EPISODE 34

The following is a semi recap plus review plus opinion on the specific episodes, emphasising more on the review than the recap. Spoilers alert and highly opinionated. Read at your peril.

You have always favoured Hua Qiangu. But I never thought you would favour her this much! You are not worthy to become Changliu's sect leader!! - NMT

For once, I understand NMT's anger, coming from NMT and looking from the perspective of NMT. After all, she didn't blindly accused HQG of killing her father, she had eyewitnesses who told her so. Therefore her anger at BZH who was clearly protecting HQG even when he himself questioned the facts is understandable. However NMT is always ready to blame HQG for everything. Wait till the next episode; she will have another reason to blame HQG.

This episode seems like an interesting one that could have benefited from being longer instead of just touch and go. After all, this is the start of the end for HQG. Here she will risk her life and that of her friends to gather all 9 Magical Deity Items to summon the 10th that will save BZH, except BZH must not know, and since no one is supposed to know, means everyone does know. However, the pacing is horrendous. For me it is too fast and some short moments focusing on Shuo Feng which ordinarily would have been wonderful addition except it seems a little too late to inject some story for Shuo Feng whose greatest sacrifice deserves a story but not a 10 minute sort of bonding time with HQG. Perhaps the series' incessant need to tie every character to either loving or hating HQG therefore bonding or swearing eternal hatred is to me forcing it. In this sense, I don't really need to know that much about Shuo Feng and mind you, in the end I know nothing. That's how pointless the whole exercise is.

Let's start with probably one of the very last time you shall see this poisoned state #6...

BZH has spent 6 episodes looking and feeling sick to sicker to sickerer to sickererer to sickerererer to sickerererest. Thank god it is ending because I can't stand it anymore. Because the sicker he is the more sentimental he is the more he looks at flowers and eventually crying over bottles of blood and all, it ain't BZH. It's Madam BZH and even HQG doesn't look so depressed as much. I love you BZH but I've had it with your moping sad look. The worst, absolute worst is for past 5 episodes, he has been planning his funeral by leaving wishes and last messages to SXM and even ZX and HQG and now in the 6th episode of his poisoned state, he goes one step further; he will leave Changliu to find his own lasting resting place and then maybe dig himself a hole, nail himself inside a coffin, bury himself and just be left alone to die in peace, the way he wants it for the past 6 episodes. Problem is, as soon as he said so, problem arises,

What problem you ask? What else that could raise the moping depressed dying poisoned immortal with a death wish from his moping depressed dying poisoned state?

Three words; Hua Qian Gu.

Let's recap. It's a short one, by my standard.

HQG left Changliu with Shuo Feng (hence SF) and travels somewhere where things are so urgent, shifu is like coughing blood every second and will die if depression doesn't get him first or ZX with her incessant disturbances or Mo Yan with his insensitivity (point is, there are so many annoying reasons why BZH can't and won't die), so very very very urgent and tight schedule that HQG and SF went placing lotus lantern candles on rivers on Spirits Day. Yes, so urgent, they could stop by at a hotel for one night. Very urgent guys, seriously, shifu is dying man!! DYING!!! 

And here we have the 10 minutes sort of story of SF and his background and we know he is a stone, or rather like Sun Wukong, burst from a stone. That's it. No other story, no follow up. He has no parents, no friends, nothing to live for which is why he agrees to follow HQG because he is dispensable, but not BZH. SF is nothing, SF is there for a reason and the reason is mainly in the mortal world, he is totally not gonna be missed. Depressing huh? HQG reminded him he has friends, like her, like other fellow disciples and also NMT who seems rather fond of her. And this is where our SF proves he is a stone; he really is a bad judge of character. This is what he has to say about NMT;

I know she is a bit.. difficult and spoilt but she is that sort who does everything to the maximum whether happy, sad, anger, hate, everything with such passion for life ....passionate ... that is how one should live...

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand HQG agrees! But to HQG it is too late for her to be able to live that free, to be able to feel so freely.

The problem with everyone in this series is either they suppress what they feel or they feel too much. BZH is one end, NMT is the other end. I don't understand how SF sees NMT who bullies everyone as living the way everyone should. Everyone should live like HQG. She too lives freely but she doesn't go insulting tramping on people. SF, you got NMT so so so wrong.

And that's the end of bonding time. Short eh? Like do we care? Of course not! Move on! Shifu's dying!!!!!

The plan for HQG is to use the magical items itself. The inkpot to travel fast, the bell to hypnotise to get what she wants.

