The Flame's Daughter Episode 40 Recap
> The Flame's Daughter Recap
Lie Ruge's birthday was approaching, and she learned that Zhan Feng, the Deputy Sect Leader, had ordered the lily pond to be overturned and replanted as a special gift for her. After three days, Lie Ruge went to Pear Courtyard to find Yin Xue, urging him to fulfill his promise to tell her about her parents, Anye Ming and Zhan Feitian. Yin Xue led her to Maple Courtyard, where Zhan Feng was absent, practicing martial arts at the waterfalls.
Inside, Yin Xue revealed that this very room was where Anye Ming and Zhan Feitian had committed suicide. Lie Ruge noted that this was also the place where Zhan Feng began to misunderstand her father. Yin Xue explained that Lie Mingjing had arranged for Zhan Feng to reside there to lead Anye Luo to believe he was Anye Ming's true son, hoping her parents' spirits would mysteriously protect him.
When Lie Ruge asked if he had known her parents, Yin Xue confessed he only found a newborn Lie Ruge upon his arrival, her mother having already taken her own life after injuring Anye Luo with a hairpin. He returned this hairpin to Lie Ruge, cautioning her against using it unnecessarily due to its imbued resentment. Lie Ruge then inquired if she resembled her mother.
Yin Xue confirmed Lie Mingjing had said they looked exactly alike, but described Anye Ming as gentle and weak like a reed, while Lie Ruge was strong like a boulder, making it unlikely for anyone to confuse them. Lie Ruge pondered that her mother's gentleness must have been a facade, otherwise she wouldn't have had the courage to injure Anye Luo and commit suicide. Yin Xue concurred. Lie Ruge then asked if Anye Luo had a weakness.
Yin Xue explained that unlike humans with their range of emotions, demons like Anye Luo possessed only ruthlessness and coldness, making them seemingly devoid of weaknesses. However, he admitted that Anye Luo indeed had a weakness: Anye Ming, the woman he deeply loved but could never possess. Lie Ruge expressed surprise, reminding him that Anye Ming had raised Anye Luo.
Yin Xue clarified that Anye Luo's nature only understood desire and lacked moral boundaries, leading to the tragedy because Anye Ming refused to compromise with him. Lie Ruge proposed to impersonate her mother, Anye Ming, as a means to get close to and eliminate Anye Luo. Yin Xue immediately forbade her from taking such a risk, but Lie Ruge was resolute. She argued that she could learn her mother's mannerisms and appearance by finding Anye Ming's former maidservants.
Yin Xue doubted if a few days of practice would be enough to deceive Anye Luo, but Lie Ruge was insistent, declaring it was not a risk but a necessary act for revenge. She asserted that she must kill Anye Luo for her parents and for the peace of the martial arts world, stating she was not afraid and was determined to avenge her parents and eradicate Dark River Palace for the sake of Jianghu.
Meanwhile, Lei Jinghong found Feng Huang bound in the courtyard, her collarbones fastened with chains and her clothes stained with blood. He rushed to Dao Wuxia, begging for Feng Huang's release. Dao Wuxia, seeing Lei Jinghong's desperation, shamelessly demanded that Lei Jinghong kneel and worship him like a master. Lei Jinghong, putting aside his pride, knelt and begged for Feng Huang's freedom. Dao Wuxia then pardoned Feng Huang.
Later, as Dao Liexiang applied medicine to Feng Huang's wounds, Feng Huang clarified their situation. She revealed that she and Lei Jinghong had never had a physical relationship and that Lei Jinghong's heart had always belonged solely to Dao Liexiang.
Dao Liexiang, understanding Lei Jinghong’s true feelings and his continued loyalty to her, offered to let Feng Huang stay in their room until the wedding to ensure her safety and facilitate her healing, as Dao Wuxia would only allow Feng Huang to leave after the marriage. Yin Xue summoned an old granny to Flaming Manor, who had once been Anye Ming's maidservant. The granny, grateful that Anye Ming had saved her life, was eager to help.
She began sharing stories about Anye Ming and helped Lie Ruge transform her appearance. The granny styled Lie Ruge’s hair in one of her mother’s favorite styles, noting that Lie Ruge now possessed 60% of Anye Ming's charm. She also revealed that Anye Ming, like Lie Ruge, had a fondness for red attire, a color she wore when she first met Zhan Feitian, and cherished her wedding night as the most blissful moment of her life.
