Whispers of Fate Episode 2 Recap
> Whispers of Fate Recap
Tang Lici was plagued by the painful memory of his last encounter with his senior brother, A-Yan, four years ago. They had been playing musical instruments together in a forest when A-Yan, without warning, severely injured Tang Lici with his pipa. Despite Tang Lici’s reluctance to retaliate due to their past friendship, A-Yan pressed on, stabbing him in the chest with a sword and then choking him.
As Tang Lici’s jade flute, once A-Yan’s favorite instrument, fell from his sleeve, A-Yan broke it in half, signifying an irreparable rift. Tang Lici lamented to himself, recalling how A-Yan was once a friend he would go to the ends of the earth to find, but now was a foe who would stop at nothing to kill him.
He remembered their days learning arts at Ten-mile Flower with their Senior Brother and Master Mei, when "the weather was warm, and the time was just right." Now, the flowers still bloomed, but the people were gone. Tang Lici believed A-Yan had returned, orchestrating the Hao household tragedy while impersonating Tang Lici, with the ultimate goal of taking his life once more. He resolved to face A-Yan again, curious if his old rival could succeed this time.
Now, Tang Lici had a new helper in Chi Yun. Meanwhile, Zhong Chunji apprehended Yang Shangqing. Yang Shangqing frantically claimed he had only poisoned the Hao family, denying any intention to frame Tang Lici, and insisted he had been coerced by someone else. Before he could elaborate on why he had murdered the Hao family, several darts flew past Zhong Chunji’s face, striking Yang Shangqing and killing him instantly.
From Yang Shangqing’s clothing, Zhong Chunji recovered a small vial containing Nine-Hearts Scarlet Ghost Pills. Detecting an assassin nearby, Chi Yun, known for his lightness skill, immediately gave chase, boasting that no one could match his speed. Zhong Chunji, along with A Shui, who was brought by Tang Lici, followed by boat.
Tang Lici explained he knew the killer's destination, which was west, following a clue from the mysterious disappearance of Sword Hero of the West Wind, Feng Chuanxiang, from the Lingering Pavilion six months prior. He deduced this from a distinctive Messenger Goose feather found there, which indicated a connection to Yanmen.
Zhong Chunji explained Yanmen was a reputable, righteous sect led by Jiang Feiyu, known for his fiery temper but also his fierce loyalty, making the involvement of one of their own in such a crime seem impossible. She revealed she was also investigating the Nine-Hearts Scarlet Ghost Pill. Tang Lici, whose own private investigations had led him to this location, affirmed his concern about the reappearance of the pill. Chi Yun, having pursued the assassin, challenged him.
The assassin, though initially subdued by Chi Yun, suddenly underwent a grotesque transformation, his neck veins bulging and face contorted, and began launching vicious attacks towards Tang Lici. Zhong Chunji quickly recognized the assassin as Jiangcheng, the young master of Yanmen, a chivalrous figure who had vanished six months ago alongside Feng Chuanxiang, with whom he was known as one of the Flower Stream Twin Heroes. Now, Jiangcheng was merely a controlled puppet.
Tang Lici intervened, using his inner energy to calm Jiangcheng and lead him away from the others for a private conversation. Chi Yun then explained to Zhong Chunji and A Shui that the Nine-Hearts Scarlet Ghost Pill was a mind-control drug created by the former Joyous Sect Leader, Yique Yinyang. It offered rapid martial arts improvement but was highly addictive, causing madness and death if discontinued, thus allowing the controller to manipulate its users.
Meanwhile, Jiangcheng confessed to Tang Lici that over a year ago, after a quarrel with his father, he sought refuge with Feng Chuanxiang on Flower Stream Mountain, where they practiced martial arts and fought for justice. His skills rapidly advanced, which he attributed to practicing with Feng Chuanxiang, unaware that his friend had secretly mixed the Evil Pill into his food.
Upon discovering the deception, Jiangcheng confronted Feng Chuanxiang, who refused to explain but urged him to trust him and promised to help. Jiangcheng rejected this "help," refusing to rely on such means for power. He then had Feng Chuanxiang help suppress the pill's toxicity, a process he described as agonizing, causing his mind to go blank from the pain. Six months ago, Feng Chuanxiang vanished, leaving Jiangcheng alone.
Carrying some of the pills Feng Chuanxiang had purchased, Jiangcheng sought to trace their origin, which inadvertently led him to Yang Shangqing. Fearing that Yang Shangqing would expose his friend and tarnish the reputation of the Sword Hero, Jiangcheng killed him to ensure his silence. He expressed his anguish over the betrayal and his desire to find Feng Chuanxiang to ask why he had harmed him.
Tang Lici, sensing Jiangcheng's dire condition and his fear of ruining Yanmen's reputation, offered him two choices: die now and let the world know of Yanmen's disgrace, or allow Tang Lici to suppress the poison for three months before dying, thus preserving Yanmen's honor. Jiangcheng asked for the condition, and Tang Lici inquired about the black-clad pipa player, A-Yan, who looked exactly like him, suspecting A-Yan had guided Jiangcheng to Yang Shangqing.
Jiangcheng described A-Yan as a madman who was "nowhere and everywhere," appearing only when he wished to be seen. Overwhelmed, Jiangcheng pleaded for help, but his condition rapidly deteriorated; his face swelled and turned purple, and he became increasingly manic. Despite Tang Lici's efforts to stabilize him, Jiangcheng exploded in a burst of energy, vanishing without a trace. Just then, Jiangcheng’s father, Jiang Feiyu, appeared, witnessing his son’s explosion with Tang Lici nearby.
Mistakenly believing Tang Lici was responsible, he ordered his men to surround Tang Lici and Chi Yun. Chi Yun despaired as he saw fires being lit beneath the cage they were imprisoned in, but Tang Lici calmly advised him that breakthroughs often emerge from desperate situations. As Jiang Feiyu gave the order to execute them with the "Three Knives and Six Holes" punishment, Feng Chuanxiang dramatically arrived, extinguishing the flames with a surge of sword energy.
Jiangcheng’s uncle provided a piece of evidence, stating that it didn't belong to his nephew, suggesting Jiangcheng was framed. Feng Chuanxiang urged the elder Jiang to remain calm, assuring him that Jiangcheng’s death was part of a larger, more complex scheme, and offering to investigate the matter thoroughly to clear Jiangcheng’s name. He then declared his interest in taking Tang Lici into his custody, leaving Jiangcheng's father to ponder this new development.
