American Perspectives: Wu Zhiqi's Release Pt. 1 ("Love and Redemption" Ep. 45)

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by 사극 Paradise 2025. 2. 20. 05:19

“Love and Redemption” can be viewed on Viki or Youtube . Dialogue adapted from English subtitle translations by "Destined Love Team at Viki.com." "Love and Redemption," is based on the novel "Liu Li Mei Ren Sha," by Shi Si Lang. The writings presented here are based on observations from the television series.

"Where are you going?" Hao Chen asks Xuanji as he bleeds from the mouth.

"To Lize Palace," says an instigated Xuanji, much to Hao Chen's delight. "I'm going to correct my past mistakes."

"Lize Palace is the nest of the demon clan," says Hao Chen. "Even if you have the powers of the God of War, you mustn't go there alone. Moreover, you don't need to go to Lize Palace if you want to vanquish your inner demon."

"Where should I go, then?"

"The 15th day of the month is coming soon. Fenru City's gate will open by then. Yu Sifeng will surely head to Fenru City in order to save Wu Zhiqi. Only his Twelve Feathers bloodline and the powers of the God of War can withstand the malignant aura within the Demon Citadel. So, you'll meet him if you go to the Demon Citadel. By then, you will know that he's a devious demon who's trying to revive the demon clan."

Xuanji sighs and closes her eyes. "Fine. I'll meet him in the Demon Citadel."

"Wait. Yu Sifeng is devious and cunning. Getting rid of him would be the best case scenario. But in the event you can't bear to kill him," he holds out his hand and a white vase appears, "you should bring this with you."

"What is this?" Asks Xuanji.

"This is the cleansing bottle," says Hao Chen. "Master acquired this item while traveling around the world. It can get rid of one's anguish. If you cannot bear to kill him, you should use this Cleansing Bottle, and get rid of his anguish. Although, it won't kill him, it may help him get his conscience back. It's up to you whether to kill him or use the Cleansing Bottle on him."

Xuanji clenches her fist. "I understand." She reluctantly takes the bottle.

"Xuanji," says Hao Chen, "you're the only person I care about in this world. You mustn't be soft on him. If you let Yu Sifeng save Wu Zhiqi, the demon clan will have a huge boost in their morale. They'll be hard to deal with by then."

"I won't do so," says Xuanji. She exits the cave.

Xuanji, I hope you will cherish this last chance I'm giving you. I hope you can get rid of your inner demon.

Linglong quietly walks into Sect Leader Chu's bedroom. Sect Leader Chu is at his table, studying some documents.

"Father," says Linglong.

He looks up from the scroll. "Ah. Linglong? Please wait for a while. I have something to tell you after I'm done with this."

"It's alright, I'll leave after I finish my words."

"Tell me, then," says Sect Leader Chu.

"I think it's time for me to leave. I'm here to bid farewell."

"You two are leaving?" Asks Sect Leader Chu. "Did Minyan find a suitable place for you two?"

"This time, I'm leaving alone," says Linglong.

Sect Leader Chu rises. "You're leaving alone? What about Minyan? Did that silly child make you angry again?"

Linglong shakes her head. "No. It has nothing to do with him. I wanted to leave on my own. I want to find a quiet place, and spend the rest of my life there."

Sect Leader Chu sighs. He walks up to Linglong. "Linglong, do you know this? Minyan came to me today. He came to me in the afternoon. He told me that he wanted to marry you." Sect Leader Chu chuckles.

Linglong didn't expect this at all. She was sure Little Six wouldn't want her emotional baggage and lack of virginity.

"You two," Sect Leader Chu chuckles. "One of you wants to propose, and one of you wants to leave. What are you two up to?"

"He wants to marry me?" Linglong asks incredulously. She shakes her head. "Impossible. He--"

"Nothing is impossible," Little Six walks into the room. "I want to marry you." He bows to Sect Leader Chu. "Master."

Sect Leader Chu nods.

"Why are you doing this?" Asks Linglong.

"Because you don't believe my feelings for you," says Little Six. "Because you're paranoid. That's why I need to marry you. So that you won't suspect my feelings, I want to marry you. You're the only girl I will marry in this life!"

"I'm not the old me anymore. I am unworthy of marrying you."

"The past you?" Asks Little Six. "Do you think the old you is better than the current you? You acted like a princess. You were willful and didn't care about the feelings of others. You were not that great at all."

