Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 26 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
Feng Ling revealed to Wang Lu that she had experienced visions and felt the restriction within her body loosen several times. Despite these concerning symptoms, she had never shared them with anyone until Wang Lu's arrival. She admitted her deep affection for Xue Boren, which made her reluctant to leave Jiyang City or return to Lingjian Mountain, even for her own safety.
Feng Ling also mentioned a secret chamber in the mansion, the only place she was not allowed to enter. Xue Boren had told her it housed their family’s ancestral balm prescriptions, which she accepted without question, especially since she harbored secrets of her own from him. Wang Lu, however, was immediately suspicious, expressing disbelief that Feng Ling trusted Xue Boren, comparing the situation to a horrific tale.
Feng Ling recounted how her symptoms, including strong internal power surges and severe headaches, primarily occurred at night but would inexplicably improve by morning. Wang Lu noted this pattern began after she met Xue Boren, intensifying his suspicions. He suggested that the balm prescriptions themselves might be the cause of her headaches, given her unique physical nature.
Despite Wang Lu’s concerns that the loosening restriction could unleash the Nine-tail fox within her, potentially endangering not just Jiyang City but the entire realm, Feng Ling remained resolute in her love for Xue Boren, finding the thought of leaving him more painful than her physical ailments. Wang Lu pressed on, asking if the secret chamber was in Xue Boren’s bedroom, but Feng Ling sternly warned him not to interfere, asserting that Xue Boren would never harm her.
Back in their room, Wang Lu shared his insights with Hai Yunfan, stating that Feng Ling remembered every detail about the mansion and that he now understood Xue Boren’s intentions behind setting up the formation. Their discussion was interrupted by Wen Bao, who excitedly brought in a package of meat and described finding large wolf claw marks. Wang Lu immediately confiscated and discarded the meat, implying it was highly problematic. Wang Lu decided to confront Xue Boren that night.
However, their plans were thwarted when Lihua, a maidservant, vigilantly guarded their door, explaining it was her duty to attend to them and that Xue Boren was asleep. Realizing they couldn’t simply walk out, Wang Lu prompted Hai Yunfan to use an Invisible Charm. Having successfully evaded Lihua and lured away the guards, the trio approached Xue Boren's room.
As they neared, Hai Yunfan’s internal restriction reacted, and he detected a pungent stench that Wang Lu couldn't perceive, raising his suspicions further. Cautioning against a direct confrontation, Hai Yunfan warned that anyone capable of deploying a complex "Time Frozen" formation must be formidable, and their priority was Ling’s safety. Wang Lu then summoned Liang Qiu, his sword spirit, to act as a scout.
Initially reluctant, Liang Qiu was persuaded by Wang Lu's plea to help the missing girls of Jiyang City, whom he suggested were being held captive and possibly as sacrifices. Upon entering, Liang Qiu confirmed Wang Lu's suspicions, sensing an unusual atmosphere. She then called out, revealing Xue Boren was harming Miao inside the secret chamber.
Wang Lu and Wen Bao immediately forced their way into the room to rescue Miao, but as they searched for the chamber entrance, Xue Boren unexpectedly emerged from "outside" the room. Xue Boren confronted them about their intrusion. Wang Lu, undeterred, fabricated a "dream" in which Xue Boren was orchestrating a series of abductions, kidnapping young girls from Jiyang City, imprisoning them in a formation-enhanced chamber, and extracting their spirits.
He feigned curiosity, asking Xue Boren to reveal the chamber to alleviate his "nightmares." Understanding the implicit accusation, Xue Boren agreed to open the chamber. Inside, they found only a collection of balms, with no sign of Miao. Xue Boren offered Wang Lu a calming balm called "Four Seasons Flower," but Wang Lu sarcastically inquired if he also sold a balm that could "clear up the scene and hide your crimes."
Xue Boren explained that the concealed chamber was merely to protect his family's ancestral balm recipes from thieves. Wang Lu retorted that Xue Boren himself was the "biggest fearless thief" in Jiyang City. After an attempt by Xue Boren to reconcile for the sake of Feng Ling, Wang Lu maintained his suspicions, vowing to uncover the truth and "kill" anyone who dared to harm his friend by using marriage as an excuse.
As Wang Lu and Wen Bao returned to their own room, they realized Hai Yunfan was not with them. Unbeknownst to them, Hai Yunfan had maintained his invisibility and followed Xue Boren into a second, hidden chamber. Upon Hai Yunfan's return, he revealed the existence of this "another chamber," describing the presence of animal fur and a peculiar scent that matched the fragrance on Miao's handkerchief.
Piecing together information from the town's rumors and the strange occurrences at Xue Mansion, Wang Lu speculated that Xue Boren was likely a demon, but he found it perplexing that Xue Boren had shown no ill intent towards Feng Ling. The next day, the three visited Miao's home and found her returned but unresponsive, lost in a daze.
Wang Lu managed to rouse her, but Miao’s memory was incomplete, stopping at an argument she had with Wang Lu three days prior and having no recollection of her disappearance. Using the Flashback technique, Hai Yunfan tried to recover Miao's missing memories. Through the fragmented recollections, they witnessed Miao transforming into a cat demon on the street and then appearing in Xue Boren’s secret chamber.
There, Xue Boren used magic to restore her human form and warned her to "not get closer to Beastmastery Sect." Upon witnessing this, Hai Yunfan’s hatred for demons erupted. He furiously confronted Wang Lu, accusing him of concealing Xue Boren's true identity as a wolf demon. Hai Yunfan asserted that the wolf fur found in the chamber and on Miao's handkerchief, coupled with the demonic formation, proved Xue Boren’s guilt.
He further claimed that Xue Boren's keen sense of smell and balm-making skills were merely innate wolf traits, and his use of advanced formations was due to his demonic nature. Wen Bao, realizing the implications, questioned if the meat he had almost eaten was human. Wang Lu tried to explain that he had merely sought concrete evidence before acting, suggesting that Xue Boren’s actions in the flashback could be interpreted as saving Miao, not harming her.
However, Hai Yunfan, consumed by his long-standing animosity towards demons, refused to listen to any explanations or believe Wang Lu's objective assessment. He insisted that all demons were inherently evil and deserved to die, regardless of any apparent good deeds, leading Wang Lu to question if Hai Yunfan would extend this prejudice even to his own friends, or to Wang Lu himself, if they were demons.
