The Journey of Legend Episode 14 Recap
> The Journey of Legend Recap
Xiao Qiushui asked Tang Fang to retrieve the Sect Leader's Token. Just as Tang Fang obtained it, Xiao Yiren discovered her and confronted Xiao Qiushui. Xiao Yiren expressed disbelief that Xiao Qiushui would vie for leadership at such a crucial moment, especially after he had labored to convince Qu Hanshan to aid the Sword Retreat. Xiao Qiushui insisted he had no interest in leadership but desperately needed the token to rescue their parents, even if only for half a day.
He warned Xiao Yiren that Qu Hanshan was a member of the Power Gang and should not be trusted, but Xiao Yiren dismissed his concerns, believing his own years of experience would reveal any schemes. Xiao Yiren assured Xiao Qiushui that he would protect him, and the presence of other sects at the upcoming meeting would ensure fairness.
Unable to make Xiao Yiren believe him, Xiao Qiushui mentioned that Master Du Yueshan, whom they had recently rescued from Qu Hanshan's dungeon, could testify against Qu Hanshan. Xiao Yiren was skeptical, recalling previous unverified claims from Xiao Qiushui. Xiao Qiushui, however, insisted he was not lying and promised to bring Master Du as proof.
Xiao Yiren, still wary, instructed his men to guard Xiao Qiushui and prevent him from leaving, while Tang Fang, Deng Yuhan, and Zuoqiu immediately set out to find Master Du. The next day, Xiao Yiren brought Xiao Qiushui to the Forest of Justice, where Qu Hanshan had already gathered several prominent martial artists, including Master Sikong, Master Xiao, Master Ge, Lady Weng, and the Five Tigers of Guangling.
Xiao Yiren formally apologized to Qu Hanshan on Xiao Qiushui's behalf and requested their collective aid for the Xiao family. Qu Hanshan agreed to consider helping but stated that certain matters needed to be clarified first, emphasizing his impartiality. He then publicly accused Xiao Qiushui of colluding with North Wasteland and betraying Daxi's martial world. Xiao Kaiyan, Xiao Qiushui's second brother, questioned this accusation.
Qu Hanshan claimed Xiao Qiushui had invaded his residence, slandered him, and conspired to free Yuchi Qing, a North Wasteland spy, from his dungeon. Xiao Qiushui vehemently denied the accusations, calling Qu Hanshan a Power Gang lackey. He proclaimed that he had witnessed Qu Hanshan imprisoning and torturing Master Du Yueshan in his secret dungeon and also killing Master Gu Junshan in Qu Hanshan's courtyard. Xiao Qiushui accused Qu Hanshan of twisting facts and framing him with false collusion charges.
The other martial artists expressed disbelief, citing Qu Hanshan's esteemed reputation. Qu Hanshan then clarified that only Yuchi Qing, a subordinate of North Wasteland King Helian Yan, had been imprisoned in his dungeon. He, Lady Weng of Bishan Sect, and Master Ge of Blade Hall had jointly captured Yuchi Qing to extract intelligence on North Wasteland's spy network, only for Xiao Qiushui to release him.
Xiao Qiushui countered that the person he rescued was Master Du Yueshan, who had endured torture and, before escaping, taught him Mengxiang Swordplay. He asked for patience, stating his friends would bring Master Du to confront Qu Hanshan. Qu Hanshan then pointed out that he had seen traces of a "Thunderous Slash" move at Yuchi Qing's escape site. He challenged Xiao Qiushui, asking whether he had learned Mengxiang Swordplay or Yuchi Qing's signature "Bloodshed Blade." Xiao Qiushui called him despicable.
Master Ge, stating that his Blade Hall had received guidance from Master Du in the past, volunteered to spar with Xiao Qiushui to test his Mengxiang Swordplay. Xiao Yiren urged Xiao Qiushui to prove himself. During the duel, onlookers noted that Master Ge's moves resembled Master Du's Mengxiang Swordplay adapted into blade form, while Xiao Qiushui's techniques appeared more like blade arts than swordplay.
Master Ge then executed the "Thunderous Slash" and pointed to a scar on his body, asking Xiao Yiren if he recognized the move from a past battle where Yuchi Qing had gravely wounded him. Xiao Yiren reluctantly confirmed it was indeed the Bloodshed Blade. Other sect members also recognized the move, solidifying the claim that Xiao Qiushui used Bloodshed Blade's "Thunderous Slash." Xiao Qiushui realized that Qu Hanshan had meticulously planned this elaborate trap.
Qu Hanshan then posed a question to the assembled sects: how would they punish a disciple who learned forbidden techniques? The unanimous response was to cripple their martial arts and ban them from practicing forever. Xiao Qiushui protested, arguing he had committed no crime by learning a blade technique and accusing Qu Hanshan of going to great lengths just to cripple him.
Xiao Yiren tried to defend Xiao Qiushui, suggesting he was misled and that his actions were not intentional, though he conceded punishment was due. However, Master Xiao interjected, accusing Xiao Yiren of being biased and implying that the Xiao family might be colluding with North Wasteland. Xiao Yiren angrily refuted this. At that critical moment, Tang Fang arrived with Master Du Yueshan. Xiao Qiushui eagerly urged Master Du to expose Qu Hanshan's villainy.
