Dance of the Sky Empire Episode 26 Recap
> Dance of the Sky Empire Recap
Following their escape, Li Xuan and an ailing Su Youlian find refuge in Ping'an Village. The Kunwu inhabitants, despite their own scarcity, show great kindness. A local woman, having taken them in, offers Li Xuan their last bowl of precious porridge. News then arrives that her husband has fallen from a cliff while gathering wild herbs—the most prized food in the impoverished village.
Li Xuan feels responsible, as the man was forced to seek more herbs because his family had used their supply to host their guests. The man's leg can only be saved by a rare "Longya" herb found at the bottom of the perilous Longya Mountain cliff. Despite the danger that has claimed others, Li Xuan resolves to retrieve the herb himself. Against the villagers' and Su Youlian's pleas, he descends, but his rope snaps midway.
A distraught Su Youlian is restrained by others, who convince her to wait and see if he returns. Meanwhile, Long Wei'er summons Yu Fengmu to the Lanxin Restaurant. She reveals she has arrived with fifty thousand troops, ostensibly to capture the Kunwu siren Su Youlian, but her true goal is an alliance.
She proposes a deal: if Yu Fengmu lends her thirty thousand elite soldiers to help seize the throne in Qingtian City, she will return all territory south of Shiye City to the State of Sha and sign a permanent peace treaty. Yu Fengmu agrees, adding the condition that Su Youlian be returned safely within two days. Their meeting is interrupted by news that the Crown Prince has usurped the throne.
Long Wei'er suspects Xiao Fengming, now controlled by the Dragon Emperor's demon spirit, is the true power behind the coup. Yu Fengmu confirms this, explaining that the immensely powerful demon spirit can only be banished by awakening the Dragon Emperor. He urges Long Wei'er to cooperate with Su Youlian, arguing that even if she takes the city, she will never be safe on the throne otherwise.
He adds that Li Xuan, with his unique Kunwu and human ancestry, holds the key to immense power and is crucial to their success. Deep within the cliff, Li Xuan survives the fall but is trapped in an illusion, lured by the voice of his mother and ensnared by vines. In the real world, Su Youlian's persistent calls for him finally pierce the illusion, rousing him.
With renewed determination, Li Xuan secures the Longya herb, and upon his return, it is used to heal the injured villager. Soon after, Li Xuan and Su Youlian journey back to the State of Sha, where Yu Fengmu is visibly relieved to see Su Youlian unharmed. Later, Li Xuan overhears Yu Fengmu telling Su Youlian he has found a way to transfer ownership of the Saintess Stone.
When he asks for her true feelings, she confesses that Li Xuan is the only one in her heart, unaware of the potential cost. Listening from the shadows, Li Xuan smiles and later finds her to confirm his feelings are mutual. Despite his aide Batou's protests, Yu Fengmu is resolute, believing that sacrificing his life to save the Kunwu clan and avert a crisis for Sha is a worthy trade.
Following through on his decision, Yu Fengmu expends great energy to transfer the Saintess Stone to Su Youlian, leaving him severely weakened. A distraught Batou tries to reveal the grave personal cost to Su Youlian, but Yu Fengmu silences him, claiming Batou is merely upset about the stone leaving Sha, and urges her to go. Now possessing the artifact, Su Youlian finds Li Xuan, who confirms he is ready to face whatever his past holds.
As she uses the stone on him, Li Xuan is plunged into a torrent of memories. He witnesses tender moments with his parents and the brutality of a war. The final, shattering vision is of his revered master murdering his mother. The truth overwhelms him: he is a member of the Kunwu clan, and the man who raised him is his mother's killer, leaving him in a state of profound shock and grief.
