Guardians of the Ancient Oath Episode 23 Recap
> Guardians of the Ancient Oath Recap
Baili Hongyi was tormented by fragmented memories, specifically seeing Ming Yefeng's childhood appearance covered in blood repeatedly flashing in her mind. This triggered immense pain within her, causing her to writhe in agony. Ming Yefeng, witnessing her distress and anxiety, quickly knocked her unconscious and carried her back to his tent. The High Priest Yijiumo, who had long foreseen this, arrived to subtly guide Ming Yefeng.
He explained that Baili Hongyi's condition wasn't a normal illness but an internal struggle as painful, forgotten memories tried to resurface. He elaborated that her body's pain was a protective mechanism, as remembering the past would inflict even greater suffering. The High Priest subtly advised Ming Yefeng to actively use his own abilities to alleviate Baili Hongyi's pain. Meanwhile, Baili Hongshuo, having escaped, arrived in the Wolf Tribe's Shuchi territory late at night.
He incapacitated a drunk guard, took his uniform, and feigned drunkenness to approach Ming Yefeng's heavily guarded tent. Finding Youwu tribesmen stationed outside, he waited for a maidservant to leave before using his teleportation ability to slip inside. Inside the tent, Baili Hongshuo gently woke Baili Hongyi. Still groggy, she mistook him for Uncle He and asked him to fetch something. When she fully awoke and saw him, she instinctively bit his outstretched hand to confirm she wasn't dreaming.
Though it hurt, it was a moment Baili Hongshuo had longed for. Baili Hongyi questioned why only he had come, and Baili Hongshuo explained that infiltrating an enemy camp was safer with fewer people. When she inquired how he breached the Youwu tribesmen's defenses, he proudly demonstrated his "Going Through Wall Technique." Baili Hongshuo proposed they leave immediately using his teleportation, but Baili Hongyi refused.
Having grasped a sliver of her past memories, she was determined to uncover Ming Yefeng's true intentions and the truth about her biological parents, convinced this was her only opportunity. Despite his concerns about the danger, Baili Hongshuo, unable to refuse her, reluctantly agreed to her wishes. The two agreed that Baili Hongshuo would return for her at the same time the following night.
As he prepared to depart, Baili Hongyi advised him to wait until the patrols changed shifts due to heavy security, to which he agreed. Later, as Baili Hongshuo prepared to leave, he shared a drink with Baili Hongyi and recounted his recent experiences. He explained that he was able to leave Li City because Hou Zhengze was impersonating him there.
He described Hou Zhengze as a talkative acquaintance with an innate ability to transform into someone else's likeness simply by touching their face. Baili Hongyi, astonished, wondered if Hou Zhengze was a demon, but Baili Hongshuo dismissed it as an innate ability. He then confided that he might not be able to return to Li City after their current mission, hinting that even if she escaped the Wolf Tribe, her engagement to He Yao remained unresolved.
He passionately vowed that he would never allow her to marry anyone else and would persuade the King to annul the engagement. He then left using his "Going Through Wall Technique," after reminding her not to directly confront Ming Yefeng and to be patient. Meanwhile, Hou Zhengze, disguised as Baili Hongshuo, continued his magic lessons with Ji Qiu.
Unlike the real Baili Hongshuo, Hou Zhengze was an enthusiastic and respectful student, quickly grasping even difficult concepts, which greatly pleased Ji Qiu. Ji Qiu began to teach him the "Manipulate Fire Spell," explaining that the fire always burns "from inside to outside," which Hou Zhengze correctly interpreted.
Deeply touched by Hou Zhengze's dedication, Ji Qiu promised to teach him everything he knew, including complex incantations for the "Manipulate Fire Spell," such as invoking "Left Thunder" for Heavenly Fire and "Right Thunder" for Earth's fire, which Hou Zhengze pledged to memorize. The seven-day deadline set by the King for Baili Hongyi's return had long passed, and Baili Hongxuan continued to conceal the truth from the court. He deliberately tried to mislead others while planning Baili Hongyi's rescue.
A guard soon reported Baili Hongshuo's escape. Despite his anger, Baili Hongxuan quickly calmed himself, realizing he could not allow his brother to face peril. He decided it was time to confront Ming Yefeng directly and personally negotiate, ordering his most trusted aides to prepare for immediate departure. Unable to find Ming Yefeng or leave the tent, Baili Hongyi began shouting for him outside, causing further dissatisfaction among the Wolf Tribe members.
Ming Yefeng finally emerged, leading Baili Hongyi inside and warning her not to leave without his permission. She immediately confronted him, demanding to know about her parents' deaths, asking if he was present or if he was the one who killed them. Ming Yefeng denied killing them but warned her that recalling her forgotten memories might be too painful for her to bear.
Baili Hongyi insisted on knowing the truth, but Ming Yefeng urged her to let things take their course, stating that her memories might return in time, and expressed concern for her safety before abruptly leaving, despite her pleas for him to return. Mo La Khan, the King of the Wolf Tribe, then confronted Ming Yefeng in his tent, expressing his deep dissatisfaction.
He pointed out that Baili Hongyi, being a woman from You Kingdom (and not the biological daughter of the Prince of Great Plains, a fact known from previous events), was causing unrest. He warned Ming Yefeng about the centuries-long animosity between their tribes and that many leaders were already secretly unhappy with Ming Yefeng's actions, which they perceived as a blatant disregard for ancestral rules and tradition.
Mo La Khan emphasized that considering ancestral rules as meaningless was intolerable for the Wolf Tribe, and such internal division could be devastating if You Kingdom exploited it. Ming Yefeng, however, was determined to implement reforms and was prepared to confront anyone who opposed him, declaring that if he could not protect the person he wished to protect, he could not lead the Wolf Tribe.
He emphatically stated that Baili Hongyi was his "reverse scale," and no one should dare to touch her, demonstrating his unwavering resolve even against the Great Monarch. Mo La Khan, exasperated, advised Ming Yefeng to carefully consider what was truly important before leaving him to ponder his words. High in the mountains, Jin Yang, having transformed into her original bird-like form, flew into a small cabin to meet Ling Jun.
Haunted by the murders she committed, feeling like a complete monster, she was filled with self-loathing and dared not return to the Marquis's residence or face Baili Hongxuan. Due to her agitated state, she was even losing control over her demon form, with feathers appearing. Ling Jun offered a few words of comfort, which somewhat eased the mind of the trusting Jin Yang.
However, the narrative subtly hints that while Ling Jun might have some sincerity, she would not let her long-planned schemes fail because of Jin Yang's distress. Baili Hongshuo spent a day and a night near the Wolf Tribe border, accompanied only by the horse he had given Baili Hongyi. At this moment, he had made up his mind to take Baili Hongyi away from the Wolf Tribe and also escape You Kingdom's control. As the agreed-upon time for their reunion approached, Baili Hongshuo eagerly set out to meet her, unaware of the unforeseen developments already unfolding.
