Swords of Legends Episode 8 Recap
> Swords of Legends Recap
Baili Tusu was grappling with the malevolent aura of the Burning Sword within Tian Yong City when he was unjustly accused of killing junior disciple Zhao Lin. Fellow disciples rushed to the scene, finding Zhao Lin's body and immediately implicating Tusu. Despite Tusu's vehement denials and claims that someone else had tried to steal the sword, his pleas were ignored. The disciples, convinced of his guilt, formed a barrier around him and attempted to apprehend him.
Under immense pressure, Tusu was forced to defend himself, shouting "Don't force me!" as he fought his way through the crowd. In his mind, he heard Lingyue's voice, urging him to calm down and not let the evil aura control him. Fuqu found a wounded Tusu and, believing in his inherent honesty, insisted he couldn't have killed Zhao Lin.
She urged him to escape Tian Yong City, promising that once Reverend Yin Zhen or Lingyue returned, they would investigate and clear his name. She emphasized that he must survive and suppress the evil aura while in the outside world. Though Tusu was reluctant to leave Tian Yong City, concerned about the sword and his ability to control it, Fuqu insisted he flee as others were already aware of his escape.
Meanwhile, within Tian Yong City, Sword Master Hong Yu defended Tusu before the Head Reverend, arguing that Zhao Lin's death might have another cause and that Tusu wouldn't kill a fellow junior. Ling Duan, however, was adamant that Tusu was the killer, citing Tusu's past incident of injuring Senior Brother. He urged the Head Reverend to execute Tusu for his repeated defiance of sect rules and for being a jinx.
Hong Yu countered, reminding the Head Reverend of sect rules requiring a teacher's presence for such a severe punishment. The Head Reverend, acknowledging the protocol and the absence of Reverend Ziyin and Lingyue, decided to postpone the final decision until they were present. Around the same time, in You Du, Qing Xue was conversing with her grandmother, who expressed worry about the fluctuating intensity of the Burning Sword's power and what might be happening in Tian Yong City.
Qing Xue offered to investigate in the Human World, an idea her grandmother initially playfully dismissed as an excuse for adventure. However, acknowledging Qing Xue's maturity, she eventually consented despite concerns about her safety, especially after Qing Xue's older brother had never returned from the Human World. Qing Xue assured her grandmother that she had diligently practiced her magical skills to safeguard the Burning Sword and would communicate through a Water Mirror if needed.
Soon after, Lingyue appeared via a water mirror projection, seeking Qing Xue's grandmother but instead speaking to Qing Xue. He revealed Tusu's identity and asked Qing Xue to visit Tian Yong City to meet him, hoping her You Du magic could help suppress Tusu's evil aura. Qing Xue proposed taking Tusu and the sword to You Du if she succeeded, but Lingyue regretfully stated that their Master had forbidden Tusu from leaving Tian Yong City.
Disappointed, Qing Xue declared she would not leave You Du either. As his grandmother had not met with him, Lingyue entrusted the matter to Qing Xue, trusting she would not harm Tusu. After his escape from Tian Yong City, Tusu found himself adrift in the Human World. Reflecting on his newfound freedom, he realized the world was vast and he had no clear destination, eventually deciding to seek out Ouyang Shaogong in Qin Chuan.
During his travels in Qin Chuan, he encountered Fang Lansheng, a young master known for his mischievous antics. Tusu witnessed Lansheng attempting to "fly" on a washboard, causing chaos and minor injuries. Lansheng's elder sister, Ruqin, had to placate the affected villagers and sternly reprimanded Lansheng for his recklessness. Lansheng, bruised, later excitedly recounted meeting a "cold swordsman" (Tusu) to his sister. Tusu, meanwhile, sought information about Ouyang Shaogong.
He asked a servant and then encountered Cha Xiaoguai, a self-proclaimed expert on local affairs. Cha Xiaoguai, demanding payment, was initially baffled by Tusu's ignorance of money, but still provided Shaogong's address, noting Tusu's unusual nature. Tusu then sought out Shaogong's abandoned residence. Later, overwhelmed by the malevolent aura of the Burning Sword, Baili Tusu collapsed on the streets of Qin Chuan. A kind constable, Officer Wu, discovered him in this state and brought him back to his home.
Upon regaining consciousness, Tusu was visited by Officer Wu, who expressed his belief in Tusu's good nature and inquired about his future plans. Tusu confided that he was searching for a friend and, having no other place to go, Officer Wu generously offered him work at the local yamen, which Tusu gratefully accepted. At dinner with Officer Wu and his wife, Mrs. Wu, who had no children, took a great liking to Tusu.
