Twelve Legends Episode 1 Recap
> Twelve Legends Recap
Shanghai's bustling port was a hive of activity, with White Freight, the city's largest freight company, seeing the most traffic. Its business and territory were highly coveted. Bai Yushu, a young scholar who had studied abroad, had recently returned to inherit the family business after his father's sudden death. Despite his slender build, he worked alongside his employees, moving sacks and sharing meals, finding a bittersweet joy in his new role.
However, the company faced constant harassment from Bai Jin Gang, a notorious local gangster whose black-clad thugs, armed with axes, preyed on the docks. Even Bai Yushu’s father had tolerated them, leaving the inexperienced Bai Yushu feeling helpless and frustrated. Overwhelmed and angry, Bai Yushu urinated into the lake, unknowingly splashing Xiao Yu, a carp spirit who frequently visited the pier.
Xiao Yu, who often visited the pier because Bai Yushu shared his dry rations with her, was annoyed by this indignity and decided to go ashore to confront him. Her companion, Brother Kun, strongly cautioned her against it, warning of the numerous dangers in the human world. He recounted the unfortunate incident of Fatty Perch, who fell ill after eating human food.
Brother Kun emphasized that despite his thousands of years of cultivation, he had only ventured ashore twice, while Xiao Yu, with only a few hundred years of training, was too vulnerable. He reminded her of the legendary demon catcher Fa Hai, who even Bai Su Zhen, a powerful elder, couldn't defeat. Most importantly, he spoke of Jin Xingjian, a formidable demon catcher who specialized in extracting the essences of minor demons like Xiao Yu for his own cultivation.
Unmoved by Brother Kun's warnings, Xiao Yu swam towards the shore. Meanwhile, Jin Xingjian was in pursuit of a wolf demon. The demon pleaded for its life, offering its essence in exchange for freedom, but Jin Xingjian was relentless. He killed the wolf demon and took its essence. Back at his Hua Xue Gallery, Jin Xingjian entered a hidden chamber behind a bookcase. Inside, a beautiful woman named Ye Ming lay motionless on a warm jade bed.
Jin Xingjian gazed at her lovingly, murmuring that with just one more half-essence, she would awaken. He then integrated the newly acquired wolf demon essence into Ye Ming, and her finger subtly twitched. Later that day, Jin Xingjian received a visit from his friend, Ye Qingchun, a charismatic tailor.
Ye Qingchun, who had just been praised by socialite Mrs Liang for his exceptional tailoring skills and customer service, arrived at Hua Xue Gallery by climbing over a wall, as it was closed. He showered Jin Xingjian with compliments, praising his impeccable style and offering him a sample of the latest, finest cashmere fabric.
Ye Qingchun also attempted to entice Jin Xingjian with invitations to Mirador Restaurant, famous for its new Braised Butter Pigeon dish, or to explore new Ming dynasty antiques on Hankou Street. Jin Xingjian, however, remained aloof and generally uninterested, even when Ye Qingchun confirmed that his current attire was indeed the very latest fashion and suited him perfectly.
After Jin Xingjian left, Ye Qingchun inquired with Xiao Pi, Jin Xingjian's assistant, about his master's habits, learning that Jin Xingjian dressed meticulously at home but was indifferent to his appearance when going out, which prompted Ye Qingchun to consider making him pajamas. Alone by the pier again, Bai Yushu lamented his family's misfortune, feeling that he had failed his parents.
He angrily declared that the local thugs wouldn't dare cause trouble at his home, before once again urinating into the lake, frustrated by his inability to protect his business. Unknown to him, Xiao Yu was watching. Angered that he had "peed on her," despite Brother Kun's logical argument that a fish could not be splashed while in the water, Xiao Yu was determined to exact her revenge by bathing in his house.
Transforming into human form, she found walking on land difficult and painful. She took some clothes drying by the shore and clumsily made her way to Bai Yushu's residence. That night, as Bai Yushu was showering, Xiao Yu stumbled into his house. Startled, he splashed her with bathwater, accusing her of being a peeping tom. Xiao Yu furiously denied it, demanding to know why a man would be so shy.
After realizing she was a woman and seeing her soaked condition and discomfort, Bai Yushu apologized and offered her clothes and his shoes to alleviate her pain. Just as they were arguing, Bai Jin Gang's henchmen arrived, loudly demanding Bai Yushu to come out and threatening to burn his house down.
Bai Yushu, knowing their ruthless reputation and recalling his father's cautious approach, tried to deter Xiao Yu from confronting them, explaining that they were dangerous and had killed people without mercy. However, Xiao Yu declared herself a heroine from Mount Emei, dedicated to upholding justice, and quickly defeated all the thugs with swift and powerful martial arts moves. Astounded by her prowess, Bai Yushu hailed her as a hero and immediately asked her to be his martial arts master.
Xiao Yu agreed, on the condition that he provide her with a plate of snacks daily. Bai Yushu excitedly promised her all the delicacies in the world. As she began to teach him, demonstrating basic moves like "Fish Tail Whip," "Fish Leap," and "Undercurrent Surge," Brother Kun suddenly appeared, urging Xiao Yu to return home, reiterating the dangers of Jin Xingjian and the vindictive thugs. Xiao Yu, however, refused to leave until Bai Yushu had learned to defend himself.
Brother Kun, sensing a deeper reason for her stubbornness, pressed her, and she eventually admitted, albeit reluctantly, that she had fallen for Bai Yushu. Brother Kun, who secretly harbored feelings for Xiao Yu, was deeply frustrated by her confession. The next day, Bai Yushu, eager to impress, cooked a meal for Xiao Yu, explaining that he had learned it from Uncle Liu. Xiao Yu praised his cooking skills, noting they were far better than his fighting abilities.
They discussed his training, and Xiao Yu promised to teach him more, envisioning a future where he could handle threats on his own. Bai Yushu quickly caught on, reminding her that she had said not to leave everything to a girl, and then assigned her the task of washing the dishes. As they were finishing their meal, an employee rushed in, reporting new trouble at the pier.