However, "Master Du" shockingly revealed himself to be Yuchi Qing, the North Wasteland spy. Yuchi Qing tearfully begged for his life, claiming Xiao Qiushui had used the Hero Token to trick him into teaching Bloodshed Blade and then tried to kill him after escaping the dungeon. He then accused Xiao Qiushui of possessing the Hero Token, claiming to have seen it himself.
Xiao Yiren was stunned by this revelation, and other martial artists immediately demanded that Xiao Qiushui surrender the token. Xiao Qiushui denied ever having the Hero Token, asserting that Qu Hanshan and Yuchi Qing were in league to frame him, and that the Power Gang already possessed the real token. Despite Xiao Qiushui's protests, Qu Hanshan ordered Liu Qianbian to search him. Liu Qianbian produced a Hero Token from Xiao Qiushui, stunning Xiao Yiren and Xiao Kaiyan.
Qu Hanshan then mocked Xiao Qiushui for bringing such disgrace upon the illustrious Xiao family. Xiao Yiren, lamenting Xiao Qiushui's perceived betrayal, offered to sever his own arm as atonement. Qu Hanshan, however, refused, insisting that only Xiao Qiushui could suffer the punishment, a demand echoed by the other martial artists. As Tang Fang attempted to expose the truth about Qu Hanshan's machinations, Qu Hanshan moved to punish her as an accomplice.
At that moment, Tang Song arrived, requesting Qu Hanshan's mercy and claiming he was sent by Madam Tang to bring Tang Fang back for judgment, stating that Tang Fang had been misled by Xiao Qiushui. Qu Hanshan permitted this, and Tang Song, along with his sister, escorted Tang Fang away. Recognizing that Tang Fang was safer with her own sect, Xiao Qiushui realized he needed to find a way to escape this situation and eventually clear his name.
However, as he tried to leave, Xiao Yiren's men blocked him. Xiao Qiushui resisted, attempting to break free and explain himself, but Xiao Yiren, feeling Xiao Qiushui had almost ruined the family's reputation and continued to make things worse, remained firm. Qu Hanshan seized this moment, reiterating that if Xiao Yiren continued to shield Xiao Qiushui, no one would dare to aid the Xiao family.
Under immense pressure and believing it was for the greater good of the family, Xiao Yiren hesitated, and Qu Hanshan swiftly seized Xiao Qiushui, crippling his martial arts. Xiao Qiushui screamed in agony. Xiao Yiren then ordered his men to take Xiao Qiushui away. Qu Hanshan declared that he would lead the martial artists to aid the Xiao family, and that he would safeguard the Hero Token until it could be returned to Wudang.
Meanwhile, in a dilapidated house, Yuchi Qing, having completed his task of framing Xiao Qiushui, pleaded with Liu Suifeng to remove the "Better-Dead Pill" from his body. Liu Suifeng refused, stating that the debt for the Herbal Valley remained unsettled. Yuchi Qing recognized Liu Suifeng as the young master of Herbal Valley, who confirmed his identity and his long-held grudge over the destruction of his family. Yuchi Qing insisted he was not responsible for Herbal Valley's demise.
He confessed that he had been sent by King Helian to steal the formula for a medicinal pill that could curb hunger and heal wounds, to produce "Marching Pills" for the North Wasteland army. He had been discovered and expelled from Herbal Valley. Subsequently, another informant, bribed by King Helian, had spread rumors throughout the Daxi martial world that Herbal Valley was secretly developing Marching Pills for the North Wasteland army.
These rumors led to Herbal Valley's annihilation by Daxi's martial factions, an act Yuchi Qing swore he had no part in. When pressed for the identity of the Daxi informant, Yuchi Qing stated it was military intelligence known only to King Helian, but he did remember that the Diancang Sect was involved in transporting Marching Pills to North Wasteland. Liu Suifeng then compelled Yuchi Qing to write down all his confessions.
While being escorted back to the Tang Sect by her brother Tang Song and sister Tang Qing, Tang Fang regained consciousness. Taking advantage of a moment of inattention, she used a hidden weapon to facilitate her escape. Back at the Xiao residence, Xiao Xueyu sealed Xiao Qiushui's acupoints and applied Tendon-Rejoining Salve to ease his pain.
Despite his severe injuries, Xiao Qiushui urgently warned Xiao Yiren and Xiao Kaiyan that Qu Hanshan was the Power Gang's Sword King, already possessed the Hero Token, and had orchestrated the frame-up. He implored them not to let the Power Gang enter the Sword Retreat, fearing it would endanger their parents due to Liu Suifeng's grudge against the Xiao family.
However, his siblings dismissed his warnings, reiterating that Qu Hanshan was now helping the family and that Xiao Qiushui had almost ruined their reputation. Xiao Yiren insisted Xiao Qiushui needed rest and left. Alone in his room, Xiao Qiushui reflected on how the events might diverge from the novel's plot. He looked through a pouch his mother had given him and discovered the Sword Retreat's key hidden inside.
He recalled a past conversation where his mother told him the key was with his father and, by ancestral rule, could only be passed on to his sons upon his death or abdication. He wondered why his mother had sealed such a vital item within his pouch.
