[Recap] Word of Honor – Episode 5

Episode 4 ⇦ Word of Honor Recaps ⇨ Episode 6

Note: For the confused people like me, here’s a character guide.

Credit: sixteenthshen@Tumblr

Somewhere in the Forest, Mount Tai Sect Camp

Tao Hong and Lu Liu vs Shen Shen had a duel. Ao Lai Zi and kids stood to the side to watch. To be honest, when Ao Lai Zi told Qing Bai “Let’s go” while the oldies and Shen Shen were fighting, I thought he meant they were gonna leave Shen Shen alone there. I’m surprised to see them watching by the sidelines. Anyway, Shen Shen won. Tao Hong and Lu Liu left warning him there will be more people running after them in the future because of the Glazed Armor.

Shen Shen called the last two disciples of the Danyang Sect. Ao Lai Zi forbid the kids and claimed them as a part of the Mount Tai Sect. If Shen Shen had problems with that, he could discuss it with Ao Lai Zi. Shen Shen questions Ao Lai Zi’s intentions for keeping the last two survivors of the Danyang Sect. Ao Lai Zi discloses that Lu Taichong personally entrusted the teens to him. To add, he mentioned Five Lakes Alliance abused their power and oppressed others. Shen Shen was not convinced but one of the Danyang sect survivors confirmed Ao Lai Zi’s statement. He snapped at the kid saying Master Lu was delirious.

Ao Lai Zi directly asked the Shen Shen does he want the kids or the Glazed Armor. Shen Shen bluntly responded he could take it if he wanted to and Ao Lai Zi won’t be able to stop him. Just in time, the kid who called for help just as Cheng Ling reached Sanbai Manor came running with Zhao Jing of Tai Lake Sect along with his guards, Zhou Zi Shu, Wen Ke Xing and Cheng Ling..

Still in the Same Forest but with more People from Tai Lake Sect

Shen Shen was taken aback and went full politician mode and turned to Zhao Jing. He painted himself as the hero when Tao Hong and Lu Liu attacked the Mount Tai Sect. Not only that, Shen Shen also said that Ao Lai Zi escorted the Danyang Sect survivors and that they ought to thank him properly.

Zhao Jing invited the Mount Tai Sect to rest in the Sanbai Manor. Ao Lai Zi politely declined which Zhao Jing accepted. Shen Shen was definitely unhappy about this. He gritted his teeth and turned to Zhao Jing. Zhao Jing mentioned Ao Lai Zi was highly respected. They can’t make a scene in front of so many people.

Shen Shen still pushed his luck. He even questioned if he’s able to defend Mount Tai Sect if they get attacked again by Tao Hong and Lu Liu or anyone similar. This was a totally valid point, tbh. If you can’t even defend your sect to two old people in the forest, how are you supposed to defend them from the younger and stronger ones? Nevertheless, Ao Lai Zi ignored this comment, thanked Shen Shen and Zhao Jing and set off. It wasn’t really explained whether they have any place in mind or they were just wandering off aimlessly.

Zhou Zi Shu gave a side comment to Wen Ke Xing that both sides definitely had their own agenda.

Zhao Jing proceeded to introduce Cheng Ling, Wen Ke Xing and Zhou Zi Shu to Shen Shen. They were asked for their names. Zhou Zi Shu wanted to go anonymous but Wen Ke Xing wasn’t having any of it. He introduced himself and stated they went through trouble to deliver Cheng Ling alive to them.

Sanbai Manor, Tai Lake Sect

A grand feast was held in Sanbai Manor. As they were watching the performers, Wen Ke Xing flaunted his poetry skills… again. Are we even surprised? I’m not.

The fragrance of flowers, cooking and beauties makes us drunk.
The sound of water, zither and spring birds move our hearts.

Wen Ke Xing, a toast to Zhao Jing

He proposed a toast to Zhao Jing. Shen Shen also proposed a toast as a gratitude for bringing Cheng Ling to them. Zhao Jing formally introduces Shen Shen as Master Shen, Leader of Mount Dagu Sect.

Zhou Zi Shu just drank away and observed people around him. From Window of Heaven archives, he recalled “Zhao Jing married the only daughter of West Zhejiang’s previous Observer and is very wealthy” but he didn’t expect him to be this grand.

