Martial Universe: Season 1 Episode 24 Recap
> Martial Universe: Season 1 Recap
Lin Langtian and Qingtan paused their journey to rest. Qingtan observed the calluses on Lin Langtian's hands, asking if his training at Yuan Gate was particularly hard. She compared him to her brother, Lin Dong, who she said often goofed off during practice. Lin Langtian responded that only after tasting the worst bitterness can one become the best.
Suddenly, Lin Langtian was afflicted by the Cold Qi from the Ninth Level of the Underworld, which was entering his body through his feet, causing him to lose all feeling in his legs. He urged Qingtan to leave him and find Lin Dong, but she refused, reminding him of their promise to find the Dimension Talisman together and that he would cure her own toxin.
Determined to save him, Qingtan injured her own hand, offering her warm blood to Lin Langtian, hoping to counter the cold. After he consumed it, he felt much better. Ling Qingzhu soon appeared, observing their condition. She noted the potent Cold Qi from the Ninth Level of the Underworld in their bodies, emphasizing its danger even to powerful cultivators, and adding that Lin Dong's Yellow Armor of Earth had saved them.
Ling Qingzhu informed them that the map they were using was false, accusing Lin Langtian of possessing a map stolen by a Yi-Demon. Qingtan, distraught, defended Lin Dong, asserting he wouldn't lie to her and that he had tasked her and Lin Langtian with finding the Dimension Talisman. Mu Qianqian arrived, defending Lin Langtian and claiming she obtained the map from the Yin Puppet Sect.
She accused Ling Qingzhu of spreading "wild speculations" instead of blaming the Yin Puppet Sect, and questioned the intentions of Ninth Heaven Taiqing Palace. Ling Qingzhu expressed her distrust, citing the suspicious death of Master Yan while protecting Lin Dong in Yan City. Lin Langtian, exasperated, offered to be killed to resolve her suspicions. Ling Qingzhu then urged Qingtan to come with her, as Lin Dong was worried.
Qingtan refused, professing her promise to Lin Langtian to find the Dimension Talisman and her belief that Lin Dong loved Ling Qingzhu and she didn't want to disturb them. During a struggle, Qingtan accidentally knocked Ling Qingzhu unconscious. Qingtan felt immense guilt, while Lin Langtian reassured her, declaring that "From today on, your life is my life." Mu Qianqian confirmed that Ling Qingzhu only suffered a concussion with no internal damage.
Lin Langtian confronted Mu Qianqian about the false map and why she told him it came from Lin Dong. Mu Qianqian dismissed his questions, suggesting he was only interested in finding the ancestral talisman. She then revealed that due to the reappearance of the Yi-Demons, they had to accelerate their plans. Mu Qianqian urged Lin Langtian to recover from his injuries, promising to find the true map herself and asking for his trust, which he readily gave.
Returning to Qingtan, Lin Langtian comforted her, telling her that if she protected herself, it would be enough protection for him. Qingtan then asked about Ling Qingzhu. They decided to take the unconscious Ling Qingzhu back to Lin Dong. Mu Qianqian, still disguised as Ying Huanhuan, encountered Lin Dong in the forest while he was searching for Xiao Yan.
She feigned exhaustion and dizziness, then pretended to be scared and fell into his arms, claiming to have seen a large snake. Lin Dong, wary of Ling Qingzhu's potential misunderstanding, pushed her away, accusing her of faking it and urging her to get up. The disguised Mu Qianqian tried to appeal to him, reminding him of her past sacrifices and loyalty, but Lin Dong remained unmoved.
Internally, Mu Qianqian mused that if this didn't work, she had other methods to get the true map from him. Teng Lei, frustrated, questioned his subordinates about Lin Diao's whereabouts, wondering why he couldn't be found even in his own home. His subordinate reported that they had instead found Lin Dong's "stupid fighter," Xiao Yan. Meanwhile, Lin Dong returned to the Wanjin Chamber of Commerce to find Xiao Yan already there, claiming he was hungry.
Lin Dong chided Xiao Yan for making them search for him. Lin Dong then assured Xiao Yan that while finding Qingtan was important, they had a more critical task at hand. He promised that once this task was completed, they would immediately go find Qingtan and bring her back. Having located Lin Dong's hiding place, Teng Lei expressed his annoyance that Lin Dong had hidden in such a spot.
When his subordinate cautioned against using force due to the Wanjin Chamber of Commerce's influence, Teng Lei scoffed at their power, asking if they were greater than the Yin Puppet Sect. He deduced that Lin Dong was at the Chamber of Commerce to repair his Earth-level spiritual weapon, the Ancient Earth Scales Halberd.
