Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 35 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
Picking up from the previous round of the Five Faction Grand Competition, Liuli had successfully identified the Children Tiles for Wang Lu. However, Du Songzi of Shengjing Sect, seeing Liuli's talent for distinguishing between real and fake, gloated that it was too soon to celebrate. Wen Bao and Zhu Qin expressed shock as the cards suddenly changed. Du Songzi revealed his master's teaching about always having a "plan B" to be thorough.
He admitted to making a "little alteration" to his initial trick by rigging the cards with a transparent film during the shuffle, a fact Wang Lu confirmed. Du Songzi concluded that Wang Lu had discovered his trick too late.
This twist meant Wang Lu, who thought he had secured five Children Tiles, now found himself with only two, forcing him to admit defeat in that aspect and face a difficult choice of who among his six teammates would receive the precious two cards. Outside the Spirit Gate, Wang Wu criticized Shengjing Sect for using such a trick on a "girl with the mental age of a six-year-old," calling it shameful.
Master Shuiyue retorted that "competition comes first, friendship second," reminding Wang Wu of her own words. Master Shuiyue then expressed her displeasure, stating that if she had known the Spirit Gate was a "gambling house," she would not have allowed its use. Wang Wu retorted that "competition and practice require intelligence and wisdom," arguing there was no "good wisdom or bad wisdom." Master Shuiyue called it "sophistry."
Wang Wu told them to stop arguing and learn from General Hai, who was quietly watching the game. Master Shuiyue noted that General Hai's disciples had all lost, so he had nothing to talk about. Wang Wu then threatened to destroy the artifact, which would kill Master Shuiyue's disciples, but Master Shuiyue simply dared her to do so. Wang Wu called her shameless, remarking that Shuiyue's character was even more despicable than her own.
Du Songzi explained the Filial Piety Gate required absolute filial piety. With only two Children Tiles for six people, he asked Wang Lu which four he would abandon, trying to sow discord among the allies. Zhu Qin and Wen Bao worried about being sacrificed, noting Wang Lu's selfish nature and Zhu Qin's feeling of not having contributed enough.
Wang Lu, however, calmly stated that everyone would listen to him and declared that Wen Bao and Zhu Qin would take the Parents Tiles. Zhu Qin initially felt betrayed, while Hai Yunfan sarcastically praised Wang Lu's "selfless" act of sacrificing his own sect members. Wang Lu ignored him, confirming his decision to Du Songzi.
Wang Lu then instructed Zhu Qin and Wen Bao to take out all their money, stating that their "children" would then do their duties by doubling the money. Zhu Qin realized Wang Lu intended to profit off their impending elimination.
Wen Bao then revealed he had a massive 10 million Spirit Stones, claiming his father was the Master of Canglan and he was the "only child in his family," unlike Zhu Qin, the 7th Prince of Ming, who had six brothers. Wang Lu mocked Du Songzi, saying "your man loves showing off, so we're playing along." Hai Yunfan, despite being wary, agreed to double the money, stating that "what can be solved with money is no big deal."
Once the money was paid and the confirmation was made, the Spirit Gate announced Du Songzi, Wangyue Luanyu, Jiang Liu, Hai Yunfan, and Fang Qiang were all eliminated. Hai Yunfan was furious, demanding to know why they were out when they had Children Tiles. Outside, Wang Wu gloated at Master Shuiyue, suggesting her artifact was "too old," while Master Shuiyue accused Wang Lu of cheating.
Wang Wu countered that Master Shuiyue was a sore loser and teased her to "raise the bet" since General Hai had lost everything. Wang Lu then revealed the loophole: the rule "Of three forms of unfilial piety, having no heir is the gravest" was paramount. Even with Children Tiles, having no children of one's own meant being "unfilial," leading to elimination.
He explained that while the rule stated one person could only hold one "tile", it didn't mean they could only have one "identity". He himself, as well as the successful candidates, held both parent and child identities, thus fulfilling the "filial duty" completely. Wang Lu concluded that the game only required sacrificing the "first and last" in a chain for everyone else to pass. He mockingly called Du Songzi stupid for falling for his trick, then bid him "bye."
Wang Lu then announced that since Wen Bao and Zhu Qin had already acted as parents, only one of them could also be a child to complete the family chain. Zhu Qin, feeling guilty for his Eye of Breaking Illusions not being useful, willingly stepped aside, allowing Wen Bao to gain the points. Wang Lu promised Zhu Qin he would help him pass the next round.
The Spirit Gate confirmed Liuli, Zhou Mumu, Zhan Ziye, and Wen Bao passed and gained 10 points each, while Wang Lu, Zhu Qin, and all Shengjing Sect disciples received zero points. As the first round concluded, a sudden change occurred. Wang Wu exclaimed for everyone to "be careful" as black energy surged. Wang Wu demanded to know if Master Shuiyue was behind it, accusing her of such a scheme "just to win a competition."
