The World of Fantasy Episode 3 Recap
> The World of Fantasy Recap
Ling Yushi found herself in a period of deep sorrow, constantly thinking of Qin Lie, who had been missing for a long time. With Ling Borough engulfed in crisis, she felt she had no choice but to face the adversity alone. She sought out Ling Cheng Ye and informed him of her decision to marry. Though heartbroken by his daughter's sacrifice, Ling Cheng Ye understood her maturity and the dire situation.
He acknowledged that Qin Lie's fate was unknown, and for Ling Yushi, marrying into the Du family might not be the worst outcome. He reluctantly agreed to her unwavering resolve. Earlier, Ling Yushi had met with Du Shao Yang, candidly admitting her lack of affection for him, but pressing him on his true ambitions. Du Shao Yang, in turn, confessed that his aspirations extended "higher and farther" than merely dominating Xingyun Pavilion.
Satisfied with his answer, Ling Yushi departed, leaving Du Shao Yang intrigued by her composed demeanor. She then returned to her family and announced her decision to the elders, stating her willingness to marry into Xingyun Pavilion. She emphasized that this marriage was beyond their control and was a necessary sacrifice for the peace of Ling Borough.
When Ling Cheng Ye questioned if her decision stemmed from Qin Lie's presumed death, she replied, "We are not meant for each other," and that for her, "marrying anyone now doesn't matter." Ling Cheng Ye, on behalf of the Ling family, thanked her for her sacrifice. Meanwhile, Qin Lie had stumbled into Xie Jingxuan's room, finding her undressed, and noticed she had retrieved a box that previously belonged to Song Tingyu.
He realized she had deliberately thrown it into the ice river to reclaim it, though its significance remained a mystery to him. Xie Jingxuan, unbothered by his presence, began to explain the complex power dynamics of the Chilan Continent. She revealed that Xingyun Pavilion was merely one of 57 Bluestone Class factions, while above them were 15 Black Iron Class powers.
Seven of these pledged allegiance to her family, and another seven to Song Tingyu's, leaving the Artefact Forging Sect as the only independent entity. Xie Jingxuan, a Saintess of the Eight Extreme Sanctuary, identified Song Tingyu as a Saintess of the Profound Heaven Alliance and the daughter of its chief. She then divulged that the box contained Song Tingyu's "lover," a man who was "non-existent."
She openly admitted to throwing the box into the river and then compelling Qin Lie to rescue Song Tingyu as a means to "play matchmaker." Just then, Song Tingyu burst into the room, snatching back the box and attempting to attack Xie Jingxuan with magic in a fit of rage. Qin Lie intervened, stopping her and chiding them for their incessant infighting, which he deemed counterproductive to their shared goal of killing the Soul Reaping beast.
After Song Tingyu angrily left, Xie Jingxuan hugged Qin Lie, who impatiently pushed her away, walked into the courtyard, and thought of Ling Yushi. Song Tingyu, seeing Qin Lie's solitary figure, then approached him and agreed to help Qin Lie resolve the issues in Ling Borough once the Soul Reaping Beast was dealt with, on the condition that he never mention the box again. Qin Lie, reflecting on the "uppity Saintesses," found them "nothing impressive."
Song Tingyu, in turn, made it clear that while she didn't like him, she needed his guidance and reaffirmed her promise to address Ling Borough's plight after their mission. Later, Ling Xuanxuan confronted Ling Yushi about her decision to marry. Ling Yushi explained that Du Shao Yang's ambitions extended far beyond Xingyun Pavilion, which made her more willing to marry him.
She vowed to assist him in reaching the "highest and the furthest" of his aspirations, all while asserting that Qin Lie "will always remain the same" in her heart. Ling Yushi passionately expressed her desire to use her own eyes to witness the vast world beyond the snowfields for Qin Lie, wishing for him to "be part of my life forever."
Ling Xuanxuan was left in a complex state of emotion, understanding her sister's sacrifice and her enduring affection for Qin Lie. Qin Lie led Song Tingyu and her group to Mount Zu. He feigned ignorance of the terrain, citing the snow-altered landscape. He and Mr Liang scouted ahead, discovering an abandoned but well-maintained village. Upon seeing the plaque for the "Gao Family of Mount Zu," Gao Yu emerged.
Qin Lie subtly signaled to Gao Yu, and together they subdued Mr Liang. Qin Lie instructed Gao Yu to take Mr Liang back to Ling Borough to clarify the recent village massacre, reasoning that Mr Liang’s status as a Profound Heaven Alliance member would protect him from Du Shao Yang. Qin Lie's intention was to return to the group and mislead Song Tingyu, sending them away.
However, Mr Liang, who possessed the formidable power of a Netherpassage Realm cultivator, had merely feigned capture. He quickly overpowered Gao Yu, extracting all information about Qin Lie’s plan, including the fact that Gao Yu was an orphan of the once-prominent Bluestone-level Gao family and his sister was Du Hai Tian's concubine. Mr Liang then returned with Gao Yu to Song Tingyu's group. Qin Lie’s deception was exposed.
Song Tingyu, enraged by his scheme to lead them to Frostwolf Valley instead of Snow God Valley, furiously confronted him. Qin Lie retorted by accusing her of heartlessness, prioritizing the capture of the Soul Reaping Beast over the lives of thousands in the massacred villages. Song Tingyu defended her actions, claiming they were for the greater good of the entire Chilan Continent. Intervening, Gao Yu offered to guide them directly to Snow God Valley, which they eventually reached.
