Moonlit Reunion Episode 26 Recap
> Moonlit Reunion Recap
Wu Zhen, enduring the intense discomfort within her, stumbled to the Beast Market. Wu Zishu focused on healing her, but paused when he heard her call out Mei Zhuyu’s name in her delirium. Wu Zishu gravely informed Wu Zhen that two forces were clashing within her, a result of overusing her Cat Master powers.
He explained that to truly eliminate the danger, she would need to shed her mortal form and become a full demon, revealing he had finally found a way to achieve this, though the method was extreme. Wu Zhen, trusting him, agreed. Later, Wu Zhen returned home to find Mei Zhuyu waiting by candlelight. When asked where she had been, she simply replied Ruyi Pavilion.
Mei Zhuyu then sensed Wu Zishu’s presence outside the window and, asserting his claim, pulled Wu Zhen into a deep kiss, leaving Wu Zishu to seethe in silent anger. Mei Zhuyu also gently reminded Wu Zhen not to go out with wet hair. Wu Zishu, alone in the Beast Market, was lost in reflection. He recalled decades spent with Wu Zhen, teaching her how to become the Cat Master and doing everything for her, their bond deeply ingrained.
He remembered a time when Wu Zhen, newly appointed as Cat Master, sought his advice on subduing the ferocious beast Yunqi in the Demon Prison. Wu Zishu, despite not remembering his own past, provided the solution: use cymbals to frighten Yunqi. He then offered to be her first aide, promising her boundless opportunities, including opening bookshops throughout the human realm. Their bond was one of mutual support, as he often attended meetings or handled difficult situations on her behalf.
However, Wu Zhen had yearned to experience mortal life and its myriad emotions. In a poignant memory, Wu Zhen explained that while she and Wu Zishu were companions and true friends, she felt a profound sense of peace with Mei Zhuyu. Despite Wu Zishu confessing his love and their eighteen years of companionship versus Mei Zhuyu's mere months, Wu Zhen still chose to believe in Mei Zhuyu, leaving Wu Zishu heartbroken.
At dawn the next day, Mei Zhuyu and his senior brother returned to the barren ruins, tracing the spot where demon energy had dissipated the previous day. Examining the decaying structures, Mei Zhuyu determined that the desolate Goddess Wa Temple was likely the entrance to the Beast Market. They discussed the temple's ruin eighteen years prior, linking it to the Chang'an fire, and speculated on the Beast Market's audacious confidence in its barrier.
Mei Zhuyu, recalling his master's teaching that all barriers have a way to be undone, was determined to find a solution. Meanwhile, Liu Taizhen, having been misinformed by Xuan Hui that Mei Si was ill, hurried to the Mei Residence. She found Mei Si cheerfully playing in the courtyard, realizing Xuan Hui had deceived her to get her to visit. As she prepared to reprimand Xuan Hui, servants began scattering realgar powder to deal with a snake and rodent problem.
Mei Si, rushing to intervene, stumbled and injured his knee. The airborne realgar powder affected both Liu Taizhen and Xuan Hui, causing them discomfort. Mei Si, despite his pain, helped Liu Taizhen inside. There, he discovered two faint snakebite marks on his leg. Liu Taizhen, to avoid revealing her powers to the servants, immediately called for a physician. While waiting, Liu Taizhen noticed numerous portraits of herself hanging in Mei Si’s room.
Mei father soon arrived, keen to discuss the long-standing child betrothal between Mei Si and Liu Taizhen. Mei Si, seeing Liu Taizhen’s conflicted expression, firmly declared that he would not marry her, leading to his father angrily slapping him across the face, calling him the "rotten one" of the Mei family. Afterward, Xuan Hui questioned Mei Si’s decision, knowing his affection for Liu Taizhen.
Mei Si sadly explained that he felt unworthy of a powerful demon like Liu Taizhen, fearing that if she were to refuse him, it would harm her reputation. More importantly, he did not wish to constrain her free, uninhibited nature with the conventions of human marriage. When Xuan Hui relayed Mei Si's sentiments to Liu Taizhen, she was deeply moved by his unusual and considerate perspective. As night fell, Wu Zishu arrived outside Wu Zhen’s residence, observing from the shadows.
Wu Zhen attempted to slip away unnoticed, but Mei Zhuyu gently took her wrist, reminding her to get a good night's sleep. Seeing Wu Zhen prevented from leaving, Wu Zishu grew increasingly grim, deciding he needed a more forceful strategy to keep her by his side permanently. He returned to the Beast Market, dismissing a subordinate’s concerns about several missing minor demons, deeming their demise in cultivation a natural occurrence.
Wu Zishu then personally activated all the demon cores hidden in his archive, unleashing a surge of demonic energy, intending to accelerate Wu Zhen's complete transformation into a full demon, believing these sacrifices were her blessing. The next day, Chi Hua, Mei Zhuyu's third senior brother, successfully identified a method to break the Beast Market's barrier, encouraging Mei Zhuyu that he would have many more opportunities for significant contributions.
Mei Zhuyu then took Shuang Jiang to a street food stall, subtly probing him about the events at Ruyi Pavilion. Shuang Jiang initially resisted, but Mei Zhuyu, sensing his unease, pressed him. Shuang Jiang eventually confessed to witnessing Hu Zhu vanish into thin air while holding a black cat behind the Ruyi Pavilion that night. Shuang Jiang, however, defended Hu Zhu, believing she was not an evil demon, citing the daily traffic at Ruyi Pavilion without incident.
He also expressed suspicion that, given Hu Zhu's close association with Wu Zhen, Wu Zhen herself might not be an ordinary mortal. Later, Liu Taizhen noticed Wu Zhen’s joyful demeanor and learned that Wu Zishu had found a way for her to become a full demon. Liu Taizhen warned her to be cautious of Mei Zhuyu, drawing a parallel to her own past heartbreak (with Duan Lang).
However, Wu Zhen remained steadfast in her trust, asserting that just as there are heartless men, there are also devoted ones like Mei Si, who stayed loyal despite knowing her true nature. She believed Mei Zhuyu was not someone who couldn't distinguish between good and evil. Soon after, Wu Zishu arrived, his face grim, informing Wu Zhen that several Celestial Masters had infiltrated Chang'an, causing her alarm.
At the same time, Mei Zhuyu was leading Chi Hua in reactivating an ancient formation at the Bureau of Supernatural Affairs. Mei Zhuyu explained that this formation, once repaired, would compel any demon standing within its bounds to reveal their true form. Following this, Cat Master Wu Zhen tasked Xiang, a skunk spirit, to investigate the Celestial Masters' plans in Chang'an and prepare to defend the Beast Market.
