Word of Honor Episode 25 Recap
> Word of Honor Recap
The night was cool and rainy. Zhou Zi Shu awoke and went to get charcoal for warmth, finding Wen Ke Xing lost in thought on the porch. He invited Wen Ke Xing to share some wine and warm up.
Wen Ke Xing then confided in Zhou Zi Shu about a dream he had of his childhood: when he was seven, his family arrived at Four Seasons Manor, his parents set up a small clinic at the foot of the hill, and he would practice martial arts during the day before returning home for a warm meal at night.
In his dream, the "medicine men" were like wild dogs, chasing him relentlessly, and Zhou Zi Shu, sometimes as himself, sometimes as their old dog Zhen Yi Guo, would stand in front of him, protecting him.
Wen Ke Xing revealed that he had recognized Zhou Zi Shu's connection to the Four Seasons Manor earlier, having followed him after seeing his Swift Moving Steps, but he was only certain of Zhou Zi Shu's identity after seeing him draw his White Cloth sword and state his family name.
Zhou Zi Shu, who had once intended to wander the world until his final days, now decided to settle permanently at Four Seasons Manor with Zhang Cheng Ling, warmly welcoming Wen Ke Xing to return whenever he wished. Wen Ke Xing was deeply moved by this sentiment. Meanwhile, Cao Weining and Gu Xiang were on their way to the Gentle Wind Sword Sect.
Cao Weining recognized Tao Hong and Lv Liu, who were disguised, and noticed that Gao Xiaolian, who was with them, had her acupuncture points sealed. Cao Weining immediately wanted to rescue Gao Xiaolian, but Gu Xiang, worried for his safety, tried to stop him, reminding him of his previous near-fatal injury.
Unable to abandon Gao Xiaolian, Cao Weining insisted on helping, prompting Gu Xiang to suggest a plan: Cao Weining would follow the captors and leave identifying marks, while Gu Xiang would go to the nearby Broken Sword Manor, a sect of the Five Lakes Alliance, to seek help. As Tao Hong and Lv Liu continued their journey, they were met by Huang He.
Huang He revealed that he had been exposed in Great Stone Town and chased by the Scorpions, confirming his suspicion that Zhao Jing had betrayed them. He claimed Zhao Jing was responsible for Gao Chong's death and was indifferent to Gao Xiaolian's fate, wanting her dead to eliminate any witnesses. Huang He then declared Gao Xiaolian worthless as a hostage and threatened to sell her to a brothel.
Tao Hong, enraged and seeing through Huang He's scheme to gain all the benefits himself, suggested they simply kill Gao Xiaolian if she was truly useless, to end her suffering. Cao Weining, who had been hiding and listening, then stepped out to protect Gao Xiaolian, appealing to Huang He to abandon his villainous ways. Tao Hong, realizing Huang He's deceit, began to fight him.
Cao Weining used the distraction to escape with Gao Xiaolian, but they were quickly pursued by Tao Hong and Lv Liu. Cao Weining was knocked unconscious protecting Gao Xiaolian. At that critical moment, Gu Xiang arrived with Shen Shen. Shen Shen swiftly injured Lv Liu.
Gao Xiaolian, recalling Tao Hong's protection during her captivity, pleaded with Shen Shen to spare the couple, explaining that Huang He was the true mastermind and that Tao Hong, despite her actions, had a good heart. Tao Hong, however, remained defiant, vowing to avenge her son's death by haunting Gao Chong in the afterlife. Lv Liu, deeply moved by Gao Xiaolian's unexpected kindness, offered to retire from the martial world if Shen Shen would spare them.
Shen Shen, acknowledging that Gao Xiaolian was innocent in the previous generation's grudges and touched by Tao Hong's protective actions towards his niece, decided to let them go, challenging them to confront him directly if they still sought revenge against the Five Lakes Alliance. After Tao Hong and Lv Liu left, Shen Shen confronted Gu Xiang, revealing her identity as Amethyst Fiend, a trusted subordinate of the Ghost Valley Chief.
Gu Xiang admitted her identity, explaining her desire to leave behind her life as a "lone ghost" and find a normal life with Cao Weining. She begged Shen Shen and Gao Xiaolian to keep her true identity a secret from Cao Weining, even suggesting they tell him she was killed by Huang He. Gao Xiaolian pleaded for Gu Xiang's life, and Shen Shen, despite his reservations, decided not to kill her, leaving with Gao Xiaolian.
After days of hard work, Wen Ke Xing and Zhang Cheng Ling successfully restored Four Seasons Manor. Zhou Zi Shu began teaching Zhang Cheng Ling the basic Eight Trigram Palm, the same martial art his own grand master, Qin Huai Zhang, had used to introduce him to martial arts. Zhang Cheng Ling then requested to visit Qin Huai Zhang's tomb to pay his respects.
Wen Ke Xing, who also felt a deep sense of gratitude to Leader Qin, agreed, and the three made their way to the gravesite. At the tombs of Qin Huai Zhang and his wife, Zhang Cheng Ling knelt and spoke at length, promising to honor and bring glory to Four Seasons Manor and updating his grand master on his progress. Zhou Zi Shu gently advised him that sometimes silent reflection was more fitting.
Wen Ke Xing then asked Zhou Zi Shu and Zhang Cheng Ling to leave, wishing for some private time at the graves. Alone, Wen Ke Xing poured out his heart, questioning the existence of a netherworld and whether Qin Huai Zhang had seen his parents there. He confessed his fear that they would witness the dark path he had taken and be ashamed, believing he had disgraced the Four Seasons Manor.
He recalled how, in his deepest suffering, he used to pretend his torment was just a nightmare of his former self, Zhen Yan, hoping to awaken to the moment Qin Huai Zhang had taken him as a disciple. However, he now understood that his innocent past as Zhen Yan was the true dream.
Railing against the injustice of the heavens, he declared that since good and evil went unpunished, he had chosen to become a devil to demand justice from fate. For twenty years, his veins had coursed with hatred, and only the thought of revenge had propelled him from hell to become the lord of ghosts and the king of venom.
He vowed to fulfill Zhen Yan's curse to slaughter all who had betrayed and wronged his family, those "demons in human skin," and cast them into hell. He was prepared to bear the burden of "a mountain of corpses, a heinous crime," and perish with this corrupt world. Yet, he expressed a profound conflict: why, after being plunged into hell, was he now shown a path back to the human world?
He concluded by proclaiming that his life as Wen Ke Xing was ruined and he was unworthy to call Qin Huai Zhang his master, but he thanked him for the fleeting moments of brightness he had been granted, hoping to repay his immense kindness in a future life, if such a thing existed. Back in their temporary lodging, Gu Xiang tended to Cao Weining until he awoke.
Cao Weining was relieved to hear from Gu Xiang that Gao Xiaolian had been safely taken back to the Five Lakes Alliance. Gu Xiang, considering his recurring injuries, wondered if their fates were at odds, but Cao Weining quickly dismissed the idea, blaming his own inadequate skills and vowing to train harder to protect her. He apologized for his previous misunderstanding and promised never to mistreat her.
Gu Xiang, deciding to keep her identity as the Amethyst Fiend a secret from him to safeguard their burgeoning relationship, offered him some roasted buns. Cao Weining happily declared them the most delicious food in the world.
