Love of Thousand Years Episode 26 Recap
> Love of Thousand Years Recap
Tan Chuan, worried about Fu Jiuyun, learned from the Demon King that Fu Jiuyun was indeed the spiritual lamp's wick. If the lamp were lit, he would be consumed, leading to both their deaths. The Demon King taunted Tan Chuan, claiming Fu Jiuyun had deliberately deceived her, fearing his own death and deeming her brief personal vendetta insignificant compared to his long life. He depicted Fu Jiuyun as a selfish immortal who had wasted Tan Chuan's sincere feelings.
Despite these accusations, Tan Chuan firmly believed Fu Jiuyun would not betray her. Seeing Fu Jiuyun suffering in flames, she desperately begged the Demon King to spare him. The Demon King, however, remained resolute, urging her to persuade Fu Jiuyun to willingly incinerate himself to lessen his torment, before he cruelly left. Meanwhile, Zuo Zichen managed to locate Xuanzhu, who was imprisoned. Soon after, Ting Yuan also arrived at Tan Chuan's location.
The Demon King, recognizing Ting Yuan as the Second Prince, prepared to kill him. Tan Chuan quickly intervened, stopping the Demon King and agreeing to his demand to persuade Fu Jiuyun. The Demon King then took Tan Chuan to Fu Jiuyun. Upon seeing him in distress, Tan Chuan rushed to comfort him, vowing to rescue him. Fu Jiuyun, though suffering, urged her to stay away and escape.
Tan Chuan confronted Fu Jiuyun, asking if he was indeed the spiritual lamp wick. He confirmed his identity but explained he had hidden it to prevent her from sacrificing herself. He confessed that when he decided to give her the spiritual lamp, he secretly resolved to become the wick himself if she insisted on lighting it, so she would never know his sacrifice. Tan Chuan, heartbroken, embraced him, realizing this meant his death.
She then attempted to rescue him using paper theurgy, transforming into a crane, but the Demon King's power was overwhelming. The Demon King mocked Fu Jiuyun, declaring him useless, but Fu Jiuyun defiantly stated that as long as he breathed, the Demon King could not harm Tan Chuan. As the Demon King prepared to deliver a fatal blow to Fu Jiuyun, Bai, the mirror immortal, suddenly appeared, proclaiming his continued usefulness and attempting to shield Fu Jiuyun.
The Demon King warned Bai that he would be shattered if he continued to interfere. The Demon King then demanded that Fu Jiuyun incinerate himself willingly, threatening to kill everyone present if he refused. Recalling her master's words that paper theurgy's highest realm involved self-sacrifice, Tan Chuan took a knife and pierced her own heart. With her dying strength, she used paper theurgy to create cat-shaped fighting forms, and then collapsed.
Fu Jiuyun immediately rushed to her side, holding her tightly. As the Demon King made another move against Fu Jiuyun, Bai intervened again, sacrificing himself and being ruthlessly destroyed. Fu Jiuyun watched in agony, clutching Bai's fragments. As the chaos subsided, Zuo Zichen, despite the danger, managed to free Xuanzhu from her confinement. Meishan arrived just in time, sealing Tan Chuan's heart to stop the bleeding and assessing her critical condition.
He swiftly helped Fu Jiuyun transport the severely injured Tan Chuan, along with Zuo Zichen and Xuanzhu, away from the perilous scene. They eventually reached Taoyuan. Meishan began treating Tan Chuan, explaining that her extensive power loss meant she would likely suffer a shortened lifespan. Fu Jiuyun, however, found this ironic, stating that Tan Chuan's life was already hanging by a thread as the destined lamp lighter, rendering the idea of "shortened life" almost a joke.
Meishan wondered if Tan Chuan would still light the lamp now that she knew Fu Jiuyun was the wick. Fu Jiuyun, conversely, hoped she would be decisive and light it, fearing that if she abandoned her goal for him, she would live a life of regret and pain. Meishan and Fu Jiuyun both observed that the volcano was behaving unusually, leading them to suspect that the Demon King had not been entirely vanquished and might have further sinister plans.
Fu Jiuyun meticulously cared for Tan Chuan, deeply distressed by her near-fatal sacrifice for him. Meanwhile, Ting Yuan, the Second Prince, led Zuo Zichen and Xuanzhu to a secure place, urging them to rest and emphasizing their bond as comrades who had faced death together. Xuanzhu, recalling Zuo Zichen's desperate efforts to save her, felt a surge of happiness. After dedicated care, Tan Chuan finally regained consciousness.
Fu Jiuyun chose not to reveal the full truth of their escape or Bai's fate. He told her that she had saved everyone by making the "monster" fall into the volcano, allowing them to recover the spiritual lamp. He explained that Bai was merely asleep, having consumed too much power, and needed ample rest. Tan Chuan, unsuspecting, believed his reassuring words. In another room, Zuo Zichen diligently attended to Xuanzhu, bringing more charcoal to warm her.
Seeing her shiver, he quickly added another quilt to her bed. He then lay beside her, offering comfort and warmth, promising to care for her from then on. When Xuanzhu later awoke, she found Zuo Zichen gone and rose to search for him. Fu Jiuyun took Tan Chuan out to eat flaky pastries, which he playfully touted as more effective than any immortal medicine. As they enjoyed the pastries, they discussed their dreams of opening a pastry shop.
Tan Chuan teased Fu Jiuyun about his lack of practical skills, suggesting he could only handle money while she kneaded dough. Fu Jiuyun countered that he could paint their signboard with an oil can, but Tan Chuan preferred he use his calligraphy to write couplets. A vendor in the town mentioned that most demons had recently migrated to Nanman, reportedly because their demon king had returned, assuring them that Taoyuan and Li would be free of demons.
Fu Jiuyun subtly hinted that the absence of demons was due to the spiritual lamp. Meanwhile, a seemingly ordinary old man, having survived the recent catastrophe, knelt in secret, offering gratitude to the Demon King, attributing his survival to the Demon King's guidance.
