The Mystic Nine Episode 5 Recap
> The Mystic Nine Recap
The episode begins with Zhang Qishan, Qi Tiezui, and Lieutenant Zhang at the entrance to the inner mine cave. The old man, who was guiding them, frantically pleaded with them not to proceed, claiming the area was haunted. Qi Tiezui pointed out that the statue of the Old Mother of the Respected Heaven, a significant deity in the Xuanguan Religion, being placed there suggested a great treasure was hidden beneath.
Zhang Qishan, determined to investigate, dismissed the old man's warnings, stating that with him present, "we'll kill any person or ghost that's in the way." Under pressure from Zhang Qishan, the old man reluctantly recounted a past event. His family had been miners for generations, and his father eventually worked for the Japanese, who purchased the mining mountain. His father, holding a higher position and knowing some Japanese, would accompany them into the mine.
During one such expedition, a new hole was discovered. A group of Japanese, led by their fit and relentless boss, insisted on going deeper into the mine. They eventually reached a door inscribed with the chilling words, "All hope abandon, ye who enter here," which Qi Tiezui recognized as a quote from Dante Alighieri's "The Divine Comedy," written on the gates of hell. The Japanese then dismissed the Chinese laborers, including the old man's father, before entering the mysterious passage.
The Chinese miners, desperate for valuables, planned to sneak in after the Japanese exited. However, instead of treasures, panic erupted as the Japanese ran out in disarray. The old man revealed that his father later spoke of a black, smoky fog that had scared the Japanese away. Zhang Qishan declared his intention to confront whatever had caused such fear.
The old man also explained that the Japanese had later returned to install iron bars, welding them shut, indicating something truly terrifying lay within. Qi Tiezui noted the rusted state of the bars and suggested using hydrochloric acid to open them, a method Zhang Qishan quickly understood. Qi Tiezui proceeded to apply the acid. After Qi Tiezui successfully corroded the rusty lock, Zhang Qishan forced open the iron bars.
They moved past the Old Mother of the Respected Heaven statue, noticing some hair on its back, and entered a vast area of ruins. Passing abandoned minecarts, they searched for a new path. Qi Tiezui pointed out that all the obvious mine paths were either blocked or sealed. Zhang Qishan reiterated that with welded gates and bombs, the place surely held a major secret, demanding they continue searching until a way forward was found.
They then came across two bowls of water, which Qi Tiezui identified as part of an onmyoji's formation enchantment. He explained that Japanese onmyojis derived their practices from the Chinese five elements concept, and the bowls, containing well water and river water respectively, symbolized "well water won't mix with river water," an old saying implying non-interference.
Qi Tiezui deduced that the mine path must have been shared by both the living and the dead, hence the setup to keep them separate. He urged them to leave, fearing "something dirty" inside. Despite Qi Tiezui's persistent pleas and warnings, Zhang Qishan remained undeterred. Spotting a hidden mechanism, Zhang Qishan shot at it, declaring his authority over any spectral presence.
Meanwhile, Jie Jiuye, a shrewd and calculating individual, demonstrated his exceptional chess skills in a public match against the renowned Chess Sage, Mr. Kong. Although his assistant initially believed Jiu Ye had won a hard-fought single game, Jiu Ye revealed he had employed a strategy known as "Subject's Chess." This ancient tactic involved intentionally losing to a superior opponent in a way that made the loss appear difficult, thus flattering the victor.
Jiu Ye further explained that Mr. Kong’s skill surpassed his own in a direct match. Therefore, in a simultaneous game of eight boards, Jiu Ye had seven other players secretly assist him in one game (the "Subject's Chess"), which he then intentionally "lost" spectacularly, draining Mr. Kong's energy, while Jiu Ye focused on winning the other seven games.
This ingenious plan allowed him to achieve seven wins to Mr. Kong's one, asserting his dominance while still granting Mr. Kong a dignified, albeit manipulated, victory, thus preventing resentment. After the match, Jiu Ye was informed that Zhang Qishan had entered the mining mountain. Recognizing Zhang Qishan's impatient nature, Jiu Ye anticipated the exploration would inevitably cause a stir, indicating more work for himself. Back in the mine, Zhang Qishan pulled Qi Tiezui deeper into the passages.
They came to an area supported by numerous wooden beams and hemp ropes. Qi Tiezui observed knife marks on the beams and that the ropes were tied like nooses, grimly noting that many people had been hanged there. The sight triggered terrifying hallucinations for the old man, who, overwhelmed by fear and seeing a throng of hanged ghosts, fled the mine in a panicked scramble.
Recognizing his emotional collapse, Zhang Qishan chose not to stop him, and the trio continued their descent. They eventually reached what appeared to be a dead end in the mine path, only to discover a large water jar. Qi Tiezui quickly surmised that the jar was deliberately placed to block a hidden hole beneath it and also served a spiritual purpose to "drive away evil spirits and eliminate demons," a testament to the onmyoji's expertise.
Zhang Qishan confirmed this by shooting the jar, causing it to break and reveal a hidden underground passage as the water drained. He personally dug to enlarge the opening and then jumped into the passage. Lieutenant Zhang, after dropping a toolbox, then pushed a reluctant and protesting Qi Tiezui down before following himself. As they moved through this new, deeper cave, strange sounds began to echo through the darkness. Qi Tiezui, frightened, identified the sounds as someone singing opera, a melody he felt he had heard before. The path ahead grew narrower, but Zhang Qishan insisted they push forward.
