Spoiler Alert
The Journey of Legend: Episode 10 Recap
Alright, let's get into it. This episode was all about consequences and bad decisions. Liu Suifeng is really learning that the hard way.
The Fake-Out
The episode kicks off with a quick history lesson from Li Chenzhou. He remembers the story of Yan Kuangtu, the only guy to ever hold both the Hero's Token and the legendary Wangqing Tianshu scroll. The three major sects couldn't even touch him. He only vanished after someone hit him in the neck with a hidden weapon. This guy was a legend for a reason.
This brings us back to the present. Liu Suifeng proudly holds the Hero's Token he snatched. But Li Chenzhou points out a small problem. The real token has the fingerprints of the sect leaders who made it. This one is clean. Li Chenzhou tosses the token, and Liu Suifeng finally gets it. He's been had.
We learn this was all Xiao Qiushui's idea. After Qiu Bo was exposed as a traitor, Xiao Qiushui told Old Madam Wu to prepare a backup plan. Only he, Old Madam Wu, and Xiao Xilou's family knew about the fake. Liu Suifeng not only failed his mission but also lost a lot of his men. He's in deep trouble. Li Chenzhou orders a new investigation into the real token. But here's the kicker. He partners Liu Suifeng with the Sword King. It's a clear message. Liu Suifeng is on a very short leash.
Alliances and Refusals
While Liu Suifeng is dealing with his mess, Xiao Qiushui is drinking alone. He feels responsible for everything. He couldn't protect Tang Rou, and he couldn't stop his friend's betrayal. Tang Fang finds him and thanks him for saving her from Liu Suifeng. She tells him not to blame himself. The martial arts world is dangerous. One person can't fix everything. She just wants him to remember to get revenge for her sister, Tang Rou.
Good news comes from an unexpected place. Zhang Daxia, impressed with Xiao Qiushui's loyalty, leaves his personal dagger with Old Madam Wu. He wants to pass it to Xiao Qiushui and take him on as a student. Old Madam Wu then offers to send Wu Zhe's elite troops to help the besieged Xiao family.
Xiao Qiushui immediately shuts it down. He argues this is a conflict between sects. Bringing in the army would turn it into a national issue. It could give foreign powers an excuse to invade and would put Wu Zhe in a terrible position. All he needs is for someone to get a message to his family. Old Madam Wu agrees.
The Power-wielding Gang's Next Move
Over in the Power-wielding Gang, things are tense. Liu Suifeng is recovering from his injuries. Song Mingzhu brings him medicine, but he coldly tells her to just do her job and not worry about him. Zhao Shirong also has a talk with him. She advises him to be less impulsive and to stop making decisions on his own. His response? He immediately orders Song Mingzhu to start the investigation again. Some people never learn.
Xiao Qiushui has another dream about Tang Rou. When he wakes up, he finds a mysterious note. It tells him to "reform" Liu Suifeng. He scoffs at the idea. Reforming the deputy chief of the Power-wielding Gang is basically impossible. Right now, his only goal is to save his family and become the sect leader. That's the only way he can control his own story.
On the Road
To avoid getting anyone else hurt, Xiao Qiushui buys a horse and carriage to head back to Jinzhong alone. It doesn't take long for trouble to find him. He gets ambushed by bandits. The fight delays him just long enough for Tang Fang to catch up. He tells her to go back to the Tang Clan and stay out of it, but she refuses. She's sticking with him.
That night, they share a meal in the woods. Tang Fang remembers Tang Rou sneaking her leftover food when she was punished as a child. Xiao Qiushui looks at the stars and thinks of Tang Rou, too. He describes her as a Libra, a concept that is completely new and fascinating to Tang Fang.
Liu Suifeng gets word that Xiao Qiushui has left Old Madam Wu's protection. He's convinced Xiao Qiushui has the real Hero's Token. He knows the other sects are too scared of the Power-wielding Gang to interfere. His plan is to use the Tang Clan. He tells Song Mingzhu to contact Tang Song, a member of the clan who has tried to get on the gang's good side before.
A Trap at the Tang Clan
Xiao Qiushui's journey is tough. He goes to every sect in Jinzhong asking for help. As expected, no one dares to help him. The only option left is the Tang Clan. They usually stay neutral in these conflicts. Tang Fang is optimistic and suggests they go to her home to persuade her father.
It's a disaster.
As soon as they arrive, Tang Fang's siblings, Tang Song and Tang Qing, trick her and lock her away. In the main hall, Xiao Qiushui is caught in a series of traps. Tang Song reveals he got a secret message from the Power-wielding Gang. He's sure Xiao Qiushui has the Hero's Token. His plan is to find it, hand it over, and use the situation to ruin Tang Fang's branch of the family.
In a parallel scene, Deng Yuhan also returns to his family's sect to ask for help. His father also refuses. Deng is left questioning the very code of chivalry he was raised to believe in.
