Ever Night Season 2 Episode 13 Recap
> Ever Night Season 2 Recap
Ye Hongyu, High Priest of Jurisdiction, received reports that 400 Xiling cavalry, three Stage of All-Knowing cultivators, and fifteen scattered cultivators were ready for her command. Despite the Hierarch's order for a specific route, she believed Ning Que would avoid the obvious path. She declared her intention to go to the Everglades, the endless marshland between Yuelun State and the Golden Horde, a place considered too dangerous for travel for many years.
Ye Hongyu was certain that the path no one would choose was precisely the path Ning Que would take. She dispatched forces to intercept him there. Indeed, Ning Que and Sang Sang were already traversing the treacherous Everglades. Sang Sang, looking out from the carriage, observed the vastness of the marshland. She spotted a hidden gravel path buried under mud and reeds, making it hard to discern. Ning Que urged her not to push herself if she felt unwell.
Later, Sang Sang reported that their pursuers were blocked outside the marsh, seemingly afraid to enter. Ning Que wryly commented that only fugitive "lovebirds" like them would dare to traverse such a dangerous route. Sang Sang mused that the name "Everglades" seemed too modest for such a vast marshland.
Ning Que, ever cautious, reminded Sang Sang not to use her Black Umbrella excessively, fearing it could be a beacon for the Lord of Hades, but Sang Sang dismissed his worries, noting that the Lord had not appeared in years. They continued deeper into the marsh. After more than ten days, Ye Hongyu finally caught up with them. Ning Que, trying to diffuse the tension, referenced their "pleasant" meeting at Qi Xing Tao Temple a few months ago.
Ye Hongyu corrected him, stating that over a year had passed, and Sang Sang was not yet the Daughter of Hades during their previous encounter. She inferred that the Tian Qing chess board had saved them from Rotten-wood Temple. Ning Que suggested she had waited to hear their escape story, but Ye Hongyu flatly stated her purpose was to kill them.
Ning Que, noting her muddy state, joked that he didn't want to fight a woman covered in mud, regardless of the nature of the fight. Ye Hongyu called him a "pervert," but he playfully agreed they were both "abnormal," and in a way, it was a compliment. She then disrobed and entered the water to wash, much to Sang Sang's admiration of her figure.
Once clean and dressed, Ye Hongyu asserted her duty as the High Priest of Jurisdiction to adjudicate crime and evil in the world, reiterating her intent to kill Sang Sang as the Daughter of Hades for the good of humanity. Ning Que retorted that they were not guilty, and such accusations were merely the self-serving propaganda of others. He defended his actions in Chaoyang City, stating he only killed those who sought to kill him.
He firmly declared Sang Sang his wife and that he would protect her. Ye Hongyu countered that while his reasoning was understandable for a man, it did not align with the world's truth. She spoke of sacrificing one for the greater good, defining good as what benefits the majority and evil as what harms them, deeming those who threaten the entire world as unforgivable.
Ning Que, in turn, questioned if she, as a rule-maker, ever considered alternative ways of life beyond "shepherding" and "eating" people. He even provocatively asked if she wasn't curious to witness the "magnificent" Eternal Night, a sight only their generation might see. Ning Que then issued a grave warning: if Sang Sang were killed, her body's sealed brand would be released, instantly revealing the human world's location to her father, the Lord of Hades.
He attributed this message to his teacher, the Headmaster, conveyed through First Brother to the Chief Master of Sutra-chanting. Ye Hongyu scoffed, doubting the Headmaster would say such a thing and arguing that if it were true, the Headmaster would have long since taken Ning Que and Sang Sang to the Academy or to the ends of the world, sparing First Brother from his arduous travels.
As their fight intensified, Ning Que reminded Ye Hongyu of her promise at Yanming Lake to spare him twice. He claimed to have used one pass at Qi Xing Tao Temple and demanded to use the remaining one now. Ye Hongyu agreed to spare him but immediately tried to kill Sang Sang instead, asserting that sparing him didn't extend to her. Ning Que countered that killing Sang Sang was equivalent to killing him.
