Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre Episode 29 Recap
> Heavenly Sword and Dragon Slaying Sabre Recap
Zhang Wuji never expected that the bhikshu in front of him was Fan Yao, who had been missing for years. Yang Xiao and Fan Yao reunited after a long separation, their excitement overflowing. Wei Yixiao couldn't believe that Fan Yao, known as the most handsome man in the world, had become completely disfigured. If Fan Yao hadn't displayed his unique martial arts skills, they wouldn't have dared to recognize him.
Fan Yao, however, didn't care about this; he had willingly disfigured himself for the Ming Cult back then. Fan Yao couldn't help but recall past events. Yang Dingtian's disappearance led to great chaos in the Ming Cult. Fan Yao disguised himself and inquired everywhere about Yang Dingtian's whereabouts.
He learned that the Beggars' Sect had once threatened to destroy the Ming Cult, so he captured several important figures of the Beggars' Sect and tortured them severely, but could not elicit any clues. Fan Yao heard that Cheng Kun was killing people everywhere, suspected he was involved in the disappearance of Yang Dingtian and his wife, so he secretly tracked him.
He discovered that Cheng Kun and the Xuanming Elders were plotting with Prince Ruyang to eliminate the Ming Cult, and even threatened to flatten Bright Peak, so that Yang Dingtian would not rest in peace. Fan Yao tracked Cheng Kun to the edge of a cliff, then severely punished him, forcing him to reveal Yang Dingtian's whereabouts. Unexpectedly, Cheng Kun had already discovered his tracks, so he seized the opportunity to poison him, then pushed him off the cliff.
Fan Yao fell into a stream in the ravine. When he woke up again, he found his body covered with leeches. The leeches died after sucking his poisoned blood, which ironically saved Fan Yao's life. Fan Yao wanted to infiltrate Prince Ruyang's mansion to uncover the truth, but he couldn't afford to be recognized. So, he used a knife and burning charcoal to burn his face beyond recognition, and also changed his hair color with medicine.
Then, he entered Prince Ruyang's mansion as a warrior from the Western Regions. He was forced to kill two Ming Cult chaplains to successfully gain Prince Ruyang's trust. However, he never saw Cheng Kun again, so he had to stay in the mansion. Fan Yao knew that one of the Ming Cult's five major taboos was not to indiscriminately kill fellow brethren. He knelt before Zhang Wuji to confess his sin, willing to accept any punishment.
Zhang Wuji did not severely reprimand him. But he couldn't forgive himself, so he drew a dagger and stabbed himself in the chest. Zhang Wuji admired his character and quickly knelt, begging him not to harm himself again. Zhang Wuji asked Fan Yao about Zhao Min's identity. He learned that her real name was Minmin Temür, she was Prince Ruyang's biological daughter, and had been conferred the title of Princess Shaomin by the Emperor.
Zhao Min wanted to defeat all the sects in the pugilistic world and reclaim the martial arts of the Central Plains. Zhao Min accepted Cheng Kun's suggestion and poisoned all the masters besieging Bright Peak, causing them to lose all their internal energy. Yang Xiao conveyed Zhang Wuji's instructions to Fan Yao: the Ming Cult was to abandon past grievances with the Six Major Sects and jointly resist the imperial court.
Yang Xiao entrusted Fan Yao with rescuing the people imprisoned in the Buddhist pagoda. However, Fan Yao believed that the top priority should be to obtain the antidote for the Ten Fragrance Tendon-softening Powder, and then, once their internal energy was fully restored, they could all work together to break out.
Fan Yao knew that the poison and the antidote were separately hidden in the hands of the Xuanming Elders, and both medicines looked exactly alike; taking the wrong one would result in instant death. Fan Yao suggested stealing both of them, and then testing them with a disciple from the Kongtong Sect to identify them. But Zhang Wuji was worried that Zhao Min might have already taken precautions and feared that everything stolen might be poison.
Yang Xiao learned that Lu Zhangke was lustful, and He Biweng was fond of alcohol. He asked Zhang Wuji to create a poison similar to the Ten Fragrance Tendon-softening Powder. Fan Yao recalled that Prince Ruyang had recently taken Consort Han as a new concubine, and Lu Zhangke greatly coveted her. Fan Yao instructed Wei Yixiao to pressure point Consort Han, abduct her, and deliver her to Lu Zhangke's bed.
Fan Yao then found He Biweng, Sun Sanhui, and Li Sicui to drink with, and seized the opportunity to poison their wine. Fan Yao falsely claimed he had been poisoned by the Ten Fragrance Tendon-softening Powder and demanded He Biweng produce the antidote. He Biweng had no choice but to admit that the antidote was in Lu Zhangke's hands. He Biweng brought Fan Yao and others to find Lu Zhangke, discovering Consort Han in his bed.
Fan Yao threatened to take Lu Zhangke to Prince Ruyang. Lu Zhangke adamantly refused. Fan Yao then struck the death points of both Sun Sanhui and Li Sicui, and promised to help Lu Zhangke conceal his private affair. Seeing how meticulously he had planned, Lu Zhangke knew he must have conditions. Fan Yao falsely claimed that Zhou Zhiruo was his illegitimate daughter with Abbess Miejue, and pleaded with Lu Zhangke to provide the antidote to save mother and daughter.
Lu Zhangke readily agreed and immediately produced a small amount of antidote. Fan Yao wanted more, but the Tatar soldiers suddenly arrived, searching for Consort Han. Lu Zhangke dismissed them with a few words. Fan Yao worried that the Tatar soldiers might return, so he quickly wrapped Consort Han in a quilt, intending to hide her in the Buddhist pagoda. Just as Lu Zhangke and Fan Yao reached the entrance of the Buddhist pagoda, they encountered Zhao Min on patrol.
Lu Zhangke lied, claiming he was moving luggage to stand guard at the pagoda. Zhao Min did not suspect anything and let Fan Yao go to see Zhang Wuji. Lu Zhangke seized the opportunity to hide Consort Han inside the Buddhist pagoda, then rushed to release Abbess Miejue and Zhou Zhiruo, hoping to use this to silence Fan Yao. Zhao Min invited Zhang Wuji for a drink at a tavern.
The two walked side by side on the street, their silhouettes reflected on the ground by the bright moonlight. Zhao Min tried to take Zhang Wuji's hand several times but ultimately gave up. Lu Zhangke came to rescue Abbess Miejue. Abbess Miejue thought he was there to kill her, so she requested to see Zhou Zhiruo before her death. Lu Zhangke hurriedly went to fetch Zhou Zhiruo. Zhao Min and Zhang Wuji arrived at the tavern.
To dispel Zhang Wuji's suspicions, Zhao Min first drank a cup herself and then confessed her identity to Zhang Wuji. Abbess Miejue wanted to talk to Zhou Zhiruo alone, so she chased Lu Zhangke out. Zhou Zhiruo was certain that Zhang Wuji would come to rescue them. However, Abbess Miejue adamantly forbade Zhou Zhiruo from associating with Zhang Wuji, believing that he harbored ill intentions towards her.
Zhou Zhiruo tried her best to explain, but Abbess Miejue simply did not believe her. She even forced Zhou Zhiruo to swear a poisonous oath on the spot: if Zhou Zhiruo were to marry Zhang Wuji in the future, her parents' remains would not rest in peace, Abbess Miejue would turn into a vengeful ghost after her death, and the children born to Zhou Zhiruo and Zhang Wuji would be prostitutes and slaves for generations.
