The Great Ruler Episode 31 Recap
> The Great Ruler Recap
Luo Li found her clan rife with rumors and disunity. To truly unite her people, she firmly decided to publicly undergo the tribulation. Her grandpa was deeply worried by her impulsiveness, reminding her that he had planned for her to become the Saintess secretly, believing that once she succeeded, no one would be able to contest her, and the clan would be unified against external threats. He feared for her if she failed, especially since she had sworn an oath.
Luo Li, however, insisted that the clan's internal strife and disunity were far more perilous than the Xue God Clan's threats, and only public success in her tribulation could genuinely rally her people. Her grandpa acknowledged her growth and resolute decision. Plagued by nightmares calling out for his father, Mubai was comforted by Qian'er throughout the night. Waking, he apologized for everything and gratefully accepted Qian'er's care.
Qian'er, in turn, told him he was responsible for her current state and should take responsibility. Embracing her, Mubai proposed, vowing to compensate her for the rest of his life. Though Qian'er considered him her husband already, they performed a wedding ceremony. Afterward, Qian'er declared their new life as an ordinary couple, free from the past, a sentiment Mubai echoed, wishing only for a peaceful life with her.
Unbeknownst to them, Qian'er's father, the Tang Territory Lord, had learned of her whereabouts in Liu Territory. Guilt-ridden over Liu Territory's destruction, he secretly sent people to buy all the medicinal herbs Qian'er collected, hoping to ease their burdens while respecting her choice to stay with Mubai, as Qian'er herself did not wish to return home and sadden Mubai.
Mu Chen and Jiu You arrived at the Land of Beasts, the fabled location of the Undying Bird Heritage, only to find a vast, eerie forest devoid of birds, which Jiu You noted was an unnatural and strange silence. She urged caution, but Mu Chen, ever determined, vowed to press on, even if it meant facing great danger. Mu Chen then playfully interrogated Jiu You about her relationship with Bai Tong, sensing a connection.
Jiu You confessed that Bai Tong had expressed his feelings, but she had not accepted, as she did not return them. Mu Chen encouraged her to give Bai Tong a chance, suggesting that feelings could develop over time. When a mosquito bit Mu Chen, Jiu You applied a rare dovetail leaf, explaining its potent insect-repelling properties once its toxic sac was removed. Soon after, Bai Tong arrived, having defied Jiu You's instructions not to follow, anxious about her safety.
As they conversed, they suddenly realized Mu Chen had vanished. Bai Tong expressed concern that the Evil Deity's forces might have killed Mu Chen, but Jiu You, linked by blood to Mu Chen, assured him that she would know if he were dead and vowed not to let him perish. Seeing Bai Tong's fatigue from searching, Jiu You went to find food for him.
She returned with roasted moth larvae, which Bai Tong reluctantly ate, surprisingly finding them "not bad," much to Jiu You's slight disappointment. Observing a familiar dovetail leaf, Jiu You recalled using a similar one on Mu Chen and realized the current leaf was the exact one she had marked, confirming that the forest was a massive illusion. She explained that while non-spiritual plants could be manipulated, spiritual ones like the dovetail leaf could not be moved.
This confirmed that an unseen force was manipulating the environment, and they deduced Mu Chen had likely been taken this way. They further reasoned that the enemy was not attacking them because they were currently occupied with Mu Chen. They resolved to mark the spiritual plants to navigate and quickly find the puppet master.
Meanwhile, Xue Shi, an envoy from Xue Lingzi, arrived at the Luo God Clan, provocatively addressing Luo Li as "Madam" and implying she was to return with him to the Xue God Clan. The clan leader and elders firmly rejected this, stating that Luo Li, as the Luo God Clan's Saintess, was not to be given away so easily.
Xue Shi then revealed Luo Li's relationship with Mu Chen and the killing of Xue God Clan envoys, accusing her of having pledged to marry Mu Chen without her clan's consent, and declaring that the Xue God Clan would not tolerate such an affront, intensifying his threat. The elders debated whether to reveal this news to the clan, with some fearing it would incite chaos during a fragile time.
Elder Luo Qingya eventually agreed to keep the matter quiet until after the Luo Offering, but demanded a full explanation from Luo Li then. Luo Li, reaffirming her role as the Luo God Clan's Saintess, promised to fulfill her duties and complete the Luo Offering. Back in Liu Territory, a cloaked woman, claiming to be a physician, approached Mubai for directions.