First stop for HQG is Ni Clan's place at Peng Lai. Good thing is finally we get to see other clan's places but alas, just the front door and main hall. We see NMT's dad, Ni Qianzhang sitting on his throne as HQG came to him with the story that BZH had a letter for him. Ahhhhhhhh HQG, you shouldn't use your shifu's good name! Anyway SF was there. When he saw a blank letter, she immediately used the mind power SQM taught her, that didn't work and so she used the Huan Si Bell to hypnotise him and he was so hypnotised he thought he saw his sect sister!!! No idea what was going on and anyway HQG flew into his stomach and entered the other dimension where they usually keep important stuff. Hmmmm but BZH kept them in his stomach literally. Anyway inside she had to solve some puzzles, eventually finding the pearl and flew out and left. SCQ was there and next thing we know, disciples found Ni dead. Who gets the blame? HQG and she was hunted and she escaped.

Can't remember where she and SF headed but they were joined by  DFYQ who no one ever asks how come no one knows where they are but he knows? Later on more questions like how come he knows kung fu etc etc etc, but no one questions because DFYQ is supposed to know everything. Anyway he came to volunteer his help, HQG objected but DFYQ said quite bluntly;

Do you think you can pass through all the traps without my help?

EXACTLY. And even browless lady joined, on the pretense that Master Pavilion himself sent her because DFYQ asked helped and here HQG never asked DFYQ what exactly did he sell to get such big help? And the plan? HQG is already wanted by everyone, so move on with the plan for Operation Save Dying Shifu Who Is Really Dying.

Meanwhile BZH moping around sadly looking at the flower and missing HQG and almost in tears as he thought to himself asking HQG to forgive him for sending her away as he is ready to die now. Man, you have been ready to die since 6 episodes ago. But before he could, sigh... Mo Yan disturbs him and so he had to put some powder, go out to see Mo Yan and SXM and what Mo Yan wants to know is whether BZH will take another disciple now that HQG is gone. BZH flat out refused and restate that he will only accept one disciple and Mo Yan said yes yes so the 1 is gone but BZH said doesn't matter, he has no intention for another disciple. Moreover, he is leaving Changliu for a trip (to die you see) and takes out that Changliu symbol of power which I thought is a feather but turns out to be a box which probably contains some seal and gives it to.... MO YAN!! WHAT?! Mo Yan refused, absolutely refused and BZH lost his patience and angrily said;

I know you have never listened to whatever I say. Do you still see me as your sect leader or am I just a puppet in this position? Or does my word mean nothing to you?

And Mo Yan reluctantly took the box and BZH huffed and puffed and left. SXM chastised Mo Yan rightly;

Brother, you... you.. how can you be so insensitive to suggest to older brother to find a new disciple? You know how he doted on HQG! Now is not the time!

True! SXM rushed to BZH congratulating him for being able to make Mo Yan so angry that Mo Yan was speechless but BZH was solemn as he always was and gave his wish yet again;

Brother, after I am gone, HQG, Changliu, everything, I leave to you to look after...

And SXM of course agreed solemnly and he too asked of BZH;

Brother, if you found your final resting place, do leave me a message.

News reach Changliu of what HQG supposedly done. BZH was having his sickness fits again and ZX gave him some pills and he was actually feeling better that he even smiled at ZX;

And a second later, Shiyi rushed in and not surprised at all by what he saw told them the huge news about HQG stealing the pearl and killing sect leader Ni and next thing, BZH immediately and dramatically vomited blood and became like this...

Looking a bit like Felix Wong there. He prepared himself, went outside and there was NMT on her knees begging for justice but BZH said he can't just believe one sided story as he knows HQG and he knows her well and that she will never do such evil thing and that was when NMT said what she said and when Shiyi tried to shut her up, she screamed at Shiyi for being unfair to her and just caring about HQG and when BZH insisted he will investigate, even when Mo Yan is on NMT's side, NMT stood up and effectively sword vengeance with or without Changliu's help;

I don't need your help! Penglai has enough resources to find that murderer HQG and when I do find her, I will kill her! You shall see!! With or without Changliu's help!!

I totally understand NMT's anger at this point. After all BZH is stubbornly saying HQG is not such a person and basically saying Penglai's evidence can't be trusted. Mo Yan tried to talk to BZH but BZH sternly said he will investigate and that's that and even SXM told Mo Yan to shut it and all Mo Yan could say of HQG is in English a nicer word is "Troublemaker!! That Troublemaker!!" but I will say "Jinx! That jinx!!" is more appropriate in this context.

