Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 4 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
The Lingjian sect found themselves with fifteen candidates who had successfully completed the assessment path. This was an unexpected outcome as their original plan anticipated only three final winners who would become inner disciples, and their resources could only support such a limited number. Masters argued over the situation, with Master Wang Wu suggesting they recruit all candidates, while others, particularly the Sixth Senior Brother who was in charge of finance, highlighted the limited resources.
The leader of the sect decided a final interview would be held, where all Masters would personally select the most promising talents based on their performance in the trials. Before the interview, the leader privately spoke with Master Wang Wu, revealing that both she and Ling'er had spoken of a "chosen one." He intended to pay special attention to Wang Lu during the selection process. At Cloud Hall, the candidates were informed of the additional test.
Zhu Qin complained about the extra hurdle, but Hai Yunfan acknowledged its necessity, stating that their success in the previous trial was due to Wang Lu's sword strike. Wang Lu, ever confident, pondered which master he would choose. An elder explained that each candidate would place their hand on the Universe Speculum, which would reveal their qualifications and Magic Root. Zhu Qin eagerly stepped forward first, hoping to make a good impression.
When it was Wang Lu’s turn, the Universe Speculum suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, astounding the Masters. One Master exclaimed that Wang Lu's Magic Root was extraordinary, a rare sight even after centuries of cultivation, even suggesting it be made into a specimen for collection. Wang Lu, unfazed, simply turned and walked away. The Masters then deliberated, announcing that the results would be revealed in half an hour and only three qualified candidates would be chosen.
Outside, the other candidates were convinced Wang Lu was a shoo-in, given the commotion he caused at the Universe Speculum and his impressive performance throughout the trials, including splitting heaven and earth in the Ice Wind Valley with a single sword. They believed his Magic Root was truly rare and that the Masters' reaction proved it. Wang Lu, however, cautioned against premature celebration.
To everyone's surprise, when the results were announced, Wen Bao, Zhu Qin, and Wang Zhong were chosen as inner disciples, while Wang Lu and Hai Yunfan were not. Zhu Qin immediately seized the opportunity to mock Wang Lu, offering him a position as a tea-serving boy if he ever succeeded in cultivation, adding he wasn't interested in Wang Lu either.
Wang Lu, however, saw their situation as a "broken engagement story," a plot where extreme initial suppression leads to greater future glory, claiming they were destined to become "Immortal Kings of the Carefree World." Hai Yunfan, bewildered, did not fully understand. A senior disciple, instructed by the Masters, approached Hai Yunfan, stating that his exceptional performance suggested an error in the test and offered a retest. Hai Yunfan respectfully declined, accepting his new status as an outer disciple.
The senior disciple then explained Wang Lu's situation. His character and perception were impeccable, even surpassing Hai Yunfan's. His Magic Root was the rarest of all Heavenly Magic Roots: the Void Magic Root, similar to those possessed by legendary figures like Immortal Emperor and Ancestor Desheng. However, its very rarity made it nearly impossible to cultivate, as no compatible cultivation method existed, even before the Dharma Ending Age. No sect had ever successfully trained a Void Magic Root cultivator.
Therefore, in this age, the Void Magic Root was considered a mere "rare collectible," lacking practical value. Master Huayun jokingly suggested that if Wang Lu stayed, he could only serve as a mascot for the sect. Wang Lu, instead of being offended, took the "mascot" offer seriously, even inquiring about salary, board, and paid leave.
When a Master tried to backtrack, claiming they were just joking, Wang Lu cleverly reminded them of their esteemed status as sect masters and how their words should be unchangeable, lest the sect lose its credibility and be seen as going back on its word. The Masters were left speechless. Wang Lu then revealed his true motivations: to win a bet and to teach others that "knowledge is power," as he was exasperated by the stupidity of the other candidates.
Master Wang Wu cynically added that a sect mascot could also enjoy the "benefits" of "cheating and swindling, eating, drinking, and having fun" under the sect’s prestigious name, asking if he could give them money. Wang Lu, pondering if he needed to pay a "membership fee," then produced the Xiaoyun coin. The Masters were aghast, recognizing it as the legendary Xiaoyun coin, a relic of their sect's ancestor, True Immortal Xiaoyun.
Master Fang He even jokingly asked if Wang Lu was the leader's illegitimate son. The leader pulled Master Wang Wu aside, expressing his surprise that the coin she had given to Ling'er was now in Wang Lu's possession. Wang Wu explained that Ling'er had given it to Wang Lu after he helped her win a bet.
The leader admitted he had mistakenly believed Wang Zhong to be the "chosen one" based on Ling'er's initial assessment, blaming a temporary inability to fully use his Great Divination Spirit Vision because his spiritual power was used for other purposes. Wang Wu retorted, reminding him that she had even designed quests in Peach Blossom Village to help him retrieve the coin from Wang Lu, yet he had still deducted her salary.
They bickered about whose fault it was, with Wang Wu accusing the leader and the leader accusing her of wanting the coin for herself, before returning to the main hall. The leader announced that whoever possessed the Xiaoyun coin could make any request of the Lingjian sect. Wang Lu, without hesitation, demanded to be the sect leader, infuriating Wang Wu, who immediately cursed him, asking how he dared to snatch the position from her.
The leader explained that such an unrealistic demand would be immediately rejected by the Elder Group, and that even an elder position would be difficult for him to hold. He advised Wang Lu to make a more practical request. Wang Lu then asked for a "super-grade Immortal tool," a demand that Wang Wu also echoed with "Me too!" The leader dismissed it as requiring five thousand years to create.
