Legend of Awakening Episode 8 Recap
> Legend of Awakening Recap
The arrogant Wei Tianqi entered a congee shop in Kaifeng and demanded the private seats, spotting Lu Ping and his companions already occupying them. Ignoring his subordinate Wei Hu's advice to keep a low profile in Kaifeng, Wei Tianqi grabbed a wine pot and hurled it at Lu Ping's table. His subordinates then charged forward, engaging Lu Ping's group in a brawl.
As Wei Tianqi, left behind, reached for a bowl of congee intended for another customer, a drunk woman forcefully knocked him onto a table. She then took the congee and wine and left the shop. Lu Ping pursued her, thanking her for her intervention and asking her name, but she merely told him to "get lost," stating that anyone who interrupted her congee or blocked her path deserved to be beaten.
Lu Ping noted her incredible speed, observing that even Qin Sang's Assault Soul might not be able to follow her moves. Guo Youdao then appeared, revealing that he had been away purchasing greeting gifts for Lu Ping and his friends to present to Chu Min. He explained that as the Head of Zhaifeng Institute, he couldn't personally accompany them to Tianzhao Academy.
He described Chu Min as a highly skilled and peerlessly beautiful woman, Guo Youdao's long-time crush, and assured them that with her favorite gift—a freshly baked sweet snack—she would surely receive them. Mo Lin, however, expressed doubts, wondering if Guo Youdao was deceiving them again. Meanwhile, Qin Sang received reports of someone using the Qin family's golden token to scam people in Kaifeng.
The description of the group, including a woman, men, and someone with a disabled leg, led her to realize it was Lu Ping's group. Deciding to handle the matter herself, she noted her surprise at encountering them again. Lu Ping, Zhao Xifan, Su Tang, and Mo Lin arrived at Tianzhao Academy, where Mo Lin’s inquiries confirmed that no one knew of a mentor named Chu Min.
When a Tianzhao disciple prepared to open their "greeting gift," Lu Ping had a premonition and kicked it into the air, causing it to explode. The loud blast disturbed Luo Ting and other disciples who were practicing their Soul of Sound. Luo Ting confronted Lu Ping's group, accusing them of disrupting their cultivation. Lu Ping attempted to explain they were seeking Chu Min as a mentor, only to be told that no such person existed at Tianzhao.
Realizing they had been tricked by Guo Youdao, Mo Lin quickly produced the Qin family's token, declaring their Qin family connection. Luo Ting acknowledged the Qin family as an ally but still insisted on investigating them. Zhao Xifan tried to reason with Luo Ting, but Mo Lin, understanding the futility, asked for the safest place and led them to the Sutra Repository.
As Qin Sang and Ling Ziyan arrived at Tianzhao, they saw disciples chasing Lu Ping's group towards the backyard. Qin Sang suspected this was a diversion and headed in the opposite direction, finding Lu Ping's group at the Sutra Repository. Luo Ting and his disciples soon caught up. Lu Ping complained to Qin Sang that Tianzhao disciples accused them of being thieves, but Qin Sang retorted that they were indeed scamming with her golden token.
Luo Ting assumed Qin Sang was also a victim and ordered Lu Ping's arrest. Qin Sang intervened, identifying Lu Ping's group as her friends and requesting Luo Ting to spare them. Luo Ting agreed to test their abilities, picking Lu Ping first. Lu Ping stepped forward confidently, but Luo Ting, looking down on him for not having mastered even one soul power, used an underhand move.
Suddenly, the same drunk woman from the congee shop appeared, deflecting Luo Ting's attack and saving Lu Ping. Luo Ting rudely called the woman a "beggar," but Minister Xia arrived and chastised him, revealing the woman to be Chu Min, the librarian of the Sutra Repository and the strongest warrior in Tianzhao Academy. Zhao Xifan then formally introduced their group to Chu Min and pleaded with her to accept them as disciples.
Chu Min dismissed Minister Xia and his disciples, inviting Lu Ping's group and Qin Sang's group into the Sutra Repository. Inside, Guo Youdao was discovered hiding. Chu Min, addressing him as "Minmin," exposed his ploy to make her soft-hearted and accept disciples by having Lu Ping's group get into trouble. Guo Youdao tried to justify his actions as "paving the way," but Chu Min, disgusted by his manipulation, punched him and expelled everyone from the Sutra Repository.
Outside, Lu Ping’s group was dejected. Zhao Xifan, his face swollen, complained about Chu Min's harshness. Qin Sang, feeling uneasy despite "saving" them without receiving thanks, sent Ling Ziyan to their inn to provide assistance, determined not to owe Lu Ping a favor. Mo Lin applied his "de-swelling device," a hot, round object, to Zhao Xifan's face, who found it comforting. Guo Youdao still insisted his intentions were good, claiming they wouldn't have even met Chu Min without his intervention.
Lu Ping, discouraged by his perceived weakness, considered giving up, but Zhao Xifan suggested a new approach. He theorized that Chu Min, despite her reclusive nature, had a specific reason for visiting the congee shop for crab congee every year. Since the original shop owner had fled, they decided to make the crab congee themselves. Lu Ping crafted a new crutch for Zhao Xifan, whose old one was left behind, as a thank you.
Zhao Xifan, accepting the crutch, acknowledged Lu Ping's unwavering protectiveness and his commitment to the future of Zhaifeng Institute. Qin Sang secretly delivered government taels to the inn. When Lu Ping discovered her, he persuaded her to stay and help prepare the crab congee, apologizing for misusing her golden token. When Mo Lin and Su Tang arrived in the kitchen, Qin Sang tried to leave, but was compelled to stay.
Su Tang discovered the money, realizing Qin Sang had been there, and playfully suggested a romance between her and Lu Ping. Lu Ping denied it, asserting that their paths, though momentarily aligned, were fundamentally different. Later, Guo Youdao brought Chu Min to the inn. Chu Min was visibly touched by the sight of Lu Ping's group earnestly preparing the congee. However, Lu Ping abruptly suggested adding a "colorless and odorless poison" to the congee to gain an advantage.
Enraged, Chu Min overturned the pot. Guo Youdao intervened, emphasizing the youngsters' sincere efforts. After tasting the congee, Chu Min, to everyone's surprise, agreed to meet them at the Sutra Repository the following day. She clarified that she was not yet their mentor. Given the limited time before the Soul Combat Convention and their current lack of skill, she proposed the only viable, though dangerous, solution: the "Soul Splitting Technique."
She warned them that this banned art carried extreme risks, from losing all five senses to death. Lu Ping, Su Tang, and Zhao Xifan immediately agreed. After some teasing from Chu Min about his self-proclaimed assassin skills, Mo Lin reluctantly consented. Meanwhile, Minister Xia advised Luo Ting against being distracted by Qin Sang's status or Lu Ping's group, emphasizing that Qin Qi was gaining influence through the convention.
He predicted that Chu Min would use the forbidden Soul Splitting Technique to help Lu Ping's group. Minister Xia reminded Luo Ting that "schemes can kill better than weapons" and the complexities of "politics is way more complicated than the martial arts world." Concerned for Lu Ping's group, Qin Sang noticed Luo Ting heading towards the Sutra Repository. Knowing Luo Ting's vengeful nature, she followed. Inside, she found Lu Ping's group undergoing the Soul Splitting Technique.
She attempted to leave, threatening to inform her brother, but Chu Min pulled her into the technique, explaining that interrupting it would result in a severe backlash. Chu Min warned them that if they failed to achieve a breakthrough within a day, they would be marked with an imprint of blocked meridians for life. The Soul Splitting Technique had begun, and their lives were now in the hands of fate.
