The Journey of Legend Episode 34 Recap
> The Journey of Legend Recap
Xiao Yiren arrived at Heavenly King Zhu's mansion, where he indeed discovered a thousand-faced mask hidden in a drawer. Xiao Kaiyan then appeared, no longer concealing his identity. Xiao Yiren, having heard from Xiao Qiushui, confronted Xiao Kaiyan, demanding to know why he had so cruelly murdered their parents. Xiao Kaiyan deflected the blame onto Heavenly King Zhu, who was conveniently dead, making it impossible to verify.
He further tried to manipulate Xiao Yiren, inciting hatred towards Xiao Qiushui, claiming that Xiao Qiushui had lost the Xiao family's fighting spirit and should not be trusted. Xiao Kaiyan feigned vulnerability, asserting that he was the one truly dedicated to restoring the Xiao family's glory. Unable to reconcile the drastic changes in both his brothers within a few months, Xiao Yiren was deeply conflicted. To prove his sincerity, Xiao Kaiyan deliberately stabbed himself with a sword.
Xiao Yiren quickly pulled the weapon out of his chest. Later, Xiao Yiren returned home to find that the Xiao family had been honored with the title of "Protectors of the Nation," an apparent token of imperial favor. Overwhelmed, Xiao Yiren visited his parents' graves, lamenting his unfilial nature and vowing to restore the family's honor through his own means, asking for their forgiveness for his perceived incompetence.
Meanwhile, Xiao Qiushui received news that Shaolin, Wudang, and Emei, along with other sects, had jointly called for a martial assembly at Changban Slope to elect a martial alliance leader. The various martial arts factions had learned of the emperor's decree and intended to unite to protect General Wu.
However, Xiao Qiushui realized that if Xiao Kaiyan, disguised as Heavenly King Zhu, were to succeed in becoming the alliance leader, it would pose a grave danger to General Wu and potentially lead to the destruction of the entire Daxi era. Three Talents asked Xiao Qiushui if he would participate, voicing concern that the powers of the eight masters within him were not yet fully integrated, and Xiao Kaiyan possessed stolen martial arts from the Book of Oblivion.
Xiao Qiushui firmly declared that he would go and publicly expose Xiao Kaiyan's true face, even if it meant sacrificing his own life. The other Shenzhou Alliance brothers quickly gathered, expressing their full support for Xiao Qiushui's bid for the martial alliance leadership, emphasizing their loyalty and unity. On the day of the competition, the martial world's heroes convened to determine the Central Plains' supreme martial artist who would lead them to rescue General Wu.
Xiao Kaiyan ordered Xiao Yiren to enter the ring first. Xiao Qiushui, unwilling to harm his elder brother, inadvertently sustained a sword injury. Xiao Kaiyan then stepped in, engaging in a deadly exchange with Xiao Qiushui. As Xiao Kaiyan thrust his sword into Xiao Qiushui's heart at close range, Xiao Qiushui simultaneously tore off Xiao Kaiyan's thousand-faced mask, revealing his true identity to everyone present. Xiao Yiren, finally seeing through the deception, immediately charged forward and stabbed Xiao Kaiyan.
Enraged, Xiao Kaiyan struck Xiao Yiren with a powerful palm, shattering his meridians, before fleeing the scene with his Waterway disciples. Xiao Yiren was mortally wounded. Xiao Qiushui desperately tried to channel his internal energy to save him, but Xiao Yiren weakly told him it was futile, that the palm strike had severed his heart meridians, and he did not deserve to live in shame anymore.
He expressed profound remorse for his past mistakes and asked to be buried by Huanhua Creek, on a hillside overlooking the Sword Retreat, as he felt unworthy to be interred within. Xiao Qiushui entrusted his Shenzhou Alliance brothers with Xiao Yiren's proper burial, then, with a heavy heart, headed to Changban Slope for the martial alliance leader election. At the martial arts assembly, Ji Wupeng, a master of yin and yang arts, provocatively challenged the assembled sects.
Xiao Qiushui and the Beggars' Sect Elder, Master Qiu, stepped onto the stage to confront him. Just as the fight was about to begin, Yan Kuangtu, the legendary martial artist, suddenly appeared. Some recognized him, noting that after twenty years, he had not aged but appeared even younger and more imposing. Yan Kuangtu stood alone in the center of the arena, declaring that the Hero Token belonged to him and no other.
Xiao Qiushui immediately contradicted him, asserting that the Hero Token should belong to a person of profound virtue, such as General Wu Jie, and not merely a "madman." Yan Kuangtu, captivated by Xiao Qiushui's fearless defiance and reminiscent of his own youth, offered to take him as a disciple, demanding that Xiao Qiushui kneel in submission.
Xiao Qiushui staunchly refused to kneel, stating that he only kneeled to heaven, earth, rulers, parents, teachers, and noble heroes, maintaining that Yan Kuangtu was merely a madman. Yan Kuangtu, further intrigued, insisted on making Xiao Qiushui kneel through sheer martial prowess. They engaged in a fierce battle. Yan Kuangtu displayed incredible skill, effortlessly using techniques like Ananda's Finger and Shaolin's Hundred Precept Steps.
Despite being forced to his knees by Yan Kuangtu's immense power, Xiao Qiushui exerted all his internal energy to slowly rise again, refusing to stay down. Impressed by Xiao Qiushui's unyielding spirit, Yan Kuangtu exchanged a powerful blow with him using his Obsidian Palm. After they separated, Zhao Shirong and several Shaolin and Wudang grandmasters surrounded Yan Kuangtu, but he easily eluded them.
Xiao Qiushui stopped them from pursuing, explaining that Yan Kuangtu had intentionally held back, and if he had truly intended to kill, none of them would have been a match for him. Following the intense confrontation, Xiao Qiushui was confirmed as the martial alliance leader.
As the Hero Token was about to be formally presented to him at Canghai Pavilion, Yan Kuangtu reappeared, snatched it, and declared that the martial alliance leadership was indeed Xiao Qiushui's, but he would "borrow" the Hero Token for a while before disappearing once more. In the aftermath, Nangong Xiaoyi, heartbroken by Xiao Yiren's death, left the Xiao family, taking Xiao Yiren's sword with her to find a place for peace. Those who dared to question Xiao Kaiyan's authority after his revelation as Heavenly King Zhu were brutally cut down, silencing all dissent and solidifying his reign of terror.