Master Shuiyue, with a sinister smile, revealed her true ambition extended beyond victory, telling them to check their hands. Wang Wu recognized the "Demonic Qi of the Black Tide," confirming Master Shuiyue's nefarious plot. Master Shuiyue admitted she had "gone to great lengths to find it" and succeeded. She declared that soon, the sect leaders would all become her puppets, just like Lord Tianlun.
Wang Wu vehemently refused, stating she would "rather die than be a puppet," but Master Shuiyue challenged her to "kill herself now." Master Shuiyue explained that the "Puppet Matrix" was installed in the Spirit Gate, ensuring none of them could escape. She had no intention of killing them, as that would make her a sinner. Instead, she wanted them to "become her servants" so she would be "the master of all Five Sects."
She then revealed that the Puppet Matrix was located in the Eight-Virtue Hall, and with each round completed by the disciples, the array would upgrade, culminating in the sect leaders losing their minds and becoming her puppets. Master Shuiyue asserted that no matter who won the competition, Shengjing Sect would be the "ultimate winner." Wang Wu angrily called her a "monster."
Wang Wu tried to resist, but Master Shuiyue reminded them that the Spirit Gate's operation depended on the combined spiritual power of all five sect leaders. If any of them left their position, the artifact's balance would be destroyed, and all their disciples would die. Unaware of the precarious situation outside, the trial disciples continued their journey within the Spirit Gate, entering the "Brotherhood" section.
Wang Lu lightheartedly asked Hai Yunfan if he knew what "brotherhood" meant, prompting Hai Yunfan to tell him to focus on the rules. The Spirit Gate announced the rules: teams of two would be formed as "brothers," each with 100 chips for both "external"and "internal" conflicts. A total of over 100 chips for external defense would be considered success, earning double rewards. If below 100, both would be disqualified.
After external success, the winner of the internal fight (whoever had more chips) would take all the rewards. A tie meant an even split. To pass, each participant needed at least 200 chips. Wen Bao asked Wang Lu to clarify the rules. Wang Lu humorously explained that it boiled down to fighting each other (internal conflict) or cooperating against "scoundrels like Hai Yunfan" (external conflict), with a final "winner" still determined afterward.
The Spirit Gate added conditions: chips could not be replicated, destroyed, or added, and participants must make decisions independently within a time limit, or they would be disqualified. Wen Bao again expressed confusion about the connection to "brotherhood." Wang Lu dismissed it, calling the rules a "Prisoner's Dilemma" and the "Virtues Test" a "sham," arguing that his own "roguish" nature proved virtue wasn't the key to winning.
Hai Yunfan sarcastically agreed, prompting Wang Lu to retort that he wasn't "immoral" like Hai Yunfan. Wang Lu then gathered his teammates, including Liuli, Wen Bao, and Zhou Mumu, to discuss a strategy. He outlined two paths to victory. The first involved both brothers allocating all 100 chips to external defense, earning 400 chips total, which they would split to each get 200 and pass.
However, he warned that one could betray the other by holding back just one chip for the internal fight, thus winning everything. This method, he stressed, only worked for "trusted teammates." The second method involved dividing chips between external and internal, with the winner of the internal fight taking all rewards, provided at least 50 chips each were put into external defense to reach the 100-chip threshold.
He pointed out that if both sides put 50 into external and 50 into internal, they would both end up with 100 chips, leading to mutual elimination. Wang Lu also highlighted Shengjing Sect's advantage if teams were random due to their larger numbers. He then secretly revealed his actual plan to his team, telling them to come closer. When Wen Bao asked if his plan would work, Wang Lu replied, "Believe it or not."
Hai Yunfan, approaching Wang Lu, declared he wouldn't be "fooled again" and vowed to win this round. Both sides confirmed their readiness, and the challenge began. Coincidentally, the trial paired Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan together. Hai Yunfan immediately expressed his distrust and intent to win.
Wang Lu decided to write down his chip allocation first, giving Hai Yunfan the choice: either they both allocate zero to external defense and get eliminated together, or Hai Yunfan contributes all his chips for external defense, allowing Wang Lu to then dominate him in the internal fight. Hai Yunfan was furious, refusing to be played again.
Wang Lu then suggested they both simply put nothing towards external defense, ensuring their joint elimination, stating it would be less embarrassing for Hai Yunfan. Hai Yunfan realized Wang Lu was trying to force a mutual defeat. Wang Lu feigned disappointment, suggesting he thought Hai Yunfan would show "a little bit of brotherhood" for old times' sake. With time running out, Wang Lu confirmed his choice to put zero chips into external defense and walked away.
Hai Yunfan, enraged, decided to also allocate zero, ensuring they both were eliminated. The Spirit Gate confirmed both Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan were out. Wang Lu continued to taunt Hai Yunfan about their "fragile relationship" and being more "heartless" than him. Despite Wang Lu's elimination, Du Songzi believed Shengjing Sect's numerical advantage would secure victory. However, the Spirit Gate announced that Liuli, Zhu Qin, Wen Bao, Zhan Ziye, and Zhou Mumu had all passed.
