The Great Ruler Episode 37 Recap
> The Great Ruler Recap
Mu Chen, Luo Li, and Jiu You aimed to infiltrate the Futu Clan to find records about its protective circle and past elders, as Mu Chen admitted he couldn't decipher the uniquely fortified array without understanding each elder's specific power. They discovered the clan's guards were too vigilant, leaving no opportunity to proceed with their plan.
Jiu You proposed using her Secular Fire, but Mu Chen and Luo Li cautioned against it, fearing it would alert the entire clan, expose their identities, and compromise their goal, especially since they suspected they were being followed. Luo Li also stressed the necessity of the Futu Clan's cooperation against the Evil Deity, making it crucial not to alarm them. An envoy from the Futu Clan then sought to meet Mu Chen.
The envoy introduced himself as Long Xiang, a servant of Qing Yanjing, the Futu Clan’s goddess. He immediately noticed Mu Chen’s strong resemblance to Qing Yanjing and deduced that Mu Chen was the goddess’s son. Claiming to risk his life, Long Xiang disclosed that Qing Yanjing was imprisoned in the Progenitor Tower and in grave danger. He claimed to know how to enter the tower, having previously snuck in, but lacked the power to rescue her.
Mu Chen, eager to save his mother, urged him to lead the way. Long Xiang then secretly led Mu Chen to the tower entrance and instructed him to enter quickly while he kept watch for patrols. Meanwhile, Saintess Luo Li and Jiu You met with the Futu Clan elders, proposing an alliance to fight the Evil Deity.
During this meeting, the envoy who had led Mu Chen into the tower, revealed to be the fake Long Xiang, reported to Futu Xuan that Mu Chen was Qing Yanjing’s son. Upon hearing this, Futu Xuan told Luo Li that the alliance required more deliberation. He then revealed that an outsider had invaded their sacred Progenitor Tower and, noticing Mu Chen's absence, insinuated that he was the intruder.
Luo Li clarified that Mu Chen was her guard and urged Futu Xuan not to make baseless accusations, emphasizing the Luo God Clan’s sincerity. Inside the Progenitor Tower, Mu Chen encountered a disheveled and agitated man chained within. Using his Great Futu Pagoda, Mu Chen calmed him. The man, who introduced himself as Long Xiang, Qing Yanjing's true servant, wept tears of joy upon learning Mu Chen was Qing Yanjing's son, bowing before him.
Mu Chen asked about the "Long Xiang" outside the tower. The true Long Xiang explained he had been imprisoned in the tower for years and deduced that Futu Xuan must have sent an imposter to trick Mu Chen into entering. Long Xiang recounted that twenty years prior, Qing Yanjing was imprisoned in the Progenitor Tower by Futu Xuan for violating clan rules and forced to reflect day and night. As her servant, Long Xiang secretly sneaked in to serve her.
Over a decade ago, he re-entered the tower only to find Qing Yanjing gone. His investigations revealed Futu Xuan had transferred her to the Ancient Heaven Palace. Soon after, he was discovered and imprisoned in the Progenitor Tower under false charges of rebellion for attempting to rescue a "sinner," enduring daily torment from spiritual chains ever since. He expressed hope that Mu Chen, now having mastered the Futu Art, could save Qing Yanjing.
Mu Chen realized Futu Xuan’s cunning scheme: to lure him into the tower while stalling Luo Li and Jiu You, intending to eliminate them separately. Recognizing Luo Li's imminent danger, Mu Chen decided they had to leave immediately. He attempted to free Long Xiang from his spiritual chains, successfully breaking them. As they prepared to leave, a powerful spiritual energy surged through the tower.
Long Xiang warned Mu Chen that it was the Galaxy Circle, an ancient formation laid by Futu ancestors, continuously powered by the spiritual energy of generations of elders. Once triggered by Mu Chen, its power became almost endless. Mu Chen observed star-fire stones disappearing as they touched his Futu Pagoda, only to reappear as violent spiritual energy rushing into his body.
Though initially dangerous, this energy integrated with him, strengthening his Futu Pagoda and helping him cultivate the Sacred Futu Pagoda. Long Xiang joyfully recognized Mu Chen's accomplishment. Mu Chen realized the Galaxy Circle’s energy was absorbed because it shared a common origin with his own power, and the initial intense impact was a prelude to their fusion. Long Xiang expressed how proud Qing Yanjing would be, and Mu Chen, with new resolve, declared they would seek revenge.
Meanwhile, Jiu You sensed Mu Chen's danger, feeling a massive spiritual power surrounding him. Futu Xuan, no longer feigning alliance, openly admitted to trapping Mu Chen in the Progenitor Tower, boasting that the Galaxy Circle would prevent his escape, regardless of his abilities. He then condemned Luo Li and Jiu You for conspiring with a "sinner's son" and violating the clan's ancient rules, demanding they pay the price.
Luo Li, realizing Futu Xuan's treachery, accused him of setting a trap and demanded to know Mu Chen’s fate. Despite their efforts, Luo Li and Jiu You, though using their Luo God Vein, were overwhelmed and injured in their escape attempt. Just as they were about to be defeated, Mu Chen appeared, unleashing his Sacred Futu Pagoda to confront Futu Xuan.
Futu Xuan was shocked to see Mu Chen alive and berated Long Xiang for aiding a sinner's son in destroying the ancestral tower. Mu Chen confronted Futu Xuan, demanding to know why he imprisoned Qing Yanjing in the Ancient Heaven Palace. Futu Xuan dismissed Mu Chen as a sinner unworthy of speaking to him, but Long Xiang passionately defended Qing Yanjing, vowing revenge. Futu Xuan scoffed at Long Xiang's challenge and attacked him.
