Dance of the Phoenix Episode 2 Recap
> Dance of the Phoenix Recap
Jun Linyuan immediately pursued the Firecloud Giant Hawk, with Feng Xun, Xuan Yi, and Mu Yao following behind. Zuo Qingluan, however, chose to travel to Jingzhou to eliminate the rampaging demonic beasts there, stating that saving a group of people was more urgent than saving one, though Mu Yao suspected Zuo Qingluan was primarily going to Jingzhou to find Zhao Ge.
Mu Yao also declared that no one on Qianyuan Continent was a better match for Jun Linyuan than her Senior Sister. Meanwhile, Feng Wu, unwilling to wait for death while being carried by the Firecloud Giant Hawk, managed to pry open its talons and fell onto a cliff. Jun Linyuan arrived just as she was calling for help. Overcome with emotion, Feng Wu instinctively hugged him tightly.
In a moment of distraction, Jun Linyuan's Heaven Slaying Sword was knocked off the cliff by the Firecloud Giant Hawk, and he was unable to recall it. As the hawk pressed closer, Feng Wu lost her footing and tumbled into the chasm below, desperately screaming for Jun Linyuan to save her. As the Crown Prince of Junwu, Jun Linyuan considered it his duty to protect ordinary people.
He dove after Feng Wu, and they both plunged into the icy lake at the bottom of the cliff. Despite his immense spiritual power, Jun Linyuan was unable to swim. Fortunately, Feng Wu was skilled in water and managed to pull him ashore, helping him expel the water from his lungs. Upon regaining consciousness, Jun Linyuan showed no gratitude, viewing Feng Wu as a hindrance. Feng Wu observed that for all his power, he was useless in water.
She internally debated how to help him without kissing him for resuscitation, ultimately using a "trump card" to revive him. Feng Wu then realized they were in the deepest part of the Frozen Forest, where the biting cold was unbearable for her mortal body, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. Jun Linyuan explained that spirit masters could use their energy to stay warm, but ordinary people like her would suffer.
He suggested she could consume spirit grass with vital essence to counteract the cold. As they discussed this, Feng Wu noticed the fragrant air and realized they had stumbled into the territory of Big-Horned Blood Bees. She panicked and told Jun Linyuan to crouch, but he scoffed at her fear of such low-level spirit insects. Jun Linyuan, sensing his Heaven Slaying Sword nearby, decided to leave Feng Wu alone to retrieve it, despite her pleas not to abandon her.
Unknown to Feng Wu, he had secretly imbued her with some spiritual energy, which caused the bees to avoid her. She then decided to attempt to gain spiritual power by fighting a few bees. Seizing the opportunity while the bees were distracted by Jun Linyuan, Feng Wu stole some Royal Jelly from a spirit tree. However, the scent of the Royal Jelly drew the bees towards her, surrounding her menacingly.
Just then, Feng Xun arrived, having been looking for Jun Linyuan. He affectionately called her "ugly girl" and helped her fight off the Big-Horned Blood Bees. In his playful attempt to provoke the bees, Feng Xun was stung on the finger, which began to bleed. Feng Xun, who suffered from hemophobia (though Feng Wu teased him it was more "cherishing his life" than hemophobia), quickly became dizzy. Feng Wu promptly applied some healing powder she carried, stopping the bleeding.
Touched by her kindness, Feng Xun, a simple-minded person, declared he would protect her and guide her out of the Frozen Forest. He urged her to eat the Royal Jelly, explaining that with his blood (carrying cultivator's essence) mixed in, it would warm her and give her cold resistance. Feng Wu gratefully consumed it. Earlier, Jun Linyuan had found a spirit grass infused with his own vital essence, intending it as repayment for Feng Wu saving him in the water.
However, upon seeing Feng Wu with Feng Xun, and learning that she had already consumed the Royal Jelly, he quietly discarded the spirit grass. Soon after, Xuan Yi and Mu Yao, who had become separated from Feng Xun, rejoined them. To conceal her true identity from these cultivators who knew her past, Feng Wu introduced herself as Feng Xiaowu, though Mu Yao continued to refer to her as "ugly girl."
