Whispers of Fate Episode 22 Recap
> Whispers of Fate Recap
Tang Lici reflected on his past with Fang Zhou, remembering how he once persuaded a gravely ill Fang Zhou to practice the Rebirth Record. Fang Zhou had agreed, and after practicing for a while, confirmed that the technique was not inherently evil; its nature depended solely on the practitioner's heart. He also made Tang Lici promise to keep their practice a secret from Liu Yan and Xiao Fu.
Tang Lici was grateful to Fang Zhou for helping him see the Rebirth Record as something more than a weapon. He then confessed to Fang Zhou that he had previously hidden the truth about his past, having escaped from a mysterious place known as the Celestial Realm. Fang Zhou advised him to keep their discussions for a later time, as others were due to return.
Later, Fang Zhou explained that secrecy was necessary because ordinary people, driven by their emotions, might misunderstand their path and react with anger. Separately, Qiao Yiqiankun infiltrated the All-Seeing Tower to uncover its secrets. He revealed that Fang Zhou's heart crystal was within his own body, while Fang Zhou's physical form was preserved in an Eternal Crystal Casket from the Azure Abode Palace, awaiting resurrection by the complete Rebirth Record.
Qiao Yiqiankun urged Liu Yan to return the other half of the Rebirth Record so they could restore Fang Zhou together. However, a voice warned Liu Yan not to trust Tang Lici, accusing him of being the manipulative Yin-Yang Artificer, and encouraging Liu Yan to believe only what he saw with his own eyes. Meanwhile, the league faced turmoil.
Shao Jianzhu approached Tang Lici, concerned about over a dozen disciples recently slain in a manner uncharacteristic of the Unfettered Guild, suggesting it was a trap designed to provoke them. Tang Lici confirmed he was investigating rumors circulating within the league and asked if Shao Jianzhu knew a fortune teller working as a handyman. This fortune teller, Fang Pingzhai, was found spreading dissent among the disciples, questioning Tang Lici's leadership and the effectiveness of his teachings.
Tang Lici calmly confronted Fang Pingzhai, revealing his true identity as Chai Xijin, a former prince. He further explained that he had deduced this from Chai Xijin's pursuit of imperial treasures and access to palace secrets, information Tang Lici had gathered through his foster father, the royal Father-in-law. Chai Xijin was surprised to be exposed.
Tang Lici pressed him, questioning his obsessive desire for the Rebirth Record, especially since it was related to the Yin-Yang Artificer, whose power had brought about his dynasty's downfall. Chai Xijin dismissed Tang Lici's questions, arguing that the Rebirth Record offered strength and near-immortality, qualities he admired in Tang Lici.
Tang Lici then threatened to expose Chai Xijin's dual identity as the former prince and the master of the Towers of the Fallen, along with his alliance with the Unfettered Guild and their dangerous Scorpion Ghost Nine Heart Pills. This revelation, Tang Lici implied, would turn the public against him. Chai Xijin acknowledged the weight of Tang Lici's threats and offered cooperation, promising a path from mortal to immortal.
Tang Lici scoffed at his ambition, then publicly began to declare Chai Xijin's identity before a gathering of disciples. Defeated, Chai Xijin conceded, thanked Tang Lici for his "hospitality," and left a detailed map as a "farewell gift." Tang Lici immediately ordered Chi Yun to follow Chai Xijin, instructing him to uncover the prince's true motives and prevent any further harm he might inflict.
The map, detailing the Jade Peony Tower, the Unfettered Guild's headquarters hidden in misty waters, caused a stir among the league's disciples, who immediately clamored for an attack. Despite warnings from some that it could be a trap requiring reconnaissance, others argued that with Tang Lici, the Imperial Court, and the Azure Abode Palace's support, their overwhelming force and high morale meant they should strike at once. Shao Jianzhu, under pressure, gave the order for battle preparations.
He then asked Tang Lici about the map's authenticity. Tang Lici replied that with the current fervor, the truth of the map no longer mattered. He acknowledged that the map was a tactic to rush them and hinted at another power at play, but stressed that winning the upcoming battle was paramount, promising to resolve other issues later. Shao Jianzhu then asked Tang Lici for help in dissuading his disciple, Zhong Chunji, who was eager to lead the vanguard.
Tang Lici advised Zhong Chunji against impatience when nearing their goal, warning that it could lead to losing direction or falling into the enemy's traps. Zhong Chunji, understanding, resolved to revise her battle plans. Elsewhere, Pu Zhu led a contingent of disciples to scout an Unfettered Guild stronghold. He cautiously went ahead alone, telling his men to wait. There, he encountered Xifang Tao, his long-lost chess partner, now revealed as the Western Palace Master of the Unfettered Guild.
Xifang Tao greeted him, inviting him to play blind chess. During their game, Xifang Tao revealed she had memorized all his chess moves over three years, identifying specific positions he always avoided, which she correctly deduced were the trigger points of his Astral Formation. As Pu Zhu activated his formation, his disciples, sensing danger, rushed to his aid, unknowingly falling into Xifang Tao's trap. She admitted she intended to cripple the league's elites, not necessarily defeat Pu Zhu.
As the Unfettered Guild's poison mist spread, disorienting the disciples, Pu Zhu sacrificed his protective prayer beads, using his Buddha's Will power to guide his men out of the fog, saving them. Xifang Tao commented on his enduring mercy. After his disciples had retreated, Pu Zhu confronted Xifang Tao, urging her to cease the bloodshed as the Unfettered Guild's defeat was inevitable.
She refused, intentionally injuring herself with his own hand before leaping off a cliff, vowing to make him commit murder. Declaring he would not let her die, Pu Zhu immediately jumped after her. Later, Yu Furen, returning from the mist, informed Tang Lici about Pu Zhu's disappearance, expressing regret for his own rash actions. Tang Lici, taking Pu Zhu's recovered prayer beads, asked if Yu Furen had seen anyone else.
Yu Furen lied, saying he had not, but Tang Lici immediately sensed his deception. Tang Lici revealed that a note in Pu Zhu's residence had confirmed Xifang Tao was his longtime chess partner, suggesting their long acquaintance might prevent a tragic outcome and even help Pu Zhu overcome karmic obstacles.
What Yu Furen had hidden was an encounter with his supposedly deceased Senior Brother, Yu Qifeng, who revealed he had been revived as a human puppet by the Unfettered Guild after consuming the Scorpion Ghost Nine Heart Pill. Yu Qifeng accused Tang Lici of manipulating Yu Furen and the league. Yu Furen, refusing to believe him, demanded to know when the "hero" of Sword King City became a demon.
He tried to force Yu Qifeng back to the league for justice. Yu Qifeng, dismissing his own life as worthless, urged Yu Furen not to let misplaced trust destroy his future and Sword King City's legacy, accusing Tang Lici of being the Yin-Yang Artificer, aiming to profit from the ongoing conflict. Yu Furen, still distrusting Tang Lici, insisted his actions were for the eradication of the Unfettered Guild, not for Tang Lici.
He demanded Yu Qifeng provide evidence and confront Tang Lici. Deep in a secluded canyon, Xifang Tao awakened to find a severely injured Pu Zhu. She realized he had truly risked his life to save her. Noticing he still had strength, she questioned why he did not leave the isolated canyon.
Pu Zhu, in return, told her to rise, his discomfort evident when she noticed his sweat and questioned if it was from fatigue or nervousness, before he pointed out that she was lying on his leg.
