Legend of Awakening Episode 10 Recap
> Legend of Awakening Recap
The rigorous training under Chu Min began the very next day after she accepted Lu Ping and his friends as her disciples. Chu Min, who had warned them not to gloat too soon and that she had many ways to "torture" them, nevertheless offered guidance that illuminated their paths. Lu Ping encouraged his fellow disciples to save their energy for the upcoming Soul Combat Convention.
Mo Lin, however, expressed his frustration to Chu Min, questioning why he couldn't learn the soul of Strength despite his own Soul Splitting. Chu Min explained that the Mo family's imperfect bloodline inherently leads to incomplete meridians, making it impossible for him to cultivate the soul of Strength, which also explains why he was the only one who lost all five senses during his Soul Splitting. She advised him to give up on that particular path.
Later, Chu Min elaborated that the true mastery of martial arts lies not just in the quantity of soul power, but in its skillful application and combination. She reassured Mo Lin that with proper combinations, five souls are not inferior to six, and having one less soul to train could even make his other five more refined. Mo Lin understood, illustrating with an example of combining different soul powers for assassination.
During their training, Zhao Xifan's demeanor grew increasingly peculiar, leading Guo Youdao to suspect that something had gone wrong during his Soul Splitting. Zhao Xifan himself requested to train alone. Later, when Zhao Xifan collapsed during practice, Su Tang rushed to his side. She noticed his expressions, similar to Lu Ping's when he tries to hide an injury, and pressed him for answers.
Zhao Xifan eventually revealed that while saving Lu Ping in the Sutra Repository, he had used excessive force before completing his own Soul Splitting, resulting in blocked meridians. He informed her that a halted Soul Splitting is unsolvable, and one can only wait for fate to take its course. He stressed that it was his own choice and that Lu Ping owed him nothing, asking Su Tang not to mention it to Lu Ping.
Zhao Xifan firmly declared that he was still Zhaifeng's eldest disciple and refused to be a burden or useless to anyone. After Zhao Xifan left, Su Tang discovered Mo Lin and Lu Ping nearby. Mo Lin, who had been worried about Zhao Xifan as well, watched as Su Tang tried to enlist Lu Ping's help. However, Lu Ping appeared indifferent and simply walked away.
Frustrated, Su Tang tossed her candy to Mo Lin, remarking that it was better given to him than to Lu Ping. Mo Lin caught up to Lu Ping, explaining that as a man, he knew Lu Ping was merely putting on a facade and truly cared about Zhao Xifan. Mo Lin then revealed that he hadn't left their side because of the bonds they shared.
He recounted that during his own Soul Splitting, his desire to protect everyone, fearing they would all suffer if he didn't survive, inexplicably allowed him to move and break through. He then playfully questioned Lu Ping about who "he" was thinking of during "his" Soul Splitting. Lu Ping, however, evaded the topic, keeping his true thoughts to himself. Meanwhile, Qin Sang remained confined to the Qin Residence.
When a subordinate offered to "teach Lu Ping a lesson" for humiliating her, Qin Sang sternly warned that while they could do whatever they pleased with Luo Ting, Lu Ping was hers, and no one was to touch him without her explicit command. This left Wen Rui puzzled, who noted that Qin Sang was clearly still protecting Lu Ping.
Qin Sang admitted that Wen Rui was right about Lu Ping being a scoundrel, but acknowledged that when serious, he was someone she could trust to watch her back. Soon after Wen Rui left, Lu Ping suddenly appeared in Qin Sang's room, having audaciously trespassed the general's residence. Ling Ziyan warned him of the severe consequences if he were discovered by the Victorious Dragon Troop patrolling outside, but Lu Ping casually brushed off her concerns.
His primary reason for coming, he revealed, was to check if Qin Qi had given Qin Sang any trouble regarding the Soul Splitting incident, indicating his concern for her well-being. He also presented her with a new dress, a gift to apologize for tearing her previous one, thinking it would look quite nice on her.
After this apology, Lu Ping confessed his main purpose for the clandestine visit: to inquire about Wen Gecheng, knowing it would be difficult to meet him amidst the many candidates at the upcoming Soul Combat Convention. Qin Sang, initially pleased by his concern, grew annoyed upon learning his true motive. She jokingly asked if he knew the crime of bribery under Shuo's laws and dramatically ordered Ling Ziyan to summon Wen Rui to report a trespasser.
However, Lu Ping vanished before she could finish, leaving Qin Sang to smile to herself. Though feigning anger, Qin Sang had no intention of truly harming him. She immediately instructed Ling Ziyan to send a letter to Lu Ping, containing all the information he sought about Wen Gecheng, along with a playful warning not to cause any more trouble for the Qin family.