After Lie Ruge’s transformation, she went to Pear Courtyard. Her new look drew comments from the maidservants, who remarked on her unusual appearance. Yin Xue, mesmerized, drew Lie Ruge into a room. He then held her hand as he ground ink and painted, their intimate actions observed by many. Zhan Feng received word from Yin Xue, signaling his return to Dark River Palace. He went to Plum Courtyard to discuss the entire plan with Lie Ruge.
Lie Ruge understood that her public displays of affection with Yin Xue were designed to provoke Zhan Feng's jealousy, convincing Anye Luo of his genuine disloyalty to Flaming Manor. Zhan Feng warned Lie Ruge that this mission was like "entering a tiger's lair" and implored her to be cautious and avoid rash actions for their father's sake. Lie Ruge then entrusted him with crucial evidence regarding the Snap Thunder Village case and Dao Wuxia, collected after Xie Xiaofeng's death.
She instructed Zhan Feng to use this evidence to expose Dao Wuxia at the upcoming Martial Arts Society Conference. She reminded him to carefully follow Yin Xue's instructions, await their signal, and seize the opportune moment to strike. Zhan Feng, his emotions clearly affected by the situation, mentioned he was replanting the lily pond and hoped to see lotuses bloom next year. In Plum Courtyard, the old granny diligently taught Lie Ruge Anye Ming's subtle expressions and mannerisms.
Yin Xue joined them, teasing Lie Ruge that he preferred her usual self. Lie Ruge, who had always wielded a whip, expressed concern about learning sword techniques, as her mother, Anye Ming, had favored a sword. Yin Xue confidently took on the task of teaching her Anye Ming's sword art, which he revealed originated from a former Dark River Palace Sect Leader. He playfully warned her not to become too skilled, lest she surpass her mother.
As he demonstrated the elegant sword forms amidst falling plum blossoms, his white robes blended seamlessly with the pink petals, creating an ethereal scene. The granny further revealed that Anye Luo, unafraid of death, often brought Anye Ming to the underground palace of Dark River Palace. This sacred place housed the memorial tablets and remains of previous sect leaders, and Anye Luo had chillingly told Anye Ming that one day their own tablets would rest there, receiving offerings.
At the base of Waterfall Cliff, Zhan Feng, consumed by jealousy from seeing Yin Xue and Lie Ruge constantly together, challenged Yin Xue to a duel. Youqin Hong quickly informed Lie Ruge that Zhan Feng and Yin Xue were fighting. Several hall leaders, alarmed that Zhan Feng would fight their esteemed guest, Yin Xue, rushed to the scene. They found Yin Xue had defeated Zhan Feng. Lie Ruge, feigning rage, confronted Zhan Feng, accusing him of disrespecting her father's friend.
Zhan Feng, in turn, grabbed Lie Ruge, demanding to know why she was with Yin Xue now that he was free from Dao Liexiang, and pleaded for her forgiveness, invoking their childhood engagement. Lie Ruge coldly rejected him, asserting that their bond was broken the day he and Yi Lang were implicated in her father's death.
She stated she only allowed him to stay out of respect for Lie Mingjing and ordered him to leave, warning that while she wouldn't kill him due to her father's love for him, she couldn't guarantee the same from others. Following this public confrontation, Lie Ruge officially banished Zhan Feng from Flaming Manor, declaring that he had resigned his position as Deputy Sect Leader and was no longer associated with the manor.
This entire dramatic expulsion was, unbeknownst to outsiders, a calculated scheme orchestrated by Lie Ruge and Yin Xue. Zhan Feng returned to Dark River Palace. Unlike his treatment of Yi Lang, Anye Luo did not banish him. Anye Luo welcomed him, stating that in this world, only Zhan Feng and Anye Ming had the privilege to betray him and live; anyone else would face death, as they were his sole weaknesses.
Zhan Feng, addressing him as "Uncle," expressed his desire to win Lie Ruge. Anye Luo promised that if Zhan Feng remained obedient, Lie Ruge would eventually be his. Zhan Feng readily agreed. Anye Luo also noted that Yin Xue was currently residing in Flaming Manor.
