Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 19 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
When Wang Wu's paper figure ambassador inexplicably disappeared from the stage, Wang Lu quickly adapted the situation, declaring that it was part of their Goddess Butterfly's rebirth as the Heavenly Butterfly, who rises from ashes. Hai Yunfan skillfully assisted by conjuring an illusion of a magnificent butterfly, which was met with enthusiastic cheers from the audience, leading to widespread support for the Heart Sect.
However, Wang Lu's impromptu impersonation of Senior brother Shang during the performance caused Wang Wu, who was recuperating, to experience intense emotional turmoil, almost leading her to suffer qi deviation and resulting in the burning of Wang Lu's paper figure. With their ambassador gone, Wang Lu decided they would take the stage themselves. Observing the imbalanced male-to-female ratio among Qianling Sect's followers, Wang Lu recognized a large untapped female market in Wuhou County.
He proposed creating a boy band, a counterpart to Qianling Sect's Fairy Group, to attract female followers. Wang Lu had his eyes on the handsome Hai Yunfan and the endearing Wen Bao. He explained that a successful boy band wouldn't rely on superior musical talent or mere good looks, but rather on cultivated personas and individuality to captivate the entire town.
Wen Bao, expressing doubts about his tone-deafness and weight, was reassured by Wang Lu that personalized images and even auto-tuning or lip-syncing with magic could make them stars. Meanwhile, a furious Zhou Mingrui ordered his Fairy Group to intensify their rehearsals, instructing them to mimic any new tactics from the Heart Sect to win back their lost followers. As the next day's performance approached, Hai Yunfan struggled to meet Wang Lu's demanding standards for a "trainee" debut.
He practiced through the night, but Liu Li xian, observing his efforts, realized his approach was flawed. Drawing on her own master's teachings that martial arts are honed in combat, she suggested that dancing, too, requires a partner. Liu Li xian then volunteered to be his partner, accompanying him in practice. With her help, Hai Yunfan's dancing gained a new vibrancy, and their synchronized movements allowed them to perfectly execute the routine.
The Qianling Sect's Fairy Group's performances became repetitive, causing their audience to gradually drift away to the Heart Sect's stage. Hai Yunfan and Wen Bao debuted as the "Heart Boys," delivering an energetic performance that electrified the crowd, who chanted their names. Wen Bao was showered with gifts and affection from his new fans, marking a successful first battle for the Heart Boys. Wang Lu remained curious about Qianling Sect's motive for collecting the villagers' blood.
He questioned He Lao, a former Six Stars Envoy, who admitted he had no knowledge of its true purpose, stating that it was beyond his authority, and they were only instructed to collect it without asking its destination. During this discussion, Hai Yunfan noticed Liu Li xian was missing and went to search for her. Later that night, Liu Li xian was walking alone when she encountered a drunkard who tried to lure her with food.
Fortunately, Hai Yunfan arrived just in time, preventing the drunkard from succeeding. Hai Yunfan admonished Liu Li xian about her gluttony, warning her that even delicious food could be used by evil cultivators to trick her. Liu Li xian promised to be less greedy and to fight off bad people like Hai Yunfan did. Hai then offered to take her to a corn shop that stayed open late.
As they walked away, Zhou Mingrui spotted them, forming a malicious plan to ruin Hai Yunfan's public image by fabricating a scandal. The following day, Wang Lu, Hai Yunfan, and Wen Bao once again delivered a captivating performance. Their heartfelt singing, combined with the enchanting dance moves of Hai Yunfan and Liu Li xian, drove the women of Wuhou County into a frenzy.
Immediately after the performance, Zhou Mingrui had the same drunkard from the previous night publicly accuse Hai Yunfan and Liu Li xian of having an illicit affair and deceiving the public. The agitated crowd, believing the accusations, began to berate and insult Hai Yunfan and Liu Li xian. Overwhelmed by the commotion and insults, Liu Li xian became deeply distressed and fainted. After a long silence, Wang Lu stepped forward and began to spin a moving tale.
He described Hai Yunfan and Liu Li xian as childhood sweethearts. He recounted a tragic incident where Liu Li xian suffered a severe head injury while protecting Hai Yunfan during a mission to save innocent villagers, causing her to lose all her memories and develop the mentality of a five or six-year-old. Wang Lu emphasized Hai Yunfan's unwavering devotion, his vow to protect her for life, even knowing she would never recall their past.
This poignant story successfully moved the crowd, who were deeply touched and chose to believe and forgive them. Moved by Wang Lu's story, Hai Yunfan recognized the Junhuang Mountain Hai clan's badge on Liu Li xian. This triggered a memory from four years ago when he, as a young boy, had secretly left Junhuang Mountain and stumbled upon a massacre. He found a young girl, Liu Li xian, alive amidst the chaos and rescued her.
When she woke up, she mistook him for a foe and inadvertently injured him. Despite this, Hai Yunfan diligently cared for her, foraging for herbs and cooking for her. Noticing her wariness, he even hid a sound player charm in a paper rabbit he made for her, which amused her despite her quick discovery of the trick. He told her, "As long as you hang on, there'll be hope." When his family's search party neared, he had to leave quickly.
Before departing, he revealed his name and origin, and gave her his family badge, instructing her to use it as a token to find him at Junhuang Mountain someday. Recalling this, Hai Yunfan realized that Liu Li xian was the same girl he had saved and cared for years ago.