Recognizing that such a weapon possessed a spirit, Teng Lei devised a plan to control it with his Talisman Puppet Spell, lure Lin Dong out of the city, and capture him. While waiting for Xia Wanjin to repair the Ancient Earth Scales Halberd, Lin Dong confided in Lin Diao that he felt something was off about Ying Huanhuan. Lin Diao, in turn, joked that any woman who met Lin Dong wouldn't be normal.
Xia Wanjin soon declared the halberd fixed and even more powerful than before. Lin Dong, pleased, tested his weapon, but it suddenly flew out of the city. Lin Dong immediately gave chase, despite Xia Wanjin's warning to watch out for traps. Lin Dong indeed fell into a trap, finding himself in a strange area with Lin Diao, who urged they leave. They were then attacked by a formidable Blood Spirit Puppet.
Teng Lei, watching from afar, gleefully observed Lin Dong's struggle, confident that it would be a "definite death" for him. During the intense chase, Lin Diao complained about something "cutting into my butt." Lin Dong, thinking quickly, found an unknown stone and used it to incapacitate the Blood Spirit Puppet. He then retrieved a "great item" from the puppet's body.
After Lin Dong and Lin Diao realized that the disguised Ying Huanhuan had disappeared, Lin Dong worried she might have been captured by Teng Lei. Elsewhere, Teng Lei had indeed knocked the "real" Ying Huanhuan unconscious, expressing his disdain for her noisy personality and frustration that he had captured her instead of Ling Qingzhu.
Suddenly, Mu Qianqian revealed her true form, slapping Teng Lei and reprimanding him for almost ruining her plan to obtain the genuine spiritual map from Lin Dong. She questioned his knowledge of the Yin Puppet Sect's origins, cutting him off when he began a rambling, incorrect explanation. Mu Qianqian sternly instructed him to wait for Lin Dong, who would surely come looking for Ying Huanhuan, warning him not to mess up their scheme.
Meanwhile, the real Ying Huanhuan, guided by Little Beidou Bird, became lost in a deep forest. The bird's agitated behavior suggested Lin Dong was in trouble. She then encountered Teng Lei. Initially mistaking her for Mu Qianqian, he called her "Senior Sister." Ying Huanhuan quickly corrected him. Teng Lei, realizing it was Ying Huanhuan, taunted her about looking for Lin Dong, promising to "take her to see Lin Dong" by sending her "down" to him.
A fight ensued, and Ying Huanhuan narrowly escaped Teng Lei's pursuit. Mu Qianqian, reappearing, berated Teng Lei for his incompetence, calling him "garbage" for letting Ying Huanhuan escape, and ordered him to chase after her, fearing Lin Dong discovering their scheme. Lin Dong found the real Ying Huanhuan and was relieved she was unharmed, though he checked her for injuries.
Ying Huanhuan, teasing, noted the calluses on his hands, attributing them to his training to retrieve the Ancient Earth Scales Halberd. She decided to keep her identity as the Ice Talisman Successor a secret for now. Lin Diao, sensing Teng Lei's imminent arrival, urged them to leave quickly. As they traveled back to the city, they discovered the unconscious Ling Qingzhu.
Lin Dong immediately rushed her to Xia Wanjin for help, dismissing Xia Wanjin's complaints about attracting unwanted attention, highlighting the urgency of the situation. Lin Langtian and Qingtan also arrived. Qingtan expressed her worry that Lin Dong might have forgotten her, but Lin Langtian reassured her that her brother cherished her and trusted him to protect her.
When Qingtan directly asked Lin Langtian if they were competing with Lin Dong for the ancestral talisman, he dodged the question, stating only that the Yi-Demon was their common enemy. Xia Wanjin examined Ling Qingzhu, finding her injury to be "very strange" – an ice toxin. Ying Huanhuan offered to help, being familiar with such toxins.
Ying Huanhuan then tried to get Lin Dong's attention, dramatically claiming to be cold, which earned a sarcastic remark from a now-conscious Ling Qingzhu about her being "so delicate" and that superficial wounds were nothing compared to heartache. Ying Huanhuan continued to complain about her own unacknowledged injuries, while Mu Qianqian (observing nearby) scornfully regarded human emotions, believing that being "trapped by love" created opportunities for her.
Lin Dong, seeing Ling Qingzhu awake, immediately inquired about Qingtan, expressing concern that Ling Qingzhu had the same ice toxin and asking why she was back in Dakui City and how she got injured. Ling Qingzhu, choosing to hide Lin Langtian's involvement to protect the fragile relationship between the brothers, lied, claiming she was ambushed by the Yin Puppet Sect after completing her mission at the palace.
She further stated that the Cold Qi in her body was from the foggy forest outside Dakui City, not Qingtan's toxin. Enraged by this news, Lin Dong vowed to make the Yin Puppet Sect pay. Upon learning Ying Huanhuan was also present and injured, Lin Dong expressed concern and intent to check on her later, causing Ling Qingzhu to display evident jealousy.
