Song of the Moon Episode 2 Recap
> Song of the Moon Recap
As the sun shone brightly on the high pavilions of the Mansion of Wu Yang Duke, disciples gathered, eagerly anticipating the upcoming assessment. Suddenly, a boundary appeared overhead, and the voice of Marquis Wuyang announced that a demon had infiltrated their ranks. Within the time it took for one stick of incense to burn, they were to find and defeat the demon to pass the test.
The assessment began immediately, and Xi quickly moved to confront a demon, disregarding Liu Shao's attempts to stop her, and decisively defeating it. When she asked if she had qualified, the burning incense indicated more demons were hidden. Xi then pointed at Liu Shao, accusing her of being a demon for previously pleading on behalf of the defeated one. Liu Shao angrily denied the accusation, calling it slander.
Just as Xi mocked Liu Shao's defense, another demon appeared, charging towards Liu Shao. Lu Li arrived just in time, saving her and challenging her to defeat the demon to prove herself. Though initially scared, Liu Shao, provoked by Lu Li, confronted the tree-branch demon and managed to defeat it with a single swing. Lu Li then explained that Marquis Wuyang's true test was not just about defeating demons, but about overcoming fear and displaying powerful courage.
After the successful completion of the first round, Bai Feng, the Mansion of Wu Yang Duke's senior female disciple, announced that all who passed would receive a golden flower card, granting them access to the next stage of the assessment. Du Mingchong, the senior male disciple, immediately questioned Liu Shao's advancement out of personal vendetta, implying she cheated with Lu Li's help. Lu Li clarified that while he offered some pointers, Liu Shao ultimately succeeded on her own.
Annoyed, Du Mingchong challenged Lu Li, but Lu Li feigned weakness, collapsing to the ground and complaining about his backside. Bai Feng intervened, using her influence to persuade Du Mingchong to let the matter go, allowing Liu Shao and Lu Li to retain their golden flower cards as a favor to her.
Following the assessment, Wang Jian, whose grandfather had been a meritorious minister and friend of the former Marquis Wuyang, approached Lu Li, expressing his deep respect for Lu Li's wisdom and bravery and even offering him a personal room. He then asked if Lu Li had feelings for Liu Shao, a question Lu Li jokingly dismissed, suggesting he might have simply been paid to help her.
Later, Lu Li approached Liu Shao, lamenting her lack of social skills and presenting her with his self-penned "Survival Guide," a collection of "truths" he claimed to have studied for twenty years, promising it would help her thrive in the Mansion. Liu Shao was skeptical, questioning if the guide was a scam and its price.
Lu Li insisted there was no need to talk about money between them, explaining that since he was twenty-three and she was eighteen, she should call him "Brother." After Liu Shao complied, calling him "Brother Lu Li," he happily confirmed she was now "listening to her brother." Meanwhile, far away, Ao Hen was furious that his subordinates failed to capture Liu Shao due to Lu Li's protection.
He summarily executed one of them and used its demon energy to prolong Ao Yin's life, promising his son that he would personally capture Liu Shao and transfer her power to him. Back at the Mansion, in the Lingxi Yard where female disciples resided, Xi mockingly told Liu Shao that all the beds were taken, leaving her without a place. However, Xue, a kind-hearted servant, offered Liu Shao a spot in her own humble room.
Remembering a tip from Lu Li's "Survival Guide" about repaying kindness with money, Liu Shao tried to give Xue a gold leaf. However, Xue refused the money, advising Liu Shao to rely on her own true abilities to pass the upcoming assessments. Later that night, Liu Shao wandered into a bamboo forest and stumbled upon a figure practicing swordplay with incredible skill, executing a technique she later learned was called "Flowing Light Slash."
Mistaking him for a struggling, low-ranking disciple, she approached him and tried to offer him a gold leaf as a reward. Just then, Lu Li emerged from the shadows and respectfully bowed to the man, addressing him as Marquis Wuyang. Liu Shao was mortified to realize her blunder. Still, Liu Shao, mustering her courage, earnestly asked Marquis Wuyang to teach her his sword art.
Marquis Wuyang revealed that he was well aware of both Liu Shao and Lu Li's true origins, mentioning that Lu Li had even defeated Ao Hen on the day they entered the mansion. He then demonstrated the "Flowing Light Slash," which left Liu Shao bewildered as she had no idea where to begin. He then challenged Liu Shao: she must learn the "Flowing Light Slash" within half a month before the formal assessment.
Lu Li was tasked with supervising her, and if she failed, both of them would be expelled from the Mansion and charged with disrespect. Lu Li, complaining about the sudden task, took Liu Shao to the Dream Moon Boundary, a special illusion he created using a unique spell from his master, where time flowed much slower than outside.
He gave her a suitable sword, explaining that while she possessed a photographic memory for things she enjoyed, martial arts were new to her and required more. He patiently began instructing her, teaching her to focus her mind and spirit on the tip of the blade, which he described as the first step in mastering the sword. As days passed, Liu Shao's sword skills improved, and her relationship with Lu Li deepened.
As the days passed and the martial arts test for new disciples drew nearer, Lu Li continued to guide Liu Shao. He explained the profound sword intent of the "Flowing Light Slash" was "to eradicate all the unjust things." He challenged her, implying her privileged background meant she wouldn't understand suffering, but Liu Shao passionately recounted her recent struggles, being chased by Ao Hen and feeling trapped by Marquis Wuyang.
Reinvigorated, she began to imagine Ao Hen as the ultimate injustice, practicing with intense, almost manic focus. During a group practice session, her obsessive training caused her to accidentally strike Du Mingchong with a surge of golden light, showcasing an unexpected depth of power. On the eve of the second round of formal assessments, Liu Shao discovered Xue secretly taking a "Spirit-locking pill."
Xue tearfully confessed that she had been grouped with Xi for the upcoming test, and Xi, fearing defeat, had forced her to consume the drug. Xue explained her mother worked as a cook for Xi's family and was bound by a life-and-death contract, leaving Xue with no choice but to comply. Infuriated by the injustice, Liu Shao confronted Xi, who callously dismissed Xue as a "lowly cook's daughter" and accused Liu Shao of fabricating evidence. Liu Shao, asserting that they were fundamentally different, declared that she would challenge Xi in the upcoming assessment, fighting for Xue's sake.