"Why do you want to marry me, then?" Linglong asks tearfully.

"Because I like you. No matter if it's the old you, the current you, or future you. I like you no matter what you become. Nobody can take you away from me."

Little Six kneels in front of Sect Leader Chu. "I, Zhong Minyan, have been loving Chu Linglong for 14 years. I didn't prepare the three letters and six etiquettes, and I didn't have any matchmaker. I only have my true heart for her. Master, please allow me to marry Linglong. Here, I swear that I will never let Linglong cry or suffer again. Master, please grant my wish." He touches his forehead to the floor three times.

Sect Leader Chu chuckles. "Sure. My child, you may rise now. I'm happy to see you two tie the knot. But now, the Shaoyang Sect will soon face our biggest threat. I have no time to hold your wedding. How about this? You two should stay here for a little longer. After everything is over, I'll hold a glorious wedding for you two. What do you think?"

"Master, I don't want to wait anymore," says Little Six. "Linglong will suffer if we wait. I want to marry her as soon as possible so that she can feel relieved, but I'm afraid, as well. I don't want Linglong to suffer because of a hasty wedding."

Linglong wipes her tears. "Not at all. You suffered because of me in the past. I'm happy if you can marry me right now."

Little Six touches her face, and wipes away a tear with his thumb. He gently holds her hand.

"Have you two decided?" Asks Sect Leader Chu.

The two smile. "Please give us your blessing," they say simultaneously.

Sect Leader Chu laughs. "Sure! This is great! After five days, I will...I will hold a wedding for you two and Xuanji, okay?"

"Thank you, Master," says Little Six.

Sifeng, Yuan Lang, and a handful of disciples from Lize Palace are making their way to the Demon Citadel.

"This is?"

"It has a malignant aura."

"Such strong malignant aura."

"Be careful."

A member of their group steps forward, and is immediately consumed by a cloud of black smoke. "Save me!"

Yuan Lang apathetically waves his fan, and the smoke disappears.

"This is the border of the Demon Citadel," says Sifeng. "I'm afraid the malignant aura will be stronger up front. Yuan Lang, are you still not willing to hand over the spirit keys? You should enter the palace with me, then."

"I don't dare to do so," says Yuan Lang. "The rest of you will wait here." With a wave of his hands, four objects emerge. "Here are the spirit keys."

As Sifeng moves forward to take them, Yuan Lang jerks them away. Yuan Lang smirks. "I'll take care of Ting Nu and Liu Yihuan on your behalf. We'll celebrate together after you save Wu Zhiqi."

"Are you threatening me?" Asks Sifeng.

Yuan Lang smiles. "I don't dare to do so. I just didn't want you to be worried." He brings the spirit keys forward.

Sifeng looks at him warily before grabbing the keys, which disappear in his hand. Sifeng flies forward, and over the border. He lands at the entry way of the imposing Demon Citadel. A bright blue vortex blocks the door.

He looks at his hand, and streaks of gold energy sparkle. Ting Nu's medicine is protecting me from the malignant aura.

He reads some writing on the plaque in front of him. "As the shadowy overlord, it descends in terror. The heavenly calamity, here lies the Asuras." He opens the palm of his hand, and the four spirit keys emerge. As he closes his palm, the four keys unite into one, long, golden key. He shoots the key at the plaque, which disappears, and turns into a light blue vortex. The vortex widens, and they key is returned. Sifeng walks forward.

Out of nowhere, Xuanji, in full God of War armor, jumps at him. They begin to spar, and Xuanji pushes him back. The two stare each other down.

"Senior was right, indeed," says Xuanji. "You still came in the end."

"God of War, aren't you getting married to your senior soon? You still have time to interfere with our matters?"

Xuanji momentarily feels embarrassed. "I'm here to kill you!" Hao Chen's brainwashing and grooming has taken effect.

"We'll see about that," says Sifeng. He slides under his sword, and flies up the stairs. Xuanji shoots blue energy at the entry vortex, making it impossible for Sifeng to enter.

She is at the bottom of the steps, while Sifeng is close to the top. He turns to look at her.

"I won't remove the barrier before the entrace closes," says Xuanji. "Yu Sifeng, show me what you have!"

