Side Story of Fox Volant Episode 35 Recap
> Side Story of Fox Volant Recap
The cancellation of the pre-selection for the World's Sect Leaders Gathering left members of the Tianlong Sect infuriated. Tao Baisui expressed frustration, citing Zeng Tieou's initial optimistic words about a "blessing in disguise" that had turned into "one problem after another." He lamented having to duel for the Jade Dragon Cup when it was previously promised without a fight. With many formidable fighters at the gathering, winning the Jade Dragon Cup would be challenging.
The members urged their Sect Leader, Tian Guinong, to speak, reminded that the reputation of the Tianlong Sect as one of the eight major contenders for the Jade Dragon Cup had already spread, and they could not afford to tarnish it. Tian Guinong asserted that the cup rightfully belonged to the Tianlong Sect and they were obligated to retrieve it.
He then declared that since he lacked the time to significantly improve his martial arts, he would rely on powerful weapons instead. At the graves of the Zhong family, Hu Fei solemnly stated that he had avenged them for trusting the wrong person, expressing that Feng Yiming and Feng Tiannan's deaths brought their vengeance to completion, allowing them to rest in peace.
Cheng Lingsu then suggested that since his mission was accomplished, they should leave the capital with Ma Chunhua and find a safe place after rescuing the children. However, Hu Fei reminded her of his promise to Ji Xiaofeng to win a Jade Dragon Cup for the Huaquan Sect at the upcoming gathering, preventing his immediate departure.
He also asked Cheng Lingsu what Yuan Ziyi had told her, correctly deducing that Yuan Ziyi was affiliated with the Red Flower Club and that Cheng Lingsu had kept him in the dark due to his impulsive nature potentially interfering with their plans. Cheng Lingsu, bound by a promise to Yuan Ziyi, refused to elaborate, and Hu Fei relented.
Hu Fei later penned a letter to Yuan Ziyi, expressing his understanding of her secrecy, which he realized was necessary for her missions. He revealed that he had recently become sworn brothers with Third Master Zhao, which clarified his past misunderstandings. He urged her to believe him and requested her presence at the covered bridge in Purple Bamboo Park the following morning at Sishi (9-11 AM). Feihong, reading the letter, marvelled at Hu Fei's intelligence in uncovering Yuan Ziyi's affiliation.
Feihong then playfully tried to persuade Yuan Ziyi to meet Hu Fei, pointing out the potential for a shift in their seniority if they married. Despite Feihong's playful prodding and arguments about Hu Fei's martial prowess being a valuable asset to their mission, Yuan Ziyi steadfastly refused to go and forbade Feihong from going as well. That night, Murong Jingyue and Xue Que were in a graveyard, fulfilling Shi Wanchen's orders to dig up fresh bodies for his venomous insects.
Murong Jingyue complained about their endless hardships, regretting his inability to defeat Shi Wanchen. He then suggested that if they could find Cheng Lingsu, their suffering would end, planning to exploit her soft heart, her greatest flaw, to manipulate her.
Xue Que expressed doubt, reminding him of Cheng Lingsu's potent Seven Pistil Chaenomeles sinensis, but Murong Jingyue was confident they could use her weakness to acquire the Verse of King of Poison and the Seven Pistil Chaenomeles sinensis, cure themselves, and then eliminate both Shi Wanchen and Cheng Lingsu to take over the Medicine King Valley. Upon returning to the inn, they found Shi Wanchen seemingly lifeless. Panicked, they frantically searched for an antidote.
Shi Wanchen suddenly revived, revealing his death was a ruse. He accused them of hoping for his demise to gain freedom, terrifying them into profusely apologizing. He then announced that he had completed his secluded meditation and mastered the Brigitte silkworm poison technique. Shi Wanchen then fused his poisonous blood into Murong Jingyue and Xue Que, declaring that from that day forward, they would have to consume his poisonous blood daily to survive, otherwise they would suffer a horrible death.
He also warned them that if he died, they too would perish without his blood, thus cementing his control over them. He commanded them to make finding Cheng Lingsu their top priority. When Xue Que questioned how they would find her in the vast capital, Shi Wanchen explained that since Cheng Lingsu was running low on her Nine-Round Restoration Pills, she would need a substitute medicine to prolong her life.
He revealed that the only viable alternative was the Pill of Condensed Fragrance, whose most crucial ingredient was condensation grass. He described the plant's characteristics and location, concluding that Mount Yuquan was the only place in the capital where it grew. They would simply wait for her there. Meanwhile, Cheng Lingsu and Lv Xiaomei, also aware of Mount Yuquan's significance, decided to go there the following day to search for the condensation grass.
Hu Fei waited patiently at the appointed location. Feihong, observing from a distance, returned to Yuan Ziyi and reported that Hu Fei had been waiting for three hours under the scorching sun, still holding a small wooden comb. Feihong repeatedly urged Yuan Ziyi to meet him, recounting the tragic tale of Wei Sheng, who drowned while waiting faithfully for his beloved, to highlight Hu Fei's devotion.
Despite Feihong's pleas, Yuan Ziyi refused, claiming she needed to accompany the All-knowing Nun in prayer. The All-knowing Nun, sensing Yuan Ziyi's internal turmoil, advised her that a troubled mind could not truly focus on prayer and that the path to enlightenment was long and unforgiving to those with personal distractions. She urged Yuan Ziyi to resolve her lingering attachments, clarifying that doing so would benefit Yuan Ziyi herself, not just Hu Fei.
