The Great Ruler Episode 20 Recap
> The Great Ruler Recap
He Yao blackmailed Liu Mubai by leveraging his desire to restore Liu Territory and threatening to expose his murder of innocent villagers, which would lead to his immediate expulsion from North Sect and eternal infamy. Under duress, Mubai handed over the stolen Space Stone to He Yao. He Yao then instructed Mubai to find an opportunity to send out the secondary stone, after which their dealings would be concluded, and they would no longer be associated with each other.
He Yao assured Mubai that he could still maintain his position as the Young Master of Liu Territory. Students at North Sect excitedly noted Mu Chen and Luo Li’s continuously rising ranks on the Dragon Roc List, with some speculating Mu Chen might soon surpass Luo Li.
He Yao, within earshot of Liu Mubai, subtly provoked him by praising Mu Chen’s extraordinary nature as the Young Master of Mu Territory and Headmaster Ling Xi’s appreciation for him, contrasting it with Mubai. He Yao then told Mubai to meet him later at their usual secret spot, implying a continued arrangement. Qian’er expressed concern to Liu Mubai about his frequent association with He Yao, advising him to stay away from the peculiar teacher.
Mubai explained they were merely discussing formations. Qian’er, noting they hadn't spent much time together, suggested they chat. Mubai then earnestly promised to dedicate himself to studying with Shen Cangsheng and, upon rebuilding Liu Territory, would marry her and ensure her happiness. Qian’er teased him, stating she hadn't agreed to marry him yet. Later, tormented by his past actions, Mubai began to hallucinate, hearing voices reminding him that his killing of innocent villagers could be exposed, ruining North Sect's reputation.
Meanwhile, He Yao, with a subordinate, gloated about Mubai's utility in their schemes, revealing that Mubai, as the former lord of Liu Territory, was easily exploited due to his deep obsession with restoring his domain. He Yao called Mubai a "fool" who mistakenly valued fame over true power, asserting that with supreme power, rebuilding Liu Territory would be easy.
With the help of North Ming Dragon Roc, Mu Chen, Luo Li, Jiu You, and Li Xuantong were transported into a vast, beautiful forest, described as a fairyland within Lei Territory. Luo Li had initially tried to please Dragon Roc with roasted meat, and then directly asked for the location of the Herbal Jade Knot, which he vaguely indicated by pointing behind her to a tree.
Dragon Roc, amused by everyone else's attempts to entertain him, then asked Jiu You to entertain him. Jiu You, a Nine Nether Bird, offered to transform into her bird form, which Dragon Roc initially dismissed as uninteresting but then accepted, taking her with him on a flight. Upon their return, Jiu You complained that the "stinky old man" made her transform into a Nine Nether Bird and carry him around Lei Territory for a whole round.
Dragon Roc informed the group that they were in a forest where the Herbal Jade Knot grew, but imposed a condition: if they found one, they must bring it back for him to taste, to which Mu Chen readily agreed. He also assigned Li Xuantong to clean his abode as a form of punishment for doing nothing.
Jiu You discovered a plant she believed to be the Herbal Jade Knot, full of spiritual power, and urged Mu Chen to consume it immediately to restore his sight. However, remembering his promise to Dragon Roc, Mu Chen insisted on presenting the single plant to the elder. Dragon Roc accepted it, but then revealed that the plant was not the true Herbal Jade Knot; the real fruit could only form after the plant was cultivated in his Dragon Saliva Soil.
He warned that if Mu Chen had secretly consumed it, he would have died from its toxicity. Impressed by Mu Chen's integrity, Dragon Roc created the genuine Herbal Jade Fruit and gifted it to him. Dragon Roc warned that the fruit itself was extremely poisonous, acting as an antidote to the Dark Blood Spell through a "poison-against-poison" effect.
Mu Chen would need to use his spiritual power to neutralize both toxins after ingesting it; failure to do so before his spiritual power was exhausted would result in death. Despite the immense risk, Mu Chen, unwilling to betray the efforts of his friends who risked their lives for him, resolved to try, assuring Jiu You that he would not take advantage of her by taking her essence blood.
Dragon Roc then instructed Jiu You to channel all her spiritual power to Mu Chen without interruption, regardless of the pain, as failure would render their efforts futile. Separately, when Li Xuantong questioned Luo Li about not seizing the opportunity to take Jiu You's essence blood, Luo Li affirmed that as a member of the Luo God Clan, she would never take advantage of others.
Shen Cangsheng secretly infiltrated the Dragon Palace, where he discovered Black Dragon and Mo Xingtian finalizing plans to attack North Sect. Black Dragon intended for Mo Xingtian to lead a hundred dragon slaves to harass the surrounding human villages, aiming to draw out North Sect’s powerful experts from the Heaven-Reaching Realm. Shen Cangsheng was detected during his espionage, forcing him to escape with injuries after a chase.
Upon Shen Cangsheng's escape, Wen Qingxuan advised Black Dragon that since their plans were compromised, they should immediately mobilize their forces and launch a direct assault on North Sect. Black Dragon initially hesitated, concerned that North Sect's formidable protection array was unbroken and they were now on heightened alert. However, Wen Qingxuan confidently assured him she had a strategy that would guarantee the conquest of North Sect. Convinced, Black Dragon ordered an immediate attack.
He Yao instructed Liu Mubai to deliver the secondary stone to the mountain woods, where someone would meet him. Unbeknownst to them, Zhu Tian had already discovered the theft of the Space Stone and, suspecting an internal traitor was building a transmitting circle in the sect's most secluded area, lay in wait. He confronted Mubai, expressing profound disappointment that Mubai would betray the trust of Shen Cangsheng and Headmaster Ling Xi.
