An Oriental Odyssey Episode 43 Recap
> An Oriental Odyssey Recap
Ling Xi’s master drugged him, intending to use him as bait to capture a blue bat. Prince Aheng arrived just in time, chastising the master for his cruel methods and saving Ling Xi. After being injured by the blue bat, Ling Xi’s body underwent a profound transformation, granting him powerful water magic. He used this newfound ability to defeat his master and even compel the blue bat to recognize him as its owner.
Aheng, witnessing Ling Xi's magic, recognized a kindred spirit. Ling Xi explained he had learned his magic from rare books, not his master, which allowed him to uncover his master's true nature. Aheng, delighted, asked Ling Xi to teach him these arts, and the two became sworn brothers, with Ling Xi agreeing to accompany Aheng. Aheng brought Ling Xi to the royal palace's Imperial Library, where Ling Xi was thrilled to discover many ancient, lost magic arts.
They often practiced dark magic in secret. Ling Xi expressed deep gratitude for Aheng's friendship and support, finding his greatest happiness in helping Aheng achieve his desires. Meanwhile, Ye Yuanan, also known as Nana, wrestled with the moral dilemma of how to assassinate Prince Aying. She found herself conflicted, reflecting on the difficulty of the task, especially after spending so much time with him. She realized she needed to find a quick solution.
As she pondered, Prince Aying appeared, noticed her distraction, and embraced her. They danced amidst falling flower petals, and for a fleeting moment, Nana was reminded of her past with Mu Le, feeling as though she was in a dream. Later, Empress Tuoyue commended Prince Aying for his heroic act of slaying the red dragon, saving both the King and the state of Suoluo, and asked what reward he desired.
Aying humbly replied that he was content with his parents' love but had one unfulfilled wish: to marry Nana, a brave, loyal woman he had met outside the palace who had fought alongside him. The Empress, overjoyed that her son had found love, immediately consented. Empress Tuoyue then discussed Aying’s impending marriage with the King, acknowledging his preference for Aying as successor and noting that Aying was almost eighteen, making it time for him to marry.
The King had no objections to Nana's humble origins, recalling that Suoluo’s progenitor was a common blacksmith. His only concern was whether Nana possessed the character to help Aying become a wise ruler. The King instructed the Empress to meet Nana and assess her virtues, also suggesting the marriage could serve to divert attention from recent rumors surrounding Prince Aheng.
Later, a nervous Aying informed Nana that his mother wished to meet her, emphasizing that refusing a royal decree was punishable by death. Nana reluctantly agreed, but accidentally touched a poisonous crepe myrtle flower, causing her face to swell and itch. She was forced to wear a veil when she presented herself to Empress Tuoyue. Upon meeting Nana, Empress Tuoyue was pleased with her, despite the veil.
She formally announced the King's decree of marriage between Nana and Prince Aying as a reward for her courage. Nana was startled, internally lamenting that she was again being forced to marry the prince she intended to kill. She initially refused, claiming she was too young for marriage. The Empress became enraged, reminding Nana that the marriage was a royal command and threatening to banish her from the palace permanently if she refused.
Fearing she would lose the opportunity to carry out her mission if exiled, Nana quickly changed her stance. She declared her sincere prayer for Aying to be with his beloved. When the Empress pressed her further, revealing that Aying himself had pleaded for the marriage, Nana tearfully proclaimed her deep love for him, regardless of his identity—be it prince, servant, hero, or thief—believing their fate was intertwined.
Satisfied, Empress Tuoyue ordered preparations for Nana to be the most beautiful bride for Aying’s eighteenth birthday. On their wedding night, Nana, though beautifully adorned, felt immense apprehension. Aying was overjoyed to see his bride, but Nana privately reaffirmed her intent to kill him. As Aying embraced her, he discovered a hidden dagger. Heartbroken, he confronted her, demanding to know why she married him if she harbored such animosity.