She enthusiastically offered to find him a wife, which made Tusu recall Qing Xue and fall silent. Officer Wu intervened, asking his wife not to overwhelm Tusu. Mrs. Wu reiterated her desire for a young person around, and Tusu assured her he would help whenever needed, making her delighted. Officer Wu later discussed the recent "flower thief" case with his constables, who immediately suspected Tusu, a newcomer to Qin Chuan.
Officer Wu defended Tusu and dismissed their suspicions, sending them away. Tusu, having overheard their conversation, was comforted by Officer Wu not to take the rumors to heart. Tusu, demonstrating his naivety, asked what a "flower thief" was and then offered to help catch him. Tusu then sought out Cha Xiaoguai to gather more intelligence.
Cha Xiaoguai, initially demanding payment, was baffled by Tusu's ignorance of money, but Tusu promised him a reward from the authorities if the flower thief was caught. Cha Xiaoguai then provided a map and, after some deduction, suggested that Fang Ruqin of the Fang family would be the thief's next target. Meanwhile, Fang Lansheng also discussed the flower thief with Ruqin, suggesting increased security and expressing his suspicion that Tusu was the culprit.
Ruqin, however, dismissed his suspicions and sent him away to study. That night, Tusu covertly entered the Fang residence to catch the thief but accidentally triggered a trap set by Lansheng. Lansheng and his guards arrived, immediately mistaking Tusu for the "flower thief." Just then, screams for help came from Ruqin's room. Lansheng rushed over, where Ruqin instructed him to pursue the thief who had just escaped through her window. A servant then reported that Tusu had also fled.
Lansheng quickly set off to chase Tusu, despite Ruqin trying to stop him, as he was convinced Tusu was an accomplice of the thief. Tusu continued his pursuit of the thief to a stream in a nearby forest, where he unexpectedly found Qing Xue bathing and warming herself by a fire. They briefly sparred, and Qing Xue quickly covered herself with a veil before realizing it was Tusu, expressing her surprise and joy.
Lansheng and his men then arrived, immediately assuming Tusu was molesting Qing Xue. Qing Xue quickly clarified that she and Tusu were old friends and had merely been talking. Lansheng, however, was confused as to why they would be disrobed if they were just talking. Unable to offer a better explanation, Tusu simply stated he was chasing a thief and that Officer Wu could verify his story, then departed.
Lansheng ordered his men to follow Tusu, and seeing Qing Xue also intended to leave, told her to get dressed first. Officer Wu later confirmed Tusu's innocence to Ruqin. The group discussed the "flower thief," with Ruqin describing him as both ugly and handsome, leading Qing Xue to suspect he was using a disguise. When Ruqin inquired about Qing Xue's identity, Qing Xue simply stated she was Tusu's junior disciple and offered to help with the investigation.
Officer Wu suggested that the thief might target the Fang residence again and proposed that Tusu stay to protect Ruqin. Qing Xue also wished to remain and assist, humorously adding that she only needed to be fed. Ruqin chuckled, noting the similarity between Tusu and Qing Xue, and how both had come to her through connections to food.
Despite Tusu still not remembering their childhood, Qing Xue remained determined, believing he would eventually recall their past, and resolved to stay by his side during the investigation. Qing Xue ate voraciously. Tusu asked her why she had come. She explained that Lingyue had sent her. Tusu urged her to return, but she refused, insisting on staying by his side.
Fang Lansheng then appeared, and upon learning Qing Xue was Tusu's junior disciple, he immediately began pestering her to teach him magic. To get rid of him, Qing Xue conjured some spirit butterflies for Lansheng to chase, then rejoined Tusu. Though slightly disheartened that Tusu didn't remember her, she encouraged herself and affectionately nicknamed him "Susu," a name Tusu found perplexing but didn't object to.
Tusu and Qing Xue then visited Cha Xiaoguai's tea shop, where Cha Xiaoguai was once again coerced into providing information without payment. They then went to interview victims of the "flower thief." Tusu's blunt questioning, directly asking women if they had been "picked," earned him scolding and amusement from Qing Xue. After visiting several homes with no direct leads, they noticed a recurring detail: each victim had received the same type of orchid.
