The Journey of Legend Episode 19 Recap
> The Journey of Legend Recap
Kneeling before the tombstones of his parents, Xiao Xilou and Sun Huishan, Xiao Qiushui was consumed by self-blame, lamenting his blind confidence that led to their demise and the near-destruction of his family. He felt his fate was predetermined by the original story, and his struggles only worsened the outcome, making him responsible for their deaths. Tang Fang arrived, gently comforting him.
She insisted that it was not his fault, assuring him that no one could have done better than him in challenging the Power Gang, defying death, exposing Qu Hanshan, and risking his life to save his family. Tang Fang also promised to find a cure for his injuries, leveraging the Tang Sect’s extensive connections with renowned physicians. Xiao Qiushui, however, remained despondent, feeling like a failure and a "loser," urging her to leave and not waste her time on him.
Tang Fang, in turn, expressed pride in his actions, stating that the truth of events was often obscured and that she hoped he would take care of himself. Meanwhile, Xiao Yiren swiftly began efforts to rebuild the Huanhua Sect, reopening its doors for new recruits before his parents' seven-day mourning period. This, he believed, would offer solace to their spirits. He instructed Xiao Kaiyan to oversee the forging of new swords, as swords were crucial for the new disciples.
Xiao Kaiyan affirmed his arrangements were already in place but inquired about the whereabouts of the Changge Sword, the symbol of the family head. Xiao Yiren expressed confidence in his leadership and assured Xiao Kaiyan that he had a plan for handling any issues, particularly concerning the land previously leased by the Xiao family. Elsewhere, Liu Suifeng diligently worked on recovering from his injuries.
Song Mingzhu brought him a Reviving Pill from the Medicine King and relayed news she had gathered from the Power Gang. She reported that Qu Hanshan had met with Li Chenzhou and shifted all blame for failing to retrieve the Hero Token onto Liu Suifeng. Consequently, Li Chenzhou had ordered the Fire King to conduct a thorough investigation. Liu Suifeng accepted responsibility for the failure.
For three days and nights, Xiao Qiushui toiled without rest, meticulously carving memorial tablets for the Huanhua disciples who had perished at the hands of the Power Gang, each one etched into a broken sword and set in the Sword Tomb. Left Qiu and Deng Yuhan watched, deeply pained by his relentless grief. Xiao Yiren, determined to secure resources for the sect's revival, hosted a banquet at the Xiao family's villa, inviting leaders from various Jin City sects.
While many congratulated him on Huanhua’s reconstruction, Xiao Yiren soon revealed his true intentions. He reminded them that his ancestors, in a gesture of goodwill to protect Jin City's martial world, had leased land between the Xiao and Tang families to the various sects for a hundred years, free of charge. Now, with Huanhua needing substantial resources to rebuild, he demanded the return of the fertile lands and the payment of a hundred years' worth of back rent.
The assembled leaders were incensed. Some argued that Xiao Xilou had promised a free lease, while others claimed they had already paid rent to the Tang Sect, effectively refusing Xiao Yiren's demands. His anger flaring, Xiao Yiren accused them of being ungrateful wretches and gave them a two-week ultimatum to produce the land deeds and money. As the frustrated sect leaders departed, many openly blamed Xiao Qiushui for the Xiao family's misfortune.
Xiao Qiushui, who had witnessed the entire contentious exchange from the doorway, approached Xiao Yiren, expressing his disapproval of such underhanded tactics, reminding him that their father never sought to exploit kindness. Xiao Yiren, still seething, furiously turned on Xiao Qiushui, accusing him of being responsible for their parents' tragic deaths and for bringing the "wretch" Liu Suifeng into their home. The verbal assault, coupled with his already weakened state and emotional turmoil, caused Xiao Qiushui to collapse.
Fortunately, Liang Dou was passing by and promptly took the unconscious Xiao Qiushui to his private residence for care. Xiao Qiushui awoke two days later in Liang Dou's home. Liang Dou informed him that the reconstruction of Huanhua would take time and offered his private residence as a temporary home for Xiao Qiushui and his companions.
