Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 23 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
Wang Lu faced the Lingjian sect elders, including Fang He, who accused him of establishing a cult. Wang Lu vehemently denied the accusation, asserting that his Heart Sect was not a cult and had never taken money or sought power, but rather encouraged good deeds and love among people. He challenged the elders to test him with the Heart Sword to prove his innocence, despite warnings from others that his cultivation might not be strong enough to withstand it.
Wang Lu declared he was innocent and feared nothing. During the trial, visions of those he had wronged or killed appeared, but Wang Lu remained resolute, believing his actions against them were justified and that they deserved their fate. To the elders’ surprise, he successfully passed the Heart Sword test, confirming his pure intentions. Meanwhile, Wen Bao and He Yun, sent by Wang Lu, attempted to register Heart Sect at Light Mansion.
They were rudely dismissed and ejected by the officials, who refused their application due to incomplete documents and dismissed their pleas for understanding, even accusing them of bribery. Just as they were at a loss, Qianyu, whom Wen Bao had previously rescued, appeared. She was now Li Nana, a centurion at Light Mansion, whose father worked there.
Remembering Wen Bao’s old promise to take responsibility for her if she didn't find a suitable husband, Li Nana proposed that if Wen Bao married her, she would immediately stamp their registration. Despite Wen Bao's hesitation, He Yun quickly agreed on his behalf, prioritizing the sect's legalization and Wang Lu's safety. They successfully obtained the official registration license for Heart Sect. Returning to Wang Lu with the license, they found him still confronting the elders.
Fang He was ordering Wang Lu to disband the sect and return to Lingjian for three years of seclusion. With the official government license in hand, Wang Lu proudly announced that their Heart Sect was now officially renamed Wisdom Sect and was a legitimate organization. This left the elders with no valid reason to force its disbandment.
As Wang Lu declared he would not assume leadership of Wisdom Sect, instead passing the role to He Yun, and affirmed his eternal loyalty to Lingjian sect, the elders, citing an urgent crisis at Almighty Sect, departed. Overjoyed by his unexpected promotion, He Yun expressed profuse gratitude, but before he could fully celebrate, Wang Lu suddenly collapsed. Wang Lu woke up in his family home in Wangjia Village, his parents relieved and worried.
His mother informed him that she had privately arranged his marriage to Xiao Lan, his childhood friend. Sensing his mother's deep concern about his dangerous cultivation path, Wang Lu reluctantly agreed to the marriage, deciding to give up his journey to become an immortal and stay to care for his parents, not wanting to regret not being with them later in life.
To ensure his friends wouldn't try to dissuade him, Wang Lu deliberately alienated Hai Yunfan and Wen Bao, telling them he was abandoning cultivation for a mundane life and belittling their partnership, which successfully angered them into leaving. He then settled into a carefree existence at home, preparing for his wedding. During this time, back at Lingjian sect, the leader Feng Yin summoned Lord Dilun, brother of Lord Tianlun, for a crucial discussion.
Lord Dilun learned the truth: his brother's seemingly cruel act of expelling him years ago was a desperate measure to preserve Almighty Sect’s bloodline. Regretful of his long-standing misunderstanding, Lord Dilun agreed to serve as the acting chief of Almighty Sect.
Using the divination art, Feng Yin then convened a meeting with the leaders of the other Five Sects: Junhuang Mountain’s General Hai Tiankuo, Kunlun’s Nanji Xianweng, and Shengjing’s Deputy Chief Shuiyue, to discuss the attack on Almighty Sect and the destruction of the Qingmu Mark. Lord Dilun raised a troubling suspicion: the Qingmu Mark could only be broken by a leader-level practitioner from the Five Sects, and Lord Tianlun's use of a "heretical spell" suggested external manipulation.
Feng Yin added that Wang Wu was already pursuing the lead. Wang Wu, meanwhile, tracked the mysterious black-robed individual who had stolen the Blood Magic Pearl. Confronting them, Wang Wu accused them of orchestrating Lord Tianlun's actions by exploiting his righteous but extreme nature to repair the Qingmu Seal, all to obtain the Pearl for their own nefarious scheme. Despite the individual's denials, Wang Wu confidently asserted her extensive knowledge, which she attributed to her esteemed senior brother, Ouyang Shang.
A fierce battle ensued. The mysterious individual, seemingly overwhelmed, managed to escape by using an Almighty Sect puppet as a decoy and then trapped Wang Wu with a Six Lights Prison from Junhuang Mountain. However, Wang Wu had anticipated such a move and successfully affixed a tracking charm onto the escapee, ensuring she could continue the pursuit. Back in the village, Xiao Lan sought out Wang Lu.
She revealed her own dream of becoming the top singer in Kyushu and announced her departure for the Girls’ College of Music. Sensing Wang Lu’s inner conflict, she gently encouraged him to pursue his own vast ambitions, assuring him that Wangjia Village was too small to contain him. Unbeknownst to them, Wang Lu’s parents overheard their conversation, finally understanding the true depth of their son’s aspirations. Later, Liang Qiu appeared, confronting Wang Lu about abandoning his path.
Wang Lu explained his deep-seated fear of regretting not spending enough time with his parents, drawing a parallel to Liuli's longing for her own parents. Liang Qiu, in turn, shared her personal struggle with the loss of Ouyang Shang, emphasizing that while he was her life's concern, his absence didn't mean she should abandon her own mission. Everyone, she asserted, has a unique purpose.
Having heard both Xiao Lan’s and Liang Qiu’s words, and understanding their son's true feelings, Wang Lu’s parents made a difficult decision. They playfully "drove him out," pretending to have given up on him and even joked about having another son, "Wang Ermao," to replace him, claiming to be taking herbs for conception. Wang Lu recognized this as their loving way of freeing him to pursue his destiny. Despite the tears of parting, the family shared a moment of profound, unspoken understanding and affection as they prepared for Wang Lu's journey.
