Ever Night Episode 23 Recap, Plot

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As Long Qing prepared to leave the capital of Tang State with Cheng Lixue, he reflected on the stark contrast between his celebrated arrival and his humiliating departure. He recalled how they had once been welcomed by the adoring public, but were now leaving like defeated strays. This humiliation stung him deeply, and he explained to Cheng Lixue the reason for his actions.

He chose to live in Peach Blossom Alley because twenty years prior, the Sage had intruded into the West Shrine and climbed Peach Hill, cutting down all the peach blossoms overnight. This act, which no one in the West Shrine dared to prevent, became their greatest humiliation. Long Qing confessed that he had lowered himself to enter the Academy's trial to better understand his enemies, believing that knowing one's enemy ensures victory.

Cheng Lixue expressed guilt for failing to help Long Qing succeed. Long Qing, however, reassured him, dismissing the Tang State as a land without light and faith, and its Academy's residents as mere savages compared to the blessed West Shrine. He vowed to defeat them one day and hoped Ning Que would grow stronger quickly, so he could have the chance to avenge his humiliation.

Meanwhile, with Ning Que now confirmed as Mr. Thirteen of the Academy, Liqingshan expressed his concerns to Yan Se. He worried that even if Ning Que became Yan Se's first disciple, he would not be fully committed to the south branch of Sect Haotian. This would leave the branch without a divine talisman master after Yan Se's passing and without a successor to Liqingshan's position as State Preceptor.

Yan Se dismissed these worries, confident that Ning Que would eventually look after the south branch's affairs and that he himself was still full of vigor. Liqingshan tried to explain the strategic importance of Ning Que formally joining the south branch to secure its future, but Yan Se, claiming to have urgent matters to attend to, cut the conversation short.

Ning Que visited a cosmetics shop and purchased their finest product, Rose Bud Water, for fifty taels as a gift for Sang Sang. Upon leaving, he noticed three groups of people following him. Despite his efforts to evade them, they cornered him in a narrow alley. The assailants were relentless and aggressive, clearly aiming to kill him. Ning Que, agile and skilled, fought back and managed to escape their initial attack.

However, just as he broke free, a piercing bell sound overwhelmed him with an intense headache, rendering him helpless and leading to his capture. At the Mansion of the Princess, Huashan Yue worried that Ning Que, having gained so much power and status, might no longer fully support Li Hunyuan's ascent to the throne. Li Yu, however, confidently claimed she had already discovered Ning Que's weakness.

She sharply rebuked Huashan Yue for speaking ill of Ning Que, reminding him of his new titles: Mr. Thirteen, the Sage's Pro-Disciple, and Yan Se's first disciple, who was also favored by the Emperor. Li Yu expressed her hope that Ning Que would become a truly capable talent she could use, certain in her knowledge of his vulnerability. Sang Sang, having waited all night for Ning Que, began a frantic search at dawn.

She visited the Red-sleeve House, the Academy, and the south branch, but found no trace of him. Finally, she went to the Mansion of the Princess, but Li Yu also had no information on his whereabouts. Distraught, Sang Sang pleaded for Li Yu's help, convinced Ning Que was in grave danger. Li Yu immediately dispatched Huashan Yue to seal the city gates and initiate a full-scale search.

Xu Chongshan and Huashan Yue manned the city gates, meticulously checking passersby, but Ning Que remained elusive, a fact that secretly pleased Huashan Yue. Continuing her desperate search, Sang Sang caught the distinctive ink scent from their shop, a scent unique to Ning Que. Following the trail, she found the bottle of Rose Bud Water that Ning Que had dropped. Sang Sang rushed it to Yan Se, who immediately drew a talisman.

Using the lingering aura on the item, Yan Se traced Ning Que to a carriage and set off with Sang Sang to find him. News of Ning Que's mysterious disappearance quickly spread. Chen Pippi was eager to go down the mountain to search, but the Sage had sent a talisman the previous night, forbidding any Academy disciples on the back hill from interfering.

Li Yu sought help from the Emperor of Tang, who remained confident in Ning Que's ability to overcome danger, remarking that the Sage would not have accepted an incapable person as his disciple. Meanwhile, Ning Que was taken to a desolate courtyard. Battling the agonizing headache from the incessant bell, he demanded to know his captor's identity.

The man, a devout follower of the Light, revealed his purpose was to eliminate Ning Que, whom he called a "shadow of darkness," to restore glory to the Palace of Light and prove the wisdom of the Great Divine Priest of Light. Elsewhere, Lin Ling sent a secret report to General Xia Hou, confirming Ning Que was responsible for the deaths of Yan Suqing and Zhangyi Qi.

He also voiced his suspicion that Ning Que was a survivor from the massacre of General Lin Guangyuan's family, possibly even the general's son. Xia Hou ordered Lin Ling to investigate thoroughly and eliminate Ning Que if necessary. Separately, Prince Li Peiyan, whose own assassins had also lost track of Ning Que, began to question his true identity, though he believed the general's son was dead and the secret safe.

Following the trail, Sang Sang's umbrella suddenly dropped and pointed directly toward a nearby courtyard. Yan Se forcefully broke open the gates, confronting the man who had kidnapped Ning Que. Inside a carriage, Ning Que lay unconscious. Sang Sang rushed to him but was thrown back by an invisible force. Yan Se subdued the captor, recognizing him as a follower of the extremist Great Divine Priest of Light, Wei Guangming.

The man adamantly declared Ning Que was darkness and that he must die to defend the light, leading to a fierce battle with Yan Se. During the fight, the man suddenly collapsed, spitting blood. Yan Se, bewildered, realized that Second Brother Jun Mo of the Academy must have intervened from afar. With his dying breath, the man revealed that the Son of Yama was in the capital.

Yan Se rescued Ning Que and, upon his waking, instructed him to perform the discipleship ceremony. After a moment of hesitation, Ning Que knelt before Yan Se, formally becoming his first disciple. Overjoyed, Yan Se presented him with a large red envelope, advising him to open it at home. He also informed Ning Que of an agreement with the Academy: Ning Que would study at the Academy on even-numbered days and practice talisman arts with him on odd-numbered days.

Yan Se then tested Ning Que with a forged note, which Ning Que immediately identified as a copy of his handwriting, satisfying his new master. As Yan Se had predicted, Ning Que impatiently opened the red envelope just outside the door, finding only a piece of paper and a single copper coin. He chuckled, calling Yan Se as stingy as Sang Sang.

Inside, Yan Se smiled, reflecting on the gift's meaning: the round coin symbolized how easily money rolls away, and the note advised that peace and contentment are more valuable than gold. Meanwhile, Xu Chongshan reported to the Emperor of Tang that besides the cultivator, two other groups had pursued Ning Que: one from General Xia Hou and the other from Prince Li Peiyan.

Unconcerned for Ning Que's safety, the Emperor was more worried about his brother Li Peiyan's lingering ambition and power. He ordered Xu Chongshan to monitor the Prince's men closely and ensure he became a mere leisurely nobleman, while allowing Xia Hou's men to return and report to their master.

Episode 22 Recap

Episode 24 Recap