Sword and Beloved Episode 22 Recap
> Sword and Beloved Recap
Qing Tong entered the Space of Joy and Sorrow and encountered a woman identical to herself. The woman questioned Qing Tong's ability to make the Grief Tree seed sprout with her "tiny bit of Demon Power," and taunted her, stating that true love was an illusion. She highlighted how Wangquan Fugui had always abandoned Qing Tong in critical moments, both in Peach Village and Wangquan Manor, concluding that only hatred was eternal and love offered no real power.
Initially shaken, Qing Tong was roused by the faint sound of Wangquan Fugui's voice. She firmly declared that there was nothing wrong with love between humans and demons and that love itself provided the strength to live. The woman, infuriated, vowed to make Qing Tong suffer for her defiance. With a swift motion, Qing Tong was impaled by countless sharp swords, experiencing agonizing pain.
The woman urged Qing Tong to abandon her "stubborn delusion," revealing that many others who believed in the Way of Love had met a similar end in this place, their spirits now aimlessly adrift. She asserted that pure and genuine Power of Love was non-existent and that the weak did not deserve to live, constantly emphasizing Qing Tong's inherent weakness. Despite the unbearable pain, Qing Tong recalled Wangquan Fugui's words, realizing that her heart had never been weak.
She remembered that he had named her Qing Tong not to restrict her, but to inspire her to see the world, and to believe she could be a light, even when humble and small. She also remembered the Dust-Seeker Sword he had given her, and his teaching that the essence of a sword, "the dust that never falls to the ground," was more important than its technique.
With renewed resolve, she declared that she would never embrace hatred, proclaiming her path as one where love existed, all beings were equal, and all creatures coexisted. Summoning the Dust-Seeker Sword, Qing Tong completely shattered the illusion before her. The woman, astonished that Qing Tong had managed to "shatter falsehood," retreated, acknowledging Qing Tong's victory.
Qing Tong gained the power from the Grief Tree seed, but realized that the Space of Joy and Sorrow's true secret was to gain power by harming others, a power she disdained. She then released the many demon spirits trapped within the Space of Joy and Sorrow, and broke through its gates. Outside, Qingcheng and the assembled crowd, witnessing Qing Tong's powerful transformation, immediately knelt and hailed her as the new City Lord of Qianji City.
Qing Tong issued a decree that the Asura Hall would be permanently sealed and its evil magic forbidden from any further practice. Qingcheng presented a list of dark magic artifacts from the Asura Hall, including a "Soul-Devouring Umbrella" that could disturb minds and absorb life force. Qing Tong reaffirmed her commitment to building a better home and rejected such sinister tools.
She then ordered the release of Jiang Bo, a guard who had been imprisoned for secretly freeing humans and demons from the Asura Hall, offering him his old position as chief guard. Jiang Bo accepted, and Qing Tong promised to transform Qianji City.
Later, while refining the Grief Tree seed, Qing Tong found it hard to control her anger, and noticed her Demon Power's aura was disturbingly similar to that of the Black Fox, making her wonder about a potential connection. Meanwhile, Fan Yunfei continued his cultivation under Ru Mu’s guidance. Ru Mu, having learned from Wangquan Fugui that Fan Yunfei might be able to refine the Water-Control Orb, encouraged him to try controlling water, which resulted in Ru Mu being thoroughly drenched.
During a meal, Fan Yunfei, like a dog, selectively ate only the meatballs, much to Ru Mu's annoyance. Fan Yunfei then shared his tale of meeting his fated person, Li Xueyang, after he left the palace. He recalled being held in her arms while she was injured, and how, despite her own pain, she was still thinking of others, urging them to leave.
Determined not to let the desert bury such a kind and beautiful woman, Fan Yunfei experienced an eruption of his Demon Power, instinctively controlling the entire desert. Ru Mu, realizing Fan Yunfei's affection for Li Xueyang, offered to assist him, devising a pursuit plan based on the principle that "a persistent suitor wins over a reluctant love interest," and encouraged him to make 100 or more attempts.
Fan Yunfei, eagerly following Ru Mu's advice, made his first attempt to propose by presenting gifts he liked best—black threads, dried hamsters, scratching pads, bones, and red willow branches. Li Xueyang promptly froze him and sent him away. A frustrated Ru Mu reminded Fan Yunfei that he had taken human form and needed to act like a human, not an animal, emphasizing the importance of understanding Li Xueyang's preferences.
To gather information, Ru Mu disguised himself as a fortune teller in the market. He observed Li Xueyang, learning that she disliked arrogant individuals and constant fighting, but admired a man who was artistic, gentle, romantic, and heroic, and appreciated sincere, handmade gifts. Following Ru Mu's revised advice, Fan Yunfei started by writing love poems. After some initial struggles with sincerity and length, he became more direct.
He began proposing marriage to Li Xueyang daily, despite being consistently rejected and often frozen. Yet, he remained undeterred, vowing to return every day. His persistence gradually softened Li Xueyang's heart. One day, she found the forget-me-nots he offered quite beautiful. Although she still told him to leave, she noticed he hadn't received his usual beating. When he pointed this out and reiterated his vow to return, she merely chuckled, finding the "silly dog" rather adorable.
Later, Fan Yunfei began capturing demons that had injured Li Xueyang and presented them as gifts to lessen her burden. Initially, Li Xueyang was annoyed, feeling he was trying to "snatch her job," but seeing his crestfallen expression, she felt a pang of sympathy. She clarified that her anger stemmed from her dislike of owing favors, then offered him water, thanking him for the gift.
Although she reiterated that she could not accept him due to the fundamental differences between humans and demons and told him not to return, Fan Yunfei cheerfully declared he would be back tomorrow. Her soldiers, witnessing this, speculated if he would return, with most believing he would. The next day, he indeed returned with seven more captured demons. Back at their residence, Wangquan Fugui, now serving as Fan Yunfei's Royal Master in the Corsac Fox State, questioned Ru Mu's maturity.
He then shared his recent discoveries: after comparing the historical records of the Corsac Fox State with the secret history of the dragon clan from Wangquan Manor, he found 17 discrepancies. Wangquan Fugui noted that centuries ago, while other races were devastated by a war between the dragon clan and human race, the Corsac Fox Clan mysteriously prospered. He revealed that using an Invisibility Talisman provided by Ru Mu, he infiltrated the Imperial Preceptor's intelligence archives.
There, he uncovered extensive files on all major generals of the Li Army, detailing their dietary habits, daily routines, and hobbies. Li Xueyang's information, in particular, was meticulously documented and specially marked, including her daily activities. He concluded that the Corsac Fox State's detailed surveillance of the Li Army, especially Li Xueyang, indicated a secret, ulterior motive. Ru Mu realized this meant everyone in the Li Army, particularly Li Xueyang, was in danger.
Wangquan Fugui also observed that the Corsac Fox King seemed happiest about Fan Yunfei and Li Xueyang's potential union. Despite Fan Yunfei's genuine, almost foolish, love for Li Xueyang, Wangquan Fugui felt something was amiss and believed Ru Mu could help him investigate the situation. Meanwhile, Qing Tong continued to refine the Grief Tree seed, intending to find Wangquan Fugui after its completion.
However, she overheard a shocking conversation between the Black Fox and its clone, revealing that Wangquan Fugui was still alive and that a "little black fox" had been placed by his side. Startled by this revelation and the disturbing visions she experienced, Qing Tong decided she needed to immediately travel to Tushan.