Du Songzi was stunned, demanding to know where his other members were, only to hear the announcement that Wangyue Luanyu, Xu Peng, Xiao Cun, Li Jiu, and Fang Qiang were all eliminated. Du Songzi accused Wang Lu of cheating again. Wang Lu simply told him to guess. He then explained his strategy to his remaining teammates: rules were "traps," and the key was to "take control." If an opponent was weaker, they should be immediately "knocked out."
This would count as an abstention for the opponent, allowing the stronger player to use their opponent's 100 chips for external defense and pass. If the opponent was stronger, Wang Lu suggested a "sneak attack"—any method to "knock them down with one strike." Wen Bao enthusiastically confirmed the effectiveness of this violent approach. Hai Yunfan angrily retorted that the rules prohibited "fighting," demanding to know how Wang Lu's team passed.
Wang Lu scoffed, explaining that a "unilateral knockout" wasn't a "fight" but merely a "sneak attack." Hai Yunfan then questioned why Wang Lu hadn't attacked him, prompting Wang Lu to sarcastically ask if Hai Yunfan thought he "still had feelings for him," before stating that if he hadn't taken an Oath, he would have "beaten him to death." Wang Lu then left, saying he was "done talking."
After the second round, the Spirit Gate announced scores: Liuli, Zhan Ziye, Zhou Mumu, and Wen Bao each had 20 points, while Zhu Qin, Du Songzi, and Jiang Liu each had 10 points. All others had zero. Master Shuiyue, still observing the competition, expressed her enjoyment of its unpredictability and mused about which disciple would "send them on their way." She then challenged Wang Wu to a bet on who would win.
Wang Wu confidently declared Wang Lu would be the champion due to his intelligence. Master Shuiyue taunted that since Wang Wu was going to become a puppet anyway, she wanted to win a bet against her while she was still clear-headed. Inside the Spirit Gate, the disciples entered the "Loyalty section. Wang Lu found this round interesting, noting it involved neither cards nor chips.
The Spirit Gate announced the rules: participants must declare a single, unchangeable object of loyalty, and could then challenge another person's loyalty once. If a person's loyalty was successfully questioned, they would be eliminated. To pass, one must maintain their own loyalty and successfully question another's. Wen Bao and Wang Lu initially wondered if this round truly tested virtue, but Wang Lu quickly dismissed it, believing it to be another trick.
He compared the "doubt" mechanism to a debate's "surprise attack" and decided to go first. Du Songzi eagerly declared his loyalty to Shengjing Sect. Wang Lu questioned him directly: if Shengjing Sect were to "split up," which side would he choose? Du Songzi insisted his sect would never split, but Wang Lu exposed his ignorance by recounting historical instances of mysterious deaths and disappearances during Shengjing Sect's leadership transitions, implying internal strife.
When Du Songzi admitted ignorance, Wang Lu chastised him for claiming loyalty while being unable to face his sect's "dark history." The Spirit Gate then confirmed Wang Lu's successful challenge, eliminating Du Songzi. Master Shuiyue observed Wang Lu's unconventional thinking, noting that his intelligence was inadvertently helping her scheme by advancing the trial and pushing the sect leaders closer to becoming her puppets. Wang Lu, calling Hai Yunfan "Cannon Fodder" again, announced he would show everyone "what loyalty is."
He then declared his loyalty to an abstract, nonsensical sound, claiming it was a "symbol" for a "mysterious substance" that "can’t be detected" or "announced." He welcomed others to question him. Hai Yunfan was perplexed, finding Wang Lu's statement "ridiculous but impeccable." Du Songzi, despite his earlier elimination, was also bewildered, demanding how one could be loyal to something indescribable. Wang Lu simply replied, "No comment," pointing out the rules didn't require him to answer.
Du Songzi called it "sophistry" and admitted Wang Lu's "Wuxiang Sword Bone" and "gift of gab" made him a master of defense. Hai Yunfan quickly caught on to Wang Lu's trick and mimicked his declaration, stating his loyalty to "mie mie" (the sound of a sheep), a similar "mysterious substance" that couldn't be detected or named, and welcomed Wang Lu to question him.
Following Wang Lu's lead, Liuli, Wen Bao, Zhu Qin, Zhan Ziye, and Zhou Mumu all declared loyalty to equally vague and mysterious "symbols" like "momo," "dududu," "biyobiyo," "heihei," and "nene." Du Songzi, observing that Shengjing Sect still had more members, boasted that he would win this round. However, Wang Lu then suddenly declared that the "thing" he described, which "can’t be detected in any way," simply "doesn’t exist." Therefore, his declared loyalty was "false," and he chose to "doubt himself," causing the symbol of loyalty above his head to crack.
