Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2 Episode 18 Recap
> Novoland: The Castle in the Sky 2 Recap
As Qi Zhenxian led a delivery of provisions, Du Xianyin accompanied him, despite his concern that she didn't need to come for such a task. Du Xianyin spoke of their commitment to serving the country and eventually becoming the Silver Wings Cavalry for everyone. Their journey was suddenly interrupted by an ambush. During the attack, Du Xianyin, who was referred to as Her Majesty, was abducted by the assailants. Qi Zhenxian himself was gravely injured in the skirmish.
Upon learning of Qi Zhenxian's condition, Yun Muyang rushed to find Xue Jingkong, urging him to prioritize treating Qi Zhenxian, emphasizing that the Lord's life was paramount, even while acknowledging Xue Jingkong's concerns for the students still within his enchantment. Meanwhile, inside the enchantment, Qiao Er suffered an asthma attack, prompting Qiao Da to decide they needed to leave the training. Qiao Da expressed that Qiao Er's life was more important than their ranking in the competition.
They used the secret key to exit the enchantment, but as soon as they were outside, they were confronted by black-clad figures. Qiao Er initially mistook them for the "phantom people" of the training, but it soon became clear these were real attackers. The assailants brutally killed both Qiao Da and Qiao Er, taking their secret key before entering the enchantment themselves.
Once inside, the black-clad figures showed their true intentions, with their leader declaring Feng Ruche as their primary target, though they were instructed not to spare anyone else. The students inside the enchantment quickly realized the grave danger. Wang Li, one of the students, was tragically killed by these real killers. Lin Yuecong, searching for Wang Li, found him badly injured, confirming the dire situation.
Feng Ruche and her teammates also encountered the attackers, seeing blood on their weapons and realizing these were not the simulated phantom killers. With the exit now locked, fear spread among the students, wondering why Xue Jingkong hadn't intervened and speculating that something must have happened to him. Feng Ruche asserted that they could only depend on themselves and their immediate priority was to find the treasure with the utmost speed to open the enchantment.
Feng Ruche proposed an alliance between the Wolf and Fox teams, recognizing that neither team could fight the real Phantom Killers alone. Lin Yuecong, despite their past rivalry, agreed, acknowledging Feng Ruche's improvements and leadership. She announced that Feng Ruche would now lead both the Wolf and Fox teams. As they worked together to make traps, Lin Yuecong thanked Feng Ruche for forgiving and saving her, even taking a stab for her, and for teaching her patience.
They resolved their past differences, looking forward to a friendly match after their escape. Feng Ruche asked Lin Yuecong why she joined the Silver Wings Cavalry, to which Lin Yuecong replied her ambition was to pacify the nine States and save the citizens, inspired by her father's teaching that even a girl should care about the country. Fang Qimo, arriving for his shift, was asked the same question.
He explained his desire for Nanyu City to treat the Human Clan with kindness, as his Fang family had declined since pledging allegiance to the Winged Clan. Feng Ruche reminded everyone that their immediate goal was to survive. The combined teams pieced together their clue maps, finally understanding that Xue Jingkong's training was designed to teach them unity and teamwork.
Feng Ruche taught everyone how to make traps and divided them into groups: one to lure and delay the killers, and another, led by Ma Jian and including Fang Qimo, to activate the eight machines in the treasure ground simultaneously. Feng Ruche and Lin Yuecong bravely stayed behind to buy time, leading the attackers into their traps. As Fang Qimo moved to activate the final crystal, it suddenly vanished, leaving them stranded.
The black-clad leader, seeing their efforts, ordered his men to abandon other targets and focus solely on killing Feng Ruche. Though Feng Ruche urged her teammates to leave as she was the target, they refused, reiterating their commitment to righteousness and living or dying together. The students, despite their valiant efforts, were outmatched, and Feng Ruche sustained multiple stab wounds. In their most desperate moment, Xue Jingkong, having just finished treating Qi Zhenxian, arrived.
Descending from the sky, he effortlessly dispatched all the black-clad assailants, saving Feng Ruche and the remaining students. Later, Feng Ruche awoke to Lian Yi's presence. Lian Yi informed her that everyone was safe and the crisis was over. She also revealed that the mastermind had been apprehended: Physician Jia. He was arrested by the Lord himself during an attempt to kill him again.
Physician Jia confessed to being bribed by Nanyu City and colluding with Lu Ren Bing, admitting he switched Qiao Er's asthma medicine to cause an attack and leaked military information leading to Qi Zhenxian's ambush. However, Feng Ruche found it suspicious, as the black-clad assailants had explicitly targeted her. Lian Yi suggested they might have seen her as the student leader. Brushing it aside as chaos, Feng Ruche decided to visit Xue Jingkong.
When Feng Ruche went to see Xue Jingkong, she inadvertently stumbled upon him bathing. Making a small sound, she alerted him, and he quickly dressed, confronting her. He questioned why she hadn't sought refuge and waited for him to save her, accusing her of acting heroically without sufficient skill.
Feng Ruche countered that the situation demanded her intervention to prevent more casualties, emphasizing that she couldn't always rely on him, and that her actions were consistent with the principles of a warrior protecting her comrades, which he himself was training them for. Turning away, Xue Jingkong quietly praised her, "Feng Ruche, well done." Unsure if she heard him correctly, Feng Ruche pressed him to repeat it, delighting in his rare words of commendation.
Elsewhere, Du Xianyin and her subordinates rested. She was frustrated by the mission's failure, attributing it to Feng Ruche's luck and Xue Jingkong's power. Realizing that the investigation would inevitably point to her, Du Xianyin decided to return to Nanyu City to formulate a new plan. She mused on Yun Muyang's growing suspicions, acknowledging he would be the first to seek her demise if he discovered the truth. She forbade her subordinate from asking if they should eliminate Yun Muyang.
Suddenly, their location was attacked, with her subordinate reporting that Yun Muyang was leading the assault. Du Xianyin, with a knowing look, stated that Yun Muyang had finally made his choice.