Yuan Ziyi expressed concern that Hu Fei was too stubborn and might not be convinced by her, but the All-knowing Nun reiterated that this resolution was for Yuan Ziyi's own peace. Cheng Lingsu and Lv Xiaomei arrived at Mount Yuquan to search for condensation grass.
Lv Xiaomei, impressed by the beauty of the place, then asked Cheng Lingsu about the condensation grass and whether she intended to accept her as a disciple, praising Cheng Lingsu's skills in both lethal poisons and life-saving medicines. Lv Xiaomei also expressed her feelings that Cheng Lingsu should not be trying to help Hu Fei and Yuan Ziyi, reminding her of her own affection for Hu Fei. Cheng Lingsu, however, insisted that fate was predestined.
As they collected herbs, Lv Xiaomei suddenly showed symptoms of poisoning. Cheng Lingsu quickly recognized the signs, subtly administered an antidote to Lv Xiaomei, and then feigned unconsciousness herself just as Shi Wanchen, Murong Jingyue, and Xue Que appeared. Murong Jingyue, confident in Shi Wanchen's plan, noted that Cheng Lingsu seemed to be poisoned by the condensation grass and was subdued, though he still cautioned Xue Que that Cheng Lingsu was cunning.
Shi Wanchen, approaching Cheng Lingsu's feigned unconsciousness, declared that she was not truly poisoned, seeing through her trick. Cheng Lingsu then warned the genuinely poisoned Lv Xiaomei to stay still to lure out the poisoner, directly confronting Murong Jingyue and Xue Que for their continued treachery. Xue Que mockingly questioned if Cheng Lingsu truly believed no one could defeat her.
Lv Xiaomei, feeling unwell but still feisty, urged Cheng Lingsu to attack them, while Cheng Lingsu, trying to protect her, shouted for Lv Xiaomei to run. Cheng Lingsu confronted Shi Wanchen, identifying him as "Poison Hand Divine Owl Shi Wanchen." Shi Wanchen, emboldened by his newly mastered Brigitte silkworm poison technique, declared himself vastly more powerful than Cheng Lingsu's late master, claiming he had "9,999 more 'angers'" than him.
He then demanded she surrender, kneel, and become his disciple, handing over the Verse of King of Poison and Seven Pistil Chaenomeles sinensis. Murong Jingyue and Xue Que echoed his demands, but Cheng Lingsu scorned their betrayal, reminding them that their treason warranted death in any martial arts sect and pointed out that Shi Wanchen, a former expelled disciple, had never been taught the sect's ultimate skill, the Medicine King's Divine Art.
Shi Wanchen, continuing his taunts, admitted to murdering fellow disciples like Jiang Tieshan and Jiang Xiaotie, declaring his philosophy: "Obey me or die." Cheng Lingsu rebuked Xue Que for aligning with her son's killer, condemning Shi Wanchen's vile abuse of poison and hypocrisy, and his pretense of being good while being a villain.
Shi Wanchen, aware of Cheng Lingsu's weakened physical state, mocked her ability to unleash the full power of the Medicine King's Divine Art, and, with Murong Jingyue and Xue Que now recovered, boasted of their combined strength against her. He then ordered them to attack. Just as Cheng Lingsu was in grave danger, Lv Xiaomei, having recovered enough, frantically ran to Hu Fei, urging him to save Cheng Lingsu.
Hu Fei, upon arriving, noticed Yuan Ziyi, who had followed Lv Xiaomei, also present. Together, Hu Fei and Yuan Ziyi joined forces, effectively repelling Shi Wanchen and his disciples. After the battle, Hu Fei checked on Cheng Lingsu, who was being helped to her feet. Lv Xiaomei, feeling better after her ordeal, excitedly told Cheng Lingsu how fast Hu Fei had rushed to her rescue.
Cheng Lingsu, recovering from her medicine, asked Hu Fei to convey her gratitude to Yuan Ziyi for her timely assistance. Cheng Lingsu then urged Hu Fei to resolve his relationship with Yuan Ziyi, reminding him of their shared past and that Feng Tiannan was no longer an obstacle, hinting that Yuan Ziyi had her own difficult reasons for her actions.
Hu Fei approached Yuan Ziyi, expressing his thanks for her help and his happiness that she had come to meet him. He then presented her with the wooden comb he had previously tried to give her. Yuan Ziyi, however, refused it, telling him to give it to Cheng Lingsu, who had been a great help and whose unwavering love he should not let go unanswered.
She clarified that everything she had done for him was out of guilt and a desire for redemption, stating that even if he had offered the comb earlier, she would not have accepted it. A bewildered Hu Fei asked if her feelings at Weituo Sect, where she protected the Epiphyllum and prayed for him, were also false. Yuan Ziyi explained that their connection was fleeting, like the ephemeral bloom of the Epiphyllum, attributing it all to her karma.
She then revealed the shocking truth: Feng Tiannan was her birth father. She acknowledged that he deserved his death for justice but, as his daughter, she had arranged his proper burial. Citing her master's words that both good and ill fate could bring people together, she declared that by burying her father and his son, she had ended their ill-fated connection.
Hu Fei, heartbroken, apologized for not knowing the burden she carried, but Yuan Ziyi asserted that knowing would not have changed anything, to which Hu Fei numbly agreed. Yuan Ziyi then bid him farewell and departed. In a symbolic act of letting go, Hu Fei hung the wooden comb on a sky lantern, completely bidding farewell to the past.
