Word of Honor Episode 3 Recap
> Word of Honor Recap
The morning after burying the ferryman, Wen Ke Xing continued to press Zhou Zishu about his true identity. He remarked on Zhou Zishu's refined physique, noting that his appearance seemed self-made and unnatural, despite his inability to detect a disguise. Gu Xiang, Wen Ke Xing's attendant, chimed in, reminding him of previous misjudgments, but Wen Ke Xing insisted Zhou Zishu was extraordinary and must be disguised.
Zhou Zishu playfully asked if his disguised face was "pretty," to which Wen Ke Xing responded it was "perfect." Wen Ke Xing then questioned Zhang Cheng Ling about how Mirror Lake Sect provoked the Ghost Valley of Mount Qingya, whose members wore distinctive ghost masks. Zhang Cheng Ling claimed ignorance. Wen Ke Xing turned to Zhou Zishu, asking if he knew about the Ghost Valley's power.
Zhou Zishu, appearing indifferent, stated that such martial arts matters usually stemmed from greed, hatred, and ignorance. He speculated that given Mirror Lake Sect's peaceful nature, greed must be the motive for the attack by the long-dormant Ghost Valley. Wen Ke Xing then brought up a popular nursery rhyme, "Five Lakes' waters, unite the world. Who among heroes rules all?" and revealed a new, ominous second half that had recently spread: "Colored clouds scatter, glazed armor shatters.
Who would mourn the Qingya Ghosts?" He explained that "Qingya Ghosts" referred not to a group, but to Rong Xuan, a great demon executed on Mount Qingya two decades prior. Legend held that Rong Xuan left behind the "World's Armory," a treasure trove of lost martial arts, which could make anyone invincible. The key to this armory was the Glazed Armor.
Zhou Zishu dismissed this as a laughable, age-old tale concocted to incite infighting and bloodshed in the martial arts world, a mere manifestation of "greed." Gu Xiang agreed, pointing out the folly of weak individuals fighting for such a treasure. Meanwhile, Shen Shen, the Leader of the Mount Dagu Sect, arrived at Mirror Lake Manor by boat to find utter devastation.
Deng Kuan, the first disciple of Yueyang Sect, explained that they arrived too late to help, as the boats across the lake had been destroyed, preventing them from reaching the burning manor in time. Shen Shen was heartbroken to discover the tortured remains of his sworn brother, Zhang Yu Sen, and his two elder sons, Zhang Cheng Luan and Zhang Cheng Feng, vowing revenge.
Tao Hong and Lv Liu, two martial artists, arrived and immediately verbally attacked Shen Shen, accusing him of hypocrisy and being a "flunkey" of Gao Chong, the Chief of the Five Lakes Alliance. Elder Huang of the Beggar Gang intervened, revealing he had invited Tao Hong and Lv Liu for their expertise and urged them to set aside personal grievances for the greater threat.
They identified the deadly Soul Winding Threads, left behind on a yellow seal, as the signature weapon of the Hanging Ghost, one of the Ten Devils of Ghost Valley. This confirmed that the Ghost Valley was indeed behind the massacre. Shen Shen then handed his alliance token to Deng Kuan, ordering him to report back to his master with the second part of the nursery rhyme and to gather forces to find Zhang Cheng Ling, no matter the cost.
Elder Huang pledged the Beggar Gang's support in the search. Later, Tao Hong and Lv Liu, speaking with Elder Huang, expressed their hatred for the Five Lakes Alliance, recalling how the Danyang Sect was decimated for its Glazed Armor. They worried that Ao Lai Zi, the Leader of the Mount Tai Sect, who was sheltering the last two Danyang disciples, now possessed the Glazed Armor and that it might fall into Ghost Valley's hands.
Zhou Zishu continued his journey with Zhang Cheng Ling, hoping to avoid Wen Ke Xing, but the latter proved relentless. At a nearby inn, they discovered Wen Ke Xing had booked every room. Zhou Zishu, reluctantly accepting Wen Ke Xing's "generosity," took the best room. He meticulously checked the room and new clothes provided by Wen Ke Xing for traps, finding nothing.
He urged Zhang Cheng Ling, who seemed hesitant to undress, to rest, and offered him medicine for his injuries, though Zhang Cheng Ling gave a vague excuse. Downstairs, Zhou Zishu confronted Wen Ke Xing, demanding to know his true intentions for following them. Wen Ke Xing openly stated his desire to see Zhou Zishu's true face and questioned Zhou Zishu's involvement with Zhang Cheng Ling.
Zhou Zishu calmly replied that he was merely fulfilling a promise to deliver Zhang Cheng Ling safely to Zhao Jing. Gu Xiang, joining the conversation, engaged in playful banter with Wen Ke Xing, both indirectly mocking Zhou Zishu's elusive nature. Meanwhile, Elder Huang distributed Zhang Cheng Ling's portrait to his Beggar Gang disciples, instructing them to find the boy and bring him back discreetly, without anyone else knowing.
Later, during a meal hosted by Wen Ke Xing, Zhang Cheng Ling went to wash his hands, unknowingly passing by Beggar Gang disciples who recognized him. At the table, Zhang Cheng Ling's lack of appetite drew a sharp rebuke from Gu Xiang, who called him a "delicate flower" for his weakness and urged him to eat to gain strength for revenge. Her words, though harsh, spurred Zhang Cheng Ling to eat, albeit tearfully.
Elsewhere, Gao Chong convened a meeting of various martial arts leaders, announcing a Heroes Conference for July 15th. He declared their intent to jointly assault Mount Qingya and eradicate the Ghost Valley in retaliation for the Mirror Lake massacre, a call met with fervent agreement. Separately, Ao Lai Zi, the Leader of the Mount Tai Sect, and his disciple Qing Bai, continued their arduous journey towards Mount Wudang with the two remaining Danyang disciples.
Ao Lai Zi expressed his determination to protect the Glazed Armor from falling into the hands of the Five Lakes Alliance, who he knew were pursuing them for it. Back at the inn, Zhou Zishu was meditating to recover his internal energy when he heard commotion. Rushing to Zhang Cheng Ling's side, he found the boy startled awake by nightmares, crying for his father. Zhou Zishu soothed him back to sleep.
Outside, he discovered that Wen Ke Xing had already killed two masked Ghost Valley attackers. Wen Ke Xing casually remarked on how quickly the Ghost Valley pursued them, then shared a cryptic observation: "It is difficult to tell a ghost from a human. Someone wearing a ghost mask is not necessarily a ghost. Someone who looks like a human may not necessarily be a human."
Wen Ke Xing then identified Zhou Zishu's choice of wine as 30-year-old "yellow seal" liquor, a sign of connoisseurship that he compared to his own ability to judge people. He playfully asked if he could call Zhou Zishu "A-Xu" and reiterated his conviction that a "big surprise" lay beneath Zhou Zishu's disguised appearance, to which Zhou Zishu simply challenged him to try and uncover it.
