Blood River Episode 12 Recap
> Blood River Recap
Shopkeeper Wang, having just ordered his subordinates to kill someone, finally turned his attention to Su Changhe, the Patriarch of Blood River, and Su Muyu, the head of the Su family. He scoffed, believing that their rise to power in Blood River was nothing more than a stroke of luck. Su Muyu calmly stated that their visit had no connection to luck. Shopkeeper Wang laughed heartily, remarking that few dared to speak with such a tone in Yellow Springs Pawnshop.
He acknowledged Su Muyu as a former Kui, a monster among men, and declared them to be on the same path. Su Muyu then directly asked if Wang was the owner of Yellow Springs Pawnshop, which Wang quickly denied, calling himself merely an accountant and warning them not to bring him trouble. Impatient, Su Changhe produced a key and urged Wang to lead them to Blood River's treasures.
Shopkeeper Wang observed that the courtyard had not been entered in a long time before taking them to the vault and inserting the key. Su Muyu wondered if such a seemingly ordinary vault could be easily breached without a key. Shopkeeper Wang, with a proud chuckle, explained that even Blood River's Patriarch would not survive a forced entry without that specific key, claiming their own Spider's Nest was utterly inferior in comparison.
He added that the key's use deactivated all the traps and arrays within. He then handed the key to Su Changhe, emphasizing its immense value. Inside the first vault, they found mountains of gold, enough wealth to incite endless conflict in the martial world. Su Muyu expressed his astonishment at the amount, while Su Changhe, in contrast, downplayed it, although he acknowledged its significant worth.
Shopkeeper Wang led them deeper, to a second vault filled with legendary weapons from renowned clans like the Sword Heart Tomb and the Lu Clan of Shanbei, including an Overlord Armor previously believed to be unique to the Mu family. He explained that these invaluable weapons could not be bought with money and would cause bloodshed if they were to circulate in the martial world.
Su Changhe noted Shopkeeper Wang's palpable pride, asking why he spoke with such relish about their own organization's possessions. Wang simply attributed it to habit and led them to the next vault. He warned them to be cautious, as the next room contained explosives, including potent gunpowder from the Lei Clan, securely stored within walls cast from Liuhe Steel. He stressed that a single accidental detonation would level the entire Yellow Springs Pawnshop.
The following vault housed various mystical poisons and a highly venomous Slumbering Serpent King, whose single drop of blood could fell a Heaven-level martial artist with thirty years of cultivation. Su Muyu correctly surmised that the final room would contain hidden weapons. Shopkeeper Wang concurred, boasting that with these treasures, Blood River could become the strongest, an unstoppable army. Su Muyu then pointed out that they were in a pawnshop, implying a price for such treasures.
Shopkeeper Wang praised his insight, noting that most people would be blinded by greed. When Su Muyu asked about the cost, Wang declared that for Yellow Springs Pawnshop, there was no immediate price; Blood River had already been paying it for years through the missions they undertook, half of which originated from the pawnshop itself. Suddenly, the Three Officials of Soul Reapers' Hall arrived.
The Earth Official immediately attacked Su Changhe with his Hell Palm, criticizing the decision to spare the two young men years ago. Shopkeeper Wang sternly forbade fighting within his premises. The Earth Official then pressed Wang to finish his explanation, revealing that to retrieve the treasures, one needed not only the Patriarch's key but also the Three Officials' token, requiring their explicit consent. Su Changhe realized this was how the Three Officials maintained their authority over the Three Families.
The Earth Official then taunted Su Changhe about attempting to kill them for the token, but Shopkeeper Wang warned that any aggression would trigger the pawnshop's mechanisms, destroying all the treasures. Su Changhe questioned if the Three Officials now recognized him and Su Muyu as Blood River's leaders. Su Muyu boldly declared that they no longer acknowledged Soul Reapers' Hall or the Three Officials, stating that the new Blood River would have no place for them.
The Earth Official dismissed their ambition as naive, revealing that an individual in Tianqi City, whose ancestors founded Blood River centuries ago, could destroy all the treasures with a mere thought. He said that more answers awaited them in Tianqi City. Shopkeeper Wang again intervened, telling the Earth Official to cease his aggression. After the confrontation, Su Muyu acknowledged that their adversaries would come to them.
