Side Story of Fox Volant Episode 1 Recap
> Side Story of Fox Volant Recap
In the midst of a harsh winter, a northern mountain town was blanketed in snow, and within this frosty landscape stood the Batong Inn. Many of Hu Yidao's enemies had gathered there, having heard he was returning to his hometown with his wife and child to pay respects to his ancestors, intending to ambush and kill them. However, Hu Yidao, renowned as the Legend of Liaodong, was a formidable and chivalrous martial artist. His adversaries were quickly defeated, utterly outmatched.
Tian Guinong seized this chance to instigate a duel between Miao Renfeng and Hu Yidao. Miao Renfeng, who prided himself on being an invincible martial artist, refused to involve Hu Yidao's innocent wife and child, choosing instead to postpone the fight until another day. Soon after, Hu Yidao and Miao Renfeng met at Cang Mountain. Over five days and five nights of intense battle, neither could claim victory.
Instead, they recognized each other as kindred spirits, both martial arts prodigies who had memorized each other's moves. On the final day, they swapped weapons for a renewed contest. Hu Yidao mastered Miao Renfeng's sword techniques and, in return, taught him the Hu family's saber manual. Though Hu Yidao won by half a move, he was fatally wounded by a poisoned weapon and died tragically on Cang Mountain.
His wife, Madam Hu, took her own life to join him, entrusting their infant son, Hu Fei, to Ping Gui before her death. Fourteen years later, Hu Fei, now known as Ping Fei, had grown into a young man under Ping Gui's protection. Ping Gui did not know the full truth of that day but firmly believed Miao Renfeng and Yan Ji conspired to kill Hu Fei's parents.
Meanwhile, the Shang family had also been closely tracking Miao Renfeng, consumed by a desire for vengeance. However, Shang Baozhen, the young master of Shang's Fort, lacked natural talent and guidance, and despite years of strenuous practice, he failed to impress his mother. Old Madam Shang, the matriarch of Shang's Fort, meticulously instructed Shang Baozhen in martial arts, her every mention of Miao Renfeng and Hu Yidao's names laced with deep, ingrained hatred.
One day, Ma Chunhua impulsively led Hu Fei to peek through a window at the training. Old Madam Shang noticed them and, with an angry shout, startled them into fleeing over a wall, disappearing before Shang Baozhen could pursue them. Outside Shang's Fort, a torrential rain fell. Ma Xingkong, the head escort of Feima Escort Agency, instructed his men to load the goods, unaware of the lurking criminals.
Xu Zheng, the eldest senior disciple, was sent to find Ma Chunhua, only to discover her sparring with Hu Fei in a corridor. Hu Fei, in his youthful exuberance, often argued with Xu Zheng, yet he always enjoyed Ma Chunhua's protection. Despite Ping Gui's constant reminders to Hu Fei never to expose his family's martial arts to outsiders, Hu Fei couldn't help but intervene when he saw Ma Chunhua being harassed.
Just as the hooligans prepared to flee, over a dozen horses galloped to a halt in front of the manor. Black-clad men appeared on the eaves, and their leader introduced himself as Yan Ji, a familiar face to Ping Gui. Having traveled the jianghu for many years, Ma Xingkong understood the rules of escorting goods and offered money to settle the matter. However, Yan Ji demanded half the cargo, then attacked Ma Xingkong.
Initially, the escorts dismissed Yan Ji as a common bandit, but his peculiar and profound boxing techniques, though seemingly only three moves, quickly overpowered Ma Xingkong, leaving him injured and bleeding on the ground. Yan Ji, emboldened by his victory, ordered his men to remove the escort agency's flag. Ma Chunhua and the others fought desperately to protect it but were no match for Yan Ji.
At this crucial moment, Miao Renfeng rode in, swiftly dispatching the bandits and leaving Yan Ji screaming in pain. Old Madam Shang, who had been observing from a distance, approached Miao Renfeng as he prepared to leave. Despite her profound hatred for him, she concealed her emotions and offered him a swift horse for his journey, leaving him with a favorable impression.
Meanwhile, Ping Gui, wanting Hu Fei to remember his vengeance, recounted the full story of what truly happened that fateful day, claiming Miao Renfeng and Yan Ji conspired to poison the weapons and kill Hu Fei's parents. Deeply frustrated by his defeat, Ma Xingkong accepted Old Madam Shang's invitation for his group to stay at the fort for a few days. Shang Baozhen was instantly smitten with Ma Chunhua. Concurrently, Miao Renfeng sought out Yi Chen, the King of Poison.
He requested an apprentice to inform Yi Chen of his presence and then sat nearby, reflecting on his past. He recalled how he and Hu Yidao, once enemies, became friends through their shared chivalry, and how he detested Shang Jianming's corrupt alliance with the Qing court. Hu Yidao had ultimately killed Shang Jianming on his behalf, using Miao's Sword Techniques. As a gesture of gratitude for their hospitality, Ma Xingkong agreed to coach Shang Baozhen in martial arts.
During their practice, Ma Xingkong recognized elements of Bagua Sect's palm techniques in Shang Baozhen's movements, sensing that the young man had received guidance from a famous master. Old Madam Shang subtly warned Shang Baozhen about exposing their family's martial arts.
Shang Baozhen, however, believed in resolving disputes peacefully, expressing that past grievances with the Ma family didn't warrant further conflict, but his mother quickly silenced him with an angry reprimand, reminding him of his father's death and their sworn revenge. Having witnessed Shang Baozhen's techniques and later discovering human-shaped targets covered in inscriptions in the Shang family's training room (marked with "Miao Renfeng" and "Hu Yidao"), Ma Xingkong became wary, realizing their situation was perilous and they should leave immediately.
Old Madam Shang, having laid meticulous plans, confidently noted that all her preparations were complete, and with the help she had summoned, the crucial step of her scheme was about to unfold.
