Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities Episode 8 Recap
> Mirror: A Tale of Twin Cities Recap
Guards frantically pursued Yan Xi after he was shot in the chest, but he ultimately managed to escape. Shi Peng was furious upon learning this, reprimanding Nan Zhao severely. They confirmed the escapee was Yan Xi, the Quanxian army's Commissioner of the Left, who had been injured during his flight. General Yu Huan speculated that Yan Xi couldn't have gone far and likely fled to Taoyuan Province, known for its tolerance towards merpeople, possibly aided by Governor Gao Shunzhao.
He ordered Nan Zhao to lead Cangliu soldiers in a thorough search there. Simultaneously, Yu Huan reiterated his command to continue the hunt for Na Sheng, who had crossed Tianque, demanding she be captured, dead or alive. Meanwhile, in Taoyuan Province, Na Sheng, feeling hungry, attempted to trade some valuable fairy grass for buns but was dismissed by a shopkeeper who called them weeds. An old man, witnessing this, offered her buns and recognized her herbs as priceless.
He offered to take her to a merchant he knew who specialized in such medicinal herbs, guaranteeing the best price in Yunhuang. When Na Sheng tried to offer him some herbs as repayment, the old man refused, citing a local custom of helping without compensation. Yu Huan then intervened as Nan Zhao was attempting to execute Xiao, a prisoner captured for treason. Yu Huan asserted his authority, claiming Xiao for himself.
He noted Xiao's remarkable resilience under torture, including resisting a mind-control technique, which led him to believe her claims of amnesia. Yu Huan offered Xiao a new path: to become his weapon and pilot for the Wind Falcon. Despite her memory loss, Xiao pledged her loyalty to Yu Huan for saving her life. Nan Zhao objected, questioning the legality of keeping a treasonous prisoner, but Yu Huan dismissed his concerns, ordering him to proceed with the investigation in Taoyuan Province.
Fei Lian also expressed apprehension about keeping someone who had tried to assassinate Yu Huan, but Yu Huan insisted Xiao possessed an innate agility, strong will, loyalty, and acuity, making her an ideal Wind Falcon pilot. Fei Lian advised Yu Huan to provide a proper explanation to Lord Peng for his decision. The old man, betraying Na Sheng, brought her to a merchant to sell her. Terrified, Na Sheng cried out for help.
Her Heavenly Ring reacted, alerting Bai Ying, Zhen Lan, and the High Priest, who monitored the situation through the Water Mirror. Su Mo arrived just in time, rescuing Na Sheng from the merchant. Seeing Su Mo's intervention, the High Priest and Zhen Lan expressed relief. Su Mo sternly advised Na Sheng to leave the city to avoid further danger, but she questioned why he was reluctant to see Bai Ying. Su Mo visited Madam Ru Yi at her gambling house.
He explained that for the past century, he had been seeking the Sea Emperor's power outside Yunhuang, and while it hadn't fully awakened, his strength had grown significantly. He praised Ru Yi's efforts in maintaining the gambling house to raise funds and gather intelligence for Quanxian. Ru Yi informed him that most Quanxian people previously under Prince Qing's control had escaped, though some were ambushed. She also stated that Prince Qing's whereabouts had been unknown for 100 years.
Su Mo, recalling an earlier encounter where his blood pact failed to harm Prince Qing, doubted his death, suspecting a powerful helper, and vowed to remain vigilant until he saw Prince Qing's corpse. Ru Yi then led Su Mo to a secret chamber, revealing that the Quanxian Great Camp was hidden beneath Jing Lake, protected by an enchantment created by weakening elders. Su Mo promised to reinforce the enchantment.
Ru Yi also updated him on a failed assassination attempt on General Yu Huan, which resulted in Yan Xi's escape and Xiao's capture, although she believed Xiao had also escaped. Su Mo then revealed his plan to unseal the dragon deity at the Entrapped Dragon Abyss to eventually break the Biluo Sea's seal and lead their people home. Ru Yi cautioned that this required first retrieving the Splitting Sword from Jiuyi Mountain.
She mentioned approximately 1,000 Quanxian people in Taoyuan Province but highlighted the difficulties of moving them due to Cangliu's presence. Ru Yi also reported that Cangliu was hunting those who passed through Tianque, specifically mentioning a girl with the Heavenly Ring. Su Mo confirmed seeing Bai Ying and Zhen Lan, predicting that the reunion of the Heaven and Earth rings would prompt Kongsang to reclaim Jing City.
Ru Yi advised Su Mo to stay safe within the secret chamber of the gambling house. Zhen Lan, now in a physical form, revealed to the High Priest that his other sealed powers were located in the Ghost and Deity Abyss, Jiuyi Mountain, and Jing City's Jing Tower. The High Priest expressed concern about these dangerous locations and Na Sheng's safety, as the Heavenly Ring's current power was insufficient to overcome Cangliu's obstacles and unseal Zhen Lan's remaining powers.
The High Priest suggested Bai Ying, whose Earth Ring could sense the Heavenly Ring, should go. However, he reminded Zhen Lan that Kongsang people, including Bai Ying, could not travel in sunlight, especially given her recent injury. They concluded that another escort was needed, and Zhen Lan proposed Kongsang's Great General, Xi Jing. Meanwhile, Xi Jing and Ting were traveling towards the Central Plains.
Xi Jing urged Ting to return home to his sister, as he had for over a century, but Ting refused to leave Xi Jing, concerned about his well-being. Xi Jing reflected that he was no longer the man he was 100 years ago, but Ting insisted he remained unchanged. Ting then suggested they head to Taoyuan Province, where the Ruyi Gambling House was known for its fine wine, and Xi Jing agreed.
Na Sheng, alone on the outskirts and feeling hungry, found herself in danger. Her Heavenly Ring reacted, prompting Zhen Lan to instruct the High Priest to activate the Water Mirror. They observed Na Sheng discovering a severely injured Yan Xi, who was bleeding and poisoned. Believing he was dying and pursued by troops, Yan Xi gave Na Sheng his necklace, asking her to deliver it to Madam Ru Yi and report his failed mission.
Na Sheng, however, insisted on saving him with her precious "snow poppy" herb from the Central Plains. Yan Xi was astonished by her selfless act, and even more so when the snow poppy miraculously revived him. Finding him handsome, Na Sheng playfully suggested he repay her by "giving himself" to her. Yan Xi, offended, revealed his identity as a merperson, stating they would rather die than be humiliated or enslaved.
Just then, Nan Zhao's soldiers were heard approaching outside the cave, searching for Yan Xi. Yan Xi urged Na Sheng to flee to avoid implication, but she insisted on staying and helping him. Observing this through the Water Mirror, Bai Ying, despite her recent injury from sunlight, resolved to personally go to Taoyuan Province to protect Na Sheng, assuring Zhen Lan that her focus was on helping the Kongsang people, not on rekindling her past with Su Mo.
Yan Xi then carved a Quanxian sign on a tree to guide his comrades. Nan Zhao, spotting Yan Xi's bloodstains, ordered a thorough search towards Taoyuan Province and dispatched a messenger to notify Governor Gao Shunzhao for assistance. As Na Sheng and Yan Xi continued their journey, they were ambushed by soldiers near Taoyuan Province, and Na Sheng was captured.
