Sword Dynasty Episode 27 Recap
> Sword Dynasty Recap
After the Dafu Water Dungeon jailbreak, the Wutong Tavern was sealed, causing residents of Fengming to lament the loss of the "beautiful landlady," Zhangsun Qianxue, and Ding Ning. While returning to the city, Huang Zhenwei saw a portrait of Zhangsun Qianxue at a stall. Struck by her beauty, he immediately purchased it, inquiring about her name from passersby. That night, Zhangsun Qianxue secretly entered the deserted tavern.
She recalled past moments with Ding Ning, like a time when he mentioned sweet osmanthus flowers were her favorite, a detail only Liang Jingmeng would have known. This confirmed her growing suspicion about Ding Ning's true identity.
She had also reflected on Ding Ning's pursuit of the Life-sustaining Magic Art, questioning if it was for cultivation or to address a physical ailment, as Baili Suxue had previously explained to her that the art primarily aids in physical recovery rather than spiritual advancement, a fact Baili Suxue had told Liang Jingmeng years ago.
Baili Suxue found Zhangsun Qianxue at the sealed tavern and attempted to explain Ding Ning's actions, stating that Ding Ning wasn't intentionally hiding things and that perhaps he hadn't wanted to disturb her. He also conveyed Ding Ning's wish for them to move forward without the burdens of the past. Misinterpreting this as her being a burden, a hurt Zhangsun Qianxue dismissed Baili Suxue. She then sought out Ding Ning at the Minshan Sword Sect.
Confronting him, she stated that she always knew he was different, disguising his true self with a carefree demeanor. She pressed him to reveal his true feelings. Ding Ning, however, evaded her questions, attempting to divert the conversation to the recently decoded Gushan Sword Manual. Disappointed, Zhangsun Qianxue questioned his priorities, asking if he cared more about the manual than avenging Ye Celeng.
Ding Ning admitted his desire for revenge but insisted it wasn't the right time, arguing that without proper preparation, more lives would be lost, and he couldn't bear to lose anyone else. Zhangsun Qianxue, however, tearfully accused him of perpetual hesitation and fear of loss, pointing out that by waiting, he had already lost many important people. She then revealed Ye Celeng's dying words to her in the water dungeon: "Take care of my master."
Stunned, Ding Ning was unable to respond. Zhangsun Qianxue, realizing the implications, angrily denounced him as a coward before leaving. With all three jade tablets of the Gushan Sword Manual now assembled, Lin Zhujiu expressed concern that the dim moonlight might prevent them from deciphering its secrets. Ding Ning, however, clarified that the manual was a map rather than a physical object.
He explained that his inspiration came from Ye Zhen's Sparkling Comet-tail Sword, which had caused meteors to flash across the daytime sky in Fengming. This led him to believe that just as practitioners draw vitality from heaven and earth, and Ye Zhen had cleverly harnessed "heavenly power," the sword manual might also be connected to "heavenly primordial qi" instead of merely moonlight.
As he spoke, the three jade tablets merged, forming a constellation map, with the North Star and the Big Dipper clearly visible as seven luminous stars. Baili Suxue, though not an astrologer, recognized the North Star and the Big Dipper in the newly revealed map. He divulged that the Gushan Sword Manual was directly linked to the Minshan Sword Sect, with the Life-sustaining Magic Art being one of its treasures.
He explained that the Mizar star in the Big Dipper's handle, also known as the Wuqu Star, represented the Minshan Sword Sect and its founder's family emblem. Furthermore, he revealed that the founder of the Minshan Sword Sect had a younger brother, represented by a beautiful companion star. This brother founded the Lingxu Sword Sect, a renowned school focused on weapon forging and the study of charms and runes, where they achieved supreme mastery.
The other half of the Gushan Sword Manual, Baili Suxue continued, was the Lingxu Sword Sect's long-lost treasure: the Great Torture Sword, described as a sword of ultimate yang. He added that the founder of the Lingxu Sword Sect, who was the Minshan founder's brother and the owner of the family emblem, was once a member of the royal family of Fengwu and even became its King.
