Legend of Awakening Episode 14 Recap
> Legend of Awakening Recap
Lu Ping confronted Guo Youdao, recounting a story about a hunter, a fox, and a farmer to subtly accuse his master of betrayal. He pressed Guo Youdao on why he didn’t stop him from giving up the convention and why he was at Xinghua Restaurant with the distinct smell of apricot wine, especially with the same "Bone-piercing Nail" injury Lu Ping had seen on a Shanhai Gang member.
Guo Youdao tried to dismiss Lu Ping, claiming he was drunk and needed rest. They then fought, and Guo Youdao was hit by Lu Ping's hidden weapon. Meanwhile, Wen Gecheng, observing from afar, remarked that after three years, the seeds he had sown were finally ready for harvest. At Mr. Wei’s mansion, Qin Sang was arguing with Zhao Xifan, who refused to believe Guo Youdao was connected to the Shanhai Gang, while Qin Sang pointed to the injury as proof.
Their argument was interrupted when Wei Tianqi woke up. He happily greeted Qin Sang, then explained how he got his injury at Xinghua Restaurant. He revealed that he had met "Minister Wen," taking Lu Ping's name. Suddenly, the restaurant's patrons turned hostile, aiming to kill him. Wei Tianqi realized the entire incident was orchestrated by Wen Gecheng. Wei Ying, his guard, sacrificed himself to give Wei Tianqi a Shanhai Seal, telling him to keep it safe.
Before losing consciousness, a man in black rescued Wei Tianqi. Qin Sang questioned why Wen Gecheng, the owner of the seal, would try to kill Wei Tianqi. Zhao Xifan deduced that Wei Tianqi had stumbled into a trap intended for Lu Ping, identifying Wen Gecheng as the true superior of the Shanhai Gang and the mastermind behind the scheme.
He surmised that the black-clad rescuer was Guo Youdao, and Wen Gecheng was trying to provoke Lu Ping into harming Guo Youdao to eliminate a hindrance. Zhao Xifan urged Qin Sang to return to the inn to warn Lu Ping. However, Lu Ping had already critically injured Guo Youdao, and was himself shot by Wen Gecheng. Just as Qin Sang was about to leave, she and Zhao Xifan were intercepted by Mr. Wei and his men.
Qin Sang realized the Wei family was indeed colluding with Shanhai Gang. Mr. Wei ordered his men to kill them, but Chu Min arrived and saved them. Chu Min, Zhao Xifan, and Su Tang (who Zhao Xifan had previously sent away) arrived at the inn to find it deserted, with only a few pools of blood on the floor. Lu Ping and Guo Youdao had both been taken away by Shanhai Gang members.
Meanwhile, Wen Gecheng, revealed as the Master of Wind Division, boasted about his three-year charade of feigned martial arts impairment to gain Qin Qi's trust. He ordered Guo Youdao’s body to be disposed of and prepared to take Lu Ping to Shanhai Gang himself. However, a Fire Division agent challenged him, attempting to claim credit for Lu Ping's capture and questioning Wen Gecheng's authority.
Wen Gecheng rebuffed him, reminding him of the Master's three-year wait and the importance of securing Lu Ping. Zhao Xifan found Su Tang crying, lamenting his inability to protect those around him. Qin Sang suggested asking her brother, Qin Qi, for help. Zhao Xifan, however, doubted Qin Qi would believe such accusations against his trusted subordinate, Wen Gecheng, without concrete proof. Chu Min, overhearing, sharply rebuked Zhao Xifan for his indecisiveness, urging Qin Sang to act quickly.
Su Tang reminded Zhao Xifan of his promise that "Zhaifeng would not let anyone fall behind," to which Zhao Xifan reaffirmed his commitment. Qin Sang then declared she would go to Wen Gecheng's thatched cottage to find evidence and that the Dragon Guard Army would surely come. Zhao Xifan tasked Mo Lin with using his enhanced sense of smell to track Lu Ping throughout Kaifeng, acknowledging the strain it would put on him.
Mo Lin, though exhausted and spitting blood, managed to locate Lu Ping, hinting to Su Tang that Guo Youdao was alive and well, implying their earlier confrontation was a ruse. Lu Ping was about to be taken away by Wen Gecheng when Guo Youdao suddenly appeared and rescued him, along with Chu Min and Zhao Xifan.
It was revealed that Lu Ping's "critical injury" to Guo Youdao was a ruse; Lu Ping had confessed to his master the night before, correctly gambling that Guo Youdao was not a Shanhai Gang member. They had staged a performance in front of Wen Gecheng's subordinates to deceive everyone. Just as they believed the situation was resolved, Wen Gecheng suddenly produced a bottle of Shanhai Gang's special medicine and recaptured Lu Ping from Guo Youdao's side.
Lu Ping didn't understand why Shanhai Gang was so fixated on him, but Wen Gecheng remained silent, stating he would only explain once they reached Shanhai Gang. While in Wen Gecheng's custody, Lu Ping sarcastically asked if he was now "addicted to acting Minister Wen." Wen Gecheng stated that Lu Ping could have avoided his current predicament if he had willingly come to Xinghua Restaurant.