Lu Ping later commented that Qin Sang, whom he initially thought was "dumb," always surprised him, acknowledging her as "the sincerest one" despite sometimes seeming heartless. Ling Ziyan, instead of leaving immediately, offered to help Lu Ping with any tasks related to the impending convention. Taking her up on the offer, Lu Ping asked Ling Ziyan to speak with Zhao Xifan, whom he described as "stubborn" and unwilling to listen to him. Ling Ziyan readily agreed.
Later that night, Ling Ziyan found a dispirited Zhao Xifan. He was distracted, burdened by his self-perception as a "useless piece of junk" due to his halted Soul Splitting. He privately resolved that if he could no longer use soul power, he would at least relearn his blade techniques to avoid being a burden.
Sensing his distress, Ling Ziyan gently encouraged him, reminding him that he was a hero who had risked his life to save her, Qin Sang, and Lu Ping in the Sutra Repository. She assured him that Zhaifeng was a united front, that he was not useless, and that Lu Ping would not consider him a hindrance. As Ling Ziyan prepared to leave, Zhao Xifan, recognizing Lu Ping's gesture, asked if he was the one who sent her.
As the Soul Combat Convention drew near, Ling Ziyan expressed her excitement that they would finally find Wen Gecheng. Qin Sang, eager to confirm, questioned Qin Qi about Wen Gecheng's attendance, and her brother confirmed that Wen Gecheng, as the chief examiner, would definitely be there. Qin Qi, seeing his sister's relieved smile, questioned why she wasn't nervous. Qin Sang simply stated she felt at ease, being a woman of her word.
Elsewhere, Mo Lin complained to Zhao Xifan about Zhaifeng's shabby appearance compared to other academies. Zhao Xifan reminded him that the convention was about martial arts, not outward show. Lu Ping then asked Zhao Xifan if they could truly meet Wen Gecheng this time, and Zhao Xifan confidently replied that they definitely could. The participants then began to enter the venue on Mount Wansui for the official start of the Soul Combat Convention.
Wei Tianqi, a rival, mocked Lu Ping and his group for their attire, advising them to leave to avoid further embarrassment. Qin Qi, standing at the podium, then delivered a solemn opening speech. Ignoring Guo Youdao's sarcastic predictions about patriotism, Qin Qi declared that attendees had already made a commitment to enlist. He warned that the battlefield was brutal, with life and death being common.
He offered those who feared death a chance to leave, but for those who stayed and wore the badge, it signified an oath of enlistment where only skill mattered, and life and death were not factored into the competition's results. He announced that the first round would test their soul power, requiring the team to pass a total of four stages to advance, and the rest would be determined by their strength.
During Qin Qi’s speech, Lu Ping caught Wen Gecheng's eye across the crowd. Recognizing him, Lu Ping's emotions stirred, but Su Tang quickly advised him that the area was too crowded and it would be better to wait until the second round, when there were fewer people, to find an opportunity to approach Wen Gecheng. The first test of the convention required contestants to use the soul of Energy to reach command tokens hanging at the top of trees.
Mo Lin, though ridiculed by spectators for his clumsy ascent, eventually retrieved a token, passing the test. He dismissed his awkward performance, emphasizing that the result was what mattered. The next test was for the soul of Sound, requiring candidates to identify the positions of six musicians playing the same tune in the forest. Lu Ping effortlessly pinpointed all six locations.
However, an examiner then added a challenging rule: to prevent cheating, candidates also had to play the melodies they heard. Unable to play an instrument, Lu Ping was forced to forfeit this stage. An examiner scoffed at Lu Ping, stating that Kaifeng belonged to prominent families, and "wild kids" like him were "nothing." Mo Lin voiced his frustration, having passed two stages with great effort and assumed Lu Ping's soul of Sound was a guaranteed pass.
Zhao Xifan, however, calmly pointed out that it was an official selection exam, and aristocratic families naturally held an advantage. He regretted that his recently opened soul of Essence was poorly utilized due to his halted Soul Splitting. He concluded that, with only three of their required four team stages passed, their hopes now rested solely on Su Tang passing the soul of Strength test.
The test for the soul of Strength challenged candidates to lift more than five stone dumbbells. Despite her slender build, Su Tang, who had only passed the soul of Vision test thus far and needed to win this one, approached the task with unwavering determination. While other contestants struggled immensely just to lift the dumbbells, Su Tang, with a decisive move, effortlessly lifted an entire male contestant along with his stone dumbbell, easily passing the test.
The frightened man screamed his fear of heights as she held him aloft. Wei Tianqi, observing their team, scoffed at the three men for relying on a single girl to pass, boasting of his own high scores across five tests, and continued to taunt Lu Ping about his failure in the soul of Sound. Mo Lin quickly threatened Wei Tianqi with "good stuff," but Wei Tianqi dismissed them, stating he wanted to see how long they could stay.
