Thousand Years For You Episode 26 Recap
> Thousand Years For You Recap
Lu Yan hurried to Dengdeng's room after she feigned a headache. She admitted her discomfort was an act to draw him away from Wei Du, as she suspected Wei Du was untrustworthy. Dengdeng explained that Wei Du had lied about her father's whereabouts, claiming he'd left town, yet failed to even check the underground palace direction where her father had left a mark.
She further noted the presence of Dandong Azaleas in Wei Du's courtyard, a rare and expensive breed cultivated only in recent decades, which seemed out of place for someone from ancient times. Despite this, Lu Yan found it difficult to believe his old comrade was deceitful, reminding her of Wei Du's honest character over their decade-long acquaintance. Dengdeng countered that three millennia could change a person and urged Lu Yan to be cautious.
Lu Yan, in turn, warned her that the people here were very sensitive to the Spirit Clan and advised her not to use her energy when he wasn't around. The next morning, Wei Du presented a soldier named Li, whose arm was severely injured and ulcerated by Ghost Vines, claiming only amputation could save him. Wei Du asked Lu Yan to use his energy core to heal Li. Lu Yan instantly mended the wound, which visibly impressed Wei Du.
Wei Du then suggested Lu Yan use his powerful energy to eliminate the Spirit Clan. Lu Yan firmly refused, stating that the energy belonged to the Spirit Clan's Saintess and could not be used for slaughter. Wei Du quickly apologized for his suggestion. While Lu Yan was with Wei Du, Dengdeng continued her investigation, mingling with soldiers and engaging them in dice games. She noticed that many soldiers had dragon patterns tattooed on their bodies.
Dahai confirmed her findings after checking the training field, reporting that every soldier bore the tattoo. Meanwhile, Xin returned to report that he found no signs of Paralyzed Yu around the casino, which was unusual for him after completing a task. Dengdeng deduced that Paralyzed Yu was still in the city and that Wei Du had deliberately misled her to keep her away from Lu Yan. She decided to directly test Wei Du's intentions.
Dengdeng challenged a group of soldiers to a martial arts competition, drawing Wei Du's immediate intervention. As she persistently provoked him, Wei Du reluctantly drew his sword. During their duel, Wei Du, in a moment of anger, lashed out, muttering about the Spirit Clan. Dengdeng then seized the opportunity to feign a faint. Lu Yan, who had appeared at some point, quickly swept her into his arms and carried her away, leaving a perplexed Wei Du behind.
Later, in their room, Dengdeng admitted to Lu Yan that her fainting was an act. Realizing Wei Du was likely eavesdropping, they loudly "argued." Dengdeng accused Lu Yan of prioritizing his loyalty to Wei Du over her safety, suggesting Wei Du was scheming. Lu Yan defended Wei Du, saying he was a good brother and there must be a misunderstanding. Dengdeng passionately declared she would not let Lu Yan repeat past mistakes. Their staged argument was overheard by Wei Du.
Afterward, Wei Du was shown talking to Zhu Rong, who suggested that Lu Yan's bond with Dengdeng had superseded his brotherhood with Wei Du. Wei Du, though initially hesitant, agreed to test Lu Yan's loyalty. Zhu Rong proposed that Wei Du should bring Dengdeng to him as part of a mutual agreement, implying Dengdeng's life could be sacrificed for the sake of the ancient Shu people, leaving Wei Du to ponder the choice.
Wei Du later informed Lu Yan that the Dust-proof Bead had been located within the underground palace. He explained that to bypass the dangerous Ghost Vines guarding the entrance, they would need to use live creatures to distract them. The group successfully navigated the treacherous path into the deep recesses of the underground palace.
As they entered, Dengdeng and Dahai noticed the accompanying soldiers seemed uncharacteristically stiff and avoided eye contact, a stark contrast to their relaxed demeanor during gambling just the day before. Dengdeng mused if Wei Du was jealous of her closeness to Lu Yan and was trying to alienate them. Wei Du, overhearing, warned Dengdeng not to corrupt his soldiers' morale with her games and even offered to find "idle men" from the city to entertain her.
Lu Yan intervened, urging them to focus on finding the Dust-proof Bead. They soon arrived at an ancestral temple where, after cleansing their hands in the Mu Pool, they paid their respects to the former emperors of Shu. Dengdeng playfully asked Lu Yan if this counted as honoring his parents, signifying their official marriage.
Upon reaching the inner treasury, Wei Du declared that only members of the Shu royal family were permitted to enter and instructed Dengdeng and Dahai to wait outside. Lu Yan persuaded Dengdeng to comply, promising a swift return. Inside, Lu Yan's gaze fell upon his old personal weapon, the Dragon-pattern Sword. He made it clear that he was not there for the sword but for the Dust-proof Bead.
Wei Du then revealed that the bead was indeed within the palace, but its retrieval was conditional: Lu Yan had to accept the Dragon-pattern Sword and lead the Shu army in a campaign to eradicate the Spirit Clan. Lu Yan refused, stating that the long-standing conflict between humans and the Spirit Clan had subsided and he had no intention of reigniting war. Wei Du then bared his arm, revealing a dragon tattoo.
He explained that he and his comrades had etched these tattoos on themselves three millennia ago, believing Lu Yan had died saving the Saintess of the Spirit Clan, and as a solemn vow to kill all Spirit Clan members. Lu Yan corrected him, reminding Wei Du that the true mission of Shu's warriors was always to protect all living beings, not to annihilate any race.
Wei Du, however, remained resolute, arguing that true peace could only be achieved once the Spirit Clan was completely eliminated. Lu Yan maintained that after three millennia, the human and Spirit worlds were inextricably intertwined, making the extermination of either impossible. He expressed his belief that Dengdeng, like Yun Xi before her, embodied a spirit of peace and could guide both races towards continued harmonious coexistence.
Despite Lu Yan's arguments, Wei Du urged him not to abandon his "great cause" and pressed him to accept the sword. Lu Yan, unwilling to concede, demanded the Dust-proof Bead directly. Wei Du, with a knowing smirk, confessed that he had anticipated Lu Yan's choice and chillingly implied that Dengdeng might not live to see the day.
He revealed that he had even conspired with Zhu Rong to delay Lu Yan and ensure harm came to Dengdeng, all to prevent Lu Yan from repeating past mistakes. Enraged, Lu Yan attempted to blast open the impenetrable stone door with his energy, but to no avail. Wei Du gloated that the palace's intricate design and its ability to block the Spirit Clan's aura would make finding Dengdeng impossible.
Just then, Lu Yan smiled enigmatically, announcing that Dengdeng had already acquired the Dust-proof Bead. Stunned, Wei Du immediately rushed to check the supposed location of the bead, finding it still there. He quickly realized Lu Yan had tricked him. Meanwhile, Dengdeng and Dahai, left to wait outside, grew increasingly suspicious of their surroundings. They attempted to find a way out, only to discover they were trapped in a complex maze.
They stumbled upon a hidden chamber filled with numerous human skeletons, some clad in modern clothing, leading them to believe these were the missing villagers Sun had spoken of. They wondered how these people could have bypassed the formidable Ghost Vines guarding the palace entrance. Feeling pity for the deceased, Dengdeng and Dahai knelt to pray for their souls. As they did, a swarm of fireflies suddenly appeared, instantly reminding them of Sun's earlier account of being led out of a dark place by fireflies.