Some part of the city, Mount Tai Sect on-the-run

Meanwhile, it was already dark outside. Ao Lai Zi and the Mount Tai Sect was still on the run with a bunch of kids and teenagers as survivors. He also seemed to be sick. Qing Bai was high-key worried about them being killed by the Five Lakes Alliance. Ao Lai Zi said they won’t publicly execute him but the danger lies with what Tao Hong and Lu Liu mentioned earlier the information leaked that they hold the last two survivors of Danyang Sect. This meant everyone is after them now. The martial arts world would soon turn into chaos. He mentioned life and death are not as important as keeping promises. He also mentioned that the kids should live well and bring glory to the Mount Tai Sect and Danyang Sect. This sounded like he was giving his last farewell.

After his speech, a man came running towards the screaming for help. It was Young Leader of Broken Sword Manor, Mu Yun Ge who claimed he was being chased by a female ghost. A confetti started raining on them as a woman laugh in the background. She also said, “Those who break others’ hearts will also have theirs broken. On 33rd Heaven’s list of unfaithful, your name has already been written down. Mu Yun Ge. Your time is up. Let’s go.”

A floating red cloth wrapped around Mu Yun Ge’s neck and dragged him away. Ao Lai Zi was warned to mind his own business but he unsheathed his sword and ran towards the empty street and darkness to save Mu Yun Ge.

Sanbai Manor

Cheng Ling wanted to call it a night but Shen Shen was drunk AF and didn’t want him to. He said all boys learn to drink at that age and that Cheng Ling’s father can drink a lot. Zhao Zing asked Song Huai Ren to escord the drunk Master Shen to his room. He also sent Cheng Ling to his room.

Song Huai Ren apparently was “Big Brother’s” (Gao Chong, Leader of Five Lakes Alliance) favorite disciple. As soon as Shen Shen’s head touched the pillow, surprise surprise! he was not drunk at all.

Wen Ke Xing was introduced to Mount Hua Sect Leader, Yu Qiu Feng and his son, Yu Tian Jie.

Jingrui Temple

Zhou ZI Shu snuck out of the party with a bottle of liquor in his hands. He spotted a suspicious Yu Tian Jie walking by the bridge alone. Of course, Zhou Zi Shu secretly watched him from afar. Yu Tian Jie went into one of the houses through the window and chased out a man in all black with a black mask.

While Zhao Jing and Yu QIu Feng was drinking, a laughing voice interrupted their party.

If you don’t do anything evil, you won’t be afraid of ghosts at night.
Five Lakes Alliance, you have done too many evil things and the ghosts are here.

Background voice

A lady ran crying into the manor and told them there was something on the main gate.

Since Ghost Valley confetti flew everywhere, you just know death was around the corner. And that corner was the Gate of Sanbai Mansion where Ao Lai Zi, Qing Bai and another dude (IDK his name) hanged, dead. Their faces were carved on both side of the mouth (like Joker). Yu Qiu Feng identified this as “Happy Ghosts’s” mark.

Joyful Moon Pavillion

Zhou Zi Shu figured out the Ghost Valley were after the Five Lakes Alliance. He rushed to Cheng Ling. Zhao Zing also figured this out and rushed to Cheng Ling and found Wen Ke Xing and Zhou Zi Shu already there. Cheng Ling looked shaken but he was safe.

Yu Qiu Feng shooked Cheng Ling and asked if his attackers were from Ghost Valley.

Wen Ke Xing responded on Cheng Ling’s behalf. They were masked men who wanted to kidnap Cheng Ling. Zhou Zi Shu observed Wen Ke Xing intently. Yu Qiu Feng insisted that it must be men from the Ghost Valley. Wen Ke Xing laughed and said if those men really were from Ghost Valley, then they did not live to expectations as those men had average martial arts skills.

Zhao Jing thanked Wen Ke Xing profusely.

Autum’s Echo

Mu Yun Ge woke up on a bed with Yan Wan, his dead lover, on top of him. She was strangled to death at the Broken Sword Manor and died pregnant. She also strangled Mu Yun Ge with a rope. He promised to do a Liberation Rite of Water and Land for her for a month. The lights went out and Yan Wan’s face became just one big patch of skin. No face, no eyes, no nothing. Mu Yun Ge passed out upon seeing this.

Beauty Ghost, one of the Ten Devils of the Ghost Valley, Liu Qian Qiao removed her mask. The ladies gathered around her and made fun of Mu Yun Ge. She even offered to teach them how to do the transformation.

