Lost in The Kunlun Mountains Episode 1 Recap
> Lost in The Kunlun Mountains Recap
Legend has it that the Penta-sect’s hidden treasures have been sealed within the Kunlun Mountains for centuries. Throughout generations, the Heaven Officials of the Penta-sect, along with their disciples, have diligently guarded these riches, ensuring that no covetous individuals could lay claim to them for hundreds of years. However, in the turbulent early years of the Republic of China, the reigning Heaven Official, Ding Yuanshan, disappeared, causing the Penta-sect to scatter and operate independently.
As various forces began to eye the Kunlun treasures, Ding Yunqi, the Young Heaven Official of the Penta-sect who was studying abroad, received an urgent telegram from his father to return immediately. He promptly and secretly made his way back to Shanghai. Upon his arrival, Ding Yunqi encountered Hua Xingchen, a disciple from the Faqiu sect and the apprentice of its head, Zhou Qiuhai.
Hua Xingchen immediately recognized Ding Yunqi as the son of a traitor and relentlessly questioned him about the contents of the package he was carrying. Provoked by Hua Xingchen’s words, Ding Yunqi, disregarding the other man’s identity, swiftly engaged in a fight. Hua Xingchen, unable to match Ding Yunqi alone, called upon his fellow disciples to join the fray. Despite their numbers, Ding Yunqi’s exceptional skills made him formidable, and he effortlessly fended them off.
Eager to leave without further entanglement, he was unexpectedly blocked by Wu Shuang, another of Zhou Qiuhai's apprentices. After a brief skirmish, Ding Yunqi recognized her. Having known each other since childhood, Wu Shuang naturally did not wish to harm Ding Yunqi. Instead, she helped him evade his senior brothers, allowing him to escape. Ding Yunqi was unaware of his father’s plight. Returning from England to his home, he found it deserted, showing no signs of recent habitation.
Shortly after his arrival, police officers stormed in, intending to arrest him. They informed him that Ding Yuanshan was a wanted tomb raider. Ding Yunqi vehemently denied the accusation, asserting that his father was an archaeologist, not a thief. Using a hidden mechanism in his home, Ding Yunqi cleverly escaped the police. He then sought out his family's servant, San Jin, at the bell tower, a place from his childhood.
San Jin, however, had not seen Ding Yuanshan for six months and could offer no information other than that many people, including the police, were searching for him. Convinced his father was in grave trouble, Ding Yunqi resolved to uncover the truth. Wu Shuang later explained to Ding Yunqi that six months prior, Ding Yuanshan had taken a warlord to open the Kunlun Mountains. For reasons unknown to her, he was then labeled as the chief tomb raider.
She further elaborated that Penta-sect rules strictly prohibited bringing outsiders to the Kunlun Mountains, thus branding Ding Yuanshan a traitor for violating this sacred law. Concerned for Ding Yunqi’s safety, Wu Shuang urged him not to get involved and offered him all her savings, hoping he would return to England. However, Ding Yunqi steadfastly refused, declaring he could not abandon his father and was determined to resolve his troubles.
To establish contact with his father, Ding Yunqi boldly placed an advertisement in the newspaper, hoping Ding Yuanshan would see it and reach out. Chief of Police Luo Yunsong, upon seeing the notice, immediately discerned Ding Yunqi’s true intention: it was not a surrender, but a desperate attempt to find his father.
He understood that the phrase "Unfilial son Yunqi kneels at the Zongjiao Zidi" was a coded message, likely referring to a secret meeting place known only to father and son. Zhou Qiuhai also analyzed the newspaper ad and deduced that "Zongjiao Zidi" referred to a significant location from Ding Yunqi’s childhood, specifically a place where he had a narrow escape from death when he was seven or eight years old.
Meanwhile, Sun Sanxuan, the acting Head of the Mojin sect, began his journey to Shanghai shortly after Ding Yunqi’s advertisement appeared. Zhou Qiuhai, who had been monitoring Sun Sanxuan, believed that he might know the secret location mentioned in the newspaper. Luo Yunsong, receiving intelligence about Zhou Qiuhai's impending actions, ordered his team to prepare for a night operation, specifically instructing them to bring Luo Jiutian.
Unaware of the impending danger, Sun Sanxuan arrived at the dock that night and was unexpectedly confronted by Zhou Qiuhai and his faction. Zhou Qiuhai declared his intention to "purge" the Penta-sect, accusing Ding Yuanshan of being a traitor and Sun Sanxuan of being his accomplice. Sun Sanxuan vehemently rejected these accusations. As Sun Sanxuan refused to surrender, Zhou Qiuhai ordered his apprentice, Wu Shuang, to deploy the Xunfeng Formation, claiming it to be an unbreakable array.
Sun Sanxuan, undeterred, entered the formation. He barely fought through the first layer, a segment representing one of the Penta-sect's branches. Realizing the immense difficulty and knowing he couldn't break the formation alone, he fired a signal flare for help. Just as he was on the verge of defeat, Ding Yunqi dramatically appeared. Observing this, Wu Shuang subtly curved her lips into a slight smile.
Zhou Qiuhai reiterated his conviction that Kunlun Heaven Official Ding Yuanshan was a traitor and Sun Sanxuan his accomplice, justifying his actions as a necessary "purging." Ding Yunqi confronted Zhou Qiuhai, respectfully acknowledging him as an elder but firmly asserting that his father’s enemies were his own. He challenged the notion of calling the Kunlun Heaven Official a traitor, suggesting instead that those who opposed him were the true betrayers.
According to the Penta-sect’s rules, if Sun Sanxuan successfully broke the Xunfeng Formation, his status as a traitor would be cleared, thus negating the need for a formal trial. With rain threatening, Ding Yunqi attempted to persuade Zhou Qiuhai to call off the confrontation and let them leave. Zhou Qiuhai, however, challenged Ding Yunqi to demonstrate his capability to break the formation and take Sun Sanxuan away. He then ordered the formation to advance.
Sun Sanxuan continued his attempt to break through the Xunfeng Formation. The next challenge was the third layer, which was the Faqiu sect’s own array, making it even more formidable. Ding Yunqi then intervened, utilizing the Heaven Official's unique skill, 'Willow Catkins', to assist Sun Sanxuan in neutralizing the attackers within the formation. Everyone present was astonished by his incredibly skilled application of this martial art.
From a distance, Luo Yunsong and Luo Jiutian, along with other police officers, observed the unfolding events, with Luo Yunsong also recognizing the distinctive 'Willow Catkins' technique employed by Ding Yunqi.