As they ventured deeper into Snow God Valley, they observed numerous white, rotting bones, indicating that the Soul Reaping Beast had absorbed a great deal of spiritual energy and had grown immensely powerful. Song Tingyu speculated that the beast had not fully refined all the absorbed power, giving them a slim chance of victory. They entered a cave, where a black shadow darted from a pool.
Qin Lie shielded his eyes, and when he lowered his arm, he found himself alone. Frantically, he called out for Gao Yu, Song Tingyu, Xie Jingxuan, and Mr Liang, even experiencing a vivid illusion of Ling Yushi calling out to him. Suddenly, Song Tingyu appeared and pulled him into a hidden alcove.
From there, they observed the Soul Reaping Beast in human form, drawing power from sacrificial altars where the bodies of soldiers, and Qin Lie realized, their own missing companions like Gao Yu, lay as offerings. Song Tingyu explained that Xie Jingxuan carried the flags of the Profound Heaven Heavenly Fire Formation, and that a formation eye needed to be placed on the altar to activate it. She pushed Qin Lie to undertake this perilous task.
As Qin Lie approached, he was almost ensnared by another illusion, seeing Ling Yushi, who appeared as his wife, serving him food. Song Tingyu swiftly brought him back to reality, allowing him to successfully place the Profound Heaven Seal, the formation eye, on the altar. The Soul Reaping Beast attempted to flee, but Song Tingyu immediately activated the Heavenly Fire Formation. Qin Lie, caught within its radius, was subjected to the torrent of heavenly lightning alongside the beast.
Utilizing this extreme pressure, Qin Lie underwent a breakthrough, ascending from the Refinement Realm to the Natal Opening Realm. Song Tingyu, observing this, urged others who were at a "breakthrough bottleneck" to release their suppressed power and also ascend, warning that failure to do so would result in their demise at her hands. Xie Jingxuan acknowledged the immense risks, noting that very few thunder cultivators survive such ascensions.
Yet, Song Tingyu declared that even with heavy losses, killing the Soul Reaping Beast was paramount. As Qin Lie's eyes reddened and he pushed past his limits, Xie Jingxuan, seeing that their combined power was insufficient, decided to sacrifice herself to destroy the beast. However, the heavenly lightning spiraled out of control, causing pillars within the cave to explode. The group realized the situation was beyond salvage and fled, leaving Qin Lie alone, trapped within the collapsing formation.
After the chaotic collapse, Gao Yu returned to the cave and found an unconscious Qin Lie. As Gao Yu rushed to his side to awaken him, two pairs of shadowy eyes appeared at the cave's entrance: two frostwolves. Gao Yu became instantly wary, but Qin Lie remained unresponsive. Later, after they were transported and Qin Lie woke up, Gao Yu recounted that after Qin Lie passed out and the Saintesses fled, these frostwolves appeared.
In a semi-conscious state, he remembered dreaming of a woman, Bu Li, the Master of Frost, commanding the frostwolves to transport them back to Ling Borough. He wondered why the sovereign of the snowfield would intervene in such a way. Du Shao Yang brought Ling Yushi back to Xingyun Pavilion. There, she met Gao Huang'er, Gao Yu's sister, who was Du Shao Yang's stepmother. Initially, Gao Huang'er seemed pleased with Ling Yushi, instructing servants to attend to her.
However, once Du Shao Yang departed, Gao Huang'er's demeanor shifted dramatically. She openly expressed disdain for Ling Yushi, recalling Gao Yu's unspoken affection for her and Ling Yushi's past feelings for Qin Lie. Gao Huang'er accused Ling Yushi of being fickle for marrying Du Shao Yang, contrasting it with her own steadfast loyalty. Ling Yushi, maintaining a calm smile, simply stated that she would remain steadfast in her true feelings, just as Gao Huang'er was in hers.
News of the alliance between the Du and Ling families reached Ye Yang Qiu through his informants. He sternly inquired about Zhuo Xi's remains, only to be told by a subordinate that Du Shao Yang claimed a fire had destroyed the body. Ye Yang Qiu, a shrewd strategist, immediately saw through Du Shao Yang's ruse, recognizing it as a calculated move to mask his involvement. A deep sense of anger and injustice welled within him.
Witnessing her sister's forced marriage, Ling Xuanxuan felt a profound sense of helplessness and disappointment in her father and her own perceived weakness. Impulsively, she resolved to leave Ling Borough to pursue strength, hoping to one day rescue her sister. Hua Yuxin, her childhood friend who harbored deep feelings for her, insisted on accompanying her on her journey into the vast, snowy wilderness, promising to follow her wherever she went.
As they traveled, they reminisced about their shared childhood, with Ling Xuanxuan often exasperated but also touched by Hua Yuxin's genuine, if sometimes awkward, affection. She gently coaxed him to voice the feelings he had long held in his heart, which he did, confessing his enduring love for her. Moved to tears by his sincerity, Ling Xuanxuan, however, believed they could not undertake such a perilous journey together.
While Hua Yuxin closed his eyes, recounting his innermost thoughts as part of a game she proposed, Ling Xuanxuan silently walked away, leaving him behind in the snow. When Hua Yuxin finally opened his eyes, he found Ling Xuanxuan gone. As he stumbled forward in search of her, he joyfully discovered Qin Lie and Gao Yu.
Hua Yuxin quickly updated Qin Lie on the recent events in Ling Borough: Du Shao Yang's false accusations had plunged the town into crisis, leading Ling Yushi to sacrifice herself by marrying into Xingyun Pavilion, and driving Ling Xuanxuan to leave home to become stronger and rescue her sister. Upon hearing the news of Ling Yushi's impending marriage, Qin Lie's expression changed dramatically. Without hesitation, he mounted a frostwolf and immediately set off towards Xingyun Pavilion, determined to stop the wedding.
