Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 1 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
In the ancient land of Kyushu, atop Lingjian Mountain, resided the Lingjian sect. Their venerable leader, Feng Yin, was engaged in a profound divination when he was interrupted by Wang Wu, the sect's Fifth Elder, who playfully requested Spirit Stones for wine. Though initially distracted, Feng Yin, after being playfully chided by Wang Wu for mistaking a candlestick for the sacred Star Sword, resumed his divination with renewed focus.
The Star Sword's infallible prophecy revealed a dire fate: Kyushu faced utter destruction in less than a quarter of an hour. Resigned, Feng Yin declared he would calmly await the end. However, Wang Wu, recalling the words of a past master to "never give up," vehemently argued, even proposing she take over as leader to "die with no regrets."
Just as their debate intensified, a celestial anomaly occurred: a peculiar star, described as a jinx, plummeted to Kyushu, miraculously averting the catastrophe and saving the continent from its impending doom. Simultaneously, in a quiet corner of Kyushu, an infant was born into the Wang Mansion. Though initially silent, the baby surprised its caretakers by letting out a resounding cry on command, demonstrating a remarkable wit from birth. This child was Wang Lu. Many years passed swiftly.
Wang Lu grew into a sharp-witted young man, and a momentous event captivated Kyushu: the Lingjian sect, one of the Five Sects, reopened its doors for a tryout, seeking new disciples. Throngs of aspiring cultivators flocked to Lingxi town, filling its inns. The renowned Home Inn, run by the formidable Feng Ling, was no exception.
The Seventh Prince Zhu Qin, of the Ming kingdom, attempted to secure lodging, but Feng Ling, unimpressed by his royal status, curtly informed him the inn was full. She then announced that the coveted Suites required a special Admission Coupon, of which there was only one in the entire town. To the astonishment of all, Wang Lu stepped forward, having shrewdly deduced the requirement, and presented the unique coupon, gaining entry to the exclusive Suites.
That night, Hai Yunfan, a fellow participant from Yuntai, visited Wang Lu in his Suite, eager to learn how he acquired the Admission Coupon. Wang Lu, ever the opportunist, demanded Hai Yunfan serve him as a servant for a day in exchange for the information. Hai Yunfan agreed, and Wang Lu then spun a fantastical, absurd tale about helping an old man pursue a girl, which supposedly led to him receiving the coupon.
Despite its implausibility, Hai Yunfan found the story captivating. Wang Lu then revealed his true insight: the tryout had, in fact, begun the moment they stepped foot in Lingxi town, and the Admission Coupon was merely the first test. Meanwhile, Wang Wu cornered Feng Ling, demanding the Xiaoyun Coin. Feng Ling refused, citing Wang Wu's notorious reputation for "lying, cheating, and entertainment."
Frustrated, Wang Wu mentioned that the Admission Coupon test had already been solved, indicating the caliber of the new applicants. Unable to secure the coin through persuasion, Wang Wu threatened to side with Feng Ling's father in their long-standing feud. She then presented a challenge from Feng Ling's father: if Feng Ling could sell 100 radishes within a day, he would cease interfering in her personal life; if she failed, she would be forced to return to Lingjian sect.
Feng Ling, confident in her abilities, accepted the bet, only to be dismayed when Wang Wu revealed the crucial condition: each radish must be sold for a thousand taels. The next day, Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan found Feng Ling in despair over the impossible task. Wang Lu, sensing an opportunity, offered to sell all the radishes, but demanded a 10,000-tael upfront payment, which was Feng Ling's entire savings. She reluctantly agreed.
However, by the next morning, Wang Lu had seemingly vanished with the money. Furious, Feng Ling issued an S Level Task for his capture, promising the next tryout question as a reward. Hai Yunfan tried to vouch for Wang Lu, but Feng Ling, enraged, threatened him as well. Prince Zhu Qin, determined to succeed, correctly surmised that Wang Lu would have fled town.
Outside Lingxi, he encountered an old man, who was, unbeknownst to him, Wang Zhong, Wang Lu's cunning servant in disguise. Wang Zhong, posing as an immortal, extracted increasing sums of money (totaling 120,000 taels) from Zhu Qin in exchange for cryptic poetic clues about Wang Lu's whereabouts. Each poem led Zhu Qin on circuitous detours through the landscape, while Wang Zhong, by taking direct routes, constantly reappeared before the prince, reinforcing the illusion of his divine powers.
Zhu Qin finally located Wang Lu, realizing the "treasure" he was chasing was a mere radish. Wang Lu, feigning desperation and threatening to destroy the radish with a knife, convinced Zhu Qin that it was a priceless "divine treasure" capable of cleansing spiritual roots, extorting even more money. With the substantial sum in hand, Wang Lu returned to Feng Ling, securing her victory in the bet. Pleased, Feng Ling gifted Wang Lu the Xiaoyun Coin.
Wang Wu was livid, as the coin was bonded to its new owner and could not be forcibly taken. In a fit of pique, she magically cursed the upcoming tryout test. Later, a mysterious figure in black appeared to Zhu Qin, revealing Wang Lu's elaborate deception and Wang Zhong's true identity. The one in black cautioned Zhu Qin against confronting Wang Lu, warning that Home Inn's deep ties to the Lingjian sect could lead to his disqualification.
Instead, the figure proposed an alliance, offering to help Zhu Qin quickly pass the tryout. Three days later, the official tryout commenced with the first challenge: the Golden Bridge. This bridge had an age restriction, allowing only those under 23 to cross. Prince Zhu Qin, utilizing special eyedrops provided by the one in black to navigate the bridge's illusory mist, swiftly became the first to successfully complete the challenge.
Feng Yin, the sect leader, congratulated Zhu Qin and offered him a wish related to the test. Zhu Qin, with a cunning smile, wished for the difficulty of the test to be increased a hundredfold for all subsequent participants. Though surprised by his ambition, Feng Yin granted the wish. The Golden Bridge instantly transformed into a treacherous quicksand pit.
Wang Lu, his servant Wang Zhong, and Hai Yunfan, who had waited to cross with Wang Lu (and whose mere presence had earlier intimidated a large, older man on the bridge), plummeted into the sinking sand. Wang Lu quickly instructed Wang Zhong to remain still, explaining that frantic movements would only cause them to sink faster.
Recognizing that escaping the quicksand would require an external push, Wang Lu, demonstrating unexpected selflessness, spread his body weight across the sand and heroically offered himself as a stepping stone, urging Hai Yunfan to use him to climb out, stating that one of them had to sacrifice themselves for the others to survive.
