The Mystic Nine Episode 40 Recap
> The Mystic Nine Recap
Jude Kao, Chen Pi, and others found themselves wandering aimlessly inside the tomb, realizing they were trapped within the Copper Meteorite's illusory world, where everything was constantly shifting. They stumbled upon what appeared to be an exit, and Chen Pi, along with many others, rushed towards it, believing they had finally escaped. However, an older man, a companion of Jude Kao, cautioned them, explaining that they were still deep within the Copper Meteorite's influence.
He described the "Reverse World" as an illusion fueled by their own agitation and fear, which gradually blinded their eyes and consumed their minds. He urged them to trust their hearts, not their eyes, to avoid being deceived. Jude Kao, despite his knowledge, expressed frustration, vowing to find a way out from the strange meteorite. Meanwhile, outside the tomb, Huo Sanniang was incensed upon learning that Lu Jianxun had allowed a foreigner to enter the tomb.
She confided in a companion, expressing her determination to teach Lu Jianxun a lesson. She then confronted Lu Jianxun directly, chastising him for sending Chen Pi and now foreigners into the tomb, asserting that he lacked the capability to handle such matters and blaming him for failing to capture Zhang Qishan.
Huo Sanniang demanded that the ancient tomb's territory be handed over to the Huo family, but Lu Jianxun dismissed her, stating that only truly capable individuals could discuss territories with him. He made it clear that he had lost faith in the Huo family and intended to give the Nine Families' power to Jude Kao, who, he claimed, could deliver what he desired.
Huo Sanniang accused him of burning bridges and warned him that while the Nine Families might currently lack a unified leader, Changsha City would not tolerate a foreigner ruling over them. Lu Jianxun, unperturbed, simply scoffed at the Nine Families, calling them "nothing special." Deep within the Copper Meteorite’s illusory world, Qi Tiezui, utilizing his exceptional divination skills, remained unaffected by the pervasive illusions.
He confidently guided Lieutenant Zhang through the treacherous terrain, reciting trigram formulas and directing their every step. Lieutenant Zhang, trusting Qi Tiezui implicitly, followed his instructions. Their careful navigation led them to a startling discovery: Zhang Qishan was found sitting alone.
Upon reuniting, Qi Tiezui, relieved but also frustrated, scolded Zhang Qishan for seemingly having known the true nature of the illusion all along and for not informing him, leaving him and Lieutenant Zhang to suffer while Zhang Qishan pursued Er Yue Hong. Zhang Qishan, however, appeared to be bewildered by Qi Tiezui’s words. Zhang Qishan then inquired about Er Yue Hong.
Lieutenant Zhang explained that Er Yue Hong had left blood-written warnings to "wake up," and admitted he himself couldn't comprehend their meaning. Qi Tiezui then asked Zhang Qishan if he had drawn a map while delirious in White Qiao Village. Zhang Qishan denied it, citing his severe illness at the time. Qi Tiezui clarified that the Reverse World was a manifestation of their inner thoughts, explaining that one could never reach a place they hadn't mentally conceived.
He deduced that Zhang Qishan must have visited this place before, hence his ability to draw its map, but had simply forgotten. Realizing that direct escape was impossible, Qi Tiezui concluded that Er Yue Hong, despite deciphering the illusion’s mysteries, was likely trapped by his own inner demon and didn't know how to physically leave. Therefore, their only recourse was to move the eight trigrams statues and dismantle the entire illusion to escape.
Qi Tiezui warned them of the dire consequences of a single mistake, which could lead to eternal entrapment. With Zhang Qishan's trust, Qi Tiezui resumed guiding them through the intricate process of repositioning the statues. As they meticulously moved the statues, they encountered an illusory manifestation of Er Yue Hong, seemingly lost in thoughts of Ya Tou, who, as Qi Tiezui noted, was his greatest inner demon.