Though Mubai tried to explain, Zhu Tian dismissed him, insisting they both go to see the Headmaster. He Yao intervened, deceptively suggesting they were merely setting up a transmitting circle as a precaution for the impending war. However, as Zhu Tian remained unconvinced and urged them to face Ling Xi, He Yao abruptly ambushed him, infecting him with a potent poison and the Power of Whisper.
He Yao openly declared his allegiance to the Evil Deity and attempted to recruit Mubai, promising that with the Evil Deity's help, Mubai could successfully rebuild Liu Territory and become its true Young Master. Zhu Tian, in agony and under the influence of the Power of Whisper, pleaded with Mubai to kill him, warning him not to fall for He Yao's deceit and become eternally damned by joining the evil cult.
Unable to endure Zhu Tian's suffering, Mubai, to end his torment, regretfully took Zhu Tian's life. He then proceeded to help He Yao transport the secondary stone. Later, overcome with guilt and agony over shedding innocent blood, Mubai was tormented by memories of his father’s past mistakes, fearing he was destined to repeat them and remembering his father's plea to live honorably.
Zhu Tian’s body was later discovered, prompting dismay and confusion among the disciples, who expressed concern about their own safety. They speculated that only someone intimately familiar with Zhu Tian's martial prowess and the North Sect's routines could have silently overpowered such a powerful master. Headmaster Ling Xi noted the absence of struggle at the scene, suggesting Zhu Tian was killed elsewhere and his body moved to conceal evidence.
This implied the killer was highly knowledgeable about the sect's patrols and layout. Ling Xi reassured everyone, emphasizing that North Sect's protection array would keep them safe from external threats, and promised a thorough investigation to bring the truth to light. A severely wounded Shen Cangsheng returned to North Sect, prompting Headmaster Ling Xi to personally tend to his injuries.
Once stable, Shen Cangsheng revealed that Black Dragon had attacked him and was planning a massive assault on the Five Sects. In response, Ling Xi immediately ordered all teachers and students to prepare for battle and activate the North Sect Protection Array. She also dispatched Sun’er to inform the Eight Territories of Black Dragon’s impending attack, urging them to prepare their defenses to prevent being caught off guard.
When Shen Cangsheng inquired about events in the academy during his absence, Ling Xi confided in him about Zhu Tian’s murder and the strong evidence pointing to an internal traitor. She explained that the mole likely killed Zhu Tian for discovering their plot and then publicly displayed the body to sow panic and disrupt war preparations. Ling Xi gravely tasked Shen Cangsheng with swiftly uncovering the truth behind these events.
Shen Cangsheng conducted a closer examination of Zhu Tian’s body, noting two distinct fatal wounds: one caused by a potent poison that would have been lethal on its own, and another a direct spiritual attack that ended his life. He theorized to Ling Xi that the second blow might have been an act of mercy, intended to alleviate Zhu Tian’s suffering.
He emphasized the urgent need to identify the mole, fearing that an internal threat collaborating with Black Dragon would spell disaster for North Sect. Ling Xi agreed, instructing Shen Cangsheng to investigate discreetly without causing panic. She then revealed a critical secret: only the White Dragon could truly stand against Black Dragon, but it, along with the Great Sumeru Pillar, had been sealed near White Horse City ten years prior.
Crucially, Mu Chen was the sole individual capable of awakening the White Dragon. Ling Xi ordered Shen Cangsheng to ensure Mu Chen's safety upon his return from Lei Territory. During this time, Shen Cangsheng also tried to get Mubai's perspective on Zhu Tian's death, but Qian’er interjected, explaining Mubai was too distraught to speak. Shen Cangsheng advised Mubai to pull himself together for the impending war.
The City Leaders of the Eight Territories gathered to discuss their response to the impending threat to North Sect. Mu Feng acknowledged that after previous conflicts like the Mu-Liu War, their forces were significantly weakened and a direct confrontation with Black Dragon’s army was ill-advised. Instead, he proposed a strategic counter-attack: while Black Dragon's main army was deployed against North Sect, the Dragon Palace would be left vulnerable.
They should seize this opportunity to raid the Dragon Palace, targeting the dragon eggs, which were Black Dragon’s vital weakness. This, Mu Feng argued, would compel Black Dragon to withdraw his forces to defend his lair, thus granting North Sect a much-needed respite. The other leaders readily agreed, declaring their intent to assemble their armies and attack the Dragon Palace to prove their resilience against the Dragon Clan.
Anticipating action from the internal traitor as war loomed, Headmaster Ling Xi had intensified security throughout North Sect. He Yao then dramatically reported seeing Liu Mubai sneaking into the library’s most secret basement. Ling Xi, accompanied by He Yao, confronted Mubai there, discovering a transmitting circle. He Yao immediately accused Mubai of secretly building the array and being the North Sect’s mole, claiming the secondary stone had already been sent out.
Mubai vehemently denied the accusations, asserting he was there to destroy the array and revealed He Yao as the true traitor, working for the Evil Deity and responsible for constructing the transmitting circle. However, He Yao skillfully twisted Mubai’s words, turning the blame back on him.
He challenged how "he" could have transported the secondary stone outside the heavily guarded North Sect, then accused Mubai of using his authorized hunting trips to do so, and further implicated Mubai in Zhu Tian's murder to silence him after being discovered stealing the Space Stone. With Mubai struggling to defend himself, He Yao then twisted Mubai's attempt to highlight the Dragon Palace's transmitting array as a sinister plot to lure North Sect forces into a trap. He Yao urged Ling Xi to take decisive action against Mubai, emphasizing the grave danger North Sect faced if the mole was not swiftly eliminated.
