Things continue to get darker here on the show, and I'm loving it.
Where we are to date - the heirs of the cultivator clans have been surrendered to the Wen clan for indoctrination. LWJ was had his leg broken by Wen X when he was captured, surrendering himself and the Yin Iron fragment to Wen Ruohan in order to save the Lan Clan disciples. Half his home has be razed to the ground.
The Wen Clan now has three fragments of the Yin Iron.
Jiang Cheng and WWX are there also, WWX volunteering to go, as he is not an heir and so didn't have to. He's a cheeky buggar, and was punished by a long night stay in a prison cell with a giant hungry dog. He was helped, however, by Wen Ning and Wen Qing, who are decent people, even if they belong to the Wen Clan.
That's pretty much all you need to know now. On with episode thirteen.
Where we are to date - the heirs of the cultivator clans have been surrendered to the Wen clan for indoctrination. LWJ was had his leg broken by Wen X when he was captured, surrendering himself and the Yin Iron fragment to Wen Ruohan in order to save the Lan Clan disciples. Half his home has be razed to the ground.
The Wen Clan now has three fragments of the Yin Iron.
Jiang Cheng and WWX are there also, WWX volunteering to go, as he is not an heir and so didn't have to. He's a cheeky buggar, and was punished by a long night stay in a prison cell with a giant hungry dog. He was helped, however, by Wen Ning and Wen Qing, who are decent people, even if they belong to the Wen Clan.
That's pretty much all you need to know now. On with episode thirteen.
Once again, we start where we left off, WWX offering to carry LWJ, who has but one response.
"Boring."
Knowing LWJ isn't going to let him help, WWX animates a paper doll and uses it to surreptitiously ask Wen Qing, who is accompanying them on the night hunt, to find a way to make it so LWJ can get some rest. Wen Qing, being an absolute queen, halts the whole troop and without batting an eye tells them they will get a drink and some rest here. Just like that. This, despite already having been threatened by Wen Ruohan for helping LWJ and WWX the last time. Wen Qin is a queen.
For her help, Wen Chao threatens her again. She acts like he's overthinking when he's absolutely right.
Meanwhile, WWX very sweetly gets water for his injured beau. LWJ barely gets a drink before Wen Chao has everyone up and moving again. His particularly bossy lady-friend Flirty McBitchface tells everyone to search for a cave. It's then we find out that she was the handmaiden of Wen Chao's first wife. Wow, you two. Wow.
As it turns out, no one can find the cave, but WWX seems to have spider senses, and sends a talisman across the water, revealing a cave. The twerp. He should have just let it be and they could've had a long and fruitless search, but stayed out of trouble, more or less.
So, into the cave they go.
Well, don't they come to a steep drop off. So naturally, because he's a dick, Wen Chao pushes WWX down in order to see how far it goes. Injured, but alive, WWX gets up to find the rest of the cultivators coming down the side on ropes. It results in a touching moment of almost-camaraderie.
The group moves forward until they come to an underground lake. A dead end.
Wen Chao and his cronies join them and Wen Chao, certain that the beast that he'd intended to find was here somewhere, decides to use one of his hostages as live bait. Jin Zuxian once again stands up to Wen Chao, protesting the decision at all, noting that Wen Chao would leave them there to die.
Flirty McBitchface decides that she wants Mianmian to be the live bait, and the cultivators close ranks, including the injured LWJ, who helps put down a couple of lesser Jin cultivators who tried to go for Mianmian (presumably to save themselves). WWX notes to his brother that given the situation, they might mot be able to stay out of trouble after all.
AND FIGHT!
Given that the hostages were relieved of their swords, they do extremely well, fighting against the Wen Clan cronies. I'm particularly impressed with Jiang Cheng, who held up well against Wen Chao's bodyguard. And can I just say, the stony face of LWJ as he fights is equal parts impressive and amusing. I may have giggled.
"Boring."
Knowing LWJ isn't going to let him help, WWX animates a paper doll and uses it to surreptitiously ask Wen Qing, who is accompanying them on the night hunt, to find a way to make it so LWJ can get some rest. Wen Qing, being an absolute queen, halts the whole troop and without batting an eye tells them they will get a drink and some rest here. Just like that. This, despite already having been threatened by Wen Ruohan for helping LWJ and WWX the last time. Wen Qin is a queen.
For her help, Wen Chao threatens her again. She acts like he's overthinking when he's absolutely right.
Meanwhile, WWX very sweetly gets water for his injured beau. LWJ barely gets a drink before Wen Chao has everyone up and moving again. His particularly bossy lady-friend Flirty McBitchface tells everyone to search for a cave. It's then we find out that she was the handmaiden of Wen Chao's first wife. Wow, you two. Wow.
As it turns out, no one can find the cave, but WWX seems to have spider senses, and sends a talisman across the water, revealing a cave. The twerp. He should have just let it be and they could've had a long and fruitless search, but stayed out of trouble, more or less.
