Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities Episode 16 Recap
> Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities Recap
Na Sheng, longing for companionship, expressed her wish to journey with Yan Xi or at least with Zhen Lan, finding Xi Jing's company quite dull. Bai Ying assured her that she would convey her message to Zhen Lan. Bai Ying also updated Zhen Lan that the High Priest had found a Water Dispelling Pearl for Na Sheng's journey into the Ghost and Deity Abyss.
Su Mo prepared for his meeting in Cangliu, instructing Yan Xi to accompany him and carry out a specific task. He instructed Yan Xi to carry obsidian to the Cangliu Military Camp and deliver it to Xiang. Yan Xi also informed Su Mo that Xiang had reported that Xiao, a mermaid who had voluntarily joined Cangliu, had recovered her memory and regretted her past actions, now dedicated to helping the Quanxian return to the Biluo Sea.
Su Mo, trusting in the information relayed by Xiang, instructed Yan Xi to inform Xiang of his plan: to save their tribesmen and destroy the Wind Falcons. As Su Mo and Yan Xi departed, Ning Liang, concerned for their safety, wanted to follow, but Elder Yu and Han Zhou intervened, urging her to trust the Young Master's capabilities and not jeopardize his intricate plan by acting rashly.
Upon arriving at the Cangliu Military Camp, Nan Zhao greeted Su Mo and Yan Xi, permitting only Su Mo to enter for a private meeting with Master Peng, leaving Yan Xi outside. Inside, Nan Zhao attempted to provoke Su Mo by revealing information about Xiao, a mermaid who had voluntarily joined Cangliu, even piloting Yu Huan's Wind Falcon during the Taoyuan Province battle and tragically killing her own sister, Ting. Su Mo, unfazed by Nan Zhao's words, maintained his composure.
While serving tea, Xiao tried to discreetly pass an item to Su Mo under the table, but Nan Zhao noticed and promptly dismissed her. Su Mo then directed the conversation to the alliance. Master Peng, initially dismissing the Quanxian's alliance with Kongsang as futile, proposed an alliance with Cangliu instead. He promised the release of captured merpeople if Su Mo handed over the holder of the Heavenly Ring.
Su Mo, confident in his abilities, reminded Nan Zhao of her previous defeat by his magic. He then revealed his awareness of Master Peng's true ambition: to gain supreme power within Cangliu by dominating the other four masters and obtaining the Heavenly Ring. To Master Peng's surprise, Su Mo offered to deliver both the Heavenly Ring and the Earth Ring, effectively conceding to Master Peng's desire for ultimate authority.
Master Peng, taken aback by Su Mo's bold offer, agreed to the alliance, sealing it with tea instead of wine. Su Mo then took Yan Xi to a latrine, intending for Yan Xi to sneak a message outside before Su Mo returned to Master Peng. As Yan Xi attempted to leave, Yu Huan confronted him. A subordinate swiftly reported the conflict to Master Peng, who ordered Nan Zhao to intervene.
During Nan Zhao's attempt to mediate the situation between Yan Xi and Yu Huan, Yan Xi seized the moment to secretly pass the obsidian to Xiao. Nan Zhao led Yan Xi back to the main hall, while Yu Huan, refusing to let Xiao leave, ordered her to return to the residence. At that opportune moment, Xiang arrived, delivering a jar of wine to Yu Huan on behalf of Fei Lian.
Xiao discreetly passed the vital information to Xiang, who also subtly hinted that the wine would taste better warmed, implying a hidden message or action. Later, as Su Mo was departing from Cangliu with the freed merpeople, Yu Huan ambushed them with a powerful "Golden Formation." Master Peng, furious at Yu Huan's unauthorized attack, commanded Nan Zhao to stop him.
However, Yu Huan defiantly declared his intent to capture Su Mo, boasting that his Golden Formation was unbreakable, even by a true Sea Emperor, and would drain Su Mo's already diminished powers. In Su Mo's moment of dire peril, Bai Ying arrived, heroically destroying the Golden Formation, allowing Su Mo and the merpeople to escape. A powerful observer, Zhi Zhe, on a distant mountain noted with surprise that someone had managed to break the Golden Formation.
Master Peng, enraged by Yu Huan's betrayal, confronted him, accusing him of first suggesting the alliance and then deliberately sabotaging it. He questioned Yu Huan's ability to wield Kongsang's Golden Formation and suspected a deeper motive behind his actions. Su Mo believed Yu Huan's offer of alliance was merely a pretext to capture him, realizing that Cangliu was far more powerful than he had anticipated, with a hidden expert advising Master Peng and Yu Huan.
Bai Ying concurred, confirming that Cangliu's ultimate target was Na Sheng, a person Su Mo vehemently refused to surrender. The High Priest corroborated that the Golden Formation was indeed an ancient Kongsang array. Zhen Lan, concerned for Bai Ying's safety, warned her against acting rashly in the future.
He then delved into ancient texts, learning that the Golden Formation, a royal Kongsang technique, had been lost for 500 years in Yunhuang, and its breaking method was in a volume stored in the Jing Pagoda. The ruthless slaughter of merpeople by Cangliu intensified, prompting many Quanxian elders to argue that their alliance with Kongsang was the cause of this calamity. They believed surrendering Na Sheng was the only way to appease Cangliu and restore peace.
However, Su Mo urged them not to fall for Cangliu's machinations, warning that revealing their weakness would only embolden their enemies. He instructed them to await his decision once he emerged from seclusion. Meanwhile, Nan Zhao continued her cruel executions of merpeople. Fei Lian, horrified by the brutality, attempted to intervene, but Nan Zhao, asserting her own authority as a general, warned him against interfering.
She added that Master Peng would not pamper his moods, unlike his (Fei Lian's) Master Lang. Su Mo consulted his master, Si Shi, about cultivating the Splitting Technique to destroy the Wind Falcons, asking for more obsidian, the blood of the wensha beast, and youtong flower sap. Si Shi expressed grave concerns about the technique's extreme dangers, which could lead to insanity or even death.
Su Mo, however, insisted it was their only viable path to success, necessary not only to ignite the obsidian to burn down the Wind Falcons but also to contend with the powerful, hidden expert behind Cangliu, whom he suspected was using ancient Kongsang techniques. Ning Liang, distressed by the torture of her tribesmen, sought information from Han Zhou about Na Sheng's whereabouts.
Han Zhou disclosed that Zhen Lan had arranged for Na Sheng to reside in a hut east of Jing Lake, but cautioned Ning Liang against any foolish actions. Ning Liang also expressed frustration with Kongsang's perceived inaction and silence regarding their allies' plight.