Concerned about how to locate the long-vanished Lingxu Sword Sect, the group learned that its founder was once part of the Fengwu royal family. Information from Miss Shang confirmed that the King of Heng intended to attack Fengwu. Baili Suxue warned that while the King might not yet know the manual's full secret, Minshan's history was easily accessible, and if he discovered the Great Torture Sword during his campaign, their situation would become dire.
Ding Ning vowed to prevent the manual from falling into the King of Heng's hands, even if it cost him his life, but recognized his current injuries made him no match for the King of Heng. Meanwhile, the King of Heng, having recently appointed Huang Zhenwei as the new head of the Jiantian Bureau, questioned him about the Dafu Water Dungeon incident.
Huang Zhenwei, maintaining his characteristic frankness, admitted that common folk only spoke of Queen Ye Zhen's impressive swordplay that day, not the secret jailbreak. He then informed the King that his investigations had uncovered reliable information linking the Gushan Sword Manual closely to the Lingxu Sword Sect. Huang Zhenwei added that his clues pointed to the royal family of Fengwu.
The King of Heng, already intending to sweep through Fengwu due to its collusion with the state of Xian, declared that the manual's presence there perfectly aligned with his ambitions. Chancellor Li expressed concern to the King of Heng that the expedition to Fengwu would cause Prince Yuan Zihuan, ambitious and scheming, and Prince Yuan Zichu, benevolent and compassionate, to clash and covertly compete.
The King, however, viewed the campaign as a crucial opportunity to temper the flaws of both princes—Yuan Zichu’s excessive benevolence and Yuan Zihuan’s untempered ruthlessness, both considered serious weaknesses for a ruler—and to secure a rare treasure for Heng, which needed a tyrant to stabilize the realm.
Queen Ye Zhen spoke with Yuan Zichu, who, though accepting his role as vanguard, reaffirmed his belief that "fueling wars by warfare," while profitable for Heng, ultimately led to the suffering of the populace. Ye Zhen expressed surprise but commendation for his thoughtful stance, advising him to keep such opinions from his father for now.
She reminded him of his ascension as Crown Prince through the "deposing the elder and establishing the younger" policy and urged him to be cautious and wary of Yuan Zihuan during the campaign. Yuan Zichu, recalling a poignant memory from his youth when he first vowed to protect a weeping Ye Zhen after becoming Crown Prince, promised to protect her forever and return safely.
Meanwhile, Ye Zhen petitioned the King to have her successor from Xiaozhong Prefecture, Ye Xinhe, transferred back to the palace, ostensibly for companionship but truly to find a new confidante to replace Rong Zhi. Ye Xinhe was then instructed to deliver the Autumn Water Sword to Chen Xuan before reporting to Ye Zhen. Chen Xuan, blinded and deeply despondent, still mourned Ye Celeng at the water dungeon.
Ye Xinhe, finding Fengming people "boring," conveyed the Queen's message that upon receiving the sword, Chen Xuan would understand her intentions and should visit her once he made his decision. Bai Shanshui also visited Chen Xuan, acknowledging his profound grief for Ye Celeng and their failed plan to escape Fengming together. She urged him to seek revenge, agreeing that Liang Lian deserved to die.
However, Chen Xuan stated his intention to kill both Liang Lian and Ye Zhen with the Autumn Water Sword to honor Ye Celeng, declaring Ye Zhen "more deserving of death."
Ye Xinhe later reported to Ye Zhen, confirming the King's multi-faceted plan regarding Fengwu and revealing her own motivation for acquiring the Life-sustaining Magic Art: as a chosen heir of Xiaozhong Prefecture, she suffered from a hidden illness due to "poison spirit training," and the art could heal her body even if it didn't advance her cultivation.
With the Heng army set to depart for Fengwu the next day and Lin Zhujiu too frail for travel, Baili Suxue approached Ding Ning, who was preoccupied with thoughts of Zhangsun Qianxue. Baili Suxue advised him that if Zhangsun Qianxue wished to hide, she wouldn't want to be found. He then inquired about Ding Ning's plans for the impending campaign.
Ding Ning revealed his intention to travel to Fengwu alone the following day and strictly warned Baili Suxue not to disclose this to anyone, especially the senior disciples, threatening to sever their brotherhood if he did. Baili Suxue, in turn, playfully retorted that he never wanted to be Ding Ning's brother in the first place.
