The Legend of White Snake Episode 23 Recap
> The Legend of White Snake Recap
Xu Xian, having fully recovered, displayed a subtle change in his demeanor, which caused White Suzhen unease despite his continued affection towards her and Xiao Qing. Unconvinced that everything was truly normal, White Suzhen and Xiao Qing decided to secretly observe Xu Xian. The first signs of his altered state appeared at their pharmacy, where he stopped selling snake gall bladder pills, instead offering a cheaper herbal alternative for rheumatism, a move that pleased Xiao Qing.
Later, they witnessed him purchase a rare red-sided keelback from a snake catcher, Zhang Yu Tang, not for medicine, but to release it, even advising the bewildered catcher to cease snake hunting. White Suzhen, recalling Xu Xian's former aversion to snakes, also noticed him engrossed in the "Records of Spirits and Gods," a collection of fantastical tales, rather than his usual medical texts.
They followed him to a teahouse, where Xu Xian, usually engrossed in medical texts, sat captivated by a storyteller's tales of Zhong Kui vanquishing demons. He questioned the storyteller intently about the habits and weaknesses of supernatural beings, escalating White Suzhen's growing fears. Soon after, they saw him engage in a game of chess with Fahai.
Fahai, urging Xu Xian to abandon his attachments, criticized his cautious approach, while Xu Xian countered that a monk should exhibit compassion rather than aggression. Xu Xian declared that he had no regrets about his choices. With his final move, Xu Xian forced a draw, asserting that black and white could coexist peacefully, unlike Fahai's vision of eternal conflict. He then used this outcome to secure Fahai's promise not to trouble White Suzhen.
However, from a distance, Xiao Qing and White Suzhen misunderstood the encounter, believing Xu Xian had revealed their true identities and was colluding with Fahai. Furious, Xiao Qing gathered Big Drum and others and returned to the Nuwa Temple, convinced that humans inevitably betray demons once their true nature is known. White Suzhen, on the other hand, felt resigned, believing that all of Xu Xian's suffering was a just consequence of her deception and was prepared to accept any fate.
Fahai, left pondering Xu Xian's unwavering devotion despite knowing White Suzhen was a demon and his willingness to die for her, questioned if this indeed was true love, before being briefly tormented by an inner demon illusion. Later, in their home, White Suzhen was preparing medicinal food for Xu Xian when Xiao Qing, tasting it, confronted her sister about forgiving Xu Xian so easily.
Xiao Qing accused Xu Xian of being fickle, causing White Suzhen's distress and her own troubles with Fahai. White Suzhen, however, defended Xu Xian, attributing his past actions to his amnesia and calling them unintentional. Xu Xian then entered, having overheard their conversation. He apologized to Xiao Qing, acknowledging her anger was justified, explaining that his minor injury did not warrant being bedridden while White Suzhen worked alone.
To help Xiao Qing vent, he even joined her in smashing dishes, claiming the sound brought him clarity after his period of confusion. Though White Suzhen playfully scolded Xu Xian for his antics, he reassured her that his elder sister, Xu Jiaorong, would not worry, explaining that their reconciliation was genuine and that Jiaorong had witnessed White Suzhen's goodness towards him. He then embraced her, expressing his deep contentment, stating he could not ask for more in a wife.
When White Suzhen attempted to speak about the Dragon Boat Festival, Xu Xian gently stopped her, insisting they put unhappy memories behind them as he had already forgotten that day. That night, Xu Xian subtly prompted White Suzhen to speak her truth. White Suzhen, sensing his deep understanding, believed he had already guessed her identity due to his intelligence. She confessed that she was the giant python he saw on the Dragon Boat Festival.
She revealed her origin as a white snake from Emei Mountain, her journey to Lin'an for enlightenment, and her struggle with human-demon separation after falling in love with him. She spoke of seeking a method from Guanyin to counteract her venom when he was poisoned, and her profound guilt over her accidental transformation on the Dragon Boat Festival, which led to his death and all his subsequent suffering. Xu Xian listened, deeply moved by her sacrifices and unwavering loyalty.
He assured her he loved her too much to ever fear her, pledging his eternal devotion regardless of whether she was human or snake. He then explained his own journey to this realization. His previous hatred for snakes stemmed from his amnesia; fragmented dreams of the Dragon Boat Festival led him to believe the giant python had consumed his wife, fueling his grief and aversion.
He recounted remembering their first encounters, how White Suzhen, unfamiliar with human customs, once confused salt and five-spice powder, and ate with her hands or mouth, but always cleverly covered her tracks. He then concluded that she must have been the 'clumsy little white snake' he had accidentally knocked out with realgar powder in his pharmacy, Jishetang. Xu Xian also shared his initial apprehension upon realizing her true nature but quickly shifted to concern for her safety.
He had observed snakes in the market and even bought some poisonous ones to keep, hoping to better understand her kind, though he felt no personal connection to them, except for the small white snake he had once released. He revealed his inquiries into demon-slaying methods were to understand taboos and protect her, and his chess game with Fahai was to advocate for all beings and dissuade the monk from troubling her.
He also mentioned how he had once tried to find a secluded mountain cave on Meiren Peak for her to cultivate, eager to support her, even though she later explained that true spiritual cultivation required places with abundant "essence of heaven and earth and spiritual energy of the sun and moon." He bravely offered his own essence to aid her cultivation, but Suzhen gently reassured him it wasn't necessary for her level of power.
White Suzhen was profoundly touched by his efforts. Xu Xian reaffirmed his commitment, stating that just as she embraced mortality for him, he would embrace her world for her, confident that their differences could never separate them. He then showed her a figurine of Nuwa, comparing the goddess's beauty, compassion, and supernatural abilities to White Suzhen, calling himself incredibly blessed to have such a unique wife.
The next morning, Xu Xian affectionately painted White Suzhen's eyebrows, comparing himself to the famous Han Dynasty minister Zhang Chang, expressing his devotion. Soon after, Xu Jiaorong visited, bringing two sacred charms from Lingyin Temple for Xu Xian and White Suzhen. Xu Xian, concerned the charms might harm White Suzhen, politely declined, arguing that as physicians, they should not promote supernatural cures.
White Suzhen, however, accepted the charms, explaining that ancient, powerful demons like her and Xiao Qing, with centuries of cultivation, were immune to such common talismans, which only affected lesser ghosts. To avoid further questions, White Suzhen then magically conjured a vibrant display of out-of-season flowers throughout their room, a surprise that, with Xu Xian's quick thinking, they presented to a curious Xu Jiaorong as an elaborate birthday gift for Xiao Qing, completely fooling her.
After Xu Jiaorong left, White Suzhen, as a special gift to Xu Xian, used her magic to transport them on a cloud. In a flash, they journeyed a thousand miles to the exquisitely beautiful Sichuan, the region that nurtured the Ling Snake Valley, her true home. Overwhelmed, Xu Xian was speechless at the sight of her birthplace. He then asked if they should visit Jing Song, noting he was also a spiritual being from Emei Mountain. White Suzhen confirmed that Jing Song was indeed there, and they agreed to go see him.