Lu Ping deduced that he had been trapped since the Soul Combat Convention, realizing the drugs used in the thatched cottage during his Soul-Locking Force episode were meant to intensify his power, thus tightening the lock. Wen Gecheng confirmed this, warning Lu Ping that no one ever leaves Shanhai Gang. Guo Youdao, Chu Min, and Zhao Xifan gathered.
Guo Youdao explained their plan: Wen Gecheng would likely abandon his boat at a bamboo forest to await reinforcements, providing an opportunity to rescue Lu Ping. He warned that Wen Gecheng had enhanced his power using the Method of Xi Sui, and they would need a powerful "sword," referring to Zhao Xifan, who could see through enemy moves and strike swiftly.
Guo Youdao reminded Zhao Xifan that atonement wasn't about suffering, but about gaining the ability to reclaim what was lost. Zhao Xifan understood, reaffirming the Zhaifeng motto. Guo Youdao expressed his reluctance to hide Lu Ping's fate any longer, acknowledging it was a choice between resistance and obedience. They then split into three groups for the rescue. Zhao Xifan and Mo Lin raced off to rescue Lu Ping, while Chu Min and Guo Youdao agreed to pursue Shanhai Gang.
Meanwhile, Qin Sang meticulously searched Wen Gecheng's thatched cottage, determined to find evidence of his Shanhai Gang identity. Before Qin Qi arrived, she found a secret room but could not open it. Qin Qi arrived, finding her still searching. Qin Sang quickly explained that Wen Gecheng was a Shanhai Gang member and that Lu Ping had been taken. She urged Qin Qi to deploy the Dragon Guard Army immediately, as Lu Ping was in grave danger.
Qin Qi, struggling to believe his trusted subordinate was a traitor, ordered Qin Sang to be sent home for her "illness." Qin Sang confronted him, asking if he simply refused or "dared not" believe her. As she was being led away, a Shanhai Gang handprint was thrown through the window.
Qin Sang used the handprint and the Shanhai token to open the secret room, where she found a list of officials Wen Gecheng had recommended, suspecting them to be Shanhai Gang operatives. Qin Qi, now convinced, again ordered Qin Sang to be sent home, prohibiting her from leaving the mansion. He then declared he would personally lead the Dragon Guard Army to capture Wen Gecheng and ensure no Shanhai Gang member escaped, leaving the rest to fate.
Wen Gecheng dragged a struggling Lu Ping through a bamboo forest. Zhao Xifan intervened, saving Lu Ping using his Force of Essence, but the two of them were still no match for Wen Gecheng. Wen Gecheng recaptured Lu Ping, mocking his attempts to discern his fate. Lu Ping, using his "Microscope" ability, ironically questioned if Wen Gecheng could foresee his own end. Wen Gecheng dismissed his taunts, activating his "Microscope" to counter Lu Ping's Force of Essence attack, "Broken Marks."
He further provoked Lu Ping, questioning his rural origins for a six-Force Awakening and asking if he wouldn't want to reunite with his parents at Shanhai Gang. He then chillingly revealed that Lu Ping's parents, who loved and cherished him, had both died in Shanhai Gang, continuously harming Lu Ping's hands. This revelation deeply affected Zhao Xifan, who remembered Guo Youdao’s words about atonement.
Picking up two bamboo sticks, Zhao Xifan channeled his power, proclaiming "Sword of Yan Family," and swiftly struck down Wen Gecheng. Mo Lin and Su Tang then arrived. Mo Lin boasted of landing the killing blow with an arrow, ensuring Wen Gecheng's death. Lu Ping, though injured, lamented not being able to question Wen Gecheng further about unlocking his Force.
Later, Qin Qi's subordinates reported that Wen Gecheng's body was nowhere to be found, prompting Qin Qi to order a relentless search. Back at the inn, Su Tang, having lost a game of "odd or even" peanuts, formally agreed to become Mo Lin’s apprentice, a decision Chu Min playfully noted she wouldn't regret. Guo Youdao recognized Zhao Xifan's fighting style, revealing him as Yan Xifan, the lost young master of Wuji Manor.
Zhao Xifan, however, dismissed the name, explaining he changed it because he felt he had dishonored the "Sword of Yan Family" by failing to save a friend in the past. He expressed his happiness at being able to help Lu Ping now. Mo Lin, in turn, lamented the "melancholy young masters" who had homes but refused to return, unlike himself, who didn't know where his home was.
Guo Youdao reassured Lu Ping that Wen Gecheng's words were meant to anger him and should be dismissed. Lu Ping, however, reflected on his three-year search for "the thief," which had proven fruitless, replaced by the crushing revelation from Wen Gecheng that his parents were murdered by Shanhai Gang. He felt adrift, with only mysteries and deep hatred remaining.
He questioned the meaning of freedom, wondering if his awakened Force would merely be exploited by Shanhai Gang, leading to a tragic end like Ling Ziyan's. Zhao Xifan, though admitting he couldn't precisely define "the right way," invoked his father's teaching about martial artists protecting their country and assured Lu Ping that as long as he was there, Zhaifeng Institute's tradition of leaving no one behind would ensure Lu Ping's safety and guide his powers towards justice.
Lu Ping, with renewed resolve, vowed that as long as Zhaifeng and his brothers stood together, he would never falter or fear, no matter what Shanhai Gang planned. Guo Youdao added that even if Lu Ping didn't remember his parents, they would surely have heard his brave words.
