Tiger and Crane Episode 5 Recap
> Tiger and Crane Recap
Sect Leader Zhao Haotian, burning all his spirit essence for a desperate attack, faced Black Wind. Yi Mei Fairy observed that while his courage was commendable, his lingering attachments meant his ultimate move, Yan Ling Shan, lacked the necessary force and would likely fail. Black Wind confirmed this, remarking that Zhao Haotian's attachment would make his fatal blow less potent. As Zhao Haotian’s forces urged him to retreat, Black Wind confronted Hu Zi, expressing curiosity about him.
Yi Mei Fairy, despite the apparent risk, believed this battle would unleash a hidden secret within Hu Zi, betting a silver sycee on it. Meanwhile, Zhao Xintong, instructed by her father, initially escorted the people of Babao Town to safety. However, she soon declared her decision to return and fight, stating that as a descendant of the Zhao Sect, which had protected people for 500 years, she could not abandon her family. Qi Xiaoxuan and Hu Zi engaged Black Wind.
Black Wind easily overpowered Qi Xiaoxuan, mocking his ordinary appearance and referring to him as "Ice Cube," then effortlessly rendered him unconscious, leaving Hu Zi alone to face the powerful demon. Black Wind, the demon, then used her sorcery to infiltrate Hu Zi's mind, seeking to feed on his fears and empower herself. However, she found his inner world utterly calm and devoid of fear.
This unexpected resilience allowed Hu Zi to break free from the illusion, expelling Black Wind from his mind. Enraged, Black Wind vanished from sight. Hu Zi quickly roused Qi Xiaoxuan, but Black Wind reappeared, launching a fatal strike towards Qi Xiaoxuan. Hu Zi immediately threw himself in the path of the attack, shielding his friend. Qi Xiaoxuan, still injured, declared his faith as a sorcerer compelled him to continue fighting Black Wind.
The gravely wounded Zhao Haotian, along with the remaining Zhao Army, fought to buy precious time. Just then, Zhao Xintong returned, riding her horse into Babao Town. She confronted Black Wind, engaging in a desperate battle. Calling upon her mother and unleashing the powerful Zhao spear skill, Yan Ling Shan, she ultimately defeated and killed Black Wind.
With the immediate threat to Babao Town averted, Zhao Haotian, witnessing his daughter's growth and mastery of their family's martial arts, expressed his profound pride and regret for his past actions. He tearfully apologized for not recognizing her talent sooner and for his guilt over her mother's death, sharing fond memories of teaching her the Zhao spear skill. He then succumbed to his severe injuries, passing away peacefully, surrounded by his daughter and the loyal Zhao Army.
Following the battle, the elderly Xing Zhi implored Yi Mei Fairy to save his injured disciple, Hu Zi, who had sustained severe injuries from Black Wind yet miraculously clung to life. Yi Mei Fairy recognized the urgency and used the Phurba, a powerful magical tool that had slain a Demon Emperor 500 years prior, to suppress the demonic aura within Hu Zi and extract the Red Pearl.
During this process, she discovered a protective sealed barrier within Hu Zi's body, hinting at deeper secrets. Meanwhile, the premature rupture of the Red Pearl in Fulong Bay had caused the Netherworld Sea to breach, leading to the destruction of Qingquan Village and the displacement of its people.
Qi Zilu, concerned about the escalating catastrophe, ordered Qi Yanran to quickly retrieve the Red Pearl from Qi Xiaoxuan, expressing frustration over Xiaoxuan's apparent loss of the pearl and its subsequent devastating consequences. At the Zhao residence, a somber atmosphere prevailed as the family mourned the newly deceased Sect Leader Zhao Haotian. Their grief was interrupted by the arrival of Wu Lidan, the Deputy Commander of the Royal Sorcerer Black Camp.
Wu Lidan, revealing a 500-year-old vendetta rooted in Zhao Lingyan's alleged mistake that led to the death of his ancestor, Wu Muyu, used his deadly Nine Domain Golden Silkworm to poison the Zhao family retainers. He then forced Zhao Xintong to publicly insult her revered ancestors, including Zhao Lingyan, and the entire Zhao Sect. Despite the immense humiliation and pain, Zhao Xintong, under duress to save her people, complied, vowing silent revenge.
Back with Hu Zi, despite the Red Pearl's removal, he remained unconscious. Xing Zhi explained that the pearl's roots and the lingering demonic aura had shattered Hu Zi's organs and meridians. Yi Mei Fairy noted Hu Zi's extraordinary vitality and the presence of a rare golden spirit essence, but acknowledged his critical state.
The Phurba's earlier intervention, while extracting the pearl, also inadvertently broke a seal on Hu Zi's memories, causing a flood of fragmented recollections of his mother urging him to forget her and live a peaceful life. However, his primordial spirit hovered on the brink of annihilation. Yi Mei Fairy explained that Hu Zi's primordial spirit was on the verge of collapsing, trapped within a virtual world.
To save him, someone needed to enter this realm using the highly perilous Primordial Spirit Separation Technique. She clarified that as magical tools, neither she nor Eldest Master could perform the technique, leaving Qi Xiaoxuan as the only viable option. Despite the grave risks, Qi Xiaoxuan, feeling responsible for Hu Zi's predicament, volunteered to undertake the dangerous procedure, instructing Eldest Master to deliver the Red Pearl to the capital if he failed.
Yi Mei Fairy warned him that a burning talisman above his head marked his time limit in the virtual world, and he must exit before it extinguished to avoid life-threatening backlash. She also stressed that he must not use his essence power within the virtual world. Entering Hu Zi's mind, Qi Xiaoxuan found him in the form of a young boy, living in isolation with his mother, a powerful ten-thousand-year-old tiger demon.
Young Hu Zi, having no memory of his current reality, did not recognize Qi Xiaoxuan. Qi Xiaoxuan tried to awaken his memories by recalling their recent adventures, including the accidental swallowing of the Red Pearl, and their battles against the blood demon and Black Wind.
When Hu Zi remained unresponsive and sleepy, Qi Xiaoxuan, in a desperate attempt to break the illusion, disregarded Yi Mei Fairy's warning and used his essence power within the virtual world, causing him to experience intense backlash in the real world, as observed helplessly by Eldest Master. Against all odds, Qi Xiaoxuan successfully pulled Hu Zi back from the brink of oblivion and out of the virtual world.
Upon his return, with the internal seal no longer suppressing him, Hu Zi's true form began to manifest, revealing a white tiger tail. Just as Qi Xiaoxuan was recovering, his sister, Qi Yanran, appeared. She announced that she was sent by their father to assist him, and also shared the alarming news that the Red Pearl in Fulong Bay had prematurely failed, leaving Qi Xiaoxuan stunned.
