Ultimate Note Episode 35 Recap
> Ultimate Note Recap
Wu Xie desperately restrained the mysterious assailant, dousing him with gasoline before throwing a lit lighter, setting the person ablaze. The figure became a fireball and rolled under the mechanism. Just as this threat was dealt with, a tiger keelback lunged at Wu Xie, and he blacked out. He awoke to Xiao Hua's presence, who informed him of his fortunate escape, as the venomous fang had only grazed his finger, preventing much venom from entering his body.
Wu Xie had been unconscious for about two hours. Xiao Hua remarked on Wu Xie's surprising fighting prowess, while Wu Xie attributed his survival to his good fortune. Xiao Hua then revealed that Wu Xie, in his delirious state, had written down a string of numbers, which Wu Xie initially struggled to recall, guessing things like warning of danger or telling Zhang and Fatty to seek revenge, and even his bank account password.
Xiao Hua then showed him the numbers: "189652802200059." This sequence not only matched a previously uncracked Yellow Silk in Xiao Hua's possession but was also the registration number for Jude Kao's company. Wu Xie expressed confusion, feeling as if another person resided in his mind. Xiao Hua advised him to remember the numbers, believing they might prove significant later. After confirming Wu Xie's ability to move, they prepared to proceed.
Soon after, Wu Xie and Xiao Hua reached what appeared to be the control room for the upper-level mechanism. There, Wu Xie immediately recognized a crypto module made of bronze. He marveled at how only bronze could maintain such integrity and stability over extended periods, recalling a millennia-old bronze tree he had encountered in Qinling that still functioned for rituals.
Wu Xie initially found the module's design peculiar, as it didn't align with the Lei style architecture he was familiar with. He quickly concluded that it was, in fact, a Zhang family design. Xiao Hua confirmed this, explaining that this unique design was the very reason the Zhang family's ancient buildings remained secure despite numerous relocations; he likened it to owning a key that opens the same lock, regardless of how many times one moves.
Wu Xie connected this explanation to the current Zhang family's ancient buildings in Banai. Xiao Hua, noticing Wu Xie's sharp intellect post-recovery, urged him to carefully decipher the password, emphasizing the need for understanding before action. Wu Xie observed numerous thin chains within the control room. He deduced the mechanism operated like an ATM, featuring a reward and punishment system. There were only two outcomes: success led to a reward, while failure resulted in a penalty.
Xiao Hua elaborated that these five chains represented a five-digit password, a permutation of numbers from one to five, resulting in 120 possible combinations, with only one being correct. To decipher it, they devised a plan: number the thin chains, disconnect them from the hidden reward and punishment mechanism, mark the severed ends, and systematically test combinations while recording the sequence of the thin chains' movements.
Wu Xie began by pulling the thick chain in various sequences, and Xiao Hua diligently noted the corresponding movements of the thin chains. After a series of trials, they identified the correct five-digit password: "35421." This sequence was confirmed when it caused the thin chains to move in a distinct pattern: "2, 3, 8, 9, 11." Wu Xie then reconnected the thin chains using carabiners and re-entered the "35421" sequence.
The mechanism successfully engaged, and outside, the relief sculpture transformed, displaying several new, protruding sections that perfectly matched the photographs they held. Wu Xie mused on the Zhang family's elaborate and seemingly overcomplicated security measures for such a straightforward task. Xiao Hua, however, explained that this complexity served to guard against the unpredictability of human nature, echoing his grandfather's timeless adage that the human heart is more fearsome than ghosts or gods.
In Banai, Fatty received the photographs, noting that the new protrusions on the relief sculpture perfectly matched what they had seen. He playfully lamented how Zhang's ancestors had made such simple tasks incredibly complicated. Zhang then soberly informed him that outsiders could not enter the Zhang family's ancient buildings alive, startling Fatty. Despite Fatty's apprehension, Zhang reassured him, stating, "You won't die as I am here." With that, Fatty pressed the protruding sections on the sculpture, and the door opened.
The group proceeded into the corridor, which struck Fatty as unusually quiet. Ahead, they spotted several statues, unmistakably the Hou creatures depicted on the relief. Before they could examine them closely, knee-high flames erupted from the stone slabs in front of the statues, and countless hidden arrows shot forth from the mouths of the Hou. Zhang immediately stepped forward, instructing the others to stay put. Fatty grumbled about Zhang's "watchdogs" attacking them.
Zhang observed that every stone tile in the area seemed to conceal a trap. Zhang, the sole Zhang family member present, quickly deduced that there was a specific path that would not trigger the traps. He took off his shirt, revealing his Qilin tattoo, and drew his black gold blade, confirming that the secret lay in his unique movement technique. He began to move, seemingly guided by the very attacks from the Hou statues.
Fatty observed that the mechanism seemed designed specifically for individuals with Zhang's extraordinary abilities, jokingly suggesting it was merely a way for Zhang family members to display their prowess. Zhang then declared, "I am the real Zhang Qi Ling," as he effortlessly navigated the treacherous path. During this perilous passage, the mysterious individual with "sloped shoulders," who had persistently shadowed them throughout their journey, briefly appeared before disappearing once more.
Back at Mount Four Ladies, Wu Xie and Xiao Hua had reached a corridor leading to the second mechanism, noting that its layout was identical to the first, suggesting they could apply the same password-solving method. They swiftly obtained the new password, which was then sent to Banai. Simultaneously, Fatty's group in Banai received the password and, following the established procedure, pressed the corresponding stones on their relief sculpture, opening the second door.
