With the third and final season of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation getting under way, fans might need a quick refresher on what happened in the first two seasons since it aired in 2018-19. Season 1 introduced the main characters like Wei Wuxian, Lan Wangji, and Jiang Cheng.
After the first two episodes, the narrative immediately dove into the pasts of all three, detailing their studies at the Cloud Recesses and the Sunshot Campaign where Wei Wuxian made his entrance as the Yiling Patriarch. Season 2 then focused on the Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji solving the mystery of the zombie arm.
Here are all the key events to remember before the final season of the BL donghua Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation.
How Wei Wuxian Became the Yiling Patriarch
The cultivation world is divided into the five great clans: Qishan Wen Sect, Lanling Jin Sect, Qinghe Nie Sect, Gusu Lan Sect and Yunmeng Jiang Sect. The Wen Sect launches an attack on Yunmeng and Gusu Lan, resulting in the destruction of Lotus Pier and the deaths of hundreds of disciples and Jiang Cheng's parents, as well as the burning down of Cloud Recesses.
Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng escape the massacre but still end up in danger when Jiang Cheng's golden core, the source of his spiritual energy, is melted. Devastated that he couldn't protect Jiang Cheng, Wei Wuxian takes him to Yiling where he might get his core restored. But Wei Wuxian ends up in the hands of the Wens and is thrown into the Burial Mounds -- where no one has ever come out alive.
The remaining four clans launch the Sunshot Campaign to take down the Wen Sect but are severely overpowered. That is, until a flute plays and all of the fallen cultivators' corpses rise up and kill the Wen cultivators. It's none other than Wei Wuxian -- the Yiling Patriarch.
How Wei Wuxian's Nephew Jin Ling Became an Orphan
Wei Wuxian's extremely strong sense of justice has always been a point of contention between him and Jiang Cheng. When the cultivation world wanted the entire Wen Sect eradicated, including those who had no hand in the other clans' oppression, he knew he couldn't stand by and do nothing. Knowing the Wen remnants would be in danger, Wei Wuxian essentially turned his back on the rest of the cultivation world to protect them.
On his way to visit his new nephew, Wei Wuxian is unable to control Wen Ning, a fierce corpse, in his anger and the Ghost General kills his brother-in-law Jin Zixuan. Shortly after, in the First Siege of the Burial Mounds launched against Wei Wuxian to kill the Wen remnants, Wei Wuxian's shijie, Jiang Yanli, goes to look for him on the battlegrounds. Similarly, he's unable to control his zombie army and she gets badly injured. In the end she dies when throwing her body in front of him, intercepting a sword that was meant for him.
How Wei Wuxian Came Back to Life
13 years after Wei Wuxian died in Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation's First Siege, he's summoned back by an alleged lunatic named Mo Xuanyu who wanted the Yiling Patriarch to get revenge for how he was treated by his family. While he's there, a zombie arm is thrown into the Mo village, killing several people. Wei Wuxian inadvertently manages to avenge Mo Xuanyu but he now has a bigger case to solve: finding out who this zombie arm belongs to.
Wei Wuxian travels to Mount Dafan and meets his nephew, Jin Ling. The zombie arm continues to cause disruption, forcing Wei Wuxian to use his demonic cultivation, summoning Wen Ning whom he thought had also died 13 years ago. His flute alerts Lan Wangji, who recognizes the very same melody he composed for Wei Wuxian long ago when they were trapped in a cave together.
Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji's Reunion
In their younger days, Wei Wuxian was constantly breaking the Gusu Lan's rules and getting on Lan Wangji's nerves, so it didn't seem like they would ever be friends. Although Lan Wangji disapproves of Wei Wuxian's antics, he has always had strong morals and believes that, although unorthodox in his ideas, Wei Wuxian is a good person.
Their relationship is further strained when Wei Wuxian turns into the Yiling Patriarch and fully embraces demonic cultivation. Lan Wangji's worry about its effects leads to him asking Wei Wuxian to come back to Gusu with him. But Wei Wuxian misunderstands and believes he's trying to punish him. The two are often on opposing ends as a result.
When he returns to life 13 years later, Wei Wuxian reunites with Lan Wangji but the latter is quite different than how Wei Wuxian remembers him. He isn't as strict with the rules and bears a lot of scars, metaphorically and physically. Despite Wei Wuxian's teasing about how boring and quiet he is, he soon starts falling in love with Lan Wangji. Will Season 3 of Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation finally bring them together as a couple?
