Whispers of Fate Episode 20 Recap
> Whispers of Fate Recap
Tang Lici sought to become the honorable guest of the Zhongyuan Sword League, but the six masters, clinging to their conservative ways, presented a signed letter rejecting his application. Chi Yun was frustrated by their refusal to accept someone capable while they themselves remained stagnant. As the tension escalated, Puzhu arrived, challenging Tang Lici to a duel at Qingyang Cave to determine his suitability, reasoning that actions speak louder than words.
The news of a duel between two formidable martial artists spread quickly, drawing many spectators to Qingyang Cave. A Sword League disciple explained that the cave held historical significance, being the site where Ancestor Zhao Quanyang founded the League and forged its six divine swords. Legend claimed the Ancestor ascended to heaven on a golden dragon summoned by his sword energy, a tale most League disciples believed, much to Chi Yun’s skepticism.
The duel commenced, with Tang Lici and Puzhu displaying their impressive skills. Tang Lici's refined sword energy unexpectedly summoned a radiant silver dragon that coiled around him, a phenomenon a master recognized as the sword energy left by Ancestor Zhao when he achieved the Shattering Void Realm.
Seeing this, Shao Jianzhu immediately knelt, claiming the Ancestor had appeared to him in a dream the previous night, foretelling the arrival of a wise and brave divine warrior to save the martial world. The crowd, awestruck, followed suit, bowing before Tang Lici. This carefully orchestrated display effectively secured Tang Lici's position. Shortly after, a high-ranking official, Tang Lici’s adoptive father, arrived at the Sword League, bringing an imperial decree.
The Emperor pledged full support to the League’s fight against the Unfettered Guild, including 3,000 armored troops and 50,000 taels of gold. When Tang Lici then appeared, greeting the official as "Father," the previously scornful masters, now realizing Tang Lici's powerful connections, quickly changed their tune, fawning over him and eagerly endorsing his joining as an honorable guest.
Tang Lici then announced that as the leader of Myriad Vault, he was personally donating an additional 100,000 taels of gold to fund the resistance against the Unfettered Guild. He specified that these funds were for the righteous warriors fighting the Guild, with compensation for fallen heroes and provisions for all registered sects, further solidifying his influence and boosting morale.
In a private conversation, Shao Jianzhu explained to Tang Lici that his dramatic arrival and the "Ancestral Manifestation" were necessary to overcome the League masters' resistance without resorting to force. He revealed that the sword energy in Qingyang Cave naturally manifests every sixty years when stimulated, making it the perfect timing for Tang Lici's display.
Tang Lici inquired why Puzhu had helped, to which Shao Jianzhu replied that Puzhu was not as devious as he perceived, nor was he as rigid as Tang Lici thought, and now with Puzhu's endorsement, no one would dare challenge Tang Lici. Later, while exploring the grounds, Tang Lici, Chi Yun, and A Shui came across a young boy, Shi, silently building a pile of stones.
When Chi Yun casually reached out to touch the stones, Shi angrily hurled a large stone at him. Chi Yun narrowly dodged it, surprised by the boy’s strength. Tang Lici intervened, stopping Shi from throwing another stone and cautioning him against such dangerous acts. Chi Yun remarked on Shi’s innate brute strength and odd temperament. A Shui, who had spent some time there, explained that Shi was solitary and didn't speak, spending his days piling and then knocking down stones.
She advised Tang Lici to approach him gently and avoid his stones to gain his trust, noting that Shi was fundamentally simple. Tang Lici observed Shi's exceptional aptitude, strength, and agility, pondering his master. Shao Jianzhu revealed that due to Shi’s difficult personality, no one had taken him as a disciple. That evening, the Sword League hosted a banquet for Tang Lici.
Some masters, aiming to test him, dismissed his Myriad Vault wine as weak and brought out their own homemade, potent brews, including a twenty-year-old snake bile wine with an unpleasant odor. Chi Yun tried to intervene, but Tang Lici, accepting the challenge, fearlessly drank the foul-smelling wine. This act of bold resolve impressed the masters, who had initially sought to intimidate him. One by one, they toasted him, and Tang Lici accepted every drink, eventually consuming wine directly from jars.
His straightforwardness and impressive drinking capacity quickly earned him their respect and camaraderie. As the night wore on and the masters grew drunk, they began to reveal their secrets and grievances, with one master confessing his past as the "Poison Saint" and another complaining about his struggles with the League's finances. Through this, Tang Lici earned their trust and dissolved much of their initial animosity. During the banquet, the official discreetly spoke with Shao Jianzhu about another imperial matter.
He entrusted the Sword League with a crucial task: to find Princess Langya, the Emperor's daughter who had been lost more than a decade ago during a period of chaos caused by the Yin-Yang Artificer. The princess, then three years old and now almost twenty, bore a unique butterfly tattoo placed by the Empress, the details of which were known only to the Emperor and Empress, making any impersonation punishable by death.
Observing Shi alone later, still absorbed in piling stones, Tang Lici offered words of encouragement, "Perhaps for you, building is easy, and tearing down is even easier. But none of that counts as owning it. You only truly own it when you resist knocking it down." Shi, however, reacted by angrily pushing down his stone creation.
Tang Lici recalled a past lesson from Fang Zhou, who had taught him patience and understanding after a young Tang Lici, angry at being scratched by a stray cat he tried to comfort, had wanted to kill it. Fang Zhou had patiently shown him that familiarity reveals the good in both animals and people, just as Tang Lici now intended to guide Shi. Meanwhile, Liu Yan returned to the All-Seeing Tower, severely injured from his previous encounter.
He had learned from Tang Lici that Fang Zhou's heart crystal was inside Tang Lici, and that Fang Zhou's body was preserved in a crystal casket at the Tower. Wanting to see for himself, he began searching. However, after a long search, he failed to find Fang Zhou's body. Feeling he had been deceived by Tang Lici once again, Liu Yan grew enraged.
