Ice Fantasy 幻城 - Episode 44 (Recap)

kakashi: Our most favorite character returns, but ... well, he's different. I'd also say the drama turns even wackier than it already is, but is that even possible?
JoAnne:  Hi folks. Back from my premature visit to the recap for episode 45, which was well on its way to convincing me I was showing early signs of dementia. I couldn't remember any of this and didn't know what anything was about! More than usual, I mean.
SakiVI: He's back, my baby is back!

Episode 44

The Deicide has landed. I repeat: The Deicide has landed! Dream Lord knows: it's dangerous to touch it because the blood of an immortal creates new Sword Fairies! I'LL BE DAMNED. THIS pops out of it:
SHI HAS ENTERED THE BUILDING.
Mine.

If you think this is Ying Kong Shi, you are just as mistaken as all the other people there. No, this is a new Sword Fairy, created by a part of Shi's soul that sought refuge in the sword. Sword Fairy Shi is tiny, cute, and very juvenile. Kasuo immediately starts crying. But Sword Fairy Shi does not recognize any of them, nor does he remember ever being (part of) Shi.
Well, damn. But...it IS Ma Tianyu, right?
Oh, yes!

After Little Shi has gone back to sleep inside the sword (awww, he's still a baby), Granny (who is completely fine) force-blasts Kasuo. But not to harm him! She is transferring her immortal powers to him. More power? Yep, he needs it against the Insane God. And we learn why she became the Snow Mountain Priestess in the first place: When Kasuo was a baby, he almost died of an illness. Everyone had already given up on him with heavy hearts, but Granny saw what others could not: That the fate of the tribe was tied up with Kasuo. So she illegally went to summon the Will of the Fallen.
Uh, why did she not just give him her powers oh, I don't know, 40 episodes ago?
We would've missed out on lots of fun, oh, and Shi dying, so yeah, now I'm with Jo.

That old bastard sent her to Prisoner's Rock Island, where she met the Black Smoke. She asked him for the entrance to Sacred Snow Mountain, because only the water from a lake there could save Kasuo (said the Will of the Fallen). Yuan Ji promised to take her there - if she agreed to be the Priestess to guard the entrance. Of course, she could not reveal this to anyone until she was defeated.
So how was she guarding the entrance? She was always popping up in Snow City! Did she put up a sign that said 'Sorry, back in 5 minutes. You can storm my walls after I return, okay?'
Somehow, she bends time and space.

But now, the pact is broken - and Granny loses her immortality status. She also loses her cool headdress (must've been heavy) and her hair gets a bit messy. She promises to wait for Kasuo in Snowmist Forest though.
I love how Grannie's weird little black feather collar thingie blocks that dumb fairy's face. I'd rather look at Cuddle Bear and Sad Eagle any day. (You did that on purpose, didn't you?)
Fairy is the character I want gone for good.  Will I get my wish?

After this, everyone is a bit quiet and thoughtful. Because of the demons of the others they saw. Healer tries to talk to Luna ("Can I ask you a question?" - "No". ahahahaa) and indeed, she does talk about her demon: the sister she killed (or thinks she killed). A sister who loved her dearly, more than her parents. Turns out Luna did not kill her - she just couldn't help her when she was poisoned. She and Healer comfort each other. They're cute. I ship them. Next!
I like Luna and Healer too. I wonder if he can introduce her to the rest of SuJu.
I don't care about them. See Siwon below. 

Kasuo mopes and tries to summon the Shi Fairy (since when does he have a Deicide Gauntlet? Did I miss something? Probably came with the Deicide.). But Shi Fairy is on the frozen lake to play. Yan Da is there too! She's been observing everything and everyone all the time. Shi Fairy doesn't remember her either and asks whether a Yan Da is edible. Awww, he's so cute. She shares a bit of her soul with him. Yummy :) Yan Da is very happy to have him "back".
Awww, he's so cute! Will he get bigger? Or is Yan Da still screwed?
She just wants his friendship now. My shipper heart is sore. 

Healer declares that the Dream Lord is very badly wounded. So bad that he has to go back to the other realm (even if he absolutely doesn't want to (he won't be able to snoop, not aww)). He is resisting, because he is sure they will absolutely need him - but all of a sudden, his little sister Xing Gui pops up. She got herself a Teardrop Charm and came to this realm. She has seen her brother's predicament in her dreams. Kasuo doesn't want her there, but she has skillz ... she steals everyone's teardrop charm to prove it. Okay, it's decided: Xing Jui out, Xing Gui in. 

THAT's who Huanzheng from Novoland reminds me of! I wonder if Dreamer is his older brother. Kasuo looks particularly constipated here, by the way.