BZH reached his room and he tried to summon the items from his stomach, all gone and with a sudden realisation he too question;

Have I... have I misjudged you all these years?

And in an emotional outburst rarely seen 6 long episodes ago, he magically pushed the flower pot where he planted the flower given by HQG to the floor, smashing it, took one look at it and walked away and leaving it as it is.

The official story is HQG was working for SQM and was stealing the items for them. In his heart BZH probably knew this was all BS.

News reached even SQM as SCQ was happy to let HQG take all the blame, steal all the items and then they will steal from her. SCQ suggest to SQM that this was the time to attack Changliu and steal the items also but SQM refused to break the one link he has with HQG his sister and then also questioned;

Little Thing, BZH will never leave you unpunished this time. Why on earth would you want the magical deity items for?

No one knows of course not even ZX. ZX was so shocked she quickly looked through the books, muttering to herself;

HQG, what are you doing? What are you really doing?

And she found her answer I assume as she rushed to BZH to tell him something and as she cried Zihua! Zihua! she stumbled onto a fainted BZH and she was so shocked by his state, she just stopped her mouth basically. Now it is BZH's turn on the ice bed, SXM was there, Shiyi too was there I think and Shiyi was sworn to secrecy not to tell Mo Yan and not to let him in as well. ZX looked at the sleeping figure BZH and said to herself;

HQG, you must really love him to take such a big risk...

Almost bitterly and yet with a tinge of admiration as she said to herself as she looked at sleeping resting dying  BZH;

I have promised you I will never tell Zihua the truth and I shall keep my promise.

Meanwhile, Shiyi is also tasked with warning everyone about someone coming to steal the items and next stop was the ruler guarded by Yin Hongyuan. Sect name, unknown.  Now that guy is smarter. He didn't keep the ruler in his stomach's other dimension. He kept it... in  a pagoda on top of a mountain. In the pagoda there are 9 levels and the first 3 levels were scary stuff with DFYQ leading the way as they face some pretty slick test with a lot of flying and somersaults and what nots which really is one terribly boring display of kung fu. The interesting part was them facing themselves. Ming Sheng Sword killed off the mirror image because they kill each other. The next few levels were empty, as if the guy didn't bother which means the 9th level is the hardest because there it was, that ruler at the top with a hole at the bottom and whilst everyone was careful, at least Shuo Feng remembered Shifu IS DYING and so he rushed out and what came out of that hole?

Smaug's more evil albino twin Asian brother with a real job guarding some ruler ...

Yeap, no one said it was easy! Anyway with lack of time, no worries, will be over in tops 5 minutes because may I repeat.. SHIFU... IS....DYINGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!! He's on the ice bed man!! ICE BED!!! HURRYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!

And.. next episode!!

Lovely. Very enjoyable episode, terrible kung fu, if the graphics had been better I will say the beasts are all well conceptualised but the end product is just lacking on modern technology stuff and 10 years from now Smaug will be called antique, this white dragon thing will be considered worse.. a plush toy!

Poor shifu. When he vomited blood, it was as funny as it was terrifying. His one biggest worry is HQG. Really, she occupies his mind 24/7, and he feels sorry and regret and guilty and everything towards her and yet he doubts her and yet he knows in his heart she has a reason, but he wonders what, what could it be?

I can understand why she doesn't want to tell him. Lessen his guilt. Already he is that sort that hates people fussing over him, imagine so many died just to save him.. being a man who loves humanity more than death itself (sometimes except for the 6 episodes I guess), that would be a heavy burden on him. But alas what HQG doesn't understand is he cares a lot about her too. 

As for ZX, that woman is still comparing her love with HQG's love and dedication. Stop it woman! STOP IT! Just stop comparing. I am just happy to see her taking care of BZH, that's all.

NMT.. has all the cause to be angry in this episode so I won't complain much but I suppose even if she found out HQG didn't kill her father, she will still blame HQG for everything.

And last but not least; why is DFYQ really helping HQG? Because he wants to see BZH suffer when HQG suffer or he can't bear to see HQG suffer when she sees BZH suffer?

Ahhhhhhhhhh...........

Beauty picture of this episode, no no NOT BZH... but this lovely screen capture...

I suppose the next 3 episodes will be entitled ULTIMATE SACRIFICE aka ...

SF's sacrifice >> HQG's sacrifice >> BZH sacrifice

Comes in 3. Could be 4 if thereafter DFYQ but should be much later. Poison almost killed BZH but no worries, there's always the nails! If not, there's always heartbreak!