Guardians of the Ancient Oath Episode 44 Recap
> Guardians of the Ancient Oath Recap
Hou Zhengze, having transformed into a demon, found himself unable to break the confinement barrier, much to his despair. Xiaotong, initially startled by his demonic form, quickly offered comfort, dreaming aloud of a peaceful future where they would open a tofu shop in Ye City. She envisioned grinding soy beans with a donkey, while he would manage the accounts, both longing for the day they could leave their current predicament behind.
Meanwhile, the Five Gods gathered at the Ebony Sorcery Altar on Spirit Mountain. An Tingfeng noted their reunion after two millennia, acknowledging that the Ten Wizards of Spirit Mountain had been awaiting this battle for a thousand years. A short, fierce confrontation was inevitable, and in merely three to five moves, the wizards would be overwhelmed. The Fire Deity demanded to know the location of Fang Tianju.
Wupeng, one of the Ten Wizards, warned against actions that could unleash Jiuying, but another wizard retorted that the Fire Deity was unyielding. The Ten Wizards declared their steadfast refusal to surrender Fang Tianju, vowing to defend him with their lives to prevent Jiuying's reemergence, even if it meant their own destruction. The Fire Deity, however, insisted that acquiring Fang Tianju's power was essential to seal Jiuying.
As the confinement barrier shattered and the Star Gazing Pagoda crumbled, a flood of memories returned to Hou Zhengze. He realized he was Fang Tianju, originally a piece of Xun Wood essence that gained consciousness and spiritual essence over millennia, thanks to the General (later revealed as Xuan Ming, the Water Deity), who had kept him close.
He recalled a challenge between Gou Mang, the Wood Deity, and Xuan Ming, the Water Deity, where Xuan Ming wagered he could revive a seemingly dead piece of Xun Wood. After the Five Gods had originally sealed Jiuying, the Ten Wizards discovered the Xun Wood while cleaning up the demon-locking platform and, worried that Jiuying's power would disperse, sealed it within the Star Gazing Pagoda, where it became Fang Tianju.
An unknown voice later guided Fang Tianju to separate his spirit from his wooden body. Through absorbing Spirit Mountain's sacred energy and possessing both divine and demonic powers, he evolved into the current Hou Zhengze, a hybrid being. He also understood that he shared a portion of Jiuying's power, much like Princess Jin Yang and others.
Upon learning that Hou Zhengze possessed Jiuying's power, Baili Hongxuan moved to kill him, but Baili Hongshuo bravely intervened, leading to a heated confrontation between the brothers. Baili Hongxuan accused his younger brother of siding with a demon against him. Baili Hongshuo retorted that the noble elder brother he once knew had long since died in Ye City, accusing Hongxuan of being consumed by selfishness.
Hongxuan reminded him of his sacrifices, teaching Hongshuo swordsmanship, giving him the Departing Soul sword, and sustaining the Prince Manor after their father's death. Acknowledging his brother's role in his upbringing, Baili Hongshuo then wounded himself to symbolically repay his brother's kindness, returning the Departing Soul sword and pledging his own life after protecting his friend. He steadfastly refused to let Baili Hongxuan harm Hou Zhengze.
Ming Yefeng, observing, advised Baili Hongyi not to interfere, asserting that betraying a friend for power was morally wrong. An Tingfeng then interrupted the brothers' fight, urging them to conserve their strength for the true enemy and advising Xuan Ming, the Water Deity, to calmly observe the developing situation. The Fire Deity questioned An Tingfeng's passive stance, reminding him of their mission to kill demons. An Tingfeng, however, counseled patience, hinting that another resolution was imminent.
Ling Jun then sliced her wrist, allowing her demonic blood to flow towards the Ebony Sorcery Altar and merge with Hou Zhengze. This caused Hou Zhengze's power to surge uncontrollably. He tried to push Xiaotong away, imploring her to flee, as he began to lose himself to the demonic influence. Xiaotong refused to leave, even as Hou Zhengze, now under Jiuying's control, overwhelmed Baili Hongshuo and began to choke her.
Both Xiaotong and Baili Hongshuo desperately tried to appeal to his fading consciousness. In a brief moment of clarity, Hou Zhengze urged Baili Hongshuo to kill him, then seized a dagger and stabbed himself. With his last breath, he apologized to Baili Hongshuo and begged him to use the spiritual energy he would inherit to utterly destroy Jiuying, allowing him to die without regret. Hou Zhengze perished, his body reverting to wood.
Simultaneously, the Four Gods regained their full divine powers and complete memories of their past lives. An Tingfeng, now revealed as Ru Shou, the Metal Deity, confessed that his fear of death had caused him to falter during the original sealing of Jiuying, leading to the destruction of the other four deities while he alone survived, burdened by guilt for a thousand years. He recalled how the Five Gods had initially united against Jiuying, but their combined strength proved insufficient.
Hou Tu had then sacrificed herself, becoming a vessel to seal Jiuying within her body, using the sacred power of Spirit Mountain. He explained that his past cowardice prevented the complete sealing, leading to the demise of the other four. Consumed by remorse, Ru Shou had adopted the identity of An Tingfeng, meticulously planning for millennia to atone for his past failure.
He set out to reawaken the Four Gods and restore their powers, explaining that Baili Hongyi’s (Hou Tu’s) severe headaches were a sign that Jiuying’s ancient seal was weakening, threatening its full release and another catastrophe. To avert this, the Five Gods needed to be reunited. An Tingfeng confessed to manipulating them through subtle guidance rather than force, knowing their strong wills.
He explained that his collaborator, Ling Jun, had impersonated figures like Yi Jiumo to guide Gou Mang, the Wood Deity, and used a Puppet Mantra to become Baili Haohe, the Emperor of You Kingdom, to pressure the Baili brothers. An Tingfeng had also systematically suppressed and humiliated Zhu Rong, the Fire Deity, to break his convictions and guide him onto his predetermined path, all to ensure they reclaimed their spiritual essence.
Ling Jun, actively working to revive Jiuying, had sealed Baili Hongyi’s childhood memories and orchestrated her journey to You Kingdom, ensuring that the four deities' paths would intertwine, ultimately leading to Jiuying's release. As Hou Tu’s (Baili Hongyi’s) seal finally gave way, Baili Hongyi suffered agonizing headaches, and Jiuying fully awakened, seizing complete control of her body.
An Tingfeng expressed his bitter disappointment, having never anticipated that the resurrected Four Gods would be so consumed by personal desires and emotions, rendering their divine powers inadequate against Jiuying. As a result, Jiuying not only overwhelmed them but also swiftly conquered and ravaged Ye City. An Tingfeng elaborated that Jiuying’s primal essence had been sealed by the Ten Wizards within a Four Quadrant Formation in Ye City, with its anchors being the city's four main gates.
After leaving the Ebony Sorcery Altar, Jiuying, now occupying Baili Hongyi’s body, immediately targeted the You Kingdom palace. The Grand Empress Dowager bravely defied Jiuying, asserting her authority, while He Yao groveled for his life. Jiuying, deeming them foolish, mercilessly killed both. Ling Jun informed Jiuying that the impending Blood Moon was the perfect time for her full resurgence and to reclaim her primal essence from Ye City’s gates. Ling Jun pledged her allegiance and offered assistance, though Jiuying, not fully trusting her, was primarily focused on retrieving the spiritual power that Ling Jun still possessed.