Maybe he wasn't getting enough fiber in Snow Mountain. Or the pressure from the Infinity Ocean did his digestion in. 

They say goodbye to Granny (Kasuo has put Xing Jui to sleep with his superpowers) - who tells them to go east and defeat the Four Guardians in order to break the enchantment shield and meet Yuan Ji and find out where the Veiled Lotus is. What, more guardians! 
Is now a good time to mention that the way the sideburns on these wigs practically start at the jawline really IRKS me?
Sigh, why do we need more guardians in this alleged paradise?

Cut to this throne room. Do you guys think there is glass between the room and the outside? Or is our Insane God too cool to need this? 

I go with too insane to need it.

Tis beautiful. Everything about this man is beautiful. 

Lian Ji is worried that Kasuo is coming too close. But Yuan Ji is like: gurl, chill. They're headed towards "Demolisher White Tiger's Holy Hall" now and I'm guessing that means it's not good for our gang.

Damn. If you think about it, Shi should be way better looking than he is. He's cute but...look at them. LOOK at them.

I know, it's like Shi suddenly went ordinary. And Yuan Ji is not being too bright, dishy though he is.  Just kill Kasuo already.  

Perfect Couple

They're in a forest and Xing Gui is having some dizzy spell. No problem though, Pian Feng just takes her piggyback! They walk a bit further and then, Kasuo declares they will camp here. And Healer does this (see gif below) O__________o - can I PLEASE have one of those?!

He didn't throw them far enough away.  Camping is no.

Glamping is the same idea, right, except other people do the throwing, setting up, cooking etc. 

They discuss the tent size (Pian Feng thinks it's too small for four men), but Bear wants to sleep outside anyway. You wild thing you, rawr! Well, that gives Pian Feng a chance to talk to the Bear alone later - about the inner demon thing. Poor Bear is insecure .... awwwww. He is unsure he would win against Eagle Man if they had to compete for her heart. Double awwwwwwwwww.

Awwwwww. That's so sad, poor baby bear.

I don't care. 

Then let's see who wins! Eagle Man declares ... and extends his claws. Really, boys?! so boring when they fight.  They fight until Chao Ya appears and orders them to stop. 

What the hell?  I thought maybe Eagle was trying to show him that he (Bear) would win.  You know, gracefully back out and give the guy some peace?  I guess not.

But then, Huang Tuo (who remained at the camp) screams - he's being attacked! By him:

Ooookay, show. He's only interested in some apples that are lying around though. I'm not making this up. He's constipated. Okay, I had some alcohol *checks glass*, but this is really what happens. There's some blue stuff on his back, which makes Xing Gui realize that he is hurt. Okay? Okay. The thing isn't overly friendly though, so I guess it's a good thing that Kasuo intervenes. They take it prisoner. Hey, it can speak! And he says that his name is Qing Long - he's the East Guardian.

He seems really intense for someone who just wants an apple.

They're all very surprised to see a guardian in this state, but he explains that the life of a Guardian around here is tough, tough, tough! There is just one rule in this realm and it's "The Winner Takes It All" (aka the survival of the fittest). The four Guardians fight all the time. He was attacked and wounded by West Guardian Qin Ren, who is now also the East Guardian and has taken over "Demolisher White Tiger's Holy Hall".

Just kill me now.

Why? It's so good! Like watching a video game come to life without all that boring playing. 

Great, Kasuo et al. say, take us there! (they've been searching for it but haven't been able to find it). But it's too dangerous! Their prisoner cries. Okay, they threaten him a little and then he agrees. The entrance to the hall is in the middle of an empty field. Yes, enchantment field and all. Only guardian gods can see the palace halls. And you can only enter if you're invited. Hmmm ... sounds like a problem.

He's not bad looking when he's not freaking out about fruit.

They always say "only" and then an exception appears. 

But Qing Long knows tricks. He does some magicks (See, the exception.) and huiiiiiii, off they go. Yan Da, who keeps watching them, can only wonder what just happened.

Do they, uh, KNOW that Yan Da has been following them? I mean, if Xing Gui has been watching them in her dreams, did she not also see Yan Da?

Maybe Xing Gui doesn't care.

Comments

I have a feeling those Guardians will keep us busy for a few episodes. You? I also think they will be fun. 

That's one way to describe it, certainly.

Guardians are good way to fill out the time. 

Also, yay for Shi's return! Or rather, yay for Ma Tianyu's return, because this isn't Shi. Not fully, at least. He's really cute though. Awwwwwwwww.

Maybe if Kasuo blows on his flute...

Baby Fairy Shi is so cute!