Love on the Turquoise Land Episode 27 Recap
> Love on the Turquoise Land Recap
At the South Mountain Hunters' base, everyone was diligently preparing for the capture of the Earth Fiends. Yan Tuo felt bewildered, unsure how to help, and stood by idly. Xing Shen noticed this and instructed Yu Rong to hand him a tranquilizer gun, encouraging him to contribute. Yu Rong warned Yan Tuo not to misfire, explaining that even a tranquilizer dart could incapacitate someone for at least two days. Yan Tuo acknowledged this, assuring them he wouldn't hold anyone back.
Yu Rong added that this was all the help she could offer, as it would be every man for himself once they reached the Golden Gate. Xing Shen then called out to Nie Jiuluo. After preparations, the group, disguised as a patrol team, swiftly made their way to the outskirts of Twilight Chasm to search for Earth Fiend traces. Before departing, Nie Jiuluo mentioned an item of hers was a "treasure."
Xing Shen had a phone conversation, confirming their arrival and the three-day mine closure plan, while reminding the other party to keep an eye on the Earth Fiends. He then instructed his own team to watch their step as the path was rough. Unexpectedly, their path was blocked by a landslide. One team member questioned if there was another route, but another pointed out that the established patrol routes were centuries-old and hadn't been updated in a long time.
They considered taking Village Four, but no one was sure if it even existed or if previous generations had traversed it. Splitting up to search was deemed too risky by Xing Shen, as they had Earth Fiends with them. Nie Jiuluo then confidently stated that she believed she could find the way to Village Four, prompting a surprised inquiry about how she knew. She simply told them to follow her.
The group followed Nie Jiuluo, who explained that the South Mountain Hunters had relocated eight times, with Qin Village being the first, located directly above the Golden Gate where they intended to camp. Village Four was another outpost established about 400 years after Qin Village. As evening approached, Xing Shen observed signs of recent human activity, noting that someone had been there lately.
He ordered his team to check the perimeter, expressing concern that this wasn't a regular patrol route and they shouldn't linger. He decided they must push through to Qin Village that night. The team then stopped for a rest. During the break, Yan Tuo offered Nie Jiuluo a snack, promising a hot meal once they reached Qin Village.
He pointed out a nearby statue, asking if it was identical to one she had shown him at the Temple of the Righteous Lord. Nie Jiuluo confirmed the similarity, explaining it wasn't surprising as the entire area was South Mountain Hunters' territory. Yan Tuo then teased her about her past ice-cold demeanor, to which she playfully told him to keep his voice down. Xing Shen instructed Guo to keep watch over the others.
Xing Shen decided it was time to move on and offered to scout ahead with a few men since the area was unfamiliar. Nie Jiuluo volunteered to leave markers for the main group to follow. Big Head, Yan Tuo, and Nie Jiuluo took the lead to explore the path. They walked carefully, making meticulous marks along the way. Nie Jiuluo felt an unsettling atmosphere, as if unseen eyes were constantly watching them.
At one point, Yan Tuo asked Nie Jiuluo if she was scared, which she denied, telling him not to treat her like a child. She warned him that something felt "fishy" and urged caution. Yan Tuo, seeing an unexplained fire ahead, wondered who would make one out there, but Nie Jiuluo dismissed his startled reaction.
After walking in circles, the advance team was astonished to find themselves back at their starting point, where they encountered the main group who were confused about their return. Nie Jiuluo realized they had fallen victim to a "Ghost Wall." Some speculated it might be a trap set by the South Mountain Hunter ancestors to prevent outsiders or Earth Fiends from entering their territory, though they wondered why it would affect their own people.
During this time, Nie Jiuluo had a philosophical conversation with Yan Tuo about Earth Fiends, acknowledging that understanding them isn't difficult but that other problems in the world are far more complex. Yan Tuo suggested they solve those first, to which Nie Jiuluo agreed, embracing the idea of overcoming each challenge as it comes. Yan Tuo also shared a thought about solitary animals and the Earth's magnetic field.
