I Am Nobody Episode 21 Recap
> I Am Nobody Recap
As the Chief Celestial Taoist prepared to continue his pursuit, he was intercepted by members of The All-Encompassing Guild and Lu Jin. Lu Jin stepped forward, desperately trying to persuade the Chief Celestial Taoist to stop his reckless actions. As an old friend, Lu Jin knew the Chief Celestial Taoist was hiding something and urged him to confide in him so he could help.
Seeing Lu Jin's persistent attempts to persuade him, the Chief Celestial Taoist decided there was nothing more to say. Disregarding their long-standing friendship, he decisively subdued Lu Jin, warning everyone else not to interfere between him and the Sinister Pleasure. He declared that he would bear full responsibility for his actions and accept punishment afterward.
Soon after, members of the Sinister Pleasure, including Ding Dao'an and Tu Junfang, appeared, stating their intention to challenge the Chief Celestial Taoist as the fight on Mount Longhu hadn't been satisfying enough. They were quickly defeated and severely punished by the Chief Celestial Taoist. It was then that Gong Qing, the Interim Leader of the Sinister Pleasure, revealed himself.
He confessed that he had audacity, having infiltrated the Celestial Taoist Mansion and posed as a disciple for three years right under their noses, learning from the Chief Celestial Taoist and Grandmaster Tian. Gong Qing admitted he killed Grandmaster Tian but believed the Chief Celestial Taoist's true motive for pursuing him so relentlessly, even defying the Ten Elders and disrupting the order, was to protect Grandmaster Tian's secret.
He correctly guessed the Chief Celestial Taoist wanted the world to forget the Jiashen Calamity to prevent history from repeating itself. However, Gong Qing argued that as long as the Eight Supremes existed, the truth would be sought. He contended that Zhang Chulan, as Zhang Huaiyi's grandson and carrier of Qi Apotheosis, was the person who would undeniably bring everything back, and only his disappearance could bring peace.
He suspected Chief Celestial Taoist knew this, which was why he tried to trap Zhang Chulan with Tianshidu, but Zhang Chulan refused. Gong Qing hypothesized that Grandmaster Tian's memory contained information even more crucial than the secrets of the Eight Supremes – the location where the former Sinister Pleasure leader, Wu Gensheng, achieved enlightenment: the Valley of 24 Terms, a place that could turn the entire Outsider world upside down.
The Chief Celestial Taoist countered that Zhang Chulan was a variable for both sides, and those with a moral compass like him were the most capable of stopping the Sinister Pleasure. He called Gong Qing smart but misguided, insisting that Grandmaster Tian's memory should not fall into the hands of people like him. He asserted that the current state of disunity among Outsiders required a "reshuffle" to return to the beginning, which was inevitable.
Gong Qing claimed the Chief Celestial Taoist couldn't stop it and that he would not miss this calamity like the last one. The Chief Celestial Taoist then prepared to act, acknowledging that killing Gong Qing would come at a price – being barred from Outsider affairs – but stated the world wasn't solely dependent on him. He declared that those capable of stopping the Sinister Pleasure had already emerged, and justice would prevail over evil.
After the confrontation, the Chief Celestial Taoist faced the consequences for his actions, having severely violated regulations in his quest for vengeance. He was sentenced to a lifetime of confinement on Mount Longhu. Zhang Chulan visited him, and the Chief Celestial Taoist admitted he had made a mistake and this would likely be their last meeting. He explained that he had broken the rules he himself helped establish and was rightfully accepting punishment.
He told Zhang Chulan that although Gong Qing was dead, Grandmaster Tian's secret could no longer be kept hidden, as Lyu Liang now possessed Tian's memory. He entrusted the remaining tasks to Zhang Chulan, saying he was old and tired and should have retired from such conflicts long ago. Zhang Chulan wished him another century of life.
The Chief Celestial Taoist then asked Zhang Chulan what he would do if he found the truth, knowing how greedy humans can be and their potential for unscrupulously pursuing benefits. Zhang Chulan replied that he didn't know for sure but had to pursue it for his grandpa, for Bao'er, and for himself. If the truth was used to harm others, he would stop them, even if it cost him his life.
The Chief Celestial Taoist expressed regret that he hadn't possessed such determination in the past, suggesting today's events might have been avoided if he had. He said he had completed the easy part and selfishly left the most difficult part to Zhang Chulan. As Zhang Chulan prepared to leave, he asked the Chief Celestial Taoist for one last favor: to help him break the restriction his grandpa had placed on him.
The Chief Celestial Taoist simply patted his head in response, acknowledging that his role in Zhang Chulan's journey was nearing its end. Down the mountain, Zhang Chulan recounted everything the Chief Celestial Taoist had told him to Xu San and Feng Baobao. They were puzzled why he had refused to inherit Tianshidu. Zhang Chulan explained that his grandpa, Zhang Huaiyi, had told Xu San that to uncover Bao'er's past, they needed to unravel the secrets of the Jiashen Calamity.
