truly dying. Ye Yuanan tearfully kissed his forehead as his hand fell lifelessly. However, as the red dragon's blood flowed across the floor and touched Prince Ying's body, his hand twitched slightly, indicating a miraculous revival.
The King praised Prince Ying for his actions, acknowledging him as the hero of Suoluo, and asked if he had anticipated the disaster. Prince Ying confirmed he had known, recounting Dan Zhu's dying words. She had revealed she was a magical tree spirit, cultivated for a thousand years, originally living in the water and guarding the red dragon's prison cave.
She stated that someone had killed her, preventing her return before daybreak, which was clearly intended to release the red dragon. Dan Zhu had then requested Prince Ying to kiss her forehead, ensuring she could protect him forever. After hearing Prince Ying's full account, and realizing that only Prince Ying had been present at the ceremony to combat the dragon, the King grew suspicious of Prince Heng's absence.
The King confronted Prince Heng about his absence from the ceremony, but Prince Heng claimed he had been drunk the night before and had overslept. The King then gripped Prince Heng's hand and discovered a black mark, indicating he had touched the black magic spell book in the Imperial Library. Enraged, the King accused Prince Heng of breaking the red dragon's seal and bringing disaster to the Suoluo Kingdom. Ling Xi swiftly stepped forward, confessing to the crime.
He explained that he had snuck into the Imperial Library out of curiosity to steal the black magic spell book. Prince Heng, in attempting to stop him, had been affected by the book's curse, resulting in the black mark on his hand. Ling Xi, who had always been fascinated by magic, admitted to being unable to resist investigating the legendary red dragon seal. He took full responsibility for the grave trouble caused, asserting that Prince Heng was innocent.
The King believed Ling Xi's story. He sentenced Prince Heng to confinement within his palace, warning him to reflect on his actions, and ordered Ling Xi's eyes to be gouged out as punishment. Prince Heng vehemently defended Ling Xi, declaring that if the King was determined to harm Ling Xi, he would have to kill Prince Heng first. To de-escalate the tense standoff, Ling Xi self-mutilated, gouging out his own eyes.
Prince Heng tenderly cared for the now blind Ling Xi, blaming himself for his friend's suffering. Ling Xi, however, expressed no regret, recalling how their paths had first crossed when he saved an injured Prince Heng. Ling Xi was once a kind apprentice doctor. He gained public recognition after successfully treating a patient, Na Ji, using an ingenious method involving syrup and white wine to lure poisonous ants out of his ear, while his master had proposed a risky craniotomy.
This success unfortunately made his master jealous. His master later drugged Ling Xi, tied him up in the forest, and cut his arm to use his blood as bait to capture powerful blue bats, the final ingredient for his medicine. Fortunately, Prince Heng, who was hunting nearby, arrived in time and rescued Ling Xi. During the rescue, Ling Xi was injured by a blue bat, an incident that caused a significant change in his body.