Ye Hongyu acknowledged his increased power but remained more interested in killing him than hearing his past stories. She then reneged on her promise, stating that a new fight constituted a new round, and declared she would kill them both. Seeing Ning Que falter, Sang Sang, in a desperate act, manifested her power as Daughter of Hades, knocking Ye Hongyu unconscious. Sang Sang then collapsed, and Ning Que swiftly carried her into the carriage and fled.
As Ye Hongyu regained consciousness, Ning Que and Sang Sang were long gone. Xiong Chumo's spies, who were instructed to "protect" her and authorized by the Hierarch to execute her if she showed disloyalty, appeared. In a fit of rage, Ye Hongyu mercilessly slaughtered them all. Ning Que, meanwhile, felt a profound weight, realizing Sang Sang had exposed her true identity to save him. He despaired over their uncertain future, where the entire world seemed to be hunting them.
When Sang Sang woke, she had no memory of the violent encounter or her use of powers. Ning Que, wishing to spare her worry, simply stated he had defeated Ye Hongyu, and they had left the Everglades. Sang Sang felt a nagging sense of having forgotten something important but couldn't recall. Ning Que, though deeply troubled, urged her not to dwell on it and promised to kill anyone who dared to block their path going forward.
Ning Que and Sang Sang continued their arduous journey. Suddenly, Sang Sang caught the scent of the desert, realizing they were approaching Wei City. At the same time, West Shrine cavalry, accompanied by representatives from the South Branch of the Haotian Taoism, arrived at Wei City military camp. They demanded General Ma Shixiang apprehend Ning Que and Sang Sang, explaining that the Daughter of Hades had escaped Yuelun and was likely entering Tang State via the border.
The cultivators pressed the Tang State army, emphasizing the global crisis and questioning their delay in action, implying they prioritized national interests over humanity. Ma Shixiang feigned ignorance and drunkenness, launching into a tirade against Ning Que, calling him an "ungrateful wolf." He lamented how Ning Que, whom he had saved from actual wolves in Minshan Mountain, had abandoned him after achieving fame and power, never sending a word or coin, unlike others.
The West Shrine forces warned Ma Shixiang that they had laid a trap from which there was no escape across the continent, with specific arrangements around Wei City and the route to Helan City, ensuring Ning Que's capture. Ma Shixiang, still feigning intoxication, exclaimed that Ning Que was now caught in a situation with no way out and couldn't escape.
After the West Shrine delegation departed, Ma Shixiang, no longer appearing drunk, swiftly ordered a fast horse and his whip, declaring his intention to "catch Ning Que" and "whip the crap out of him" as he rode out of the city with his men. Ning Que and Sang Sang paused their journey at Shubi Lake, a place Ning Que fondly considered "his territory." Ma Shixiang soon found them, and Ning Que was overjoyed.
Ma Shixiang, however, was filled with a mix of anger and relief, lashing out at Ning Que with his whip for being in danger and not seeking his help. Sang Sang intervened, reminding Ma Shixiang that she was still his "little dark girl," despite her new identity.
Ma Shixiang noticed a fresh scar on Ning Que and recounted the increasing harassment from the Golden Horde, who had been disguising themselves as brigands in the border regions since Ning Que's departure, leaving Ma Shixiang without his "left-hand man." Ning Que urged Ma Shixiang to avoid such conflicts at his age, but Ma Shixiang insisted Ning Que should now chop wood while he drank.
He warmly invited Ning Que and Sang Sang back to Wei City for drinks and comfort. Ning Que, however, firmly refused, explaining he could not bring such a great "trouble" back to Wei City and implicate its people. Ma Shixiang, exasperated, questioned if Ning Que believed avoiding Wei City would solve anything and if they were destined to wander forever.
He passionately expressed his yearning for Ning Que to simply return, even just to talk or share a drink, lamenting his own unchanging life in Wei City compared to Ning Que's worldly experiences. Despite Ning Que's initial steadfast refusal, he was eventually swayed by the overwhelming emotion and unwavering support of his old general and brothers. The soldiers joyfully embraced Ning Que, and he and Sang Sang finally joined them back to the Wei City camp.
Meanwhile, Li Qingshan persistently urged Emperor Li Zhongyi to order the pursuit and killing of Ning Que and Sang Sang, emphasizing that the entire world viewed them as enemies with "no way out." However, Emperor Li Zhongyi remained unresponsive to his pleas.