Mu Chen intervened, unleashing his newly cultivated Sacred Futu Pagoda. In a desperate act, Long Xiang sacrificed himself, transforming into spiritual energy that fused with Mu Chen’s Sacred Futu Pagoda, allowing him to withstand Futu Xuan’s attacks—his final act of service to Qing Yanjing.
Long Xiang, having endured decades of imprisonment, revealed that only the hope of saving the goddess had sustained him, and he begged Mu Chen to promise he would save her, as he no longer possessed the power. Mu Chen solemnly promised. Defeated and astonished by Mu Chen's mastery of the Futu secret art, Futu Xuan admitted his loss. Mu Chen pressed him for his mother’s location.
Futu Xuan, before his departure in a wisp of blue smoke, chillingly revealed that he had aligned with the Evil Deity, who was about to revive and seize control of the Heaven Palace. He declared that Qing Yanjing, having been suppressed for years, would soon undergo soul annihilation and vanish from existence, ensuring mother and son would never reunite.
Mu Chen, enraged by the revelation of Futu Xuan’s betrayal, accused him of succumbing to temptation and being unworthy of his position or of imprisoning his mother. Futu Clan elders, having been unaware of Futu Xuan’s treachery, apologized to Mu Chen for their past rudeness, but still insisted that Qing Yanjing should be punished for breaking clan rules.
Mu Chen angrily retorted that without his mother's sacrifice, they and the entire Great Thousand World would have been destroyed, criticizing their rigid adherence to rules while his mother suffered. Luo Li intervened, reminding Mu Chen that the elders were bound by duty. Mu Chen, addressing Long Xiang's spirit, vowed that with revenge complete, he would now go to the Ancient Heaven Palace to rescue his mother.
He instructed Luo Li to use her magic to alert everyone to gather at the Ancient Heaven Palace, specifically mentioning his promise to bring Man Tuluo there. Meanwhile, the Evil Deity, aware of Futu Xuan’s failure, acknowledged Mu Chen’s capabilities. Liu Mubai attributed Mu Chen’s success to mere luck. Wen Qingxuan predicted Mu Chen would come to the Ancient Heaven Palace for Qing Yanjing, suggesting they lay a trap.
The Evil Deity then ordered Liu Mubai to intercept Mu Chen at the Heaven River and instructed Wen Qingxuan to give Liu Mubai the Heaven Palace Whistle, an artifact of the Heaven Emperor, capable of commanding Heaven Soldiers and the departed souls of the Heaven River.
In the Ancient Heaven Palace, General Lu Heng bravely fought the Evil Deity's forces to protect the still-sleeping Heaven Emperor, warning that allowing the enemy into the main hall would doom the Great Thousand World. However, Lu Heng was eventually overcome and controlled by the Evil Deity's power. The Heaven Emperor awoke after five millennia to find his protective array destroyed, his primordial spirit scattered, and all Heaven Soldiers enslaved by the Evil Deity, leaving him powerless.
Lu Heng, now under the Evil Deity's control, revealed that his five-thousand-year struggle was a nightmare, and surrender was the only way to end it. Wen Qingxuan presented Liu Mubai with the Heaven Palace Whistle, explaining it was the Evil Deity's reward. Liu Mubai initially rejected it, claiming he didn't need help to stop Mu Chen and considered it merely his duty, not a merit.
Wen Qingxuan insisted he accept it, warning that refusal might make the Evil Deity suspect his loyalty, hinting at his lingering affection for Tang Qian’er. She emphasized the Evil Deity's supreme power and promised him anything, even a goddess, if he remained loyal. Liu Mubai accepted, acknowledging his power came from the Evil Deity. Wen Qingxuan reiterated the order to stop Mu Chen at the Heaven River without mercy.
Mu Chen's group, including Mu Feng and Qingshan, arrived at the Heaven River, a treacherous river whose waters would erode spiritual energy, making it impossible to cross by spiritual power alone. Luo Li proposed forming a spiritual array as a bridge to cross it. Mu Feng agreed, suggesting Mu Chen lead the array while he covered the rear. As they began, Liu Mubai appeared, declaring they would not pass.
Mu Chen confronted him, but Liu Mubai asserted he could control the Heaven River alone. Mu Chen retaliated with his Sacred Futu Pagoda. Man Tuluo arrived, informing Mu Chen that Liu Mubai’s spiritual power was fading, and warned Qingshan not to be impulsive. Liu Mubai retreated. Man Tuluo explained that the Heaven Palace Whistle was necessary to resist the Heaven River's erosion and expressed relief that Liu Mubai hadn't used its power to control departed souls.
Mu Chen realized that Liu Mubai possessing Lu Heng's artifact meant the Evil Deity had likely fully infiltrated the Heaven Palace, urging them to hasten. Mu Chen renewed his vow to save his mother. Liu Mubai, in communication with Wen Qingxuan, explained that allowing Mu Chen’s group to cross the Heaven River was a strategic move, as the river was unsuitable for battle; a better plan was to surround them with the Evil Spirit Army after they crossed.
He would block them further in, while Wen Qingxuan proceeded with her plan to entrap Jiu You, warning her of severe consequences if she failed. Mu Chen deduced that Qing Yanjing was most likely imprisoned in the Dragon Den, the deepest part of the Heaven Palace.