She quickly discerned his incurable illness—evil energy within him, giving him little time to live—and offered a cure that no other physician in the Great Thousand World could provide. Mubai was initially hesitant, but when Qian'er entered, the physician cunningly pointed out Qian'er's visible suffering and how her hair had turned white from worry and hardship due to Mubai's weakened state, prompting him to agree to the treatment.
After the session, Mubai's spiritual power began to recover, much to Qian'er's delight. Once Qian'er left to prepare food, Mubai discovered his spiritual power had transformed into the ominous "Power of Whisper." He then unmasked the physician, revealing her to be Wen Qingxuan. She conveyed the Evil Deity's command for him to resume working for them, promising him power beyond his former self.
Mubai vehemently refused, asserting that his former self had died in White Horse City and he now sought only a peaceful, ordinary existence as a reclusive cripple. Wen Qingxuan then cruelly threatened Qian'er's life, forcing Mubai into submission.
After agonizing consideration, Mubai penned a letter to Qian'er, explaining that his time living with her was the happiest of his life, but now that his power was restored, he was leaving to pursue many unfinished matters, urging her not to seek him. He then departed with Wen Qingxuan. Qian'er, returning with her earnings, found the letter and rushed after him, tearfully confronting him.
She reminded him of their vows for a peaceful life, but Mubai, hardened by his painful decision, cruelly lied, claiming he had only used her for care when he was crippled. He stated that now that he was recovered, he no longer needed or loved her, coldly telling her to return to Tang Territory and not bother him again before walking away, leaving Qian'er heartbroken.
The news of Luo Li's engagement to the human Mu Chen and the slaying of Xue God Clan envoys had indeed spread, infuriating the clan members who demanded answers. Elder Luo Tianlong suspected Elder Luo Qingya was behind the rumors, but the clan leader urged calm.
When some elders suggested handing Luo Li over to Xue Lingzi for peace, the clan leader did not explicitly agree, adhering to his belief that such an act would be subjugation, leading to more oppression and no chance for their clan to rise again. Luo Qingya, however, insisted Luo Li swear at the Luo God Altar, before all clansmen, that she had never violated ancestral rules or committed taboos.
Li Xuantong stepped forward to vouch for Luo Li, stating he had always been by her side, but Qingya dismissed him as a mere guard. Luo Li defended her sworn brother, and Qingya challenged her directly to take the oath. Suddenly, a messenger reported that Xue Lingzi had besieged Luo City with his troops, demanding to discuss the marriage with the Saintess. Outraged, the elders recognized this as a blatant threat.
The clan leader decided to go and negotiate, hoping to buy time for the clan to prepare for battle, despite warnings about Xue Lingzi's treacherous nature. Elder Luo Tianhe, putting aside their political differences, offered to accompany him, admiring the clan leader's courage. The clan leader instructed Luo Li to stay and follow Tianlong's orders if anything went awry. Soon after, Tianlong returned with dire news: the clan leader and Luo Qingya had been captured.
He urged Luo Li to flee to the Northern Spirit Academy for aid, but she staunchly refused to abandon her grandpa. Tianlong, seeing her unwavering resolve, declared he would stand with her, and Li Xuantong, her sworn brother, also pledged his loyalty. Luo Li devised a daring plan: she would meet Xue Lingzi, feigning acceptance of his proposal to lower his guard.
Meanwhile, Tianlong and Li Xuantong would covertly infiltrate the camp to rescue the clan leader and Qingya, and she would use the ensuing chaos to escape. Luo Li confronted Xue Lingzi, demanding the release of her grandpa and Qingya before she would agree to the marriage. Xue Lingzi, however, revealed he knew her true intentions, exposing her plan. He then revealed Elder Luo Tianlong, whose appearance confirmed his betrayal to Luo Li's shock and dismay.
Li Xuantong was also brought out, bound and helpless. Luo Tianlong then cruelly urged Luo Li to surrender, citing her grandpa's plight and Xuantong's capture. Despite Li Xuantong's desperate plea for her to flee, Luo Li, seeing her loved ones in peril, dropped her sword and, with a heavy heart, agreed to marry Xue Lingzi in exchange for their freedom.
