Sword Dynasty Episode 13 Recap
> Sword Dynasty Recap
The strict laws of Heng Kingdom forbid private duels among those on the Booklet of Talents, requiring special edgeless black iron swords to ensure fairness and prevent injury. Ding Ning found this novel just as Lu Duofeng, Zhou Xieyi, and Xin Jianli, renowned practitioners from the Wuyi Gate, arrived to challenge him.
The trio was particularly famous for the Fragment of the Freehand Sword Manual in the Zhou family’s Ink Garden, a series of ink paintings without text, believed to bestow various sword techniques upon those who could decipher its true meaning. Ding Ning was perplexed by their visit, until Xie Changsheng admitted he had issued the challenges in Ding Ning's name, under the instruction of Xue Wangxu.
Xue Wangxu wanted Ding Ning to get some practice and for himself to be entertained. Despite finding too many opponents, Ding Ning chose to duel Zhou Xieyi, setting a wager for one day: if Ding Ning won, he would be granted access to the Ink Garden's Fragment of the Freehand Sword Manual; if he lost, Zhou Xieyi would receive Xue Wangxu's personal notes.
Ding Ning knew that the manual, despite its mystique, might yield little insight in a day, whereas Xue Wangxu's notes could be very valuable to Zhou Xieyi, making the bet seem generous. Meanwhile, Chen Liufeng's victory over Fan Wuque had just concluded, proving that rankings on the Booklet of Talents were not always indicative of true strength. Jiang Li, upon his master's command, borrowed the specialized edgeless black iron swords.
Ding Ning, respecting the swords and dismissing any notion of bad luck, took his stance against Zhou Xieyi. To secure his victory, Ding Ning cunningly feigned a weakness, luring Zhou Xieyi into unleashing his powerful "Yellow Cloud Killing Rosy Glow" sword movement. Zhou Xieyi's overexertion left him vulnerable, and Ding Ning, through a calculated move called "Impaling White Sheep Horns"—a movement known for its forbearance and opportune strikes—defeated him.
Jiang Li was profoundly impressed by Ding Ning, admitting his own inferiority. However, Xue Wangxu critiqued Jiang Li’s sentimental and irresolute nature, urging him to eliminate hesitation from his swordsmanship before Xue Wangxu passed away, as such indecision would be fatal against equally skilled or superior opponents. Jiang Li vowed to improve. Xie Changsheng, reveling in Ding Ning's victory, jokingly offered to fund the renovation of the supposedly "dilapidated" Ink Garden, which greatly displeased Zhou Xieyi.
Zhou Yunhai, Zhou Xieyi’s father, intervened, graciously accepting the defeat and the bet. He announced that other talented youths could also view the manual for a fee of ten thousand gold coins each, hoping their potential insights might one day benefit the kingdom. Xie Changsheng, with his characteristic impulsiveness, promptly agreed. Xue Wangxu, however, opted to simply enjoy the scenery, declining to pay.
As they traveled to the Ink Garden in separate carriages, Ding Ning questioned Xie Changsheng's underlying motives for the bet. Xie Changsheng, ever loyal to his sister, simply stated that anything Ding Ning desired must be valuable. Ding Ning explained that in ancient times, martial arts were recorded through symbols and drawings, making the Fragment of the Freehand Sword Manual, an incomplete landscape painting without clear form, exceptionally difficult to comprehend.
He believed Zhou Yunhai had agreed to the bet, confident that no one could decipher it in a mere day. In his carriage, Zhou Yunhai advised his son to learn from Ding Ning’s calm demeanor in both victory and defeat, and to go into seclusion for intensive training in preparation for the Minshan Swordsmanship Tournament.
He too dismissed the idea of anyone understanding the manual in such a short time, given that generations of their family had struggled to do so. Meanwhile, at the palace, Yuan Zichu, still under house arrest, pleaded with Queen Ye Zhen to lift his confinement so he could accompany the King to the upcoming Lushan Alliance Meeting.
Ye Zhen, acting as his devoted stepmother, assured him of her support, explaining that his house arrest was a preventative measure against jealous conspiracies. She promised to speak to the King about his freedom once the political storm subsided and assigned Maidservant Rong, a trusted aide, as his companion and sparring partner, advising Yuan Zichu to cultivate patience and tolerance.
Ye Celeng and Chen Xuan reported their findings to the King: the palace maid who spoke out earlier was under a Gu poison from Xian, which turns victims into puppets controlled by others. Ye Zhen suggested that Yuan Zichu, who had lived in Xian for years and likely knew many who practiced Gu poison, could investigate. The King offered no immediate response.
Ye Celeng then provided an an update on Nangong Shang’s murder, noting that the wounds, inflicted by Moshi Swordsmanship, were smoother than those on Marquis Dugu. This suggested the killer had improved, acquired a better weapon, or perhaps there were multiple perpetrators. The King, after a moment of contemplation, stood up and ordered the Jiantian Bureau to resolve the case of Liang Jingmeng’s successor within one month.
Upon arrival at the Ink Garden, the group was enveloped by a magic formation that transformed the surroundings into a striking black and white landscape. Zhou Yunhai invited Xue Wangxu to a study for tea, while Zhou Xieyi led the others to Xieyidian, a hall where the Fragment of the Freehand Sword Manual, a vast scroll, dominated a central wall. Ding Ning immediately perceived countless sword masters within the ink-wash landscape.
He noted a crucial missing piece in the upper-left corner, believing it to represent a star or a cold moon, intentionally removed by a member of the Zhou family. Initially, Xie Changsheng, Jiang Li, and Nangong Caishu saw nothing profound in the manual. Under Ding Ning's guidance, they began to make progress. Ding Ning advised them to focus on the clearest parts, not to be overwhelmed by the entire image, and to observe what resonated with their individual temperaments.
Jiang Li, for instance, initially saw "white clouds" in the upper part but realized, with Ding Ning's subtle guidance, that they were transforming into "rain," signifying a deeper, fluid meaning. Nangong Caishu focused on a river in the painting, and Ding Ning affirmed her approach, emphasizing that personal connection was key to enlightenment. Suddenly, Zhou Rongmo, the ancient patriarch of the Zhou family, appeared.
He lauded Ding Ning’s extraordinary insight, admitting that Ding Ning's guidance to his peers had even enlightened him. Zhou Rongmo, sensing Ding Ning's unique perception, subtly probed if Ding Ning truly understood the entire manual. Ding Ning modestly demurred, claiming he merely built upon others' observations and hadn't personally comprehended any sword techniques or charms from it.
Recognizing the invitation as a test, Ding Ning respectfully agreed to follow Zhou Rongmo to a secret chamber, where the elder sought his input on a deadlock in his own cultivation. In the secret chamber, Zhou Rongmo presented another artifact and asked Ding Ning what he saw. Ding Ning immediately perceived "a crescent moon with sword intent."
Zhou Rongmo was visibly astonished, revealing that despite generations of practitioners, no one in the Zhou family had ever seen the crescent moon on their first viewing. He confessed to spending over a hundred years deciphering that particular fragment, which not only contained powerful sword scriptures but also potent methods for cultivating True Vitality. Ding Ning suggested that the missing part of the crescent moon, symbolizing the cyclical nature of waxing and waning, might be the most vital secret within.
Concurrently, Ye Celeng's investigation continued to link several important cases to the Wutongluo tavern. She asked Chen Xuan to find an opportunity to subtly probe a person of interest. Chen Xuan immediately thought of Ding Ning, whose cultivation had recently advanced at an astonishing rate in Fengming.
