Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Episode 6 Recap
> Once Upon a Time in Lingjian Mountain Recap
After the incident where Wang Lu was accused of murder, the Lingjian sect elders examined the deceased's body. They discovered a very shallow wound on the left shoulder, consistent with the deceased's own dagger which Wang Lu had used in a hurry. The actual cause of death was not the wound itself, but the highly potent and rare Nine Beast Frost poison found on the dagger.
The body was deeply poisoned with black marks on the skin, indicating this substance, which is refined over three years using nine kinds of deadly poisons and is extremely valuable and not easily obtainable. The unique bone structure and worn teeth and hands of the deceased led them to conclude that he was not a member of the Lingjian sect.
This immediately brought to mind the "men of sacrifice" from the Beirong region – infants abducted, their features destroyed, and trained for decades in assassination. These "men of sacrifice" were known to never survive a failed mission. Fearing that more such assassins might be lurking on the mountain, the elders decided against punishing or rewarding Wang Lu, opting instead to observe quietly and avoid alerting any potential hidden threats.
Seventh Elder, Ao Guanhai, who felt deeply indebted to Wang Wu for bringing him back to the sect, believed that Wang Wu's disciple was his own and wished to make amends for nearly punishing Wang Lu. Wang Wu, however, abruptly left the elders' meeting, claiming an urgent matter on the mountain. Ao Guanhai later brought Wang Lu to Non-Phase Peak, only to find Wang Wu leisurely playing mahjong with Feng Ling.
Despite others' attempts to intervene, Wang Wu declared that Wang Lu must face Liu Li xian in a public contest, regardless of life or death, with the loser being expelled from the sect. She then used a spiritual transmission to threaten Wang Lu, revealing that she knew about Hai Yunfan secretly entering the Scripture Library. Under this duress, Wang Lu reluctantly agreed to the duel. Wang Wu then publicly announced the contest to all disciples.
The news created a stir as Liu Li xian was a true disciple at the Void Core stage, while Wang Lu, known for his inability to learn magic and still only in the Body Forging Stage after two years, seemed to face an impossible challenge. Wang Lu, having accumulated frustration from Wang Wu's lack of guidance, asked for spiritual artifacts to aid him in the contest. When Wang Wu dismissively refused, his patience snapped.
He accused her of trying to get rid of him from the start, from attempting to take his Xiaoyun coin to framing him with the sect leader's golden seal. He expressed his disappointment that for two years, she had done nothing but make him take baths, teaching him no martial arts. He echoed the Third Elder's criticism, calling Wang Wu "a disgrace to Lingjian" for her misconduct, neglect of duty, and indulgence in alcohol.
Wang Lu stormed off, convinced that Wang Wu wanted Liu Li xian to defeat him so she could be rid of him as a burden. Wang Wu, after his departure, clutched her chest in pain, unseen by Wang Lu. As Wang Lu began packing his belongings, intent on leaving, Feng Ling, the Innkeeper, unexpectedly appeared. She admitted that Wang Wu had instructed her to teach Wang Lu ordinary martial arts.
Observing Wang Lu, Feng Ling noted that the medicated baths Wang Wu had made him take for the past two years were finally showing effects. Feng Ling revealed that Wang Wu's strategy was purposeful: just as Wang Wu herself had grown stronger by constantly challenging and getting beaten while cultivating the Wuxiang Sword Bone, she intended for Liu Li xian to "open Wang Lu's meridians" through this duel.
Feng Ling then asked Wang Wu if she could endure the upcoming full moon night, but Wang Wu merely deflected, pretending to be unconcerned, hinting at something she wished to conceal. Later, while Wang Lu waited for Feng Ling, Hai Yunfan approached him, concerned. Knowing Wang Lu wasn't impulsive and that victory against Liu Li xian was almost impossible, Hai Yunfan suspected Wang Lu had accepted the challenge for his sake.
However, Wang Lu adamantly denied this, claiming he had bet with Wang Wu for a spiritual treasure. Seeing Hai Yunfan's concern, Feng Ling decided to keep him as Wang Lu's training partner for the Whirling technique. Feng Ling explained that mastering Whirling, a flexible footwork for both offense and defense, required breaking through four realms: "Heaven and Earth in mind," "Sun and Moon in mind," "Self in mind," and "No Self in mind."
They practiced diligently, with Wang Lu's high comprehension allowing him to achieve basic proficiency in Whirling in just half a day. Wang Lu, determined to win with strategy rather than raw power, began to investigate Liu Li xian's weaknesses. He discovered that despite her age, Liu Li xian was naive and developmentally slow, possessing several exploitable vulnerabilities. For instance, her digestive system was sensitive, she was self-conscious about hair loss, and extremely sensitive about her waistline.
Wang Lu knew that "the best victory is to win without fighting," and hoped to use these weaknesses to his advantage. The next day, Wang Lu convinced a hesitant Hai Yunfan to accompany him down the mountain, promising to protect him. They followed Liu Li xian, almost being discovered, but found that Zhu Qin and Wang Zhong were also tailing her and were caught first. To smooth things over, Zhu Qin offered to treat Liu Li xian to a meal.
Unbeknownst to Zhu Qin, Wang Lu had already placed a "Dongshi charm" on him. This charm, when paired with a "Xishi charm" (which Wang Lu had on himself), forced the wearer of the Dongshi charm to mimic the actions and words of the Xishi charm wearer. As Liu Li xian ate, Wang Lu loudly commented on how fat she was and advised her to lose weight, knowing this was one of her sensitive spots.
Zhu Qin, under the influence of the charm, repeated Wang Lu's words, infuriating Liu Li xian, who then violently flipped the table. In the midst of the chaos, Wang Lu suddenly sensed the presence of an assassin. In a moment of urgency, he shouted at Zhu Qin to use his "Breaking Eye."