He and Su Changhe decided to proceed to Tianqi City, seemingly accepting the invitation while subtly defying it. Su Muyu would go alone to gather intelligence, while Su Changhe would return to their base to await this information and formulate a comprehensive plan. Su Muyu remarked that their hard-won life was like a dream, and it might be better to conclude it swiftly. Meanwhile, Su Changhe returned to Yellow Springs Pawnshop, not for treasures, but to claim Hongying, the Ferryman.
He declared her a member of the Mu family. Shopkeeper Wang accused him of trying to steal his people. Su Changhe retorted that the token the Three Officials held was fake, and the real one was with the Shadow Sect, thus he would owe Wang a debt for Hongying until he retrieved the genuine token. Wang agreed to the deal. Su Zhe informed Su Muyu that the Shadow Sect's true enemy was Xiao Ruofeng, the Prince of Langya.
He explained that Xiao Ruofeng's Four Guardians of Tianqi City and the Inner Security Division had usurped the Shadow Sect's power. This led the Shadow Sect to order the Three Officials to orchestrate the death of Tang Er Laoye to lure Tang Lianyue out of Tianqi City, intending for Blood River to eliminate her and remove a powerful rival. Su Muyu realized the political turmoil in Tianqi City was far more complex than he had imagined.
Zhuo Qing met with Yi Bo, the leader of the Shadow Sect. Zhuo Qing commented on Yi Bo's frequent clandestine trips from the imperial mausoleum, which Yi Bo casually dismissed, stating his erratic behavior kept others guessing and thus worried. Zhuo Qing then inquired about a "pledge of loyalty." Yi Bo confidently declared his intention to use Blood River as a tool to eliminate their shared foe, Xiao Ruofeng, the Prince of Langya.
Yi Bo expected Su Muyu, the Umbrella Ghost, to arrive in three days. However, Zhuo Qing sensed a powerful sword qi approaching, realizing that Su Muyu had arrived much earlier. Su Muyu confronted Yi Bo, who questioned his premature arrival. Su Muyu retorted that this journey was Blood River's initiative to find the Shadow Sect, not the other way around, and he chose to meet today.
Yi Bo observed that Su Muyu had changed from the tales, which depicted him as a gentle swordsman; now he was assertive and sought to dominate. Su Muyu clarified that Blood River no longer housed assassins, and as the head of the Su family, he had to be firm. He courteously offered to leave if he was unwelcome.
Yi Bo acknowledged the inconvenience, remarking on the missed opportunity for the Jiantian Feast, but still offered hospitality, instructing Crow to prepare a meal for their discussion. Yi Bo then unveiled the true history of Blood River, revealing its centuries-long subservience to the Shadow Sect. He explained that the Shadow Sect possessed all crucial intelligence on Blood River—including their secret addresses, Spider's Nest locations, true identities, martial arts, weaknesses, and portraits—all stored in Wanjuan Tower.
He warned that if Blood River were to betray them, this information would be released to the martial world, turning every enemy they had ever made into a hunter. Yi Bo asserted that despite the Shadow Sect's apparent decline in Tianqi City, he still held the power to obliterate Blood River at will, mocking their youthful ambition to establish a new organization independently. Su Muyu demanded to know Yi Bo's conditions.
Yi Bo stated his desire for Blood River to assassinate Xiao Ruofeng, the Prince of Langya. Su Muyu countered that such a mission was a personal vendetta for Yi Bo, not a duty for either Blood River or the Shadow Sect, as both organizations traditionally served to protect the imperial family. He then presented his own condition: all records pertaining to Blood River held by the Shadow Sect must be utterly destroyed, severing their ties completely.
Yi Bo, finding Su Muyu's terms unacceptable and believing him to be without the standing to negotiate, ordered Crow to see him out. Su Muyu, however, delivered a final, chilling threat: if the Shadow Sect dared to expose Blood River's secrets to the world, they would make Tianqi City their first stop and systematically erase the Shadow Sect from existence.