However, upon entering, they were met with an extremely low temperature and the presence of a large piece of ice jade, prompting them to wonder if they had stumbled into a morgue. Observing the ice jade, Zhang in Banai confirmed it was capable of slowing decomposition, reinforcing their suspicion that the area functioned as a morgue.
He then scattered cinnabar powder into a groove on the ice jade, which astonishingly revealed a Qilin stepping on ghosts — the precise floor plan of the Ghost Seal. Zhang pointed out that the Ghost Seal featured three small, headless ghost figures, and they discovered corresponding gaps on the ice jade. With his unusually long fingers, Zhang inserted them into these gaps, causing the ice jade to open.
What greeted them was a stone slab, used by Zhang family members for transporting bodies, and a newly revealed passage. Zhang, intent on exploring ahead, swiftly entered the passage. Moments later, the passage sealed shut, trapping him within a translucent, amber-like stone. Fatty, terrified, exerted immense effort to smash through the stone, finally succeeding in freeing Zhang.
Having survived the ordeal, Fatty urged his companions to quickly photograph their surroundings and send a message to Wu Xie, emphasizing their dire, freezing conditions. While Zhang's group was dealing with their icy ordeal, Wu Xie and Xiao Hua were waiting at the cave entrance in Mount Four Ladies, enjoying the sunlight. Wu Xie, growing restless, proposed they go search for Hei Yan Jing.
Xiao Hua immediately objected, reminding Wu Xie that Hei Yan Jing had explicitly stated he had his own plans and that Xiao Hua trusted his capabilities, confident he would not encounter trouble. Furthermore, Xiao Hua emphasized Hei Yan Jing's deep and intricate connections with the Mystic Nine, suggesting he possessed as much knowledge of their predicament as they did, if not more.
Noticing Wu Xie's persistent curiosity, Xiao Hua decided to share details from another Yellow Silk he had recently acquired. This one was entirely different from the previous ones; it contained no maps, but rather served as a prologue to an ancient legend. The narrative described how, of all those who sought the secret of longevity, only the Heavenly Queen Mother succeeded.
Emperor Mu of Zhou then sought her out, and the two found themselves drawn to each other, eventually vowing to pursue immortality together. However, Emperor Mu of Zhou ultimately deceived her. While the Heavenly Queen Mother entered the jade meteorite to achieve her eternal state, Emperor Mu of Zhou did not follow. Instead, he devised an alternative method: he fashioned two jade servants, one to encase himself and another for an infant.
His plan was to consume a longevity pill and then, under specific conditions years later, have the jade servants opened, allowing him to be reborn as an infant and thus achieve immortality. Wu Xie found the story outlandish. Xiao Hua elaborated on Emperor Mu of Zhou's character, portraying him as not only terrible but also despicable, as he purposefully spread rumors of longevity to ensure people would find his jade servant at the predetermined time.
This, Xiao Hua deduced, was the reason why the skilled members of the Mystic Nine had been consistently coerced and exploited across generations, becoming tools in the pursuit of longevity. Even when the Mystic Nine attempted to refuse, they were ensnared through temptation or threats, ensuring their families remained entangled. Wu Xie remarked on the irony of these historical figures, given Emperor Mu of Zhou's ultimate failure.
Zhang then added that he had once visited Emperor Lu's Seven Star Palace, where King Shang of Lu attempted to steal Emperor Mu of Zhou's jade servant but was thwarted by Tie Mian Sheng, whom Zhang described as "the oriole behind the mantis stalking the cicada." However, even Tie Mian Sheng ultimately failed. Thus, Zhang concluded, the concept of longevity was, in the end, nothing more than a wishful legend.
Immediately, Fatty's group sent photographs of the new relief to Wu Xie. In Mount Four Ladies, Wu Xie and Xiao Hua, receiving the urgent message, wasted no time and swiftly returned to the mechanism. They noticed the floor tiles of the third mechanism were unusually loose, which Wu Xie found perplexing for ancient Chinese architecture, renowned for its enduring quality due to stringent "Work Accountability" systems. Wu Xie suspected a trap, and his intuition proved correct.
Before they could deliberate further, a deluge of Corpse Bug Kings swarmed out. Despite the sudden onslaught, Wu Xie was determined to acquire the password for Zhang. While fighting the Corpse Bug Kings, he questioned how they emerged since the ceramic pots were intact and the stone strips hadn't fallen. After battling the creatures, they attempted to retrace their steps, only to discover that the passage had inexplicably changed; it was not the way they had just come from.
Confused and disoriented, they were suddenly joined by Hei Yan Jing, who revealed he had arrived through a different passage. He explained that the complex extended beyond the assumed three passages, with each entrance offering three distinct paths, only one of which was correct, the others being decoys that separated like a revolver's cylinder. Hei Yan Jing surmised that their current predicament—being in the wrong passage—was likely due to exceeding an unstated time limit.
Despite the uncertainty, they decided to gamble, reasoning they had at least a fifty percent chance of success. Hei Yan Jing downplayed the risk of encountering more Corpse Bug Kings, casually referring to them as "small animals" he had handled with "gentleness." With a shared resolve, they prepared to confront whatever lay ahead.
