Thousand Years For You Episode 12 Recap
> Thousand Years For You Recap
As a transparent Kun fish, glowing golden, shimmered across the night sky, people paused their activities to gaze and pray. This ethereal sight, Lu Yan explained to Yu Dengdeng, appears whenever a powerful Spirit Clansman passes away in the mysterious market, signifying their existence and transforming their remaining energy into a blessing for those still living. Flower petals then cascaded from above, prompting Yu Dengdeng to reflect on the saying, "Once the whale falls, all things are born."
Before this, Yu Dengdeng had offered a prayer, hoping for the strength to survive until she reunited with her father, so he could deal with what she called the "stinking Spirit Clansman." Lu Yan then led Yu Dengdeng, Dahai, and Gu Beixi to the Changle Tavern, a place frequented by powerful Spirit Clansmen who struggled to live normally among humans.
He intended to acquire a drug called Wuxiang Pill, which could alleviate the coma suffered by the drugged travelers at their inn. Gu Beixi, curious about the pill, asked for its ingredients, thinking he might make some for Qingquan Stronghold. Lu Yan revealed its true, repulsive components: the excrement of hundred-year-old cockroach Spirit Clansmen, the wings of stink bugs, and fungi growing on corpses.
Yu Dengdeng recoiled in disgust, questioning why such a foul concoction was given the appealing name "Wuxiang Pill." Lu Yan clarified that its rarity and high demand among Spirit Clansmen led to its pleasant name. He further explained that, beyond waking the unconscious, its primary use was to replenish qi and nourish the kidneys. Gu Beixi, scoffing, declared it was not for him.
Before entering the tavern, Lu Yan warned Yu Dengdeng, Dahai, and Gu Beixi about the powerful spirits inside and the risk of their human identities being exposed. He instructed them to wait outside and placed a hairpin in Yu Dengdeng's hair, cautioning her not to lose it. The moment Lu Yan disappeared inside, however, the trio ignored his warning and slipped in after him to search for Yu Dengdeng's father.
Inside, Lu Yan inquired about the lower half of the "Collection of Thousands of Years' Knowledge," learning that a Giant Spirit had acquired it. He approached the Giant Spirit, who was boasting about his recent treasures, and offered a rare fluorite, a precious gem from 3000 years ago, as an exchange, successfully acquiring the book. Just then, he heard Yu Dengdeng's distressed cry and rushed off.
Approximately half an hour earlier, Yu Dengdeng, Dahai, and Gu Beixi had split up to search for Paralyzed Yu, who was known for leaving coded messages. Dahai and Gu Beixi soon found a series of these marks. Dahai, familiar with his master's unique notation, deciphered them: Paralyzed Yu had come to the Mysterious Market for an item, failed to find it, got lost, ran out of money, and, after cursing the place, had departed.
Realizing Paralyzed Yu was no longer there, Dahai and Gu Beixi hurried to inform Yu Dengdeng. Meanwhile, Yu Dengdeng accidentally bumped into a Spirit Clansman, who theatrically feigned injury and demanded compensation. Yu Dengdeng accused her of blackmail, but the Spirit Clansman, using her keen sense of smell, detected Yu Dengdeng's human scent and loudly exposed her. A crowd of Spirit Clansmen quickly surrounded Yu Dengdeng, yelling at her to leave the Mysterious Market.
A hidden female Spirit Clansman then cast an illusion spell, making the surrounding spirits appear monstrous and terrifying. Overwhelmed and disoriented, Yu Dengdeng cried out for Lu Yan. Having heard her call, Lu Yan appeared instantly, informing her she was under an illusion, and swiftly carried her away after she closed her eyes. Dahai and Gu Beixi, rushing towards Yu Dengdeng's cries, also fell victim to the illusion.
Gu Beixi found himself in a massacred Qingquan Stronghold, where he witnessed Lu Yan strangling Yu Dengdeng, prompting him to shout for her release. Dahai, in his illusion, dreamed he was a pregnant bride on his wedding day, with children approaching him and calling him "Mum." Gu Beixi was the first to wake, spluttering a mouthful of wine onto Dahai to snap him out of his nightmare. Dahai, though startled, quickly realized it was merely a dream.
They then discovered that both Gu Beixi's amulet (which Yu Dengdeng had given him) and Dahai's own amulet had turned to ash, confirming they had been attacked and their lives spared by the amulets. They immediately decided to leave and find Yu Dengdeng. Lu Yan carried Yu Dengdeng away from the Mysterious Market into a nearby forest.
He treated her sprained ankle with his energy, explaining that she couldn't move it for the night and promising to retrieve their friends later. They took refuge in a cave where Lu Yan set up a protective barrier. Yu Dengdeng expressed her fear of being alone with him, believing he intended to seek revenge and attack her, yet she also worried about being abandoned.
When Lu Yan challenged if she was afraid, she defiantly declared that the word "fear" was not in her dictionary. Lu Yan suggested they rest until dawn, but Yu Dengdeng, still wary, refused to sleep, fearing his retribution. He playfully countered that he would sleep, leaving her to stand guard as he would be unconscious.