He also revealed that Xiao Qiushui's courageous actions—exposing Qu Hanshan and establishing the Shenzhou Alliance—had already spread throughout the martial world, earning him widespread renown. Liang Dou then led Xiao Qiushui outside, where numerous martial artists from Guangling had gathered. They bowed respectfully, expressing profound gratitude to Xiao Qiushui for exposing Qu Hanshan’s true identity as the Power Gang's Sword King, which had allowed their sects to prepare and successfully repel Qu Hanshan's attacks.
Shortly after, a Wu family guard arrived, delivering a personal letter from Madam Wu. The letter brought joyous news: General Wu had been exonerated of all wrongdoing and had achieved a significant military victory against the northern barbarians at Xianren Pass, recovering over 100 li of territory.
Hearing this, Xiao Qiushui realized that, contrary to the original story where Madam Wu was supposed to die en route to Xianren Pass and the northern barbarians would attack, the narrative had been fundamentally altered. This newfound understanding ignited a spark of hope, suggesting he could now rewrite his own destiny. Inspired, the Guangling sects offered large quantities of timber and stone to aid in Huanhua's rebuilding.
They also expressed their desire to join the Xiao family and the Shenzhou Alliance, even proposing to establish a branch in Guangling. Xiao Qiushui, though grateful, humbly declined the role of leader, stating he could not serve in such a capacity, but he warmly welcomed them all to join the Shenzhou Alliance. Meanwhile, Xiao Xueyu, after diligent study of ancient texts, discovered a method for rejoining severed meridians.
She immediately applied the treatment to Xiao Qiushui, successfully restoring forty percent of his meridians. Despite his partial recovery and the warnings from Left Qiu and Deng Yuhan about the risks, Xiao Qiushui, feeling an urgent need to regain his strength, insisted on immediate sword practice. Observing Xiao Qiushui's renewed spirit, Liang Dou presented him with a letter he had discovered in the Sword Retreat. It was from Xiao Xilou, addressed to his three sons.
In the letter, Xiao Xilou revealed that he had anticipated the Sword Retreat’s siege would be insurmountable. He had sent his sons away under the guise of seeking aid, knowing it was a desperate measure to ensure their survival, believing that if he perished, it would be a noble death for justice.
He further explained that a century ago, when the Xiao family faced near-extinction, their ancestors had forged the Changge Sword from 128 broken blades of loyal kinsmen, imbuing it with the loyal spirit of the Xiao family. The Changge Sword possessed a spirit and would, by fate, find its true master in times of peril. Xiao Xilou urged his sons to remember his words: "Broken swords can be remade, and wilting flowers can bloom.
It's never too late to start over. Recover the Changge Sword, and Huanhua's legacy continues." Overcome with emotion, Xiao Qiushui initially blamed himself for his father's death, but Liang Dou reassured him, emphasizing that true righteousness lay not in the sword itself, but in the heart, and that such destiny would surely find him. Moved by Liang Dou’s words and his father’s enduring spirit, Xiao Qiushui, despite his previous reluctance to contend for leadership, resolved to shoulder the responsibility.
He returned to the Sword Retreat and, with a solemn ceremony, inserted his own broken sword into the sword array. As if by magic, the legendary Changge Sword slowly emerged. Xiao Qiushui firmly grasped the sword, finally becoming the rightful leader of the Huanhua Sect. At that moment, the Demon Codex reappeared, offering him a choice: assume another character or definitively remain in his current role.
Recalling the countless lives lost and his deep-seated desire for vengeance, Xiao Qiushui unequivocally chose to stay as Xiao Qiushui. Despite a system warning that this "unsanctioned action" would lead to a forced logout, the erasure of all data, and the loss of his real-world memories as Xiao Mingming, trapping him permanently within the Demon Codex, he remained steadfast.
He declared that both Xiao Mingming and Xiao Qiushui were him, and he would only choose what was right, echoing his father’s words: "Broken swords can be remade, and wilting flowers can bloom. It’s never too late to start over."
