Fighter of the Destiny Episode 17 Recap, Plot

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> Fighter of the Destiny Recap

The Grand Court Examination commenced with 228 young experts from the Azure Cloud Rankings participating. The Empress congratulated those gathered, while Mo Yu was seen secretly orchestrating plans against the National Academy, viewing them as a dispensable "pawn that has crossed the river." However, the Pope, despite being informed of these plots, chose not to intervene, stating that all things are predestined, and no one can take away what belongs to Chen Changsheng.

The first round, a Divine Sense Battle, required students to memorize the content of eighteen secret Zhou royal family books. An official questioned the Pope about his favored champion, to which the Pope named both Gou Hanshi and Chen Changsheng. Mo Yu, however, bet on Gou Hanshi, observing Chen Changsheng's seemingly dim prospects, but the Pope firmly declared Chen Changsheng as one who could "grasp fate by the throat."

During the memorization, only Chen Changsheng from the National Academy was diligently studying, as his teammates were distracted. The second part of the first round involved answering questions on jade tablets to light up chess pieces, form lines, and create closed patterns. The academy with the largest total area would advance early, while the smallest would be eliminated.

Gou Hanshi and Tianhai Ya'er quickly began drawing their patterns, while Chen Changsheng's teammates, Luoluo, Tang Sanshiliu, and Xuanyuan Po, struggling to recall the memorized content, relied on Chen Changsheng's assistance. Mo Yu initially believed the National Academy was doomed, but Chen Changsheng surprised everyone. Despite helping his teammates, he rapidly answered his own questions before time ran out, forming a single, massive circular pattern that encompassed all his earlier, seemingly scattered pieces.

This ingenious strategy secured the National Academy the second position, with Li Mountain Sword Sect, led by Gou Hanshi, taking first. Qingyao Thirteen Departments were eliminated. As Chen Changsheng celebrated the victory with Luoluo, he inwardly reaffirmed his commitment to win the Grand Court Examination, hoping to change his fate and return to his Master and Senior Brother Yuren. Unbeknownst to him, his Master, Shang Xingzhou, had decided to leave Xining Town with Yuren.

Shang Xingzhou explained that if Chen Changsheng succeeded, people would investigate his background, and their presence in Xining Town would endanger him. Yuren, though reluctant and still hoping to wait for Chen Changsheng, ultimately followed Shang Xingzhou. In the second round, candidates entered the Zhushi Forest Maze in six-person teams, with the goal of exiting within two hours and claiming one of two flags at the finish line to secure a spot in the finals.

Tianhai Ya'er and his associates, however, planned to eliminate Chen Changsheng if he became separated from his group. The maze was a "mirror illusion" with a chaotic geomagnetic field, making navigation difficult and senses unreliable. Chen Changsheng's group soon encountered formidable guards. After finding a box of counting rods, Chen Changsheng deduced they were tools to calculate the guards' patterns and the sun's position, thereby identifying the true exit from three deceiving light gates.

As Chen Changsheng's group successfully navigated the initial traps, a monster disguised as an academy disciple attacked. Simultaneously, Mo Yu, realizing Chen Changsheng had found the guards' pattern, ordered her aide to separate Luoluo from Chen Changsheng before deploying more dangerous mechanisms. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo were inadvertently led to a different section of the maze, where they found the bodies of four Heavenly Dao Academy disciples.

Chen Changsheng recognized the distinct killing method, concluding that monsters had infiltrated the examination. Shortly after, Zhuang Huanyu arrived and immediately accused Chen Changsheng of the murders. Before Chen Changsheng could explain, an unseen projectile struck Luoluo, forcing Chen Changsheng to carry her and flee while Zhuang Huanyu's group pursued. Luoluo, concerned she was a burden, suggested Chen Changsheng leave her, but he refused to abandon his disciple. While resting, Chen Changsheng analyzed the maze's design.

He realized they were in a "small world" where the constantly changing suns and deceptive light gates were distractions. He recognized the different materials of the counting rods found in the stone and grass mazes (bamboo and jade, respectively) as the true clues.

Understanding that the stone maze represented Yang and the grass maze Yin, and that "when yin reaches its extreme, yang is born," Chen Changsheng used the jade counting rods to create an exit from their current yin position. Meanwhile, Gou Hanshi, having also discerned the maze's illusionary nature through Lishan's sword intent, guided his team to the finish line, where he successfully claimed one of the flags. Chen Changsheng, still carrying the injured Luoluo, arrived moments later.

Before Chen Changsheng could reach the remaining flag, the Pope noticed the guards were suspiciously converging on Chen Changsheng and ordered an investigation, while a monster disguised as an academy student trapped Qijian in a formation and attacked him. Chen Changsheng and Luoluo, witnessing Qijian's plight, put aside their race for the flag to rescue him, with Qijian expressing his gratitude and indebtedness. As Chen Changsheng, still carrying Luoluo, finally made a desperate dash for the last flag, he stumbled.

Luoluo, falling, managed to grab the flag at the same moment as Tianhai Ya'er. Just then, Xu Yourong descended, deliberately stepping on and breaking Tianhai Ya'er's flag pole, thus ensuring Luoluo secured the flag. Tianhai Ya'er immediately accused Xu Yourong of deliberate sabotage, but the Pope proposed a tie-breaking match between Chen Changsheng and Tianhai Ya'er. Tianhai Ya'er seized the opportunity to propose a blindfolded sound-perception battle, confident in his "heaven-gifted divine ears."

Many observers believed Tianhai Ya'er would surely win. However, Xu Yourong later revealed that Chen Changsheng had utilized the formation array set up in Zhaowen Hall Plaza, whose fluctuations revealed Tianhai Ya'er's movements, thereby turning the tables. In the ensuing blindfolded battle, Chen Changsheng, indeed utilizing the environment to his advantage, accurately tracked Tianhai Ya'er's movements. After a fierce exchange, Chen Changsheng knocked Tianhai Ya'er off the platform.

An enraged Tianhai Ya'er then attempted a sneak attack with a hidden weapon, but a jade pendant given to Chen Changsheng by Luoluo activated, blocking the fatal blow. The judges, citing Tianhai Ya'er's violation of rules by using a hidden weapon, disqualified him and declared Chen Changsheng the winner, securing his spot in the finals. Luoluo joyfully reminded him that the jade pendant contained a beam of golden armor light from her royal father, meant to block a fatal blow.

The final match pitted Chen Changsheng against Gou Hanshi inside the "Green Leaf World" created by the Pope. Despite Chen Changsheng being in the Sitting Mirror Realm, a much lower cultivation level than Gou Hanshi's Profound Realm, he showed no signs of surrender. During the match, as rain fell within the Green Leaf World, Chen Changsheng achieved an epiphany, comprehending the true meaning of the Great Dao.

He skillfully employed a strategy of "openly repairing the plank roads but secretly crossing the Chencang Pass," making a feint while launching a surprise counterattack against Gou Hanshi, ultimately securing his victory. Chen Changsheng's exceptional performance greatly impressed the Pope. Although aware of Chen Changsheng's short lifespan, the Pope did not abandon him. He personally sought an audience with the Empress, requesting that she formally recognize Chen Changsheng and appoint him as the head of the National Academy. The Empress, recalling the historical opposition from the Chen family (represented by Shang Xingzhou) to her ascension, carefully considered the Pope's proposal before granting her consent.

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