Qing Xue detected a sedative in the flower's scent. At another victim's house, a peculiar woman expressed adoration for the thief, claiming he hadn't truly molested her and that other victims felt the same. She described him as strikingly handsome and produced the identical orchid he had left behind. Returning to the Fang residence, Tusu and Qing Xue discussed their findings with Ruqin. When asked about the orchid, Ruqin mentioned she had discarded it.
They retrieved it, and upon further analysis, Ruqin remembered that Miss Sun Yueyan of the Sun family was known for cultivating such orchids. Tusu hypothesized that the "flower thief" obtained the orchids from the Sun family before committing his crimes. Ruqin, however, questioned why the thief would not target Sun Yueyan, who was also a rare beauty.
Tusu wanted to visit the Sun family, but Ruqin warned that Sun Yueyan's wet nurse was extremely protective, making it difficult for outsiders to gain entry. Qing Xue, confident, stated she had a plan. Qing Xue and Tusu approached the Sun estate with a potted fake orchid, pretending to be delivering flowers. The guard summoned the wet nurse, whom Qing Xue skillfully charmed. The wet nurse allowed Qing Xue to see Miss Sun Yueyan, but Tusu had to wait outside.
Miss Sun, upon meeting Qing Xue, dismissed the wet nurse and questioned why she brought a fake orchid. Qing Xue then revealed the true purpose of her visit and the "flower thief" investigation. Learning of the situation, Miss Sun led Qing Xue to her garden to show her prized orchids. In the garden, an unsightly flower servant was tending to the flowers. Qing Xue noticed many "Plain Heart Purple Orchids."
Miss Sun asked the flower servant about a missing pot, to which he explained he had used it to make a sachet, praising its properties. Qing Xue inquired about the flower servant's background, and he shared his story. The wet nurse soon returned and escorted Miss Sun back to her room. Discussing their findings, Qing Xue and Tusu found the flower servant suspicious but lacked concrete evidence. They decided to revisit the Sun family the following day.
Lansheng, interrupting their plans, insisted on joining them. Qing Xue, with clever words, managed to dissuade him. Lansheng then asked about Miss Sun's appearance and wondered why the thief hadn't targeted her. Qing Xue questioned why beautiful women should inherently be targets, but Lansheng countered that everyone admired beauties, even taking Qing Xue's hand to illustrate his point, saying she too was a beauty whom everyone would like. Qing Xue, offended by his forwardness, angrily departed.
Lansheng acknowledged his slight impropriety, while Tusu remained his usual oblivious self. Miss Sun was seen embroidering a sachet. Her wet nurse urged her to rest, but Miss Sun explained it was her only form of recreation and expressed resentment over being confined indoors. The wet nurse comforted her, promising she could go out after her upcoming eighteenth birthday, which was said to hold a "calamity," and vowed to protect her.
The next day, Qing Xue returned to the Sun residence. The wet nurse, upon learning of the "flower thief" situation, considered reporting it to officials, but Qing Xue skillfully persuaded her otherwise, assuring her that she and Tusu would ensure Miss Sun's safety. The wet nurse mentioned that the flower servant had gone to the temple with flowers to pray for blessings for a marriage match.
Seeing that Miss Sun enjoyed Qing Xue's company, the wet nurse left them together to prepare lunch. As they chatted, Qing Xue mentioned a friend who could help with Miss Sun's illness and offered to bring him once he returned. Miss Sun then inquired about Tusu waiting outside, and Qing Xue openly admitted that he was her childhood crush. Outside, Tusu spotted a suspicious individual and pursued him, but the person vanished mysteriously.
While searching, Tusu happened to catch a woman who tumbled down from a tree. The woman immediately recognized Tusu, recalling their childhood encounter; she was Xiangling, the little fox he had met as Yunxi. Overjoyed, Xiangling greeted Tusu before happily departing. Meanwhile, inside, Miss Sun, moved by Qing Xue's story, confided that she felt a kinship with her and revealed her own childhood admirer was none other than Fang Lansheng.
Qing Xue encouraged Miss Sun to confess her feelings, and Miss Sun, feeling inspired, decided to give Lansheng the embroidered sachet. Tusu and Qing Xue continued to analyze their clues, but the case seemed to be at a standstill. At that moment, Lansheng arrived, announcing that he and Ruqin planned to visit the Matchmaker Temple the following day to offer incense, and asked if Tusu and Qing Xue wished to accompany them.
Qing Xue's eyes gleamed with an idea, as she immediately connected Lansheng's information to the flower servant who had gone to a temple with orchids to pray for a marriage match, reinforcing her suspicion about him. She eagerly agreed to go.