Nana, seeing no other option, confessed her purpose: she was there to kill him, believing that only through his death could others live. Aying was devastated. He handed the dagger to Nana, challenging her to strike him down, convinced she couldn’t do it. Faced with the depth of his love, Nana found herself unable to deliver the fatal blow. Aying, confessing his fear that she would leave him again, pleaded for her to stay.
But Nana, unable to respond, insisted it was better they never meet again. With a heavy heart, Aying kept one of Nana’s accessories as a keepsake and allowed her to leave the palace. Distraught by her inability to kill Aying, Ye Yuanan felt staying was pointless and decided to summon Tianshu to transport her back so they could formulate a new plan. As she prepared, Prince Aheng ambushed and captured her.
She awoke to find herself caged, confronted by Aheng, who, filled with rage and self-pity over his divergent fate from Aying, forced her to look at the now-blind Ling Xi, whose eyes had been gouged out. Aheng threatened to gouge out Nana's eyes and transplant them to Ling Xi, vowing Aying would regret opposing him. Soon after, chaos erupted across the palace and city as many servants and commoners were found dead, their eyes gouged out.
Rumors spread that the King had blinded himself to cultivate immortality, bringing disaster upon the land. Empress Tuoyue, noting the bizarre coincidence between Ling Xi’s blinding and these new incidents, suspected Aheng's involvement and dispatched Prince Aying to check on him. Prince Aying visited Aheng with good intentions, but Aheng made no effort to conceal his malevolence. He sarcastically acknowledged Aying’s visit and bitterly remarked on Aying’s imminent succession, fearing he would become Aying’s captive.
Aying confronted Aheng about the palace murders and gouged eyes, suspecting him. Aheng initially feigned innocence, claiming his confinement made such acts impossible, but then hinted that a wizard capable of dark magic could be responsible, effectively admitting his guilt. He then accused Aying of being delighted, suggesting the King had forced Ling Xi to blind himself while granting Aying a glorious marriage. Horrified by Aheng’s continued use of dark magic, Aying threatened to report him to the King.
Defiantly, Aheng produced one of Nana's earrings, confirming her captivity, and demanded Aying meet him alone that night to save her. To protect Nana, Aying lied to Empress Tuoyue, claiming Aheng was earnestly repenting. Later that night, Aying arrived at Aheng's residence, finding Nana suspended from ropes. Recognizing the trap, Nana urged Aying to flee, but he refused to leave her. Ling Xi, present with Aheng, encouraged Aheng to kill both Aying and Nana to secure the throne.
Aheng, reveling in Aying's desperation, began cutting the ropes. Aying desperately clung to them to prevent Nana’s fall. As Aying strained to hold the ropes, Aheng launched a dark magic attack, severely wounding him. Despite his grievous injuries, Aying refused to release Nana. When she finally fell, he used his own body to cushion her impact, further worsening his wounds.
Just as Aheng and Ling Xi moved to finish them off, the King arrived, furious at Aheng's treasonous acts and his continued association with Ling Xi. The King accused Aheng of threatening Aying with Nana and declared his intent to kill Ling Xi to resolve the matter once and for all. However, Ling Xi preemptively struck the King with powerful dark magic.
In a desperate act to shield the King, Nana (Ye Yuanan) bravely intercepted the attack, sustaining critical injuries and collapsing unconscious. The King also suffered severe wounds. Witnessing Nana and the King gravely injured and unconscious, Prince Aying erupted in a furious rage. The power of the red dragon within him surged, transforming him into the fiery beast. He then carried the unconscious Nana and the injured King away from the burning palace chamber.
Ling Xi urged a terrified Aheng to flee, choosing to remain behind in the inferno. Nana, regaining a flicker of consciousness, realized that Aying's transformation validated Zhao Lanzhi's earlier words: his blood had merged with the red dragon's during the offering ceremony, leaving its power within him. Aying, feeling an overwhelming, burning fury, implicitly confirmed this connection.