Sanbai Manor

Cheng Ling pretended to sleep but as soon as he sensed Zhou Zi Shu leaving his room, he sat upright. Zhou Zi Shu bid his farewell. He said if Cheng Ling was serious about learning martial arts, he had vast resources since he’s part of the Five Lakes Alliance. Their fates end there. The poor baby started crying and he told him to stop crying. Zhou Zi Shu you piece of shit! Cheng Ling automatically said, real men shed blood not tears. With that, Zhou Zi Shu left.

Remember Qin Jiu Xiao, one of his eighty-one dead brothers from episode 1 and episode 2? Remember? Zhou Zi Shu had a flashback with Qin Jiu Xiao crying. Obviously, Cheng Ling still reminded him of his dead brother.

Zhou Zi Shu flew on top of a roof and listened to Zhao Jing and Shen Shen’s conversation. The person Yu Tian Jie was chasing stole the Glazed Armor, he figured.

Zhao Jing’s Quarters

Meanwhile, in Zhao Jing’s quarters, his piece of Glazed Armor was stolen. Each of the clan leaders had a piece of the Glazed Armor. Shen Shen was bitching and panicking about it. Zhao Zing mentioned there must be a traitor in the mansion.

Shen Shen concluded it was Ghost Valley who was after the Glazed Armor. Danyang Sect, Mirror Lake Sect and Mount Tai Sect were dead or at least, extinct. Now that Zhao Zing lost his, three of the five pieces are gone. Shen Shen criticized the security of his manor. He has every right to be. The was Zhou Zi Shu was listening to the roof it was easy peasy.

He said he just wanted the Zhang family (Cheng Ling’s family) and the rest of his brothers in Five Lakes Alliances to be happy and well. That would be enough for him. Zhao Jing regretted making the armory and asked Shen Shen to bring his piece of Glazed Armor to him so they can destroy it. If they break it, no one can have it and then it will be peaceful. Shen Shen pointed out the people who had to die to protect the armory would have died in vain if they did that.

After listening up to this part of Zhao Jing and Shen Shen’s conversation, he spotted a man flying over the roof. The man’s concealment technique was so good he could hide from Zhou Zi Shu. Zhao Jing and Shen Shen’s hurriedly stepped outside to see what the commotion was about. Zhou Zi Shu threw smoke bombs at them and disappeared. He followed the other man flying over the roof. How are there no guards around Zhao Jing’s Quarters?

Forest next to Sanbai Manor

Of course, it was Wen Ke Xing who was flying around. They stopped in the middle of the forest. Wen Ke Xing thanked his Ah Xu for stopping Zhao Jing and Shen Shen from following him. Even of Ah Xu liked to bully him a lot, when dealing with outsiders, Ah Xu knew what close relationships were.

Zhou Zi Shu confronted Wen Ke Xing. Instead of being a guest, he became a thief in the shadows and asked him what was he up to. Wen Ke Xing responded he was doing the same. This didn’t make sense to me. Anyway, Wen Ke Xing said the Five Lakes Alliance were riddled in secrets but they were different. Even though they don’t say it, their hearts are as clear as mirrors.

Cheng Ling was a naive boy and they have to find out the origins of the Glazed Armor and its implications or the pack of wolves will swallow him alive sooner or later.

Zhou Zi Shu confessed he saw Yu Tian Jie earlier running after a masked man. It must be the traitor Zhao Jing mentioned. He also mentioned that he noticed people fighting around the area when he arrived here.

The men saw a “Soul Winding Spell” on the forest. Similar to the spell in episode 3 in Mirror Lake Manor. Zhou ZI Shu concluded it was the real Hanging Ghost. Wen Ke Xing asked if it was the Hanging Ghost that Ah-Xiang killed was fake. Xue Fang (probably Hanging Ghost’s real name) trained for thirty years. If he could be defeated by a little girl, those people killed by him won’t be able to lie still even in their coffins.

Wen Ke Xing mentioned they say not to talk about people in the day or ghost at night. The reason Zhou Zi Shu was not afraid was:

Wen Ke Xing’s brought that up because he wanted to fix that. 🤷‍♀️

Just then, blood started dripping from above and dripped on Ah Xu’s sleeve. Wen Ke Xing teased him that he’s afraid of blood. Ah Xu said he was disgusted. Wen Ke Xing told him not to worry because he will clean it. What did he do? Y’all are not ready for this!