Sifeng smirks. He knows he isn't dealing with the real Xuanji. He's dealing with Hao Chen's well groomed puppet. He doesn't take her declarations personally. "You're so clingy. God of War, are you missing me, as you haven't mastered the Sentimental Tactics with your senior?"

Ouch.

"You still can't get over me?" Asks Sifeng.

"Shut up!" Says Xuanji. Weak spot activated. The spot that cancels four years of Hao Chen's brainwashing.

She flies upwards and makes a kendo style men strike with her sword. Just as it's about to hit Sifeng, he steps away, and the barrier to the entry way is broken.

Sifeng takes advantage of the opportunity and flies right through. Xuanji's jaw drops. She is angry at herself for not seeing that coming. "Yu Sifeng!" She flies up to the entry vortex, which immediately disappears upon her approach. Damn it!!

"Demon Lord, welcome back." A myriad of ominous voices say to Xuanji. She looks around in confusion. They couldn't possibly be talking about me. Streams of black smoke surround her. "Demon Lord, welcome back."

The doors to the Demon Citadel slowly open. She runs up the steps as Fox Demon is secretly watching her. As the doors close, Fox Demon turns into bright purple energy, and flies through the crack. She has an awful feeling about this.

Xuanji finds herself in a huge, empty room. "Yu Sifeng! Where are you? Come out!" A huge plume of red and black fiery smoke passes her. "Yu Sifeng!" The plume continues to follow her.

She walks through the room, her sword pointed down, and to the side. The plume comes behind her, and hits her. She raises her sword, and standing in front of her is none other than Sifeng.

"You better know what's good for you," says Sifeng. "I'm trying to save you. The vengeful spirits of the Asuras follow the sounds they hear. You'll only wake them up if you keep shouting."

She lowers her sword.

"Even the God of War can't do anything against them," Sifeng continues.

"Yu Sifeng, what are you up to now?" Xuanji asks warily.

"It's up to you whether to believe it or not. You can keep shouting if you wish to die."

"Show me what you have."

"What if I don't?" Asks Sifeng.

She raises her sword and points it at his chest. "I'll force you to show me, then."

Plumes of fiery smoke fly behind them, some taking demonic form.

Sifeng aims his sword at Xuanji's neck.

The smoke demons gather behind Xuanji. Sifeng blocks them with his sword. The two begin to slice away as more fiery demons surround them. The more they fight them off, the more demons appear. The two fly upward, and the demons follow.

Sifeng is holding Xuanji's arm, and she pushes him away. "Don't think that you'll be safe just because you saved me. I won't let you off."

"Look at your foot," says Sifeng.

A fiery demonic head emerges from the ground, ready to grab. Xuanji slices it away. She looks up, and Sifeng is gone.

Sifeng walks further into the Demon Citadel, and a mural catches his eye. "This painting depicts the Demon-Immortal War of 1,000 years ago. Devil Star, Devil Maleficent was the strongest Asura. And the God of War was the strongest immortal in the heavens. But why isn't there a painting about the fight between the Devil Star and the God of War?" He explores the wall of murals further. He comes upon a painting of the God of War looking into the mirror, with the Devil Star reflecting back.

The reflection of the God of War is actually an Asura? The God of War and the Devil Star are the same person, indeed. If Yuan Lang unlocks the Crystal Lamp, Xuanji will transform into the Devil Star, and it will be too late by then. I mustn't let Xuanji see these.

He takes his sword and strikes fiery energy across the painting. It effectively distorts the image in the mirror.

Sifeng runs away.

Xuanji comes across the newly destroyed image, clueless as to what was reflected back in the mirror. You even destroyed the God of War in the painting. Seems like it has really come to this.

Sifeng is standing on a circular stone platform, surrounded by coffins and smoke. Yuan Lang said the locks for the Dimension Chain are located beside the Pool of Bones. Where exactly are they?

Xuanji descends onto the platform, and points her sword at him. He gives her the side eye and smiles. "God of War, are you really going to point your sword at me?

"Senior Hao Chen was right. You're devious and cunning."

Sifeng really wants to laugh at the bitter irony of her statement.

"Who knows?" Xuanji continues. "Maybe everything here is part of your ploy."

"You really believe in your senior, right?" Asks Sifeng. He's beginning to question why he's even bothering to do this for her. "Fine. I saved you because it was part of my ploy. You want to kill me? Do it now."

"You want to die here? No way. I'll bring you back to Mount Shaoyang so that you can give us an explanation!"

