The Untamed Episode 1 Recap
> The Untamed Recap
Sixteen years ago, the Jiang clan of Yunmeng, Lan clan of Gusu, Jin clan of Lanling, and Nie clan of Qinghe united to besiege Wei Wuxian, the Yiling Patriarch, at the Burial Mounds. Amidst the chaos and bloodshed, Wei Wuxian stood atop the mountain, observing the endless fighting below as people desperately vied for the Stygian Tiger Amulet. In despair, he closed his eyes, tears streaming down his face, and allowed himself to fall from the peak.
However, a strong hand belonging to Lan Wangji, the Second Childe of the Lan clan, grasped his arm. At that moment, Jiang Cheng approached from behind Lan Wangji, a glinting sword in hand. He furiously commanded Wei Wuxian to die before thrusting his sword toward the cliffside. The move caused Lan Wangji to lose his grip, and Wei Wuxian plunged from the cliff, his fate unknown.
Stories circulated for sixteen years about his demise, yet Jiang Cheng, now a clan leader, searched tirelessly at the bottom of the cliff but never found his body. Rumors persisted that the Yiling Patriarch possessed immense power, capable of shaking the earth and moving mountains, leading some to speculate that he might yet return.
Unbeknownst to the world, Wei Wuxian had indeed returned to life through a forbidden ritual called the "spell to offer my body," performed by a young man named Mo Xuanyu. This dark art required the caster to use a sharp instrument to inflict wounds on their own body, offering their blood and life as a price to summon a powerful spirit for revenge.
Mo Xuanyu’s voice explained to a disoriented Wei Wuxian that he had no choice but to use this spell, driven to desperation by the relentless torment he suffered. Wei WXian, now inhabiting Mo Xuanyu’s body, learned that he was compelled to fulfill Mo Xuanyu's vengeful wishes; if he failed to eradicate all of Mo Xuanyu's enemies, the self-inflicted wounds on his new body would never heal, and his soul would be annihilated.
Wei Wuxian soon realized that Mo Xuanyu had been an illegitimate son, relentlessly bullied and abused by his aunt's family, especially his cousin, Mo Ziyuan, who frequently kicked him and stole his belongings. Coincidentally, the Lan clan had been invited to Mo's Manor to eliminate an evil spirit. Seizing the opportunity, Wei Wuxian brazenly confronted Mo Ziyuan in front of the Lan cultivators and the entire family.
He exposed Mo Ziyuan’s cruel treatment and theft, demanding his stolen items back, which thoroughly humiliated Mo Ziyuan and his mother. Wei Wuxian then observed the Lan disciples meticulously setting up Stygian Lure Flags around the manor. He noted that while the flag's emblazonry and spell lines were correct and functional, the person who painted them lacked experience, meaning the flags could only attract spirits within a five-mile radius, but it was sufficient.
Lan Sizhui, one of the Lan disciples, kindly warned Wei Wuxian, whom he knew as Childe Mo, not to leave his room after nightfall, no matter what sounds he heard, due to the impending danger. That night, to everyone's horror, Mo Ziyuan became possessed, his left arm gruesomely severed, transforming him into a roaring puppet. Mo Ziyuan’s mother immediately blamed Mo Xuanyu, accusing him of practicing wicked sorceries and harming her son.
However, Wei Wuxian quickly deduced the cause, revealing a Stygian Lure Flag hidden on Mo Ziyuan. He exposed Mo Ziyuan’s greed, explaining that he had stolen the flag, mistakenly believing it to be a rare treasure, thus attracting the malevolent spirit. Soon after, Mo Ziyuan’s father and a servant named Tong also fell victim to possession, both losing their left arms. Tong, under the entity's control, even choked himself to death.
Wei Wuxian, observing the recurring injury, deduced that the evil entity was specifically attached to the left hands of its victims. The Lan disciples, though cultivators, were young and inexperienced, finding themselves overwhelmed. One suggested sending a distress signal to Hanguang-Jun. Upon hearing this, Wei Wuxian, realizing Hanguang-Jun was his old friend Lan Wangji, felt a complex mix of surprise and apprehension. He subtly tried to dissuade the disciples from calling for help, insisting he could handle the situation himself.
As the chaos escalated, Wei Wuxian noticed Mo Ziyuan’s mother’s left hand transforming, growing long, sharp, black nails like an eagle's talons. Realizing the evil was now within her, he shrewdly manipulated the possessed Mo Ziyuan and his father, turning them against her. Just as the family fought amongst themselves, Lan Wangji arrived, having received a distress signal from his clan. He descended, playing his guqin, and swiftly subdued the malevolent entity.
Lan Wangji identified the evil as not a mere spirit, but a sword spirit from a first-class spiritual tool with immense resentment, and discovered traces of the Stygian Tiger Amulet on the sword. This revelation stunned everyone, as the Stygian Tiger Amulet was believed to have been destroyed during the battle at the Nevernight. The discovery led to widespread speculation that the Yiling Patriarch might not truly be dead. Unnoticed by others, Wei Wuxian quietly concealed himself in the shadows, observing Lan Wangji with a faint smile as he realized one last major target for Mo Xuanyu's revenge remained.