Shortly after, Su Tang joyfully announced that she had passed. Mo Lin, however, lamented to Lu Ping and Zhao Xifan about the high standards of the convention and the need for them to find another way, rather than solely relying on his luck and Su Tang. Su Tang, in turn, reassured Zhao Xifan not to listen to Mo Lin, telling him he was not a hindrance and hoping he would recover after a good rest.
Later, Wen Rui presented Qin Qi with the list of candidates who passed the preliminary exam. Qin Qi instructed to house all successful candidates in the Victorious Dragon Troop camps to prevent cheating, as they prepared for the second round of tests. Wen Gecheng then inquired about the "simplest team," stating he had seen an old acquaintance among them. Wen Rui identified them as Zhaifeng Institute, Lu Ping's team.
Qin Qi, however, dismissed Lu Ping as having "evil intentions" and being "not worth mentioning." Wen Gecheng, however, seemed lost in thought, recalling a freezing cold snowfield and wondering if that young man was still alive. His old injury then flared up, prompting Qin Qi to send him back to rest. Qin Sang, witnessing Wen Gecheng's departure, tried to delay him, suggesting someone might have important matters to discuss, but Qin Qi insisted that Wen Gecheng's health took precedence.
Seeing Wen Gecheng being escorted away, Qin Sang realized the urgency of the situation and rushed to find Lu Ping. She explained to him that they needed to find another way to meet Wen Gecheng, rather than just relying on the convention exams, which were more complex than anticipated. Lu Ping, without hesitation, agreed to follow her, leaving Su Tang alone and somewhat bewildered, understanding that their mission at the convention was not a solo endeavor.
Qin Sang instructed Lu Ping to take her horse to pursue Wen Gecheng, who would likely be at the Qin Residence, while she would arrange for Zhao Xifan to handle the drawing of lots on Lu Ping’s behalf. Lu Ping followed Wen Gecheng's carriage to the Qin Residence. There, Wen Rui reiterated General Qin's orders for Wen Gecheng to rest, as he had suffered a fundamental injury three years prior in the snowfield, with General Qin handling all convention matters.
Wen Gecheng, however, sensed Lu Ping's presence and cleverly disguised it, telling Wen Rui it was just a wild cat. Once Wen Rui departed, Wen Gecheng invited Lu Ping to reveal himself, stating he could sense Lu Ping's soul power and detected no killing intent, assuring him he was not a target. Lu Ping, stepping out, clarified he wasn't looking for a "back door" but had a question: was Wen Gecheng's injury caused by Shanhai Gang?
Wen Gecheng confirmed his knowledge of Shanhai Gang and agreed to share his story. He recounted that three years ago, while traveling, he rescued a brilliant young man from Shanhai Gang. Shortly after, he was again pursued by Shanhai Gang, and being outnumbered, he suffered severe injuries, losing all his martial arts. He was then saved by Qin Qi, whom he had followed ever since.
He emphasized that a person's life was more important than martial arts and that his loss was a "blessing in disguise," as he could still serve the country with his sight. Lu Ping, his heart aching, realized that Wen Gecheng’s sacrifice had been for him. He then, in turn, shared his own old story with Wen Gecheng. Thirteen years ago, a lonely boy was kidnapped and brutally tortured by Shanhai Gang, believing he would die, until a hero rescued him.
The boy had survived and spent years searching for his savior, known only as "Dao." As Lu Ping spoke, Wen Gecheng noticed the unique "Soul Confinement" chains on Lu Ping. Recognizing the markings, Wen Gecheng was stunned, exclaiming, "It's really you! You're still alive!" He called Lu Ping "Dao." Lu Ping, emotional, corrected him, addressing him as "Mr. Wen," and passionately declared that he had finally found him.
Lu Ping continued to recount his experiences over the past three years since their last encounter. He described his time at Zhaifeng Institute with Su Tang, characterizing their Master Chu Min as reckless, lazy, greedy, and a drunk, but also kind, and offered to introduce Wen Gecheng to her. As Lu Ping spoke, Wen Gecheng repeatedly called him "Ping'er," and Lu Ping's soul power suddenly flared, causing him to lose control.
Meanwhile, in another part of the Zhiwei Study, Guo Youdao and Chu Min discussed their disciples' progress, with Chu Min proudly stating that all four had advanced to the second round, confident that her disciples would not lose. Guo Youdao then asked Chu Min if she was certain Lu Ping would ultimately fight for Zhaifeng, acknowledging Lu Ping's own motivations. Chu Min, admitting she also had her own agenda, simply stated they would "wait and see" what Lu Ping's final choice would be.
