Side Story of Fox Volant Episode 18 Recap
> Side Story of Fox Volant Recap
One stormy night, Hu Fei, Lv Xiaomei, and Sun Gangfeng sought shelter in an abandoned villa. Suddenly, an eerie voice outside chanted, "The dead are on the road, the living should make way, if you run into the dead, calamities will follow!" Earlier, Hu Fei had been teasing Lv Xiaomei by explaining "body repatriation," a practice from Xiangxi where taoists guide corpses, suggesting there were no real ghosts, only humans who could be more evil.
Lv Xiaomei, already timid, was terrified by the mysterious sounds. Disregarding her warnings, Hu Fei ventured out to investigate, believing it was a human trick. Amidst the strong winds and sinister laughter, three coffin lids soared into the air, and three shadowy figures lunged at Hu Fei. Despite the darkness and heavy rain, making it difficult to discern their faces or moves, Hu Fei fought purely on instinct. He and Sun Gangfeng worked together, eventually subduing the assailants.
In the moonlight, they saw three strangely dressed, ugly men, who turned out to be the Three Heroes of Zhong from the Golden Bell Sect. When questioned, the Zhong brothers pleaded for mercy, claiming they were destitute and had resorted to this "evil path" only to make money, not to harm anyone. Since they had not taken any lives, Hu Fei let them go, warning them against future misconduct.
Relieved, Sun Gangfeng remembered his satchel and confirmed that the Red Flower Club letter was still safe. Sensing further trouble if they lingered, the group decided to continue their journey through the night. Meanwhile, Nan Lan was in deep despair over the loss of her unborn child. Her husband, Tian Guinong, tried to comfort her, assuring her they could have more children. Nan Lan, however, blamed Miao Renfeng, saying his actions had caused her misfortune.
Tian Guinong then led her to a room he had prepared, filled with items for a child. He revealed that this room was meant for Ruolan, Nan Lan’s daughter with Miao Renfeng, and promised that he had a meticulous plan with absolute certainty to bring Ruolan back to their home soon. This news brightened Nan Lan's spirits, and she agreed to accompany Tian Guinong to watch an opera.
After several days of travel, Hu Fei, Sun Gangfeng, and Lv Xiaomei finally arrived at Miao's villa. Sun Gangfeng presented a letter from the Red Flower Club to Miao Renfeng. Miao Renfeng, noting the three red flower seals which indicated a grave matter, opened it immediately. As he read, a cloud of poisonous gas erupted from the letter, causing excruciating pain in his eyes, as if pierced by countless needles, and instantly blinding him.
Blinded, Miao Renfeng demanded to know why Sun Gangfeng had betrayed him. Hu Fei, recalling their earlier encounter with the Zhong brothers and the peculiar incident with Sun Gangfeng’s bag, quickly realized the letter they carried had been swapped. Just as this realization dawned, the Three Heroes of Zhong burst into the room.
They brazenly admitted to poisoning the letter and stated their intention to kill Miao Renfeng, clarifying they were hired to "solve someone's problem" and were not acting out of personal revenge. The Zhong brothers attacked viciously. Hu Fei and Sun Gangfeng fought desperately to protect Miao Renfeng. Despite his blindness, Miao Renfeng, a formidable master, expertly countered his attackers by sound alone. During the intense fight, candles toppled, igniting the gauze curtains and quickly filling the room with thick smoke.
Hu Fei quickly advised Lv Xiaomei to hide. Hu Fei and Miao Renfeng swiftly dealt with two of the assailants. Miao Renfeng, as if remembering something crucial, rushed into the burning room, risking his own life to retrieve the memorial tablets of Hu Yidao and his wife. Hu Fei watched, deeply moved by this selfless act.
Overcome with guilt for inadvertently causing Miao Renfeng’s injury, Sun Gangfeng tried to blind himself in atonement, but Miao Renfeng stopped him, assuring him it was an accident and he held no blame. Miao Renfeng explained that the poison was formidable and not easily curable, suggesting that only the eccentric King of Poison from Medicine King Valley could help.
He cautioned that the King of Poison was reclusive, unpredictable, and had only been seen by him once five years ago, making it unlikely he would help. However, Hu Fei declared his determination to find the King of Poison. Knowing Sun Gangfeng’s injured hand would be a hindrance, Hu Fei asked him to stay and protect Miao Renfeng and Ruolan, while he and Lv Xiaomei set off to find the antidote.
Hu Fei also warned Sun Gangfeng that with one of the Zhong brothers having escaped, more experienced fighters might be sent, advising them to find a safe hiding place. Meanwhile, Tian Guinong's subordinate, Tao Baisui, found the gravely injured Zhong boss, who revealed that Miao Renfeng was alive but blind.
Enraged by the failure to kill Miao Renfeng and frustrated by the inability to find Ruolan, Tian Guinong ordered Tao Baisui to gather more forces and hunt down Miao Renfeng, vowing to kill him. Hu Fei and Lv Xiaomei arrived at White Mane Temple Town, believed to be near Medicine King Manor.
Lv Xiaomei recalled her father’s tales of the King of Poison, describing him as either an extremely ugly woman, a burly man, or an old man, suggesting he might be a master of disguise. Hu Fei asserted that he didn't care about the King of Poison's appearance, only that he was human and could provide a cure.
Entering a local apothecary, Hu Fei attempted to ask the secretive shopkeeper for directions to Medicine King Manor and offered to leave his sword there as a sign of peaceful intent. The shopkeeper, however, hinted at the dangers of the manor, revealing that few who went there ever returned, and refused to give directions, fearing the King of Poison’s wrath.
Lv Xiaomei was exasperated, worrying about their safety without a weapon, but Hu Fei believed leaving the sword showed their sincerity. He also reminded her of her father's warnings: not to eat or drink anything in the town, and not to touch anything, as everything could be poisoned. Continuing their journey, Hu Fei and Lv Xiaomei encountered a silent man (Murong Jingyue, the senior disciple of the Medicine King Sect, though they did not know his identity).
They later came upon a vast field of flowers, where a young woman in blue, Cheng Lingsu, was tending to them. Lv Xiaomei tried to flatter her into giving directions but was ignored. Frustrated, Lv Xiaomei threatened to ride her horse through the flowers, which prompted Hu Fei to intervene, admonishing her for damaging the plants. This finally drew Cheng Lingsu’s attention.
When Hu Fei explained he sought medicine from the King of Poison to cure his friend’s blindness, Cheng Lingsu, without confirming her identity or offering direct help, simply instructed him to fetch a bucket of excrement and then mix it with water to fertilize her flowers. Despite Lv Xiaomei's indignation at Cheng Lingsu's rudeness, Hu Fei sensed that the young woman held important information and decided to comply with her unusual request.