Yu Dengdeng, feeling hungry but denying it, was offered grilled fish by Lu Yan, who went to catch one from a nearby river, despite her initial refusal. As he roasted the fish, Yu Dengdeng, surprised, remarked that she hadn't expected a "nobleman" like him to know such practical skills. When he offered her the cooked fish, she, despite her suspicion of poison, ate it, stating she would rather be "a full ghost" than a hungry one.
With only the two of them present, Yu Dengdeng directly confronted Lu Yan, stating she understood his motives. She accused him of following her because she had "eaten" his "old lover" and that he intended to kill her for her spirit consciousness to resurrect his beloved. Lu Yan questioned who had told her this, but Yu Dengdeng evaded his question. He corrected her, clarifying that the woman was not his "old lover" but someone he deeply admired.
Yu Dengdeng, intrigued, pressed him further, asking what kind of woman could haunt him for three millennia, making him yearn for her so intensely that he would kill for her. Lu Yan's memories then flashed back to a battlefield 3000 years ago in the ancient Shu Kingdom. His soldiers, struck by poisonous golden powder, fell into Spirit Clan illusions, turning on each other. Lu Yan, warning them, realized their minds were lost.
Zhu Rong appeared, gloating about Lu Yan's lack of reinforcements and declaring the end of Shu with his death. Lu Yan defiantly vowed to fight to his last breath. Zhu Rong mocked his patriotism, claiming it would be his undoing. As Zhu Rong prepared a fatal blow, Yun Xi intervened, imploring him to cease the indiscriminate slaughter. Zhu Rong dismissed her as naive, asserting that the world was governed by the law of the jungle and only the strongest survived.
Yun Xi countered that war would destroy the land for both races, proposing that the vast Nine Continents and humanity's wisdom offered a different path—one where the Spirit Clan could learn to coexist peacefully with humans. Zhu Rong scoffed, calling humans a "lower race" and questioning why Yun Xi, the Saintess of the Spirit Clan, repeatedly favored them and had sealed her killing intent, which he saw as a betrayal of their future.
Yun Xi proclaimed that all life, be it human, spirit, plant, or tree, was sacred and should not be easily destroyed. She believed the Spirit Clan's future lay not in conquest. Zhu Rong, seeing her unwavering resolve, prepared to attack. Yun Xi urged Lu Yan to flee, but he refused, joining her in battling Zhu Rong. During the intense fight, Lu Yan was gravely injured. Yun Xi, managing to repel Zhu Rong, carried Lu Yan to a safe, barrier-protected area.
Lu Yan awoke to find Yun Xi tending to him. He recognized her and asked about his soldiers. Yun Xi explained that Zhu Rong had retreated, heavily injured, and his soldiers had scattered. Lu Yan wanted to search for them, but Yun Xi insisted he first heal. As she treated him, Lu Yan observed that her blood was red, unlike the green blood of other Spirit Clansmen.
Yun Xi explained that as the Spirit Clan Saintess, she was nourished by an energy core, making her unique. Lu Yan thanked her for saving his life, promising to repay her. Yun Xi humbly dismissed his gratitude, but Lu Yan insisted he disliked owing favors. Yun Xi then requested that he take her to explore the Nine Continents. Lu Yan hesitated, concerned about any potential threat to his people.
Yun Xi clarified her intentions: she had once believed humans and all life on the Nine Continents were inferior and merely food for spirits. However, after witnessing the world, she realized "everything has a spirit; grasses and trees have hearts too," and should not be so easily destroyed. She hoped to discover a path for humans and spirits to coexist peacefully, beyond endless conflict.
Lu Yan agreed to escort her, but with strict conditions: she must not use her energy and must remain by his side. He warned that any action threatening the people of the Nine Continents would not be tolerated. Yun Xi accepted his terms, and Lu Yan mused that she might indeed be the turning point for the two races. Lu Yan led Yun Xi to a vibrant market in Shu.
Yun Xi was captivated by human commerce, observing how people used "silver" for equal exchange, leading to an orderly and prosperous life. She found this concept "interesting." Inspired, Yun Xi proposed that the Spirit Clan should adopt a similar market system to foster equality among themselves, suggesting the name "Mysterious Market." Lu Yan approved the name. He then showed her his soldiers distributing porridge to the common folk, highlighting the deep bond between the Shu military and its people.
Yun Xi contrasted this with the Spirit Clan, where the strong preyed on the weak, observing that Lu Yan possessed a rare compassion, a quality absent among her people. As they continued their journey, Lu Yan explained various forms of relationships, starting with familial love, where parents and children mutually protect each other, ensuring "life flourishes endlessly." He then spoke of romantic love, describing it as a profound connection that could inspire individuals to sacrifice their lives for one another. Yun Xi was astonished by the power he attributed to such love and asked if Lu Yan himself had ever experienced it.
