The Journey of Legend Episode 17 Recap
> The Journey of Legend Recap
Xiao Qiushui was held captive and interrogated by Liu Suifeng, who demanded to know the whereabouts of the Hero Token. The Four Punks, also captive and injured, urged Xiao Qiushui to comply. Liu Suifeng declared that only Xiao Qiushui could save his family and pressed him to recall conversations with Madam Wu regarding the token, threatening him if he failed to remember. Meanwhile, Tang Fang infiltrated Liu Suifeng's residence, recognizing the layout as the Tang Sect's Seven-Step Deadly Array.
This led her to suspect that the Tang Sect might be involved in Xiao Qiushui's abduction. After skillfully navigating several traps, Tang Fang found Xiao Qiushui, who was disheartened and felt he couldn't endanger her, especially after what happened to Rou. The Four Punks, fearing Liu Suifeng's return, implored Tang Fang to rescue them all. She promised to heal them if they helped get Xiao Qiushui out, then swiftly disabled the remaining mechanisms.
During the escape, the Punks mistakenly revealed that Feng Lang was Liu Suifeng, causing Tang Fang to wonder about Liu Suifeng's connection to the Tang Sect. Song Mingzhu promptly reported to Liu Suifeng that his array was broken and Xiao Qiushui had been rescued. Liu Suifeng deduced that Tang Fang was responsible, hinting at a deep personal connection by addressing her intimately.
Tang Fang then led Xiao Qiushui and the Four Punks to a secluded courtyard, where she gave Xiao Qiushui a special pill designed to absorb the ant toxin from his system. With internal meditation, Xiao Qiushui quickly expelled the poison. Tang Fang, seeing his recovery, returned his Golden Swallow and dagger, which he had left behind before his supposed death.
This prompted Xiao Qiushui to recall Madam Wu's earlier entrustment: Yan Kuangtu, a once-dreaded martial artist, had left the Golden Swallow with Madam Wu after saving her son, General Wu, which inadvertently led to his own brother's death. His lifelong obsession to find his younger sister had driven him to great turmoil in the martial world, leading to a siege that forced him into seclusion.
Madam Wu had been searching for Yan Kuangtu's sister for years without success and had asked Xiao Qiushui to continue the search during his travels. Tang Fang inquired about Xiao Qiushui's "resurrection." He explained that Qu Hanshan's palm strike had merely induced a state of suspended animation, making him appear dead. He emphasized the urgent need to return to Sword Retreat to aid his family.
Tang Fang then provided the Four Punks with Bone-Setting Balm and Recovery Powder, allowing them to temporarily move their injured limbs and restore some internal energy, before they all set off. Elsewhere, Xiao Yiren and his group were rushing towards Sword Retreat when Xiao Xueyu suddenly collapsed, weakened by snake venom. Nangong Xiaoyi bravely volunteered to stay behind and care for Xiao Xueyu, urging Xiao Yiren to continue to Sword Retreat to save his parents.
A hopeful rumor then reached Xiao Yiren that Xiao Qiushui was still alive. Liu Suifeng confronted Xiao Qiushui and Tang Fang, who was surprised he knew the Tang Sect's array. Liu Suifeng revealed his identity as her long-lost "friend Feng" by showing a distinctive scar, reminding her of a time she had saved him.
He recounted his tragic past: his mother and Tang Yaoshun had conceived him, but Tang Yaoshun abandoned them, leaving his mother and him in the peaceful Herbal Valley. Liu Suifeng claimed that Xiao Xilou, Xiao Qiushui's father, later led a massacre there, coveting their elixirs and framing them as collaborators with the Wastelanders. Xiao Qiushui vehemently denied this, stating his father would never harm the innocent.
The Punks, however, interjected, asserting the official narrative that the Herbal Valley had indeed collaborated with the Wastelanders. Disgusted by Liu Suifeng's ruthlessness as the Power Gang's vice-leader, Tang Fang declared that she sought her goals honorably and had not saved him from his past only for him to drag others into suffering. As Liu Suifeng prepared to attack Xiao Qiushui, Liang Dou, a close friend of the Xiao family, arrived with his personal guards.
Liang Dou condemned Liu Suifeng for attacking a defenseless man and asserted his allegiance to the Xiao family, forcing Liu Suifeng to retreat. Liang Dou, understanding Xiao Qiushui's urgency, had already prepared swift horses for them and informed Xiao Qiushui that the leaders of Shaolin and Wudang were also on their way to Sword Retreat. Xiao Qiushui thanked Liang Dou profusely, promising future repayment, while Liang Dou decided to join the other masters in their journey.
Meanwhile, Li Chenzhou confronted Liu Suifeng, reprimanding him for repeatedly failing to obtain the Hero Token, which was undermining his authority within the Power Gang. Li Chenzhou then revealed that Shaolin and Wudang were heading to aid the Xiao family and ordered Liu Suifeng to intercept and eliminate them. Liu Suifeng accepted the daunting task. His lieutenants, concerned about facing the combined might of Master Tianzheng of Shaolin and Master Taichan of Wudang, voiced their apprehension.
They described Tianzheng's formidable Yang energy and Taichan's unpredictable swordplay. Liu Suifeng acknowledged the danger but assured them he had a strategy and planned to activate Power Gang informants embedded within the various sects. At the Xiao family's back mountain, Master Tianzheng of Shaolin and Mo Yanxia of Hengshan arrived to support the Xiao family. Power Gang forces offered Bodhidharma's handwritten Heart Sutra in exchange for Shaolin's neutrality. Master Tianzheng refused, valuing justice over treasure.
A Power Gang leader threatened to destroy the Sutra, but Tianzheng prevented it, revealing he was aware of the gu bugs hidden within. He used his Wither and Thrive Finger to destroy the bugs, but was immediately ambushed by an attacker and sustained an internal injury. As the Power Gang pressed their attack, Master Taichan of Wudang arrived. While Mo Yanxia led the fight, Taichan began helping Tianzheng heal.
Seizing the opportunity, the Power Gang unleashed Yu Kuyu's energy-dispersing powder on the masters and revealed their cunning scheme. The gu bugs had not been truly destroyed by Tianzheng's "Ku" (wither) energy but merely reduced to algae-like dust. When he used his "Rong" (thrive) energy to heal, the dust revived and reinfected him. The poison then spread to Taichan as he was assisting with the healing.
The relentless attacks were designed to force the masters to use their internal energy, activating the combined poisons. As the Power Gang gloated over their apparent victory, Xiao Qiushui and Tang Fang suddenly burst into the courtyard.