If you’re new to this and have no idea what that gif meant, here’s a Wikipedia page of cut sleeve and everything it represents. You’re welcome. Moving on…

The pair stared at the dead body hanging from the tree. It was clearly Yu Tian Jie.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the yellow sparrow behind.

Wen Ke Xing proposed to make a bet who was the man hanging in the air. Zhou Zi Shu channeled his inner Lan Wangji and said:

They found a second dead body they found while they were casually strolling in the forest. In gay panic, Zhou Zi Shu told Wen Ke Xing not to stand too close to him. Wen Ke Xing was unfazed. He walked towards the dead body and said they should guess who killed the masked man. Ah Xu removed the mask of the man. He turned out to be Song Huai Ren, Gao Chong’s favorite disciple. Most likely sent by Gao Chong himself and was probably the traitor.

Wen Ke Xing said they had to guess who killed him. Zhou Zi Shu said it was Yu Tian Jie from Taiyue’s Green Peak Swordsmanship. Wen Ke Xing said he’s wrong the fatal injury was a particular wound. He playfully asked what caused the injury. Zhou Zi Shu said nothing but thought it was caused by a hook but he didn’t have any impression of the martial art.

They were interrupted by owls laughing. Wen KeXing, equipped with all the sayings said, don’t be afraid to hear an owl’s call but be afraid to hear an owl laugh. Once it laughs, people will die. Zhou Zi Shu pointed out people already died that night. Wen Ke Xing said, there was a child who heard an owl laugh, a dozen of people in the village died that night.

Ghost Valley Master’s joke of the year, ladies and gentlemen:

ZZS: If everyone is a cicada, then who is the yellow sparrow or the praying mantis behind?
WKX: THe wold is like a game of chess. Every cunning zealot always think they have the upper hand. Everyone thinks he is the yellow sparrow but have no idea that he is just the small cicada
ZZS: If you want to say you’re the yellow sparrow, just say it.
WKX: Ah Xu where are you going? It’s the middle of the night. I’m just a cicada, I’m afraid of ghosts!

Me:

Zhao Coffin Home

The couple arrived in Zhao Coffin Home. They opened the door and found more Soul Winding Thread everywhere. Wen Ke Xing started praising Zhou Zi Shu’s martial arts and asked how come he’s never heard of Zhou Xu before. Wen Ke Xing asked Ah Xu who exactly was he. Ah Xu threw the question back at him. Wen Ke Xing said he’s a good person. He claimed that in a place where he came from, people call him “Philanthropist Wen”.

The front porch was littered with coffins. There was a life-sized paper horse or two and creepy-ass vibes. They kicked the main door and found statues, Zhao memorial tablets and a main “god” statue and three freshly lit incense sticks. Zhou Zi Shu explored the left wing and Wen Ke Xing turned right.

Wen Ke Xing saw more coffin. A man was sitting down with his back turned against Wen Ke Xing. Wen Ke Xing taunted the man but he did not respond. He walked towards the man and told him, “You’ve met your match today.”

When the man turned around, he smiled. Wen Ke Xing recognized the man and he called him, “Father”. The man looked way too young to be his father. It was clear that it was a hallucination.

Meanwhile, Zhou Zi Shu stared at the incense, opened the door to his right. He saw the Qin Huai Zhang, Leader of the Four Seasons Manor and a kid who called him “senior”. His master called his name asked for his help to build a bigger snowman. He smiled and had a peaceful state for a split second. But then it hit him, he was now the leader of the Four Seasons Manor. The man in front of him is already dead. He drew his sword, cut his hand and pointed it at Qin Huai Zhang. The hallucination faded. It turned out to be a freaking zombie a.k.a “drug men”. Zhou Zi Shu fought the zombie.

Out of nowhere, Wen Ke Xing walks out and told the zombie “Don’t touch him. Don’t bully him.”. He was basically acting like he was five. Zhou Zi Shu gave him an antidote but it was bitter. Wen Ke Xing called him by his real name.

“Zhou Zi Shu, you lied! I’m going to tell my mother!”

Zhou Zi Shu was shocked and wondered since when Wen Ke Xing knew his real name.

Episode 4 ⇦ Word of Honor Recaps ⇨ Episode 6