Nie Jiuluo then observed that this wasn't Yan Tuo's first time in such a situation. Nie Jiuluo recalled ancient texts mentioning an intricate mechanism set up by ancestors to deter Earth Fiend incursions. This "Ghost Wall" now made it difficult for even their own people to enter. She recited a passage about the South Mountain Hunters' formation: "Mad Dog leads the charge, Mad Blade sits in the central tent, and Ghost Whip cracks his glowing whip."
Applying this, she explained that a nearby hillside represented Mad Dog, a moonlit tree stood for Ghost Whip, and the statue was Mad Blade. With sharp insight, she began searching, finding bronze mirrors on the ground and in a tree, with Yan Tuo also discovering one. She confidently concluded her theory was correct. Yan Tuo, initially doubting if the mechanism was on the statue, was surprised when Nie Jiuluo decisively inserted the Mad Blade into the statue.
Instantly, the moonlight reflected off the mirrors, clearly revealing the correct path into the village. Nie Jiuluo confirmed this was the way forward. As "Mad Dog," Xing Shen resolutely led the way, clearing a path for the team. During this time, Yan Tuo admired the beautiful full moon to Nie Jiuluo, who lamented they couldn't stay due to the urgency of their mission. Yet again, their progress was halted by another landslide, with massive rocks blocking the route.
With no other option, they took another detour, eventually arriving at a cave for a brief rest. Inside the cave, Yu Rong, curious about the effects of Mad Blade's blood on an Earth Fiend, pulled Nie Jiuluo towards the captured Earth Fiends. These Earth Fiends, already in chains, looked terrified, especially at the mention of being injected with the blood.
Yu Rong told them to put on the chains for their own good, and warned them that if they misbehaved, they would be injected with Mad Blade's blood to reduce their problems. One of the Earth Fiends responded, "Lin Xirou is here." Xing Shen then ordered his team to closely monitor the Earth Fiends now that they were near their "home," threatening severe consequences if they caused trouble in Twilight Chasm.
Nie Jiuluo and Yu Rong discussed the next day's descent into the Golden Gate. Nie Jiuluo explained that she and Xing Shen would lead separate teams down in sequence for mutual support, with Xing Shen's "Hound Clan" leading the charge and Nie Jiuluo's "Mad Blade" team acting as rear guard. Yu Rong, remarking on Nie Jiuluo's dual roles as a Hunter upholding her family's mission and finding time for romance, called her a genius, adding that Ghost Whip was impressed.
Nie Jiuluo expressed a touch of cynicism, wondering if they would even make it back up once they descended. Yu Rong acknowledged Nie Jiuluo's possible nervousness and then shifted to a serious topic, suggesting that Xing Shen had been to Village Four before and only Nie Jiuluo could find out why. Nie Jiuluo dismissed the question, stating she didn't want to know.
When Yu Rong pressed about her trust in Xing Shen, Nie Jiuluo admitted that his faith and loyalty to the South Mountain Hunters surpassed theirs, making him the most trusted leader. Doubting him would mean opposing the entire group. Yu Rong sensed Nie Jiuluo's reluctance but insisted she needed something from her.
That evening, while Nie Jiuluo and Yan Tuo shared a meal, discussing the plans for entering the Golden Gate, Nie Jiuluo expressed a surprising lack of nervousness despite being at the entrance. Yan Tuo reassured her, attributing it to her strong mental fortitude, the collective preparedness of the Hunters, and most importantly, his constant presence by her side. They toasted to good things ahead.
Later, Nie Jiuluo was plagued by a recurring nightmare, dreaming of being trapped in a car plunging into the sea, her cries for help unheard. Yan Tuo woke to her distressed shouts and gently comforted her, assuring her of his presence. Gazing into the deep chasm with carvings on its walls, Yan Tuo wondered what they were.
Nie Jiuluo explained that it was a star chart intricately carved by the South Mountain Hunters a thousand years ago, each mark embodying their ancestors' wisdom. Yan Tuo elaborated that while the oldest "recognized" star chart was 1200 years old and now in an overseas museum, the South Mountain Hunters' stone star charts dated back over two millennia. He then asked how they would descend.
Nie Jiuluo, after a slight hesitation and a playful jab at Yan Tuo, pointed to a spot, mentioning that historically they would have to climb down using the chart. She then skillfully took the lifting rope, and with a firm and resolute gaze, descended without hesitation.