After complaining about the sect's lack of sincerity, Wang Lu "grudgingly" lowered his demand to become a Successor Disciple. The Masters were unwilling to take on a Successor Disciple. Liu Xian claimed to be too busy with inner disciples, Fang He stated his poor track record in teaching due to a past unfortunate incident involving his disciple, and other Masters also made various excuses like being in charge of outer disciples or financial affairs.
Finally, the important task of training the Successor Disciple fell upon Master Wang Wu, who was deemed the "least busy" by the sect leader. Wang Wu reluctantly accepted the responsibility. After the results were announced, the sect leader announced that all trial participants who were not chosen as inner disciples could become outer disciples, as they had passed all trials. Master Huayun, who was responsible for outer disciples, then led them down the mountain.
Hai Yunfan approached her, asking about Wang Lu's fate, to which she vaguely replied that "all results are the best arrangements." Hai Yunfan then bid farewell to Wang Lu, expressing his belief that the Lingjian sect would keep its promise. Wang Lu was left standing alone. Zhu Qin, an inner disciple, taunted Wang Lu, comparing him to an "unkempt stray dog."
Wang Zhong, now also an inner disciple, was advised by Liu Xian not to look back, as their "worlds are different now," a sentiment Wang Zhong seemed to accept, having decided not to demean himself to cater to Wang Lu anymore. Alone, Wang Lu felt a surge of bitterness and self-doubt, pondering if he could truly find his path given the impracticality of his Void Magic Root, which was considered only a collectible. At that moment, Master Wang Wu appeared.
She chided him for his self-doubt, reminding him that he had persisted despite facing a "one in a billion" probability and had even solved the hidden quests in Peach Blossom Village. She revealed that she was the mysterious "River Lord" he had encountered. Wang Wu formally accepted him as her disciple, admitting her inexperience in teaching but promising to guide him.
Despite his lingering insecurities about his Void Magic Root, Wang Lu asked if he could truly cultivate and what he could learn. Wang Wu confidently promised that she would lead him on the path of Immortal Cultivation, declaring that a mere Void Magic Root would not stump her, and she would not give up until the last second. Wang Lu then accepted, stating, "My name is Wang Lu. From now on, I'm with you."
Wang Wu then took Wang Lu to her residence, Non-Phase Peak, by sword. Wang Lu noted that Lingjian Mountain was located in Cangxi Continent and consisted of twelve peaks, each a blessed land for cultivators. He remarked that while Misty Peak and Star Peak were the highest ranked, Non-Phase Peak was second in spiritual energy, which should be ample for just the two of them. However, he was dismayed to find Non-Phase Peak barren and devoid of vegetation.
Wang Wu casually explained that she had sold all the spiritual plants years ago to pay off a debt, and the buyer had cut the price down to wholesale, leaving her without money to buy new seeds; the plants would only regrow in "three to five hundred years."
Wang Lu internally criticized her for letting her peak become so desolate, realizing it explained her strange personality and her estranged relationships with other Masters, especially given her own low Golden Core realm compared to other elders' Nascent Soul realm. Later, Wang Wu took Wang Lu to the outer disciples' free mess hall for dinner, telling him he would have to fend for himself tomorrow.
There, she put on a fake mole, claiming it made her unrecognizable – a "perfunctory" trick Wang Lu found ridiculous, noting she had previously scammed him. She then theatrically "inspected" the food, offering overly elaborate praises to the bewildered cooks as if she were an incognito emperor, telling them to "Rise!" That night, Wang Wu gave Wang Lu a "talent test" in the form of a quiz.
Wang Lu answered with surprising speed and accuracy, which Wang Wu recognized as "born knowledge," affirming his "chosen one" status as a Void Magic Root possessor. Although she jokingly declared his talent "bad" and only "barely deserving" of inheriting her skills, she then posed a fundamental question: what was his purpose in cultivation?
Wang Lu offered several humorous and ambitious answers, such as "to be arrogant, cool, domineering, and flashy" (interpreted as "to bully people"), "to ascend to Immortals," and "for longevity," all of which Wang Wu dismissed, citing examples like the 3,900-year-old Antarctic Immortal Weng who only does academic research. She finally revealed the core principle of cultivation: "no fear of hardship, no giving up when facing difficulties, and being brazen (shameless)."
Wang Lu internally remained skeptical of his unreliable new Master, feeling her teachings were improvised. Meanwhile, Zhu Qin met with a mysterious individual in black, who had helped him become an inner disciple. In return, Zhu Qin was tasked with gathering information on someone's whereabouts. The one in black warned Zhu Qin against any tricks, reminding him that they could bestow everything upon him but also make him lose everything if he disobeyed. Zhu Qin obediently agreed.
Shortly after, Zhu Qin received an implied communication (likely via a magical device or telepathy) from Wen Bao, summoning him to the inner sect training with Elder Liu Xian. Under the moonlight, Wang Wu sat alone, clutching a bracelet and drinking, visibly grieving. The sect leader found her and acknowledged her continued sorrow over her Senior Brother, Ouyang Shang, whom she had been searching for across Kyushu for over a century.
He urged her to let go but also impressed upon her the importance of training Wang Lu. He explained that eighteen years prior, a "stellar catastrophe" caused by a comet had ironically ushered in a "golden age of cultivation" for Kyushu, and Wang Lu was the most brilliant "star" of this generation.
Although Wang Wu jokingly claimed she accepted Wang Lu because she wanted a "young, strong boy to warm her bed," the sect leader implicitly affirmed that it was due to Wang Lu sharing the same rare Void Magic Root as her Senior Brother. She then caught Wang Lu, who had been eavesdropping, and reaffirmed her commitment to train him well, stating that the Lingjian sect kept its promises and their serious training would begin tomorrow. Wang Lu readily accepted.