She secretly hoped to use this opportunity to find the Celestial Fruit, but outwardly pretended to know nothing about it. Mu Yao and Xuan Yi vehemently opposed taking Feng Xiaowu with them, fearing she might be a spy and a hindrance to their important mission. Feng Xun, however, completely trusted Feng Xiaowu and passionately defended her. When Jun Linyuan arrived, Feng Xun asked if he would truly leave Feng Xiaowu alone.
Jun Linyuan, seeing that Feng Xiaowu no longer felt the cold due to the Royal Jelly, eventually agreed to let her accompany them, on the condition that Feng Xun would take full responsibility if anything went wrong. Feng Xiaowu, overhearing Mu Yao's continued disdain, silently resolved to obtain the Celestial Fruit and prove her worth.
Meanwhile, in the Darknight Court, their Master informed Yu Mingye that the Celestial Fruit had ripened but their initial attempts to retrieve it were thwarted by the Firecloud Giant Hawk, resulting in heavy losses. He instructed Yu Mingye to secure the Celestial Fruit before the Junwu Clan, emphasizing that their long-term goal was to dismantle the Junwu clan's rule, even if it meant eliminating Jun Linyuan at a later, more opportune time.
Yu Mingye, impatient and eager to surpass Jun Linyuan, disregarded his First Elder's warnings about the dangers of the deeper forest and the numerous evil spirits guarding the Firecloud Cave, where the hawk resided. He declared his intention to enter the Firecloud Cave immediately to seize the Celestial Fruit, determined to prove himself as the foremost young cultivator in the land. As evening approached, Jun Linyuan's group decided to camp for the night.
Jun Linyuan sent Feng Xun and Xuan Yi to gather more branches to keep common demonic beasts away. Around the campfire, Mu Yao continued to speak ill of Feng Xiaowu, believing she was deliberately trying to get close to Jun Linyuan. She reiterated that only her Senior Sister, Zuo Qingluan, the third-ranked among the young cultivators after Jun Linyuan and Yu Mingye (who Feng Xun described as using "dirty tricks"), was truly worthy of Jun Linyuan.
Mu Yao also brought up the "Two Phoenixes of the Capital" from three years ago, noting that her Master was glad to have chosen Zuo Qingluan over "the other girl," Feng Wu, who was now a "good-for-nothing" in Border City. Feng Xiaowu, curious about her past, asked Feng Xun about this "legendary figure," Feng Wu. Feng Xun then recounted their childhood.
He reminded Jun Linyuan how he used to say Feng Wu would be beautiful and they would marry, leading Feng Xiaowu to internally comment on Jun Linyuan being "a lookist" as a child. Feng Xun explained that when they were children, Jun Linyuan, Feng Xun, and Feng Wu were close friends, and both boys liked her.
One day, Feng Wu, stating that her mother told her to marry someone who listened to her, challenged them to eat a "Love Insect Venom" (later identified as Loveless Insect Venom). Jun Linyuan, without hesitation, ate it. Following this, Jun Linyuan claimed he ate the Loveless Insect Venom by accident and decided to go to Penglai Island for cultivation to resolve the venom, with Feng Xun and Xuan Yi accompanying him.
Feng Wu's mother was initially concerned about her daughter's future marriage, but Feng Wu declared her intention to marry Jun Linyuan. Feng Xun added that he cried for three days when he heard of their engagement. Mu Yao then stated that despite Feng Wu's beauty, Jun Linyuan had broken off their engagement. Jun Linyuan, however, denied this, stating it was merely a rumor.
This revelation surprised Feng Xun, who realized that if the engagement wasn't canceled, Feng Wu was still Jun Linyuan's fiancée. Feng Xun teased Jun Linyuan about still liking Feng Wu, to which Mu Yao quickly interjected that Feng Wu was now useless. Feng Xun speculated that Jun Linyuan hadn't canceled the engagement out of pity for Feng Wu's obsession, a notion Feng Xiaowu quickly dismissed as nonsense.
Mu Yao then continued to spread rumors, claiming Feng Wu's family pushed her too hard in cultivation, leading to "qi" deviation, the burning out of her Phoenix Blood, and her transformation into a powerless "good-for-nothing," a great pity for the Feng family. Amidst the conversation, Feng Xiaowu offered her grilled fish, which Feng Xun praised profusely. Mu Yao, observing Feng Xiaowu, scornfully muttered, "What's so good about that ugly girl?" Feng Xiaowu overheard her, and her resolve to prove everyone wrong by acquiring the Celestial Fruit grew stronger.
