Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 18 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
Wang Lu, disguised as a woman and feigning drunkenness, approached the mansion. Mr. Zhou, finding him attractive and suitable for the Six Stars Envoy, had him brought inside. However, the Six Stars Envoy immediately saw through Wang Lu's disguise and attacked with his "Quake Prison" technique. Wang Lu loudly called for his Master to save him. Unexpectedly, Wang Wu's paper doppelganger appeared and swiftly knocked out the Envoy.
When the Six Stars Envoy regained consciousness, he was defiant, proclaiming himself a high-ranking member of the Qianling Sect and threatening revenge. However, under the joint threats and stern gazes of Wang Lu and Wang Wu's doppelganger, his arrogance quickly vanished, and he begged for mercy. Meanwhile, Mr. Zhou discovered Elder He (the Six Stars Envoy)'s disappearance. Instead of being worried, he was secretly relieved, viewing Elder He as a troublesome superior.
Fearing repercussions for bringing Wang Lu into the mansion, Mr. Zhou murdered the guard who had overheard him expressing his relief. He then staged Elder He's death, claiming the body was covered in potent poison to prevent anyone from examining it closely. Mr. Zhou publicly announced Elder He's heroic martyrdom, commanded everyone to keep the matter a secret to avoid implicating themselves, and promptly assumed Elder He's position as the elder of the Wuhou County branch.
Wang Lu attempted to extract information about the Qianling Sect's leader and headquarters from Elder He, but the captive claimed ignorance, stating he was only a low-ranking envoy responsible for Wuhou County affairs. Wang Lu shifted his questions to local matters, asking about the "Holy Girls." Elder He revealed that the girls were abducted from across the country.
He explained that the Qianling Sect Leader used illusion magic to control their will, and if they resisted, they were forced to take a poison that bound them for life. Elder He also revealed his past as a former inner disciple of the righteous Qingchuan Sect, expelled for breaking rules.
He joined the Qianling Sect because its "Qian Yuan Ran Xue Gong" offered a shortcut to cultivation for those with mediocre talent, a common draw for many Qianling elders who were formerly from righteous sects but faced cultivation bottlenecks. He further admitted that immense wealth was another powerful lure, with major branches earning millions in spirit stones annually.
However, Elder He insisted that the true perpetrator of these evils, and the one possessing the antidote, was none other than Zhou Mingrui. Among the Holy Girls, Lan, having heard about Elder He's "death," saw an opportunity. She tried to convince the other Holy Girls that their memories were erased and they should seek the antidote and escape. However, the other girls, still deeply brainwashed and bound by their oaths to the Qianling Sect, threatened to expose her.
Just then, Zhou Mingrui, now styling himself as Elder Zhou, arrived. Lan was reported and immediately taken into custody. Zhou Mingrui brought Lan to his private room, intending to fulfill his long-suppressed desires, but his actions were interrupted by a guard reporting the appearance of threatening notes left by "assassins." The "assassins" were actually Liu Li Xian, Hai Yunfan, and Wen Bao.
Wen Bao was about to reveal that Liu Li Xian had a sudden "internal emergency" (needing to use the toilet), forcing their strategic retreat. However, Hai Yunfan quickly interjected and claimed "he" was the one who had the emergency, explaining that he did so to spare Liu Li Xian the embarrassment of admitting such a thing as a girl, and to prevent Wang Lu from endlessly teasing her.
Liu Li Xian, touched by Hai Yunfan's kindness, which he offered partly because he remembered her previously helping "him" cover up at the Scripture Depository, considered him her closest friend. To show his continued care, Hai Yunfan drew a "Tasting Charm" for Liu Li Xian, which would change color if food was spoiled, ensuring she could enjoy her meals safely.
Overjoyed, Liu Li Xian declared Hai Yunfan her "best, best, best friend forever" and promised to continue covering for him if he wished to visit the Scripture Depository again. She then asked him to call her "Xiao Liuli." Wang Lu, having learned from Elder He that the Qianling Sect's influence was deeply rooted in people's desires and that directly exposing them would be ineffective, decided on a bold new strategy: to create his own sect.
He proposed the name "Bureau of Loving Heart Contribution for the Nine Provinces," abbreviated as "Heart Sect," aiming to be a force for good. To garner public attention and involve his Master, he suggested a "beautiful endorser." Wang Wu's paper doppelganger, susceptible to flattery about her "peerless beauty" and "fairy-like demeanor," readily agreed to be the "national idol."
Wang Lu assigned Wang Wu's doppelganger to prepare musical content and tasked Hai Yunfan and Liu Li Xian with creating slogans for their fan club. The real Wang Wu, still in Lingjian Mountain undergoing critical recovery from the Liumang poisonous blood within the Three-Talent Formation, was furious to discover her doppelganger was being used for a "concert" and singing "that song."
Her junior brother reminds her that her Unbreakable Sword Bone should make her immune to poisons, and Wang Wu speculates that Hai Tiankuo's Liumang poisonous blood showed unusual sentience and understanding of her cultivation methods. Recognizing this as suspicious, she vows to settle the score with Wang Lu and confront Hai Tiankuo once her recovery is complete, despite being warned to remain undisturbed in the formation.
While Zhou Mingrui publicly announced his ascension as the new Qianling Sect elder for Wuhou County, Wang Lu's grand concert for Wang Wu's doppelganger began. The stunning performance immediately drew all the commoners away from Zhou Mingrui's proclamation. During the show, a prop unexpectedly fell. Wang Lu "heroically" rushed onto the stage, "saving" Wang Wu's doppelganger and effortlessly helping her continue the performance.
As they performed, Wang Wu's doppelganger saw the lingering image of her Senior brother Ouyang Shang in Wang Lu's shadow. This emotional vision caused her to falter, as she momentarily mistook Wang Lu for Ouyang Shang and was overwhelmed by past memories. Noticing the doppelganger's distraction and identifying it as a paper figure, Zhou Mingrui, now enraged by the interruption to his speech, seized the opportunity. He cast a spell, and with a burst of fire, completely destroyed Wang Wu's paper doppelganger on stage.