Zhang Chulan believed his grandpa had misled Xu San, explaining that while solving the calamity "could" reveal Bao'er's identity, if the secret remained hidden, Bao'er would continue to stay by his side as a powerful protector. This, Zhang Chulan suggested, was his grandpa's true intention, having used both Bao'er and Xu San to ensure Bao'er stayed with him. He clarified that his grandpa hadn't exactly lied; the secret "was" tied to the calamity.
However, Tianshidu itself was a restriction or seal. If he had accepted it, the Chief Celestial Taoist would have died, and Zhang Chulan, like the Chief Celestial Taoist, would have been bound by the same rules, unable to share the truth with anyone, including Bao'er. Zhang Chulan concluded he preferred being Bao'er's "slave" to being a keeper of secrets he couldn't share.
When asked about his next steps, Zhang Chulan declared he would fulfill his grandpa's promise to find the truth about the 36 Thieves and the Eight Supremes by following every lead. Xu San expressed skepticism, noting how many years had passed, that the 36 Thieves were likely dead, and that the current known possessors of the Eight Supremes like Wang Ai, Feng Zhenghao, and Lu Jin were formidable individuals from whom extracting information would be incredibly difficult.
Zhang Chulan acknowledged this but pointed out that Xu San had overlooked one person: Wang Ye, who possessed Qimen Manipulation. Wang Ye was their next lead, and Zhang Chulan suspected they weren't the only ones interested in him. Wang Ye, having recently been formally expelled from Wudang, found himself reflecting on his identity and his entanglement in the Jiashen Calamity since learning Qimen Manipulation.
He was offered a ride by Feng Shayan's brother, who spoke highly of him and revealed his father's desire to recruit Wang Ye to The All-Encompassing Guild with a substantial salary. Wang Ye politely declined the offer and requested to be dropped off at the nearby airport helipad. He arrived at his expansive family home, where his father's assistant, Du, greeted him.
Du explained that Wang Ye's father had recently bought more land and expanded the property, feeling it was too empty without Wang Ye around, and built more houses to make it seem livelier. Du urged Wang Ye to change clothes before seeing his father, who was supposedly ill. His mother greeted him with great affection and mentioned arranging a date for him.
Wang Ye went to his father's bedroom, where his father was complaining of various ailments like nervous breakdowns, insomnia, depression, headaches, foot aches, and general discomfort. However, Wang Ye noticed a lack of actual medicine, finding only supplements and tonic ingredients, confirming his suspicion that his father was feigning illness, likely to keep him home.
His father mentioned hearing from Taoist Zhou two days prior that Wang Ye had been expelled from Wudang and asked him to help with the family business now, pretending his memory was failing. Wang Ye also noticed prayer beads given to his father by a recently met friend. Later, Wang Ye spoke to Du about his suspicions, asking if any Outsiders had visited the house.
Du denied it, but Wang Ye revealed he found traces of qi on the door lock and in his room, where undisturbed areas were suspiciously clean, indicating someone had searched and meticulously restored everything. He realized the intruders were likely after him, not his father. Wang Ye asked Du if he would help him if something happened, and Du readily agreed. Wang Ye then asked Du to secretly hire several Outsiders to protect his family.
Du presented some potential candidates with peculiar abilities, which Wang Ye found less than ideal but hired anyway, authorizing a substantial payment despite Du's reluctance to take money directly from the family account. Later, Zhang Chulan, Wang Ye, Feng Baobao, and another person were together, with Wang Ye seemingly discussing the need for money. They went to a bar to meet Jin Yuanyuan, known as the Queen of Investment, a prodigy who managed large sums and could hold her liquor.
Zhang Chulan assigned Feng Baobao to drink with Jin Yuanyuan and himself to help Wang Ye avoid Jin's "Cupid's arrow." Wang Ye asked Jin Yuanyuan for a loan. She agreed but pressed him about why he became a monk right after she had confessed to him at the same bar previously. While Wang Ye attempted to explain, Zhang Chulan interjected, claiming Wang Ye realized Jin was his soulmate after his time in Wudang.
Jin Yuanyuan engaged in a drinking contest with Feng Baobao, who proved to be a formidable drinker. Jin Yuanyuan eventually became completely intoxicated, repeatedly murmuring about money. Wang Ye was frustrated that Feng Baobao had gotten her so drunk after she agreed to the loan. They put the inebriated Jin Yuanyuan into Wang Ye's car, along with Feng Baobao and the other person.
As they drove, Zhang Chulan, who was awake, asked Wang Ye why he had sought him out, having previously tried to deter him from seeking the truth. Wang Ye assumed Zhang Chulan had heard he refused Tianshidu and asked him to use his abilities to divine the truth about the calamity. Zhang Chulan reminded him he wasn't a fortune teller. Wang Ye then revealed they were being followed and had been for the entire trip.
Zhang Chulan suggested leading their pursuers to a secluded area to deal with them, lamenting that he felt like a jinx due to his connection to the Jiashen Calamity and that being followed was unpleasant. Wang Ye drove onto a bridge. Suddenly, a tire on the car exploded. Zhang Chulan recognized the effect, exclaiming it was Chaos Golden Space Rip. Their car was stopped on the West Buzhimen Bridge. Several individuals appeared before them, clearly ready for a confrontation.
