Explore With the Note Episode 4 Recap
> Explore With the Note Recap
Using Elder Kua Xiong's personal map of the underground palace secret passage, the Iron Triangle (Wu Xie, Wang Pangzi, and Zhang Qiling) successfully located the Black Crystal Cave. Wu Xie warned them about the dangers Elder Kua Xiong had described, advising them to be extremely cautious, especially Wang Pangzi, against touching anything unnecessarily. Inside the cave, the trio initially found the place magical, adorned with glittering black crystals.
However, as they ventured deeper, they felt increasingly fatigued, disoriented, and began experiencing vivid hallucinations, leading to a complete loss of their five senses. Even Zhang Qiling struggled under the intense magnetic field, suffering from severe headaches and unable to withstand the effects for long. Despite repeated attempts, the three found themselves unable to overcome the powerful magnetic forces and optical illusions caused by the high refractive black crystals acting as prisms.
They were forced to crawl, feeling as though they had been trapped for a month, losing all sense of time and hunger. Zhang Qiling even attempted to break through the hard black crystals with his Black-gold Ancient Knife but failed. Just as they felt completely lost and exhausted, Wang Pangzi inadvertently stumbled out of the hallucinatory area. Observing this, Zhang Qiling quickly guided Wu Xie out of the disorienting environment. Outside, Wang Pangzi discovered Elder Kua Xiong's lost staff.
Wu Xie realized that the staff's bronze, containing significant radioactive substances, along with the cave's unique crystal structure, was responsible for the mind-deceiving effects and their sensory loss. Moments later, Wang Pangzi retrieved a wooden box from a stone pillar, triggering a gravity-based booby trap set by Wang Zanghai. The cave began to collapse, forcing them to flee.
As they escaped, Zhang Qiling mysteriously disappeared, which Wang Pangzi remarked was typical of him, though Wu Xie understood Zhang Qiling might have his reasons. Wu Xie then examined the silk manuscript from the box, deciphering text that mentioned "Snow Mountain, a sacred place," and pondered its connection to the Empyrean Palace and the Kunlun Snow Mountain.
They also discovered bomb fragments from a 1950s American MK80 aerial bomb in the debris, leading Wu Xie to conclude that the historical earthquake was a man-made event and Qiu Dekao had been targeting the location for a long time, turning their mission into a conspiracy. Before they could process this new information, Dang Mang and the enraged villagers arrived, launching fire arrows at Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi. The villagers' sudden hostility confused Wang Pangzi.
At that critical moment, several SUVs rapidly approached, and A Ning appeared. She ordered her team to throw smoke bombs at the villagers, quickly incapacitating everyone, including Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi. Wu Xie later awoke, recovering quickly from the effects of the smoke bomb, to find A Ning tending to him. He thanked her for returning an item to him, an act she seemed surprised by. Wu Xie offered her instant noodles as a thank you for saving them.
However, their meal was interrupted by a video call from Qiu Dekao. Qiu Dekao explicitly stated that he had sent A Ning to rescue Wu Xie and attempted to persuade Wu Xie to collaborate with him, painting Wu Sanxing as an untrustworthy individual who had betrayed friends and family. Qiu Dekao claimed Wu Sanxing would invite Wu Xie to the Empyrean Palace but could harm him again, promising that his own alliance would never abandon Wu Xie.
Enraged to learn A Ning was acting on Qiu Dekao's orders, Wu Xie curtly refused the offer, hung up the call, and dismissed A Ning, who tried to explain but could not. Wang Pangzi jokingly commented on Wu Xie's "girlfriend" being angry, but Wu Xie remained unconvinced by Qiu Dekao's manipulations. Shortly after, Wu Sanxing called Wu Xie, asking him to meet at Xing's Home, "the same old place."
Wu Xie arrived with lingering resentment, accusing Wu Sanxing of abandoning him in Guizhou and only reaching out when he needed help. Wu Sanxing first tried to appease Wu Xie with a fake heirloom, but Wu Xie, seeing through the deception, confronted him about his lies. Wu Sanxing then presented a genuine Warring States Silk Book, revealing he had traded several ancient tombs to Qiu Dekao for it.
Despite Wu Xie's lingering distrust regarding Wu Sanxing's secretive dealings, he ultimately agreed to accompany his uncle. Wu Sanxing then formally invited Wu Xie to join him on an expedition to the Empyrean Palace, stating he would feel more at ease with his nephew by his side. Wu Xie accepted.
Meanwhile, Wu Sanxing also approached Xie Yuchen, hoping to borrow the Snake-Eyed Copper Fish, arguing its importance for the Empyrean Palace expedition and his need for it due to his age. Xie Yuchen, however, saw through Wu Sanxing's pretense, directly accusing him of collaborating with Qiu Dekao and discerning the insincerity in his words. Xie Yuchen starkly contrasted Wu Sanxing's character with his own uncle's, implying Wu Sanxing's unreliability.
Though disappointed, Xie Yuchen agreed to let the matter rest out of respect for Wu Xie, but the encounter left their relationship severely strained. Immediately after Wu Sanxing left, Xie Yuchen received news that the Snake-Eyed Copper Fish from his stronghold had been stolen. Surveillance footage confirmed Chen Pi Ah Si as the thief, who even made a taunting gesture to the camera. Xie Yuchen realized he had fallen for Wu Sanxing's elaborate trap.
Out of concern for Wu Xie, Xie Yuchen later called him, offering to join him on the perilous journey. Wu Xie declined the offer, wishing to avoid implicating Xie Yuchen. As a compromise, Xie Yuchen arranged for his subordinate, Jia Sha, to send Wu Xie a tracker to ensure his safety and enable a swift response in emergencies. Before Wu Xie's departure, A Ning met him privately, asserting that she was acting independently, not on Qiu Dekao's behalf.
She provided Wu Xie with a miniature earpiece, explaining its utility for secure communication and for discreetly capturing and transmitting video from within the Empyrean Palace. She suggested it was a "safety net," reminding Wu Xie that while he might be wary of her group, he might be more vulnerable to those he trusts. Wu Xie promised to consider her offer. Subsequently, Wu Xie and Wang Pangzi boarded a train heading north.
Wang Pangzi questioned Wu Xie's certainty about the Empyrean Palace's location on Changbai Mountain. Wu Xie then revealed a map from his grandfather Wu Laogu's diary, which depicted a "dragon vein," confirming the Empyrean Palace's position.