Zhang Qishan instinctively moved towards him, but Qi Tiezui intervened, reminding him that the image was merely an illusion and could not be touched. He emphasized the danger of getting lost, which would result in being trapped in a self-created illusion, just like Er Yue Hong. Suddenly, Chen Pi appeared, accusing Zhang Qishan of killing Ya Tou and speaking ill of her, lunging at him with ruthless intent.
Zhang Qishan braced himself for a fight, while Qi Tiezui initially dismissed Chen Pi as another illusion. However, a moment of confusion arose as Qi Tiezui questioned why an illusion of Chen Pi would appear if no one was thinking of him, reiterating that objects in this illusory world are conjured by one's thoughts. Then, Chen Pi vanished, only to reappear, seeming perplexed himself and demanding to know why they had disappeared.
Zhang Qishan and Qi Tiezui quickly realized that this Chen Pi was not an illusion but a real person, having genuinely entered the meteorite cave. As Zhang Qishan continued to battle the real Chen Pi, Qi Tiezui urgently warned him to avoid a swirling mist, explaining that falling into it would trap one in their own inner demon forever.
In the heat of the fight, Chen Pi inadvertently stumbled into the mist, plunging him into the depths of his own past. Through the mist, Zhang Qishan, Qi Tiezui, and Lieutenant Zhang witnessed Chen Pi’s tragic childhood. Born an orphan, young Chen Pi lived with his grandmother, struggling to make a living by catching crabs. He was constantly bullied by other children for his inability to use a nine-clawed hook, only catching crabs with broken legs.
Merchants exploited his vulnerability, dramatically underpaying him for his meager catches, often reminding him of his orphan status. Humiliated and desperate, Chen Pi secretly practiced with the nine-clawed hook, eventually mastering it and catching a bounty of valuable crabs. This success, however, sparked jealousy among the other children, who ganged up on him, stole his catch, and beat him relentlessly, taunting him as a "bastard without parents."
Bruised and afraid to return to his grandmother, Chen Pi found solace in a storyteller’s tales. Initially, a story about Lin Chong was briefly mentioned, but a child requested "Wu Song Beating the Tiger." The storyteller, however, instead began describing "Black Whirlwind Li Kui" as a "born killer" who would "get mad and kill people" at the slightest provocation, glorifying his violent nature. Fascinated, Chen Pi found inspiration in Li Kui's bloodthirsty ways, setting him on his own ruthless path.
His grandmother, seeing his injuries, begged him to leave the island, giving him her last crab and imploring him not to "do stupid things again," but she refused to leave with him, wishing him a better life. Witnessing this harrowing past, Qi Tiezui reflected on Chen Pi’s cruel nature, acknowledging his tragic childhood. He noted that Chen Pi had refrained from violence since arriving in Changsha, a past unknown to Er Yue Hong.
Despite sympathizing with his early struggles, Qi Tiezui and Lieutenant Zhang condemned Chen Pi’s inherent bloodthirstiness and ambition, concluding that a person with such a disposition could not be tolerated. They collectively decided to leave Chen Pi's ultimate fate to Er Yue Hong. Hastily, Qi Tiezui urged them to continue moving the statues, lamenting the time lost. They worked towards repositioning the final statue, hoping to finally escape the illusion. Suddenly, the ominous roars of wild beasts echoed around them.
The sound deeply affected Zhang Qishan, instilling fear and draining his strength, making it impossible for him to push the statue. He vaguely recalled hearing the sound before but couldn't place it. Seeing Zhang Qishan’s distress, Qi Tiezui quickly explained that he was being lured into another illusion by the sound.
He reminded Zhang Qishan of his strength as Zhang Fo Ye and taught him a calming Buddhist mantra: "Everything in this world has an order of existence and will disappear like dreams, illusions, like dews and the flash of lightning. You should think of it this way." With Zhang Qishan now focusing on his mental composure, Qi Tiezui and Lieutenant Zhang redoubled their efforts to move the statue. Qi Tiezui expressed deep concern for both Er Yue Hong and Chen Pi, fearing that the "formation of an abnormal creature" signified great danger for them within the perilous illusion.