So, into the cave they go.
Well, don't they come to a steep drop off. So naturally, because he's a dick, Wen Chao pushes WWX down in order to see how far it goes. Injured, but alive, WWX gets up to find the rest of the cultivators coming down the side on ropes. It results in a touching moment of almost-camaraderie.
The group moves forward until they come to an underground lake. A dead end.
Wen Chao and his cronies join them and Wen Chao, certain that the beast that he'd intended to find was here somewhere, decides to use one of his hostages as live bait. Jin Zuxian once again stands up to Wen Chao, protesting the decision at all, noting that Wen Chao would leave them there to die.
Flirty McBitchface decides that she wants Mianmian to be the live bait, and the cultivators close ranks, including the injured LWJ, who helps put down a couple of lesser Jin cultivators who tried to go for Mianmian (presumably to save themselves). WWX notes to his brother that given the situation, they might mot be able to stay out of trouble after all.
AND FIGHT!
Given that the hostages were relieved of their swords, they do extremely well, fighting against the Wen Clan cronies. I'm particularly impressed with Jiang Cheng, who held up well against Wen Chao's bodyguard. And can I just say, the stony face of LWJ as he fights is equal parts impressive and amusing. I may have giggled.
During the fight, WWX recites one of the principles of the Wen Clan at Wen Chao. You know, the whole, "Those who do evil shall be executed" thing. Wen Chao doesn't recognize it and calls it out as bullshit, which amuses WWX, who notes that it was laid down by a Wen Clan ancestor, and the price for disrespecting one of those is, uh, well, death.
Then WWX takes Wen Chao as hostage and jumps to a rock that's sticking out of the lake. Turns out that rock is not a rock at all, but a water snek of some kind.
Then WWX takes Wen Chao as hostage and jumps to a rock that's sticking out of the lake. Turns out that rock is not a rock at all, but a water snek of some kind.
Apparently snek thing can't see too well.
Wen Chao, being a dumb fuck, screams, and WWX is forced to toss him back to shore, and it's about then that I realized that the snek is not a snek at all. It's a damned tortoise. A slaughter tortoise. Remember way back in episode I've forgotten already when Lan Yin mentioned the first wielder of the Yin Iron, Xue Chonghai had a pet slaughter tortoise? Yeah...
Anyway, there's now a fight against the tortoise, but not before Flirty McBitchface decides to get some damage in on Mianmian. She heats up a brand (where the fuck did they find a brand, and why, if it wasn't found, did they bring it along?) and goes for Mianmian's face. But WWX, being himself, dives between and gets his chest branded instead. Cool. Smells like an infection, probably.
The Wen's escape the pond, Wen Qing having to be dragged away, protesting the entire time. And then, for some reason, they cut the fucking ropes behind them and blockade the entrance to the cave. Bastards. The hostages discover this and despair.
But LWJ comes to the rescue. With what? Maple leaves. No, seriously, maple leaves. There were maple leaves in the water. They must have gotten there by some kind of tunnel, and if they got in, perhaps the cultivators could get out. So, they form a plan. WWX will distract that slaughter tortoise with fire while Jiang Cheng goes to find the potential escape route and checks it out.
That works, and Jiang Cheng reports back that there is a tunnel, it does lead out, and it's large enough to take them all through, five or six at a time. So, the plan is to continue distracting the tortoise with fire while everyone escapes.
Problem, the tortoise figures out how to put out the fire, meaning WWX is forced to distract it in person. He does so, telling everyone else to get out. Naturally, LWJ, injured though he is, stays to fight the tortoise with WWX. Jiang Cheng leaves, but only reluctantly, telling his brother that he'll be back to save him.
The hostages make their escape, and LWJ and WWX escape into a side cavern where the tortoise can't get at them. What follows is a sweet bonding scene, in which WWX nurses LWJ's many wounds. It has plenty of humour, like, for example, LWJ's gay panic as WWX hurriedly tries to undress LWJ, and when that doesn't work, starts to undress himself.
Anyway, there's now a fight against the tortoise, but not before Flirty McBitchface decides to get some damage in on Mianmian. She heats up a brand (where the fuck did they find a brand, and why, if it wasn't found, did they bring it along?) and goes for Mianmian's face. But WWX, being himself, dives between and gets his chest branded instead. Cool. Smells like an infection, probably.
The Wen's escape the pond, Wen Qing having to be dragged away, protesting the entire time. And then, for some reason, they cut the fucking ropes behind them and blockade the entrance to the cave. Bastards. The hostages discover this and despair.
But LWJ comes to the rescue. With what? Maple leaves. No, seriously, maple leaves. There were maple leaves in the water. They must have gotten there by some kind of tunnel, and if they got in, perhaps the cultivators could get out. So, they form a plan. WWX will distract that slaughter tortoise with fire while Jiang Cheng goes to find the potential escape route and checks it out.