Sifeng wonders when Xuanji is going to wake up. He smiles and nods. "Fine. But now, we have no way to return. We can only proceed. God of War, may I move now?"

"You better move now. Don't try anything funny."

Sifeng slowly walks forward while Xuanji points her sword at his back. He walks down the steps leading to the Pool of Bones. An orb of ice blue energy shoots out from the water. Sifeng catches it in his fist.

Xuanji aims her sword at Sifeng's throat. Sifeng shows her his fist, which has six red dots from the orb. Smoke emerges from the dots.

"This malignant aura around here is strong indeed," Sifeng observes.

Xuanji is a bit shaken, and she lowers her sword.

Sifeng winces from the painful orb.

"You wouldn't need to suffer like this if you didn't come in the first place," says Xuanji. "You deserve everything."

"You're right," says Sifeng. "This is all my fault." He stabs his sword into the ground, opens the palm of his hand, and summons a grey book. "I told you I would get to the bottom of your mother's murder." He hands her the book. "This is the list of rewards that our clan received after the Demon-Immortal War. The malignant aura within the Demon Citadel belongs to the Asuras. As stated within the list, Yuan Lang was the only Rose Gold Bird who received the malignant aura from King Asura. So, Yuan Lang is your mother's murderer."

"It's useless for you to show me this piece of evidence at this current moment. You promised to bring Yuan Lang to me. But now, he's still enjoying himself in Lize Palace. And you? You colluded with him and tried to save Wu Zhiqi. You even hid your identity from me. This list is meaningless to me!" She throws it on the ground.

"Xuanji, the one I wanted to save wasn't Wu Zhiqi." He closes his eyes and sighs. Helping her is becoming increasingly pointless. "Forget it. One day you'll understand my pain."

"Your pain? We're enemies now. What more are you hiding from me? Tell me!"

He looks to the side and sees the clouds parting from the full moon. "In the future," says Sifeng, "I will tell you if I have the chance. Now, the full moon has appeared. The last time we saw a full moon together was in Qingmu Town--"

"Stop saying useless things," Xuanji interjects, sounding exactly like her puppet master, Hao Chen. "If you have nothing else to say," she aims the sword at his throat, "return with me right away."

His stomach begins to hurt, and the pain causes him to drop to his knees.

"Sifeng!"

"My injuries were too grave. The malignant aura is seeping through my injuries. I need to recuperate. Look over there."

Xuanji looks to the side and sees a fiery blue lotus in the air. Streams of malignant aura are drawn to it like a magnet to metal.

"That lotus actually bloomed in a desolate place like this," says Sifeng. "I'm sure it could cleanse my body from the malignant aura. Maybe it could heal my injuries. Can you pick it for me?" Sifeng struggles to breathe. "I've helped you just now. Don't tell me you want me to pick that when I'm in this state?"

"You're in no condition to play tricks. You better stay here. Don't try to escape."

As she flies forward, a blue vortex appears in the sky. Xuanji, I'm sorry. The lies and deception keep piling up. He unleashes his fiery, golden wings and flies right through the vortex, key in hand.

Xuanji sees him, and she draws her sword. He hides his key. He blocks her blue energy with his fiery energy. They are back on the platform, and she points her sword.

"Senior was right, you did change."

"Behind you," says Sifeng, as he sees the malignant aura rising from a coffin.

"I won't fall for your tricks again."

"I'm not tricking you," says Sifeng. "Be careful!" A devil comes between them, and Sifeng strikes him away.

It charges at Xuanji, and she strikes it with her Dingkun Sword. It keeps coming for her, while Sifeng has long disappeared.

Out of nowhere, Sifeng pushes the devil away, and it falls against a coffin. It rises, and Sifeng flies forward, striking it again. Xuanji strikes the devil from the back.

Sifeng unleases his wings, and flies forward, stabbing the devil through the top of his head. The devil disintegrates into ash.

Xuanji points her sword at Sifeng. "Hand over the spirit keys."

"Xuanji."

"Hand over the spirit keys!"

As he reaches into his golden armor, Fox Demon flies by. He takes advantage of the moment, and pushes Xuanji away. He summons the spirit key, and throws it to Fox Demon. "Purple Fox! Save Wu Zhiqi!"

Xuanji is livid. Purple Fox flies away quickly with the key.

"You!" Sputters Xuanji.

...To be continued...