That works, and Jiang Cheng reports back that there is a tunnel, it does lead out, and it's large enough to take them all through, five or six at a time. So, the plan is to continue distracting the tortoise with fire while everyone escapes.
Problem, the tortoise figures out how to put out the fire, meaning WWX is forced to distract it in person. He does so, telling everyone else to get out. Naturally, LWJ, injured though he is, stays to fight the tortoise with WWX. Jiang Cheng leaves, but only reluctantly, telling his brother that he'll be back to save him.
The hostages make their escape, and LWJ and WWX escape into a side cavern where the tortoise can't get at them. What follows is a sweet bonding scene, in which WWX nurses LWJ's many wounds. It has plenty of humour, like, for example, LWJ's gay panic as WWX hurriedly tries to undress LWJ, and when that doesn't work, starts to undress himself.
It was all a ruse, though, to get LWJ to vomit up the blood that was making him unwell. In the fighting, WWX lost most of the poultice Wen Ning gave him, but he uses what he has to treat LWJ. LWJ takes some and smashes it onto WWX's burn, and jokes (JOKES!), "You're welcome."
A lovely bonding moment happens in which WWX talks about men having scars and besides, now Mianmian will remember him forever. LWJ gets a little huffy, and WWX asks if he likes Mianmian. The, "Bitch, are you blind?" face LWJ pulls is just... *chef's kiss*
A lovely bonding moment happens in which WWX talks about men having scars and besides, now Mianmian will remember him forever. LWJ gets a little huffy, and WWX asks if he likes Mianmian. The, "Bitch, are you blind?" face LWJ pulls is just... *chef's kiss*
It's here that LWJ reveals that the Lan Clan cannot come to their rescue as WWX surmised they might. The Cloud Recesses have been burnt. When WWX enquires after his uncle, Lan Qiren, LWJ notes he was badly injured. When WWX enquires after his brother, Lan Xichen, LWJ reveals that he is missing.
Then, it being bedtime and his life so fearfully regimented growing up, LWJ falls asleep. WWX guesses it must be around nine o'clock.
Then, it being bedtime and his life so fearfully regimented growing up, LWJ falls asleep. WWX guesses it must be around nine o'clock.
And this is where we end the episode.
What I Liked
I adored Wen Qing this episode. Showing her helping WWX out, even after she'd been threatened, proves just how good and brave this girl is. Sure, her courage isn't the bravado of WWX, and remains largely uncelebrated, but I'd like to point out that if she didn't help WWX out against he giant dog in the dungeon, he'd be dead and this would be a much shorter series. Courage doesn't always roar like a lion, and Wen Qing is a goddess. Fight me.
I also really liked seeing Jiang Cheng fight so well against Wen Zhuliu (the bodyguard). The poor lad doesn't get many hero moments in this series, and this was definitely one of them.
In fact, the fight choreography in this was pretty damned good. Mostly.
What Could Have Been Better
So... the fight with the murder tortoise was a little goofy. I feel like the choreographers have no idea what the CGI animal will be doing, and so compensate with a lot of wire work and unnecessary spins, somersaults and twirls in there to make it look hectic and scary.
Oh! And also, once they're in the cave, WWX goes to get something to help treat LWJ's injured leg and comes back with a whole-ass tree. Like, surely if that thing exists down there, there's a perfectly decent escape point that you have access to, no? It made me laugh. Both times.
Still, the series is awesome and I'm loving it still. Next week, MOAR SLAUGHTER TORTOISE!
What I Liked
I adored Wen Qing this episode. Showing her helping WWX out, even after she'd been threatened, proves just how good and brave this girl is. Sure, her courage isn't the bravado of WWX, and remains largely uncelebrated, but I'd like to point out that if she didn't help WWX out against he giant dog in the dungeon, he'd be dead and this would be a much shorter series. Courage doesn't always roar like a lion, and Wen Qing is a goddess. Fight me.
I also really liked seeing Jiang Cheng fight so well against Wen Zhuliu (the bodyguard). The poor lad doesn't get many hero moments in this series, and this was definitely one of them.
In fact, the fight choreography in this was pretty damned good. Mostly.
What Could Have Been Better
So... the fight with the murder tortoise was a little goofy. I feel like the choreographers have no idea what the CGI animal will be doing, and so compensate with a lot of wire work and unnecessary spins, somersaults and twirls in there to make it look hectic and scary.
Oh! And also, once they're in the cave, WWX goes to get something to help treat LWJ's injured leg and comes back with a whole-ass tree. Like, surely if that thing exists down there, there's a perfectly decent escape point that you have access to, no? It made me laugh. Both times.
Still, the series is awesome and I'm loving it still. Next week, MOAR SLAUGHTER TORTOISE!
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